What Happens After You Die? Tibetan Buddhist Insights on Death, Rebirth & Spiritual Awakening
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INTRODUCTION
Have you ever wondered where you go when you die? This profound question has fascinated humanity for millennia. In a recent episode of the Inspired Evolution podcast, spiritual teacher Andrew Hullchek shares transformative insights from Tibetan Buddhist wisdom and other traditions that reframe death not as an end, but as a profound evolutionary awakening.
Here’s a helpful guide to the truths revealed in that conversation—practical, heart-opening, and deeply relevant to living your best spiritual life today.
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Death Is Not the Enemy — It’s a Gateway
One of the first powerful ideas Andrew shares is that death is a rapid, involuntary evolutionary ascent into an awakened state. But this ascent doesn’t have to surprise or frighten us because we can begin the journey of “dying before we die” while still alive.
What does this mean? It means becoming familiar with deeper, subtler states of mind and heart beyond the surface identity we normally cling to. Most of us fear death because our sense of self is tied to our body, appearance, and ego—shallow layers that inevitably dissolve. When these layers fall away, what remains is the indestructible continuum—our true, deathless nature.
This awakening to who we really are is the true spiritual path, and practicing it now helps us approach death with calmness and clarity.
Life and Death Are Inseparable — Embrace Impermanence
Andrew reminds us that death and life co-emerge; you can’t have one without the other. The Tibetan Book of the Dead, often misunderstood as dark or morbid, is equally a Book of Life.
Framing your life within the reality of impermanence and death is actually a way to bring yourself more fully into life. It dissolves avoidance, opens the heart, and invites us to live with courage and presence.
Why Are We So Afraid of Death?
Our fear of death is not really about death itself—it’s about not recognizing who we truly are beneath our false identities. Andrew explains:
Death itself is neutral and natural.
We unconsciously project our fears onto death.
The true fear lies in confronting the fact that the "self" is a construct—there is no fixed center or ego at our core.
This misunderstanding is reinforced culturally; in many societies, death is denied or avoided, which deepens our anxiety. But by turning towards the truth instead of away, we begin to release these fears.
“If You Die Before You Die, You Will Not Die”
This powerful teaching invites us to practice “letting go” now—releasing attachment to false identities and becoming familiar with our deeper self.
Meditation is the key tool here. It’s essentially “death in slow motion,” training us to open to the formless, deathless essence within. This practice gives us the confidence to face actual death fearlessly—like spiritual masters who approach death with grace because they’ve already “been there, done that.”
The Bardos: Navigating the Transitional States
Tibetan Buddhism describes the Bardos—transitional states or “gaps” that occur between life, death, and rebirth. These include:
The Bardo of living (the present moment and meditation)
The Bardo of dying (the process of physical dissolution)
The Luminous Bardo of Dharmata (the ultimate state of pure awareness and reality)
The Karmic Bardo (the intermediate state where rebirth occurs)
Understanding and familiarizing ourselves with these Bardos helps us navigate death and rebirth with clarity. It also reveals that death is essentially a transition from one state of consciousness to another—like moving from one dream to the next.
The Hourglass Metaphor: Dissolution and Rebirth
Andrew shares the beautiful image of the dying process as an hourglass, where:
The top represents dissolution of physical senses and elements (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).
The center is the luminous formless state (non-duality, pure consciousness).
The bottom represents rebirth into a new form, determined by familiarity and attachment.
This process teaches that what we are reborn into depends on what we are familiar with. Meditation helps us become familiar with openness and formlessness, enabling a more conscious transition.
Openness vs. Contraction: The Key to Freedom
We naturally live in a state of contraction—grasping, identifying exclusively with form and ego. Meditation trains us in openness, which is habituation to spaciousness and freedom.
When we open more to our true nature, we lessen our suffering and prepare ourselves for death and life transitions. Opening is where real freedom and spiritual development flourish.
Practical Tools: Meditation and the Power of “Pause”
Andrew offers simple, practical meditations anyone can do to cultivate this openness:
One-Breath Meditation: Simply pause fully present for one inhalation and exhalation throughout your day. Each breath is a mini death and rebirth, a chance to connect with impermanence and presence.
Hand-over-Heart Practice: When facing difficulty, place a hand over your heart, close your eyes, and open fully to whatever you’re feeling without judgment. This cultivates loving-kindness and radical acceptance.
These accessible practices create containers of love and presence that prepare us for life’s challenges and the final transition.
Emptiness Is Fullness: Love and Compassion Are the True Nature of Reality
Contrary to fear, the emptiness we encounter in deep meditation and death is not void or nothingness. It’s full of love, beauty, and compassion.
Non-duality and emptiness are two sides of the same coin—when we let go of the false self, we open to the fullness of interconnectedness and universal love.
Liberation (Moksha) Is Freedom from Involuntary Rebirth
The goal is not necessarily to escape the cycle of life and death but to escape involuntary rebirth driven by unconscious habits and karma.
By cultivating awareness, meditation, and “Bardo yoga,” we gain voluntary control over how we manifest and reincarnate, returning out of love and compassion rather than ignorance and fear.
Death as the Ultimate Evolutionary Opportunity
Death is nature’s non-negotiable invitation to awaken. When prepared, it becomes a doorway to liberation, not something to dread.
Andrew encourages us to face death head-on, go to the places that scare us, and grow spiritually in this precious life.
Conclusion: Living with Minimal Regrets and Spiritual Alignment
Preparation for death is also preparation for living fully aligned with your spiritual truth. Choose your regrets wisely and create a life of meaning and love.
If you feel called to deepen your practice, Andrew offers a three-month training to guide you through this profound journey of spiritual preparation for life and death.
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Stay inspired and continue your journey toward a life of profound well-being. You’ve got this.
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