When you know, you know

“When you know, you know.”

This quote came from an Oscar winning writer yesterday.  We were talking about something that had just occurred – he got some new information from the flipside, the afterlife, that could not have come from anyone else except the person he was talking to on the other side.

It's a bit like talking about skydiving. People who've never done it can have an opinion on it, but only those who've experienced it "know" the experience.

                Luana Anders. An avatar in a mirror.

In this case – it was this writer's dog.  

I knew his dog well, walked him for three years when I worked for his owner, and had no clue that we could access his dog… until we did. 

About a year or two ago, I organized a skype session with him and Jennifer Shaffer, medium extraordinaire. During the course of the session, I was filming, he was accessing a close pal no longer on the planet, when I asked if we could talk to "Hira.” (It's in the book "Backstage Pass to the Flipside" Part one)

                         With Jennifer Shaffer

My friend paused. “Can we do that?” 

I said “Let’s see.”  

And Jennifer said “Why am I seeing a giant white rug?”  My friend held up a photograph of him – he was a giant Hungarian sheepdog – a bit like a giant white shag rug.  That day we conversed with him – asked him questions, he gave answers that only he would know (about me, about a trip he and I went on together, about a trip he went on with our friend that only he would know about – that Jennifer could not because I did not.) 

My friend had a million questions after that session. “How could that be?” 

I have done my best to encapsulate the research, the thousands of cases of deep hypnosis I’ve examined, the 50 I’ve filmed, the 50 I’ve filmed without hypnosis – people saying the same thing over and over.  “We don’t die. We know we still exist. It’s you, our loved ones, who pretend we don’t.”  

I’ve spoken to friends of this writer, friends of mine – I’ve filmed those interactions and shared them with their family members or the public in the books “Backstage Pass to the Flipside” books one, two and three.

Yesterday my friend had a chat over the phone with Jennifer – just a casual chat saying hello. 

And she said “Hira wants you to take a yellow cough drop.”  My friend hadn’t coughed, so he said “What? Why?”  

And Jennifer said “I don’t know why, but Hira is saying you used to take these yellow cough drops – and he’s concerned about you, and wants you to take them.”  And my friend revealed to her that very morning he had woken up with a cough, and that no one else knew about it.

It’s an example of new information. 

The medium, Jennifer could not have known that he woke up with a cough. Could not have known that he used to take these particular “yellow cough drops.”  (They’re specific and special, and believe me, having worked for the guy for years, could only be found in one or two stores on the planet.)  And yet, here was his dog, who passed over 30 years ago – telling him that he needed to take those same drops for his current cough.

Get it?

“When you know. You know.”

                                       With a couple of avatars.

As I pointed out to him, no one else is going to “believe” that they can access their loved ones on the flipside from hearing that story. 

In fact, only one person on the planet would realize this to be accurate, that this story was meant for him, that this story would prove beyond any shadow of any doubt that he had, it was true.

But he has an Oscar and I don’t. 

In the hierarchical world we live in - he's got a PhD in writing, while I'm just a fellow who films people talking about the afterlife. So until he wants to announce to the world that he knows what he knows, people will have to take my word for it that he said it.  

But it made me think of another comment I was replying to. About "PhD's" in consciousness.

This fellow on Quora.com was complaining about my reports on the flipside.

I had posted an innocuous comment in the forum I moderate and created “Hacking the Afterlife” on quora.com:  (It was in response to someone posting about the accuracy of consciousness existing outside the body...)

RM: "Thousands upon thousands of people have had NDE’s that are skeptics, non religious or every variety imaginable. Check out Iands.org for the most reliable source of information on NDEs - and there are quite a few to read..."

This Poster asked: "Why do you think that there is such a thing as a disembodied mind?"

RM: "I don’t think about it much. Or to quote Carl Jung “I don’t think, I know.” Having done six deep hypnosis sessions, having filmed over 100 (50 without hypnosis) I’m aware of how consciousness works when not incarnated in a body. 

We have this illusion that it begins with us - like an avatar in a video game believing that they are in actuality the source of their behavior. The research shows we bring about a third of our conscious energy to a lifetime, two thirds is always “back home” where we started from. 

All the research points to the same thing; we choose our lifetimes (avatars) we construct them to behave in this environment (as best we can, we have free will to screw things up and often do) and when the game is over we return home and become aware of all the other lifetimes. I’ve been filming people saying the exact same thing for over a decade now, so no - it’s not a belief of mine."

Poster: "You've been filming the exact same thing for a decade now, so in a nutshell, what have you deduced from this?"

RM: "Let's see... I have 8 books on the topic. You want one sentence? Life goes on. Life didn’t begin either - we chose to come here, volunteered for the mission so to speak. We have no awareness of it unless we have a consciousness altered event - NDE, OBE, LSD, meditation or hypnotherapy. .We can bypass the filters. It’s not for everyone - but for those who want to figure it out, there’s a path. In “Architecture of the Afterlife” - I filmed about 50 people doing the exact same journey, saying the same things people under hypnosis said - without any hypnosis. Check it out. Mind bending."

Poster: "We choose to come here? What a load of nonsense. I don't care if everyone rambles the same under hypnosis. People interpret what they want to believe. Science outright rejects an afterlife.

There is no such thing as a disembodied mind. Good day."

