The following post is adapted from DEATH AND LETTING GO (Montague Press) by Ellen Tadd.
Death is an inevitable fate that everyone must face. Still, the topic of death is often avoided or denied because of fears and misunderstandings about what death actually is. When we recognize death as a continuation of life, we release fears that prevent a fuller experience of material existence.
Just as attitudes and actions in one's material life affect the quality of that life, the attitudes and actions after death affect the quality of life in the next realm. As individuals become more conscious and responsible for the thoughts and focus they choose, they can have a greater impact on the quality and circumstances in life and after death. By addressing fears and attachments all throughout one's life, the death process simply becomes a continuation of this same lesson and life-long practice of letting go.
There are many different types of death experiences. These mirror the attachments, fears, and aspirations of each individual. When leaving the physical body, aspiring to spiritual qualities such as compassion, forgiveness, or truth propels an individual into an expansive force of light and ecstasy. On the other hand, if a person is immersed in fear, regret, guilt, or disappointment, he or she may become anchored in density after death. This can manifest as being "earth-bound" (caught in earth experiences while in spiritual form), or becoming trapped in limited or "lower vibrational" realms, which are restrictive and confining. Such experiences can last for a long period of time. Unfortunately, it is difficult for guides in spiritual dimensions to help these people because guides are unable to usurp free will and enter the density caused by negative attitudes. Therefore, earth-bound or confined individuals stuck in lower realms must let go of attachments to the past and focus on positive thoughts and feelings in order for guides and helpers to reach them.
When letting go occurs in the after-death state, an expansion of consciousness and an energetic lightness develop in the non-physical body. This feels and appears to me like a balloon that has been trapped and freed to rise up into the higher spheres. Access to enlightened individuals who reside in these higher realms then becomes available. These beings offer comfort and insight about the last life on earth, as well as teaching attitudes favorable for spiritual growth and personal fulfillment in future lives.
I have come to recognize that people's experiences after death are as varied as their experiences in the physical world. It has been fascinating to study through clairvoyance the attitudes and circumstances involved in a desirable death versus a painful and confused one. My hope is that this book will help people move through fears and apprehensions surrounding death which inhibit enjoyment of life on earth and quality of life after death. Also, I will provide information that can prevent people from becoming trapped in lower realms, once life in the material world has been completed. Finally, I wish to communicate to loved ones left behind, that relationships do not end because we die. Love, support, and ideas can be exchanged between individuals in the physical and spiritual realms.
We all must address this topic at one stage or another in our lives, whether through the death of a loved one, helping a friend accept a death in their family, or confronting our own time to leave the body. My experiences have taught me that knowledge about death can dissipate fear and aid in a successful passing into the spiritual world. At the time of death, a comfortable, illumined, and expansive transition from one life to the next is available to everyone.
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