In honor of Martin Luther King; an interview with MLK, Hoover and Gandhi on the Flipside

These are excerpts from the book “Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3.”  In the book, Jennifer Shaffer and I have weekly conversations with whomever shows up to chat with us.

On behalf of Dr. Martin Luther King, I’m excerpting a few of the passages where he made an appearance.  In this first instance, we were interviewing Muhammed Ali, when Jennifer said “Martin Luther King showed up a few minutes ago.”  It was the end of our session, so I took that last minute of it to ask him a few questions.

 

My questions and comments are in italics, and Jennifer Shaffer's answers are in bold. We've been conducting these interviews for five years now on a weekly basis.  In this case, because it was MLK's birthday I decided to see if he was available to converse with us.

In the construct of this class, I "ask" my friend Luana Anders on the Flipside if he can join us in the classroom. Then when I go to see Jennifer I ask her if "anyone" has come to class.  Often she mentions the name of the person I've requested.

I ask the same questions "who was there to greet you?" in order to start a conversation before getting into difficult areas.  However, in Hoover's case, I just went to the questions I was curious about. In Gandhi's case, how could I not ask him some questions if he stopped by our class? I've been in his home, some of his ashes are scattered near our home in Santa Monica - and I've been to the shrine in Delhi were he died.

During an interview with Aretha Franklin from "Backstage Pass" where she spoke to us about her handwritten will and to reach out to her niece (who it turns out is the executor of her estate. As noted in the book, the niece did "not think we were communicating with her Aunt" but allowed that she speaks to her mother on the flipside often. 

In this instance, Prince has shown up along with Dr. King. Prince mentions something about my guitar playing, which is always amusing when he does so. It's usually said the day after I was playing something or working on a tune.  But after saying hello, I asked:

Rich: Dr. King; who was there to greet you when you crossed over?

Jennifer: He showed me a child running to him.

A child you had in this life, or a previous life?

Doesn’t feel like one of his children – doesn’t feel like a child from his wife. But a child of his.

What do you miss if anything about being on the planet?

He says “Rumbling.” 

(Note: I have never heard someone refer to argument as a rumble – but Merriam Webster and Collins dictionaries both list is as a “form of argument.”)

He says, “I miss talking...” - he shows me fighting for peace, but not fighting – “rumbling for peace” but being peaceful with it.”

Did you know you were going to pass away at a young age?

He showed me himself as a young boy and how he always knew he’d die early. He says, “And that knowledge, it’s what made him live every single day as if knowing he was going to die young.”

What do you want to tell your family and friends?

He says, “To not give up fighting for peace... and then showed me (the current/soon to be former administration.) To keep fighting.”

Whenever I hear your voice speaking, it freezes me in its tracks.

(Note: In high school I was in a play where I got to recite the “I have a dream” speech. Always gives me a chill when I hear it)

“It was the frequency you’d recognize.”

The frequency of compassion, unconditional love?

“A knowing that things were going to be okay; it was a frequency that gave people comfort.”

What do you miss about being here?

He says “Being on separate busses? I don’t miss that.” (Laughter) He says “I miss music. I miss the innovation to stand up for yourself. You’re doing that now.”

What’s it feel like to be an inspiration to folks?

He’s showing me all the presidents – He says, “Everybody was... they were all inspirations.” He just showed me the good foot guy... the guy with the big hair...

James Brown?

(Jennifer nods)

The concert that calmed Boston - James Brown

There he is... he showed me James Brown. He says, “They’ve having fun.” That’s what I got.

Well, thank you Dr. King, Muhammed Ali, James Brown, Jennifer’s got to run but we’ll catch you in a future meeting.

Note: James Brown addressed an angry Boston crowd after the death of Dr. King on April 5^th, 1968. It was a concert he insisted on performing as he felt his voice could help calm people.  That speech is credited with “saving Boston” on that day. https://www.wgbh.org/news/2018/04/05/news/remembering-james-brown-concert-calmed-boston)

Some time later, Dr. King made another appearance in our “class.” 

(From “Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3” Homina Publishing, All Rights Reserved.)

Backstage Pass to the Flipside 1, 2, 3

MARTIN LUTHER KING, HOOVER, GANDHI

Rich: Hi class, here we are with Jennifer. Luana, who is here in class that wants to talk to us in class today?

Jennifer: First person that came through is Prince. He’s showing me you playing the guitar... that’s his way of showing that you were playing music...

Well, I referenced him yesterday because the sky had gone “Prince.”

It was gorgeous.

Purple.. but Prince, today is a national holiday for someone we’ve met in class.

Martin Luther King.

We’ve met him briefly. Prince, do want to bring your friend forward so we can talk to him?

He’s talking about the government shutting down. There’s a lot of people concerned about not being paid and abuse of power.

Can we talk to you Dr. King for a couple of minutes?

“Yes.” He’s talking to the guy with big hair.

(Note: We’ve filmed enough of these interviews for me to understand what Jennifer is saying even when obscure.)

James Brown?

“Yes.”

Martin we’ve spoken briefly before, we do share an alma mater.

He said, “Yes.”

Dr. King, why did you choose Boston University to go to college?

He said, “He wanted to be closer to people who were going to change things... and there was family there.” I think he brought his family.

He did. What do you remember about Boston?

