The Palindromic Experience of the Flipside

"Madam, in Eden, I'm Adam is a palindrome."

Reads forwards and backwards.  This post is another one about "access and process."  The night after I wrote the post about "access and process" coming from a conversation I was having with my friend on the flipside, she was explaining something deeply profound to me.

           Luana Anders, our tour guide on the flipside.

My conscious mind (the guy in the bed mind) was trying hard to hold onto the concepts - which were outside my normal brain's capacity to comprehend, so I asked her for a concept or phrase I could remember;

She said "Madam I'm Adam."

She was talking about the reflection we have between us and them.  How we are them, and they are us.  They are us "backwards" (because they retain all the past life memories) and we are us "forwards" (experiencing all of our new adventures here on earth.)  

Of course, the two thirds left behind are also experiencing life - from that perspective. Attending classes, roaming around universes, visiting realms, playing mind bending games of profound mathematical construction ("CGI times a million") that mirror, remind us of everything we did here on the planet (play golf, football, tennis, car racing, horse racing, etc) but also others can attend the construct we've built.

Or so people report. ("Flipside," "It's a Wonderful Afterlife" "Hacking the Afterlife" "Backstage Pass to the Flipside" and "Architecture of the Afterlife." All these books contain someone talking about "what they're doing on the flipside" while we are on the planet.)

Experience doesn't stop.  We don't stop.  It's an ongoing process. While we sleep, the filters are altered (in some) so that we can have conversations, visit places, talk to loved ones, etc.  We don't all recall those conversations, visits, adventures - partially because it's mind blowing, but partially because it's useless to the human body's survival.

So what's up with the palindrome idea?

Luana Anders, my pal on the flipside, was trying to help me understand "how consciousness works."  That is - we have a portion of our conscious energy with us at all times (most people report "about 30%" but that can fluctuate depending upon health issues, I've heard 10% in people who have dementia, Alzheimer's or in a coma - they are aware, just not the way they used to be aware, and retain connection so that life continues on.) However, their awareness has shifted, they are "mostly back home" instead of here.

One example; Jennifer Shaffer and I interviewed an old friend who was in hospice care with dementia.  He was still on the planet, I knew his son well, so I took the opportunity to ask if we could "converse with his higher self."  He told us (in "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3") that "90% of his consciousness" was "already back home."  I asked if he could do the mental work to bike ride - something he did every day in old age, that was his passion - he would often ride a 100 miles a day.  

He said "Everything else but."  He said "He was still connected to his body on the planet so that "everyone who needed to come and say goodbye would come and say goodbye" and that required "about 10%" of his conscious energy.

The idea that we can do the same is available to us.  We tend to think of people who've "died" as disappeared or gone - that's not the case.. They aren't gone, they just "aren't here." And with concerted effort, we can communicate with them.  But what about communicating with our "higher selves?"

What value would come from that?

A number of things - by communicating with one's higher self, we can learn about previous lifetimes, why we chose them. We can observe, examine the arc of our lifetimes, the themes involved - and what the theme of the current lifetime is. 

By examining these previous story lines, we get a handle on our current story line - plus the added benefit of losing fear, or worry about it (or our loved ones.) If everyone and anyone can access their previous lifetimes, they also become aware of the temporary nature of this one.

It's a bit like getting off stage. We leave behind props, costumes - even attitudes or illnesses - all of that is left on stage in a heap, a pile, a bundle... for the stage hands to put back.

We might come back to the stage early - as I've heard from a number of people. (I was startled to hear that James Dean had already decided to return, that he had come back as an actor, that he had come back as an actor I know, have met, that he has come back and had a successful family and lifetime, and done all the things he wanted to do in his previous trip here. That was mind bending because he came back just a few years after he left.)

I know how odd this sounds.

But when I first heard it during a session with Jennifer Shaffer ("Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3") I asked her to ask him "who he is" and he said who that was. It was not someone Jennifer knew personally, but I knew a close friend and texted that pal during the session asking "Hey, has your pal every had anyone tell him he was the reincarnation of someone?" And my pal texted back "James Dean." 

Walter and Charles Grodin pointing where the craft service went.

He later told me numerous occasions where people would randomly tell his pal that - and that it didn't phase him - but that he had many more memories, dreams, etc that he was aware of - just not something he wanted to pursue.

So out of deference to that choice - I have not pursued it further... (I did say I thought it would be a cool documentary, following him around taking him to places James went to.)  But when you're a successful person who needs to hear someone tell you that you were "so and so" in a previous lifetime? Who cares?  

But I'm just reporting. And the odd thing was that later on (In "Architecture of the Afterlife") I was interviewing a woman across the country who was accessing her guide and the guide said "Tell Rich that thing about James Dean is accurate."  This woman didn't know what he was referring to, but I did.  

So I can repeat it here without the onus of "proving it."

I like to say that when people say to me "prove it" I point to the chapter with Harry Dean Stanton in "Backstage Pass to the Flipside Part One."  Harry was an avowed skeptic, atheist..  When he got to the flipside, he showed up during a session and gave me private messages to give to 3 close friends at his memorial. 

I did and they were flabbergasted - not only because it was coming from me, but because only Harry could possibly have known. 

I asked Harry what he wanted me to say at his memorial; he said "tell people to believe in the afterlife."  I laughed. "Harry, none of your atheist friends are going to believe I spoke to you." He said "Then tell them to believe in the possibility of an afterlife, so then they won't waste another minute of their life arguing about it like I did."  Sage advice.

                            Harry Dean Stanton and Bill Paxton in "Big Love" HBO foto.

But not trying to prove anything here.  Not trying to disturb anyone's beliefs. I realized that it's been a few days since I heard this message "palindrome" and wanted to discuss before I lose it altogether.

My wife had a dream about the physicist Mino who told her "We are both particle and wave. On the planet we are more particle, but when not on the planet our experience is more wave."

That's a quantum answer.  Light is both particle and wave - in the double split experiment, we learn that it functions and acts as both. The wrench in the experiment is when people discovered that the result (particle or wave) depended upon the person viewing it. So they designed experiments where the results would be recorded, then a person would view it, and see "particle" or "wave" and then they'd go back to the original results and learn that the results had changed. 

As if someone had manipulated the results.

Who's responsible for messing up the quantum experiments?

Consciousness is.

It permeates the universe. It's in everything, around everything - part of everything. Like the Sioux Wakan Tanka - the great spirit that animates reality. 

As Max Planck said:

“As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clearheaded science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about the atoms this much: There is no matter as such! All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particles of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. . . . We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter.”

What I've learned filming people talking about the afterlife for over a decade: consciousness is a medium like water or paint. It's also the engine. It's what binds atoms. It doesn't arise. The brain is a receiver, the way receivers parse/filter sound waves.

We've got it backwards. We send about a third of our conscious energy to a lifetime, two thirds stays home (the term everyone uses for afterlife- "home"). Our "awareness" is helped by stripping or bypassing filters.

People do so via LSD, NDE, OBE, meditation, dreams, hypnotherapy. I've filmed 100 doing so, compared results to 2750 by clinical psychologist Dr. Wambach , thousands by Michael Newton and the Newton Institute.

Not gone. Just not here.

All say the same things which are contrary to religious and scientific theory. That consciousness is what binds the universe, we are all connected the way all water is connected, returns home.

They also use the term "unconditional love" when referring to it. Once we define what unconditional love is we will have the key to understanding consciousness.

Now that I got that out of the way, here's the latest interview on the flipside where I ask Luana questions about the above, where our friend Bill Paxton comes in to mention something only he could observe on the flipside, and we speak to a friend's dog who was "lost at sea" - to report that he's not lost, he's just "home." Click this link.

My two cents.

"Able was I, Ere I saw Elba."  

ADDENDUM:

Based on a question on Quora about "Proof of the Afterlife." 

"Here’s the thing - if anyone can replicate research, they should do so. It’s the name of the game in clinical research. That’s why I film everything. If I’m filming a person under deep hypnosis talking about the afterlife, I’m not asking the questions, I’m in the corner of the room.

If I film an interview with an old or new friend, or record it live on the air, I post that footage. Or I edit and transcribe the footage verbatim. This way, it’s not me claiming that there is an orderly afterlife - it’s just what’s in the data. The book “Architecture of the Afterlife” has 50 cases of people not under hypnosis saying the same things about the afterlife that the other 50 I filmed with the help of hypnotherapists say.

What they claim is consistent and reproducible. Two hallmarks of data. That is - if one wants to bring a drug to market, they sponsor clinical trials and they take eyewitness reports. People who had an experience using the drug (“dry mouth” “Nausea” etc) and that becomes data. Experience, and then survey. It’s how all medicine comes to market. It’s what is called “science” in terms of medicine (and for those aware of the process, they may also be aware that the placebo effect is upending the process.)

So when it comes to “proof” - one merely needs to set up a camera and get different hypnotherapists to ask the same questions to different subjects. Further, to demonstrate that there is no need for hypnosis to elicit the same reports. And those reports are consistent and contrary to religious beliefs (about good and evil, demons and the like). I’m not saying that those who claim to experience demons are not doing so - I’m pointing out that they don’t take the time to “ask the demon” who they are, what they are doing here, if they were asked to be here, or who is responsible for their appearance.

I can state that in the 100 cases I’ve filmed, the 2750 clinical cases from Dr. Wambach or the 7000 from Michael Newton and the Newton institute, there were no reports of demons, evil - they report consistently those are “human constructs” or man made metaphors for how to navigate the planet. That’s not my opinion, belief or theory - that’s just in the data.

Further - regarding the question of “proof.” 

Since these reports are relative to the person experiencing them (“I see my brother!” “I see Jesus!’ “I’m hearing my mother’s voice and she’s telling me new information.” etc) - no one can prove that they are seeing or not seeing the person they know and have loved for a lifetime, perhaps many lifetimes. They have that experience (on camera) and they uniquely experience it.

But that is just like “love.”

The word love is identical to “proof of the afterlife.”

There is no scientific proof that love exists. None. There is no scientific definition for love. The concept or the term. It’s not a physiological thing (only) nor it is something that “arises” based on criteria. The word, the concept, the idea - is not provable.

But it is something that can be experienced. And those who have experienced it know what it is. Those who have never experienced have no clue what it is. Those who have experienced the afterlife (talking to loved ones, talking to people who are no longer on the planet, talking to people who have never been on the planet) have the knowledge of the experience.

There’s no proving an experience. It’s past tense. All I can say is that in the 50 cases I’ve filmed with various hypnotherapists trained by the Newton Institute, everyone had a memory of a past life, understood why they chose that past life and why that occurred. They recalled previous lifetimes and understood that they had mastered them. They also were able to communicate, see, have new information with loved ones no longer on the planet, and in some cases, new information from people who’ve never been on the planet. (“Architecture of the Afterlife”)

So the answer to the question “Where’s the proof?” is to point out that there is no proof of the existence of love, yet somehow we all know what that means. And what I’ve heard consistently in these reports, from various people who had a near death experience, or have traveled to the flipside - is that they experience “unconditional love.”

I’m fond of pointing out that doesn’t exist either - except between some people and their pets, some family members - but for the most part is non existent on the planet. Yet my saying the term - everyone knows what I’m referring to. As if they’ve already known it. My two cents.

Hacking the Afterlife with Carl Jung, Krishnamurti and Bill Paxton

Proof of concept.

For flipside fans, this won't be too hard to digest. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, this may be the hardest to consider.

Some months ago - perhaps a year - Jennifer and I were conducting a "class" - well, Luana Anders conducts the class, Jennifer and I just show up to interview folks in the class.  And during this interaction she said "Carl Jung is here." (HackingTheAfterlife Podcast)

I may have said "do you mean Carl Sagan?" because we had chatted with him before. 

But she said "No, Carl Jung."  

Carl Jung. Biography.com

We were interviewing someone else at the time, so I put him in the back of my mind as someone to interview in the future. After all, if he took the time to show up in our class, and identify himself (I couldn't pick him out of a lineup, so for her to do so, is uncanny) I should at least ask him why.

JenniferShaffer.com

Jennifer is a medium who works with law enforcement agencies nationwide on missing person cases. She's helped Bill Bratton with a case (ask him about it) and has helped others nationwide.  I've been working with her for over five years and know how accurate she is and can be.

Prior to our sessions, I often "say the name aloud" of the person I'd like to speak with.  So I did that in this clip - said his name aloud - used the "Greenwich Mean Time" clock (on the right side of this page) to indicate when the name was evoked - and then began to tape the session.  I'm in an apartment building upstairs - sometimes too many folks are on the wifi at the same time, so apologies for the intermittent cutting out of my voice - but her voice is not interrupted.

Prior to the session I did some casual research into the fellow. I have a friend familiar with his work (David Kirkpatrick, thanks) who supplied me with a couple of questions, because oddly enough that morning he was referencing him - and I said "If you had a couple of questions, what would they be?" He supplied the "Why didn't you go to Rome?" and "Why didn't you meditate or do a hypnosis session?" questions.

Here's the Wikipedia page where I gathered some of the details - the "soul stone" for example.  When I read that I can only think of the many filmed interviews I've done with people under hypnosis ("Flipside" to "Hacking the Afterlife" - "Architecture of the Afterlife" includes about 50 of people not under hypnosis.)  In those cases, when a child does something as odd as Carl did - making a totem of a native culture - I assume it's related to a past life memory.

Carl Jung; Wikipedia

In terms of his mother, Emilie, indeed, he reported that she "spoke to spirits."  He's also the person who created the concept of "Collective unconscious" as well as the term "Archetypes."  

Which brings us to point two.  Bill Paxton and I were friends many years ago, we stayed in touch over the decades, but his career skyrocketed while mine floundered.  When he passed away, I did a series of interviews with him ("Talking to Bill Paxton" on Gaia) via three different mediums.  So when I was referencing that "we have friends in this class who lived in Ojai" - while interviewing Krishnamurti, I was referring specifically to him.

One of Ojai's famous residents

I didn't ask for him in this interview - but was referring to him when I said that.

Jiddu Krishnamurti

So I wasn't surprised when she said his name - but I was surprised when he said "Ask him about archetypes."  I did not know that he had created the term until I read it that morning - and here was my old pal referencing something that I had not written down (I had written down "synchronicity" and "collective unconscious") - but here was someone asking a question from the flipside to someone we are interviewing.

Jennifer is not an expert on Carl Jung - as she freely admits on camera. She had no idea that Carl had invented the term.  But Bill did. And he is the one who asked the question. Here's the video:





This morning, former studio exec turned author David Kirkpatrick wrote to me to thank me for sharing the video with him. I wrote back: 

"Thanks for the questions. I tried to focus on the things that relate to this research (his "soul stone" sounded like a past life memory) his mother seeing spirits - Bill saying "ask about archetypes" is "new information."  

Jennifer never studied Jung (formerly a financial analyst in Manhattan beach) I had just read in the wiki entry that Carl invented the term. 

Bill literally raised a point only he could raise. Asked Carl his own question.  (Not mine. Not from Jennifer.) It's mind bending and proof of concept. I mean... am I missing something?  Is this not proof of the afterlife?  

Jennifer doesn't know anything about Carl.. and yet recognizes him. Doesn't know about archetypes yet repeats a question from an actor she met "in class." Proof life goes on. Full stop. 

Those whose path doesn't include this knowledge will not see it. Will assume we "cheated" or she "read my mind."  But she asked things not in my mind. She repeated answers I could not invent. Welcome to my world."

Indeed. Proof that life goes on. Proof of concept. Proof of the flipside. Proof of heaven (although everyone calls it "home" instead). Proof of being able to "Hack the afterlife."  I could go on... I frequently do.  But in this era when our friends are falling around us like flies, it's important to report that life goes on. They know it. We just aren't privy to that same information. Our loss.



Post script:

Some wag wrote on the MartiniZone page: "Why did you have to give her so many clues as to the identity of the man?   Totally unconvincing."

To which I replied: "Well, since this is the first time you've seen us work together, or have watched any of our videos, you wouldn't know that I've done this for five years with her. 

Sometimes she gets it immediately (as reported in "Backstage Pass to the Flipside" books) sometimes it takes three or four guesses.  It's not a contest. 

I'm not trying to prove that she can do this kind of work - I've been doing that for over five years now.  I had her for 45 minutes. The clues I gave her were "he's shown up in our class before" she picked Einstein. Instead of saying "No" I said "of that era."  She's not scanning my mind - or scanning her knowledge of Carl - she's asking the class "Why are you showing me Albert?" And then she said "Carl Jung."  (I just now remember that it WAS Albert we were interviewing when he showed up in the classroom - asking him about turning salt to fresh water for pennies, or how to create energy from non carbon sources.  The image of who we were interviewing popped into her mind - and from there came the answer.)

I'm sorry if this is the first time you've watched us do this. I'd say "watch the other 20 clips here" or "read the three books where I provide transcripts" or "watch "Talking to Bill Paxton" on Gaia.  

Or watch the clip on here called "Talking to Paul Allen, Junior Seau and Dave Duerson."  





In this clip - live - I asked for three people to assist us - and she named them in a row, one after the other.  (John Lennon because I'm a friend of his son, Steve Jobs because we'd interviewed him previously, and Anthony Bourdain because I assumed they met. She names them live on camera - one after the other in a row.) 

Again - I'm not trying to prove anything to someone who did not sign up for a lifetime to know how the play ends. It's pointless.  

As Harry Dean Stanton told us "Tell people to believe in the possibility of an afterlife then they won't waste any more of their time arguing about it like I did."  Once there is the possibility - then one can focus on what the content is. And that is a conversation about his mother, about his soul stone, and my old friend Bill Paxton reminding me to ask him about archetypes.  

Not my idea - not Jennifer's idea. Bill's idea.  

So thanks for the comment so that I could report that this is just one of many many many interviews we've done.  People can read them, view them, discuss them at their own leisure - eventually we all get to a point where we realize how much time we wasted arguing about something that was possible."

My two cents.

Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer, Elvis, Bill Paxton and Steve Bing

Another mind bending session with Jennifer Shaffer.  Allow me to repeat - this is live on the air, I have not conversed with Jennifer prior to the session. 

I invited three people - my pal who said something to me in the kitchen of my home, a friend of mine who passed away whose son has down syndrome, and my pal Bill Paxton. 

I had no idea that Elvis would appear or have something to say - however as noted, we interview him in "Backstage to the Flipside 3"...  I had invited Steve Bing the previous week, but he wasn't "ready yet" to have this conversation (as his death was the day before, and it takes some time to get used to the environment). 

Steve Bing with Bill Paxton, Cassian Elwes, Adam Rifkin, James Caan
When I saw this photo after his passing, I knew that Bill could
facilitate this conversation (and he does. From Adam's FB page.)

What Jennifer says about him - not knowing who he was - is absolutely correct. (Steve was a filmmaker who died by his own hand, jumping from his apt. in Century City). Sometimes people are "not ready" to speak with us, but later are. I leave it up to Luana Anders and her clipboard. During one session, Tom Petty came forward, and I asked him "why?" since I'd never met him in life.  He said "You have no idea how hard it is to talk to you two. Luana is like the person with the clipboard who decides who gets the VIP pass." Hence the title "Backstage Pass to the Flipside."

In the intervening weeks, since our last session, and when we heard he "wasn't ready to speak to us" I saw a photograph posted by one of Steve's friends that included Bill Paxton in it.  

Since Bill is an old friend and frequent contributor, I invited him to help us talk to Steve. 

Dennis Hopper and Luana in "Night Tide" - later
Dennis cast her in "Easy Rider."

Luana Anders is my friend on the flipside who runs this class, and knew Bill in life, and Jennifer through me. Jennifer has no idea that I was going to ask Bill about Steve - and I captured the moment when she realized who he was.  

She's the holder of the clipboard.  If you aren't on the
clipboard, you don't get into class. Sorry.

For those who know these folks - we are here to demonstrate how easy and simple it is to communicate with our loved ones on the other side.  The idea that Elvis would give us the theme for this episode - "write the love song of your life" is mind bending and poignant.  



I do not name the family that has a child with down syndrome because I will direct them privately to this episode - its for their eyes and ears only, but for anyone out there who has a sibling, child with down syndrome - what this young man had to say "I only have about 10% of my energy on the planet" is in line with the reports we've done with others.  

Great show, great cast

That Jennifer saw him as a "hologram" - meaning "see through" - or "not all there" is also in line with reports from the flipside about people who are still on the planet.   (People who have near death experiences and see people "who are still on the planet" often see their pals or loved ones as "see through.")

A note about Steve's "soft landing."  We first encountered this during our interview with Harry Dean Stanton just after his passing. (From "Backstage Pass to the Flipside book One") Upon crossing over, Harry saw himself in this car, driving up to Monterey. He “assumed it was a dream.”

There was a third friend in the car as well. Let’s call him “Fred.” (I reached out to “Fred” yesterday as Harry had a message for him, and answered some questions raised here.)

