Near Death Experience

Return from Tomorrow

by George G., Ritchie

Average Rating:

"I am very grateful that I came across this book and this author's story. It gives me great joy to hear of someone who has also encountered Jesus and has gone through the emotional, spiritual and mental journey that this experience made us travel. I wouldn't give up the experience even though it did cause much anxiety to my family and myself.

I experienced a near death experience in May of 1974 at the age of 32. Like the author, I was a little fearful to share this experience because nobody that I knew had ever shared this type of experience.

In 1975 our family was fortunate to be able to buy a Christian Book Shop and this is where I was able to come across some literature on my experience. Of course the great mystical saints like St. Theresa of Avila: God Alone Suffices, The Collected Works of Saint John of the Crosswrote many books on their mystical experiences with Jesus. Discovering Dr. Raymond Moody's book "Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon--Survival of Bodily Death" was the greatest comfort for me at that time.

In reading Return from Tomorrow, what is the most helpful is that with all the turmoil the author experienced he realized that love is the greatest of the gifts and it seems the message is the same in many cases, including my own experience.

It is a "tall" order, it sounds so simple and the message is simple but the "ego" gets in the way and at times our self-centeredness comes forward. To let go and let God. At times we are our own worst enemies when it comes to the acceptance of being loved and in return loving others.

Like the author, I started reading the bible with a different perspective. Before this "re-born" experience, I read with only an intellectual, study mind attitude, now I read the bible with my heart open wide."

Publisher: Chosen | More reviews: amazon.com

My Descent Into Death: A Second Chance at Life

by Howard Storm

Average Rating:

"This account of Mr. Storm's near death experience is the first I have ever taken the time to read. It is a powerful and reassuring message of God's love for us. Everything he testifies to seeing and believing seems to be so in tune with my sense of God. This next comment will be sure to draw some fire from many, but if his story is the truth, then this book could be considered one of the most important Christian writings since the Gospels since he speaks directly to Jesus. Mr. Storm was sent back for a purpose. Thank you Mr. Storm for your testimony. God is Love!"

Publisher: Doubleday | More reviews: amazon.com

Temples On the Other Side: How Wisdom from "Beyond the Veil" Can Help You Right Now

by Sylvia Browne

Average Rating:

"I found this book to be quite well done. I found the information contained in the book refreshing and much more logical and just plain makes more sense. Most religions are rooted in fear and control through fear. In my humble opinion our creators gave us life and choices, not to dangle them in front of us and threaten us, but to give us the chance to learn and grow. Personally, I find it a bit of a stretch to say that God would punish us for eternity for disobeying him, yet your average good parent would not punish their child forever behind an indiscretion. So are we to believe that God is more petty than a human being, which is imperfect? I think not.

All are certainly entitled to their opinions and their faith, but with a bit of thinking and an open mind (the mind is like an umbrella, it functions when open) I think it is a better and more loving world if we did not deify every major influential figure (Jesus, Buddha, Mohamed, etc) and see that we are ALL the children of our creators and they love us very much and do not wish for us to condemn each other, judge each other, (my religion is the only true faith of God) and not be controlled by fear and people that had an agenda, hundreds of years ago.

Thats my piece. Loved the book. Glad Sylvia is here to burst the myths and pull people out of religious fear.

If you have an open logical mind and seek answers, read it, enjoy, take what works for you and continue your search.

Happy reading!"

Publisher: Hay House | More reviews: amazon.com

Animals and the Afterlife: True Stories of Our Best Friends' Journey Beyond Death

by Kim Sheridan

Average Rating:

"I've read several books on this subject and this book is the best. The stories are heartwarming and miraculous!
If you've ever lost a beloved pet, then this is the book to read.
The loss of a pet can be so overwhelming. With this book, you know you are not alone in your grief. You will also know that your pet, without a doubt lives on and is most likely is still with you! You will know what signs to look for by hearing others tell their inspirational stories!
What a gift this book is, in the presence of grief!!
It is very well written and will keep you turning the pages for more.
I would highly recommend!!!! The value is priceless to someone who has lost a beloved animal companion."

Publisher: Hay House | More reviews: amazon.com

Explorers of the Infinite: The Secret Spiritual Lives of Extreme Athletes-and What They Reveal About Near-Death Experiences, Psychic Communication, and Touching the Beyond

by Maria Coffey

Average Rating:

"I bought Maria Coffey's "Explorers of the Infinite" a few days ago and ate it whole. This book is fascinating since it is about the endurance athlete- a group I count myself among- and what drives us. I've been privleged enough to participate in about 250 triathlons, the Marathon des Sables (154 mile desert running race),the Eco-Challenge and the Raid Gauloises and the Jordan Desert Cup 105 mile running race as well as the Antarctic marathon. It is nice to read ideas about what makes a fellow like me "tick".

"Explorers of the Extreme" is perhaps one of the first really credible, readable and entertaining examinations of the endurance athlete's psyche, motives, mindset and even "spirituality". Coffey is apparently not an endurance athlete herself but treats our kind with loving adoration. If you are a marathon runner, triathlete, surfer, cyclist or other "extreme" or endurance sport athlete you'll appreciate the insights and feel some of the pages in Coffey's book become an interesting mirror. This is also a fantastic read for an athlete's spouse who may have questions about why a person would ever subject themselves to the rigors of preparation and participation in endurance/extreme/risk sports.

Coffey explores the extreme athlete mentality from mountaineering to ultra-running to the Tour de France and even more amazing feats like free diving and extreme skydiving. It is refreshing to read a respectful treatment of our sub-species, the endruance/extreme athlete. Other books I've read on the motives and inner realm of us freaks treat us with a sort of detached disdain and label our motives as self-destructive and self grandizing. Coffey sees other inspirations as told to her by the people in the sports themselves.

There is also a readable and engaging thread throughout the book of the sociological theories behind risk and endurance sports, a particularly fascinating one pertaining to surfing.

This book is a delight and makes you feel good about being an endurance athlete, a rare breed, a risk taker. It is interesting to read about the ideas that may shape our motives. Highly recommended- great read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. "

Publisher: Tarcher | More reviews: amazon.com

Backwards: Returning to Our Source for Answers

by Nanci L. Danison

Average Rating:

"I think many will find comfort in this book as Nanci Danison dispells ideas of a vengeful, punishing God. She explains what she rediscovered when she left her body during a medical procedure never expecting to return; that we are all created out of Source (God), and we all eventually return to Source. This is how Source experiences the universe - through us. And because we are all created out of Source, we can share in the experience of others and actually experience other lives as a viewer or a participant. In keeping with this theme, she cautions us about the various religions preaching fire and brimstone. She tells us to enjoy our lives, and live the best we can. We are made out of Source and will return to Source - there is no hell. She offers ways in which we can live our lives that will help us become more in tune with who we really are. We are each on our own personal evolutionary path, and we choose experiences that will help us with our education. We set goals before entering human life, and the life review is an opportunity to see if they have been realized - not a time of judgement.

This is a very positive book that gives us a glimpse of what we are really like. The description of returning to the higher vibrational level from which we came and remembering who we are is worth the price of admission alone. Nanci describes encountering her Light Being friends for the first time after having been "away" and their amazing interactions. She eventually merges with them as they intend to then integrate with the One. It's about returning home."

Publisher: A.P. Lee & Co. | More reviews: amazon.com

The Big Book of Near Death Experiences: The Ultimate Guide to What Happens When We Die

by P. M. H. Atwater

Average Rating:

"What I expected was a large book filled with lots and lots of near-death experiences. What I got was some experiences (many seem abbreviated) along with analysis and the creation of all sorts of categories. While that is valuable for scientific research - I feel the title is somewhat misleading. "

Publisher: Hampton Roads Pub Co | More reviews: amazon.com

The Light Beyond

by Raymond Moody

Average Rating:

"Another excellent book by Dr. Moody on NDEs. This book was a fascinating read, as Dr. Moody really explored and explained the entire phenomena of Near Death Experiences - from children, to combat veterans, as well as why it is NOT a mental illness. He also introduced NDE researchers from across the country, what kind of research they are doing as well as providing very detailed NDE experiences of these researchers. The book also contained an incredible variety of NDE examples from people who have "died" and have come back. Once again, the timely messages of love come through from those who have experienced an NDE and Dr. Moody makes a great case for life after death. This is the fifth book on NDEs that I have read and I have completely changed my attitude towards death and the life after. The fear is no longer there.What I continue to find most fascinating is the way in which people change for the better after having an NDE. Their "new" outlook and attitude on life is amazing and transforming.This book will comfort those who have lost a loved one and it will also explain many aspects of the NDE. I found this book to be an enjoyable read and I did not want to put the book down. I HIGHLY recommend this book."

Publisher: Bantam | More reviews: amazon.com

Lessons from the Light: What We Can Learn from the Near-death Experience

by Kenneth Ring

Average Rating:

"There is absolutely no doubt as to Kenneth Ring's sincerity and compassion, as well as his long-term commitment to expanding our understanding of near death phenomena. And we can be very grateful for the courage of people who were willing to share experiences that are so deeply personal. For those reasons alone I could have given "Lessons from the Light" five stars - had it not gone further than this to claiming definitive answers to questions of life and meaning. It is because of the assumptive role of this book that I see the need for a strong note of caution.

For example, Ring states quite arbitrarily that, at death, we not only review our life, we invariably relive it. However, not everyone described such an event in their NDE - a "white crow" in his theory that the author ignores. There are also disturbing implications for people who have suffered a great deal. Is Ring saying that they must relive their own suffering? I would not wish even those who have treated me cruelly to experience the pain I felt. To what purpose? Surely this is in direct contradiction of the image of compassionate love that the author presents. It certainly negates the concept in wisdom literature of our life journey being progressive and transformative.

