What awaits the human soul after physical death. Vanga - about what awaits a person after death. Video: what will happen to us after death

05.11.2021 Medicines

Heart stopped. Death. Is this the end of everything or just the beginning of something new, still unknown to science? What awaits a person after death? Is there life after death? So let's, dear readers, try to understand the event that awaits every living person on planet Earth. Death or life after death.

Death is always scary. It's scary because we don't know what will happen next. Who or what awaits us on the other side of the mythical river Styx? What awaits the soul after death?

So, we will begin our investigation, taking as a basis and starting point the three pillars of religion: Christianity, Buddhism and Islam.

Life after death in Christianity

What does the Bible tell us on the question of what awaits a person after death? How is life after death described in Christianity?

Let me quote: “By the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground from which you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you will return.”(Genesis 3:19)

Is it really that bad and there is no life after death? This is the end? Of course not. And this is how Holy Scripture encourages us, telling us about what awaits a person after death:

“And I know that my Redeemer lives, and on the last day He will raise from the dust this decaying skin of mine; And I will see God in my flesh. I will see Him myself; My eyes, not the eyes of another, will see Him..."(Job 19:25-27)

At the Second Coming of Christ there will be a resurrection of all the dead and their bodies. The person will be resurrected exactly as he was before death. But:

“...all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have done good will come out to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation.”(John 5:28-29).

“But those who are worthy to achieve... the resurrection... can no longer die... for they... are the sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. And Moses showed at the bush that the dead will rise..."(Luke 20:5-37)

So what awaits us after death? Based on the text of the Bible, death is just a dream. And from the quote above it becomes clear to us that all the dead will be resurrected. But they will rise again for judgment.

This suggests the conclusion that in Christianity there is no life after death, except for the resurrection at the second coming of Christ. And then, “and according to your deeds you will be rewarded.” Heaven or hell - in simple terms.

Life after death in Islam

How do they see life after death in Islam? Now we turn to the Koran for clarification of what awaits a person after death.

Quotes : « Every soul will taste death, then to us you will be returned." (29:57)

“Every soul tastes death and your rewards will be given to you in full on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is removed from the fire and entered into Paradise will receive success. And the next life is only the use of seduction" (3:185).

So, is there life after death? What awaits us? The conclusion suggests itself. In both Christianity and Islam there is no afterlife. Died means dead.

You are waiting for the Great Judgment, at which a sentence will be passed on your deeds. Just like in Holy Scripture, after the resurrection there is heaven or hell.

What do we see? Two religions tell us that after death the soul does not fly anywhere, it does not travel anywhere and does not come to visit its relatives.

I don’t know about you, but I’m somehow sad at this prospect - lying in the ground and waiting for Judgment Day. Dreamless sleep until the voice of the Lord awakens for judgment. But this is purely my personal opinion and I in no way impose it on you, dear reader.

Death in Buddhism

And now we come to the last pillar of the world religion - Buddhism. Death in Buddhism is described somewhat differently.

Having familiarized myself with the mass of literature that is only available on the Internet on the topic of interest to us, at my own peril and risk, I decided to offer you, friends, two quotes from the “Tibetan Book of the Dead”.

You may ask why from this source? Everything is very simple. In my opinion, this book gives us a complete informative answer. How does a person die, what does he feel during death, and what happens to him in simple language) soul after death. So, what awaits a person after death, according to Buddhists?

Quote: “Soon you will exhale your last breath, and it will stop. Here you will see the eternal Pure Light. An incredible Space will open before you, boundless, like an Ocean without waves, under a cloudless sky. You will float like a feather, freely, alone.

Don't get distracted, don't rejoice! Don't be afraid! This is the moment of your death! Use death, for this is a great opportunity. Keep your thoughts clear, without clouding them even with compassion. Let your love become passionless"

Quote: “All the teachings have not helped, your consciousness, as if in reality, will flare up and then go out, your feelings are tormenting and urging you on. Winds and storms drive you, angry crowds run towards you, ready to trample you, and you are no longer able to recognize them as your creation.

What you have created lives independently of you, comparable to you in density in this world, and is capable of tearing, mutilating, and causing terrible pain.

If the generation is not from the bad in us, but from the Good, then we are captured sweet Dreams, undead us. Wake up! You are still in Sidpa Bardo. Look, you don’t cast a shadow and there is no reflection of you in the mirror of the waters!

Wake up, because you will have to incarnate, and future suffering and joy depend on your attention.”

This is what awaits a person after death, according to Buddhists - reincarnation, reincarnation.

What awaits us after death?

This article will be incomplete if I do not take into account the opinions of scientists about life after death. But, unfortunately, it is difficult to refer to any authority in this matter. Opinions vary too much. Let's put it simply: there are so many scientists, so many opinions.

In my opinion, in ancient times people knew much more about such deep and mysterious processes as death and what awaits us on the other side of the horizon.

I would like to add a few words on my own behalf. Of course, we would like to know what awaits us after death. The Tibetan Book of the Dead really made a strong impression on me. When I read it, somewhere deep in my subconscious, a feeling of déjà vu flared up for a moment.

We hear so many chilling stories about ghosts, and there are not only fake videos and photos of this phenomenon. Even my close friends had a case when, after the death of a relative, his ghost was seen by the daughter of the deceased.

And there are millions of such episodes around the world. Then the conclusion suggests itself - not everything is so simple in the matter of life after death.

Well, dear reader, our investigation has come to an end. What awaits a person after death? Is there life after death? You must draw your own conclusions. I’ll stop fooling you with the words: “We know that we know nothing”!

What awaits a person after death: views of 4 major religions + opinions of 13 great people + 5 books + 5 links to videos on the topic.

Even if 99% of the time you have unresolved work problems, a shopping list and grandma’s pie recipe spinning in your head, there remains that nasty 1% when “high” questions come to your poor little head, for example, “ What awaits a person after death?. And what to do with it? Turn on the TV again to watch a talk show from the series “Now we’ll tell you something like this, how he loved her, but she cheated on her, and he beat her with a shovel”?

Nope! Just calmly understand a complex issue.

View of 4 main religions, what awaits a person after death

Remember the catchphrase from Around the World in 80 Days: “Do you have a plan, Mr. Fix?”

So, only religions provide a clear plan of what awaits a person after death:

- Islam also consoles the faithful with the possibility of going to heaven after death (al-Janna), but if you have offended Allah with your sins, then you have a direct road to hell - Jahannam. Moreover, Islamists believe that the more righteously a person lived, the easier and painless it will be his death;

Eh, this is where the vain mind of a Western person breaks down over the concepts of “reincarnation” and “nirvana”. It seems that Buddha argued that there is no soul, but some substance known only to him, after the death of a person, moves into another object. If you behaved well during your life, then you will return to Earth in the body of a more enlightened person, but if you completely neglected karma, then you may end up as a pebble or a mangy, scary dog. This is called reincarnation.

For example, my friend Lisa is sure that in a past life she was a Soviet doctor:

“Well, judge for yourself: I’m not even 25, but I adore Soviet films of the 70s and 80s, I’m obsessed with The Time Machine, Viktor Tsoi, Aria, and I can watch a video of a surgical operation without wincing. I love the fashion of those years. Well, where does all this come from?!”– Lisa and I are perplexed along with her.

But the ultimate goal of reincarnation in Buddhism is to break the chain of rebirths and achieve a state of absolute calm and serenity - nirvana.

Hmm, although for me to achieve nirvana, it’s enough to take a steam bath for a couple of hours and chat with the girls “for life.”

This is also a mix of different beliefs about what awaits a person after death - here you have hell, heaven, purgatory, and the possibility of reincarnation if certain conditions are met.

By the way, it is not so easy for a real Jew to be resurrected: for this it is necessary that at least one of his mortal bones be preserved, and he must be buried exclusively in the Promised Land. Therefore, when an Orthodox Jew is buried far from his native land, his head is sprinkled with land from Israel.

In general, all religions are united in one thing - after the death of a person, all the interesting things just begin.

And what do the famous and famous think about what awaits a person after death: how many people - so many opinions!

8 great people who are confident that death is not the end: from Plato to Academician Sakharov

Well, if so far not a single priest, imam or rabbi has convinced you of their version of what awaits a person after death, we will tell you what opinion seven great people held:

Ancient Greek philosopher Plato I was absolutely sure that the human soul is eternal and after the death of the body it simply passes into another dimension.
Famous poet Goethe I was not at all afraid of death, because I was sure that this was far from the end - so, “moving” to new worlds.
Writer Leo Tolstoy was convinced that only a narrow-minded person could claim that after death nothing awaits a person.
Philosopher Emannuel Swedenborg frightened the Swedish queen by telling her about communication with her deceased brother. At the same time, he reported such details from their lives that he simply could not find out anywhere. The scientist argued that after death a person remains the same person, with his own “cockroaches.” He said that higher power allow him to communicate with dead people.
Philosopher Henri Bergson I was sure that the human consciousness is a kind of telegraph that does not create information, but only transmits it. That is, the energy that comes with the birth of a person remains to exist after his death, but in a different form.
Founder of astronautics Konstantin Tsiolkovsky believed that after death the human soul is atoms moving freely throughout the Universe. But the scientist did not explain whether they are just atoms, or ghosts in white robes.
Academician Alexander Sakharov argued that this world was created according to the conscious plan of higher powers, and human souls after death do not go into oblivion. Well, you can’t say anything optimistically...
Outstanding neurophysiologist Natalya Bekhtereva after communicating with the seer Vanga, she stated that she was completely convinced that it is possible to communicate with dead people, which means that after death a person does not disappear forever, but, as it were, goes into a parallel world.

However, not all famous people On Sundays they put on smart clothes and go to church. There are also those who openly declare that they do not believe in God or the afterlife.

5 great people who were sure that they knew that nothing awaits a person after death!

Denis Diderot. French philosopher I was sure that as long as a person believes in the other world and a kind bearded guy somewhere in the clouds, he will not feel the thrill of life here and now.
Writer Bernard Shaw argued that a person who believes in life after life is like a drunk - not too smart, but happy.
Ernest Hemingway was an avid atheist and never dreamed of any life after death.
Benjamin Franklin I also didn’t have much respect for clergymen who promised eternal life.
American multimillionaire Andrew Carnegie believed that for a peaceful life a person does not need to know what awaits after death and to believe in higher powers. It is enough to just be a complete patriot of your country.

So whose position should we share “think for yourself, decide for yourself”...

5 books about what awaits a person after death: reading material for thoughtful reading

Many books have been written about what awaits every person after death, and if our article is “not enough” for you, we recommend reading:

Life after death? YOUTUBE has something to tell you...

Many programs and documentaries have been filmed about this, here are just a few recent videos:

Documentary

"Valery Garkalin. Life after death"

Return from the other world

eyewitness account. Sergey Sklyar.

