Recommended Reading
for Transition Guides
Textbooks for Transition Guides & Trainers (8)
These books are highly recommended to have in your library because you are are likely to refer to them quite often in your work as a Transition Guide with clients/patients/family members or as a Trainer to answer students' questions. For Transition Guides and Trainers, be sure to check this list occasionally because new books on this subject are coming out almost weekly.
Background Information for Transition Guides and Trainers (18)
These books are just short of being considered as textbooks, however, most of them apply, not to everyone, but only to some smaller groups of people. So pick and choose what appeals to you but don't be afraid to expand your consciousness into a new area, especially when a client/patient asks a question you can't answer.
Death, Dying and the AfterLife (48)
Here are books that pertain mostly to theories and discussions about the after life, including psychic mediums, death bed visions and after death communication. The information will be helpful to Transition Guides learning to talk about death and dying with those who are on their last journey on earth.
Historical Reference Books (21)
This list contains books that talk about the change in consciousness that has been taking place within society based on reports by near death experiencers and the movement away from traditional religions toward more spiritual beliefs. This evolving belief in life after death and an amazing after life give us purpose and reason to prepare ourselves for our journey home in full consciousness.
• = new listing
Textbooks for Transition Guides & Trainers • 8
•Albert, Rev. Stephen L. Rebooting the Soul. 2006. 78 pages.
A must for all ministers and counselors of those grieving. Learn the beliefs taught by the world's religions and also what science teaches us about life and death. The information is comforting when you or a loved one is making their transition.
•Aydlott, Julie & Friends. Messages from Beyond. 2007. 287 pages. ISBN 0974609374
Often the most influential evidence of life after death comes in the form of messages from loved ones who have passed on. These are stories from real people about the deaths of their loved ones and how they returned to reassure them that they are well and happy, and their lives continue on the other side.
•Birren, James E. and Kathryn N. Cochran. Telling the Stories of Life through Guided Autobiography Groups. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. 208 pages. ISBN 0801866340
There are many ways to describe "autobiography"-- life stories, life review, reminiscences, memories, memoirs, and more. The word "guided" refers to preparing a personal history with the help of a tested plan that uses a series of life themes. The themes help us gain access to memories and to organize them in a way that honors the complex threads that shape our lives so that we can present them as a unique and richly woven fabric of life-- which indeed they are.
Guided autobiography is a semistructured process for life review that incorporates individual and group experiences with autobiographical writing.
•Callanan, Maggie and Patricia Kelley. Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying. Poseidon Press, 1992. 256 pages. ISBN 0553378767
Two hospice nurses share their intimate experiences with patients at the end of life, drawn from more than twenty years experience tending the terminally ill. Through their stories we learn about the near-miraculous ways in which the dying communicate their needs, reveal their feelings, and even choreograph their own final moments; we also discover the gifts—of wisdom, faith, and love—that the dying leave for the living to share.
The authors describe a phenomenon they term "Nearing Death Awareness'"--which resembles somewhat the near-death experience sometimes reported by individuals revived after being clinically dead. Nearing Death Awareness, however, develops slowly, and the dying person seemingly drifts for a time between two worlds. Attempts by the dying to communicate about this awareness, often expressed in symbolic language or gestures, may be misunderstood by those around them, who dismiss the expressions as mere confusion.
Filled with practical advice on responding to the requests of the dying and helping them prepare emotionally and spiritually for death, Final Gifts shows how we can help the dying person live fully to the very end.
•Dancing Heart, Maria. The Last Adventure of Life: Sacred Resources for Transition. Bridge to Dreams, 2007. 318 pages. ISBN 0975293206
From her years of hospice work, Maria Dancing Heart has gathered many stories, poems, sayings, and other inspiritational material from many different religions and belief systems. Her hope is that it encourages people to talk more openly and freely about death and the issues that surround it.
•Grosz, Anton. Letters to a Dying Friend: Helping Those You Love Make a Conscious Transition. Quest Books, 1997. 170 pages. ISBN 0835607658
Simple and beautiful advice from ancient teachings and modern science on the dying process and what comes next.
•Jones, J. Phillip. Light on Death: The Spiritual Art of Dying. Mandala Wisdom Library, 2007. 96 pages. ISBN 1601091079
A hospice spiritual counselor views life as a pilgrimage culminating in the Great Transition at Death. Drawing on Eastern insights from the great sages of India as well as modern hospice experiences, Jones explores a spiritual art of dying in which death is the last and most powerful rite of passage.
•Singh, Kathleen Dowling. Grace in Dying: How We Are Transformed Spiritually As We Die. Harper, 1996. 332 pages. ISBN 0062515659
Singh moves beyond the five stages of dying revealed in Kubler-Ross's classic On Death and Dying, and finds in the "nearing death experience" even more significant and transforming stages of surrender and transcendence. These stages involve the qualities of grace: letting go, radiance, focusing inward, silence, a sense of the sacred, wisdom, intensity and, in the end, a merging with Spirit. Written for those aware that their life is coming to an end, those who care for the dying and, ultimately, for all of us who inevitably face our own death and the deaths of the people we love.
Background Information for Transition Guides and Trainers • 18
•Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson. Doubleday, 1997. 208 pages. 0307275639 (Also available on video starring Jack Lemmon.)
From an interview on the Dr. Phil Show (aired 10/23/07): If you knew you would die tomorrow, could you say you lived your life to the absolute fullest, or would you have regrets? This year marks the 10th anniversary of the best-selling memoir of all time, Tuesdays with Morrie, and the author, Mitch Albom, remembers his former teacher and mentor’s simple but important messages that have touched so many.
Morrie said, ‘If you do things for the right reasons, good things are going to happen to you.’
And you questioned whether you were doing things for the right reasons,” Dr. Phil says.
“Yeah, and I saw how many people came back to him in his life again, and the people he had touched, and it wasn’t because he was famous, and it wasn’t because he was rich. It was because he has spent time with them. And I began to realize, you know, you can write a lot of books, and you can make a lot of money, and it’s all going to go away if you die, and it’s not going to keep you company in your final moments. And I saw how many people kept streaming in and out of that house, and I said, ‘You know, he must’ve done something to invest in all these people, to get them to be there at the end, and who’s going to come visit me — People from work or my editors? I don’t think so. I think it’s time to prioritize and put more investment in the people in my life,’” Mitch explains.
•Anderson, Megory. Sacred Dying: Creating Rituals for embracing the End of Life. Da Capo Press, 2003. 384 pages. ISBN 1569244340
As the founder of the Sacred Dying Foundation in San Francisco, Anderson provides real-life examples and strong storytelling to cover all aspects of dying, including how to help someone let go of "unfinished business" and how to massage a dying person to help them let go of their body. Anderson lists the tools for rituals (such as holy water, incense, and markers and paper for writing final thoughts). She even devotes an entire chapter to music--a powerful tool in healing and transcendence. Anderson offers a lovely book that covers everything you need to know to help a dying person feel deeply cared for, whether you choose to read poems aloud from the final chapters or simply sit in silence, holding the hand of a loved one.
•Arnold, Johann Christoph. Seventy Times Seven. Plough Publishing House, 1997. 173 pages. ISBN 087486092X
Having seen anger, resentment, and bitterness consume too many lives, the author of this book argues that forgiveness is the only route to relieving the sting of life's deepest hurts. Seventy Times Seven tells stories of real people scarred by crime, betrayal, abuse, and war-people who have earned the right to tell you that forgiveness is the only way out. Arnold won't ask you to excuse, ignore, or forget your wounds. He knows forgiving isn't easy. But he is convinced, as are the men and women you'll meet in this book, that it is possible.
•Dossey, Larry, MD. Healing Words: The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine. Harper One, 1997. 432 pages. ISBN 0061043834
Dr. Dossey shares the latest evidence connecting prayer, healing, and medicine. Using real-life examples and personal anecdotes, Dossey proves how prayer can be as valid a healing tool as drugs or surgery.
Dossey explores which methods of prayer show the greatest potential for healing; presents compelling evidence that patients' and doctors' belief in a treatment increases its efficacy; explains that discoveries in modern physics allow us to integrate the spiritual and the scientific and make the power of prayer provable in the lab; and much more.
•Ferrini, Paul. The Twelve Steps of Forgiveness. Heartways Press, 1991. 119 pages. ISBN 1879159104
This is essential reading for students of A Course in Miracles and a good reference source for Transition Guides to help dying people come to terms with unforgiving family and friends, or their own inability to forgive. Provides tools for getting to the source of family problems.
•Hetherington, Clive. Self Healing Handbook: The Advanced Handbook of Soul Transformation. eBook, 2007.
This book offers exercises, understandings, advice, real life examples, inner support and effective INTENTS to align and empower the reader to identify and resolve limiting issues, life challenges, traumas and so on. It is for those who wish to better understand themselves both as an energy and multidimensional being and who want to learn to work with and align to divine support while aiming to become all that they are in unity.
