This is the second of four articles based on concepts, research and experiences shared in, LOVE NEVER DIES by Elizabeth Horwin

WHAT IS DEATH?

After studying the religions and cultures of this world for most of my life, what I have found is that an individual’s belief regarding death is deeply rooted in the belief system of their family, their tribe’s culture and/or religion. Based on their belief system, an individual’s thoughts about death can range from fear to joy. There are actually cultures that cry when the child is born and celebrate when a person dies. For those of us that have been raised in Western Judeo Christian culture and beliefs, fear is often the emotion related to Death. There are such contradicting thoughts on death regarding religions that believe in the concept of heaven and hell, that believe in a supreme being, God, that will judge us and decide whether we should spend eternity in a blissful heaven or torturous hell—–then there is the belief in a loving supreme being different from the judgmental one. It is my opinion that the opposite of love is not hate it is fear and reconciling these contradictions requires examining our beliefs.

We are what we think. “Thoughts are things” has been taught by many great and inspiring teachers throughout the history of mankind. If we don’t like the way we are feeling, we can challenge and change the way we are thinking. We can change our beliefs. To live a joyous, peaceful life requires that what we think, feel and what we believe are congruent.

Many, many years ago one of my greatest mentors shared with me a belief that changed my way of thinking. She was in the process of breaking a vow—-until death do us part. In my black-and-white thinking in those days, I told her I couldn’t understand how she could break that vow. She lovingly looked at me and said, there are many ways of dying and physical death is the easiest. I came to realize that yes, every loss is a death and loss is and will continue to be part of the human experience. She also taught me that the first step to acceptance of anything is understanding even when we do not agree or like what is happening.

During our journey on planet Earth, we continuously will be experiencing losses and new beginnings. Change is our constant reality that can cause joy or suffering depending on how we respond to change, be it a loss or a new beginning. Loss and new beginnings are always about relationships. Although the focus of this article is about loss of relationship through physical death, this information applies to all of our relationships be they to work, material possessions, self image, aging, money, reputation, social status, etc. The more we resist change the more we suffer.

So, let’s take a look at and examine our beliefs about Death. I’m going to suggest five ideas concerning Death that I hope you will consider pondering and decide what makes sense to you.

DYING

·        We are all in the dying process from the moment we are born.

·        Everything has a shelf life on this organic planet. Accepting this reality, we can treasure the present moment and enjoy the ride until it’s time to return Home, to Source, to God.

·        Taking someone’s death personally causes unnecessary suffering. It’s hard enough adjusting to the loss of a person’s physical presence; why create more suffering by thinking that we have control over the death of anyone.

 

FEAR OF DEATH

·        The opposite of love is fear and if death was understood for what it is— a portal to the next level of life— there would be no fear.

·        As Spirit energy leaves our physical form to return to source, love, there is no room for judgment.

·        If we can accept and learn to die while we are living, if we can go through the stages of loss, of mourning the death of the physical body while we are alive, will that not free us to live more fully in the present moment?

 

RELATIONSHIPS CHANGE

·        Relationships change throughout our lives from birth to death. We connect, disconnect, magnify, and diminish our connections to the initial core group that we are born into.

·        Relationships vibrate at different levels of energy and this energy is sometimes high, sometimes low, sometimes positive and sometimes negative.

·        Being grateful for the experience of a relationship leads to peace and acceptance when the relationship is over this time, in physical form on planet Earth.

 

RELATIONSHIPS ASSIST

·        Death is the end of an incarnation, of time spent on planet Earth, not a relationship.

·        Many enlightened, conscious spirits will attest and have attested to the ongoing awareness and connection to loved ones who have passed into transition, have left the physical plane.

·        A relationship, vibrating with the energy of love, that assisted us on planet Earth will continue to assist us as we continue our earthly journey.

 

RELATIONSHIPS CONTINUE

·        Many of us have had and will continue to have communication with loved ones who have gone to the next level of life before us.

·        It is only our physical form, our body, that dies—not the energy of unconditional love that existed and continues to exist in the relationships we cherish.

·        We can communicate with those we love that have passed and sometimes even better, without human emotions and issues interfering with our communication.

In our earthly experience this time, there is HOPE if each and every one of us decides that we can be a light, a candle in the darkness. Only we can change ourselves, our perceptions and our beliefs.

LOVE & PEACE—-NAMASTE