Although I consider every belief system we are exploring Spiritualism, certain themes demand a section all to themselves such as karma, reincarnation, choice and destiny and the topic of “Hell.”
To an outsider, these themes may seem like an avoidance mechanism for not taking life by the horns and wielding your own destiny. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but these outsiders have a conclusion that implies this is an easy- way- out philosophy that takes away responsibility for one’s actions. My truth is that all spiritual disciplines require the utmost dedication to taking responsibility for your life and destiny because, as you will see, nothing is fixed except for a few choice-driven exceptions. If we are experiencing “bad” karma, the Hindus believe something good or meaningful can result, called “Dharma.” The realization that this change can be made many call “revelation.” I like the word miracle.
Unlike some mediums who believe everything is on a predestined time line, I believe choice must be that mysterious ingredient in the mix called our lives or why even bother striving toward anything at all? Since what is fixed and what is not is often not known, with proper thought, effort and action I believe we all have an option for a miracle the moment we decide that one is possible and that we want it. As a spiritualist, I believe it does not matter whether this revelation or miracle happens because of prayer, a spell or because we had our cards read. Somewhere we made a choice and moved energy in the direction that can show us our spirit power. This option for choice is available to us because the Creator and the universe did not deliberately create us to give us sorrow or worry.
We need to be mindful that as ‘groups’ tend to share lifetimes and each being in that group has his or her own spiritual path, the challenges each has really have absolutely nothing to do with the other. With some insight, some within the group may begin similar paths of enlightenment at about the same time in a lifetime. Others may always feel at odds with others and suffer disharmony as part of their path. Our path is determined by what we are supposed to learn. I have learned that one of my life lessons is supposed to be trust. I am supposed to trust that no matter how bad things look, things work out at the last minute and final hour. I have had more last minute rescues than I could begin to describe (but I did share a few in “Gifts”). I was supposed to live moment to moment when my survival was at greatest risk. I was to do it with grace and trust. Getting rescued like this has been VERY STRESSFUL but I have come to see that this is trademark of my protections and guides. When you consider Spiritualism, stop and think about certain “signatures” that precede better moments in your life. It could have been sudden sunshine in the midst of a storm, seeing a particular bird, hearing a particular phrase or just getting a “feeling.” If this is your path, knowing how to decipher things like these will help you a great deal.
When one prays or works clear focus, exactness, mindfulness and power must go into what we are attempting to achieve yet, we must maintain some degree of detachment or the work will become more important than the ethic and we will have become enslaved to our needs, as Buddhism warns. The best of intentions, carelessly cast can leave us with a karmic debt that could have been avoided. Although, we can obtain the spirit power to alter our circumstances, we must also remain mindful that we do have a life path, that to some degree, will not be altered. Since we do not know what that may be, we must remain respectful to the degree to which our destiny may indeed be fixed. Simply put, Karma is payment for past errors or noble work. Most people have come to associate the word with bad luck. Karma, despite what many may think, is not random. Somewhere along the line we put an ‘effort’ into our own Karma. If you recall in the topic of energy conversion we looked at how we affect such conversion by our deed, our thoughts, our words or CHOICE. Our deeds are what we actively do. It is not a matter of just lying and then being discovered for our lies, although this is good example of karma.
It is a matter of the choices we make. Who did we decide to marry? Who did we decided to leave? Did we relocate? What did we choose as our livelihood? The result of these choices is karma.
What if, when we were still spirit-fluff, we decided we needed to learn a new experience as a challenge to our soul’s muscle? What if at that time, we realized we may not have been good people in our past life and chose to pay our debt? What if we decided to pay that debt in the NEXT LIFETIME rather than wait until further down the line? We have then selected a life theme. (We could have also chosen success because we want a ‘vacation’ from spiritual growth or a reward for much spirituality learned.) But, let’s stay with paying our “debt.” We may have chosen illness, poverty or an untimely death. What would be the purpose of this type of exercise? To see how fixed and resolved our true selves can be in unknowing lifetimes and to determine whether or not we have learned to master our spirit power.
Many people believe that the goal of the soul is to join the godhead (the universe, the Creator, Heaven). This theme is in Hinduism, Buddhism and others. What would be the purpose of this joining? To be part of the Creator, Divine healing and nurturing, the power of the divine which most call God, and ultimately creation itself. If we look at the perfection of the earth, mankind’s interference aside, it is perfect. It functions on it own, heals itself and regenerates itself. Even climatic cataclysms are all part of healing.
