Alcar had promised André to take him along on a journey to a crematorium, where they were to attend a cremation.

‘But’, Alcar had said, ‘I must first familiarize you with some situations and occult phenomena, so that your spiritual body will be less susceptible to all the sad emotions you will have to undergo during this journey.’

He now longed for this trip with Alcar, because he yearned for all this wisdom, and he felt an urge to get to know everything related to life after death.

It had his special attention, and he wanted to abandon all worldly pleasures for the sake of it.

His thoughts around the Hereafter occupied a considerable part of his life.

If Alcar promised something, he kept his word.

He never disappointed him, he could always count on him.

By this time the link between them had become so strong, that he knew exactly when Alcar intended going to his home in the spheres, that was so full of happiness.

He often said: ‘Come on, Alcar, why don’t you go off to your beautiful house, to that beautiful light, I won’t do anything.

Don’t hesitate to go, you’ll be tired after all the work, just as I am.’

But then Alcar would answer that he never got tired.

‘Physical man soon gets tired, but the spirit doesn’t, and one day he will even get to the stage where there’s no limit to what he can deal with.

It all depends on the level of his spiritual development.’

André would then ponder this over, as deep within he absorbed everything Alcar taught him, because he wanted to really understand all of it.

He loved his leader with all his heart, because Alcar was so good to him and hardly ever left his side.

He sometimes told his mother when Alcar had gone away to his house in the spheres on some rare occasion, but then she would walk away.

This was too much for her, she couldn’t think that far.

She would tell André’s father, but he couldn’t understand it either.

‘But it’s true, mum, Alcar has gone to his house in the spheres, and I’m not allowed to do anything in the meantime. I would attract wrong influences if I did.’

But his mother shook her head. She was convinced by now that death doesn’t exist, but spirits having houses, no, she didn’t know about that, nor could she imagine any such thing.

Alcar had told him that he lived in a house amidst the mountains, with lots of water, woods, flowers, gardens, birds and other animals around.

But his mother couldn’t believe it, this was all too much for her old head.

One afternoon Alcar surprised André by telling him that he should get himself ready the next day for a second journey to the spheres.

‘We’re leaving in the morning, André. Make sure that you’re free, because what we’re about to see will take place in the morning hours.’

After he had received this message he immediately felt peaceful and at ease. The tension of the last few days left him entirely.

The next morning he was in his room at ten o’clock.

He had requested his parents not to enter the room.

Under no circumstances should he be disturbed, he would come downstairs of his own accord.

Soon after he lay down on his bed he felt that strange sensation coming over him again.

When he disembodied he always turned cold, starting at the soles of his feet.

It felt as if life had withdrawn from that part of the body.

During séances his spirit would often stand beside his body, and when he came round out of the trance he was always able to remember everything that had happened and he knew exactly what he had seen.

As a spirit he had seen his body sitting there, and he also saw the kind of light he radiated.

These disembodiments were to him the most convincing way of proving that life doesn’t come to an end.

He could see everything, only the light was different from what his physical eyes took in.

Alcar told him later what this meant, and how the connection with humans was brought about from the side beyond.

When this insensibility had progressed beyond the knees, he would never have noticed anyone prodding or pinching him. This was followed by a drowsy feeling.

Which told him that his spirit was about to leave the body.

It would slowly draw upwards, and when it had moved out of the lower half of the body, his thoughts would get dimmer, until his spirit had freed itself entirely.

Alcar said that this could happen either slowly or in a flash.

He sank deeper and deeper.

He could barely hear the din on the street. It seemed to pass him by from afar.

Up to this moment he was aware of everything around him.

But then all went quiet and he had no more thoughts.

‘Look, my son’, were the first words that came through to him after he had left his physical body, and at the same time he saw his leader who embraced him with fatherly love.

‘Come here, my boy.’

André wept.

He couldn’t restrain himself.

They weren’t tears of sorrow, they flowed out of happiness, and a indescribable feeling surged through him.

They didn’t speak.

First he had to calm down, which he soon did, thanks to Alcar’s strong power and his wonderful magnetic emanation.

You couldn’t help feeling calm under his enveloping influence.

‘All right, André, we’re together again in the Hereafter.

I enveloped you with my fluid again so you’ll withstand everything we are to witness this morning.

Come on, let’s go, and I’ll tell you a few things on the way.

We won’t be entering any higher spheres this morning. The things we are going to see are all within the earth’s sphere.

You’ll be able to perceive events on earth with your spiritual eyes, because you have been freed from your physical body, and you’ll be surprised to notice that everything appears just as you’re used to seeing it with your physical eyes.

However, the light is different.

The earth possesses a totally different light now.

This isn’t the sunlight anymore, as that belongs to the material earth, where it’s seen through material eyes.

You know that we’re going to attend a cremation.

Your spiritual body now possesses enough power to deal with the resulting distress without collapsing.

We’ll take it all gradually, bit by bit, step by step, and one day you’ll be able to stand on your own feet to perform your spiritual work on earth.’

‘Does that mean you’re leaving, Alcar?’

‘No my son, it doesn’t. Don’t you worry.

That’s not what I meant.

You’ll be in a better position to see the things on earth as they really are, and to act on your own without having to constantly ask my advice.

I can then safely leave you to deal with additional matters, which will enlighten my task.’

‘Are you satisfied with me, Alcar?’

‘Certainly André, I feel satisfied, although you did certain things which I would rather have seen done differently.

In these cases you didn’t listen long enough, and you cut me off.

You thought that all was well, but I had something else in mind; I would have conveyed it in a different manner.

I saw more clearly than you, which meant that we weren’t able to check things sufficiently.

So I must warn you, son, never act too soon and above all, take extreme care and don’t be premature where healings are concerned.

It will save you a lot of sorrow.

There are many mediums who think that it’s easy to be under guidance, but I tell you that the more you develop, the more dangerous it will be for you.

Open up to me only.

You feel my presence, you know me, hear me and see me.

So leave it all to me.

I see through everything and will guide you along safely.

Before we go to the cremation I will show you other situations, so you will understand everything better.’

They had been walking and floating across squares and through streets for some time.

André recognized everything and knew exactly where they were.

He saw how the people had varying kinds of light around them, and he noticed that they were oblivious of both Alcar and himself when they walked amongst them.

‘Alcar, is the light they carry around themselves their aura?

I see how some have a very bright radiance but others don’t.’

‘Yes, André, you saw correctly, they radiate light to a greater or smaller extent, and some have no light at all around them.

This has to do with the strength of their spiritual power.’

André saw many poor people, but also quite a few who were dressed in expensive clothes.

He pointed to a man walking next to him who was dressed very shabbily.

‘Look, Alcar, what a beautiful light that poor man has got around him.’

‘Well seen, my boy, it’s a beautiful light this man radiates.

It can’t be obtained with money, and it would be a sad outlook for poor people if it were.

He has developed this light himself, it’s his very own property.

It’s a good thing that we’re not judged in the higher world according to our material possessions. In the face of God all people are equal.

If only people were willing to understand this, the earth would soon be delivered from all lowliness and evil.

A beggar can be very rich within, whereas a rich man can be poor spiritually, and possess none of this beautiful light.

Spiritual wealth has much more value than material property, and this light means much more to the poor person who owns it than money and luxury and all the comforts which people believe they need for their worldly happiness.

But we’re the only ones to perceive it.

On our side we see the aura which people themselves can’t see.

They have no idea what their aura is like, they’re not aware of their own light.

All the same, many rich people are fortunately not only surrounded by gold, they carry gold within. I’m talking about the inner light.

This has to do with the task they have to accomplish on earth and the way in which they accomplish it.

People who aren’t endowed with ample worldly goods are often heard to comment on their wealthy fellow men: ‘Aren’t they well off.’

But these wealthy people have their own share of worries, and life is by no means as easy for them as it may appear to others, because the way these material riches must be taken care of is often a source of considerable concern.

Now give me your hand, and we will walk straight through doors and walls.’

André immediately felt himself getting a little lighter. They ascended and floated a few metres above the heads of the people, and there was nothing that could stop them.

They penetrated all the material things which stood in their way.

‘All spirits can do this, André, including the unhappy ones, but there’s a difference, because the latter have no light about them at all, and they can only go by the sounds that reach them.

We, on the other hand, are able to perceive everything.’

They floated into one house and out of the other, and they saw through all the things around them.

This greatly interested André.

‘If people could see this, Alcar, they would be amazed.’

‘I intend to show you a lot of things, in order to give you an accurate impression of the way we move about.

You will also notice how dangerous it is to hold séances that aren’t closed off by leaders from our side, because a room is an open field to the spirit.

You can see that yourself now.

Everything gets drawn into it, and the spirits are at people’s sides without anyone being aware of it.

It’s very difficult for physical man to picture these situations, because he sees no further than the walls which surround him.’

They went further and further until Alcar said: ‘Right, this is the place I wanted to visit first of all.

At present we’re spectators, and nobody can see us.

We’ll stay here for the time being.

Take everything in as well as you can.

We’re in a mansion, and this is one of its luxuriously furnished rooms.

Come, let’s see where the lady is who lives here. I’ve known her for quite a while.

I’m interested in this case and I wanted to see whether the situation has remained the same.

Come along with me, they needn’t open any doors for us.

We’re uninvited guests, whether they like it or not, and we’re going upstairs now, that’s where she’ll probably be.’

The house was full of activity. Lots of servants, youngsters as well as elderly ones, moved to and fro.

‘You notice, André, that nobody sees or feels us.

Just try and give this servant a push; you’ll go right through him and he won’t notice anything.

A very sensitive person would though, because he would be attuned to spiritual contact.’

André gave the servant a push which he thought would send the man tumbling down the staircase.

But he simply kept on walking.

‘You see, André?

He doesn’t feel a thing.

Shout something at him, he won’t hear you either.’

André shouted as loud as he could, the man heard nothing at all.

‘That’s typical for man’s behaviour in general.

Yet for us it’s easy to influence him, as long as we know how to penetrate his thoughts.’

They passed through many rooms and finally Alcar stopped.

‘Look, André, here’s the woman I wanted to visit.’

André saw that they were in a bedroom.

A young, very beautiful woman was lying on the bed. She had three little dogs beside her that started to growl, while one of them stared at Alcar.

‘You see that, André?

That little animal can see me.

Lots of animals are clairvoyant, and this little dog certainly possesses a finer intuition than his mistress.’

Alcar turned away from the bed, and the little dog no longer saw him.

The moment the little animal had noticed him, André heard the woman say: ‘Quiet, Molly, quiet, my little sweetheart.

What’s the matter?

Come here!

Whom are you growling at?

What is it your big eyes can see?’

And the little dog had crawled towards her and licked her hands.

‘Isn’t she beautiful, André?’

He nodded.

‘Yes, son, she’s beautiful.

