Death is never an end but always a beginning

It is my perception that many of us are still inwardly discouraged from contemplating the esoteric meaning of death, unless death arrives on our own doorstep on the doorstep of someone close to us. Even then, our deepest thoughts and feelings may be suppressed for fear of reprimand from those around us, or not fitting into culturally and socially acceptable behaviour.

We are allowed to say our cultural prayers, hold the departed "in the light", acknowledge they are in "heaven", wherever that is, but we must not consider our own mortality, or immortality. We must not stop to ask demanding questions such as, "what is consciousness?", or "do I exist outside of this body-mind?"

If we were to ask, the illusion could not continue... reality would change! How we interact with our world would change, and it would change sooner, rather than later.

Asking deep questions is not a morbid fascination with death but a Soul Level perspective that acknowledges the body as a vehicle for experience, creation and transformation.

We all know that we come into the world for a short time, to experience the joy and wonder of creating and experiencing through a physical body, knowing that we will, ultimately, choose to leave once again.

Let us remember that we entered this world by choice, that we chose our planet and dimension, our country, our parents and genetic heritage because we knew these ingredients would provide us with the exact circumstances we needed to learn and grow. We also chose to forget our connection to our Spiritual Source, which has served us for a time, until now, a period of monumental change.

This forgetfulness must now come to an end because we are, quite literally, on the brink of self-destruction.

For those amongst us who believe that consciousness ends when the physical body dies, what of the Near Death Experiences (NDEs) recounted by thousands of individuals whose lives were changed forever by those experiences?

Many of those people did not believe in life after death and, yet, they were forced to acknowledge that their perception of reality had changed. And they could not continue to live their lives in the same way as they had before.

Joyce Hawkes was one such person who embraced the gifting of the NDE and all that it had to offer her. A biophysicist and cell biologist by training, she changed careers in 1984 after a NDE and embarked on extensive exploration of indigenous spiritual and healing traditions, which she incorporated in her book "Cell-Level Healing: The Bridge from Soul to Cell."

The NDE forever changed her life, as well as her view of science. "I think that part of me — that my spirit, my soul — left my body and went to another reality," she said. "It just was not part of the paradigm in which I lived as a scientist," Hawkes recalled. "It was a big surprise to me to have this sense of something different than the body — a consciousness different than the body — and to be in this wonderfully healing, peaceful, nurturing place."

"I think what I learned was that there truly is no death, that there is a change in state from a physical form to a spirit form, and that there's nothing to fear about that passage".

The Baha'i writings liken the body to a cage and the soul to a bird. When the cage breaks, the bird can escape unharmed, and is finally free. Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha’i faith calls death a messenger of joy:

“I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve?” – Bahá'u'lláh

Even for those who believe that reincarnation is a false doctrine, the evidence is overwhelming that we have all lived before in another time, place, and body. There are countless books of research and anecdotes of people, young children even, who have recalled one or more prior lives, with astounding accuracy. People, places, circumstances and events that they could never have known otherwise.

My work as a Spiritual Response Therapy Consultant and Teacher has tirelessly demonstrated to me that Past Lives have a great effect on the people living in this time-space reality. Over 95% of SRT research deals with Past Lives. By clearing the negative energies stored in the Akashic Records of the Soul, often astounding changes can occur, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically.

Yet, this truth is uncomfortable for most. And will continue to be, until a clear choice is made to look beyond the "safe" and yet limiting boundaries we have collectively imposed on ourselves.

The truth seems to be only comforting to those who do not wish to ignore it; then it is not only comforting, but inspiring! It is a reflection of our current world state that most of us are excellent at denying what is right in front of us and demand proof, even when the proof is staring us in the face.

Over the last two months in particular, I have been reminded that life and death are both tremendous gifts. Deaths near and far have caused me to remember and compelled me to share this remembrance with you.

On a massive scale, the death of music legend Michael Jackson deeply touched many hearts all over the world, and helped send a timely message about how short our time here on Earth really is.

Society's misunderstandings about death, and about life, are greatly responsible for the fragmented lives that we lead and we are currently facing some of the greatest economic, ecological and social challenges ever because of our failure to embrace the greatest part of ourselves, to stop seeing ourselves as separate from each other, and to remember that life continues after death.

Indeed, every physical death is pre-planned by the soul.

"No experience is visited upon any soul against the soul's will. That is, by definition, not possible, since the soul is creating every experience." Conversations With God, Book 3

As well as Michael Jackson's death, a death nearer to home also touched me just a few weeks later.

My eldest paternal aunt had already suffered two strokes within a short space of time and my parents had called me about a month before to say that she was on life support, completely unable to communicate with anyone or anything. For many days, my cousins had sat around her hospital bed, praying for her to go peacefully and yet, not wanting her to leave them.

I had intended to visit but many things had sprung up which had prevented me from attending the hospital in person.. However, the day before her death, I suddenly "knew" that she would be leaving this world and I also had a strong feeling that it was necessary for me to visit her.

High Self revealed that she would pass away within twenty-four hours and that her soul had already left the body, so I rang my parents to compassionately share this information with them, even if they did not fully understand it.

When I arrived at the hospital it was approximately 2.15pm and, strangely, the room was empty apart from her older brother who had flown in from Canada. I greeted him and expressed my sympathy, giving him a warm hug.

He looked like he needed a break and so he went outside to stretch his legs, leaving me alone with my aunt. I noticed that her body was just a shell, the life force barely sustaining it.

I linked into my High Self and from that connection I gave immediate permission for her Soul to leave as it is my understanding that souls will often not depart whilst close family members are present because of the emotional attachment. We must remember that whilst the body may be unconscious, the soul is fully aware of the whole picture, including the feelings of those present.

As I held her frail hand, I felt Reiki flow into her energy body and within a few moments she stopped breathing. I can only describe it as a peaceful and blessed release, and I felt greatly honoured to be there with her at the time of her passing. The doctor later confirmed that a physical death had occurred.

When we look deeply at something, we begin to see through the illusion. To contemplate something deeply is to see right through it. Then the illusion ceases to exist.

"Death should teach you that what is real is life. And life teaches you that what is unavoidable is not death, but impermanence. Impermanence is the only truth." Conversations With God, Book 2

Death takes many forms, not just the physical death we are acutely aware of. The loss of a job, moving to a new town, city or even country, the end of a great concert, the end of a day, all represent a death. We all perceive the loss and the gift that accompanies it, but we often choose to ignore it.

And yet the transient nature of each moment signals a glorious opportunity for rebirth, awakening to a new moment, a new experience. Nothing is permanent, everything is changing in every holy instant.

One experience must end for another to take its place. We must let go of the old, to embrace the new. Life cannot reveal itself to us fully without us fully embracing death.

Let us remember the truth then.

That death is never an end but always a beginning. Nothing will be painful again when we realise that nothing is real. We are constantly re-creating ourselves anew in each moment. External conditions, circumstances and events are actually projections from our own deepest consciousness.

Whenever we die, we are reborn in that holy instant.