Mindfulness With Death Using Elements

In this guided meditation, Matthew leads the practitioner through mindfulness of death (Maranasati) using Bhikkhu Analayo's method of Satipatthana practice. The meditation begins with establishing embodied mindfulness and then moves into contemplation of death using elements and breath.

In Bhikkhu Analayo's method, the four foundations of mindfulness are consolidated into seven primary contemplations that constitute the "Wheel of Satipatthana". This guided meditation is Matthew's interpretation of the third of the seven: mindfulness of the body - death.

Content Warning: mindfulness of death can be difficult for some practitioners and is recommended for people with established practice. If this meditation is disregulating, please allow attention to rest with something calming, pleasant, or orienting. Pick up the practice again later.

See also the guided meditations "Establishing Embodied Mindfulness", "Mindfulness with Anatomy", and "Mindfulness with Elements".

Transcript

Bring attention to the body.

Take note of the posture and ensure that the posture is alert,

But not so alert that one might become uncomfortable.

And ensure that the posture is comfortable but not so much that one might become sleepy.

Something in between,

A middle way.

Take note of any tension that may be in the body,

Tension in the face or the neck or shoulders.

And if possible,

Let go of that tension.

Relax the body and bring a sense of acceptance to whatever tension or discomfort may remain.

Right now,

It's like this.

Allow attention to rest with the touch points beneath the body,

The places where the body makes contact with the earth,

The touch points at the feet or the legs or the lower back.

Bring attention to the touch points on top of the body,

Places where objects make contact with the body,

Touch points with clothing or jewelry,

Glasses or hair.

The air also makes contact with the body.

It might be felt as warmth or coolness or something in between.

It might be felt as motion or stillness.

Bring attention to touch points within the body,

Touch points beneath the skin.

This might be felt in the muscles as pressure or tension or softness.

This might be felt as the movement of the abdomen with the breath or the sensations of breath as it moves through the chest,

The throat and the face.

This might even be felt as digestion or even a heartbeat.

All of these touch points together,

All of these sensations beneath the body,

On top of the body,

Within the body.

All of these sensations might give rise to the sense of the whole body.

Just the body being a body sitting here right now.

Does the body feel like it has a shape?

Does it feel like it has a texture?

What's it like?

Gently allow attention to rest with sensations of hardness or softness in the body,

Sensations of the earth element.

And just as the body has this hardness and softness,

Just as the body has this earth element,

So too does the world around the body have this hardness and softness.

So too does the world around have the earth element.

And the life of the body depends upon the exchange of the earth element with the world around.

Were this exchange to come to an end,

The body would die within 30 days.

This is the ultimate fate of the body.

And letting go of sensations of the earth element,

Bring attention to sensations of the water element,

The sense of wetness,

The sense of dryness,

Something in between.

And just as the body has within it this wetness and dryness,

Just as the body has within it the water element,

So too does the world outside the body have this wetness and dryness.

So too does the world have this water element.

The body lives in dependence upon an exchange with the world of this water element.

And were this exchange to come to an end,

The body would die within seven days.

This is the ultimate fate of the body.

And letting go of sensations of the water element,

Bring attention to sensations of the fire element,

Sensations of warmth or coolness or something in between.

Just as this body has this warmth and coolness,

Just as this body has the fire element,

So too does the world outside the body have this warmth and coolness.

So too does the world around have the fire element.

The body lives in dependence upon the exchange with the world of this fire element.

And letting go of sensations of the fire element,

The body would die in a matter of hours.

This is the ultimate fate of the body.

And letting go of sensations of the fire element,

Bring attention to sensations of the air element,

Sensations of movement,

Sensations of stillness,

Sensations of space in the body.

And just as the body has this movement and stillness and spaciousness,

Just as the body has this air element,

So too does the world around the body have this movement and stillness and spaciousness.

So too does the world around have this air element.

The body lives in dependence upon the exchange with the world of this air element.

Were this exchange to stop,

The body would die in a matter of minutes.

This is the ultimate fate of the body.

And allow attention to rest with the movement of this air element.

Allow attention to rest with the breath just aware of the breath and the continuity of breath as that which ensures the continuity of life itself.

There will come a time when this breath will stop.

There will come a time for a last inhalation.

And so as we breathe in,

Breathe in,

Recognizing that this could be a last breath and breathing out,

Relax and let go.

Breathing in,

This might be the last.

Breathing out,

Relax and let go.

And letting go of any specific attention to breath or elements or death.

Allow attention to rest with whatever happens to be arising.

This might be sensations in the body.

It might be the whole body.

It might be the state of mind.

Just relax attention with whatever happens to come up.

Continue to practice in this way.