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Spirit helpers at the time of death, and natural transitions to the next world.
For the most part in this series we have looked
at the sudden violent deaths of accident victims and
of those killed in war, or those unable to find their
way out of darkness because of a life of crime,
selfish indulgence or mental illness. These people
couldn’t find their guides or loved ones and needed
rest and recuperation or rescue by the special helpers
working from our side in our circles or alone, or from
helpers on the other side.
To put this picture of life after death back in
balance, here are a few descriptions of the normal,
positive type of experience most of us will have when
passing. The spirits communicating in the following
accounts either described their passing to their loved
ones at a private sitting or to the audience or
congregation at a platform demonstration by the
medium, and we thank all those concerned for making
these accounts public, so that we can learn some more
and compare their accounts with those we may have
received from our own loved ones. [R.R.]
The following account comes from a man who died
at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. He had
believed in God, but had no idea of the next world.
‘I did not know if everything finished with death,
or whether there existed something else. I did not
ponder the question, but merely lived my life normally
until I died. For some time I was ill. Then, when the
end was approaching, I was too weak, I could no longer
eat. I could no longer speak, I was too tired. I
was able to hear the people near my bed talking as
though from a distance, but I could no longer pay any
attention to them. I saw quite different things.
But I could not make out whether I saw them in a
dream, or in reality. For in the distance I saw my
(deceased) parents coming to meet me. They were
accompanied by a few other relatives, who had entered
the spirit world before me. They stopped, however, a
little way from me, and made signs to me. I saw them
quite distinctly, but I was too weak to utter a sound.
At the same time I heard the whispers of my (living)
relatives who were standing near my bed, and so I was
unable to give my full attention to either of the two
groups.
I later experienced a presence hovering over my
bed and busying itself with me, but I did not know
what was to happen to me. The spirit being hovered
above me, stroking my head with its hands and stroking
my bedcover back and forth. I would have liked to
grasp its hands, but I lacked the strength. Then,
once more a blankness came over me.
But now my parents drew close to me, and I saw
them standing before me quite distinctly, while the
spirit being still hovered above me. Soon I saw a
second being, which also busied itself with me. The
two of them stroked me with their hands for a long
time, until at last I was able to touch them with my
(spirit) hands, and as far as I could understand it,
had divided myself in two. They immediately drew my
attention to this. “Now you have died. There lies
your mortal body. Look at it!”
At that moment I heard the people around my bed
say” “Now he is dead.” I floated here and there in
the room for a short while before being drawn away by
the two spirit beings. I could no longer see my
parents: they had disappeared. I had a feeling of
numbness. I could not be sure where I was. I was
carried away from the room where I had died as though
by a gust of wind, and suddenly I found myself in a
new world. Someone said to me: “This is the Beyond
which all must enter.” And the two spirit beings who
had helped me to withdraw from my mortal body took
leave of me, and said: “Our task with you has now been
fulfilled.”
I did not know them but I nodded to them. All at
once my father and mother were standing before me,
stretching out their hands to me. Other figures also
came up to me, and my parents were quickly taken away
again. So I found myself a complete stranger in new
surroundings. On the one hand I felt tired, and on
the other I was eager to get to know this new world,
the Beyond! After all, life does go on after death!
Thoughts were running like lightning through my
head. I remembered my childhood, my lessons in
religion. My mother had told me about the angels in
Heaven. Later, I had dismissed such stories as fairy
tales for children. But now I was experiencing that
in this world, those spirit beings we called ‘angels’
truly existed, and that some of them were occupying
themselves with me.
They led me towards a mansion (in the spirit
world). I glanced quickly around, and to my
astonishment found that many things were similar to
those on earth. I hardly believed this possible, for
if I had any idea at all of Heaven or the other world,
it was entirely different from this. I realized that
here, too, one had a body and could move around. One
could walk, talk, communicate with others. I wanted
to ask many questions, but I was now too tired. I was
immediately led to the spirit mansion, and assigned a
resting place there. I could lie down and rest; I
could sleep and remain there without being disturbed,
as long as I still felt tired. Later, someone would
come and look after me. Certainly, all was real with
me. I still thought that this must all be a dream. I
simply could not yet believe it was real. But then
the feeling of tiredness took hold of me, and I fell
asleep.’
And so he began his new life on the other side.