(Ah, finally - we get to the opinion of this poster. That materialist science is accurate and non materialist science is not (as they refer to it at UVA, where they study consciousness)  So I replied (how could I not?)

RM: "I'm sorry. Let me amend that. Everyone chose to come here but this fellow.

In all the thousands of cases I've researched, the 2750 from Dr. Helen Wambach, the 7k from Michael Newton, the 100 I've filmed of people accessing previous lifetimes with historical accuracy - half under hypnosis and half not I've finally found the one person who didn't volunteer to incarnate.

I'd pop champagne if I could.

I would offer that there's plenty of science that demonstrates consciousness exists outside the brain.. I could cite the over 100 peer reviewed studies done by Dr. Greyson at UVA, the peer reviewed studies done by Ed and Emily Kelly PhDs at UVA, “Irreducible Mind" or the 1500 cases of reincarnation under review by Dr Tucker at UVA, the 30 years of research by Ian Stevenson at UVA or the 10 years of NDE cases cited in the Aware project by Dr. Sam Parnia… but what would be the point?

This one fellow claims he didn't choose to be here.

I could query all those involved with that choice - parents, siblings, teachers, guides.. I could even query this person's higher self (the two thirds of conscious energy that stays behind during a lifetime) and without this fellow’s awareness here - could learn why he chose to be here and not realize why.

Again - without his even being aware of it here, his higher self knows what I'm talking about. (As demonstrated in the book “Architectureof the Afterlife.”)

But I wouldn't do that. 

It would be fun… but it would be impolite. One cannot interfere with a person's path or journey.. people don’t all sign up to know how the play ends… for the most part we aren’t allowed to interfere with anyone’s chosen path or journey… except I just did.

Everyone who has read this reply has a higher self that knows exactly what I'm referring to and by reading this comment has realized it's possible to direct someone's awareness to the research.

Oops. Sorry. Have a good day.”

Folks don't like hearing that no one is dead. Not sure why.

The poster was not finished: 

Poster: "You should read Antonio Damasio’s papers. He's a renowned neuroscientist, you are not."

RM: "You should read David Presti’s book “Mind Beyond Brain.” He’s a renowned neuroscientist as well. https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Beyo... or let’s take a gander at Dr. Greyson’s peer reviewed papers:  or watch the video “Is consciousness produced by the brain” where Greyson cites the medical cases where it is not only. https://youtu.be/sPGZSC8odIU

Or these peer reviewed studies about consciousness: https://www.amazon.com/Irreducib...

Or these peer reviewed studies about consciousness existing outside the brain: Irreducible Mind

Or take five minutes to look at the research at DOPS at UVA. It's not my opinion, theory or belief. I turn on the camera, film what they say and am startled that they say the same things the research demonstrates. Division of Perceptual Studies | University of Virginia School of Medicine.”

Poster: "…Also when the brain is put in a dream like state, it can be coaxed into coming out with all sorts of fantastical things which, unfortunately is interpreted as a past life."

My final reply:

RM: "I try to focus on new information. That is - details that can be proven that aren’t cryptomnesia. New information that the person under hypnosis, or not under hypnosis (as demonstrated in “Architecture of the Afterlife”) observes, sees, learns during the experience. 

That is not limited to near death events (Dr. Alexander learning he had a sister who had died but never met, Todd Burpo learning he had a sister who died he had never met, David Bennett, scientist who died from drowning for 12 minutes (“Voyage of Purpose”) where he saw the events that would occur later in life - a diagnosis of cancer he would overcome - and then 20 years later it occurred. He’s been studied in the DOPS lab at UVA - perhaps this poster isn’t aware of it - but it’s a place to study consciousness outside the brain (as cited above.) Division ofPerceptual Studies | University of Virginia School of Medicine -

While Antonio Damasio is a scholar (and a neighbor, as I went to USC), he’s dealing with materialist science without the benefit of post materialist research (quantum mechanics visa vis the brain). I recommend listening to some David Bohm (physicist) conversations with Krishnamurti (at the site in Ojai, where they have all online) or a proof of concept exercise. Antonio (or anyone) can visit a hypnotherapist - see what the process entails - do their own session and see what the results are. It’s one thing to talk about skydiving, but another to experience it.

I’ve filmed 100 cases, done six myself - and done the forensic research to see how accurate my memories are (“Flipside” book and film, “Talking to Bill Paxton” film, “It’s a Wonderful Afterlife” interviews with scientists, “Hacking the Afterlilfe” interviews with mediums, “Backstage Pass to the Flipside” interviews with people I knew on the flipside, and “Architecture of the Afterlife” with people not under hypnosis accessing the same information.) 

It’s not my opinion, theory or belief these people say the same things. I’m only filming them. I’m a filmmaker you see. I film people and then transcribe what they say. And beyond a shadow of any doubt I have - I could connect Antonio to his parents on the flipside, and prove beyond any shadow of doubt he might have that they still exist and are accessible. But anyone can do that. 

I suggest one try, no harm in self experimenting.”

 

My two cents

Which is my way of saying “When you know, you know.”

A message from the Flipside

Needless to say, with so many of our fellow travelers not making it or having their lives ended by something as senseless as a "zombie virus" - it sends the mind reeling. Looking for answers.


