Foreword
The idea of a hereafter is not something new but has been contemplated since humanity has had the intelligence to consider its destiny. The Ancient Egyptians, made elaborate preparation for royalty and nobility to voyage to the other side of life. The Mesopotamians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese placed useful items in tombs for the world to come. All present-day faiths offer some sort of a hereafter including the proverbial heaven or hell.
From the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries, when the Church of Rome had complete control over the masses investigation into the afterlife was banned and many paid an unjust penalty. It wasn’t until 1848, that the earnest investigation of the afterlife began, due to rapping noises of unexplainable origin. This occurred in the tiny hamlet of Hydesville, New York, south of Rochester and later evolved into the first modern organised study of the afterlife known as ‘Spiritualism.’ This movement ushered in a new era of interest int understanding what happens after the change called ‘death.’
Physical Mediumship
In the early days of the spiritualist movement evidence of the afterlife was demonstrated by what is known as ‘physical mediumship.’ This is the manipulation of subtle matter by spirits using their energy to effect perceptible manifestations such as loud raps, table tipping, bell-ringing, voices and materialised objects. It is claimed that materializations are produced by using a substance called ‘ectoplasm,’ said to be taken from the cells of the medium’s body. Most physical mediumship is presented in a darkened or dimly lit room, with the traditional array of appurtenances including cabinets, curtains, trumpets, levitation tables, etc.
Mental Mediumship
This was followed by mental mediumship whereby a person with a psychic gift (a sixth sense) in a public or private setting brings forth information from a spirit to someone in attendance who recognises that the only other person who could know these things had passed away. In time, this evidence can become proof of the survival of the human soul with its consciousness and personality intact and of the existence of an invisible world inhabited by the souls of every human being who has ever lived on the earth and died on the earth.
There is a saying that mediums are born not made. This appears to be true because of the mediums that I have spoken with all have told me that they were born psychic ability. It is well known that children between the ages of four and seven are the most susceptible to spirit influence. These children can see and hear spirits and may have spirit playmates that they talk to. When their mother asks, who are you talking to and the child answers my friend or grannie the mother responds, “Johnny if you don’t stop that nonsense I’m going spank the hell out of you,” and the child doesn’t mention it again. When mature and free to make decisions the person may decide to develop the psychic gift by joining what is known as a ‘development circle.’
This is commonly eight people who meet regularly and sit in chairs in a circular configuration without a table. There will be a trainer or leader who is more experienced than the others and will facilitate the exercises to develop psychic skills sometimes for as long as six years. One of the training models is to interpret signs and symbols, to give meaningful and useful information. When a high degree of proficiency is achieved the person becomes known as a ‘platform medium’ and can now demonstrate to the public.
The following are the various forms of mental mediumship. Clairvoyance (clear seeing) – This is the psychic ability to see anything that is not physically present such as objects, people, animals or symbols. It is perhaps the most well know form of mediumship because it is the type used most frequently in the demonstrations of mediumship.
Clairaudience (clear hearing) – This is the ability to hear spirit voices or perceive their thoughts.
Clairsentience (clear feeling) – This is the ability to sense a spirit’s presence and to interpret their feeling. This can be used to diagnose medical conditions.
Clairalience (clear smelling) – This is the ability to smell an odour recognised as belonging to a deceased person.
Claircognizance (clear knowing) – This is the ability to know something without receiving it through the normal senses, just a sense of knowing.
Automatic writing
Automatic writing – In my opinion, this is the most important form of mental mediumship because it imparts information concerning the afterlife, and is considered to be the most accurate means of spirit communication. It is accomplished by a spirit who desires to communicate to the earth finding a person with the mediumistic disposition to create a mental link. This is not a simple matter because the law of rapport and communication requires the vibration of the medium to at least approach that of the communicating spirit. Spirits are usually more advanced than mortals with a higher vibration, which explains why so few messages come through mediums that have spiritual insights or moral values. The average medium generally delivers messages dealing with the material affairs of life, which is largely what most people desire who are seeking contact with a deceased loved one.
Automatic writing is actually a mediumistic hybrid because in conjunction with the mental link a physical connection is also necessary. The communicating spirit must overshadow the medium’s hand and apply sufficient force for the medium to accurately write the transmitted words. Besides the two aforementioned components, a third is required and that is the medium must make his or her mind completely passive so their brain is not producing thoughts which would interfere with the mental transmission of the communicating spirit. To develop this mental ability years of training and discipline are usually required.
