What we know, what we guess, and what we hope
Do you know what happens after we die? Maybe you don’t know, but perhaps you believe. I ponder the question of conscious continuity, my preferred term, daily.
It’s a big topic. Too big for most people, it unsettles and unnerves. I get it.
As a young person I felt immense fear whenever confronted with death, dying, funerals, or the supernatural themes.
Mostly, I feared non-existence.
I longed for eternal continuity so that I could remain connected to my loved ones forever. It’s difficult to accept that I might only get one turn on the merry-go-round.
I would quietly search for testimony from those who claimed to know the truth, beyond reasonable doubt. Maybe they had experienced a near-death experiences, or an inexplicable paranormal phenomenon, or perhaps they had received a sign from a loved one who had passed.
I wanted them to reveal a hidden secret, or deliver an account that could withstand my questioning. But inevitably, I would find fault and flaws, contradictions and inconsistencies.
After 25 years of searching, questioning, and hoping; what do I believe?
The only belief I can stand by today is “I don’t know”. I confess, I’m not content with this answer.
I crave certainty, I need to know.
Uncertainty is hard to accept.
Are you a seeker of truth?
Join the club friend! Few are called, and even fewer go on to walk the path to find truth. 25 years ago, I too was called. Sadly, I found myself isolated in my search for answers. People my age were simply not interested in discussing the continuity of consciousness and the possible conservation of energy between lifetimes.
If you are confronting these topics and asking questions, I hope this article provides some comfort and clarity.
To help you on your journey, I have collated a brief summary and commentary of the most common belief systems I have encountered over the past 25 years.
I begin our list with the Atheist perspective. Atheists argue there is nothing. No darkness or an empty space, just a total cessation of all knowing and being. I don’t agree with the intensity and certainty that accompanies many athiest beliefs. How can anyone know for sure that there is nothing?
Agnostics believe humans don’t know what happens after death and may never know for sure. This is largely where I plant my flag. I often wander off and explore other spiritual and philosophical camps, but am always pulled back to Agnosticism, whether I like it or not.
Some non-religious people believe we live on only through our memories, influence, and the impact we had on others. Leaving a legacy is a concrete path that all of us can adopt, regardless of what other beliefs we may hold. Converting my thoughts in to Medium articles is one such legacy. Whether or not anyone cares is another matter!
Naturalists believe that while personal awareness ends, our matter and energy return to the natural world and continue in new forms. The naturalist view resonates for me. One day, not for a long time, I hope to return my body to the earth.
Buddhists believe there is no permanent self, but that actions and desires shape a process of rebirth until suffering comes to an end. For a time I took a deep dive in to buddhism, holding it as my primary belief system. There is much about this philosophy that resonates, but eventually I decided that endless reruns didn’t appeal. I still carry many of their lessons and ideas with me.
Hindus believe the soul is reborn many times, with each life shaped by past actions, until it is finally freed from the cycle.
Many Indigenous and traditional cultures believe the dead continue on as ancestors or spirits who remain connected to the living.
Christians and Muslims believe that after death people are judged by God and sent to heaven or hell. I’ll be honest, hell terrified me as a child. Movies like Constantine that portray the firery depths of hell still unsettle me even as an adult. But then again, I am still afraid of the dark!
Pantheists believe that consciousness is fondamental to the universe itself, and that individual awareness returns to a larger whole after death.
Some technology-focused thinkers believe the mind could survive as information that might one day be stored, copied, or recreated. This idea concerns me greatly. And Simulation Theory, don’t get me started on that! I have lost many hours of sleep pondering that concept.
People who are influenced by modern physics believe consciousness may continue in another dimension or version of reality, though this is highly speculative. Speculative maybe, but with advancements in quantum physics, I sincerely hope the smartest people on the planet continue to work on this idea!
Non-dual spiritual traditions believe there was never a separate self to begin with, so death is a change in appearance rather than an ending. Non-dualism boggles my mind.
One day we will all find out the truth about what happens after bodily death.
Despite wanting to know, I hope not to find out too soon!
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