| REVIEW OF LITERATUREWhen a Sadguru, or | | | | to be confronted once again in another |
| spiritual master first receives a novice or a | | | | incarnation, this is to teach the soul |
| candidate seeking Truth, one of the first | | | | certain lessons that it requires for its |
| steps that the master would assure himself is | | | | evolution, its spiritual growth. One's |
| the sincerity and the purity of motive of the | | | | attitudes, reactions and responses to |
| candidate requesting initiation into the | | | | problems are the main thing and not the |
| mysteries. In order to augment or instill | | | | problems themselves.The Spirit of man will |
| this sincerity and pure motive when absent, | | | | not be cheated of its forces. Lessons to be |
| the master would speak to the candidate | | | | learnt by the soul will repeat themselves |
| regarding death. The master would advise the | | | | until their essence has been assimilated, |
| candidate to contemplate upon the meaning of | | | | understood and wisdom gained. Suicide, |
| death and the opportunity that life provides. | | | | therefore, should not be resorted to as an |
| The master would refer to the fact that death | | | | escape, for it causes spiritual stagnation. |
| often comes, stealth-like, at an unannounced | | | | Suicides are treated as mental cases in the |
| moment; that to be engrossed with | | | | subtle worlds. According to psychic Donald |
| trivialities is to waste one's life; that | | | | Barrie, insane persons were suicides in past |
| there are no guarantees in life except for | | | | lives. Suicidal persons in the death process, |
| death. The chela is made to ask, "what is the | | | | like those who lived depraved, iniquitous and |
| purpose of life if death cuts us down at our | | | | wicked lives, often encounter some of the |
| prime, leaving us with ambitions, aspirations | | | | most alarming visions in the bardo which |
| and unfulfilled dreams? What is the purpose | | | | includes the Judgment scene, where the |
| of life--and death, if we are not able to | | | | conscience sits as prosecutor, judge, jury |
| take along with us through the portals of | | | | and executioner.Death is a personal |
| death our prized possessions, our titles, our | | | | experience. Through it we come to know our |
| fame, our temporal power?"The spiritual | | | | true evolutionary status as a soul, and all |
| master would be quick to point out that the | | | | of our glamours and delusions concerning |
| true purpose of life has very little to do | | | | personal glory would fail to aid us at the |
| with the earthly, evanescent riches or power | | | | time of our transition. Our poverty or wealth |
| that we acquire, it has more to do with the | | | | of our spirit is seen and known to us and |
| immaterial wealth that we take along with | | | | others on the Other Side.The Nature of Life |
| us--our knowledge; our memories; our improved | | | | After So-Called DeathHumanity's concept of |
| karma, habits and character; and our | | | | heaven is wrought with distortions of the |
| spiritual and psychic development. Earthly | | | | true nature of the subtle worlds. There are |
| acquisitions fail to offer any help to the | | | | many ideas concerning heaven that are |
| one undergoing transition. We each face death | | | | disproved through the personal experiences of |
| alone; and in death, stripped of all mundane | | | | advanced psychics and mystics. It is, |
| superficialities, we come to realize our own | | | | therefore, appropriate that people be |
| true worth. And so, the chela, with perhaps | | | | informed and prepared for life in the other |
| impure motives at the outset, comes to | | | | worlds, that they may know what to expect, |
| understand after some spiritual guidance, and | | | | that they may know how to function |
| a prolonged contemplation and analysis of | | | | harmoniously therein, and the sort of |
| death--as related to life--that the aim, | | | | activities that they may engage in. The |
| purpose, importance and goal of personal | | | | higher worlds are worlds of activity. There |
| existence in this physical sphere with its | | | | is no rest there, unless we desire rest. Real |
| many opportunities are for gaining freedom, | | | | rest is dependent upon the giving of another |
| perfection, salvation, enlightenment, and the | | | | vehicle of the microcosm an opportunity for |
| ascension.We should all be aware that death | | | | expressing itself. Overthere, we shall have |
| may come to us at any moment, this will | | | | the opportunity to be occupied with |