He said, “It was cold!” He says, “It was opening up, thinking wise... a different way of thinking.” Um. I don’t think he felt he was going to have more support from Boston, but (more like) “Boston needed his support.”

(Note: Boston is one of the windiest cities in the U.S. Nothing quite like walking across the B.U. bridge in winter.  Boston went through a revolution in the 1070’s with bussing as one of the lightning rods that created riots when I was in school there. Neither one of these details Jennifer would be familiar with.)

I would offer that getting your Doctor of Theology in Boston gave people a different perspective of you.

He says, “Absolutely.”

We’ve asked about who was there to greet you when you crossed over, and you mentioned a child. Who else?

I think his younger brother... and his mother.

(Note: MLK’s younger brother was Alfred Daniel Williams King, born 1930, died July 21^st, 1969 from accidental drowning (His family wasn’t sure how he died, but was found in the pool). Martin’s mother was alive when he died, so I asked the following:)

Your brother and mother or someone like your mother?

He said, “It wasn’t his mother; it was his grandmother.” I got mother first, I’m asking Luana to help so I can hear him better... “It was somebody who raised him, felt like someone who raised him. I presume it was his grandmother.” He says “Everybody raised me.”

Who were you surprised to see on the other side if anyone?

He says, “He was surprised to see a lot of different people.” I’m seeing President Kennedy… it felt like he had... (Jennifer listens) He says “Just the different multiracial people who were there – there wasn’t color – there was no color.”

Did you say JFK was one of the people who came to greet you?

(Jennifer aside) That was the first thing he said, but in my head I’m thinking “Did JFK die after him?”

Try not to judge it. What did you and John have to say to each other?

He says, “Thank you... and... that was a hell of a trip.”

We’ve spoken briefly to JFK; He died in 1963 and MLK in 1968.

(Jennifer aside) I must look silly to not know these historical dates.

Well, it just shows that you’re not trying to piece something together, you know? Martin can we go to the last day on the planet you were here?

“Yes.”

That fateful day in 1968

Who was this guy who shot you? Was this just one angry guy or some overall group?

He says, “It was an overall group.”

Can you point to one person in particular?

It looks like Ku Klux Klan... (Jennifer aside) I’m seeing a (white) hat.

Are you seeing a Klan hat? Was this a political thing?

He says, “It was a political thing.”

So, you were very aware of the shortness of your lifespan, because you spoke of it often in your speeches “I may not get there with you.”  Let me ask, when it finally happened, what was the feeling? Some people say “It’s a relief?

He said, “(It was a) Relief. Yes.”

I don’t mean that in a negative way, just observing that the last ten years of your life were under constant threat.

“Correct” he said.

Let me ask you to address something... Hoover had a burr up his ass about you Martin... Martin, have you talked to him since you’ve been over there?

He says, “They do it every time they come to earth. They switch roles.”

(Note: This is not a controversial thing to say in light of this research, people do report “switching roles” in different lifetimes. But it is controversial nonetheless, when speaking of such iconic figures.  For the record, I ask Hoover to step forward briefly to answer the same questions.)

Luana, can you bring Hoover forward? Just briefly?

J. Edgar

He just said, “All the President’s Men.” He’s smoking. (There’s) A lot of cigar smoke.

(Note: Not a fan of Hoover, and getting straight to the point to see how he might respond.)

You were notoriously a cross dresser; what was that about?

He says “He just thought it was kind of fun.” I feel like he did it since he was little.

No judgment here; was that just a crossdressing thing, and/or were you gay?

He says, “I was.”

I want to ask you about a young Chicagoan – a guy named Fred Hampton. When he was he killed by the Chicago Police, were you involved?

He says, “They did it to protect him.”

Who, Hoover?

“Yeah.” He says, “He didn’t pull the trigger...”

Right, the Chicago Police pulled the trigger ... Did you order them to? Or did the Chicago PD just do it on their own, as they were trying to eliminate the Black Panthers?

He says, “Yeah. They blamed him (Hampton), that kid for something he didn’t do.”  (Jennifer aside) I don’t know anything about this.

Can we bring Fred Hampton forward Lu?

Um. I’m not getting a yes or a no.

Okay, very good, at a later date. Let’s table that for now. I’ve been working on a story about him, but I’d really like to get a thumbs up or down from him.

I’m getting a thumbs up.

(Note: I know that Jennifer knows nothing about the assassination of Fred Hampton, a young Chicagoan who fell into the job as the local head of the Black Panthers.  He started free clinics for poor people and food banks, and the Chicago Police executed him as a result.  I wrote a script about him, showed it around to a few people, but ultimately was thrilled to hear that the director of “Black Panther” has produced a version soon to be coming out. In the search for the truth, I was happy to hear that at least “someone made the story.”)

Fred Hampton "Power to all the people"

J. Edgar, who was there to greet you on the other side?

His nanny or his care giver. He’s telling me that Susan B Anthony was one of them.

What? Did you know Susan B Anthony?

He’s showing me what feels like a mother son relationship.

(Note: Susan B Anthony, the famous suffragette, died when Hoover was 11. For Jennifer to pull a “Susan B Anthony” reference during an interview means there’s likely something that connects them. (Perhaps he liked her clothes?) Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

Listen, it’s long been rumored, there may even be evidence of it, but you’re assistant, Clyde Tolson, is that accurate to say he was your lover?

He says, “Yes. Abraham Lincoln had the same.”