Law of communication
The law of rapport and communication states that thoughts of a material nature can be easily conveyed to any medium. Moral Communication thoughts can be passed to a brain influenced by moral values. Spiritual thoughts to one that has spiritual aspirations which elevate the soul.
The mind and the brain are not the same or equivalent things. The mind is the operator and the brain is the operated. As demonstrated by many mediums, the mind of spirits can control the brain of mortals and transmit expressions of various languages and mathematics with which the person is not acquainted. It is further thought that spirits can influence mortals to enable them to have talent in areas like music, art, composing, science, engineering, etc., far beyond any formal training. I can remember a Rod Stewart interview when he was asked, “Where did you get the lyrics for your latest hit Maggie May?” I watched closely as Steward paused, looked upward, cocked his head slightly and said, “It just popped into my head.”
Human Soul
The afterlife exists because of the existence of the human soul. The death of the body is not the end of consciousness but is merely the third and final phase of a designed cycle in the evolution and progress of the human soul towards perfection.
The human soul is a created thing with real substance and is not an emanation or projection. The soul had its existence long before the appearance of mortals in the flesh as a substantial conscious entity. The soul is created from a high vibrational material that exists in the upper realms of the spiritual universe. The soul is a thing unto itself, having a distinct personality, making each soul different from all others. The soul is the real ego because seated within it are the appetites, the passions, the affections and the love principles.
The soul is invisible to both mortals and spirits it can’t be seen, weighed or measured in any physical sense. I can safely say that the soul is from out of this world. The soul is the portrayer of a person’s moral and spiritual condition, never dying so far as is known.
Incarnation
Whenever a man and woman co-mingle and produce a receptacle for a soul (the foetus), the Governor of the afterlife will always incarnate the most suitable soul available.
This is regardless of the Human Soul hardships the person may face during its life on earth, otherwise, it would be stillborn. The physical body that results from the meeting Cord of a male and female is intended only as a temporary vehicle for the development of the soul. The body itself has neither consciousness nor sensation and in the beginning, has only the borrowed life of its parents. Once the soul incarnates it becomes an individualised human being with consciousness, intellect, memory, conscience, senses and emotions.
There is considerable speculation as to when the soul incarnates for the first time and attaches to the foetus. Some say at conception others say at birth, I say the soul cannot connect until the central nervous system is sufficiently developed for the soul to attach. All indications point to the first meaningful foetal movements occurring approximately three months into the pregnancy, making this the first opportunity for the soul to attach.
What this means is if a miscarriage or abortion takes place prior to this time, no soul is released because no soul has incarnated, thus there should be no legal, moral or spiritual consequences. However, if death does occur after the incarnation the infant soul will be adopted by spirit-family or strangers who desire to become parents and will raise the little tyke as their own (in the spirit world) until maturity. When old enough training begins with matters of the spirit life and then education about the earth.
Once the soul connects to the foetus it becomes the source of the power that charges the body’s minerals creating ions that produce the chemical reactions that fire the nerves and power the organs and muscles. This is proven in hospital when a person is out of their body and the electrocardiograph machine is flatlined the person is considered to be dead. However, when the soul returns to the body and the vital sign have returned the doctors will invariably say, “We’ve got him or her back.”
Silver Cord
The soul is connected to the central nervous of physical body by an etheric cord known as the ‘silver cord,’ it actually serves a similar function as the umbilical cord. As surprising as this may be, the silver cord is mentioned in the Bible, “Or ever the silver cord is loosed … and the dust returns to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto G-d who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7).
Transition
The soul can travel out of the physical body while still attached to the silver cord, and return to the body as in an OBE (out of body experiences) or an NDE (near-death experience). However, once death occurs the silver cord is permanently severed and the life of that body can never be restored. The soul is then released and drawn up to a level of the afterlife in accordance with its vibration by the law of attraction placing each soul precisely where it belongs.
Spirit Body
By attending many mediumistic demonstrations I have been privileged to have the opportunity to understand that spirits have a recognisable appearance. This is possible because the soul is made of a high vibrational substance that produces an energy field that can be detected and is known as the ‘human aura.’ At psychic fairs, it is common that an aura photo can be purchased, which can be surprisingly accurate as to the person’s condition by what the colours represent.
