Life is worth living, and, on our own initiative, we have been granted the opportunity to experience its physical manifestation on the earth plane. The human body we wear has an infinite life expectancy, and the spirit inhabiting that body, can use it at will, as long as it maintains the vital forces, or energy fields, or vibratory rating, of that body, in perfect harmony with the mental and spiritual body. Age has nothing to do with it, and it is a tridimensional illusion to believe in the finality of life, when, in actuality, life is unlimited. It is our own egotism, intolerance and false conceptions of life, that set in motion, and accelerate, the aging process, and death is but the withdrawal of the spirit from a form that no longer comes up to its own expectations.
Before entering the body, we have pledged to fulfil, to the best of our abilities, the conditions attached to it, that is to say, family relationships, social and religious customs and constraints, and, not the least, the genetic and environmental factor, which is equally part of the karmic heritage of the individual.
All those who feel their life is unbearable, and they would rather die, should visit the hospitals and mental institutes of their community. There, they will see an array of human miseries that will change their own outlook on life. Then, they will realize, selfishness is their worst enemy, and, through love and service to others, they will forget their own problems, and their own, seemingly, insurmountable difficulties, and find the peace and happiness they are looking for.
Each has a moment on the Clock of Time when the transition should be made to that higher progression, when the law of karma has been fulfilled. If life is taken before that moment, then that spirit must stay in suspended animation until the fullness of the moment is realized and understood.
Excerpt from THE GOD WITHIN, by Elwood Babbitt and Chs. H. Hapgood
Life is the most precious gift in the Universe, and those who, in a moment of despair, decide to end their material life, do not understand that all life is ONE, and, by shedding the material body, they only amplify the problems that led to the present condition. Once the transition made, they finally realize, that, what they considered to be an escape from the burdens of the material world, was, in fact, a new source of frustration and guilt, because it has deprived them of the opportunity to fulfil their life's mission, and work out the karmic problems, that brought them into the present life.
As previously stated, karma is the law of cause and effect, which states that "as you sow, so shall you reap," or to put it bluntly, do to others what you would like them to do to you. The reincarnational process allows us to take a human form, to experience the various aspects of life and its limitations, thus giving us the opportunity to grow in awareness and understanding, so that the prodigal sons we are can return to the Father, and partake in all the riches of His unlimited Kingdom.
We lay great stress upon the reincarnational and multidimensional aspect of life, and the word God comes up very often in the book. These repetitions are intentional, because reincarnation and karma, are the missing links, or the missing pieces, in the eternal puzzle of life, and God will never be mentioned too often, as the word represents the highest vibration in the Universe.
It has been said, somewhere, that life is not a bed of roses, and, in a sense it may be true, as we reincarnate, life after life, in order to perfect a human body, and become, once again, the children of God we were in the beginning of creativity. For that purpose, we have freely chosen the parents and the environment of our present incarnation, and those who complain, and repeat constantly they did not ask to be born, do not grasp the true significance of reincarnation whereby, through the process of procreation, human beings are the channels through which life (the spirit) can express itself, in the tridimensional world that we inhabit. Thus, man and woman, born through the channel of their parents, will become, themselves, the channels through which another spirit will voluntarily incarnate on the earth plane, thus fulfilling the law of cause and effect, and perpetuating the unending cycle of birth and rebirth. Each of these reincarnational plays has a definite purpose, and the spirit is fully aware of the role it has agreed upon, before its entrance into the world. Not only did we ask to be born, but again, we chose the circumstances of that life, and, whether we were born rich or poor, it is the reincarnational play, and the means of expression, we have chosen. We must make the best of it, and play our role to the best of our knowledge and abilities.
We are, in fact, the director, as well as the leading actor, of our own reincarnational drama. Although the synopsis is already written, we write our own dialogue, and we improvise as we go along. The other actors do likewise as, they too, have the leading part of their own reincarnational drama. It is this creativity and interaction, this constant amalgamation of thought forms that imprints itself on the ethereal substance, thus setting in motion the karmic wheel and the law of cause and effect, of which our earth experience is the tridimensional expression. The synopsis is, in fact, the karmic agreements taken prior to our entrance into the world, and the dialogue is nothing else than the individual's free-will of expression, and his divine right to make his own choices, and have the experiences necessary to his growth.
