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by David R. Hamilton Ph.D.

I love to imagine that we live in a magical world. Aside from the dark lord element of the Harry Potter story, I think many of us would love to live in a world where magic was happening all around us, and that we could use it. I have always enjoyed science fiction and fantasy novels.

I wonder, though, if strange things do occur. I have written previous blogs and books where I've suggested that consciousness is not inside the head but is something fundamental to nature, that it is like a field that connects all people and all things. Thus, I have suggested that meaningful and connected events can cluster together, and this can be a product of a person's beliefs, emotions or intentions.

Just a few days ago, my dog Oscar had to go to the vet for an operation. He was bitten by another dog over a month ago but the wound just hadn't healed properly. The vet decided that there must have been a piece of foreign material left in the wound and believed it best to cut the wounded tissue out.

I felt nervous as we were arriving at the vet for Oscar's operation, even though I knew it was a relatively minor procedure.

As I often do, I said a little prayer. We all know that there are lots of different deities and angels that people pray to. I asked Archangel Michael to watch over Oscar.

Less than a moment later, a man who looked just like the God character from the magical and inspiring film, Miracle on 34th Street, appeared at the other side of the wall that circles the vets' premises. He whistled for Oscar to approach him and when Oscar put his paws up on the wall, the man gave him a large kiss on the top of the head, looked at us and smiled, and then casually walked away without even saying a word.

A wave of emotion overcame me, and I had to take a deep breath not to cry. They weren't tears of sadness, but like knowing that something magical had just occurred, like a feeling of certainty that I'd received a sign. This might strange to some, but perfectly normal to others.

Once we dropped Oscar off I had to make my way into the town center to catch a train to London for a meeting with my publisher. As I was a little early for my train, I dropped into Costa to grab a coffee. By this time, my faith that all would be well with Oscar was beginning to waver. (It had been 20 minutes since I'd left the vet, after all. 🙂 ) Even though I had asked Archangel Michael to help, I was now trying to visualize all being well with Oscar and his operation. I was surrounding him with light and seeing light bathe the entire vets' practice.

As I was being served my coffee, I had the thought that I needn't visualize because I have already asked for help, that I should trust that my asking for help was enough, that by visualizing now was actually showing that I didn't have faith that Oscar was being watched over. Right then, my eye caught the name badge of the person serving me. Yes, it was 'Michael.' I smiled quietly to myself and silently whispered, 'message received!'

Of course, when you do feel a little nervous when it concerns loved ones, and my readers who have dogs, cats and other animals know that this extends to them too, faith does waver from time to time as nervousness kicks in. While I was walking to my train, a little nervousness arose again, so to distract myself, I decided to check my emails on my iPhone. The first email that popped in was from Neale Donald Walsch, one of his daily, 'I believe God wants you to know...' emails. It read:

'On this day of your life, Dear Friend, I believe God wants you to know...that medical procedures are nothing to be afraid of."

Okay, I finally got the message. I smiled broadly and felt warm inside. All was well and all would be well. There was nothing to worry about.

And indeed, there wasn't. We collected Oscar in the afternoon. He was still a little dozy from the anaesthetic, but within a few hours, he was his usual self.

I do like to imagine that things happen for a reason, and that all things and all people are connected, that our thoughts, emotions, hopes, dreams and intentions shape aspects of our lives, and that consciousness does exist in many more forms than our own.

I don't think of God as a man with a white beard who sits on a cloud, but I imagine that we are all Gods, that we are all part of the same field of energy or consciousness, and that we are capable of much more than we think we are, as our beliefs act like lenses that focus the field, much as an optical lens can focus sunlight. In the times when we have a little faith, I have noticed, we see more evidence of this in our lives, and we feel the warmth of the field.

David R. Hamilton has a first class honors degree in chemistry and specializes in biological and medicinal chemistry. He is the bestselling author of seven books published by Hay House, and offers talks and workshops designed to fuse science, the mind, and spiritual wisdom. He writes a regular blog at DrDavidHamilton.com as well as one for the Huffington Post. The above article was printed here with his kind permission.

