by Mark Pitstick MA, DC
If you’ve not already, please read . . .
- ‘The Great News‘ (article #19 at SoulProof.com/Articles)
- ‘Eight Developments for Widespread Conscious Living Now’ (#125)
- Greater Reality LIVING Program: Integrating ‘The 8 Developments’ Into Your Daily Life (#72)
- Greater Reality HEALING Program: Journeying FROM Deeply Grieving TO Brightly Shining (#82)
The evidence-based information and holistic resources outlined in these articles will help you to:
- realize your true nature as an eternal being of consciousness / life-force / energy
- receive guidance and assistance from highly evolved energies and Source / The Light
- heal old wounds, release lower energies, and update erroneous teachings
- create the greatest life YOU have envisioned (YOU = your higher self / soul)
- help others by sharing your greatest gifts
- make our world a better place
As enough people do this, widespread personal and planetary change will naturally unfold.
Heaven and Hell . . . What Are They Really?
Heaven has been depicted in various ways by different cultures and religions. Some conservative denominations in Christianity still describe people playing harps, walking on golden streets, and endlessly praising the Lord. (As if the Creator and Sustainer of the cosmos would want or need unceasing worship and fawning.)
At the other end of the spectrum, heaven is viewed as a state of consciousness that can be enjoyed now and always. In this perspective, the term heaven describes the peace, joy, and love that accompanies a greater awareness of oneness with All That Is.
Hell, accordingly to some fundamentalist denominations in Christianity, is a never-ending place of fire and torment for those who believe or act differently than they do. Less literal views of hell see it as separation from the Ground of All Being and ignorance of one’s true nature. Put another way, hell is the predictable result of lower energy thoughts, words, and deeds.
In Let There Be Light, Aramaic scholar Rocco Errico, D.Div. said that ancient people considered heaven – that also meant sky, cosmos and universe – to be the habitation of the Divine. In addition, he stated, “The term heaven was also used metaphorically in the Bible to express the idea of peace, order and harmony. Figuratively, heaven also means a greater consciousness, that is, one in which thoughts of lack and fear disappear. Thus, one can readily see that the term heaven also depicts a state of being and not just a specified location.”
Matthew 3:2 and 4:17 recount Jesus as saying: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In Middle Eastern formulations, the term at hand was commonly used to depict something very near or inside. In Luke 17:21, Jesus is described saying of heaven, “Nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” When pressed for details, Jesus likened the kingdom to leaven or a mustard seed – both small things with vast growth potential. None of these parables sounds as if he were describing a place in the sky someday, maybe, for a select few.
For many of us, perspectives about what happens after bodily death came from orthodox religious teachings about heaven and hell. Taking scriptures literally can be problematic because of extensive alterations via interpretations, deletions, additions, and translations. Political and church power struggles and collusions entered into the equation. History also clearly shows that various councils voted on whether to include certain books or topics in the Bible. In addition, scribes added or modified texts over the centuries in an attempt to make the teachings more relevant to that time period.
As a result of all this, irresolvable conflicts – such as a loving Higher Power sending or allowing any of Her creation to an eternal place of torment – are taught that freethinkers cannot accept and children can’t fathom.
An elderly female caller shared the following story during one of my radio shows. At age ten, she attended a very fundamentalist church with her family. Upon hearing about Creator’s supreme love in one sentence, and then an eternal hell in the next, she was understandably confused and upset. After the service, the preacher asked how she liked the sermon. She said, “I don’t believe in the hell part. God wouldn’t do that!” The minister retorted, “Well, young lady, if you don’t believe that, maybe you shouldn’t be in this church.” Her parents took her by the hand and told him, “Maybe we shouldn’t.”
Over the years, many older people have confided in me that they could never believe in an everlasting fiery place of torture for anyone. This concept blasphemes a loving Source and scares people away from seriously considering the topics of afterlife and God. These elders have learned to let go of past fears, trust their inner voice, and nurture personal relationships with the Light. Doing so frees them from archaic and erroneous teachings; then the potential for experiencing peace and joy now and always becomes more apparent.
Likewise, very devout conservative Christians told me about their fears that a loved one – or even themselves – might encounter Hades forever. This worry surfaced when they or a loved one were close to death. After all, a dictatorial and fearsome Creator could turn on them next for any minor infraction, right?
Regarding the Thomas Gospels – documented early Christian teachings that were not included in the Bible – Joseph Campbell stated, “The disciples ask, ‘When will the kingdom come?’ And Jesus answers, ‘The kingdom will not come by expectation. The kingdom of the Father is spread over the earth and men do not see it.’ In other words, bring it about in your hearts. And that is precisely the sense of Nirvanic realization. This is it. All you have to do is see it. And the function of meditation leading to that is to dissociate you from your commitment to this body, which is afraid to die, so that you realize the eternal dimension is right here, now, everywhere.”
You may want to post Campbell’s wise words where you’ll see them each day.
