Need for "Death Coaching"

The global 'Life coaching' industry was valued at $2.85 billion in 2019, growing to $4.56 billion in 2022.The U.S. life coaching market size was $1.6 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at a 5.2% CAGR from 2025 to 2034.There are approximately 71,000 certified coaches worldwide, with 23,000 in North America. The Life Coaching Market is expected to reach $3.64 billion globally in 2025 and grow at a 9.71% CAGR to reach $5.79 billion by 2030. The process is collaborative, empowering clients to take charge of their development and create meaningful changes in their lives.

However who is giving Death Coaching - the most important time in anyone's life is Death? Death opens up a new life in a different body.

Charles de Gaulle, the former President of France and Resistance fighter during World War II, is credited with the famous quote: "The graveyards are full of indispensable men."

This pithy statement encapsulates a profound truth about human nature and the transience of power and importance. De Gaulle's quote suggests that no matter how crucial or irreplaceable someone may seem, life continues after their passing. It serves as a humbling reminder of mortality and the need for perspective on one's own significance.

Certified End-of-Life Professionals: Organizations like the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA) provide training and certification for individuals who want to work in this field. The courses generally cover topics such as the doula model of care, active listening, common issues in facing death, meaning and legacy work, vigil planning, signs and symptoms of dying, rituals and ceremonies, and grief work. These topics are more focused on the practical and emotional aspects of supporting individuals and families through the end-of-life process. However there is no training about the soul in these certification programs

Srila Prabhupada's profound teachings on death and Krishna represent a transformative spiritual perspective that transcends the material understanding of mortality. Drawing deeply from the Bhagavad-gita and Vedic scriptures, Prabhupada illuminated death not as an end, but as a transition of the eternal soul. For Prabhupada, death was fundamentally a spiritual process governed by Krishna's divine arrangement. He emphasized that the soul is immortal, existing beyond the temporary physical body. When the body dies, the soul simply changes vehicles, moving from one material form to another based on consciousness and accumulated karma.

The moment of death holds supreme significance in Prabhupada's philosophy. He taught that one's consciousness at the time of death determines the next destination of the soul. A devotee who has cultivated Krishna consciousness throughout life will naturally remember Krishna during the final moments, thereby securing spiritual liberation. Prabhupada often quoted the Bhagavad-gita verse where Krishna declares, "Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail." This teaching underscores the importance of spiritual practice and constant remembrance of the divine throughout one's lifetime. In Prabhupada's understanding, death is not to be feared but approached as a sacred transition. He described it as a natural process, comparing it to changing clothes or moving from one room to another.

The soul remains unchanged, eternal, and fundamentally connected to Krishna. The spiritual master emphasized that human life is a precious opportunity to prepare for this transition. By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, performing devotional service, and cultivating pure love for God, one can transform the experience of death from a terrifying unknown to a sublime spiritual journey. Prabhupada's teachings reveal death as an intimate encounter with the divine. Krishna appears as the all-devouring death, simultaneously a manifestation of supreme love and cosmic order. For the pure devotee, death becomes a moment of supreme joy and reconnection with the ultimate spiritual reality. Through his profound and compassionate explanations, Prabhupada offered a revolutionary perspective that liberated countless individuals from the fear of death. He demonstrated that true spiritual understanding transforms our perception of life's most significant transition from a moment of terror to an opportunity for ultimate spiritual realization.

Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 2.22

vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya navani grhnati naro 'parani

tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany anyani samyati navani dehi

As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.

Pain and death, though often seen as negative experiences, are viewed as Krishna's mercy in the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. This perspective stems from the understanding that suffering and mortality serve important spiritual purposes. In the Vedic tradition, pain is seen as a reminder of our temporary material existence and an impetus to turn towards Krishna. As one source states, "Suffering is important because it is a reminder that this world is not my home and I am not the Supreme Enjoyer." Pain can motivate spiritual seekers to deepen their devotion and seek shelter in Krishna.Death, while universally feared, is considered Krishna's mercy as it provides an opportunity for spiritual advancement.

The Bhagavad-gita emphasizes the importance of remembering Krishna at the time of death. As stated in BG 8.5, "And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt."

Advanced devotees view both pain and death as opportunities to cultivate detachment from the material world and strengthen their connection to Krishna. They see these experiences as Krishna's compassionate way of purifying their consciousness and preparing them for spiritual liberation.

Conclusion:

There is no specific mention of a "soul course" in the End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate programs today. The curricula outlined focus on practical skills, emotional support, and end-of-life care techniques. While some programs may touch on spiritual aspects of dying, there is no explicit reference to a course dedicated to the soul or spiritual matters in the End-of-Life Doula training programs mentioned. Hence the need to soul scientists to be present at time of death or better still provide death coaching ahead of time.

References:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZR-VtHGKSA