Wait a second, you’re outing Abe? We’ve had that discussion already with Abe and he specifically said that while he did have a male adjutant that he slept with while traveling, the idea of crossing the sexual line wasn’t something he would have done. He says he was honorable with the people he worked with.

He said, “He’s very honest, Abe is. Very honest.”

(Note: This is quite unlike Jennifer to make this kind of a sarcastic comment.  But she said it without any prompting, so we’ll credit it to J. Edgar.)

Very funny J. Edgar. Although you were less so – what was your life review like?

(Jennifer aside) He showed me me – then he showed me his mind, how it wasn’t normal.

While he was on the planet?

He’s showing me that as a result of something being wrong with his mind, that’s part of the reason he did the things he did.

(Note: She appears to be reporting that from the perspective of the higher self,  the “higher Hoover” knew something was off about his brain. Could be paranoia, any host of complaints about the man that Lyndon Johnson was about to fire, and then after their meeting made him “FBI Director for life.”  Many have surmised that Hoover showed Johnson the amount of dirt he’d dug up on him over his lifetime.)

I’m sorry Dr. King, to interrupt our conversation to speak to Mr. Hoover, since he was responsible for so much stress during your lifetime. I understand that was his role, and part of his role – but let’s go back to you Martin for a moment. What do you miss about being on the planet?

He said, “He missed grapes.” He showed me wine, (Jennifer aside) I’m not saying he drank wine, he’s showing me that as a metaphor; “He misses the ability to taste and smell.”  He says, “He misses the banter.”

Between friends? Or adversaries?

He said, “Both. Just knowing that you can do something about something horrible.”

Out of all the people you met in life, who most impressed you? In terms of demeanor, honesty, stature?

He said, “His wife.”

(Note: I didn’t mean to lob him a softball he could smack over the fence, had no idea what he would say, but it’s as profound as any I’ve heard.)

Dr. King and Coretta Scott

Good answer. Let me ask you, there’s someone we’ve chatted with that you paid a lot of respect to; a particular person in our class.

Muhammed Ali and one of his daughters

(Jennifer aside) Was it Muhammed Ali? That is who he showed me.

(Ding!) Yes. Could you bring him forward? What do you guys talk about?

He said, “Our next plot for our next “go round.” Martin wants to be the boxer, and Ali might be taking on his role.”

(Note: It’s a small detail, but the only time I’ve heard “go round” mentioned before is in professional bull riding.  In the film I shot 2^nd unit, “Cowboy Up” they call the next bull ride, “the next “go round.” It may be in other sports as well, but that’s the only place I’ve heard it.)

Muhammed Ali was quite the preacher, and a poet.

He says, “They both had the same sarcastic love and loyalty to one another.” (Jennifer listens, responds “Yes.”) They’re saying “They would die for each other.”

Why did you say “yes” just now?

He was just telling me how much he loved Martin, and how they’d die for each other...

Who was there to greet you when you crossed over?

(Jennifer aside) I think it’s a daughter. A daughter he lost in life. I think she was a baby when she died.

We’ve heard that often – people are greeted by the child they lost. A child who was there to greet you when you crossed over?

He says, “Yes.”

You spent the later years with Parkinson’s.  You were still pretty funny – your punchlines were hilarious.

He said, “I always had it going on. “Just do it” was my motto!”

Nike stole that from you?

He says, “Yes.”

I remember the story of how you had a teacher who told you that you wouldn’t amount to anything... and how you used that insult to fuel your boxing career.

“Hell yeah!” he said.

What are you doing over there? How do you entertain yourself?

He says, “He dances a lot – he’s showing me when he was young and dancing.” He says, “He talks to Prince...” (Jennifer listens:) hold on... he hangs out with John Kennedy. They’re all planning their next... venture. They’re showing me what they loved – they know what they loved, I’m sorry – he just showed me all the curves of women. ...........

(continued)

Let’s skip back to Martin, are you still here?

He’s talking to James Brown, Muhammed Ali, Tom Petty.

There is someone we’ve spoken to who had a profound influence on you Martin? I’m thinking of someone who’s life and journey influenced you...

Was it President Lincoln?

Like him, but someone else.

He’s showing me – Gandhi.

(Ding!)

Gandhiji

(Note: Jennifer and I have been doing this for a long time. It’s not that I’m thinking of someone and she’s picking up on it – I know having worked with her for five years that I can refer to someone, and the person I’m thinking of will show up on the flipside. Or – they’re already on the flipside waiting for me to introduce them.)

Have you talked to Gandhi since you’ve been over there?

He says “He talked to him while he was still alive.”

(Note: I didn’t follow this answer up – but I assumed he meant that he “prayed” or asked for guidance from Gandhi in the darkest hours of the Civil Rights Movement.)

We spoke to you Gandiji – you told us the first words in the afterlife were “Hey Rama...”

He showed me all the lights that came towards him.

Can we ask Gandhi some questions on Martin Luther King day?

He says, “Yes.”

What was it about nonviolence? Was it something you thought was effective or part of your journey?

He says, “All of it. Humans just shouldn’t be abused. Humans... shouldn’t be...” (Jennifer aside: show me that again... He’s very charming by the way.)

How do you see him? Young or old?

Like in his 30’s – he showed me a picture that my girlfriend has of him.  His voice is just very peaceful.

Who was there to greet you when you crossed over?

