Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer, Luana Anders and Bill Paxton

This is one of those podcasts about process. 

Me and Luana hanging out in Venice

As usual we had nothing on our agenda, but Luana did. At some point she interrupted me (what else is new?) to get Jennifer to say "Luana wants to talk about something." 

I know this is problematic for some people. As I note in the podcast, it's not my opinion, theory or belief that I've been filming people for the past ten years accessing the flipside, it's on film.  It's literally footage.

Take a look at the films "Flipside" or "Hacking the Afterlife" on Amazon Prime. To those who have a problem with this process, find your own. People have suggested I interrupt Jennifer too often; my response is, "Sorry. But book your own session with Jennifer and you can do all the non interrupting you want."

We bring this public service to people because it's not hard to speak to loved ones in the after life. Some claim it is - we're showing it's not.  People pretend it is, but if one takes the time to do the research, look at the clinical case studies, look at the research that shows consciousness is not confined to the brain, their adamant refusal to consider it possible is mind bending.  It is possible. One doesn't need a medium, or a hypnotherapist - but both help.

As to why we do this podcast, as Jennifer notes, about 30% of her time speaking to the flipside is in service of law enforcement. She does that work pro bono - for the public good. It's her version of "tithing."

In my case I've been very clear since publishing "Flipside" in 2012. I've been filming people with or without hypnosis since 2008. 100 cases - half without hypnosis. What they say on camera matches the clinical case studies of Dr. Helen Wambach (a clinical psychologist who did 2750 case studies) or Dr. Brian Weiss (has done 4000 case studies) or Michael Newton and the Newton Institute, who have done over 7000 sessions with people. My version of tithing is to post this podcast, over 100's of hours of footage on this webpage at MartiniZone.com on Youtube.

For those adamant skeptics, look at the peer reviewed science from Dr. Greyson's "After" and his comprehensive NDE research, or Dr. Tucker's "Before" and his 1500 cases studies of reincarnation, or Ed Kelly's "Consciousness Unbound" - peer reviewed science citing how consciousness is not confined to the brain. All gave me a tour of UVA's lab at the DOPS part of the Medical School.  It's directly related to why we do this podcast.

Subjective experience can be studied based on the 100's of examples. If everyone said something different, then we'd have the argument of bias, or projection. Having filmed people saying the same things with or without hypnosis, having mediums report the same things with friends of mine, shows that it cannot be cryptomnesia or my projections. (In the film "Talking to Bill Paxton" on Gaia I had three mediums answer the same questions put to Bill, and all said the same answers, including the one who was asked the questions by a third party. (Triple blind study)

The only thing confined to the brain is opinion, cemented in years of people arguing that experiences mean nothing, that events that occur are meaningless without "mainstream science" weighing in. It took 66 years to go from Kitty Hawk to the Moon, not from the scientists who said people would "never escape gravity" or people who claimed flight was impossible.

Science asks two main things; reports must be consistent and reproducible.  It's the basis of all data.  In this case, we are getting a "hack" from someone who left the planet in 1996.  She has made it a point to wrangle me out of my director's chair (I've written and or directed 9 theatrical feature films) and put me into this podcast chair where I have learned more than I ever could have filming people pretend to be someone they are not.

So enjoy the podcast, at the moment it's free, and given with love. Enjoy a little sage advice coming from the flipside.

Donation links for ongoing afterlife research

Recently Quora asked me to put my "Hacking the Afterlife" forum behind a paywall so that I could collect funds for each post. I know that's a valuable idea, and it's great that people can do that.

But in the forum, we tend to have people suffering from loss or grief - or want to share some experience they had. If I can answer their questions based on the research I will.

https://hackingtheafterlife.quora.com/

However, some suggested I should have a paywall, or some way for people to interact and donate.

A clip from our podcast "Hacking the Afterlife" (.com)

I've created a Medium account.

A Substack account.

On Substack I'll figure out how to allow folks to donate as well as ask questions that I'll answer personally.

Generally most everything is free. MartiniZone.com has over 70 podcasts and dozens of videos or films and excerpts from films.

Amazon has copies of the documentary "Flipside" and "Hacking the Afterlife" - and Gaia has "Talking to Bill Paxton on the Flipside."

