Weight of the Soul/Essence

January 5, 2004

Q. The film 21 Grams suggests that the body loses a small amount of weight -- twenty-one grams -- at death. Is this the weight of the soul? If not, what causes the weight loss?

A. While of course Essence does not in fact have such physicality that it can be measured in terms of "weight", there is an appreciable minor loss in exhalation of fluid and material "glue", which is in fact what is the measurable component in this instance.

As we have said before, oftentimes souls will leave the body before physical death occurs. In the case, for example, of advanced brain damage, Alzheimer's, or similar "mental" disease, these experiences are such that Essence loses functionality and departs well before the body in and of itself "gives up the ghost" (ha-ha-ha), and of course, while the release from life as such is an actual moment and one that can be monitored, its relation directly to Essence is not always "one on one"; with these particular limitations, we would agree that the moment of death does indeed lead to a slight reduction in bodily weight.

Q. Is there a way of identifying when Essence has left the body?

A. [Channel: The usual way is to ask Michael.]