The Ninth Contemplation

"My own body cannot help me when death comes.

The body cannot help us at death; it, too, will be lost at that moment."

This is the Ninth Contemplation and I have written about each of the nine of them the last two weeks. 

If you have ever used a disassociating drug, you might have felt a keen separation between your body and your mind. When I had this experience, I understood how true this contemplation is, that my body cannot help me at the time of death.

The Nine Contemplations, written in the 11th century by the Buddhist monk and scholar Atisha, addresses the twisting, jeweled path of life and ultimately death. They are a quiet warning of the inevitable and the need for preparation, so that we can go beyond fear and live a fully engaged life.

Roshi Joan Halifax wrote about these Contemplations in her book, "Being With Dying". There are so many books on death and dying but I cherish this one as a great companion and teacher. Here is her writing on the Contemplations in full detail:

The Nine Contemplations