When the physical body is gone the aura takes on the appearance of the deceased person at the time of transition. This etheric or spirit body replaces the physical body and becomes the home and protector of the soul. The spirit body’s appearance will improve in accord with the improvement of the soul’s condition. There is no digression in the afterlife, however, there is stagnation and spirits can remain the way they are and where they are for as long as they desire.
Spirit appearance is proven through detailed descriptions given by trained mediums and recognised by people who knew the deceased. Another means is psychic art, whereby a picture of the departed usually drawn in pencil or chalk is accepted by someone in attendance. When the person gets home with their psychic portrait often they will rummage through old photos trying to find an earlier picture of the loved one to compare. If it matches well it is customary at the next opportunity to show the resemblance to the psychic artist, which is always welcomed.
The most memorable demonstration that I had seen was by the famous British psychic artist Coral Polge, at the Spiritualist Association of Great Britain, Belgrave Square. The demonstration began by Coral stating, “My drawing hand is taken over by automatic spirit control to ensure that the picture comes through to me with accuracy.” Coral began to draw a young lad and when finished I heard a scream from the back of the room and a woman cried out, “That’s my Johnny, he was killed in a car crash when he was ten years old.” Coral worked tirelessly for fifty years before her passing in 2001 to promote the wonderful message of the afterlife and the survival of human consciousness.
There is no deformity of the spirit body. The deaf can hear, the amputee has limbs, the blind can see and it is written literally for miles. The only afflictions that are brought to the spirit life are the emotional and psychological ones, and, if willing these can be treated by spirit physicians and healed. I’ve read that people also bring the desire for earthly addictions with them, these too in time will be left behind.
Though the spirit body is energy a spirit is solid to all other spirits regardless of what level they may occupy and to everything within its own plane. Spirits can shake hands, hug and kiss, however, when a spirit goes to a plane below its home its higher vibration allows it to pass through the things that are there. The spirit body is clothed by a spirit’s thoughts and power of will, which reflects the soul’s condition. The spirit body is what makes it possible to lead a normal and meaningful life in the world beyond the earth.
Soulmates
Just prior to the first incarnation the soul divides into its male and female components. These two halves of the one original soul are known as ‘soulmates.’ They do not necessarily incarnate at the same time but frequently the male goes first making him a bit older. Soulmates are a design of the Governor with the intention in mind for all souls have someone to love fully.
Soulmate recognition requires a degree of spiritual development on the part of at least one of the mates. Soulmates can meet but due to earthly differences can be indifferent to one another. However, in the spirit world when one of them has progressed to the third sphere, he or she has earned the right to learn from the records who his or her soulmate is and where to be found. This meeting fulfils the law of love that the two halves of the one original soul are destined to be together in perfect harmony and happiness.
There is an act reserved exclusively for soulmates and only soulmates. This is the temporary merging of their spirit bodies reuniting their souls in a glorious expression of love. This reunion reinforces of the bond that they had when they were once one soul. One could say that this is the spiritual counterpart to what men and women do as an expression of love on earth. Though, it is my understanding that it is more sensory and ecstatic and affords an unparalleled feeling of homecoming.
Adjusting
Most new spirits before reaching their new home will be welcomed by family and friends who have gone before. Often, the welcoming place is nicer and brighter than the home that the new spirit has made for itself in accordance with the law of compensation.
A majority of people are not expecting to survive death with their facilities full intact, and more times than not a period of adjustment is required. Family and friends will try to convince the new sprint that he or she has died and left the earth behind. It is easy for the new spirit to think that seeing deceased loved ones is nothing more than a lovely dream and that they haven’t gone anywhere but are still on earth in hospital.
One of the mechanisms used to convince the new spirit is by escorting him or her down to the earth-plane to attend their own funeral. There they will see their dead body and the bereaved in attendance. This process is not only beneficial to convince the new spirit, but it also offers the opportunity to eavesdrop on the mourners and learn what people really thought of them. This can lead to an awakening, self-examination and even self-realisation with the accompanying benefits of spiritual improvement.
When the welcoming is completed the new spirit will be escorted to its first home. This can be their permanent residence or they can move to a better one in a better location by making the effort to improve themselves in accordance with the law of progression.
