As a Buddhist I have a hard time imagining heaven. When friends and family members speak of it they present many of the same aspects. Heaven to them is a place of no illness, no want, no need and no hate. To them heaven is unbelievably beautiful, filled with mansions and palaces and all the worldly things that are denied here. In heaven they will be surrounded by all their loved ones friends and relatives who have died. When I have been asked, I tell them that I have a hard time understanding the concept because I am pretty darned impressed with right here. Sunsets in the desert, sun rises over the Caribbean, and the redwood forests and birth are all pretty hard to beat.
Illness makes life interesting and challenging and teaches us humility, compassion, and makes me appreciate every moment. When my mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor –wow life and mom suddenly got much more valuable.
Desire? We all enjoy our desires, but it can be overcome –just ask a monk, nun, priest or better yet ask yourself what you have that you don’t need to live out the week. I would venture to say that these things that come to mind are yours because of want, not need. . But the other side of desire drives technology, psychology, ecology, and all the studies of something to make life better for the next generation. Desire drives us to be better and do better. Don’t get rid of all desire only the aspects that don’t benefit our fellow man.

And need? All those things we need make life so much more incredible, why would anyone ever want to be without them. Air, water, sun, plants, animals, and other people –I need these things and what they can provide.
No hate. The lack of hate is an interesting part of heaven to me, mainly because so many people seem quite attached to it. Why would you want to be somewhere for an eternity where you weren’t yourself?

Do you hate something?

Maybe someone, a food maybe, or perhaps you hate a thing like cancer or death. Have you ever thought of letting that hate go –just try? Give it up like a bad habit. I bet you have a hard time letting go.
I tell my friends that I do believe in an afterlife. I just don’t see it the way they do. To them Heaven is somewhere you go. To me heaven is somewhere you live.

Gate Gate Paragate