STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH: A Breakdown of "The Parable of the Twins" by Dr. Wayne Dyer

Introduction:

The Parable of the Twins by Dr. Wayne Dyer is an analogy of life after death using the communication between a set of twins in their mother's womb discussing "life after delivery." The following will be a detailed break down of how the analogy relates to life after death with a side-by-side comparison to a story I wrote about life after death in order to give a clearer idea of the parable's true meaning.

Comparison:

The parable aims to evoke a sense of revelation, using the parallels between the twins' experience and the concept of life after death.

Breaking Down The Parable of the Twins:

Section One- The Question of Delivery:

In a mother’s womb were two babies. One asked the other: “Do you believe in life after delivery?” The other replied, “Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.”
“Nonsense” said the first. “There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be?”

The first section introduces the twins' discussion about "life after delivery," mirroring human conversations about "life after death." Some believe people are given life in order to experience life lessons and build their eternal knowledge.

The first rejecting that idea lacks faith. This twin only believes in the here and now and cannot imagine how they would survive in the "after-birth" in their current form. They lack the faith to believe that there will be more once they are born because they cannot conceive anything different.

Section 2- Imagining the Unknown:

The second said, “I don’t know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths. Maybe we will have other senses that we can’t understand now.”

The first replied, “That is absurd. Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically excluded.”

The second twin envisions life after birth, describing 'more light'—a reality of leaving the womb's darkness. The second twin continues with the possible differences: "Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths." This, as we already know, is a correct assumption because once born, babies eat with their mouths and eventually learn to walk with their legs. They also mention they may have new senses. This is true because in the Mother's womb, babies are limited to the use of their senses due to the darkness and them being submerged in amnionic fluid. Once born, they are able to smell, taste, touch, hear, and see- they experienced very little of these senses in the womb.

The first twin, lacking the faith needed to imagine the claims the second is making, states how walking would be impossible and asks how would they eat with their mouths when they get fed through the umbilical cord. This lack of faith relates to a person's unwillingness to accept any type of existence once the brain dies. They believe once your brain is dead, that is it for you. Just like the first twin says once born, that is it for them. 

As we know, there is life after delivery. 

Section 3- The Nature of the Afterlife:

The second insisted, “Well I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here. Maybe we won’t need this physical cord anymore.”

The first replied, “Nonsense. And moreover if there is life, then why has no one has ever come back from there? Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion. It takes us nowhere.”

The second twin expresses faith in a post-birth existence, suggesting they'll no longer require the 'cord,' analogous to the belief in a spiritual journey beyond the physical body.

The first twin's rebuttal is close to that of one who looks at everything through a scientific lens, wanting to see proof or solid evidence in order to persuade them to believe.

Section 4- Belief in a Maker:

“Well, I don’t know,” said the second, “but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take care of us.”

The first replied “Mother? You actually believe in Mother? That’s laughable. If Mother exists then where is She now?”

The second said, “She is all around us. We are surrounded by her. We are of Her. It is in Her that we live. Without Her this world would not and could not exist.”

Said the first: “Well I don’t see Her, so it is only logical that She doesn’t exist.”

To which the second replied, “Sometimes, when you’re in silence and you focus and you really listen, you can perceive Her presence, and you can hear Her loving voice, calling down from above.”

The final section explores the twins' understanding of "Mother." The second twin explains how they are surrounded by her which is correct because they are in the womb. The twin also says "It is in Her that we live." and "Without her, this world would not and could not exist." All of these statements are 100% true because without the Mother, the twins could not exist.

The first twin continues to argue claiming they have never seen this "Mother," so she doesn't exist. The second twin's final words, "Sometimes, when you’re in silence and you focus and you really listen, you can perceive Her presence, and you can hear Her loving voice, calling down from above," evoke a powerful image, reflecting the reality of a baby hearing its mother's voice in the womb.

Conclusion:

The parable's conclusion prompts contemplation about the unknown, mirroring our uncertainty about death. Just as the second twin's faith is validated upon birth, perhaps our fears about the afterlife are unfounded. Ultimately, the parable encourages faith over fear.

All you have to do is believe...

Reference:

Dyer, W. W. (1994). Your Sacred Self: Making the Decision to be Free. Harper Collins.