Recent headlines about the U.S. President making horrifying remarks about a dead senator burning in hell really upset me. Not only is speaking of a colleague in such a negative manner, extending the pain of grief for the deceased’s loved ones, absolutely abominable, it’s also propagating the religious narrative that there is something “down there” with fire and brimstone where people will suffer throughout eternity.
As someone who works with the world of spirit, connecting with those who have already exited this plane of existence, I can say, with unequivocal experience and understanding, that the burning hellfires of the fabled underworld simply don’t exist. Though, in a way, they actually do. Read on for more.
So what happens when you die? If you’re an atheist, nothing (though eventually you’ll come around to “something” whether you choose to believe that or not). If you’re a follower of one of the Abrahamic religions, you go to either heaven or hell (or sometimes hangout in purgatory for a while). In fact, no matter your religion or belief system here on Earth, we all end up in the same place but with differing results. A lot of people don’t want to believe this, especially when we’re dealing with what we think of as “pure evil” here on earth (like murderers and those who hurt children, animals and others), but we do all end up in some version of “heaven”. Everyone goes through a “review” of their life. You experience the feelings, and even the actions, of others which were sparked by your words and deeds.
If you’ve hurt others, committed terrible deeds, and were generally unkind in your life, you will review and relive the pain you caused. You will be forced to recognize how your words and actions effected those you came into contact with. You will experience the ripple of how those you hurt caused pain for those around them. That is your hell. You relive it until you have the spiritual strength and understanding of love and forgiveness. Your victims here on earth can help in your healing by forgiving you; though, they will need exceptional spiritual strength and love to do so.
If you led a good life, full of love, joy, and kindness, then your afterlife review will be “heavenly”. You will review and experience what you gave to the world through that love, joy, and kindness. You will enjoy the ability to bilocate, reconnect with loved ones who have passed before you, and the freedom afforded the soul which is no longer bound by the physical body. You will be in a time and space of Universal understanding. You will bask in the everlasting warmth of LOVE.
Wait. What? Even Adolph Hitler, mass murders, pedophiles, and rapists can end up in “heaven”? That’s a very hard pill to swallow when you think of the atrocities committed by these people. We don’t want Hitler in OUR heaven, right? As incomprehensible as the notion may be for the victims of evil men, those same evil men (and women) won’t suffer pain and damnation for all eternity. They will feel the spiritual, physical and emotional wounds they created with each and every victim, along with the suffering to their victim’s family, friends, and so on. Although, my guides and angels won’t allow darkness and evil to enter my “psychic space”, based on the afterlife knowledge they have shared with me, I expect the soul that was Hitler is still suffering to this day, reviewing each and every life he took, and the atrocities committed in his name, during his relatively short, vicious, and deadly campaign. Based on the violent and painful ways his victims met their deaths, his soul’s afterlife experience is probably the closest we can imagine to the fire and brimstone of biblical proportions.
What about suicide? That’s an abomination which will send you to hell as fast as murdering someone, right? No. Someone who takes their own life is a victim, although their suicide will cause ripples, creating pain for others left behind. The pain their actions caused for others will have to be part of the afterlife as well as reviewing the darkness that brought them to the point of death by their own hand. Those who suffered mentally or physically at the end of life will be “cocooned” in the afterlife, blanketed in love by their guides, angels, or loved ones who died before them, until they can fully come to terms with their review. If you’d like more information on my connections with those who have taken their own life, please visit this article.
Knowing all of this this doesn’t mean you have a pass to commit terrible acts, injuring the innocent. It means you should be living your best life, and keeping in kindness, joy, and ultimately love. Not only should you be loving others wholeheartedly (even the hurtful ones), but you should be loving yourself. Love allows for forgiveness and forgiveness allows for healing. You may never wish to forgive someone who hurt you or someone you love. You don’t have to. But know that any pain and/or hatred you hold in your heart doesn’t hurt others as much as it hurts you. Ultimately forgiveness is for you.