I think I get what you're saying, and I was pondering if I should interfere with your blissfulness, with my beliefs. I know I can't create your reality, as you can't create mine.

One thought that crossed my mind early in my journey of discovery was: I can believe there's something after death, and behave accordingly, or I can believe there's nothing, and behave accordingly. If I chose that there is something, but there isn't, there won't be any surprise, because I won't be there to be surprised. But, if I chose that there isn't, but there is, then I'll have a big surprise, and behaving as I'm not accountable, may give me an unpleasant surprise.

Just from the point of hedging my bets, the choice that there is something after death, and behaving accordingly, seems the best choice.

Now, if there is something, I should better find out what I can do now in order to avoid the unpleasant surprise that I wasted my life not doing what I should had to, that I wasted a great opportunity.

From there, I started my journey of discovery. At the time I had no idea where that will carry me to.

One tricky thing, about each one of us creating our own reality, is that we perceive only what our thoughts and beliefs create, so each one of us gets more and more confirmation, even when we're wrong; and most of us are.

An out of body experience and everything that goes with it is probably going to be very similar to what happens after the death of the body. This can be quite scary for first-timers, but then this natural instinct kicks in and it becomes quite pleasant -if a little shocking, and that's probably because we have just become so attached and attuned to the physical 3d world.

But what happens beyond that may (I feel) be a little different to an Astral experience. Certain factors might be the same or similar, but I have a feeling it won't be quite the same as going out on the Astral while still alive in the body.

Oh wow inavalan, what a beautiful and thoughtful post.

You really are so very kind, and I promise you are not interfering with my connection to the Universe or who I am at my very core. Where I hope you have found me to be mindful and respectful of your inner understanding too. If anything I really do welcome your views and how you see yourself, as it is truly so wonderful for me to hear.

Like you I have also considered the afterlife along my journey of self discovery and ‘my search for the truth’. I therefore completely take your point about either contemplating the view of ‘nothingness’, possible similar to my own, or that our consciousness continues to exit in some way.

From initially wanting to believe in conscious existence after death, I came to feel that nothing is hidden from us and is simply a matter of perspective. Where rather then us being a soul trapped in a body, each of us is the soul of the universe having our own individual experience. So rather than us being isolated from it, we are each our own ‘Universal Center’ that allows the Universe to extend into us as we extend into it. So all our senses are a bridge that flows both ways.

Therefore, when we die, we as the Universe are reborn through everyone and everything. Where the Universe continues to experience itself completely anew from that perspective for the first time, every time, without any preconceptions or prejudices. I honestly find that truly magical in every way. As not only am I having my own beautiful experience, I am the grass in the fields, the water in the blue mountain lake, the bird singing in the tree, the stars in the sky. I am everyone and everything. I am the Universe, with my sensitivity extending all around. From my view this is so breathtaking, like the whole of Creation.

As I see this appling to us all, everyone therefore has Free Will and is equal in every way. Where we each have complete freedom to see what resonates or not. I’ll therefore always have complete acceptance of everyone’s views and also learn where they may differ to my own.

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful views, and for allowing me to share mine :smile: