Life, as we know it, exists in the physical universe. Every form begins from an existing life form, develops by consuming nonliving substances, matures and reproduces if it is lucky. Some forms of life are sentient, and the information that they accumulate (whether or not it is accurate) may be passed on to others of their kind. The question of life after death is really one of whether an individual’s collective information, the self, can somehow continue without life as I have described it.
I doubt that my consciousness can continue with my persona intact after my physical body no longer functions. While I am not able to accept that a creator of our universe exists in a physical sense, when I consider the likely chain of events that gave rise to sentient beings, however, I find that I am less able to accept that it is merely a fortuitous accident. My tentative conclusion is that a Spirit of Creation likely exists, and I am comfortable calling this creator God.
I imagine that a Spiritual Universe encompasses known and unknown reality, guiding the assembly of living and nonliving material objects. Plants, and animals without the capability for sentience, have only the “will” that their physical nature presents. We and some other nonhuman species, on the other hand, have a mental “will” that enables us to make moral and ethical decisions. We also have the physical “will” that all life possesses.
I posit that a spiritual “will” emerges from the realization that everything is connected. I see a principle at work that seeks to establish an interrelationship between a variety of life forms. For those without consciousness, their natural inclinations establish either a harmonious relationship with other life forms that permits their species to continue or they become extinct. Our mental “will” provides an opportunity to choose to seek harmonious relationships or give in to impulses arising from our physical nature. Seeking harmony, I believe that we align our spiritual “will” with the Spirit of Creation. Having achieved such an alignment, at the end of our physical existence our spiritual “will” may become one with God.