In many ways, a person is called a rational person and differs from irrational creatures by the ability to ask himself the question: what happens after death? He builds an answer to it according to his own thoughts and experience, the words of representatives of religions, in the works of philosophers, biologists, etc.
Unfortunately, often the stimulus for such fabrications is the death of a loved one and the desire to find out whether further life happens to a person after death, dictated by love for him.
We have prepared a small reference summary of everything that is important and accumulated among humanity. And it has accumulated a lot.
When starting a task, a person sooner or later looks for meaning in its completion. And given that we are at a fairly high level of progress, compared even to ancient times, the answer was found and became the foundation for the further superstructure of the building of civilization.
What happens to the human body after death?
Few people today dare to attempt their own statements that differ from the generally accepted ones about what happens to the human body after death. This was possible in the era of the ban on any research on the dead, mainly in the Middle Ages. Now the science of death, thanatology, identifies clear periods with time boundaries for phenomena in the body after the death of a person.
In a deceased person, after biological death (irreversible cardiac arrest and cessation of nutrition to the brain), autolysis occurs, or in other words, self-destruction. This mechanism is present in every living creature. And indeed, if the animals did not decompose, it would be impossible to enter the forest or park because of the corpses filling everything.
All cells are chemically acidified (remember the theories of many unconventional treatment methods about the need to drink only living, alkalized water with a pH greater than 7). The acidic environment attracts enzymes and bacteria, which essentially eat the cells. By the way, during life they help us digest food while in the intestines. And after this is no longer necessary, they serve their master as destroyers.
Lack of pressure in the vessels leads to their fragility. This is how blood pours out after death, forming bluish cadaveric bruises on the skin.
What are the first signs that a person is dying?
The point of no return, when a person's condition begins to deteriorate before the last breath, can occur weeks or even months in advance.
Mark Bugey, director of palliative medicine at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, explains that the presence of “refractory signs” - symptoms that persist after treatment - is the first sign that a person is likely to die. These signs are: shortness of breath, excessive appetite, sudden weight loss, fluid retention, fatigue, drowsiness, delirium (mental disorder), jaundice, nausea, and decreased level of physical activity.
Photo: Dionne Gain
Simple actions, such as getting out of bed and walking to a chair, can be very tiring for a person who is dying. Such people, as a rule, cease to be interested in news and favorite activities, begin to talk less and sleep more. Scientists explain that all these conditions are associated with energy imbalance caused by deterioration of brain function and metabolic processes.
However, it is almost impossible to predict the exact moment of death; it depends on a number of factors: the presence of chronic diseases, the course of the disease, treatment methods.
What happens to the brain after death?
It is believed that the brain is the first thing to die after death. It's all about the increased need for oxygen. For this reason, the largest arteries go to it.
However, facts are known about the movements of the eyes, mouth and even the production of sounds in people executed through the guillotine. This occurs within 5 minutes after the heart stops and, with it, blood pumping.
Scientists connected electrodes that record electrical rhythms to the heads of dying patients. It turned out that after death was declared, the brain was still working, which was confirmed by recording the curve. No one knows what exactly happens at these moments, because there is no one to tell.
Memory and knowledge should theoretically be preserved after death: they are recorded inside the brain structures: the hippocampus, the amygdala and others. However, sooner or later they die with subsequent destruction.
How can you help a loved one in his last hours?
Research shows that hearing is the last sense that leaves a person when he dies. Even when a dying person loses consciousness and loses consciousness, the brain can continue to respond to sounds - right up to the last hours.
That's why many doctors encourage people to continue talking to the person as they leave, as this can bring them comfort, even if they don't seem to be responding.
“In addition to communicating, you can play the person his favorite music, share memories, moisten his mouth if it becomes dry, cover him with a light blanket, keep the air in the room fresh, change the position of the pillow. These may seem like very simple gestures of attention, but their importance should not be underestimated,” explains Professor Hillman.
What happens to consciousness after death
Consciousness is awareness of oneself at a certain moment in time. It is logical that this is only possible at the moment when a person’s brain is functioning.
Consciousness after death ceases to exist in our material world. However, judging by the experiments with recording of the electroencephalogram described above, there is reason to believe that there is some continuation of brain function. It is possible that consciousness is modified into a structure that cannot be recorded with modern equipment.
