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in fact； all these senses were alive； and the whole body too； because of the connection with some energy。
and once the energy begins to recede； the body； which was essentially lifeless； bees lifeless once again。
the master prepares to leave and the house bees depressed； desolate。
and the man feels； 〃here i go！〃 at the moment of death he es to feel； 〃i am going。
i am sinking； the end is near。
〃
the nervous feeling that he is dying …… the worried and melancholy state； the anguish and anxiety of dying； the feeling that his end is approaching …… brings such terrible suffering to a mans mind that he fails to be aware of the very experience of death。
to know death one needs to be peaceful。
instead； a man bees so restless he never knows what death is。
we have died many times before； an infinite number of times； but we have never known what death is。
each time the moment of death has arrived； we have bee so perturbed； so restless； so troubled …… how can we have known anything in that state？ what knowledge can one have had？ each time death has e …… and yet we have remained unfamiliar with it。
no； death cant be known at the moment of dying； but one can certainly have a planned death。
a planned death is meditation； yoga； samadhi。
samadhi means only one thing： bringing about the event that； otherwise； occurs by itself in death。
in samadhi； the seeker brings it about with effort by knowingly drawing his entire life energy within。
obviously； there is no need for him to feel restless； because he is experimenting with pulling； drawing the consciousness in。
with a cool mind he contracts the consciousness within。
what death does anyway； he does himself。
and in that silent state he finds that the life energy and the body are two separate things。
the bulb that emanates electricity is one thing； and the electricity that is emanated from it is another。
when the electricity contracts totally； the bulb lies there； lifeless。
the body is nothing more than an electric bulb。
life is the electricity； the energy； the vital force that keeps the body alive； warm； excited。
in samadhi； the seeker himself meets death。
and because he enters death himself； he es to know the truth that he is separate from his body。
once it is known that 〃i am separate from the body；〃 death is finished。
and once the separation between the body and the being is known； the experience of life has begun。
the end of death and the experience of life take place at the same point； simultaneously。
know life； death is gone； know death； there is life。
if understood correctly； these are just two ways of expressing the same thing。
they are two pointers in the same direction。
hence； i say religion is the art of dying。
you might say； however； that i have often said religion is the art of living。
i certainly talk about both things； for only one who knows how to die is able to know what life is。
religion is the art of living and dying。
if you wish to know what life is； what death is； you will have to learn the art of withdrawing energy from your body voluntarily。
only then can you know； not otherwise。
this energy can be withdrawn； it is not difficult。
its easy to pull this energy inside。
this energy is diffused at will and withdrawn at will。
this energy is simply an expanse of the will。
it is merely a matter of will。
one just needs a determined resolve to go within。
if you resolve that for half an hour you want to turn within； you want to die； you want to drown within yourself； you want to withdraw all your energy； then within days you will e close to experiencing the contraction of energy。
it will be a state in which the body will lie separate from you。
a deep three…month long experiment will make you see your body lying separate from you； you can see your own body lying distant from you。
first you will see from within that inside； you are standing separate …… radiating； like a flame。
you will see the entire body from within as you see this building。
with a little more courage you can even bring this inner living flame outside； and from outside you can see the body lying there； removed from you。
let me tell you an incredible experience i had。
it has just occurred to me； i have never told it before。
about seventeen or eighteen years ago i used to meditate until late at night sitting in the top of a tree。
i have often felt the body has a greater influence over you if you meditate sitting on the ground。
the body is made of earth； and the forces of the body work very powerfully if one meditates sitting on the ground。
all this talk of the yogis moving up to the higher elevations …… to the mountains； to the himalayas …… is not without reason； its very scientific。
the greater the distance between the body and the earth； the lesser the pull of the earthly element on the body。
so i used to meditate every night sitting in a tree。
one night
。
i dont know when i became immersed in deep meditation； and i dont know at what point my body fell from the tree； but when it did； i looked with a start to see what had happened。
i was still in the tree； but the body had fallen below。
its difficult to say how i felt at that time。
i was still sitting in the tree and the body was below。
only a single silver cord connected me with the navel of my body …… a very shiny silver cord。
what would happen next was beyond my prehension。
how would i return to my body？
i dont know how long this state lasted； but it was an exceptional experience。
for the first time i saw my body from outside； and from that very day on the body ceased to exist。
since then i am finished with death； because i came to see another body different from this one …… i came to experience the subtle body。
its difficult to say how long this experience lasted。
with the breaking of dawn； two women from the nearby village passed； carrying milk pots on their heads。
as they approached the tree they saw my body lying there。
they came and sat next to the body。
i was watching all this from above。
it seems the women took the body to be dead。
they placed their hands on my head； and in a moment； as if by a powerful force of attraction； i came back into the body and my eyes opened。
at that point i experienced something else too。
i felt that a woman can create a chemical change in a mans body； and so can a man in a womans body。
i also wondered how the touch of that woman caused my return to the body。
subsequently； i had many more experiences of this kind。
they explained why the tantrikas of india； who experimented extensively with samadhi and death； had linked themselves with women too。
during intensive experiences of samadhi； mans luminous body； his subtle body； cannot return without a womans help if it has e out of the physical body。
similarly； a womans luminous； subtle body； cannot be brought back without a mans assistance。
as the male and female bodies connect； an electrical circuit is pleted and the consciousness that has gone out returns swiftly to the body。
following this event； i consistently had the same kind of experi