She’s known for her beauty, and all she does is let others admire her for it.

That’s all she bothers about, and her sole interest concerns herself, her dogs, her social standing and her modern way of life.

There’s no doubt she’s beautiful, but this beautiful creature doesn’t possess the slightest bit of spirituality.

She doesn’t have the least bit of warmth in her.

She plays the piano, yet her music is cold-hearted.

Not the least bit of feeling.

She’s a poor, trivial, coarsely materialistic creature.

She’s good and kind to her animals, at least that’s what she thinks.

I’ll tell you something more about that afterwards, it has to do with life in the spheres.

But our visit doesn’t concern her so much, we’re mainly here because of her mother. She lives on our side and she’s trying to protect her daughter and make her turn away from the wrong track.

I don’t see her yet, but she’ll be here soon, because she tries everything within her power to bring her daughter to lead a different life.

We’ll quietly wait here for a moment, we’ve still got plenty of time for the main purpose of our journey.

As I told you, the young woman spends her time by looking after her physical beauty.

She’s not married, but she’s supported by someone who is rich enough to do so.

However this person suffers intensely from her cold inner self.

She believes that she’s badly off, and her thoughts are so intensely directed towards herself that she sees nothing but her own self.

She leads an easy but a bad life, and I believe she’s capable of anything.

So there’s no question that you ought to feel deep pity for her and for him.

The man only sees the beautiful garment that hides her inner being.

Now I’ll tell you something that concerns her animals.

If she happens to shed some light when she leaves the earth, she could keep her dogs if she wanted to, as this is just as possible in the spheres as it is in the material world.

But if she passes on in the state she’s in now, then she’ll gain the sad experience that her beloved little animals will have nothing more to do with her.’

‘Why is that, Alcar?’

‘I’ll explain it to you.

You know that an animal, just as a human being, consists of spirit and matter, right?

Man considers himself on a higher plane than animals, and so he is, yet some people could learn a lot from them if they would let pure intuition work from deep within and compare their own love with that of the animals.

That woman would then notice that her dogs feel attracted to persons who show them true love.

She has no idea of these things and she probably won’t become aware of them before she arrives here.

Yet soon enough this will prove essential.

An animal doesn’t put up appearances, but man does.

Accordingly, the animal will feel attracted to the being with a greater inner perfection, and it will become influenced by that person.

On our side they follow the perfect human being.

She will experience this too one day.

I told you some time ago that I have animals too, but don’t think they’re around us.

They live in our surroundings, but in a different sphere.

God provided for that too.

His Guidance and His mighty Wisdom are evident in all things.

Within their own sphere animals can see what their masters and mistresses really look like.

This woman will come to think that her dogs don’t recognize her, but there they will see and experience her in an entirely different manner.

One day we will see our beloved animals again, and you’ll be astonished to see them all gathered together.

All the animal species are assembled in their heavenly realm, and there they exist in harmony and in mutual love.

Spirits that are in the light can safely approach them, they will not be harmed.

God intends all His creatures to live together in peace and harmony, but it will take centuries before this happens on your earth.

Love is the most sacred thing God bestowed on us.

It pervades His entire Creation.

It’s the most supreme essence He put into everything: the Divine Spark, the beginning of Perfection.

Animals also feel the warmth and the true love which a human being can radiate.

Can you understand this, André?

Or should I be a bit more explicit?’

‘No, Alcar, I understand. The way you explain and show everything gives me a true picture of God’s Love and Omnipotence.’

‘There’s Guidance in everything, my boy. God’s holy Power is inherent in all things.

This young woman wants her dogs for herself only, and nobody else is permitted to stroke the harmless little animals.

She spends more on them than on any of her employees, who must sweat and slave for her.

It’s all self-love, André.

She never appreciates all the care and attention of her personnel.

It would be a blessing for her if she lost her material possessions, because her wealth will be her downfall.

To her, matter isn’t something to live with, it has complete control of her, and of so many others too, who still live on earth.

It would really be a benefit to her if she were bereft of all her worldly treasures.

And I can see it happening too.

Everyone has a cross to bear.

Hers is yet to come.

And she’ll be made to carry it, whether she wants to or not.

She can change her life if she wants to.

If she doesn’t, she’ll sink deeper and deeper.

I’ll tell you a few other things about her afterwards, as I see her mother entering now.

Don’t be nervous, she can’t see us, because she doesn’t possess our light.

She comes and goes, but she spends most of her time here, at her child’s side.

I’ll show you how badness punishes itself.

It’s not very long ago since the mother passed on. She left the earth quite recently, where her life took the same course as her daughter is taking at present.

She was very beautiful too, and she caused a lot of sorrow where she could have brought happiness.

She also toyed with love, and those who play that kind of little games will be severely punished, because love is God’s greatest creation.

Even greater than the universe with all its stars and planets.

She made fun of everything that is imbued with God’s life, and it’s evident that she didn’t leave much goodness behind for her child, or ever gave her any inner strength.

Let me recall the case of the two brothers who exerted themselves to invent explosives.

Just as one of them protects the other, this mother is now trying to protect her daughter.

They both want to free their protégé out of the hands of the evil that surrounds them.

The mother didn’t sink any deeper since she came over to our side.

She can thank her parents for this, who in turn are protecting her.

She clearly understood her position and realized its badness.

She wasn’t completely lost yet.

And when she repented, she asked God to be forgiven for all the sorrow and the evil she left behind.

She was permitted to go where she wanted to.

Not to the higher regions of course, but within her own sphere.

She’s allowed to return to earth and do everything possible to fulfil her task there, namely to release her daughter from her present situation, which she herself is to blame for too, due to her way of upbringing.

She spoilt her daughter by surrounding her with things that were worldly and vain.

She has tried for quite some time to make her abandon this loose way of life.

But as you see she hasn’t made much progress yet.

Nor will she reach her goal in the near future.

I’m sure you feel how hard the task is which she has to accomplish on earth, now that she has physically died, a task she has laid upon herself and which she took on gladly to make amends for the sins she committed during her life on earth.

Her task is the heaviest a spirit can fulfil on earth, because in her endeavour to free her child, the poor mother is impeded in every possible manner.

She follows her child everywhere she goes.

Wherever the daughter goes, you find her mother too.

Sometimes she gains some ground, at other times she must give up vast territory.

She’s not only wrestling with her child’s obstinacy, but also with the lower spirits who are making things extremely difficult for her.

Many amongst us try to encourage her and tell her that she must persevere.

And she does, but sometimes things get too tough for her and then we intervene and help her without her seeing us.

We’re invisible to her because she isn’t attuned to us.

So in turn she also receives help from higher spirits who have taken this task on themselves.

Everything is decreed in keeping with God’s Wisdom.

She now acts under the influence from on high, since her strong longing to do good reaches the higher spheres.

This is the impact the higher spheres have on earth.

We always wait until the very last moment. Then we intervene, and things inevitably happen the way we want them to.

You saw what happened to Mr. Waldorf.

His link with that other medium had to be maintained until the very last moment to make sure of our last chance to pull him down from his pedestal.

Now you see, André, what physical beauty stands for, what material possessions mean.

Nothing but cold, earthly possessions.

When you look at it through spiritual eyes of course.

There’s a chill in everything within and around this woman.

Her voice, which now still seems quite normal to earthly ears, will one day become a screech, harsh shouting, which people will prefer to remain far away from.

There’s so much to say about this, and it’s certainly worth while looking into.

Tell the people on earth what you see, André, and what the situation here is like when a person loses control of himself.

Look, a servant has now entered the room. It seems that she did something that’s not to her mistress’ liking because, listen, she’s getting a thorough dressing-down.

Isn’t it terrible?

That poor wretch is her senior by twenty years and she gets told off for the slightest thing.

She won’t be able to stand this much longer, it would make even the toughest person break down.

This is the kind of love she gives to her fellow human beings.

But this is definitely not what God intended.

We must give and take, unless it’s neither required nor appreciated.

Come on, son, let’s continue on our way. We’ve spent enough time here.

Look, her mother is praying. She prays whenever she gets the chance.

We will help her before we leave here.

You must pray for her too, after you have returned into your body.

Ask God in your prayer to give her support and strength.

Look at that poor mother!

She’s on her knees at her daughter’s bedside, but this insignificant worldly creature only has eyes for her own physical beauty.

That poor mother!

This is only one case amongst millions, an example of all the grief and misery that people suffer on earth and in the lower spheres.’

André would have liked to call out to the daughter: ‘Don’t you see how grief-stricken your mother is, you miserable creature?’

But would that alter anything?

‘It’s useless, André, even if you were to beat her up. You would merely be scoffed at.’

‘So you knew what I was thinking again, Alcar.

How sad this all is.

Her mother is deeply unhappy.

Just look how she’s weeping.

Will you help her, Alcar?’

‘Yes, my boy, I’ll give her new energy. She’ll receive it without noticing.’

André saw how Alcar laid his fine hands on the poor woman’s head and magnetized her for a while.

When he stopped, she looked behind her, as if she thought she would see something.

‘She can’t see me, yet she does feel my presence.’

Alcar wished her strength, and then they left.

‘Come now, my boy, don’t fret about it.

That’s the way things are.

There’s still quite a bit in store for you this morning.

We’re not going back for the time being, because you are to witness many a thing that will show you how man brings misfortune on himself, and that every sin that is committed punishes itself.

The mother senses how wrong her life has been, and also how cold she was inside during her life on earth.

She now sees what she has nurtured, and she would do anything to cancel it.’

‘Will she ever see her task fulfilled, Alcar?’

‘If she perseveres she will succeed, but then her child must first be deprived of everything she possesses on earth.

Prior to that, nothing can be done for her, because she has strayed too far.

Of course there are other ways, but in her case these would prove useless.

It’s all so very true, André.

Man has got stuck in matter, and he no longer senses the value of his own spiritual property.

Money is his first requirement, without money nothing is of value to him.

But keep in mind, André, that when you give yourself for people’s sake and use your gifts to work for them, they will have to give credit, even if it’s beyond their range of perception.

Your gifts are holy to me, and I will stop anyone attempting to approach us, who refuses to understand us.

Your gifts cost us both sorrow and struggle and I won’t have anybody ridiculing them.

I told you before that God’s light can’t be bought with money.

Man must earn this himself, nobody else can give it to him.

And even though matter could sometimes make his life a little easier, it all too often proves a hindrance to him.

Those who live in luxury can nevertheless carry spiritual light deep within, if they try to find God in simplicity and prayer.

But this is a task which isn’t easily fulfilled.

Never yearn for wealth and riches, André, the possession of lots of money could prove a disappointment to you.

Isn’t it enough to know that man can be happy forever in the Hereafter?

And shouldn’t a person work as best he can to raise his spiritual level while he’s still on earth?

