Accounts of Life in 'The Spirit World'

Camp Chesterfield art gallery 'precipitated painting' caption: "This remarkable scene of the spirit world was received [painted by a spiritual Force] through the mediumship of the Bangs Sisters by Cora Smith, from her cousins in spirit, Mr. and Mrs. J.U. Woodmansee (Anna) and her brother David.  They are seated in the canoe crossing the river to their castle where they reside in the spirit world."

 

This article presents most of the 26th chapter "Life in the Spirit World" from the previously profiled materialization mediumship case study book Life After Death - Living Proof (2004; expanded 2008) by Tom Harrison. 

"What is it really like?"

This is a question I am frequently asked about the Spirit World and I have had many instances where our Spirit friends have told us about life in their world.  We are assured that once they have adjusted after their transition, and in many cases, a recovery or a recuperation period, they all live very full lives in whatever style or fashion they wish.  They have told us that at the time of transition, no one is alone.  There is always someone to meet us, often a close relative or a loved one, but not necessarily so.

During one of her visits, Aunt Agg sat on the chair that my mother had vacated when she moved into the cabinet, and described what had happened in her case.  It was February 1942 and they had just finished lunch in their home in Cricklewood.  Aunt Agg was getting ready to travel into London to demonstrate her mediumship at a meeting in one of the large public halls, either the Queen's or Aeolian.  These meetings were very popular during World War II, with crowds of up to 2,500.

She suddenly felt a severe pain in her head and sat down to recover.  The pain proved to be a fatal brain haemorrhage.  She said she remembered nothing after sitting down until finding herself sitting on a bench in a beautiful park — full of so many different trees, bushes, flowers and plants of colours she did not recognize.  They were so bright and pristine and shone in what appeared to be brilliant sunshine, although there was no sun to be seen.  Everything was so calm and peaceful like a summer's afternoon — but even more so, and she found it very difficult to describe the overall picture.

Her first thoughts, sitting on the bench, were . . . "What am I doing here — I should be in London taking the meeting," and she felt rather puzzled by it all.  There seemed to be no one else around except for a lady in the distance walking in her direction.  She was intrigued as the lady approached her and finally stood alongside, smiling at her.  "Hello," said Aunt Agg, "I seem to know you but just can't place you."  The lady then explained why Aunt Agg seemed to know her — she was one of Aunt Agg's band of Spirit helpers and had been chosen to welcome her into the Spirit World.  She invited Aunt to accompany her to meet her own family and loved ones who were awaiting her arrival.  All so tranquil and pleasurable, ad would be expected for someone so deeply involved for so many years.

Sam Hildred's story was slightly different.  When he passed over suddenly through a heart attack on Christmas Day 1945, he told us, he wakened up in a bed in what seemed like an open-air hospital with all the brightness that Aunt Agg described.  It was not painful or difficult — just like waking from a sleep when on the earth.  Some of his close family were at the bedside and everyone was very helpful.  His slight knowledge of life after death, through his visit to Helen Duncan's materialization Circle with Sydney [the author's 'Home Circle' member Sydney Shipman, a Master Baker and company founder] in 1938, had helped him tremendously — in the same way as Jack Graham had told us that it had helped him, although his introduction to the Spirit World at our Home Circle was only a week before his passing.  Length of time is unimportant — so long as the individual has an open mind and is willing to accept even the possibility of a continuing life.

The lack of knowledge of a life after death, in most cases, is not a stumbling block and most people just find themselves there, expecting to be in Heaven, with Jesus perhaps, but a negative attitude or religiously constricted outlook could well have an adverse effect when transition to the Spirit World occurs.  This was clearly demonstrated in the case of our neighbour, Mr. Matheson, who, because of his very strict religious upbringing, believed that there was absolutely nothing after death and was completely confused and frustrated by his new surroundings.  According to our mutual friend, Jack Graham, who had passed to the Spirit World a few months earlier, it was almost a year, in our time, before he was able to convince Mr. M of the truth of life after death, thus freeing him from his frustration and confusion.

