by Kelvin Chin, Life After Life Expert
Do those words sound familiar?
Many of us may have grown up saying that phrase as part of “The Lord’s Prayer.” Others may have at least heard the phrase from reading or studying religious books, or from talking with friends.
Let’s first discuss what I think those words originally referred to, and then let’s look into what else those words might lead us to think about.
The Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus often used those or similar words. What did he mean by that phrase?
He also spoke of “The Kingdom of Heaven is within.…” When he said this, I have interpreted it as meaning to go inside oneself and seek the peacefulness within.
In the language that I use now, I would say: “Turn within, and experience our minds in that different way that occurs when we are ‘by ourselves, with ourselves’ during meditation or whatever practice we choose, and by doing so, ‘know ourselves’ better, expand our capacity for experience, and lead happier, more effective, balanced lives.”
To me, that would be following Jesus’ suggestion. That would be not only ‘seeking Heaven within,’ but also experiencing it regularly in our daily lives.
And that would result in experiencing what he often referred to as ‘Heaven on Earth.’ Thus the phrase: “On Earth as it is in Heaven….”
Heaven and Earth
What about Heaven? Is it real? Does it exist as a “place” different from Earth? Or is “the Afterlife” just an idea that people came up with?
As I talk about in my lectures, many people have experienced NDE’s (Near-Death Experiences), which may shed some light on the possibility that life (the mind or soul) may continue after the physical death of the body. What I find interesting is not merely that tens of thousands of medically-documented cases exist worldwide (regardless of culture or religion), but that there is a similarity to the overall structure of the experience that people report.
There is a common experience of “expanded mind,” a mind that seems like it “could travel anywhere.” There is also a common experience of feeling “at peace,” “No worries.” And there is a common experience that more emotionally-languaged people call “being bathed in love,” while others describe it as “total acceptance,” or a feeling of “being at home with the experience.”
The details of “How” each person experiences this brief glimpse at perhaps what is the 'Afterlife' vary.
And I think that is normal, and as it should be. We are each unique minds and each person has his or her own filter through which we experience life. So, if that is true, then it should also apply to our experience of the Afterlife. It will also be unique to each of us. The overall structure will be the same — just life the overall structure of our experience of being awake is the same — but the details of how we experience being awake is unique to each of us.
So, does Heaven exist? If we define it as the Afterlife, it seems like many people have experienced at least briefly an afterlife when they have NDE’s. So, maybe it does exist after all.
Now let’s look more literally at the phrase — “On Earth as it is in Heaven” — and discuss the differences (and potential similarities) between Heaven and Earth, based on people’s experiences — either with NDE’s or through other possible experiences with ‘the other side of the veil.’
The Differences
The most obvious difference is that ‘on the other side of the veil’ people don't have physical bodies. Minds who exist in so-called ‘energy bodies’ do not need to eat food, nor make money to pay for food or shelter. So, I think for most human minds that will be an immediate relief — less stress right off the bat.
Another difference is that without the confines of a body, and all the challenges that go along with it — besides feeding it — keeping it free from illness, moving the body from place to place, needing to rest it regularly, etc. — without all of that, comes the benefit of having a mind that can experience itself more easily and more fully.
And what does that mean experientially?
That means a mental experience of the mind ‘feeling more expanded,’ as if ‘unbounded’ — thus the descriptions from NDE patients that they “felt like they (their mind) could go anywhere….” For those of you who are experienced already in ‘turning within,’ you will see direct parallels between this and experiences you may often have in your meditations or other ‘turning within’ practices. So, for you, after you die, this experience may not be as “new” for you, but simply an extension of what you have already become familiar with while you were ‘on this side.’
There are other differences, but I think those are the fundamental ones to consider at this point.
The Similarities
Now this is where the discussion gets interesting. Because I think there is actually more similarity to our life ‘on this side of the veil’ with ‘the other side’ than we realize.
Heaven is more like Earth than we realize.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to bum you out. Because I know many of you are really looking forward to life in Heaven, the Afterlife, or Enlightenment, or whatever you want to call it. Mostly I think many people feel that way because they are so unhappy with their lives on Earth. But, escapism is never a good reason to move on. Just like in a bad relationship, escaping it without dealing with the internal issues you may have brought to the table yourself only means that you will encounter them again (and again) in every subsequent relationship (life) you have.
