To The “End”…

SUN., JAN. 22, 1989, 6:15 AM
FARM, STUDY

Your class in Death Education commenced this week, you met a hospice patient yesterday, and you saw a film last night, with premature death as a major event. Though I have offered you much in relation to life and death in the past, you have heard nothing much recently. So this shall be My theme this morning.

My basic affirmation, still, is that the death of the body is only the “end”, not the END. The notion of being concerned about the length of an earth life is rather silly, and as you pass on over you will realize this much more fully. Oh, I see the value in focusing on the importance of an earth life, insofar as the attention engenders purpose, commitment, and service to others and to Me, but, finally, it is akin to a fourteen year old feeling that everything of importance is happening to her this year… every event and decision is critical and crucial, and, at age sixty, she sees them much less so.

For very few individuals the end of an earth life is the true end of life. Oh, yes, there are a few, here and there, in every era of earth time, who come to full enlightenment during an earth life or, in Christian terms, accept My grace so fully that life is fully transformed, with no thought for self and only a concern for Me and for others in need. Many others are brought close to this “end condition” by the experiences of an earth life, requiring only some reflection and contemplation to willingly and joyfully give up individuality.

In your culture it is particularly difficult, because right up until death there is emphasis on “you” and “your life.” Death, in your culture, in its non-violent, non-sudden forms, is preceded by much focus on self. In a hospital “you” are tagged, “you” have a chart (and an escalating bill), and much of the life-sustaining equipment encourages focus on self. In contrast, some sudden, violent, and heroic deaths allow a person to leave his body with almost complete focus on others, another… something non-self. To consider that Peter was concerned about the welfare of an animal when he died is to see him overcoming other more selfish moments in his short life.

Thus, anything that can be done to motivate an older person to focus on others rather than self is helpful toward a true end to life. But… is it desirable to have life really end? Most humans don’t look forward to the death of the body, and the notion of everlasting life is usually an enticing one. It’s that old spiritual principle of giving up something good for something better. When a soul truly sees that merging back fully into Me is the better, then it happens. Life as an individual soul simply lasts, in one form or another, until this realization truly arises.

How long does this take? This is a meaningless question apart from the earth… from time conscious cultures. It is not a matter of time but of development. You are encouraged to think of your life in years, but if you consider your life in relation to spiritual development, eliminating the dates and the ages, you come closer to ultimate reality. Does it matter that you had your “born again” experience in 1959… or 1960? It could have been at 15… or last year. Does it matter that you are in the tenth year of receiving these Teachings? What if you had developed into this 25 years ago… or only last month?