He says, “It was everyone that he’s ever helped. All the lights were coming towards him.”

What do you miss about being on the planet if anything?

He’s giving me the sense of walking in the dirt barefoot. Also hot, crisp air. He misses his mother’s cooking. His mother was there to greet him. He’s showing me she was there often (visiting him after she crossed over), like he was going there and coming back. He’s showing me something like rice and seashells and corn.. bread... I wanted to say like um... like jambalaya.

I’ve been to your home in Mumbai, Gandhiji, and have walked around the museum of your home.

The back room – was it all white? It was his meditation room?

(Ding!)

(Note: One day while making a Bollywood film (“My Bollywood Bride”) I wandered off to visit his home. It was a hot day, the museum was empty and I found myself alone in the back room where they had the spinning wheel where he made his own clothes.)

Yes, where he used to make cloth – it was all white.

He’s showing it to me.  “That was his favorite room,” he says; “That and the kitchen.”

Is there anything about that lifetime you regret that you didn’t do or wish you had done?

He says, “He wishes he wouldn’t have been idolized. He wishes he could have helped more.”

You helped a lot of people.

He says, “I know.”

From your perspective now, people have to go through things?

“Correct.”

So those journeys of suffering...

He showed me Maverick again. (John McCain.)

Maverick and an old friend Joe

(Note: As we’ve learned people can learn a lot about life through suffering, and McCain saw a lot of learning. In our interview with him, the suffering he experienced as  POW, the trials and tribulations of his career, and later the cancer that took his life – all forms of difficulties he powered through.)

So Gandiji – have you reincarnated since, are you thinking about it?

He says, “No; they’re getting a plan together.”

How about you Dr. King – have you thought about where you want to be in your next life? Who are you going to be in your next life?

He’s showing me a place, a desolate place like North Korea. A place where people would need someone like him to help. What he’s trying to show me, he’s going to remain the same kind of person, but he has to go through different...

To change it... If you’re someone who loves to get into the battlefield,  you choose the most difficult playing field?

“Yes.” He’s saying, “It’s difficult to get others to join him.”

 

This excerpt is from “Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3” written by Richard Martini, Homina Publishing. Copyright Richard Martini 2020. All Rights Reserved. Do not copy or publish this excerpt without permission from the author.

Hacking the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer, a Doctor friend and Jesus

New appearance on Gaia's "Beyond Belief" with George Noory

Well, well, well... someone snuck onto plane in the midst of a pandemic to appear on George Noory's "Beyond Belief" 

Interesting show.  

George asks me about a conversation we had months earlier on "Coast to Coast" where he asked me to interview "Don Rickles" on the flipside.

Jennifer Shaffer and I did that interview, it appears in the book "Backstage Pass to the Flipside 3" where Don talked about his dog, how he's eating too much food, wearing hilarious outfits - and some love and tenderness for his wife.  He also mentioned meeting George Noory backstage.

How people on the flipside
see me and Jennifer

George didn't tell me he met Don backstage in Vegas.  I asked Don the question and he reported what happened.  

So one can watch this episode and see live George Noory confirming that what Don said about him was accurate. What Don said FROM THE FLIPSIDE.

The medium couldn't know because I didn't know. All George asked me was to "interview Don Rickles."  I had no clue why, thought it might be to get a laugh.

But live on camera, George confirms what Don said.  That they met in Vegas backstage.  It's in the book.  It's on camera in the studio. Can't make this stuff up. 

Here's the latest show.

Here's the Audible version. (Episode is available on Amazon Prime through its Gaia channel).

My two cents.

Flipside perspective on events in the Nation's Capital and Surviving Death

I have to give this most recent episode of Hacking the Afterlife podcast some context.

                                    Jennifer and yours truly

Jennifer Shaffer (JenniferShaffer.com) and I did our usual weekly podcast yesterday from the safety of Zoom. We've been doing them for six years now, but only have begun posting them since March. (The transcripts of the other sessions are in the books "Backstage Pass to the Flipside")

It began with a phone call six years ago. Jennifer had listened to the audible for "Flipside" and "It's a Wonderful Afterlife" and reached out to me on the Book of Faces. At first I didn't understand how mediumship worked, and it was filming our first three hour session that my mind was flipped by her accuracy. (As reported in "Hacking the Afterlife" book).

Jennifer works with law enforcement agencies nationwide on missing person cases - and yesterday a few missing persons showed up on our podcast.  I will post the podcast here - and then the explanation below of who and why they showed up.

Warning: This clip may cause some people angst.  

We don't want to cause anyone angst or stress.  What is said in this clip will only make sense to people who've read the flipside research or the books Jennifer and I have collaborated on ("Backstage Pass to the Flipside" or "Architecture of the Afterlife.")  

Up front I want to tell people NOT to view this clip if they were disturbed by the events that occurred in the Capitol yesterday, or what people no longer on the planet might have to say about it.

I can only say that Jennifer and I never discuss who we are going to talk to our about. And in light of the fact that we've spoken to former Presidents before, I figured they might want to chat about the events in the Capitol yesterday.  The first person who came forward was John McCain, who has spoken to us before, asked us to pass along a message to his daughter, which I did via some mutual friends.  They were private messages, and at his request we passed them along.  

He wanted to weigh in on those events.

This is not a political page. 

The flipside has no politics - left or right - we all go home after this lifetime. From that perspective we see why and how we participated in events.  

