| REVIEW OF LITERATUREWhen a Sadguru, or
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| | Problems unfaced, will have to be
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| spiritual master first receives a novice
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| | confronted once again in another
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| or a candidate seeking Truth, one of the
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| | incarnation, this is to teach the soul
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| first steps that the master would assure
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| | certain lessons that it requires for its
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| himself is the sincerity and the purity
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| | evolution, its spiritual growth. One's
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| of motive of the candidate requesting
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| | attitudes, reactions and responses to
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| initiation into the mysteries. In order
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| | problems are the main thing and not the
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| to augment or instill this sincerity and
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| | problems themselves.The Spirit of man
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| pure motive when absent, the master would
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| | will not be cheated of its forces.
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| speak to the candidate regarding death.
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| | Lessons to be learnt by the soul will
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| The master would advise the candidate to
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| | repeat themselves until their essence has
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| contemplate upon the meaning of death and
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| | been assimilated, understood and wisdom
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| the opportunity that life provides. The
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| | gained. Suicide, therefore, should not be
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| master would refer to the fact that death
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| | resorted to as an escape, for it causes
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| often comes, stealth-like, at an
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| | spiritual stagnation. Suicides are
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| unannounced moment; that to be engrossed
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| | treated as mental cases in the subtle
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| with trivialities is to waste one's life;
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| | worlds. According to psychic Donald
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| that there are no guarantees in life
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| | Barrie, insane persons were suicides in
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| except for death. The chela is made to
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| | past lives. Suicidal persons in the death
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| ask, "what is the purpose of life if
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| | process, like those who lived depraved,
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| death cuts us down at our prime, leaving
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| | iniquitous and wicked lives, often
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| us with ambitions, aspirations and
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| | encounter some of the most alarming
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| unfulfilled dreams? What is the purpose
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| | visions in the bardo which includes the
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| of life--and death, if we are not able to
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| | Judgment scene, where the conscience sits
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| take along with us through the portals of
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| | as prosecutor, judge, jury and
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| death our prized possessions, our titles,
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| | executioner.Death is a personal
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| our fame, our temporal power?"The
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| | experience. Through it we come to know
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| spiritual master would be quick to point
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| | our true evolutionary status as a soul,
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| out that the true purpose of life has
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| | and all of our glamours and delusions
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| very little to do with the earthly,
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| | concerning personal glory would fail to
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| evanescent riches or power that we
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| | aid us at the time of our transition. Our
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| acquire, it has more to do with the
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| | poverty or wealth of our spirit is seen
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| immaterial wealth that we take along with
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| | and known to us and others on the Other
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| us--our knowledge; our memories; our
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| | Side.The Nature of Life After So-Called
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| improved karma, habits and character; and
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| | DeathHumanity's concept of heaven is
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| our spiritual and psychic development.
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| | wrought with distortions of the true
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| Earthly acquisitions fail to offer any
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| | nature of the subtle worlds. There are
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| help to the one undergoing transition. We
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| | many ideas concerning heaven that are
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| each face death alone; and in death,
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| | disproved through the personal
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| stripped of all mundane superficialities,
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| | experiences of advanced psychics and
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| we come to realize our own true worth.
