Heaven and Hell
Heaven and Hell have both been interesting topics that have both been debated for thousands of years.
Heaven has been depicted in various ways by different cultures and religions. These concepts range from literal, physical states of playing golden harps along golden streets to more symbolic representations of inner peace and connection with the One.
In light of collective and contemporary findings, heaven definitely does not appear to be only a future abode-with its own address and zip code-for only a select few. The evidence overwhelmingly indicates that heaven is always an open-ended possibility for all.
Over the years, many older people have shared with me that they, too, never believed in an eternal place of torture for anyone. Such a concept blasphemes a loving God and scares many people away from seriously considering afterlife and soul issues. These elders have learned to let go of past fearful teachings, trust their inner voices, and nurture personal relationships with God.
In Let There Be Light, Aramaic scholar Rocco Errico, D.D., states, "The term 'heaven' was also used metaphorically in the Bible to express the idea of peace, order and harmony. . . . Figuratively, 'heaven' also means a greater consciousness, i.e., one in which thoughts of lack and fear disappear. Thus one can readily see that the term 'heaven' also depicts a state of being and not just a specified location."
In Matthew 3:2 and 4:17, Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." In Middle Eastern formulations, the term 'at hand' was commonly used to depict something very near or inside, for example, saying God is closer than your next breath or your own hand.
In Luke 17:21, Jesus also said of heaven, "Nor will they say, 'Lo, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." When pressed for details, Jesus likened the kingdom to leaven or a mustard seed-both which have vast growth potential. None of these sound as if he were describing a place in the sky someday.
In An Open Life, Joseph Campbell states, "At the end of the Thomas Gospel, the disciples ask, 'When will the kingdom come?' And Jesus answers, 'The kingdom will not come by expectation. The kingdom of the Father is spread over the earth and men do not see it.' In other words, bring it about in your hearts. And that is precisely the sense of Nirvanic realization. This is it. All you have to do is see it. And the function of meditation leading to that is to dissociate you from your commitment to this body, which is afraid to die, so that you realize the eternal dimension is right here, now, everywhere."