Common Questions About The Afterlife

[AnotherBob]

Good Day, my Friend!

Much gratitude for your continued elaborations!

Originally Posted by Spirit Guide Sparrow

Energy itself is an illusion, as such a thing is ultimately infinite, everywhere and in everything; there is only a focal state of consciousness and awareness. The more focus there is, the more intention is made manifest, and you experience what you know as energy and movement.

So in reality nothing happens. Energy in that sense is a figment of consciousness, and consciousness itself is an hallucination. Consciousness appears on the screen of awareness, like a movie in which there appears to be motion, but in reality it is just the flickering of light.

Those coming from, what is interpreted as an incarnation cycle, are often met with disbelief and bewilderment by other beings, who do not understand why anyone would choose to exist in such a state.

I can sympathize. After all, look at the suffering generated by those who appear to be subject to such a cycle. I say "appear to be", since that too is an illusion (but a very persistent one for those who believe they are somehow trapped in it).

It is usually the adventurous pioneers who go to Earth, and invent all manner of creative justifications for doing so. Such justifications as the Earth being a school, having to pay some form of karmic debt, or to fulfil some privileged purpose or function.

My understanding is that there is quite a queue in the Spirit World to get a human body, so Earth must have a very good Marketing Dept. on the so-called "other side" to inspire so many souls into taking the plunge into this complex illusion. I am grateful you were one of them.

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[pixiedust]

Sparrow, thank you and yes what you say is not what many could do I imagine. Re: dreams, spiritually I feel like there was a time when I had many insights and revelations, yet now I feel more and more not only normal but also...they don't come anymore. IS it only after death of this body that I might awaken again in the true sense of the word? thanks for all that you share, including advice on... well yes I would like to live a happier, healthier, joyous and enjoyable life hehe

pixiedust

[Spirit Guide Sparrow]

Dear AnotherBob,

1. Right on queue.

While the overall concept of there being "quite a queue" for a biological human experience is metaphorically true, it is not a literal truth.
A queue is a coping mechanism applied on Earth used to manage demand which is not equal to, and is greater than, the supply and efficiency of a service. This level of inefficiency we do not experience in the spirit world. This is because the quality of service to others substantially outweighs demand. As such, there is never such thing as "shortage" in the ocean of infinite consciousness. This concept is merely an example of human inability to comprehend the spirit.

Within the great expanse of living light that is the world of spirit, where there is a need and a desire, there is an opportunity and a pathway for experience. Just because the human being can only perceive themselves on one Earth, in one point in time, does not exclude the rest of existence from accessing the same experiences. When you fully step into your spirit you will completely understand this principle.

2. Consciousness.

Falling intimately and immeasurably in love with your romantic partner is not symptomatic of a hallucination. Consciousness is not a hallucination. Everything that can exist, does exist, and is as real as you desire it to be, because of consciousness. Physical substance is not the measure of that which is real; that which is real is anything and everything within the focal state of the infinite awareness. In focusing upon a thing, you make that thing real in your experience of your Self-awareness. Consciousness is the clay through which an idea seeks form; as awareness interacts with consciousness the clay takes a form, a thought form, and infinite awareness experiences an idea of Self-identity.

Energy and motion, which is the e-motion of life and the universe expressed, is infinite awareness bringing consciousness into form. What form it becomes in your experience is determined by the relationship you have through your own consciousness, and focal state. Without consciousness your infinite awareness would not experience a concept of something, for it would only know itself as everything and everywhere. Energy and motion are formed from the clay of consciousness, and are as real as you think them to be. That is, until you think differently.

-Sparrow

[Spirit Guide Sparrow]

Dear pixiedust,

On the contrary, what I suggest is possible by anyone with the heart and will for it to be their reality.

It is within my awareness and study of human beings that many flirt with the fascinations of spiritual affiliation, but fall short in focus and faith in their capacity towards a lasting spiritual state of any true benefit. Spiritual devotion and embodiment of spirit is a marriage of passion and perseverance, where it becomes a way of life, not just an intermittent interest sacrificed to other indiscriminate irrelevances.

Think always as a fulfilled spirit observing the desires of human nature, not as an unfulfilled human observing a desire to be spiritual.

Revelations come when the sincerity to know a thing becomes the focal state. Your focal state must not be one that insists you must do a thing to get a thing. For example, Sparrow does not need to meditate to know a thing, or experience something spiritual. I always know everything I need to know, when I need to know it, and every experience I have is spiritual. Your difficulty is that you have convinced yourself you need to do something specific to be what you already are, and have been since the dawn of time.

