Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer and Carl Sagan

A quora question about Paul McCartney and John Lennon

Question on Quora: 

It would seem to me that someone like John Lennon would very readily connect/communicate with Paul McCartney given how close they were in life for so many years and what they experienced together. Is this a valid insight?

My answer:

I think if you ask Paul about it, he’ll tell you that they “chat all the time.” We tend to miss the idea that when a person doesn’t talk openly about their communications with their pals on the flipside, they aren’t happening. Lest we forget, it was a “vivid dream” that spawned “Let it be.” Paul very eloquently reported (it’s in the James Korden clip that everyone’s seen) that one night he had a dream that his mother came to him.




(I guessed this to be accurate, here's Paul talking about talking to John) 

She had been gone for many years, but it was like she was in the room. And she was there to comfort him because he was worried about money. Her advice wasn’t “You’re going to become a zillionaire!” It wasn’t “Everything’s going to work out.” It was “Let it be.” It’s a profound sentence, and was “new information” for Paul. Seeing his mother, letting things be. (It’s the last chapter in “Backstage Pass to the Flipside book two).

As I note in the latest book “Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3” John had a similar experience when his mother passed away. But it came at the hands of Peter Fonda, the person who told him “I know what it’s like to be dead.” Peter was referring to his own near death experience - he accidentally shot himself as a teen - and he saw his mother (who had committed suicide). And he told John about it (while John was tripping on LSD).

While that story has been told as if John was “freaked out” by Peter whispering in his ear “I know what it’s like to be dead” - the song that came out of it reports something else. Basically, “I don’t’ want to hear that, because if what you’re saying is true, then it means that all the troubles of life are a waste of time - because when we die we return to a loving state of being. So why stay here?”
(“She Said, She Said”)

So Paul can answer this question (and I think he has a few times). They may converse “all the time.”

When doing this kind of unusual “cellphone” chats with the flipside, I always ask people “why they’re showing up.” In my case, I met a medium who is very talented at what she does (Jennifer Shaffer works with law enforcement agencies nationwide to help in missing person cases) and I realized, after interviewing her, that she was like having a “cellphone” to the flipside. (“Backstage Pass to the Flipside” books one, two and three) So I started with folks that I knew - people whose answers I could verify. (“Talking to Bill Paxton” is on Gaia where I interview my old friend via three different mediums).

Jennifer in action

By doing that I was able to verify that indeed, Bill answered my questions correctly. And then that expanded… Bill started to bring in people that we both knew (Harry Dean Stanton) and others. And from there it grew more - I worked with Ray Charles (he plays “God” in my film “Limit Up”) and everyone that Ray knew is able to “come forward.” I’ve asked them why that is.

Ray with Danitra Vance in "Limit Up"

“Frequency” is the answer. That everyone who chooses their avocation, radiates at the same frequency (generally). The focus on music, and expressing music ties all the musicians together on the flipside. I happen to know John’s son Julian (he’s in my film “Cannes Man”) so that opened that door. I asked him for specific things I could pass along to his son (and did.) I asked him about an event that occured when I was at Julian’s home. I phrased the question in such a way that the medium had to supply what happened.

I was sleeping on his couch when I suddenly heard a voice (about 6 am, and had a whopping hangover) say “Who the F#$k are you?” My eyes popped open, fully expecting to see someone (angry) leaning over the couch. But there was no one. And my brain said “What a minute. You know that voice.” I recognized the voice. But at the time, I didn’t mention it to Julian - because it was just too weird. It’s not like he said “Hey, how’s it going, tell my son I’m here.” So I let it go.

(Later, I heard the story how John had told Julian that "if there is an afterlife, I'll reach out to you via a white feather" and how when he was touring in Australia, some native Australians came to ask him for help in getting fresh water to their people. Julian said "I'll do whatever I can" and they handed him a white feather.  Which is how and why he created the White Feather Foundation.)

Then years later I’m doing this session with Jennifer Shaffer and I say (to John) “Can you demonstrate to the medium how we met?” And she said “He woke you up shouting” (or something like that.) Anyways, I’ve been doing this for over 5 years, so it’s not surprising to me anyway, and I’m not trying to trade off of John’s name or journey. But it allowed me to ask him (and Julian’s mom) some specific detailed questions which I shared privately with him.

