If you\u2019ve ever pondered what to pack for a long trip \u2014 and who hasn\u2019t? \u2014 you may be wondering how to prepare for your longest and biggest adventure, the transition from this world to the afterlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My grandfather used to say, \u201cYou\u2019ll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We all know we can\u2019t bring anything physical along on that ultimate journey \u2014 but we do know, without a doubt, that we\u2019ll eventually go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
RELATED: What Will We Carry Into the Afterlife?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of all the trips we could potentially take, this one is inevitable. We don\u2019t know when, but we definitely know it will happen and that we won\u2019t be checking or carrying on any baggage. After all, we enter this world without any possessions and leave it the same way \u2014 which means we each need to be prepared with all the non-physical character attributes we can muster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, our consciousness \u2014 the one thing we do get to take away from this material world \u2014 needs to be packed. With good traits, habits, and virtues. In advance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But how? We don\u2019t know what awaits us when we die \u2014 so how do we get ready? What do we pack? What inner qualities will we need in the next world?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the afterlife remains an eternal mystery, we only have one way of accessing the information we need to answer those questions: the spiritual messengers<\/a> and prophets who have brought us the Creator\u2019s teachings over time. Christ, Buddha, Krishna, Moses, Muhammad, the numerous Indigenous teachers, and most recently Baha\u2019u\u2019llah<\/a>, the prophet and founder of the Baha\u2019i Faith<\/a> \u2014 they all gave us sage advice about what we\u2019ll need in the next world. You can find that advice in just about every set of scriptures and holy books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Helpfully, the Baha\u2019i teachings offer an extensive explanation of what\u2019s necessary for the next life. Multiple passages in the Baha\u2019i writings from the Bab, Baha\u2019u\u2019llah, and Abdu\u2019l-Baha contain recommendations for the necessities of the next world, including this detailed one from a speech<\/a> Abdu\u2019l-Baha<\/a> gave in New York City in 1912:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, in this world he [man] must prepare himself for the life beyond. That which he needs in the world of the Kingdom must be obtained here. Just as he prepared himself in the world of the matrix by acquiring forces necessary in this sphere of existence, so, likewise, the indispensable forces of the divine existence must be potentially attained in this world.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is he in need of in the Kingdom which transcends the life and limitation of this mortal sphere? That world beyond is a world of sanctity and radiance; therefore, it is necessary that in this world he should acquire these divine attributes. In that world there is need of spirituality, faith, assurance, the knowledge and love of God. These he must attain in this world so that after his ascension from the earthly to the heavenly Kingdom he shall find all that is needful in that eternal life ready for him.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n That divine world is manifestly a world of lights; therefore, man has need of illumination here. That is a world of love; the love of God is essential. It is a world of perfections; virtues, or perfections, must be acquired. That world is vivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit; in this world we must seek them. That is the Kingdom of everlasting life; it must be attained during this vanishing existence.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Makes sense, right? In the womb we began to develop all of the physical attributes we would ultimately need for our emergence into this sphere of existence \u2014 our arms and legs, our eyes and ears, our heart and lungs. In the womb of this material reality, then, we\u2019re each tasked with the development of our spiritual attributes \u2014 love, compassion, altruism, intelligence, justice, selflessness, and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Developing those inner characteristics, and the permanent evolution of our consciousness they bring, is our job in this world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RELATED: How Can Our Identity Survive Into the Afterlife?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n