Nora Spurgin's Near-Death
Experience Research
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The following
near-death insights are a part of the research
conclusions drawn by
Nora M. Spurgin,
M.S.W. who studied the near-death findings
of such NDE experts as
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
and
Dr. Raymond Moody
and created a very impressive quantity and
quality of spiritual information gleaned
from near-death accounts. Her research conclusions
and spiritual insights concerning the experience
after death are beautifully articulated
in a way that really speaks to a person's
heart. You be the judge. Twenty-nine questions
and answers from Nora's research are presented
below. These answers are presented without
specific religious doctrine and dogma and
are for the sole purpose of enhancing life
both on Earth and beyond. This information
is for those who are in the full bloom of
life; for there is still time to prepare.
For those who are terminally ill, it might
make a difference in the quality of the
final years or months and help the new arrival
into the spiritual world.
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Table
of Contents |
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1.
Is there life after death? How do we know? |
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From Plato and the early
Greeks, through Jesus and Paul, through most African
and Oriental cultures, to spiritualists of the twentieth
century, a belief in some kind of survival of bodily
death has been unequivocally affirmed. Jesus' assertion
that in his Father's house there are many rooms,
would seem to be justified by the fact that this
common belief is held by such divergent peoples.
While many traditional believers tend to shy
away from the topic, testimony to the existence
of a spirit world actually permeates the Bible.
Prophets such as Ezekiel and Isaiah report powerful
spiritual visions, as does the writer of the
Book of Revelation. In the Gospels, angels speak
(Luke
1:28) and on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus
talks with the long-dead Moses and Elijah (Matthew
17:1-3). Christian mystics and saints throughout
history also spoke of spiritual experiences.
The proposition that life continues beyond physical
death goes a long way toward explaining well-recognized
and otherwise unexplainable phenomena, for example,
near-death experiences, visions of deceased persons
and the experience of authentic communication from
the other side.
To understand what happens
to us at death, we first need to understand of what
we are made. Most of us tend to identify closely
with our physical bodies, but this is only part
of the picture. We are not only physical matter,
but also spiritual essence. It is accurate to say
that we are essentially spiritual beings who possess
physical bodies. When we die, we in effect take
off our physical bodies as one might take off an
overcoat. The essential person remains.
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2.
If life continues after physical death, where is
such life lived? |
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Our bodies exist, of course,
in the physical world, which provides an environment
for our activity and growth on Earth and offers
us nourishment, stimulation and joy. Likewise, there
is a spiritual dimension of the universe the invisible
spirit world- which serves as the environment for
our spirits. Our spirit is the internal counterpart
to our physical body, and the spirit world is the
invisible counterpart to the physical world. This
world is located not up in heaven, but in a different
dimension, inter-penetrating the physical world
and the universe. While on Earth we exist in both
worlds at once, in effect connecting the two. For
this reason, people on occasion can have visions
and communicate with the dead.
While most
people are prepared to admit belief in some kind
of life after death, fewer accept the proposition
that during our physical lifetimes we are existing
in two realms at once a material one and a spiritual
one. There is an invisible spiritual world surrounding
this physical one, inhabited by those who have passed
on. Because the two realms inter-penetrate each
other, the spirit of a person near death can float
out of the body.
To begin to understand how
we could simultaneously live in two realms and,
for the most part, be unaware of it, we must remember
that there are many things in the natural world
that exist beyond the range of our five physical
senses. For example, we cannot see infra-red light
or x-rays, or hear sounds above or below certain
frequencies. Nevertheless, x-rays and high and low
frequency sound vibrations do exist. In the same
way, even though we cannot perceive a spiritual
world through our physical senses, it exists all
around us.
The discoveries of modern science
lend credence to this prospect. Whereas in prior
times scientists thought of the material world as
constructed of solid, though minute, blocks of matter,
they now believe this is not the case. Rather, what
we think of as the material world seems to consist
of invisible patterns of energy. The implications
of this theory with regard to the existence of a
spiritual dimension are clear. Indeed, it is probably
such a discovery as this that gave rise to Albert
Einstein's celebrated remark that his work was spiritual,
involving the discovery of where matter ends and
spirit begins.