Jennifer and I are not hiding our beliefs - but I want to be clear, my family comes from a long line of conservative Republicans - my grandfather ran for senator in Illinois. 

I'm not kidding when I say many of the folks we interviewed today have been interviewed by us in the past - from Martin Luther King to JFK to Ronald Reagan and others.  Jennifer is not reporting something she believes in - or wants to believe in. She answers my questions as honestly as she can.

Not everyone is supposed to know how the play ends. So if this information bothers you in any way, I apologize in advance.  At some point it occurred to me that some people involved in yesterday's fiasco might want to speak up. We do ask someone to do so, and what they had to say was revelatory.  During the interview I tried to clarify what was being said - not based on my beliefs, my opinion, my politics - but based on the research which is both consistent and reproducible. 

(Below is a link to the Netflix series where Dr. Greyson weighs in on consciousness existing outside the brain, Dr. Jim Tucker talks about reincarnation, Steph Arnold and Kim Clark discuss their near death experiences and Iands.org - I have spoken at a number of Iands venues. The point is - life goes on and apparently, they're happy to chat with us from the flipside.)

For some scientific research, please watch the Netflix series "Surviving Death" which has a number of people I've interviewed (Steph Arnold, Dr. Bruce Greyson, Dr. Jim Tucker at UVA).  Again - we are not trying to be controversial, are not trying to convince anyone that their point of view is wrong or right... we do our best to report.

That being said - I wasn't surprised that John McCain (Maverick) stopped by, but that led to a free wheeling all encompassing discussion that will no doubt offend pretty much everyone who is not familiar with this research, or what happens on the flipside.

We speak to and with, in no particular order, John, former Presidents Reagan, Truman stop by to put in their two cents. JFK has something to say as well as Jackie. Malcolm X stopped by as well as Martin Luther King.

I can only suggest considering this a fantasy if one has never listened to this podcast before. I would consider allowing that's its possible that our loved ones don't disappear.  

But I would recommend reading up on the topic before passing judgment on what they have to say - which is in line with the reports in "Flipside" "It's a Wonderful Afterlife," "Hacking the Afterlife" and "Architecture of the Afterlife." 

That everything that happens on the planet is part of the play, part of the performance - and that it is designed so that we can learn from events - from Hiroshima, to 9/11 to yesterday's fiasco. They are not on the same level - but the reason these events are referenced is because PEOPLE ON THE FLIPSIDE reference them. They point to them as reference images or points. Including the Civil Rights movement and the battles of the 1960's.

Jennifer and I had interviewed a number of these people before - but not Truman or Malcolm X.  I apologize in advance for not asking more and deeper questions of them... but this is literally on the fly as they stop by. 

The point of our podcast is to demonstrate how easy it is to reach out to our loved ones - and no, neither of us discussed this session prior.  It is what it is.  I hope their message about coming together and using this opportunity to take out the broom, and to focus on loving our neighbors as ourselves - is taken to heart. So in advance I apologize to anyone and everyone who might take offense at what is being said in this conversation - it's not my point of view, it's not Jennifer's point of view - we are doing our best to report.

Hope this helps people on the planet when they come across it.

My two cents

"Architecture of the Afterlife" Josh Davidow recalls his NDE in Tibet and a previous lifetime

The research continues. Here's an example of "The Martini Method" (so called by some hypnotherapist pals) of asking people questions not under hypnosis about an event they had. In this case, my pal Josh Davidow's NDE in Lhasa while we were climbing Mt. Kailash. I wasn't ware of it until all these years later, and asked if we could film him revisiting the event. Further, we took some detours, including a recollection of a previous lifetime as an airman aboard the "Lady Belle."  I was shocked to find that he was accurate, this airman had flown in Lady Belle in WWII, but died in another plane. Both manifests had the name he recalled during this casual "trip into the flipside."  We tend to think that our past lives are far away, or that our memory cannot access things that it can access.. 

But this interview, which is reproduced in full in the book "Architecture of the Afterlife" is just one of the 50 that I include in the book. People recalling a near death event or some vivid dream, or even their "first encounter with spirit" - which gives us a gateway into the flipside.  

Josh and I met in Tibet. Actually we met in Katmandu on our way to Tibet.. A talented filmmaker who went to NYU, he and his sister Emily were on this trip to Mt. Kailash that I was filming for Tibet House in NYC ("Journey into Tibet with Robert Thurman") I was in Mumbai lensing 2nd unit for a film I wrote "My Bollywood Bride" when I was invited to join Robert Thurman and 20 or so tourists taking a trip across Tibet with him (2004).  I filmed everything I could, charging the cameras in the car charger, when often hilarious Josh offered to edit the piece for me.  

After we came back to the U.S., he generously pieced together a mountain of footage and later has taken other trips with Robert Thurman and done his own "trips with Robert" series (Bhutan, etc).  In this interview, I had not spoken with him in years, and did not know that when we were in Tibet he had a near death experience during our trip around Mt. Kailash.  

This is a demonstration of the technique (dubbed "the Martini method" by a couple of funny hypnotherapists) where I take an event that occurred, one where the conscious mind was "outside of the body" (whether it's a vivid dream, out of body experience, or in this case a near death event - where a person is unconscious on the ground and floating around above their body for a period of time) and use that event as a gateway to the flipside. No hypnosis is used or required. I'm not seeing anything he's seeing, but know what questions to ask because I've been doing this for years.