On the Other Side: Living Witnesses of the Afterlife

Clinical death: God showed

to an atheist how he created our world

Where do souls go after death?

Shocking knowledge about the Sun and Space!

Now, when “at sunset” of the party we will talk about what awaits a person after death, you will definitely show off your erudition - so much so that that young philosophy teacher you have your eye on will be amazed on the spot.

And it doesn’t matter whether you believe in an afterlife or insist on the opposite point of view, because the main thing is to charm this damn sexy intellectual.

Useful article? Don't miss new ones!
Enter your email and receive new articles by email

After death, what awaits us? Probably each of us has asked this question. Death scares many people. Usually it is fear that makes us look for the answer to the question: “After death, what awaits us?” However, he is not the only one. People often cannot come to terms with the loss of loved ones, and this forces them to look for evidence that there is life after death. Sometimes simple curiosity drives us in this matter. One way or another, life after death interests many.

The afterlife of the Hellenes

Perhaps non-existence is the most terrible thing about death. People are afraid of the unknown, the emptiness. In this regard, the ancient inhabitants of the Earth were more protected than us. Hellenus, for example, knew for sure that he would be brought to trial and then pass through the corridor of Erebus (the underworld). If she turns out to be unworthy, she will go to Tartarus. If she proves herself well, she will receive immortality and will be on the Champs Elysees in bliss and joy. Therefore, the Hellene lived without fear of uncertainty. However, it is not so easy for our contemporaries. Many of those living today doubt what awaits us after death.

- this is what all religions agree on

Religions and sacred scriptures of all times and peoples of the world, differing in many positions and issues, show unanimity in the fact that the existence of people continues after death. IN Ancient Egypt, Greece, India, Babylon believed in the immortality of the soul. Therefore, we can say that this is the collective experience of humanity. However, could it have appeared by chance? Is there any other basis in it other than the desire for eternal life? What is the starting point for modern church fathers who have no doubt that the soul is immortal?

You can say that, of course, everything is clear with them. The story of hell and heaven is known to everyone. The church fathers in this matter are similar to the Hellenes, who are clad in the armor of faith and are not afraid of anything. Indeed, the Holy Scriptures (New and Old Testaments) for Christians are the main source of their belief in life after death. It is supported by the Epistles of the Apostles and others. Believers are not afraid of physical death, since it seems to them just an entrance into another life, into existence together with Christ.

Life after death from a Christian point of view

According to the Bible, earthly existence is a preparation for the future life. After death, everything that the soul has done, good and bad, remains with the soul. Therefore, from the very death of the physical body (even before the Judgment), joys or suffering begin for it. This is determined by how this or that soul lived on earth. The days of commemoration after death are 3, 9 and 40 days. Why exactly them? Let's figure it out.

Immediately after death, the soul leaves the body. In the first 2 days, freed from his shackles, she enjoys freedom. At this time, the soul can visit those places on earth that were especially dear to it during life. However, on the 3rd day after death, it appears in other areas. Christianity knows the revelation given to St. Macarius of Alexandria (died 395) as an angel. He said that when an offering is made in the church on the 3rd day, the soul of the deceased receives relief from the grief of separation from the body from the angel guarding it. She receives it because the offering and praise have been made in the church, which is why good hope appears in her soul. The angel also said that for 2 days the deceased is allowed to walk on earth together with the angels who are with him. If the soul loves the body, then sometimes it wanders near the house in which it parted with it, or near the coffin where it is laid. And the virtuous soul goes to places where it did the truth. On the third day she ascends to heaven to worship God. Then, after worshiping him, he shows her the beauty of heaven and the abode of saints. The soul considers all this for 6 days, glorifying the Creator. Admiring all this beauty, she changes and stops grieving. However, if the soul is guilty of any sins, then it begins to reproach itself, seeing the pleasures of the saints. She realizes that in earthly life she was engaged in satisfying her lusts and did not serve God, therefore she has no right to receive his goodness.

After the soul has considered all the joys of the righteous for 6 days, that is, on the 9th day after death, it is again ascended to worship God by the angels. That is why the church on the 9th day performs services and offerings for the deceased. After the second worship, God now commands to send the soul to hell and show the places of torment located there. For 30 days the soul rushes through these places, trembling. She doesn't want to be condemned to hell. What happens 40 days after death? The soul ascends again in order to worship God. After this, he determines the place she deserves according to her deeds. Thus, day 40 is the milestone that finally separates earthly life from eternal life. From a religious point of view, this is an even more tragic date than the fact of physical death. 3, 9 and 40 days after death are the times when you should especially actively pray for the deceased. Prayers can help his soul in the afterlife.

The question also arises about what happens to a person after a year of death. Why are commemorations held every year? It must be said that they are no longer needed for the deceased, but for us, so that we remember the deceased person. The anniversary has nothing to do with the ordeal, which ends on the 40th day. By the way, if a soul is sent to hell, this does not mean that it is completely lost. During the Last Judgment, the fate of all people, including the dead, is decided.

Opinions of Muslims, Jews and Buddhists

The Muslim is also convinced that his soul, after physical death, moves to another world. Here she waits doomsday. Buddhists believe that she is constantly reborn, changing her body. After death, she is reincarnated in a different form - reincarnation occurs. Judaism perhaps talks least about the afterlife. Extraterrestrial existence is mentioned very rarely in the books of Moses. Most Jews believe that both hell and heaven exist on earth. However, they are also convinced that life is eternal. It continues after death in children and grandchildren.