| motivate us to direct our minds into proper | | | | soul-improving activities. Laziness and |
| perspectives, and to get our priorities | | | | idleness Overthere are treated as illnesses. |
| straight. To eat, drink, and be merry as | | | | Individuals expressing those states are |
| advertisements tell us, as the philosophies | | | | directed to special classes to learn the |
| of the fallen angels would have us learn, is | | | | purposes of life, that they be motivated to |
| to be sidetracked from occupying ourselves | | | | engage in some worthy endeavour.There is not |
| with our "Father's business."Like the | | | | just one heaven or dimension in the higher |
| disciple referred to above, in this paper it | | | | worlds, there are many, and these are the |
| is our intention to delve into the nature of | | | | "mansions" of Jesus' statement "in my |
| death and its process so that we will come to | | | | Father's house there are many mansions." |
| know a greater life, and appreciate its | | | | (John 14:2). St. Paul in his epistles |
| intrinsic value. We will also consider the | | | | mentions a third heaven; the Islamic |
| nature of certain aspects of life after | | | | tradition presents the Prophet Muhammad as |
| transition, for this expands our spiritual | | | | visiting the seventh on a mythical |
| horizon, and it offers us a glimpse into | | | | creature--no doubt a symbolic description of |
| man's glorious future. Our main themes in | | | | the subtle body. Several "alams" or worlds |
| this paper will be related to the | | | | are discussed in Islamic literature. |
| following:1) The survival of personal | | | | Theosophy speaks of seven planes with seven |
| consciousness.2) The process of transition.3) | | | | sub-planes each, all of which constituting a |
| The nature of life after so-called death.The | | | | cosmic plane. Hinduism also refers to the |
| Survival of Personal ConsciousnessThe average | | | | "lokas," to the many heavens as described in |
| person often wonders if consciousness | | | | their scriptures. Swedenborg substantiates |
| survives death. We have commented and alluded | | | | this truth in his spiritual works.People will |
| previously on the indestructible nature of | | | | be disappointed if they think that the |
| energy. There can, therefore, be no | | | | afterdeath state will provide them what they |
| dissolution of the essence of Soul, or rather | | | | lack here and now. This is not to say that |
| Spirit--not even through the process of | | | | their dreams will not occur to some degree, |
| transition. The forms, the structured | | | | or that their happiness may not be derived |
| energy-fields that the Spirit and Soul | | | | from some longed-for pleasures that Almighty |
| indwell and embody may change, but the | | | | God might manifest for them; what we are |
| essence, the spiritual aspect of the | | | | putting forth here is that the contents and |
| microcosm, the Monad, the SELF, is immortal. | | | | quality of one's heart and mind determines |
| Religion, mysticism, and psychicism, refers | | | | strongly one's experiences in the heavenly |
| to this verity. If a person is to know this | | | | world that one will live in. Purity in body, |
| particular truth of the survival of | | | | mind and soul begets a joyful experience in |
| consciousness, he or she must learn to expand | | | | the higher heavens. Conversely, immorality |
| the consciousness and to spiritualize his or | | | | and wickedness result in a life of misery in |
| her mind in order to be aware and function | | | | the lower astral realms. We carry our inner |
| consciously in the higher planes. Failure to | | | | life to wherever we may find ourselves. There |
| realize spiritual verities label us as | | | | is no spiritual being to reward or punish us, |
| "dead"--a term referred to by the Piscean | | | | we do this to ourselves by violating or |
| Master in the gospel narratives to people who | | | | living harmoniously with cosmic laws. To know |
| are closed to the higher worlds and spiritual | | | | where one would go, or to which heaven or |
| truths. People suffering from spiritual | | | | plane one would reside, it is only necessary |
| myopia live in physical tombs and not | | | | to look into one's mind and emotions, into |
| temples; such persons do not care much about | | | | one's character and personality, and there |
| the higher worlds and their relation to them; | | | | look for signs.In the chapters ahead we will |
| these individuals limit their awareness and | | | | be discussing in more detail of the nature of |