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| | mystics. It is, therefore, appropriate
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| And so, the chela, with perhaps impure
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| | that people be informed and prepared for
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| motives at the outset, comes to
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| | life in the other worlds, that they may
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| understand after some spiritual guidance,
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| | know what to expect, that they may know
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| and a prolonged contemplation and
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| | how to function harmoniously therein, and
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| analysis of death--as related to
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| | the sort of activities that they may
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| life--that the aim, purpose, importance
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| | engage in. The higher worlds are worlds
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| and goal of personal existence in this
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| | of activity. There is no rest there,
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| physical sphere with its many
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| | unless we desire rest. Real rest is
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| opportunities are for gaining freedom,
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| | dependent upon the giving of another
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| perfection, salvation, enlightenment, and
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| | vehicle of the microcosm an opportunity
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| the ascension.We should all be aware that
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| | for expressing itself. Overthere, we
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| death may come to us at any moment, this
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| | shall have the opportunity to be occupied
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| will motivate us to direct our minds into
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| | with soul-improving activities. Laziness
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| proper perspectives, and to get our
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| | and idleness Overthere are treated as
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| priorities straight. To eat, drink, and
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| | illnesses. Individuals expressing those
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| be merry as advertisements tell us, as
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| | states are directed to special classes to
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| the philosophies of the fallen angels
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| | learn the purposes of life, that they be
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| would have us learn, is to be sidetracked
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| | motivated to engage in some worthy
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| from occupying ourselves with our
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| | endeavour.There is not just one heaven or
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| "Father's business."Like the disciple
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| | dimension in the higher worlds, there are
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| referred to above, in this paper it is
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| | many, and these are the "mansions" of
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| our intention to delve into the nature of
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| | Jesus' statement "in my Father's house
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| death and its process so that we will
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| | there are many mansions." (John 14:2).
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| come to know a greater life, and
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| | St. Paul in his epistles mentions a third
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| appreciate its intrinsic value. We will
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| | heaven; the Islamic tradition presents
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| also consider the nature of certain
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| | the Prophet Muhammad as visiting the
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| aspects of life after transition, for
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| | seventh on a mythical creature--no doubt
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| this expands our spiritual horizon, and
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| | a symbolic description of the subtle
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| it offers us a glimpse into man's
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| | body. Several "alams" or worlds are
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| glorious future. Our main themes in this
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| | discussed in Islamic literature.
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| paper will be related to the following:1)
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| | Theosophy speaks of seven planes with
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| The survival of personal consciousness.2)
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| | seven sub-planes each, all of which
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| The process of transition.3) The nature
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| | constituting a cosmic plane. Hinduism
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| of life after so-called death.The
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| | also refers to the "lokas," to the many
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| Survival of Personal ConsciousnessThe
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| | heavens as described in their scriptures.
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| average person often wonders if
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| | Swedenborg substantiates this truth in
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| consciousness survives death. We have
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| | his spiritual works.People will be
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| commented and alluded previously on the
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| | disappointed if they think that the
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| indestructible nature of energy. There
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| | afterdeath state will provide them what
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| can, therefore, be no dissolution of the
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| | they lack here and now. This is not to
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| essence of Soul, or rather Spirit--not
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| | say that their dreams will not occur to
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| even through the process of transition.
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| | some degree, or that their happiness may
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| The forms, the structured energy-fields
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| | not be derived from some longed-for
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| that the Spirit and Soul indwell and
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| | pleasures that Almighty God might
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| embody may change, but the essence, the
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| | manifest for them; what we are putting
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| spiritual aspect of the microcosm, the
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| | forth here is that the contents and
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| Monad, the SELF, is immortal. Religion,
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| | quality of one's heart and mind
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| mysticism, and psychicism, refers to this
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| | determines strongly one's experiences in
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| verity. If a person is to know this
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| | the heavenly world that one will live in.
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| particular truth of the survival of
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| | Purity in body, mind and soul begets a
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| consciousness, he or she must learn to
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| | joyful experience in the higher heavens.
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| expand the consciousness and to
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| | Conversely, immorality and wickedness
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| spiritualize his or her mind in order to
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| | result in a life of misery in the lower
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| be aware and function consciously in the
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| | astral realms. We carry our inner life to
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| higher planes. Failure to realize
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| | wherever we may find ourselves. There is
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| spiritual verities label us as "dead"--a
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| | no spiritual being to reward or punish
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| term referred to by the Piscean Master in
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| | us, we do this to ourselves by violating
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| the gospel narratives to people who are
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| | or living harmoniously with cosmic laws.
