In his amazing tome from several hundred years ago, Emanuel Swedenborg describes two to three stages after death.  The initial or first stage consists of a person very much like they were when in the physical world, where a person still remembers the physical world and being in the physical plane.  We still have an outer nature (which is the mask of civility or "superego" - sort of a combination of upbringing, human law and an internal parent type of nature) and an inner nature - which is our "true character."  Our inner nature is our true loves and focus on things that really matter.  The inner nature may be self centered or centered or centered on others.  Ultimately our nature is either loving (as defined as one who love God and other people), or unloving to some degree.  Our true post-mortem fate is ultimately and willingly decided by this inner nature. 

On earth, someone may have a sadistic inner nature, however, they "learn" while alive, to restrain it.  To heed the rules and laws of society and repress it.  Yet, their inner nature comes through in interaction with others, and their cruelty comes out as it is allowed. 

So initially when dead we have these two sides to our mind.  That is why, many seem to function in Focus 27 and other temporary way stations like "the Park" much as they did in their earthly life.

However, this stage lasts anywhere from weeks  to one year at most (according to Swedenborg, and other sources).  Gradually, the lack of earthly things or correspondences, makes our consciousness change when there is no spiritual equivalent for an object or idea.  As we change, most of us lose the exterior or outer part of our thought process, which included the civil mask we wear, or the superego we were taught by our parents and teachers. 

Our inner nature then shines through.  If a person's tendency is toward hatred or violence, gradually but inexorably, they care less about pretending to be civil.  In the afterlife planes, since communication is telepathic, one can not put up a false mask (which is part of the outer or exterior nature).  If one's nature is loving, this then shines through.  It is at this stage that a spirit chooses it path - willingly.  Some on this board wonder when it is said that no force condemns us to a Hell but tht we choose it willingly why anyone in their right mind would do that.  This is why; because if our inner nature has no restraint, and we prefer to act to make pain or harm others, then we seek out a plane where others like us are doing the same thing. 

Swedenborg mentions a third stage of death, reserved only for those who are receptive to it (in a heavenly plane).  That is, instruction.  If our nature is based on love, we then join others in a place of similar spirits, and receive instruction. 

There are many implications to these stages, if they are true.  The first that comes to mind, is when we contact people in the afterlife, in what stage are they in?  Many contacts sound as if they are in the first stage of death, where earthly memories are fresh and the spirit is still familiar with earthly things and attitudes.  If we think about it, however, if most contacts are with those in the first stage of death, then Focus 27 and other similar realms are but a brief way station - and likely not a place we "hang out" in for very long.  Think about it.

Another major issue that comes up is the notion that if only our inner nature persists after death, then how do we cultivate it toward spiritual growth?  While alive, many religions and societies come out with thier codes of conduct to help just this way.  The ten commandments.  The path eight fold path noted in buddhism.  Following the rules.  The thing is, right action that masks a nature in conflict with it appears meaningless - this outer nature is doomed to fade away after the first stage of death. 

In my next post, I will post Swedenborg's own passages about these stages after death. 

Is all the afterlife exploration centered in the first stage of death?  If so, does that mean that contact with those in the second and third stages is more difficult?

Matthew

This makes sense to me. I can find nothing to argue with here.

Regarding the moral rules which religious traditions emphasize, to me they seem meaningless without an understanding of human relationships and how they work in this world. Basically, it seems to me that a person must be able to value life at their core to be able to practice 'love' with authenticity. This, to me, indicates that the person must learn how to value themselves as a human being  first, and then others. How does a person know how to treat another person well unless he or she can understand their own intrinsic value? Not that I think that 'pretending' is wrong -- I think it's valuable to help others whether you feel great about yourself or not. To me, it seems that life requires a huge amount of courage for a human being, a huge amount of risk.

It makes sense to me that a 'benevolent' universe would allow the human mind to grow along 'with' it, would allow the human mind which has lost its bondage to the earth to expand right along with it, as we are part of it, and it is part of us.

As I was writing this, and then reading this, it occurred to me that my bias is showing. For, in a 'benevolent' universe it would be all living creatures which would be shown this amazing 'grace' which extends the core of 'what is' toward infinity.