What do Hare Krishnas believe?

And only Hare Krishnas, who are also convinced, turn to empirical and logical arguments. Numerous information about clinical deaths experienced by different people comes to their aid. Many of them described how they rose above their bodies and floated through an unknown light towards a tunnel. also comes to the aid of Hare Krishnas. One well-known Vedic argument that the soul is immortal is that we, while living in the body, observe its changes. We turn over the years from a child to an old man. However, the very fact that we are able to contemplate these changes indicates that we exist outside the changes of the body, since the observer is always on the sidelines.

What do the doctor's say

According to common sense, we cannot know what happens to a person after death. It is all the more surprising that a number of scientists have a different opinion. These are primarily doctors. The medical practice of many of them refutes the axiom that no one managed to return from the other world. Doctors are familiar firsthand with hundreds of “returnees.” And many of you have probably heard at least something about clinical death.

Scenario of the soul leaving the body after clinical death

Everything usually happens according to one scenario. During surgery, the patient's heart stops. After this, doctors declare the onset of clinical death. They begin resuscitation, trying with all their might to start the heart. Seconds count, since the brain and other vital organs begin to suffer from a lack of oxygen (hypoxia) within 5-6 minutes, which is fraught with dire consequences.

Meanwhile, the patient “comes out” of the body, observes himself and the actions of the doctors from above for some time, and then floats towards the light along a long corridor. And then, if you believe the statistics that British scientists have collected over the past 20 years, about 72% of the “dead” end up in heaven. Grace descends on them, they see angels or dead friends and relatives. Everyone laughs and rejoices. However, the other 28% paint a far from happy picture. These are those who, after “death,” end up in hell. Therefore, when some divine entity, appearing most often as a clot of light, informs them that their time has not yet come, they are very happy and then return to the body. Doctors pump out a patient whose heart begins to beat again. Those who managed to look beyond the threshold of death remember this all their lives. And many of them share the revelation they received with close relatives and treating doctors.

Skeptics' Arguments

In the 1970s, research into so-called near-death experiences began. They continue to this day, although many copies have been broken on this score. Some saw in the phenomenon of these experiences evidence of eternal life, while others, on the contrary, even today strive to convince everyone that hell and heaven, and in general “the next world” are somewhere inside us. These are supposedly not real places, but hallucinations that occur when consciousness fades. We can agree with this assumption, but why then are these hallucinations so similar for everyone? And skeptics give their answer to this question. They say the brain is deprived of oxygenated blood. Very quickly, parts of the optic lobe of the hemispheres are switched off, but the poles of the occipital lobes, which have a double blood supply system, are still functioning. Because of this, the field of view is significantly narrowed. Only a narrow strip remains, which provides “pipeline”, central vision. This is the desired tunnel. So, at least, thinks Sergei Levitsky, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

The case with a denture

However, those who managed to return from the other world object to him. They describe in detail the actions of a team of doctors who “cast magic” on the body during cardiac arrest. Patients also talk about their relatives who grieved in the corridors. For example, one patient, having regained consciousness 7 days after clinical death, asked the doctors to give him a denture that had been removed during the operation. The doctors could not remember where in the confusion they put him. And then the patient, who woke up, accurately named the place where the prosthesis was located, reporting that during the “journey” he remembered it. It turns out that medicine today does not have irrefutable evidence that there is no life after death.

Testimony of Natalia Bekhtereva

There is an opportunity to look at this problem from the other side. First, we can recall the law of conservation of energy. In addition, we can refer to the fact that the energy principle underlies any type of substance. It is also present in man. Of course, after the body dies, it does not disappear anywhere. This beginning remains in the energy-informational field of our planet. However, there are exceptions.

In particular, Natalya Bekhtereva testified that her husband the human brain had become a mystery to her. The fact is that the ghost of the husband began to appear to the woman even during the day. He gave her advice, shared his thoughts, told her where she could find something. Note that Bekhtereva is a world-famous scientist. However, she did not doubt the reality of what was happening. Natalya says she doesn't know whether the vision was a product of her own mind, which was under stress, or something else. But the woman claims that she knows for sure - she did not imagine her husband, she actually saw him.

"Solaris Effect"

Scientists call the appearance of “ghosts” of loved ones who have died the “Solaris effect.” Another name is materialization using the Lemma method. However, this happens extremely rarely. Most likely, the “Solaris effect” is observed only in cases where the mourners have a fairly large energy force in order to “attract” the phantom of a loved one from the field of our planet.

The experience of Vsevolod Zaporozhets

If the strength is not enough, mediums come to the rescue. This is exactly what happened to Vsevolod Zaporozhets, a geophysicist. He was a proponent of scientific materialism for many years. However, at the age of 70, after the death of his wife, he changed his mind. The scientist could not come to terms with the loss and began to study literature about spirits and spiritualism. In total, he performed about 460 sessions, and also created the book “Contours of the Universe,” where he described a technique with which one can prove the reality of the existence of life after death. The most important thing is that he managed to contact his wife. In the afterlife, she is young and beautiful, like everyone else who lives there. According to Zaporozhets, the explanation for this is simple: the world of the dead is a product of the embodiment of their desires. In this it is similar to the earthly world and even better than it. Usually the souls residing in it are presented in beautiful appearance and at a young age. They feel like they are material, just like the inhabitants of the Earth. Those who inhabit the afterlife are aware of their physicality and can enjoy life. Clothing is created by the desire and thought of the departed. Love in this world is preserved or found again. However, relationships between the sexes are devoid of sexuality, but still differ from ordinary friendly feelings. There is no procreation in this world. There is no need to eat to maintain life, but some eat for pleasure or out of earthly habit. They mainly eat fruits, which grow in abundance and are very beautiful. Like this interesting story. After death, perhaps this is what awaits us. If so, then there is nothing to fear except your own desires.