But some folks don't want to purchase a book (all available worldwide online at your favorite ebook spot) or pay for the films (Gaia has a sign up option, Amazon is per viewing).  Or people have seen the films, read the books and still want more.

So I made this post to share some links.

I'm not suggesting anyone need to do that. But if they feel the desire to do so, I thought I'd provide some links.

Here's the link for Stripe:  It's a ten dollar suggestion... but up to anyone who wants to donate!

https://buy.stripe.com/9AQdSJbNobGKdig5kk

Here's the link for paypal. One can go use the Donate button:

Here's a link to Crowdfunding Afterlife Research via GoFundMe:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/tuj46-the-afterlife-expert/donate

So if anyone feels the need to donate - it's most appreciate.

THANK YOU.

It will help cover the costs of research, interviews, podcasts, the whole shebang.  Appreciate the nod. And enjoy this side of the veil!

Rich

Hacking the Afterlife with Stephen Hawking, James Dean and Helen Keller

We got lucky today as Jennifer was available for a full hour. We start off with a question about frequency and how electronics seem to influencing and affecting our lifetimes, and at Luana Anders suggestion (neither Jennifer nor I had planned anything in advance) she brought Stephen forward to talk about frequency disruption.  We've had chats with Stephen before - they're in the books "Backstage Pass to the Flipside" as well as previous podcasts.  The point is - we might not be able to translate what he's telling us, but someone else might try to do the same. Ask him questions about climate change. Ask him to help us alter the path of the planet.  It can't hurt to ask. Then James Dean came forward - as noted, we've had a number of conversations as of late with James and his pals, as well as the fellow that James himself told us he had "come back as."  Just to clarify - people report we bring a certain portion of our conscious energy to a lifetime.  Many report between 20 and 40% - and when we first spoke to him (in the book "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3" he said he had brought "about 30% to this current lifetime." What makes it unusual is that I happen to know the fellow who told Jennifer he has "returned" as. And to repeat myself, I reached out to this fellow's best pal and asked him if his friend had ever been told by anyone that he was the "reincarnation of someone." His texted reply "James Dean." Since then I've had the same thing confirmed by other folks, not mediums, who for some reason accessed the same information.  What makes it worth noting is that I've met with this person, asked him about his path and journey, and his "whole life" there have been parallels with him and the late actor. To be crystal clear - he's not going around telling anyone anything. He's not trading in on this detail in any fashion - the opposite actually. He's already got his own life, family, success in many fields - as if James returned in a fellow who exceeded his own expectations. So as part of this ongoing research, we'll continue to report. As seen on the podcast, had no clue I'd invite Helen to the podcast. But I did. And that led me to ask questions about my friend who lived in Helen's house - about her sudden passing and I was able to express my affection and gratitude to her. This podcast exists so people can see how uncomplicated it is to try and speak with loved ones on the flipside. Anyone who tells us that "my religion forbids me speaking to those on the flipside" is inaccurate - because all religions honor, pray to, ask people to converse with those who've moved on. The fact that a religion might suggest not speaking to one's owned loved ones - and only the folks they deem worthy of conversation, belies the falsehood of that concept.   We can and should speak to our loved ones. We don't have to. But we can if we want to. Even if it's someone as famous as Helen - who never spoke in life, but is able to communicate on the flipside. I note in the subtitles of the podcast that I had no clue if Helen had a relationship with someone - but as it turns out, it was a cause of concern, as in her 30's she fell in love with her interpreter and nearly eloped with him. He left during her "ailment" which may be related to what is reported during the podcast.

Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer, Don Everly and guests

I met Don Everly once in my career playing pianos in nightclubs around the planet.  The amazing sax player Craig Cole, a member of our band "Imminent Disaster" and I were playing a gig at Les Deux Cafe. It was just me and Craig and as I began singing "Knocking on Heaven's Door" there was the sound of someone singing harmony in my ear. As I recount in this episode, I didn't know who it was, but I recognized the voice immediately; Don Everly.  So I thought it would be a good chance that we might be able to connect with him. The session begins with a visit with James Dean. As noted in the podcast, we didn't invite him - but Jennifer and I had a conversation with him last week via someone who has had a lifetime of visitations from him.  So it wasn't odd for us that he would show up and having something extra to add.  It's always mind bending when someone shows up - like at the end of the podcast when Jennifer says "Janis Joplin is here and she wants to say something to you."  It took us awhile to unpack what she wanted to say - and it was about this book that I'm doing, that she will be a chapter in. It's about music and the afterlife, or music back "home" as they call it.   But I invited Don to our class, and he does show up. For those who are eager to hear proof of the afterlife, it's not what we're doing - Jennifer and I have been doing this weekly for six years. There's tons of evidentiary sessions - online ("Paul Allen, Junior Seau and Dave Duerson") where it's clear she's talking to someone on the flipside that has new information. The film "Talking to Bill Paxton" has three mediums ask my old pal the same questions. The film "Hacking the Afterlife" on Amazon Prime is chock full of experiences that cannot be ascribed to cryptomnesia - so I don't spend time in these podcasts trying to prove something. I'm more interested in process, what "Harmony" means - and if people have journeys they planned in advance. I know that Phil and Don were estranged, and his description of "hearing his brother" before he saw him is priceless. Having been doing this for six years I always hear something new and fascinating when I ask "So what was it like when you crossed over?" I also took the time to ask his brother Phil some questions, also to ask Craig Cole some questions (I'd interviewed Craig years ago, but he's not in the books "Backstage Pass to the Flipside") - his description of having a "concert in his honor" makes total sense to me. I played with Craig at the House of Blues, he had a huge following in Los Angeles, was a monster sax player, and if anyone wants to hear him play, search "Point of Betrayal Theme" as he came in and recorded that for me, as well as played on the soundtrack for "Cannes Man." (Hope his wife Mariella sees this.) But for all those folks listening in for the first time - it's not about talking to "famous people" or "celebrities." There is no celebrity on the flipside. There is only love. Only the people we loved, who carry the frequency of our love. Who know that we grieve for them, who want to let us know that life goes on. Interesting discussion about that as well - as Don points out "inundating people with information that shows life continues can inspire some people to wallow on grief and not move on" - and that by "not talking to them" allows them to grieve and move on. It's an unusual point of view - in light of how much work we've done to show people that their loved ones are not gone, they're just not here. But it's what he's saying - and I'm happy to share what he had to say.  Believe in an afterlife, don't believe in an afterlife - that's a choice - but allow for the possibility that it exists, or that life as we know it does not end.  Based on the research we are "fully aware" prior to coming to the planet that we've chosen to be here, when we are here, we are semiconscious of that fact (some bypass filters to experience the flipside or their higher selves via an NDE, OBE, with LSD, meditation or hypnotherapy).  But this is yet one more example of a conversation with someone no longer on the planet, but fully aware of what he's talking about, even though he passed less than a week ago. Note: Don's mom is alive and well in Nashville. We bring a portion of our conscious energy to a lifetime and the rest stays home. So we all can be greeted by our mom, even if they're still here on the plane; it's reported often. Jennifer reports what she's getting verbatim, but thanks to my pal Cis for pointing this out. Here's to having a mom who's a 101! Also - Phil said he was greeted by his first wife - or what seemed like his first wife - and she is a songwriter, Jacqueline Alice Ertel, who is on the planet. Since I didn't know that detail, I couldn't dig further into it. But again - Jennifer is reporting as best she can.

Carlos Santana speaking about why we are on the planet

 

 Carlos Santana speaking about why we're on the planet.

Recently, Carlos Santana was interviewed by Anderson Cooper during the “Homecoming Concert” in August, 2021.  Anderson asked Carlos about performing live, coming out of the pandemic and his new album, “Miracles and Blessings.”

Carlos: It’s wonderful to be able to connect with people’s hearts (again). The message is that we can transmogrify (transform in a surprising and magical manner) fear and darkness, we can coexist with unity and harmony, accept our own totality, accept our own light and create miracles and blessings.

People are thirsty; we’re bringing living water to people with a sound resonance vibration. We are at the right time and right place to present to them another frequency, different than fear darkness and separation – which is what we’ve been dealing with for years.