And, yes, while life may be a lot easier in certain ways in the Afterlife, let’s look at some similarities that are typically overlooked.
Angels
Do angels exist?
Angels exist to the same extent that human beings exist. What we call someone who has a mind encased in a human body is “a human being.” What we call someone who has a mind that is not in a body, but is in an ‘energy body,’ is “an angel.” So, if that’s how we look at it, then yes, angels exist.
Now, those who have experienced communications of various kinds with angels over the millennia have often taken whatever the angels have told them ‘at face value.’
I think this is a mistake.
The presumption has been that if the information comes ‘from the other side,’ then “it must be true and accurate.” But, if people are really being honest, they will tell you that does not match up with reality. Sometimes the information is accurate, and sometimes it isn’t.
In that respect, I think angels are more similar to us than we realize. They are minds like we are. And they are not infallible.
See my more detailed discussion of this in some of my other blog essays (see “Psychic Scrutiny…,” “Spiritual Insecurity,” et al.). Bottom line: We must always exercise our own minds to assess the value and appropriateness of the information to our own lives — regardless of the source.
Moreover, I think we need to look at angels as more like ourselves. After all, many of them are simply dead human beings who are now in ‘angelic’ form — i.e., in an energy-light form body. Our dead grandmothers, parents, uncles and friends who may be now communicating with us from ‘the other side.’ Other angels may have never taken on human form before, but they still have minds — just like ours — and so they still have desires, wishes, emotions, intentions, and beliefs.
So, while they’re obviously different from us, what we call “angels” may be more similar to us than we realize.
Angel Hierarchies
One overlooked area that I think bears being aware of is that ‘on the other side’ there seems to be a fondness with hierarchy.
Think about it. If you don’t have a body to worry about, don’t need to work to make money to support your needs for food and shelter — all the basics that consume most of our time and energy as human beings — then what do you have left? Lots and lots of time.
So, what do you do with all that free time? Well, you can do lots of things — you can play, enjoy life more freely, hang out with your old friends you haven’t seen in a long time — basically, you’re on ‘vacation.’
But, if you choose not to be reborn into a new body and be reincarnated into a new lifetime on Earth, then what happens?
You become bored.
And what better way to relieve the boredom than to create all sorts of ways to fulfill all the unfulfilled desires you’ve harbored for millennia. And thus, I think, the Angel Hierarchies gained a foothold in Heaven.
More Important Than Who?
The hierarchies feed off of the need to feel important.
Keeping in mind that angels are not infallible, nor are they perfect beings, they are still then fraught with the same insecurities that we on Earth are subject to. Remember: a mind is a mind, whether it has a body or not.
So, when insecurities reign, then the need for expressing one’s importance over others flourishes. (See my blog essay on “The Importance of Being Important…”)
Watch more about “Angel Hierarchies” in my videos. Stay tuned.
Final Thoughts…
So, where does that leave us?
I think we need to look at the whole notion of Heaven and Earth in a more rational way.
Yes, Heaven seems to exist and it is definitely much different on its surface than Earth. And I don’t mean to take away anything from its value as an effective ‘resting place’ — sort of a free vacation — either between lifetimes, or for as long as one wishes to stay (no need for “Late Check-Out” from your hotel…).
But, there is more similarity in ways that are important to our quality of life — whichever ‘side of the veil’ we are on — than we realize.
Minds are minds regardless of whether they have physical bodies or not. And a strong mind, a self-confident mind that is infused with integrity and promotes independent thinking is a good mind to be friends with — on ‘this side’ OR on ‘the other side.’ Conversely, minds that are lacking in confidence and integrity need to be watched out for, understood, and managed accordingly — their motives, agenda and beliefs carefully scrutinized wherever we may encounter them.
And, for those on Earth who are not used to questioning authority, I would suggest that the need to recognize the similarities between Heaven and Earth is even more important.
In many ways, I think the reality is in fact reflected in this phrase:
“In Heaven as it is on Earth…"