Harry said “I thought this is what happens when people die — they go to a happy memory, like a dream, and then they’re in that dream forever in kind of a loop.” The idea that a dream or memory would just play out over and over when someone was no longer on the planet. Then, he said, they had a flat tire.

And as they were fixing the flat tire, Harry said he “realized this was not something that had happened” — that they did not have a flat tire on this trip. So he looked at his friend “Fred” and said “We didn’t have a flat tire.” And “Fred” said “I know.”
It was at this moment he realized he wasn’t in a dream — but “in the afterlife.” Harry chuckled as he said (through Jennifer) “Luana gave me a soft landing by doing that.”

In this interview, Steve Bing reported finding himself on a movie set, directing a film. While Steve produced a number of successful films, he also directed a feature film "Every Breath." It's a unique experience, and I can attest that being in the director's chair on a film set (I've written and/or directed 8 theatrical features) can feel like "home" to those who've directed.  It's fun, it's about visualizing what's in your mind - and it's not something we ever forget, even if the films don't "do that well."  

So by "suddenly appearing on a film set" and not knowing which film it was, is a version of a "soft landing."  A person is focused on the task in front of him or her, instead of focusing on the "where am I?" This is also why many people report that they were "greeted by pets" on the flipside - our focus shifts to the fact that we recognize someone we love unconditionally and gives us that kind of awareness - "Oh. I'm not dead. How can I be if I'm here with my dog/cat/cockatoo?"

When I refer to Steve Bing's "dark and light friends" in this interview - only they would know who I'm referring to. Some who consider themselves "closer friends" because of their status, fame, or utility to him in life - or some who could be considered "lighter friends" because he only showed a side of himself that was helpful or fun to them. 

It's weird that in life we may meet someone we dismiss out of hand, and on the flipside realize they were our brother/father/sister/mother in a previous incarnation, and their role in our life was merely to help us along the path. (We are all just walking each other home.)

Steve unequivocally states in this interview; "they're all the same, and he loves them all."

So - if one isn't aware of how to communicate with a loved one on the other side - that would mean that they have yet to learn how to do so. 

And there is no amount of money that will purchase that ability.  No amount of fame that changes that aspect.  There is no hierarchy in the afterlife - no fame, no one "hoards the jelly beans." So those who pretend it exists here are in a state of "performance illusion" - or perhaps in a kinder way, they "are fully invested in the play they're currently in" as if money mattered, as if fame mattered, as if anything but love mattered.

Steve Bing suffered from anxiety, according to this interview, and did himself in because of a "broken heart." However, because we've done a number of interviews with Anthony Bourdain, I asked him to come forward and ask Steve a question, hoping he would offer the sage advice he's give us before. "If you don't know how to meditate, learn to do so." He did have sage advice for us.

That's why we do this work. 

That's why I post these unedited, raw "as it happened live on camera." Jennifer didn't know who I was referring to as "Steve" - until she did live on camera.  

As I point out - I don't have to prove that Jennifer can speak to the flipside - law enforcement agencies nationwide ask her to do the same for them - I have at least four books ("Hacking the Afterlife" "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 1, 2 and 3") that demonstrate that she can learn "new information" from the flipside.  I'm not here to prove anything to anyone - nor is she. 

However - we do our best to be straightforward, and present whatever comes through as it comes through. To demonstrate how simple it is to ask questions and get answers. Anyone can do it.

Everyone has loved ones on the flipside who have been trying to reach out to them - and because of the filters involved, have denied they exist. 

My advice; stop that. Let 'em through. They still care about our journey. Let them give advice. Who knows, they may even pass along a lottery number or two.

This session is a bit of a roller coaster, and I don't recommend it for everyone - but if you've read "Flipside" are familiar with this work, it's in line with everything else we've done.

"Elvis has not left the building."



Finally - I'll let Harry Dean Stanton have the last word:

When the notorious atheist showed up in a session with me and Jennifer I said to him "So Harry, famous atheist fellow, what was it like to realize there actually is an afterlife?  What do you want me to tell your friends at your memorial?"

He said "Tell them there is an afterlife."

I laughed. I said "Harry, your friends are all just like you - none of them will believe I spoke to you in this fashion."  So he gave me three private messages to give to pals at his memorial. Close friends who all had health issues that I didn't know, Jennifer couldn't have known - and yet when I mentioned them to these people they knew "beyond a shadow of doubt" that only Harry Dean could have told me these things.  They were flabbergasted. One screamed. (And later when discussing these health issues with their children independently - they all confirmed beyond a shadow of doubt that Harry knew what he was talking about.)

But I also told them what Harry told me later - "Tell people to believe in the POSSIBILITY of an afterlife, so then they won't waste another minute of their lives arguing about it like I did."

Wise words. Thanks Harry. 

The late, great Harry Dean Stanton

Talking to Bill Paxton on the Flipside - GAME NOT OVER MAN

NEW EDIT OF THIS FILM AT GAIA. 

"TALKING TO BILL PAXTON"

I created this film with three different mediums where we spoke directly to my old friend Bill on the flipside, and asked him about his journey.

"Game Not Over Man!"
From his role in Hatfields & McCoys

I was startled when he spoke clearly, directly and with great detail about what happened, how he crossed over, who was there to greet him when he got there. GAME NOT OVER MAN! (He didn't say that, I did - but it's funny nonetheless).




