MIND, BODY & SPIRIT

{ MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT } WHERE DOES YOUR SPIRIT GO WHEN YOU PASS AWAY

There are myths out there about the afterlife. I call them myths because we don’t really know. What’s out there. After we pass away. We can only observe the decay of our physical bodies.

Some of you may not even believe in an afterlife. For you especially, I hope you are making the very best of this life.

For many of you, however, there is a belief in something beyond this world. It may be far up into the sky. Or in the depths of mother earth.

Here are a few myths and/or beliefs out there. While reading, consider your own belief and notice how similar or different it may be in comparison.

Then without judging, ask yourself, “Am I living my life to the fullest?”

Allow all of the answers to arise. Then ask, “How can I live more deeply in this lifetime?”

THE AFTERLIFE

In Christianity, we are taught that there are three realms: Heaven, Earth, and Hell. We live here on earth as physical beings. When our body dies, our spirit rises into heaven, one can only hope. Because the alternative is going straight to hell, not a place anyone wants to go.

In the Catholic Church of Christianity, one is taught that at the time of death, your spirit is judged. This often takes place at the gates of heaven, and is judged by St Peter.

BY ALANA CAHOON

As a child growing up in this religious belief, the image of judgment is burnt into your memory, and motivates you to do good. Clever!

The gates of heaven are described as pearly and golden upon beautiful clouds. Once, inside, you are free. You are also welcomed by your loved ones who passed on before you.

The gates of hell? First of all, there are no gates. Just a door opening to a fiery inferno. Where you spend the rest of your … life … suffering. In the 1990’s, the Catholic Catechism redefined hell as an exclusion from God versus punishment. Whew! of us who may have led a life in earnest albeit humanly flawed. This is called Purgatory, perhaps a fourth realm where you undergo purification from your sins in order to enter into heaven.

Shamanism is an ancient form of religion and spirituality whose main focus is that of healing. Its origins have been traced back 40,000 years ago to Siberia and Japan.

As a Shaman, myself, I can attest to the healing and intuitive abilities one is gifted with.

Shamans have the ability to support healing of the sick and communicate with the otherworld. We are often described as prophets, diviners, and can escort the souls of the dead to the otherworld.

Here, too there is a belief in three worlds: the Upper World, the Middle World, and the Lower World.

As a Shaman, you can ‘journey’ to each of these realms. The middle world is considered the earth plane where we exist in our human life. But, it is not excluded to only the living.

There are spirits or ghosts also living in this environment. These spirits are sometimes considered lost souls.

A lost soul wandering the earth plane or middle world did not make it to either the upper world - which is quite lofty, or the lower world - which is a paradise of its own. This may be a result of a traumatic or sudden death or due to their belief system while alive.

“These are several beliefs and/or myths about life and death. What are yours? Where did they originate from?”

In my experience of the upper world, it is layered with soft billowy clouds. Each journey there, I have been welcomed by a spiritual master who has a lesson to reveal.

My experience of the lower world is that of pure action. Reveling in lush greenery, riding horses, and swimming in healing waters.

It’s fun to be a Shaman!

Yoga Philosophy is one of the six orthodox schools of Hinduism. The belief is that mind, body, and spirit are all one. Main practices are mental discernment, detachment, spiritual knowledge, and selfawareness.

When training to be a yogi here in North America, you discover that the asanas are expressions of liberation and unity. These physical poses prepare the body to sit in samadhi or meditation.

In Hinduism, it is believed that we come back to this earth plane. At the time of death, one’s thought determines the quality of our rebirth. This is motivation to be mindful of one’s thoughts!

The practice of mantra chanting is one way to support a positive outlook and thought patterns.

Rebirth can take several forms as either a god, a human or an animal. In some cases of traumatic death, a person can take the form of a hungry ghost, and remains earth-bound until certain ceremonies are done to free them. Similar to Shamanism.

These are several beliefs and/or myths about life and death. What are yours? Where did they originate from?

Personally, I believe in the power of mindfulness in this lifetime. By being mindful of one’s thoughts leads to being mindful in one’s behavior. And hopefully leads to a beautiful afterlife! Let this be your new way of being. In this lifetime. Mindful.

Dedicated to two beautiful women in my life who only days ago departed from this earth plane. My motherin-law, Ingrid, and my aunt Diana. May you both enter into the highest realms of peace & serenity, and be welcomed by your loved ones.

