We began our exploration of the spirit world with a conception about the soul and its reincarnation, through Hindu scriptures, mainly the Gita. Later we compared the concept as appearing in Christian and Judaic theology, with the emerging thought on the subject by New Age scholars and writers, particularly James Redfield and GaryZukav. New Age concepts of the soul were remarkably similar to Hindu concepts, allowing both reincarnation and effects of the law of Karma, yet different when viewing it as less than divine and quite fallible, though ethereal.
I also sought to link the investigations and discoveries of quantum physics and biology with metaphysical thought, showing that science and spiritualism reflected similar thinking on the theme of the basic unity of the universe and our own existence, through the writings of scientists like Fritjof Kapra, David Bohm, Rupert Sheldrake and scholars like Renee Weber, Lynne McTaggart, Peter Russel and James Redfield. We also viewed the practice of meditation and visualization, particularly of pioneers like Jose De Silva to link the resulting para normal abilities they impart to practitioners, with an interlinked purposeful and benign universe.
The next step would be to probe the spiritual world itself to the extent that it allows us to unravel its closely kept secrets. Scriptural pronouncements and the theology of different religions over millenia have indeed sought to provide theories and presumptions about the nature of God and the spiritual realms and for believers and the faithful this presumably is satisfactory and sustaining. But lately over the past century ‘Near Death Experiences’, Hypnotic Regression and mediums appear more intensively to have unravelled the spiritual world’s closely guarded secrets, one can only imagine with its deliberate sanction, for a purpose. The revelations appear to be remarkably corroborative of each other and match many New Age presumptions and speculations on the subject. While there is a whole range of literature on the subject, I will only review some of the books that have had a profound influence on me in shaping my thoughts to present a gist of their revelations of the spiritual world.
I would like to begin with a New York Times bestseller, ‘Embraced by the Light’ by Betty J. Eadie (Bantam Books 1992). Betty wrote of her extraordinary Near Death Experience during a major surgery. First hovering near the ceiling she saw her body below. Three stately glowing spirits who had ‘known her for an eternity’ materialized to comfort and reassure her with love before she felt as if being drawn into a great tornado which swallowed her. Then through this dark tunnel she rushed towards a glowing figure of celestial brilliance and was embraced by it in love and reassurance. She felt that the figure could be none other than Jesus.
So many questions were instantly answered. All religions upon earth were necessary because people needed what they taught. Each church fulfilled spiritual needs that possibly others could not for a particular people. All were important and precious. Very special people with important missions had been placed in all countries. Spirits in the spirit world took part in the continuous process of creation on earth. Prototypes of planets and solar systems were first created on a spiritual plane like blue prints, later being translated to reality on the physical plane. Souls incarnated on earth for a time so as to assist their spiritual growth through the earthly experience. As spirits we had a mission on earth chosen by us. Spirits of family members also bonded with us to help us complete our mission and their’s. All were valiant spirits even the least developed ones. We remained free to act in any way we pleased without any intervention by providence. We learnt important lessons both from joy and sorrow. The battle between the spirit and the body helped in developing both. Love, compassion and service of others helped the spirit grow enormously. Both positive and negative experiences of life were chosen by us as spirits for our development. Even the cause (often painful and traumatic) and timing of our death was by choice. Difficult lessons were learned at the close of life. Our greatest challenges became our greatest teachers.
Betty’s spirit travelled to different realms of the spirit world. She encountered a library of thought for acquiring knowledge. There were areas where spirits gathered to exchange thought.
After death the spirit went to the level of development best suited for it where it would be comfortable. She met one enthusiastic spirit, brilliant and dynamic readying to incarnate as a mentally handicapped person as that would help both it and the parents spirits to grow in dealing with the trials and tribulations of dealing with the handicap. Finally she returned to earth, as her death was considered premature and she had to complete the mission she had set herself. At the moment of descent she was surrounded by cheering angels who applauded her courageous decision to return.