I posted the film at Gaia.com - but due to a mixing glitch, there was a music track that drowned out the dialog, generally made it impossible to hear.

I took out the music and remixed it so that audiences aren't distracted by the filmmaking, but can listen to the content.

It's a bit like capturing lightning in a bottle.  With Jennifer Shaffer, we get together weekly to discuss things with the flipside, and I record those conversations to transcribe them and put them in books ("Backstage Pass to the Flipside: Talking to the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer").  

In our discussions with Bill Paxton, he said that I should put the footage together into documentary form.  I happened to be interviewing another medium Kimberly Babcock, and during the course of our interview, his name popped into my mind, and I asked "What about my friend Bill?"

I had no intention of filming her talking to Bill - but I did have the camera on in a noisy restaurant.  

If I recreated that event - or even tried to - it would not be the same.  However, the third medium, Raylene Nunes I had interviewed for a chapter in an upcoming book about her journey to becoming a medium. So we met, but she knew nothing about Bill or my relationship with him when she did this interview with Dr. Medhus.

For those not aware, Dr. Medhus' son killed himself, then called her on her cellphone to say he was okay.  She was a skeptic - couldn't believe it - until a medium (Jamie Butler) called her to say "Your son is in my living room and won't leave until I call you." That started a long conversation of interviews between mother and son.  The interviews are all available for free on her site.




Raylene worked with Dr. Elise Medhus on her ChannelingErik.com site - and Dr. Medhus suggested I interview her. Her own personal story is amazing. But when Dr. Medhus reached out a year later and said "Is there anyone you'd like me to speak with?" I suggested Billy.  I supplied the questions, but she had her own as well.  Dr. Medhus didn't know Bill or his work - nor did Raylene. But Bill answered the SAME QUESTION with the SAME ANSWERS the other two mediums recorded.

All three mediums said the same things - how he passed, who was there to greet him, how we met in a pub in London and what movie he was working on when I met him. ("Aliens")  

I've shared the extended version of these interviews (warts and all) with his wife, but have edited it down to something that is just about our relationship.  How we met, why his career took off - despite our trying to make a film together - and what his journey on the flipside is like.

We have the unique window to "hear" his voice when he's talking through this medium. He talks about Jim Cameron, talks about "Titanic" and other events in his life.  For me - and it can only be for me - it's absolute proof that life goes on. Some will be put off by the sound - my apologies - the lightning - or other things that don't fit.  But like I say - trying to catch lightning in a bottle here.

Much better filmmaker than me. Obviously. He likes to remind me.

It just demonstrates why his career rocketed and mine was another path altogether. Perhaps to make this documentary with its wacky sound of a film.

So please, I encourage ALL OF YOU to check it out at Gaia.com -
https://www.gaia.com/video/backstage-pass-flipside-talking-bill-paxton 

Here's a new trailer for the film.  
 https://youtu.be/KTIeNaHjwcc

The film is FREE if you sign up for a month and cancel - but it's worth checking into.  And I don't mind angry comments - just don't tell me the sound is too difficult to hear - 

"If you can't hear what they're saying then you're trying not to hear what they're saying."

So please ignore the comments about the "bad sound" as they PREDATE the newer version.

Personally I feel complaints about me filming a medium in a restaurant are silly - because of the artificiality we have every day when we pretend that someone wearing a uniform, or a cassock or some other prop is "better suited" to speaking from the flipside.  

None of that is needed or required. I film inside a noisy restaurant because THE FOLKS ON THE FLIPSIDE LIKE IT.

They like the smells (that we smell) the food that passes under our noses, the people chatting, the music playing.  People think that doing interviews or "seances" in a darkened room with orbs or crystals and a Theremin playing - that's fine for them - but for me, I can't be bothered with it.

They're not gone. They're just not here.

So without further ado - here's the trailer to this film, and here's the link to it on Gaia. GO AND WATCH THIS FILM. It's free and it will free you as well.

Chats with Paul Allen, Junior Seau, Dave Duerson, Bill Paxton, Robert Kennedy, Robin Williams on the Flipside

"Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't." Ad for Almond Joy candy bar

If I can set the stage for the following, I'll offer by way of explanation; "I was a hall monitor in high school."  I'm not sure how I got the gig, I don't remember lobbying for it - but I would sit at the end of the hallway asking for a "pass" before allowing someone to go on their way.

Only I don't believe in passes, because I don't ever remember telling anyone that they could not go down a hallway.  But I did wear some orange belt thing, making myself stand out.  People could come to me for advice, help, directions.

And sometimes I'd stop fights  "Hey! You really don't want to do that!"  That was one thing that came out of my mouth one day - as if I knew the arc of this person's life and that punching out a fellow student, or being bloodied by the victim was not something they wanted to do.  

Glenbrook North. Billy Meyer 21 has his hands where they should not be.

I was a football player in high school, guard then middle linebacker, I roamed the field with abandon, would work myself into a semi trance prior to the game, and generally was considered a formidable foe. (I once heard the coach of our opponent say out loud "Stay away from Martini. He's the best player on the team!")

I like to think I heard it that way. (Coach AllBright of New Trier.  He had been my coach freshman year, then he was elevated to Senior coach at the toughest school in the league that year.  And indeed they did stay away from me the entire game (except for one pass where they fooled me badly because I thought "finally!" and race up to make the tackle as the ball sailed over my head and went for 20 yards.)  But enough about me.

