Last shot of the day on a film set, also the last name of the author of this blog. Martin - Latin singular, those soldiers who work for Mars, God of War. A smith. In this lifetime of words, music and film. AKA "The Afterlife Expert" (Coast to Coast AM) If you want to reach me, I can be found on FB, LinkedIn, or Gmail under MartiniProds (my youtube channel)
Interesting story came to my attention the other day...
Portals are everywhere.
A friend on Facebook posted this story about her dad:
"Many of you know my dad recently passed. Here is one of the
incidents I experienced with him in hospice. I was alone with dad one day, he
was in bed, he called me to the bed and grabbed my hand.
He was seeing
something from the "beyond", and I could feel his energy rise, and
his eyes were darting back and forth and at the same time he cracked a wee
smile. He said loud and clear.. "Nirvana."
He was squeezing my hand with a decent
grip for a 94 year old man in hospice. Then, as fast as the show appeared, it left.. He
let go of my hand and said, Oh crap, I'm back!!!
I wrote to her;
"Condolences... and yet, this about sums up my
"Flipside" research. On one side "Nirvana!" On the
flipside: "Oh crap, I'm back."
Portals literally everywhere.
What's going on here?
It's quite common in the hospice stories I've heard. Usually
seeing someone, often a loved one, sometimes a stranger (over here, not over
there) beckoning. Sometimes a vision, like Steve Jobs saying "oh wow, oh
wow, oh wow" before he passed, or Roger Ebert calling it "a vastness
you can't imagine" - it's as if the filters, or interference shuts down,
or is shutting down, and we get a glimpse of the flipside.
The "oh crap" part is funny, because over here
we're slow, we're heavy, we lose the feeling of unconditional love we feel over
there. But we also forget why we came here while we're here, to change lives
and learn lessons.
Her dad Will perfectly sums up the difference between here and there. (He's not gone by
the way; he's just not here).
I'm sure he's adjusting, lots of pals to see
again, stories to share. I hope Will reaches out to his daughter; not everyone is tuned the same, if he can figure out the tuning, he'll reach
out. Either in dreams (easiest) or some other fashion.
Dr Elisa Medhus got a physical phone call
from her son Erik on her cell (hardest). It took that dramatic step to get her
attention. But you never know - think of a question you don't know the answer
to, and ask it aloud. (Holding a pic, according to the reports, seems to help) If they can, they'll answer it.
Are you seeing something I'm not seeing?
So when you wake up in the morning, it's good to think a bit about what will said. Is it "Nirvana" or "oh crap?" I think we can choose Nirvana - and the more we see it here in our conscious minds, the sooner we'll see it there when the time comes.
Tragedy is everywhere. Courage is everywhere too. It takes courage to come to the planet. That's what the research shows anyway - in the scholarly articles that were done about hypnosis by Dr. Helen Wambach in the 1960's and the many cases reported by Dr. Michael Newton in the 1970's-90's we find that each time people choose to show up on the planet there's a reason to do so.
Divine light or some dust?
In other words, the journey, as hard as it is to accomplish, isn't done without some forethought. People say that sometimes they were coerced to "come back" by their loved ones - because they wanted them to play some kind of role in their lives, and they just weren't "all that happy" to do so, but did it out of a favor. And when they get here to the planet, they forget that they made that agreement and came to fulfill a role - and just don't want to be here at all. And then other people come to give others such a deeply profound lesson in love that it takes the breath away. I'm reminded of these stories with the loss of this little Syrian boy who drowned while trying to get to a better life than where he was.
Aylan Kurdi and his brother Galip. courtesy CNN
I've seen some pretty intense films made in Syria, in the midst of this war, by people who still live there, who still are trying to make sense of the nonsense, who observe "If we were kittens, more people would pay attention to us." It's an epic crisis happening on the planet, and there doesn't seem to be much that anyone can do about it, except wait and see who winds up on top. Here's a film that shows why people are doing everything to leave Syria. It's 14 minutes, worth watching.
But I'd like to offer that despite this tragedy - which is ongoing - people can understand that we all choose our lifetimes.
Sometimes its to come here to teach a lesson in compassion. How can people turn their backs on those fighting for their lives? How can we turn our backs on the planet which is fighting for its life? How can we turn our backs on our loved ones who are fighting for their lives?
Research shows we come her for a reason and not to just cut down trees.
But somehow we wind up turning our backs, or doing the politically expedient thing - whether it's attacking and going to war and taking more lives, or ignoring the people who are in desperate straights, or ignoring the homeless person asking for a nickel or a smile.
People in the Sudan, people lighting themselves on fire in Tibet to escape Chinese occupation, people who are impoverished, addicted to drugs, who lash out - people who are in uniform who fear for their lives and pull the trigger before they realize what's happening... these events occur every day, and we get so caught up in the emotion of them, we can't stop to applaud those who came here, sacrificed their lives so we could learn something about compassion.
