Y'all Come Back Now
by Alan Cohen

Recently at a spiritual seminar I heard a student ask a guru, “How can I make this my last life?” I do not remember the answer because I was struck by the question, which stirred within me an even deeper query: ”Why would you want this to be your last life?”

Many of us on the spiritual path have been taught that we are born into an earthly body again and again until we do not need to be born anymore. We have been told that this world is a but a place of learning, a locale where we pay off our karma, or even a kind of penal institution where we must suffer for our sins until our soul is purified. Fundamentalists preach that we all bear the cross of original sin, and we are vile transgressors just for being here!

Perhaps it is time to rethink the idea of reincarnation, and even more fundamentally, what we are doing here in the first place. Are we really here to complete something from the past or attain something in the future? The past and future are just thoughts we carry, which only distract us from being present now. We have no past or future, except where we dwell in our thoughts.

Anyone who wishes this to be their last life must be in great pain — seeking escape. But, as a spiritual being, where could you escape to? If you are not finding worth and beauty where you are, why would you suddenly find it without a body? Is the dropping of the body a magic trip to heaven, or do we take our thoughts, beliefs, and our attitudes with us?

Does being dead automatically make you smart or free? Let's translate the scenario to a practical situation. Imagine waking up one morning next to your beloved or your child, and hearing him or her tell you, “I want this to be my last day here. What can I do to make it so?” My natural response would be, “What is hurting you that makes you want to leave?” And so we come upon a basic contradiction which I hope to irritate you into fielding: The same belief system that teaches suicide is the ultimate sin, encourages suicide as the ultimate goal.

Rather than seeking death, we need to dive into life — the way out is through. Freedom is gained not by running away, but by discovering the presence of love where you are. There is beauty, purpose, and spirit in every moment, and we are here to celebrate life in ever-varied and expanding ways. Many teachers have affirmed that the Kingdom of Heaven is available even as we walk upon the Earth. When Jesus was asked, “How should we pray?” his answer included, “on Earth as it is in heaven.” — which tells me that Jesus was not preaching a way out, but advising us to bring God in.

A loving and intelligent God would not bear children destined to suffer in a system of life where our highest goal was escape. If we are not here to earn, learn, or suffer our way out, then what are we doing here? The answer is simple, if you will allow it: Pure celebration. Outrageous joy. Eternal, evermore colorful love. Appreciating the beauty in every moment and person. Innocently playing. Manifesting inspiring works of art. Discovering magnificence wherever we turn. Lifting the Earth from a dungeon to a palace. Shining our divine being.

When I visited the island of Bali I discovered a culture the closest I have seen to Heaven on Earth. Behold a society founded on bringing forth beauty through artistic expression. Nearly every person in Bali is an artist, musician, dancer, or artisan. As I drove through the lush green mountains adorned with water courses and terraced rice paddies, I came upon entire villages of woodworkers, stone craftsmen, and batik painters. In the evenings ornately-dressed devotees gather in villages for music, dance, and temple celebrations. Everywhere I looked, from public intersections to restaurant tables, to even taxicab dashboards, I saw little baskets of flowers, fruit, and incense as offerings to the gods.

Most impressive about the Balinese is their attitude. They are simply happy. They smile consistently, reach out to help visitors, restaurant waitresses invite customers home for dinner, and everyone makes a fuss over children. Even in high school, children of the same gender walk home holding hands. In Bali there is no death by stress-related disease, and when someone passes on, the relatives throw a huge party. The Balinese do not believe their stay on Earth is a punishment for past misdeeds, however, by contrast, the reward for past meritorious lives is to be born in Bali.

Personally, I am looking forward to coming back. Earth is not such a bad place after all; it is pretty much whatever you make it. What you resist persists, and the surest way to stay stuck in hell on earth is to fight life. Where could you go anyway? Wherever you go, there you are. ¤

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