See Chapter 15 Re: Fear of death and dying; Death and dying conditioning; Releasing trauma from past death and dying experiences.
The author Clive Hetherington was originally a medical research scientist by profession fully steeped in and living the scientific model until an awakening experience jolted him to eventually fully live and explore the new age / spiritual / energy healing / lightworker / God Consciousness model. In his terms he became a really real scientist; a true explorer of the unknown.
•Karpowicz, Dave. Dying Beautifully: Making the Most of the Time You Have Left Together. Autumn Press, 2004. 210 pages. ISBN 0974498033
Dying Beautifully -- Making the Most of the Time You Have Left Together is the interactive guide for the dying, their loved ones, and their caregivers.
This workbook is a weaving of stories, perspectives, practical tools, and exercises that take the reader from the time of a terminal diagnosis to after the cemetery service. Along the way, readers become empowered to take an active role in how the dying process will progress. They will learn how to replace the fear and anxiety of dying with gratitude and intimacy.
•Kessler, David. The Needs of the Dying: A Guide for Bringing Hope, Comfort and Love to Life's Final Chapter. Harper Paperbacks, 2000. 224 pages. ISBN 0060958219
A compassionate look at the needs of the dying and their families, as well as for hospice workers and caregivers. How to talk to doctors, how to talk to a dying person, how to meet peoples' need for death with dignity.
•Kessler, David. The Rights of the Dying. Harper Perennial, 1998. 204 pages. ISBN 0060929162
The right to be treated as a living human being. The right to maintain a sense of hopefulness. The right to be free of physical pain. The right of children to participate in death. The right to die. The right not to die alone. These are only a few of the 17 rights David Kessler describes in this powerful book that examines the physical and emotional experience of death.
In gentle, compassionate language, David Kessler outlines the rights of the dying, principles that will help everyone face death with dignity. Kessler provides for family members a way of communicating with one another, as well as with doctors and hospital staff. He also provides a vocabulary for the dying that allows them to participate in all decisions and express feelings and emotions.
•Kessler, Lauren. Dancing with Rose: Finding Life in the Land of Alzheimer's. Viking Press, 2007. 272 pages. ISBN 0670038598
Like many loved ones of Alzheimer’s sufferers, Lauren Kessler was devastated by the ravaging disease that seemed to turn her mother into another person before claiming her life altogether. To deal with the pain of her loss, and to better understand the confounding aspects of living with a disease that afflicts four and a half million people every year, Kessler, a journalist, enlisted as a caregiver at a facility she calls Maplewood. Life inside the facility is exhausting and humbling, a microenvironment built upon the intense relationships between two groups of marginalized people: the victims of Alzheimer’s and the underpaid, overworked employees who care for them. But what surprises Kessler more than the disability and backbreaking work is the grace, humor, and unexpected humanity that are alive and well at Maplewood.
Dancing with Rose is forceful and funny, clear-eyed and compelling. An intriguing narrative about the relationships and realities of end-of-life care, it stars an endearing cast of characters who give a human face to what has always been considered a dehumanizing condition. Illuminating and beautifully written, Kessler’s immersion offers a new, optimistic view on what Alzheimer’s has to teach us.
•Kiernan, Stephen P. Last Rights: Rescuing the End of Life from the Medical System. St. Martin's Griffin, 2007. 320 pages. ISBN 031237464X
In Last Rights, award-winning journalist Stephen P. Kiernan shows how patients and families can regain control of the dying process, creating familial intimacy like never before. Bolstered by both scientific research and intimate portraits of people from all walks of life, Last Rights offers a hopeful, profound vision for patients, doctors, and families: a way to honor people during their greatest vulnerability, a chance for families to reconnect, an opportunity for the medical system to treat patients with ultimate respect, a time to give comfort and compassion to those we most love.
•Kircher, Pamela M., MD. Love is the Link: A Hospice Doctor Shares Her Experiences with Near-Death and Dying. Larson Publications, 1995. 144 pages. ISBN 0943914760
A hospice doctor shares her own experience with near death and her work with the dying. She offers comfort and hope in a variety of areas: How near death experiences of survivors compare with those of the terminally ill; lasting positive effects and adjustment problems following near death experiences; what caregivers should know about what dying people can see and hear; differences between hospice and hospital care for the dying; the central message of the near death experience; and more.
•Kuhl, David, MD. What Dying People Want: Practical Wisdom for the End of Life. Public Affairs/Perseus Books Group, 2002. 317 pages. ISBN 1586481193
People who are dying are still living. This book is told through stories of people who knew they were dying. Its purpose is to provide a guide for people who have a terminal illness, who know someone who has a terminal illness, or who choose to enhance their understanding of the dying process. It will provide direction in speaking the truth with family members and close friends who are dying; ways of encouraging another person to speak their truth; methods for listening when someone is speaking their truth; information to enhance your understanding of the doctor-patient relationship; how to speak about difficult subjects; how to ask questions pertaining to your illness or that of a friend or family member; what to consider in making decisions regarding treatments, care plans, and end-of-life issues; how pain is assessed and treated; methods for exploring personal psychological issues and concerns; a process by which you will be able to review your life-- and leave a legacy of your story for others-- if you choose to do so; examples of the experiences of others who lived with a terminal illness; the means by which you can do some of the work (unfinished business) that needs to get done before you or someone close to you dies.
•Levine, Stephen and Levine, Ondrea. Who Dies? An investigation of conscious living and conscious dying. Anchor, 1989. 317 pages. ISBN 0385262213
In a society based on material gain, which imagines itself to be a body, which holds health so precious and fears death so much, it is often hard to understand that death is natural, even necessary for the continuance of life, both inner and outer.
In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, there are long narratives that tell about the spirit of the deceased descending into the underworld where it is met by the Great Judge who weighs the heart against a feather. It is the feather of truth. And one wonders whose heart is light enough to be measured against the truth.
Most people die alone in institutions where death is considered the enemy. Some people cling desperately to a rapidly degenerating body, hoping for some incredible miracle. Few participate in their life so fully that death is not a threat. Most fight death as they fought life. Few die in wholeness. Most live a life of partiality and confusion. Most think they own their body. Few recognize it as a temporarily rented domicile from which they must eventually be evicted. Those who see themselves as passengers in the body are more able to let go lightly.
Learn the art of conscious living and conscious dying.
•Morris, Virginia. Talking About Death. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2001. 292 pages. ISBN 1565124375
Even in this candidly confessional age, we've been conditioned to avoid discussions of death. Our youth-worshipping culture does everything to deny death, which is why, when the end nears, most of us are inadequately prepared to deal with it. And the cost of that is great: many are haunted by memories of how inappropriately or painfully or uncomfortably their parents and grandparents died. Many of us avoid even considering the options, in all their complexity, that we will most likely face one day, given our new longevity and the profound advances in medicine. With its wise and very compelling argument that all of us, at any age, can and should face death before it faces us, Talking About Death addresses the cultural, personal, medical, and legal concerns that are necessary for us--as individuals and as a society--to prepare for a good death, a death where the dying are in control and not, as is too often the case, caught in a downward spiral of medical intervention and misunderstood intentions. Virginia Morris skillfully weaves together personal stories and practical matters, scientific fact and spiritual sensitivity into an important book about how we can achieve a greater sense of peace in dying, and rediscover the art of living.
•Preston, Tom, MD. Patient-Directed Dying: A Call for Legalized Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill. iUniverse, Inc., 2006. 202 pages. ISBN 0595381448
Dr. Preston’s terminally ill patients and their families face the predicament of how to die when suffering has been medically extended. Through their conversations, they demonstrate how dying is a process, how physicians alter when and how we die, and why natural death is a misnomer after medical interventions prolong the dying process. They explain why patients—not physicians or others—should be able to direct their dying and make decisions for themselves about when and how to die.
Dr. Preston gives compelling reasons why aid in dying is not suicide when used by terminally ill patients, and why physicians who help them die are not assisting suicide. He shows why aid-in-dying is ethical and consistent with other current and legal medical practices that help patients die.
He debunks claims that legalized aid in dying would be abused for financial, social, or political reasons. He shows how outdated cultural attitudes impede understanding of how we die, why many physicians withdraw from their dying patients, and how the sanctity-of-life principle has become distorted to obstruct aid in dying.
Patient-Directed Dying is a manifesto calling for mercy and reason in helping terminally ill patients die a peaceful death.
•Quill, Timothy, MD and Margaret Battin. Physician-Assisted Dying: The Case for Palliative Care & Patient Choice. The John Hopkins University Press, 2004. 320 pages. ISBN 080188070X
A distinguished group of physicians, ethicists, lawyers and activists come together to present the case for legalization of pysician-assisted dying for terminally ill patients who voluntarily request it. Contributors examine ethical arguments concerning self-determination and the relief of suffering; analyze data from Oregon and the Netherlands; assess the legal and ethical responsibilities of the physician; and discuss the roles of pain, depression, faith, and dignity.
•Sacks, Robert and Jude Martin. Perfect Endings: A Conscious Approach to Dying and Death. Healing Arts Press, 1998. 176 pages. ISBN 0892817798
A good book for getting a feel of what it's actually like to attend a dying person. It works because it conveys the complexity, the many layered ness, the jumble of events and people that tent to coalesce around a deathbed. In this way it would be useful in preparing anyone who has not attended a death to do so.
It is a book about making peace while we still can. It shows us how dying is not only a part of living, but also how it is possible for us to prepare for our own death and--as caregivers to others dying--how we can help them with this polar process.
"Perfect Endings" invites us to the real world of dying people and the significant individuals caring for them. It helps us know there is a greater Power orchestrating life and death, and that our part is to listen, learn, and support with nonjudgmental love.
•Tolstoy, Ivan. The Death of Ivan Ilyich. Bantam Books, 1981. 134 pages. ISBN 0553210351
Hailed as one of the world's supreme masterpieces on the subject of death and dying... the story of a worldly high court judge who has never given the inevitability of his dying so much as a passing thought. But one day death announces itself to him, and to his shocked surprise he is brought face to face with his own mortality. How, Tolstoy asks, does an unreflective man confront his one and only moment of truth?
•Williamson, Marianne. Illuminata: Thoughts, Prayers, Rites of Passage. Random House, 1994. 300 pages. ISBN 0679435506
Prayer is practical, Williamson tells us. "To look to God is to look to the realm of consciousness that can deliver us from the pain of living." Illuminata brings prayer into our daily lives, with prayers on topics from releasing anger to finding forgiveness, from finding great love to achieving intimacy. There are prayers for couples, for parents, and for children; prayers to mend broken relationships and prayers to overcome obsessive and compulsive love. There are prayers to heal the soul, prayers to heal the body, and prayers for work and creativity. Another section includes rites of passage, ceremonies of light for the signal events in our lives: blessing of the newborn, coming of age, marriage, and death.
Death, Dying and the AfterLife • 48
•Atwater, P.M.H. Big Book of Near Death Experiences. Hampton Roads, 2007. 494 pages. ISBN 1571745475
The field of near-death studies has made a significant shift since last year. And this shift is detailed in "The Big Book of Near-Death Experiences: The Ultimate Guide to What Happens When We Die" by P. M. H. Atwater. This 494-page romp through the very latest and the most surprising is literally the only book yet published that gives a thorough 360-degree look at the entire phenomenon: the experience, the aftereffects, the implications. And it is written for busy people on the go, with lots of sidebars, drawings, and cartoons by Spirit Painter and Chuck Vadun.
Video interviews with PMH Atwater on YouTube
•Atwater, P.M.H. We Live Forever: The Real Truth About Death. A.R.E. Press, 2004. 158 pages. ISBN 0876044925
Atwater was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, and died in Boise, Idaho. Yes, the author of this book died three times to be exact. Since those experiences, she has traveled, studied, spoken, and written about what happened to her and others when they died. Considered an authority on death, near death, and the afterlife, Atwater has written a book that gives details and deep iinsights into what really happens when you die and what it truly means. She also explores such mysteries as heaven and hell, the soul's existence after death, and the power of prayer, and delves into the truths and myths about death that may shed new light on the real truth about life and living.
"My personal experiences have taught me that a partnership exists between life and death, and that death, as a shapeshifter, shepherds the time we have in this world to express ourselves and because of that expression, grow. Any "veil" that appears to separate life from death is actually self-created by those who are afraid to recognize and accept the power of their true identity as divine beings of a Higher Order. Another agenda holds sway to life's beginnings and endings-- the will of the soul." --PMH Atwater
•Atwater, P.M.H. Beyond the Light: The mysteries and revelations of Near-Death Experiences. Avon, 1995. 328 pages. ISBN 0380725401
Atwater explores her own and others' near-death experiences, presenting both heavenly and hellish views of the afterlife. She also describes the aftereffects on near-death survivors, including psychological and physiological changes as well as enhanced psychic powers.
•Bodine, Echo L. and Bodine, Echoe. Echoes of the Soul: The Souls Journey Beyond the Light through Life, Death, and Life after Death. New World Library, 1999. 224 pages. ISBN 1577310764
Psychic Echo Bodine speaks to the life and afterlife of the soul. In the beginning, Bodine addresses life in heaven, shedding her psychic gleanings on the different "levels" of the soul, starting with level one ("totally self-absorbed") through level five (those who "understand the oneness with all of creation and with God"). From here Bodine enters into discussions on the soul's being sent to earth for birth, or "going back to school." Life is considered "the school on earth." And death is our "graduation."
•Browne, Mary T. Life After Death: A Renowned Psychic Reveals What Happens to Us When We Die. Ivy Books, 1995. 192 pages. ISBN 0804113866
For more than thirty years, Mary T.'s visions of the other side and her communication with her teachers, both in spirit and on the earth plane, have helped to form not just her understanding of death, but her philosophy of life. She puts our lives into a much broader context than most of us have ever imagined and describes in detail exactly where we go when we die. Mary T.'s psychic connection to the spirit world and her ability to receive messages from those who have made the transition will inspire us to see death not as an ending, but as a new beginning. She shows us that the spirit world is a place of harmony, a realm of beauty, light, art, music, literature, and friendship. We do love beyond the grave, and we will be reunited with our loved ones in the spirit world. The touching stories of those reunions will help ease the fear of leaving the physical world. Mary T. takes the mystery out of death, and leaves us with clear examples of the miraculous journey that lies ahead of us.
•Browne, Sylvia. Life on the Other Side: A Psychic’s Tour of the Afterlife. NAL Trade, 2002. 272 pages. ISBN 0451206479
Psychic Sylvia Browne offers a detailed account of life in heaven. She explains that she is like the young boy in the movie The Sixth Sense--she sees dead people. When she was a child, these spirits came into her room at night and disappeared when a light went on. "To this day I can't sleep in a completely dark room, because the minute I try it the room starts filling up," she writes. "As a child, it was scary. As an adult, it's just annoying..."
Once she establishes her lengthy connections to life after death (including conversations with a spirit guide named Francine and her own near-death experience), Browne launches into life in the fourth dimension. In a chapter titled "After the Tunnel, Arriving on the Other Side," Browne explains that newcomers pass through a "hall of wisdom" and then review their most recent life through a "scanning machine." In the chapter "Beyond the Entrance," Brown claims that spirits live in whatever kind of home they've longed for, or they recreate a favorite home from earth. Plus, "the more spiritually advanced we become, the more physical beauty we're given, as a badge of our progress and hard work." Sex is known as "merging" and does not require birth control or any commitments of exclusivity. These kinds of glowing accounts of the other side cause skeptics to snicker, believers to feel comforted, and thousands of fans to keep on buying her books.
•Cayce, Hugh Lynn and Edgar Cayce. No Death: God's Other Door. A.R.E. Press, 1999. 192 pages. ISBN 0876044178
This book answers many questions: What happens after death? Does the soul reincarnate? What do dreams of departed loved ones mean? Can we communicate with the dead? Valuable commentaries and fascinating stories of life and death.
Edgar Cayce's psychic readings indicate that life and death are one continuous experience and that "stepping through God's Other Door" doesn't stop the interplay between these two worlds. This book offers the reader insights from the Cayce readings on many aspects of death. Culled from the lectures and writings of Edgar's eldest son, Hugh Lynn Cayce, this volume presents fascinating stories of life with Edgar Cayce, quotes from his psychic readings on life after death, and Hugh Lynn's own experience with disincarnate spirits, out-of-body travel, dreams, and more. You will also find information about angels and archangels, possession, and life on the "other side."
•Chaney, Earlyne. The Mystery of Death and Dying: Initiation at the Moment of Death. Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1988. 145 pages. ISBN 0918936365
Learn what mystics and initiates of mystery schools have long known: death is a part of life, that it is a moment of spiritual initiation. Chaney encourages us to make this spiritual journey using whatever symbolism is natural to us, be it teachings from East or West, Christian, Jewish, Islamic or Buddhist. Whatever your spiritual path, once you learn that death is nothing to fear, your life will take on new meaning. Death is a passage to prepare for with joy and anticipation, says the author of this insightful, compassionate and human book. All of us will experience death as part of our lifetimes — either our own or the death of a loved one. Chaney prepares us for this passage by leading us through the process of dying: the hormonal changes that begin the death process; the release of kundalini; the creation of the astral body; seeing the Clear Light, the Secondary Light, and the journey of the soul through the Bardo. Chaney offers practical instructions so we may know how to prepare for death: how to prepare for the baptism of the Holy Spirit; how to purify our lives to become released from karmic bondage; how to use prayer in the service of a joyful death; how to die a drugless death; how to die at home among friends and loved ones.
