After Death

FRI., AUG. 9, 1991, 2:56 PM
OFFICE, PULLIAM HALL

You are following My mystical instructions rather well. I wanted you to lead this final Forum tomorrow, and so you volunteered as you should have. I wanted you to watch the tape once before you came for this Teaching. Now here you are, awaiting My words of assistance, in a familiar place, though not for this kind of lesson.

It is not important to have a clear picture of what life is like after death. As a human you live in a material world, bounded by time. As I have told you often there is both a linear and a circular quality to time. But it is hard for you to consider and imagine realms of existence that have no limiting dimensions, including time

The answer to the question about individuality or being a part of everything is a both/and. You can retain the memory of who you were, before death, but you see it as only a small part of a much large “whole.” Here’s a rough analogy: you can think of yourself as an aging folk-singer, one who can be on a stage and both entertain and educate others through the songs you sing. But you don’t do this often. It is you, but only a minor role you play in this life. After death you shall see this individual life of Bob Russell or Dr. Robert D. Russell as only a small portion of who you are in total.

Since there is no time it is not important whether what you see as your total “self” has been already or is still “to come.” There is much that you will know that you don’t know now, and it will not be at all important to know, precisely, where you gained the knowledge.

You will know that you are part of certain other souls… and probably of some humans in the earth. Being a modern American is a real test of reality because of the strong emphasis on individuality. Even as such you, in these late years, are realizing a oneness with certain others that doesn’t make sense in your culture… but you know it is truth. You will find few people with whom you can discuss this, but do not reject the notion. Instead, let it grow, quietly.

So death is real… and yet it is not. The body dies, as a system, but its energy, through its atoms and molecules go on into new forms of life except when one is “buried too lavishly.” Life is real… and yet it is only a part of existence. When you shall move on over you shall say, “Of course. Why did I forget that?”

You will also see that the question, “How can a soul exist without a body?” is rather simply answered. In fact, many souls do not want to come into the earth because a body is too restrictive and has no advantage over a free spirit. On the other hand, some come deliberately to have the experience of having a very hum-drum, restricted life. It is a good experience for a soul who is “too free,” without appreciation for spiritual freedom because she has nothing with which to compare it.

After death consciousness is both wider and deeper. You are aware of how limited your perceptions are as the human you now are. This is not a critical awareness, not something about which you should feel sorry. I know it is difficult to imagine being more aware than you are now without it being very uncomfortable. Some do shy away from the awareness that is possible and just, in effect, sleep after a busy earth life. Since there is no time, a soul can stay in this nothing state for as long as necessary. Then more active “life” can resume.