It's hard to wrap my mind around it, for sure, but I offer it because it's in the data. It's in the thousands of cases that have been examined, it's in so many differing accounts from so many people across the planet who've never met, that there must be something more to it than meets the eye.
Two people who chose very different paths, but found ourselves at the same place.
Which takes us to another eyeful. A county clerk raised by her tradition to be conservative takes it upon herself to deny gay people the right to marry. Conservative pundits run - no, elbow each other to her defense, until it turns out the clerk has been married four times, twice to the same fellow, whom she conceived kids with with one of her previous husbands. If she had spent any time reading the actual book, instead of smacking people with it, she might have seen the concept that "love your neighbor as yourself" and "what you do to the least of these, you do to me" is in that good book... over and over again.
"Kingdom of God is Near" isn't a warning; it's a location.
But somehow, she can't see the fact that we are all equal - on this side of the fence, and on the other side of the fence. That the "Kingdom of God is near" isn't a warning, but an observation of locality - that heaven, or the flipside, is actually so close we need only close our eyes to focus on it, get information, solace and energy from it. And lessons too. I'd post her picture, but what's the point? She'll be on a book tour soon, and her face splattered across the media, and then some years later, it will come out that she meant something else, or that she's sorry for causing stress, or whatever. Here's the thing. What the research into the afterlife shows is that the predominant paradigm in the universe is love. We don't have a proper definition for the word love, just like we don't have one for the word "home" (which every session I've filmed, when people are asked "where would you like to go?" they say "home" and they don't mean here.) We have no real, concrete definition for love - but we all know what it means, we've all experienced it, so therefore, we "know it."
Universal studios, otherwise known as The Universe.
And as I've heard on more than one occasion doing this research "God is too difficult a concept for the human brain to comprehend, it's not physically possible" yet "you can experience God if you open your heart to everyone and all things." Open your heart to everyone and to all things. Shall we repeat it together out loud? "OPEN YOUR HEART TO EVERYONE AND TO ALL THINGS."
Open your heart to all things. Including fans of the Cubs. (me)
That's what, or who God is. And you can experience God by opening your heart to everyone and all things. I get this information from the Flipside. And it's information from the Flipside that helps us over here on the Flipside of the Flipside. If this county clerk could open her heart to everyone and to all things, she would experience God. Open her heart to the things she doesn't understand, or fears. It's that simple. And in like form, that means I have to open my heart to her. I don't know why she chose this path, but I honor it. It's possibly to show and demonstrate what lack of compassion is so we can experience compassion. I don't know why she chose a life to have three husbands and four marriages, but I honor that choice. It's her choice after all, I'm not in her shoes, and I can't judge her for it.
Opening your heart to all things, not so hard if the thing is a rose.
The thorn not so much.
Just like the parents of the child who drowned trying to find safety and freedom and love with his family.
He's not gone, he's just not here. He came to teach a lesson in love, perhaps to learn a lesson in love - I don't know the answer because I'm not in his shoes. He knows why he chose this path, and he may have left early because he's going to come back in the future with his soul mates to perform some other act of compassion. It's possible.
He will always be with his parents. He had his reasons for coming here to have a short life - I can't judge those reasons either, but I can appreciate the outpouring of love for him. I can appreciate that everyone seeing his photo has opened their hearts just a bit, and can feel that experience of love. I honor him for his courage to do so.
Love exists. And God, or whatever word you prefer, whatever nomenclature makes you comfortable - you can call it "the energetic etheric quantum substance that connects all of us etherically" - or you can call it "the thing that I know exists because I exist" - whatever words suit what your heart feels, that's the idea I'm trying to get at. We learn from this research into the flipside how to live and behave and be compassionate on the flipside of the flipside. Which is.. Right where you are. My two cents.
Some part of me kept me from editing this (the second part of the film "A Portrait of Julian Baird" from 2 1/2 hours down to 90
minutes for the past two years. It's physically possible to do it, I
just didn't want to do it. Part of me didn't want Julian to pass away
either, and so maybe that's what stopped me from editing him. Apologies
for the length. I remember his lectures took about two hours, so think
of this as an extended lecture. In honor of his passing I've put this
second part of his interview together and just let it be what it is.
For those who loved Julian it will be a bit like getting a chance to sit
with him once again, and for that reason I'm leaving it long. But
hearing of his passing this week, I realized I no longer had to worry
about whether he might like this particular part, or if he felt another
part was too long.
I wouldn't be robbing him of two more hours of his
life to watch my edit of his life. It is what it is. Thanks to Elaine
for giving me access to him and your lovely home, and putting up with my
questions. I think you'll enjoy this. I offer this portrait out of love
for a man who certainly influenced my path and journey, and although
Julian was a firm advocate of consciousness ending at death's door - as
he put it "Why would I care if I lived before or if I'm going to live
again? I'm having too much fun enjoying this lifetime" - I'm of the mind
that I'll get a chance to see him again.