We also witnessed in our Home Circle another similar incident. but for a completely different reason, concerning Sydney's cousin, Louis, who had been crippled with arthritis for years before his passing.  He was not religiously bigoted, but unfortunately knew nothing about the Spirit World.  Sydney made enquiries about his uncle when his father spoke to him from the Spirit World.  He was sad to hear that his uncle 'just sat in a corner' on his chair still unable to move because of the arthritis which he believed was still restricting his movements.

Sydney's father said he was trying to help him understand his new environment and that the old physical body had now gone, but many months passed before the uncle himself, actually materialised, came out of the cabinet and held out his arms towards Sydney, expressing his great delight that it had now "all gone!"  If only he had been aware of the truth of life after death before his transition, he would not have had to suffer that extra incapacity.

It is so true that here on earth we are creatures of conditioning, both mental and physical, and such cases do occur, but the majority of people have no difficulty whatsoever with the transition.  With the help of their loved ones who are already over there, they soon settle down into the new environment.  They tell us they thoroughly enjoy a life unhindered by the restrictions of a physical body, especially where that body become a useless shell — racked with disease causing untold pain.  More importantly, not one of them ever said they wanted to return permanently to life on the earth.  They were always extremely happy to visit us and pass on their messages of love, but were adamant that life in the Spirit World was so much better and they were patiently waiting for the time when their loved ones would join them.

I well remember during one of my mother's trance sittings, an elderly lady Spirit visitor who had no knowledge of Spiritualism, was having great difficulty in speaking through my mother.  However, with the help and encouragement of her grandson, one of our guests that night, she finally managed to say a few words to him.  Her first words, with great apprehension, in a rather croaky voice were: "Am I back on the earth then?"  As we affirmed that was so, she hastily added in a very anxious voice, "But I'll be able to go back won't I?"  We immediately assured her she could and indeed would go back, at which her tone and demeanor quickly became much more relaxed and she had a good few minutes chat with her grandson, Wilf.

As much as she had wanted to talk to Wilf, the question of being able 'to go back' had been of paramount importance to her, a very strong indication that her life in the Spirit World was the 'real' one for her.

Aunt Agg reminded us, however, that as good as life is in the Spirit World, we must live our lives here to the best of our abilities until it is our allotted time to go — overcoming the difficulties which confront us and, especially, learning the lessons of friendliness and fellowship which are so important over there.  Suicide cases are very troubled souls, she said, needing so much help and guidance and she often thanked us for the way we were able to assist them during our sittings that created so much radiant energy for them to use.

We understand that the Spirit World is very much a counterpart to this world, with Spirits of all ages at different levels of development.  Our memory goes with us when we pass over as it is a part of our Spirit body, so we can converse about matters relating to the earth, and our friends on the earth will recognize us by what we say, just as happens on the telephone here although we cannot see each other.  We will meet people of similar character and outlook, which will decide where we shall live and from which level we will start our progress.  It is all a question of mental unfoldment and development.  They told us that our position and condition when we enter the Spirit World depends greatly on how we live our lives here — and as we sow, so shall we reap.

There are of course, the dark regions which are inhabited by the sinister, unkind or materialistic people who have not led amiable, friendly or helpful lives on the earth, and it is only be their own efforts can they progress to the brighter regions.  We were told of certain groups of advanced Spirits called the White Brotherhood who work in these regions to educate and enlighten those dwelling there.  They are certainly not left alone to suffer indefinitely but they have to show genuine remorse and a desire to redress the wrongdoings of the past.  For some it may be a very slow process but at least they are always given the opportunity.  Stephen Turoff's book Seven Steps to Eternity covers numerous instances of such cases and is well worth reading, as is The Wheel of Eternity [articles 1, 2, 3] by Helen Greaves.

Those who pass over as babies or young children need to be cared for, cherished, loved, nurtured and taught the lessons of life, but in a much more enlightened manner than here.

Gladys' [Sydney's wife's] sister, Mona, who had passed over as a girl of 12, explained to us how she had been cared for in a group of children before being given the responsibility to act as guardian to Prudence, a lovely young Spirit, who had recently passed over as a baby.  She always brought her to our sittings, to help her understand and appreciate  life here and enjoy the company of our regular Spirit children visitors.  From time to time, such young children are taken back to their earthly homes to maintain close family contact and we understand that the mothers in particular often 'sense' they are there — a joy for both sides.

