Well, it's that time of year again. Where we remember where we were, what we were doing, the emotions we felt on 9/11.
As for me, I was teaching in Maine, I drove through an epic lightning storm to hang with some friend's at Harry Cipriani's Downtown - film director Phillip Noyce and artist Peter Tunney. Crashed at Pete's near Canal Street; dawn brought clear blue autumn skies.
I planned to stop at H and H for a couple bags of bagels my film students, but somehow I missed the turn off the Westwide Highway.
First indication something was amiss that day; the gas station in CT had a crowd around a TV because "some plane had hit the WTC."
I called my then girlfriend Sherry in LA and told her to turn on the tv; I just "neglected" to mention had just been blocks away.
I spent the rest of the drive listening to the towers fall on the radio. It was eerie to hear it instead of see it - somewhere near Camden I pulled off to watch it on tv at a hotel. I sat by myself in a chair and sobbed. "Oh... the humanity."
A week later wife Sherry made the trip to ground zero - she wanted, needed to see it - but I passed on that visit; it took me over a year to return... just too painful for me emotionally to make that journey.
Since then I've spoken to many people who claim to have spoken to people on the flipside that describe these events from a spiritual perspective, not "them versus us" - but in terms of what's "meant to be" - and that's what I'm writing about here.
I know a child who when looking at a photograph of the twin towers said "I was there." Her mother, knowing that her daughter had never been to Manhattan, said "When?"
She said "I was there with my brother, and there was a giant fire, and we were helping all the people come out, and there was paper everywhere; it came down like snowflakes."
Neither she nor her brother had been born prior to this event, and this kid's parents avoided all mention of 9/11 as their kids were growing up, avoiding having to explain that particular tragedy.
Their daughter described the event as if she was there. "My brother and I were helping people out."Her brother was an infant when she told this story. But she told it as if it was just something she felt she needed to share.
I know a fellow who was in mid meditation in a forest in New Jersey when the towers came down - he was out in the woods meditating when he suddenly saw rows and rows of people floating by. As if they were departing from that scene.
He was profoundly moved when he learned later that the tragedy had occurred.
In Michael Newton's book, ("Destiny of Souls") he makes reference to a between life session where a client recalled seeing a "room full of people" who had been summoned to discuss an event that was about to occur. It was an "emergency event" and people were being asked to either participate in it, or not.
The man claimed that he heard some people being offered incentives - like "if you can suffer through this event, we'll make sure to make it up to you in the next life." People either volunteered to be part of this lesson, or in some cases apparently did not.
Michael Newton did not clarify what the event was, when it occurred; but as I read it, the description made me think of those who participated in 9/11.
If you consider for a moment that no one dies in these events - indeed, they're gone from this plain, they're no longer physically available to their families or loved ones - that's stressful. No mitigating pain of the loss of a loved one.
But when you think of the lessons in love, the advancement they might have by participating in a profound lesson like this - you can see how some folks are willing to offer up the rest of their life in order to teach or learn lessons in love.
I know that's hard to wrap our minds around on a day where we "remember" those who've gone before us.
But it's no different than going to a funeral, going to a cemetery, honoring our loved ones who've gone before us, no matter their method of crossing over. We honor them by talking about them, by remembering them, by thinking of them, by talking to or about them.
It's the best way to memorialize anyone. Talk about them. Think about them. (or in Robin's case, post pix of them - I was looking for another photograph, and when this popped up, it was as if he was saying "post this one! It's me! I'm in Manhattan too!") Say kind words about them, say sarcastic things about them - bring them back to life. Honor them by talking about their accomplishments, their path, their journey.
They're not gone. They're just not here.
And they can hear you. It's just not that easy to have a two way communication with them, but it's worth trying.
And try to have a little perspective on a day like today.
In my life, the events of 9/11 led to an entirely different set of circumstances, directly responsible for my going on adventures and meeting people whom I admire, consider friends, who are in the vanguard of the fight against what caused these events. So from a different perspective, this day 16 years ago led to other vistas, different venues, and helped clarify paths for many.
I know it inspired many to join the military, to fight for their country, to become active in defense of their beliefs and part of their journey. I am reluctant to add that is true on "both sides" of the equation, but I add it because that's what's reported in the research.
We sign up for a lifetime knowing pretty well what we want to learn or teach or accomplish. And along the way we're called upon to do something selfless - give of ourselves, to save or help or learn from saving or helping someone else. It's the essence of who we are as humans. And once you begin to realize that we are all souls who choose our lifetimes, then the actions of some can only be seen in light of a bigger picture.
Again, I'm not arguing this, or trying to force anyone to change their opinion or belief system. I am reporting what people say about the flipside - consistently - whether they've done a session under deep hypnosis, or had a near death event and been able to examine it under hypnosis, or whether they've had access to the flipside in some other manner. They consistently say these things about it.
We learn from our errors, we learn from our mistakes, we learn from having the courage to come to this stage and perform difficult journeys. That's consistent in all the reports.
So when remembering a day like today - remember those who gave of themselves to save others, those who risked everything to help others, those who went out of their way to help others.
And think for a moment (if it's possible) to consider the choices of those who sacrificed their lives to hurt others, to make life difficult for others - I can't imagine why anyone would make that kind of choice, I can't offer any logic or answer that would give solace or understanding why anyone would choose to play a perpetrator than a victim... but I can report that people claim that some do "offer" to play the role of perpetrator because there's some reason for it. ("They needed to learn a lesson in negativity." "They will be a victim in a future life at the hands of the people they hurt." etc) And perhaps one day that information will become apparent.