You can enjoy – and you deserve – firsthand experiences of utopia living right now. Loving, serving and enjoying one day at a time is one key. Releasing fear and realizing how loved and assisted you are throughout eternity is another. Taking quiet time to remember these truths and live accordingly helps you enjoy a heavenly life now and always.
What would the greatest life of your dreams look like? For me, it includes: loving relationships with my significant other, family, and friends; inner peace; meaningful lifework and serving others; deep joy; radiant wellness and fitness; continual growing, learning, and evolving; financial abundance; enjoying the richness and pleasures of this brief earthly experience; and remembering the big picture of life.
In my prayers, I thank Creator for helping me realize that a heavenly life – whether I perceive myself as living on earth or elsewhere – is always possible when I do my very best to:
- ask for help from E.L.G.O.D. and my angels, guides, and master teachers.
- follow my highest callings and inner guidance.
- take the high road – the path with heart.
- know that I deserve the greatest life of my dreams despite past mistakes.
- remember the big picture of life.
(see article #13 ‘What Is G.O.D. Really Like?’ to learn more about E.L.G.O.D., and article #73 for my views about Angels and Higher Energy Assistance)
The above phrase ‘do my very best’ is a key one that recognizes that no one is perfect. We each are visiting earth, in part, to grow and evolve. Learning by trial and error, by falling down and getting back up, is part of that process. ‘Missing the mark’ – an original meaning of the word ‘sin’ – is part of the human experience. My goal is to, as much as possible, do the very best I can given my awareness and balance at the time. When I realize I could have acted in a higher way, I make amends and resolve to do better the next time.
I and eleven consciousness experts – Raymond Moody, Caroline Myss, Anita Moorjani, Gary Schwartz, and others – discuss contemporary understandings about heaven and hell and other big questions about life in The Eleven Questions. You also can listen to our interviews at Radio Shows.
During our radio interview, Aramaic scholar Dr. Douglas-Klotz said that heaven is: “Not a place, but a way Creation can operate.” The Aramaic word shmaya, he said, best reflects the concept of “heaven when one recognizes the Oneness that is the universe.” He continued:
“Heaven is not a place in the Aramaic and Jewish conception. Rather, heaven is a way of looking at life. When Jesus or any of the Jewish prophets used the word ‘heaven,’ they were talking about a vibrational reality. We can read this as meaning that Elohim – the One / the Many – created the universe in two modes: a vibrating, wavelike reality in which we are all connected (shemayim), and also an individual or particle reality in which we all have individual names, faces, and purposes in life.
It is not as though heaven is somewhere else or a reward we get later. Heaven and earth coexist side by side in this way of looking at life. The whole notion of heaven as a reward or something that is above us or someplace we go after we die would be entirely unknown to Jesus and his listeners. It is not Hebrew thinking and only arises in a later interpretation of European Christianity.”
You may have noticed the similar descriptions of reality in this view and that of quantum physics describing reality as an interplay between energy / waves and material / particles. That such diverse – in subject, culture, and time – schools of thought agree so thoroughly lends additional credibility to these models of reality.
When I asked Douglas-Klotz about the concepts that heaven and hell are levels of consciousness – degrees of closeness to or separation from All That Is and knowledge of our real selves – he replied: “This is close to the original Aramaic. The Christian concept of hell is not found in the Hebrew or Aramaic language. ‘Sheol’, the word usually translated from the Hebrew as hell, means a chaotic passageway through which the soul passes after the body goes back to its various elements. The notion of hell as some sort of eternal punishment would not have been known or even understood by Jesus and his listeners. It was not in their native language.”
The term “chaotic passageway” reminded me of the dark tunnel described by near-death experiencers after a suicide attempt. I asked, “Are heaven and hell, at least in part, what we experience when we have our life reviews after physical death?” To that question, Klotz answered: “It seems to me that they are, simply based on the language. The word for death in Hebrew, mawet, does not mean the end or the finish of something. It means a passageway into some other reality. This passageway involves, according to the Hebrew Scriptures, a period of confusion and a period of sorting out.”
Whether you are conscious of it or not, you experience life reviews every day. Your predominate thoughts, words, and deeds determine whether your life feels more heavenly or hellish. And the quality of your life can be upgraded whenever you are ready.
Reports from near-death experiencers, authentic mediums, Life Between Lives clients, and enlightened spiritual teachings agree that heaven and hell are a combination of:
- your degree of realization that you are an integral part of Source right now
- how you feel now as a result of your life being in alignment with higher energies / ways of being, or not
- what you will experience after physical death during your life review as you see and feel positive and negative ripples you created
The good news is that all three factors are under your control. You create your own heaven or hell moment by moment and cumulatively. The best example I’ve ever seen of this was a patient I’ll call Hank. He thought his life was so bad that he wanted to die, but the shotgun under his chin slipped at the last second. His face was blown off so he couldn’t talk orsee, but he could hear.