Life in the physical is a positive experience, and each of us reincarnates to progress always further, or inward, on the road to perfection. The limitations and sufferings are essential, but not mandatory, elements of all earth incarnations. They are the obstacle race that we must run and win at all costs. No one chooses an impossible mission, and even the greatest hardships and difficulties are a choice of the spirit. Therefore, even though it may be the consequence, direct or indirect, of past mistakes, taking one's own life is not a karmic agreement, and none of us chooses suicide as a life experience. Even though it is said that nothing happens by coincidence, or accident, the length of our earthly life is a divine prerogative, and is part of the synopsis , or reincarnational drama, of the physical worlds.
The spirit will always act in the best interest of the individual, but, when it comes to suicide, it is a personal conscious choice, disapproved by the spirit, but a choice that he makes in total freedom of expression. It is a decision of last resort, a refusal to conform to the conditions of his karmic agreements, and fulfil his mission of life. It is not an act of courage, it is an act of weakness and, very often, cowardice. Even the thought of destroying the body is shameful when, all over the world, so many people fight for their life in the most trying conditions. Suicide is the extreme consequence, and culmination, of an ego trip, where the individual focuses on himself, and blames his environment, and the world, for all his misfortunes and missed opportunities. To paraphrase a certain president, he does not ask himself what he can do for others, but rather what others can do for him.
Again, nothing is by coincidence, or accident, and, even though suicide is personal conscious choice, it is, definitely, part of a greater cosmic plan, because it affects the lives of all those who evolve in that specific environment. This implies that the spirit was aware of such an eventuality, , but it was not foreseen as being a part of his karmic agreements.
Many will say that suicide is a thoughtless act, prompted by discouragement, depression, or insanity, but it is nevertheless the responsibility of the individual. The truth is, that at a certain point in time, a thought germinated in the conscious and sane mind of the individual, and it grew until the time it became a fixed idea, a hypnotic state, where suicide is then considered as the only solution to all his problems. We all have moments of depression, where the most gloomy thoughts assail us but, the moment they manifest, they must be removed, and replaced with positive thoughts, for, as we often hear, where there is life, there is hope.
The divine law is immutable, just and merciful, and, if hardships befall us, it is for a specific reason, and we can be sure, we have, within ourselves, the moral strength, and the physical capacity, to overcome them. It is only our materialistic thoughts, and our egotism, added to the lack of concern and intolerance of society, that veil the true purpose of our incarnation on the earth plane, as we focus our attention on ourselves, instead of concentrating on our mission of life, the pledge we have made to love and serve others.
Even though it is extremely difficult, to function in the decadent and materialistic world that surrounds us, our spirit is fully conscious of these limitations, and aware of its mission in the world. Our choices of life are made according to the lessons to be learned and, conscious of the difficulties these karmic agreements will entail, we choose the environment and the parents who will be more conducive to fulfilling these goals. As mentioned before, no one accepts an impossible mission. We are fully equipped to meet the challenge, and we have all the tools necessary to our growth, and our normal functioning on the physical plane.
It may, at times, seem otherwise, but we are in full control of our life at any moment, and in any circumstances. It is always a matter of choice, not fatality. Some may argue, and rightly so, that the victim of a premeditated murder does not have much to do in the matter; that the cancer victim is not even conscious that the cells are degenerating. But even there, it is still a matter of choice and perspective. Because we limit our perceptions to the physical reality, we are unaware of the intense activity of our inner senses. Thoughts are things. Every moment of our life, we are creating the physical reality of the next moment. Positive thoughts create a positive reality, just as negative thoughts will bring about all these hardships and diseases we feel we do not deserve.
There is, of course, the karmic considerations, but karma is a learning process, and, even though we speak of reward and punishment to explain the law of cause and effect, this does not alter the fact, that none of us is inescapably bound to his, or her, karma. The in-between life (the astral) allows us to assess our past life, and learn the lessons inherent to that life. If we give heed to these lessons, the karmic debts disappear, and we will not repeat the same mistakes all over again. Thus, a murderer does not necessarily have to be murdered in his next life, if, in the interval, he has learned his lesson, and has come to the realization it is wrong to kill another life form. This is what religion calls 'grace,' which is not, as some believe, a favor, or a special dispensation, from Heaven, but rather the recognition of our mistakes and the desire to live as the children of God we are.
