"Their essence is within you"
 

Someone recently said that in a spiritual context that my mother (who recently died) is within me, and it left me feeling a bit sad. I understand that each of us can internalise a loved one and obviously we are all made from the genes of parents, ancestors etc, but I've always felt that when someone dies, they go to spirit. How, then, can their essence be within?

I'd be interested in any thoughts on this.

Hi.

First time I encounter this thought.

I believe we are first awareness and this awareness with death gets purified..... if that idea is of help.

I sometimes see members of my family in my dreams, and they play a role according to who they were..

But being within you..... hmm.

i think what it may mean, well, you may have heard about energies in and around the body? Various traditions deal with them in various ways...

each person having kind of a signature as to how it is layede out for them, which is a part of their beingness, their essence?

So I think when you spend a lot of time with someone their energies comingle with your energies, kinda like two liquids mixing together?

So in that theory you would naturally have some remnants of her energies (and possibly very strong remnants if your relationship was close) so that is how her essence could be within you... even though maybe she herself has moved on to a different place??

In some ways it might form part of your own memories, in others it might help guide you at times. Just as if she were there...

Well just a thought....

Nikos - I also have dreams about people, whether in this life or not, and they play some sort of role. I didn't think about the connection but that is a very good point. And yes, awareness getting purified...so I guess it could literally be anywhere, or in multiple places?

FallingLeaves - Yes everything is energy and everyone has an energy signature. I understand from that perspective that part of her energy signature and mine might have joined which would explain her essence.

Really interesting thoughts to ponder!

Hi again,

I just suppose the awareness after the purification gets lifted away off the earth plane.

It's a challenging thought for one being alive, but I don't think awareness could be everywhere,

I think it 'exists' where it belongs. ....Being something different than when it was compressed in a human body..

Now, these ideas are challenging me for instance as well, moon being traversing my 8th house.. :smile:

Hope they make sense though......

~ Regards

Maybe it would help if you asked him……..”just what exactly do you mean by essence”. Then you can make a better judgement on how you feel about this.

I would explain it like this.
They do go to spirit, but the essence of who they were is always within you if you had a close loving relationship.

For me personally, it is important to let go, as soon as possible from those who cross over, so they can continue on their path, and are not bound to this reality, in any way. Letting go takes me only a few minutes.

Nikos - I suppose it's difficult for us using our minds to make any sort of sense of it, but you do a good job!

Redchic - it was a she. I'm not sure why but I didn't think of asking her as it was intended as a supportive comment, but maybe I will.

Angelblue - That's a lovely way of looking at it. Our relationship was actually a bit complicated due to her mental health (and to some extent mine) but much better in recent years.

Rah nam - I'm curious as to how it comes across that I haven't let go? Is it because I'm feeling sad about where my mum has gone? Because I feel that in many ways I HAVE let go of the fact she has died. I don't sit around crying. I'm at peace with her passing. But it does bring up questions for me about the afterlife because my mum was such a strong presence in my life. It's great if you can let go within minutes of a death, but I strongly suspect that isn't the case for most people!

I understand, letting go is a very difficult lesson, and is a prerequisite for compassion.