Just as we perceive the physical
world with our physical senses (sight, hearing,
taste, touch and smell), so the spirit world can
be perceived by a set of spiritual senses; which
are not limited by the physical laws of nature.
Because most of us are not attuned to our spiritual
senses, we become aware of the spirit world only
when we pass into it at the end of our physical
lives.
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3.
What is a near-death experience? |
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Due to modern technology,
the number of people who have been revived from
clinical death and brought back to physical life
has increased tremendously in recent years. Many
such individuals have shared amazingly similar accounts
of their experience. Whereas in the past people
may have been reluctant to discuss their experiences,
perhaps due to fear of ridicule, thousands are now
reporting near-death experiences (NDEs). Documented
observation on the subject of the next life reported
by individuals who have had near-death experiences
has taken this area of research beyond theory.
Near-death experiences gained widespread publicity
when Dr. Raymond Moody's book,
Life After Life, became a best seller. Dr. Moody
writes convincingly of his vast research on people
who were clinically dead for a short time and were
revived. Elements which appear most frequently in
such accounts are the following:
1. |
The identity of the individual who has died
remains intact. The conscious self leaves
the body and observes it in its lifeless
state but feels no break in the continuity
of consciousness. |
2. |
The sensations associated with leaving the
body are described as being very positive
lightness, brightness, love, joy, peace
and cessation of pain. |
3. |
The consciousness, or spirit, enters a dark
tunnel with an extremely bright light at
the end. |
4. |
Relatives and friends (already deceased)
are often seen. Usually they communicate
a welcome, and the person who has just died
may be given the choice to return to physical
life on Earth. |
5. |
Often the spirit is greeted by beings of
great light and love perceived to be God,
the Creator, or a religious figure such
as Jesus. |
6. |
There may be a life-review, which is a rapid
panoramic view of the earthly life in chronological
order. |
7. |
The consciousness, or spirit, can hear and
observe everything that is happening in
the physical world, but cannot communicate
with people on Earth through speaking or
touching. |
8. |
There is instinctive knowledge that in going
into the light there is a point of no return
to physical Earth life. Since these accounts
come only from people who have returned
to physical life, there was a point past
which they did not venture. |
9. |
When they return to physical life, most
people who have had an NDE feel an enhanced
quality in life; there is a lack of fear
of dying, and a new purposefulness in living. |
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4.
Is going to the spirit world automatic? |
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Yes. It is not a matter
of choice or qualification. Every person is created
as a being whose spirit is eternal. Life in the
spirit world is simply the next step after life
on Earth, much as life on Earth is the natural step
after life in the womb.
Physical birth takes
place when a baby, having spent nine months in a
small, dark, warm place, suddenly pushes through
the birth canal into a bright, expansive new world.
There is a similar sequence of events in our birth
into the next life. Those who have had NDEs describe
a dark tunnel leading toward a bright light where
loved ones await their arrival.
It should
be noted, however, that if one is educated to believe
that there is no life after death, she may fail
to recognize the natural process which automatically
takes place. There are those who describe this lack
of knowing as an incredible injustice, for the passage
to the next world is confused and the spirit may
wander indefinitely without the body, stuck between
two worlds, feeling part of neither. This condition
may persist until a spiritual guide is sent to rescue
and re-educate the lost soul.
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5.
What is the spirit world like? |
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Sensitive people who have
had glimpses into the world beyond say it is a world
much like our own, but having no time nor space
as we think of these dimensions; it exists in a
higher dimension of energy and, in its higher realms,
is a world of inexpressible beauty. It is a world
where it is possible to be fully alive, where, for
example, the whole body perceives. It is a world
of endless possibilities for creativity and full
realization of self; and it is a world where the
love of God is like the air we breathe. As air is
the atmosphere on Earth, God's love is the atmosphere
in the spirit world.
One's spiritual body
can travel with thought waves. Therefore, if one
thinks of a person and place, he can immediately
be transported there. Communication is also by thought.
In addition, one is free from the restrictions of
the physical body; eating, for example, is possible,
but not necessary to maintain the physical body.
In the spiritual world, one realizes that life on
Earth has, like life in the womb, been preparation
for a fuller, freer and richer eternal existence.
