Life Beyond Death
An ongoing inquiry into purpose of death,
the nature of life after death,
how we can prepare for death,
and how we can assist the dying.
The Paradox of Life and Death
You say I am going away. But where can I go? I am always here.
The great sages have told us from time immemorial that there is no death. All beings are linked together into a great reality, which is divine, eternal and unchanging. The sages describe this divine reality in terms of infinite being, intelligence and love. It has many aspects and is called by many names, both personal and impersonal. In the pages that follow, I call it Consciousness, or God.
Consciousness is not an object, or some great entity, existing "out there" in space. It's our very own being, the ever-shining light behind the mind, which makes it possible to read and understand these words, right now. Consciousness is boundless and all pervasive. In truth, there is only one Consciousness, reflecting in countless life forms. And yet, we experience ourselves as separate individuals, defined by physical bodies, which are born and eventually die.
This is the paradox of life and death. One wholeness seen from two different perspectives. On one hand, we are human beings, with many limitations and a definite lifespan. And on the other hand, we are unbounded, Divine and Eternal Souls. To understand this paradox, we must include both perspectives. Then death takes on a completely different meaning: not as the end of life, but merely a change in our continuing experience. At the basis of this understanding are three fundamental principles:
- All Consciousness is one, eternal wholeness.
- It is the nature of Consciousness to create experience.
- The experiences arising out of Consciousness are forever changing and evolving.