I have a hypothetical question for you. If a person was suffering because everything in their life had become emotionally unbearable and their future seemed hopeless and devoid of happiness and opportunity, would they be condemned to suffer in the afterlife if they chose to check out before their time?

A.

Susyn:

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, so it's important to note that.

Contrary to most religious ideas about suicide, I feel there are no accidents in the Universe. If a person chooses to take their life for whatever reason, a greater plan must be unfolding. Though I personally do not believe in making such a choice, there are all sorts of positions I have never been in.

I know people who have attempted suicide unsuccessfully when things looked hopeless for them. Months or years later, they are all grateful that they failed. Life is an ever-evolving process; no matter how grim life may seem at one point, it invariably improves.

I have also known people who appeared to have taken their own life accidentally or who perhaps changed their mind at the last minute after it was too late. Then there are carefully planned out, deliberate suicides. In those cases where the suicide attempt was successful, the transition into the spirit world seems to be similar to other death experiences.

When someone is considering suicide, it' usually because some aspect of their life is not working. For example, they may feel lonely or abused, or they may be suffering from money troubles, a broken heart, or a life-threatening illness. Committing suicide might eliminate the financial or health issues they are facing, but the emotional aspects of their depression will carry over into the afterlife.

When a loved one dies naturally or according to fate, everyone involved is touched with deep sadness and a sense of loss, including the person who has crossed over. The same of course holds true for those who choose to take their own lives.

The feeling of being in heaven or hell can occur whether we have left this world or not. As one of my favorite sayings goes, Religion is for people who are afraid of going to hell; spirituality is for those who have already been there. When someone feels desperate enough to take their own life, they are experiencing a type of hell. Since hell can be experienced here as well as beyond, changing states is clearly not the answer.

I do not believe that a person who chooses to take their own life suffers extra pain, though I do believe that we take our troubles with us to the other side, where we continue to work on them. Because working through these issues is easier to do on the earth plane, I encourage people to remember that suicide is not a way to escape life's troubles. No matter what struggles one is walking through, there are higher spiritual purposes and gifts hidden in the process. If we choose to check out early, we will miss the opportunities the Universe has in store for us next.

*****

Oceania:

The fact that you're asking about suicide suggests that it's on your mind. If you personally feel suicidal, I urge you to seek medical attention immediately. If you are asking on behalf of a loved one, then please encourage them to do so.

If you or your loved one are not ready to seek in-person help, call the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org for more information. You can self-soothe in the moment with a butterfly hug: Hug yourself and alternately squeeze your upper arms in a gentle rhythm while envisioning a safe place and affirming that all is well in this instant of time.

Thoughts of suicide are a symptom of depression, which can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. This is why suicide is called a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Depression is like looking out a dirty window and mistakenly believing the world to be dark. Seeking help washes the window.

As a therapist, I regularly witness extreme suffering, and there have been times when I personally wished to exit a world that seemed so cruel. What kept me here was the thought that by staying alive, I could do some good. As poet Emily Dickinson wrote, If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain.

I believe in a benevolent higher power, so I don't think anyone is condemned to suffer in the afterlife for any reason. However, those who drop out of Learning to Endure Suffering class (Life-On-Earth 101) may have to repeat it.

People consider suicide because they don't think they can endure suffering, but it can be endured by feeling it consciously and expressing it to a loving listener. Suffering gets easier with practice; enduring difficulties makes us stronger and raises our self-esteem.

Suicide is something you can always do LATER. By postponing it, you grant yourself time to learn new coping mechanisms. Unexpected solutions can appear if we stay open to possibilities and humbly ask for help.

Cognitive Therapy, in which irrational thoughts are challenged, is the most effective type of therapy for depression. Dr. David Burns wrote a book about it called Feeling Good. Examples of distorted thoughts are overgeneralization (seeing a single occurrence as a pattern,) mental filters (dwelling on a negative detail while ignoring positives), and catastrophizing (exaggerating the significance of an event).

I remind suicidal people that they WILL die eventually; death IS on the way! Remembering our mortality can provide relief and give us permission to make the most of our temporary visit to Earth.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.