In 2006 Swami Kriyananda wrote 12 precepts (see below) as part of a document entitled, “Evening Hospice.” The purpose of these precepts was to share seed thoughts on how to care for our elders, as well as clear direction on how each of us can prepare for the time of death. As you read these precepts, you soon realize that if we wait until the last few days or months to work on such things as non-attachment, forgiveness, unconditional love, and other aspects of letting go, we are most likely going to miss the boat!

During this webinar series, we explore Swami Kriyananda’s 12 Precepts in-depth, and share tools that really work for each of us to let go of nagging attachments and desires, old records of past betrayals, forgiveness of ourselves and others. By the end of this series, we will come to understand and accept ourselves as we are in truth, a unique aspect of the divine finding our way home!

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A frequently repeated theme in the Bhagavad Gita is the importance of preparing for death. Death is the “final exam.” Swami Kriyananda stated that people should be readied for their final exit into a better world, a better future and if possible, liberation from earthly ties. He recommended counseling be given to both groups and individuals with a view to helping them in the following ways:

1. To face the past.
2. To relinquish attachments.
3. To accept past errors without regret as simple facts, trying to see that it was God, through their imperfect understanding , who did it all.
4. To release the grip of ego-consciousness.
5. To release, one by one, every desire and attachment into the supreme Bliss.
6. To offer every regret into God’s love and Infinite Consciousness.
7. To forgive past hurts and betrayals.
8. To give out universal love to everyone, even to so-called enemies.
9. To help them see that everyone is motivated, however misguidedly by the same soul-craving for Satchitananda (ever existing; ever conscious; ever-new bliss).
10. To concentrate on Infinity.
11. To practice devotion.
12. To learn to overcome fear by realizing that we are not this body.