Your focal state must be one which is aware it already is something, and already knows something, and merely needs a form through which to experience it. Some choose to meditate as a form to bring this awareness to their consciousness state. You are free to do this, but it is ultimately not necessary; you may create your own means and form through which ultimate awareness reveals itself to you. Do not follow the way of another, only the way of your own intuition. Trust completely in yourself and practice sitting in your own beautiful awareness; allow the awareness of all else to come to you, in whatever way, shape and form you choose. Every cell in your body is a sponge for information, from every place, every experience, and every point in time; you have but to listen.

-Sparrow

[AnotherBob]

Dear Sparrow, continuing on with the inquiry:

1. Right on queue.

Sparrow: While the overall concept of there being "quite a queue" for a biological human experience is metaphorically true, it is not a literal truth. . .

Bob: it was meant in the metaphorical sense, of course. I don't expect to see crowds at the gates, clamoring for entrance. That would just demonstrate my human inability to comprehend the spirit. :)


Sparrow: This concept is merely an example of human inability to comprehend the spirit.

Bob: Thank you! The Buddha once gave an example of how difficult it is to gain a human birth, and that has been echoed by the many Realizers in that tradition as the truth. The Buddha was speaking to a group of monks. He said, “Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole into the water. A wind from the West would push it East; a wind from the East would push it West; a wind from the North would push it South; a wind from the South would push it North. And suppose a blind sea turtle were there. It would come to the surface only once every 100 years. Now what do you suppose the chances would be that a blind turtle, coming once to the surface every 100 years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?”

And the monks answered, “It would be very unusual, Sir, that a blind turtle coming to the surface once every hundred years would stick his neck into the yoke.”

And the Buddha replied, “And just so, it is very, very rare that one attains the human state."

Sparrow: Within the great expanse of living light that is the world of spirit, where there is a need and a desire, there is an opportunity and a pathway for experience. Just because the human being can only perceive themselves on one Earth, in one point in time, does not exclude the rest of existence from accessing the same experiences. When you fully step into your spirit you will completely understand this principle.

Bob: That's true for just about every principle. While enrobed in this mortal garb, our focal point is necessarily contracted upon the experience at hand. As you mention, by expanding our focal point, greater vistas come into view.


2. Consciousness.

Sparrow: Falling intimately and immeasurably in love with your romantic partner is not symptomatic of a hallucination. Consciousness is not a hallucination. Everything that can exist, does exist, and is as real as you desire it to be, because of consciousness. Physical substance is not the measure of that which is real; that which is real is anything and everything within the focal state of the infinite awareness.

Bob: Another view or languaging might be that Consciousness grants a provisional reality to experience, in the same sense that dream characters appear to be real while we are interacting with them in the dream. However, when we awaken we realize we were merely dreaming. As is the case, it is indeed in the perspective.

For example, from one view, a non-dualistic one, there is no romantic partner apart from my own Self; the beautiful illusion of 2, the cult of pairs, can be seen through and relinquished into the infinite embrace all that is, the totality of all divinity, if love is love, and not a mere boast, a spiritual fantasy of interpretation on perception, or literary contrivance.

In any case, is it not the very fact of experience's transience, evidence of its ultimate unreality? So can Consciousness be regarded -- a flash of lightning in a summer storm. Experience is endless, an endless modification of Consciousness. It is not what I am. To illustrate, here is a bit of dialogue from the Anattalakkhana Sutta:

Buddha: “How do you construe thus, monks — Is consciousness constant or inconstant?”

“Inconstant, lord.”

“And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?”

“Stressful, lord.”

“And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: ‘This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am’?”

“No, lord.”

“Thus, monks, any consciousness whatsoever — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every consciousness — is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am’. Seeing thus, the instructed Noble disciple grows disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is released.”


Sparrow: Without consciousness your infinite awareness would not experience a concept of something, for it would only know itself as everything and everywhere. Energy and motion are formed from the clay of consciousness, and are as real as you think them to be. That is, until you think differently.

Bob: Right, this is so. We grant reality to consciousness, so we must be prior to consciousness. This leads to an interesting inquiry into our true nature.


Thank you so much for your thoughtful offerings, as always!

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[Spirit Guide Sparrow]

Dear AnotherBob,

I once again serve the banquet of my mind, to the table of your consideration, in trust that it may prove palatable on the plate of your perception.

