The Afterlife?

[Cup of Joe]

In my research of Wicca, I've come to a stumbling block and I'd like some input from each of you. It seems that there is no hard or fast rule/belief on an afterlife, which causes me great discomfort. Admittedly, I do have a fairly stark fear of death, but I think it's more adequate for me to say that the fear I have rests in the idea that after death, we cease to exist, and we cease to no longer have consciousness. This is not in line with most Wiccan thought, and in searching for the answer, I'm hoping to alleviate any anxieties or fears that I may have with death. So really, what are the varying views on death/the after life in Wicca? What do each of you think? And what causes you to think the way that you do? I'd like to hear a variety of opinions so that I can, perhaps, make some sense of my own convictions, maybe even more concretely define just what those convictions are. Thank you all. Blessed Be, and Happy Esbat! )0(

[Finduilas]

This is what I was taught and what I believe: after death, every person's spirit goes to the same place regardless of their deeds in life.  Here we wait, rest, and reflect until such a time as we choose to reincarnate.  This place is often referred to as Summerland, where we are one with the Goddess, the God, and all other souls who have no mortal bodies. 

If nothing else, one thing is certain about death; that we will become what we were before our birth.

[ThunderWolf]

Finduilas and I seem to be on much the same page with a few differences. The main thing for me is that I also believe we do some sort of work beyond simple reflection to help us grow spiritually while on the other side. I definitely believe it's also a place of rest and rejuvenation prior to re-incarnating. There are also some more involved ideas I have about what may go on there, but that's a lot of other more detailed typical "New Age" ideas I've picked up along the way. (Stuff like going through a life review and such once on the other side.) In the end, though, there really is no way of knowing for sure. I personally have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that we do live on in some form. It's the details about where and how we live on that really can't be truly answered in any solid way until we're there experiencing it firsthand.

[Kaleesie]

While I believe in the afterlife, I do for a couple of reasons. Scientific and religious. Religious, for the obvious reasons, but people look at me crazy when I say scientifically. The reason for this is that we (as living beings) are energy. Energy just doesn't disappear. It just morphs into something else.
There are so many ideas as to what that is, that's why (to me) it's up to the individual to come up with their own conclusions.
I don't fear death.
What I fear is pain leading up to it.

Blessed Be
Kaleesie

[Ann Cash]

Simplifying it, I concur with Kaleesie. having an analytical personality, I tend to be more comfortable with science than emotion. Energy changes, and all things are made up of energy. So I believe we go on in some sentient form. Since I believe this, I also believe it is quite possible to experience multiple lives in multiple forms. Each life is something we learn from, that allows our "soul" to reach completion. The soul is our energy essence. It is what moves on after our physical life is over.

With this said, I also accept the very real possibility that we are simply organic creatures who happen to exist because of a specific collection of circumstances that allow our lives to develop. We are born, we live, and we die. End of story. There is more data to sustain that belief than anything that suggests an afterlife. Knowing that we stand a 50/50 chance of this being our end result, I see no rational reason to fear death. It's a total waste of the time we have here and now. Fearing something doesn't make it not happen. Death will come to all of us, dwelling on it doesn't change that. So if death is the end, and there is nothing beyond that, there really isn't anything to fear. We won't know anyway. How does one fear nothing? It's better to enjoy life for the gift it is, embrace it for the time we have it, and find a mindset that we are comfortable with. We won't know the answers until that time comes anyway. We will either learn that we exist beyond this life, or it will be lights out. Either way, it's nothing to fear.

Personally, I make the choice (and it is a choice) to believe in something beyond this life. It brings me joy and comfort to believe we exist beyond the here and now. I accept that there is a lot about life that we don't have the answers to. So I also accept that there is even more that we don't have the answers to about the afterlife. I believe we, all life forms, are part of something much bigger, and much more complex than we have the capabilities to understand. When we die, we go back to that something.
BB  Ann

[Cleaner]

Ann,
  To simplify even further. We exist then we don not exist beyond the illusion life has to offer ?








B.B.)O(
   Cleaner

[Ken Ra]

Over all I believe that we go to where we expect to go after death.  The Summerland looks appealing to me but I doubt that I could be happy there for long. For myself I have some R&R saved up and there will be other-side work to keep me busy. Those who want to sing and play harps are welcome to it, as well as those who want Hell ( either xian or Buddhist )

[ThunderWolf]

Over all I believe that we go to where we expect to go after death. 

This is one of those "details" I mentioned earlier. My own spin on this is that it's all the same place but experienced differently depending upon what our expectations were prior to death.

I suspect that after some "debriefing" on the other side we may be informed that it can be whatever we imagine it to be. More of a finer point on my beliefs...