Accounts are plentiful describing life on the
various planes and levels, once a spirit awakens from
the first sleep after death. Books by Andrew Jackson
Davis, Vale Owen, Robert James Lees, Albert
Pauchard, Drayton Thomas and Anthony Borgia are some
of the classics that can be read for further details
and comparison. Accounts of Near Death Experiences
are also plentiful, describing the early stages of the
natural process of passing. Having gone through an
NDE myself, and astral traveling, I know that none of
this is fanciful fiction or mere brain hallucination
or drug induced confabulation. Skeptics, save your
breath! It is Grim Reapers and Demons that are pure
fantasy, unless you get into black magic and create a
malevolent tulpa. [Richard R.]
Now here is an account of a lady passing perhaps fifty
years ago.
‘I did not know that I was about to die. I was
no longer able to speak, but could see and recognize
all the people present. I was also able to hear
everything that was spoken in the sickroom, and I
could see many more things than before. I saw the
room in which I was lying, and beyond that I could see
the whole house. It seemed as if there were no walls
in this house. I saw what was happening in the
kitchen. I saw what was happening in the next room,
and I heard what was being said there. Naturally I
found it strange that people were already talking
about my funeral. I couldn’t say anything, but I
would love to have done so.
Then I saw other beings, who were strangers to
me; they seemed to come from a quite different world.
And I heard them talk to one another. And they spoke
about my passing; one of them was even able to
indicate the exact time when this would happen. I
understood everything, but could only wonder, for I
was unable to communicate either with them or with my
relatives; there was a clock in the room which I
could see without having to sit up in bed. So I knew
the exact time, and could work out for myself how long
I had left.
After a while a veil seemed to cover my eyes, and
then the strange beings again approached me. I looked
at the clock. But so far as I could see, there were
still about three hours left. At times I was able to
see and hear my relatives, and I felt quite angry
about their conversation. But that did not help me at
all, since I had no strength to defend myself against
them. One of the beings had said: “Next time we will
come even closer”, and this is exactly what happened:
they came closer at each appearance, and now they were
holding my hands. They stood on either side of my
bed, and one of them was touching my forehead with his
hands. I secretly hoped that this would make me well,
for I did not want to admit that I was about to die,
although in fact it should have been obvious to me.
For these beings around me had come from another
world; they were not human (that is, live human
beings) though they had something of a human look
about them.
I had a feeling of relief as they were holding my
hands like this, while someone else was touching my
forehead with his hands. Then other beings around me
were moving their hands to and from over my body. And
while I was watching this procedure I felt lighter and
lighter, and suddenly found myself standing next to
the beings while at the same time seeing myself lying
in bed. I was really very tired, and the whole
experience had made a great impression on me. All at
once, one of the beings pointed to the clock and said
to me: “Didn’t we tell you the truth? It is exactly
the right time. We have helped you to separate from
your body, we have released you from it and we have
made it easier for you to leave your earthly life.”
They now wanted to lead me away from the room;
they told me that they would like to hurry away from
it and to speak with me later. I ought no longer to
pay attention to the things my relatives were saying
about me, about my estate, my funeral and other such
matters. They fled with me from the house, and so
quickly that I could not see what was happening to
right or left. Suddenly, I was standing in a world
entirely strange to me, in front of a house which they
wanted me to enter with them. But first they said to
me: “This is the house in which you will now live.
Everything else lies behind you. We wish to enter and
assess your harvest.”
What did they mean by my ‘harvest’? I began to
think about it. I was astonished by what I noticed
around me. The world I had just entered was similar
to the one I had left behind, and yet I felt I was in
an entirely different place. As I stood looking
around in bewilderment, I suddenly saw my deceased
parents. They came up to me, having been waiting for
me in the house. Not only my parents were there I
also met other deceased relatives and friends, who had
come to welcome me and wish me luck. My mother then
said to me quietly: “First there will be a discussion
about your harvest; we shall see each other again
later on.” But I begged my mother: “Please stay with
me, don’t go away. I’m afraid!” And I pleaded with
my father, too: “Please stay with me. You can both
help me. I’m afraid.”
At that moment I heard a strange being say to me:
“You are afraid? Why, and of whom are you afraid?” I
replied that I was afraid simply because everything
was so unfamiliar here. At that point another
completely unknown spirit raised his voice: ”Come now,
let us talk about the harvest you have brought with
you!”