Most people have crystallized their intentions during this period – and the questions is, “Can you prioritize why am I on this planet?” There’s an opportunity for a lot more equilibrium, balance and competence.

From my point of view, time is an illusion. From where I am, I discard time and gravity. You just have to spend more time with your heart and less time up here (points to his hat).

Because that’s what’s happening with everybody. We’ve been bamboozled – we were imbued before we came out of the womb with heavenly powers which means we can create miracles and blessing. The program we’ve been given is for us to believe we’re a wretched sinner unworthy of our own life. (Laughs) I don’t think so – “Keep those beliefs to yourself, man.”

I believe I am made of the same essence that God is – look it up in the Bible – we’re “In god’s image.” God is only good – anything that’s less than that…  there’s a lot of Godzilla energy in the Bible – with jealousy, if he doesn’t like something, he would flood it.

That’s not God. God is love. Just like you update your phone and your laptop – we need to update the Bible and the Constitution.

Gratitude is very powerful, when you say the word, even before you say it… We’re at the place where we can program your whole molecular structure to say “Today I’m only going to only contemplate and entertain thoughts that are inspiring and elevating – anything else I’m going to say “No, that’s going to put me in a misery ditch. I’ll be sad, lonely, depressed – that’s boring. I don’t want to be boring. I want to be effulgent. (Shining forth brilliantly; radiant.)

I love to see people cry and laugh and dance at the same time – my metaphor is like when we see a wet shaggy dog shake off the water, he creates a rainbow next to the sun. That water he shakes off, we can ward off fear, we ward off lack of self-worth.

I love all the things that I’ve learned from people I love from John Coltrane, Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Dolores Huerta, Harry Belafonte – I love who I’m becoming. I’m learning from those who have impeccable integrity on a very high level. It’s fun to be Carlos now. What I focus on, is for the highest good for all people, impeccable integrity – if you’re not with that, catch the next train, because this one’s leaving.”  

Carlos Santana.

 

Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer and Janis Joplin

Another mind bending podcast. In this case, someone in the "Hacking the Afterlife" forum on Quora suggested we interview "more women." I replied because I wasn't in charge of the guest list, I had no say over who "elbows their way to the front of the line" in our class. But because a friend of mine is doing a film about her, I thought perhaps an interview with Janis would be interesting, as she popped up in the Clive Davis documentary on cable.  

(Apologies to Clive Davis! I saw that I called him Clive Barnes on the video! What was my brain scrambling? It was Clive Davis, not Clive Barnes.)

I had no idea if she would show, and didn't tell Jennifer about that possibility. Clearly, she hears me say "I want to speak with Janice" - in this interview. And "Janice" comes forward - and we interview her. Jennifer recognizes that she's a musician, that she's from the Mama's and Papa's era - other details.  I confirm that Luana saw them all together at Monterey Pop in 1967. 

(A sequence in the documentary "Hacking the Afterlife." Janis is never mentioned in the film, but Luana was there with Fred Roos and Harry Dean Stanton and Harry reminded us of that fact on camera, a week after his passing.)  I did a little precursory digging prior to the podcast in case she showed up. The on camera moment when Jennifer realizes who she's "speaking to" is fun. 

Janis has a sweet message for her old mentor Clive Davis - another figure Jennifer knows little about (except many of his clients are in our class).  I confirmed a tidbit from a previous podcast, where a friend of Paul Simon's told him to "not worry about his last song, because his last song is not his last song." 

I got a note from Paul saying "(His) words have an absolute connection to what I am doing. Rather astounding if true! Thank you."  We don't believe our loved ones still exist.. And yet, with hypnotherapy, mediumship or meditation we can learn new information from them. As we do in this podcast, #72 with Janis.

Hacking the Afterlife film on Gaia via Amazon Prime

In the podcast, "Hacking the Afterlife" that's on itunes and other places, we talk about process. About accessing people no longer on the planet.

On the webpage MartiniZone.com, there are videos of all of our podcasts, as well as clips from book talks, documentaries on the topic, and other raw footage of filming people talking to loved ones on the flipside.

Your reasonable narrator

This documentary is a culmination of the past ten years of filming people accessing the afterlife via hypnotherapy, mediumship or meditation.

