There’s a human desire to know what happens when we die. The interest stems from death’s own secrecy. Ultimately, there’s no solid proof in the afterlife — only what we believe to be true. Every culture has their own belief system of what happens after death.
What Happens When We Die?
According to the ancient Greeks, the gods could decide the fate of humans after their death. Some humans wound up in Hades living eternity with the lord of the dead. Many others were cast into the dark pits of Tartarus. Others spent the afterlife on Mount Olympus or basking the sun of Elysium. The world has since developed other religions and belief systems regarding the afterlife. Here are a few.
Shinto
In the Shinto religion, the dead enter an underground land called Yomi. Within Yomi is a river that parts the living from the dead. The Shinto also believe that humans can become ancient gods and spirits called Kami. For humans to become Kami, they must remain pure and free from evil all their lives.
Christianity
In most Christian religions, a life led in pious behavior allows for a resurrection into Heaven in the after death. In Christianity, humans must be repentant for their sins. Christians are asked to pray for forgiveness, and their souls will spend eternity in Heaven with God. However, humans who are sinful and remain unremorseful or unrepentant are sent to hell forever.
Islam
Though in many ways, Islam is very different from Christianity, they share some history and common beliefs about the afterlife. Humans are believed to remain in their graves until the Day of Judgement, which brings a resurrection. While awaiting judgment in their graves, humans suffer or are in peace, depending on their destiny to come. After the Day of Judgment, humans are believed to have an afterlife similar to heaven and hell.
Sikhism
The Sikh do not believe in a heaven or hell like many other religions. The soul, according to Sikh teaching, lives a series of consecutive lifetimes — otherwise known as reincarnation. The Sikh believe that it is the actions and thoughts of a human while on this earth determines whether or not the soul is reborn and in what form. A soul may achieve freedom from reincarnation if they overcome their ego and achieve grace, existing as radiant light in the realm of truth for the rest of eternity.
Hindu
Although Hindus do not believe in a heaven or hell, they do believe in an afterlife. Within the Hindu religion, life is a series of lives —reincarnation. When a human dies, Hindus believe the spirit is reborn into a different body to live another life. The next life is largely determined by the past life, and how the human conducted themselves. These past lives can be cumulative, with learning building up with each consecutive life.
It is possible to remember prior lives while in hypnosis. A past life regression explores the most important past lives of a client. You might you ask yourself; where can I find past life regression therapy near me? Eli Bliliuos from the NYC Hypnosis Center can help by facilitating past life regression therapy in-person and online.
Believing in the Afterlife
What many of the world religions have in common is hate belief in an afterlife. Very few religions believe that death is final for the soul. Most religions have the same belief for what happens when we die —that there is another life to come, whether it is through reincarnation or a heaven and hell.