Whats the afterlife like?

No proof; just poof.

Proof is a different matter. What you really mean is evidence. (There is no affirmative proof in science, only evidence.) The evidence of the persistence of consciousness without brain function is in the recorded near-death experiences, such as the near-death experience of Pam Reynolds. The evidence is also in the experiences of many people with respect to phenomena associated with the subtle planes. I have personally had dramatic experiences relative to the chakras, or energy centers, associated with the astral body. I have had memories since childhood of dying in a shipwreck at sea. Also, when I was 8 years old, I was looking through a children's encyclopedia and when I came to the section on Egypt, there was a picture of one of their mystic symbols. (I don't remember which one.) Somehow I was compelled to go into the kitchen and get some spices, rice, whatever, and I spontaneously began performing some type of ceremony over the symbol, sprinkling the materials onto it and doing some type of chant. Where the hell did that come from? My family were Baptists. There was nothing in my childhood to account for it. Later, as an adult, I recognized that what I was doing was an imitation of a puja ritual.

Of course, I don't expect any of this to convince you. Nevertheless, I am convinced. This is a forum to share ideas relative to spirituality and religion. So, I share. Having to deal constantly with skeptics is tedious. If you are inclined not to believe in any form of spirituality, that is fine, but I wonder why you waste your time here, if that is the case.

Curiosity. Also, I have been known to change my ideas about different issues by discussing them on a2k. It's not totally hopeless.

You go back to the before life .....

I think what you might be suggesting is that anyone who is seriously interested could have a past-life hypnosis session and see what it turns up. If you can come up with information that you couldn't possibly know, and could find some way to verify from historical records, it would be very persuasive, I would think.

Gels, That's another interesting topic; some people's ability to communicate information of a "previous" life, and their ability to convey accurate information.

I've long appreciated 'the kingdom of heaven is within' expression. I see that as being a perspective or state of mind more than anything else, a perception of unity I guess. I also think other worldly thoughts are a bit of a distraction from life around us but I see a really practical value to grounding such a lofty goal/idea as heaven in moment to moment experience, so I like that too. To me, the symbolism is too powerful and useful in discussion to see heaven or other planes of existence involved with reincarnation as anything more than allegorical. For example, they fit SO WELL with states of mind or repetitive, snow ball like patterns of thought. Even if a story involving a past life was incredibly compelling, where does it leave me in the here and now?

I don't think its especially important to believe in reincarnation or after-life states. However, it is interesting to speculate about, and I think it can help resolve some moral conundrums, and also explain certain experiences such as past-life memories, near-death/out-of-body experiences, paranormal phenomena, etc.

On another topic, has anyone taken the Belief-O-Matic quiz? I came up a Mahayana Buddhist (with Hindu a close second). It sounds pretty close.

Definetely.

I do have one problem with reincarnation; how does it explain the population growth from a few thousand individuals to 6 billion people? If you say that one could reincarnate as an animal you would, perhaps, dodge that problem. But that leaves the problem with the soul being the center of consciousness, because animals aren't self aware.

The only way I could be considered a believer in reincarnation is from the perspective that I AM everything, and everytime a person (or other form of being) comes into or out of existence it is me being born and dying. But I do not believe in some kind of separate ego-soul that will, after my death and period in an astral context, become a particular other ego-soul.
This does not mean that I am right: I cannot talk about my past or future lives, but I DO feel that I have direct, albeit private, evidence of the non-existence of an ego-self.

By the way, have you all heard what our national philosopher laureate, Woody Allen, said about Death? His only misgiving is the hours.

I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens.
Woody Allen

The soul evolves from group souls in plants, insects, and some small animals, to individual souls in other animals, to higher animals (primates, cattle, dogs, etc.) to humans souls. The population grows because animal souls eventually "graduate" to human status after many incarnations in animal form. There may also be a "backlog" of souls that incarnate at a particular time for certain reasons. I've heard that the "floodgates" were thrown open for (human) souls to incarnate at the present time on earth so that as many souls as possible have a last chance to get in on the present evolutionary cycle. Apparently, there is some element of choice regarding incarnation and those souls who postpone for much longer will likely have to wait for a future evolutionary cycle to complete their spiritual evolution on the physical plane. The physical plane, and in particular the earth, is different than the subtle planes in that all types of individuals are thrown together into the mix. However, this is actually of benefit to less evolved souls because they can benefit from interaction with older souls.

From a higher perspective, you are correct. There is only the Self and separateness is a delusion. However, from a less evolved perspective it appears as if we are separate souls, or individuated consciousness, that reincarnate from life to life. Upon the attainment of liberation, or enlightenment, the individual mind and soul is released from identification with form and merges with infinite Being, or the Godhead, or the Big Mind. An analogy might be made with a multiple-personality schizophrenic who believes there are multiple personalities sharing their mind and body. It is not true, but appears to be true to the individual(s). If and when healing is achieved, there is integration of the separate personalities and a kind of unity is achieved.

The experience of transcendence, or pure consciousness during practices such as meditation (or as spontaneous experiences in some individuals) often produces a feeling of connectedness with others and a sense of oneness between the subject and object. This is a kind of unity consciousness, but it is incomplete until consciousness permeates not only the inner awareness, but the objects of perception as well. When the Self is perceived within and without, there is the full flowering of consciousness that the human nervous system is capable of. The perception of the infinite value of the objects of perception is maintained along with awareness of the infinite value within. The subject and object become one and there is unshakable Unity consciousness. (This is associated with the opening of the chakra at the top of the head.) However, this is a very advanced state and is usually not attained until intermediate states of soul liberation and God consciousness are experienced.

Thanks. Clearly stated.

Is a seed not a former life of a flower?
Is a life, before, during, and after not a life?

We spend a life trying to understand what living is, remaining unconscious of our consciousness only to arrive inscrutably to the onset of our dilemma ....... are we seed, or flower?

Infinity flows in both directions .... to us, and away from us.

thats my story and I,m sticking to it.

Gel, I agree that " a life, before, during, and after is a life" but with a very big capital "L". My true Self with its Cosmic Life has always been, even before the Big Bang. So has yours. And I'm sticking to this story because I can't imagine another.

I can understand the "before, during and after" concept from the fact that the before is the influence our ancestors have on our life, the during is the choices we make in life, and the after is the memories we leave with family and friends - and children if we have any.

That's about all she wrote in my book.

Stipulate an afterlife ... you have the decision of returning as you were, to the last detail or, as someone with no knowledge of your former self.
Which choice would you make?

Flower and seed are one, inseparable. What comes before must also follow or there is no infinity.