I call it meditation as there's no word for it really - me grilling people with questions when they're accessing a vivid dream, a memory, of asking them to revisit their near death experience.  People might suggest it's leading - it is leading. That's the idea. I'm leading them back into a memory of an event. I'm familiar with the architecture of the afterlife, so I know when I'm leading them back into that memory what we're going to find there.

Michael Newton is featured in the film

A guide, perhaps more than one. Classmates, teachers, councils and council members. All are available, all possible to access.  We have this illusion that we cannot access the flipside.

It's not my opinion, theory or belief that people say the same things about the journey - with or without hypnosis - it's on film. It's footage. And this film is the best example of what I'm referring to with regard to "Hacking the Afterlife."

It's not a typical documentary - I know - I'm a Director's Guild Member, Writer's Guild Member - but you wouldn't suspect that from looking at the craftmanship. Filmed in noisy cafes, restaurants, on podcasts, zoom, skype - wherever people felt comfortable accessing the information.

I know it's possible to go into a sound stage, to put on makeup, do proper lighting, rehearse, put the microphones properly in place, have someone yell "quiet on the set!" I've done that my entire career - either me sitting in that director's chair, or me standing by the director and telling others to do the same. I've been doing it since I worked on "Personal Best" in 1980, and have spent 41 years learning the craft.

I know what a C 47 is - and most do not.

I know what a Best Boy is, and for those who want to find a Best Boy at Best Buy cannot.

The late great friend Howard Schultz accessing the flipside

But I also know when lightning is in a bottle, I know when someone is not acting, is recounting, remembering, accessing new information that wasn't scripted or is doing so for camera. 

I can spot an actor acting a mile away - and I know it's next to impossible to get them to have their cheeks turn red, their breath disappear and tears to fall down their cheeks as they remember a powerful event from a previous lifetime. Not something most actors can do - many try - but there's a difference when it happens in front of someone.

So I present this documentary - with all its flaws - technically anyway - as evidence that life goes on.

I have 100s of hours of other footage, other examples, and this original edit for this film was in the six to eight hour range... so what's seen is a glimpse, an example of what I've been filming for over ten years.

Recently someone asked me "Well, how can you quote someone who isn't on the planet?"

And I had to point out - I'm not.

Phillip Noyce, Australian director and pal introduced me one day as "this is Richard Martini, he thinks he can talk to the dead."  To which I replied, "No. I don't think I can speak to anyone. I film those who can speak to those no longer on the planet."  I don't talk to the dead, but I film people who do. And by the way, they can't be dead if they reply, or give new information, can they?

It's not my opinion, theory or belief that people claim the same things over and over. It's not my theory, opinion or belief that they say the same things about the afterlife that thousands of clinical case studies from Dr. Wambach, Dr. Weiss or Michael Newton and the Newton Institute reported. It's footage. It's on film. 

So if you have questions about the flipside, and want to ask me them via Quora (where we have a forum with 45K subscribers talking about the afterlife, with over 22 million views) I recommend taking a look at this film first.  It's free if one signs up for a trial run with Gaia.

There are three of my films on here, "Flipside" "Talking to Bill Paxton" and "Hacking the Afterlife" - but I'd say the most recent one has the most information. Apologies for all the subtitles, there's a lot of information to convey - and I recommend watching it a few times to get the most out of it. Trailer: Hacking the Afterlife

Enjoy.

https://www.gaia.com/video/hacking-the-afterlife

Available at Gaia.com or via Amazon Prime. Search for "Hacking the Afterlife."

Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer, Anthony Bourdain, Robin Williams and Robert Downey Sr.

Another unusual podcast. 

Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer, Anthony Bourdain, Robin Williams and Robert Downey Sr.

As we've noted in the past, it's rare that people show up to insist on being interviewed.  In this case, it was someone we'd interviewed in the past, in fact a year ago, July 17th, 2020 Anthony Bourdain and Robin Williams stopped by on a podcast named "Exiting Early." (Anthony and Robin appear in the books "Backstage Pass to the Flipside," both interviewed extensively.)

But in this case, Anthony wanted to weigh in on the film about his life, called "Roadrunner." 

