Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Where Are You Going?

  • Opening Scene

    • A voice with a strong Scotch accent interrupts the narrator's flight.

    • The narrator stops and looks around at the open country now devoid of unicorns.

    • The picturesque setting includes mountains, two or three pines on a knoll, large smooth rocks, and heather.

  • Encounter with George MacDonald

    • On one of the rocks sits a tall man, described as almost a giant with a flowing beard.

    • The narrator realizes that when he looks at him, he sees him with "double vision":

    • 1st Vision: An enthroned and shining god whose ageless spirit exerts a heavy influence.

    • 2nd Vision: An old weather-beaten man, reminiscent of a shepherd.

    • The man introduces himself as George MacDonald.

    • The narrator expresses his admiration for MacDonald’s writings, specifically how they impacted his life since he was 16.

  • Discussion of Love and Value

    • MacDonald acknowledges the narrator’s love and its invaluable nature but suggests moving on for efficiency's sake.

    • The narrator expresses curiosity about ghosts and their presence in this realm.

  • Concept of Refrigerium

    • The narrator inquires if ghosts can actually remain and if they have choices.

    • MacDonald mentions “refrigerium,” explaining it as a temporary reprieve for the damned, who can take excursions to this country.

    • Many prefer to return to Earth, resulting in haunting behaviors (playing tricks, spying on children).

  • Judgment and Purgatory

    • The narrator questions judgment and the possibility of leaving hell for heaven.

    • MacDonald explains that for those that leave behind the large town, it is purgatory, not hell, and they may refer to this country as the valley of the shadow of life, while the town becomes the valley of the shadow of death.

    • Clarification of Eternal Perspectives:

    • Good and evil become retrospective.

    • For saved individuals, their past appears as heaven, and for the damned, it appears hellish.

    • Heaven will retrospectively make even profound suffering gloriful, whereas sinful pleasures will retrospectively seem to bring damnation.

    • “Both processes begin even before death.”

    • The past transforms based on a person’s ultimate fate; the saved will see their lives lit too by heaven, while the lost will see only dreariness.

  • Implications of State of Mind vs. Reality

    • Heaven vs. Hell:

    • Hell can be a state of mind, but it is not simply a mental state; every soul locks itself in its own mental dungeon.

    • Heaven is described as the true reality.

    • MacDonald advises against focusing on the nature of choice—what matters is witnessing the choices made by souls.

  • Choice of Souls

    • Souls returning to Earth are driven by a preference to reign in hell rather than serve in heaven, emphasizing a rejection of joy for misery.

    • Examples of Choices:

    • Some make choices based on pride, and others out of vanity or revenge.

    • The sensualist wants to maintain lust even as it becomes less fulfilling.

  • Case Study: Sir Archibald

    • A ghost named Sir Archibald prioritizes survival in life, eventually becoming obsessed with proving the existence of life after death.

    • After death, he is presented with the opportunity to continue his journey in the afterlife, but refuses joy due to his fixation on proof, ultimately opting to return to Earth.

  • Philosophical Clarifications

    • The nature of hell is explored as a lack of self-awareness.

    • Souls can lose the ability to critic their own mood when it becomes their only identity.

  • The Journey of Souls

    • Further discussions on souls arriving and their behavior, including the desire to extend hell into heaven and producing discord among the saved.

    • Many ghosts want to recount stories of hell, while others wish to convert the blessed.

  • Wandering Ghosts

    • Various ghost types are described, including those who rely on memories of misery for a sense of superiority.

    • The solid beings express concern for the ghosts, having made great journeys to assist them in their transformations from ghosts to beings of light.

  • Encounters and Witnessing

    • Ghosts become frustrated when their tales go unheard, and many return to the bus representing a failure to engage with reality.

    • A notable female ghost is desperate to attract the attention of solid beings, highlighting her inability to move beyond her own grievances.

  • Interaction Between Ghosts and Solid Beings

    • The solid people might try to help ghosts break through their self-centeredness.

    • Conversations reveal much about identity, perception, and the process of learning from past experiences.

  • Art and Creation in Heaven

    • A ghost artist expresses a desire to paint in the afterlife but is confronted with its value in a new context.

    • The solid being explains that art was rooted in glimpses of heaven during earth life, now that real beauty is approachable, traditional art holds less merit.

    • The necessity of genuine interest in the experience itself over external validation or reputation is emphasized.

  • Concluding Thoughts

    • Artistic creation in heaven may eventually lead to a deeper understanding of reality and beauty, requiring a pure acknowledgment of the light itself rather than fame or personal achievement.

    • MacDonald warns that focusing on one’s reputation can lead to a detachment from genuine interest in art or the divine—a common trap for creators.

    • The very notion of fame is shifted, revealing that everyone possesses equal importance in divine perception, challenging the human impulse for hierarchical recognition.