Activities
In most instances, the first activity that the new spirit engages in is visiting family and friends already living there. One can visit anyone desired so long as they are willing, and catch up on old times. This can take a very long time and is one of the reasons why new spirits may not be heard from through a medium for years. If a spirit wishes to see another spirit a thought is sent out, and, if convenient, a visit takes place. If a spirit is requested to attend a meeting or function a mental message is sent.
Another important early activity is making amends for wrongdoing. This, of course, requires humility, which on earth in my experience is a rare commodity, at least among males. However, in the spirit world when spirits are more transparent this quality is more plentiful. The expressions of remorse and regret can benefit the new spirit by offering a sense of relief and even bolster one’s self-esteem for having done the right thing.
I feel it is safe to say that conversation is the preeminent activity of the afterlife. Imagine being able to converse with any and all people who have passed that one has known throughout a lifetime. Obviously, spirits do not have vocal cords yet they can talk to one another and speak in audible language. The afterlife affords the opportunity to converse with all nationalities because it is written that learning languages is a simple matter. This is possible because the mind is not dependent upon the functionality of the brain to learn so one hundred percent of the mind’s mental capacity can be utilised.
Take an Interest
I am certain that spirits continue to take an interest in the activities of the earth. Former scientists, physicians, engineers, artists, composers, etc., get a sense of achievement by sharing their newfound knowledge with people engaged in the same fields. One can be confident that spirits who were former infectious disease researchers are doing everything in their power to help the researchers in the laboratories of the earth to succeed and save lives.
It is well documented that many inventions were discovered by accident like penicillin, the pacemaker, x-rays, the microwave oven, saccharin and Teflon. But were these and others just accidents? I have to doubt that this is just coincidence but have to believe that spirits played a role to benefit the world. I have read that there are many more splendid spirit inventions that have been developed, but the world has not progressed sufficiently either morally or spiritually and in its present state these gifts would be misused and exploited by selfishness, greed and unscrupulousness. When the time does come that spiritual progress is made the world can expect a flood of new discoveries and inventions from the spirit scientists and engineers, but unfortunately, it will be a long and sorrowful road before this time occurs.
Spirit Power
Spirits have power and can move earthly objects to provide a sign of their presence. Things like lights flickering, clocks stopping, radios and televisions turning on. Messages are known to be left on computers, telephone answering machines and other electronic devices. These things can all be done by a single spirit, but when the object to be moved or effected is heavy, like a musical instrument, a table or levitating a person, any number of spirits will join in to make the experiment a success. Spirits can also make their presence known in a sensory way by feeling their touch, hearing their voice, or smelling a recognisable fragrance.
Earthbound Spirits
Occasionally, such a thing as an earth-bound spirit occurs. This is not a matter of choice but of circumstance. It can be caused by a sudden violent death and total confusion, the desire for revenge or unfinished earthly business, as was the case with the Hydesville Pedler, Charles Rosna. He had been robbed and murdered and his remains buried in the cottage cellar where he had made his sales call. Since disappearing without a trace his wife and five children must have been devastated not knowing what had happened to him and being left destitute. By remaining to haunt the cottage and driving his assailant out the Pedler was able to communicate to the new occupants, the Fox family, by forceful rapping noises. A code was developed and he relayed the circumstances of his death, which eventually led to the founding of the spiritualist movement.
James Padgett
In 1982, I began having unexplainable experiences clearly in the realm of the supernatural. I believe that they were the precursor that eventually led me to the automatic writings of the Washington, DC lawyer, James E. Padgett. Though he is little known this discovery had a profound effect on me because his writings made more sense than anything that I had read previously, and besides, I could hardly dismiss that after finding them I had the most sublime experiences of my life. As I studied Padgett’s works I was amazed at how simple yet profound they were and that they validated many of the concepts that I had long suspected.
Spiritualism
In his writings, I read about Spiritualism for the first time. I did some investigation and learned that at the height of its popularity at the turn of the last century there were eleven million spiritualists in America alone. Unfortunately, by the late 1920s Harry Houdini single- handedly had discredited the movement and what remains today is a mere shadow of its former self. Spiritualism’s two most significant enduring shrines are the Arthur Findlay College in Essex and the Lily Dale Assembly in Western New York State. Spiritualism’s most famous advocate was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, not a medium but a lecturer who travelled the English speaking world expounding the reality of the afterlife.
