I am very interested in understanding what the Truth is about life after death. I hear references to being united or reunited with our guru, Yogananda — is that literal or figurative? I hear that we will forget our earthly life — but what about our dear ones — aren’t we loving their particular incarnation of the infinite and wouldn’t that survive death and be recognizable to us and us to them when we pass? Thank you for any insights you can provide.
- Gail
—Gail Page, United States
Dear Gail,
It is a very good thing to be a seeker of truth in every area of life (including courageously seeking knowledge about the subjects of death and life after death). “Know the TRUTH and the truth will set you free”
Yogananda clearly states that, if we remain faithful to his path of self-realization, either he, or another of our line of Gurus will be there (literally, not figuratively) to meet us upon our arrival in the astral world and help us with our transition from the material plane. What a promise! Personally, I’m looking forward to that moment very much!
Of course, in a sense, we have no need to unite or reunite with our Gurus, because we are always united with our Gurus, with God, with each other, etc., for all is ONE! We just haven’t fully realized it yet. That state of consciousness will come to us, for it is our eventual and absolute destiny.
Yogananda taught that we never completely forget our earthly life (lives). All memories, karma, etc are always with us, stored in our chakras. We may pass through a time of forgetfulness, after death, in the beginning of our stay in the astral world—sort of like a cleansing, freeing, or healing process—especially if the most recent life and/or death has been particularly rough on us. Then we regain our memories, as we adjust to the new energy patterns of the astral world we will inhabit, until it’s time to reincarnate again (if we have to reincarnate—reincarnation can be avoided, you know!).
As for loving our dear ones, that love will certainly survive death and our loved ones, there or here or wherever, will be recognizable to us. However, Yogananda playfully explains that we might become a little confused about exactly whom to pick out to love more than anyone else, because we have so MANY incarnations behind us (when we take up the spiritual path in earnest, there are probably millions of lives and loved ones to remember!). Thus, we become hard-pressed to understand whom to love the most. Everyone is a “very dear one to us, in one way or another!” So individualized love tends to become more universalized, as we progress and expand our consciousness spiritually. What a wonderful concept!
Hoping this answers your questions. If not or if other questions arise from reading these answers, please feel free to ask again. Blessings always!
