What Are Bardo States: 6 Fascinating Bardo States and Dreams

Do you wonder what happens in the spaces between life, death, and what comes next?

That’s what bardo states are about. I find them interesting because they underline how what we do now has a direct effect on what happens next.

This doesn’t mean, tread lightly, be afraid of your every wrong move, or live in fear that you said that mean thing to that one person and lightning will strike! Nope.

This kind of fear based thinking is the opposite of a soulful life. Instead, bardos show the unfolding of life and how we are co-creators.

As a soul coach and someone who is fascinated by the journey of the soul, I’ve been aware of bardo states in my life for many years now.

Bardo states serve as a glimpse into your soul’s journey.

What Are Bardo States?

Bardo literally means gap or an intermediate state and is used in Tibetan Buddhism to describe the period in-between lives or periods of transition in your current life.

Tibetan Buddhism teaches that life isn’t just the physical journey we see—it’s also about these states of consciousness that guide our soul from one experience to another.

Most people think of bardo states as something that happens after death, but we actually move through them every day. Each one offers an opportunity to awaken, heal, or expand your awareness.

My bardo dream…

Many years ago, soon after my husband passed away, I had a dream that I’m descending a dark, circular staircase that went down, down, down so far I couldn’t see light.

The cylindrical walls were made of brick and the stairwell railing was built from old black iron. It felt like I was in a different century.

In the dream, as I’m following the stairs downward, I’m becoming increasingly afraid and asking myself… where is this going? Should I go back?

I finally reach the bottom and there’s a dark door.

I open it and I’m blasted with bright yellow sunlight. I see a scene of happy families playing together in a sparkling blue swimming pool. My immediate thought in the dream is… what the heck?

I woke up feeling so happy. After all of the worry and fear of the prior years, I was being shown a future that is bright and filled with love.

Thank you.

The next day I was obviously still thinking of this strange dream. This is over 18 years ago. I went online to find the true nature of the dream.

I discovered this was a bardo dream. Unconsciously, I was descending into a huge and significant transition in my life.

Nothing could be more true.

The Six Bardos

There are six bardos in total. Some happen during everyday life, like dreaming as in my case, or deep meditation. Others occur during death and the transition afterward.

The six bardos in Tibetan Buddhism include: the natural bardo of life, the bardo of dreaming, the meditation bardo, the painful bardo of dying, the luminous bardo of dharmata, and the karmic bardo of becoming. Each phase shows us where awareness can grow—or where it can get stuck.

1. The Natural Bardo of Life

This is the time you live in right now. Every choice, thought, and action shapes your experience and prepares you for the transitions ahead.

What a beautiful way to view the unfolding of life.

Living mindfully here means noticing your reactions, your attachments, and even the fears you might want to ignore. These are training grounds for the bigger bardos, like the ones we encounter at the end of life.

Life as Preparation

The natural bardo of life is not just about surviving—it’s about learning to meet your own heart with honesty. Facing your emotions now, even the uncomfortable ones, builds clarity and courage for the transitions that come later.

This is clearly a soulful philosophy.

2. The Bardo of Dreaming

Dreams aren’t just random images—they’re your mind’s way of working through patterns, desires, and fears. The dreaming bardo offers a mirror into your subconscious or, as in my case, an opportunity to glimpse your future.

Lucid dreaming, where you become aware while dreaming, is a powerful practice for some. I don’t know much about it. However, here’s a top book I found on lucid dreaming, Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming, if you’re interested in knowing more.

Dreams as Teachers

Pay attention to recurring dreams, emotions, or symbols. They’re invitations to notice what your mind is holding onto, which emotions are needing release, and what your soul is trying to process.

I wrote a book titled The Thought Store about a fictional store in the future that sells thoughts in physical form and the energetic power within them. In the climax of the story, I use the bardo dream I describe above almost exactly to illustrate the hero’s transformation from negative to empowered thinking.

That bardo dream was so powerful for me that I still think about it to this day.

3. The Bardo of Meditation

In deep meditation, the usual chatter of the mind begins to fade. Thoughts come and go, but awareness remains. This is the meditation bardo—a space where clarity and insight become tangible.

Meditation is about training your attention so that you can stay present in each moment, moment by moment.

Practicing Awareness

Notice the rise and fall of thoughts during meditation. My favorite YouTube video on practicing meditation and moment to moment awareness is Jon Kabat Zinn’s Beginner meditation.

4. The Painful Bardo of Dying

This bardo begins when the body starts to shut down. Tibetan teachings describe it as a sequence of dissolutions: the senses dim, inner visions appear, and soul consciousness gradually separates from the body.