•Chopra, Deepak. Life After Death: The Burden of Proof. Harmony, 2006. 304 pages. ISBN 0307345785
In India death is perceived very differently than in the West, "as a brief stopping point on an endless soul journey," says Chopra in this introduction to life beyond bodily existence. Chopra, a medical doctor and world leader in mind-body medicine as well as author of more than 45 books, now ventures to answer: what happens after we die? For Chopra, death deserves to be called miraculous, a "doorway to a far more important event—the beginning of the afterlife" and a mode of being that "can be as creative as living." His bottom line: The afterlife is less a reward or punishment than a continuation of the beliefs, expectations, and quality of awareness we adopt during our lifetimes.
•Edward, John. Âfter Life: Answers from the Other Side. Princess Books, 2003, 240 pages. ISBN 1932128069
John and a documentary crew go “Down Under” in Australia and across the United States, where he demonstrates once again that grief, healing, and hope are eternally intertwined and universal. John answers your most often-asked questions about how the mediumship process works on the “other side,” while taking you on the inside of his own personal life as a husband and new father. He shares what he’s learned through his own recent, personal losses and demonstrates that you’re never too late to forgive—and never too far away to love.
•Edward, John. Crossing Over. Jodere Group, 2001, 261 pages. ISBN 1588720020
In Crossing Over, John brings his readers with him on the extraordinary journey that has been his life since his New York Times bestseller One Last Time was published in 1998. In the style of his TV show and personal appearances—poignant, funny, and remarkably candid—John deals head-on with the controversial issues he has confronted on his voyage as a psychic medium. Readers might be surprised to learn that it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. On the way to becoming an internationally celebrated medium, John has had to learn his own lessons about the meaning of his work and about the motivations of some of the people he has met on his path.
•Fenwick, P.B.C. and Fenwick, Elizabeth. The Truth in the Light: An Investigation of over 300 NDEs. Berkeley Trade, 1997. 278 pages. ISBN 0425156087
This book is a rather comprehensive study of the phenomenon known as NDE's or near-death experiences. It is written by the president of the British branch of The International Association for Near Death Studies.
Many different first hand experiences are presented on people (mostly from Britain) who have had either near death, or similar non-near death experiences. The author painstakingly analyzes the similarities and differences of these experiences. He also explains in great detail the physiological and chemical (hypercarbia, endorphins, drugs, etc) similarities and differences of brain function during trauma and near death scenarios.
Through all this, the author does not attempt to make a strong case for an afterlife or otherworld consciousness, but to provide as much evidence as is available to make an assessment. The author's admission is that according to science, the possibility of the soul or the continuation of personal consciousness are simply theories with little or no evidence to support them. However, he certainly doesn't rule out the possibility of an afterlife, citing many intriguing and compelling elements of the true NDE which science or hard facts cannot explain and could not really be considered "evidentiary." But one of his biggest questions is: How can knowledge and experiences exist in a spiritual world when the medium which originally stored them, the brain, is gone?
•Ganeri, Anita. Journey's End: Death and Mourning. Bedrick, 1998. 32 pages. ISBN 0872262898
Introduces children (grades 4-8) to the rites and rituals surrounding death in the six major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The information is presented in clear, simple language and illustrated with bright, colorful photographs and drawings. In some instances, where appropriate, a legend or tale is used to enhance the narrative. It should be noted these are generalizations and each religion has many diferent sects each with their own traditions.
•Grant, Robert J. and George G. Ritchie. The Place We Call Home: Exploring the Soul's Existence After Death. A.R.E. Press, 2000. 208 pages. ISBN 0876044577
At some point everyone asks the question: What happens when we die? Robert J. Grant, a popular writer, lecturer, and researcher in many areas of contemporary spirituality, offers a dramatic and encouraging look at the realms beyond physical death.
The Place We Call Home is filled with the personal stories of those who have experienced the other side, either through death, communications from those who have died, or near-death experiences. These stories illuminate the answers to questions about messages from dead loved ones, the light-filled realms of the afterlife, and the real meaning of the "shadowlands."
This is a hopeful and inspiring look at the dimension of life beyond the illusion of death and celebrates the eternal nature of the human soul.
•Guggenheim , Bill and Judy Guggenheim. Hello from Heaven: A New Field of Research Confirms that Life and Love are Eternal. The ADC Project, 1995. 398 pages. ISBN 0553576348
After-Death Communication (ADC) is a spiritual experience that occurs when a person is contacted directly and spontaneously by a family member or friend who has died. During their 7 years of research, the authors collected more than 3,300 firsthand accounts from people who believe they have been contacted by a deceased loved one. The 353 ADC accounts in Hello from Heaven! offer fascinating modern-day evidence of life after death, comfort and emotional support for those who are bereaved, hope for those who yearn to be reunited with a loved one who has died, courage and strength for those who have a life-threatening illness, inspiration for caregivers to the elderly and the terminally ill, insight and reassurance for those who are fearful of death, and inner peace for those whose hearts and minds are awaiting this good news.
• Hemingway, Annamaria. Practicing Conscious Living and Dying: Stories of the Eternal Continuum of Consciousness. O Books, 2008. 218 pages. ISBN 9781846940774
Annamaria consulted a psychic after her mother's death, who told her she would one day "write a book of modern-day parables that would help people come to terms with the dying process and appreciate the preciousness of life." This is that book.
There are stories that will make you laugh, make you cry and, above all, show you the way to peace while living and while dying. There are stories about people who had near death experiences and came back to tell about the wonders of the dying experience and of life on the other side. In a chapter called "Dying to Experience Life" she writes, " For many who are seeking a sense of meaning in their lives, interacting with someone in the dying process serves as a catalyst to dive into the very essence of the inner being, and to experience a profound spiritual transformation," as if she is speaking directly to those who act as Transition Guides for others. There are stories related to tragedies of the Oklahoma City bombing and 9-11. In "Birth, Death and Rebirth," she discusses the concept of the Continuum of Consciousness and the ancient myths that are the roots of today's understanding... from the Egyptian Book of the Dead to the works of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. There are stories about after-life communication that will give you comfort and peace of mind. The book ends with Annamaria's story about her mother's corageous struggle through which she remained "a woman full of grace, who taught me so much."
•Jordan, Kathie. The Birth Called Death: The Remarkable Story of One Woman's Journey to the Other Side of Life. Riverwood Books, 2003. 144 pages. ISBN 1883991773
From age 7 to the age of 22, Kathie Jordan's deceased brother came to her at nighttime, pulled her from her body and guided her to Heaven. In these nighttime journeys, she was taught about the purpose of life in the body, the meaning of death, and about the soul's progress in the afterlife. In these moments out of her body, Kathie is taken to higher and higher levels of Heaven, where she meets and learns from spiritual teachers, including Jesus.
•Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth, MD. On Death and Dying. Simon & Schuster, 1970. 289 pages. ISBN 002089130X
In her lectures, Dr. Kubler-Ross talks about our fears and attitudes about death and dying, describes the five stages of dealing with death and grief, and offers hope to families and the dying.
•Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth, MD. On Life After Death. Celestial Arts, 1991. 96 pages. ISBN 0890876533
Lectures by Dr. Kubler-Ross interweave and reinforce each other. The key concepts involve the body as a mere shell (or cocoon) that we outgrow to evolve into the next level of existence as a spirit (or butterfly.) The purpose of life on earth is to learn and grow through hard lessons and choices. And the most important lesson of all is that of unconditional love. If you can put this above materialism and ego, then your "life review" should go well. Oh yes, and nothing in this world occurs by "coincidence."
•Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth, MD. Death: The Final Stage of Growth. Simon & Schuster, 1986. 181 pages. ISBN 0671622382
Death is a journey we all get to take. Dr. Kubler-Ross lectures about different religions and their views on death and dying, programs and research into the process of dying, and how dying is an opportunity for spiritual growth.
•Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth, MD. Living with Death and Dying. Macmillian Publishing Co., 1982. 181 pages. ISBN 0020864906
Dr. Ross presents examples of what goes on in lives of families when someone in the household is dying. She talks about the differences between hospital, nursing home and home environments, about dying children and how different people cope with their dying, and what happens to families when there is a sudden death.
•Lerma, John, MD. Into the Light: Real Life Stories about Angelic Visits, Visions of the Afterlife, and Other Pre-Death Experiences. The Career Press, Inc., 2007. 240 pages. ISBN 1564149722
Dr. Lerma has devoted his career to compiling anecdotal and scientific research on pre-death visions from the countless terminally ill patients he lovingly cares for as a doctor and director at the Medical Center of Houston. Through 16 inspirational stories of children and adults confronting their deaths through comforting Christian visions of divine beings, Dr. Lerma shows how knowledge of death can ease the pain and fear as we prepare to enter into the light.