The same can be said for the universe. Therefore, must not we, as spiritual forces, aim to perfect energy management in our ultimate goal of joining “God” to better perpetuate this power? Cannot mastering the molding of a lifetime be a worthwhile exercise? So, although we all may have a karmic debt, if mastering our lifetime is the goal and mastering means creating or recreating a preferred reality, fully actualizing a life’s potential will take a lot of work. It will take work to alter our circumstances materially or spiritually. So, even before we look at how spirits can help us or guide us, we need to look at what we need to do to enhance ourselves spiritually first.
This type of work is not passive nor is it easy. Just because this is my belief does not mean I like my own conclusions. My own Right Contemplation has been sorely challenged over and over and over again with recurring themes. But, I must take responsibility for the fact that these themes are recurring, either because I pre-selected these themes as my life pattern or I simply have not mastered my own spirit in certain areas. The ironic thing is, gifted people tend to be left to flail within their own life path more than people would think. After all, we know better, we are supposed to DO better. So for all the guidance I may have given my own clients, I still have my own themes to grapple with just like anybody else. My calling is to teach and to help, if asked. That does not necessarily give me easy answers. What it does give me however is TRUST. Trust that wherever I am, it is where I am supposed to be and like it or not, it is the correct product of my own choices. Can the whole world be wrong? Can every religion’s sub-culture of the mystical be that off base? The New Testament refers to Judas being seen after his death and it recounts how Jesus exorcised “demons” (mischievous spirits?). The Qu’ran states “The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare his glory!” (17:44).
The Kabbalah of Judaism cites that there are seven heavens and seven earths as well. Are we to presume that these realms are vacant?
Ancient mystics all espoused the existence of many levels of spiritual dimensions. The Catholic Church has Heaven, Limbo, Purgatory and Hell. Some Buddhists believe in, Bordo, an in between place where the wisdom of the departing soul is challenged and could be mislead to different realms of terror, ignorance or a better and improved life on the spiritual realm or the material one. Deities/ spirits have the succinct role of luring the soul to the best of their delusionary ability whereby challenging what the soul has truly learned. To the Buddhist, prayers for the deceased, others and oneself help everyone in avoiding spiritual pitfalls along the path of spiritual progression. Similarly, Catholics pray for the souls in Purgatory so that they may gain entrance into Heaven.
Regardless of what it is called, can everyone be wrong or has everyone, over time and geographic location and isolation been touched by the spiritualistic wisdom that is the innate gift of the spirit?
Some Jews believe that the soul is eternal. It is made not just from God but of God. They believe a soul comes into the world to learn about creation and to help redeem creation. Redemption plays an important role in the philosophy of Judaism. They believe the soul does not remember its divine nature and so, upon entering life, gains no benefit from its previous existence.
And what of Hell? Like many Spiritualists, I do not believe in Hell as formal religion teaches. It is beyond my ability to accept that an all-loving God, Perfect Creator and Patient Teacher would ever create a place where devils torment any soul for all eternity. Not that I haven’t met people I have felt worthy of going there with a oneway ticket in hand. It is simply not for me to make this determination. This is all the better for I am, after all, like everyone else, human. I have my foibles, my judgments and resentments. I may have a better understanding of why things are the way they are but, that doesn’t mean I blindly like everything I experience or see. It simply means I am on my own path just like you and just like that person whose actions I may find despicable. But, even that person is on a journey and how can anything be gained from that journey if after a lifetimer there is nothing but eternal agony?
Does God really score any points this way? Does fear of this painful damnation make all the more sincere the good works people do? Is it not better to do good for goodness sake alone instead of to avoid a horrible punishment? I accept an all-loving, all embracing Creator. I am incapable of doing otherwise. Since inflicting everlasting agony is inconsistent with my concept of Creator, I reject the usual definition of Hell.
I said I reject the usual definition of Hell.
The human experience is a painful one. It is painful because our true selves are of the spiritual element. When we in human existence, we are out of our natural element and have much to master before we can contribute to the Creator’s ongoing plan of replenishment of the Universe.
Buddhism accepts that “suffering exists.” The thing we must learn to control is our pain, the things that cause us pain and our reaction to people that cause us pain because they too are on their own journey. This includes how the death of loved ones affect us. Sometimes their journey is brevity of life. We then suffer the pain of “untimely” mourning. Sometimes it is debilitating illness. If it is a loved one that suffers, how we can comfort them within our own pain for them? If we are poor, how do we maintain our private store of spiritual wealth and remember that as we have today, no matter how little, we will have again tomorrow? How do we not suffer low self esteem or resort to crime in order to survive? These are all very real types of pain. They are hells. Why, if there be Hell on earth, would there also be one so eternal and so horrible for someone who errs as a result of the pain of existence? It is like saying we are all born to be in Hell. It like saying we have been ‘set up’ to be in Hell over and over again. Period. Paragraph.
Since we have looked at how different belief systems all hold fast that there is something after life, let us look at what all these spirits can be.