I ask him about the NDE, and then, knowing the "Architecture of the Afterlife" (the transcript of this interview appears in that book) I ask simple questions about his journey, his guides, and if he can recall a previous lifetime. Much to my surprise - he recalled a life of a fellow who served in World War II and the name of the plane he was on.  I did a forensic search of military records and lo and behold, found the manifest of that plane, found a list of those airmen, found the name he recalled, and then found the subsequent plane he was on when shot down and killed in World War II. Josh is "one of the greatest generation" - but didn't know it until this moment on camera.   

I do the historical research for everyone who "recalls a past lifetime" in this way - in this case, he happened to recall the name of the airman, his position on the plane, and I was able to verify it. Not just once, there are 50 in the book "Architecture of the Afterlife" doing the same thing. Like it or lump it, this research is for those who are interested in examining why we are on the planet. Not "if there is such a thing as past lives" or "if there is an afterlife;"  I've spent ten years filming people examining the same experiences - and it doesn't always result in such a dramatic recall as this turns out to be - but if you don't try, you'll never know.  

Thank you Josh for allowing me to post this. It's only about 20 minutes, the interview was longer, and the chapter in the book has more specific details (names, dates, etc).  Welcome to the MartiniZone and verification that life goes on (has gone on before.) As they call it in the film "Soul" - "The Great Before." It's where we pair up, team up, plan our journey and try to accomplish some tasks we put in front of ourselves with the help of guides and teachers.  Not my opinion, theory or belief - have been filming people doing the same for over a decade. And somewhere in that scenario, Josh and I planned to connect on the planet. Hope New Zealand is treating you well!

Surviving Death | Official Trailer | Netflix

Our pal Steph Arnold is featured in this series, and also appears in the book "Architecture of the Afterlife!" 

The film Arrival and the Flipside

 So I watched the film Arrival again last night.  I admit that the first time I saw it, I was locked into the mindset of what other films had come before - "aliens invading earth" etc - and was pleasantly surprised by this film and it's resonance.

I saw it again yesterday and saw it from a different perspective. 

To recap briefly; Amy Adams is a linguist called upon to help communicate with heptapods who've arrived from outer space. Jeremy Renner is the mathematician called upon to help decipher any messages they might be giving. 

Basically there's a story within the story that relates to the ending - and why these "aliens" have arrived on our planet.

But in light of the research into the flipside, seeing it again, I realized there are other truths at play.

Being a screenwriter, a filmmaker, I'm not suggesting these themes are in the film itself, but that seeing it again, realized that there are themes within this story that relate to the flipside research because... well, they do.

Time for example.

The gift the aliens give our planet is to see outside of time. I won't go into how that comes about, the movie is worth seeking out - but it is important to note that these heptapods have shown up with a gift in return for a favor. 

And the gift is for humans to see how time is relative.  In their case they don't "fly" to the Earth in their spacecraft. They literally disappear en masse when the time comes, as if they've entered another dimension, or used their ability to bend time to disappear into a misty cloud. 

In this research, we've heard consistently that "we are all aliens." I first heard it in an interview with Carl Sagan on the flipside, that transcript is in the book "Backstage Pass to the Flipside."

That the illusion we have is that human animals have spontaneously become sentient, that consciousness arises out of the brain - when the research shows that we choose to incarnate. 

We choose to come here. We bring about a third of our conscious energy to a lifetime, and two thirds says "back home."

That when the curtain falls here on the planet, that conscious energy returns "back home" like a cloud of mist. 

What the heptapods try to impart is the idea that they will need a favor from humanity in 3000 years - because they know what's going to happen then, they've traveled to planet this seed that will pay off for them in 3 thousands years. 

In terms of the research, I've filmed people under hypnosis accessing not only previous lifetimes on the planet, but lifetimes before there was a planet. I've filmed people not under hypnosis recalling lifetimes on other planets. What they say isn't "willy nilly" or all over the place - as it should be - their reports are consistent about various locations.

Some have even described a planet with the kind of atmosphere the heptapods exist in. (In the book "Flipside: A tourists' Guide on How to Navigate the afterlife") A gaseous atmosphere where the beings are more highly developed than humans. 

Now, what to make of this idea that we are all aliens?

Well, in Architecture of the Afterlife I interview a number of people who recall lifetimes on other planets. I interview council members who look like, can only be regarded as "alien" creatures - however they are on someone's council, so that means they're advanced, both spiritually and mentally.  However, they may have grey skin, large eyes, orange skin and lizard eyes.

These folks tell us they're from either "far away" from Earth, or from "other realms altogether."

But one of the cardinal rules of the universe, as I've heard consistently in the research is a policy of non interference.  So they cannot disrupt our path if we aren't ready for them. However, the need to be able to realize that we can communicate telepathically appears to be key. It's how they communicate with each other, it's how they communicate with people here on the planet who claim to have seen people from "other planets" while here on Earth.

It's not my theory, belief or opinion people make these claims - I film them doing so.

So what to make of it?

"It's a cook book!"

Just kidding.  Only fans of the Twilight zone will understand that.  But for the rest of us, it's not that we have to be wary of understanding them - we have to be wary that we're not quite ready for others to show up, no matter who much we think we are.  Would panic set in?

Maybe. Maybe not.  

