The Silver Cord

Ever since writing the previous post on the impending passing of my friend, the topic of death has been on my mind. A few days ago, I got a brief glimpse of her astral body standing up and a few feet away from her bed while her cancer ridden physical body was still in the bed.   Her silver cord could be seen still connecting her astral body to the physical one.  Once that dissolves, the person’s astral body separates from the physical permanently, and the person is deceased.

The silver cord originates in the etheric body, which is the blueprint for the physical, and is the energetic template that is closest to the body.  It then connects to the astral body, which is what separates and travels during dream time.  Clearly it can stretch allowing for astral travel far and wide.  My sense is that this cord originates around the navel area, which makes sense since it feeds the physical body with energy from all of the other bodies and even from the Higher Self. 

When I was training shamanic practitioners, we did an exercise in which we felt each other’s silver cord.  One student would lay face up on the floor.  The others would sit around that person, and on cue, they would all gently pry the astral body off of the reclining student and lift it up about a foot or a bit more, holding it in that position.  Then they would take turns reaching under that raised astral body in the area of the navel and gently feel for the silver cord.  It was a fascinating exercise, as everyone’s silver cord was different.  Some were thin, and others were wide.  Each had their own energetic signature, too.  After everyone had taken their turn feeling the cord, the reclining student’s astral body was gently lowered into place and pressed into their physical body. 

Many out of body travelers report that they can look back and see their silver cord connecting them  to their physical body.  I would expect that if that cord were accidentally severed, the traveler would not be able to reenter their body.  I also suspect, due to my extensive shamanic training, that a sorcerer might be able to sever that cord, too, leading to a fatal heart attack or to one dying in their sleep. 

So getting back to the death process, I started to wonder about how that cord gets detached at death.    If the death is particularly violent, the cord just snaps and off you go.  What about if the death is gentle and easy?  My sense is that as the vibration of the person gradually rises to facilitate the transition out of the physical plane, the end of the cord that is attached to the etheric body just dissolves, as does the etheric body itself.   

It is also widely reported that as one approaches death, there are visits with loved ones that have already passed, and that the dying person is not in their body very much.  The astral body is traveling to the realms beyond the physical plane, getting familiar with where they will go next.  The action is much like a yo yo that goes out and then is pulled back in repeatedly. 

Bottom line is that we can never know for sure exactly what the process is until we experience it ourselves.    And then, we won’t be coming back to talk about it either! 

I will continue to hold space for my friend.