With spiritual awareness and Presence, this bardo can guide the soul gently toward its next stop.

Letting Go

The dying process is about surrender—releasing attachments, fears, and identity. Practicing presence and compassion here helps both the one leaving and those around them.

Honestly, I cannot speak to this from experience at all. For me, it was a long period of grief before I could let go.

Even simple awareness exercises in life—like letting go of minor frustrations—prepare the mind to meet this bardo with acceptance. This is where I’m at!

5. The Luminous Bardo of Dharmata

This is the moment of pure awareness after death. Imagine a clear, radiant light that isn’t physical but intensely real. Tibetan teachers call it the luminous bardo, and it represents the true nature of consciousness.

Supposedly, this bardo can feel like coming home.

Meeting the Clear Light

The luminous bardo shows what your soul truly is—vast, radiant, and free. The more you practice meditation, mindfulness, and self-awareness in life, the more familiar you become with this state.

Even a few minutes of daily meditation helps you recognize clarity and presence when it matters most.

I also offer a manage your energy program that helps you keep your vibration up.

6. The Karmic Bardo of Becoming

This is the transition that leads toward rebirth. Consciousness is guided by karmic tendencies, drawn to circumstances shaped by past actions and intentions.

Visions of potential lives appear, and the soul moves toward a new form of existence. What you’ve done and what you’ve learned in life influences this bardo.

More About Bardo Dreams

A bardo dream isn’t just a night of random images—it’s a doorway into your subconscious and soul. These dreams happen in the in-between spaces of awareness, showing you patterns, soul lessons, and transitions your mind and spirit are navigating.

How to Recognize a Bardo Dream

Bardo dreams often feel more vivid or symbolic than usual. You have a deep sense that there is MORE to this dream. That it has meaning, it’s showing you something.

It stays with you long after the dream is over.

You might notice intense emotions, recurring themes, or moments where you feel an inner knowing without words.

Common Symbols in Bardo Dreams

Symbols in these dreams carry meaning, nudging you to notice what your soul is working through. Here are some examples:

• Descending or ascending staircases – moving between levels of awareness or approaching a new phase of life.
• Bridges or doorways – representing thresholds, choices, or transitions.
• Water (rivers, oceans, or rain) – emotions, release, or the flow of change.
• Light or darkness – clarity, insight, or fear and uncertainty.
• Flying or falling – liberation, surrender, or loss of control.
• Mirrors or reflections – confronting hidden aspects of yourself or noticing growth.
• Animals – guides or qualities you are integrating into your life.
• Labyrinths or mazes – navigating complex inner experiences or karmic patterns.
• Crossroads or paths – important choices that affect your soul’s journey.

Working With Bardo Dreams

The first step is noticing. Notice the dreams, journal them, and reflect on the emotions and symbols. Ask yourself: What is this showing me about my life, my patterns, or my next step?

For me, I let the mornings be a time for quiet, meditation, and just noticing what ideas and insights I may have gathered in the night.

Even small practices like these help you recognize guidance and step more fully into presence.

How to Work With Bardo States in Daily Life

You don’t have to wait for death to explore the bardos. Mindfulness, meditation, speaking to your spirit guides, and paying attention to life’s transitions are practical ways to engage these states now.

By noticing micro-bardos—moments between tasks, conversations, or decisions—you practice presence. This strengthens your ability to navigate bigger changes, like illness, loss, or other life shifts.

Practical Steps

• Keep a dream journal to capture insights from the dreaming bardo.
• Pause in daily transitions to observe your thoughts and emotions.
• Practice meditation or quiet reflection to strengthen awareness.
• Reflect on impermanence to build comfort with change.
• Use difficult life moments as opportunities to practice letting go and embracing presence.

Modern Life Transitions

Major changes—like a breakup, a job shift, or moving—are also bardos. Naming these periods as transitional spaces helps you recognize the spiritual growth and learning inherent in uncertainty. Instead of resisting change, you can move through it with awareness.

Why Bardo States Matter Today

Bardos describe experiences everyone faces: uncertainty, transformation, and the natural spaces of life. Recognizing them helps you meet change with curiosity instead of fear.

Seeing transitions as bardos transforms challenges into opportunities. You start to understand that discomfort often signals growth, and every in-between moment is fertile ground for soul awakening.

Final thoughts

The bardos aren’t distant concepts—they’re woven into everyday life. From waking to dreaming, from meditation to moments of crisis, these in-between states invite awareness, presence, and self-discovery.

When you see life through the lens of bardos, you realize that uncertainty can be a teacher, a doorway, and a guide for living with more depth and clarity.