Why must people lose complete control of themselves, why do they go so far as stray and risk all their spiritual happiness for the sake of a tiny bit of pseudo-happiness that life seems to offer them?

And yet all too frequently this is what happens.

A wealthy person needs considerable will power to resist the temptations of his material goods, and to maintain control over them instead of becoming their servant.

He needs a lot of strength to run his riches the way God wants him to.

He must always take care that matter will never rule his life.

A person who doesn’t yearn for spiritual property will be completely lost, because his only interest lies with the material things on earth, and his spiritual level, his spiritual power will consequently receive too little nourishment.

What does it mean to be rich in money and goods, but poor in spiritual feeling?

Man carries within himself the seed of spiritual power and maturity, and if they ripen, they will clearly show.

Deep down, man can be exceedingly rich in light and strength, and radiate as brilliantly as a diamond.

It makes life on earth less strenuous, and it’s easier for man to find his bearings in the world.

I’ll tell you more about this.

When I still lived on earth I once visited a place with friends where I had never been before.

Yet I was quite able to find my bearings and it struck them how well I knew my way around.

One of them asked me how this was possible; he thought I must have been there before.

I denied, and he couldn’t understand this at all.

‘This is my ability to get my bearings’, I said, ‘it’s an inherent quality one must possess’, and without thinking I added: ‘You don’t feel this, nor do you possess it.’

‘Really,’ he answered, ‘I prefer my money instead.’

We drifted apart later on.

Yet I've still met him once on earth, and then I thought: ‘I wonder if he can find his bearings now, or does he still prefer his money?’

Materially the dear fellow was way ahead of me, and he liked to make me feel it, even though he didn’t know whether I cared.

I possessed everything and nothing. I mean: I was rich in inner power, but poor in money and goods.

He was on the other hand always burrowing in matter and was blind to anything else.

I often had serious talks with him, yet the man didn’t take the trouble to develop spiritually or to acquire anything which might have demanded effort or will power.

He has been on our side for a long time now, and I know in which sphere he dwells.

I strongly feel his longing and I could go over to help him, but I’m not going before I feel a strong urge to do so.

I know how he arrived here, and he would give anything now if he could find just a bit of his bearings, which stands for warmth and light on our side.

On earth he never tried to acquire nourishment for his soul, and when he passed on he had to leave everything behind, all his money, which someone else is profiting from now.

On earth he could have acquired a lot to find his bearings through connections with spiritual friends.

I loved him out of pity, because he was so poor in inner feelings.

When such a person arrives here, he’s like a child that is just beginning to learn.

He would heal by battling, and that battle would have set him free from the matter that held him captive.

But I didn’t manage to convince him of this.

He scoffed at me and soon forgot everything I told him.

He lived his earthly life for nothing.’

‘Aren’t you going to help your friend, Alcar, if he asks you to?’

‘Of course, André.

But he will have to call out a little louder, and yearn more fervently.

Not back to matter, but upwards towards the spiritual.

He must long with increasing longing, otherwise my talking would be in vain again, and my work too. It wouldn’t help him in the least.

It’s worthless to give yourself too readily to this kind of people.

His longing has to come from deep down.

He thinks of me a lot, and in time he will also work for the sake of goodness.

But until that time our roads will keep on diverging.

It will cause him pain, but that can’t be avoided. It’s his own fault, because he could have learnt all this during his earthly life, all the more so with his earthly possessions.

Now and then he calls for help, and he thinks it’s strange that his worldly friends don’t come to see him.

He calls out to his parents too, and though they’re with him, he neither sees nor senses their presence.

That’s what it’s like here, André. That’s the fate of those who forget the spiritual aspect while they’re on earth.

But if he truly and fervently asks God for help, he also will receive help.

Everything is well taken care of here, my boy, and we will have our share of the kind of light and the kind of happiness we’re attuned to within.

All you who still dwell on earth, take care that you can find your bearings when you arrive in the spheres.

I’ll take you over to a different place now, André. We’ve still got plenty of time.’

They floated along and entered a quiet street.

Suddenly Alcar stood still and said: ‘Here we are, André.

Come on, let’s go inside.’

André noticed that they were in a studio.

This must be an artist’s working place. There were beautiful paintings hanging on the walls.

‘Come over here, I’ll show you where the painter is.

Look, there he is, sitting at his easel with his hands supporting his head.’

André saw a man aged about forty-five, with a little pointed beard and curly hair.

He couldn’t see much more of him.

There was a large canvas on the easel, it bore the unfinished portrait of a beautiful woman.

‘Don’t you recognize her, André?’

‘Whom, Alcar?’

‘The woman he’s painting.’

André looked at the canvas again, and he got a shock when he saw whom it represented.

‘It’s her, Alcar, the woman we just visited.’

‘Correct, my son.

Now look at this poor man.

He is caught up in her web too, and if he doesn’t free himself he will be lost.

I came here to show you that a gift such as this painter possesses must be put to spiritual use.

But his eyes only see her exterior beauty, and she’s aware of it and arouses his passion, which will ruin him.

He’s completely in her clutches, and this talented man who possesses a gift from God and is known to be one of the best painters of his time will be lost through the evil influence of this seductive woman.

The piece, he is busy with, puts you off, because of the inferior aura of the woman posing for it.

Physical people don’t see this, but we do.

We can see both auras, that of the woman and that of the painter.

Hers reveals everything to us, it contains her whole life.

She’s intent on getting the painter in her grip, and she will destroy him.

He isn’t aware of this danger, because he only sees the beautiful being in her, who will inspire him.

He sees nothing else.

I will show you, André, how all of God’s gifts are impaired and destroyed when man keeps his eyes fixed only on material things.

The Divine Spark, the spark of genius will smother, and nothing of importance will remain of his gift when he has lost his spiritual power.

At that stage his higher qualities will change into hatred, jealousy and passion, all due to this earthly creature’s evil influence.

Thousands are ruined in this way.

Nothing about this woman can resemble the sanctity, the beauty that can make a person radiate. We know who she is.

She is mere matter, coarse matter, inside and out.

Inside she’s cold and barren, and if he doesn’t see her as she really is, his gift will soon be lost to him.

She is under the influence of evil, and evil will ruin both of them, like everything that comes under its influence.

If his art doesn’t reflect the warmth he carries within, it will be nothing more than cold matter.

The Divine Spark which he bears within must make him one with the Father.

Inspiration is brought about by a vivid longing and by spiritual power.

As soon as he forgets himself he will lose this power, and his talent will be quenched.

Do you understand, André?

Do you sense what I mean, my boy?

Every gift is a gift from God, which means that he bears this light, this power within, and if he allows his gift to be spoiled by a creature like her, he must put the blame on himself.

He ought to know his inner self, but he forgets himself in his passion for this physical being, and he doesn’t see the sanctity of his spiritual possession.

He suffers through her, because look, follow up his thoughts, and at the end you’ll see her image taking shape.

He cannot work without her now, at least that’s what he thinks, because her influence is consuming him.

The sounds of an organ might inspire him.

He would be lifted up by those frequencies. Beautiful melodies would raise him to an exalted level, and if he attuned himself to these frequencies, he could reach a high sphere and the people would feel attracted to the light which his art would radiate.

It would be blessed by his sacred wish and his ardent longing to present pure art.

And it would come to him through inspiration, because he would be one with the cosmos, with God.

However, he believes that he can find the things on high in her, to reach it by her.

Many Divine gifts, which could have been a revelation to mankind, are lost in this way.

He who should have sought the road that leads upward is now ruined and will be destroyed by matter.

Now you see him sitting there, filled with sadness, and people who see his suffering take pity on him.

They don’t know that this suffering is material and that he himself wants it this way.

This is not a spiritual struggle, it’s utterly earthly.

This is sorrow which doesn’t really exist.

This isn’t grief which God imposed. He has brought it on himself.

If he doesn’t get a thorough shake-up, he too will have lived his life in vain.

The evil that started off with the mother’s bad life festers on and they will all be ruined, materially as well as spiritually.

To all these people who are consumed by matter I call out: ‘Man, lose your will over matter’.

In other words, André, they ought to look for the spiritual.

Oh man, wake up, awaken from this darkness which you yourself pursue.

Please, wake up. We bring you new light.

And don’t weep, because it’s your own fault.

Open up and you will see.

Verily, lose your will in matter and look up.

Let your inner feeling take you to God, who gives you the Light.

Feel your grief and know your sorrow.

Don’t behold this through earthly eyes.

Don’t become one with gloominess and grief that doesn’t exist.

See the reason why you must suffer and you will acknowledge it.

Know, oh man, why all this sorrow has come over you.

Know why you must suffer.

Do you have the courage to look up to God through weeping eyes?

Do away with that sorrow and weep with happiness, because your sorrow doesn’t exist.

Show your sick soul to God, only He knows your heartache and feels your pain.

Ask Him for support and it will be given to you in light and in love, in strength and happiness.

One day this light will shine around you and you will feel one with Him.

Then you will be happy and possess pure love.

Take up your burden. We call out to you: Man, dare to live.

Behold all material things with your inner power and try to get to know yourself.

Then you will be prepared to bear whatever comes your way, and to have faith in the things on high.’

Look, André, it seems as if something is awakening inside of him, and I hope that he will learn to see himself.

I deeply regret that help is of no avail here.

He himself must feel the need to be released from this cesspool.

Come, my son, we must now go to the spot where the real object of our journey lies.’

Once again André was deeply impressed.

They passed lots of people while they floated along. These persons were not aware that they were accompanied by their guardian angels, who tried to support them in everything.

They soon came to a street where there was a long cortege of funeral cars, starting in front of a house where the curtains had been closed.

They were in a prominent neighbourhood, it showed in everything around.

‘Come, let’s go inside.

Nobody can see us here either.

We are hidden from the view of other spirits, as long as they are not attuned to us. Those who are in the light have the same intention as we have, so they won’t oppose us. They’re in the know, and full of joy, and they have a task to fulfil just as we have.’

They had to cross various rooms to get to the death-room, where many men and women were gathered around their friend who had passed on.

‘These are his friends who will be singing shortly to pay him their last respects.

Listen, they’re already starting.’

They sang at the top of their voice, to show how dearly they cherished the deceased, and how terrible this farewell was to them.

‘He used to be their conductor, André, and now they’re singing one of his songs.’

All around the bier André saw lots of wreaths and bouquets from various musical groups and choirs.

‘Come closer, André, they will soon have finished their lamentations, which only increase his suffering, and then you’ll be able to hear the real truth.’

The singing had come to an end, and they filed past the bier one by one to bid their leader and friend a last farewell.

‘Don’t you hear anything, André?’

‘Yes, Alcar, but I don’t know where it’s coming from.

I hear a soft moaning, is it the bereaved?’

‘Partly, my boy.

Come closer.’

They stood directly beside the coffin and André saw a man lying inside who seemed about sixty years old.

