Life After Death
June 29th, 2010 by jim1537
As many of you have received messages in readings with me from your loved ones now in spirit, it clearly demonstrates that yes, they still do exist once they’ve permanently left their physical bodies. What happens is that the personality survives death and continues on and we see that represented by “Mom” coming through in a reading, possessing many of the exact same qualities she had when she was once here as “Mom.” It almost feels as if the only difference is that “Mom” isn’t here in a physical body; that’s all — but her energy and essence are how you’ve always known her to be.
Yes, we know that our loved ones are “there for us” and we do experience their presence in our earthly lives at various times and in many ways. Even though we know that death is not a final ending, but rather, a transition where we do carry on (minus our physical bodies), it still begs several questions: Where do we go, then? What do we do? Is it the same for all of us?
What happens after death is clearly not the same for all of us. We often hear that everyone sees a tunnel of white light and as they go through it, they see their entire life flash in front of them while meeting with the most overwhelming feeling of unconditional love and peace that could be imagined. However, that does not happen to everyone.
What does occur for everyone is that at the time of death, the etheric body (the life force) begins its process of disconnecting from the physical body, which takes about three days to complete. In addition, we always attend our own funeral. Yes, the one in the casket is standing there in the same room with the people who are mourning.
Depending on our level of awareness is what dictates what we experience after we die. There is no absolute reality once we’ve permanently left out physical bodies and what we experience and meet with is largely based on what we expect to happen – and there are countless variables within such expectations.
Those who are religious
Religious people see expectations of Jesus, heaven, hell, purgatory, and/or any form of God they worship, etc. If one believes that they will meet with Jesus when dying, then that will be their experience.
Upon passing, Mable, a devout, born again Christian, experienced a bearded Jesus sitting on a throne and looking down at her from high above. In the distance, she could hear trumpets playing and the voices of angels singing. Intermingling with the clouds, she saw angels flying who had white wings, while Jesus’ disciples took her by the hand and escorted her through the pearly gates into heaven.
Some will experience purgatory, where they’re not in heaven or hell, but in a murky place of penance so that they can eventually graduate into heaven. John always believed that he hadn’t been good enough in his lifetime to make it into heaven when he would die, so he believed he would have to do penance in purgatory. So when he left this world, he entered a place that was dimly lit where he witnessed multitudes on their knees with their heads bowed silently, praying continuously. John joined in by taking his place beside them and began praying with his head bowed in silence in the same way.
If someone believes they’ll meet with the devil and be banished to hell, that will be their experience. Brady had been a wild biker who had assaulted people many times throughout his life. In fact, one time, he beat someone so badly that the person died, even though Brady was never brought to justice for the murder. Brady would brag to his friends that he had a date with the devil and that when it was his time, he was going straight to hell with all the other sinners. As he took another swig of Jack Daniels, he used to say that he was going to listen to loud rock n roll and burn in hell’s fire when it was his time to go.
So when he died in a motorcycle accident, he went into a frightening place where he experienced himself being continuously on fire. He met with the devil and was with the worst of the worst: murderers, child molesters, and rapists who were all moaning and screaming. Everyone was being tortured by demons, and Brady heard loud rock n roll music continually playing.
Our family and loved ones
Many of you have shared stories with me regarding a loved one who was very ill and near the end of their life, pointing around the room and speaking to people who have already died as if they’re right there with them. “I see my husband over there,” Aunt Julie says out loud. “He’s been dead for 30 years, but he’s talking to me right now,” she further asserts. Doctors may write this off to the fact that Aunt Julie is on a lot of meds and maybe she just isn’t thinking straight.
However, the real reason Aunt Julie says these things are because they were indeed happening. Loved ones in spirit often reveal themselves to the one who is ill and near the end of their earthy journey in order to make a connection with them and to help prepare them to leave their physical body and peacefully move into spirit.
Generally, family and loved ones are waiting on the other side for us. When one has died, family and loved ones often do greet them with open arms, and help them to get acclimated to their new life in spirit. When Aunt Julie finally passed on, it was her husband who was standing right there and greeted her. Since she had deeply missed him because had been dead for 30 years, her death was a reunion with the only man she ever loved.
