Is there life after death?

Book Review: The Laws of the Spirit World

By M. Gautham Machaiah

Is there life after death? Do we pay for our sins? Is there heaven or hell? Why do we suffer on earth? Is suicide the solution to all our problems?

If you seek answers to such questions, you are likely to find them in ‘The Laws of the Spirit World’ by Khorshed Bhavnagri. Khorshed who lived in Mumbai lost both her sons Vispi and Ratoo, in a car accident.  In due course, the spirits of her sons began communicating with her through a process called automatic writing, the result of which is this book. Interestingly, the book was dictated and written in English, while the only language the author knew was Gujarathi.

According to the book, the spirit world has seven Realms or planes, to which you are assigned according to your Karma. The first three Realms are considered the lowest and the most horrible, the fourth is in-between, while fifth is the beginning of heaven. We do not reincarnate on earth after the last stage of Realm seven.

To begin with, the book makes it clear that the spirit world and not earth is our real home. The earth is just a school where we are sent for experience, training and learning, to make us fit for a higher Realm of the spirit world. We undergo hundreds of such reincarnations until we reach the level of perfection.

The problems and obstacles that we face in life are only a part of this training.  Many people feel there is no meaning to their lives as they face nothing but problems. The first step towards positivity is to accept the fact that there will be problems. Obstacles are part of the training process meant to cleanse your soul.

 “Those who seem to be without problems are either handling their problems well or are running away from them. Both blessings and problems are part of the journey. We must surrender the outcome to God and remain positive throughout the process. Accept the problem; whatever the obstacle, make sure you do not run away from it.”

Suicide does not offer a solution to the problems we face. “You have to fight your problems, you have to face  evil. You have to purify your soul. To end your life is the greatest harm you can do to your soul. Committing suicide builds a great deal of negative Karma because you are not allowing your soul to complete its journey. It is God who has given you life and it is not up to you to take it,” says the book.

One of the strongest weapons against our problems is prayer. “Prayers should be short and sincere. It is a false notion to think that the longer you pray, the holier you are. Relax, concentrate and be happy when you pray. Try not to pray in a fearful state.”

However, your Karma cannot be wiped out by praying. “Genuine prayer gives you the strength to deal with your Karma. Your prayer will be answered only if what you ask for is good for you. So, the next time your prayer is not answered, understand that what you prayed for would not have been good for you. Also, whether a prayer will be answered at the right time or not is not in your hands; it is in God’s hands.”

Most of the sins that we commit can be prevented if only we listen to our subconscious mind which often sounds a warning bell. But our conscious mind refuses to listen to the subconscious mind. Ultimately, the subconscious mind becomes dormant and does not interfere with your evil deeds, which leads to an accumulation of bad Karma. 

On the purpose of life, Khorshed says, each human being has three missions:

1.  To improve spiritually
2. To selflessly serve others
3.  To use individual gifts and talents for the growth of others

Life in the spirit world is so beautiful that once you experience it, you would never want to return to earth. “Do not go on the wrong path for just a few years of temporary happiness on earth, for this will make you go through hundreds of years of suffering in the lower Realms of the spirit world.”

The underlying message of the book is, “Lead a moral, sincere and compassionate life.”

In the end of the day, the wealth we have amassed or the positions that we hold do not count. What matters is: Have we evolved as better human beings during this journey on earth?

The Laws of the Spirit World by Khorshed Bhavnagri

Jaico Publishing House, First Impression, 2009, Tenth Impression 2013

Rs 250