Spiritual Forum

Written by Wes Annac, the Aquarius Paradigm

Continued from Part 1

Claude Kelway-Bamber tells us that some people continue to feel their bodies after they pass on.

“As I have already told you, for some time after people come here they continue to feel as if they were still in a mortal body.

You can realize this in a small way from what is, alas, a common occurrence nowadays. Any soldier who has had the misfortune to lose a limb will tell you he can feel pain, discomfort, or irritation in it for days after it has been amputated. In this way spirits continue for some time after they have left them to ‘feel’ their bodies after death.” (1)

I couldn’t imagine the sensation of “feeling” the body after death, but it’s probably very personal for the recently deceased. I can certainly understand the feeling of attachment to the body after it ceases to be, because the transition of death, however gentle, can be big for people who’ve been subjected to a rigid perception of it.

I do wonder what it’s like to feel like one’s in a body after death. I’m sure the attachment doesn’t last long, because we’ve been told that after a person comes to terms with their death, they tend to burst out in all directions.

Julia Ames tells us about the lightening of pain that the gentle, benevolent process of death offers.

“The dead – for I fear I must use that misleading word – in almost all cases where death has been unexpected, does not realize the change that has taken place. His only idea is that he has suddenly recovered.

Physical pain drops off you like a garment with the body which you left behind; you wake up well; and your first impression is one of delight, just the same as when you wake up from a bad dream. So simple, so natural does this seem that you almost always mistake what has taken place. I did, as you know. And I find it is a common experience.” (2)

People who die in their sleep probably wake up the next morning in their beds as usual, only to get up and eventually discover that they’ve passed away. For some people, it can apparently take a long time to figure out they’ve died and detach from the material world, and again, we’re given as much time as we need to come to terms with it all.

From what’s been said so far, it seems as if death is so gentle that we might not even know it happened when our time comes. Our consciousness will simply blink out of physical reality, and we’ll open our eyes to whatever scene or landscape we were in before. It’s very simple, but most of us tend to refuse its simplicity and complicate it.

Julia Ames then reinforces the unexpected nature of death.

“The immense majority here say the same thing. They were asleep; they found themselves awake and well, in the same place where they fell asleep, and at first they could not realize they had died.

And this is the case even when, as in some churches, the dying have been prepared for death by the last solemn rites. They knew that they were going to die, but they did not expect that dying was waking up quite well, with all their old faculties and memories, in the same place where they fell asleep, and this always is a source of astonishment, of bewilderment, to them at first.” (2)

Even people who’ve been prepared for death don’t always understand when it actually happens. Our perception of death is so distorted that we might not even know when such a gentle process takes place, and again, the only difficulty is in our ability to accept the transition and move forward in the spirit world.

The spirit world has a lot to offer us, and whether we re-reach spirit by way of death or evolution, we’re going to unlock a greater, deeper perception than we possess on Earth and it’ll feel great to say the least. If everyone can remember the eternal nature of consciousness, we’ll eradicate the fear that makes death so difficult.

A spirit teacher through Betty Bethards tells us that departed family members are usually around at the time of death to explain what happened.

“Many do not [know they have died]. This [knowledge] is something which comes as a big shock, unless your loved ones who’ve already crossed can explain this to you, which normally they do. The only problem that usually arises is in the case of a sudden death where the soul just does not understand that his physical body is dead, particularly in a case where you can’t look at the body and see it, as in an accident that disintegrated the body totally.” (3)

Apparently, being able to see their deceased body helps people come to terms with their transition. Personally, I don’t know if I’d want to see my inanimate body if I were to pass away before evolving, but if it helps others understand their passing, so be it. Whatever helps move the process along.

In the face of the things we’ve learned so far, it’s obvious that we have no reason to fear death, because we might not even notice when it comes knocking. We might just continue on for a time, unaware that anything of significance has taken place until it starts becoming obvious.

We’re then told that people who’ve crossed over can actually attend their own funerals.

“Each soul is allowed to go to his own funeral. By watching other people, listening to their thoughts, seeing them mourn or rejoice (whatever the case may be depending upon how the soul has lived), he will then know within himself that he has died, according to the beliefs of the people there at the funeral.” (3)

Attending one’s own funeral is probably the biggest wakeup call of all. I’m sure every person doesn’t choose to attend, but a lot probably do so they can be there, even if they’re unseen, to comfort their families. It probably feels great to be able to be there, in full form, to offer comfort for those who are grieving your loss with the joy of full consciousness.

Continued in Part 3 tomorrow.

Footnotes:

(1)- L. Kelway-Bamber, ed., Claude’s Book. New York:
1919. Downloaded from http://www.spiritwritings.com/claude1.pdf, 18 Feb. 2008.

(2)- Julia [Julia T. Ames] through W.T. Stead, medium, After Death. A Personal Narrative. New York: George H. Doran, n.d.; c. 1914.

(3)- Betty Bethards, medium, There is No Death. Novato, CA: Inner Light Foundation, 1976; c1975.

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