Thinking about it this way changes my understanding of these well-known verses:

By John Newton (1725-1807)

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me -
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught -
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear -
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares -
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far -
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me -
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be -
as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years -
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise -
then when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me -
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

Perhaps there is more lattitude than what Matthew wrote.

For example, Howard Storm wasn't a positive person before his NDE, yet he was able to move on to a higher realm during his NDE. It seems to me that when he expressed the willingness to change for the better, he was cleansed of his negative tendencies. If you watch his videos on You Tube, he "doen't" seem like a self-centered man. My impression of him is quite positive.

The same can be said for Sylvia from Bruce's books. When she expressed her willigness to change for the  better by asking Jesus for help, she received help that enabled her to change for the better. PUL was applied to her so she could let go of negative tendencies of mind.

I'm involved with spirit work where I help stuck spirits get cleansed, so they can move on towards the light.

The manner in which I have been cleansed also comes to mind.

Therefore, I get the impression that once a spirit decides to change for the better, this spirit can be cleansed of negative thought patterns.

I believe it is also significant that body based drives such as the self-defense instinct are left behind when we leave our body. It is also significant that the spirit World doesn't require the competiveness that this World sometimes "apparently" requires.

Hi Roger,

The problem with the idea that our inner nature that comes out in the second stage of death is "fixed" is that proposal sort of negates free will, and removes meaning from our spiritual journey.  I would say that the inner nature is changeable but in a more slow and subtle way.  In our outer nature on earth, people change behaviours like they change clothes.  The inner nature - the tendency of our spirit toward love or hate - can only change when we change our deepest thought and beliefs.  Yet there always is a choice from which path to take.  We can think of countless examples in earth life of people who have gone from a path of hate to one of love (Howard Storm was one example).  You could argue that those peoples' inner character was always loving and that the hateful behaviour was temporary, but then we get into convultions of logic.......

Very little is truly static in our world, so why should our inner nature's be so?  I will comb through the text - I'm curious now myself - but I think that ES' whole point about the second stage of death is that as we drop the outer nature associated with earth life, our true tendencies manifest without regret.

For me, the second and third stages of death are important in terms of communication.  If we learn through meditation, a dream or a medium, that a loved one is in "the park" and happy, it now appears that this is a common initial pit stop prior to the dropping off of our "exteriors" from earth life.  That same contented loved one could find themself in a Hell in due time.  Bruce and others have located people in Hells or belief systems, but it has been my impression that spontaneous contact there is not nearly as easy as when a peron has just passed on, and is in a park or Focus 27. 

For myself, I wouldn't mind hanging out for a while in a Focu 27 area, as I learned and explored.  I'm just getting a feeling that is not often a long term option.


Matthew

Bruce,
I found that to be an excellent post. Thanks for the good read.

For those interested, here is a translation of ES "First stage after death from Heaven and Hell:

"491. THE FIRST STATE OF MAN AFTER DEATH.
There are three states that man passes through after death before he enters either heaven or hell. The first state is the state of his exteriors, the second state the state of his interiors, and the third his state of preparation. These states man passes through in the world of spirits. There are some, however, that do not pass through them; but immediately after death are either taken up into heaven or cast into hell. Those that are immediately taken up into heaven are those that have been regenerated in the world and thereby prepared for heaven. Those that have been so regenerated and prepared that they need simply to cast off natural impurities with the body are at once taken up by the angels into heaven. I have seen them so taken up soon after the hour of death. On the other hand, those that have been inwardly wicked while maintaining an outward appearance of goodness, and have thus filled up the measure of their wickedness by artifices, using goodness as a means of deceiving-these are at once cast into hell. I have seen some such cast into hell immediately after death, one of the most deceitful with his head downward and feet upward, and others in other ways. There are some that immediately after death are cast into caverns and are thus separated from those that are in the world of spirits, and are taken out from these and put back again by turns. They are such as have dealt wickedly with the neighbor under civil pretences. But all these are few in comparison with those that are retained in the world of spirits, and are there prepared in accordance with Divine order for heaven or for hell.