•Lundahl, Craig R., PhD and Widdson, Harold A., PhD. The Eternal Journey: How Near Death Experiences Illuminate Our Earthly Lives. Warner Books, 1997. 294 pages. ISBN 0446520543
What happens to us when we die? Is there an afterlife? Do we enter another phase of existence … or vanish into the either? Approximately one in every ten American adults has glimpsed the ultimate answer in a near death experience. "The Eternal Journey" is the first book to offer a comprehensive look at existing documentation on near death incidents and discusses the implications.
•Martin, Joel and Patricia Romanowski. Love Beyond Life: The Healing Power of After Death Communication. Dell, 1998. 336 pages. ISBN 044022649X
The authors discuss some 90 cases of after-death communication in an attempt to discover what happens when we pass on. This is a must read for those confused by messages from departed loved ones, those who wonder why they haven't been given a message, and those who want to know more about the mystery of the afterlife. The authors address questions of love and death without crossing the boundary into hokeyness or sentimentalism.
•Martin, Joel and Patricia Romanowski. We Don't Die: George Anderson's Conversations with the Other Side. Berkeley, 1989. 304 pages. ISBN 0425114511
Traditional mediumship communication with the spirits of dead people has been overshadowed by the current fad for channeling, a technique with variable results. Here, radio/television interviewer Martin describes the work of George Anderson, an ordinary young man who has resisted the show business glamour generally associated with channeling in his apparently sincere efforts to bring comfort to the bereaved by communicating messages from the beyond. His methods in no way resemble the spooky seances of former years and seem to provide convincing evidence of spiritual survival.
•Mills, Roy. The Soul's Remembrance: Earth is not our home. Onjinjinkta Publishing, 1999. 144 pages. ISBN 1892714027
A moving and inspiring personal account of one man's extraordinary memories of the pre-birth existence--the life in Heaven before physical birth. Roy Mills remembers events that occurred before his birth, events that were as real and vivid as any experience in this life. When he was born, he just never forgot them. This was his gift, and he was told by divine beings to share these memories with no one-- not with his family, friends or spiritual leaders-- until he was given permission. Now, nearly 50 years after his birth into this world, with permission, he humbly shares the memories of a glorious world that most of humanity has forgotten.
•Moody, Raymond, MD and Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth, MD. Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon-- Survival of Bodily Death. Harper, 2001. 208 pages. ISBN 0062517392
In Life After Life Raymond Moody investigates more than one hundred case studies of people who experienced "clinical death" and were subsequently revived. First published in 1975, this classic exploration of life after death started a revolution in popular attitudes about the afterlife and established Dr. Moody as the world's leading authority in the field of near-death experiences. Life after Life forever changed the way we understand both death -- and life -- selling millions of copies to a world hungry for a greater understanding of this mysterious phenomenon.
The extraordinary stories presented here provide evidence that there is life after physical death, as Moody recounts the testimonies of those who have been to the "other side" and back -- all bearing striking similarities of an overwhelming positive nature. These moving and inspiring accounts give us a glimpse of the peace and unconditional love that await us all.
•Moody, Raymond A., Jr., MD with Paul Perry. Coming Back: A Psychiatrist Explores Past Life Journeys. Bantam, 1992. 231 pages. ISBN 0553293982
Dr. Moody presents the startling findings of research conducted on psychologically healthy patients who, under deep hypnosis, could describe in vivid detail episodes from other historical periods they could not possibly have known-- unless they'd lived before! Learn how past life regressions can help you overcome phobias, compulsions, addictions, depression, and guilt. Find out how recent findings in science, psychiatry and sociology contribute to our understanding of past life regression-- and what they say about life after death. Plus a special self-hypnosis script to guide you on your own past life journey.
Dr. Moody takes a provocative look at the possibility that we have lived before birth and will go on living after death-- and shows how this knowledge can help improve the lives we're living here and now!
•Moody, Raymond A., Jr., MD. The Light Beyond. Bantam Books, 1986. 224 pages. ISBN 0553278134
It has been a decade since the publication of Dr. Moody's landmark bestseller, Life After Life, and since he coined the term "near-death experience", or NDE. Today, Dr. Moody has studied more than a thousand new case histories of adults and children who have clinically reached the point of death and survived, and extraordinary new research has revealed more patterns of NDEs. Now, for the first time, Dr. Moody presents this wealth of new information to the general public information that uncovers secrets and opens the doors to a powerful message of love from the frontier between life and death. Inside you will discover: How recent findings in medicine, psychiatry, and sociology bring us closer than ever to unraveling mankind's greatest mystery: What happens to us after we die? Startling, newly confirmed phenomena such as:
- The experience of meeting one's loved ones in the afterlife and the ability to "tap into" knowledge of any sort.
- What the moving near-death experiences of children can teach us.
- Why NDEs inspire permanent change, greater appreciation of life, more concern for others, increased belief in an afterlife, and decreased fear of death.
- Why medical professionals are considering initiating aggressive scientific research into near-death experiences... and much more.
- Dr. Moody offers both answers and peace of mind to those who wonder about death and provides another groundbreaking volume in his ongoing study of life, death, and "beyond."
•Morrissey, Diane. You Can See the Light: How You Can Touch Eternity-- and Return Safely. Citadel, 2002. 189 pages. ISBN 0806523050
We have all done it before. In fact we do it all the time. That is how Dianne Morrissey explains how we all leave our bodies at night when we are asleep. In her book, she gives the reader all the tools necessary to take control of one's out of body experience. She shows us how to use certain exercises to cause a focused out of body experience. Dianne had a near death experience that caused her to project out of her body . She was pronounced dead for several minutes before coming back. She has never been the same since. This is her story and her teachings.
•Morse, Melvin, MD and Perry, Paul. Parting Visions: Uses and Meanings of Pre-Death, Psychic and Spiritual Experiences. HarperCollins, 1997. 224 pages. ISBN 0061009792
Parting Visions is a brilliant and compassionate work that proves that death related dreams, premonitions, angelic encounters, and visitations do exist. Using verified case studies and medical histories, Dr. Morse reveals an impressive array of confirmed spiritual experiences. Learn the five traits that make it possible to tell when real events can be predicted by “dreams.” Read true accounts of people whose lives were changed by encounters with deceased loved ones.
Dr. Morse participated in a ground-breaking study of infants who have died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). He presents research showing that over 25% of the time, parents were warned of the impending death by a specific premonition or vision. They often took the children to the doctor, or wrote their fears in a journal, all before their infant died. He further reveals what the medical profession really thinks about spiritual visions, and describes experiences witnessed by doctors and nurses. With a moving introduction by Betty J. Eadie, Parting Visions is a keen, insightful analysis of a phenomenon that millions have experienced, but one that we are only just beginning to understand. Dr. Morse sees death related visions as a meaningful and integral part of our lives that we need to learn more about.
•Morse, Melvin, MD and Perry, Paul. Transformed by the Light: The Powerful Effect of Near Death Experiences on People's Lives. Ivy Books, 1993. 256 pages. ISBN 0749912669
"Transformed by the Light" proves that those who return from the brink of death are profoundly changed for the better--spiritually and physically--for the rest of their lives, and that these documented changes provide deeper peace and understanding for all who come in contact with them. Inspirational and deeply compassionate, this book will change the way you think about the mysteries of life and death. Morse and Perry found that people who had near death experiences were often very normal people who simply have a great deal of appreciation for the ordinary miracles of everyday life.
•Morse, Melvin, MD. Closer to the Light: Learning from the Near Death Experiences of Children. Ivy Books/Ballantine Books, 1990. 295 pages. 0816151830
A comforting yet scientific probe into the mysteries of death.” This book, written 10 years after Raymond Moody’s Life After Life, provided for the first time scientific proof that near death experiences exist. Dr. Morse interviewed hundreds of children who had been declared clinically dead. He heard, again and again, that the end of life is serene and joyful, a welcome event not to be feared.
Here, in children too young to have absorbed our adult views and ideas of death, are first hand accounts of out of body travel, telepathic communication, and encounters with dead friends and relatives- all answering our provocative near death questions, all illuminating what it is like to die with courage and dignity.