If one looks through this blog they'll find some practical advice from none other than Jonas Salk.  Zinc (elderberry) aloe vera (juice) and acai.  Daily. Stay home. Wash hands. Eventually there will be a vaccine, and or the amounts will lessen.  These things take time.

Elderberry, Aloe Vera, Acai
from Jonas Salk

Or we can try to look for value in the pandemic; "Well, I can finish up my books about the afterlife, just in case."  That was on my mind, when I raced to finish both "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3: Talking to the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer book three" and "Architecture of the Afterlife."   I had these two very large books over 600 pages each, and I knew if I spent the next three months trying to edit them, they might never get done.

So I put them out, then recorded the Audible versions.  That too was a matter of urgency, getting the recording equipment together, finding the right space to record it - and then reading about 40 hours (for both books.)  Then because Audible was in another mode because of the pandemic it took two months to get those versions released.

I'm aware some quality control has slipped through the cracks - a fan wrote today that he found a 100 typos in "Architecture of the Afterlife."  The good news is that once I recorded the Audible, I saw many typos, then edited the copy and submitted new editions (something not available to authors before, but nowadays it's a click of a button to resubmit a new edition.)  So my sincere apologies for any typos I missed. (If you have an "older edition" send me an email to "MartiniProds" at gmail and I'll forward a newer edition (PDF) without the typos.)

Also, I heard that in "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3" one can hear me "making corrections" while I'm reading the text. (Scribbling in the margins) Which is pretty funny - or a testament to recording. Again - apologies if the sound of a pen is distracting. An early review had one person complain they could hear my "cat meowing" in the original audio of "Flipside." So in subsequent introductions I proclaim "I'm the kind of author that has cats meow in his books. If that's an issue, I sincerely suggest getting a refund. You also might hear me get choked up while reading a passage (often) - I can't help that. Part of what I'm doing is catching lightning in a bottle - and sometimes that includes crickets."

But this post is about something else.  

The other day, I was in my kitchen where sometime I hear folks saying things to me. Robert Kennedy approached me there (I clearly heard his voice say "I understand you're the fellow I'm supposed to speak with to pass a message to my children.") Startled, I said "No, sir, I'm the guy who knows the people who can help you. If you want to speak with us, show up at our weekly session where Jennifer and I speak to the flipside via Luana." 

Luana Anders waving hello.

Then the following week, on my way to see Jennifer - lo and behold when I arrived at our meeting place she said "Robert Kennedy is here."  (What he had to say I did pass along to one of his children.)

That has happened more than once - another time with John McCain - another time with Paul Allen (see "Paul Allen, Junior Seau and Dave Duerson" on YouTube for direct visual evidence of what I'm talking about.)  But again - that's not what this post is about.  





This is about something I heard the other day.  I heard the voice of a friend who had departed, and I heard her say something clear as a bell.

I don't know what she meant by it. I immediately thought it might mean one thing - and I took offense at hearing it. "What are you telling me that for?"  

However - I normally don't have a problem with people reaching out to me from the flipside as I know they do so for a reason.  And despite the thoughts that surrounded what she said - I have to allow that if it's accurate, it's for a reason.

So next week I'm going to address this in a session with Jennifer. 

I've been doing this research for over ten years.  My books are filled with the hows and whys those events have occurred.  They're like bread crumbs to the same place, the same conclusions.  If one wants to take that ride, and reads them in order, they will see the same information that I've seen. 

What I've seen is that everything happens for a reason - nothing happens without the connectivity of all of our previous lifetimes, all of our guides and teachers and loved ones participating. There are no coincidences, and our loved ones can communicate with us from the other side if we're open to the possibility that they can do so.

I've also learned that time exists relatively over there - while some say "there is no time" or that "everything exists at the same time" I've found that not to be the case in terms of the research. We apparently live each life in a linear fashion, we experience them in a linear fashion, otherwise we couldn't learn anything. 

If after every lifetime we said "Oh, I want a do over" - everyone who participated would have to agree. And even then, all the events would be different.  Even the concept is self serving - we live our lives so we can learn things about ourselves, or learn things about love and help others, even if we can't see that's why we chose our lifetimes in the first place.

The most important thing I've learned in this research is that the journey to the planet is about unconditional love. That's easy to say, next to impossible to consider. We all have conditions about why and who and what we're doing on the planet - or opinions, reactions to what other people do on the planet.  

But by "opening our hearts to everyone and all things" we have a shot at understanding the nature of reality. Not that it's a phrase that's a panacea - or an ad campaign - but understanding that the nature of consciousness, the nature of reality is embracing the idea that we are all connected and if one wants to experience that connection they can... by "opening their hearts to everyone and all things."

And beyond that to realize that we chose to come here, that leaving here is just another part of the journey, that no one dies that no one leaves the stage entirely - we are all available on the flipside, even if a portion of us has already come back. Two thirds of "who we are" is always "back home."  If one reads all the books, they'll come to the same conclusion (or I would bet they would.)

By the way there is a "donate" button on the side of the page. If this research has helped in any way, or changed perspective in any way, it would be most helpful if one took the time to donate something to that research - any amount that they can. I sincerely thank everyone for doing so, and also I mention those donors to the gofundme page in the next book and they get PDF's of the books for doing so.

