First Days after Death - A Jungian Comparison between the Beliefs of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Post-mortem Experiences in the Tibetan Bardo Plan

Abstract

This study examines the psychological aspects of the Bardo Thodol according to C.G. Jung and its relationship with Serbian Orthodox Christianity. Through a comparison of Jung's work "The Seven Sermons to the Dead" (published 12 years before his encounter with Buddhism) and "The Tibetan Book of the Dead," the researcher identifies similarities between these texts, the Bardo Thodol and the writings of the orthodox Church (with an accent on the Serbian Orthodox Church) These similarities include the significance of the soul after death, salvation symbolized by a luminous element, and the presence of an initiator guiding the soul towards salvation (reminiscent of the Orthodox belief in angels). Additionally, the interval between the moment of death and deliverance, present in both traditions, is highlighted. Jung's postscript to the translation of "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" provides valuable insights into the psychological aspect of the book and the varying concept of the soul in Eastern and Western literature. He emphasizes that metaphysical assertions are expressions of the soul and, hence, psychological in nature. Jung describes the Bardo Thodol as a process of initiation aimed at restoring the divine nature of the soul, lost through birth. The Bardo Thodol is deeply rooted in the archetypal representations of the unconscious. Jung's concept of archetypes as universal and hereditary psychic structures helps to understand the connection between the Bardo Thodol and the collective unconscious. Furthermore, the journey through the Bardo of Reality can be seen as a representation of the process of individuation, seeking to achieve wholeness and completeness. Drawing parallels between Orthodox Christian mythology (mitarstva) and the Bardo of Reality, the researcher observes numerous similarities. This raises the question of whether mitarstva, with its well-organized structure involving demons, angels, repentance, and the 40-day journey of the soul after death, represents archetypal representations translating the layers of the collective unconscious in a Christian-pagan population. Therefore, this study sheds light on the intriguing similarities between the Bardo Thodol and Serbian Orthodox Christianity from a psychological perspective, deepening our understanding of the complex interplay between ancient religious traditions and the universal elements of the unconscious mind.