Death is NOT the end

There are many beliefs that people hold about death. Some believe that you are judged for your actions on Earth and sent either to eternal paradise or damnation. Others think that upon death, your awareness simply transfers to another version of yourself that is still alive (look into quantum immortality if this piques your interest). Still, others believe that when you die, your awareness dies with it. Nothing. Not even darkness, as your consciousness would no longer exist to perceive it. Just try to imagine that; it's impossible, isn't it? How can we imagine nothing? Just the end of awareness?

Cultural Perspectives on Death

Throughout history, many cultures and civilisations have had different ideas about death. The Ancient Egyptians famously believed that when you died, your soul split into two: the "Ba" (personality/spirit) and "Ka" (life force). They believed that upon death, your soul embarked on a dangerous journey through the underworld ("Duat"), filled with monsters and other nasty things, before facing a moral judgement. Here, the god Osiris and 42 divine judges weighed your heart on a scale against a feather (called "Ma'at"). If your heart was balanced and without sin, you would be allowed into the Field of Reeds ("Aaru"). If it was heavy with sin, however, it would be eaten by Ammit, causing the permanent annihilation of the soul. If you're interested in reading more about what the ancients believed about death, stay tuned; there will be a blog post on that later down the line.

Modern Beliefs About Death

Of course, most people do not hold these beliefs anymore. Most modern individuals believe in concepts like heaven and hell, quantum immortality, the cessation of consciousness, or reincarnation. This blog post will focus on the concept of reincarnation and introduce the idea that maybe, just maybe, death is not the end of human existence. It is merely the final stage of one of many incarnations.

Understanding Reincarnation

Reincarnation is the concept that each person (or, more accurately, the soul experiencing life through that person) has had many previous lives (incarnations) and will have many more. For those who believe in reincarnation, death is not the end of consciousness or even life, but the end of one phase of existence. What comes after is debated, although near-death experiences offer a glimpse—more on that in another blog post. What all those who believe in reincarnation agree on is that after the phase between lives is completed, another life begins.

The common consensus—and my own personal belief—is that the soul chooses what it wishes to experience in its next life. This choice allows the soul to learn and grow, expanding its experiences on our current plane of existence. They may not necessarily choose the specifics of their life, but the broad strokes of it. The details can work themselves out later.

The Cycle of Reincarnation

Does this mean that reincarnation is just an endless cycle? Or is this all going somewhere? As with all things death, no one truly knows, and there is only one way to find out. However, there are some ideas. Eastern religions such as Buddhism believe that the soul keeps going through incarnations influenced by karma before eventually reaching Nirvana. Nirvana is where Buddhists believe the cycle of reincarnation ends.

Hinduism holds similar beliefs, with the soul undergoing various incarnations as people, animals, and divine beings, all dictated by karma. In Hinduism, this cycle is continuous until someone reaches Moksha. Like Nirvana, this is the end of the reincarnation cycle for Hindus.

Those who follow New Age traditions may disagree and instead argue that the cycle of reincarnation continues until the individual (or collective) reaches a higher vibration or state of being. At this point, reincarnation may end or continue on a more aware basis, with the veil of forgetfulness being lifted, allowing people to remember their past lives. It is important to note here that these beliefs may vary between individuals (New Age is a very large umbrella, after all), so please don't come for me in the comments.

Exploring Your Past Lives

In short, there are many different beliefs even within the sphere of reincarnation. Some believe there is an end, whereas others think it is an eternal cycle of death and rebirth—a type of celestial recycling centre, if you will. One way of finding out, however, is by undergoing past-life regression hypnotherapy. You might even discover a between-life memory! If you are curious, feel free to book a session with me here, on my website.

Let me know what you think about death and reincarnation in the comments below.

Go with love.

Samantha.