Betty does not claim to be a scholar, mystic or philosopher. A householder with several children and grandchildren she is now a successful businesswoman. The daughter of a Sioux-Indian mother, she was reared in Nebraska, South Dakota. After her experience she became a counselor and hypnotherapist. She has appeared on television in the USA and Japan and participated in programmes in universities on Near Death Studies. In a word she is a quite ordinary person, like you or me, who happened to have such an extraordinary experience.
Her Christian upbringing doubtless moulded her phraseology and her experiences are interpreted within a Christian frame of thought and terminology. Thus in her slim book which sold several million copies, she refers to the soul simply as spirit. Given her brief journey into the spirit world from which she was sent back to ‘complete her unfinished mission’, there is reference to incarnation but no reference to reincarnation or rebirth. Furthermore, she identified the being of effulgent light that embraced her as Jesus himself. She also speaks of the dark forces of Satan and other negative entities who create hindrances in the path of spiritual development. It is possible that the references arise from her earthly mind-set framed in traditional Christian beliefs. But if we filter these aside through rational thinking we would still be left with the essence of her experiences.
For instance the moving out of the body to view it at death, the allowance to visit her family who were unaware of her death in the transition, the tunnel through which one passes on, the light at the end of the tunnel, the glorious radiant beings full of love and reassurance receiving her, the feeling of utter peace and tranquility rather than fear, the knowledge gained in a short span of time before her return of the need for all religions on earth, the spirit’s freedom of choice of birth on the physical plane in certain particular circumstances with abilities and disabilities that would help in its evolution, the glimpse of spirits or souls at different levels of evolution in the spiritual realms, the areas of the spiritual world dedicated to creation and inspiration, angelic beings that applaud the valiant spirits that descend to incarnate for their own evolution, the immense power of prayer and its response from the spirit world, the understanding that suffering is a necessary pre-requisite for growth and development, the acknowledgement that an apparently disabled person, a destitute and poverty striken person may indeed be an advanced soul on a path of evolution, therefore the need to eschew being judgemental, the fact that we at all times are being helped by a compassionate providence which may appear harsh for creating necessary trials and adverse circumstances for our development, indeed that we ourselves have selected the course of our roller coaster ride on the physical plane.
This case is important because it is related first hand, not through hypnotherapy or mediums. It is a first hand report of an experience, without the trammels of sophisticated analysis, philosophical interpretations or through the lens of theology and religious dogma. It therefore has its own unique value.
Later I propose in succeeding posts to present case studies of similar experiences in the clinics of eminent psychologists, parapsychologists, hypnotists and mediums, to throw more light on the world of spirit.
I will be concluding the series with the most extraordinary presentation of case studies of ‘life between lives’ by the eminent Master Hypnotherapist and psychologist Michael Newton PhD. Newton went beyond merely inducing past life experiences of his clients and focussed on the world of the spirit. His books are seminal in providing us a glimpse of what the spirit world is like, why souls incarnate, how they evolve, and what are the ascending order of spirit leading to God. His facts are not based on hypothesis or speculation. He relies for his facts on the recounting by clients under hypnosis of their soul’s home world. After being regressed beyond birth the clients subconscious reveals its hidden memories of life in the spirit world. ( More on Michael Newton’s book ‘Journey of Souls’ in a subsequent post )
This last book made the greatest impact on my thinking revealing in a rationally convincing manner what I had been unable to find even in scriptures, philosophical treatises or speculations by mystics of what the spirit world could be like. I am convinced that this has only become possible because mankind is now ready and mature enough to receive the information which hitherto has been held from it. the spirit world apparently now wishes within limits to reveal some of its secrets.
Nice post papa! Read it on the way to work. Not exactly new to me as we have talked about this before. But it was a nice refresher. I look forward to reading your next post about “the last book” which you refer in the closing chapter.