I now realised that if I stayed at home in California I could learn only so much about Spiritualism. I wanted to delve deeper and knew that I must travel to do so. Two years after my discovery in 1984, I began a journey of investigation to find out what Spiritualism had to offer me. This paper represents a compilation of these years of research into mediumship and in particular automatic writing. I have selected the descriptions of the landscapes, workings and philosophy of the afterlife from the spirit communications received by several mediums that I have deemed to have been accurately recorded to be included in this paper.
Proof of Survival
I made my way to Britain for the first time to study Spiritualism and mediumship because it had now become the world’s hub of the movement since the ruinous campaign by Harry Houdini in America. In West London, I discovered the Psychic News, a weekly publication for the spiritualist community. In the events section were listings of places where to attend what was called a demonstration of ‘proof of survival.’ This is the signature activity of the spiritualist movement, whereby, the medium in a public setting would impart information to a person in the audience who recognises that it was not possible for the medium to know these things. The information is intended to be helpful and may entail the person’s concerns, emotional state and the offering of advice.
How this works is when a person attends a public demonstration or a private reading their spirit loved ones are informed by the person’s spirit guide. The guide has his or her own life but keeps close tabs on the people in their care. Spirit friends and relatives will leave their homes and travel down to the earth-plane and queue up at the meeting hall behind the demonstrating medium. The room can have hundreds of spirits several for each person present. The medium on average can give eight to ten people messages in an evening. Those present who are grieving a loss and desperate to hear from a loved one can have their spirit’s bumped up in the queue to bring them the sought after solace. A person may return frequently for messages and in time the collective evidence can become proof that their departed loved ones are alive and well, living in another dimension and are able to contact them through the talent of a medium.
I will never forget the first demonstration that I attended, it was at the London Spiritual Mission in Notting Hill. Unbeknownst to me the medium that evening was one of the most respected in the country Albert Best. He linked with a woman’s brother who had been a missing person for the past two years. I will never forget the thrilling evidence Mr Best gave of his demise. He said in his rather difficult Scottish brogue, “May I come to you, young lady? I have your brother here, and he says that he was murdered and his body was stuffed into the boot of a car and that the whole bleed-in thing was sunk into a boggy marsh.” Then, I heard a loud scream come from the sister and she cried out, “I knew it, I knew it he was in the rackets.” A chill went down my spine and even though I was new to this sort of thing I had no doubt that it was genuine. Later, I learned that Mr Best frequently helped Scotland Yard to solve missing person cases.
Investigate Spiritualism
I investigated spirit communication to the extent of my ability and was determined to get to the bottom of the meaning of life and what happens after death, particularly to those who have their lives cut short. Although, at this point, I did not need further encouragement to convince me of the afterlife but longed to know as much as possible to help reduce my own fear of death.
Government
I learned that the afterlife is not a place of randomness, but has a government, a system of laws and a Governor. When I learned that the implementation of these laws results in perfect justice I felt a sense of relief that such a place actually existed. The Governor is the author of these laws and the designer and creator of the afterlife and the provider of the power that sustains the systems that give the afterlife its functionality. The laws affect the spirit inhabitants concerning living conditions, activities and companions. These laws have been put into place with the purpose of creating justice, harmony and happiness for all the inhabitants.
The Governor is a soul and the archetype for the design and creation of the human soul. The Governor’s aura can be expanded to reach all of the areas of the spiritual universe that is governed. The energy of this aura permeates every atom of the subtle matter within the spiritual universe and has the power to cause it to conform to the Governor’s desires. If the vibrational rate of the matter is slowed down it will become denser and create physical worlds and physical things. If it is sped up it will become more etheric to create spiritual worlds and things.
When the Governor desires to send a message or a directive to a spirit the difference in their vibration requires intermediary spirits to pass the request down from sphere to sphere until it reaches the intended spirit. This is called the ‘filtering down method,’ and is necessary because spirit communication is strictly a matter of correspondent vibration. Similar to how a radio receiver must be tuned in to the same frequency as the transmitter for the message to come through.