As it was for Julie, being greeted in death by those we love can be of great comfort, because we meet with familiar and friendly faces while feeling the reassurance and security that we are ok. For many, there is the sense that meeting with those family and loved ones is their homecoming reunion.
Virtual reality
Reconnecting with our family and loved ones is an actual reality that many of us experience when we pass on. However, there are those who decide to create their own virtual reality once they’ve died, where their fantasy literally becomes reality. Both Mike and Julianna were on their second marriages when they wed in 1983. Julianna ended up passing in 2002, several years before Mike did in 2005. When she died, she reconnected with her first husband Paul who she had a wonderful marriage with. He had been in spirit since 1978.
Regarding Julianna’s marriage to Mike, it was quite unpleasant for her, even though Mike was just crazy about her. So when Mike passed, Julianna was not truly there to meet him, but because Mike believed she would be, he created the fantasy that he was reunited with Julianna. In fact, he lived out that fantasy as being real, where he created a virtual Juilianna who he saw and believed was actually her. In that virtual reality created by Mike, he and Julianna were together again and blissfully happy.
You might wonder, “So when does the fantasy actually end?” That is entirely up to the individual who has created their virtual reality, and it concludes whenever they decide to let it go. That could be now, or anytime later down the road.
Illness
In a medium reading, spirits often lead off with identifying the illness they died from. Once in spirit, some shed their illness quickly, while others hold onto it and may not let go.
Our spiritual teachers may put us to sleep indefinitely on the other side for an extended period of time to rejuvenate and recuperate, especially after a long illness and/or a difficult lifetime. This helps us to permanently release from the egregious suffering we experienced on earth. Since time doesn’t exist there in the way it does here on earth, the length of sleep isn’t thought of as hours, days, weeks, etc., but can be as long as is needed to help one release attachment to the illness and suffering of their past.
Theresa was a woman who had battled breast cancer for 10 long hard years and when she finally left this world at the age of 70, she went into an extended sleep cycle. This rest helped her to disconnect from her past suffering, and prepare for her journey in the spirit. Her spiritual teachers put her to sleep, watched over her, and were there for Theresa when she needed to awake.
What age are we there?
I’ve heard one psychic claim that everyone becomes 30 on the other side. Clearly, that is not true. However we project ourselves as spirits depends on one’s self identification and view of themselves. It is often based on when we felt the most happy or comfortable in our life back on earth. If we felt in our prime at age 45, we may decide to see ourselves that way, and therefore, appear and project just like we did at the age of 45, regardless of what age we were when we passed on.
That is how Joanne came through in a reading I gave to her daughter. Even though Joanne passed at age 82, when she began offering messages to her daughter in our readings, she projected herself to me as a fairly young looking woman, about 45 years old. She didn’t have grey hair, wasn’t feeble as she was when she died, and wore a flight attendant uniform. What startled her daughter was that her mother was indeed a flight attendant around the age of 45 and those were the happiest times of her life. So it made perfect sense that her mother would come through in that way.
Sometimes one of our physical attributes influences how we project ourselves after death A woman’s grandmother had the most strikingly beautiful red hair on earth, and when she died, she came through in spiritual messages with the same lovely red hair again.
On earth, our age is thought of as being totally written in stone, as based on the linear physical calendar. However, in spirit, we can choose our age and how we project based on our self identification and view.
Life review/Judgment Day
Most religions teach the concept of a life review or a day of judgment. Like other religious beliefs, a life review and/or judgment day is something we may experience if we expect to. If we believe we’ll die and meet with a huge judgment day where everyone is lined up as far as the eye could see with God pointing his finger and sentencing us to purgatory or eternal hell, that can be our experience.
However, a real life review/judgment day doesn’t happen until we are aware that we are in the spirit, as opposed to occurring when we’ve just died. It is us who decide, along with our spirit guides, when we’re ready. With a life review, we often go through the repercussions of all of our past thoughts, words, and actions, to see what negative karma we’ve burned off, additional negative karma we’ve created, good karma we’ve manifested and our overall spiritual report card.