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| closed to the higher worlds and spiritual
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| | To know where one would go, or to which
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| truths. People suffering from spiritual
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| | heaven or plane one would reside, it is
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| myopia live in physical tombs and not
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| | only necessary to look into one's mind
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| temples; such persons do not care much
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| | and emotions, into one's character and
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| about the higher worlds and their
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| | personality, and there look for signs.In
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| relation to them; these individuals limit
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| | the chapters ahead we will be discussing
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| their awareness and deaden their
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| | in more detail of the nature of life in
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| consciousness in a three-dimensional
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| | the higher worlds. We feel that this
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| slumber. Individuals with limited minds
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| | subject is of some importance to
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| do not see the whole picture of life's
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| | metaphysicians, as they are often asked
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| purpose.The writer of this paper firmly
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| | by individuals seeking information on the
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| believes, or is convinced in the ability
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| | spiritual dimensions.The Four
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| of consciousness to exist apart from the
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| | PerspectivesAlthough there are various
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| physical body. We had, personally,
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| | perspectives that death and the process
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| experienced many spontaneous astral
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| | of transition may be discussed such as
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| projections, and many lucid dreams.
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| | the clinical, the cultural, etc. We will
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| Although experiences of astral
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| | be dealing with the aforementioned themes
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| projections may not objectively prove the
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| | from the following perspectives:1)
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| survival of consciousness after death, it
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| | Religion/Mythology2) Occult teachings in
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| does give us some inkling of what it may
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| | general3) Lamaism, or Tibetan Buddhism4)
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| be like to exist independently of the
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| | Parapsychology and modern
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| physical form; it also provides us with
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| | researchReligion, generally speaking,
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| some reason for accepting the possibility
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| | offers us some information concerning the
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| and the high probability of the survival
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| | after death state with, regrettably, very
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| of consciousness. The reality and proof
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| | little of the death process. However, it
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| of the survival of personal consciousness
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| | is important when dealing with religious
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| itself may be acquired through one's
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| | concepts regarding death and the
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| personal interaction and relationship
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| | afterlife to be discerning and
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| with the so-called dead. This normally
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| | discriminative--to sift through fanciful
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| occurs unconsciously in one's sleep and
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| | ideas--of the many erroneous theological
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| dreams, however, it may occur with full
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| | dogmas and concepts that had crept into
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| astral awareness or in the awaking
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| | the original teachings. Many statements
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| consciousness. Lucid dreams are typical
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| | in scriptures are not meant to be taken
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| of the former type, whereas visitations
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| | in a literal manner. Embodied within them
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| or psychic materializations are of the
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| | are spiritual ideas that have to be
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| latter. If we are able to contact the
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| | intuited with the higher mind. Followers
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| so-called dead who once were people
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| | or devotees of religions often fail to
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| living in the physical world and resume
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| | understand this principle. They believe
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| relationships with them, is this not
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| | in the letter of the law without
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| proof that personal consciousness
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| | considering the underlying spiritual
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| survives transition? Although this
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| | principle. The immortality of the soul
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| rhetorical-question is simplistic in form
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| | has long been an essential tenet in
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| and incapable of offering positive proof
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| | almost all religious belief-structures.
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| regarding the survival of consciousness,
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| | The ancient Egyptians, for instance,
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| being subjective in nature, and which
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| | believed in it; they accepted that the
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| does not carry any weight under
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| | heart-soul, the ka, the ba, and other
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| scientific scrutiny, it does imply that
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| | components of the microcosm outlived the
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| some materialistically-oriented
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| | physical form for a longer duration, if
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| individuals are unwilling to attend to
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| | not indefinitely. Thus mummification was
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| the reality experienced by others because
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| | instituted to preserve the body for the
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| of prejudice, pride, fear and cultural
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| | return of the incorporeal aspects of
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| conditioning. How does the average man
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| | man.Myths are allegories or parables
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| view death, what does he actually believe
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| | containing spiritual wisdom. They often
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| about it? Society has various beliefs
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| | deal with the fall of the soul into
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| concerning death, and what it entails,
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| | matter, its resurrection, the manner of
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| below are just some of these beliefs:1)
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| | its redemption, and the nature of the
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| The cessation of consciousness and the
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| | higher planes. In the ancient Mystery
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| annihilation of Self.2) The termination
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| | Schools of Greece, such as the
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| of human relationships, and the loss of
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| | Eluesinian, Cosmic laws and principles
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| loved ones.3) The termination of physical
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| | were personified and enacted in dramas.