Most of the hospital staff were freaked out by his plight and couldn’t spend much time with him. I was in theology school and reading books by Kubler-Ross, Ram Dass, and other highly evolved teachers. I felt comfortable talking to him and tried to shed some light into his world of darkness. I told him we would do everything possible to help him and that his situation could result in blessings to himself and others.
He made a motion that he wanted to write and, as best a newly blinded person can, scribbled: “God help me. I’m in hell.”
Indeed, he was.
But it was a hell of his own making, not one meted out by a dictatorial huge guy in the sky. And Hank’s life could be improved as he set that intention and set about that Helen Keller-like task. How she handled being deaf and blind it is one of the most inspiring stories on record. Nearly forty years later, I sometimes wonder if Hank ever pursued that path.
Much evidence clearly rejects any notion of a fiery eternal hell or eternal separation from the Light for anyone. Upon hearing this statement, many people ask: “Even rapists, molesters, murderers and those who pass on by suicide?” The answer to this very question from the Light to some near-death experiencers is reported by Ken Ring PhD in Lessons from the Light: ‘Yes, even them.’
Here is another way to look at what heaven and hell really are. Even though your body appears solid, it really is mainly energy – lots of space with some electrons whirring around. However, your body is only a very small fraction of who and what you are. Your consciousness / spirit / awareness is also energy. You are a being of energy living in an energetic universe.
Your collective energy, at any given moment in time, can be high, calm, and balanced. Or it can be low, frantic, and imbalanced. Your type and level of energy can feel like emotions. When your energy is high / calm / balanced, you are more likely to feel peaceful, loving, and happy. When your energy is low / frantic / imbalanced, you probably feel angry, hopeless, and sad.
Your energy or consciousness is the real you. It’s what you feel in the quiet moments of self-reflection. It’s also what you take with you when your earthly form perishes.
Ancients believed that heaven and hell were physical places. They could only sense seemingly solid objects – people, animals, rocks, etc. – and naturally assumed that the afterlife was also solid. In the 21st century, we know that most of life cannot be perceived with the limited human brain and senses.
We can now expand our understandings about heaven and hell, and realize those are primarily states of consciousness, and how we feel based on our predominant thoughts, words, and deeds. The quality of our lives – whether on earth or elsewhere – is a reflection of how much we know our interconnectedness with all of life and live accordingly.
Common sense about a loving and wise Higher Power also indicates that all people can eventually choose to join the Light. I and many other people can understand that grievously imbalanced people – who were themselves horribly abused – can make choices that hurt themselves and others. Surely the Ground of All Being understands as well.
According to Joseph Campbell, Christianity is the only major religion with denominations that teach an unending place of torment.
I remember lying in bed around age eight and crying because I was worried about the possibility of going hell. I was old enough to glimpse how horrible that place would be. I feared that I would be in hell and my parents in heaven. The thought of never seeing them again was horrifying. I repeatedly prayed that I wouldn’t end up in hell.
Do you think a loving Creator wants that for children of any age?
How many other children and adults have likewise been scared to death about the ancient and erroneous concept of a fiery eternal hell? Given the collective evidence, you can safely release all fears about such a place.
The best rebuttal to the ridiculous idea of a literal hell came during one of my radio interviews. An elderly African-American woman called in and shared these wise and loving words: “I have six children and I love them all. I don’t always approve of their actions, but no matter what they do, I will always love them. I think that’s the way God is, too.”
Her soulful words started a more heartfelt discussion of what hell really is.
* * * * * * *
Thank you for telling others about this article! Your life, and that of others around you, will be more enriched when you:
- read the article again so you really know it.
- discuss with close family and friends to more deeply internalize it.
- take action steps that seem right for you.
- share it with others via social media, discussion groups, and other ways.
Hugs, love, blessings, and let it shine!
Mark
Mark Pitstick, MA, DC
author, lecturer, counselor, and holistic chiropractic physician; spokesperson, research assistant, and strategic planner for the SoulPhone Project; founder of Greater Reality Living, Healing, Helping, and Sharing Programs
SoulProof.com SoulPhone.org GreaterRealityPrograms.com
Mark Pitstick, MA, DC is a master’s clinical psychologist, holistic chiropractic physician, and clinical nutritionist. He has also helped others in pastoral counseling and suicide prevention / education settings. His goal is to help you know and show that this earthly experience is a totally safe, meaningful, and magnificent adventure amidst eternity.
To learn more about the Greater Reality LIVING, HEALING, HELPING, and SHARING Programs, visit ‘Greater Reality Programs’ top tab at SoulProof.com and SoulPhone.org. Also see articles #19, 72, 82, 119, 122, and 125 at SoulProof.com/Articles.
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Note: This article is intended as a reference source, not to replace professional treatment for physical, emotional, or mental problems. The author disclaims any liability arising directly or indirectly from the voluntary use of action steps discussed in article.
I created this article while ‘wearing the hat’ of a clinician, counselor, and educator. My statements are based upon some scientific research; much clinical and experiential evidence; my personal experiences; and my best current understandings. This program does not reflect my roles with the SoulPhone Project since those require solid scientific data for all statements.
