Beyond Life

Navigation: Main page » Spirituality

 Print this page Submit articleComment article

Author: Darlene Zagata

Article source: http://ritro.com/. Used with author's permission.

The question of life after death is one that continues to intrigue and mystify. The theories of existence beyond life on the material plane are many and varied. Some believe there is nothing beyond the physical life, while others believe that we continue to survive as a spiritual beings. Most of us have been taught to believe that the way we live our lives on earth will determine whether we will live blissfully in heaven or suffer eternal damnation in hell. Yet we continue in our quest to determine whether life continues beyond the physical realm. There are those who believe that the answer lies in belief itself. Knowledge that life exists beyond this plane of existence would alleviate the fear of death and comfort those suffering the loss of a loved one.

So the search continues for some sort of tangible evidence of life after death. Most people agree that some part of an individual's being does survive bodily death, namely the soul. But what constitutes the soul? The spirit or soul is thought to be perception, thoughts and feelings that make up the individual. Down through the ages, people have sought to prove the existence of life after death and to communicate with those on the other side. They have enlisted the help of psychic mediums and tried a variety of techniques to make contact with the spirit world. Some of the methods and psychics seem to be valid while others have proved to be no more than parlor tricks performed by skilled deceivers.

Those who have had near death experiences do not seem to need any further confirmation of survival beyond death. The experiences all have similar details with the individual describing a tunnel, the bright light, meeting a figure that is interpreted by the experiencer as God, usually encountering a relative and being told to go back because their time on earth is not yet done. Those who have had near death experiences also have no further fear of dying. They come back with a more positive outlook on life, a greater knowledge of their purpose and a reassurance that life does not end with bodily death.

Reincarnation is another possibility of life after death that suggests that we are reborn many times. Through the process of reincarnation we are thought to live many lives until we reach a certain level of attainment. Death has been described as the sum of all we are and have been and is only a transition, more of an altered state of consciousness. Death might be thought of as a progressive climb up the spiritual ladder of attainment. Some experiencers of near death have reported similarities to a dream state. One element that lends credence to the theory that fragments of the mind survive death is that material surroundings are created by mere thought, indicating that some sort of imaginative process is at work.

The same beliefs a person had in life seem to be present in the afterlife. It has been speculated that what we believe to be life is only an illusion created by the human mind to make our experiences more understandable. We have to wonder if this could be true. It has also been said that what we perceive to be as living is actually a type of sleep and that at the moment of death we awaken from our sleep-like state to the true experience of life. Is death merely an extension of the physical life? Does death reveal the true inner self as the physical garment is shed? The outer layers of matter and materialism may need to be stripped away before the inner self can truly be realized and eventually progress to its fullness. Then why the need for life in the physical plane? Existence on the physical plane would be necessary to learn through experience in order to evolve. Perhaps death is nothing more than a revelation of the true self and, in dying, the real journey begins.

Why She Doesnt Call You Back
A look at the modern day phenomenon of why men do not call men back in dating or relationships.

Need Help? Look Within First
After eating a turkey and dressing sandwich for breakfast, I am raring to go! For those of you who wrote and asked where the article was last week, I appreciate...

The Art of Ice Dam Removal
Article description This article was written to explain the causes of ice dams and how to remove them safely.

Practice Makes Pefect
Kowing what to say to others at a netowrking event is one thing but doing it with conviction, enthusiasm, and from the heart takes practice. This article provid...

How to Hold Effective Staff Meetings
Bad staff meetings keep people from making money for your company. Here's how to hold an effective staff meeting.

The Benefits of Titanium Rings
Titanium is an elemental metal with a wide variety of uses. Since its accidental discovery in 1791, titanium has been used to make aircraft, sporting goods suc...

How to Talk to a Woman
Asking a woman out on a date is only the first step. Learn how to talk to a woman on a date and keep her interested.

Hiring--A Vital Key In Sales Management Success
When hiring a sales professional, checking an employment candidate's references properly, can make managing your sales staff members much easier.

Pixels Worth a Thousand
Optimizing photos of your products for your web page. How to make the most of your photos.

Get the Latest Scoop on What Fashions Are In
The fickle world of fashion can be incredibly frustrating when trying to figure what's in, fashionably speaking.

20 Questions To See If You Are Ready To Outsource
Take this quick free quiz to see if you are ready to start outsourcing your software development.

Eldercare/Caregiving Stress--Managing Holidays
Jacqueline Marcell, well-known eldercare expert/national speaker and author of the best-selling book, "Elder Rage', offers resources and steps that family careg...

Wedding Software For Your Big Day
Find details about wedding software, locating software, and making sure you get software that is easy to use.

Shopping for A Mortgage? Do Your Homework First
If you happen to be shopping around for a mortgage, it is very important that you first take the necessary time to do your homework.

Trade Show Marketing – Getting Prepared for the Big Event
With the increase in number of tradeshows being held across the world, it has become imperative to check the trade shows' credentials before you commit particip...

MLM Training- The Secret of the Daily Success Actions of the MLM Millionaire
What do MLM millionaires do that the average do not? It can be found in this study that was recently completed. This will open your eyes and give you a direct p...

Can We Sleep For Three Hours and Still Function Normally?
The polyphasic sleep concept is based upon the fact that we have a 4 hour ultradian rhythm operating alongside our normal 24 hour cycle. This ultradian rhythm m...

In Leadership, Good Enough Is Pretty Bad
Having a "good enough" attitude is a serious stumbling block for leaders. Such an attitude allows them to avoid the hard work of finding better ways to accompli...

I Want To Create...
What would you like to create? A peaceful life, a successful life, a good life, a sculpture, a piece of art, a book? What is it that you would like to create? W...

Very Early Symptoms of Pregnancy - Do You Know These Very Early Pregnancy Signs?
Very early symptoms of pregnancy -- what are they? There are common early signs of pregnancy that most women agree on. Some women will experience only one of ...

Dog Food - Which Diet is Best for Dogs?
A serious look at choosing the healthiest possible diet for puppies and dogs...

9 Ways to Gain Expert Recognition
No matter what business you are in it always helps to be seen as an expert. If you were calling someone to fix a drain or sell your house you would approach the...

Keep Stock Market Investment Profits
This is not taught in training manuals.

Dog Travel - Taking a Vacation with Your Dog
When traveling with your dog, always keep in mind her safety and comfort. Whether you're traveling by car or by plane, there are ways to make dog travel easier ...