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6.
Can spiritual growth take place on the other side? |
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Yes, it appears to be a
law of the universe that growth is always possible.
According to many accounts, the spiritual world
has teachers and guides (those who have died, sometimes
centuries before, who have the mission to guide
newcomers who want to learn and grow in the spirit
world). For children, teachers are provided to give
them basic knowledge, and people in the position
of parents provide them with essential love.
Those who are lacking in emotional growth, or
who have lived unloving, resentful, vengeful, or
selfish lives will be given the opportunity to serve
and help others in order that they may advance to
higher realms. They may even come back to Earth
as spiritual helpers, like guardian angels, to influence
people to avoid misdeeds and harmful lifestyles,
and to overcome unloving attitudes. Those who have
passed on often come back to their descendants to
help and protect them. In so doing, spiritual growth
takes place for both.
Desire for such spiritual
growth arises from a desire to be close to God.
The spiritual world is a world where an ever-increasing
unity with the love of God is the goal of one's
growth.
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7.
Are people on the spiritual side aware of our passing? |
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Yes. Whenever someone passes
from the Earth, no matter who, people in the spirit
world know that the person is arriving. Those on
the other side know who, when and where, because
it is the responsibility of those in the spirit
world to receive the newcomer. In most cases, relatives
are apprised so that they can welcome the one who
is passing on. Because the major motive of those
in the higher realms in the spirit world is love,
there is great desire to help the new arrival leave
the physical world in the best possible way.
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8.
Will we know and be with our relatives and friends
who have passed on before us? |
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Just as on Earth we seek
out relationships which are comfortable, the same
is true in the spiritual world. We are likely to
seek out our relatives, loved ones and ancestors
with whom we have a bond. However, if there is a
vast difference in spiritual development, a person
of lesser development and thus having a lower vibration,
will be unable to enter the higher realm to which
those of greater development have advanced. In this
case, the more highly developed loved one may choose
to visit and help the person in need of spiritual
development.
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9.
What will we look like in the spiritual world? |
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As already stated, each
person has a physical body and a spirit body, even
while on Earth. The physical body which one leaves
behind is a reflection of his spirit and is similar
in appearance. The spiritual body has the same identity,
the same vibration; it simply lives in a different
dimension. The higher one's development, or vibration,
the brighter and more finely attuned will be his
spirit.
Fundamentally, an individual maintains
distinguishing characteristics. However, what determines
what one looks like in the spirit world is the person's
quality of heart and life. One's inner quality is
perceived as light. One's features are visible but
the light that comes from one's very essence is
the identifying feature. For example, because they
lived totally for other people, Jesus and other
religious leaders emanate brilliant light.
A very homely person who has served sacrificially
will emanate such light and be very attractive to
others in the spirit world. If at the time of death
one's physical body was impaired, his spiritual
body will be free of pain and impairment. However,
because the spirit world is the world of mind, he
may still think of himself as being in pain or having
impairment. If so, as long as he carries it in his
mind, such pain and impairment will be present.
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10.
What will we do in the spiritual world? |
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It depends on where we are
in the spirit world. The higher realms of spirit
world is truly heaven; a world of enjoyment and
recreation. People do things they enjoy, and keep
company with people they enjoy. It is a world of
joyful activity. The skills, interests, and abilities
developed on Earth may be reflected in the roles
chosen in eternity. Each of us will contribute uniquely
toward the goodness and beauty in our realm. Further,
it is said that the spirit world is vast and of
transcendent beauty. Those dwelling in the higher
realms are able to travel to its vast reaches.
The quality of life in the spirit world is directly
affected by one's heart and his activities on Earth.
Since love is supreme, opportunities for the practice
of love will continue. The means for spiritual growth
is through the dynamic of love, which is to serve.
Relationships are thus very important.
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11.
Do we have to be religious? |
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As indicated above, everyone,
religious or not, believing in God or not, transitions
to the spirit world as part of the natural process
of life. Just as one does not need to be religious
to live in the physical world, one does not need
to profess a particular faith to live in the spirit
world.