We spent some hours talking
about it - and I admire how his mind worked in refuting what he
considered wishful thinking. To me, he embodied wishful thinking, as he
taught me that what I thought mattered. He taught me to ask questions
that I didn't know the answer to. And I've been doing that my whole
life. So here it is - part two - the story of the young boy growing up
on Texas, a million miles from Oxford and Harvard - and yet somehow he
earns scholarships to both places. He lived many lives in this one
lifetime - I'm only sorry I didn't get to spend more time hearing his
insights - his teachings if you will, which are within this piece. So
think of it as attending a lecture of Julian's, and the subject is
himself - and he gives it to us in an unvarnished fashion, filled with
great laughter and insight. Enjoy.
As promised: A Portrait of Julian Baird Part 2.
PORTRAIT OF JULIAN BAIRD PART TWO
My thoughts when I heard he'd passed:
What a prince! Greatest teacher I've ever known, quickest mind i ever
met, his mind like a lightning bolt, to earn a laugh from him was an
achievement, quite thrilling. So glad i got the chance to reconnect with
him, hear his laugh once more, and am looking forward to hearing it on
the flipside. Bon voyage Julian, and thank you for your friendship.
Here's the obit from the Cape Cod paper: - he talks about this in part 2 - Imagine him - a poor boy living in a small town in Texas, a million miles from Harvard and Oxford - and yet he won scholarships to both schools. And another scholarship to get his doctorate at Harvard - the man was the most amazing mind I've ever met... well, see for yourself.
The Cape Cod Times Obituaries Julian Baird
Posted Aug. 26, 2015 at 2:01 AM
Julian Baird ORLEANS - Julian T. Baird of Orleans, MA, died peacefully at home of leukemia on August 22, 2015. Born
in Harlingen, TX in 1938, Julian received his Bachelor of Arts Degree
Magna cum Laude from Harvard College in 1960, his Master’s Degree from
Oxford University (Wadham College), and his PhD from Harvard University
in 1968. Julian
was Chairman of the Department of General Education at Boston
University until 1980 when he left the academic community to pursue his
growing interest in art. He purchased Tree’s Place in Orleans in 1981
and transformed it into one of the nation’s leading galleries of
representational art. After
his retirement, Julian served on the Board of Trustees of the Cape Cod
Symphony, and of the Cape Cod Art Association. He was a member of the
St. Botolph Club in Boston and served on its Art Committee. He was a
member of Artists for Humanity/Boston and served on their Advisory
Board. Julian
is survived by his loving wife of thirty years, Elaine, his brother,
Stephen, of New Braunfels, TX; his nephews Timothy Baird, of Richmond,
VA; and Christopher Teitleman of Newton, MA; his nieces Lisa Gilbert, of
Southlake, TX; and Beth Maly of San Francisco; and several grandnieces
and grandnephews. Memorial donations may be made to the Cape Cod Symphony or to the Animal Rescue League of Brewster. For
his 75th birthday, Julian Baird sent out an unusual invitation.
"As you
now know, I have been diagnosed with Leukemia with an indeterminate
life expectancy. HOWEVER, I shall certainly live to see my 75th Birthday
and perhaps
another beyond that. But I have decided that 75 is a big deal. It is a
very respectable age to have lived the very full life that I have had to
date. I have decided that I do not wish to be toasted after I am gone,
but rather be roasted at a wonderful party that I can personally enjoy
and attend while I am still with us all. So you are invited to a helluva
big event on the Sunday when you and many others that I am inviting can
come. Chamber music by members of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra
(piano and musical programming by our Cape Cod Conservatory Director
Stephanie Weaver.) Jazz group by CCSO members. And for a special treat,
some music by James Montgomery and his lead guitarist of the James
Montgomery Blues Band (Jimmy is a much beloved former student of mine in
my old B.U. teaching days.) A delicious New England themed buffet
dinner, and after everyone is seated with this and has been suitably
satiated, a little roasting of Julian (hopefully reasonably benign) by
persons representing important times and favored activities of my life
so far. There is a dance floor, and music, dancing and libations will be
available until the Cape Codder Resort will close us down. I suspect
that none of us will last that long, but it will be there for anyone who
wishes. I am expecting well over 100 friends at this, so you never
know. So I am delighted that you can join me for my 75th Birthday
Bash!!! No gifts -- just your presence. Julian"
I
met the one and only Julian Baird my freshman year at Boston
University. He was teaching Humanities at DGE. Coming from a small town
in Texas, Julian had gone to Harvard on a scholarship, then to Oxford
and finally returned to Harvard for his graduate work - all on
scholarships. To say he was bright, a genius, is to not really encompass
the concept. Then after the politics of John Silber, the new BU
President, Julian left academia and decided to buy an art
gallery/knickknack store in Orleans MA. Based on his gift for
understanding art, and understanding how to communicate it - he became
one of the most successful dealers on the Cape, and as you'll hear in
this loving testament, changed the lives of those who came into his
orbit.
