The Afterlife

In looking for a topic for this morning’s Creative Thought, I came upon “The Discovery,” a Netflix film  in which Robert Redford plays a scientist who has absolutely proven the existence of an afterlife, that part of our consciousness goes to another plane. 

The “afterlife” has been a topic of great interest since mankind first realized he was going to die. How weird and unfair!  What? We’re born, we’re alive, we think, we feel, we evolve, we mature, we experience all kinds of things, learn all sorts of things, work our way through various challenges...and then pouf!  It’s all over, and then what? Either something...or nothing.

The concept of an afterlife has been the bedrock of many religions, but based on faith.
Now, in the film, there’s scientific proof that there’s something more, right? But what?

That’s where the film falls down, because proving the afterlife existence is one thing, and very intriguing, but then ...what is it? what’s it like? Before I get too excited about proof of an afterlife, I want to know. What’s the big reveal?

As the film progresses, the professor is working on a secret project using an electronic gizmo wired to his head to record, by flatlining, what happens in moments after death. But he dies in one of his experiments, and his son, played by Jason Segal, carries on the investigation.

The story bogs down in a romance and an ending reminiscent of “Ground Hog Day.” After death, people are caught in a loop to  relive traumatic moments or poor choices, with opportunities to rectify past mistakes and make new choices. We’ve seen it before; nothing new here.

The film reviewers were pretty consistent. Brilliant premise, poor execution. They gave it a 45% on Rotten Tomatoes.

I was looking for a Science of Mind hook in the film. Ernest Holmes has a chapter on “Immortality” in his book, The Science of Mind.  The physical body passes but our spirit continues in its own individual stream of consciousness, forever expanding, he says.  Basically we make our transition; we go back to Source. Still, it's’ a mystery.

The television series, “The Good Place,” deals with the afterlife over four seasons. At the finale, characters who have arrived in actual heaven, where everything is absolutely perfect, find it boring. No challenges. No purpose. They can choose to go through a doorway, which ends their existence and simply allows their energy to rejoin the Universe.  Sounds rather SOM.  Back to Source.

So I came to this conclusion. Why focus on the “afterlife?” It’s a mystery and we have enough to think about, to do, be and have on this plane of existence. Life itself is pretty amazing. It’s a fantastic gift.  Yes, filled with challenges. Yet it’s often the challenges which help us to evolve and grow.

Holmes reminds as  to prepare NOT to die, but to live. Don’t dwell on death, but on life. Create your experience, Live your best life.

And when the time comes, “as the eagle, freed from its cage, soars to its native heights, so the soul, freed from the home of heavy flesh, will rise and return unto its Father’s house, naked and unafraid.”

And so it is.