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| activities, of goals, ambitions and
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| | The mystae, or the candidate to the
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| aspirations.4) The passage into an
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| | mysteries who witnessed these dramas was
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| unknown world or state of
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| | urged by the accompanying guide to
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| consciousness.5) The facing of the
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| | discern the Cosmic laws and truths
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| Judgment and the accountability of one's
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| | embodied within them. Often in such
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| sins--the fear of eternal punishment in
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| | initiatory schools, candidates were put
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| an everlasting hell, or in contrast,
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| | into trance-like conditions where they
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| pleasure, rest and idleness in
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| | acquired personal experiences of the
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| Paradise.6) Physical, emotional, and
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| | externalization of their
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| mental agony in the death process.As we
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| | awareness-principle. Thus, those
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| will see in later chapters, all of these
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| | candidates to the Mysteries came to know
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| beliefs are unfounded. The nature of life
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| | the reality of their soul and its
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| after transition is only unknown to those
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| | independence of the physical body through
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| who do not seek to know. There is also no
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| | empirical knowledge.Our treatment of
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| true severance of human relationships;
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| | mythology in this paper will be
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| and an eternal hell is non-existent,
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| | supportive in nature, emphasizing or
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| although a certain degree of pain and
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| | stressing certain main points of our
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| scorching may be experienced when impure
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| | themes where needed. Regrettably, it is
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| substances present in the astral and
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| | beyond the scope of this work to treat
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| mental bodies are removed by a purifying
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| | the subject exhaustively and completely
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| fire. Death is not the end of anything;
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| | in a satisfactory manner.Occultism as a
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| it is a continuation of what has gone on
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| | whole, offers us a great wealth of
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| before. Rumi, the Sufi poet, speaks of
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| | knowledge concerning the death process
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| this truth in the following oft-quoted
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| | and the nature of the post-mortem states.
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| verse:"I died a mineral and became a
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| | There have been many eminent clairvoyants
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| plant;"I died a plant and rose an
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| | in the past such as Swedenborg and Andrew
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| animal."I died an animal and I was a
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| | Jackson Davis who wrote about their
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| man."Why should I fear? When was I less
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| | experiences concerning transition and the
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| by dying?"Yet once more I shall die as
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| | astral planes as seen through their inner
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| man, so to soar"With blessed angels; even
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| | senses--not to mention their
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| from angelhood"I must pass on . . ."When
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| | communications and interactions with the
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| I have sacrificed my angel soul,"I shall
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| | inhabitants therein. In the opening pages
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| become that which no mind conceived."The
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| | of his work, Heaven and Hell, Swedenborg
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| Process of TransitionTransition is not
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| | declares:". . . it has been granted to me
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| simply the cessation of the intake of the
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| | to associate with angels and to talk with
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| breath or the circulation of the
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| | them as man, also to see the things in
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| life-force. It is a process that involves
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| | the heaven as well as in the hells . .
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| the evacuation of the occult components
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| | . " (1958:3)We are, however, indebted to
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| within man's physical anatomy. These
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| | Earlyne Chaney and her Mystery school,
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| occult components for simplicity sake,
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| | Astara, for most of our occult
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| may be called the soul, however, for the
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| | information concerning the mysteries of
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| metaphysical student, a deeper
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| | death. Information derived from her
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| understanding of the constitution of the
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| | writings would greatly enhance the
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| soul must be acquired. The relationship
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| | structure and support of our main
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| and interaction between the immaterial
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| | themes.Of all religions, Tibetan Buddhism
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| aspect of man and the physical body must
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| | seems to be the richest source of
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| be known. How the spiritual components
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| | information concerning the death process.
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| dissociate themselves from the physical
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| | It possesses a unique conception
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| body through the process of transition
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| | regarding transition. It is for this
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| should be understood. It is the very
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| | reason that we will consider it
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| presence of man's invisible forms and
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| | separately, apart from the general view
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| forces within the physical being that
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| | of religion, giving it a category of its
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| maintains the integrity and coherence of
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| | own. From the religious viewpoint, we
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| the particles forming the physical body.
