What is this thing called life? Is it an illusion, a dream, a state of mind or perhaps even a state of consciousness? With a little thought, perhaps we can bring some light to bear on this most-interesting phenomenon. It should be stated at this time however, that even though the information and ideas here, like those elsewhere on this website, may not be in agreement with your own, it is nevertheless hoped that you will find the information both interesting and worthwhile.
Be it known that God, by whatever name you may know Him, is the Source of all things. From that Source we have come (the "Fall of Man" took place when we dropped from a higher level, or frequency, of existence to a lower, material world level of existence), and to that Source we are constantly working (at one level of our existence or another) in preparation to return in a more perfect state than when we left. What is described here encompasses a portion of that preparatory work.
Before coming to this physical Earth plane, we exist in a place that is often called the "other side". Our existence there takes place in a frequency range that is higher than the frequency range for this physical plane. Just as we are unable, in a single incarnation, to learn all the lessons that life in this material world has to offer, neither also is the knowledge needed to advance in our Higher Existence learned all at once. We do the work that we are able to do, and then, when we are ready, we make the decision to advance to the next higher level. We then work there to prepare ourselves for advancement to an even higher level of existence and work, which then prepares us for a yet higher level, and so on. This takes place at a level of existence whose frequency is much higher than the frequencies of the material world of existence (the frequencies of sound, light, things we can feel to the touch, etc.).
Before we move to each higher level, we must decide whether or not we have fully prepared ourselves to take that step, because if we do advance, and at the higher level make an error, the higher the level, the more serious are the consequences of making an error. We must therefore decide whether we are fully prepared to move to that next level or whether we need additional preparation that will require us to reincarnate on the physical plane. In many cases, the decision is made to re-incarnate on the physical Earth plane. Although there are obviously many exceptions, this is generally a cycle of approximately 140 years; about 70 of which are spent on the physical plane with a similar amount of time on the higher plane.
Once the decision is made that additional lessons are needed, we must then reach agreement with other entities we have chosen to be our mother and father on the physical plane and appropriate arrangements must be made with them. Once they have been born onto the Earth plane, the necessary years have passed to allow them to come together as adults, and the mother's pregnancy is at hand, if that child is to have the body that we are to inhabit, then we become involved, even to the point of choosing the RNA and DNA for the embryo.
We also make many other decisions about the formation of the body into which we will later enter and reside at the first breath of birth. These decisions are based upon the knowledge that we possess (at that higher level) regarding the lessons that we need on the Earth plane. For example, if we have, in past incarnations, been uncaring or unfeeling or without compassion, or even cruel, to any particular individual or to any segment of the population, such as people of color or people of low economic status, or people who have been challenged with physical and/or mental difficulties, we may decide (at that higher level) that there is a need for us, in that body, to have the same life-experiences that we have approached incorrectly in the past when dealing with others. This allows us to have the opportunity to learn by "walking in the other person's shoes" during this lifetime. We may therefore choose (WE, at that higher level, make the choice) to live in a body of color, or to be a person in poverty, or a person who is mentally and/or physically challenged. It is with knowledge of these things that the Higher Self chooses and reaches agreements and arrangements with those who will be the parents.
Sadly, there are people even today who have yet learned so little of the lessons of compassion and love that they will read the statements immediately preceding this and conclude that anyone whom they see in difficulty is there only because that's where they deserve to be and have chosen to be and therefore why bother to feel compassion or even to care. This is a very unwise approach! Such an attitude is a reflection of important lessons not yet learned and is certain to bring karmic repercussions.
We do make those decisions about this body however, and the decision-making process continues (at that same higher level) past the time of birth and on throughout life. After the birth, decisions are made and guidance is given by that higher aspect of ourselves that is often called the Higher Self. A nudge here, an idea there; these things continue throughout our lives as the Higher Self guides us as needed so that we will at least have the opportunity to correctly make decisions that we have made incorrectly in times (or even incarnations) past. In other words, we can rest assured that the Higher Self will inevitably guide us to the life experiences and decision-making opportunities that we need. The decisions that we make (at a conscious level) at those times however, are up to the part of ourselves that has free will at the conscious level.
If you have carefully read what has been written above, you must conclude a very important fact. This life is not an accidental happening, and nothing in it is accidental! Let it be made clear however, that the previous statement does not mean that we should spend all of our time minutely analyzing various aspects of every one of life's events. If that were done, we would have no time for anything else and we would not get much living accomplished. This life is meant to be lived (however, that doesn't necessarily mean that we should "live it up" every day) so that we can have and benefit from the life-experiences that are encountered each day. Knowing however, that life is not an accident, can allow us to realize that there may be, from time to time, events that are significant enough that we would be wise to pray for guidance to approach and deal with them properly, thereby learning from them any needed lessons. Use that knowledge wisely, therefore, as you travel on your journey through this life.
Another aspect of this life about which there is rightful concern, is the fact that there may be times in our lives when we feel overwhelmed by some of the events that take place. For some persons, the difficulty of meeting and dealing with such events seems greater than it does for others. We must not forget however, that meeting, overcoming and mastering life's difficulties and problems (thereby learning the lessons associated with those difficulties and problems), are the reasons why we have chosen to come here and incarnate on this physical plane. It is extremely tragic, that there are some who, when beset by such difficulties, feel unable to cope and as a result, take their own lives. In many instances, they do this because they do not realize two important facts. First, we will never be given more problems than we have the capability to handle. The difficulty may be great, but it will never be beyond our ability. Those things which may seem to shake the very foundation of our world at the time that they are happening, are very often the same events about which we may reminisce years later with a trace of a smile, when we recall how devastating they seemed back then. Time can be a great healer. Secondly, taking one's own life means that the problems which brought that about have not been overcome, much less mastered, and the needed lessons have therefore not been learned. This means that the Higher Self will eventually have to make the choice to re-incarnate and once again meet those same problems in a different life. This will continue to happen, over and over again if necessary, until we resolve them properly. As you can see, taking one's own life solves nothing and saves us from nothing.
It should also be stated at this time, however, that the author readily acknowledges the fact that there are persons who have taken their own lives because of their inability to think things out properly due to chemical imbalance in their brain that may have been brought about by bringing drugs (even prescription medications) and/or alcohol into the body in such a way or at such a time that these substances bring about or contribute to bringing about the creation of such chemical imbalance. Even in such cases, however, it is the author's feeling that it would be exceedingly rare if such decisions (which would lead to the imbalance) made by the individual involved were made despite input from, or the strong influence of the Higher Self. We are agents of free will, however, and perhaps such a person may, despite all the efforts of the Higher Self, succeed in carrying out the decisions leading to the chemical imbalance and the subsequent decision to take one's life or the subsequent events that cause one's life to be lost as a result of the imbalance. Even with these things considered, however, it must still be pointed out that the additional difficulties that can be brought about by the taking of a life (even one's own), should always be taken into careful consideration by those persons who may be thinking that suicide could be a way out, when in fact, it causes those same problems and events to be re-played and re-lived in a future life. As stated earlier, it solves nothing and saves us from nothing.
When we properly consider the real purpose of the problems that we experience and the benefit gained from working through them until they are eventually mastered, it should help us understand why it is always better to pray for greater strength, not for fewer problems.