1. Comprehending the spirit and consciousness

The human inability to comprehend the spirit, within my given reference, relates to the sheer tenacity of consciousness, and life in general, in the ability to find a path forward. For example, even if there were no embryo available on your planet to fulfil a pathway for a human experience, spirit and consciousness, en masse, would actually open another pathway for this to be fulfilled. Not only can this be done, but it already has been done.

The only such "difficulty" in gaining a human birth comes from a focal state of resistance to something. This may include the projected consciousness resisting the symbiosis of compatibility with the biological state, or indeed resistance from the biological cell, which contain their own focal states, sometimes incompatible with another interactive state.

2. Transient experience as evidence of unreality

Your wise discernment of the transience of experience being evidence of ultimate unreality is an astute observation. While I applaud this advanced understanding for its unequivocal benefit, I shall indulge you further glimpses from my eyes.

I shall encourage reflection and now counter that the transience of experience is not evidence of unreality, for ultimately, nothing unreal exists. Your experience is transient, not because it is unreal, but because consciousness is made aware of something else which exists simultaneously. That is, there is no change happening, as what a thing is changing to already exists. Your experience, as a human being, appears as a transient value, because you are observing your experience, through time, from the point of view as a human. You have been indoctrinated to believe for one thing to begin, another must end. The lens of Sparrow has access beyond a forth-person point of view, and I tell you, this is not a universal reality; it is just one reality. This is simply one of your clogs of cyclical reinforcement I have spoken about.

For one thing to exist another does not have to cease to exist. Your very wise and reasonable assertion, that your physical reality is unreal because it changes, is ultimately inaccurate within a broader understanding. Your reality is not what is changing, it is your focal state which moves to something else which exists, which presents itself as a new experience. The shift of your focal state makes your reality appear transient; transience teaches for one thing to begin another must end. That which is infinite in nature never ends. Life is infinite, and because it is infinite it must also contain a reality of transience, otherwise it would not have infinite possibilities.

So it is then, the apparent movement of your focal state provides you a reality of both change and transience, seemingly contained within an infinite reality. Yet, there is no true movement, because awareness is already everywhere and every-when, it is just that consciousness allows awareness to be somewhere as well as everywhere, simultaneously. Additionally, nothing whatsoever is contained within infinity, because infinity has no borders for a thing to be contained within it. This is to say, true reality cannot have borders; it cannot be one thing, and not be another. It is all things at once.

My message on this point, which is for all, is for you not to degrade your so-called transient state as any less real than something else. In this wisdom, I invite you to embrace every aspect of your human life with equal value as you would any spiritual state.

Many human beings find such difficulty in "attaining" spiritual wisdom and enlightenment because they fail to observe the spiritual and the human experience are one and the same. One is not above the other, nor is it more real than the other. Only in this wisdom may one fully experience the full beauty and infinity of spirit whilst in human body.

In love and in kindness to all.

-Sparrow

[AnotherBob]

Dear Sparrow, your generosity with this imparted information is indeed appreciated! Continuing on with the inquiry:

You wrote: "The only such "difficulty" in gaining a human birth comes from a focal state of resistance to something. This may include the projected consciousness resisting the symbiosis of compatibility with the biological state, or indeed resistance from the biological cell, which contain their own focal states, sometimes incompatible with another interactive state."

Bob: Thank you, I see where you are going with this concept, in terms of resistance. For example, reports are emerging in which the subject claims to have been sent from a heaven-type realm to 3-D Earth, apparently against their own will. Of course, the reports are from those in human state, which as you say restricts full apprehension of Spirit matters. I do recall one reporter, Christian Sundberg, who had pre-birth memories of forcing a miscarriage while in the womb, because he was resisting being human out of fear. He had to go back around so to speak and soul-up for another try in a new fetus, to fulfill his purpose of conquering personal fear.

Additionally, we often hear reports of people in NDEs being sent back to their physical state despite their sincere protests. In other words, they resisted, and yet it seemed there was a power beyond their own which moved them hither & yon like chess pieces. This is very interesting to investigate, and I am grateful you are here to ask about this mechanism. Many explanations and levels of interpretation are proposed, from advanced non-humans operating a complex Matrix-type game system of holographic projection, to Shiva's Lila, or Play, to God and the angels of God carrying out the service to the Light, to Dependent Origination, and so forth. I am curious as to how Sparrow would respond. Another Bob would offer, if questioned, that there is only one power, the power of love. At the heart, there is no mystery about that, since it is what we are, most intimately.