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| | have, therefore, chosen to treat the
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| The absence of the magnetism, the
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| | subject of the process of death in a
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| electrical-force, and the energy-fields
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| | detailed manner from the Lamaistic
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| of the subtle bodies causes the
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| | perspective. The esoteric science of
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| dissolution of the physical
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| | death, it should be known, is one of the
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| form.Psychologically, during the
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| | secret traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
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| separation of the material and immaterial
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| | Our main source of information on Tibetan
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| bodies, certain visions arise in the
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| | thanatology and eschatology, is derived
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| psyche. The nature of these visions are
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| | from the "Bardo Thodol," or "The Tibetan
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| dependent upon the degree of man's inner
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| | Book of the Dead"--as translated and
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| purity. According to Tibetan Buddhists,
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| | edited by Evans-Wentz and his Tibetan
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| how man responds or reacts to these
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| | colleague. We will also be appropriating
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| visions determines the place of his abode
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| | the teachings and commentaries of various
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| in the higher realms. Man's moral
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| | Lamas to supplement and give form to our
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| character is the deciding factor of his
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| | main themes. Tibetans consider dying to
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| place in the universal scheme. The fear
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| | be an art, just as the spiritual teachers
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| of death and dying hampers the smooth
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| | of the Middle Ages did, calling it "ars
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| transition into the higher worlds.
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| | moriendi." To the Tibetan Buddhists, the
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| Attachment to the world and earthly
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| | training of dying commences in the
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| possessions causes an unnecessary
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| | meditative life. This is the preparation
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| prolonged struggle in the death process,
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| | of the awareness-principle for the bardos
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| and this delays soul release. Suffering
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| | that it will undergo or the possible
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| and pain are expressions of this
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| | attainment of the "Clear Light" resulting
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| struggle. Man should learn to be detached
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| | in enlightenment. Aside from considering
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| from all mundane affairs and
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| | the role that the bardos play in the
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| relationships during transition and think
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| | death process, we will, therefore, also
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| about spiritual matters--not because of
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| | comment in passing of this mystical art,
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| the unimportance of the former, but
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| | of the preparation required for
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| because occupying the mind at the time of
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| | liberation in the bardo.Although there
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| transition with spiritual aspirations and
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| | have been many modern, scientific
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| hope assists the soul-consciousness to
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| | researchers delving into the mysteries of
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| release itself from some of the harsh
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| | death such as Raymond Moody and Elizabeth
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| phenomena experienced in the bardo.
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| | Kubler-Ross, our principal sources of
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| Passing over into a new realm is like
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| | information will be derived from the
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| being born into the physical world. The
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| | works of Michael Newton, Ian Currie, and
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| process is somewhat similar, and this is
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| | Filipo Liverziani as representative of
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| in accord with the law of correspondence
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| | the modern scientific approach.
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| and the Hermetic axiom, "as above, so
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| | Investigations into psychic phenomena
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| below." When one is born into this
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| | began way back in the last century when
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| physical world one goes through the birth
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| | mediumistic activities began to flourish.
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| canal; during transition one experiences
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| | Although many mediums and their displays
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| a "tunnel-like" effect, a wormhole.
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| | of phenomena were found to be deceptions,
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| During birth we are greeted by smiling
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| | a small percentage of occurrences were
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| relatives, likewise, the birth into a
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| | enough to convince psychic investigators
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| higher world surrounds us with people
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| | of the survival of the
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| whom we love and who loves us.Passing
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| | personal-consciousness and in the reality
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| over is no panacea for the suffering soul
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| | of man's inherent psychic powers.
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| who resorts to suicide to end its earth
| |
| | Notwithstanding the findings of past
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| life. Suicide does not solve our
| |
| | investigators, however, we will,
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| emotional and mental problems, for
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| | concentrate more fully on the research
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| wherever we may be, we take along with us
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| | discoveries of the writers mentioned
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| our inner world, our thoughts and
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| | above, as they offer the appropriate
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| feelings. Our outer world reflects our
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| | support for our main themes.
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| inner mental and emotional state.
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| |
|
