Love and Connectedness

The essential message that Alexander learns from spiritual beings in the afterlife during his coma is about the importance and primacy of love and connectedness. This message is first imparted to him by the Girl on the Butterfly Wing in the Gateway: "You are loved and cherished, dearly, forever. You have nothing to fear. There is nothing you can do wrong" (40). It is then reiterated and expanded upon by Om (God) in the Core: "In the larger picture love was overwhelmingly dominant, and it would ultimately be triumphant" (48). According to this message, love and interconnectedness are central forces in the universe with love, in particular, taking precedence over all else. Love is the guiding principle of the world and we are all connected by our relationships with spiritual beings like Om.

This message of an unconditionally loving God is reminiscent of Christian dogma. Alexander's discussion of...