Hi Roger,

Don will have to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Swedenborg meant that we cannot progress after we die.  My understanding of the quote you provided is that presumably we come into this life to learn to grow our inner core being towards that of PUL (or otherwise) and what we are... what our inner core being is at the time of our death reflects the progress we made during our lifetime. The phrase "It cannot be changed after death because it is our essential self." simply means what we have become is what we are at the time of death.

It is intent that moves consciousness in its evolution. If the intent that motivates us in all of our everyday decisions is loving, this will change the core of our being toward PUL. I believe Don is saying the same thing using the word desire.

Good thread and posts guys

Kathy

Yes, the question: Are we still enemies?

The answer: I was never your enemy.


Quote:

The key perspective about changing our core elements or state of 'being' Rondele (it applies to forgiveness too, in that when we move beyond intellectual understanding to embodying the view we become unable to comprehend of anything except that nothing happened) is possibly this:

We're inclined to think intellectual thought and decision driven action is required of us. It's not, at least not at the level of consciously changing ourselves, or our mind.

There are of course obviously negative actions we need to steer clear of (because they suck us deeper into negativity), but the real changes (which may entail adjustments in places at levels far beyond what we are conscious of, or what we think of as 'me' i.e. what you might call the release of karma) are it's variously taught brought about by Christ and Spirit. (or higher mind)

What's required of us is simply to open to this influence, to realise that we want it, that what we are doing right now is not what we want - and then the actual change just happens. We don't directly bring it about. The law of free will means it won't happen though if we're at any level resistant to change, or attached to opposing beliefs - nothing is ever forced on us.

So our task is in a sense only to prepare the ground, mostly by re-accessing our heart - the compassion, wisdom and loving nature that was always there - so that at some level we ask to be helped...

Kathy,
"Put simply, the more we release, let go of our inner fear, the more we allow our inner core essence (our love connection to Christ/Buddha/Great Spirit/God Consciousness) to up well from deep within."

My gathering is that our total selves already are perfectly in balance (male/female, light/dark) but are experiencing the dualities to know and understand our core(s). The clock ticks, but want to know what makes it tick, sort of. Ngh. I'm not finding the right words to describe it.

When you mention letting go of our inner fear, this is what comes to mind,

I (self extension and total self) don't fear death as I am eternal. No beginning, no end.

The body does have a start, and fears the death/end of it. Many expressions are connected to this.

I have my doubts and fears, and I've become aware that many of them stem from the very vessel I'm connected to. Funny how they can slip into the the thought stream seamlessly. I've let go of a few by will, others I deal and have dealt with in repetition until I break or have broken them.

At the end of the day, I've never dealt with fear when dealing with my higher aspect. Otherwise would be a tell tale of an entity wanting to dine on my emotions. BUT there's something to consider. One incarnation, having overcome some fears, being shown the way by the greater self, is ready to open new doors as others are closed. What's behind the new doors are concepts that this incarnation does not fear, but for another incarnation, it'd be too much to handle. This incarnation may deny the new concepts are of a higher nature because the incarnation fears it - body fear/spirit balance.

Hi Volu,

I like your post. Since our human view of the larger consciousness system is so limited I think it is difficult for us to describe our total self, but we can feel the vastness and perfection of it deep within our core. Since evolution is something we can see and understand in ELS I think that concept makes a good analogy or model of the larger consciousness system, which is in a perpetual state of evolving/growing it's consciousness.

If we think of primordial consciousness as having the potential to evolve we can understand that the most beneficial and stable way for it to evolve is in the direction of PUL. I don't think we can really comprehend how long it has taken for it to evolve into what it is now, which is a huge brilliant being of love. However, I do think if we can understand evolution as patterns that develop, like fractals that are in a state of a continuance of change. That change of course is whatever is the most beneficial to the entire system... and we can know it is spiritual growth toward PUL because that is the way it has already evolved.

I just finished reading a book that's been on my reading list for a couple years now. "The Biology of Belief" by cellular biologist, Bruce Lipton. I thought it was an interesting read that was helpful to me in understanding how we humans on a cellular basis evolved from within the larger consciousness system and how we can continue to evolve in the same direction toward that of PUL. We, as little streams of consciousness, are not only beneficial to the evolution of our total self, but also the entire system when we choose love.

