Planet Earth: The third planet from the Sun and the only one known in the Universe to conveniently support life- Our home planet.

Beliefs

According to Christianity and most of all the other religions; life doesn’t end with death. With Christianity, people go to heaven if they are good and hell if they are bad, Hinduism and Buddhism believes in reincarnation (the cycle of death and rebirth), Judaism beliefs focuses more on life on earth,Muslims believe that death is the end of the physical life on earth but the soul lives on, spiritualists believe in the spirit realm, atheists however do not believe in any sort of life after death. Most of these belief systems aim at a life after death or some sort of life; but what if there is a world other than ours?

Culture

As a Christian, my religious belief would disagree with the concept of the Yoruba belief of Akudaaya (wraith). As a Christian of Yoruba pedigree, upholding and promoting some cultural beliefs would then become a challenge as it is a conflicting issue. There are a lot of things the bible doesn’t account for which happens anyways, and I have to wonder at times what was left out of the great book of ancient history.

There has been and still are lots and lots of experiences with wraiths, and people are confused about the existence of such: people living with them, marrying them and being parented by them. It is said that these wraiths only tend to reveal themselves after they have revenged their deaths or lived the life they so desired for themselves before their deaths to satisfaction.

Read Also: Culture and Premonition: The Lucky ones

The gift

Growing up in a Yoruba community, hearing of ‘strange’ beings wasn’t unheard of. The fear of witches and wizards alike was sort of instilled. They were however the only ones I heard could ‘see’ and ‘alter’ the future.

Growing older, I became familiar with tarot readers, palm readers, psychics, astral projectors, ghost whispers, mediums, aura seers, telepathy, and telekinesis etc. Knowledge they say comes at a price. The knowledge and study of the metaphysical was as intriguing as it was forbidden. I wanted to know without exposing myself to it; wanted to learn without being a student. I came to understand nothing, but I discovered that while it is learnt by some, it is a gift to others, inherited- passed down from a generation to the other.

Science

Sadly, science, culture and religion rarely agree. Even arms of religion disagree with her. The bible accounts for no life after death (except heaven and hell) and hence it should be impossible for miracles of coming to life and near death experiences happening. However, it does. Science would try to find reasons for these miraculous ‘claims’. Culture would however give the explanation that although the individual died, his soul didn’t and would therefore wander if it wasn’t yet his ‘time’.

Sometimes I wonder where in all of this we- you and I figure. If ghosts exist and walk among us; what are we? Who are we? And whose life are we living? I have also heard of instances where the dead appears to the living (not in a dream), giving warning to help avert danger, I have heard and read of things I have no explanation for and which leaves me wondering.

Read Also:The gods must be crazy.

If truly a world other than ours exists, are we living in a world within a world? Is this life which we have created for ourselves even real?

Ignore for a moment all you have known, ignore for a moment all religious discrepancies, ignore for a moment that the person beside you might be a ghost- a person from a world other than 'ours'.

Written by Christiana Osun.

Christiana is a writer dedicated to voicing out thoughts we’d rather not complete: Presenting our realities and sharing relatable experiences and thoughts provoking subjects. She’s sarcastic, fun loving and an enigma of possibilities. Instagram: @_themillenniallady_  Facebook: OSUN Christiana Oluwadamilola  Email: krwistee@gmail.com