Alana Cahoon is the mindfulness coach, healer, and founder of Grow 2 B U, and author of Mindfulness, Mantras & Meditations. www.alanacahoon.com.

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KINDNESS CHAMPIONS

Thank you for being you and bringing your awesome to the world. That is what Kindness Champion stands for. Our mission, my mission is to help elevate how people see themselves and care for one another. When we are kinder to ourselves and others everyone benefits. Our compassionate and empathy increases, creating an unlimited amount of warm fuzzies. An article from the Mayo Clinic states: “Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood. It can decrease blood pressure and cortisol, a stress hormone, which directly impacts stress levels. People who give of themselves in a balanced way also tend to be healthier and live longer. Kindness can increase your sense of connectivity with others, which can directly impact loneliness, improve low mood and enhance relationships in general.” As Alison Malee says “Ah kindness, what a simple way to tell another struggling soul that there is love to be found in this world.”

Many years ago I had this grand idea to offer short and sweet seminars that guided people through the steps of feeling better about self. Being an LCSW-R and a total fan of the human brain and all it can do, I know from my profession, research, and personal experience how changes in thinking combined with kind actions can lead to powerful, positive, permanent changes in feelings about self. I wrote some words down about this seminar stuff and continued along my life. Yet sometimes there are ideas that won’t leave you alone.

BY JUDI SWANSON

They continue to pop up all over the place, placing a pressure to take action. My idea of a simplistic way to facilitate positive change within people kept coming at me like snow in a snowstorm. This idea merged into combining with all things kindness. Kindness to self, kindness to others. My belief was this would generate happier people, healthier people, and we would all be the better for it. “Kindness is the light that dissolves all walls between souls,, families, and nations.” Paramahansa Yogananda

I knew I had to take action and begin something. One I began the floodgates of creativity and thoughts can rushing out. My creative flow was a force in my life. Ideas of what to do, how to do what I was doing, poured out of me. Each idea was put on a sticky note and placed in an “idea” journal. I wrote a book (not published yet), did a seminar at the Rochester Brainery, and began posting stories of kindness on social media. An LLC, at first called Kindness Rocks, which is now Kindness Champions, was formulized. I was writing more and was honored when Kelly asked me to write a regular column for Rochester Woman Online. I fit things in the best I could while working full time as a social worker at a high school, parttime private practice, and having a life. Oh and there is a project supporting mental health professionals that some energy went towards. As time went by, sometimes flying, when I was not putting enough into Kindness Champions, my internal pressure sensor would get more intense. I loved everything I was doing, embracing it all with gusto and joy. In the fall of 2020 my inner voice said it was time to leave my full-time school social worker job. Kindness Champions needed more of me. Eventually I listened and resigned from my job at the school. As Barack Obama said “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

Kindness Champions celebrates every person’s awesome by being kind to themselves and others, taking action to help people become happier, healthier, more kind and loving. Initiative’s include a postcard project where postcards are mailed to people using names and addresses in the phone book on a weekly basis. I believe I am one of the few people who yearly will request a paper phonebook. Other initiatives include daily posting of positive stories, articles with research supporting how kindness (including self) is good for you, a regular blog, articles on how to be kind, along with promoting other social media and people doing good. There are some small sized flyers that a few business put in their orders or leave out, along with “You Matter” sicky notes that are randomly left around for people to see. My belief is that every single one of us is worthy and matters in this world. This is the heart of Kindness Champions. Another initiative is the Kindness Champion Spotlight where I interview people doing super cool things to help others and then post a spotlight story about these people and organizations. All

“Kindness Champions celebrates every person’s awesome by being kind to themselves and others, taking action to help people become happier, healthier, more kind and loving.”

of ideas of what to do next, because that creative flow is wide open, are placed in the Idea Journal for safe holding.

What I have found in all of these experiences is when I follow my guiding heart and my voices from within, my choices and actions feel like home. I know I can help make a sustained positive change for people with what I am doing even when putting myself out there feels uncomfortable at times. When I listen to my inner voice only good has come. I continue to learn, evolve, and while doing so I have become a happier and healthier person. I have witnessed the change that has occurred in others. It is magical when you see someone realize their personal value, beauty, love and joy. These moments bring goosebumps to me every time. With joy I share with you a little about me and Kindness Champions. If you have anyone you want a postcard sent to, a possible spotlight story or any other questions please email KindnessChampions2020@gmail. com. Kindness Champions webpage is www.KindnessChampions.com. I thank you for being you and bringing your awesome to the world.