‘Now do you hear anything?’

The moaning was much louder now.

‘Yes, Alcar, it’s terrible, and I also see the spiritual body that’s tossing and turning.

It want’s to get away, Alcar, do you see that?’

‘Yes, son.

It want’s to get away, but it can’t.

It’s being held back.

There, my boy, right before you, the greatest agony is being suffered, and this unfortunate man prepared it all himself.

This man, who is being kept back in his physical body, is going to be burnt, André.’

‘Oh Alcar, how terrible!

Does he have to go through this while he’s still alive?’

‘That’s just it, my son, and soon he will have to suffer much more.

His physical body will be burnt, and in the meantime he must endure this spiritually.

Now you can see how brutally cruel his brothers are, even if they act unwittingly.

This man was honoured and famous, but the gift which God granted him in order to express his feelings in music, just as a painter does in colours, were messed up, spiritually ruined.

He didn’t think about God either, and now that many are gathered around him in prayer, he truly senses the great lack of Divine Love which he never gave and never wanted to see.

Not only did he lack Divine Love, but above all he ridiculed everything that was related to the spiritual.

He too was only known to the people by his exterior, material garment.

They didn’t see the human being in him, who hated and cursed everything.

The signs of veneration which he constantly received put him in a state of self-glorification and inflated ego.

His name was on everyone’s lips, but the triumphs he gained made him forget that he had received his gift from God.

Only strong legs can carry such wealth.

When he finally got that far, he was ready to turn into an instrument of evil.

This marked the beginning of his downfall.

In his exalted position he tried to crush his colleagues, and he destroyed many a musician by his unfair criticism.

He completely forgot that his day would dawn too. Even if this wouldn’t happen on earth, it would come on yonder side of the grave.

Yet there are still people who kept on regarding him as their brother and friend.

People who couldn’t see through his mask and didn’t know him as he is spiritually.

Oh, if only they knew what is happening to him now. They would be filled with horror.

So you see that worldly honour is merely temporary, and it’s meaningless in the face of eternity.

Man reaps what he sows.

His hatred towards others lashes back at himself and the suffering of others turns into his own suffering. He will see how everything he wishes on others bounces back at himself.

I don’t need to explain this to you in detail, André, I’m sure you understand.

The ‘deceased’ is now in a rather dazed condition but shortly, when we’re inside the crematorium, he will go mad with revenge.’

‘Is there nothing we can do, Alcar?

Can’t we set that poor man free?’

‘No, André.

Only God can help in cases like these.

Neither spirits nor humans can alter anything about this situation, because he has brought it on himself.

He is confronted with living differently.

This happens to all of us during our life on earth. God’s will gives us a thorough shaking.

That’s how man is warned, but it’s very often lost on him.

Yet it was God’s Hand that warned him twice.

I know this to be true.

Once he fell, and people thought he would die, but a little later, after he had regained his health, he went back to his former way of life and felt hatred towards the people and also towards God, who had given him his cross to bear.

He was felled a second time and confined to his sickbed.

And when he had recovered again, his hatred had become ever stronger, and he couldn’t be set free from our side because he refused to listen to us.

His father has been in the spirit world for a long time, but he couldn’t reach him either.

He tried everything to make his son see the situation he is in, but all to no avail.

He often reverted to spiritism to try to give his son proof of our continued existence, but he just laughed it off and poked fun at everything.

He was totally materialized and had sunken so deep spiritually that he was unable to hold on to this truth.

Only God could save him, and don’t you believe that He could ever be cruel.

Man creates his own fate.

If this poor wretch were to be buried in the usual way, he would stay connected to his physical body until it was completely decayed.

The fluid cord which links him up with matter cannot be broken off by a spiritual doctor, as he created this terrible situation himself.

He should have learned to believe and find God.

Man must not think that God Himself will appear before his eyes, but He does make us feel that we possess a Divine Spark that enables us to become one with Him.

We are responsible for our deeds, and according to the law of cause and effect we will reap what we sowed.

This man didn’t grasp that, nor did he feel that God’s Guidance can be detected in everything he perceives.

This is why we can’t come to his rescue right now.

This man is not the only one to be tortured in this way.

People just don’t want to see the truth.

God lets us act according to our own free will, which is necessary for our development.

We must learn, and if we refuse, we will undergo the painful consequences.

From this moment on we will try to help mankind together, André, by emphatically pointing to the dangers which cremation brings about. Of course this warning is primarily intended for those who didn’t live in keeping with God’s laws.

They can become aware of this by getting to know themselves.

What a heavy penalty these individuals must pay for having sunk so deeply, when they must undergo their body’s incineration while they’re still connected to it by the thread of life.

What an unbearable agony they must suffer during the burning process, while the fluid cord holds them captive and they cannot move without dragging their material casing along.

But that must be ruled out, because matter is the vehicle of the spirit and not vice versa. Of course it only applies to this process.

Our final farewell marks the end of our power over our material garment, and this generally coincides with our own wishes.

If this person had been aware of a life after his life on earth, he would have decreed in his last will that his mortal remains be confided to the bowels of the earth, in keeping with God’s eternal laws.

According to these eternal laws man is born out of dust and he will return unto dust. However, this was not meant to be done violently but slowly, gradually, in a natural way.

In a little while you will see why it’s necessary to bury the material garment in the usual manner.

This poor unfortunate man wished to be incinerated after his death, and now this wish will be fulfilled.

In future it will be our task to warn people against this procedure, and when they learn the terrible facts, we might bring them to decide against cremation.

This will be our task, and that’s why I’m taking you along, my son.

You must attend this cremation, though hard it may be for you, so that you can speak about this event later on.

Even so, there will be many who won’t let our words bother them, but we will be grateful for the few who do.

We can’t present conclusive proof, though we gladly would.

But people must believe us.

Only one in thousands has the gift to see like you, and to witness an event like this.

Clairvoyants, who are not disembodied, need to concentrate intensely in order to grasp the moment when a person is being burnt.

Yet their leaders can help them to experience this.

In such a case they will not only be able to see the cremation, for if they are clairaudient they will also hear the tortured person moaning and screaming with pain and fear.

All this misery is hidden to the world.

God Himself could show it to the people, but there are no scientists on earth yet who understand His laws in their total scope, because the inhabitants of this planet, although they possess the Divine Spark, are humans and not deities, even if they often think so.

If they were willing to develop that Spark, they would sense many truths and pass these on to others and thereby give the world the beneficial qualities that would make for progress.

But man indulges in his material interests and forgets the spiritual, our Divine Spark.

If he were willing to recognize this, he would receive abundantly and be capable of understanding many things, because he would then wish to become one with everything, with God, and would also try to be a perfect child of God.

The person who wants to enrich himself spiritually will receive abundantly.

But only few on earth pursue this field of knowledge and learn to mature spiritually by virtue of their inherent Divine aspect, their Divine descent.

This isn’t easy, yet there will be spirits to help these people. But first they must be prepared to give themselves entirely.

Then they will receive the spiritual truth and will be raised spiritually.

The worldly scholars are unduly engrossed in material thoughts, and this won’t change until they too wish to receive the spiritual truth and trust in God’s wisdom.

Man asks for truth and wisdom, but he forgets that these can’t be given to him as long as he keeps on following the wrong road.

He shapes and builds, but he forgets that his building lacks a spiritual foundation, and sooner or later it must collapse.

He will have to realize how simple it could have been.

Then helpers will stand up and lead him onto the right track.

That’s the way it goes.

This applies to medicine too.

Surgeons for instance make excessive use of their scalpels, whereas many patients could stay alive through magnetism or natural healing methods.

It’s all founded on the Divine Power in each and every object, but in all things the Divine principle has turned into matter, and it’s stripped of spiritual feeling.

This means that it will dissolve after a certain time.

The pure nourishment which makes man grow has been consumed, so it’s no longer on hand.

People relied on science, but this has been stripped of all spiritual power.

That’s the situation spiritual truth is in on earth.

And if we didn’t help from our side and didn’t try to raise mankind, then this is what they would live on, and the world would make no progress, it would keep on deteriorating right down to the ruin of all cultures.

Civilization has to some degree already been trampled on, and it’s been knocked down and heavily injured by all the beatings it has taken.

This abuse was created by man himself, and it will take its course until he realizes that he acted wrongly.

There are scholars who have tried to persuade man of this fact, but they were just as uncertain whether they had found the proper link between man and the great Omnipotence which is God.

In their ignorance people frequently stand up against God.

Very often it’s not their wilful intention to resist, it’s their ignorance and their vain delusion that play up.

And they get ample support from the individuals who believe themselves to be little godmen, able to help the world ahead by some new science which is just as worthless because its link with the spiritual is only minute.

The words ‘Man, lose your will in matter’ apply to them too.

Private little wills do nothing to further either the world or spiritualism, our great cause.

Christ gave them the truth.

Everything in simplicity, but people made all simple things complicated and obscure, so that no-one can understand things any more.

Spiritual truth has become distorted and nobody knows where it all began.

People roam and err around.

And where will it all end?

Where will it lead to if they refuse to understand.

And won’t take the trouble to give some love?

But come along now, my boy, the procession is moving off, but the two of us will go over to the crematorium.

We’ll get there soon, and we will have time to examine a few things before the others arrive.’

They floated towards the crematorium as if the wind were carrying them.

‘Look, André, that beautiful building, over there on the hill, it’s the spirit’s rack.

For those who misbehaved on earth, life after death takes on a terrible beginning.

It is said to be a house of peace, but in reality it’s a house of grief.’

Oh man, in spite of your ignorance, realize that you put yourself on that rack, and others too, and instead of honouring those who part from you, you torture them in the most terrible way you could possibly imagine.

Trust us and take this warning to heart, because in your ignorance you mock God’s laws.

We, who dwell in the land on yonder side of the grave, we want to show you the right track, which leads to the truth.

We have no selfish longings, we merely wish to help you.

We want to bring you the truth, because we know how terrible the suffering is, here in the house of grief.

Again we call out to you: Keep onto God’s roads.

Don’t build your own tracks, which are mere matter and dark, because they pass through darkness and the builders were blind and therefore couldn’t see the spiritual light.

We call out to you: Do away with these terrible conditions and return to nature, which you left behind so long ago.

Open your eyes and see that we want to support you.

See how your friends are at your side, your sisters and brothers who went before you.

We want to help you and we want to help those who are tortured in this way.

We are around you, but your physical eyes don’t see us because you have closed yourselves off and refuse to see the truth.

Open your eyes and your ears, and you won’t only see us, you’ll hear us speak too.

We truly can, because we received the power to do so from God.

We’re at your side, to protect you when you need protection.

Oh, don’t search the wrong places, don’t look for the sunlight that isn’t there on dark days, but wait until the light reappears.

Then you will see us, because we are that sunlight.

