Beliefs on the afterlife. Just curious as to what everyone thinks.

[witch_wonder]

From what i've read about wiccans, most believe in reincarnation.  But i was wondering how many of you believe in it or something else. please answer the poll above and if you dont believe in reincarnation what do you believe happens after you die?
i'm just curious to see what answers i get.  
Thanks!
Ceciley

[Brijrian]

The only thing that I *am* sure of, is that I really have no idea what happens after death. I tend to go the way of Judaism in that respect. Occasionally I'll have moments where I believe in reincarnation, other times I'll have moments when I just strongly feel clueless.

When it comes to anecdotal evidence for the afterlife (people who have had near death experiences, people who have undergone past life regressions via hypnosis, experiences of my passed grandmother), my overall impression is that when you die you go to a place of love and light where there are a bunch of people you know. And that you most likely get reborn again.

Believe it or not, Oprah had a show on last fall where there was a hypnotherapist on who changed his mind about this issue and now strongly believes in past lives--he would take people who have unfounded, strong phobias (of dolls, for example)or severe night terrors and regress them. He usually had to regress them a long way (sometimes it would appear to be several lives back) and would help them resolve their issue there. When they came out of their regression, they had full memory of the even and they would be better immediately.

Having not gone through that myself, it is easy to be skeptical. In the end, it is a matter of faith.

[Still Kate]

I'm the same as Brijrian. Sometimes I feel there's reincarnation, other times, I'm not sure.

What I do hope, is that there is an afterlife, something more.  As living beings I can't believe that we just snuff out and are no more. I believe that part of us still goes on in some way.

My hubby's convinced and he's already got his list of people he wants to haunt!

Blessings
Kate. xx

[Labrys]

While I am not Wiccan, I do believe in reincarnation.  But I do not think that is the only option.  I tend to think there are several possibilities.  Nordic legends lay out several varieties of after death existence, for example.

There are many "halls" one might be invited to, not simply the typically known about Valhalla, for instance.  Each of the major deities had their own hall and certain chosen of the dead might end there---Freyja, for instance is entitled to between 1/3 and 1/2 of the war dead as leader of the Valkyries.  So, Odin doesn't get those, lol!    And of course, the (in)famous realm of the Goddess Hel or Hella for those who did not die in war---unlike Christian Hell, it is not a place of only punishment and has several divisions.

The Nordic legends also speak of reincarnation being  possible, especially strong spirited folks---who may choose to come back in the same family line.  In addition to this, some spirits may choose to "haunt" their own barrows...or former homes.  And finally, a spirit may choose an after-death duty, a place they stay for a specific reason.  This final choice is my own, I am vowed to a place and a function.

Also, some lines of research into the lore of the Scandinavian pagans suggests that the soul is not a singular affair at all---but a multi-leveled one and all the parts might indeed have different destinations.

[Brijrian]

Hmm...such fodder for thought! I'm glad you started this thread, Witch_wonder.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject Labrys. For all that I am "into" and accepting of such a plethora of spiritual paths, life paths in the material realm, it never occurred to me that there might be *gasp!* options on the other side. It certainly would make sense, considering the light tunnels and the fire, etc. related by those who have had NDE's, and the presence of spirits in the very "barrows" of persons on this board!

[Labrys]

Yep, let's get post-Existentialistic, ya'll!  Death don't get you outta choice-making!

   Whoot...I made a philosophical pagan joke.

[Zenon]

hi!

I believe in reincarnation.  but I don't believe YOU are reincarnating.  I believe your etheric body, your integral self - consciousness - does not disappear or transfer to something else, but is recycled, and it decomposes and reunites with the universe and is later used again to create a physical life form.

[Ara]

I think Zenon's answer makes the most sense to me.  I remember learning in my church history class about some Greek Philosopher (couldn't tell you who right now) that believed that the soul was only perfect when it is seperate from the body, and then it becomes reused once you pass on.  That's always been the best way to define how I feel.

Xo
Ara

[Brijrian]

I think that the part that gets left behind when you die would be what some psycologists (or, more specifically to what I am referring to: Eckhart Tolle) would call the "ego".
 

[Lark]

I believe in reincarnation.  My own past life experiences have been so powerful and explained so much about my current life that it would be hard not to.  I do not believe that we simply vanish when we die.  I know that I have ongoing contact with a loved one who died 40 years ago and he still keeps an eye on me to make sure I'm OK.

Do I know for a fact that my beliefs are accurate?  Nope.  It's the one great Mystery, what happens after we die.  But I still believe that we go on over and over until we have reached our final avatar and are taken back up into the Divine.

-Lark-