Seven Spheres
How the government works is not complicated. During the course of each person’s life on earth, they are creating a soul condition by their thoughts and deeds. This condition has an accompanying vibration that corresponds to the vibration within one of the spheres. The spheres are concentric, seven in number and encompass the earth which is a globe. They exist in a higher vibrational dimension and constitute merely a small portion of the spiritual universe. The spheres each have several planes of habitation so numerous that it is assured that every new spirit will find a perfectly suited home.
The spheres do not begin at ground level but just above the earth’s surface is a neutral or buffer zone that is not a numbered sphere, followed by the first sphere, the second and so on. The spheres co- exist with the physical world and occupy the same space as the atmosphere of the earth and into outer space. The spheres and planes both have solid lines of demarcation that are more impenetrable to spirits than the strict borders of the countries of the earth.
All people at death with a few exceptions after their welcoming go directly to a plane of a sphere that is harmonious with their soul condition and their vibration. Spheres one and two are the closest to the earth and are the most populated. Those who go to the first sphere have to consider their wrongdoing on earth before advancing. Those who were ordinary and decent but not very intellectual or spiritual go directly to the second sphere. The more advanced either academically or in goodness go to either the fourth or sixth sphere. Those who desire to serve the Governor use the third, fifth and seventh spheres (seventh heaven). Spirits within these spheres work for the government, and through effort, can advance to a cabinet post.
Connecting the earth-plane to the second sphere is a tunnel. The purpose of the tunnel is to bypass the first sphere to prevent new spirits from seeing the conditions there. I suspect that there are many tunnels because the spirit world is a very busy place. Consider that each year an astonishing sixty-million people leave the earth behind and begin their spirit life. There is sufficient space within the spheres for every person who has lived and will live on the earth because the spheres are enormous and unlike the earth, are completely inhabitable.
1st Sphere
The first sphere is closest to the earth and is the sphere of the lowest vibration and least light. This is where spirits go who have a darkened soul condition from their thoughts and deeds while on earth.
An example of an upper plane of the first sphere that is inhabited by spirits who did not commit capital crimes, but the misdemeanours of lying, cheating or stealing. I call this plane the ‘land of the cheats.’ They are all together there are no honest spirits, they are higher up. Now, I’m not going to say that this is hell but what would you call a place where nobody can be trusted? The spirits who have committed more harmful acts are in a planes further down and strange as this may seem, though unpleasant, they are more comfortable there than they would be in a plane of greater light. There is no such thing as eternal damnation, improvement and progress is open to every spirit, for all can eventually become free of burdens.
The first sphere is a place, as well as a condition and as a place, it has all the accompaniments that make it a reality to its inhabitants. The condition of spirits in this sphere is determined by their memories worked upon by their conscience in compliance with the law of cause and effect. There are, of course, no fires or brimstone lakes or devils with pitchforks adding to the unpleasantness, but yet, there are certain conditions and appearances outside the inhabitants themselves that cause their recollections and consciences to become more active and alive.
The memory is the storehouse of thoughts and deeds and does not die with the death of the body. On the contrary, nothing is left behind or forgotten when casting off the benumbing and deceiving influences of the mortal flesh.
2nd Sphere
The second sphere is known as the sphere of ‘familiarity’ because there is nothing disturbing or unpleasant there, family and friends can be easily found. The activities of the earth can be continued such as gardening, reading, music, dance, etc., but there is no radio, TV or internet. Although, there are parks, forests, meadows, hills, dales, waterfalls and everything to make for a pleasant life.
Cities
By all accounts, the second sphere is a mirror image of the earth in that it looks similar. The cities correspond to the cities of the earth as do the towns and villages. There are no streets paved with gold or pearly gates, but the cities do have avenues and broad thoroughfares. The stately buildings are not of great height and can have carved designs. The stone exterior will always retain the newness of recent construction for there is no decay or smoke to cause blackening or discolouration. In the city centre, it is surprisingly quiet and is where many of the fruitful occupations can be continued that were performed on earth.
Houses
There are houses in all of the spheres that are prepared in advance for those who will occupy them. They become more beautiful the further the sphere is from the earth. There is nothing nebulous or impalpable about the houses or anything else, everything is real, substantial and lasting. If not, the afterlife would be a place of confusion, appearances and disappearances, with no stability or abiding qualities.