So, it all comes back to thought and thought process. If we ever want to progress spiritually, we must take full responsibility for all that happens in our life. For every course of action, there is always an alternative or alternatives, and these are subordinated to the individual's thought process, which is itself subordinated to the spirit within the form. So, ultimately, it is the spirit, which is, or should be, in control of the body. Suicide is but an attempt of the conscious mind to free itself from the influence of the spirit, and from the karmic agreements taken, prior to entering the world once again. Nothing is ever lost, and, even though he had the choice to take another direction, the individual who takes his own life will have, at least, learned ,that self-centredness and self-pity can only lead to disaster. The next time around, he will realize that altruism is still the best means to find happiness, and to devote oneself to the service of others, is the only way to fulfil one's life mission. However, all this does not sanction suicide. It only places it in a greater spectrum of reality, where the law of cause and effect, brings order and harmony into what may seem like a very disorderly, merciless and purposeless physical reality.
Humanity, as a whole, must share the moral responsability of these acts of suicide, as they are, more than often, the consequence of the individual's inaptitude to cope with all the misconceived ideas and ways of life, of the world in which he lives, and of his inability to resolve his problems, in a context of society, where money and power have become the ideals of life and the Golden Calf of physical reality. When the law of the jungle replaces the law of love, egotism and intolerance take control, and brotherhood takes the back seat
It is nonsensical that, in an evolved society such as ours, full employment is still a utopian goal, and many of our youths are already on welfare, at an age when they should be the pillars of society. We are, of course , far from reaching that goal, and things will be worse before they get better. America is in debt way over its head and, all over the continent, governments are axing expenditures, and there is not enough money to maintain welfare programs. However, they do not hesitate to pour billions of dollars on warfare, when it is a known fact that war has never settled the problems of humanity. Irak and Koweit are slowly emerging from a war that has taken the lives of thousands of people, and whose cost exceeds 40 billion dollars. To defend the oppressed, is a noble cause, but to do it through the means of armed conflicts is immoral, for such means are contrary to spiritual laws. And, there again, it is easy to see that armed conflicts never solved anything. The Middle-East is still in a state of crisis, and the conflict between Israelis and Arabs drag on indefinitely.
Why is it that so much money goes for war and national prestige, and so little (in comparison) for the welfare and happiness of people? Wars generate jobs, but it is definitely the worst way to make a living, and the millions of dead soldiers and civilians of the two World Wars, along with the Corean, Vietnamese and Iraki conflicts, would have certainly preferred an ecological war that would have generated just as many jobs without the countless casualties of this century. We maintain a high profile on the diplomatic front, and we spend enormous sums of money on embassies and consulates, but, in spite of this glamorous facade, we cannot hide our slums. If we have much to show in terms of prestige and technological accomplishments, we have little to show in terms of humanity and brotherhood.
All this tends to prove there is no lack of money, only a lack of concern for the true priorities of life. The first priority of life is life itself, and the physical, mental, and spiritual, welfare of all people should be the first concern of a spiritual society. And what is the first concern of our society? GREED.
It is in this context of negativity that our youth struggle for their place in the sun. It is in such an atmosphere that they must learn to survive. And while society revels in its egoistic and materialistic pursuit of happiness, the gap widens between rich and poor, and it becomes increasingly difficult to overcome the difficulties of every day life. This is why, it is much more important to instill into our children the principles of love and brotherhood, that will transform them into true children of God, than dull their spirit with false notions of nationalism, patriotism and religious zeal, for true patriotism places the welfare of others above personal considerations, and true religious zeal is to understand that God manifests Himself through all His children, without respect to race, color, or religion.
Again, we reincarnate in the environment that will be more conducive to our spiritual growth, and individually, we are responsible for the mess our world is in, at the present time. We have freely chosen the social context in which we live, and the constraints of life, that are, in fact, the lot of all humanity, should not serve as an excuse to commit such a useless and foolish act as suicide.
Those who decide to end their earthly life before the time allotted for such an occurrence, do not grasp the true significance of their incarnation, and their reason for being in the world. They may remain in a state of suspended animation, for a period of time that corresponds to the remaining of their unfinished earth life.
Suicide is a refusal to take advantage of the time allocated for an earthly existence, and it momentarily disrupts the spiritual progress of the individual. It is also a momentary disruption of the cosmic equilibrium, and, as all action triggers a reaction, those who take their own life must submit to the law of cause and effect. This is where the state of suspended animation (the limbo state) nullifies, or replaces, the remaining of the earthly life. Finally emerging from this lethargy, those who took their own life, will finally realize it was an unfortunate mistake, and, of their own free will, they will decide to reincarnate once again, and, this time, profit by the lessons of their past earth life.
