“Death Is a Living Process”
The Mate Moce Guide to Serving the
Dying
A Practical Resource for Practitioners of the Way of Adidam
Based on the Wisdom-Teaching of The Divine World-Teacher, Ruchira
Avatar Adi Da Samraj
Prepared by the Staff of Mate Moce,
the Death and Dying Ministry of the Eleutherian Pan-Communion of
Adidam
©2000 The Da Love-Ananda Samrajya
Pty Ltd.,
as trustee for The Da Love-Ananda
Samrajya.
Only edition: 2000
ISBN 1-57097-085-8
Produced by the Ruchirasala of Adidam
in cooperation with the Dawn Horse Press,
a division of the Eleutherian Pan-Communion of Adidam
CONTENTS
ABOUT THE MATE MOCE MINISTRY
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE: PREPARING FOR THE DEATH
TRANSITION
Death Is a Necessary Process
A Talk by Ruchira Avatar
Adi Da SamrajBasic Recommendations from Avatar Adi Da
Regarding DeathPreparations All Practitioners of Adidam
Should
Make to Provide Legal ProtectionRenunciation in Preparation for
DeathForgive and Be Forgiven
Practical Care for the Terminally
IllHome Care versus Hospital
Care
Financing of Home Care
Deciding When and Whether to Use Health Care
Professionals
Physical Care
Pain Management
Persons in a Coma
PART TWO: SERVING THE DYING
How to Serve the Dying Person
A Talk by Ruchira Avatar
Adi Da SamrajAvatar Adi Da’s Formal Instructions for Dying
Practitioners of AdidamPreparations in Anticipation of the Death of a
Formal Practitioner of AdidamPreparations in Anticipation of the Death of
Someone Who Is Not a Formal Practitioner of AdidamServing My Brother-in-Law’s Passing
A Leela by Eileen
Mulvihill about Serving Someone Who
Is Not a Formal
Practitioner of AdidamPractical Actions to Take When a Devotee Has
DiedReport the Death of a
Devotee
Arrange for the Vigil
Locate the Deceased’s Durable Power of Attorney
for Health Care
Make Arrangements for the Cremation
Keep the Body Undisturbed
Notifying Local Authorities
Prevent Invasive Procedures
Embalming Versus Refrigeration
Use of a Funeral Home
Death of a Child
The Three-Day Vigil
CremationPractical Actions to Take When a Devotee Has
Died UnexpectedlyIf Death Occurs in a
Hospital
If Death Occurs Outside a Hospital
When to Call a CoronerPractical Actions Relative to the Unanticipated
Death of
Someone Who Is Not a DevoteeServing a Death Transition at a
Distance
PART THREE: THE DEATH TRANSITION
What Death May Look Like and How to Serve
These ChangesMottling of the Skin or Loss of Color
and Sensation from the Hands and Feet of the Dying
Person
Upward Turning of the Eyes
Communications of “Out-of-the-Body”
Experience
The Gradual Subsiding of Outer
Awareness
Fevers and Sweats
Weakening of and/or Difficulty in
Breathing
Signs of Major Organ Failure As Physical Death
ApproachesMoving Out of the Physical Body
Care of a Devotee’s Body after Death
Handling Changes in the Body after
Death
Choosing a Vigil Site
Moving the Body
Preparation of the Body
Preparing the Room
ReadingsThe Three-Day Vigil
A Note about Ghosts
Grieving
Memorial Services
PART FOUR: LEELAS
The Illness and Transition of Cathy
Lewis
Told by Her Intimates and
FriendsThe Greatest Gift of My Life: The Leela of Hien
Lam’s Passing
by Carmen
Morrow“Feel Me Infinitely Above and Shoot Straight to
Me Like an Arrow”A Leela of Lance Barham ‘s Blessed
Death in the Deathless Company of the Incarnate Divine Person,
AvatarAdi Da Samraj by Deborah Fremont-Smith
PART FIVE: CHILDREN AND DEATH
How to Serve a Child Who Is Dying
How to Serve Children Who Are
GrievingA Leela of a Child’s Death
Told by Shawn
Lipscomb
PART SIX: READINGS
Recommended Readings from Avatar Adi Da’s
Wisdom-TeachingReadings for Children
Attached Readings from Avatar Adi Da’s
Wisdom-TeachingDa Love-Ananda Gita, verses 49 and
50
Prologue from The Knee Of Listening
“The Secret, or Law, of the Death
Process”
“The Vision of Eternal Life”
“Only Life Overcomes Death”
“Original Light”
Epilogue from Ishta
PART SEVEN: LEGAL DOCUMENTS
Directions for Completing Durable Power
of Attorney for Health CareDurable Power of Attorney for Health
Care