On Purpose Magazine Question Series

What Happens When You Die?

Cemetery fog by Tim Heffernan, on Flickr

So many schools of thought on this one. It seems that it is just not an academic type of question where the true answer can be found.

Do we just turn into dust and are no longer? Do we come back as someone or something else? Do we stay aware? Do we go someplace where we can see and help guide others back on Earth? Do we get rewarded or punished for our lives here on Earth? Do we go back to source like a drop of water back into the ocean that is the infinite? What do you think? What is your experience.

Please also share this with friends so we can get their response as well. I would love to get a diversity of beliefs discussed here.

This question is not one of science for the most part. It is strictly a debate in faith and belief.

I do not want this to turn into a mudslinging debate, but as I was diagnosed earlier this year with stage 4 cancer the question has come up. Although I do not practice a particular religion, it is hard for me to believe that my being aware is all there is and that all of us being aware only for a fleeting moment is the point of life, if there is a point to life at all.

There seems to be as many opinions as there are people out there. I did some research on near death experiences. I had one years ago and did not see a light at the end of any tunnel. I actually saw nothing. As it turns out although the Internet reports on many stories of similar NDE experiences, there are studies that show only 12% of NDE experiences caused visions and all those visions were not necessarily the same? 60% had feelings of peace and contentment and only 5% of those experienced entering the light so this means that only a very few of NDE experiences are similar… So what gives? ^{1 2 3}

I want to know what you think. What you believe; what you hope and what you believe you know.

What Do You Believe Happens When We Die?