Death, the Final Frontier: Exploring the Mystery of What Lies Beyond

Death is a topic that is often shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, and understandably so. It is the one destination that every person's life journey must reach, and no matter how hard one tries to hold onto material possessions like cars, houses, money, or even our bodies, death eventually finds us. To some degree, it lurks in and haunts us, and because death is the ultimate mystery, people throughout the ages have always wondered what it really is, if there is some form of life even after death, and what lies beyond it.

There are many ways that people have tried to find answers to these questions, and while some methods are more conventional, such as religion, others are less so, such as séances and psychic sessions. One particular practice that is gaining popularity in modern times is psychomanteum, which is a form of mirrored gazing that some people use to unlock the mysteries of death.

Psychomanteum is not a new practice. Rather, it is a new name given to an older version of necromancy that was used in ancient Greece. Back then, people pondered the meaning of life and what lay beyond death. They went to Oracle's and temples that were called necro maintains where a series of rituals would take place to bridge the gap between life and death and speak to family members and others that had died.

The process of these rituals sometimes included animal sacrifice, but they also included long hallways that were polished to be as reflective as possible. In this hallway, the light would be dimmed with only the use of lamps and a slight flickering that hit off the water to create a reflective surface much like a mirror. It was on that reflective surface that many Greeks believed that they could see into the beyond and the spirits of those who were dead.

Mirror gazing has made a return to the mainstream and has found its place in modern-day. Unfortunately, it would not have been so without the famed philosopher and psychologist, Dr. Raymond Moody, who has devoted his life and work to studying near-death experiences (NDEs). Dr. Moody's method of mirror gazing, psychomanteum, is without the animal sacrifices of antiquity in ancient Greece. Instead, the use of the mirror in this modern-day practice is more as a medium or conduit for divination, and what is gained from these experiences is supposedly very personal and specific.

So how does this work? Much like the ritualistic procedures found in ancient Greece, there is pre-work and preparation to be done. Psychomanteum is not just about setting up some mirrors and angling them in a certain way to induce some awakening or calling out to the dead. Rather, there is much internal striving that must parallel the efforts of the mirror medium.

Dr. Moody has helped to develop specific techniques for creating an atmosphere almost anywhere to conduct your own mirror-gazing experience, your own personal psychomanteum. Firstly, food plays a significant role in who we are and who we affect, what we do, or how we do it. Dr. Moody suggests eliminating caffeine and dairy at least a day before and maintaining a non-meat diet with only fruits and vegetables.

Next, choosing a location that is relaxing and calming, a place quiet and disconnected from the world is important. This is so that when something comes to the mirror, nothing or no one can hear you scream. This also connects to the removal of things deemed material, like watches, jewelry, and even clothing sometimes.

Awareness, mood, posture, all of that also affects the experience. Being in a supportive chair or seat to ease any possible tension, reflecting on something soothing to stimulate awareness can also be