Between Lives: What Happens After Death

BY NICOLE LAU

The Journey Between Incarnations

Death is not an ending—it's a transition. When your physical body dies, your consciousness continues in the spirit realm, a dimension of pure awareness, unconditional love, and expanded perspective. This between-lives state is where you review your completed life, heal, learn, rest, and eventually plan your next incarnation. Understanding what happens after death transforms fear into curiosity and grief into hope.

The Moment of Death

The Separation

At the moment of death, consciousness separates from the physical body. Most describe this as:

• Floating above the body: Observing your physical form from outside
• No pain: Physical suffering ends instantly
• Clarity and peace: Mental confusion or illness dissolves
• Awareness of presence: Deceased loved ones or guides appear
• The silver cord: Energetic connection to body finally severs

Near-Death Experience (NDE) Commonalities

Thousands of NDE reports describe consistent experiences:

• Tunnel of light leading to brilliant, loving presence
• Life review—seeing your entire life from all perspectives
• Meeting deceased loved ones or spiritual beings
• Overwhelming sense of unconditional love and peace
• Choice to return or continue onward
• Reluctance to return to physical body
• Transformed perspective on life and death

The Transition

For most, the transition is gentle and supported:

• Guides appear: Spirit guides, angels, or deceased loved ones greet you
• No judgment: Only love, welcome, and celebration of your return
• Orientation: Guides help you adjust to non-physical existence
• Healing: Any trauma from death or life is immediately addressed

The Spirit Realm

What It's Like

The spirit realm is not a physical place but a dimension of consciousness:

• Thought-responsive: Your thoughts create your experience
• Timeless: No linear time—past, present, future exist simultaneously
• Vibrant and real: More vivid and "real" than physical reality
• Unconditional love: The fundamental energy of this realm
• Infinite: Limitless in scope and possibility
• Organized by vibration: Different levels or planes based on consciousness

Your Spiritual Body

You exist in an energetic body that:

• Appears as you wish—often your prime physical age
• Can change form through thought
• Feels more "you" than your physical body ever did
• Radiates your true essence and vibration
• Doesn't require food, sleep, or physical maintenance

Communication

In the spirit realm, communication is:

• Telepathic: Direct mind-to-mind transmission
• Complete: Full thoughts and feelings transfer instantly
• Honest: Impossible to lie or hide—all is transparent
• Universal: No language barriers

The Life Review

What It Is

The life review is a comprehensive examination of your completed incarnation. You experience:

• Every moment: Your entire life from birth to death
• All perspectives: How your actions affected everyone involved
• Emotional impact: Feeling what others felt because of you
• Ripple effects: How your choices influenced events and people
• Missed opportunities: What you could have done differently
• Achievements: Where you succeeded in your soul's goals

The Purpose

The life review serves to:

• Understand the consequences of your choices
• Develop compassion by experiencing all perspectives
• Identify lessons learned and lessons missed
• Recognize patterns to address in future lives
• Celebrate growth and achievements
• Plan future incarnations based on what you learned

No Judgment, Only Love

Critically important: The life review involves no external judgment. You are not punished or condemned. Instead:

• You judge yourself from a place of expanded awareness
• Guides offer only love, support, and wisdom
• The focus is learning, not punishment
• Even your "mistakes" are seen as valuable experiences
• Compassion and understanding pervade the process

The Hardest Part

Many report the most difficult aspect is experiencing the pain you caused others—not because you're punished, but because you finally understand the full impact of your actions. This develops the compassion needed for soul evolution.

Healing and Rest

Healing Trauma

After the life review, you receive healing for:

• Traumatic death experiences
• Emotional wounds from the lifetime
• Energetic imbalances or attachments
• Grief about leaving loved ones
• Regrets or unfinished business

Healing in the spirit realm is instantaneous and complete when you're ready to receive it.

Rest and Rejuvenation

Souls can rest in the spirit realm:

• Peaceful environments created by thought
• Reconnecting with soul family
• Enjoying beauty, music, or whatever brings joy
• No pressure or urgency—rest as long as needed
• Integration of life experiences

Reunions

Meeting Loved Ones

One of the greatest joys of the between-lives state is reuniting with:

• Deceased family and friends: Those who passed before you
• Pets: Beloved animal companions
• Soul family: Souls you've incarnated with repeatedly
• Past life connections: Souls from previous incarnations

Recognition

You recognize souls by their essence, not physical appearance. The love and connection transcend any single lifetime's relationship.

Waiting for Others

Many souls choose to wait in the spirit realm for loved ones still incarnated, greeting them upon their transition.

Learning and Growth

The Hall of Learning

Many describe libraries, classrooms, or learning centers where souls:

• Study universal laws and spiritual principles
• Review past lives and karmic patterns
• Learn from master teachers and guides
• Prepare for future incarnations
• Develop spiritual abilities

Soul Groups and Classes

Souls often gather in groups based on:

• Similar evolutionary levels
• Shared interests or missions
• Soul family connections
• Collaborative learning goals

Guides and Teachers

You work with:

• Personal spirit guides: Beings who oversee your soul's journey
• Master teachers: Highly evolved souls who teach and guide
• Council of elders: Wise beings who help plan incarnations
• Specialized guides: Experts in specific areas (healing, creativity, etc.)

