BD.3316
November 5, 1944

DIFFERENT SPHERES IN THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM

Immediately after the death of the body the soul moves into the spiritual Kingdom that, according to its maturity, may be far or near to the Earth. Although it is not to be understood as "space", the distance is the result of the difference in the spheres, and yet they all belong to the spiritual kingdom, because they are outside the earthly material world, and the immature souls have yet, as far as time is concerned, a very long way to go until they will come to the Light spheres.

On the other hand, a matured soul, after bodily death, is as quick as lightning placed in these spheres, because it has no difficulty with time or space to overcome the distance between earth and the Light spheres… Because it has obtained enough strength through its state of maturity.

However, the immature souls cannot separate themselves as quickly from the earth, because they are without power to move themselves upwards, and also their senses are chained to earthly things. They do not want to leave the earth but want to stay close to the earth for a long time, mostly in the surroundings, which they called their own in their late time.

Consequently, they do not feel the direct change from the earthly to the spiritual kingdom. Because it seems to them the same place as on earth, and therefore, those souls do not always realize that they no longer have their life in the body. But they are astonished that they can no longer make themselves heard and are left alone by the people. This situation brings them slowly to the realization of their position, and of the knowledge that they are no more on earth, but in the spiritual kingdom of the beyond.

As long as the soul is earthly minded it is not able to separate itself from those surroundings, but is still bound to the earth, which is for it a state of misery, because everything that it longs for or wants to possess is unattainable. Now the soul must gradually overcome its longing for earthly possessions. Only when it has come to that point will it withdraw itself more and more from the earth. Then the spheres will take on another form for them, their eyes perceiving no more earthly but spiritual creations, according to the maturity of the soul, that means the spiritual eye of the soul is able to see spiritual things, which the immature soul cannot perceive even though they exist.

However, only when a more mature soul separates itself from the earth can it at once distinguishes its surroundings in the spiritual kingdom and because of its maturity it has the spiritual eyes and ability to do so.

Such a soul will also recognize the souls who it will meet in the beyond, while on the other hand the immature souls are unable to do so, this means that they recognize only those souls who walk in the darkness as they do and who are in the same imperfect condition. And yet, light beings are invisible to them even when they come close they do not recognize them in their bright disguise. The spiritual eyes are opened only in a certain condition of maturity. Then light surrounds that soul, while spiritual darkness is around those who can see nothing because that spiritual sphere is closed to them.

However, earthly things remain visible be fore their eyes because of their longing for them. But those are only optical illusions, which in reality do not exist but through the longing of the soul seem as if they are all there. But they disappear as a shadow as soon as a soul wants to touch or use them, because in this transitory condition the soul realizes that it should strive for something higher than earthly perishable goods. As long as the soul has a desire for such things no light beings come near it, because material minded souls will not listen to the words of the light beings, when they come in their covering to bring them the gospel and show them the way upwards. They can only be brought help in their situation through human prayers and seeking amends in the spiritual kingdom.

Then beings, which are willing to help meet them, teach them, and show them the way upward. The more willing they are to accept the teaching of the light beings, the sooner their spiritual eyes shall be opened, and they delivered from spiritual darkness to enter spheres where they also may spread the light.

Their way back can take a short or a very long 'time depending on the stubbornness with which the soul clings to material things which bind these to the earth until they are overcome so that they can be led by light beings into the pure Truth to be able to work in the beyond for the kingdom of God. Then these souls will share knowledge with needy souls, who still live in spiritual darkness.

AMEN