"We're eternal beings having the Earthly part of our eternal life. The eternal self exists apart from energy and matter. It represents our spirit, our soul.
Knowing that to be true is important to our spiritual growth. If we believe we are limited in time and space to this short lifetime and the bag of flesh we see in the mirror, then we will be less interested in loving others, being a servant to others, loving the Higher Power, feeling our inner self has worth, and contributing to something bigger than ourselves. We'll try to get all we can get because life is short and we have only one time around. Knowing that we are an eternal being having the 'earth' portion of our eternal existence is critical to spiritual growth. And if everyone has that knowledge, then society as a whole will grow spiritually as well.
How Long Will The Spiritual You Live?
Forever. We know that, not just because those spiritual teachers (faith included) have told us that; we know it because of what we know about science and the mind." (1)-Craig Hogan
Our children, sisters, brothers, parents, loved ones who have passed are currently at the next level; the level most refer to as heaven. We're not currently at the same plane of existence as they, but going to that plane is in our spiritual future. There is no end. The questions become: What shall we do with the time we have left on earth? How do our choices, reactions and communication with others contribute to advancement of our spirit? How do we choose to live this earthly experience?
The more closely we examine the answers to those questions, the more carefully we'll look at the 'grab more for yourself' philosophy.
The crushing blow of losing a child opens the door to these considerations; perhaps much wider than ever before. What happened to our child? Are they really gone? Are we still connected spiritually? Are we meant to seek a path that has emerged since their death? Will we discuss that path with them when our turn comes to join them? Were they here to teach us? Though we feel an immense inward personal grief, how will we outwardly honor them and contribute?
The questions are infinite, the challenges many and the opportunities for change lie before us. It is unlikely that 2-3 months into this journey a parent will notice the existence of this door. Time, the key ingredient, will eventually deliver us to the place where we are emotionally ready to consider these options.
The statement, "I prayed and prayed, asking the Lord to protect my child, but my prayers were not answered", is widespread among parents who have lost a child. The unpopular answer is....we don't always get what we pray for. We do, however, receive the opportunity to grow in new spiritual ways as well as receive the choice to accept or reject it. Life can be very cruel, yet even in the darkness we are presented with opportunity to shine our own light. -Marsha Abbott
(1) Your Eternal Self - Craig Hogan,author.
Related Posts:
Faith And My Aching Heart : Personal discussion about the death of my daughter
A Mother's Journey of Grief: Video with insightful perspective given by a grieving mom.
Who Understands This Pain? Discusses the loneliness of loss and the choices grieving parents face.
Visit A New Journey on Facebook: Words of comfort and food-for-thought for grieving parents.
Should we live in the 'now' because this is all there is OR is our life here on earth just part of the journey that makes up the 'eternal experience'? After the death of a child many parents examine this question with much more scrutiny.
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