The Bardo Thodol is a sacred spiritual text of Tibetan Buddhism that has been translated into English as The Tibetan Book of the Dead. The teachings contained in the text were originally revealed by Karma Lingpa who, legend has it, found the text on a mountain top in Tibet sometime in the 14th century. The wisdom statements in this 80 card deck, for which this is a guide, were distilled from the first English translation by Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup that was subsequently edited and published by the American anthropologist W. Y. Evans-Wentz in 1927.
The cards are designed by Ibiza Tarot
How To Use This Deck:
There are two different ways that this deck can be valuable to you. The first is as an initiation and introduction to The Tibetan Book of the Dead. If you are using the deck to familiarize yourself with this sacred text then it is most helpful for you to read through the cards in numerical order from the beginning to the end of the deck. Start with the forty cards of the Chikhai Bardo, and then move onto the forty-two cards of the Chonyid Bardo. Contemplate each card deeply, being sure to consider how the instructions can be applied to your own life. Once you feel complete with your contemplation, sit quietly for 10 to 20 minutes and notice what insights spontaneously arise in your mind. Use a journal to write about what you discover and repeat this practice for three to seven days before moving on to the next card.
The cards can also be used to support ongoing contemplation and continuous spiritual development. Those who wish to use the cards for this purpose should choose one card randomly each morning and contemplate its meaning, always relating the instructions to the current circumstances of your own life. Once you feel complete with your contemplation, sit quietly for 10 to 20 minutes longer and notice what insights spontaneously arise in your mind. Use a journal to write about your insights and repeat this practice daily.