Kathy

Hi recoverer and others in the thread

In the link to an excerpt of my NDE I mention realms I just post it here for the interest of those who have not read my account


It was also shown to me that we are not really judged by God, but by our own actions in life, which dictate ones eternal destiny. If all our actions had become totally evil, by the end of our life, we would become a being of darkness and it would have simply become impossible for us to enter the light of God.

(Darkness cannot penetrate the light!). To reach this point we would have to have become totally depraved being (like Hitler), with no redeemable qualities. The destiny of this type of person, by his own actions, would be eternal banishment down into the deepest darkness of this vast infinitely long evil end of the tunnel, remote from the love of God forever.

I was also shown that there are degrees of punishment in the void. Ranging from a grey depressive atmosphere, progressively down into utter horror, terror, hopelessness, despair and desolation in black darkness. I did not see any lake of fire! I, however, got the clear impression that God will one day thrust all evil away from him into the infinite utter remote darkness of the deep and forget them there forever, where they could perform their awful perversions upon each other forever. Indeed reaping what they had sowed.

They could call out to God for eternity, from this awful place, and never hear from God again. Separated and forgotten by him forever, by they're own evil actions. (Self-inflicted punishment). What an awful horrifying thought.

Of course the reverse is true for loving righteous people the will go from glory to never ending glory and bliss

By a spiritualist medium

I get asked these two questions a lot.

I’ve never been to Hell, never heard a dead person speak of it, nor have I ever heard a spirit guide discuss it with me.  I have also never met or heard of a human being who has died, gone to Hell, and come back to tell the tale.

I do not believe in the Christian Hell.  It makes no sense to me.  My understanding is that a murderer can repent for his sins on his deathbed and go to Heaven if he accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior.  But if I live my entire life with compassion, peace, and love in my heart, never intentionally hurting another living soul, and I do not accept Jesus as my savior then it’s off to the fires for me.  How is that fair?

Truthfully?  I believe Hell was made up by men who wanted to scare the living daylights out of people, and so they concocted the stories, put it in a book, and passed it on from one generation to another, and now some people accept it as fact.

If there is a hell, it’s the hell you create in your own mind.  My guides have explained to me that one of the reasons people resist crossing over when they’ve died is because they fear the judgment and damnation of God and assume, based on their life events, that they are going to Hell.  Who would be in a hurry to cross over if they assumed Hell was waiting for them on the other side?  So it’s all just great.  All the murderers and rapists and child molestors are hanging around ouija boards because they have to suck the energy of living people to keep from crossing over.  This does not help us.

Don’t bad guys get punished somehow?  Sure.  They punish themselves with guilt and shame when they get to the other side and go through their life review.  You want to talk about Hell?  Sit with Hitler during his life review as he realizes that he has to fix and make amends in another incarnation for the acts he committed during his time on Earth.

So what about Satan?  Does he exist?  This is more of a gray area as far as I’m concerned.  I have never met Satan, my guides don’t talk to me about Satan, and I don’t personally know anyone who has ever encountered him.  I know there are lower vibrational beings out there who might be trying to harm us and who will take advantage of our fear, shame, guilt, anger, and pride.  They are to be avoided, which is why raising your vibration and your level of consciousness is so important.

I’ve met spirits masquerading as Satan though.  And I’ve encountered some powerful demons on the astral plane, which makes me wonder if they have a “boss.”  Maybe he would be considered Satan.  I don’t know.  As with all things, I try not to adopt a belief in something unless it empowers me and/or I have experienced it personally.

I do know that being afraid of Satan, demons, and evil men does me no good.  The more I vibrate with love, joy, and peace, the less I encounter anything I would consider evil or negative.  So that’s the direction I’ll continue to head.

Hell is not a place, but a state of mind and an expectation.  You have the power to avoid Hell any time you wish.  The choice is yours.  Whether you believe in Hell or not, isn’t it logical to act with love, compassion, and peace towards your fellow Man?  Then it doesn’t matter whether Hell exists or not.  You won’t be going there.