We looked at the most popular answers to the question: “After death, what awaits us?” Of course, these are to some extent just guesses that can be taken on faith. After all, science is still powerless in this matter. The methods she uses today are unlikely to help us figure out what awaits us after death. This mystery will probably torment scientists and many of us for a long time. However, we can state: there is much more evidence that life after death is real than the arguments of skeptics.

American doctor Raymond Moody published a sensational book “Life after Death” 25 years ago. People who have experienced clinical death and were interviewed by a doctor describe their visions in rather rosy tones. Having temporarily left the body, souls joyfully hover above the earth, they are filled with a feeling of lightness, they are surrounded by light and love... Based on these impressions, many have made a premature conclusion that the other world is a very nice place and that there is no “hell” there. But is it? The posthumous experience of Orthodox Christians forces us to take off our rose-colored glasses...

Visiting Death

According to sacred legend, after death a person’s soul is given the opportunity to get used to a new state, see the world he left behind, and remember the life he lived. This “preparatory period” can last from a few hours to two days. And then the hour comes when you have to give an answer before the Justice of God.

In most cases, the time spent “on the other side of life” for those who managed to return is measured in a matter of minutes of “clinical death.” But this is too short a time! In fact, the patients interviewed by Dr. Moody only had time to visit the entrance to the afterlife. And if we begin to judge the entire “house of death” by the “hallway,” our conclusions will turn out to be, to put it mildly, biased.

Meanwhile, there were people who managed to look into the very “hell” of the other world. Their posthumous “journey” lasted from several hours to several days!
In 1982, Valentina Romanova, who lived in one of the military garrisons in the Crimean region, was in a car accident. Her injuries turned out to be incompatible with life, and a doctor pronounced her dead at the hospital. The victim heard the doctors say that in the morning they should call a car from Simferopol and send the body to the morgue, but for now let it lie in the ward. The woman was surprised by this “incident” and tried to speak, but no one saw or heard her.
Soon she began to be sucked into some kind of “black hole”. On a rocky, dismal plain she was met by a black man with animal eyes, from whom fierce anger emanated. He tried to take possession of Valentina, but her Guardian Angel protected her. And then she was taken on an amazing and scary “excursion”.
“After death, a person loses not only his body,” says Valentina. - He has no will. In that world you want to leave, run away, hide - but you can’t. We have a will only here. You are free to earn heaven or hell. And there it’s already too late...”
She was shown hell. It consisted of different "levels". Here are some of them. Millions of perverts, maniacs and debauchees languished in a huge, fetid pit of sewage. At a distance, a ditch with mud was discovered, in which unborn children were crawling. Their mothers, who had abortions, are doomed to sit and look with eternal longing at the babies they destroyed... A little further, in a bottomless abyss, a living human “ear” was seething. In the seething lake of fire, unrepentant murderers, sorcerers and witches suffered terribly...

Then Valentina saw an endless landfill, in the middle of which stood dull, dirty gray barracks. Sad, exhausted people languished inside. They lived in the hope that a righteous person would appear in their family, who would pray for them and rescue them from the underworld. From time to time a voice was heard calling the name of the next forgiven lucky person who was allowed to leave hell and go to heaven.
And then Valentina was made to feel the difference between Light and Darkness. She was led to a beautiful lawn. She breathed fresh air, admired the grass, trees and flowers. There was a luminous staircase, at the foot stood people in white robes. It was very difficult to climb up, but paradise beckoned with light and love. An extraordinary, soul-delighting singing was heard, and a feeling of unearthly pleasure appeared, which cannot be described in words. Valentina managed to see the enchanting greenery of the Gardens of Eden and the blueness of the huge dome-sky; the gentle rays of an unknown star filled her soul with such joy that it was impossible to even think about...

And then she felt heaviness and pain. She opened her eyes and woke up on hospital bed. As it later turned out, she was dead for about three and a half hours. After recovery, Romanova dramatically changed her life, became a believer and wrote a book about her posthumous adventures.