This is largely based on the impact we have had on others through what we’ve thought, said and done and to what degree we have or haven’t fulfilled our spiritual contracts and missions. In a real life review, our spiritual teachers will help us to look at things clearly and objectively, from a spiritual perspective. This is designed to set the stage for our next incarnation and its goals.
Children who have died
When children die, they are well protected and watched our for, as they go to a special place of love and light where they are nurtured, taken care of and guided by spiritual masters and loved ones there. It is common that through time, children in spirit progress and develop. That may not occur in strict linear time (like a birthday every twelve months), but there is a definite progression and evolution. Whenever I’ve channeled a child in a reading who has passed years or decades ago, they come through as older. They often speak of what they’ve done, as in going to school, getting a degree, and having a purpose where they do work on the other side.
One of my clients had a grandson who passed when he was 13 years old. When I started picking him up in our readings, it was almost 10 years later and he first came through as a young man about 20 years old. He indicated that he has was in school studying science. To my client’s surprise, he stated in one of our readings that he had forgiven those who had cause his death, as it was based on a fire that was started through drug induced carelessness. He was at peace, came through with joy, and had moved on with his life without regret.
What about sudden and unexpected death?
Sometimes those who have died suddenly and unexpectedly have no idea what has just happened – and they don’t even know they’re dead. They may perceive that they’re in a bad dream that they don’t know how to get out of or may not have any idea as to what is going on. This often happens to victims of car crashes, plane crashes and accidents of any kind. As the death is so sudden and out of the blue, they are often not prepared. It often takes them being told that they have lost their physical life, to help them get them out of the haze of confusion they’re in and face what has occurred. This way, they are hopefully able to move forward.
I know a spiritual master who recalled being taken to a scene of a plane crash while asleep, to inform many there that they had just died. It was a scene of chaos and confusion, but she was utilized by spirit to deliver these very important messages to those who had just lost their lives to assist in their transition into spirit.
Others who pass this way may be more prepared for transition both subconsciously and/or consciously, and therefore, they can adjust easier. Some have a sense that they are going to be leaving this world, and in one way or another, they just know. I had a young client in her early 20’s who was engaged to a man named Peter who told her months before his sudden accidental death, that he knew he was going to be leaving this world soon.
Those who are murdered
Being murdered can be a terribly difficult way to go, as it can be experienced as an unnatural and horrific way to leave this world. There are those who once murdered, refuse to accept that this has actually happened to them, so they create whatever alternate reality they wish. It can be as if they’re still in the physical world, driving their car and going to work — until they eventually accept what has occurred.
Some who know clearly that they were murdered feel a tremendous sense of rage and the desire for revenge, and are committed to coming back here and getting even with whoever did this to them. Even though it is presumed that their spiritual teachers would counsel them to let go of such feelings and find forgiveness, they may or may not be willing to do so. These grudges can be held onto for as long as one wants to and may actually motivate revengeful actions in future lifetimes.
Many who have died through murder carry a tremendous emotional fear with them in spirit, which they can try and work through over there, but often, it may take reincarnating here (potentially many times) to be able to heal such deep seated terror. I knew someone who carried an unexplained fear of being murdered his entire life. There was no plausible reason as to why he would feel this way: no one he knew had ever been murdered, and he had never been physically assaulted or threatened himself. So he couldn’t figure out why he felt this way.
When I did a reading for him, it came through from spirit that he had been beheaded in a former lifetime centuries ago, because he was a social outcast at the time. In his current incarnation, this fear was present so he could spiritually get past it and move beyond this old energy. Through the awareness that came through in the reading, he was able to understand the reason for his fear and forever put it behind him.
Being the victim of murder puts us in a difficult position of trying to deal with what has happened to us to come terms with that experience in order to move forward. However, with those who commit heinous crimes such as murdering someone to even mass murderers, the negative karma they’ve created is so incalculable and will take an amount of time to resolve that we as humans can’t even grasp. Their journey is about atonement versus about learning to cope with what has been done to them, as victims have to do. This atonement must be completed to include every person who their actions have forever victimized.
