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MANY MANSIONSThat well known quotation from the bible "In my Father's House there are many mansions" does not mean that heaven is one huge block of flats, or hell either for that matter. Seeing that heaven and hell are not geographical locations but merely varying states of the mind conditioned by the life we lead on earth, either of good or ill, what and where then are these many mansions? They are spheres of progress through which each one of us will be given the opportunity of reaching perfection. Let us start at the beginning. What happens when we die? To some, it means that death is the end of everything; to others it is a waiting period until, as they believe the last trumpet will sound, their bodies will be resurrected. To Spiritualists it means the continuing of life in a different environment. Physical death is one certain thing in this earthly life which no one can escape. From the moment of birth we begin to die, that is the natural law, but death is but the shedding of our earthly body. Man is Spirit nowA cardinal point in our religion is that man is a spirit. At the moment of conception that spirit enters the embryo and is part of it, so that at birth we enter into the world in dual form, a spirit within a body, each a replica of the other. Just as at birth we begin this life with the severing of the umbilical cord, so at death a silver cord joining body with spirit is again severed and we begin a new phase of life in a new world. None of us know the date of our passing, but those in the spirit world come to meet us and take us to our new home. What will it be like? That will depend entirely upon our mode of living in this world, whether good or bad. Some in the spirit world explain that there are 'spheres', or "Mansions", each more perfect than the last. Those who have lived evil and cruel lives will begin their new life in the least perfect 'sphere', but each will be given the opportunity of making progress into the next 'sphere'. It is a popular saying that "you cannot take it with you" but this is not quite correct. It is true that we cannot take our earthly goods with us, but we take our own personality, our habits good or bad, death does not make us a saint, in short we are just the same after we have passed over as we were five minutes before. There is one exception; although our personality remains the same our new spirit body becomes perfect. Any infirmity, loss of limb or other disfigurement is made good and after a period of rest our body is restored to its full health and vigour. Personal ResponsibilityWe also take with us our personal responsibility and the free will we were given on earth, with which to try to undo the wrongs we did and begin our spiritual progress towards greater awareness. Spirit people tell us that when entering their new environment the average person will find trees, gardens, fields, houses and so on just as on this earth, in fact, many people cannot realise that they have left the world behind. This is particularly so in the case of a person who is killed suddenly, perhaps in an accident, or is a victim of crime or war, particularly if that person is ignorant of the teachings of Spiritualism concerning the after life. He will be virtually lost and probably fail to realise he is physically dead. There are people in the spirit world who undertake to meet these lost souls, looking after them and taking them to any relatives or friends who may have passed over and if necessary, to the home of Rest. The life we shall lead will be much the same as that we are experiencing now, but with a greater purpose. We shall pursue the same hobbies and perform similar work if we so wish, not for monetary gain, but as an act of service. It will not be honey and roses. We may be given certain very distasteful tasks as retribution for past deeds. Our greatest joy will be the reunion with those we love who have gone before and who will be with us in our new abode. All through our earthly life we have had spirit guides or guardian angels to watch over us and help us along our way. Some are aware of these helpers but to many they are strangers. They will be there to meet us when we pass over, ready to continue their service. They were ordinary people just like ourselves who have been specially trained for this work and who knows, we may ourselves one day become the helper of someone just beginning life in the world below. Little ChildrenWe may be called upon to look after little children in the spirit world. They, as is their due, are given extra care and if they have no parent or relative to receive them, there are those who are also specially trained in the spirit world to look after them until a parent or some other responsible person passes over. They do indeed reach maturity as they would have done on earth, but although this is the case they often appear when brought to us by a medium, as they were at the time of passing, as proof of their identity. The futile idea of playing harps on a cloud will give place to a life of real service as part of our spiritual progress, which will go on ad infinitum. This then is the real meaning for each and all of us of the "Many Mansions" and those who dwell therein, men and women of all colour, creed, race, rich and poor, among whom are our own relations and friends. |
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