And when we have helped you, and you come to realize that your tracks are material, then listen to our advice, because a spiritual wind will carry the truth along in all eternity.

One day you will make it stall, and you’ll receive the treasures it carries in its wake.

Then begin by taking in the knowledge, and cast your ignorance aside.

It will enable you to travel on, further and further, until all wrong deeds are amended and transformed into better ones that contain the truth.’

‘Look, André, many friends are already present, whose mortal remains were burnt and who were, to varying degrees, all made to suffer under it.

They are praying with me: ‘Father, forgive them their errors, for they don’t know what they’re doing’.’

‘Where are we now, Alcar?’

‘We’re in the combustion chamber, André. Again we’ve entered without anybody noticing.

You’ll soon see a spiritual doctor, who will try to alleviate the poor musician’s intense pain with magnetic stroking movements.

Look, he’s already here, because in the spheres it’s known when an unfortunate person is to be burnt.

But cremation is not only to be condemned for the unfortunate spirits, the happy ones also suffer to some degree.

This depends entirely on the extent of their inner strength. But even if they belong in the first or the second sphere, they should still be advised against cremation.

So it’s all a question of their inner condition and their attunement to the spiritual.

Their happiness and their strength will be in accordance with the light they possess.

And their suffering will coincide with their sorrow and distress.

Cremation will hardly have any ill effects on a spirit that immediately moves on to the third or fourth sphere when he leaves the earth, but even though these spirits are no longer attached to their body, they will feel that something is missing when they arrive in their sphere, and this will trouble them.

Due to the terrible heat inside the incinerator the physical body is consumed with a violence which clashes with all laws of nature and opposes God’s intention.

May this act of violence be entirely abandoned before long for the benefit of mankind, to be replaced by a normal burial.

I could go on speaking about this topic for a long time, and I could quote hundreds of cases.

But we are now concerned with this poor sinner who is still linked with his body and will soon have to suffer severely.

We won’t stay on till the end, André.

I mean until the body has been completely incinerated, because this would be too much for you, and too horrible to behold.

Listen!

The organ is beginning to play.

So the procession has arrived.

Come, we’re going upstairs.

This is funeral music, André, and the people who want to attend the solemn incineration are entering from all sides. Afterwards they will tell others how beautiful it was.

Look, André, the poor man is already being placed on the catafalque which will take him down below.

We call it the lift of the dead.’

A last farewell was called out by all those present, and the lift slowly sank down at the tones of the stately organ.

‘We will follow, my boy.

Be strong, because the torture is about to start.

Do you see him, and do you hear him shouting?’

‘Yes, Alcar.’

‘He already sees and feels what is about to happen to him.’

André kept a tight hold on Alcar.

‘Come and stand close to me, my boy.’

Something terrible was going to happen.

They heard the poor man shout: ‘You brutes, murderers, is this how you honour a person?’

But this stream of abuse didn’t trouble those upstairs, they all stood there with frozen faces and were full of pity, without knowing how gruesome this poor man’s fate was.

‘He already feels the infernal pain which his spiritual body must endure, André.’

In the meantime the lift had descended into the combustion chamber.

‘It’s not bad to die, my son, because death is a mighty saviour, but to be tortured in a way which is unequalled on earth is horrible.

The spirit feels, hears and sees everything, even after it has left the body, because it stays attached to it via the fluid cord.

This only applies to those who are tied to their body, who forgot themselves during their life on earth.

Other situations exist, in which the spirits are all cut off from their physical body.

But this man remains riveted to his body until the link is broken.’

‘How terrible for this poor man, Alcar.’

‘That’s how it is, and again: it’s the result of his ignorance.

He can’t focus his attention because he was too much in love with matter, and so he has neglected his spiritual side.

If he had found God during his life on earth, everything would be different for him now, and he wouldn’t have to undergo this torture, because then his spiritual attunement would be different.

His whole earthly life was to no avail. After all, he should have developed spiritually.

This is true for everyone, for the rich and the poor alike.

But if his body were not to be burnt, he would have to undergo the decay of his material garment.

You will shortly see this condition too.

Is everything clear to you, André?’

‘No, Alcar.

I don’t quite understand.’

‘Then first take a look, my boy. I will try to make everything clearer to you afterwards.’

André looked, and with his spiritual eyes he could clearly perceive the body in the incinerator.

The heat inside didn’t obstruct their vision, as it was a material kind of heat.

The organ was still playing, but the people who had paid their last respects to the ‘deceased’ had left.

André now saw the body cringing, turning to and fro and writhing as if it were still alive, while the shouting, blaring and crying that he heard made him tremble with horror.

It was too much to look at and to listen to.

How dreadful this suffering was!

There were two bodies there in front of him, the physical and the spiritual.

One moment they would be standing, then they would fall and writhe around each other.

‘Oh Alcar, I can’t stand this. Let’s get out of here.’

Alcar put his arm around André’s shoulder to give him support, and they left.

He could still hear the words in his ears: ‘Hypocrites, bastards’, and lots more.

‘It’s terrible, Alcar, it’s horrible.’

‘It certainly is.

Come, my boy, I’ll help you, otherwise you won’t pull through.’

‘Oh Alcar, how terrible.

I never want to see anything like it again.

Nobody can bear this.

Oh, how that man must suffer.’

Alcar laid his hands on André’s head to ease the terrible shock which the sight of all these gruesome things had given him.

‘No matter how bad a person may have been, Alcar, and how many sins he may have committed, this punishment is really very hard.’

‘There is even worse. This is only one out of many punishments which people bring on themselves.

Never forget this, André.’

André prayed that God might be merciful on the poor sinner.

‘That’s what cremation is like for those who are tied to the physical body, my son.

The spiritual body won’t be released until after the material one has been entirely destroyed.

You will now understand how necessary it is that people’s eyes are also opened to this aspect, so that they will prefer the graveyard to the crematorium in future.

This procedure will take some hours, and when the sentence has been fulfilled, the spiritual doctor will take him to a place in the spheres where he can repent.

There he will be able to decide where he wants to go: upwards or downwards.

He will lose consciousness, because he can’t stand up to this, but when he comes round again, he will want to follow his own way, and driven by intense hatred he will persecute those people, because he believes that they caused him to suffer in this way.

Then the time will come for him to roam around with the terrible scars which were caused by the fire and now cover his spiritual body.’

André was in a sad mood.

It was a terrible form of torture.

He had seen how the poor man was unable to free himself when he tried to get away.

His body had to be entirely burnt before the fluid cord would break.

He had seen both bodies; the one felt nothing, whereas the other was all sensitivity, and he had seen how these bodies writhed around each other, matter and spirit, down there in that horrible oven.

‘You’re right, Alcar.

This is not a house of peace, it’s a house of grief.’

‘Nobody thinks about that on earth, André.

The spiritual body must not only behold how its physical carriage is burnt, it must also undergo the pain and the grief which is caused by the incineration.

This isn’t fantasy, it’s sad reality, a reality which is entirely due to a lack of spiritual feeling.

But materialists don’t believe this.

How could this unfortunate man ever believe in a God after being forced to endure these pains!

Try talking to him about God.

He wouldn’t bother to listen to you, and that’s why he can’t be helped yet.

He is consumed by a hatred which has increased and become even more intense than it was during his life on earth.

If a person in this condition could really believe in God, he would be released from this torture and be able to go wherever he wanted, although he couldn’t rise higher than the sphere he is attuned to within.

Is the situation clearer to you now, André?’

‘Yes, Alcar, I understand it all now.

Where will this man go to after he wakes up?’

‘His sphere lies down below.

That’s where the dark spheres are.

That is where he will go if he doesn’t repent.

And once he has arrived there he will find enough buddies to support him in his vindictive plans.

Then he will return to the earth with his new companions and exert a devastating influence on every person who is not steadfast in his love to God, or who has no faith in good.

Evil must not be repaid with evil, but I fear that he won’t take much notice of that in his state of mind.

And so evil keeps on festering.

Evil punishes itself.

If he had been buried in the usual way he would, after fulfilling his sentence, have been given the opportunity to develop, as his hatred would not have been nurtured by this gruesome incineration process.

And yet he will have to kneel down and ask God for forgiveness.

That day will come, but it may take a long time yet, maybe even centuries.

But what are a thousand years compared to eternity?

On earth people think that they are terribly old once they have reached an advanced age according to earthly standards.

But what do these few years mean in comparison to eternity?

Merely a flash.

We will now travel to the dark spheres, the place this individual is tuned in to.

This you must see too, in order to get a clear picture.

Remain strong, André, it’s a tough journey for you.’

Hand in hand they floated away from the earth.

‘Do you feel a little better, my boy?’

‘Yes, Alcar, but without your great strength I wouldn’t be able to manage.’

‘We won’t stay in the dark spheres for long.

I will only show you the place where our friend will live.’

Again André saw the earth as a small disc, but now he had a better understanding of the things he perceived.

‘Look, André, that’s where we were just now and where we experienced all those terrible things.

How trivial the earth is between all those big planets.

How easy it would be for God to give it some help.

Don’t think He’ll ever forget the earth.

It receives enough spiritual nourishment.

God lets people have their own way, since they have to learn.

After all, they themselves incur all that misery, and they must find their way out again to get ahead, no-one else can do it for them.

One day they will mature.

You notice how it’s getting darker and darker. We’ve reached the land of twilight.

This dull grey sky is the sphere which borders on the dark areas.

But we’ve got yet another twilight land. That one borders on the spheres of light, where the higher areas commence. It’s used as a purification sphere.

This twilight land, however, belongs to the dark spheres, and after we have passed through we will find ourselves on the spot where our friend will go to.

You will see the sky constantly changing colour, André.’

‘This is very strange, Alcar.

The sky has a constant dark colour although the various hues change their brightness from one moment to the other.’

‘This indicates that we are in the vicinity of the dark spheres.

Everything intermingles here.

The light keeps changing its colour, but in the end it retains a constant shade.’

They floated onwards.

‘Well, we’ve now arrived at our destination.

This dark brown sky, which is lit up by a reddish glow, is the light which this sphere, this land of hatred and envy, possesses.

It’s the light which the millions who live here are tuned in to, within.

On our first journey we saw the light of the third sphere.

So now you can compare both these auras and derive how deeply the inhabitants of this sphere have fallen.

We have now reached the border, where the land of hatred begins.

Come, let’s look for a spot on this high hill.’

André looked around.

He made out a large town, right in front of him, in that deep, glowing darkness.

There were many towers, sharply outlined against the red brown sky.

From their viewpoint a splendid, yet also gloomy panorama reached out before them.

‘This big town only knows grief and misery. The people brought it on themselves, because they wanted neither to get to know nor to love God.

Many of them have spent hundreds of years down there, and in all that time haven’t yet felt the urge to seek a purer light.

They live on in the same humdrum they were used to on earth.’

