Where the subjects of life after death and suicide are concerned, I can only offer my own conclusions, based on my interpretation of that which I have seen and experienced. What follows derives from my personal beliefs, but you must decide for yourself what sounds and feels right to you.

No Judgement

I believe that there is absolutely no outside judgement and there is no punishment for any soul who commits suicide. Different reasons lead people to end their own lives, and there are different states of mind upon death. One person may feel severely depressed, joyless, and hopeless; another may be rage-filled and motivated by destruction and revenge. Some of us will want to believe that the latter will face instant and eternal punishment, and I can understand why – but I don’t believe that that is how it occurs.

It appears to me that we are our own judge and jury, and it is our mindset – and the nature of our spirit – at the moment of death, that dictates how we process the experience, and how we evolve beyond that point. What we gravitate toward is not something we have control over, because we can’t pretend to be who we are not. We can’t pull the wool over any eyes, and we can’t hide our true nature at the time of our death. What we experience is a direct result of who we have become, and who we are, at the moment of our passing.

The soul who is worn down, struggling and defeated, and whose intention is just to end the suffering, is as vulnerable and as weak as a soul can be. This soul is troubled and bruised and life on Earth has proved too difficult for it to be able to stay the distance. And, usually, by the time a person has plunged to such a mental and emotional depth, they are unable to rationalise things in the way that those who are less overwhelmed might do. There is nothing about this that requires punishment, and no force (call it God, the Universe, or any other term you prefer) that would respond with anger and a desire for retribution. That’s a religious superstition (lie, even), not a spiritual truth.

Self-reflection and healing

Upon physical death, the vibrational field of a soul may need to heal, especially if it has been ill for some time, or subjected to strong trauma; however, this is a soothing, releasing process, taking the ‘weight’ away, and there is no pressure. A passing by suicide will find peace, space, and time (although not in the ‘human’ sense!) to reflect upon and understand its incarnational experiences and how it processed them, as well as upon the nature of its death.

Helping hands

I remember, many years ago, ‘seeing’ a young man who had taken his own life; he showed himself seated upon what appeared to be a hard-backed chair, elbow on his knee, chin in his hand, looking gloomy. However, all around him were what I can only describe as outstretched arms (which I could only see from the elbows down), in shining, fluorescent white… and I knew for sure that the second he decided to reach out and take one of those hands, he would be welcomed and uplifted… and there would be no time limit. 

I have communicated with some souls who passed as a result of suicide, who expressed no regret about the nature of their death; they just couldn’t stay, no matter how hard they tried. They were always humble, sorry for having hurt the loved ones left behind, but also hugely relieved to be released from the painful prison of their own mind and emotions. Sometimes they’d even use humour, in a self-deprecating way, as an attempt to reassure their grieving loved ones that they are genuinely okay.

So, a kind of healing takes place; however, the soul will still have to reflect upon all aspects of its existence, in a purely non-judgemental way, if it wishes to continue to evolve. In my experience, it is a blessed relief that most would not resist.  

Resistance

And, I say most, because there are souls who do resist. However, they are usually amongst those who have operated from an incredibly dark and destructive mindset, whilst physically alive, carrying it with them into death. These could include those who violently take the lives of others, before killing themselves to escape capture and punishment. It is the darkest statement that can ever be made, and the most insidious way of having the last word. These souls may not necessarily be willing to reflect, bitterly hanging onto their old beliefs, waiting for the kind of afterlife they had been programmed to expect.

However, we cannot choose to be a dark, oppressive, controlling energy-form, motivated by hatred, and still heal and evolve through the light. The two are just not compatible. No outside source dictates that this is so: It is absolutely an inside job. But, at any point at which the soul decides to open up and face itself (which will take courage), it can begin a new journey. Until that happens, it is only possible for it to experience a grey, joyless sense of being – a kind of self-imposed version of ‘hell’.

(But, if you think about it, couldn’t the same also be said for those of us still living our lives on Earth? Isn’t it our perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes that dictate how we experience life, more than circumstance itself? We can create our own heaven or hell right here and now, dependent upon our habitual mindset and approach to life).

Other souls are fully aware that they haven’t lived life in the best way that they could, and they resist the reflective process through fear. I remember being told, by a trusted friend, of a young man whose father had been a cruel bully to him for years, leaving him with deep-seated emotional issues.

Following the old man’s death, the son became convinced that his father was haunting him, as his presence was as strong as when he’d been alive in the flesh. I was sympathetic but sceptical, believing that the young man was struggling with understandable psychological issues that would require professional attention. However, my friend, who was experienced in such matters, ‘tuned in’ and became convinced that he wasn’t just imagining things – his mean-spirited father was hanging on to him from beyond the grave. She and her group organised a sitting, and it was established that the old man recognised how badly he had treated his boy… and he was afraid to move on, as he believed he was going to be punished. My friend assured me that they eventually persuaded him to find the courage to face his actions, allowing both himself and his son to find peace and freedom. This man didn’t pass as a result of suicide, but the story is an example of a soul who initially resisted… and could have chosen to continue resisting, keeping itself ‘stuck’.

I am happy to say that this kind of situation is not common, so please don’t go believing that if you have lost a loved one who made mistakes and handled life badly, they are automatically destined to suffer. Most souls are intrinsically decent, and welcome the chance to review and understand their incarnation, and heal and evolve.   

Love and acceptance

As I said earlier, these are my beliefs – the stuff that makes sense to me, based on experiential evidence. And my answer to the question: “What happens to a soul who commits suicide?’” is healing, through self-reflection and an endless flow of love and acceptance… with ongoing opportunity for growth and evolution. We get to choose, at our own pace, and in our own way.