Let us digress for a moment, and consider cancer, which, in a certain way, is an act of self-destruction. Although it isn't an actual suicide, it is more a psychosomatic unbalance, and an unconscious refusal to cope with the problems at hand, than the direct consequence of a physiological disturbance due to external causes. These external causes (chemical waste, cigarettes and atmospheric pollution) do exist, but they only serve as accelerators, or weak spots, where the disease will manifest. The real culprit is the immune system of the body that has been weakened by negative thought forces, and this is why, even though many are exposed to a virus, only a few will catch the disease. The proof of it, is found in plague-stricken countries of the past, where so many charitable souls took care of the sick, without catching the disease.
Cancer is the body response to emotional patterns, or guilt feelings, over which the individual has lost control, and the external causes will but localize the disease in specific areas of the body (the lungs, in the case of a heavy smoker) or, in extreme cases, the whole body, or what is called a generalized cancer.
We have become a materialistic society, and we suffer the hallucinating effect, of what has been planted into our minds from our childhood, and from our own acceptance of religious and social constraints. This indoctrination has put into abeyance our own powers and attributes of Sons and Daughters of God, and we find ourselves at the mercy of all the viruses and diseases that plague our society.
All disease is psychosomatic, and whatever enters into our thought forces registers from our own energy into the body itself (as above, so below). When the individual is not in tune with the forces of creativity, or in the joy and fulfilment of life, then, the cells congeal from the conditions of anxiety, stress, discouragement, unfulfilled desires, boredom, unhappiness and guilt. All these are magnified by the limitations of religions, and the ignorance of a society, that has not yet discovered, that thought is the most powerful force of good and evil in the universe. These are what lead to cancer, and nothing else, with the exception of a small percentage of humanity, that have accepted the experience for karmic reasons, thus fulfilling their own law of cause and effect.
The medical profession has made enormous progress in the treatment of the disease, but they have not found a permanent cure, because they cannot find the cause. In most cases of recovery, the medication, or therapy, will only trigger the patient's own internal mechanism, and initiate the healing process, thus reenergizing the cells, and restoring health throughout the body. A true psychoanalist of the soul, would have more success than drugs and chemotherapy, for all these exterior means, cannot eradicate the ultimate cause, which is at the origin of the disease. It is not preposterous to affirm, that any individual, stricken with cancer, can remove the cancerous growth by changing his, or her, own outlook on life. This is a natural law that science and religion have rejected, confident they are, that they can discover the secrets of the universe in their laboratories, and reach their God in their churches, when, in reality, that God is right there within the temple of the body, ready to heal a form that was made in His Image and His likeness. We are, slowly, becoming aware of that self-healing process, and science is on the brink of discovering the true interrelationship, that exists between body, mind and spirit. Those who are familiar with computers, are already aware of that fact on a physical level, and technological progress in that field makes it possible, to insert, in the computer, a program that will scan the existing files of a floppy disk, or a hard disk, and automatically repair any infected, or damaged file. This is a marvel of technology and, eventually, science will discover that the greatest marvel is right there within the human body.
The natural state of the body is a state of perfection, and, if we keep in mind the idea of perfection, we cannot but become perfect. There exists a perfect order in the universe, and this order is only troubled by the negative thought forms of humanity. Preferring to hide behind the screen of limitations, preconceived ideas, and false expectations of the material world, human beings have lost their ideals of life, and given up their life's mission. In their constant search for material gains, they have, as the Esaü of the Bible, traded their birthright, and their dignity, for the lentil stew of materialism. This birthright is the God-given power of the spirit over the body, and over the physical environment it occupies. We have the most powerful healing, and self-healing, process incorporated in the human body, and it is but our limitations, that prevent us from using that divine source of energy, to neutralize the negative conditions (thought forms), that are the cause of all physical illnesses.