So this post is about paying attention to what people say to us from the flipside. It's also a preamble that the next session I'm going to do with Jennifer I will bring up this person and this message and see if she gets it right.  I'll post it next week. I would say what the message was - but then someone somewhere would say "But Jennifer must have read your post."  I have a larger issue to deal with - Jennifer is often reading my mind, especially when writing about her or her name. My phone routinely rings whenever I write something she said, or was about to say. ("Ring." "I was just writing your name." "Shut the front door." "No seriously. Stop bugging me.")

So do the same with your loved ones. They still exist. Allow them to speak to you. Allow for the possibility that they can. Allow that they still care for you and want you to do well, and have some pretty cool things to impart from the flipside. Live your life with as much love as you can. Love love.

Remember; they're as close as you can imagine, and never far from you despite the illusion they aren't. 

Don't take my word for it. Just ask them. When you hear an answer before you can ask the question, you'll know you've made a connection.

My two cents. 

Happy New Year 2019!!!!

Happy New Year. It's the flipside of 2018, so to speak. When I think of all the odd things I've learned this year about the flipside, I can only say "It's all gonna be... okay. Just let go." As Paul's mother Mary told him from the flipside; "Let it be."

Photo by RJ Martini

Let go of fear, anger, resentment, all the stuff that holds you back from being what you signed up to be. To laugh, to love, to cry, to taste love and give love. It's hard when the rain is falling to know there's sunshine on the other side of the clouds - but if you could hear what I've heard, seen what I've seen, spoken to the people that we've spoken to (Happy New Year my cellphone-to-the-Flipside Jennifer Shaffer!) you'd breathe a little easier, laugh a little longer. Take up meditation. It cures or alleviates depression.

Yes, we are only here for a short amount of time - and yes, we don't end, we just find ourselves on a new adventure. But that doesn't negate or change any of the amazing fun we've had here, can have here, or why we chose to participate in this adventure. We are all connected, all of us on both side of the fence or wall, on both sides of the aisle, on all the continents, all of us in a quantum way - we can't see it, but we can feel it - if you're still breathing you're still feeling. Spend a minute opening your heart up to everyone and all things - if only for a a few seconds.

As Harry Dean Stanton told us (from the Flipside) "Believe in the possibility of an afterlife, because then you won't spend any more time arguing about it like I did." If you open yourself up to the possibility that you are here for a reason, that maybe you chose to be here - you'll see the planet from new eyes. By going into your past and examining why you chose it, you change your present and you change your future.

You can change the past, you can change the present, you can change the future by examining it. (Once examined, you can't unlearn what you've learned.) And it leads to hope and understanding that change is not only inevitable, but part of our plan, our path, our journey. You don't have to walk around with your heart open all day long - or head in the afterlife - or even wonder what you were thinking when you chose to be here - but if you can think about it for a minute, as it will change everything you thought you once knew.

By wishing happy new year to those you love, to those you have loved, to those on the planet, to those no longer here, but who want to stay involved in your life by having you read this missive - it's like they're tapping you on the shoulder right this very moment. "Yes. We still love you. We are still here."

The best gift we learned in "Backstage Pass to the Flipside: Talking to the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer" was in order to speak to a loved one, 1. just say their name. 2. Then ask them questions. 3. When you "hear the answer before you can form the question you'll know you have a connection."


Backstage Pass

That's not my theory, belief or opinion - I filmed that advice coming directly from someone no longer on the planet who claims he's helping those over there "stay in touch with all of us." Now you know what I know. For more odd thoughts in 2019 c'mon back here to www.richmartini.com



the books are in kindle, audible and paperback

The Epilogue from "FLIPSIDE: A Tourist's Guide on How to Navigate the Afterlife"

Here's the epilogue from my book "Flipside."  Someone wrote to me and said "It's the most important thing that I've read in your books."  Here's a reprint of that chapter.  (Copyright 2011. Excerpt from "Flipside: A Tourist's Guide on How to Navigate the Afterlife" by Richard Martini.  Homina Publishing 2011. All Rights Reserved.)

EPILOGUE: "BE THERE NOW"

Warren Buffet, one of the richest people on the planet, was interviewed recently about the secret to his success.  “Unconditional Love,” he said, “the most powerful force on the planet.” His father had given him unconditional love – it was a love that allowed him to fail, to get up and try again.^[1]

How does all of this affect how we approach our own lives?  If we know energy lives forever, that our souls live forever, that we’re on the journey we chose to be on, how does that help us “make it through the night?” In an effort to connect some dots, please allow me to recap:

1. Souls don’t die.

We’ve been around for millennia, our souls continue on for millennia. In between lives we are fully conscious, with all of our memories intact. Yes, our bodies die, our loved ones depart from us in this life. But we reconnect with them in the Afterlife. 

2. After death we return to our soul group, where we recognize those we’ve been reincarnating with for eons. 

There’s anywhere from 3-25 people in our individual group and we usually plan our next life with these same folks.  We share laughs and memories of the life just lived and eventually plot with them our next adventure. We may even recognize them during this lifetime; usually identified with the thought “I felt like I always knew this person the moment I met them,” or “I knew we would marry.”  

3. In between lives, we all have a life planning session where we choose our next life; we are able to pick and choose what kind of life we want to lead for various reasons, as well as choose our parents.