492. In regard to the first state, which is the state of the exteriors, it is that which man comes into immediately after death. Every man, as regards his spirit, has exteriors and interiors. The exteriors of the spirit are the means by which it adapts the man's body in the world, especially the face, speech, and movements, to fellowship with others; while the interiors of the spirit are what belong to its own will and consequent thought; and these are rarely manifested in face, speech, and movement. For man is accustomed from childhood to maintain a semblance of friendship, benevolence, and sincerity, and to conceal the thoughts of his own will, thereby living from habit a moral and civil life in externals, whatever he may be internally. As a result of this habit man scarcely knows what his interiors are, and gives little thought to them.

493. The first state of man after death resembles his state in the world, for he is then likewise in externals, having a like face, like speech, and a like disposition, thus a like moral and civil life; and in consequence he is made aware that he is not still in the world only by giving attention to what he encounters, and from his having been told by the angels when he was resuscitated that he had become a spirit(n. 450). Thus is one life continued into the other, and death is merely transition.

494. The state of man's spirit that immediately follows his life in the world being such, he is then recognized by his friends and by those he had known in the world; for this is something that spirits perceive not only from one's face and speech but also from the sphere of his life when they draw near. Whenever any one in the other life thinks about another he brings his face before him in thought, and at the same time many things of his life; and when he does this the other becomes present, as if he had been sent for or called. This is so in the spiritual world because thoughts there are shared, and there is no such space there as in the natural world (see above, n. 191-199). So all, as soon as they enter the other life, are recognized by their friends, their relatives, and those in any way known to them; and they talk with one another, and afterward associate in accordance with their friendships in the world. I have often heard that those that have come from the world were rejoiced at seeing their friends again, and that their friends in turn were rejoiced that they had come. Very commonly husband and wife come together and congratulate each other, and continue together, and this for a longer or shorter time according to their delight in living together in the world. But if they had not been united by a true marriage love, which is a conjunction of minds by heavenly love, after remaining together for a while they separate. Or if their minds had been discordant and were inwardly adverse, they break forth into open enmity, and sometimes into combat; nevertheless they are not separated until they enter the second state, which will be treated of presently.


495. As the life of spirits recently from the world is not unlike their life in the natural world and as they know nothing about their state of life after death and nothing about heaven and hell except what they have learned from the sense of the letter of the Word and preaching from it, they are at first surprised to find themselves in a body and in every sense that they had in the world, and seeing like things; and they become eager to know what heaven is, what hell is, and where they are. Therefore their friends tell them about the conditions of eternal life, and take them about to various places and into various companies, and sometimes into cities, and into gardens and parks, showing them chiefly such magnificent things as delight the externals in which they are. They are then brought in turn into those notions about the state of their soul after death, and about heaven and hell, that they had entertained in the life of the body, even until they feel indignant at their total ignorance of such things, and at the ignorance of the church also. Nearly all are anxious to know whether they will get to heaven. Most of them believe that they will, because of their having lived in the world a moral and civil life, never considering that the bad and the good live a like life outwardly, alike doing good to others, attending public worship, hearing sermons, and praying; and wholly ignorant that external deeds and external acts of worship are of no avail, but only the internals from which the externals proceed. There is hardly one out of thousands who knows what internals are, and that it is in them that man must find heaven and the church. Still less is it known that outward acts are such as the intentions and thoughts are, and the love and faith in these from which they spring. And even when taught they fail to comprehend that thinking and willing are of any avail, but only speaking and acting. Such for the most part are those that go at this day from the Christian world into the other life.


496. Such, however, are explored by good spirits to discover what they are, and this in various ways; since in this the first state the evil equally with the good utter truths and do good acts, and for the reason mentioned above, that like the good they have lived morally in outward respects, since they have lived under governments, and subject to laws, and have thereby acquired a reputation for justice and honesty, and have gained favor, and thus been raised to honors, and have acquired wealth. But evil spirits are distinguished from good spirits chiefly by this, that the evil give eager attention to whatever is said about external things, and but little attention to what is said about internal things, which are the truths and goods of the church and of heaven. These they listen to, but not with attention and joy. The two classes are also distinguished by their turning repeatedly in specific directions, and following, when left to themselves, the paths that lead in those directions. From such turning to certain quarters and going in certain ways it is known by what love they are led.


