The Life Beyond Death
Chapter V After Death
One of the questions most frequently asked by the average person
who considers the question of life on the other side is this:
What is the experience of the soul immediately after it leaves
the body?h It is somewhat pitiful to hear the answers given to
this question by many of the so.called authorities on the
subject. Verily, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
The average person imagines that the soul simply steps out from
the body and immediately enters into a new world of
activity.a wonderland of strange and mysterious scenes. To many
there exists the hope of being met on the other shore
by all the loved ones who have gone before.a great reunion.
While there is something which corresponds to this, there is
also an entirely different condition to be experienced by the
soul immediately after it passes out of the body. Let us
consider the experience of the soul immediately before, and
immediately
after, its passage from the body, so that we may get a clearer
light on the subject.
The person approaching the stage generally called death, but
which is merely a transition stage between two great planes of
life, experiences a gradual dulling of the physical senses.
Sight, hearing, and feeling, grow dimmer and dimmer, and the
glifeh of the person seems as a flickering candle
flamegradually approaching utter extinction. In many cases, this
is the only phenomenon attending the approach of death. But, in
many other cases, while the physical senses are growing dimmer,
the psychical senses are growing wonderfully acute.
It is a common occurrence for dying persons to manifest a
consciousness of what is occurring in another room, or another
place. Clairvoyance frequently accompanies the approach of
death, in some cases being attended by clairaudience, the dying
person being conscious of sights and sounds in distant places.
There are also many instances recorded in the annals of the
societies for psychical research, and far many more related in
the privacy of family gatherings, in which the dying person has
been able to so strongly project his personality that friends
and relatives at a distance have actually seen his form, and
insome few cases have been able to converse with him. A careful
comparison of time shows that these apparitions, in nearly every
case, have appeared before the actual death of the person,
rather than after it. There are, of course, cases in which a
strong desire of the dying person has caused him to project his
Astral
body into the presence of some one near to him, immediately
after death, but these cases are far more rare than those of
which we have spoken above. In the majority at these cases the
phenomenon is caused by a process of thought.transference of
such a higher power and degree that the visited person became
impressed with the consciousness of the presence of the dying
friend or relative even while the soul of the latter still
remained in the body.
In many cases, also, the dying person becomes psychically
conscious of a nearness to loved ones who have passed on before.
This, however, does not necessarily mean that these persons are
actually present on the scene. One must remember that the
limitations of space are largely wiped out on the Astral Plane,
and that one may come into close rapport with the soul of
another without there existing any near space relationship.
In other words, while the two souls may not be in what may be
called a nearness in space, they may nevertheless, enjoy the
closest relationship in mind and spirit. It is very difficult
for one still in the flesh to realize this. On the material
plane, the laws
of space of course govern. Telepathy gives us the key to the
phenomena of the other side. Two persons in the flesh may
experience the closest relationship by means of the communion of
their mental principles, and yet may be on opposite sides of
the world. In the same way, two souls may enjoy the closest soul
communion and communication, without the question of
space nearness coming into question.
As we have said, the dying person frequently enters into soul
communion and communication with those already on the other
side, and is greatly cheered thereby. And this is a beautiful
fact attending that which we call deatht. This
fact that there
really do occur those beautiful reunion of loved ones, of which
good folk discourse so hopefully. But not in just the way these
good folk usually imagine.
The dying person's Astral body gradually disengages itself from
its physical counterpart. The Astral body, as the student
probably is aware, is an exact counterpart of the physical body,
and during life the two dwell together in the majority of cases.
The Astral body, however, leaves the physical body at the death
of the latter, and forms the covering of the soul for some time.
It is really a form of material substance, of a degree, however,
so fine that it escapes the tests which reveal ordinary matter.
Toward the last the gAstral bodyh actually slips from the
physical body and is connected with it only by a slender thread
or cord of Astral substance. Finally this thread snaps, and the
gAstral bodyh floats away, inhabited by the soul which has
left the physical body behind it. But this Astral body is no
more the soul that was the physical body which it has just left.
Both physical and Astral bodies are merely temporary coverings
for the soul itself.
The soul leaving the physical body (in the Astral body) is
plunged into a deep sleep or state of coma resembling the
condition of the unborn child for several months before birth.
It is being prepared for re.birth on the Astral Plane, and
requires time in order to adjust itself to the new conditions
and to gain
strength and vigor required for its new phase of existence.
Nature is full of these analogies.birth on the physical and on
the Astral Plane have many points of resemblance, and both are
preceded by this period of coma. During this sleep.like stage,
the soul dwells in the Astral body which serves as its covering
and protection, just as the womb serves as the protection for
the child approaching physical birth.
Before passing on, however, we should stop to consider certain
features of the life of the soul in this stage. Ordinarily the
soul sleeps in peace, undisturbed by, and protected from,
outward influences. There are two things, however, which tend to
create an exception in some cases, namely that which may be
called the dreams of the sleeping soul. These dreams arise from
two general classes of causes, viz: (1) intense desire filling
the mind of the dying person, such as love, hate, or unfulfilled
tasks or duties; (2) the strong desires and thoughts of those
left behind, providing such persons are in sufficiently close
rapport with the departed soul, by reason of love or other
strong attachments. Either or both of these causes tend to
produce a restlessness in the sleeping soul, and have a tendency
to attract the soul back to the scenes of earth, either in a
dreamy kind of telepathic communication, or else, in a few rare
cases, by something approaching the state of somnambulism or
sleep.walking of the physical life. These conditions are
regrettable, for they disturb the soul and defer its evolution
and development in its new phase of existence. Let us consider
this in a little more detail, before passing on.
A person passing from the material into the Astral Plane in a
peaceful state of mind is seldom disturbed in the Astral sleep
by
dream.like states. Instead, he lives naturally through the coma
state and then evolves easily into the new phase of existence
as naturally as the unfolding of the bud into the flower. It is
different with the individual whose mind is filled with strong
desires concerning earth.life, or with strong remorse, hate, or
great love and anxiety for those left behind. In the latter case
the poor soul is often tormented by these earthly ties, and its
Astral sleep is rendered feverish and fretful. In such cases
there
is often also an involuntary attempt made to communicate with,
or to appear to, persons still on the material plane. In extreme
cases, as we have said, there may even ensue the state
resembling earthly somnambulism or sleep.walking, and thepoor
sleeping soul may even visit its former scenes. In such cases,
when the apparition is visible to men it will be noted that
there is a half.awake manner and air about the apparition - a
something lacking that was present in earth.life. The history of
ghosts bears out this statement, and the explanation just given
is the only one which really throws light on the subject. In
time, however, these poor earth.bound souls become tired, and
finally sink into the blessed sleep which is their just lot. In
the same way, the strong desires of those left behind often
serves to establish a rapport condition between such persons and
the departed soul, causing it to become restless and uneasy.
Many a well meaning person has acted so as to retard the natural
processes of the Astral Plane in relation to some loved one who
has passed away, and has denied to the tired soul that rest
which it has merited.