“Why would I choose those people who’ve made my life miserable?” is a familiar refrain. The answer is that you chose them so that you could be where you are today. Either far, far away from them - which is a gift in some cases, or their influence had directly put you in the place you’re supposed to be on the planet. It puts a different spin on your parents behavior when you consider you chose them because of it.  As well as why your own children chose you.

4. We each have our own “council of elders” who oversee our lifetimes, and engage with us in Socratic debate about how we did. 

Everyone has a council of elders, and everyone goes to see them at least twice; once upon our return so they can help assimilate all the lessons from that lifetime, and once again just before we take another trip into human form. They don’t sit in judgment; rather they help you discern your path.  Usually there are 6-12 people on any given council; it seems the younger souls have fewer.

5. No humans are born without a soul, and we don’t arrive at our chosen body until the fourth month (or sometimes later).

Consciousness is something we’ve retained from our life between lives. Some kind of veil, or filter, prevents us from remembering those previous lives. However, through the process of deep hypnosis, we’re able to bypass these filters and access these previous memories.  The idea that we don’t join the body until the fourth month would be controversial to advocates who believe life begins at conception.  The human animal life may begin at conception, but the spiritual life does not. 

6. We don’t reincarnate as other animals.

Each species comes back with in its own pantheon; i.e. birds of a feather, fish in the sea, and animals on land can swap places with those in their group, but not within other groups. To the concept of being reborn in a “lower life form” as a result of negative karma - that’s not what is reported. All life forms are sacred; there are no pejoratives when it comes to life.  However, its reported you can access your animal friends at any time in the life between lives – they’re an energy pattern as well, and can spend hours playing fetch once again.

7. When we return to our home base, with our soul group, all  actions and effects are left behind - we return to a pure state where we enjoy a world without pain, sin or suffering. There is no hell per se, nor a Satanic like region or persona. 

Those who’ve caused pain, sin or suffering experience the pain they inflicted fully – as if they were the person being hurt during their life review. Afterwards they may choose (or it’s decided for them) to be isolated from others in order to learn from their mistakes. There is no Satan or hell per se.  Once you depart this plane, you no longer have access to the negativity here, or those who might perpetrate it. (For those Satanists out there, sorry, don’t mean to offend.) According to the thousands who’ve journeyed into the afterlife, there’s no evil waiting for us.  But we may experience our own form of hell based on how we’ve treated other human beings.   

8. The process of reincarnation is planned by us, not subject to karma, past mistakes, or past injustices. People choose to be gay, choose to be crippled, or choose to be blissful depending on their spiritual depth. 

We don‘t travel up or down in any fashion, going from peasant to rich person, or unhappy soul to happy soul.  Free will is the law of the Universe, and it’s up to us who we want to return as, or even if we want to reincarnate.  But inevitably, the pull of helping your loved ones and friends, brings us back time after time. Our life choices are up to us.  That includes sexuality, physical type, body shape, etc.  We may choose to struggle with these issues in order to progress spiritually, or to help those around us to progress.  Those who live on the fringes of society are frequently older souls who chose to be there.

9. Bad experiences, including suicide, murder, mayhem and other events are frequently worked out in advance, with the agreement of all souls involved.

They claim there’s no such thing as random violence. This may sound controversial, but according to the research, pretty universal.  When examining a life between life session, we get an opportunity to see those details, however heinous or upsetting, to be true. 

10. Our friends in our soul group frequently show up as pals in this life, relatives, brothers, sisters, loved ones or even as adversaries.

As mentioned, Judas claimed Jesus came to him and asked him to turn him over to the Romans as a favor.  “If you truly love me, you’ll do this for me.”  There are many reasons to be on the planet, we benefit from all our own experiences, but the main role might be one of servitude.

11. Our progression in the afterlife can be charted, in part, based on what color we see ourselves as - the earlier souls are closer to white, and through the spectrum, they wind up into the violet realm. But there is no hierarchy. 

As Jimmy Quast put it; “No one gets to hoard the jelly beans.” The idea of someone being smarter, better, richer, happier, more famous, more revered, more anything is just not the case. You are the perfect self you’re meant to be. All paths are sacred, and none is judged lesser than another. Just older.

12. We all have a soul, spirit guide or “Guardian Angel,” sometimes more than one.

Every one of us has a spirit guide who has agreed to watch over all of our incarnations. It gives new meaning to the sacrifice one does at the service of others - can you imagine becoming a mentor to a soul for all of their lifetimes? But the journey many of us are on is to eventually be a guardian angel (spirit guide) for another soul; no time like the present to start treating others like they might be a future candidate.

13.  All of this movement and planning is based on energy. 

Every thought, action, word or deed contains it, every emotion as well. Treat it with sacred intent, whether praying for deliverance, or to help another soul. If you think it, believe it, pray for it, sing it, act it or create it, you’ve put that personal energy out into the Universe. It can help, heal, or in negative cases, harm others. 

14. There are other Universes and places we can reincarnate. Some religions have spoken of them, various planes in different dimensions Religion is a construct that mirrors the afterlife.

Earth is the best school, the best playground, the best place to advance our souls. “You’ll learn more in one day of tragedy on Earth, then perhaps 5,000 years on another, simpler planet,” according to one interview.  The argument has been raised, “There aren’t enough souls to reincarnate. Where’d the new souls come from?” According to Newton’s patients, there are other places to reincarnate and new souls are reportedly being born. When we graduate from our many lifetimes, the graduation ceremony includes being rewarded with (and offering to guide through many lifetimes) a new soul. 