In my case, I can only choose to honor those I know and love who've gone before me, and I choose to honor or talk about those who've sacrificed themselves to help others. For me it's the essence of why we're on the planet. Unconditional love.
So when someone says "Never Forget" - it applies to everyone who has ever been in our path... don't forget them, their voice, their actions or their love - which is all that remains.
 |
| My 1st trip to NYC in 1959. A few years prior. |
I planned to stop at H and H for a couple bags of bagels my film students, but somehow I missed the turn off the Westwide Highway.
First indication something was amiss that day; the gas station in CT had a crowd around a TV because "some plane had hit the WTC."
I called my then girlfriend Sherry in LA and told her to turn on the tv; I just "neglected" to mention had just been blocks away. I spent the rest of the drive listening to the towers fall on the radio. It was eerie to hear it instead of see it - somewhere near Camden I pulled off to watch it on tv at a hotel. I sat by myself in a chair and sobbed. "Oh... the humanity."
A week later wife Sherry made the trip to ground zero - she wanted, needed to see it - but I passed on that visit; it took me over a year to return... just too painful for me emotionally to make that journey.
 |
| Another kind of journey in Central Park |
I know a child who when looking at a photograph of the twin towers said "I was there." Her mother, knowing that her daughter had never been to Manhattan, said "When?"
She said "I was there with my brother, and there was a giant fire, and we were helping all the people come out, and there was paper everywhere; it came down like snowflakes."
Neither she nor her brother had been born prior to this event, and this kid's parents avoided all mention of 9/11 as their kids were growing up, avoiding having to explain that particular tragedy.
Their daughter described the event as if she was there. "My brother and I were helping people out."Her brother was an infant when she told this story. But she told it as if it was just something she felt she needed to share.
I know a fellow who was in mid meditation in a forest in New Jersey when the towers came down - he was out in the woods meditating when he suddenly saw rows and rows of people floating by. As if they were departing from that scene.
He was profoundly moved when he learned later that the tragedy had occurred.
In Michael Newton's book, ("Destiny of Souls") he makes reference to a between life session where a client recalled seeing a "room full of people" who had been summoned to discuss an event that was about to occur. It was an "emergency event" and people were being asked to either participate in it, or not.
The man claimed that he heard some people being offered incentives - like "if you can suffer through this event, we'll make sure to make it up to you in the next life." People either volunteered to be part of this lesson, or in some cases apparently did not.
Michael Newton did not clarify what the event was, when it occurred; but as I read it, the description made me think of those who participated in 9/11.
If you consider for a moment that no one dies in these events - indeed, they're gone from this plain, they're no longer physically available to their families or loved ones - that's stressful. No mitigating pain of the loss of a loved one.
 |
| In between the towers being down and the Freedom going up. |
I know that's hard to wrap our minds around on a day where we "remember" those who've gone before us.
But it's no different than going to a funeral, going to a cemetery, honoring our loved ones who've gone before us, no matter their method of crossing over. We honor them by talking about them, by remembering them, by thinking of them, by talking to or about them.
 |
| Robin Williams and Radioman in Manhattan (Getty) |
They're not gone. They're just not here.
And they can hear you. It's just not that easy to have a two way communication with them, but it's worth trying.
 |
| Oh look. Manhattan... with palm trees. (Vegas) |
In my life, the events of 9/11 led to an entirely different set of circumstances, directly responsible for my going on adventures and meeting people whom I admire, consider friends, who are in the vanguard of the fight against what caused these events. So from a different perspective, this day 16 years ago led to other vistas, different venues, and helped clarify paths for many.
I know it inspired many to join the military, to fight for their country, to become active in defense of their beliefs and part of their journey. I am reluctant to add that is true on "both sides" of the equation, but I add it because that's what's reported in the research.
We sign up for a lifetime knowing pretty well what we want to learn or teach or accomplish. And along the way we're called upon to do something selfless - give of ourselves, to save or help or learn from saving or helping someone else. It's the essence of who we are as humans. And once you begin to realize that we are all souls who choose our lifetimes, then the actions of some can only be seen in light of a bigger picture.
Again, I'm not arguing this, or trying to force anyone to change their opinion or belief system. I am reporting what people say about the flipside - consistently - whether they've done a session under deep hypnosis, or had a near death event and been able to examine it under hypnosis, or whether they've had access to the flipside in some other manner. They consistently say these things about it.
We learn from our errors, we learn from our mistakes, we learn from having the courage to come to this stage and perform difficult journeys. That's consistent in all the reports.
So when remembering a day like today - remember those who gave of themselves to save others, those who risked everything to help others, those who went out of their way to help others.
And think for a moment (if it's possible) to consider the choices of those who sacrificed their lives to hurt others, to make life difficult for others - I can't imagine why anyone would make that kind of choice, I can't offer any logic or answer that would give solace or understanding why anyone would choose to play a perpetrator than a victim... but I can report that people claim that some do "offer" to play the role of perpetrator because there's some reason for it. ("They needed to learn a lesson in negativity." "They will be a victim in a future life at the hands of the people they hurt." etc) And perhaps one day that information will become apparent.
In my case, I can only choose to honor those I know and love who've gone before me, and I choose to honor or talk about those who've sacrificed themselves to help others. For me it's the essence of why we're on the planet. Unconditional love.
So when someone says "Never Forget" - it applies to everyone who has ever been in our path... don't forget them, their voice, their actions or their love - which is all that remains.
 |
| The Apple Store on 5th Ave |