The town stretched right up to the horizon, where André thought he detected a little more light.

‘Can’t this town be sized up in one glance, Alcar?’

‘No, André, it couldn’t be sized up in a thousand years, because it stretches out into infinity.

I wouldn’t dare say ‘into eternity’ because I hope that these spheres will one day also possess the light from on high.

You see that the spirits build their houses and temples here, just as it’s done in the higher regions.’

‘Alcar, you said that this is the place where the poor man, whom we saw being burnt this morning, will live for the time being, didn’t you?’

‘Yes, André, this is the sphere he’s in tune with.’

‘What will he do, Alcar, after he has arrived?’

‘That’s when his lawlessness will really unfold, and he will try to give full vent to his vindictiveness towards the people he assumes to have caused all the torture he suffered.’

‘Do they all live there together, Alcar?

The rich and the poor?’

‘Yes, André. They are all one down there.

Kings and queens, princes and princesses, and the poorest among the poor.

This is true for all the regions.

But when someone arrives here who boasts about his former existence, what he used to be, he is scoffed at by everyone.

Down here the person who can influence others and has control over the masses through his powers of concentration is the boss.

I worked down there for a long time to help the unfortunate.’

‘Aren’t we going down there, Alcar?’

‘No, my boy, not now.

Later on.

Otherwise it would all be too much for you.

And don’t think it’s so simple to get in there.

Before you descend into that sphere of hatred, passion and violence you must take the necessary precautions.

Don’t forget that you wouldn’t find the slightest trace of love down there.

It isn’t an easy place to work in.

Only those who are steadfast and possess a strong spiritual power and a strong will, and who can find their bearings wherever they go, and are also able to focus their attention are capable of that.

They must be superior to these spirits in all respects, and that is saying a lot, because evil is a cunning opponent.

Intelligences from higher regions descend into the dark spheres in many groups and columns to perform their work of love for three or four months, according to earthly time.’

‘But how do you find the unfortunate spirits amongst all these millions, Alcar?’

‘Their cries of anguish and their shouts for help reach the higher regions, and the helpers below are informed from there.

Then they set off.

They have to possess an infinite love for mankind, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to stand it for long.

This work of love helps them to develop too, and this makes them gain spiritual power.

And when they have found someone who calls for help from the bottom of his heart, and begs God to be released from that dark cesspool, then that person is brought to a higher sphere which is, as it were, set up for purification.

A lot is done for the unfortunate, but it’s hard work.

On one of my journeys to the dark regions I met a princess who bore that title on earth.

She had arrived there only recently and she boasted about her beauty, which caused her to be ridiculed by everyone.

But she didn’t understand this and would have done anything to punish these scoffers. They didn’t give her the chance though.

And when they had laughed enough to their liking, they held up a mirror so that she could take a look at herself.

You should have seen her, André.

She screamed and covered her face with her hands.

Then she fled, because it was an awful mask, a terribly mutilated face that looked back at her out of that mirror.

So much for her spiritual beauty.

I saw her again, lonely and deserted, some time afterwards.

She no longer wants to show herself, and for the time being she won’t boast about the position she once held on earth.

But if she will ask God for help and forgiveness and wants to work hard on herself, then in time she will regain a beauty, which will be far superior to her earthly elegance.’

‘All the same, Alcar, it’s pitiful.’

‘You really think this is pitiful, André?

She had fallen even deeper than the woman we visited this morning.

Creatures like that don’t lift a finger; wherever they go they bring sorrow and grief where happiness and love ought to be brought.

And in the life after death they still boast about their possessions on earth.

But what could worldly beauty and worldly possessions mean to them, after they neglected the spiritual and the condition of their soul!

Earthly things are merely temporary and have no real value.

When your aunt passed on, we saw how beautiful she became after she had left her physical body.

In due time you will see how beautiful she now is in the spheres, although nobody would have called her a beauty on earth.

But she was a believer, she gave love and she lived the way a child of God ought to live.

Situations such as the one the princess experienced are pitiful because they bring on suffering and misery, and because people refuse to see the condition they are in.

Believe me when I tell you that there are thousands down there who don’t even know that they have died on earth.’

‘They don’t even know they’re dead, Alcar?’

‘That’s right, André, and that certainly proves that people arrive in the spheres in the same soul condition they were in on earth. Afterwards they are brought to the place that corresponds with their inner being.

I’ll explain these and other such soul conditions to you more clearly some other time, and afterwards we will visit the dark spheres together, but before you can stand up to this as a disembodied spirit you must first get stronger.

You will have to see other situations too, in order to understand everything in its full scope.

When we have returned to earth you will have a sure feeling what happened to you this morning.

But I’m telling you, try to pull through, and pray frequently.

Remember that, André.

Everything has its price.

Your gift is your treasure, you know that, and it’s a mercy that you may behold all this.

That’s why you must be willing to put up a fight in order to help those poor human beings.’

‘I’ll readily do so, Alcar. I’m glad that you’re prepared to take me along, and I promise that I’ll do my best and try to understand everything.’

‘Good, my boy, this will strengthen you and make you gain spiritual power.

That’s why we will continue to make other journeys.’

‘I suppose this must be the hell that earthly doctrine tells us about, Alcar?’

‘Yes, André, according to earthly doctrine this is hell, and the millions it harbours are, again according to this doctrine, damned forever.

This is what people are taught on earth, but this hell looks quite different from what they are told and presented with.

The unfortunate suffer enough as it is.

Just imagine them burning forever!

This morning the poor musician was temporarily in hell, in the true sense of the word.

The dark spheres constitute hell in the Hereafter, but the spirits that live there don’t have to stay forever, because God damns nobody, so they too will one day reach the higher regions.

No child of God is ever lost.

This is all nonsense, and the clergy who, during their life on earth, continuously talk about hell, devils, purgatory and damnation will, after they have passed on, come to recognize that they have been talking gibberish because they didn’t know the truth.

There are a lot of things they preach about as if it were the truth, and yet these are merely their own fantasies.

What’s the use of these sermons about hell and damnation?

Later on you will find many of these theologians down there, because they too weren’t free of hatred and envy either, and they robbed many a person of his faith, his hope and his love.’

‘Look, Alcar, there are some spirits over there.’

‘I saw them a while ago, André, but I waited until you saw them.

Quietly stay where you are.

They can’t see us because they aren’t attuned to us.’

‘What kind of spirits are they, Alcar?’

‘These are sentries who guard the entrance to this sphere.

They’re on the look-out for anyone arriving here, and all they’re after is to assault travellers who have lost their way, and then drag them down.

But this can’t happen to us.

This only applies to spirits who are not yet aware of their inner powers and so have not yet developed them.

They can’t see us. But you will understand that one can’t just enter the sphere.

Look, they’re going away, André.

You can compare this situation to that of the poor mother we saw this morning.

She didn’t see us either, although we were right behind her.’

‘Is her situation just as unhappy, Alcar?’

‘No, it isn’t, because she no longer knows hatred.

She now possesses pure love and gives it to others.

That’s something entirely different.

Do you understand this, André?

You must develop an accurate awareness of these soul conditions.

Hers is already far beyond that of these sentries.

She admits her mistakes and she knows what she has done wrong.

And because she is aware of it, she tries to raise herself by giving love.

She can go wherever she wants to, whereas many of those living here remain chained to this place until they are released from the hatred that keeps them captive.

The mother will soon see the light, because if one gives love one finds God.

This will gradually further her progress.’

‘How long will our friend have to remain in the dark, Alcar?’

‘It could take years, André, or even centuries.’

‘Will he remain in this place, even if he longs for goodness?’

‘No, of course not.

I told you, didn’t I, that spirits who begin to feel a longing for higher things will be taken to other places through the help of those who work here.

There they have to learn, and they will be shown what they did wrong on earth, providing they want to know.

Up here everyone’s course of life is known.

This is followed, sooner or later but without exception, by feelings of remorse.

Often thoughts relating to reincarnation arise in these persons, as a form of help and mercy from God.

They may, and subsequently can return to earth, and during their new earthly life they get the chance to make amends for all the sorrow and the grief they caused.

Unconsciously they carry within themselves the urge to do good, because they have reached this raised condition on our side, after they have fought to get there, even though many mistakes still cling to them.

It’s a great mercy when they sense a holy longing to remedy what they did wrong.

This is one of the greatest amongst God’s laws because it illustrates His infinite Love.

A lot can be said about reincarnation.

There are many who believe in it on earth, but they don’t know how it’s organized.

Some time ago an author passed on who, when he arrived, laughed at everything, and boasted about all the things he had achieved.

Many years went by before he finally felt remorse and sensed a longing to do good.

He was then shown what he had done during his life, and he was startled that this was all known here.

He could have been shown every letter he had written, because everything that is performed spiritually will continue to exist.

Our thoughts also continue to exist once we have shaped them.

The contents of the works he had written were on a low level and also in direct opposition to spiritual standards.

When he returned to earth he accomplished his life as God required of him, because he had learnt to love God and to recognize Him in everything.

It enabled him to enter into the light within a short earthly life, which could otherwise have taken centuries.

This is only a small illustration, André, because there is so much more to be said about reincarnation.

I told you that it’s a great mercy for lower spirits to be allowed to return to earth, but those who possess spiritual power and who know how pure and how lovely things are in the spheres of light don’t feel the urge to do so, because they no longer cherish earthly life.

When our friend has reached that stage, the path will also be open to him if that’s what he longs for.

God has prepared many paths for His children and these all lead upward and all join onto the road that will take them to the House of the Father.

For the less fortunate we will quote a few words that come from out of the depths of our heart.

I remember how my master once spoke the following words to me:

‘I tell you, one person oppresses the other, but in the life after this life they will appear before the sole Judgement seat, and then it will be revealed what one has sinned towards another.

Woe him who deliberately causes another to suffer!

There are only few on earth who take this into account.

That is why I come here, to all of you, and I will never abandon you, because you want what is good.

In time you will understand what this really means.’

We were in other regions to perform work at the time, and I understood what he said, André.

I keep on repeating these words, over and over again, because they have given me strength, and I understand how they were meant, how I could reach God and how I must love man.

My master, who lived on earth more than two thousand years ago, descended down to us from higher regions and gave us these words which are meant for everyone.

It shows you, André: simplicity and humility in all things. It means strength and love.

Oh, it is so vital for people to know this.

Look at all the sinning and the way people live!

There’s no sensitivity on earth for spiritual warmth because people feel materially and think materially.

Many whom we visited together scoffed at us, my son, because we were so full of all our spiritual treasures.

Later, when they arrive on our side, they would like us to pay attention to them, but that’s impossible then.

Our paths will have diverged too much by that time because we keep going, ever onward.

I get my orders too, new paths are shown to us, and other people, those who do appreciate what this is worth, need our help.

Their eyes will be opened one day, but by then we will have become invisible to them.

