Tibetan Book of the Dead : Gurus, Friends & Fierce Deities – Ep. 188

Robert A.F. Thurman is joined in this two part podcast by the Living/ Dying Project’s Dale Borglum for a lively discussion of the miss titled “Tibetan Book of the Dead” and the place of gurus and fierce deities within the Buddhist perspective on the death process.

Opening this week’s podcast with a recommendation of the classic “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings” by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki Professor Thurman elaborates the value of the creative imagination within Buddhism and all spiritual traditions.

Second half of podcast includes a traditional guided Bardo meditation on the fierce and peaceful Bardo deities depicted in the “Tibetan Book of the Dead” led by Robert A.F. Thurman which includes: a discussion of the eight stages of dissolution, Buddhism’s perspective on heaven, hell and fantastical realms of the afterlife, Dream Yoga, Lucid Dreaming and call to action for digital animators and film makers to engage in creative projects depicting the journey of life, death and beyond found in all spiritual traditions.

This week’s poetry segment podcast Gary Gach reads the poetry of Muriel Rukeyser.

“Tibetan Book of the Dead : Fierce Deities, Friends & Gurus – Ep. 188 of the Bob Thurman Podcast photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash.

Dale Borglum founded and directed the Hanuman Foundation Dying Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the first residential facility in the United States to support conscious dying. Executive Director of the Living/Dying Project in Santa Fe & in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dale is the co-author with Ram Dass, Daniel Goleman and Dwarka Bonner of Journey of Awakening: A Meditator’s Guidebook, and has taught meditation since 1974. Dale lectures and gives workshops on the topics of meditation, healing, spiritual support for those with life-threatening illness, and on caregiving as spiritual practice. He has a doctorate degree from Stanford University.

Gary Gregory Gach is an author, translator, and editor living in San Francisco. A dynamic speaker and teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism his works include the anthology “What Book!? Buddha Poems from Beat to Hiphop” and the forthcoming “Pause Breathe Smile – Awakening Mindfulness When Meditation is Not Enough”.

“Tibetan Book of the