Book excerpt: On an unsuspecting Friday night, Liyla lost her son to an accident. Lost and disillusioned, all she wanted was a chance to speak to her son again, tell him she loved him and missed him. But death is the end, isn’t it? In a mind bending journey through the many planes we humans exist in, Liyla’s life changes as she encounters people who help reach across the veil of life and connect her to her son. This event opens a door in her life through which she discovers the meaning of life and beyond. Her studies ranging from contemporary Western sciences to ancient Indian wisdom lead her to understanding what it means to live, and our purpose on this planet along with a clear realization that the universe is just energy. This book will take you on a journey that answers many questions that have plagued humanity. What exactly is the mind? What is Consciousness? What is destiny? And the biggest one of all-- What happens after our physical forms pass from this life? Liyla looks at these questions with a scientific lens, hoping to bridge the gaps between science and spirituality — for each one of us looks for answers for these same questions within this cosmos. In this book, the spiritual aspects of life are explained with reference to the Panchakosha (five layer) theory of Indian spirituality which is elucidated in the Upanishads and other ancient Indian books. This gives a strong logical basis to understand Consciousness, and life in the physical and subtle planes.