The time will come for their clock to stop, and they will appear spiritually naked, and everyone will ridicule them for boasting about a life that was lived totally in vain.

Have pity on these people who pride themselves on their material possessions, and who believe that this sets them above their fellow men.

There’s an end to that up here. God rules here, and they must bend their knees if they want to see the light.

The time will come for them to be judged by a righteous power.

Theirs they will lose, and they will become subjected to God’s Omnipotence.

One day they will recognize the value of the spiritual treasures which they could have received on earth, but which they refused because of their love and approval of material things.

Even their thinking focussed entirely on matter.

One day their selfish plans will be seen for what they really are, and their comedy will come to a final end.

Everyone will see what kind of friends they were, what friendship meant to them, and the kind of friendship they preferred.

All earthly things pass away, André.

And shouldn’t this gladden our hearts?

Shouldn’t we thank God that our love and our intentions will one day be seen for what they’re really worth?

When that time comes, our love and our intentions will no longer be insulted by jealous and ignorant people.

Isn’t it marvellous, André, to know that in due time we will stand before the righteous God?

One day we will see God, and He alone can help us.

He knows how a person intended to live his life on earth.

One day people will understand how much love we wanted to give, but couldn’t because they refused to see our giving hands.

One day people will yearn for spiritual truths.

One day people will see the truth of everything that was given to them spiritually.

Our intentions will be understood in eternity.

There only God rules, our mutual Father. You must know, my son, that there is only one power that binds and holds everything together, namely God.

Nothing can be hidden that is performed spiritually, nor can it be destroyed.

The true shape of all things will then be revealed in that great, holy, eternal Light.’

‘People ought to hear this, Alcar.’

‘They will hear it, André.

I will tell them through you.

I will also try to convey these spheres in colours.

When that part comes, you will recognize it immediately.

But it won’t be easy for me to render it correctly.

I’ll do my best though. You will receive that part.’

They had spent quite some time on the high hill.

‘Take another look down there, André, because we won’t be back for some time.’

‘How great God’s Omnipotence must be, Alcar, that He knows the soul condition of every one of His millions of children.’

‘That’s well seen, André.

God knows everything, God sees everything, God is within everything.

That’s why He is almighty and knows every soul condition.

God is power, God is love, God is light, God is life.

To make it even clearer to you how He knows every thing and every soul condition I will tell you something that is related to this.

A long time ago I visited a circle on earth where séances were held on a weekly basis.

I wasn’t a member of that circle, but I used to come as an onlooking spirit.

It often happens during séances that we are seen yet aren’t recognized, and that people don’t know the purpose of our visits to the earth.

My friends brought spiritual nourishment, which was received by the circle via a cross and board.

Eight earthly persons took part in these weekly séances, including a mother who had suddenly lost her seven-year-old child after a short but severe illness.

After the little one had spent some time in the spheres she was taken along to earth by her grandfather because her mother was constantly calling for her sweetheart. He took her to the sessions to bring her in contact with her mother.

So through spiritism the mother was enabled to talk to her child again.

This went on for some years and I don’t need tell you, André, how happy it made the mother to be regularly cheered up by her child.

The little one soon got adapted to her new situation, and she developed very rapidly.

After four years, when the girl had become eleven years old according to earthly reckoning, the mother passed on, and those left behind promptly thought: She’s with her sweetheart now, and she’ll be very happy.

After she had been on our side for a while she was taken to the earth to be present at the séances, as a spirit this time. They told her: ‘You will have seen Rietje now’, this was her little daughter’s name, but she had to admit that this wasn’t the case.

They immediately understood the reason.

She wasn’t attuned to the spiritual state of her little daughter yet.

She suffered greatly under this sadness, even worse than after the little one had parted from her on earth.

She had been allowed to contact her there from time to time, but now she didn’t see her and wasn’t allowed to talk to her either.

The poor mother suffered terribly, but she understood why she wasn’t allowed to associate with her child, and she decided to search for the things on high.’

‘Why wasn’t she allowed to see her child, Alcar?’

‘I’ll tell you, André.

I told you some time ago that one can’t become a spiritual being merely by taking part in séances.

One has to develop spiritually.

That kind of work isn’t done for kicks, nor is spiritual nourishment given for that reason.

It must serve to enrich mankind.

Man must try to find God through this truth and to love everything He created.

Although she took part in séances, she remained a person who felt more attracted to matter and tended to treat things lightly.

Our side never puts pressure on anyone, André, one has to learn to sense things oneself.

We want to help, out of love for the people, without wanting any thanks in return.

But she didn’t feel the great mercy which was bestowed on her when her child was brought back to her, and it didn’t dawn on her that her time would come too, and that on her arrival in the spheres she would have to shed the same light as her child to be able to see her.

Now they are both in the spheres, though they’re not together.

But one day this will come about, and from then on they will be happy forever.

Do you understand everything now, André?

Can you sense that this is convincing proof of God’s Omnipotence?

Is it becoming clear to you that everything is ruled and regulated by His Omnipotence?

The mother wouldn’t stand the slightest chance of finding her daughter here on our side without our help, because she lacks the spiritual light and the strength.

God is in everything.

That’s why He knows the condition of every soul.

God is omnipresent, in the highest heavens as well as on earth and in the dark spheres too.’

‘How beautiful and holy this all is, Alcar.’

‘It certainly is holy, André.

One day our little clock will stop ticking, and we’ll find out whether we loved God in the proper way.

We’re going back to earth now, André.

Don’t forget to pray for the unfortunate one who is about to arrive here.’

They floated rapidly towards the earth, and again André saw our planet surrounded by the other planets.

They got nearer and nearer and he saw how the colours in the sky kept on changing.

‘Right, we’ll continue on foot now.’

‘Where are we going to, Alcar?’

‘You’ll soon find out.

Come along now.’

André saw lots of people around, carrying flowers and wreaths and all going the same way as they were.

‘Oh, I see, Alcar, we’re going to a cemetery.

There it is.’

‘Exactly.

This is a cemetery, and you see how lots of people are going to lay flowers on the graves of their beloved.

The bereaved don’t find much consolation there, but an ignorant person can’t imagine what reality is, he can’t picture it.

He thinks that all his beloved ones do indeed lie beneath the tombstones, and to visit them is his only consolation. He thinks he honours them and loves them in this way.

Come and stand beside me, André. I’ll show you something sad soon.

You have to see more, so be strong.’

They walked past many graves and Alcar suddenly stopped.

‘Right, we’ll stay here for a moment.

This is the grave of a girl aged twenty-five.

Take a good look around and listen.’

André saw an angel standing on the grave, hewn out of snow-white marble.

It held a palm in his right hand and leaned over as if to protect the grave.

André read: Here lies our beloved daughter, granddaughter and sister, Anna Maria H., born in H. on September 14th 1901, died on August 7th 1926.

She was our beloved child. May she rest in peace.

‘Look, André, the couple standing in front of the grave are her parents.

They put these beautiful flowers on the tombstone as a token of their love.

I’ll show you more, but don’t speak.’

André had to restrain himself from making any sound, because next to the parents he saw a young girl, as beautiful as an angel and dressed entirely in white.

She held her arms around her mother who didn’t seem to notice anything. Nor did she hear the soft voice that said to her: ‘Mother, mother, I’m with you.

Don’t be sad, I’m happy.’

André looked from her to her mother, but she didn’t hear this soft voice that sounded so clear and could be heard from afar by various spirits who had all come along with their beloved ones.

Again she called: ‘Mother, mother!’

And now there was a heart­rending tone in her voice.

She tried to shake her mother gently to and fro, but she didn’t succeed.

Again she called: mother, mother, but the latter remained deaf to her words.

Then she became very sad, and when Alcar went up to her, André heard her asking him whether he could help her.

Oh, how beautiful she is, and how pure, he thought.

Her complexion was even more beautiful than that of the white marble angel on her tombstone.

It was just as if she had descended from heaven, so angelic pure and tender she was.

‘Oh brother’, he heard her say, ‘how can I reach my parents?

Can’t anything be done about this?’

‘Yes, dear sister, I will help you, but in a different way.

What are you doing here in the earth’s sphere?

Your house lies in the spheres of light, doesn’t it?’

‘Yes, brother, it does, but I find no peace.

They keep on drawing me back here.

I have no peace due to all their sorrow and all their grief.

Oh, if only they knew that I’m alive and that I’m well, then I could be happy in the spheres of light, Happiness and Love.

But I can’t be happy now because they don’t know.

Oh, help me, please help me.

I beseech you.

You are also from the Light.

Help me, brother, that I may reach them.’

‘I would gladly help you immediately, dear sister, but it’s impossible for me, because you can’t reach your father and your mother like this.

Their earthly ears don’t hear you and their earthly eyes don’t see you.

They don’t notice that you are standing here next to them alive, that you are holding them, that you love them and that you are calling out to them: Don’t be sad, dear parents, I am happy.

They are deaf to your soft, yet clear voice.

Their physical ears don’t hear you because they are closed off spiritually.

But we will help you.

My friend and I are determined to convince them of your life in the spheres.

He is my instrument and will tell them, if they are willing to listen.

I am showing him these situations, and he will make it known on earth how terrible they are.

You can’t do anything for your parents in this way, and you don’t yet know how to reach them, my child.’

‘Mother has been sad for so long now, brother. She can’t get over it.

She can’t be helped.

That’s why I’ve come down to earth.

I’m often at home with them, and I’ve tried so many ways to get in contact with them.

But they won’t deviate from what they were once taught, namely that God will call me one day.

In their opinion this will be the last judgement.

Help me, please help me.

They have to know that I am alive and happy. It would make life much more bearable for them.’

‘I will help you, if that’s what you want.

Go back to your sphere, try to get help from higher regions, pray to God for help, and then return to your parents.

Then you will be able to reach them with the aid of higher intelligences.

That help will be given to you when you ask God.

Now free yourself from your parents. You can’t stay here, because certain unfortunate spirits will soon appear who would mock you and ridicule you and take pleasure in your suffering.

Let go of your parents and try to reach them the way I advised you to.’

The girl looked at Alcar lovingly, took his hand in hers and said:

‘I thank you for your dear words, brother.

I will do my best and I see now that I should not have come here like this.’

Once more her clear eyes looked at him, then she left.

‘Did you understand everything, André?’

‘Yes, Alcar.

How sweet she is and how beautiful!

She’s like an angel.’

‘She’s a spirit who belongs in the spheres of light and happiness, where harmony prevails, but the parents of this dear child, because she is after all still a child, keep on drawing her back to earth with their great sadness, and she can’t be happy in the spheres because their heartrending thoughts reach out to her.

She keeps on feeling their grief and this forces her to come here, although her parents don’t notice anything of her presence, nor do they hear her soft voice.

They stand here at a grave where nothing can be found except a little pile of dust, while their child is alive and stood next to them without being seen.