Three days in hell

In the twentieth century, the “record holder” for the duration of stay below the death line was a resident of Barnaul, Klavdiya Ustyuzhanina, who died on February 19, 1964 during an operation. Her body was taken to the death room, and she followed behind and was still amazed: “Why are there two of us?” She saw how they brought her little son, how he cried. She tried to hug and console the boy, but he did not see or feel her.
Then Ustyuzhanina saw her house. Her relatives quarreled and swore over the inheritance, and a little further away stood demons rejoicing at every swear word, making notes in some book. All the places connected with her life flashed by in a string, and then the soul rushed somewhere and a little later, it found itself in the middle of a laurel alley, near a huge shiny gate. It came out dazzling beautiful woman in a monastic robe - the Queen of Heaven, accompanied by the weeping Guardian Angel of Claudia. The voice of the Almighty was heard: “Bring her back to Earth, she did not come on time. The virtue of her father and his incessant prayers have appeased Me.”
Ustyuzhanina’s parents, who died early, were kind believers, but she, who grew up during the years of ardent fight against God, became an atheist and managed to make a lot of mistakes. Before returning to this world, Claudius showed what awaits all those who live on earth as they have to, become a slave to sin and vice and do not repent of it.
She ended up in hell. There were black, burnt, stinking people standing there, there were a countless number of them. Demons spewing flames beat and tormented the unfortunate... One of the hellish prisoners before her eyes was released from the kingdom of darkness with the words: “Forgiven!” His relatives begged him. For clarity, Claudia herself was given the opportunity to experience suffering. Creepy fiery snakes crawled onto her, they penetrated her body, causing terrible pain...
Finally, God said to Claudia: “Save your souls, pray, for there is not much century left. Soon, soon I will come to judge the world! It is not the dear prayer that you read and memorize, but the one that comes from a pure heart. Say: “Lord, help me!” And I will help. I see you all."
She was resurrected in the morgue three days after her death. They performed a new operation, and it turned out that Claudia had completely disappeared cancer tumor with metastases! She lived another 14 years. By the way, relatives had already managed to send Claudia’s son to an orphanage; they had to return him (now Andrei Ustyuzhanin is the archpriest of the Holy Dormition Monastery in the city of Alexandrov). The former communist handed over her party card and devoted the rest of her life to preaching. She told people about what happened to her. They threatened her and repeatedly tried to put her in prison, but persecution did not break her. She helped many people find the Orthodox faith.
Many respected people were convinced that Ustyuzhanina’s stories were not fiction. For example, the head of the Orthodox Counseling Center of St. John of Kronstadt at the Krutitsky Compound in Moscow, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Hieromonk Anatoly Berestov, who communicated with Claudia, speaks of her this way: “She was a simple, reasonable woman, without any signs of hysterical fanaticism. Claudia showed me her death certificate and medical history with a note that she was operated on for cancer of the small intestine, during the operation she suffered clinical death... I remember I looked at these certificates very carefully...”
Archpriest Valentin Biryukov in his book “On Earth We Are Just Learning to Live” says that in 1948 he experienced an amazing vision - a mysterious stranger appeared to him, telling him about his former life and what would happen in the future. All the predictions came true. Among other things, he predicted his upcoming meeting with Claudia, who would come to life after death. And indeed, 16 years later, in 1964, Father Valentin was among the first to communicate with the resurrected Ustyuzhanina.

Living Dead

One of the first “living dead” in the world was Christ’s disciple Lazarus from Bethany, who is described in the New Testament. Having become seriously ill, he died and was buried in a stone coffin in a cave. His body was cold, numb, and there was a distinct smell of decomposition of flesh. On the fourth day after his death, Jesus Christ entered the cave and cried out in a loud voice: “Lazarus! get out!” The deceased came to life and came out to the indescribable joy of his family and friends. Lazarus lived for many years after this, distinguished by his piety and meekness; his resurrection made a tremendous impression on the people. The Pharisees were eager to destroy him and, choosing an opportune moment, forcibly put him in a boat without oars, hoping that he would drown in the stormy sea. But a few days later the boat landed on the coast of Cyprus. Lazarus lived there until his death, becoming a Christian bishop. Now the relics of this righteous man are in Cyprus, in the city of Larnaca, in the temple of St. Lazarus.
Some monks also had occasion to find themselves beyond the threshold of death for a while. The Monk Athanasius from the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery died after a long and serious illness. On the third day, when the monks came to bury him, they were amazed to see that the dead man had come to life! The elder sat and wept bitterly. He answered all questions with only one phrase: “Save yourself!” He then said that everyone needed to constantly repent and pray. After this, Athanasius lived for 12 years, shutting himself up in a cave, eating only bread and water, and during all this time he did not say a single word to anyone. He cried and prayed all day and night. In 1176, on the day of his death, he gathered the brethren and repeated the instructions he had previously spoken. Subsequently, the elder was canonized as a saint; many people were healed when visiting his relics.
Recently, the miracle of the resurrection of a person occurred among foreign Christians of another denomination. Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke made a documentary about the Lazarus of our day. Nigerian pastor Daniel Ekekukwu died in a car accident. Doctors declared him dead. On the third day after death, Ekekukwu’s wife took her husband’s body from the morgue to the temple of the evangelists. The body was taken from the coffin and placed on the table. Several pastors began to pray earnestly. And a miracle happened - in front of dozens of people, Ekekukwu came to life! Later, giving an interview, the revived dead man said that when he was taken to the hospital in a resuscitation machine, two angels visited him and took him to heaven. There he saw many people dressed in shining clothes. They sang and praised God. And then he was taken to hell, and it was so terrible that words cannot describe it. The angel told him that he had another chance to return. It is necessary to warn those who are still alive about the existence of the underworld so that they can repent and begin new life before it's too late!