During question time after my talks, the question about 'age' in the Spirit World is a regular 'chestnut.'  Do babies and young children grow up?  Do elderly people continue to get older?  Or do we stay the same as when we pass over?  The simple answer is that 'age,' as such, applies only to the physical body, which is incorporated in our solar time scale.

Whilst on this earth, it is only the physical body which ages and not the Spirit within.  The Spirit develops and 'matures,' and continues to mature in the Spirit World according to the desires and preferences of the individual.  The Spirits of babies and young children certainly continue to develop into maturity under the guidance and tuition of loving carers, such as Mona, and become responsible for their own development along with their peers and friends.

After giving this brief explanation I would then ask members of the audience to raise their hands if, they felt, they were older than 39 years.  This always created much laughter but the response was always the same at each meeting — no more than two or three hands would be raised and these were soon dropped when the real impact of my question became apparent — not if they were older than 39, but only if, in the mind, they felt it.  Is it not true that mentally we all feel so much younger than the years on the calendar — whether it be 39 or even less, like my wife who says she is not more than 29?

So often do we find the saying — "The spirit is willing but the body is weak!" applying in our senior years here, but not so in the Spirit World where the Spirit is in complete control and elderly people may in fact, revert to their 'prime' in looks, continuing then to mature in mind.  It is only when they 'return,' through a medium or Home Circle, do they show themselves as we would remember them.

Dedicated doctors and nurses can still pursue their calling in the Spirit World in a variety of ways.  People who pass over after long and debilitating illnesses do not suddenly recover and become completely well again.  Although they have lost the useless physical body, the Spirit body and the mind are still in need of caring, healing skills, often for  some period of time.

Large scale accidents and catastrophes need rescue teams from the Spirit side, as well as from here, to help both those who have crossed over and those still critically ill.  On many occasions during our sittings Sunrise would tell us that certain of our regular Spirit visitors were not present because they had been called to help in an emergency.  Such is the close link between the two worlds.  Whilst they do not have the means to avert such tragedies, our Spirit friends are always there to meet and comfort those who have passed over.

Whilst 'solar time' may not apply to life in the Spirit World, there are those who still have close sentimental links with people on the earth and still 'keep an eye' on our clocks.  Like some husbands and wives, parents and grandparents, there are Spirit companions and helpers who choose to remain in close contact with the earth's vibrations so that their loving presence may continue to be felt, especially in times of need and often anniversaries.

A very good friend of ours, who has only recently become interested in these matters, told me that as he lay in bed one morning, he suddenly became aware of a host of relatives and friends from the Spirit World surrounding his bed.  He said they were all smiling and seemed very happy.  He told his wife when she returned home in the evening, but said he was puzzled why they had been there.  She quickly told him the reason — it was his birthday, but he had not connected their presence with that fact in the morning.

Some without such close links may wish to improve their knowledge of the Spirit World and perhaps move into a higher vibration, not so dissimilar in structure to our education through primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities.  We all have freedom of choice to live the kind of life we desire without the material restrictions of earthly life.  One of our Spirit visitors in a recent trance Circle we were members of, told us that part of his work was to meet individuals who, like him, knew nothing about the Spirit World, and explain to them what their transition had meant.  Furthermore, he said, he was learning to play the piano — one of his unattained ambitions on earth.

Some months later he came again to tell us he had stopped his piano lessons because, he very proudly announced, he had been 'promoted.'  He had done so well in his other work he had been asked to move to a higher vibration and show people how they could begin to progress, so he was concentrating very much on this new work.  He might go back to the piano lessons later.  He was so pleased that he could do something to help other people like himself who knew nothing about the life after death.  When on earth, he had considered himself a bit of a rough diamond who, with his wife, ran a public house in Birmingham, but this had proved to be no drawback whatsoever to the development of his Spirit and we offered our sincere congratulations.  He and his wife still met, but only occasionally, as she had moved on to an even higher vibration.

