From the mailbag:
“I follow you fairly closely and notice there’s a real separation between what you say about the afterlife and what the Bible says about it. Can you explain whether you see a heaven and hell? Maybe you have and I’ve missed it.”
This is a great thoughtful question.
I should start by saying that I’ve never read the Bible, so I can’t speak to its teachings directly or debate scripture with authority. What I have heard, though, is how many different interpretations exist around heaven and hell, even among people who share the same religious tradition. And of course, nearly every religion has its own version of what happens after we die.
So I can really only speak from my own experience, from what I remember, and from what souls who have crossed over have shared with me during readings.
From my perspective, all souls originate from the same Source. Incarnating on Earth is a choice made by the soul. It isn’t mandatory, and it isn’t a test you’re forced to take. When a soul completes a lifetime here, it returns back to that Source.
Do I see judgment on the other side? Yes, but not in the way most people imagine it.
I don’t see a divine courtroom where souls are punished for sins or condemned for mistakes. What I do see is a life review. In that review, souls experience both the positive and negative impact they had on others. They feel the joy they brought, the pain they caused, and the ripple effects of their choices. There is understanding. There is compassion. There is self-forgiveness. And there is learning.
After that, there’s a re-merging with the higher self, sometimes called the oversoul. From there, choices are made. Some souls choose to reincarnate. Some choose to contribute their wisdom as spirit guides for other souls who are incarnating. Some simply remain on the other side, communing, learning, resting, and expanding.
None of this negates the comfort or meaning people find in the idea of heaven and hell. For many, those concepts provide moral structure, accountability, and reassurance that justice exists beyond this world. I respect that. I don’t see my perspective as canceling out anyone else’s belief system. It’s simply what I’ve observed through my own lens.
And really you don’t have to take my word for any of this. One day, we will all see for ourselves.
If someone is deeply worried about being sent to hell, I often sense that the fear isn’t really about the afterlife at all. It’s about conscience. It can be a sign that their actions here on Earth don’t align with their inner sense of what feels right, kind, or true. That inner dissonance tends to show up as guilt or fear of punishment.
While you’re here, you get to decide who you want to be.
If you believe people are judged and sorted into heaven or hell, then living with integrity, compassion, and personal accountability is your best insurance policy. If you believe, as I do, that experiencing physicality and deriving joy while learning to live with others are the ultimate goals, then those same qualities still matter just as much.
Be kind. Do unto others as you would have done unto you. Live according to your own internal sense of morality and conscience.
No matter what you believe about the afterlife, that advice can only serve you positively.