The houses are solid to the spirit and made of something like white marble and in the higher realms translucent-like alabaster. The houses are surrounded by lawns, shrubs, flowers and trees and are free of walls or fences. The occupants may design their own home or a spirit architect will help. There is furniture, pictures and tapestries, bric-a-brac, books and everything needed for a comfortable home.
Plants and Trees
The houses have gardens that the occupants can easily care for because there are no weeds or pests to bother it, nor is it necessary to battle the elements of wind, rain or frost. There are many splendid trees, none of which are malformed growing under perfect conditions that will live forever with a full complement of leaves in every shade of green. The flowers are numerous with plentiful blooms and heavenly fragrances. They seem to glow from within, and are picked and taken into homes, and will last as long as desired and when interest wanes they will fade away. The grass has resilience and a velvety softness comparable to nothing on earth. The soil appears to be perfectly dry and granular yet the ground is solid.
Business
There are no shops or factories because nothing needs to be made in a conventional way. There are no restaurants because no food is prepared and no pubs because nothing is brewed, distilled or fermented. There are no banks because no money is used. There are no courts, police, prisons or lawyers because no crimes can be committed, however, if there is a judgment carried over from the earth, it is the spirit him or herself that does the judging. There are no slaughterhouses because nothing is killed for food, sport or any other reason and there is no human or animal abuse or exploitation.
Clothing
The new spirit will usually be dressed in etheric clothing similar to what was worn on earth at the time of transition but this can change. The more advanced spirits wear full-length robes resembling the classic attire of the Greeks. These are very comfortable and require no attention to keep them in a perfect state free from wear or soil.
The clothing is designed by a spirit visualising what the garment will look like, and it can be fine as gossamer. By exercising will power, the spirit can draw the subtle matter around the mental pattern. One could say that the garment is draped around the spirit body. The clothing possesses the same vibrational rate as the wearer, and its texture and appearance will reflect the wearer’s soul condition.
The more advanced spirits are usually dressed in all white and can have a girdle or sash around the waist of gold or silver. It can be encrusted with precious stones because jewels are awarded for service performed. The jewels can be worn as a pin, broach, tiara or diadem and are given by the Governor for merit similar to medals and ribbons are awarded by generals and heads of state. Head coverings are not common because protection from the elements is not necessary. The footwear is said to be sandals, a light shoe, or just barefoot.
Food
The only foods that I have ever read about are fruits and nuts. They come in a great variety, some are similar to those of earth others are different. Spirits do not eat them with their teeth and palate or use intestinal organs, but they imbibe the essence of the fruit’s delicious flavours and aromas. As the fruits of the earth contain nutrients the fruits of the afterlife contain energy.
In the afterlife, the senses are not dependent upon the function of the physical organs to manifest them in the physical world. Thus, the senses are unrestricted and greatly enhanced making the fruits tastier and everything else more enjoyable.
Water
The water is pure and sweet and there are no other beverages. Every drop in the rivers, streams, lakes and brooks is drinkable. Being devoid of internal organs spirits do not actually drink the water, but absorb it with comparable delight and satisfaction.
The water is described as having a glistening effect that radiates with a myriad of rainbow tints. The sea is tideless, not deep anywhere and warm. There are no storms to agitate the surface making for ideal swimming. The surface is not always like glass for a gentle breeze will cause ripples to make small waves producing reflected light rays that glisten like the flashes of colour from the purest cut diamond.
When bathing one is perfectly buoyant and absorbs the energy of magnetic currents in the water making it more than just refreshing but revitalising. There is mention of islands with beaches that have soft powdery sand, though granular it is laid down like a finely manicured lawn and walking on it is not fatiguing. I have never read of clothing-optional beaches but I see no reason why they can’t exist if there are spirits who desire them. I have read that those who enjoy the water can live on houseboats.
Music
Music plays as important a role in the lives of spirits as it does on earth. There are concerts where the music is said to be sublime beyond conception. There are all kinds of musical instruments including the proverbial harp that can be learned without difficulty. As one may not suppose every spirit has the ability to sing well because vocal cords are not used but the music comes from the soul. There are no voices out of tune for every spirit has the vocal qualities to express themselves through their music.