What about mass murderers?
Often, those who have committed atrocities against humanity such as dictators and war criminal are restricted in spirit once they’ve died by the higher forces there. After they’ve passed, they may be isolated and not have access to many others, almost as if they’re in prison. In spirit, the lords of karma will review how this entity has spiritually evolved who had formerly committed such heinous acts. This is to determine if it is yet time for them to be allowed back into the physical world, and if so, what portion of their karmic debt that they would bring into the next earthly lifetime.
Eventually, they will have to reincarnate back into the earth plane as we all do. In their next incarnation, they’ll have the opportunity to begin working off the negative karma they’ve created prior, which could take an uncountable amount of lifetimes to resolve. When they come back is similar to when someone incarcerated here on earth comes up for a probation hearing from time to time to see if he or she is ready to be released back into society.
Some who commit crimes against humanity get caught in darkness, because they are not at a vibrational state of consciousness to resonate with or be in a place of light and love. This is based on their consciousness, level of understanding and what they’ve done. They could expect to go to hell; therefore, they may, or stay earthbound, as they don’t want to move into the spirit world because of the fear of repercussion.
Suicides
Those who have taken their own life have a very hard time spiritually moving forward, as they often get stuck. As I’ve channeled many a spirit who has taken their own life, I would describe their reality as not being here (on earth) and also, not being there (in the spirit world). It’s as if they’re nowhere. Because of the disconnection they’ve felt, they get stuck in-between worlds.
I had a client whose brother Sam committed suicide by taking drugs in order to kill himself while wandering through a New York alleyway. When Sam came through in our readings, I had no idea how he had died, but the first thing I saw was a man drifting around a New York alleyway. This was 15 years later yet Sam was still there. He hadn’t progressed at all, because he, like many suicides, simply get stuck. He was just as lost as he was 15 years prior, and of course, I tried to encourage him to move forward with his journey.
Eventually, those who’ve committed suicide might progress to some degree, but they have a hard time experiencing paradise or joy. This is not because anyone is preventing them from doing so, but because of the level of consciousness they vibrate to. Of course, they eventually continue their reincarnation cycle again, and as the Buddhists teach, for every suicide, there are seven lifetimes of atonement one must pay. Never forget that praying for these spirits does offer them some light when they are ready to see it, which can only help them move forward.
Earthbound spirits
Earth bound spirits are those who for one reason or another, resist moving forward spiritually, because they’re still quite attached to their former earthly existence. A perfect example of this is someone who was an alcoholic and is still quite attached to the experience of drinking. In spirit, they may hang around bars on earth to suck and feed off the energy of those who are drinking. These earthbound spirits attach to that alcohol experience to feel the vicarious thrill of drinking which continues to feed the addiction that they refuse to let go of.
Some earth bound spirits are just stuck and stubborn. A man I knew named Joey lived in the house his grandfather once built. Once Joey’s grandfather passed on, he came back into the house and just stayed there as an earthbound spirit for many years. Sometimes, granddad even materialized where Joey and his wife would see him.
Instead of moving on into the spirit world, grandpa stayed in this house because it was a place he was comfortable in when he was in the physical world and now that he was dead, he just continued to hang around. Joey told him, “Grandpa, you don’t belong here anymore so you need to move on. Go into the light where you belong.” However, his grandfather refused to listen and just continued to hang around the house.
And just like people in the physical world often live in the past, Joey’s grandfather was doing the same thing once he died. Regarding time, there is no limit as to how long one would stay earth bound as it can go on indefinitely until they’re ready and willing to move forward with their spiritual journey.
Do spirits help their loved ones here on earth or act as guides?
Yes, they often do. As many of you can attest to through having readings with me, your loved ones are actively involved in assisting and guiding you from the spirit world. Messages come through and the support is clearly there, as revealed in so many ways and times. Guidance and protection for us is offered and it’s our job to receive such help and work with it, as it is truly a Godsend in our lives.