| deaden their consciousness in a | | | | life in the higher worlds. We feel that this |
| three-dimensional slumber. Individuals with | | | | subject is of some importance to |
| limited minds do not see the whole picture of | | | | metaphysicians, as they are often asked by |
| life's purpose.The writer of this paper | | | | individuals seeking information on the |
| firmly believes, or is convinced in the | | | | spiritual dimensions.The Four |
| ability of consciousness to exist apart from | | | | PerspectivesAlthough there are various |
| the physical body. We had, personally, | | | | perspectives that death and the process of |
| experienced many spontaneous astral | | | | transition may be discussed such as the |
| projections, and many lucid dreams. Although | | | | clinical, the cultural, etc. We will be |
| experiences of astral projections may not | | | | dealing with the aforementioned themes from |
| objectively prove the survival of | | | | the following perspectives:1) Religion |
| consciousness after death, it does give us | | | | Mythology2) Occult teachings in general3) |
| some inkling of what it may be like to exist | | | | Lamaism, or Tibetan Buddhism4) Parapsychology |
| independently of the physical form; it also | | | | and modern researchReligion, generally |
| provides us with some reason for accepting | | | | speaking, offers us some information |
| the possibility and the high probability of | | | | concerning the after death state with, |
| the survival of consciousness. The reality | | | | regrettably, very little of the death |
| and proof of the survival of personal | | | | process. However, it is important when |
| consciousness itself may be acquired through | | | | dealing with religious concepts regarding |
| one's personal interaction and relationship | | | | death and the afterlife to be discerning and |
| with the so-called dead. This normally occurs | | | | discriminative--to sift through fanciful |
| unconsciously in one's sleep and dreams, | | | | ideas--of the many erroneous theological |
| however, it may occur with full astral | | | | dogmas and concepts that had crept into the |
| awareness or in the awaking consciousness. | | | | original teachings. Many statements in |
| Lucid dreams are typical of the former type, | | | | scriptures are not meant to be taken in a |
| whereas visitations or psychic | | | | literal manner. Embodied within them are |
| materializations are of the latter. If we are | | | | spiritual ideas that have to be intuited with |
| able to contact the so-called dead who once | | | | the higher mind. Followers or devotees of |
| were people living in the physical world and | | | | religions often fail to understand this |
| resume relationships with them, is this not | | | | principle. They believe in the letter of the |
| proof that personal consciousness survives | | | | law without considering the underlying |
| transition? Although this rhetorical-question | | | | spiritual principle. The immortality of the |
| is simplistic in form and incapable of | | | | soul has long been an essential tenet in |
| offering positive proof regarding the | | | | almost all religious belief-structures. The |
| survival of consciousness, being subjective | | | | ancient Egyptians, for instance, believed in |
| in nature, and which does not carry any | | | | it; they accepted that the heart-soul, the |
| weight under scientific scrutiny, it does | | | | ka, the ba, and other components of the |
| imply that some materialistically-oriented | | | | microcosm outlived the physical form for a |
| individuals are unwilling to attend to the | | | | longer duration, if not indefinitely. Thus |
| reality experienced by others because of | | | | mummification was instituted to preserve the |
| prejudice, pride, fear and cultural | | | | body for the return of the incorporeal |
| conditioning. How does the average man view | | | | aspects of man.Myths are allegories or |
| death, what does he actually believe about | | | | parables containing spiritual wisdom. They |
| it? Society has various beliefs concerning | | | | often deal with the fall of the soul into |
| death, and what it entails, below are just | | | | matter, its resurrection, the manner of its |
| some of these beliefs:1) The cessation of | | | | redemption, and the nature of the higher |
| consciousness and the annihilation of Self.2) | | | | planes. In the ancient Mystery Schools of |
| The termination of human relationships, and | | | | Greece, such as the Eluesinian, Cosmic laws |
| the loss of loved ones.3) The termination of | | | | and principles were personified and enacted |