[Cup of Joe]

I'd have to say that I agree with all of you. Sorry for taking so long to reply to this thread. It's been a rough past couple of days. Had two of my wisdom teeth removed yesterday, popped a Lortab, and slept for 14 hours.    Anyway...

I have a huge fear of death. To the point that if I think on it too long, I start to panic a little bit. I'm hoping to one day conquer this fear. Now personally, I'd like to believe, very strongly, that there is a life after death. It wouldn't make sense, in my mind, for there not to be one. I agree with what a lot of you have said. That our souls re-evaluate the life they just lived, but I don't necessarily think that there needs to be a reincarnation on this level of existence. It could be that the soul reincarnates on a separate plane or dimension, or perhaps just reincarnates and lives as a spirit, to learn the things that it didn't while living in the body.

I also agree with you Ann, and also Keleesie, that scientifically, it wouldn't make sense. Our body has so much energy within it, to carry out not only bodily processes, but in the operation of our brains, our thoughts, our personality, all of that requires energy. Is that concentration of energy what makes up our soul? It's an interesting thought, but I definitely agree that energy is neither created nor destroyed, therefore, after our physical bodies cease to live, that energy must go someplace.

[Ken Ra]

On the Scientific front, if Steven Hawkins believes we go on I am mot going to argue with him!

Joe... A fear of death can be crippling in your life. As a way to find out without croaking try a past life regression. If you have lived before then it is likely that you will live again.

[Seeking Answers]

Joe, I have similar anxieties.  At the same time I believe in an afterlife, I also believe it's possible we'll cease to exist.  I have a degree in psychology which has taught me about the biological aspects of our minds and behavior.  The simple truth is in this life we'll never know for sure.  I believe someone else echoed my sentiments here when they said they simply choose to believe in an afterlife because it brings comfort.  I make the choice to believe in a Higher Power for the same reason.  The best way I have found to combat a fear of death is to live the best life you can.  Be aware of death, but don't let it slow you down.  Let it serve as a reminder to not put things off and to love people around you.  I think anyone's ultimate goal should be to get to the point where you can take your last breath with little or no regrets.  The sad reality is too few people live that way.  So don't fear death, raise a glass to it.  It puts things in proper perspective.

Oh and another note...as for reincarnation...I'm not sure I want a physical reincarnation.  I mean, who really wants to go through adolescence again?    

[Theflyingsorcerer]

Oh and another note...as for reincarnation...I'm not sure I want a physical reincarnation.  I mean, who really wants to go through adolescence again?    

Yeah, right! I dunno though; maybe we get it right, second time around......

I'm not afraid to die; I just want to put it off as long as possible, because there's all kinds of things I'd like to do in this lifetime that I haven't had a chance to do yet. The way I look at it (I think I've mentioned this before, somewhere else on this forum - or it might have been another forum) is, either:-

1) Total oblivion, in which case "I" won't be around to worry about it; or
2) The start of a new adventure; in which case I'll be fascinated to find out what it's like.

There are lots of books out there that, supposedly, reveal what happens between lives, mainly by means of hypnotic regression, by authors such as Dolores Cannon, Michael Newton and a hundred others. But since they all seem to describe different or even contradictory scenarios, I suspect that none of them quite have the answer. It's as if we're explorers, sailing around a vast new continent, charting the coastline and making occasional short expeditions inland. But the interior is completely unknown, and may be very different from the small areas we've explored so far; so like the old 16th-century mapmakers faced with a blank expanse of parchment, we give a mental shrug and inscribe;

        HERE BE DRAGONS

Me, I suspect the "dragons" are friendly, and there may be all kinds of other critters too, but I can't be sure. There's really only one way to find out, and I'm not quite ready to venture inland yet......

Theflyingsorcerer.

[ThunderWolf]

Oh and another note...as for reincarnation...I'm not sure I want a physical reincarnation.  I mean, who really wants to go through adolescence again?    

Yeah, right! I dunno though; maybe we get it right, second time around......

Or third, or fourth, or fifth, etc, etc, etc. LOL

[xXuglywolfXx]

I personally don't concern myself with the idea of an afterlife. To me, wondering what may or may not happen when I die is way too stressful, and, honestly, doesn't seem quite productive. Instead of wondering what may lie after this life, why not just focus on the here and now, and figure out ways to make your current exsistance more?

When I get asked what I personally believe about what happens after life, I shrug and say I'll let ya know when I die. 

[WendyAnne]

The only way to truly know is to meet the End, when it comes down to it. I'm not in any hurry, but I don't really feel fear. Some apprehension, maybe, but that should be expected. I decided long ago that when my End comes, I want to be cremated. I would prefer for it to be done with my laid out on a pyre, with my friends and family to see me off and to celebrate my life, but I may just have to settle for the crematorium.