It has been written that we are spirits, with a body.  This implies that when we shed our bodies, our spirits go on.  And why not?  The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another.  It seems that our bodies are full of energy, and if so, when our physical mass no longer functions, it stands to reason that our energy leaves.  For people who believe in a spiritual life, one that represents “intelligent energy,” the energy goes on in an organized and reflective way.  Many of the sages and yogis of ancient, and even more recent times, have claimed that this is true.  Even in our everyday existence, many people have claimed to have visits, in a variety of ways, from recently deceased loved-ones.

What might this mean in the grand scheme of our lives?  If we truly are eternal beings, could it mean that the goals of our material existence might change.  I once read a theory that, within the history of Christianity, the concept of reincarnation was rejected.  This was not done to dissuade people from believing in an afterlife, but rather to control the masses by intimating that they had to get it right in this one.  To get it right meant to obey the church leaders, because it was proclaimed they were the portholes to heaven.  Interesting theory.  Even in the New Testament of the Christian Bible it proclaims that we must have a personal relationship with God.  Within the commandments is proclaimed that we shall not want, we shall not covet. 

In every religion, people who have seen God have stated that the goal is to remember our heritage, and devote ourselves to it.  Jesus said that we should not worry about where our food and clothing come from.  In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna essentially says the same thing to his disciple, Arjuna.  Why would those, and other great masters of old, claim that we must forsake a focus on the material world?  Perhaps it is because, since we can’t take the material stuff with us, we should focus on the one relationship that is everlasting, our being part of the Infinite Energy which created this, and all life.  Those who have succeeded have appeared, from time to time, to their followers after they had died, just like Jesus did.  They will say they are the examples in life, the potential of every man to learn about and claim his heritage as part of this great expression of this amazing creation.

So why not pursue knowledge and friendship with our spiritual selves?  It could lead to amazing discoveries, and comfort about the future!