[ Setting: A home library ]
ANTHONY: You mentioned you would “generate an environment” for our conversation; this is a good choice. I feel a certain comfortable affinity in this room. It reminds me of my grandfather’s library where I spent many satisfying hours. And I see I am in a body but it does not feel like my previous body, it feels somehow insubstantial. That’s alright with me; I understand I am here only as a soul. I am more concerned about the new body you talked about. You said it would be healthy. But I remember on Earth it was said when a person wakes up on the other side their new body would be like their old body in its most healthy adult shape; some even said the old body would be resurrected. But I was never in very good shape and always had a lot of physical problems. I hope I will get a new body in better physical condition than my last one, at least to start out.
ALLEGENTIA: Our primary concern when we design your new body is the soul you have created to live in it. Your soul is your spiritual essence. It is a combination of your human choices, experiences, worthwhile memories, and particularly your values. Your old body was part of the planet you left and it is indeed going to remain there. We will give you a brand-new one, built specifically for you. Your new body will be super-material but sub-spiritual. And, yes, it will be healthy in every way and ready to carry you forth into your new life. All that needs to be provided will be provided, the rest is up to you. As you ‘grow in grace’ your body will become even more beautiful and versatile.
ANTHONY: Will my new body function with the same senses?
ALLEGENTIA: You will begin over there with the senses you had before, yet some of them will be extended automatically. We often say you wake up on the other side exactly where you left off on your native planet, but for a person who was blind or deaf on Earth there will be a significant change. As you can imagine there are many different body types who lived in many different environments.
In addition to the basic five senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight you also had seven others not commonly cataloged. They were: a sense of balance and harmony, a sense of space (including location, direction, and perspective), a sense of structure and organization, a sense of pattern and proportion, a sense of time and continuity, a sense of humor, and a sense of self and others. Of course, each individual had a unique dynamic range for each of these senses, but with your new body they will all work as they should. Yet, all spiritual reality also manifests intellectually and physically. Therefore there are individual differences, especially for those who expanded certain spiritual qualities while in the flesh.
Your body will enjoy clear and enhanced senses.
ANTHONY: I cannot even imagine how wonderful it will be to live in a healthy body. My last one always felt like it was dragging me down; I used to call it my boat anchor. I don’t suppose I can ask for some special features built in?
ALLEGENTIA: I see you have a twinkle in you eye when you ask that. Of course, you will not be given anything you have not earned or do not deserve. What special features were you interested in?
ANTHONY: Oh, nothing very special. My legs and back were my worst problems so a set of good working legs would be a great treat. I would really like to run and jump and skate and climb and dance. Oh I would really, really like to dance with my wife. Cindy loved to dance.
ALLEGENTIA: No problem. That can be arranged.
ANTHONY: You said something about how the body changes as we grow in grace. Are you saying as I mature spiritually my body will somehow show my spiritual progress?
ALLEGENTIA: That’s right, for instance both physical and spiritual vision are extended. And when you become too spiritual for your second body you will be fitted for a new one. Each new body will be less material, hold more intellectual capacity, and increasingly mirror the spiritual substances you are connecting with. But you are unique and your physical features will also always be unique.
Most of your appearance on Earth was due to genetics, although your personality did shine through. In heaven who a person is, the qualities attained, and the experiences lived, are all reflected in their visible form.
ANTHONY: So, except for being healthy, will my previous genetics be taken into account?
ALLEGENTIA: Your racial and genetic structure, as part of your organic body, were left on the planet with your body. But having lived under their influences for so long they do leave an imprint. Even in the non-physical form I have generated for this conversation I see you are slumped over a bit, due, no doubt, to many years of habit.
The same is true for the influences of the time you lived, the society you lived in, your station in life, and, as you indicated, your physical health. All of these helped to shape who you have become. All of them are still a part of your makeup. Some of them you will have to overcome and some of them (maybe even the same ones) you can partially thank for the soul qualities you now possess. Many times adversity is the greatest blessing a person can receive because of the opportunities it affords for growth.
Some of your earthly aptitudes and latent talents were inherent in your genetics but your skills were earned. Your personal values are the results of your decisions and actions. You were presented with opportunities based upon your physical, social, or genetic constitution, and it was up to you to decide how to react to those influences.
ANTHONY: That makes sense. So some was left behind and some, the essence, moves on?
ALLEGENTIA: That’s it, and here you are, the essential you.
On Earth your genetics, the very structure of your makeup, was based on your physical being. Everything of a higher value had to be connected to, or go through, your human animal body. Earth’s wise men have long spoken of the internal struggle between your better and your lesser natures. This was literally true. So when it came to wholeheartedly living your higher intellectual ideas and spiritual ideals, you were hampered with a system permeated with the urges, uncertainties, and worries of your animal origins.
ANTHONY: What kinds of animal urges are you talking about?
ALLEGENTIA: You are still you, that has not changed. As I said earlier the imprint of your entire life is still with you. Everyone will still need to eliminate all negative animal vestiges from their character. Some of the traits I am referring to are fear, problem avoidance, procrastination, equivocation, grudge holding, and self-centeredness.
On the positive side were things like the aggression, survival, and procreation instincts which in the human animal are being converted from the urge to exist into your desire to grow. Personality growth, cosmic growth, the growth of values; all of these make you more real.
ANTHONY: And how do I counter these negative “vestiges,” as you call them?
ALLEGENTIA: The way to counteract them is to acquire the positive soul values needed to replace and remove them. Some of these qualities will be thoughtful responsibility, humble service, clear thinking, reality recognition, sincere communication, and prudent trust. And, of course, there will be plenty of wide-eyed adventures.
Angels and advanced humans will be your sympathetic teachers and wise counselors in all your activities from hereon – but only to the extent you wish them to participate. They will teach you, but more importantly, show you by example how to exhibit poise and to be patient and practical. But growth is not all work and study. Prayer and play are also necessary for balanced development.
ANTHONY: How much do I need to work on?
ALLEGENTIA: I can see in your soul you have a confident yet patient strength. Once you began to modify and refine your natural tendencies, they started to take form as more productive qualities. You also possess tenacity and persistence to a reasonable degree. In addition I see you have a healthy drive, a broad-minded perspective, and a curious focus. These are all signs of stable growth. You have established a strong foundation. You will not waste time. Success will follow as you move through an expanding adventure.
ANTHONY: Thank you. And those qualities will be able to be seen by everyone?
ALLEGENTIA: As mentioned, your body reflects your qualities, but angels and those who have been around for awhile can see more clearly and deeply. As a new arrival you will have to settle into your new abilities, but it won’t be long until you get the hang of it.
ANTHONY: Will I be moving from body to body forever?
ALLEGENTIA: Eventually, after five hundred and seventy progressive transitions, you will finally inhabit a pure first-stage spirit “body.” You will look and be so different by then it is impossible for me to describe. Your best human attempt to picture spirits was with some amorphous white light. Since light is physical, this is also far from the glorious being you will be.
ANTHONY: I am sure it will be a marvel over there. It will certainly be a blessing never to grow old or feeble again – and to dance! Lookout Cindy, hear I come.