Nevertheless, it is also true that
the great world religions have been the carriers
of universal spiritual truth, have been the source
of the spiritual education of millions, perhaps
billions, of people and have been the central force
in the spiritual development of the human race.
Properly understood and fully lived, the teachings
underlying the great religious traditions inevitably
promote the spiritual growth of their followers
and thus are enormously valuable in preparing such
individuals for the richest possible lives in the
spirit world.
Thus while one does not have
to be religious to dwell in the spirit world, one
inevitably will benefit from a thorough understanding
and practice of a particular tradition. This said,
however, it needs to be recognized that not all
teachings described as religious are beneficial.
Religion which is judgmental, prejudicial, critical,
and narrow may impede the spirit's natural growth.
It is love, not religion, which creates spiritual
growth. Where religion teaches love, there is growth.
Where religion impedes love, there is stagnation.
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12.
If we are not religious, what happens? |
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As explained above, everyone
transitions to the spirit world on the death of
the physical body. One's state there is determined
by the level of spiritual maturity. If not mature,
one may find that an understanding of the knowledge
available through the various religious traditions
may help him to begin the process. This knowledge
is best acquired through an experienced mediator
who in effect serves as a type of spiritual parent
or guide for one just beginning his journey.
Further, while the ideal place to grow spiritually
is on Earth indeed, this is the reason for life
on Earth growth in the spirit world remains a possibility.
There, however, in the absence of a physical body,
growth is more difficult. The opportunity for the
full range of love (child's love, marital love,
and parental love) is ideally available while one
is on Earth. Love which has been misused or misdirected,
is also best corrected in the physical life, for
there is the full range of physical and spiritual
senses with which to act and communicate.
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13.
Does what we believe and practice in different religious
traditions make a difference in terms of quality
of life in the spiritual world? |
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It is said that the Golden
Rule is the governing principle in the spirit world:
do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
People who truly practice the religion of love will
find themselves in a universal sphere where everyone
understands that true religion is to love others
as ourselves.
The most difficult thing for
a person who has been deeply steeped in a particular
religious tradition is to realize that the form
alone is not what elevates a person; it is the heart.
Still, those who cling to an external form of religion
will be most comfortable with others who practice
the same rituals, whatever they may be. In this
sense, congregations may continue centered around
the particular religious traditions they practiced
while on Earth.
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14.
Will we meet God and other religious figures? |
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Everyone in the realms of
light knows that there is a Creator. It is said
that this presence is so obvious it cannot be denied.
In the spirit world one can see and experience the
source of life. So the first awesome feeling is
said to be, God IS! There is no question.
Other religious figures including the founders
of world religions, the saints and prophets, exist
in their own dimensions of the spirit world. The
similarity of one's life, heart and knowledge to
a particular figure determines one's closeness to
these religious figures.
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15.
Of what significance are repentance and making amends
before we die? |
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Wrongs which cause injury
to others require repentance, forgiveness and restoration
of wholeness. When one has hurt someone else, unless
she apologizes to that person, repents for the hurt
caused and is forgiven, she will carry that burden
into the spirit world. If someone has something
against a person who has not apologized, progress
is impeded in the spirit world.
When we can
recognize the hurt brought to others, and make amends
for it by seeking forgiveness, then healing of the
spirit can take place. This liberates both parties
for greater love and spiritual growth.
A
re-orientation of one's life toward God and love
at any point has great value. If a person can take
this step while still on Earth, and in particular
can make amends for any wrong done, this will do
much to enhance his status in the spirit world.
The next step for the last minute repenter is to
preserve this new orientation and upon arrival in
the spirit world to do whatever is necessary to
continue growth there.
The quality of the
energy that we maintain is affected by whether our
intentions and actions lead us toward, or separate
us from, goodness and God.
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16.
What about heaven and hell? |
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On Earth we are all aware
of different gradations in the lifestyles of various
individuals. Some seem to have a very desirable
lifestyle, others less so. The same may be said
about life in the spirit world. In terms of externals,
some persons there live in more attractive and comfortable
environments, others in less appealing conditions.
At the extremes there are beautiful and uplifting
settings which are truly heavenly and, on the other
hand, there are very unattractive, even repugnant,
environments which are without a doubt hellish.