"Enough about me. What do you think about me?"
with Rebecca Broussard, Anne Cusack on set of my film
"Point of Betrayal" film directing era

This is a post about the flipside.  I guess I'm talking about my football bonafides (8 years in grade and high school) because I have a fondness for the Chicago Bears.  I grew up with the names Butkus and Ditka, and later was thrilled to see McMahon, The Fridge, Dave Duerson and company swallow the entire league in their Super Bowl run.

I mention this because I talked to Dave Duerson recently.

Dave Duerson.  Super Bowl Winning Chicago Bear.

For those of you not aware, Dave killed himself back in 2011; he was having brain problems and issues from CTE, left a note for them to donate his brain to science and then shot himself.  A year later, his colleague Junior Seau did the same thing.

Fans of this blog will note that during a session with Paul Allen (I thought, hey Paul Allen passed, I wonder if we can chat with him?) he came clearly through, talked to us about his passing, his legacy, his brain institute, and told us that a "football player was the person to greet him on the other side."

Paul started Microsoft, but purchased a football team,
something he loved since he was a kid. Seahawks.

More specifically two football players. 

Jennifer Shaffer, my partner in this endeavor, was accessing Paul Allen through Luana Anders, my pal on the flipside who is a mirror image of Jennifer in that she's a medium "over there" that helps people chat to us "over here."

Jennifer Shaffer

Paul Allen was talking about our mutual friend (Julian Lennon) and gave me specific messages to deliver to him. (I did) He then started talking about these football players that were there to greet him on the flipside.  He described a Polynesian player who had killed himself, and then described an African American player who had done the same - they both had suffered from CTE and they came to "thank him for the work Paul did in the field."

With Julian

I can tell you as far as the public record is concerned, Paul Allen donated 300 million to his brain institute. As far as I can discern they are NOT studying CTE, but they are studying the brain.  However, these players told us that Paul had spent time and money trying to create stronger helmets (nothing I could find in the research) and that he felt badly because he owned a team and knew that players were suffering and that he could do something about it.

Jennifer Shaffer and Gina Seau

Then I saw on ESPN Junior Seau's widow Gina talking about CTE and how much it affected her life, so I reached out to her on social media.  Something like "I know this sounds weird but I think Junior showed up in a session I was filming the other day with Jennifer."  Gina was intrigued, curious and we spoke about her coming up to meet Jennifer ... and I suggested an experiment.  "Let's do a session with Jennifer - I won't tell her anything about you, and let's see if Junior shows up."  I told her I would film it (I did) and that it would be part of a chapter in an upcoming book. (It will be.)

I did not tell Jennifer anything about her at all. 

We went to Jennifer Shaffer's office and started filming. In a few minutes, she was connected to Gina's husband (didn't know his name, but he kept showing her a version of "mini me" (Junior)).  Jennifer correctly stated part of his birth name (which I wasn't aware of) and she said that her husband was chatting with his wife earlier in the day (she said she "heard him") - and knew the objects in her purse she brought to show Jennifer. 

And then suddenly Jennifer looked at me and said "Oh! This is the guy! That football player who showed up with the Microsoft guy!"

UPI photo. Junior Seau

It was startling.  I filmed her seeing that "Polynesia football player" during the session with Paul Allen, and now her she was recognizing  him from that event, live on camera)  

We spent the next hour with Junior - as he apologized to his wife for the wacky behavior he credited to CTE, all the things that had gone wrong, and described in detail what it was like to live with CTE. He offered that players and the league need to do more, protect more, find better ways to armor their heads and shoulders.  (Gina said that it was comforting to know that he's still around, especially for the children he left behind.)

About a month later, during the start of a session, Jennifer said; "That Microsoft guy is back. He says we're not done. Then Junior came forward and said "You're missing the other player."  

And then he brought Dave Duerson forward. (Dave told us that "The Fridge " had "given CTE to a number of people" while playing football, but noted that how he's suffering from it now).  Jennifer didn't know who "the Fridge" was, but I did when he said it.

William Perry "The Fridge" from Yahoo Sports article
"likely suffering from CTE"

I was a fan of Dave Duerson, of his career, knew about him - he had personal private messages for his family which I have passed along.  It's hard to do so - because who wants to hear that their loved one, who they've been grieving about for years has come to tell them that they've always been with them, and they have life advice? From some strange Hollywood dude?

All I can say is that we hear it often.  "We know we are still here. Our loved ones don't believe we are.  It's annoying because we are still involved, we want to help them, we have a different perspective and can see things they cannot.  But they insist that we don't exist."

Enter me.

I've noted previously that we talked to Aretha Franklin and she told us that her niece would find her "handwritten will."  I did the research, discovered that indeed her niece was the executor for her estate, and let her know we had chatted with her aunt. She said that she was in contact with her own mother on the flipside, but didn't believe what Jennifer had said to tell her. Then after she did find the handwritten will, I wrote to her again, and she said that "she always felt she would find the will, and while she believed she is in contact with her own mom on the flipside, that what Aretha told us was inaccurate."