This can be motivated simply by the unconditional love they feel for us, and is demonstrated in the same way someone you love would help you out if they were here on earth. Also, it can be spiritually motivated, as our loved ones on the other side can see that their support not only helps us to evolve, but helps them to spiritually grow as well. Why? Because when both parties benefit, it is truly a win-win situation.
Sometimes it is actually a matter of atonement, as our loved ones feel that they didn’t treat us right and may have even abused us on earth. If they feel that they created negative karma with us, sometimes they feel compelled to work off bad karma through their efforts to help us in our earthly journey. I have said to many clients that their loved ones will help them more from the spirit world then they ever would have done while they were here on earth.
Christy was a woman whose father Mack had sexually abused her and treated her badly in other ways, so when he passed in 1990, she was ambivalent about her feelings. Then, in 2000, during a reading with me, her father came through with a tremendous sense of regret, grief and apology. He didn’t defend his former actions, but rather, begged for forgiveness. He promised to make it up to her by being committed to helping his daughter to manifest her dreams. Christy didn’t hate him, however, she wasn’t sure if she could truly forgive him either, but she agreed to try.
In the years that followed, Mack came through with many startlingly accurate messages in our readings. In one, he said to his daughter, “Don’t drive on a certain bridge to work tomorrow.” The next day, a portion of the bridge collapsed at the time she would have been driving on it. Christy was willing to heed the warning from her dad and simply stayed off the bridge, which may have saved her life.
Months later, Mack told his daughter, “Dump your boyfriend Jerry, as he’s married. If you dump him now, you’ll meet the man you’re supposed to marry.” Christy was stunned, but instead of reacting defensively, she looked up this information about Jerry to indeed see if it was true, as marriage is a matter of public record. To her surprise, the found out that the man she thought was solely hers was indeed a married man. Of course, she ended things with Jerry immediately, and within a year, she met the man she was supposed to be with. They are happily married today.
It is more common than you may think for our family and loved ones on the other side to help us as a way of atoning for the hurt they caused us or the lack of support they provided while they were here on earth with us. Regardless of whether the reasons are based on atonement, spiritual growth and/or unconditional love, it is of great help and reassurance for us to know that guidance, protection, messages, comfort and commitment to our dreams is ever present from our loved ones on the other side.
How long do we stay on the other side before we reincarnate?
There is no strict or absolute time frame between physical lifetimes and it completely varies situation by situation. It is highly unlikely for one to reincarnate within years, or even a few decades. There are several reasons why: First, we must reincarnate with those we have karma and lessons that need to be worked out with. Therefore, everyone involved would need to be on the other side where they can decide (along with the lords of karma) what the lessons, goals, plans and karma will be in a coming incarnation.
Second, the circumstances in the physical plane must be able to facilitate whatever the lessons are and that is not easy to come by, as the earth plane changes so continuously and rapidly. For example, if the karma and lessons for a group tied into the circumstances of a world war, the reincarnation could not occur if the world war was not going to be occurring. In many instances, it can take multiple decades, to hundreds or even thousands of years before a new incarnation happens.
Thirdly, it takes time for any of us to be internally ready to come back on earth, as the memories of suffering from our prior incarnation may still be with us and not yet sufficiently released from our consciousness. If we incarnate again too soon, we are more likely to bring residues from our past lives back with us as fears, paranoias, and even obsessions.
This process of letting go needs to happen so that we can come back to earth in such a way that we are ready and willing to accept the challenges ahead of us. The time it takes for us to become prepared for the next incarnation between lifetimes is like an athlete who just had a long, grueling season and needs rest to be ready for the next season.
The journey continues on…
After death, we know that the personality survives and continues on. However, throughout time, that personality eventually erodes and fades away permanently. This occurs as we get closer to our next earthly incarnation.
Before we reenter the earth plane in our next physical lifetime, a new personality must be constructed which will be based on the coming lessons and karma that will occur in the next incarnation. The new personality facilitates, as always, the endless and ever continuing journey of life on earth – one that unfolds forever…. And then, once again, after we pass on, we experience life after death.
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