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thanks partha – that was the book i have been reading at your place
love
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Indrajit,
You will perhaps understand what I am about to say about your post here. When you described Betty Eadie as “a quite ordinary person”, the absolutely powerful wisdom contained in the personal accounts of men, women and children who have experienced a NDE is diluted. The wisdom that I refer to is that every human being is no less than Extraordinary. The portrayal of her not being a “scholar, mystic or philosopher” represents separation thinking which is the exact opposite of the oneness and unconditional love conveyed through shared near-death personal experiences. NDEs are the most profound experiences that humanity has ever come to be aware of. There is wisdom contained in personal accounts that can literally create a better world, a new way of living in unconditional love. The study of NDEs is very important for humanity and shows us the unlimited potential available to each and every person on Earth.
I share your interest in this phenomenon and thank you profoundly for sharing your thoughts with our brothers and sisters around this Earth.
Thank you,
Jerry
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Dear Jerry,
by describing her as a ‘quite ordinary person’ i was not seeking to be superior or snooty at all – but to highlight that the truth was not the private preserve of intellectuals, scientists, philosophers or the erudite ( she does not claim to be any one of these) but that the truth can alight on the simplest and humblest among us and for that reason may indeed be more worthy of note since it does not arise from pre conceined notions and beliefs, dogmatic positions and trained mind sets – and for that reason appear to a reader to be more credible since most of us belong to a category which is fundamental in its urgings devoid of intellectualisms – calling her as an ordinary person was to place her with the masses who need to hear rather than the ‘thinkers’ who probably already ‘know’ and was intended as a compliment that the world of spirit chose her to reveal its secrets rather than an Einstien – hope you agree.
warm regards and thanks for visiting
Indrajit
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Indrajit,
Perhaps because I have such a strong feeling that these NDE accounts are so profoundly important and convey sacred truth to humanity, I reacted to your post. Just as many people focus on the words that Jesus spoke while placing less attention on the other words in the Bible, my focus is on the words used by those who have had a NDE. I apologize for criticizing your post in any way but I believe you fully understand me. I have written on this important subject as well and the majority of the words come from the experiencers’ mouths. We all have somewhat different ways of communicating ideas and I look forward to your future writings on this life changing topic. My guess is that you are aware of the website nderf.org. If so, you are aware of the hundreds of absolutely fascinating, amazing personal accounts there. I mention this site for the benefit of your readers who wish to learn more about this profound spiritual phenomenon.
Best regards and thank you for your thoughtful efforts,
Jerry
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Jerry
I welcome your comments as they show the importance of NDE which my post seeks to highlight – I am sure our readers would benefit from visiting websites that seek to show more cases of the same – i dont take your observations as criticism rather as eye openers for the importance of the subject – i come from possibly the most tolerant background, you are a Chritian rose to my Hindu lotus.
Thanks for your interest.
Indrajit
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Indrajit,
Native American spiritual leader Bear Heart (1918-2008) called the path, taken by those who wish for more unconditional love and oneness on Earth, the “Spirit Road”. It is a road where there are no Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems, Native American, Sikhs etc. There are just people who believe that unconditional love and oneness with all people, all life, all things and the Creator is possible.
Thank you,
Jerry
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Amen or should I say Om
its all the same really – diversity is the spice of life and at the heart of unity – many flowers in the garden make it splendid – one garden
and thanks
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[…] The Spirit World: Through a Near Death Experience […]
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The last book I read on NDE was Eben Alexander’s ‘Proof of Heaven’:
http://matheikal.blogspot.in/2013/01/proof-of-heaven.html
I’m not a religious believer. Nor do I accept gods and spirits. Yet NDEs fascinate me since they throw some light, as mystical experiences do, on human life and its relation to the universe.
Thanks for introducing this book.
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God is an amorphous concept and means many things to many people – but the spirit world is more precise and with a narrower definition – thanks
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i have a post on Alexander too which shall be appearing shortly
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Great exchange of information between Jerry & Inrajit which is a treat for us readers!-Thank you for the wealth of information.
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Rajeev the comments make the posts more significant, including your appreciation – thanks
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