The difference between life in the physical
world and life in the spiritual world is that the
environment in the spiritual world corresponds to
one's internal nature rather than to that which
can be created through external resources, as is
possible in the physical world. If, during our lifetime
on Earth, we matured in a spiritually rich and beautiful
way, we will come to dwell in an environment that
corresponds with these qualities. Indeed, such environments
are said by those who have experienced them to possess
a beauty that is beyond anything seen on Earth.
In the spirit world, God's truth is represented
by light and His love by warmth. Those individuals
in the spirit world who live in harmony with God
thus live in light and warmth. Conversely, if one
has been stunted in his spiritual growth through
an undeveloped or misdirected lifestyle, has led
a purely self- centered life or has hurt other people,
his spiritual environment will reflect something
of these realities. A self-centered life on Earth
places one in an area of the spiritual world with
like-minded people who have yet to learn the value
of unselfishness for the advancement of the soul.
Environments distant from God are said to be dark,
cold and inhospitable. Indeed, they reflect the
spirits of those dwelling therein.
In between
these extremes are many levels representing different
stages of spiritual growth. The central factor determining
our level is the degree to which we have lived for
the sake of others, and the extent to which we have
been able to influence others likewise to follow
paths of service and love. In this respect, the
actions of loving, serving and teaching others carry
the highest spiritual value.
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17.
What could we do while still living in the physical
body to make a better transition at death? |
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We should educate ourselves
as much as possible about the spirit world. Even
gaining the smallest impression that there is life
after death will bring enlightenment and understanding.
The more understanding one has to illuminate the
objective reality of the spirit world, the more
one has the desire to live in accordance with natural
and spiritual laws and is enabled to go directly
from Earth into the higher realms of the spirit
world.
Betty Eadie, author of
Embraced by the Light, explains that it is possible
for the uneducated and unbelieving spirit to be
a virtual prisoner of this Earth. This is especially
true of those who remain bonded to the Earth through
greed, bodily appetites and other earthly commitments
which make it difficult to let go and move on. Such
spirits, she was told during her near-death experience,
may not recognize the energy and light which draws
one toward God. Lacking the faith and power to reach
for the light, unenlightened spirits may actually
stay on Earth until they learn of the higher power
which surrounds, and is available to them.
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18.
After entering the spirit world, can we return to
loved ones on Earth? |
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Unknown to most of humanity,
the moving back and forth of spiritual beings to
their loved ones on Earth is going on night and
day, all over the world. As indicated previously,
it is due to our inability to see spiritually that
we have no awareness of the spirit world. Dreams,
a visitation beside one's bed which seems like a
dream, visions of departed loved ones and appearances
of religious figures are all manifestations of spirit
return. The major purposes of these visits is to
guide those on Earth or to comfort those who are
bereaved by a beloved one's passing. Those from
the other side are continually working to elevate
the spiritual level of those on Earth. By aiding
in the spiritual growth of those on Earth, the attending
spirit derives energies for his own advancement.
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19.
Why can't people on Earth see or hear the spirit
if it is still alive and trying to make contact? |
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It seems from the accounts
of people who have had NDEs that the spiritual self
can hear and see everything physical, but the reverse
is not true. Because their spiritual senses are
undeveloped, those on the physical plane usually
cannot penetrate this dimension, making communication
impossible.
The spirit on the other hand,
may not necessarily know that death has occurred,
and may be bewildered to discover that no one in
the physical world responds to his efforts to communicate.
No one sees or hears him. It is important for a
person to know of the spirit world before death;
otherwise the spirit may enter his new life frustrated
and ignorant of the fact that he has, in fact, passed
on. Seemingly intact, and not realizing that the
physical body is dead, the spirit may wander indefinitely,
seeking to make contact with those still in the
physical body. It may be noted here that there are
people on the physical plane whose senses are attuned
to the vibrations of the spiritual world. They have
experiences other than the near-death experience
which give them extraordinary insight into the spiritual
realm. They may be called clairvoyant (if they see
spiritually) and/or clairaudient (if they hear spiritually).