15. Love and compassion turn out to be not just religious concepts, but words that explain how the Universe actually works; from energy transfer to why we choose a particular life.

Love is the wheelwork of nature, and that attraction and energy is what keeps us going. Compassion is part of the fabric as it’s included in many examples of what we give our loved ones by reincarnating by their side. The Golden Rule is actually golden for a reason, because it represents how the Universe works. Loving your neighbor as yourself, nature as yourself, your fellow beings on all levels as yourself, turns out to be not only a spiritual maxim, but a physical one as well.

16. Religion is a man-made experience based on our god like nature.

In light of this research, world religions seem to be echoing the same thing; in the afterlife we have eternal qualities, and experience a heaven-like state of bliss. And while we’re on Earth, we try to recreate or relive that experience.  One could say we’re “trying to get back to the Godhead,” or “return to God.”  They’re the same. Was Jesus the son of God? Aren’t we all?  Was Moses or Mohammed the chosen prophet? Aren’t we all? 

Oddly enough, the angel Gabriel was the one who brought the word of God to the Prophet Mohammed in a cave. He’s also the angel who brought news to Mary, and predicted the birth of John the Baptist.  Could they all be the same Angel Gabriel? If he exists outside of time, why not?  The founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, had a visitation from men “dressed in white” who dictated a vision of the afterlife to him, L. Ron Hubbard believed he’d seen another planet from which we return to Earth via Scientology.  It seems they’re all talking about the same thing when they refer to the Kingdom of Heaven or even to Buddha’s journey on the night of his enlightenment to see “non-reincarnating deities.”

Religion expresses the inexpressible, examines the unexamined, and finds truth in the nature of all things.  Science aspires to take the same journey, by making logical sense of what we are doing on the planet, how we got here, and where we are going.  For those who believe that life ends in death, that’s not what’s reported. For those who think the stress of this lifetime is based on karma from a previous one; that too doesn’t bear up under this form of scrutiny. Forgiveness, compassion and love for all people and things appears to be the universal law of the Universe.

17. We have both an animal ego and a spiritual ego.

According to this research, we started incarnating on Earth millennia ago.  Perhaps when humans became upright or adept; our spiritual energy melded with the human’s, and thus began consciousness. Perhaps this event coincided with the formation of societies 60,000 years ago and is our “missing link.”  

Human life appears to be an agreement between the animal and spiritual ego.  That fact helps to underline why people act a certain way, and could have a profound influence on the criminal justice system – if a person is struggling in this life with animalistic tendencies is there a way of examining a healing process that’s not “Clockwork Orange^[2]” but based on helping souls discover their purpose?  As mentioned, in Holland, they’ve already ^[3]begun to bring in psychics and past life regressionists to help cure career criminals.

18. Curing and healing people is part of the work done by others in the Afterlife.

People choose their lifetimes before coming here to continue their work in a particular field.  Musicians may return to further their music knowledge, perhaps explaining child prodigies like Mozart and others.  Doctors and Nurses are involved with healing energy transfer, and may have had many lifetimes where they continued their practice.  Just the way Tibetan lamas might spend a lifetime studying esoteric practices, and then remember them in their ensuing lifetime, we can all tap into the knowledge of our previous lifetimes to help with our current one. 

19. There are no coincidences.

What appears to be a matter of amazing coincidence, upon examination, turns out to be an incredible planned sequence, like a complex 3D chess or “Second Life” game being played on multiple planes where each move affects the other players.  As a butterfly’s wings in a rain forest may cause a hurricane in Asia, everything can be linked in cause and effect if one looks long and hard enough. And by the way, is the reason you’ve picked up this book.

20. You are doing pretty much what you set out to do.

Time and again, people report the spiritual journey they’re on was laid out in advance. This is annoying for anyone with a remote control - we all have the inclination to change the channel, to want to change our circumstance, get richer quicker - but the answer is: “You’re doing fine, you’re on the right path, relax.” As hard as your path may seem, you’re on it for a spiritual reason.

21. This research is the tip of the iceberg.

For those who are interested in finding their soul’s purpose – the reason they chose to be here on the planet – I can’t think of a more effective way. 

Here’s some collected insights from the therapists I interviewed:

People come in because there may be a relative who recently died, or emotional trauma from losing a child. This work is not to supplant therapy they should receive from a licensed trained professional; it’s intended to provide them with answers about their inner being. One of the things clients don't understand until they experience it is that there is a dual nature to all of us. We have our brain ego if you will, and we have a soul ego, and when they are combined it creates one personality and one lifetime.                Michael Newton

Someone can have a strong religious belief that doesn’t include reincarnation, but when you take someone through one of these sessions, they have this mind boggling experience - it’s a visceral experience on a soul and body level – they emerge knowing this to be true. It’s far beyond a concept or belief. That’s profound. One other common occurrence is a feeling of reconnecting to the whole. To know you and I are of the same essence makes it much more difficult for me to cause you harm, because it’s harming me and the whole as well. That’s a message for the entire planet; how we cause harm to others. It’s more difficult to do knowing we are all the same.  I’d love to see everyone have the opportunity to go through one of these sessions.  It’s wonderful that it’s not a dogma, it’s not a religion, but it’s open to everyone. Paul Aurand