Vainly I racked my brains to know what they could
mean. Could it be that they wanted to talk about my
life on earth? Is that what they meant by “harvest”?
They appeared to be able to read my thoughts, for one
of them said: “That is, indeed, what we want to
discuss with you.”
I was filled with awe by the sight of these
wonderful beings. They were dressed in brilliant
colors, and they wore magnificent ornaments, which
seemed to be somehow woven into or imprinted on their
garments. I could not be more precise than this.
Their heads and arms were adorned with costly
circlets, set with precious gems. Their whole
appearance filled me with awe, they looked so noble
and distinguished.
I took it that they possessed some kind of
authority in this other world. I immediately thought
of the earthly possessions I had left behind. Then I
looked at myself, but the sight was not very
gratifying. I was dressed in a grayish garment which
enveloped me closely from the neck to the floor. I
could not tell what kind of garment it was. I was
aware of my body and my hands, and I wondered whether
I could possibly improve my appearance. I wanted a
different garment, for I did not like this one.
Then someone spoke sharply to me, and my anxiety
grew increasingly greater. “What have you brought
back with you?” he demanded, quite harshly. I did not
know how to answer. What had I brought back?
Nothing, not even a decent dress. I really did not
know what they meant, and I answered: “I’ve had to
leave my possessions behind.” “We are not talking
about perishable things,” they retorted. “Everything
you have let behind is transitory, and holds no
interest for us. We are only interested in what is
imperishable. Have you performed any good works?
That is the harvest we should like to discuss with
you.”
I did not know whether I had done anything of
lasting value. They became more and more insistent in
asking what I had brought back with me. I did not
know how to answer their questions. Then this
wonderful being stood beside me. At last I was being
helped. Someone was there to defend me. I suddenly
felt secure in the presence of this newcomer.
This beautiful spirit now began to talk about my
past life. He spoke about my faults and about my good
deeds and virtues, and it seemed as though he wanted
to talk less about the former than the latter. I soon
realized that I had gained an advocate. Now and then
someone raised an objection. But the spirit continued
to talk, and seemed to be gaining the upper hand. The
others who had plagued me with questions about my
harvest became more kindly disposed, and looked at me
with more sympathy. This surprised me and filled me
with joy. Gradually all fear left me, and no further
questions were raised. At the end they spoke only
with my advocate about myself, and my life. This led
to quite a discussion.
They appeared to reach an agreement about my
future, but I could no longer follow their words. I
did not, after all, understand anything as yet about
the law and order of the world of spirit. Everything
I heard was strange to me; they talked about
reparation, reincarnation, karma, purgation and other
such matters. I would not in any case have been able
to reply, and so my advocate had to speak for me.
Finally the others left us and I remained alone
with my advocate. I knelt down before him and kissed
his hands, thanking him for his help. This divine
being stood before me full of love, strengthening,
encouraging and consoling me, saying: “It is true,
you have made many mistakes in your life, and your
harvest is not especially good. You will have to
atone for many things.” He warned me to be truly
obedient in future. I was to be granted a certain
period of adjustment, during which I would be able to
rest and sleep, and also to have a look at my new
surroundings. Furthermore, I would be able to make
contact with spirit brothers and sisters in my
neighborhood, with whom I would be living from now on.
He also mentioned another possibility: if I had a
great longing to return to my house on earth I could
do so, though it would not be at all advisable, for by
returning to the scene of one’s earthly life, one
would merely delay one’s ascent. He had now done what
he, as my angel advocate, was permitted to do. Every
newcomer is given such a helper, unless his earthly
life has been too incriminating.
I had been lucky to have this angel advocate, and
I was naturally very interested in getting to know
this new world. My advocate took his leave, promising
to visit me from time to time. I now knew for certain
that I had indeed passed on, and that I was living in
quite a different world. I had left my mortal body
behind in the material world. Strictly speaking, I
was less interested in the new world than in what my
relatives on earth had been doing after my death. I
thought to myself, “if, as I’ve been told, I am given
the opportunity of going back to their world, then
I’ll take advantage of it. I shall have plenty of
time later to spend in this new world.” I could not
resist my longing, and so I followed my impulse.’
[to be continued]
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