Tina Turner did not fear death and was 'curious' about the afterlife

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Tina Turner is not gone. Her spirit continues.’ The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll did not fear death, was ‘curious’ about the afterlife and retreated from the public eye to prepare for the end of her life, her Buddhist spiritual advisor reveals

• Buddhist singer and friend of Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, told DailyMail.com that the singer retreated from the public to prepare for death
• ‘Tina told me, ”I’m not afraid of dying.” She was curious to see what is coming,’ Shak-Dagsay said
• Turner, who died last week at the age of 83, is expected to be laid to rest in a private Buddhist ceremony 

Tina Turner withdrew from public life to prepare herself for the afterlife as part of her devout Buddhist beliefs, DailyMail.com can reveal.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, acclaimed Tibetan Buddhist mantra musician Dechen Shak-Dagsay told how the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll was not afraid of dying and was ‘looking forward to the afterlife’. 

Turner was raised as a Christian in her native Tennessee, but considered the religion ‘oppressive’ and found ‘salvation’ from the abuse she suffered from her first husband Ike in Buddhism, Shak-Dagsay claimed.

‘Tina told me, ”I’m not afraid of dying.” She was curious to see what is coming,’ Shak-Dagsay said of Turner, who passed away last week at her home in Zurich, Switzerland, at the age of 83.

Buddhist singer and friend of Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, told DailyMail.com that the singer retreated from the public to prepare for death

‘Tina told me, ”I’m not afraid of dying.” She was curious to see what is coming,’ Shak-Dagsay said

Turner made three albums with Shak-Dagsay at a music studio close to the legend’s lake-side home outside Zurich.

Over their six-year partnership the pair discussed their shared Buddhist faith and Shak-Dagsay gained a vivid insight into her beliefs.

‘When Tina Turner was in that toxic relationship with her first husband Ike she was introduced to Buddhism by a friend,’ Shak-Dagsay told DailyMail.com. 

‘When we were recording together we developed an intense relationship,’ she added. ‘And she told me she would never have been able to overcome all the pain she suffered and the struggle she endured during her first marriage without reciting the Buddhist mantras. It gave her the strength to carry on.

‘Tina told me she had been raised as a Christian but she found the church structure too oppressive.’

Shak-Dagsay spoke about Turner’s decision to retire from public life about two and a half years ago. Her last public appearance was in November 2019

‘I did not see Tina for the last couple of years after she began suffering serious health problems. But I know she was not afraid of dying.

‘In the Buddhist tradition at a certain part of your life you choose to retreat. This is a very important phase of your life because preparation for death is something considered the most important part of human life,’ Shak-Dagsay said. 

Turner was raised as a Christian in her native Tennessee, but considered the religion ‘oppressive’ and found ‘salvation’ from the abuse she suffered from her first husband Ike in Buddhism, Shak-Dagsay claimed 

Tina Turner is seen on November 7, 2019 in New York City – her last public appearance. ‘In the Buddhist tradition at a certain part of your life you choose to retreat. This is a very important phase of your life because preparation for death is something considered the most important part of human life,’ Shak-Dagsay said

‘We all know that death will come but most of us totally neglect it. She prepared incredibly well. She chose to retreat. She only went out a few times.

‘This is because she chose to withdraw from public life as she was preparing for her own death.

‘She was a Buddhist practitioner and she knew that it is so important to keep all the distractions of life outside of the mind.’

Nepal-born Shak-Dagsay, 64, the daughter of a Buddhist lama, explained that Tina Turner – like all Buddhists – believed in reincarnation and was ‘curious’ about the afterlife.

She said: ‘Tina definitely believed in reincarnation. It is a pillar of our religion. Without reincarnation Buddhism does not make sense.

‘It’s all about karma. That is why I admire her for retreating for the past couple of years, preparing for her death.

‘She gave everything she had to her fans – her voice, her love, her performances, her beauty, her grace. And she helped so many artists.’

‘Tina is not gone. Her spirit, her energy continues. And she had the freedom to prepare for that,’ Shak-Dagsay said 

Shak-Dagsay said that Turner made a pathway for female artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna and Madonna. 

‘They would not have been there, had there not been a Tina Turner, who went on the stage first in the male-dominated music world.

‘And then for her to say: ”I need to retreat for this time of inner preparation.” She was preparing for the next life.

‘Tina is not gone. Her spirit, her energy continues. And she had the freedom to prepare for that,’ Shak-Dagsay said.   

Turner is expected to be laid to rest in private Buddhist ceremony in the coming days.

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