Bright beyond bright,
This amazing light is you,
This Path is here now,
Now,
This light is not other,
This light is not elsewhere,
This light shines brightly,
though we never see it,
we never,
never ever,
not unless we Awaken
can we see that
bright brilliant amazing light,
brighter than a trillion galaxies,
so obvious, so obviously
right here, within,
brighter than anything,
anything your imagination
can conjure up,
beyond subject and object,
It is you!
Though you don’t need to travel,
Not even one millimeter,
step onto the Spiritual Path,
it is within you!
Do this at once!
Travel without moving,
Journey beyond all possibilities,
Aspire to Awaken!
When you die,
Go into the Light!
That light is you,
Awaken in that pure condition,
Gather all energy and wisdom
All that you have accumulated
since beginningless beginnings,
Simply Awaken!
Your intention,
Your Aspiration to Awaken
Gives you
Unlimited potentiality,
And
You
Are
Already
There…
A poem by Robert Aho © 2026
When you are trapped within cyclic existence, you do whatever you can to avoid truth. Your own ego makes it its mission to avoid Awakening. When a glimpse of truth appears, your mind will create ideas that are poisoned by ignorance, attraction and aversion. The better you are at keeping your mind closed off from truth, the more likely you will remain trapped by cyclic existence. We’ve already been here for an eternity; so, we’re very good at creating demons that will prevent us from discovering what is Ultimately Real.
If we are prone to believing everything our emotions tell us, we’re trapped. If we are inclined to believe everything concepts reveal, we’re trapped. Even extremely rational, logical and intelligent people are trapped, due to this habit of creating more conceptual delusions for ourselves. Our ego provides the methodology for defending and preserving what is not real.
When we die, it is not uncommon to witness a very bright light, even if it is just a very short flash of light. Some people report that they only witnessed darkness, with no light at the end of the tunnel whatsoever. Some people report that they only witnessed heaven or hell, or some other strange idea.
We have a wide variety of experiences in death, just as we have a wide variety of experiences in life. In the death bardo, it’s very simple. We encounter a veil of darkness rather close to our body, just beyond this physical realm of existence. Beyond that, we have a vast zone of infinite possibilities in what I have referred to as the energetic dimension. Heavens or hells, the multiverse, or anything else that you can possibly imagine can be found in that condition. Beyond that, we have this infinitely bright condition.
Although it may seem like a very long journey through the death bardo, maybe lasting a thousand years or more, it is really just here now. Time is an illusion. This idea that the death bardo, all of existence and beyond is a great distance is also an illusion.
When I died, as I have explained many many times, I instantly became that bright light for all eternity. People have asked me if I became Enlightened. Well, if I say yes, I will encounter people screaming very emphatically that I didn’t. If I say no, then I would be misleading people. The best answer is right in the middle. I returned as something not unexpected, something that people could fathom in order to bring as much benefit to this physical realm as I possibly can. If I appear as something other than what people expect, it would bring no benefit at all.
Let’s just say that I became Enlightened within a brief flash of light during the five minutes when I had flatlined. Let’s just say that I am imagining an infinite stay in that condition of total complete awareness. Let’s just say that I am imagining the hundred or so years of Spiritual Practice and concentrated mantras that it took for me to return. Let’s just say that this comical northern forest dweller imagines all these things as he rather strangely goes about his life. There’s nothing special to see here, folks. Inquire no more, go back to the mind’s poisons, as required by ego and this trap of cyclic existence!
My expectations are that I will help a very small number of people to Awaken. I don’t do anything that would dazzle or entice popularity. My intention is to simply inspire a small number of people into making a small effort to see just what is going on here. I certainly would not require anyone to make the extreme effort that I have made over these last 2,600 years! That would be very cruel, indeed, even though the results would be very much worth it.
A few years ago, I felt that I was ready to Awaken. I prayed to Padmasambhava that I wanted to Awaken as quickly and efficiently as possible. I was genuinely willing to pay any price. By the next morning, I was in the emergency room with a serious heart condition.
Awakening is a serious commitment. It is not for those seeking a moment of peace. It propels you home.
Blessings of Source,
Rigdzin Robert Aho
Robert Aho is the author of Timeless Luminosity and The Frog: A Spiritual Autobiography, Spanning Many Lifetimes. Both books, written after his death experience, give advanced spiritual advice regarding the complete Spiritual Path, inspiration for living each day and words of encouragement, with the intention of helping people to stay committed to their Spiritual Path, as well as preparing for death. This ultimately leads to discovering your own unlimited power within, which leads to Awakening. Both books are available on Amazon, Zenith Bookstore, as well as various other sources.