497. All spirits that arrive from the world are connected with some society in heaven or some society in hell, and yet only as regards their interiors; and so long as they are in exteriors their interiors are manifested to no one, for externals cover and conceal internals, especially in the case of those who are in interior evil. But afterwards, when they come into the second state, their evils become manifest, because their interiors are then opened and their exteriors laid asleep.


498. This first state of man after death continues with some for days, with some for months, and with some for a year; but seldom with any one beyond a year; for a shorter or longer time with each one according to the agreement or disagreement of his interiors with his exteriors. For with everyone the exteriors and interior must make one and correspond. In the spiritual world no one is permitted to think and will in one way and speak and act in another. Everyone there must be an image of his own affection or his own love, and therefore such as he is inwardly such he must be outwardly; and for this reason a spirit's exteriors are first disclosed and reduced to order that they may serve the interiors as a corresponding plane."

Matthew-

Thanks for posting this.  The more I read of ES, the more I'm impressed and the more I want to learn about what his research revealed.

When I first read about ES, I was fascinated about his findings regarding the afterlife.  I still am, but I now understand that what he learned about this life is far more important.

I'll quote from your post: "Those that are immediately taken up into heaven are those that have been regenerated in the world and thereby prepared for heaven." Italics added.

In other words, we can know every last detail about the afterlife, but that's not really the point, nor should it be how we spend our time.

Instead, we need to take heed about what Swedenborg said that was far more important, namely how essential it is that we ensure that our inner life- our true character- be such that we prepare ourselves for a heavenly existence.

And since it's far easier to deal with that while physically alive than it is after we're dead, that really should be our first priority right now.

For me, ES has given me a sense of urgency about improving my own character and then putting the fruits of that character into actions that flow from it.

R

Hi Matthew, All

Good thread you've started here.  It's been a while since I've read any of the ES material but one thing that I'm not sure if he brings out in his writings is the idea that Intent and Freewill are intrinsic to our inner being of consciousness, so I'd like to throw that into the mix.

The Intent that I'm thinking of here is fundamental and is an aspect/attribute of the essence of God Consciousness that carries the purpose to evolve in ways that are beneficial/profitable... spiritual growth in the direction of love.  This basic Intent is what moves consciousness along its evolutionary path and is like a tiny seed of God Consciousness that is carried forth in each of us regardless of where (physical or nonphysical realities) our individual consciousness exists.

This basic Intent/purpose would not interfere with free will; it opens the way for any and every potentiality to be carried forth by the use of free will choice from all the possibilities because deep inside each of us this basic Intent/intrinsic to the One Consciousness intent exists. It is this tangible connection that drives us toward spiritual growth. In our experience this intent could also be described as a deep spiritual longing or purpose to be fulfilled. How purpose is fulfilled is freewill choice, only that there is a purpose is ingrained in us so to speak. This is what leads to self-concept. The higher the quality of our consciousness, the more our self-concept becomes relational to this God Consciousness Essence or state of being. Another way to say this is to say our intent/purpose becomes aligned with universal intent/purpose through evolutionary process.

In its natural state fundamental Intent has no adversaries. By this I mean the seed of fundamental Intent/purpose that is ingrained within the core of our being is not in conflict with the Intent/purpose of God, the One Consciousness. The laws/rules of ELS and "nonphysical" realities is what opens up opportunity for conflict to arise for the purpose of the One Consciousness to gain better organization of information by an evolutionary process that seemingly is a process of struggle.  The same struggle we experience internally when we have cross-purposes.  Fundamental Intent (essence) sets the standard, which is of course, continually evolving, and the physical and nonphysical reality laws/rules provide opportunity for growth to evolve out of that struggle.

Since God Consciousness evolved into a brilliant being of “love”, it seems logical that the essence of its “reality cell” is the same or similar quality and exists in our ELS experience as an essence of love within the core of our being. Most of the time we don’t allow this inner essence to well up and flow freely because of fear and ego.

Self-concept seems to be at the heart of this experience. It is relational. We have the example deep within us regardless of our "location" in ELS or the nonphysical "stages" of death ES describes. We can sense its presence intuitively and we struggle, go through the process to allow this inner essence to help us develop and define our self-concept. As our self-concept evolves our Intent (purpose) becomes more and more aligned with Universal Intent (that of spiritual growth... Love) and all of our perceived adversaries disappear… we experience the ONE as it is.

Kathy