I believe we are spiritual beings that live on this Earth. We’re not Earthly beings who happen to be spiritual, but the other way around. So for me, this past life work, soulful work, is about that fact that at our core, we’re this beautiful diamond and the mud that covers it are experiences in other lifetimes we‘ve encountered. And we create these negative beliefs we have about ourselves, whether it’s shame or self-hatred or unworthiness, and sometimes we have to go all the way back to the beginning - our past lives - to wash away the mud so we can uncover the beautiful diamond we are. Until you get to the source of it, you‘re going to be in conflict with nature until you find the source of the diamond within you.                                                                    Debbie Haynie

Always wisdom is uppermost in mind. We choose to incarnate to harvest wisdom from the lifetime, to gain direct experience and knowledge so that we are improved as beings, so that we are expanded as beings, so that we have more wisdom, understanding and compassion.               Colleen Page-Joy

There’s this very bright light everywhere I look; I’m part of it. He’s showing me I’m part of a universal plan, I’m part of that light and it’s everywhere, there’s nowhere in the universe there isn’t this light. He says "That’s what you’re working with, keep it as part of you and bring it back."  We need to know there’s nothing else but light and love. The work we’re doing (as hypnotherapists) is about light, because it opens us up to understanding. We’re on a mission to clarify and create more light and love and it’s available to everyone; all we have to do is open ourselves to it. The light is clear and cleansing, loving and peaceful. Eventually when we become light all the other things go; sadness and such. It’s very healing.      Morrin Bass

To date it’s the single most important modality I can offer anyone. It gives them a sense of their immortality, of the importance of their life and journey, and it gives a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves. It’s not a gifted psychic telling you who you are or what you’ve been, or going to a “Channeler” to tell you your past and background; it’s experiential, the clients become their own channel. After every single client has an LBL, they aren’t the same – some part of them has changed in a positive way and it’s a resource that remains for them long after their Life between Lives journey is complete.             Chanda Nancy Berlatsky

I think traditional belief systems are breaking down all over the world; people are looking for something more, for a greater understanding of themselves, rather than being told by other people what to believe. If you can look at what you have within, that’s got to be the real stuff because it’s your own. If you can tap into that, have access to that, it’s very empowering. The world is picking up pace and if we can have something that’s centering, like an awakening and understanding of your immortal identity, that seems to be the most centering you could ever have. The more people discover the beautiful compassion and wisdom we hold within, that’s got to be good for the planet.                  Peter Smith

A CALL TO ARMS (EMBRACING ONES)

Imagine if one day scientists, doctors, philosophers could all do life between life classrooms? People who understand physics could learn from the classes on energy transfer, doctors could sit in on classes about the healing light of the Universe; philosophers could examine and ask questions about this other, primary world that would benefit our current one. Religious leaders could clarify what their purpose on the planet is, and why they chose a life to help people spiritually (if they haven’t already). It could cause advancements in human science, psychology, medicine, conservation as well as in renewable energy and its resources, as well as helping humanity to fulfill its purpose.

Those who take a journey into this other world, come away from it profoundly changed.  They start to see the many connections their lives have to offer - whether how a childhood friend first put you on your pathway, or how a sense of knowing someone from the past can be achieved by merely shaking someone’s hand. As Paul Aurand put it “hard for me to want to harm you when I see how we’re all spiritually connected.”

People under hypnosis say they discover the Universe is run on “love;” failing another word in the English language, it’s the best they can find to describe it.  Love is the ether that bonds the universe, the gravity or hidden dark matter that binds all elements together.  A sea of atoms of energy particles we navigate every day, but its pulse, its heart, is love – towards our fellow humans, towards nature, towards the planet, towards the universe.  It’s been echoed in all the great tales of literature, of myth and legend, throughout our time together on the planet.  We’ve become used to our belief science can solve the problems of humanity, when actually the true force that can solve the problems of the planet is our willingness to participate in the love we all innately have for it and each other.

And this applies to every curmudgeon you’ve ever met, every cranky, unhappy, miserly person – once they’re off the planet, they return to their blissful selves, where they get the opportunity to see how connected we all are, and how they’ve missed the golden opportunity to revel and enjoy life from a compassionate point of view.

Someone asked Michael Newton why he thought this information was becoming evident now - the question begs to be asked; for all the years we’ve had civilization on the planet, why reveal it now?

He doesn’t know the answer.  Perhaps this information has always been accessible; we didn’t have the ability to decipher it.  Perhaps it’s the abuse of drugs and pharmacological “cures” that change the course of one’s soul path, perhaps people in the afterlife are trying to warn us. 

I think it may be to convince people that reincarnation does exist, and therefore, we must protect the planet for our return. The interview with the gentleman who said he was a “hybrid” – someone who incarnates on another planet as well as Earth – claimed he and his fellow hybrids have come here to enhance people’s consciousness.  (I jokingly asked him when I met him for lunch, if it wasn’t “To Serve Man,” a reference to the infamous Twilight Zone episode where the textbook aliens left behind turned out to be a cookbook. He laughed.)  But according to his interview, over the next seven years, consciousness will change on Earth.  Whether true or not, the future depends on a multitude of factors; of chess games and our spirit guides controlling the board.     