Sparrow: "I shall encourage reflection and now counter that the transience of experience is not evidence of unreality, for ultimately, nothing unreal exists. Your experience is transient, not because it is unreal, but because consciousness is made aware of something else which exists simultaneously. That is, there is no change happening, as what a thing is changing to already exists. Your experience, as a human being, appears as a transient value, because you are observing your experience, through time, from the point of view as a human."

AB: It's hard not to utilize that limited lens, given the current accommodations, so to speak. Nevertheless, I understand that consciousness takes form but then forgets itself, coming to believe that it is that form exclusively. From that misunderstanding, we end up with concepts like impermanence, and it gets increasingly complicated the more intense the identification with any position, person, state, or view.

SP: "You have been indoctrinated to believe for one thing to begin, another must end. The lens of Sparrow has access beyond a forth-person point of view, and I tell you, this is not a universal reality; it is just one reality. This is simply one of your clogs of cyclical reinforcement I have spoken about.

AB: Yes, true, but that is not my belief, that is not how I envision change -- that something must end for something new to begin. Rather, my observation is that the content of consciousness is ephemeral, like a parade that passes before us, but we are not implicated in its passing, unless we form an identification, which leads to clinging, which leads to suffering, because of its ephemerality. Our only sane response is to enjoy the show or not, but in either case to let go, and that is the sum of the mission -- find the real in the midst of the ephemeral. Cling to nothing. Let it go. Every resentment and resistance. See what remains. Awareness. I become more interested in Awareness itself than whatever passes before it. Maybe it is a phase. I don't know. Whatever appears has the reality mind grants it.

SP: "Your reality is not what is changing, it is your focal state which moves to something else which exists, which presents itself as a new experience. The shift of your focal state makes your reality appear transient . . ."

AB: Being aware of shifts in attention, I am not what changes or shifts. Consciousness modifies itself perpetually, it is infinite in nature, but what I am remains unmodified. In the vast space between one thought and the next, my reality has no beginning nor end.

SP: "That which is infinite in nature never ends. Life is infinite, and because it is infinite it must also contain a reality of transience, otherwise it would not have infinite possibilities. So it is then, the apparent movement of your focal state provides you a reality of both change and transience, seemingly contained within an infinite reality. Yet, there is no true movement, because awareness is already everywhere and every-when, it is just that consciousness allows awareness to be somewhere as well as everywhere, simultaneously. Additionally, nothing whatsoever is contained within infinity, because infinity has no borders for a thing to be contained within it. This is to say, true reality cannot have borders; it cannot be one thing, and not be another. It is all things at once."

AB: Yes, that makes sense -- as fitting and resonant as anything which can be said about the nature of infinity, before the mind in awe and joy lets go into Silence.

SP: "My message on this point, which is for all, is for you not to degrade your so-called transient state as any less real than something else. In this wisdom, I invite you to embrace every aspect of your human life with equal value as you would any spiritual state. Many human beings find such difficulty in "attaining" spiritual wisdom and enlightenment because they fail to observe the spiritual and the human experience are one and the same. One is not above the other, nor is it more real than the other. Only in this wisdom may one fully experience the full beauty and infinity of spirit whilst in human body."

AB: Beautifully said, and many deep bows of gratitude for your kind indulgence of these human inquiries!

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[Sorai Rai Aorai]

While we're at it, what is the distinction to be made between consciousness and awareness?

[AnotherBob]

Originally Posted by Sorai Rai Aorai

While we're at it, what is the distinction to be made between consciousness and awareness?

Here is something helpful from the sage Nisargadatta that clarifies:

Q: You use the words ‘aware’ and ‘conscious’. Are they not the same?

A: Awareness is primordial; it is the original state, beginningless, endless, uncaused, unsupported, without parts, without change. Consciousness is on contact, a reflection against a surface, a state of duality. There can be no consciousness without awareness, but there can be awareness without consciousness, as in deep sleep. Awareness is absolute, consciousness is relative to its content; consciousness is always of something. Consciousness is partial and changeful, awareness is total, changeless, calm and silent. And it is the common matrix of every experience.

Q: How does one go beyond consciousness into awareness?

A: Since it is awareness that makes consciousness possible, there is awareness in every state of consciousness. Therefore the very consciousness of being conscious is already a movement in awareness. Interest in your stream of consciousness takes you to awareness. It is not a new state. It is at once recognised as the original, basic existence, which is life itself, and also love and joy.

https://theconsciousprocess.wordpres...and-awareness/

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[Sorai Rai Aorai]

Thank you, Bob!