Perhaps the greatest concern I have regarding this book (and others that make the same claim) is its unqualified exhortation to "love." Given that humankind has many contradictory definitions of love, I see an urgent need to qualify the word, especially in the context of the life lessons this book claims to teach. Love is often equated solely with a feeling of euphoria - an interpretation emphasised in this book. But love is sometimes spelled N-O. In other words, loving actively is far from easy and not at all comfortable. Love, in fact, has backbone. Out of all the messages the author gives as paramount, this is perhaps the most vital life lesson he could omit. Vulnerable readers may infer from this omission - to their detriment - that love is acquiescent to abuse.

Most of all, it is important not to make assumptions about the COMPLETED death experience from what are only NEAR death experiences, a distinction that Ring fails to make. For one thing, the needs of those who return (to complete a life task, for example) could be very different from the needs of those who move on. The problem is that, in our urgency to find answers, we are strongly tempted to manufacture them - to find ANY answer - but which is often far less empowering than the truth. According to the poet Rilke, we need the courage to "live the questions" and to accept that we can only grow into them.

Perhaps the best way to approach this book is to remember the advice of Ram Das: "The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal...it isn't true that everybody should follow one path. Listen to your own truth."




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Publisher: Moment Point Press | More reviews: amazon.com

When the Impossible Happens: Adventures in Non-Ordinary Reality

by Stanislav Grof

Average Rating:

"Stan Grof's new book, "When the Impossible Happens," has become an instant transpersonal classic. The most personable and accessible of his many projects, I recommend this book enthusiastically to anyone interested in human consciousness, including the study of synchronicities, pre- and perinatal experiences, racial and collective memories, ESP and paranormal abilities, karma and reincarnation, the convergence of science and mysticism, and survival of consciousness after death.

Drawing upon fifty years of disciplined research into the extraordinary properties of the human psyche, Grof presents a series of representative experiences of himself, his colleagues, and his patients of powerful journeys in non-ordinary or holotropic ("moving toward wholeness") states of consciousness. The content of many of these experiences were then objectively verified afterward, often to incredible surprise. These included obstetric details from birth, experiences of the subject's mother during pregnancy, obscure episodes from the lives of parents and ancestors, unknowable details from past lives, minute physiological characteristics of various animal and plant species, arcane details of world mythologies of which the subject clearly had no prior knowledge, and many other examples. A number of these fit the criteria for later objective verification through hospital records or research libraries; that is, they have the credibility of paradigm busters. The sheer volume and quality of these remarkable documented experiences suggest a radical revisioning of the outmoded mechanistic and monistic vision of reality, and point instead toward a cosmos governed by higher intelligence, numinous meaning, and even sophisticated humor.

What makes this book so special is the depth of personal sharing. While Grof dutifully and carefully presented in previous books the implications of his many years of research, his career trajectory and perhaps the entire culture have finally reached a tipping point where the "anomalous" clinical facts can be openly shared with much more personal color, vivacity, and self-referencing irony. I felt I learned more about the inner flavor of Grof's own life from this book than from all his other writing combined, a life of exceptional quality, depth, and service to others. He describes his first LSD session in Prague in 1956 in which he was taken on a profoundly unexpected journey into cosmic consciousness, spontaneous spiritual experiences in the presence of his wife's guru, Swami Muktananda, his involvement in the making of the movie Brainstorm, inspired umbanda ceremonies, UFO's in the Amazon, and incredible terrifying experiments in astral projection.

He recalls breakthrough LSD sessions and celebratory vodka parties with Russian colleagues in '60's Leningrad, earthy centenarian shamans at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, psychedelic toads in the Arizona desert, past lives spent in Ukranian monasteries and ancient Egypt, his auspicious yet doomed fairytale wedding in Iceland, life-changing contact with Absolute Consciousness, and his frustrated search for the infamous Mayan Crystal Skull. Grof covers this rich experiential territory with the disciplined curiosity of a seasoned connoisseur. Here are vivid psychedelic adventures on every continent - magnificent sunsets at Ayers Rock in Australia, death-rebirth sequences in pre-Columbian sites in Mexico, gorgeous psychedelic sunrises off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. He describes influential friendships and collaborations with his partner Christina, astrologer Richard Tarnas, and mythologist Joseph Campbell, meetings with archetypal figures such as Czech Republic President Václav Havel, Sai Baba, Mother Teresa, and Carl Sagan, and star-studded conferences of the International Transpersonal Association held on every continent. Grof remembers with us a lifetime of exquisite culinary feasts, spectacular natural panoramas, forays into the world's great art museums, and sampling of exotic psychoactive compounds from the planet's rich pharmacopoeia.

Above all, he describes the dramatic healing effects of inner self-exploration, both with psychedelics and with comparable non-drug techniques such as Holotropic Breathwork. Deep and systematic exploration of this type has resulted consistently in emotional and psychosomatic healing, spiritual awakening, and spontaneous emergence of positive ecological and humanitarian values. This type of transformation in sufficient numbers, Grof convincingly asserts, may be an important missing ingredient enhancing our species' chances for survival.

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Publisher: Sounds True, Incorporated | More reviews: amazon.com