Their conviction draws them to this grave, where they think they can find their daughter.

It’s terrible for a spirit that comes to give help and support when he experiences that he is not seen, and his consoling words aren’t heard.

This girl does indeed possess the power to come through to her parents, but she doesn’t yet know how to use it and make contact through her influence on them.

She wouldn’t come down to earth so often if she weren’t called or drawn back.

Such cases are frequent, and if she does what I told her she will be helped.

Her prayer will soon be heard because her plea is pure and she wants to approach God in love.

Her prayer is pure because she only asks to be allowed to give love.

This is going to be a hard day for you, André, but be brave.

When you’re back in your body again I will help you to deal with all the sadness you absorbed and experienced as a spirit.’

They were now standing at another grave.

‘Look, there’s a young woman here standing at her mother’s grave, but you also see that the mother, as a spirit, is standing next to her to support her and give her strength.

There are thousands and thousands on earth who don’t hear and don’t see, nor do they realize that these situations do indeed exist.

Look over there, André, a different sight again: a young mother at the grave of her child.

The child is standing next to her, but he’s not alone, he’s accompanied by the grandfather who has been in the spheres for a long time already, as I can tell by his aura.

The boy wouldn’t be able to find his way to earth on his own, but he undoubtedly feels all the sorrow the mother is going through, since she can’t forget her child.’

André saw a boy of about thirteen or fourteen, and next to him his grandfather who was holding his hand.

‘This boy will also learn to understand this kind of situation.

And when some time has passed he will work at it and do his utmost to convince his parents of his continued existence, and to give them proof of his life in the spheres of happiness, love and life.

He’s happy there too, André.

Come, he mustn’t see us, I must prevent that.

Everyone from yonder side of the grave will try to reach his beloved.

And after many, many years we will finally succeed.’

Now they approached a grave that had just been dug.

‘I already see who will be buried here, André.

It’s a woman, still young, who passed on before her time.

I see her, although she’s not yet visible to you, because her thoughts reach me from the place she’s at now.

She will be laid in this grave ‘to rest’ and who knows how many will visit her here again.’

‘Do spirits often desire to see their buried bodies again, Alcar?’

‘Certainly, my boy, but by no means all, because they know what they will see.

The garment they cast off, and which in some cases they loved so much, immediately starts to decay and is soon a repulsive sight.

The spirits who nevertheless want to take another look at the body which they idolized on earth are so horrified that they flee in haste, never more to return to the cemetery where they willingly grant the earth what belongs to it.

This is how this young woman will fare too.’

‘Can nothing be done for such poor creatures, Alcar?’

‘Certainly, André, if that’s their wish.

I’ll show you what’s behind it all shortly.

You are deeply impressed by the misery we saw this morning, but you don’t quite know yet who can be helped.

When you’ve spent more time on our side you will soon get to know where you can really do good.

You must still learn to detect feigned sorrow.

Your love for everything that suffers is very fine, my son, but you must get a proper understanding where real sorrow is experienced, and who is in real need of your pity.

You must develop an accurate feeling for what is real and what is phoney.

The foreign town where you once felt so deeply unhappy was charged with real despair and terrible suffering.

Those spirits were indeed to be deeply pitied, and the compassion you felt then was not out of place.

Yet you will often experience the contrary and receive little thanks for loving assistance.

If you had love work to perform in the dark spheres, you would be amazed.

Yet we must all go through the mill.

We receive lessons there in the knowledge of the human soul.

Now we’ll proceed to the last spot I want to visit with you before we end our voyage.

Hold tight, André, because I will show you a spirit that is still attached to his body.

Such a person must also suffer enormously, as he has to undergo the decay of his body in darkness and in the cold.

You’re not allowed to ask me anything when we get to him, and you may only look on.’

André saw the grave of an adult man in front of him, but no matter where he looked, there was nothing else to be seen.

Then he looked at Alcar, and it seemed as if he were being told: ‘Stay where you are.’

He stopped and no longer saw Alcar.

But he did hear him talking.

He was apparently in conversation with someone else, because he clearly heard him say: ‘For heaven’s sake, man, look for God.

Try to find God.

Learn to pray.’

Now he heard how Alcar was jeered at.

A demonic laugh sounded across the big cemetery, while he heard a sneering voice say: ‘Look for God!

Go to hell with your God.’

André was terribly shocked.

Who dared to speak like that?

Who ever could forget himself in such a way?

Hadn’t he clearly heard: ‘Go to hell with your God’.

He didn’t know in what kind of a hell he had landed, and he would have run away if Alcar hadn’t told him beforehand to stay where he was.

‘Do you think’, he heard, ‘that your God would leave me lying here like this if He were so good?

I tell you again: Go to hell.

Go away and preach to yourself.

Pray for yourself, man, and shut up.

Go away I tell you, and go and fool someone else, you’ve never set eyes on God yourself.’

Now André heard Alcar’s voice again: ‘Just try to say: Oh God, help me!’ and He will hear your prayer.

God, help me!

If you ask this honestly, you will be released from your physical body.’

Again that devilish laugh resounded and in-between he heard the voice shout: ‘God, help me!

Man, stop your nonsense, don’t get me drunk on your sweet-talk.

I tell you again: Get lost, I don’t need your help.

I’ve never needed anybody, never yet.’

Then he heard the man declaring what he had been on earth.

He had held a high office and had been widely reputed.

‘Oh those rogues’, he shouted again, ‘if ever I get hold of them!

I promise you, they won’t get rid of me.

Just you wait!

I’ve already had a lot of your kind down here.

Two-faced pious people, all of them.

You’re one of them too, I suppose.

Go away, man, quick!’

Now André clearly saw a figure that moved a few metres away from the grave but couldn’t get any further. He lunged as if he were being pulled back by an invisible hand.

Again he heard the voice: ‘Aren’t you gone yet?’

Then all was silent, and at the same moment he saw Alcar, whose fine aura gradually became visible again.

He leapt towards him and felt overjoyed that he was reunited with his leader.

‘Oh Alcar, this is terrible. I can’t stand any more of this.’

‘Come on, son, be brave.

Do you understand the essence of this?’

‘Yes, Alcar, what a terrible blasphemer that man is!’

‘I’ll explain to you on the way what happened here during the last few minutes.

We will now leave this acre of death, and of the living.

You know enough now.

I had to take on this appearance to make myself known.

You probably saw how my own light disappeared.’

‘Yes, Alcar, but I didn’t know what this meant.

I lost sight of you and everything turned dark around me. But I heard that devilish laugh and the talking and shouting very clearly.’

‘I wanted to go up to him on my own, because you haven’t been informed yet how we must work to get in touch with such an unfortunate creature.

He didn’t see me until I showed myself to him without my aura.

It can’t be done in any other way.

If we had approached him in the usual fashion he would have quietly remained sitting on his grave, but I wanted you to hear how deeply this poor man is still tied down in matter, how infinitely far from perfection he still is.

You heard his blasphemies.

I’m not the only one who has tried to help him along in freeing himself from his body.

If he wanted to, he could make his situation change within a short time.

After I had spoken a few words to him he wanted to walk away, but the invisible cord, the silver thread, held him and pulled him back to his body, which is already in a far-gone state of decay.’

‘I saw how he couldn’t get any further, Alcar, but I didn’t see any cord.

It was so dark around me.’

‘You were outside of everything, André, otherwise you would have seen it.

This wasn’t possible now because I wanted to keep you out of everything.

My strong will power and my ability to concentrate enabled me to show you that he is still attached to his physical body.

He has spent considerable time on that graveyard; you can tell by the advanced state of decay.

He won’t be able to move around freely again before that process has come to an end, and then he will want to take revenge for the alleged injustice which was inflicted on him.

He will also try to carry out the devilish plans he has already concocted.

You probably didn’t notice, but he has got a big hole in his head that was caused by a bullet.

He still suffers unbearable pains due to this injury, which he temporarily did not feel because of his anger while I was talking to him.

He will stay in this condition until he has made enough spiritual progress and has outgrown matter.

And it’s precisely this power which he lacks.

Now he is forced to watch his body through the layer of earth and see it decaying.

There are more such conditions, some of which even surpass this one in horror.

You have witnessed all this misery as a spirit.

More convincing proof cannot be given.

And now I urge you, my boy, to tell your experiences to all who are willing to listen.

Tell them, because they must know how horrible the consequences are when man forgets himself on earth.

Tell them as often as you can.

We’ll help you in this.

We work everywhere for the great cause, and thousands will set out on journeys, just as we do.

But it’s such a pity that many of us lose their instrument because it does not dare to take on the battle which must be fought for this purpose.

We demand obedience from our instruments and simplicity of the heart, but above all: love for God.

And when they comply with our wishes, we can, in return, give them lots and lots of beauty, because we too receive our support from the higher regions.

There are also many who lose their instrument when it gets consumed by the jealousy of other mediums.

Never disappoint me, my boy, and together we’ll accomplish a lot.

God will bless us for this work, which we hope to continue until eternity.

Forever together in the Hereafter.

Won’t that be marvellous?

Keep your gifts pure, André, especially your magnetic power, and pray often.

God will be with us.’

The journey had come to an end, and André saw that Alcar’s helpers had again kept faithful watch over his body.

Adonis came forward, greeted him warmly and asked: ‘Were things better than the first time, my brother?’

André merely nodded.

Again he was unable to speak, because he felt the imminent parting, the farewell from his dear friend.

Adonis understood, took both his hands in his to bid him goodbye and left.

‘You see how we’re always prepared for everything, André.

Early this morning Adonis received my orders already.

And now, for the last time: Be strong, my boy.

Think of me and call me whenever you need me.

We’re always in contact with each other, and I will help you in everything.

When you’re back in your body I will tell you what to do.’

Alcar pressed André to his breast.

The link of love between these two people was becoming stronger and holier and would always remain.

Alcar, the radiant being, and André, the physical human, accomplish the same work together and pursue the same goal, which they one day hope to reach.

André wept with joy because his friend, his brother, his good, faithful companion understood him entirely and showed him so much love.

‘Come on, son, it’s time. You must go now.’

Again André felt himself rising and getting dizzy, then there was a short moment of descent and he suddenly awoke with a slight start.

He immediately felt the band around his head.

He couldn’t think properly yet and he hadn’t enough strength to keep hold of his thoughts.

He sat on the edge of his bed for a few moments until he heard Alcar say:

‘You will feel sad today and maybe tomorrow too.

Go outside, into nature, my boy. Pray a lot and try to overcome everything.

Your brother Alcar is at your side and will support you.’

He went downstairs.

He had been away for nearly five hours.

He went outside to come to grips with all the things he had experienced that morning during his journey with Alcar.

Everything was quiet inside of him and around him.

And after spending quite some time in God’s free nature he felt strengthened in body and soul and returned home.