I’ve been thinking lately about death. Not necessarily in a morbid, everyone’s going to die sort of way, but rather pertaining to how it relates to living. Death can be a complicated subject and goodness knows everyone has their own opinion of it, but how often do we avoid even the idea, pretending it doesn’t exist? But of course, it does. And as much as we may try to prolong our lives – sometimes not so much to keep really living, but rather to avoid dying – we all have to go some time.
I’ve never feared death, even as a child. I’m not saying that we should embrace dying, but I am saying we all need to be able to look our mortality directly in the eyes and know that when our time comes, we can say that we have lived, and lived well – rather than prolonged our lives to avoid what many believe is the finality of death.
Most cultures actually believe the opposite – that death is simply a transitioning to another place. Christianity often teaches that that other place can be either wonderful or awful depending on how you lived and whether you were “saved” or not. I once had a Catholic priest, after a lengthy discussion on Catholicism, explain that “now that he had told me about the faith, I must convert or essentially be damned.”
Wow. I genuinely believe this priest’s heart was in the right place – he was trying to “save” me. I’m sure that most religions, insisting their way is the only way genuinely believe this, as well. But we are each of us an incredibly unique amalgam of genetics, experiences, cultural norms, and the choices we are constantly making based upon those components.
Wouldn’t an omnicient Creator speak to each of us based upon our unique personalities and circumstance rather than expecting us to accept a homogonized version of God that a particular religion presents? Even the bible teaches that God, whatever God is, is Love. Not hate. Not Judgement. Not Fear. Fear, itself is a lie – “False Evidence appearing Real”, and Source can not hold fear or lies. In fact, it is impossible to be in the light and hold another in darkness, which is exactly what religion does when it defines what our belief systems should be.
But here’s the thing: I believe we are ALL already saved. When we die, we are met with Love. Love, or Source, or God – whatever works best for you – shows us the story of our lives, and we judge ourselves based on our actions and our hearts. We decide our own fate from there. Do we stay on the “other side” perhaps what some cultures call “heaven”, with our loved ones, choose to be reborn, and continue our journey of lessons and blessings – or something else?
I don’t know that any of us could possibly say for certain what lies beyond the veil of death, but most stories told by NDE’rs – those who have died and come back, tell of something very much like what I spoke of above. They journey to the light and are met with loved ones from this past life and others. Very occasionally, these people have experiences that they call “hellish” but I believe this experience is simply a reflection of what they believe they deserve at the time and not necessarily where they will remain.
The Egyptians believed something similar – that the heart was weighed by Osiris when we journeyed to the netherworld. How our hearts weighed out would determine where we went from that point. Most other spiritual traditions around the world hold similar views, as well.
What all this boils down to is simply this – we should not fear death. But we should understand that how we live right now will be reflected in how we judge ourselves upon passing.
Did we live in the light? Did we live big with joy, with love, with kindness?
Did we leave positive marks on the world, no matter how seemingly small?
Did we treat others well; with love, kindness, and compassion?
Did we live big – juicy, caring, wonderful lives, or did we live small, fearful, self-serving lives, ignoring the plight of others and the world?
Did we judge others – or ourselves – harshly?
Or did we have compassion for all different lives and ways of thought?
This question is perhaps the most important of all. We can not be in the light and hold another in darkness. So when we judge others, or ourselves, for that matter, and find them lacking – by our own standards, or expect another to believe as we do, in spite of what is likely very different life experiences, we hold that person or persons in darkness. And we are no longer in the light, ourselves.
This doesn’t mean we should accept others’ bad behavior as right. Sometimes people in our lives behave in ways that are hurtful and selfish. But ultimately, their behavior has nothing to do with you. The behavior likely stems from habits and patterns that were in place long before you came along. We can have compassion for that person/people/behavior, realizing that the journey another is on is exactly that – their journey. Wish them well and send love, peace, and abundance, and let it go so you can focus on the things that are important.
By forgiving ourselves and others, we increase our vibrational field. When we can view ourselves and all others in love, we vibrate at the highest vibrational frequency – the God frequency. If it’s our time to move to the other side, wouldn’t we rather be in this state rather than one of darkness? When we heal those wounds that hold us in this life, I believe it makes our passing that much more joyous and easy. And since not one of us is guaranteed tomorrow, why not make those changes today? Much love, friends!
This Blessed Sacred Life 