Death is sometimes considered a taboo subject; it is best to avoid it, even though we all know it is inevitable in this world. But, according to A Course in Miracles (ACIM), death is not to be feared because it is an illusion.

Lesson 163 of the Workbook of ACIM is entitled, “There is no death. ‘The Son of God is free.” It is important to remember that Jesus tells us in ACIM that we are all sons and daughters of God, so that lesson applies to everyone. He explains that we have eternal life because we have never separated from God, even though in this world death is a reality. But we are not really here! This world only exists in the mental plane; it is a projection, a dream. When we awaken we will realise that we are in Heaven and have always been there. In a prayer at the end of Lesson 163 we read: “…We are not separate from Your eternal life. There is no death, for death is not Your Will…”  

In the section entitled, “What Is a Miracle?”, we are told that through forgiveness we will change our perceptions of this world and eventually awaken from the dream of separation. Jesus uses beautiful metaphors in the final paragraph to depict this: “Miracles fall like drops of healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and thirsty creatures come to die. Now they have water. Now the world is green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is born can never die, for what has life has immortality.” Workbook page 473. Our physical bodies will, of course, pass away, but our spirits—our true nature—will live on forever because we are part of God, and He is eternal.

Gary Renard is a well-known teacher of A Course in Miracles; his books have helped countless students understand this course, which is not easy to grasp, when it is read for the first time. One of his later books is entitled, ‘The Lifetimes When Jesus and Buddha Knew Each Other.’ It is absolutely fascinating to read. It is explained on page 91 that, “…it doesn’t matter if someone dies because their mind will keep on going and dreaming until they wake up. And when they wake up they’re home.”  That is quite an encouraging thought.

The well-known Hindu spiritual scripture, The Bhagavad Gita, has this to say about the death of the body: “…The Eternal in man cannot die. He is never born, and he never dies: he is for evermore. Never-born and eternal, beyond times gone or to come, he does not die when the body dies.” Chapter 2.

Finally, in message channelled by Tina Louise Spalding, Jesus explained that death is nothing to fear; it is simply like going from one room in the house to another room. We continue on in the mental plane after leaving the physical body behind. Life goes on forever.