What is the spirit world?
Invisible to earthly eyes, it is not easily fathomed, yet it is a vital part of our existence and a place to which we will all journey one day.
Father Moon teaches that knowing about the spirit world is second in importance only to knowing God.
Three definite notions about the spirit world are represented here:
First, knowing the spirit world is essential to finding and keeping the proper direction in our earthly life.
Second, the spirit world corresponds by analogy to the earthly world. It maintains the quality of life and love cultivated on earth. Its harmony or lack of harmony is the result of the love, or lack of love, of its citizens, who cultivated various tendencies and prejudices while on earth.
Third, the spirit world is composed of a multiplicity of societies and realms, though today these are in the process of being unified into one universal heaven.
1. The Spirit World Corresponds to the Physical World
I [Paul] know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven— whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 2 Corinthians 12.2-4
No one in heaven or on the earth knows the Unseen save God; and they know not when they will be raised. Does [human] knowledge extend to the Hereafter? No, for they are in doubt concerning it. No, for they cannot see it. Qur’an 27.65-66
To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the greatest of evils. And surely it is the most blameworthy ignorance to believe that one knows what one does not know.
Socrates, in Plato, Apology 29 (Hellenism)
God created the seven heavens in harmony. Qur’an 71.15
What is here [the phenomenal world], the same is there [in Brahman]; and what is there, the same is here. Katha Upanishad 2.1.10 (Hinduism)
Thou who exists beyond the wide firmament, mighty in Thine own splendor and strong of mind, hast made, for our help, the earth a replica of Thy glory. Rig Veda 1.52.12 (Hinduism)
We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle which is set up not by man but by the Lord… There are priests who offer gifts accord- ing to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary; for when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.” 1 Hebrews 8.1-5
The system of Change is tantamount to Heaven and Earth, and therefore can always handle and adjust the way of Heaven and Earth. Looking up, we observe the pattern of the heavens; looking down, we examine the order of the earth.
Thus we know the causes of what is hidden and what is manifest. If we investigate the cycle of things, we shall understand the concepts of life and death. Essence and material force are combined to become things.
The wandering away of Spirit becomes change. From this we know that the characteristics and conditions of spiritual beings are similar to those of Heaven and Earth and therefore there is no disagreement between them. The knowledge [of Spirit] embraces all things and its way helps all under heaven, and therefore there is no mistake. It operates freely and does not go off course. It rejoices in Nature and understands destiny.
Therefore there is no worry. As [things] are contented in their stations and earnest in practicing kindness, there can be love. It molds and encompasses all transformations of Heaven and Earth without mistake, and it stoops to bring things into completion without missing any.
I Ching, Great Commentary 1.4.1-4 (Confucianism)
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Human life does not end with the death of the physical body. It continues in the spirit world, where saints and sages and also all of our ancestors live as spirit selves.
It is a form of human existence of a higher order than in life in the physical body. This earthly world where our physical bodies dwell is only a minuscule part of the infinite and eternal world—the fundamental world that God created. (July 10, 2003)
You should clearly know God and the spirit world. Even if fallen people forget about everything else, they should know these two well. The [heavenly] spirit world is the eternal fatherland, our eternal original home. However, we cannot establish this original home once we arrive at the spirit world; we must do it while on earth. (398:145, December 9, 2002)
Do you know that the Bible mentions the third heaven? Saint Paul saw it fourteen years before [he wrote the epistle]. During those fourteen years, Paul built himself up, holding onto his experience of seeing the third heaven. Paul not only talked about the third heaven; he could keep going because he had glimpsed a realm higher than the world around him. (62:47, September 10, 1972)
The spirit world is connected with the physical world. The focal point and common factor linking them is true love. (137:54, December 18, 1985)
The quality of your internal life on earth will be visible in the spirit world. Love is central, because the love within God and human beings joins them like the cells of the body. In the spirit world, we each become one of the cells. Once you enter that dimension, God will surely come inside your heart. When you call, “God!” He will answer in your heart, “Who is calling me? What do you want?” (218:129, July 14, 1991)
Where is the spirit world? Is it outside your body, or does it come inside your body? It penetrates even inside your body. You are walking around with the spirit world on your shoulders; you are carrying it and holding it wherever you go. Can you get away from it? Impossible. That is why my heart is always confident wherever I go, and why opposition cannot affect me. (162:116, March 30, 1987)
2. The Many Levels and Realms in the Spirit World
In my Father’s house are many rooms. John 14.2
Of the nether worlds and heavens has He created millions; Men exhaust themselves trying to explore them. Adi Granth, Japuji 22, M.1, p. 5 (Sikhism)
There are celestial bodies and there are terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory 2 1 Corinthians 15.40-41
The church of the Firstborn… are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— they are they who are priests and kings, who have received of His fullness, and of His glory; and are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.
Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God… These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.
And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fullness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament.
Behold, these are they who died without law… who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it. These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men. These are they who receive of His glory, but not of His fullness.
These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fullness of the Father. Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun…
And again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of the lesser, even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the glory of the moon in the firmament. These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus. These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit. These are they who are thrust down to hell.
These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work. These are they who receive not of His fullness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial; and the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial.
And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them; for they shall be heirs of salvation.3 Doctrine and Covenants 76.54-88 (Latter-day Saints)
When King Solomon “penetrated into the depths of the nut garden” (Song of Solomon 6.11), he took up a nut shell and studying it, he saw an analogy in its layers with the spirits that motivate the sensual desires of humans… God saw that it was necessary to put into the world so as to make sure of permanence all things having, so to speak, a brain surrounded by numerous membranes.
The whole world, upper and lower, is organized on this principle, from the primary mystic center to the very outermost of all the layers. All are coverings, the one to the other, brain within brain, spirit inside of spirit, shell within shell. The primal center is the innermost light, of a translucence, subtlety, and purity beyond comprehension.
That inner point extends to become a “palace” which acts as an enclosure for the center, and is also of a radiance translucent beyond the power to know it. The “palace” vestment for the incognizable inner point, while it is an unknowable radiance in itself, is nevertheless of a lesser subtility and translucency than the primal point.
The palace extends into a vestment for itself, the primal light. From then outward, there is extension upon extension, each constituting a vesture to the one before, as a membrane to the brain.
Though membrane first, each extension becomes brain to the next extension. Likewise does the process go on below; and after this design, man in the world combines brain and membrane, spirit and body, all to the more perfect ordering of the world. Zohar (Judaism)
All kingdoms have a law given; And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions.
All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. For intelligence cleaves unto intelligence; wisdom receives wisdom; truth embraces truth; virtue loves virtue; light cleaves unto light; mercy has compassion on mercy and claims her own; justice continues its course and claims its own; judgment goes before the face of Him who sits upon the throne and governs and executes all things.4 Doctrine and Covenants 88.36-40 (Latter-day Saints)
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The entire spirit world appears as one person. When this gigantic Person becomes one with God as its Subject partner, then the entire spirit world and physical world will melt together.
When God jumps, the earth will jump. When God laughs, the earth will laugh… The spirit world is structured and functions as one person. Saints take the role of eyes and ears. (91:280, February 27, 1977) 5
In the spirit world, everything is linked centering on God. Although people have different ranks and inhabit different regions, they all know that they should follow God and make Him their center.
Even spirits in the lower realms have an alignment toward God, reflected in their life goals like a concept of faith. (161:220, February 15, 1987)
Just as people in earthly society have different ranks, there are also different ranks in the spirit world. You do not know much about spirit world now, but when you understand its geography, you will recognize that it contains thousands of different levels. (91:269-70, February 27, 1977)
In the spirit world, there is an abundance of flowers wherever you go. Amazingly, the flowers are laughing and dancing. Yet they receive human beings depending upon the level of their perfection: laughing and dancing, or dancing but not making any sound, or standing still, etc.
On seeing them, you will finally realize: “Ah, I wish I would have understood the Father’s love and practiced it!” Yet by then it would be too late. That is why I am training you and educating you to pass the tests on earth, to help you be tuned to the right frequency of love. (227:100, February 10, 1992)
The spirit world is still incomplete. Its hierarchical system was originally supposed to be centered on God, the True Parents and true children. Everyone was supposed to have a position in this hierarchy, but it is not realized yet; neither is it the case on earth.
The hierarchy must be established on Earth first. If the conditions on Earth are met, then the spirit world will automatically follow… So far, the spirit world has been organized hierarchically into the Buddhists Club, the Confucians Club, the Muslims Club, the Christians Club, etc.
Now, as the work of the True Parents on earth proceeds at the worldwide level, the boundaries between all the religions are disappearing. The movement for unification will progress on Earth, along with similar activities in the spirit world. (161:223, February 15, 1987)
Barriers divide the spirit world. There are no nations like Korea, Japan and America; however, there are different realms based on the different religions.
Those who practiced Buddhism [on earth] dwell in the Buddhist realm. Those who practiced Confucianism dwell in the Confucian realm.
Those who believed in Jesus live in the Christian realm. Those who followed Islam enter the Muslim realm, and so forth. With time, the people of each group built up their respective realms and surrounded themselves with walls.
These walls, products of the Fall, stand firm until the day of Christ’s return, when he comes to break them down. (89:101, October 4, 1976)