While it is often not reported, it is common for
spouses and relatives to receive communication from
their deceased loved ones. Among noted individuals
who have recorded these unique experiences are
Emanuel Swedenborg and
Anthony Borgia. Emanuel Swedenborg was an eighteenth
century scientist, philosopher, and theologian who
explained that the Almighty allowed him to make
frequent visits to the world beyond for a period
extending over 25 years.
He recorded his
extensive experiences as a resource for others to
understand the life hereafter. Borgia likewise has
produced volumes of information on life after death
based on spiritual communications with a deceased
nineteenth century priest.
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20.
Do our prayers for the deceased help? |
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As a form of positive mental
energy, prayer rightly directed represents our joining
our energies with those of God as He seeks the growth
and well-being of His children. Through prayer we
cooperate with both God and the angelic and spiritual
beings of the spirit world in an on-going, cosmic
effort for the liberation of humanity.
Because
God looks to humankind as co-creators, and because
He cherishes all efforts for the well-being of others,
prayer is never wasted. Sooner or later, these efforts
inevitably bear fruit, assisting in the positive
advancement of those persons on whose behalf they
are made. Calling out a specific name in prayer
will draw cosmic energy to that person.
Praying
for someone who has passed on will be a boost on
the other side to enlist the help of spiritual guides
for the new arrival. Indeed, living in the spirit
world, spirit persons may be even more sensitive
to the beneficial effects of prayer than they were
on Earth.
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21. Is there time
and space in the spiritual world?
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If one is in the highest
realms, love reigns. And where there is love, there
is happiness. Where there is happiness, there is
no awareness of time. Therefore, there is no time
as we know it here.
However, in the lower
realms, because one is very unhappy, time seem interminable.
There is space, but the whole spirit world is a
reflection of the qualities of the people who live
there. Where love reigns, there is no distance between
people. The spirit world is thus not like our three-dimensional
world, but is more like a symbolic reflection of
the inner quality of the people.
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22.
Can we still enjoy physical and sensual pleasure
in the spirit world; for example, food, drink, and
sex? |
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All that is good in human
experience, whether it be food, drink, human affection,
or sexual intercourse can be experienced in spirit
world. Because our physical senses of hearing, seeing,
smelling, tasting, and touching are only poor reflections
of our very sensitive spiritual senses, music, art,
fragrances, occasional spiritual food and the feeling
of textures are all more rich and enjoyable in the
spiritual world.
Swedenborg comments that
husbands and wives enjoy intercourse just as on
Earth, only happier and richer, because when the
love becomes spiritual, it becomes deeper and purer
and therefore more fully appreciated. Intercourse
does not conceive children, however, because the
material element is missing.
Since the spiritual
world is a world of mind and imagination, physical
nourishment is not necessary for the maintenance
of the spirit. One may still have a desire for familiar
physical pleasures as they were experienced on Earth.
There is fruit to be eaten; one can even have a
banquet.
It may be useful to mention here
that a spirit obsessed with or addicted to sensual
pleasures may sometimes seek to gratify these desires
through a person on Earth. This is very harmful
to the spiritual growth of both parties. These spirits
are called possessing or obsessing spirits; they
do not realize the harm done by the wrong use of
another's body.
Excessive or unbalanced behavior
distracts one from those activities which nurture
spiritual and physical vitality.
Dr. Edith Fiore, psychologist and author of
The Unquiet Dead, records numerous anecdotal accounts
of clients who, through hypnosis, were able to identify
and be liberated from such possessing spirits. Dr.
Fiore is one of a growing number of professionals
who use hypnosis in depossession or spirit releasement
therapy to free clients of emotional traumas due
to spirit possession. It appears that educating
the Earth-bound and possessing spirit about the
existence and laws of the spirit world can liberate
the spirit to begin his upward journey and the troubled
client to live an emotionally healthy life on Earth.
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23.
What happens to one who commits suicide? |
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This booklet would not be
complete without mention of those who enter the
spiritual world as a result of ending their own
physical lives. The death of the physical body is
determined by natural law, which is governed by
divine law. To take one's physical life is to break
that law, with the result that there must be special
care and arrangements made in the spiritual world.
In other words, breaking natural law must be accounted
for before one can go to higher levels.