This healing process applies to all health conditions, mental, or physical. If it can heal cancer patients who, unconsciously, shorten their life, it can, also, heal those who consciously, but irrationally, try to end their own life. Predisposition to suicide is definitely a dis-ease of the mind, for the individual disregards all the positive aspects of life, and focuses, entirely, on his own problems, and his own negative vision of humanity. It is not easy, for the normal individual, to cope with the stress, the anxiety and the social constraints of a materialistic society, but it turns out to be an insurmountable difficulty, for depressive people, because the mind is already weakened by the 'seeming' grossness and insolubility of their own problems, and they cannot find in the exterior world around them, the incentives that would reverse their downward course, the mental and spiritual help that would change their own outlook on life.
Parents, too, have their share of responsibility, and even though they are not responsible for the act itself, they are, nevertheless, responsible for the way their children are brought up, and they should definitely be on the look-out for any sign of depression and discouragement, that could eventually lead to such a drastic measure as suicide.
Just as some men desire a child to prove their virility, or to perpetuate the family name, so some women think they are still playing with dolls, and they feel, helped in that by religions and the taboos of society, that maternity is a prerequisite of the feminine condition. The only pre-requisite of the human condition, is that we love each other, considering all human beings as the brothers and sisters they are, and it is on this basis that we will be judged. It is a worthwhile experience to bear children, and bring spirits into the world, but, as in all other activities of life, future parents should weigh the pros and cons of such a decision, as it will affect, not only their life, but the life of another individual. They must weigh up the reasons that urge them to experience maternity and paternity. The child is not just a toy that you play with, and then put aside, when you are tired of it, and being a father, or a mother, implies, that you have taken upon yourself, to bring a spirit into the world, and give that spirit all the help he can get to fulfil his life's mission.
Childhood is the most crucial period in the life of an individual. Even though it is difficult, for him, to express his feelings, the young child always finds a way to show aptitudes and talents, that are the precursory signs of his specific mission in the world, and his education must be made in this direction. A child who passes out at the sight of blood, or sharp tools, but loves to draw houses, would be better off as an architect, or a designer, than as a doctor. In the same manner, one who hates mathematics, but loves music, will certainly be happier as a musician than as an accountant. It is not, of course, a general rule, but all these urges are subtle signposts on the highway of life, and it is the mission of all parents to lead their children in these directions. However, their role is one of guidance, and they must, in no way, exert undue influence on their choices of life. In a sense, the growing child is on the launching pad of life, but, once launched, he is on his own, and it is up to him to fulfil his mission of life, or abort it. While the parents will answer for the way they brought him up, he is responsible for his own actions, and he will have to answer for it.
Of course, victims of suicide are found at all levels of society, and this scourge of the twentieth century is not related to the number of children, or the social class of the individual. It is related to the lack of education, the generation gap, and the apathy of a selfish and intolerant humanity. Many parents will try to help their child, but they have no idea of the needs and concerns of those of the younger generation, who are raised in such a materialistic and absurd context. This generation gap and the lack of communication are regrettable. More than often, they lead to introspection, which is good for those who want to meditate for a while, but very dangerous, for someone who uses it as a temporary, or permanent, shelter against the outside world, for it may lead to total withdrawal and the taking of one's own life.
Remember that, generally, those that talk about dying, and threaten to take their own life, rarely perform the function, because, in their own rationalization and their own fear of death, the conscious mind stays the hand that would end that life. It is those that are silent, withdrawn and remorseful, who, without thought, commit the act. And this is where love, understanding and the proper teaching will act as a deterrent, and help them get over their depressive mood. Once they see a ray of hope filter through their clouded mind, their will to live will take over, and remove all negative thoughts that might lead them to suicide.
All those who, in a moment of desperation, decide to take their own life, should realize that life is a God-given gift; that they asked for, and were given the opportunity to experience life on the material plane, to work out the very problems they now refuse to face. They were given the tools, and the strength, to cope with them, but their false personality, or ego, veils the true perspective of life, and, instead of understanding and accepting the experience, and the karmic considerations that led to the problems at hand, they lament their own misfortune, and feel rejected by mankind, and alien to their own environment. And yet, they are not the only ones to suffer, and we are all beset with material limitations. If, instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they looked around, and tried to open up to others, they would find that, what they thought were insurmountable problems, had been magnified through the lenses of their own selfishness, and their own misunderstanding of life.
