In the Buddhist death ritual, the separation rite takes place before the death of the deceased. A Buddhist sits with the dying person in their final days and recites the Buddha's teachings, meditates, and speaks to the person's "matter." This matter is not physical, but a set of energies which are an element of the Khandhas. Conversation and meditation reflect the sixth and seventh dimensions of the Eightfold Path: right effort and right mindfulness. Right effort describes a Buddhist's effort to prevent negative thoughts, while right mindfulness is the expansion of mindfulness, such as awareness of emotions, motivations, and actions. These states “remove desire and hatred that lead to harmful actions” (Eckel, Understanding Buddhism: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Sacred Texts, Sacred Places, 2010, p. 59). Meditation is essential to the purpose of the ritual, as mental and moral retribution dictates the process of death and rebirth. Separation rites have an intimate connection with the Khandhas and the Eightfold.