According
to some psychics, because the person's life was
cut short and her work on Earth incomplete, it will
be necessary to live out this uncompleted time in
spirit aiding the very ones on Earth who were most
hurt by the suicide.
Since the motivation
for suicide is usually to avoid unhappiness, we
can assume that the spirit takes such unhappiness
into the spiritual world. Any problems experienced
on Earth are always better worked out on Earth.
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24.
Does suffering on Earth have spiritual value? |
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Few things on Earth are
inherently good or inherently evil. Money, power,
knowledge, and even love can be used for either
positive or negative purposes and can be either
good or evil. Suffering, too, can be meaningful
or meaningless, valuable or worthless. Suffering,
for example, that accompanies one's pursuit of a
noble goal, or that produces a depth of character
or sensitivity to the suffering of others, has positive
spiritual merit and no doubt contributes to spiritual
advancement. Indeed, one need look no further than
the recognition that history has accorded those
who have endured suffering for the sake of others,
e.g., Jesus, Gandhi, or Martin Luther King, Jr.,
to see the truth of this principle.
Further,
it is often through suffering that one may come
to appreciate God's grace. If one sees suffering
as a means to understand more deeply the love of
God, or indeed to become more God-like, such suffering
will have great value.
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25.
What about reincarnation? |
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Traditional Judeo-Christian
teachings describe a single incarnation with eternal,
personal existence after death. On the other hand,
many contemporary writings and some established
Eastern teachings embrace reincarnation as true.
Phenomena described by spiritually gifted persons
may be logically justified by either concept; therefore,
ideas common to both theories are important:
Unique, personal existence continues after the
physical body dies.
Continued spiritual growth
through love and service is a central aspect of
eternal existence.
After passing into the
spiritual world, we do not lose interest in the
welfare of our loved ones or the human race. We
achieve merit and benefit from helping those on
Earth toward higher truth and greater love.
It is extremely important on passing into the
spiritual world to look toward the light and accept
orientation from spiritual guides. If a person dies
ignorant of the spiritual world, an Earth-bound
state or spirit possession may result, severely
hindering the growth of all involved. A prayer or
call for help may be enough to move us through the
tunnel and into the light described in NDEs.
Most psychics who espouse reincarnation do not
believe that one must immediately inhabit another
body upon physical death. Long periods (centuries
in physical time) are used for continued growth
by entities who earn merit by temporarily visiting
Earth as spiritual guides and teachers. Psychics
believing in a single incarnation describe a similar
return of spirit helpers who work so closely with
us that thoughts and feelings blend, causing the
distinct impression of past lives.
Proponents
of both schools share the belief that it is best
to exist in eternity without reincarnating. Reincarnationists
see this as the liberation of the soul from illusion,
when the lessons of physical life have been learned.
Others believe it is God's ideal for an individual
to evolve through love and service beginning in
this life and continuing in the next, without the
necessity for reincarnation.
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26.
Are angels different from spirits of people who
have lived on Earth? |
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There is much interest in
angels today. An angel is a spiritual being who
lives in the spiritual realm and, yes, is different
from the spirits of people who have lived on the
Earth. The angels were created first, to assist
with the creation of man and woman as well as with
the rest of the creation. The Bible and other scriptures
speak of angels as spiritual beings who serve as
messengers or helpers to men and women on the Earth.
Without our spiritual senses, we are not aware of
their daily presence in our lives. Have you heard
of guardian angels? It is said that we all have
at least two.
The angels of God are beautiful,
radiant beings of light, similar in form to humans,
often beautifully clothed, with the ability to speak,
act and fully communicate. We might say that fallen
angels are those spiritual beings, originally of
God, who chose not to respond to the light and have
turned away from God. Such spiritual beings seek
to separate or distract humans from fulfilling their
purpose, which is to fully live as God's children.
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27.
Are there demonic spirits and angels? |
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Numerous scriptural accounts
describe angels who turned against the pure goodness
and love of God, and also turn humankind toward
evil by malicious intent. The master of such forces
is often called Satan or the devil. There is no
doubt that evil exists on Earth. Similarly, those
who have communication with the spiritual world
state that all is not goodness and light there as
well. Since we know that we enter the spiritual
world at the same level of spiritual development
we have gained while on Earth, then it makes sense
that those who have had much give and take with
selfishness, revenge and maliciousness will continue
such acts in the spirit world.