In a sense, suicide is the ultimate in selfishness, as the individual focuses entirely on the ego, and, forgetting family, friends and society, he commits an act of self-destruction, that will have no other result ,than arouse a sense of guilt in all those who crossed his, or her, pathway of life, and this may be the conscious, or unconscious, purpose of most of those who decide to take their own life. In this respect, society should not give suicide more credit than it deserves. Focusing the attention on these individuals, may give them the incentive to commit the act, for their state of mind partly derives from their feeling rejected by society, thus their wantto arouse guilt feelings in that society who, so they feel, will only realize they were alive when they will, finally, be dead.
From emotional troubles to unemployment, there is a myriad of causes that can lead individuals to leave aside all logic, and commit an act that goes against nature. Each breath we take is the ultimate proof the body wants to survive, and it takes, not a lot of courage, but a lot of self-centredness, and self-pity, to destroy the only vehicle we have to function on this tridimensional plane.
However, the underlying, and most important, cause is an emotional unbalance, that leads the individual, to see only the negative side of things. It is an incapacity to cope with problems that are already amplified by his own conditioning of life, and all the limitations imposed by religion and society. For example, a child who does not feel loved, or is neglected by his parents, is even more unhappy than the one who has no parents at all, and his emotional unbalance will rise according to his need of love. Growing up with this emotional void, he cannot but transpose, in his life, this feeling of rejection. By all means in his power, he will try to compensate for the lack of love, and each new deception will add up to the existing problem, and convince him that this world is not made for people like him. In a sense, he is so concentrated on his need of love, that he forgets that love is giving, not receiving.
Thus, even though there may be deep causes (karmic or otherwise,) to these individuals' depression and state of mind, they all have this in common, that their ego, or false personality, veils the true purpose of their life's mission, which is to be of service to others. So, they envision their life as purposeless and worthless, and they see no reason to go ahead with their earth experience, because they fail to recognize the necessity and the real value of all these hardships that befall them.
All this, of course, is also related to the law of cause and effect, and this ultimate rebellion of the individual, who is overwhelmed with all these hardships, is, in itself, a surrender, a refusal to conform to the karmic patterns already agreed upon, prior to entering the world once again.
Again, no one accepts an impossible mission, and each of us has all the tools necessary to function in the material world. The real problem is one of egotism, and instead of concentrating their attention on themselves, all those who think about taking their own life, should simply review their own priorities of life, and become conscious of their own purpose and mission in the world at the service of humanity.
Nobody has the right to die. Life is contract that we have signed with our own inner God, and to die with dignity is, in reality, to leave this earth at the time allotted for such an occurrence. Those with an incurable disease, who require the help of their loved ones ,to assist them in their attempt to die, are creating for themselves, and for others, a new karmic obligation, for they use their emotional ties, to drag them down in their own karmic reality, and force them to participate to what is, in fact, the relinquishment of their own life's mission. This life's mission ends with their last breath, and it is up to the spirit, not the conscious mind, to choose the time of the transition. This tends to prove that it is more difficult to live than to die, and suicide, whatever form it takes, is a sign of weakness, a misunderstanding of the evolutionary process of life..
According to Webster's dictionary, euthanasia is "the deliberate, painless killing of persons who suffer from a painful and incurable disease, or condfition, or who are aged and helpless."When the medical profession talks about incurable diseases, or terminal stage, it is only admitting its own helplessness to find a cause and a cure that, n actuality, exist. Because of the decline of societies and their own materialistic approach to sickness, it has become very difficult to fight diseases, and the more sophisticated we become, the more elusive the disease. Cancer is the more appropriate example. For decades, it has been associated with the idea of death, and the mere pronunciation of the word is enough to scare the strongest. Now that we are beginning to find cures for most of these cancers, another killer disease has made its appearance, and aids has become the worst plague of this century, and, probably, of all centuries.
One can surely sympathize with people affected with aids, or cancer, who want to put an end to their own life, but we can, in no way, ratify their desire to die. It is, of course, their own free-will expression to decide which course of action they will take, but, even though their condition seems desperate, it is a karmic priority that their life be lived to the fullest, until the spirit decides, of its own volition, to leave the body it occupies. Taking their own life, even in this state, is a breach of natural laws, and those who help, or assist, them in their attempt to die, are acting, (in a cosmic sense, of course) against their own interest and that of the patient.