| physical activities, of goals, ambitions and | | | | in dramas. The mystae, or the candidate to |
| aspirations.4) The passage into an unknown | | | | the mysteries who witnessed these dramas was |
| world or state of consciousness.5) The facing | | | | urged by the accompanying guide to discern |
| of the Judgment and the accountability of | | | | the Cosmic laws and truths embodied within |
| one's sins--the fear of eternal punishment in | | | | them. Often in such initiatory schools, |
| an everlasting hell, or in contrast, | | | | candidates were put into trance-like |
| pleasure, rest and idleness in Paradise.6) | | | | conditions where they acquired personal |
| Physical, emotional, and mental agony in the | | | | experiences of the externalization of their |
| death process.As we will see in later | | | | awareness-principle. Thus, those candidates |
| chapters, all of these beliefs are unfounded. | | | | to the Mysteries came to know the reality of |
| The nature of life after transition is only | | | | their soul and its independence of the |
| unknown to those who do not seek to know. | | | | physical body through empirical knowledge.Our |
| There is also no true severance of human | | | | treatment of mythology in this paper will be |
| relationships; and an eternal hell is | | | | supportive in nature, emphasizing or |
| non-existent, although a certain degree of | | | | stressing certain main points of our themes |
| pain and scorching may be experienced when | | | | where needed. Regrettably, it is beyond the |
| impure substances present in the astral and | | | | scope of this work to treat the subject |
| mental bodies are removed by a purifying | | | | exhaustively and completely in a satisfactory |
| fire. Death is not the end of anything; it is | | | | manner.Occultism as a whole, offers us a |
| a continuation of what has gone on before. | | | | great wealth of knowledge concerning the |
| Rumi, the Sufi poet, speaks of this truth in | | | | death process and the nature of the |
| the following oft-quoted verse:"I died a | | | | post-mortem states. There have been many |
| mineral and became a plant;"I died a plant | | | | eminent clairvoyants in the past such as |
| and rose an animal."I died an animal and I | | | | Swedenborg and Andrew Jackson Davis who wrote |
| was a man."Why should I fear? When was I less | | | | about their experiences concerning transition |
| by dying?"Yet once more I shall die as man, | | | | and the astral planes as seen through their |
| so to soar"With blessed angels; even from | | | | inner senses--not to mention their |
| angelhood"I must pass on . . ."When I have | | | | communications and interactions with the |
| sacrificed my angel soul,"I shall become that | | | | inhabitants therein. In the opening pages of |
| which no mind conceived."The Process of | | | | his work, Heaven and Hell, Swedenborg |
| TransitionTransition is not simply the | | | | declares:". . . it has been granted to me to |
| cessation of the intake of the breath or the | | | | associate with angels and to talk with them |
| circulation of the life-force. It is a | | | | as man, also to see the things in the heaven |
| process that involves the evacuation of the | | | | as well as in the hells . . . " (1958:3)We |
| occult components within man's physical | | | | are, however, indebted to Earlyne Chaney and |
| anatomy. These occult components for | | | | her Mystery school, Astara, for most of our |
| simplicity sake, may be called the soul, | | | | occult information concerning the mysteries |
| however, for the metaphysical student, a | | | | of death. Information derived from her |
| deeper understanding of the constitution of | | | | writings would greatly enhance the structure |
| the soul must be acquired. The relationship | | | | and support of our main themes.Of all |
| and interaction between the immaterial aspect | | | | religions, Tibetan Buddhism seems to be the |
| of man and the physical body must be known. | | | | richest source of information concerning the |
| How the spiritual components dissociate | | | | death process. It possesses a unique |
| themselves from the physical body through the | | | | conception regarding transition. It is for |
| process of transition should be understood. | | | | this reason that we will consider it |
| It is the very presence of man's invisible | | | | separately, apart from the general view of |
| forms and forces within the physical being | | | | religion, giving it a category of its own. |
| that maintains the integrity and coherence of | | | | From the religious viewpoint, we have, |
| the particles forming the physical body. The | | | | therefore, chosen to treat the subject of the |