How long does it take for a person to die? It hurts?
Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at the University of New South Wales Hospital, Ken Hillman, writes that the first question a patient asks a doctor is “how long do I have to live?”
“Even when the course of treatment is stopped, the body can “turn on” reserves that we did not know about. The patient may live another day, two, or even two weeks.”
The doctor emphasizes that death can be painless, it depends on the reasons that led to it. “You gradually lose consciousness, black out, and then just disappear,” Hillman explains.
If at the moment of death a person feels pain, then doctors alleviate his suffering with morphine.
Photo: Dionne Gain
As for the psychological perception of death, this is a difficult question for scientists. Some experts believe that a person begins to feel fear, panic and, as it were, tries to “resist an invisible enemy.” Others believe that in the last minutes a certain awareness comes to a person, a feeling of readiness may arise that allows one to “let go” of life.
“In my practice, I often saw a picture of how, before leaving, a person begins to “communicate” with his relatives, who in reality are not nearby. This “communication” helps him relax and then move away,” says Bugey.
What happens to a person's soul after death?
Since ancient times, different concepts of people's faith have offered their thoughts about the life of the human soul after death . However, they all have one common foundation: a person faces a trial that determines the quality of a person’s life. As an example, let us offer the worldview of the inhabitants of ancient Egypt.
After death, a person goes into a certain labyrinth, where he is tested.
If the passage is successful, the following happens to a person’s soul after death: his heart is torn out from the body remaining in the ground and placed on the scales. If it is equal in weight to a feather, it means that he was sinless and goes to heaven: a place with fertile land, personal slaves and other benefits. If the heart outweighs, it means it is filled with sins. And such an Egyptian is instantly devoured by a crocodile monster.
Hindus have a special opinion about what happens to a person's soul after death. They believe in reincarnation, that is, the transmigration of the soul. Again, according to her righteousness. In your next life you can become a rich merchant, or you can become a stray dog.
Buddhists have a similar opinion , but they do not have the idea of infinite rebirth of the soul. Ultimately, she must achieve nirvana - detachment from everything and everyone.
In the Islamic tradition, the soul is in its body, which is what it was on earth, but at the age of 33 it must cross the Sirat Bridge. The sinner will fall down into the underworld and will be tormented by various creatures. The righteous will end up in the Garden of Eden.
According to Christian beliefs, there is no death. For them, earthly life is just a stage. And it ends with coming to the Father God. Paradise is a place of constant communication, connection with it, happy for every person.
The funeral takes place on the third day, and this is not without reason. On the third day, according to the Bible, Jesus was resurrected. Having died, he also seems to be resurrected, but he comes not to his temporary body, but to his parent God.
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. Hellene, for example, knew for sure that after death his soul would appear in court 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.
Where does the soul go after 9 days?
For all 6 days after the first visit to the Lord has been made, the soul is in heaven enjoying the inhabitants. Here she forgets about grief over earthly life, but begins to think about the sins she committed earlier and consider herself unworthy of heaven.
On the ninth day, the soul of the deceased goes to hell. Angels carry her here to take an “excursion”. Symbolically, the ninth day signifies the death of Christ and his entry into hell before ascending.
Do you believe in hell and heaven?
Not really
On this day, relatives remaining on earth need to help the soul through prayers and remembrances. This will help you stop inconsolably self-flagellation and alleviate the fate you have experienced. It is up to the mourners to decide whether to do this in a cemetery or at home. There are no obligations in this decision, nor are there any prohibitions.
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 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 the other world, 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 sustain life, but some eat for pleasure or out of earthly habit. They mainly eat fruits, which grow in abundance and are very beautiful. This is an 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.
2. Fourteen planes of existence in the Universe
There are 14 zones in the Universe, of which seven are positive and seven are negative. The negative zones are known as Hell (Patala). There are also several subzones within the main zones.
According to the great Indian Saint, Sri Adi Shankaracharya (8th-9th century) Righteousness ( Dharma
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this is something that performs 3 tasks: 1. Preserves the social system in the best possible way 2. Brings world progress to all living things 3. Causes progress in the spiritual sphere - Sri Adi Shankaracharya
Seven positive zones. Mainly occupied by living people and subtle bodies after death performing righteous deeds and engaging in spiritual practice in accordance with the positive path of spiritual practice. These zones are also known as the seven positive areas or saptaloks. By positive path we mean if spiritual practice is oriented towards God realization, which is the ultimate goal of spiritual growth.