A society that lives according to divine laws, is free of diseases. It has no need of doctors and surgeons, and when the time comes for the transition, it is only another stage in the uninterrupted cycle of birth and rebirth. The medical profession was born of the decline and the decay of societies, and until we regain our ascendancy over the body, there will be a need for injections, transfusions and surgery to bring the body back to heath, when, in reality, human beings have the most powerful healing process incorporated in the physical form. Our own society being what it is, one must yield to the evidence, and recognize that there is still a long way to go, before eliminating disease, and decay of the body, from this material world.
So, there are two schools of thought in the medical profession: there are those who advocate keeping the patient alive at all costs, even if this implies the use of mechanical means of survival, and those who, for reasons of their own, advocate the use, but this time, of chemical means, to terminate that life. These two schools of thought stem from materialistic concepts of spirituality, and it is the ignorance of divine laws that makes the transition so difficult for all. There is no death. There is only continuous birth and rebirth of life, on this earth, and in all the inhabitable worlds of the universe.
Thus, it is imperious to recognize the right of the individual to die with dignity, but this dignity will be, not to hasten the transition, or delay the dying process, but rather to let life follow its course, and help the patient understand the meaning of this transition. The spirit has supremacy over the physical body, and when the time comes, it will freely leave the shell it occupies. Similarly, prolonging indefinitely the life of a patient with mechanical means, will only keep the spirit prisoner in a form, for which it has no more usefulness, thus retarding its own progression in the spiritual realms. < There are, of course, cases where it is very difficult to draw the line, and the best approach will always be one of love and compassion.
The Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative disease [according to Webster's] which affects the nervous system, has become, along with sida, the plague of this 20th century. Here is a disease, where, in the most severe cases, the patient's body is unable to perform the normal functions of the five physical senses. He sees, hears, smells and talks, but he cannot perceive the physical reality conveyed by these senses. The body can ingest food through the digestive system, but the mind can no longer associate the effect with the cause, either to express hunger, or feed the body. The body has become what, in the current language, is called a vegetable, or, at least, that's what it appears to be.
Now, the purpose of our life's mission is to acquire wisdom and understanding and share the knowledge with others., and the question, here, is whether the spirit can still reach that goal in this condition. Considering the fact that the body is a vehicle that we use to experience the physical, it is normal to assume that it is no longer a suitable vehicle, if the brain does not perform the function for which it has been created, that of establishing the link between the spirit and the physical form. You can have the best computer in the world, but it is of no use if the DOS (Disk Operating System) is inoperative, and cannot run the programs. Therefore, the question is: if an individual decides that, if he ever becomes a vegetable, his life must be terminated, should his wish be respected, or not?
From a material point of view, it seems that respecting the individual's wishes would be the best alternative, as it would satisfy both the patient and his relatives. He does not want to live in these conditions, and his family does not see the need to live with, and take care, of 'a vegetable.' BUT, does the patient really want to leave the body, or is it caused by guilf feelings, or because he wants to avoid them the burden of his presence?
Furthermore, if we look at it from a spiritual point of view, we realize that, there again, the people concerned fail to see the true purpose of life, as they rely on materialistic concerns to confront a problem, or a situation, that is karmic in itself, and serves both the patient and his family. Earlier, we have raised the question of whether the spirit can reach its ultimate goal in such a condition, but who is to say that THIS condition (the Alzeimer's disease) is not one of the main goals of that person's life? As mentioned before, karma takes many forms and many disguises. It is true that the body will not perform most of the functions of the physical senses, but it does not mean that that life will have no usefulness. The real purpose of our life's mission is to serve others, and, whatever the means, it is the end result that counts. Thus, although it seems purposeless, the Alzeimer's disease will be a lesson in love and compassion for those who must care for the patient. So, the, seemingly, purposeless condition will serve a greater purpose, and in the cosmic scope of things, it will bring greater results than we may realize.
As you can see, life and death is not a crystal-clear matter, and neither is it the prerogative of humans, to decide if a person must live, or die. As mentioned before, the spirit has full control over the physical form, and, when the time comes, it will, gladly, leave the body it occupies. Those who, out of pity, agree to hasten the dying process of a terminal patient, must think twice, before accepting such a commitment. Do they have the right to terminate that life, or rather, do they have the right to be compassionate and agree to the request of their loved one? However, in this, as in any other experience of life, the true criteria is honesty and sincerity of purpose, and, whatever the decision will be, it will be judged on these factors.