Some husbands and wives stay very closely together in the Spirit World, whereas others go on their separate ways following their own interests, as often happens here.  I am also asked — what about the problems of two or more spouses here on the earth — and the answer we have been given is that there are no problems over there.  Many who have passed over previously will continue to go their own ways, and like the couple I have just mentioned, meet occasionally.  Some, with nothing but resentment for their former partners, may not make contact again until that feeling has been resolved and removed.  Others with deeper feelings of true love may link together as a group, irrespective of how many of each guide, and continue to work together.

As I relate in the notes about the Christmas party sitting on 3rd January 1948, Dad Hudson's first wife, Hannah, materialised and personally thanked his present wife, Annie Hudson, for taking on the responsibilities of bringing up her five children.  I'm sure they had no problems when they were all reunited over there, some years ago now.

Aunt Agg told us that there were times when she still operated as a medium in the Spirit World — to contact Spirit people who had not progressed to those higher vibrations and were technically unable to lower their vibrations to get in touch with friends and relatives who had just passed over or were still even here on earth.  This may seem rather strange, but it is no different from the way mediums operate here on the earth to contact our Spirit friends, whom they assure us, are only one step ahead — awaiting our 'catching up' when our time arrives.

 

I must repeat — the Spirit World is just as real to them as the Earth is to us, but on a higher, finer vibration.  They certainly have their 'Halls of Learning' with the most comprehensive lists of subjects including the arts, music, philosophy, science, nature studies, spiritual advancement and all other matters of general interest.  Spirit 'masters' from higher regions visit and give talks and lectures.  There are vast libraries and musical concerts are readily available with, we are told, wonderful colours woven into the music.

 

However, if they feel the need for some privacy, especially in the early period of being in the Spirit World, they can have houses or cottages to their own designs.  Their gardens and countryside include plants and flowers of such bright but delicate colours that we cannot even visualise them — they are so different and have a special 'pristine' character.  If they so desire, people may also have their pets with them, which can be such a comfort in many cases.

In other words, you can do or have what you want so long as it is in harmony with your environment and your fellow beings.  Those who feel the need can still have their cups of tea or glasses of ale for as long as they want such material 'comforts,' but the majority soon realize such things are unnecessary in their new surroundings.

 

Many of Arthur Findlay's books, especially Where Two Worlds Meet [1, 2, 3] include similar reports through the mediumship of John Sloan, and I'm certain that many readers will have come across such collaborative testimony in other books, like Life in the World Unseen by Anthony Borgia — well worth reading if you can obtain a copy.  Neville Randall's book Life after Death [1, 2], another excellent read, deals with a number of the 500 tapes recorded by George Woods and Betty Greene at special Leslie Flint direct voice séances in the 1950s-1970s.

 

In the Leslie Flint séances people from all stations of life on earth recounted their experiences in the Spirit World and they were all so different, many philosophical stories from learned people, with the majority, full of humour, telling of their everyday lives.  For all of them it is a 'real' world, on a higher vibration, inhabited by hosts of Spirit people living the kinds of lives, which suits them individually — surprisingly, sometimes not unlike the kind of life they lived on the earth, if that is their wish.  It is truly a real world full of boundless opportunities limited only by each individual's desires.

So open your minds to the Spirit World and think more deeply to prepare yourself for your transition whenever it may occur.

*

'Aunt Agg' in a state of spiritual Oneness and free from the constraints of time and space as experienced by human beings on Earth is quoted to have said to 'The Saturday Night Club' 'Home Circle' seance participants on one occasion:

 

You have given much pleasure to us in the Spirit World.  We do like to come and talk to you and pass on our messages from our side of life — and I do hope that those who may be listening to this at any time will be able to be helped and guided by their Spirit friends, as you in this little Circle are helped and guided by yours.  From those loved ones of yours who have gone just a step farther — they say they will always be near you, watching you and helping you in this your work for the truth of Spiritualism.  Go forth into the world and give your message — a message of life after death.  Goodnight and God bless you all — Goodnight.

Other blog articles sharing transcendental communication accounts from people manifesting from the ascended realm of existence include "Tapping the Force: Leslie Flint Recordings and Links", "'Mr. Johnson' Speaks from the Other Side", "Reminiscences of Andrew Jackson Davis", "The Life of 'Betty' in the Unobstructed Universe", "Testimony of Light", "Living Beyond the Earth Plane — A Channeled Perspective" and "Researching the Afterlife".