But stand by for picture - because it appears to be occurring more often than not. People having close encounters of the 3rd kind with no known reason for them. 

My two cents.

Tibetan Prayers Sung by the Nuns and Monks of Dharamsala India

Hacking the Afterlife with Joe Ranft about the Pixar film "Soul" - live from the Flipside

 Happy New Year. Writer/Director Joe Ranft was one of the most prolific storytellers in the Pixar canon. Mentored at the start of his career by Eric Larsen at Disney, working on story for the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast among others, then moving over to work with John Lasseter at Pixar as the head of the story dept - Joe was responsible for storyies and characters in Toy Story, Bugs Life, Cars and many other films. Unfortunately a car accident took his life in 1995. He left behind his family, and brother who works in the industry.  

Having seen the film "Soul" and realizing how much of a documentary it is - meaning that a number of the story points are also story points in the "Flipside" research I've been doing for over a decade (the Great Beginning, classrooms of newly formed souls, guides and teachers who watch over them, how a person comes from there to hear - how we choose our journeys in advance based on the lessons we need to or want to learn, etc) I thought for our New Year's podcast Joe would be an ideal candidate. I asked Luana Anders on the flipside if he wanted to chat with us, and what I got was "Of course he does!"

Jennifer doesn't know who Joe is, and didn't know his story - and I'm quite deliberate in leading her as best as I can without revealing who he is - put it this way, after six years of doing this every week with Jennifer I know how accurate she can be. And I'm not here to prove anything to anyone - but to conduct an interview with someone on the flipside.  Joe has messages for his family and friends, including John Lasseter, including Pete Docter, the co-writer and director of "Soul."  For those who don't know who he is, they should know him - he's one of the "mentors" for 22 in the film "Soul" that's posted on the wall her list of mentors she's "defeated."  

The name of the main character appears to be named after Joe - and from their review (the flipside review of the film) they loved it. They said "It was more accurate than you think" as well as giving it a 98% accuracy for "how to explain it to people on the planet. (however, pointing out that once one is on the flipside, it's about 15% accurate in terms of that more vast experience.)  

You want to talk to the flipside? Anyone can, and this is just one of the 42 examples from this year. Jennifer can be found at JenniferShaffer.com, I can be found at RichMartini.com Happy New Year.

(From a friend of Joe's) "Joe came out of Cal Arts with Lasseter, John Musker and a host of other artists who started at Disney in the 1970s. There was some consensus that when Joe died, Pixar was knocked off-balance in a major way.

John Musker (co-director-writer of “The Little Mermaid”, “Aladdin”, “Hercules” etc.) made this tribute video to Joe five years after his death. (The illustrations are John’s.)"

P.S.: Someone pointed out Joes father (and sister) were still on the planet when Joe crossed over. We bring about a third of our conscious energy to a lifetime and the rest stays home.

I've seen it often in the research; In David Bennett’s near death experience he saw the higher self of a close friend on the flipside but the friend was still alive.

Then 20 years later during a hypnotherapy session he saw the friend on the flipside again, only by now he had passed away, David reported seeing him as “less transparent” the second time. (As if fully over there. )   We can be met by the "higher selves" of loved ones who are there to greet us. Just clarifying.

Soul the Flipside documentary and the Man Who Shall Not Be Named

 By the way, the film "Soul" is a documentary. I mean it feels like one to me. 

Yes, everything in this film is referenced in the book/film "Flipside." 

"Nurseries for new souls. Guardians ("Jerry") who tend over them." 

"The right to refuse to incarnate." 

"How it takes courage and compassion to come here." 

"Why people volunteer to help others." 

Couldn't have said it better myself. 

Pixar and Pete Docter for the home run. Music (John Baptiste) is angelic. Kudos all around.

"Soul" on Disney +

If you'd like to read the textbook that has all the same information, here it is:

Tongue in cheek, but everything in "Soul"
is in this book published in 2012

FLIPSIDE: A TOURIST'S GUIDE ON HOW TO NAVIGATE THE AFTERLIFE

Had an unusual conversation last night with someone I've never met before, and apparently have yet to meet.

    The Man with No Name whose name is actually Clint. 

This happens occasionally, and usually before Jennifer Shaffer and I have a discussion about the flipside on our podcast "Hacking The Afterlife."  But I try to remember that they are "outside of time" and I'm on my time frame - so it's up to them who shows up and why.

In this case, I had a long conversation with someone interesting - I can only report bits and pieces of it, because it was a bit complex, and by the time I became consciously aware I was having the conversation, my conscious minds was saying "Wait. What? Who? How? Is this a dialectical argument? Who is saying what?"

I tend to have these conversations, sometimes with Luana Anders, my pal who checked off the planet some decades ago, but now is moderating our class and helping me with these various "conversations."  

It's not like the filmed version of a "conversation with a ghost."  It's more like - I'm having a conversation, my conscious mind becomes aware of the conversation somewhere in the middle, sometimes the end - and then asks the question "What were we talking about?" And if I get an answer, I note it, perhaps write it down somewhere to address it later.

I can only report.

Luana Anders rides a bike.

So last night was someone who seemed to go by the moniker "the one who shall not be named."  I don't know why that was the case - as I didn't see anyone. It was like he was speaking to me behind a door.  Not a literal door, but some kind of mechanism that didn't allow any other access but mentally.

And when I became aware of this conversation, I started to ask questions, the usual ones I ask. "So, have you ever incarnated?"