•Newton, Michael. Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives. Llewellyn Publications, 2002. 278 pages. ISBN 1567184855
"Journey of Souls" is a controversial yet inspiring investigation of the big question we all face at one point or another: "What happens after we die?" To find the answer, Newton opens cases from his private practice in which he hypnotically regressed his clients to a point between lives--after death, but before birth. Not only does Newton grapple with reincarnation, the spirit world, and the nature of the human soul, he also tackles equally sticky questions such as "Is there a Heaven and Hell?" and "What are ghosts?" Readers with a penchant for skepticism will balk at the lack of physical evidence to back up the claims in "Journey of Souls," but the book remains a reassuring voice, affirming that our existence is not limited to the boundaries of our mortal flesh. See also "Destiny of Souls: New Case Studies of Life Between Lives" by Michael Newton)
•Oliver, Samuel Lee. What the Dying Have to Teach Us: Lessons on Living. Haworth Press, 1998, 120 pages. ISBN 0789004755
A Hospice Chaplain writes about a spiritual approach to health care and bereavement that teaches about values, hope and faith through actual experiences of terminally ill persons.
In Sam Oliver's book, one learns that there is nothing "routine" about death, dying, and bereavement. It is his ability to walk with the dying and listen to who they are, where they are, what they need, that sets Sam apart from many other chaplains. Because unlike Sam Oliver, they don't take the time to listen to what people are saying when they are scared, when they are angry, when they are in pain.
•Peake, Anthony. Is There Life After Death? The Extraordinary Science of What Happens After We Die. Chartwell Books, 2006. 416 pages. ISBN 0785821627
This is one man's search to answer the question and come up with solid scientific evidence that states that personal death is a scientific impossibility. He takes us through the latest finds in neurology, quantum physics and consciousness studies; delves into ancient beliefs, modern scientific theories, and near death experiences to uncover the truth. After reading this book you will understand the reason for your life and how you can make it better next time.
•Reoch, Richard. To Die Well: A Holistic Approach for the Dying and Their Caregivers. Harper Collins, 1997. 191 pages. ISBN 006273511X
To Die Well is to die with dignity-- in a way that reflects individual personality and values. It is about cultivating attitudes and feelings by which the dying person and those around him can live in the fullness of their humanity. It involves a realistic, open understanding of death as a natural process and a spiritual transformation. This book advises and instructs people who are facing death, as well as their friends, families and caregivers, in practical methods and perspectives so that they may die well.
To Die Well charts pathways from fear to courage, from loss to discovery, and from denial to insight; inspires with moving and powerful quotations from major religions and cultures; empowers the dying person to keep effective control over decisions concerning doctors, families and friends, along with wills, directives, and other legal matters; and offers complimentary therapies from both eastern and western traditions, such as massage, aromatherapy, and shiatsu, specially tailored for both patients and caregivers.
To Die Well is a book of beauty, hope and dignity that can be given to anyone-- at any stage.
•Ritchie, George G. and Elizabet Sherrill. Return from Tomorrow. Chosen, 2007. 144 pages. ISBN 080079432X
At the age of twenty, George Ritchie died in an Army hospital. Nine minutes later, he returned to life. What happened to him during those minutes was so compelling that it changed his life forever. In Return from Tomorrow, Ritchie tells of his transforming encounter with the Son of God, who led him to encounters with other nonphysical beings at the very doorway of eternity. Ritchies extraordinary experience not only altered his view of eternity, but it has also altered the lives of hundreds of thousands of readers. One of the most startling and hopeful descriptions of the realm beyond, this classic will inspire readers from all walks of life.
•Sabom, Michael B., MD. Light on Death. Zondervan, 1998. 240 pages. ISBN 0310219922
Begun in 1994, the Atlanta Study is the first comprehensive investigation of its kind into near death experiences (NDEs). The study’s name hardly captures what lies behind it: life-and-death dramas played out in operating rooms and hospital beds—and simultaneous events unseen by medical personnel but reported with astonishing clarity and conviction by nearly 50 individuals who returned from death’s door.
Now the founder of the Atlanta Study, Dr. Michael Sabom, shares his findings. A leading authority with over twenty years in the field of NDEs, Dr. Sabom reveals their impact on the people who have experienced them. From both medical and personal perspectives, he shares the electrifying stories of men and women from all walks of life and religious persuasions. He explores the clinical effect of the NDE on survival and healing and discloses surprising findings. He questions some common conclusions about NDEs. And he scrutinizes near death experiences in the light of what the Bible has to say about death and dying, the realities of light and darkness, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ
•Shires, Peter. A Beginner's Guide to Life After Death. Fortune Books Ltd., 2000. 135 pages. ISBN 1903782007
The teachings of Wilhelm and John, an experience in automatic writing. This personal account and the teachings that followed will help you unravel the 'mystery' of life and find out more about yourself. The book has brought solace and comfort to those in need and those interested in reincarnation and curious bout the 'life hereafter." It has helped those who are bereaved, feeling lost and in search of reassurance and answers.
•Storm, Howard. My Descent into Death: A Second Chance at Life. Doubleday, 2005. 160 pages. ISBN 0385513763
Although numerous studies and books have explored near-death experiences, the phenomenon has been viewed with caution by many Christian denominations. So it is intriguing to read a first-person report of such an event from the perspective of a pastor in the United Church of Christ. While visiting Paris on a European tour nearly 20 years ago, 38-year-old Storm, then an atheist and art professor at Northern Kentucky University, was stricken with an almost lethal attack of peritonitis. In this necessarily subjective but absorbing chronicle of what is essentially a conversion, the writer describes a descent into Hell, where he confronted his anger and self-centered personality. After praying for the first time, he was rescued by Jesus and brought to heaven for an extensive conversation with Jesus and various angelic beings on topics that include the Holocaust, God's plans for the earth, angelology and, of course, what happens to us when we die. Blending traditional Christian theology with a doctrinal eclecticism more common to New Age philosophy, Storm's book may appeal to readers hungry for reassurance, both about the possibility of eternal life and the meaning of our choices here on earth.
•Valarino, Evelyn Elsaesser. On the Other Side of Life: Exploring the Phenomenon of the Near Death Experience. Insight Books, 1997. 372 pages. ISBN 0738206253
Approaching the near-death experience from the standpoint of an objective observer reporting quantifiable experiences, Evelyn Elsaesser Valarino endows "On the Other Side of Life" with credibility that is missing from many books on this subject. Valarino's interviews provide access to the insights of scientists, doctors, and everyday people that both researchers and general readers will find valuable. At the same time, these dialogues with such a diverse group of reputable scholars serve as a foundation for bridging the gap between science and spirituality.
•Van Praagh. Reaching to Heaven: A Spiritual Journey through Life and Death. Signet, 2000. 304 pages. ISBN 0451199502
James Van Praagh has touched the lives of millions with his extraordinary ability to communicate with the world beyond. In "Talking to Heaven," his acclaimed #1 New York Times bestseller, he shared that gift and showed us how to break down the barrier between the earthly and heavenly realms to reach loved ones we have lost. Now, in "Reaching to Heaven," he continues his uplifting and transcendent message and reveals how to chart a course for living as spiritual beings in a physical world that will sustain and fill us for decades to come. In this guide to inner peace and spiritual healing, the renowned medium shows us how we can greatly improve our feelings of self-esteem and self-worth by getting more deeply in touch with our emotional selves and the creative "god-like" nature we all possess. As in "Talking to Heaven," Van Praagh shares moving stories of after-death communication. You'll be touched and inspired by true accounts that take us through the grieving process, show is how to ease the pain and hurt of living in the material world, and attain new levels of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and personal freedom. In this unique book, James Van Praagh takes us on a journey of hope, healing, and spiritual growth and enlightenment. Filled with his unshakable faith in our ability to achieve anything we set out to accomplish, "Reaching to Heaven" offers us an evolving vision of ourselves-- and a spiritual realm-- that is within our grasp.
•Van Praagh, James. Talking to Heaven: A Medium's Message of Life After Death. Penquin Books, 1999. 191 pages. ISBN 0525942688
James Van Praagh enjoys an extraordinary gift-- he can communicate with the spirits of men, women, children and animals who have died. Possessed of the rare ability to bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual worlds, he provides comfort to those who have lost loved ones and brings back powerful messages from the other side. He shows us what lies beyond our visible world and answers our most profound questions about life after death.
•Walsch, Neale Donald. Home with God in a Life that Never Ends. Atria, 2007. 336 pages. ISBN 0743267168
An uplifting masterwork of comfort and compassion exploring the ultimate questions of existence and transcendence. Nothing has riveted humanity's interest more -- nor has anything been more frightening or awe-inspiring -- than the experience known as death. In Home with God, the final installment of his bestselling Conversations with God series, Neale Donald Walsch asks the questions that everyone has longed to ask and receives the answers readers have all been waiting for. Through his profound and personal dialogue with God, Walsch explores the process by which all human beings must end their days here on Earth and begin their new life in God's Kingdom, to which all eventually return, regardless of their earthly deeds. This astonishing spiritual work offers hope, comfort, and surprising revelations for all humankind.