Which is fine.  Again, it wasn't my idea to pass along to a perfect stranger a note from her aunt on the Flipside.  It's not up to me to convince anyone of anything.  I did my job passing it along (to her and other musicians who have come forward to help assist their families with lawsuits.)  Those folks have heard from this wacky filmmaker in LA who claims their loved ones asked me to reach out to them. I can only report. We may have the details of the message incorrect, or precisely what they said - but the important part of the message is to let them know "they still exist. Are not gone. They just aren't here."

BACKSTAGE PASS BOOK TWO

More than once I've been standing somewhere - on our balcony, watching the sunset, and I hear somewhere in my head "I understand you're the guy I need to speak to about contacting my family." 

BOOK ONE BACKSTAGE PASS

I try not to judge when that happens.  ("Robert Kennedy? Really? What could you possibly tell me that I could pass along to anyone?" "John McCain? Really? I wasn't a fan of your politics, and even though you want your daughter to run for Governor, how the hell am I going to get that message to her?") 

I don't mean to be coy but Robert came through and asked me to reach out to his daughter Rory (@RoryEKennedy) and encourage her to make a documentary about his life and death, and that the "truth" needs to be told about what "really happened." (Not the official story, two shooters, etc)  I said "I'm sorry, that's a tall order, as much as I'm a fan of you and your work, why dig up that kind of trauma? It's history now. How does it help?"  (He was saying those behind his death are still alive, and that there are people alive who can tell the story accurately, and he wants his daughter (a filmmaker) to do so.)  

I must say - I have resisted writing this into a post - the Kennedy family has enough to deal with without people claiming to talk to their loved ones on the flipside (it will be in the next book) but I will add that the following week, someone else came through - someone who was famous over 150 years ago, the wife of someone we had interviewed - and she said "I want to tell you that you were wrong to tell Robert that his story is history."  She said "We still exist, and these events mean alot to us, and it's important to rip the bandage off to get the wound to heal the nation.  The whole country is going through that now with the current President, so you might as well report what really happened so people can heal." Note taken.

But when someone shows up to "speak with us" I tell them the same thing:

"Get in line."

We have a line of people who want to speak to us, we have a formal process. They have to get their "backstage pass" from Luana Anders - and then they have to wait until Jennifer and I are together to sort out what it is they want.

She's got the clipboard.

So - Junior Seau and Dave Duerson both want to thank the doctors who helped figure out that CTE was behind their demise. They offer that there are more athletes than we know (including hockey players or surfers) who are suffering from CTE and in need of help.  They specifically pointed to Joe Namath (who said he had cured his CTE through oxygen therapy) as a person who is on the right track.  They claim that Joe's method of curing CTE is worth exploring.

This isn't coming from me or Jennifer.  I had NO IDEA JOE NAMATH HAD CURED HIS CTE.  Jennifer, in three separate sessions said "There's a quarterback, he has wavy hair, I can't think of his name - but they're showing me this guy."  I filmed all three of those sessions and then the last time instead of looking up "quarterbacks who died from possible CTE" I looked up "Quarterbacks. Famous. CTE" and found Joe. (See this article: Joe Namath believes he's found a cure for CTE)

I texted his photo to Jennifer and she wrote back "THAT'S HIM!"

Joe Namath on YouTube

So - Junior Seau and Dave Duerson teamed up to tell us that CTE is something that can be protected against with better padding ("think a knight's armor that went from the shoulders up") and that oxygen therapy (hyperbaric therapy) is a method that can cure or help the symptoms. Dave says by 2050 the game will be "virtual and the injuries won't occur at all." 

From your lips to God's ear Dave.



Then last week Bill Paxton came through to say hello. Said he wanted to reiterate that he's still one of the funniest guys I ever met (accurate) and that he's still keeping an eye on his family and loved ones.  But when I asked him "What should I post on my blog that will be helpful to those who don't believe we can access you?" and he suggested the following clip.

So - this is me and a skeptic talking about the flipside live on camera.  I was on Susan Pinsky, Dr. Drew's wife's blog radio talk show and prior to coming on, I was talking to him about the work and said "Hey, you want to see where we can go?" and he said "Sure."  

A true scientist doesn't bother with what he believes or doesn't believe (he does not believe in an afterlife) - he allows the data to lead him down the path.  In this case, I had no idea what he would say, what I would say - but I can tell you that in the 50 cases I've filmed of people under deep hypnosis, and the dozens I've recorded without hypnosis since. they all say the same things about "guides" and "councils."

This clip is courtesy of my old pal Bill Paxton.



So believe, don't believe - I've been demonstrating for awhile now that ANYONE can talk to the flipside, and they don't need to be under any form of hypnosis. (Although Drew said "I felt hypnotized."  I said "That's fine, but I'm not a trick hypnosis guy - and you said the SAME THINGS everyone else says about their council and guides.  How could that be if you were making it up?")

And finally, a note about Robin Williams.

It's been five years since he checked off the planet.

Happy flipside birthday Robin. 

As Jennifer's dad told us "Try to turn grief to nostalgia. Grief has only sad memories. Nostalgia has both sad and happy memories. When you can turn grief to nostalgia you begin the healing process." When we asked Robin for a blurb for "Hacking the Afterlife" he said "love love." 

My guess what he means is love what you do, love who you are, love those around you, love the love baby, love what is, could be, ever was, its why to get up in the morning, why to get into bed at night (with whoever's stealing covers), why we choose pistachio over peanut butter. 

Love love.

Jennifer Shaffer trying to keep a lid on me.