Theodorin's ordeal

A kind of classic in Orthodox teaching is the tale of St. Theodora, the spiritual daughter of St. Basil the New. It tells about the ordeals that the soul goes through on the way to Eternal Life.
After the death of nun Theodora, her spiritual brother, Father Vasily’s student, monk Gregory, prayed a lot, wanting to know what had become of her. In a subtle dream, an Angel appeared to the monk and took him to heaven. There he met Theodora, and she spoke in detail about the trials that her soul went through. That's how it was.
The angels picked up the soul of the deceased Theodora and carried her to heaven. Along the way there were a kind of “roadblocks” called “ordeals.” There were 20 of them in total - according to the number of basic human sins. The “checkpoints” were run by demons, reminding us of those unseemly actions and even thoughts that a person had sinned during his lifetime. The task of demons is to destroy the soul, prove that it is unworthy of heaven, not to miss it along the path of ascension, and throw it into hell. True, one had to answer only for what the person did not have time to repent of! But the demand was very strict. For example, at the very first “cordon” I had to answer for all the words spoken in my life - idle chatter, swearing and ridicule of other people.
Let us briefly list the names of further ordeals that Theodora had to go through: lies, slander, gluttony, laziness and carelessness, theft, greed and stinginess, appropriation of someone else's property, any untruth, envy, pride, anger and malice, rancor, murder, fornication (even in thoughts ), sorcery, cohabitation with other people's spouses, all kinds of perversions, heretical fabrications and apostasy from the Orthodox faith, unmercifulness and cruelty.
The nun passed all the tests and after 40 days reached heaven. Most of the “roadblocks” were passed instantly, without problems, but at some we had to linger and give a serious answer. Theodora learned that in addition to the Guardian Angel given to man by God, who helps to do good and remembers all the good deeds of his “ward,” there is also his antipode, who is assigned to a person by Satan, who wants to doom the soul to destruction. The evil spirit follows on the heels, provokes sins and maliciously records all the wrongdoings committed. Sincere repentance and correction of sins will cancel the corresponding “entries” in the accusatory books of evil spirits. When the soul ascends to heaven, to its Creator, demons hinder it, denouncing it and blaming it for what it has done. If a person has had more good deeds than unrepentant sins, he manages to pass through all the trials with honor.
Very important role At this time, the prayers of relatives and friends for the deceased are played. And those unfortunate ones, for whom evil clearly outweighs them, fall like a stone into the abyss and indulge in eternal torment. Only a very few of those cast down to the underworld can be forgiven over time and delivered from torment...
By the way, many great elders managed to see heaven and hell with their spiritual vision during prayers. The great saint Seraphim of Sarov said that if people knew what the Lord has prepared for the humble righteous in paradise, what joy and sweetness awaits their souls, and what threatens sinners in hell, then in their earthly life they would easily and gratefully endure all kinds of sorrows, persecution and slander. “If this cell,” the elder said to the spiritual children, pointing to his home, “was full of worms, and if worms ate flesh throughout our entire temporary life, then we would have to agree to this, so as not to lose that heavenly joy what God has prepared for those who love Him. There is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing; there is sweetness and joy unspeakable; there the righteous will shine like the sun!”
In a word, all earthly life is preparation for the main exam, which must be taken after death before entering Eternity. Careless, bad disciples inevitably fail and are deprived of the opportunity to inherit Eternal Life.
Unfortunately, the unique evidence of post-mortem experience is perceived by many as just “fairy tales”. Souls blocked by an unrighteous life remain deaf and blind to miracles and supernatural revelations. An unexpected insight comes too late, on the other side of life, when it is no longer possible to correct anything.

Content

According to Christian beliefs, after death a person continues to live, but in a different capacity. His spirit, having left the physical shell, begins its path to God. What is ordeal, where does the soul go after death, should it fly away and what happens to it after separation from the body? After death, the spirit of the deceased is tested by trials. In Christian culture they are called “ordeal.” There are twenty of them in total, each more complex than the previous one, depending on the sins committed by a person during his lifetime. After this, the spirit of the deceased goes to Heaven or is cast into the Underworld.

Is there life after death

Two topics that will always be discussed are life and death. Since the creation of the world, philosophers, literary figures, doctors, and prophets have been arguing about what happens to the soul when it leaves the human body. What happens after death and is there life at all after the spirit leaves the physical shell? It just so happens that a person will always think about these burning topics in order to know the truth - turn to the Christian religion or other teachings.

What happens to a person when he dies

Having passed your life path, the person dies. From the physiological side, this is the process of stopping all systems and processes of the body: brain activity, breathing, digestion. Proteins and other substrates of life decompose. Approaching death also affects a person's emotional state. There is a change in the emotional background: loss of interest in everything, isolation, isolation from contacts with the outside world, conversations about imminent death, hallucinations (past and present are mixed).

What happens to the soul after death

The question of where the soul goes after death is always interpreted differently. However, the clergy are unanimous in one thing: after a complete cardiac arrest, a person continues to live in a new status. Christians believe that the spirit of the departed, who lived a righteous life, is transferred by angels to Paradise, while the sinner is destined to go to Hell. The deceased needs prayers that will save him from eternal torment, help the spirit pass tests and get to Paradise. The prayers of loved ones, not tears, can work miracles.

Christian doctrine says that man will live forever. Where does the soul go after a person dies? His spirit goes to the kingdom of heaven to meet the Father. This path is very difficult and depends on how a person lived his worldly life. Many clergy perceive their departure not as a tragedy, but as a long-awaited meeting with God.

Third day after death

For the first two days, the spirits of the dead fly around the earth. This is the period when they are close to their body, to their home, wander through places dear to them, say goodbye to their relatives, and end their earthly existence. Not only angels, but also demons are nearby at this time. They are trying to win her over to their side. On the third day, the ordeal of the soul begins after death. This is the time to worship the Lord. Relatives and friends should pray. Prayers are performed in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On day 9

Where does a person go after death on the 9th day? After the 3rd day, the Angel accompanies the spirit to the gates of Paradise so that he can see all the beauty of the heavenly abode. Immortal souls stay there for six days. They temporarily forget the sadness of leaving their body. While enjoying the sight of beauty, the soul, if it has sins, must repent. If this does not happen, then she will be in hell. On the 9th day, the Angels again present the soul to the Lord.