•Weiss, Brian L., MD. Many Lives, Many Masters. Simon & Schuster, 1988. 219 pages. ISBN 0671657860
The true story of a prominent psychiatrist, his young patient, and the past-life therapy that changed both their lives.
As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks. His skeptics was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from "the space between lives," which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss's family and his dead son. Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure the patient and embark on a new, more meaningful phase of his own career.
•Whitfield, Barbara Harris. Final Passage: Sharing the Journey as This Life Ends. Health Communications, Inc., 1998. 202 pages. ISNB 1558745408
Realizing that facing our fears of death and the unknown is a daunting task. Barbara has written about her experiences with family members and others as she assisted them in their transition. Her stories show us how the dying process provides an opportunity to make amends and fulfill promises in order to leave this life with dignity, tranquility and a sense of abiding love. As she takes you on a journey from life to death, from suffering to peace, the reader will see how important Transition Guide training is for the dying, as well as caregivers, volunteers, ministers, healers, teachers.
Barbara is a near death experiencer, author of several scientific papers as well as two books. She is also consulting editor and a contributing writer for the Journal of Near Death Studies, and a member of the executive board of the Kundalini Research Network. Currently she works as a thanatologist and workshop presenter, and has a private practice in Atlanta, GA, specializing in group and individual therapy.
•Williams, Kevin. Nothing Better Than Death: Insights from 62 Near Death Experiences. Xlibris Corp., 2002. 292 pages. ISBN 1401064116
Kevin has one of the largest NDE sites on the WWW and has turned his findings into a book that will make you laugh, cry, question everything you thought to be true, give you hope and bring you peace of mind.
•Wills-Brandon, Carla, PhD. One Last Hug Before I Go: The Mystery and Meaning of Deathbed Visions. Health Communications, 2000. 300 pages. ISBN 1558747796
Death is one of life's greatest mysteries. Over the years, the bestseller lists have contained many works on death-related phenomena: Betty Eadie's Embraced by the Light; James Van Praagh's Talking to Heaven; and Raymond Moodier's Life After Life, are just a few. "One Last Hug Before I Go" is the first book to explore in depth the Deathbed Vision (DBV). Complete with the author's own encounters and those of over forty other DBV experiencers, this revolutionary work provides research information from the early twentieth century through the present. Included are: survivors' detailed accounts of their departed loved one's visions and final words; the survivors' mystical experiences and premonitions preceding a loved one's passing; accounts of seeing the soul leave the body; and after-death communications. These final words and visions from the dying provide a poignant, final farewell hug to loved ones, offering peace of mind and hope for an eventual reunion. After finishing this fascinating book, readers will come away with a better understanding and acceptance of the process of death and see it as a spiritual adventure, not a sad and fearful ending to life.
•Woods, Walda. Conversations with Tom. White Rose Pub., 2001. 119 pages. ISBN 0970610033
Conversations With Tom is an adventure in after-death communication. A dictated dialogue from the author's husband, Tom, it was written to help heal those in grief and to educate mankind about death, dying and the afterlife. It answers questions such as "What exactly is dying like?". Where is the Afterlife?", "What about reincarnation, karma, religion, prayer and God?". Techniques are given on how to connect with a loved one on the other side, assisting someone with a peaceful death and also how we can best prepare for our own transition.
•Anderson, George and Andrew Barone. Walking in the Garden of Souls: George Anderson's Advice for Living in the Here and Now. Berkeley Trade, 2002. 272 pages. ISBN 0425186113
For 27 years, George Anderson has listened to those on the other side. He has a unique awareness of what these departed souls want us to know. They want to reassure us that when physical life on earth is over, a new life has just begun. They want to teach us how to live better lives now, as we look forward to joining them in the hereafter. They want us to know they are waiting for us.
•Anderson, Megory. Sacred Dying: Creating Rituals for Embracing the End of Life. Marlowe & Company, 2003. 384 pages. ISBN 1569244340
At some point in our lives, many of us will find ourselves sitting at the bedside of a dying loved one. Anderson offers readers rituals and interactions to soothe and support a dying person as he or she crosses over into death. Even in situations where there is a specific religious ritual at hand--such as summoning a priest for the last sacrament--there are still many hours (and even days) that can be used to make a dying person feel spiritually and physically comforted and prepared.
As the founder of the Sacred Dying Foundation in San Francisco, Anderson provides real-life examples and strong storytelling to cover all aspects of dying, including how to help someone let go of "unfinished business" and how to massage a dying person to help them let go of their body. Anderson lists the tools for rituals (such as holy water, incense, and markers and paper for writing final thoughts). She even devotes an entire chapter to music--a powerful tool in healing and transcendence. Anderson offers a lovely book that covers everything you need to know to help a dying person feel deeply cared for, whether you choose to read poems aloud from the final chapters or simply sit in silence, holding the hand of a loved one.
•Bucke, Maurice. Cosmic Consciousness: A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind. Applewood Books, 2000 (originally published in 1901). 128 pages. ISBN 1557094993
The author personally experienced a sudden episode of enlightenment and rapture that, while it was only of brief duration, changed his outlook on life forever. He spent the rest of his life, he was in his mid-thirties at the time, trying to figure out what had happened to him, and if there were any others.
What he found was that such sudden occurances of enlightenment, these epiphanies, had been occuring to mystics, philosophers, writers, and artists all through recorded history. Not only that, but they were occuring with increased frequency as time went on. Bucke concluded that this marked an evolutionary trend. Carried out to its logical conclusion, he postulated that one day "cosmic consciousness" as he termed it, would be as common in the human race as self consciousness currently is. He based this on the manner in which the ancestors of man slowly climbed from the simple consciousness of animals to an almost universal state of self consciousness.
The basic point is that the human race is slowly and sporadically - albeit with increasing speed - developing a new consciousness, one that is substantially more advanced than the normal human consciousness, and one that will eventually lift the species above the fear, ignorance and brutality that has plagued mankind throughout its history.
•Carson, Verna Benner and Koenig, Harold G. Spiritual Caregiving: Healthcare as a Ministry. Templeton Press, 2004. 242 pages. ISBN 1932031553
Carson and Koenig present a vision of a healthcare system that supports and nurtures the spirituality of patients and their families while simultaneously helping health professionals and caregivers to maintain their own spiritual health. Practical tips and concrete strategies help make this vision a reality by showing caregivers how they can become a vital part of changing the system and integrating a spiritual dimension into their practices. The personal narratives of physicians, nurses, chaplains, healthcare educators, community resource workers, administrators, therapists, psychologists and social workers-- all from a wide range of religious traditions-- provide inspiration and instruction.
•Corcoran, Diane. When Ego Dies: A Compilation of Near Death and Mystical Conversions. Emerald Ink, Inc., 2004. 180 pages. ISBN 1885373074
A collection of comforting stories from real people about their spiritual experiences and the transformations in their lives as a result.
•Goble, Diane. Through the Tunnel: A Traveler’s Guide to Spiritual Rebirth. 1993. 135 pages. ISBN 0963860607
A Near-Death Experiencer clarifies the mysteries of death and dying, and describes how to prepare yourself for your own spiritual transition no matter how or when you die. The author ties the information from her own experience to the beliefs and practices of many religions, and the emerging science of death and dying, and synthesizes it all into a comprehensible whole. An Appendix describes many esoteric terms.
•Gold, E.J. American Book of the Dead. Gateways/IDHHB, Inc., 1990. 216 pages. ISBN 0895560518
This unique contemporary work brings the timeless Tibetan Bardo teaching into current American culture and language, with 49 days of readings for someone who has died or who is preparing for the dying experience. This book has been and still remains an important tool for providing a spiritual service to a dying person as opposed to grieving, processing loss, or mourning for that person's passage. Front matter includes "Notes on the Labyrinth" (or the Bardo...) and other commentary by the author that provides insights for an American reader who wishes to provide this guiding service to a family member, spouse, friend, or anyone who is terminal. The reading instructions very clearly outline when and what to read, without any limitation of belief system--the practice is presented as non-denominational, not requiring Buddhist or Christian or Jewish prayers, but also not in conflict with any of these. A schedule of readings shows graphically how to carry out the full series of 49 days of readings, at approximately 10 to 20 minutes per reading.
•How Different Religions View Death & Afterlife. Christofer Jay Johnson and Marsha G. McGee (Eds.). Charles Press Publications, 1998. 320 pages. ISBN 0914783858
This is a very straightforward, measured approach to the subject of the death and afterlife beliefs of about 20 different major world religions. To understand these views, one must have at least a basic understanding of the religion and thus, each chapter includes background information about the history of the faith and its main beliefs. The way it is organized and presented -- each chapter basically follows the same approach -- makes it easy to get a good comparative understanding of this very complex subject. There is a Questions & Answers chapter that asks a question (such as "who will be saved?) and then the each author answers the question from the point of view of his or her faith (each chapter is written by a different author, usually a member of the faith about which he or she is writing).