Then later, (it’s also in book 3) I tried to “contact” someone I’d never met (Paul Allen, founder of Microsoft). On the way to see the medium, I asked for 3 folks who knew Paul to help. I knew Julian knew him, so I asked his pop, I knew Anthony Bourdain knew him (and we’d chatted with him before) and I suspected that Steve Jobs knew him (and we’d chatted with him before.) So on the way to the medium’s office, I said aloud “Can John, Anthony and Steve help me reach out to Paul?”

Well I won’t go into the details about what happened. Because they’re mind bending. Instead, I’ll offer to view this 90 minute film. It’s as it happened, in real time, in a noisy cafe… as well as some other guests who appeared and showed up to converse. I don’t know Paul Allen personally - but I feel like I do now.

Memorializing Memorial Day and some evidence of the flipside

Mom, myself and Luana traipsing around Rome.
"Dad, why are you taking this picture?"

This question came in via Quora, where I randomly answer questions about the Flipside:

"I truly enjoy your entries. Thank you for sharing the information that you have found. Could I ask one question, though? What drove you to investigate this? Your content is like none other I have experienced before. How did you come about it?"

My answer:

"My best friend Luana Anders died. She started visiting me in dreams. Later that year, I was working in NYC on the Charles Grodin show (Charles was a great friend, and we became friends through her.) 

I had seen James Van Praagh on Larry King and suggested we bring him on to see if he could converse with her. (Charles isn't a believer or non believer - he likes to remain open to both sides of any discussion).

So we designed an experiment. I called in the show directly from my home. Only Charles knew I was calling in.

James Van Praagh mentioned a few things, but two jumped out. The cocktail glass collection reference (my last name inspires comic gifts) and a photo on my refrigerator. It was the only photo I’ve ever put up where I said aloud - “Oh look: the essence of our relationship.” (Drinking cappuccinos and laughter. It's reported in “Flipside") 

The photograph on my fridge he was referring to. There was only one.
When I put it up I said aloud "THE ESSENCE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP"

When he mentioned it I knew only one person in existence could know the story behind this photograph that he mentioned live on the air.

Later our 3 year old son wouldn't go upstairs. I asked him why. He pointed to the staircase and told me a woman was visiting him. I said “Who is visiting you?” He took me into the kitchen and pointed to THIS PHOTO on the fridge. 

Worried he might never go upstairs again, I asked “Does she frighten you?” 

He said “Dad. You can see right through her!”

I thought it over and said “Well, does she say anything to you?“ 

He nodded. “She says “I love you.” 

I replied, “Well… that doesn't sound scary, does it?” 

He paused, sighed and said “Okay" and went upstairs to bed. 

(From "Flipside: A Tourist's Guide on How to Navigate the Afterlife.")

Once one proves to themselves their loved ones still exist - experience won't prove it to anyone else, because it’s experiential - one stops wondering. 

I started designing more ways to film or capture that experience. Hence the past ten years, two documentaries ("Flipside" and "Talking to Bill Paxton" on Gaia) and 8 books about the Flipside research. 

Here’s the clip where James Van Praagh mentions the photograph - believe, don't believe - but this was the moment I realized there actually is a flipside:



My two cents

Winners of the "Talk to Luana" contest

Thanks to everyone who entered to win a free copy of the book "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3" - a free PDF of the book has been sent to everyone who entered... (or will be sent, check the mailbox."

I asked people to ask Luana five questions. These folks had never met her, didn't know her, but as a demonstration that you can get an "answer" from someone on the flipside, I designed these questions in such a way that no one could answer them but a close friend of Luana's (none entered) or were actually speaking to Luana.



The answers to the questions are:

1. What was Jack Nicholson’s nickname for you?

(People might get an image or a sound, or something else. Whatever it is, don’t judge it, just write it down.)

The winning answer came from "Frances" in Florida, who said "I get an image of her standing with a clutch purse. The color of the purse was turquoise."  I asked what color that might represent, and she said "aquamarine?"  I said "That's close enough - The answer is "Blue." (Could have been a state of mind comment, but Jack has a nickname for all his pals.)

