Prologue

The sudden explosion of pain wrenched him back into reality. He doubled up and fell, lying crumpled on the floor. Death was taking him and he had no desire to fight it. In that final moment he saw a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds and thought that it was finally ending. Although Peter Uriel lay dying, it was only truly beginning.

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Though he was dead, Peter was completely aware of his surroundings in the room. Time ceased to exist as he entered a new plane of existence. He knew the essence of life was leaving his body. The union between his true Self and his vehicle, his body, was being dissolved. He sensed that a thin stream of energy was exiting his body through his head. The stream was moving outward at a forty-five degree angle, creating a line of energy to some fixed point in the new plane of existence. While the experience was uncomfortable, it was not painful. The stream steadily continued to flow outward until it paused momentarily. Then there was a slight tug and the stream gently detached itself from what had been the most recent physical incarnation of Peter Uriel.

Peter's true Self, his energy, now existed on a more evolved plane. While still aware of the physical plane, his consciousness expanded to include this higher plane as well. His inner vision came into focus, physical senses replaced by metaphysical ones. His Soul performed an audit, contemplating the experiences of this past incarnation and selecting the three themes which he would use to lay the foundation for his next incarnation. In order to progress to his next level, he would have to overcome solitude and fear while mastering the aspects of his lower nature. He then removed the last bond to his past incarnation, his emotions. Peter Uriel experienced timelessness until he was prepared to begin his next incarnation.

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