Serie A No 251

Magazine Overview

This issue of ARCANUM, titled 'DÖDEN - OMVANDLINGEN' (Death - Transformation), presented in Serie A, nr 251, delves deeply into the philosophical, spiritual, and cultural understandings of death and the afterlife. The content explores the human fear of death, contrasting it with ancient beliefs of death as a transition to eternal life. It draws upon various religious traditions, including those of the ancient Norse, Egyptians, Tibetans, and indigenous peoples, as well as modern philosophical thought.

The Modern Fear of Death

The article begins by addressing the apparent indifference of modern humans towards death, questioning if this signifies a lack of fear. It concludes that, contrary to this appearance, modern individuals are indeed afraid of death, with this fear being particularly suppressed among the religiously indifferent. The author suggests that this fear should motivate a deeper understanding of death's meaning and the pursuit of knowledge about this universal natural law.

Ancient Perspectives on Death

Ancient cultures, in contrast to modern views, often perceived death not as an end but as an inevitable and eagerly awaited transition to immortality and transformation. The text quotes the wise man Chuang, who likened human life to a fleeting moment, and highlights the ancient belief that 'it is not I who die, but the world that disappears for me.' This perspective frames death as a 'great homecoming.'

The Law of Energy Conservation and Consciousness

The concept of death is further explored through the lens of the law of energy conservation, which posits that energy is never destroyed but merely transformed. This principle is applied to the human being, suggesting that while the physical body decomposes, its constituent elements are converted into other substances, and consciousness is transferred to another plane. The article posits that if consciousness can exist without a physical body before birth, it can also exist without one after death. Birth and death are presented as portals through which consciousness passes, implying a cyclical nature of existence.

Life's Genesis and the Soul

The article touches upon the beginning of life, asserting that a fetus is a living being from the moment of conception. It questions the notion that a fetus becomes 'ensouled' only after a certain period of development, challenging the idea of a specific point in time when a creative force enters the developing child.

Perceptions of the Afterlife

Different cultural and religious beliefs about the afterlife are examined. The common perception of moving to a 'heaven' is discussed, but the article emphasizes that an individual's spiritual state determines their post-death environment. It is argued that the self remains the same individual after death, retaining all characteristic traits. The law of harmony dictates that each person is drawn to an environment that matches their inner state, much like a fish cannot thrive out of water.

The Theory of Natural Selection and the Soul

The article introduces the theory of natural selection as it might apply to the soul, suggesting that the human soul is conditionally immortal. It is immortal if one allows the divine within to conquer the animalistic, uniting with the divine spirit. Conversely, it is mortal if one succumbs to material instincts and impulses, which perish with death. This concept is linked to the idea that individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and pass them on, a principle that might extend to spiritual evolution.

Cultural Views on the Afterlife

Various cultural perspectives on the afterlife are presented:

• Norse Mythology: Only those who fell in battle were deemed worthy of Valhalla. Death was seen as a transition between realms, but one could 'die' again by losing their humanity and becoming a 'niding' or a 'lost soul.'
• Native American Beliefs: Brave hunters and warriors were expected to hunt in an eternal spring after death.
• Caribbean Beliefs: The brave would go to happy islands with abundant fruits, while the cowardly would serve their enemies in a desolate land.
• Eskimo Beliefs: Only diligent, accomplished individuals who had endured many hardships would enter the happy land.
• Tupi-Guarani (Brazil): Virtuous souls would go to beautiful gardens, while the wicked would suffer under the evil spirit Aygnan.

Camille Flammarion and the Creation of Destiny

Camille Flammarion, a modern thinker, is cited stating that spiritual forces can move between worlds. He emphasizes that humans create their own destiny, rising or falling based on their actions. Those attached to material interests, the greedy, the ambitious, the hypocritical, and the deceitful remain in lower zones.

Martinus's Theory of Seven Bodies

The article introduces the philosopher Martinus and his concept of the human being composed of seven bodies, each corresponding to a fundamental energy. These are the instinct energy, gravity energy, feeling energy, intelligence energy, intuition energy, memory energy, and the 'Mother-energy' (the eternal body). The six other bodies are considered organs within the eternal body. These organs, being material, are subject to aging and wear, thus requiring constant renewal. This renewal process is not simultaneous, with one body always in full development while others are in varying states of use. This explains how humans experience their eternal existence through six different 'horizon of perception.'

The Physical and Spiritual Worlds

Martinus's framework suggests that humans, primarily existing in the second energy zone (gravity energy), are most aware of their physical body. The physical world is the only realm they can fully accept as a life experience. Experiences beyond this physical realm, in the other five 'horizons of perception,' are only dimly perceived, often instinctively, as they rely on the other bodies, which are in a 'fetal state' or latent. The development of this spiritual life, outside the physical, is so primitive that it cannot be consciously experienced by the physical body. The article notes that the 'death' experienced by humans is essentially the transition from the physical to a more spiritual existence, but this is perceived as a primitive state due to the limited consciousness within the physical world.

The Nature of Death and the Cosmic Perspective

The article argues that death, as the opposite of life, is a concept that does not exist in the cosmic sense. Therefore, the human perception of death is seen as an expression of ignorance and an unfamiliarity with the part of life that lies beyond their physical existence. On Earth, life and death are distinct, but from a cosmic perspective, death is merely a transition. The human tendency to believe in an afterlife or a continuation of life stems from this innate, albeit somewhat unconscious, experience of the part of their existence that lies beyond the physical.