The Earth level is the only gross (physical) level in the Universe and the first positive level among the seven positive zones.
Seven negative zones: They are occupied mainly by subtle bodies that have committed unrighteous acts and are engaged in spiritual practice in accordance with the negative path. By the negative path we mean the orientation of spiritual practice towards the achievement of spiritual power, such as supernatural powers. This spiritual power is mainly used to increase control over others or for negative purposes. Thus, all subtle bodies that fall into any of the planes of Hell become ghosts due to their evil intentions.
Refer to the article: 'Who are ghosts?'
Each zone of Hell (Patala) has subzones (Naraki). For example, the first level of Hell will have a subzone called the first Naraka, it is dedicated to the worst of the ghosts (demons, demons, negative energies, etc.). They undergo a more severe and longer punishment there than in the main Hell zone.
Life continues after death either in positive or negative zones of existence.
Note:
1. For the sake of simplicity, although we have shown the zones one above the other, in reality they are all located in the same space. The earth is the only gross (physical) zone, other zones are more subtle and invisible to material vision. In fact, different people, although living on Earth, experience thoughts and emotions corresponding to different zones according to their spiritual level or thoughts. For example, Saints, that is, spiritually developed people above 70% of the spiritual level, lead a life corresponding to the positive zones of Heaven and beyond. On the other hand, a person planning a theft experiences thoughts corresponding to the 1st zone of Hell; a person planning some action aimed at causing harm to others, the 2nd zone of Hell, and so on. A person planning a murder experiences thoughts corresponding to the 7th zone of Hell. However, no 2 zones can be experienced simultaneously, that is, a person cannot experience thoughts corresponding to 2 different zones, such as Heaven and Mahaloka.
2. Purgatory (Buvaloka) is actually located far from God. However, we have depicted it as a positive zone because after death, subtle bodies from this area still have the opportunity to be born on Earth to grow spiritually. But if the subtle body falls into one of the zones of Hell, then it has little chance of being born on Earth and moving towards God.
Color Scheme Explanation
- The earth is depicted in reddish color as it represents action (the main subtle component of Raja). This is the only physical zone where we have a physical body to do anything.
- Heaven is depicted in pink, symbolizing abundance and happiness.
- The color yellow symbolizes spiritual knowledge and the increase in the basic subtle component of Sattva. Finally, at the highest stage it becomes almost white, which represents proximity to the unmanifested Divine Principle.
- The Hell zones are represented by darker shades to black, as they are dominated and increased by the subtle basic component of Tama.
For more details on Sattva, Raja and Tama, see section 6 below.
Where does the soul go after 40 days of death?
The soul is in hell for exactly 30 days. Here she observes the places of torture, those who are tormented, and the sections where the martyrs constantly weep.
Angels return the soul to heaven again. God's judgment will take place here. The Lord will determine where the soul ends up after 40 days and where it can expect its resurrection. It is in this place that the anticipation of the Last Judgment, which was described in the Bible, will take place.
It is very important to pray for the deceased on the fortieth day. As many people as possible should remember him with kind words. It is believed that prayers will help the court make a good decision. If a person has committed a lot of evil during his lifetime, people will not speak well of him and will not ask for God’s mercy either.
Posthumous Guide to Choosing a Good Body
According to Buddhist ideas, everything living after death undergoes reincarnation (rebirth) and finds life in a new body. A deceased person, depending on the totality of good, bad and neutral deeds during life, is incarnated in the abode of blessed gods, in the eternal battle of asuras, in the human world, among animals, in a series of hungry ghosts or in the circles of hell.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead remains an impressive source of information about such an afterlife for many centuries. This is a kind of guidebook with a number of precise directions and instructions, following which the deceased can be reborn in a more perfect bodily shell, or completely leave the circle of reincarnation.
“This teaching brings Liberation through vision and requires neither meditation nor sadhana (i.e., spiritual practice). The deepest Teaching liberates by listening and seeing, bringing Liberation on the Secret Path even to those who have very bad karma,” says the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Thus, descriptions of the world into which a person finds himself after death are available during his lifetime. And when the time comes, everyone will actually be able to verify what exactly will be “given according to your faith.”