He says he was disappointed in it, that the filmmaker "didn't have a clue" as to what happened to him - how he himself didn't have a plan to exit early, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with his relationship with Asia Argento.

He pointed out that he thought the AI of his voice sounded "robotic" (neither I nor Jennifer have seen the film) and the ending, having an artist deface a mural on camera for the film was "shitty."  Again - I haven't seen it, but I took the time to ask him about it. He also called the filmmaker "amateur" but gave the film a "five" out of ten because at the very least, it had footage that he'd shot in it.

I'm a filmmaker myself, member of the DGA/WGA. I was so stung by Ebert's "thumbs way down" review of my film "Limit Up" at the time, when Luana Anders was still on the planet (cowriter of the script) when I asked her to read the review, but to edit out the negativity... over the phone she read "Richard Martini... directed Limit Up."  Took me a year to read the negative review.

So it gives me no pleasure to tee off on this filmmaker - even though I was a music critic at Variety for years, I always tended to give people the benefit of the musical doubt.  If I doubted they're rehearsed, I noted it. In this case, Anthony came forward to tee off on this filmmaker. Wasn't my idea. 

I tried to ask him cogent questions - and to fill in the blanks. "Why no note left behind?" He answers that eloquently. He talks about how to meditate to help set aside negativity. He talks about finding beauty in gratitude.

As I note in the podcast, if you're going to make a film about someone, take the time to see if it's possible to communicate with them. Ask their loved ones if they've had dreams, find three different mediums and ask the same questions (as I do in "Talking to Bill Paxton" on Gaia) take the time and effort to allow the possibility that they might have an opinion on their own story.

I can only report. The only editing in this podcast is done for time if there's a long space between me asking a question and Jennifer getting an answer. . Apologies for having to end it early - Charles Grodin, Prince and Robert Downey Sr. ("Greaser's Palace") all make appearances and report things I've never considered or could have heard of.

I asked about Robert senior because Luana knew him, he directed her in the film "Greaser's Palace" which is on cable, and ran this week in Santa Monica.

Robert Sr. says that his son is already "speaking to him" and the father says he's learning from his son, as well as being proud of him.  Prince reminds us that strings tuned too tightly tend to break, a metaphor about finding a "middle way" between not listening to loved ones, and finding a way to "tighten up the string" to allow them to communicate to us by tuning into them.

The film cited in this podcast is "Hacking the Afterlife" - it's available on Amazon Prime through Gaia. If you have Amazon Prime it's a small five dollar charge to watch it.  It represents ten years of research, and notes the science behind the flipside.

Again - I didn't ask for Anthony to come forward, Jennifer did not either, and he had a mouthful to say about his opinion about this film Roadrunner about his life.  I don't think he's saying "don't watch it" but he is saying "don't buy the conclusions about who he was, as this filmmaker didn't have a clue."

Ask Anthony on one's own. If you knew him, you love him, or even liked him - set the stage for a meditation where he sits across from you and answers questions. An obvious first question would be "So Anthony,  how accurate was this podcast I just heard?"  Enjoy.

Not trying to sell anyone on changing their world view - but this is verbatim, as recorded, live a couple of hours ago with Jennifer Shaffer, a medium who works with law enforcement agencies nationwide on missing person cases.  I can't do anything else but report. Apologies to all this podcast might offend. 

My two cents

Talking to Pets on the Flipside

 I met Wendy Both some years ago. I had read that she was a "pet whisperer" and I was curious what that entailed.  I had coffee with her to ask her about her abilities, and she described how and when it started for her - aside from being a successful business woman, she had this "other gift" of "hearing or understanding" the issues a pet might have.

Animal whisperer Wendy Both

She has a thriving business in that field, helps people with all kinds of animals, horses, etc.

Wendy was the first person I met who "spoke telepathically" to animals, and as I try to do in this research, I stayed open to the results as well as the possibility there is a form of communication we don't yet understand.

Couple of years ago, doing a session with Jennifer and my old boss Robert Towne (yes, the Oscar winning screenwriter), we were doing a "proof of concept" session. I asked Robert if he wanted to chat with any of his pals on the flipside, I knew his mom and dad, and he was open to the idea.

Afterwards, as Robert put it "My whole life I was convinced there wasn't an afterlife and now I'm convinced there is one. What happened?"