•Irish, Donald P. Ethnic Variations in Dying, Death and Grief: Diversity in Universality (Series in Death Education, Aging and Health Care). Taylor & Francis, 1993. 248 pages. ISBN 1560322780
This volume is directed towards professionals who work in the fields concerning death and dying. These professionals must perceive the needs of people with cultural patterns which are different from the "standard and dominant" patterns in the United States and Canada. Accordingly, the book includes illustrative episodes and in-depth presentations of selected "ethnic patterns." Each of the "ethnic chapters" is written by an author who shares the cultural traditions the chapter describes. Other chapters examine multicultural issues and provide the means for personal reflection on death and dying. There are also two bibliographic sections, one general and one geared towards children. The text is divided into three sections - Cross-Cultural and Personal perspectives, Dying, Death, and Grief Among Selected Ethnic Communities, and Reflections and Conclusions.; The book is aimed at those in the fields of clinical psychology, grief therapy, sociology, nursing, social and health care work.
•Kundalini for the New Age: Selected writings of Gopi Krishna. Ed. by Gene Kieffer. Bantam Books, 1988. 244 pages. ISBN 0553344331
Kundalini is the Sanskrit term for a latent energy force said to be coiled in the base of the spine, which can be activated through yogic practices and can bring great mental and psychic powers. (Kundalini is symbolized by a sleeping dragon in mythology and by the serpent in the caduceus.) Gopi Krishna (1903-1984), born in India, one of the few people in modern times believed to have experienced the powers of Kundalini, brought the concept to the attention of the West. In this collection of essays, Krishna explains how Kundalini has worked in the lives of prodigious individuals, from Joan of Arc to Sigmund Freud to Mahatma Gandhi. He maintains that in the future all men and women will tap this power and be "more noble, more sober, more far-seeing . . . more loving." Krishna also discusses Western philosophy, science, politics and religion in light of Kundalini and the yogic tradition of which it is part.
•Life After Death in World Religions (Faith Meets Faith Series). Harold Coward (Ed.). Orbis Books, 1997. 131 pages. ISBN 1570751196
Is there life after death? If so, what is it like? How does it relate to life in this world? These questions are staples of the human effort to discern whether transcendent meaning or absurdity rules the cosmos. This book retrieves the classic responses to these questions from Buddhism, Chinese religions, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism and presents them with clarity and authority. Most importantly, representatives or scholars from each tradition provide insights into the rituals and practices, as well as the emotions and hope, regarding life after death that characterize each tradition.
•Parkes, Colin. Death and Bereavement Across Cultures. Routledge, 1997, 261 pages. ISBN 0415131375
•Ring, Ken, PhD. Lessons From the Light: What we can learn from the near death experience. Moment Point Press, 2000, 368 pages. ISBN 1930491115
Ken Ring presents intriguing evidence to support his belief that NDEs represent an authentic, objective experience, not a self-protective hallucination or a neurological artifact of a dying brain. This material includes reports of out-of-body experiences, children's NDEs, blind people gaining sight during NDE episodes, and NDErs whose brush with death apparently unleashed paranormal or healing abilities.
•Ring, Ken, PhD. Heading Toward Omega: In Search of the Meaning of Near Death Experiences. Harper Perennial, 1985. 348 pages. ISBN 0688062687
How do near death experiences transform the lives of survivors? How might they change our sense of here humanity is heading? Dr. Ring's 3-year study of more than 100 experiencers found that NDEs cause a provocative pattern of very positive cheanges in outlook, values and behavior-- and are often powerful catalysts for spiritual awakeniing and psychic development.
The depth and consistency of these life transformations-- as well as the apparent widespread and increasing incidence of NDEs-- lead Dr. Ring toa startling conclusion: Near death experiences may be part of an evolutionary thrust toward higher consciousness for all humanity.
•Rinpoche, Sogyal , Patrick D. Gaffney and Harvey Andrew. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Harper, 1994. 464 pages. ISBN 0062507931
Popular Tibetan teacher Sogyal Rinpoche has transformed that ancient text, conveying a perennial philosophy that is at once religious, scientific, and practical. Through extraordinary anecdotes and stories from religious traditions East and West, Rinpoche introduces the reader to the fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism, moving gradually to the topics of death and dying. Death turns out to be less of a crisis and more of an opportunity. Concepts such as reincarnation, karma, and bardo and practices such as meditation, tonglen, and phowa teach us how to face death constructively. As a result, life becomes much richer.
•The Sacred Art of Dying: How the World Religions Understand Death. Kenneth Kramer, Ed. Paulist Press, 1988. 240 pages. ISBN 0809129426
Examines how each of the major religions looks at death by including stories, teachings and rituals that present a comparative religious meaning of death and afterlife. Written in textbook style with journal exercises at the end of each chapter.
•Swedenborg, Emanuel. Awaken from Death. J. Appleseed & Co., 1993. 114 pages. ISBN 096267950X
Swedenborg offers a beautiful, sensible, and believable picture of life after death. First, life does continue after physical death-- in fact, our existence never ends. Swedenborg shows that heaven and hell are not places so much as states of being. And we learn that God does not send anyone to either heaven or hell, but that we live in complete freedom to choose and create the life we want to have.
•The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Graham Coleman and Thupten Jinpa, Eds. Penquin Classics, 2007. 592 pages. ISBN 0143104942
In many ways this is the first complete The Tibetan Book of the Dead. This book is both a guide for living as well as a how to consciously move on after death. The Tibetan Book of the Dead contains especially written guidance and practices related to transforming our experience of daily life, on how to address the process of dying in the after-death states, and on how to help those who are dying. Some of these teachings include: methods for investigating and cultivating our experience of the ultimate nature of mind in our daily practice, guidance on the recognition of the science of impending death and a detailed description of the mental and physical processes of dying, rituals for the avoidance of premature death, the now famous great liberation by hearing that is read to the dying and the dead, special prayers are read at the time of death, and allegorical masque play that lightheartedly dramatizes the journey through the intermediate state, and a translation of the sacred mantras that are attached to the body after death and are said to bring liberation by hearing.
•Todeschi, Kevin J. Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records: The Book of Life. A.R.E.Press, 1998. 181 pages. ISBN 0876044011
The Akashic Records-- or Book of Life-- is the storehouse of all information for every individual who has ever lived upon the earth, containing every work, deed, feeling, thought, and intent that has ever occurred. This major work is about how each of us is very much in charge of shaping our own destiny. It includes examples of how individuals have worked with information from the Book of Life dealing with their past, their present, and their future.
In essence, life is an adventure of experiences whereby an individual is challenged to become a better person for having had these experiences. An experience alone doesn't determine who the individual is as a person, rather it is how the individual chooses to face those experiences.
•Walsch, Neale Donald. Conversations with God. (Book 1, 2 and 3) G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996. 752 pages. ISBN 0399153292
Conversations with God, Book 1 was the start of Neale Donald Walsch's ongoing dialogue with God. The trilogy contains the most essential truths and lessons for spiritual seekers, and these books are the bestselling of all the author's works.
Neale Donald Walsch is the author of more than twelve books and the founder of the Conversations with God Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring the world to help itself move from violence to peace, from confusion to clarity, and from anger to love. His online community can be found at cwg.org.
For this course explores, at a greater depth than ever before, the process of death and dying, and the life hereafter. The dialogue at one point journeys into territory lying at the farthest frontier of spirituality: the cosmology of all life. It offers a breathtaking glimpse of Ultimate Reality, presented through metaphor. It reveals in simple, accessible language the reason and purpose for living, the nature of the journey upon which we are all embarked, and the extraordinary end to that journey—an end that turns out to be not an end at all, but an ecstatic interlude in a glorious and ongoing experience, the full description of which staggers the imagination.
The destination is the same for all of us. We are all on a journey Home, and we shall not fail to arrive there. God will not allow it.
•Wingfield, Maggie. Academy of the Soul: Earth Campus. White Light Publications, 1999. 93 pages. ISBN 0967475732
What began as a letter to an aging father became reflections on spirituality for anyone who finds traditional religion's answers to life's profound questions unsatisfying. This small book opens doors of communication and understanding for those who have searched for a simple way to share visionary alternatives with a loved one.
•Zukav, Gary. The Seat of the Soul. Simon & Schuster, 1999. 256 pages. ISBN 0684865181
Zukav questions the Western model of the soul, alleging that the human species is in the midst of a great transformation, evolving from a species that pursues power based upon the perceptions of the five senses-- "external power"--to one that pursues power based upon perceptions of the soul--"authentic power." He believes that humans are immortal souls first, physical beings second, and that once we become conscious of this transformation--once we align our personalities with our soul--we will stimulate our spiritual growth and become better people in the process.