At this time, the church and relatives perform a prayer service for the deceased with a request for mercy. Commemorations are held in honor of 9 angelic ranks, who are protectors during the Last Judgment and servants of the Almighty. For the deceased, the “burden” is no longer so heavy, but very important, because the Lord uses it to determine the future path of the spirit. Relatives remember only good things about the deceased and behave very calmly and quietly.

There are certain traditions that help the spirit of the departed. They symbolize eternal life. At this time, relatives:

They perform a prayer service in the church for the repose of the spirit.
At home they cook kutya from wheat seeds. It is mixed with sweets: honey or sugar. Seeds are reincarnation. Honey or sugar is a sweet life in another world, helping to avoid a difficult afterlife.

On day 40

The number “40” can be found very often in the pages of the Holy Scriptures. Jesus Christ ascended to the Father on the fortieth day. For Orthodox Church this became the basis for organizing commemorations of the deceased on the fortieth day after death. Catholic Church does this on the thirtieth day. However, the meaning of all events is the same: the soul of the deceased ascended to the holy Mount Sinai and achieved bliss.

After the spirit is reintroduced before the Lord on the 9th day by the Angels, it goes to Hell, where it sees the souls of sinners. The spirit remains in the Underworld until the 40th day, and appears before God for the third time. This is the period when a person’s fate is determined by his earthly affairs. In posthumous fate, it is important that the soul repents of everything it has done and prepares for the future. right life. Remembrances atone for the sins of the deceased. For the subsequent resurrection of the dead, it is important how the spirit passes through purgatory.

Six months

Where does the soul go after death six months later? The Almighty has decided on the future fate of the spirit of the deceased person; it is no longer possible to change anything. You can't sob and cry. This will only harm the soul and cause severe torment. However, relatives can help and ease the fate with prayers and remembrances. It is necessary to pray, calming the soul, showing it the right path. Six months later, the spirit comes to her family for the penultimate time.

Anniversary

It is important to remember the anniversary of death. Prayers performed before this time helped determine where the soul would go after death. A year after death, relatives and friends perform a prayer service in the temple. You can simply remember the deceased from a heartfelt heart if it is not possible to attend church. On this day, souls come to their families for the last time to say goodbye, then a new body awaits them. For a believer, a righteous person, the anniversary gives a start to a new, eternal life. The annual circle is the liturgical cycle after which all holidays are permitted.

Where does the soul go after death?

There are several versions of where people live after death. Astrologers believe that the immortal soul ends up in space, where it settles on other planets. According to another version, it hovers in the upper atmosphere. The emotions that a spirit experiences influence whether it goes to the highest level (Heaven) or the lowest (Hell). In the Buddhist religion it is said that having found eternal peace, a person’s spirit moves into another body.

Mediums and psychics claim that the soul is connected with the other world. It often happens that after death she remains close to loved ones. Spirits who have not completed their work appear in the form of ghosts, astral bodies, and phantoms. Some protect their relatives, others want to punish their offenders. They contact the living through knocks, sounds, the movement of things, and the short-term appearance of themselves in visible form.

The Vedas, the sacred scriptures of the Earth, say that after leaving the body, souls pass through tunnels. Many people who have experienced clinical death describe them as channels in their own body. There are 9 of them in total: ears, eyes, mouth, nostrils (separately left and right), anus, genitals, crown, navel. It was believed that if the spirit came out of the left nostril, it went to the moon, from the right - to the sun, through the navel - to other planets, through the mouth - to the earth, through the genitals - to the lower layers of existence.

Souls of dead people

As soon as the souls of deceased people leave their physical shells, they do not immediately understand that they are in a subtle body. At first, the spirit of the deceased floats in the air, and only when he sees his body does he realize that he has separated from it. The qualities of a deceased person during life determine his emotions after death. Thoughts and feelings, character traits do not change, but become open to the Almighty.

Soul of a child

It is believed that a child who dies before the age of 14 immediately goes to the First Heaven. The child has not yet reached the age of desires and is not responsible for actions. The child remembers his past incarnations. The First Heaven is the place where the soul awaits rebirth. A deceased child is awaited by a deceased relative or a person who loved children very much during his lifetime. He meets the child immediately after the hour of death and escorts him to the waiting place.

In the First Heaven, a child has everything he wants, his life resembles a beautiful game, he learns goodness, receives visual lessons on how evil deeds affect a person. All emotions and knowledge remain in the baby’s memory even after rebirth. It is believed that people who live nobly in ordinary life, owe these lessons learned and experiences in First Heaven.

Soul of a Suicidal Man

Any teaching and belief states that a person does not have the right to take his own life. The actions of any suicide are dictated by Satan. After death, the soul of a suicided person strives for Paradise, the gates of which are closed to it. The spirit is forced to return, but it cannot find its body. The ordeal lasts until the time of natural death. Then the Lord makes a decision according to his soul. Previously, people who committed suicide were not buried in the cemetery; suicide items were destroyed.

Animal souls

The Bible says that everything has a soul, but “they are taken from dust and will return to dust.” Confessors sometimes agree that some pets are capable of transformation, but it is impossible to say exactly where the animal’s soul ends up after death. It is given and taken away by the Lord himself; the soul of an animal is not eternal. However, Jews believe that it is equal to human meat, so there are various prohibitions on eating meat.