There are many ways to commit suicide, and there is more to it than meets the eye. Suicide attempts that make the headlines are only the tip of the iceberg, and there are forms of suicide much more subtle, and less visible, than what we find on the front pages. For example, all those who uselessly risk their life to attempt the impossible, and for the sensation it brings them, are, in fact, playing with death. The normal response of the body to any threat is survival, and unless motivated by a sense of duty, patriotism or altruism, such attempts fall short of answering the criteria of courage, and self-sacrifice, that would warrant such an act. To risk the life of individuals, or animals, for the sole purpose of furthering scientific, or technological, progress, denotes a total misunderstanding of the evolutionary process, and incommensurable value, of life.
Endangering the health is, also, a very subtle form of suicide attempt, and the individual who ceaselessly drinks, in spite of the doctor's advice that it may kill him, does not have a good feeling about his own dignity. He fails to see the true purpose of his life, for, otherwise, he would certainly care for his own body, and do everything in his power to keep it healthy, and free of disease.
These competitions where people stuff themselves in order to find out who will eat the most, and make it in the 'Guinness book of Record,', are the worst form of abuse of the body. These people will not dare overinflating the tires on their car, and they are very careful not to put too much oil in the engine, but they do not hesitate to overload their own stomach and endanger the health of the body, a body that cannot be replaced, as we replace a tire, or an automobile.
The drug addict, the inveterate smoker with lungs' problems, the insatiable drinker with an infected liver, all these are hidden and mild forms of suicide, and although society does not consider them as such, they are nevertheless a sign that the individual has somehow gone astray, and has lost the true purpose of his life.
Careless driving is also a subtle form of suicide, as the individual who does not care about the life of others, certainly does not care about his own life, as all life is One, and what we see in others, is only a reflection of ourselves. An individual who truly loves himself, will care for, and will never think of endangering, the physical body that was loaned to him, a body that is the expression and the manifestation of God on the earth plane.
Such states of mind, are the result of psychosomatic disorders, where the false personality, or ego, overshadows the spiritual essence of the individual, and distorts his, or her, perceptions of life, to the point, where the desire, conscious, or unconscious, to withdraw from reality, supersedes all other considerations, thus disrupting the balance of the physical, mental, and spiritual body. They are, no doubt about it, the effect of a cause, and this cause is far deeper than we think. It is the forfeiture of karmic agreements that have become, for lack of courage and understanding, too cumbersome and heavy to bear. It is the surrender of the conscious mind, the abdication of the King, who has lost control over his own creation.
Again, nothing in life is by coincidence or accident. Our spiritual self is fully aware of all the pitfalls along the road, and it rejoices, for the goal is worth the effort. We all long for happiness, and for the state of mind called Paradise, or Nirvana (in Buddhism, it means 'union with the Supreme Spirit'), and we imagine heaven, as a place way up in the sky, when, in actuality, it is all around us, and we have access to it, here and now. What we are, ultimately, seeking for, within ourselves, is the rebirth of fuller awareness that will make this Paradise possible. The spiritual pathway lies ever present before us, but it cannot open, until we reject all negative thoughts, and seek different ways and positive attitudes, that will bring the joy, contentment, and happiness, that we are searching for. This is the true purpose of life, and this is why, unaware of these ultimate goals, some will turn to suicide.
We came into the world for a specific mission, and, as expressions of the Divinity, we have the strength and the capacity to overcome all the problems that assail us. Far from eliminating these problems, suicide will only amplify them, for we are, ever the same, throughout all progressions of life. We definitely are what we think, and, once the transition made, we are even more aware and conscious, for we realize that it is, finally, impossible to escape from our own thoughts.
For all those who find it hard to survive, and do not see the true purpose of their life, the message is this: you, too, have a role to play in the coming changes. You, too, are sons and daughters of the Supreme Energy, and you have been given the strength to overcome the burdens that befall you at the present time. You have a mission to accomplish, and that mission is certainly the greatest you have undertaken, since the beginning of creativity, as it may bring you to the apotheosis of your earthly lives, and the fulfilment of your ultimate mission in all worlds, that of becoming Christs, the Lord-Gods of creation.
As we pass from the Age of the Fish into the Age of Aquarius, humanity is slowly, but surely, stepping into a transformational cycle that will prepare us for a new renaissance and a new democracy throughout the world. A ray of hope filters through the dark clouds of materiality, and, as foreseen:
The throne of God will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. [Revelation 22: 3-5]