Dr. Pim van Lommel discusses the origins and nature of consciousness:
There is a Grand Design to this world and to this life. And a part of the design begins with an act of free will on what is dramatically emphasized as “the other side“. Simply put, being born into this physical world is actually a choice that we make on the other side. In reality, we choose to come to this world, and when we make this choice it is to experience many of the things that do not exist back home. If you remember correctly how I made mention earlier of a place where everything is perfect, a place on the other side that I call home. Back home, since everything is perfect, so are we to varying degrees–which doesn’t necessarily mean that we are in any way imperfect–we are all merely perfect on different levels.
So therefore, in order to enrich our highest form of energy–or our souls–and grow to be more perfect, or in other words to mature to a higher level of perfection we must first experience many facets of imperfection. The only way for us to accomplish this feat however is by gaining knowledge of what it is like to be imperfect, and all of the various aspects involved. Now, in this case, the only means of experiencing imperfection is to choose to incarnate and come to an imperfect world. And, contrary to my own previous knowledge that we only have one shot in this world, I know now that we may opt to do this many times. Time and again we choose to visit a living mechanical world that was designed and created imperfect purposely for the evolution of the soul, essence, spirit energy or whatever term you prefer. In a paradoxical sort of way you could say that anger, hatred, greed, jealousy as well as all other forms of human suffering were designed to exist in this world exclusively for our benefit because they do not exist back home.
Physical life, is nothing more than an experience of a multitude of things that do not exist on the other side simply for the evolution and maturation of the soul. In essence, life is a learning, teaching and growing experience. Now, taking this into account, and since there is a Grand Design to this life, Love is one of the grand element that is perfect and, in every sense of the word intrinsic to all of creation. Love, is not just a word, nor is it just a feeling or an emotion, nor is it a state of being. Love is a part of our very existence. So, when we choose to come to this world we are girded in the very core of our existence, Love in order to help in our struggles to endure such an imperfect place. As we sojourn this world time and again we will unavoidably encounter designated hardship, adversity and moments of despair that will perhaps leave us feeling as though we have failed or wronged God, ourselves or another. Or, we may even feel lost, abandoned, mistreated or betrayed by others. It is in these times however, when things may seem a bit hopeless you may rest assured that the Love never fails.
The Love of ONE never fails, and, we are all an integral part of that ONE Love. In a mechanical world built to change, which is a part of the design for the evolution of experience–a world consumed with growing hatred and violence–one that may seem void of Love, at the conclusion of our experience our true home awaits. But first, we must cross a thin fine line—one that many, including myself prior to May 12th 1998 fear out uncertainty. And, that thin fine line we refer to as death is nothing more than another part of the Grand Design, which was formulated for ending our experience so that we may begin our journey home with all of our life’s data. Once we separate from this physical world–while carrying our life’s data–we then embark on our journey back.
“You have been searching for the truth. There is no sin in the search. Searching is part of your purpose. Search for My face. Search for My truth. You will not find the entire truth on this earth in your lifetimes. Continue to search all the days of your life, never stop questioning. When you become comfortable with a philosophy stay with it for a time. If you later find it to be false them move on. Have no fear. Truths can come from unusual places. Learn all that you can from all things, places, people and events. Listen with your heart, mind and ears. You will know when you find a truth. I will help you.”
I passed through some kind of dividing line, a barrier of sorts, hard to describe.
I was surrounded by light. Misty shapes began to form as looked around. At first they were just moving swirls of light, but they soon took the shape of human forms. There were a lot of them around me. I heard soft whispering coming from them, like a crowd murmuring and talking among themselves. From this crowd, three shapes came forward and approached me. As they drew near, I could make out them out better, like they were slightly out of focus and my eyes were adjusting. They were tall and slender, wearing what looked like flowing robes. One of them was wearing a beard. They all had long, shoulder-length hair. One of them spoke to me.
“You’re not supposed to be here, yet. You have to go back. You know what you agreed to.”, he said.
I told him that I didn’t want to go back. I liked it here, it felt like home. I felt like they were amused by my response.
“You must go back, you have work to do. We’ll send you back, soon.”
I looked around me at the crowd. I saw familiar faces. These were friends, family, enemies, people I had known before, but I couldn’t remember from where or when. Some of them I knew I had known for a very long time. Many lives, many places, many times. I flashed on visions from those lives and events. There was a kind of continuity and connectiveness about all of it, a sense of purpose and order that spanned the centuries.
I looked back at the three people in front of me. These people were ancient. I don’t know how I knew that, but I knew that they were “old souls” who watched over my group. We all had “sprung” from them, like children, each going their way yet connected to the source. I felt nothing like judgment of our actions from them. If anything, I felt a kind of amused benevolence from them, like parents watching their children playing. Even at the really bad things we did in our lives, there was no judgment.
The one with the beard spoke to me. “You can ask questions. We will answer them and you will remember. It is important that you do this.”
My first question was “Is this heaven?”.
“It can be, if that’s what you want. It can be Hell, as well, if that’s what you believe. This reality is an extension of you, instantly realized and formed. You always create your own reality, no matter where you find yourself, for we are all co-creators.”
“Where is God? I don’t see him.” I asked. They became visibly amused, like they were snickering at my question under their breath.
“How can you see that which you are yourself a part of? We are all expressions of God. When you see with your eyes, you see through the eyes of God and he experiences reality through yours. When you speak to God, you speak to yourself. We are one and the same, there is no division or separation. You can no more ‘see’ God than your hand can see you, for it is a part of you and functions because of you and for your purposes, as well as it’s own. There is no separation. Any that seems to exist is an illusion. The light that surrounds us here is God. It is our source of being and is given freely to all.”
Next question. “Why do I feel like this is home?”.
“Because it is home. All begin here and return here. It is the starting point for all journeys and lessons.”
A strange question. I still don’t know why I asked it, but at the time it seemed relevent. “When I come back again, can I stay?”. I got an even stranger answer.
“We don’t think you’ll want to stay long, you never do. You love your lessons, especially the hard ones. You can do as you please, it’s your choice.”