2. What city did your mother own property in, that we went to visit?

(Again, hard for them to use “words” – an image might come to mind, or an image of a person might appear; just note whatever that is.)

One person answered this correctly; "New Mexico."  Her mother brought property there in the 1960's, Luana and I went to visit it later in her life, and it was specifically in Santa Fe. New Mexico was/is correct.

3. What was the name of your dog that you found wandering the streets of West Hollywood?   

(Hint: This name is also the name of a city.  Again – try not to judge it, but listen carefully for the name of a city, or a place on a map – if you get a state ask “north, south, east or west?” until you take out a map, look at the cities on the map and “ask her to direct you to the correct one.”)

One person answer "Jose" - which in Spanish would be as in "San Jose" - but it's close to "Boyse" - which was her nickname for "boys town" or West Hollywood.  I called him "Boise" (hence the hint) but Boyse is more accurate than Boise - and close enough to Jose to suggest a winning entry.

4. Name the cat in this photo. 

Painted by Luana

(Hint: Not Mr. Bailey who is someone she often refers to.  Cat shares the name with a friend of hers, and a person with the same name may appear.)

This cat's name was "Robert."  However, a number of folks said "Kit Cat" or "Kitty Cat" - I don't remember Robert being referred to as such - but who knows? Maybe he is on the flipside. So no one got this correctly, but that's fine; Robert doesn't mind.


5. What is your uncle’s first name, who was the brother to your mother?  

(Hint: an image of someone with the same name might come to mind. She would have called him "Uncle ____")

This is a tough one - and I'll leave her uncle out of this since no one reported his name correctly. He was an unusual uncle of hers, had an unusal life and Luana took care of him in his elder years.

The point of this exercise was to inspire folks to do the same kind of "self experiment" with their own loved ones.  Not with Luana per se - but with anyone that we knew that was on the planet.  

Devise your own "five questions" or ten, or twenty.  Take out a photograph and ask them to reply.  They don't have to reply with sound, could be an image ("clutch purse that's blue") could something that pays off later.  Try not to hung up in the "proving" part - as Harry Dean Stanton told us (In "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 1") "Believe in the possibility of an afterlife, then you won't waste any more of your time arguing about it like I did."

Sage advice.

But in this case, talk to them.  Ask them questions. Repeat the questions in different locations - their favorite restaurant, a beach. Ask questions you don't know the answer to - 'When you hear an answer before you can ask the question then you'll know you've made a connection."

Books and awards will be sent out as we speak - and the winner to Jennifer's raffle (a free hour with her) will be notified privately by email (and will announce here if they ask me to.)

Thanks for playing along!

"Architecture of the Afterlife" and "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3" will be on audible in a few weeks. Stay tuned.

Hacking The Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer - Amelia Earhart, Hira, Step...

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s 61st Birthday

While interviewing a woman for "Architecture of the Afterlife" she suddenly announced that "Iz" (Israel) was one of her "guides." I asked "him" the same questions I do to anyone I meet on the flipside about his life, who greeted him when he crossed over. I asked about the song "Over The Rainbow" and she said "he's saying it was a tribute to someone named Pa-ha-nui." I asked if she knew who that is and she said "No." I asked him directly if he was referring to Gabby Pahanui, the father of Hawaiian slack key guitar (who I saw on a trip in the 70's in Honolulu). She said "He's shouting ""Shi hu!" over and over again!" I asked if she knew what that meant, she did not. "He keeps repeating it like he's excited that you understood." Later, I asked a friend from Hawaii what it means - she said "It's "chee hoo" - a samoan term we use as slang for "Right on!" or "Woo hoo!" So "Chee Hoo!" Iz and Happy Birthday. Google made a meme for you.

Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer - George Harrison, Bill Paxt...

Clones at Greaser's Palace with Luana Anders

Perfect pandemic video. Luana plays all the characters in this short film for a class I did at USC

Hacking the Afterlife Interview with Little Richard and friends

Richard Martini "Navigate the Afterlife, A Tourist's Guide"