When a friend passes away, death feels uncomfortably close. What truly happens when we die remains one of life's greatest mysteries.
I've recently turned seventy-five and am grateful to report that I'm healthy and happy. Yet, as we age, the cast of characters in our lives changes, and the reality that we'll eventually join them is never far from our thoughts. I don’t fear death, but like Woody Allen, I’d rather not be present when it happens. I'd love more time here, now, to create and evolve.
But eventually, often without our input, the end comes, and we move on to something else...or do we?
For many, the answer to this question is shaped by cultural, religious, and philosophical beliefs.
Many Christians are banking on an afterlife where their soul gets a VIP pass to Heaven or a one-way ticket to Hell, all depending on how well they played the faith-and-works game.
Muslims, on the other hand, have their own version of the celestial after-party. Your soul gets judged, and if you've been good, it's eternal paradise in Jannah. Screw up, and it's hellfire in Jahannam for you—no middle ground, no take-backs.
Buddhists and Hindus? They’ve turned death into a cosmic game of musical chairs. You die, and depending on how much karma you've stacked up, you get recycled into a new body. Who knows, maybe you'll come back as a cockroach if you’ve really messed up, or as a millionaire if you played your cards right.
Judaism is all over the map. Some Jews think you’ll be back for a spiritual encore or maybe even a full-blown resurrection. Others think you just float off into some kind of ethereal afterlife, no big fanfare, just a smooth exit.
For the materialists, it's lights out, curtains down, show over. Consciousness is just your brain doing its thing, so when the brain flatlines, so do you. No encore, no after-party—just oblivion.
Existentialists? They’re the ones telling you that death is the whole point of life, so you better live like you mean it because there’s no sequel. Authenticity is key, so don’t waste time worrying about what comes next—there might not even be a “next.”
Agnostics take the diplomatic route. They shrug and say, “Who knows?” Maybe there’s something after death, maybe not. They’re not picking a team; they’re keeping their options open, just in case.
Atheists usually stick to the facts: death is a natural process, no spiritual mumbo-jumbo needed. Consciousness is tied to the brain, and when the brain checks out, so does everything else. But hey, atheism isn’t a one-size-fits-all; you’ll find plenty of atheists with their own unique takes on death, depending on how they feel about the universe on any given Tuesday.
Science, ever the party pooper, sticks to the biological playbook: when the brain stops, you stop. No soul, no afterlife, just the end of the line. Simple, clean, no fuss—unless you count the mess your body leaves behind.
A student of eastern thought, I believe in Reincarnation, which is closely linked to the concept of karma: An individual's actions in past lives influence their current and future lives. Good deeds and moral behavior lead to positive outcomes in future reincarnations, while negative actions result in suffering or lower forms of existence.
While reincarnation is most commonly associated with Eastern religions, some Western spiritual traditions and philosophies have also embraced the concept. Certain interpretations of reincarnation can be found in ancient Greek philosophy, such as in the teachings of Pythagoras and Plato, who believed in the transmigration of souls.
In summary, reincarnation is the belief in a cycle of life, death, and rebirth, where the soul or consciousness moves from one body to another in successive lives. This cycle continues until the soul reaches a state of enlightenment or liberation, breaking free from the cycle of rebirth.
Last week, I stumbled upon a video on social media about reincarnation and what might happen after death. Though it’s all just informed speculation, it struck a chord with me. Maybe it’s because the idea opened up a new perspective on life for me.
.The video features Tom Campbell, a NASA physicist and consciousness researcher, who offers insights on this profound topic.
I practice meditation and study the tenets of Buddhism and work to apply these positive concepts to how I live my life. I do believe in Karma and work to pay my Karmic debt here , not later. I do not believe in reincarnation. I believe if we come back it is by choice. I, for one, AM NOT COMING BACK. I want to remain in spirit form and help from the other side. I believe I have learned just about as much as I wanted to learn here. Earth is a school. It explains why it is so hard. There are so many other existences that we can learn from that are far less brutal to experience than earth. The difference is that experiencing a human life will elevate our consciousness far above and beyond any of the others. The "We" that we are, never dies. I am grateful to you for posting this. It is so vital that people become enlightened.
I watched the video twice because I wanted to make sure that I understood what Dr. Campbell was saying. Meaning no disrespect, I question how anyone can know what happens after death. If this is "informed speculation", what data, evidence, or research helped him develop his theory? Again, I am not trying to be skeptical or snarky, I just want to understand. I found the video to be very interesting but I'd like to know more.