On my recent flight to London, I sat on a seat opposite from a very interesting gentlemen. Our casual conversation revealed to me once again the deep and abiding interest we have in understanding life in its complexity and beauty, and especially in understanding life from the non-material perspective. I learned from this casual conversation how each one of us, regardless of our religious affiliation, is intrinsically interested in matters of the non-material world.

I was on my way to present a seminar in Switzerland on the topic of Other Worlds, a subject that I felt was deeply esoteric and perhaps not a topic of interest to most people. During the dinner service, we chatted casually for a while, asking the customary questions of what we do and so on. I answered his questions gingerly and tried not to sound “weird”. I thought to myself, “Here is this grey-haired lady sitting in an airplane and she is talking about the Other Worlds to a complete stranger. How weird is that?”

He said he was a businessman and we spoke about the weather in Phoenix and so on. As we continued to chat, he asked me what exactly I did. I said, I was a publisher of spiritual books and I was a teacher of esoteric Teachings and I was on my way to visit a friend in London and then to Zurich to present a seminar. He seemed interested and kept asking more questions. He wanted to know what I was going to teach? So, I became more specific. I said the topic is Other Worlds. His eyes opened wider and he looked at me as if to say, “REALLY”? So, I thought I better explain quickly and clarify what this means! I said that there are various levels of existence other than the physical plane and that we are able to understand these levels of existence as we develop our higher bodies and the senses corresponding to these bodies. In other words, as we develop the instruments of observation, we will be able to observe and experience on increasingly multiple levels of existence. He indicated that this made complete sense.

He then explained that he often speaks to a lady who helps him know about his parents who had recently passed away. I was surprised to hear this, and wanted to know more. I asked about what she says and why he consults with her. He indicated that he is a very religious man, attending worship services almost daily and that he is also interested in life beyond the physical. I said that this is similar to what I will be speaking about, but that there are many levels of existence and that inhabitants of the other worlds exist on many levels. I continued that psychics can be very sensitive and able to connect to some of the levels, or they may be frauds. He said she was very helpful and that after his mother died, he was really grieving, having been very attached to her. The psychic helped him by letting him know that his mother was really OK. That was important to him. He also wanted to know if he could develop such abilities in himself. I responded that indeed we can if we take the time to engage in spiritual striving that is safe. The right kind of spiritual discipline would help us develop the ability to observe, think clearly and critically, and to be able to understand life from many perspectives: the micro and macro, the short term and long-term, the inner and outer and so on. This would help us rely on our own abilities and our own senses. I explained that proper study and meditation are some of the paths of achieving deeper observation skills.

In such a simple conversation, he confirmed to me that anyone who wonders about the meaning of life eventually wonders about life beyond the physical. What happens to us when we die? Where do we go? How are our loved ones doing? What is the purpose of our life? And so on. What we are really asking is to understand that life has much more meaning than simply physical living. We know that the intangibles in life, such as love, sacrifice, communication, depth of commitment and understanding of others cannot be explained in simple physical terms. These inner feelings are motivated by much more than our physical bodies. These inner searches are the very fundamental reasons why we engage in religious, spiritual, and wisdom teachings.

Those who approach life from the non-religious or non-spiritual perspectives are also interested in finding out about non material life. Rational and logical thinking does not negate spiritual depth and understanding of inner worlds. Life cannot be understood nor explained in our physical formulas alone. The inner world, or the world of the higher levels of existence can only be experienced, understood, and explained by our higher senses. These are the inner senses that reflect inner realities. If we want to have answers that the physical world does not give us, nor ordinary logic and reasoning reveal to us, then we need to develop the higher or subtle senses and find out about subtle realities by our own powers.

I went on to present a seminar in Switzerland, set in lovely snowy mountains, and spoke about life in its complexity and profound mystery. It was an experience that beautifully expanded the simple and meaningful conversation at 35, 000 feet above earth. Indeed, the flight was a fitting place to ponder on the deeper meanings of life and the role of the spiritual realities in our daily existence; it was a fitting place to begin the journey to the understanding of the higher worlds.