What happens immediately after death?

Spirit Samuel Bowles describes his entrance into Spirit life, immediately after death—

As my Spirit was withdrawn from the body, I could look down on the agonised face and see the last efforts of the life principle in leaving it. 

There was no feeling of fear—no pain. 

Death is not painful. 

I can recollect now and know there was not even surprise. 

It was like some half-forgotten lesson that had come back to me with force, but there was no feeling of awe, such as I had often thought must come to the person facing the mystery of death.

I looked for a river—I saw none. 

I looked for the boatman, but I beheld only multitudes of glad faces as far as I could see. 

I had long before given up the thought that there were golden streets and gates of pearl, for I felt if there was an afterlife, it must be in accordance with Nature. 

I tried to think—I tried to remember the many who were around me, yet they would say, Not yet—rest, Bother, rest.

 

Experiences of Samuel Bowles in Spirit Life (Or, Life As He Now Sees It from a Spiritual Standpoint)

Later Papers—Supplement to the Experiences of Samuel Bowles in Spirit Life