Planning the Next Life

The Planning Session

When ready to incarnate again, you meet with guides and your council to plan:

• Life purpose: What you want to accomplish
• Lessons to learn: Qualities to develop or challenges to master
• Karma to balance: Debts to repay or credits to receive
• Soul contracts: Agreements with other souls
• Family and relationships: Who will play key roles
• Challenges: Obstacles that will catalyze growth
• Gifts and talents: Abilities to bring forward
• Exit points: Potential times to leave the incarnation

Choosing Your Life

From the soul perspective, you choose:

• Your parents and family
• Geographic location and culture
• Physical body and its characteristics
• Historical timing
• Major life events and challenges

What seems random or unfair from the human perspective is carefully chosen from the soul perspective for maximum growth.

The Veil of Forgetting

Before incarnating, you agree to forget:

• Your true nature as an eternal soul
• Past lives and between-lives experiences
• Your life plan and soul contracts
• The bigger picture of your journey

Why? So you can have authentic experiences and make genuine choices. If you remembered everything, life would be like acting in a play where you know all the lines—no real growth would occur.

Different Levels of the Spirit Realm

Vibrational Planes

The spirit realm has different levels based on consciousness:

Lower Astral Planes

• Souls attached to earthly desires or unaware they've died
• Denser, heavier energy
• Temporary state until awareness increases
• Not "hell" but a self-created limitation

Middle Planes

• Most souls reside here between lives
• Learning, healing, and planning occur
• Connection with soul family
• Preparation for next incarnation

Higher Planes

• Highly evolved souls and spiritual masters
• Pure light and unconditional love
• Teaching and guiding less evolved souls
• Closer to Source/God/Divine

Movement Between Levels

Souls naturally gravitate to the level matching their vibration. As consciousness evolves, you access higher planes.

How Long Between Lives?

Variable Duration

Time in the spirit realm is non-linear, but from Earth perspective:

• Quick returns: Some souls reincarnate within months or years
• Extended stays: Others rest for decades or centuries
• Soul choice: You decide when you're ready
• Evolutionary needs: More evolved souls may wait longer between lives
• Urgent missions: Some souls return quickly for specific purposes

Factors Affecting Duration

• Trauma from previous life requiring healing
• Complexity of lessons to integrate
• Waiting for specific souls to incarnate together
• Timing of historical events or opportunities
• Soul's readiness for next challenge

Special Circumstances

Sudden or Traumatic Death

Souls who die suddenly or traumatically receive:

• Immediate support and healing
• Help understanding what happened
• Extra time to adjust and heal
• Compassionate guidance through shock

Suicide

Contrary to some religious teachings:

• Souls who die by suicide are not punished or condemned
• They receive immense love, healing, and support
• They review the life and understand the impact
• They may choose to address similar lessons in the next life
• Compassion, not judgment, is the response

Children and Infants

Souls who die young:

• Often had brief, specific contracts to fulfill
• May have been teaching parents or others
• Return to spirit realm with full soul awareness
• Are not "robbed" of life—the soul chose this path

Earthbound Spirits

Some souls remain near Earth because:

• Unaware they've died
• Attached to people, places, or possessions
• Unfinished business or strong emotions
• Fear of judgment or "hell"
• Desire to protect or watch over loved ones

Guides continually offer assistance to help these souls transition fully.

Evidence from Research

Dr. Michael Newton's Work

Hypnotherapist Dr. Michael Newton conducted thousands of between-lives regressions, documenting consistent reports of:

• The life review process
• Meeting with guides and councils
• Soul groups and learning
• Planning next incarnations
• The structure of the spirit realm

Near-Death Experience Research

Studies by Dr. Raymond Moody, Dr. Pim van Lommel, and others show remarkable consistency across cultures in NDE reports.

Children's Past Life Memories

Dr. Ian Stevenson's research includes children remembering the between-lives state, often describing choosing their parents.

Implications for How We Live

Death Is Not the End

Understanding the between-lives state transforms fear of death into curiosity and peace.

Every Action Matters

Knowing you'll experience the impact of your actions from all perspectives encourages compassion and integrity.

Life Has Purpose

Your challenges aren't random—they're chosen for your growth. This brings meaning to suffering.

Love Transcends Death

Connections with loved ones continue beyond physical death. Separation is temporary.

You Are Eternal

You are not your body or even this lifetime—you are an eternal soul on an infinite journey.

Connecting with the Between-Lives State

Between-Lives Regression

Specialized hypnotherapy can access memories of the spirit realm, providing profound insights about your soul's journey.

Meditation

Deep meditation can access the frequency of the spirit realm, offering glimpses of this dimension.

Dreams

Sometimes dreams take you to the spirit realm, especially visitation dreams with deceased loved ones.

Near-Death Experiences

While not recommended to seek, NDEs provide direct experience of the between-lives state.

Death is not an ending but a homecoming—a return to your true nature as an eternal, beloved soul. The between-lives state is where you rest, heal, learn, and prepare for your next adventure in physical form. Understanding this transforms not just how you view death, but how you live. Every moment becomes precious, every relationship sacred, every challenge meaningful. You are not a body with a soul—you are a soul having a temporary human experience. And when this experience ends, you'll return home to love, to light, to the truth of who you've always been.