When
I got the invite, I asked if he had anyone recording the event for
posterity. Apologies for sound and lighting, this was done on the fly,
and is labeled "Part One" because I got an extended interview with him
the following day that covers everything, from Greek History to Beowulf,
from his journey from Texas to the hallowed halls of Harvard, from his
coin flip to decide whether to go to Yale or Harvard to becoming one of
the most beloved people on Cape Cod. So this is just a taste of Julian
Baird... https://youtu.be/xfUnLFkk5Uo
And in case you missed it: Part One
PART ONE OF A PORTRAIT OF JULIAN BAIRD
One final note. And it's a personal one.
After he was my teacher, I used to write Julian postcards from various places I went. I went to school in Rome, traveled Europe, and I'd always send him a funny postcard. This kept on until the mid-1980's, until one day I got a postcard from his ex-wife, who wrote "Sorry. Julian died of brain cancer. Please stop writing." I was devastated. I called some friends who knew him and told them - Julian had died. We all mourned him, the greatest professor we ever had. But he wasn't dead. It was just that NASTY SOB EX WIFE OF HIS who shall remain nameless, who had the insane idea to WRITE ME THAT TRAGIC POSTCARD. Honestly if I could do something to let her know how cruel and stupid and inhuman that was - I would. But about four years ago, I was still thinking of Julian - some 30 years after I'd been told he was dead - and I wondered if anyone had made a memorial page for him on Facebook. And there he was, smiling, playing with his dog. And I wrote whoever had created this page - and asked - who are you? And he said "Hi Richard, how are you, it's Julian!" I could not get over it - this ex wife robbed me of 30 years of his wit and knowledge and humor. For no reason other than cruel spite - she was in the midst of a nasty divorce with him - but allowed her cruelty to spill over and onto me.
Like a cesspool overflowing, and dumping some of its detritus onto an innocent person who happened to be walking by. I bite my thumb at her, I flick my thumb at her from the bottom of my tooth, I give her a fisted salute, and as many middle fingers as I can muster. (Last time I looked, I only have two.) My travels to Tibet and India - I learned how people stew in their own juices - and as the Dalai Lama said "Anger would be useful if it made the other person sick that you're angry at. It only serves to make you sick." And "You can't control how other people behave but you can control how you react to them." So, I'll react by saying, if I hadn't been so royally dissed by this anonymous woman, I never would have made these two portraits of Julian. Combined, they're four hours of his wit and wisdom - either folks talking about him, or Julian talking about his life. He's candid, funny, and completely open. I'm only sorry I lost 30 years of this lifetime of learning from him. Like losing the greatest Lama in the world, only to find out he went into a cave for 30 years.
The other night, after hearing of his death, about 3 in the morning, I was awoken by a dog's squeaky toy. I don't own a squeaky toy. (It's a unique sound, and if you've heard it before, you know what I'm talking about.) We don't have a dog, and we have no dogs in our building. I'm up on the top floor of a building with 7 floors, so the likelihood of having a dog's squeaky toy chirp in the middle of the night to wake me up is... well pretty remote. I then thought "Hmm, I wonder if Julian had a dog and this is his sense of humor from the Flipside..." and then remembered that he did have one, and has a number of pictures alongside that dog.
I can't say that the squeaky toy was Julian waking me up with a laugh, but I wouldn't put it past him. As he used to say "I'd agree with you, but then both of us would be wrong."
Sorry to hear of the passing of my pal Julian Baird.
What a prince! Greatest teacher I've ever known, quickest mind i ever met, his mind like a lightning bolt, to earn a laugh from him was an achievement, quite thrilling. So glad i got the chance to reconnect with him, hear his laugh once more, and am looking forward to hearing it on the flipside. Bon voyage Julian, and thank you for your friendship.
Our good friend Julian Baird passed on August 22nd. Julian was a remarkable man that touched a lot of lives. Below are a couple of links that I have posted with Elaine's blessing. One a tribute to Julian on his 75th birthday filmed by former student now filmmaker Rich Martini. It's worth taking a look at to see the kind of special person Julian was. Also I have put a link to the Cape Cod Times obit. He'll be missed.
My professor at BU Julian Baird decided to have a roast instead of a wake on his 75th birthday after being told he had not many months left on the planet. 160 of his friends gathered to praise him, and I was lucky enough to bring a camera. It's 90 minutes, and includes a blues performance by his old student James Montgomery. This is Part One of this portrait - he'd disagree, but as he's fond of saying "I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong."http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfUnLFkk5Uo
