The Phases

The Phases

The book goes through different phases of ego death. It provides instruction on how to handle and react to each phase.

1. Chikhai Bardo: complete transcendence. No visions, no sense of self, no thoughts. Pure awareness and ecstatic freedom from all games (behavioral sequences defined by nine features: roles, rules, rituals, goals, strategies, values, language, characteristic space-time locations and characteristics patterns of movement.)

It lists the physical symptoms one might feel if they fail to recognize and accept ego loss. They include.

-Bodily pressure, clammy coldness/feverish heat, body disintegrating, pressure on head and ears, tingling extremities, feelings of body melting, nausea, trembling/shaking,

2. Chonyid Bardo: clarity in hallucinations can either be hellish or heavenly, usually the longest phase. The guide states that the key to navigating this stage is inaction. If one should try to impose their will or rationalize they will get caught in hallucinatory thought cycles.  

3. Sidpa Bardo: return to routine game reality and the self.

• Typically a person will flicker between these phases.