Death has not its sting for the occultist as for the normal man: for whenever he enters his interior systems he goes through a form of death, but religions have so impressed their followers about the terrors of after death that many devout Christians fight against that which should sometimes be welcomed.
Preparing for Death
Survival after death is easily learned during the first steps in Yoga. Afterwards the student will not think of survival at all as it is usually conceived; for he learns about space-time and it does not distress him.
We do not apply right methods in burial. Immediately after death place the body in a dark room without draughts, then place a warm water-bottle to the feet and raise them to a slightly vertical position. This improves the circulation of the sheaths so that they can be easily loosened and withdrawn from the body. For we often bury people when their astral sheaths are still in the atmosphere of the body, and this causes great distress to the atoms that compose them, and afterwards react upon the higher mentality of the person who has left the shell.
The processes of disintegration are carried on for a considerable time, and the body should not be buried before three days unless in a warm climate. But above all it is better to cremate the body, as this gives the person peace of mind and his sufferings are lessened. When the astral shell still clings to the corpse it is then that its apparition appears to the sensitive mind.
Thoughtless people think little about the care of the dead; they imagine that no further care is needed. But if a person has died suddenly and his body has become chilled it causes him acute agony, and a low nature will avenge itself upon those responsible for its sufferings. Incidentally when assisting drowning people while out of the body I have not witnessed this agony; for there is an affinity between the astral sheath and water, both being of a protean nature.
It is well that the femoral artery should be severed after the doctor has definitely decided that death has ensued, there having been cases of coma or trance state.