The internet has connected us in ways we never thought possible - which mirrors the afterlife in the connections we already have, spiritually, energetically, between ourselves. The phenomenon of social networks is that they mirror the life between lives; we’re all connected, can reach anyone anywhere at any time.

The ability to retain information in a computer mirrors our ability to retain information.  The transference of energy through ones and zeroes mirrors the transference of energy that occurs on a daily, or moment to moment basis. Is it possible that consciousness, or the spirit world is the same? That we carry engrams of energy around with us, like hard drives floating in the ether of space, so we can refer to past lives and experiences?

I got a text the other day from a friend who was sitting in “Les Deux Magots” café in Paris, when he chatted up the leggy singer sitting at the next table.  The conversation drifted around to past life regression, and she said “You should talk to my friend Rich Martini.” Turns out my two friends, both New Yorkers, had found themselves next to each other discussing the very topic of this book.  I hope it engenders more meetings of the heart, and spirit.

I had a vision while working long hours on the film “Salt.”  I had been away from my family for a number of months, and I seriously doubted the sanity of working such long hours on someone else’s creative endeavor.  And then I had this vision of an orphanage in Cambodia. 

Angelina Jolie supports an orphanage in Cambodia, and last year, she and her partner Brad Pitt donated seven million dollars to charity.  I saw my vision as a way of making a connection between the long hours working on the film and the feeding of starving children that would result from her donations. Still, didn’t make me miss my family any less. But then a few nights later, I had another vision that clarified this previous one.  I saw into the future a young boy on the streets of India, a beggar, selling an illegal copy of “Salt” in a back alley.  I saw how the few rupees from that sale went to feeding his family living out of box behind him.  And in that visual, I saw that the creative energy of filmmaking, the wheelwork of commerce, of life itself, benefits people in ways we can’t fathom. 

Because it was an illegal copy, it allowed me to see the energy involved had nothing to do with creating wealth; rather, the energy was like a giant Tesla coil reaching people in ways I couldn’t predict. All our endeavors spread out like an energy wave through the universe, helping people we’ll never see.

Is life designed in advance? Are we all part of some elaborately plotted mini-series that runs every waking moment?  Does it really matter one way or the other?  We’re on the planet for a reason, we have roles to play, we might as well play them as well as we can. However, that doesn’t prevent me from perennially rooting for the Cubs.

When I was in high school, my art teacher told me I should be a painter, my acting teacher told me I should pursue a career in acting, and my football coach pulled me aside and told me I should coach football. When I mentioned this to Olivia she said “But you did none of those things!” and I said, “Actually, becoming a film director allowed me to do all three; paint with words and light, I usually appear in my films, and directing is coaching others into doing their best work.”  I can point to my own journey to say it appears I’m doing what I set out to do.

When I underwent my session, the world altered for me; if you’d like to try it, I recommend searching for the right hypnotherapist, trained by TNI if you’d like to visit previous lives and between lives.  (There’s a list of Michael Newton trained hypnotherapists at newtoninstitute.org).

Take a yoga class, learn how to meditate.  Whatever gets you into the mindset is the right modality for you. As Pete Smith said, “Whatever book I need to find today, let it come to me” and he picked up Newton’s “Journey of Souls.” Trust in your higher self to guide you to the right material for you – after all, let’s give him or her credit for guiding you to this one.

Once you’ve taken the trip it’s like opening a gateway and other bits of information flow freely, information that seems to come directly from the Great Beyond; the ability to see why you chose your parents, your life situation, and to be able to further examine your soul’s purpose.  You see how we’re all connected; energetically, spiritually – and those people putting stones in your path may be doing so at your request to experience a problem or pain, and learn from it spiritually. What better way to take the reins of life than to understand the truth of why you chose it? 

My journey was complete; Luana mused she was going to another galaxy; I was able to find that galaxy, and to take a couple of mind bending trips to see her.  She spoke to me in both of my sessions – each time in her unique voice. As mentioned, whether one believes they’re seeing their loved one or not is beside the point, they have the profound experience of actually doing so.

And one final word from Luana.  Recently, her old friend and one time paramour Dennis Hopper passed away.  At her funeral, he sent the second largest bouquet of flowers I’d ever seen in my life. (The other was from Jack Nicholson, and stood opposite the one from Dennis.) When he passed away recently, I started to wonder if the two met up, but before the thought was fully formed in my head, I heard Luana say “He’s here with me now.”  Then I saw an image of him, as a young man, about 20, and there was a golden light coming from within him, pouring out of him like light rays.  I heard him say “This is amazing, man,” in the way that only Dennis Hopper could say it.  I then heard Luana say, clear as a bell; “He’s my golden boy.”

Final thought; my daughter and I were discussing God the other day – she’s 7, I’m 56.  We agreed upon “God is the mechanism by which we perceive the Universe – not a person, actually. We are all part of the mechanism that is God – the higher energy source for all things. That’s why people say God is love, because God represents the unfathomable engine that creates and anchors the love between all of us.”  

See you on the flipside.

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[1] Huffington Post 7-8-10 “The Best Life Advice I’ve Ever Received.”

[2] The book by Anthony Burgess mocks criminal rehab in the future where prisoners are reprogrammed.

[3] The Telegraph 22 Nov. 2010 “Dutch prisons use psychics to help prisoners contact the dead.”