soul

Exploring the Afterlife: What I’ve Learned About What Lies Beyond

/ Susan Hanshaw / Leave a comment

A couple of things have occurred in my life this past summer that have brought me to an incessant curiosity about what happens after we die.

Background on my fascination

The backdrop to my new obsession was my 64th birthday which I celebrated last month. In recent years I’ve begun to be keenly aware that my life here on Earth is not limitless. I’ve been feeling a greater pressure—totally self-imposed—to identify my divine calling. What can I do in or with my life to feel like I’ve used my gifts and talents in the way they were intended? This is a question I’ve been pondering for the last two decades. Yet I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve not done the work to the deeper level that it deserves. No wonder I still have no answers.

Another incident that inspired my probing about life after death was the sudden passing of a favorite client of the marketing firm I manage. In great physical shape and with so much going for him at age 62, our client was taken by a heart condition which was a hardening of the heart muscle itself. The condition often offers no warning signs that something may be wrong. We learned a few days after his passing. My business partner and I were devastated.

This was a tragedy that hit home. It was a wake-up call on how vulnerable we are at any time, but particularly as we age. My thoughts have ranged from how can I make the most of every day to how can I prepare myself for death to what have I really come here to do?

A fascinating resource

I had great respect and affection for my client who recently passed. The loss inspired me to want to learn more about his spiritual transition to the afterlife, as well as educate myself on what my own transition might be like. I pulled an old book off my bookshelf that was given to me by a dear friend some 20 years ago, Journey of Souls, by Michael Newton, Ph.D.

As someone who believes in reincarnation and the infinite nature of our soul, I find this book to be incredibly fascinating as it chronicles the reports of 29 clients who have recalled their experiences between lives as eternal spirits with Dr. Newton while in a state of deep hypnosis.

My greatest takeaways

It’s only been a few days since I began reading and I’m just shy of the half-way mark, but the impact on my thoughts and consequential actions has been immense. Reminding myself that we are all spiritual beings here on Earth facing lessons inspired for our growth as souls has brought me a sense of peace that I’ve not experienced in a while.

I think the greatest takeaway from the book was being introduced to the idea that we all have personal spiritual guides that are here for us in both our Earthly and spiritual plane lives. My meditation practice now feels so much more accessible to the answers I seek.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Do you feel the presence of a personal guide?

How I Learned I Wasn’t Feeding My Soul and What I Did About It

/ Susan Hanshaw / Leave a comment

The other morning I walked by a photo of my two cherished cats, Sarah and Janie, who I’ve lost in recent years. This photo has been in my home office since I’ve had the girls, yet this time I somehow felt called to pick up the framed photo and really take it in from a deeper perspective.

What I saw in the photo was my two young girl kitties lounging on pillows on a favorite loveseat a year of two shy of 20 years ago. I recognized that I was the photographer behind the camera lens. It brought me back to where we were in our lives together back then.

As a single woman, Sarah and Janie were like my kids who I would return home to after a day at the office, or having had dinner out with a friend, after an evening at the gym, or having participated in the spiritual community that I had joined. I’ve long since accepted that my girls were gone, but I hadn’t contemplated what I’ve lost in my life since we were all together.

Identifying the Source of Loss

The reckoning of loss in that moment brought upon a level of sadness that made me feel like I wanted to sit myself down and cry. Beyond missing my two little sweethearts, I identified a loss I felt inside that stunned me. And I knew that this awareness had come to beg me to do something about it.

I’d become lazy about exploring new personal interests, communities and friendships since meeting and marrying my husband. Throw the isolation of COVID-19 on top of that and there hasn’t been a lot of new fuel to feed my soul. I recognized that this is all on me.  

Thankfully the sadness didn’t linger for more than a few hours, and the recognition that I needed to take action to take care of myself on a deeper level came to the forefront. I saw ultra-clearly that continuing to procrastinate about putting myself out in the world, despite the pandemic, would be detrimental to my spiritual and mental health.

The Action I Took

I’ve been a subscriber to a local volunteer agency email newsletter for a couple of years now. I had been reading their weekly emails, yet admittedly keeping the opportunities at arms distance, always finding a reason why an opportunity was not a fit for me.

Last week I saw a volunteer opportunity that really spoke to me. While I didn’t meet the requirements stated in the posting, I reached out anyway. I now have a phone meeting to discuss the opportunity with the person in charge with filling it.

The Lessons

I am a big believer in the idea that lessons will come to you when you are ready to receive them. I’ve known for quite some time that my soul was itching for some nourishment, yet I procrastinated. It took the pain I felt from the photo of Sarah and Janie to realize that something was missing, and that the only person who could do something about it was me.

While it’s still not clear whether this volunteer opportunity will be a fit, I’ve proven to myself that I am ready and willing to embrace something new.

How Are You Doing?

Worldwide we’ll soon be closing in on nearly two years in this pandemic state. I’d love to hear how it has impacted you where you are. What are you obstacles? Have you been able to open up your world to feed your soul?