Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer, Anthy, Jonathan Krane and Tom Petty

Randal Kleiser and Sally Kellerman

Another mind bending podcast, this one about music and frequency.  Luana began by directing us to an event that had occurred earlier in the day, when I went to visit her friend Sally Kellerman.  We talked about Sally's husband on the flipside, my old friend who produced 3 of my films. My mother, a concert pianist stopped by to refer to a photograph I was working with on my latest book a few days ago. Then Tom Petty stopped by. As noted before, I have never asked Tom to stop by - each time he does it's related to something that we are discussing. In this case, it was the energy of music or how frequency works on the flipside. As noted in the podcast, he asked us to reach out to someone whom I did reach out to - who said "I wish that I could speak to Tom, but I don't  believe you are speaking to him."  Not everyone is open to the possibility that our loved ones still exist - and further, it can be annoying when a complete stranger says "Hey, I was talking to your pal the other day." But we have to allow for the possibility that they're outside of time and space and can reach out to us. In this case, I wanted to know some details about music on the other side - not his personal journey, or who he is hanging out with, but specifically what frequency is, what music is, and how we download it. His answers are unusual and profound. Again, Jennifer and I have been doing this for over five years. We have on numerous occasions learned new information from folks on the flipside, information that cannot be cryptomnesia or something either one of us dreamed, heard or made up. But I have to note that not everyone is supposed to embrace the idea of "knowing how the play ends before it does."  So one does not have to "believe" that Jennifer and I are speaking to a specific individual, but it helps if one is "open to the possibility" that some form of communication continues on, and those closest to their loved ones can take the time or make the effort to chat with them one on one. As he noted, this is only about the 3rd time he's shown up, when we have quoted, cited, or otherwise let others take the podium - Prince, Robin Williams and others.  I do not have any direct connection with Tom - despite being a music critic for Variety for a number of years, I never reviewed his shows, never met him backstage as I have with many others who have shown up in our class.  I directed Ray Charles in a feature film, so basically anyone that Ray knows could show up at any minute. We have interviewed a member of the Traveling Wilburys before, so that may be the connection - or to someone else that Luana knows on the flipside that I'm not aware of.  But like everyone else who shows up in our classroom, if Luana has "put them on the list" I assume they're showing up for a reason. It was Tom who coined the title of our three books; "Backstage Pass to the Flipside" when he noted that "talking to us, getting onto Luana's clipboard was like someone trying to get backstage to the VIP lounge.  If "the name is not on the list" they don't get a chance to speak. Enjoy. (Also, the documentary "Hacking the Afterlife" premieres on Gaia.com on June 21st. Tune in and check it out.)