XI

Inq: How would you define death?

RW: Death is a universal process; it’s the opposite of life. Death is a natural event in the cycle of life. It’s as constant as the setting of the sun every evening. All things around us come into being, have their purpose, begin to decay, and eventually, dissolve. The first clue to understanding death is that it’s completely inter-related to the process of life. Life can be a great plan of progress and most individuals try diligently to progress through its various stages. The body has a certain degree of stamina, strength, resistance and adaptability. It may be overloaded with strain or illness and collapse at an early age or it may be able to withstand these pressures and overcome a bombardment of physical and mental stresses. After a certain point, however, the body can only withstand so much battering and death will result.

Inq: …and what happens after death?

RW: It’s an end, but not the end. Immediately after death, the soul will review your past actions, emotions and thoughts. Then, the soul will evaluate the true meaning of its experiences from a soul’s point of view. This is known as “the life review” and it’s a common experience among those who’ve had a near-death experience (NDE).

Inq: Who judges the soul?

RW: Only the soul judges the soul. And, it does so in the most merciful way possible. This is a very important teaching of AWE: there’s no great being in the image of man sitting on a golden throne, with angels flying around him, judging all souls as they bow down before him. Man has created this human image of God and it’s been taken literally for thousands of years. The image on the throne is the soul itself and it is the soul alone that determines the amount of spiritual progress that was made during the lifetime.

Inq: How do you know this is true?

RW: You’ll find clues to understanding life and death by examining the processes of waking and sleeping. Your entire lifetime is but one day to the soul. Correspondingly, death is but one night to the soul. During death, the soul will experience a beautiful dream, which is known as “the heavenly reward”. The teachings of AWE explain the strong correspondence between waking and sleeping vs. living and dying. By understanding this analogy, you’ll become aware of the divine patterns in nature and the cyclical laws that we’re all subject to.

XII

Inquirer: How can I stay healthy in body and mind?

Robert Waxman: All psychological disturbances must be attended to with intelligence, skill and proper medical treatment. The inner part of you must be balanced so future illness does not arise. Within your body, you are building your future temple. When you feel lonely, distraught or angry, you must create a calm and bright spiritual outlook. You must change your perceptions and take a step back from the emotions of the moment. You’ll need to take an honest, objective look at the causes of your distress and put your situation in its proper perspective. Then, you’ll be able to rise above your negative thoughts and return to a state of equilibrium.

Inq: So, controlling my moods will help to restore my equilibrium?

RW: Yes, AWE will teach you how to understand your moods and how to overcome them by producing new thoughts of a cheerful nature. This is how you build a healthy body.

Inq: What should I do when I’m stuck in a bad mood?

RW: AWE will teach you that bad moods can be builders of character. These episodes in your life will be a test of your mental strength and moral integrity. You can face these situations with courage and overcome them. You always have the power to change your thoughts and stop thinking, “the worst is yet to come”. By observing your thoughts, you’ll learn about yourself and how your mind works. You should continue to observe your thoughts consciously and deliberately. Soon you’ll begin to understand that you are the architect and engineer of your mind and body. Even medical science has admitted that a passionate spiritual life can be beneficial to healing and maintaining a healthy body. 

XIII

Inq: Why is it so important for everyone to understand the teachings of AWE?

RW: It’s vitally important to counteract the degenerative tendencies of humanity. As you participate in this effort to sustain timeless ethics and morals, you’ll be exerting a spiritualizing influence on all human life.

Inq: Can you give me an example of a degenerative tendency?

RW: The competitive academic and social pressure that parents impose on their children is one example. Some parents set up such a hectic schedule for their children that they’re rarely home after school or on weekends. Many parents encourage fierce competition and bitter rivalries among their children. If parents are not encouraging their children to follow their heart’s desire, they are displaying a downward tendency.

Inq: …and what would be considered an “upward” tendency?

RW: Here are just a few: spending time with friends and family, understanding and tolerating other’s viewpoints, cooperating in volunteer efforts, extending true friendliness, eliminating violent or abusive behavior and living in a natural state of unselfishness and kindness. Most importantly, in the words of Joseph Campbell, say to your children, “follow your bliss.”

Inq: Some would say that’s idealism not realism.

RW: Yes, these modes of human behavior are ideals for us to strive for and live up to. That’s how idealism becomes realism.

XIV

Inq: Is there something wrong with the collective values of society?

RW: There are many analysts, writers, commentators and speakers, who feel there’s something radically wrong with our collective consciousness. You’ll hear them speak about this subject for hours but relatively few can tell you what should be done about it.

Inq: What are some of the problems that are caused by a sinking collective consciousness?

RW: We can start with the exploitation and depletion of our natural resources with little regard for conservation. The consequences are erosion of soil, devastation of forests, pollution of the air and water, floods, droughts, and creation of poisonous wastelands. This is just one of a thousand examples I could give you. These artificial ways of our “civilized” lifestyle tend to isolate us from a true understanding and appreciation of nature.

Inq: So, how can society solve these problems?

RW: To counteract humanity’s disregard for the future of the planet, there must be ethical, cultural and organizational efforts to instill within the next generation, a sense of moral and social responsibility.

Inq: Why do most people ignore information about the condition of the earth?

RW: Information, while useful, is not AWE. True ideas are rooted in AWE. The mistake is made, quite often, that lack of information is synonymous with lack of AWE. Sometimes, we think that a well-informed person is wiser than an uninformed person. True AWE is based on the power to know. You must be able to see beyond appearances and recognize Truth. Those who have this sense of advanced intuition will automatically understand the deteriorating condition of the planet. These individuals are trying to warn us about the inevitable consequences coming in the future. 

Inq: Why can’t humanity tap into its collective Power of AWE and start to replenish the earth?

RW: Right now the world is in a state of discord. An inverted mode of thinking prevails that goes against the essence of AWE. Environmentalism and conservationism are unpopular. The prevailing collective consciousness is not concerned about fuel efficiency, developing alternate fuels, disposing of nuclear and biomedical waste, the destruction of the ozone layer, global warming, the declining quality of air and drinking water and the extinction of vital plant and animal species.

Inq: So, what can be done to lift the collective consciousness of humanity?

RW: We must try to cultivate our ability to appreciate the delicate balance of nature. We must honor and respect the importance of the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms. We must develop a sympathetic understanding of nature’s divine architecture and recognize it as a precious gift that should never be taken for granted. By using our intuitive knowledge of AWE we’ll be able to avoid future catastrophes. Each kingdom of nature must express itself as originally designed. When this type of collective consciousness becomes a reality throughout the globe, there will be a golden age of progress - beyond your imagination!