"No. I'm from another realm, and I can transverse realms."

"Have you ever incarnated in the other realm that you're from?" 

"Well yes and no, not quite in the way that you imagine it."  

"So why the mysterious name? You're the man who has no name?"

(Correcting me) "No. I'm the one who shall not be named."

"Why is that? Is there a problem with your name?"

He said "It's because you wouldn't be able to understand the conversation, if I gave you a name, you'd reduce it the way people do so that we cannot have a conversation. The reason I have no name is not because you can't know it, or it's not allowed, it's because when or if you parse something - put a name or label to it, you reduce it, and the conversation falls apart into a mist, or sea of syntax."

(As best as I can convey what he was trying to say.)

So I asked "Well, what are you doing here chatting with me?" 

His reply was "Because you can do so, and because you also have other venues where you can pass along information.  So the information I'm trying to impart to you - is how perception and observation are two sides of the same coin. That when you are in the audience observing the stage, you are also on stage experiencing the play or the event. It's impossible to perceive both sides of that perception at the same time, but you can bounce back and forth." 

He said, "You might call me a collector. A collector of souls might be the term - but it's inaccurate, because I don't collect them per se, I show up when they need assistance. In your research, in the reports you've been writing about, people generally recall the trip "home" - where they had a previous lifetime, they recall the journey back and they go there willingly and not often in need of assistance - however, there was one account in a recent book of yours where I assisted that person."

I ask, "Do you mean the account of the River Charon, and the boatman?" (It's from "Architecture of the Afterlife").  

                          A drawing of the boatman on River Styx

"Yes, and I'm here to clarify some points about that. At the time, you were interviewing your friend about the death of someone else, someone she felt connected to, and was asking him your questions - "what happened when you died?" (It was Andrew Mellon). 

The book: Architecture of the Afterlife where he was referenced

"And in this case, the fellow said that he was met by a boatman, and ferried across the river. At the time, you asked me if I was aware that I was the boatman of myth... and I didn't reply to you at the time, but I am now."

"Of course I am aware of that myth, of course I'm aware of how consciousness works, it's not like just because I'm playing the role for someone else I'm not aware of that reality.  Of course I'm aware that the "person who knocks on your door to take you to the underworld" or "Yamantanka" the god of death in both Buddhist and Hindu literature is a creation, a construct - of course I'm aware of that, and I'm here to let you know that you had the question and at the time I didn't get a chance to reply." 

At this point, he reminds me of the chapter in "It's a Wonderful Afterlife Part two" where Robert Thurman spoke of the "death of death" - a Buddhist meditation on the idea that Yamantanka, a messenger who shows up to escort the faithful home - not really a faith involved, but that's the idea, a guy with the head of a fierce bull - fire in his eyes and hair - when Buddha passed along his information to the planet, he also passed it along to this mythological character who realized that death doesn't exist.

Yamantanka, defeater of Death

So in essence, this fellow, outside the door, is saying to me "Of course I know how things work, of course I knew how things worked even when Buddha learned of those things - it's not like we aren't aware of how things work over here, it's humans who aren't aware of them."

Then the next topic was "the perception of evil" when a person is passing away. 

The idea that they might see "hell" (1% of NDE's report a negative experience, but no two match).  The idea, as I've repeated in the books, and as has been offered and suggested by many of the reports, is that evil doesn't exist as a  "thing" per se - but that it's a human construct. So if one is convinced they're going to be met by Satan and a team of demons - they might construct that... but at some point in time, their mind becomes bored with that construct and they "return home."

I must add, it's a little bit like the "limbo region" as described in the film "Soul" - where people are wandering around like dark objects,  kind of flailing about, as creatures... driven by fear, or self doubt, or self loathing.  

I mean - the film is a documentary! - this is also reported in the research.

A person steps into the flipside and if they're convinced they're going to hell, or are going to place of sulfur (as described in "Hacking the Afterlife") or a place inhabited by evil people - they may construct that.  But at some point they realize - that hoofs aren't inherently evil, that horns are matted hair and cartilage, that fire isn't a bad thing - except if it's a metaphor for bad breath - then it can be really bad... but I digress. Red eyes aren't a bad thing either, do not represent evil - just another color on the spectrum.

But back to this fellow without a name (correction, "man who shall not be named") speaking about his journey. 

I asked. 

What I got was "People use all kinds of names for me, and that's their prerogative. But I volunteer to help them when they need help - I show up in a non denominational way, as a frequency or vibration, and depending upon their background, belief system, they'll assign some kind of moniker or reason for me to be there - but again, I'm just a frequency showing up to do a favor. 

I help people to get home."

And when he puts it that way it suddenly makes sense.  The flipside is home. It's here on stage, the performance part of it where we are "not home."  And anyone who helps someone to get home - whether they're breathing fire, or playing a lute with wings who sings - they're just "walking each other home."

So that's what I got out of that conversation.  

It is in line with "you believe what you want to believe" portion of the book "Architecture of the Afterlife" - but it also includes the idea that the frequency that shows up to help us could be a loved one, a grandmother, parent, sibling - or it could be someone we knew in life who loved us dearly. 

Or it could be someone we don't know - because we are not trying to get home, and this "man who shall not be named" passes us off to our guide (guardian, or "Jerry") who will help us get where we belong back home.

My two soul farthings.