| absence of the magnetism, the | | | | process of death in a detailed manner from |
| electrical-force, and the energy-fields of | | | | the Lamaistic perspective. The esoteric |
| the subtle bodies causes the dissolution of | | | | science of death, it should be known, is one |
| the physical form.Psychologically, during the | | | | of the secret traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. |
| separation of the material and immaterial | | | | Our main source of information on Tibetan |
| bodies, certain visions arise in the psyche. | | | | thanatology and eschatology, is derived from |
| The nature of these visions are dependent | | | | the "Bardo Thodol," or "The Tibetan Book of |
| upon the degree of man's inner purity. | | | | the Dead"--as translated and edited by |
| According to Tibetan Buddhists, how man | | | | Evans-Wentz and his Tibetan colleague. We |
| responds or reacts to these visions | | | | will also be appropriating the teachings and |
| determines the place of his abode in the | | | | commentaries of various Lamas to supplement |
| higher realms. Man's moral character is the | | | | and give form to our main themes. Tibetans |
| deciding factor of his place in the universal | | | | consider dying to be an art, just as the |
| scheme. The fear of death and dying hampers | | | | spiritual teachers of the Middle Ages did, |
| the smooth transition into the higher worlds. | | | | calling it "ars moriendi." To the Tibetan |
| Attachment to the world and earthly | | | | Buddhists, the training of dying commences in |
| possessions causes an unnecessary prolonged | | | | the meditative life. This is the preparation |
| struggle in the death process, and this | | | | of the awareness-principle for the bardos |
| delays soul release. Suffering and pain are | | | | that it will undergo or the possible |
| expressions of this struggle. Man should | | | | attainment of the "Clear Light" resulting in |
| learn to be detached from all mundane affairs | | | | enlightenment. Aside from considering the |
| and relationships during transition and think | | | | role that the bardos play in the death |
| about spiritual matters--not because of the | | | | process, we will, therefore, also comment in |
| unimportance of the former, but because | | | | passing of this mystical art, of the |
| occupying the mind at the time of transition | | | | preparation required for liberation in the |
| with spiritual aspirations and hope assists | | | | bardo.Although there have been many modern, |
| the soul-consciousness to release itself from | | | | scientific researchers delving into the |
| some of the harsh phenomena experienced in | | | | mysteries of death such as Raymond Moody and |
| the bardo. Passing over into a new realm is | | | | Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, our principal sources |
| like being born into the physical world. The | | | | of information will be derived from the works |
| process is somewhat similar, and this is in | | | | of Michael Newton, Ian Currie, and Filipo |
| accord with the law of correspondence and the | | | | Liverziani as representative of the modern |
| Hermetic axiom, "as above, so below." When | | | | scientific approach. Investigations into |
| one is born into this physical world one goes | | | | psychic phenomena began way back in the last |
| through the birth canal; during transition | | | | century when mediumistic activities began to |
| one experiences a "tunnel-like" effect, a | | | | flourish. Although many mediums and their |
| wormhole. During birth we are greeted by | | | | displays of phenomena were found to be |
| smiling relatives, likewise, the birth into a | | | | deceptions, a small percentage of occurrences |
| higher world surrounds us with people whom we | | | | were enough to convince psychic investigators |
| love and who loves us.Passing over is no | | | | of the survival of the personal-consciousness |
| panacea for the suffering soul who resorts to | | | | and in the reality of man's inherent psychic |
| suicide to end its earth life. Suicide does | | | | powers. Notwithstanding the findings of past |
| not solve our emotional and mental problems, | | | | investigators, however, we will, concentrate |
| for wherever we may be, we take along with us | | | | more fully on the research discoveries of the |
| our inner world, our thoughts and feelings. | | | | writers mentioned above, as they offer the |
| Our outer world reflects our inner mental and | | | | appropriate support for our main themes. |
| emotional state. Problems unfaced, will have | | | | |