There is no death

I have learned to use the language of 'energy' when I think about and talk about our existence, and our way of engaging with our circumstances, with other humans and other beings of the cosmos.

According to most scientific definitions, energy is the ability to do work.
Energy is power, strength and vitality.

The law of conservation of energy states that energy can not be created, and neither can it be destroyed. It can only change form. Further, the total amount of energy in the universe is constant.

We cannot create new energy that is not already present in the universe.

Now, let's substitute "energy" above with "the ability to do work"
Meanwhile, work is basically the ability to effect material change.
Let's also substitute "work" with "the ability to effect material change".

The law of conservation of energy, therefore, states that the ability to effect material change can not be created, and neither can it be destroyed. It can only change form. Further, the total amount of the ability to do work in the universe is constant.

We cannot create new ability to effect material change  that is not already present in the universe.

Ok.
Enter my hypotheses on spiritualism.

1. Reincarnation exists.

 Whatever energy anyone, such as a new born, brings into the world, has existed before. Their [enter synonyms of energy here : vitality, vibrations, chakras, air, presence, spirit etc] has existed before, somewhere in the universe, in some form or another.
According to the laws of conservation of energy, the total energy in the system of the universe, is constant, so there is nothing new evolved in a new birth of a child, for example, other than form.
Perhaps then, we can also suggest, that we too, are old souls in new skins. We have all been in this space of the universe before, in some type of shape or form, doing some kind of work or another.

2. There is no death

We just change form.  Our energy/vitality/ability to cause material changes never ceases, even when we die.

3. There is power in calling on those who have transitioned beyond the human form.

As above, the energy of the deceased never ceases, and neither does their ability to cause material changes. So why not reach out?

4. We shouldn't obsess about the human form

The form of the body is fleeting, so why get too attached? Make good use of it, nurture and enjoy it while you have it, but remain conscious that what is enduring is only energy, and that could manifest

in so many different forms.
Think about how we receive others too, check on our prejudices associated with bodies.

5. Commune with and nurture the different forms of matter on the earth/in the cosmos

Hey, who knows, that roach that you are just about to fumigate with some RAID or DOOM might be your great, great, great grand uncle Opiyo.
Perhaps, that patch of grass over there, or that bush of bougainvillea or that crop of cow peas are new forms of your own ancestors or friends.

Perhaps we ought to relate with the soil, the flora, fauna in our environment a lot more intentionally, and lovingly! Have you tried talking to your garden? Giving thanks before you slaughter or eat anothers' meat?

6.Harness energy from different tangible and intangible beings, to boost our own human energy

I am very big on aesthetics, and can speak from experience that the set up, decor, orderliness or cleanliness of a space that I'm in significantly influences my energy, and my performance.

I also intentionally work to boost up my energy by designing/decorating spaces that I live in or work in usually using artifacts, rich colors or textures that are meaningful to me. Music is also a very powerful energizing tool, and I have a range of songs, as most of us do, that I play on different occasions depending on whether I want to turn up or to chill out and relax. The same is often said of experiences at hair salons, spas and barbershops.

Food is another critically important source of energy, we can all agree, but we might not be sensitive to the impact that the quality of food, process of preparation and presentation my have in the food's overall energy value. Imagine a plate of delicious super-ripe deep fried plantains plated gently on a milky, white ceramic saucer and laid on a lavish and colorful ankara mat for a picnic outdoors.

Fried plantain

Now, imagine the same plate of delicious plantains scooped and plopped onto the same saucer, and shoved harshly onto your chest, "shika!" "Take!". The former experience uplifts you/your energy a lot more, because of the warmth and love that was used in the entire process of delivering the food to you.

Even though the nutritional gains are the same, in the hypothetical case above, the energy gains are different. And if we think that our inner person/soul/spirit/energy is more significant than our body, we ought to rethink EVERYTHING: how we relate with each other and with the earth, in order to truly uplift each other's energies and empower each other to effect greater material changes in this space.

Perhaps, we should also consider reaching out to intangible beings, such as people who are no longer present in the human form, to energize us...Perhaps we need to remember the deceased differently, not as past, but as present, but in different forms, working in different spaces, but still full of energy, and still connected to us meaningfully.

This makes sense to me. Even though I identify as an atheist, for purposes of differentiating me with the more dominant, popular and powerful religions of our time, I remain very open, inquisitive,  and willing to explore possibilities of alternative ways of being, living and navigating the earth in the human form.

Hmm...

My American experience has been central in my coming to birth. Plug. Majorie Oludhe Macgoye. Besides the existence of an arguably liberal culture, at least among communities of scholars at University, the opportunity to bump ideas with so many dissenters (against status quo: heterosexuality, patriarchy, religiosity racism, misogyny etc) allowed me to break with a lot of the dominant religious ideals and protocols that defined my life in Kenya, to question everything, and to freely re-imagine my 'spiritual' identity.

By the time of my graduation, though, I preferred not to indulge notions of spirituality, even those that came from communities of people that, like me, had unsubscribed to the language, philosophy and culture of Abrahamic faiths. I kept it simple. I had had it with anything too dogmatic, and anything that organized spiritual expression or monopolized it. I tried to keep it very scientific. I knew what I

knew, and what I didn't I didn't. Science can neither affirm nor deny the presence of 'spirits' or 'souls' for example, but can confirm the existence of energy. Scientific process allows us to hypothesize about the unknown, but we cant can't confirm something to be true or false without rigorous and repeated testing.

At this point in my life, however, I am open and leaning into this world of energy work and transcendence. I am still questioning, and wary, but willing to indulge this new world of thought, for a minute.