The American Book of the Dead

The American Book of the Dead was first published in a limited edition by E.J. Gold, in 1974. At that time there was little like it around, and nothing available for the simple non-scholar.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead was first translated into English in the early 1920’s by the Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup and edited by the remarkable Walter Evan-Wentz. Together (along with the pioneering work of Alexandra David-Neel) they brought much of the Tibetan and other Buddhist literature to the West. The subsequent publications of the Evan-Wentz edition carries a wonderful commentary by Dr. Carl Jung.

The next significant offering was a translation done by Francesca Fremantle at the request of her teacher, Chogyum Trungpa Rinpoche. This edition became a bit of a standard along with the Evan-Wentz edition.

That title “The Tibetan Book of the Dead” or the Bardo Thodol, was affixed to the text by Evan-Wentz. It is also known as The Great Liberation Through Hearing in the Bardos. The text was designed to be read by a Lama to the departed soul. The Lama would come to the home of the departed and read to the departed spirit or the voyager. The Text details the journey though which the spirit would pass. The Lama was thus, giving instructions to the Voyager as they passed through the various stages in these Bardos as they approached rebirth. The term Bardo, means “in between stage.” Thus, the Voyager is “in between” death and rebirth.

When the American Book of the Dead was introduced in 1974, E.J. Gold presents a work that is accessible to the average spiritual worker. The volume presents a way for the average spiritual seeker to deliver readings to the departed voyager. With a study of the text one can become a “Labyrinth Reader.” This is a practitioner that delivers the instructions to the departed. The Guide reads for the Voyager.

At the same time that the reader is acting as a Guide, the reader is absorbing the manifestations of the transitions. The Reader is being filled with a beginning knowledge of these events in the in-between worlds. If we pay attention, we can begin to make these aspects of those Bardo voyage a part of our life. But, we are blocked in our pursuit of becoming a living Voyager. Our machine holds fast to its primary goal of continued existence. It does not allow us to see the great voyage of our Essential Self.

As we study the Bardos, we can begin to get hints of how our Machine operates, how it blocks our ascendency to our true home. We will see chambers that abhor us. Are these simply horrible, or do they provide hints about our specific “chief feature?”

A study of the Bardos is a study of our selves on this part of our Voyage. But, to see the Bardo we must stand in our Essential Self, we must awaken the machine and see with eyes afresh.

Our class on the ABD will point to the Practioner’s Course, but yet, we will be more involved with interpreting these bardo signals into our everyday lives. Our online course will consist of three parts:

First: We will study the Macrodimensional aspects of our existence and attempt to interpret the aspects of the Bardo voyage into an everyday guide book.

Second: We will employee a practicum. Each person so willing, will design a chronicle of how they would design their last hours, weeks or months of life.

Third: This part will be held quiet for a few weeks, until it’s proper time roles around.

The conversation about death has been part of the entire human dialectic for the full arch of human existence, yet, it still remains quiet in a world dominated by the Human Biological Machine. Are we able to brighten that conversation?

“Many lives, Arjuna, you and I have lived,
I remember them all, but thou dost not.”
Bhagavad-GUa, iv, 5.

‘Thou shall understand that it is a science most profitable, and
passing all other sciences, for to learn to die. For a man to know
that he shall die, that is common to all men; as much as there is
no man that may ‘everlive’ or he hath hope or trust thereof; but
thou shall find full few that have this cunning to learn to die. . . .
1 shall give thee the mystery of this doctrine; the which shall
profit thee greatly to the beginning of ghostly health, and to
a stable fundament of all virtues.’— Orologium Safientiae. (Suso)

Join us, be part of our explorations.

You can join us by coming to our live feed of the class here:

http://www.justin.tv/gorebaggtv

Or, you can call and participate on our phone conference line at:

1 (218) 862-3987 – – – 291472# (access code)

We will meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Pacific Time

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ABD_Class 01_Jan 22 2014 Recording

Class 01_Jan_22_14 Class Log

ABD_Class 02_Jan 29 2014

ABD Class Log 02_Jan_29_14

Audio Recording ABD_Class 03_Feb 05 2014