Learning
In the course of spirit life, there is plenty to occupy one’s time. There is work in that every spirit spends some of their time teaching other spirits how to advance to a better quality life. There is learning at colleges, libraries and reading rooms and whose shelves contain a wealth of literature including copies of earthly books. They cover the history of the earth with the facts set down in accordance with what is considered to be the truth. There are also volumes concerning the spirit life and spiritual teachings, written by spirits who have considerable knowledge of the subject from residing in the higher realms. Acquiring knowledge is not tedious because the memory works perfectly and at full capacity for it is no longer hampered or confined by the functioning of the physical brain. There are museums that are free of charge and open for all to see and one can hold the display objects.
Recreation
There is recreation and sports of all kinds, golf, tennis, croquet, badminton, billiards, swimming, boating, but there is no boxing, wrestling, bullfights, horse racing or rodeos. I would imagine there are various board games chess and checkers. There are social events, concerts, plays, dances and ceremonies, but no cinema. There are art galleries that contain representations of every art form that existed on earth, and the opportunity to learn new skills like tapestry weaving.
Travel
Spirits have choices on how to get from place to place. They can walk or run on solid ground or move swiftly through the air or transport themselves at the speed of thought. Spirits can completely traverse their own plane of habitation and visit anyone living there who agrees to see them. They may go down through the planes and spheres all the way to the earth-plane and visit or help someone or just to take in a game or show and sit wherever they like, but this is only for a time. They cannot travel above their home plane until they have improved their soul condition increasing their vibration to match that of the plane above to be able to penetrate its barrier.
Animals
There is wildlife in all of the spheres that beautify the spirit world, but there is no breeding of domesticated animals or the confinement of animals for experimentation or animals displayed in zoos or animals used for entertainment in circuses and carnivals.
When a spirit wants his or her pet back all that is required is the desire, and it be will be recreated regardless what type of animal it may have been—a dog, cat, horse, bird, turtle, etc. I believe when animals die the spirit that gave them life and animated them leaves their body and returns to a pool or reservoir in the spirit world from whence it came. I can attest to this because when my little schnauzer died, two friends were visiting, and all three of us sensed something wispy rise out of her body. When I rushed over to her basket she was gone. I further believe that the recreated pet can be given back the very same essence from the spirit pool, and in this way, the pet will not only look identical but will have the same personality and recognition of its owner, affording him or her comparable pleasure as before.
Time
Since the spirit world is stationary, and not revolving like the earth Time there is no day or night, and I have never heard mention of clocks so there is simply no way to tell time. The only means of knowing the current date on earth is by asking someone who has just arrived or by going down and having a look at a newspaper. The homes have couches for repose, but sleep is not required it is merely a type of slumber that is refreshing and dreamless.
Matter
In the dimension where the spirit world exists there is no such thing as a void. All the things there were not made out of nothing, but were created from the matter that already existed within the spiritual universe. This matter is what is used to create the houses, furnishing, clothes, plants and everything else. It will always exist in its component elements though it will undoubtedly change in form and composition, but will never cease to exist, or become nothing.
Weather and Sky
There is considerable mention of a sphere known as ‘summer land’ where the weather is always like a perfect summer day. However, that does not mean that there are not places that have seasons and mountains with snow for winter sports. The sky is said to be blue, however, it can change colours depending upon the activity taking place on the surface below. There is no sun, moon, or stars, just a beautiful sky depending upon the level.
In Summation
Having knowledge of the afterlife is not only important for those who are soon to go there, but also for those who desire to become more spiritual. This is because the afterlife is where the spiritual exists, and the practices, disciplines and rituals are to reach this spiritual, and for the spiritual to reach us.
In the long term, the afterlife provides a place for the human soul to unfold and develop into a perfected spiritual being. The brief time on earth is usually not sufficient, so an eternity in the afterlife provides the environment and duration needed. To accomplish this one must acquire the qualities of honesty, wisdom, kindness, love and compassion. This development is a matter of choice and not forced upon anyone as some institutions of the earth. It must be desired and earned by effort and service, which will bring peace and the wonderful privileges that the afterlife has to offer. I hope this paper has provided some insight that will be helpful when it is your time to embark on your afterlife adventure.
Alan Ross
Permission to reproduce, transmit or distribute this paper all or in part is not required.
About the author,
In 1988, Alan published his first book titled Spiritualism and Beyond, and in the succeeding years published two more books and has given fifty lectures in the US, UK and Canada. At present, he has eight websites on the afterlife and its related subjects for those who want to know more.