The Five Ground Energies and Inner World

The five ground energies create the 'outer world' for humans, while the sixth energy, memory, creates the 'inner world.' Experiencing the inner world requires energy and movement. When this energy culminates, life experience becomes a series of memory-based experiences from past epochs. As humans are currently in the second zone of existence, their ability to experience this inner world is primitive. They can only recall past lives in rare instances and often struggle to remember even their early years or the previous day in detail. This limited perspective prevents humans from fully grasping their own immortality.

Achieving Cosmic Consciousness

Cosmic consciousness can only be attained by overcoming one's lower nature and the 'lower self.' This process, when it occurs, opens latent centers in the brain, allowing for day-consciousness on the physical, psychic, or spiritual planes. Such an experience is unexpected and often occurs when one least believes they are ready for it.

Variation in Experience and Moral Standard

The article notes that the way individuals experience these phenomena varies infinitely, leading to diversity in appearance, life expressions, and body forms, even at the same stage of development. The moral standard is presented as the sole determinant of which beings belong to the same developmental stage.

The Cycle of Existence and Rebirth

No being is eternally bound to a single planet. They have had previous existences on other planets and will have future ones. The development of beings is seen as a progression through life paths that span from planet to planet. This eternal development is likened to an upward movement, where all beings participate, regardless of their status or condition. Life's journey involves experiencing diverse forms, zones, and states, moving from dark and cold planets to warm and sunny worlds. The author believes there is no regression, only forward and upward movement.

The Role of Conscience

Zoroaster, the great Persian sage, emphasized the importance of will and the ability to follow one's conscience for higher development. The concept of 'conscience' is believed to have originated from ancient Iran and is revered as a divine entity, independent of the physical body. Upon death, a soul that has followed its conscience is met by a beautiful maiden, who reveals herself to be the embodiment of their good thoughts, words, and deeds.

The Path of the Wicked and the Virtuous

Conversely, an evil person is met by a terrifying conscience, embodying their negative actions. They then descend into darkness created by their own negative thoughts, words, and deeds. The article contrasts this with the path of the virtuous, who ascend into light through the 'three paradises': God's Thought, God's Word, and God's Deed.

Egyptian Beliefs: The Book of the Dead

The Egyptian Book of the Dead, or 'Am-Duat,' describes the soul's journey after death to the land of Amentis, where it faces Maat (or Mait), the goddess of Law, Justice, and Truth. The soul's heart is weighed against an image of Maat, overseen by Horus, with the scribe Tehutin recording the results. This process is presented as an allegorical representation of the soul judging itself.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead and Karma

The Tibetan Book of the Dead, 'Bardo Thödol,' emphasizes the cycle of reincarnation (samsara) and karma as the primary forces governing human life. It serves as a guide through the Bardo-world, the intermediate state between death and rebirth. This state can lead to rebirth in the human world, the spirit world, or various paradisiacal or hellish realms, depending on one's karma. The Bardo state is described as a dream-like existence filled with hallucinatory visions.

The Process of Death and Rebirth

The process of death is described as the opposite of birth, involving the 'disincarnation' of the principle of consciousness. This transition occurs from one state of consciousness to another. Just as an infant must awaken to the physical world and learn its nature, a person must awaken to the Bardo-world after death and understand its conditions. The Bardo body is a copy of the physical body, preserving the principle of consciousness and the psychic nervous system.

The Role of Thoughts in Shaping Existence

The article stresses the profound impact of thoughts on one's existence and future incarnations. 'What is here, is there; what is there, is here.' The final thought at the moment of death is considered crucial in determining the character of the next incarnation. Those with earthly desires remain trapped in the cycle of rebirth.

Achieving Liberation

Liberation is achieved through enlightenment, which involves realizing the unreality of samsara. This insight can be gained in the human world, during the critical moment of death, or within the various Bardo states. As long as the longing for sensory experiences and the illusory existence of samsara is not overcome, the cycle of death and rebirth continues.

A Clairvoyant's Account of Death

A modern doctor's clairvoyant observations of the dying process are recounted. The doctor describes the physical organism's struggle to maintain life as the spiritual principle withdraws. This internal battle, though appearing as suffering, is actually the spirit shedding its earthly garment. The process involves the formation of a new, spiritual body outside and above the physical one. The physical body's symptoms of pain are deceptive, caused by the withdrawal of life force.

The Spiritual Body's Emergence

As the spiritual body forms, the physical body becomes cold and dark, while the spiritual body glows. The new organism is harmoniously developed, with spiritual qualities perfecting it. The physical limitations of the dying body are shed. The spiritual body then rises above the physical form, and upon the final separation, begins to inhale the spiritual atmosphere of Earth, gradually developing organs similar to, but refined from, those of the physical body.

Death as a Birth into a New Plane

The article concludes that what is commonly called death is merely the birth of the spirit into a new plane of existence. The transition is so complete that it is compared to a child's birth into this world, with the umbilical cord representing the connection that is severed. This process ensures the prevention of immediate decomposition and allows the spirit to adapt to its new environment.

The Tibetan Perspective on Rebirth

According to Tibetan teachings, no one has ever truly returned from the dead, yet everyone has 'died' many times before their current incarnation. Birth is seen as the reverse side of death, an 'entrance' and 'exit.' The living come from the dead, a fact supported by yogis who have consciously returned to the womb. The Tibetan approach to death emphasizes meeting it with calmness, courage, and a properly trained mind, capable of rising above physical suffering. The nature of one's future existence is determined by their thoughts.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the nature of death, the continuity of consciousness, the process of reincarnation, and the influence of spiritual laws and personal actions on one's destiny. The editorial stance appears to be one that promotes a spiritual understanding of life and death, encouraging readers to explore these concepts beyond conventional religious or materialist viewpoints. It advocates for self-awareness, moral responsibility, and the pursuit of higher consciousness as means to navigate the transition of death and achieve spiritual liberation.