There is,
therefore, evil and darkness in the spirit world.
The darkness may be a result of ignorance and lack
of understanding. Spiritual guides will enlighten
willing souls and offer growth opportunities to
lead the spirit into the light and warmth of higher
realms. Some accounts inform us that ignorance of
the need to seek growth may keep someone in a state
of darkness for a long period of time.
Apart
from ignorance, there are also dark forces in the
spirit world created by those of vengeful and malicious
desires. Such are the forces, often called demonic,
which influence, obsess or possess people on Earth
and which may be instigators of crime and violence,
sexual abuse and aberrations, and belief in Satanism.
A person of such interests on Earth will inevitably
be drawn to similar companionship in the spirit
world. The dwelling place of such evil could certainly
be called hell.
Everyone entering the spiritual
world, however, should know that a God of love suffers
for those in darkness, ignorance and misery. Based
on desire and willingness, the spirit is given opportunity
for an upward journey. One book recently reprinted,
A Wanderer in the Spirit Lands by Franchezzo, is
a vivid descriptive account of this process of growth
and development.
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28.
Do we pass through some kind of judgment on our
earthly life? |
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Upon one's entering the
spirit world, we face a life review. In this review,
a panorama-like view of one's whole life will appear
in which both the good and the bad, the right and
wrong are presented and are self-judged. Typically
there is a good feeling for all the good, and a
deep remorse for the wrongs. This is the judgment;
it is self-imposed. Such judgment, however, is not
the end. Out of remorsefulness can come the beginning
of repentance, which enables the spirit to be liberated
from ignorance and to begin to grow spiritually.
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29.
Are there marriages in the next life? If I'm married
now, will our family be together? |
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According to Emanuel Swedenborg,
people who were married on the Earth meet in the
spiritual world, recognize one another and may want
to live together as they lived on Earth. As the
superficialities drop off, the couple will discover
what they are like inwardly, what their love and
attraction were and whether they can continue to
live as one. A marriage without God's love and blessing
may soon disintegrate. Where love is undeveloped,
growth is necessary before such blessed oneness
can be experienced and enjoyed. In fact, misuse
of love and sex during one's earthly life leaves
a deep scar on the spirit which can be mended only
through true love.
Truly loving marriages
are perhaps God's greatest gift. These marriages
in which the love of God is expressed between the
spouses are for eternity. Each person experiences
a deep inner relationship of love with God and with
his spouse. Such a marriage is a union where each
individual continues to grow close both to God and
to his or her mate in the marital relationship.
Where children were born to such a union, the depth
of love shared on Earth keeps the family together
in the spiritual world.
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30.
References |
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•
Borgia, Anthony |
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• Callanan,
Maggie, and Patricia Kelley |
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• Eadie,
Betty J. |
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• Fiore,
Edith |
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• Gladish,
David F. |
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• Kubler-Ross,
Elisabeth |
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• Martin,
Joel, and Patricia Romanowski |
We Don't Die: George Anderson's
Conversations With the Other Side.
New York: Putnam, 1988; Berkley,
1989. |
We Are Not Forgotten: George
Anderson's Messages of Love and
Hope from the Other Side. New York:
Putnam, 1990; Berkley 1991. |
Our Children Forever: George
Anderson's Messages from Children
from the Other Side. New York: Berkley,
1994. |
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• Moody,
Raymond |
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• Moody,
Raymond, with Paul Perry |
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• Swedenborg,
Emanuel |
Love in Marriage, a translation
of Emanuel Swedenborg's The Sensible
Joy in Married Love and The Foolish
Pleasures of Illicit Love. New York:
Swedenborg Foundation, 1992. |
Heaven and its Wonders and Hell.
First published, London, 1758; reprinted,
New York: Swedenborg Foundation,
1967. |
Arcana Coelestia. First published,
London, 1749; reprinted, New York:
Swedenborg Foundation, 1978. |
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• Wickland,
Carl A. |
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