In this life, our mind is relatively stable because it is anchored in this gross and earthy physical structure. This makes it easier to gain spiritual views and habits through meditation.
But it is also harder to make big changes or improvements, precisely because the mind is trapped and programmed in the system of our rigid, earthly body.
In the transitional journey of the bardo, however, the mind is rapidly changing without any structural restriction. It is therefore easier to change or improve our future journey.
But it is also much harder to find a path and focus on it, since there is no anchoring faculty of a physical body.
Our bodiless mind lives on with its past habits and floats rapidly without break at high speed toward its future destiny.
Today, fortunately, we are alive and have a solid earthly body to hold on to, so that we can prepare for the bardo and for our next life.
If we can enjoy peace, joy, strength, and wisdom while we are alive, then when the day of death comes, we will actually be able to welcome it, thinking, “I am so happy, because I have made all the preparations for this moment. I didn’t waste any of my golden opportunities.”
In the bardo, our mind will be much clearer and more powerful than it is today. Its experiences will be much sharper and more sensitive.
If we have gained positive experiences while alive, we will enjoy their effects in this transitional passage very easily, clearly, and effectively.
But it will be very hard to start a new mentality and experience, as we need steadiness in order to cultivate new habits.
If the awareness of peace, joy, and openness has become part of our mental character while we were alive, then in the bardo all our mental states and the phenomena around us will arise as positive appearances and experiences.
Even the five afflicting emotions of our mind will arise as the five wisdoms, and the five physical elements as the five intrinsic lights, which is the spontaneously present energy-light of wisdom.
Hosts of divine beings, in male and female forms, will lead us on our path.
Our mental body will soar away like a falcon through the boundless clear blue sky with a great display of magical offerings, sweetest music, and joyful dances filling the entire atmosphere.
We will be welcomed to the most beautiful, peaceful, and joyful pure lands or paradises.
We will also enjoy the power to lead many others to those pure lands with great celebration.
All these things will only happen because of the spiritual preparations we have made while we were still alive.
Source: Taken from the following book — Thondup, Tulku. Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth: A Tibetan Buddhist Guidebook. Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications, 2005.
Today, fortunately, we are alive and have a solid earthly body to hold on to, so that we can prepare for the bardo and for our next life.
If we can enjoy peace, joy, strength, and wisdom while we are alive, then when the day of death comes, we will actually be able to welcome it, thinking, “I am so happy, because I have made all the preparations for this moment. I didn’t waste any of my golden opportunities.” …
If the awareness of peace, joy, and openness has become part of our mental character while we were alive, then in the bardo all our mental states and the phenomena around us will arise as positive appearances and experiences.
(Thondup, Tulku. Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth)