Adelheid: God bless you. Dear brothers and sisters, my name is Adelheid, and I was a nurse by profession. I left my parents’ home at a young age because there had been no peace there. I placed myself in service to others; I cared for the sick. I was rewarded for this when I crossed over into the spiritual world. I knew that my father had been to blame for the disharmony in the family. I was very devout.

When I opened my spiritual eyes in this new world, I was surprised and delighted by all the glory and beauty that I could see. My siblings and my mother, who had gone on before me into the spiritual world, were there to greet me. I could also see acquaintances and people whom I had nursed. But my father was missing, so I asked where he was.

I had a companion who constantly provided me with information. He told me that my father had not been permitted to greet me. I wanted to know more: why was my father not allowed to come, while my siblings and my mother had been present at my homecoming? I looked into the eyes of this angel who accompanied me. They were so full of goodness and love, and he had such a friendly face. I trusted him. For in the beginning, I felt very much like a stranger in this new world. Although I had many pleasant encounters, I still needed to familiarize myself with this world.

For the time being, however, I had only one desire: to look for my father. After all, I knew about his burdened earthly life and suspected that he would not be faring well in the new world. So I asked my companion to take me to my father. But he said, “Dear sister, I cannot fulfill your wish right now.” So I begged him to at least let me know where my father was living and what he was doing. And my companion replied, “With human beings on earth it is like so: whoever does not obey the laws will be found guilty and imprisoned. Similarly, we also have prisons in our world. Of course, they cannot be compared with those on earth. Our prisons mean separation, isolation, banishment.” And he told me, “Your father is in such a spiritual prison.”

I was not surprised by his reply, but I felt sorry for my father and begged this angel to do everything in his power to free him from this hardship. But he told me that he was not authorized to liberate my father from his punishment, since he still had to live in this distress for quite some time. He would, however, do me the favor of visiting him and telling him that I was now here, that I was sending my greetings and praying for him. He promised to do this for me.

This kind angel then explained to me, “Look, your father now lives in great distress. He burdened himself to such an extent in his last life that we had to take him to this prison, and there he remains bound. Your father is a spirit who has ascended from the very depths. But he brought with him great merits from the life that preceded his most recent one. In that life, he had been a loving and helpful human being, and he attained a certain spiritual height as a result; he was thus allowed to enter a higher level.”

The angel further explained that my father had had especially kind and loving parents in that former life. They had taken great care in his upbringing and raised him with love, and he had benefitted from this love. “He did not grow old in that life – he was recalled at the age of thirty-five. But he had lived a life of helpfulness and goodness. It had been possible for him to continue living in the same manner and in the same atmosphere in which his parents had raised him. As he stepped out into life and started his own family, he took with him the good example of the parental home. But the fact that he had acquired these merits was thanks to his parents, because he trusted them fully. But his willingness to help, his goodness and love were only superficial; he had inherited these qualities from his parents, but they did not penetrate the depths of his soul. They did, however, prevent the lower impulses from breaking through, and consequently he was also unable to burden himself with them.

“He had, therefore, not been purified in the depths of his soul, and he owed his ascent to the caring upbringing provided by his parents. He had then been led into his previous life, into this momentous life. This time, he no longer had the good fortune of having such kind parents. He was born into a family where he had many brothers and sisters. Very often there was trouble and problems in this family, and there was no longer any sign of this former helpfulness and goodness. His true self could now come to expression, because he was not given the good example of helpfulness and kindness from these parents. So, he burdened himself. He succumbed to alcoholism, he became irascible and was never willing to do anyone a good turn. As a result, he burdened himself.”

It was explained to me that he now had to atone for his burden in the world beyond; the depths of his soul now had to be cleansed. And this could only be achieved by treating him with great severity in the spiritual world, by giving him plenty of opportunity to reflect, so that he could purify himself. My kind companion added, “The plane in which your father lives looks quite good on the whole.” I learned that the sphere in which my father lived had various locations, some more pleasant, some less. There were areas of great beauty and areas that were not so beautiful. And those who had something to atone for were bound to the places that lacked color and diversity. Here, there were large fenced-off buildings, such that these beings could not leave them.

So, I was instructed on this by my companion, and he promised to give my greetings to my father. He told me that on his next visit he would accompany my father around the garden of this prison, and there he would talk about me with him. I wanted to know more details, and he said to me, “There is a large garden surrounding this prison, but it is rather desolate – only a few isolated flowers and bushes or trees can be seen. And the area is sectioned off. Angels stand guard there, ensuring that none of the beings cross the boundaries.”

In passing, my spiritual companion explained to me, “See, it was like this before: when Adam and Eve failed to fulfill their tasks and had to be expelled from their paradise, angels of heaven were also stationed to prevent them from crossing into another sphere. They, too, were confined to their area, and they were not allowed to cross the boundaries. The holy ones of heaven stood there and kept watch; for those spheres first had to be transformed for the further ascent and then continually reshaped.”

This is also how it was to be in my father’s surroundings. He lived in a town where happy brothers and sisters were allowed to live; but he was in a place of confinement and had to live with others in a condition of hardship. They were given the opportunity to spend periods of time in the garden. But they were not to escape, and there was no escape. This is what I was taught.

I now wanted to know, “But what can I do for my father?” And the angel said to me, “You acquired many merits in life. You often prayed for your father. Your prayers were not able to benefit him at that time, because he was a very obstinate human being, and he did not deserve to receive mercy through your prayers. He was meant to assert himself; his true self was meant to come to expression.” But my prayers, so I was told, were not in vain, and now that I was in the spiritual world, they would have their effect – they would now benefit this father soul.

I begged my companion to do everything possible to bring my father relief. He promised me, “Your works and your prayer shall bring him a little relief in that he will now be allowed to perform an activity.” For until then, he had been condemned to idleness, and that, so I was told, is the hardest thing in a world where there is no time, where there is no sense of today or tomorrow, where one cannot look to the future, where hope is so far away. He promised to take care of it, and later on he brought me the news that he had passed on my greetings and was seeing to it that my father would be able to carry out an activity in the room that was available to him in this large building. I really wanted to know what kind of occupation it would be; for my father had been a casual laborer in life, and I could not imagine that he would be able to do any work conscientiously. I was told, “He will have to work with tiny spools of thread. They will be brought to him all jumbled up, and he will have to arrange them neatly according to the color scale. He will find some joy in this activity.” He had also been told that it was my intercession that had made this possible. My companion then brought me greetings from my father and the message that he desired to see me as soon as possible. But I was not to see him just yet.

What I had been able to achieve for him was that he could work, and he was very grateful for this. No longer did he feel so lonely in his cell, and no longer did he have to wait and wait in a state of idleness – instead, he was now able to perform a task. I was told that he was trying especially hard and working conscientiously, for he really did want to leave this imprisonment. He had long since realized what mistakes he had made in life, but he knew that it was now too late and that he would have to work it all off. I was glad that my father was at least allowed to be helped in this way. My other relatives could not do anything for him. They were not allowed to visit him, nor could they convey any messages to him.

I, too, now had to take on tasks in the new world, and as I had particularly loved old people and children, I would again work with children in my new world and – I repeat – with old people. I would like to explain what is meant by “old people”.

I was led into another sphere; I would be allowed to enter my current sphere, which was to be my new home, at any time. I lived in a beautiful house together with other spiritual brothers and sisters. We had a truly happy life; we could sing and make music, and we were glad. But we were expected to participate in furthering God’s plan of salvation and make the path leading to the heights less arduous for ascending brothers and sisters. We therefore had to leave our beautiful, happy home and place ourselves in service to others. I was told that special care is taken to ensure that certain abilities brought into the new world from earthly life continue to be utilized, so that they benefit the plan of salvation.

So, I was led into a village. I had the impression that it was very lively there, and I did not have the feeling that the inhabitants were unhappy. I saw various houses, large and small, and the flowers were magnificently colorful. The buildings were also colorful, so I did not have the impression that this was an unhappy sphere. I was then told, “You will fulfill your tasks for your brothers and sisters on an elevated plane. But those who have entered this village or this plane are, in spite of their spiritual development, still bound to their earthly lives, and they must now shed this attachment to earth.” I was to help them with this.

The brothers and sisters I encountered there were all newcomers. They had only recently returned, and they all looked very much as they had done in the final days of their lives. Most of them had left the earthly world well advanced in years and still bore the signs of age on their spiritual body. They still had wrinkles and their faces seemed to be withered – indeed, just like an elderly human being. This is how I got to know these brothers and sisters. And they, too, first had to get used to their new world.

There was often a great commotion and much talk: some were astonished by what they could now experience, others were so surprised by this new life, which they had never expected. But all those who lived there had essentially been good human beings. They were all equals in terms of their development and their goodness, and they had been led into the same sphere. To be sure, they still had various human weaknesses, which would also have to be discarded in time.

Now, what was the matter with these brothers and sisters? Most of them still had the feeling that they had some kind of ailment. Only a few were completely at ease. Most experienced aches and pains in their spiritual body – the same as they had had in their earthly body. They had pains, because their old, sick body had caused them discomfort. Their thoughts were still so bound to it that they believed they still had the same pains. Some of them had difficulties in walking. So they had to be told, “Here in the new world, you no longer have any afflictions, your spiritual body does not trouble you with pains; you left those behind in the earthly world. You have merely brought the memory of your suffering with you, but there are no longer actual pains.”

Before taking up this assignment, I had been instructed on how to interact with these brothers and sisters. I was told to carefully observe how they would become younger. On account of their age, the faces of these homecomers were full of wrinkles and had features that were not particularly harmonious, and I was to observe how they would slowly become more refined. I was told that they would become young again: the quicker they familiarized themselves with the new order, the quicker they would regain their former youth.

For many, adapting to this new world requires a readjustment. These beings have good intentions, they want to adapt, but they are still attached to the past by many thoughts and memories; and as a result of this attachment, their rejuvenation is delayed. So, again and again, they have to be taught, “Separate yourselves now from everything earthly that still binds you, so that you may step into spiritual youth. You will then become young again, and no longer will anyone be able to judge you according to your age as is usual among human beings, where everyone openly carries their age around with them and where this age can be estimated. Those who integrate into the order in the spiritual world attain a youthful, glorious appearance, and this youth will remain.”

This is how I was instructed, and this is how I was to instruct my brothers and sisters, “You shall acquire a progressively better appearance. Things here are different than in the earthly realm. On earth, the age of a human being shows itself, because they become tired and their powers diminish. But in the spiritual world, a certain freshness comes to expression with time, youthfulness returns. This can all be observed in a being who is working toward this youthfulness, that is, if they are willing; one must, therefore, do one’s part to win back this youth.”

I did not have to give these instructions on my own, but it was my task to work with these brothers and sisters. And it gave me joy to watch those who had returned home feeling so tired, looking old and no longer able to walk properly, walk away now with such freshness, having become so young. They themselves were delighted by the fact that they could now keep this youthfulness and would always look like this if they adapted to these new laws and this order.

Such was my task with these brothers and sisters. They all had to fulfill a task as well, each according to their ability. So, some would be led here, others there, and they had to practice neighborly love. For in living or working together, an individual’s character could also come to expression, and it would therefore be necessary to admonish one or the other if they did not behave properly. But they were all eager to get back their youth as quickly as possible. So this was something pleasant for me, a joyful task. Youthfulness was regained here; it is a wonderful thing to be able to witness this, to be able to assist in winning back this beauty.

But my tasks were not only with these brothers and sisters – I was also to work with children. So, I was allowed to alternate my activities here and there.

In the case of children who enter the world of God, it is the opposite of how it is with old people: the children are to grow, and it is just as beautiful to watch them grow up. One also has to engage with these spirit children. They are grouped according to their age, and they are cared for and educated accordingly, and already at this stage they are also given little tasks. There is a great deal of play among these children, especially among the little ones; but the older ones may also play such games. Once they have reached a certain stage in their development – one that is determined by the spirit world – they must also attend spiritual schools; they are educated and have to learn. But alongside this, they also have many opportunities to work. They can go along with the angels of God and fulfill a task with them. These are the angels of God who take over the responsibility of parenting these children who have returned home. These angels are their foster parents, that is, they are not their spiritual parents – something about which you have already been taught.

Such a foster mother has a certain number of children for whom she cares, and she is concerned with every aspect of their welfare. She goes out with the children into the local environment, which is demarcated for this purpose, and shows them something of the divine world, such as she is permitted. Indeed, all this is restricted for these children as well, because – as was explained to me – they will not all enter the same sphere. The children who return home also have varying degrees of spiritual development, and they are accordingly led into their respective level, where they are brought up and nurtured.

The place in which I had my task with the children was an elevated level – similar to the one inhabited by those elderly brothers and sisters who were regaining their youth. It was the same sphere, but this sphere has its various levels, its various towns and villages.

So, I was also delighted to work with these children, and for the most part they were very grateful. There were also some who were difficult to raise; but through great devotion and sacrifice, one would be able to give these spirit brothers and sisters such an upbringing that one could rejoice over them.

There were spirit children from every age group of human life – according to your way of measuring time, this ranged from babies up to children in their fourteenth year of life. From that point on, they were handed over to particular spirit beings who took them into their care and led them to their schools. So I was able to work among these children; I could play with them, sing and make music, and I was also permitted to be present when the spiritual teachers came, those who had to educate these children.

In these spheres, one speaks the language that the children learned in their parental home on earth. They are also placed into groups where one and the same language is spoken. So, also in a children’s paradise, the various languages of these children are spoken. But, as I explained to you, those who speak the same language are brought together and are able to play with each other. And it goes without saying that the angels who teach them speak the children’s language and educate them in it.

But when they all come together, there is a colorful assortment of conversation. Because until their fourteenth year of life – to express it in your terms – the children are primarily taught in one language, but beyond this age these spirit children will have to learn other languages. And those children who have a gift for languages soon begin to distinguish themselves. This can be explained by the fact that such an ability was present in earlier lives and because these children are raised in spirit and only grow up among these holy ones of heaven. These children are therefore enveloped by a certain – I would like to say – purified power, which enables them to more quickly relearn or recollect a language that they spoke in previous lives. But these are exceptions. As a rule, they must first learn to correctly speak the language that their parents spoke.

This is how one experiences a children’s paradise. There are, of course, many delights, many celebrations. The children are nurtured with special care, and they are given a great deal of attention, for the angelic world is very close to them, and they are visited by those exalted beings from the highest levels of heaven. The spirit children are made ready for such visits. They adorn themselves and then present the visitors with special flowers or small gifts that they themselves have made. So it is always a great celebration, because, after all, the kingdom of heaven belongs to these spirit children.

I was thus allowed to fulfill my task here and there. And yet I never forgot my father. I wanted to devote myself fully to helping him out of his hardship. I did not only want to fulfill the task I had been assigned, I also wanted to free my father from his distress. So, time and again, I inquired after him. And when the appropriate moment had arrived, I was told that I could now go and visit him. That was a very special delight for me, something unforgettable.

So, I now stood facing my father. In life, he had never been well-disposed toward me. Now in the spiritual world, he begged me to support him, and he begged me to forgive him. I was disappointed by his appearance. I had the impression that everything about him was covered in dirt. Through my tasks, I had become used to seeing growth – on the one hand, I was able to witness the regaining of youth, and on the other, I could watch spiritual growth. And now I saw my father like this. I was saddened, but I had been prepared for this. I could now tell him that, if I were permitted, I would support him. He then admitted to me that he had been very surprised when he awoke in this world. He had never believed in life after death. Now he had to say to himself that it had been so foolish of him not to have come to the idea that life really does go on. If he had just thought a little more about Christ, he would surely have come to this insight. But this would not now change his condition; he would, however, be very obedient in order to get out of this plight.

