Theosophy and Science

Science and Spirit

Discussion notes No. 47

By Garrett Riegg

January 23, 2011

On Sunday, January 16, 2011 we continued our exploration of after death states by watching half of the DVD “Infinity, the Ultimate Trip Journey Beyond Death” from Sacred Mysteries Productions. There were a variety of speakers on the DVD discussing their personal accounts with near-death experiences, reincarnation, and related topics that highlighted the after-death state and our infinite nature. All of the speakers seemed to agree on the incredible loving, supportive, non-judgmental nature of “the other side”

.Dannion Brinkley began the DVD by talking about what he had learned from his own three NDEs. Dannion said “please do not be afraid of death. There is no death. The end is just a beginning. ” He said that the after-death state was one of incredible peace, expansive light, enormous emotional warmth. For him, the panoramic 360-degree life review that he experienced in each of his three NDEs was very valuable. In the life review, he was able to witness and review his actions during his life and feel how they impacted others positively and negatively.

Dannion stressed that the other side was not judgmental, but lovingly supportive. Dannion said that we each are our own judge, jury, prosecutor, and defending attorney in reviewing the actions of our past life. He stressed that his three life reviews have allowed him to grow and become a better, more conscious and kind person.

Renate Dollinger, whose family died during the Holocaust , talked about an angelic visitor who described himself as a “heavenly social worker”. The angelic being gave her many messages over a three-day period. He told her that her family had died in Auschwitz. He indicated where she should apply for work. He predicted that she would happily marry and have four children ,and that she would become a painter and paint scenes from a life in a small Jewish village depicting a bygone era.

The angel talked about some differences between humans and angels, saying that angels and humans were different species and that angels had a different form of religion than humans. The angel said he had been with Renate for centuries over many lifetimes. Renate also talked about how we have free choice and choose our future lives for learning. The angel said that “evil” people like Hitler were “unfinished humans” and needed to grow. He said one way for people to learn and evolve is to become what they hated in this life, in the next life. He said that victims of the holocaust had probably chosen to have that life and had removed a lot of negative karma. Renate asked the angel if God existed, and the angel replied “yes”. Renate asked the angel what God looked like and the angel said ”you are sitting in the middle of it”.

Neal Donald Walsch described an out-of-body experience that initiated for him an investigation of after-death states and reality. After a particularly difficult and seemingly hopeless interaction with his wife, Neal lay down in reverie. He described the sensation of being sucked out of his body and then viewing his body from above. He had the revelation “all this time I thought that I was that (my body),but if I’m not that, then what am I.”

Over time he began to have visions of this new reality. He saw a scene of beautiful fractal-like , pulsing , ever-changing, colorful, interactive of units of energy, that continually changed as the particles interacted with one another. They were united in a beautiful mosaic and yet each individual element maintained its individuality. He talked about how he had been feeling ashamed when comparing himself to the Infinite and was told telepathically that he was “perfect“, that life was a way for us to evolve.

John Holland, a medium, said that the soul incarnates here in this dense material realm for lessons that the soul needs to learn here. He emphasized this life’s program is playing right now, that life on earth in a body is a perfect way to learn lessons and to evolve and progress even though life is a “hard school “. John used a computer metaphor to describe reincarnation. He said the “oversoul” was like a hard drive on a computer and after each life the memories and learning of that particular life would be imprinted on the hard drive, and then a new life with new lessons to learn would come out of that program. John said that there were luminous beings on the other side who “celebrate” when we return and welcome us to our true home.

Alberto Villoldo began by describing an out-of-body experience he had when he was very sick as a seven-year-old. He remembers looking down on his pain-filled sick body from above and wondering who the little boy was. He was told by loving luminous beings who met him that “that’s you, but it has not always been you. ” He was shown the faces of other people and told that these people had also been him. He had a past life review of his present life and the other lives that he was shown and concluded that he was not really any of these people, that they were just experiences. The luminous beings identified themselves as his real parents. They said he did not have to return to his body but suggested that he return because he was a wonderful opportunity to be of loving service to the world.

Alberto emphasized the importance of making good use of this lifetime to become men and women of wisdom , to truly know who you are. He also talked about a shamanic experience of dying and losing his “social face”. This entailed releasing expectations, releasing social contracts, and releasing the persona of the ego that did not really belong to him. He released his ideas of needing to be suave, elegant, successful. All that needed to die, he said, for him to wake up to who he truly was/is.

Greg Braden brought science to the mix. Greg stated that science is beginning to investigate and discover what the ancients called heaven, or the higher dimensions. He talked about “the field” within which life transpires, and how science is beginning to recognize and study this “field”. Greg pointed out how everything in life is connected.

Stanislav Grof listed the most common occurring descriptions from those who have experienced an NDE, such as a tunnel of light, of perception still occurring after death, of a life review, of approaching a frontier which if crossed was a point of no return. Stanislav suggested that we sometimes have a choice whether to return or not after death.

Brian Weiss began investigating reincarnation after discovering the possibility of reincarnation while doing therapy with one of his patients. Brian affirmed that reincarnation is a traditional belief in the Jewish religion and was an accepted belief in the early Christian teachings up until the 6^th century. Buddhists and Hindus , as well as the Sufis also believe in reincarnation.

Robert Thurman and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche shared Tibetan Buddhist views of after-death. Dzogchen Ponlop said deep sleep is a rehearsal for death because we sink into our base consciousness. The Buddhists have practices for becoming awake during dreaming to practice becoming more conscious in preparation for dying.

After watching the DVD, the group shared comments. Scott said he enjoyed the DVD. Randy liked the emphasis on everything being perfect as it is. Sue related NDE -like experiences she had as a child that included a golden light and the sense of loving acceptance. G talked about loving the self. Akash told of a life review she experienced when she almost had an accident and was miraculously saved. V talked about not wanting to incarnate this time around, and some incidences she had as a baby that were possible NDEs.

Barry has experienced a lot of peaceful deaths in his sangha recently. He spoke about a universal validation and of his own curiosity. Alberto shared three experiences of being suspended in the infinite and love. Regina expressed excitement over the changes that pondering the previous NDE classes had created in her life. Going for love as a life purpose is what arose for her.

Seth liked the metaphor on the DVD that talked about our oversoul as a hard drive. Carol talked about being grateful to grow up in a family where OBE and other psychic phenomena were accepted as natural. She also affirmed that reincarnation is mentioned in the Bible.

Andrika shared that she had had a lot of experience with death in her life and that death was simple. Roger talked about his work as a rebirther and about studying holotrophic breath work with Stanislav Grof. Sharon’s consideration was on the fact that we are ultimately not bodies, but spirit.

Sean quoted one of her Course in Miracles teachers as saying “ When people treat each other as bodies, damage happens.” She also mentioned a past life as a male and how different the currents were between male and female. Mark was struck by “the essence of being”, how we are all one connected unity.

Kim talked about life as a school. Brett talked about an NDE-like experience he had where he heard a voice calling him to purpose and meaning. Love is the purpose He is developing a website dedicated to love.

Garrett summed up everyone’s comments and closed the meeting.