Robert, Eddie Taylor and their pal Jack in the day

It happened slowly.  

In the film "Hacking the Afterlife" there's a clip from his session where we spoke directly to his dog Hira.

Jennifer didn't know who "Hira" was - and I phrased it as a question "I wonder if we can speak to Hira?"  Jennifer saw a giant white shag rug in her mind's eye... "Why am I seeing a rug?"  As it turns out, Hira was a Hungarian sheepdog.  Not just any Komondor, but someone with a personality that was beyond measure.

I should know, I walked him for three years at Warner Brothers during the making of Personal Best. 

My dog walking days included a cameo in 
Personal Best. DP Caleb Deschanel below, 
writer director Robert Towne to my right.

I drove him on errands. I knew that Robert flew him to Catalina where he would slip off to write.  Robert credited Hira with two classic movies - "Chinatown" - because he'd watch him sniff the Catalina air, and it reminded him of what LA was like in the 1940's... and that's where the idea of a trilogy sprang, of what happened to the air, water and earth of LA due to commerce.

Then he wrote the film "Greystoke" as a result of realizing how sentient Hira was. The movie got tangled up in a lawsuit when Robert was forced to "give it away" to finish "Personal Best" and as a result, gave his dog Hira "P. H. Vizak" the credit for the film.

The only dog ever nominated for screenwriting.  Look it up.

Not Hira. But a typical Komondor

But in this session, Robert and Jennifer had spoken to Ed Taylor, someone I knew and loved when working for Robert, his best pal from college, his Rhodes Scholar pal who helped him with all of his scripts (but NEVER WROTE A WORD despite allegations to the contrary.)  I know that because I had possession of Robert's typewriter - the only one he used to work on. Eddie would give him advice, listen to him act out scenes, and would give advice by saying nothing - but never, ever sat in front of that Selectra and put in his thoughts. Ever.

Jennifer Shaffer and I on our podcast
Hacking the Afterlife 

After speaking directly to Eddie on a couple of occasions I had the idea to ask "Can we talk to Hira?" And suddenly Jennifer began responding. "He's here."  And because of telepathy, he answered the questions I gave him. He proved beyond any reasonable doubt he still exists (talked about the layout of Robert's new home, which I had not seen, where his office was, how he sometimes slept in the bed with him, and Robert could hear him, etc.)

Wikipedia of a Komondor

I took that opportunity to ask him direct questions about process - how does it work? 

He told us that animals know how incarnation works and humans do not. He told us how he had been a horse in a previous lifetime with Robert, gave me the location, name of the house and town which I found in Scotland, where he said it was. Robert was not "on board" with any of this - remained an "open minded skeptic" until he spoke to his nanny.

His nanny was a Chinese woman who was deported to Manzanar during WWII. But for four or five years of his life, she kept an eye on him in San Pedro. And Jennifer connected him to her, and she said "I was always worried about Robert climbing the tree behind his house."

No one could know about that tree. I didn't know about it. Robert forgot about it. But she was reminding him of it. Something Jennifer could not have known as there are no accounts of this person anywhere in existence. He never saw her again. And yet here she was "in Jennifer's office" reminding him of a detail he had forgotten. 

Hacking the Afterlife on Gaia or Amazon Prime

https://www.gaia.com/video/hacking-the-afterlife

Proof of the afterlife is reflexive. People who have the experience of it - know what they know. People who have not had the experience justifiably doubt other people's accounts.  "That proves nothing."  Of course it doesn't - it won't prove a thing to anyone else except those who recall the memory.

It's new information.

The tree in the backyard.

So the other day, we filmed another conversation with Hira, and he spoke some more about process. How things work. 

Then, after Hira sprang forward, we've had others come and speak to us as well. In the book "ARCHITECTURE OF THE AFTERLIFE" there are interviews with a Panther, my old dog Sam (via Steph Arnold's council member) as well as other animals that came forward to speak to us.

In the podcasts at MartiniZone.com there's an interview with a dolphin who talks about all the things that we are unaware of when it comes to animal communication.

But, I'm just reporting last night's podcast conversation.

Here it is:

https://youtu.be/uf3bvoYeQEg