I was allowed to accompany my father into this garden that looked so forlorn. We came close to a divine guard, who stood there and would not allow us to go any further. We could go no further; we could only look a little into the distance, that is, my father could see that a more beautiful world existed beyond this prison. He confessed to me that this was the first time he had been allowed to look into the distance; until then, he had actually only seen the narrow confines of his prison – but he felt that this was surely what he deserved. When we parted, he begged me to do everything I could to get him out of this prison as quickly as possible.

What could I do? Time and again, I had spoken about my father with my companions, with the exalted spiritual beings. I wanted to offer them something, saying, “You can give me more tasks; I want to fulfill them, because I would like to liberate my father from his distress.” But they said to me, “You cannot take on any additional tasks, because what you do is enough. But, since you intercede for your father in such a way, we would like to give you permission to take him out of prison. We will show you where you must take him.”

This was both a surprise and a delight for me. I got myself ready. I put on the most beautiful clothes I had and, accompanied by a loving being, went to my father and told him the happy news that he was allowed to leave prison. So we collected him, and he was overjoyed, yes, he wept for joy. We were allowed to leave this prison, and the angel, who usually stood there keeping such a strict watch, smiled and let us pass. We could go – my father was free.

I had been told where to take him and to whom I had to report. It was the same village, but the surroundings were much nicer. My father felt free, and he was happy. He could now enter a house once more; but this was not a prison, and there were no guards outside the house. As I entered this communal house with my father, the occupants just happened to be playing together happily. They greeted us with joy, gave us a warm welcome, and offered us a place to sit. And the wonderful thing I noticed was that none of them recognized my father as someone with severe debts; none of the other brothers and sisters saw that he had come from prison – he had made amends, he had repaid his debt, he had been forgiven, he was free. He was received with joy, and no one knew where he had just come from. This especially pleased my father, because on the way he had said to me, “I will be ashamed when the others see all the evil I did in life and that I have come from prison.” But I said to him, “You do not need to be ashamed of yourself, because in this world one shows others great understanding and love.” I also had no idea that the others would not know who he was. So they celebrated our arrival. A spirit brother then came and welcomed my father, assigned him a room in the house, and told him what he was to do in future. And no one acted as if they knew anything about the fact that he had entered the world beyond with heavy burdens. No, he had atoned, and he was accepted into the large community as a peaceful and good-natured being. In this new community, he now had to prove himself worthy of sharing his life with these brothers and sisters.

My father managed to do so. I visited him regularly and never once had to admonish him; for he was so happy about his newly regained freedom. In time, he made friends, and he revealed to them that he had a hard road behind him and that he owed a lot to his daughter. But none of those whom he told held this against him. They were delighted that he was now back on the path of ascent and willing to integrate.

I get to visit my father regularly. He is happy and fulfills his tasks in his new environment with his brothers and sisters, with whom he has to live. He is glad and happy to have left the heaviness behind, and he also has his new tasks to fulfill. He is still being educated about the plan of creation, about the plan of salvation, which is a necessity for every being. For when one has been instructed on this, one grasps the meaning and purpose of earthly life, and one accordingly endeavors to accelerate one’s ascent; one also knows how much still has to be done before one can reach even a moderate spiritual height.

So, I fulfill my task in these two spheres. With the children, I delight in their growth, and in that other plane, I delight when someone returns from earth – tired, with a labored gait and an old face – and I can watch how they become young again and how they, after a certain time, are allowed to leave this plane and ascend a level higher. It is a lovely activity, and it is a beautiful thing to watch someone becoming young – young through justice, through love, through faithfulness, through insight, through peace. The greater the level of insight, the quicker spiritual youth is regained; the sooner one detaches oneself from everything earthly, the sooner one wins back youth.

So, dear brothers and sisters, I will take my leave of you. I told you something about a world that is still foreign to you, but with which you should familiarize yourselves. May God give you the strength to come ever closer to this spiritual world, so that the bonds between you human beings and us become ever stronger. May God grant it. God bless you.

Personal account given by ascending spirit Adelheid, received in German through the medium Beatrice Brunner in the hall on Münchhaldenstrasse in Zurich, 2 March 1966