What Awaits?

What will we find when our time comes to return to our homes in the spirit world? Do we have anything to fear? Why do so many fear death?

I will try to answer these questions in reverse order.

There are several reasons why we fear death. First and foremost, I believe there is an inbuilt mechanism that promotes this fear in order that we will not be tempted to return to the spirit world early when things get too difficult here. Then there is the long term impact of misleading theology. Many of the most influential religions have created taboos about death in order to bolster their membership. Christianity for instance, has long peddled the misinformation that everyone must wait for the last trumpet to sound before they can take up life in the world of the spirit. This is a deliberate and cynical misinterpretation of the words of St Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. What Paul meant when he wrote his words, was that because the spirit is immortal, when we die, it is as if a trumpet sounds to call us to the eternal life of the spirit. The theologians, instead of explaining the trumpet sounds separately for each person, have decided to teach that the trumpet sounds just once and we all must wait for that moment, irrespective of when we die. This coupled with the equally ridiculous idea that only Christians will obtain eternal life in spirit, has led to many wealthy people trying to buy their place in eternity by giving vast monetary donations to the church. Finally, we fear the actual process of dying because sometimes it is painful and it is understandable that we wish to avoid experiencing pain.

Do we have anything to fear? I believe not, although each of us must go through a period in spirit where we review the events of our life and see our actions through the eyes of those who shared those events with us. People who were affected both in good and bad ways by what we did or did not do. This is not something to fear, even if you believe you have led a bad life. The review, which we undertake ourselves incidentally; there is no third party there judging us – that we do for ourselves – contains many surprises. We will be surprised by how often actions or words that to us meant very little at the time, had a huge impact upon another person. A small act of kindness on our part may have resulted in a life-changing experience for the recipient. Of course the reverse is true also. A thoughtless word or action may have had a devastating effect upon another. The sum total of our words and actions (our thoughts too) whilst on earth will be a little like the ‘Curate’s Egg’ – good in parts. Having had the review we are then rewarded for the good we have done and that is not always good in terms that the world of matter sees good, and have to make up to those we have injured in any way. Injury is not just physical or emotional injury but can be a matter of misleading a person into believing something false concerning the spirit. Perhaps about survival of death, the role of the spirit in this life and after or, convincing individuals they can only enjoy eternal life by believing certain creeds or dogmas. Each person we mislead in this way we have to apologise to and try to make up to them what they have lost or suffered as a result. However, how much we have to do is determined by our motives at the time we gave the injury. Suffering by others resulting form innocent actions or words of ours are less heinous than those done or said in the full knowledge they were wrong.

None of this need be cause for fear, rather the reverse. We are eternal beings and our objective is to perfect our spirit selves throughout eternity by giving service in many different ways. The chance to make up for any earthly actions that may have advertently or inadvertently hurt another is an opportunity to move a step closer to the light, to purify our spirit selves. The pleasant surprise of learning that some things we had long forgotten had helped another significantly is certainly something to anticipate with pleasure. The bible punching, tub thumping zealots may predict dire things for us when we get to spirit if we fail to follow their narrow and bigoted dogmas but the reality is very different. We are meant to live life on earth as physical beings, with all that means in terms of human weakness and error. Indeed error is often the way we learn best. The vast majority of people can hold their heads high when it comes to their earthly life and how it has been lived. It is true that our lives here would be much easier and more meaningful were we able to live them in the full knowledge that we are spirit beings who inherit eternal life in our true element which is the spiritual world. However, living our lives without that knowledge does not mean we are going to make a mess of things. Always remember, it is impossible for any of us to know everything that has brought another person to the point in life where our paths may cross. Therefore follow the excellent biblical advice to first remove the beam from your own eye before concerning yourself with the splinter in another’s.

What awaits us when we arrive in spirit? Joy!! The joy of reunion with friends and family we may have thought we had lost forever. All those who arrived there before we did will know about our impending arrival and many will have gathered to help us through the physical process of dying. One of the blessings God has given us is the ability to see these friends and loved ones when we are in the process of passing from this world to the next. Those unable to come to us at that time will make a big effort to join us in spirit once we arrive there. There is always a big celebration on the arrival ‘home’ a soul following their sojourn on earth. The spirit world itself is made up of many different levels, spheres or even ‘mansions’ as the Nazarene put it. Which of these becomes our ultimate dwelling place is determined by the brightness of our spiritual light. At first we go to a part of the spirit world known as ‘The Astral World’ which is the closest to the earth and virtually indistinguishable from it. No matter on what level our loved ones and friends are in the spiritual world, they will all come to visit us on the Astral when we arrive. Many will also continue to visit us at times later when we have moved from the Astral World. Lest you think that heaven or the spirit world is a dull, far too serious place, be assured all the things you find fun to do in your earthly life, you will be able to enjoy there too and I do mean ALL. Think also of the many things you can learn, do or enjoy once you no longer have to clothe or feed a physical body or keep a roof over your head with all that it entails. The freedom is marvellous and we will all be able to enjoy that freedom to our heart’s content.

I hope when you have read the foregoing, that any fears or anxieties you may have about ‘passing over’ will be assuaged. Yes, you and I will miss those we leave behind on earth when our time comes but it won’t be long, in spirit world time, before they are there with us too. Trust in the love of God and look forward with quiet joy to your transition when the time comes.