Is There A Soul, Is There Life After Death, and What’s On The Other Side?

by Robert Wilkinson

I recently posted an article on FB where a Harvard trained brain neurosurgeon of 25 years, Dr. Eben Alexander, writes that the Soul is real and there really is an afterlife. As I wrote there, what he describes is exactly what I experienced many years ago when I left my body and this world and went to a timeless, spaceless "place" in infinity and Eternity before coming back. This is the real deal, folks!

My original link was to a Spirit Science and Metaphysics article called "Is This Proof of Heaven? A Brain Neurosurgeon’s Journey Into the Afterlife" but it's disappeared. However, here's a youtube link to an interview with Eben Alexander! The youtube interview with Dr. Eben Alexander. In the original article, we read “Before his experience, he did not believe existence of a non-physical spirit. Trained in western medical school and surrounded by medical colleagues who are deeply invested in the materialism view of the universe, he thought that the idea of a soul was outlandish.” From the story (bold emphasis in the original article):

He then returned to his physical body, experienced a miraculous healing, and went on to write the NY Times #1 best selling book “Proof of Heaven.” What Dr. Alexander confirms is that our life on planet Earth is a “test” of personal growth, and that the way to make progress in this test is to overcome evil while spreading love and compassion. Here are some other notable points he made:

- The experience of the afterlife was so “real” and expansive that the experience of living as a human on Earth seemed like an artificial dream by comparison.

The fabric of the afterlife was pure LOVE. Love dominated the afterlife to such a huge degree that the overall presence of evil was infinitesimally small. If you wish to know the Universe, know Love.

In the afterlife, all communication was telepathic. There was no need for spoken words, nor even any separation between the self and everything else happening around you. All the questions you asked in your mind were immediately answered to you telepathically as well....

“Love is, without a doubt, the basis of everything. Not some abstract, hard-to-fathom kind of love but the day-to-day kind that everyone knows-the kind of love we feel when we look at our spouse and our children, or even our animals. In its purest and most powerful form, this love is not jealous or selfish, but unconditional.

This is the reality of realities, the incomprehensibly glorious truth of truths that lives and breathes at the core of everything that exists or will ever exist, and no remotely accurate understanding of who and what we are can be achieved by anyone who does not know it, and embody it in all of their actions.”

As I noted at FB, I have had this exact experience more than once, the first time back in 1974. Here I’ll note that at different times of my life, I've had three entirely different transcendent experiences.

The transcendent experiences in 1974 that took me into infinity and Eternity several times in the span of 5 days simply happened with no effort or intention on my part, and took me by surprise. What he describes above was my exact experience, which I attempted to put in a song 10 years later.

The second transcendent experience was the result of a catastrophic accident where a short time later I stopped breathing, left my body, and found myself on “the other side” exiting this world at the speed of light. I knew I was going home. That experience was punctuated by a voice asking me "yes or no?" The answer is obvious.

Friend of the site Alexei asked me a few questions about what I experienced during dying and the brief time I was on the other side. I’ll try to sum up my answers here.

First, the only reason I had for coming back from the other side in 1984 was to learn more about how to give and receive love while living a greater kindness in human relations. Of course, that also means that I've had to learn not to allow my kindness and compassion to be mistaken for weakness. That's why many people are no longer in my life.

He asked if there was fear, or the sense that I needed to complete something. I answered that there was no fear in my 1974 transcendent experiences, nor in my 1984 death (once I left my body). Fear is entirely generated by the mind attaching to a toxic feeling hardwired into our physical mechanism.

In 1984, while my mind briefly panicked when it realized I was dying, once the review was done on this side, I experienced profound resignation followed by peace. When I came back from the other side, there was no “task to complete" except to BE as much love as I can be.

He asked if after I came back, was I aware of various choices, or did I “come back to the same situation?” I answered that once you've died and gone to the other side, there is no "coming back to the same situation." Simply impossible.

There is no "choice" as we think of it once you've left the body. In my case it was simply “yes or no,” and since I was no longer in my body, the choice was not made by my mind.

When asked if I came back to the same reality, or a different timeline. I answered that there was no more timeline. The only thing to do was to learn to live anew in the here and now. The guy who lived before 1984 died. The guy who lived after 1984 is somewhat more compassionate than the guy who died.

He then asked if it is better to be disembodied. I offered that we're already "disembodied." It's only our consciousness choosing to stay attached to being in a body that keeps us here. But the body is the form, while the consciousness is truly "the merest speck in the ocean of life."

And on that note, here’s a song I wrote 30 years ago using my stage name Robert Hartley titled:

“(The Merest Speck In) The Ocean of Life.”

Have you ever seen countless worlds, moving all in place
Spinning across galaxies, passing through outer space
With all questions instantly answered, where never was known strife
I realized I was the merest speck in the ocean of life.

Solar systems, moving worlds, eyes seeing through space and time
Everything exactly as it should be, my will has become thine
All doubts dispelled before they rise with clarity like a knife
Cutting through illusions, merest specks in the ocean of life

Light comes from many sources, who knows from where it comes?
When we complete each journey we’ve find we’ve just begun

Infinities of energies, congealed as formless forms
Mysteries of timeless change, planets die and are reborn
Who knows the Divine Husbandman, or his loving Wife
Who see us all as merest specks in the ocean of life?

Light comes from many sources, who knows from where it comes?
When we complete each journey we’ve find we’ve just begun

Yes, I’ve seen countless worlds moving all in place
Spinning across galaxies, passing through inner space
With all my questions instantly answered, where never was known strife
Do you realize that you’re the merest speck in the ocean of life?

Written by Robert Hartley

Life's a blast so live it up, all you Eternals having human experiences! And truly, "In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

© 1984, 2014 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Jo Garceau]

Robert, thank you for sharing your experiences and your song poem. You touch millions. blessings, jo

[Dani]

breath taking!

[steve]

Thank you, kind sir, for that amazing article.

[Micheline]

I already commented on da Facebook stream but am currently reading this book "The Afterlife of Billy Fingers" by Annie Kagan. It's a true story of a woman whose brother who suddenly dies and speaks to her from the afterlife. According to opening coomentary at the beginning of the book. Greek Philosophers had a term for such souls who died or people who were apparantly able to communicate about afterlife. They were called "The walkers between worlds".

[Dimitra]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

[Phoebe]

You are fascinating Robert!! Profound!!

[Golden Hawk]

Robert your presence is a gift to me - your song is a fabulous syncronicity as i have been asking myself lately what my relationship to water is and here i stumble upon your exquisite song - thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love you share - i am truly blessed in your sharing!

[Dehi]

great!

[Susan]

So true to the HEART!!

[Mikal Moon]

Greetings My Brother. I can see from the comment stream that this might be an auspicious time I and I to initiate an ongoing dialogue to serve your readers, if you were available for such a thing?

[Sara]

I love your song lyrics, Robert. It's so uplifting and inspiring. Thank you!!

[Phoebe]

I love you Robert! Thank you!

[Robert]

Hi all - Thanks for all your kind words. Those who have the kinds of experiences I had understand that there's absolutely nothing to fear, and love is the answer to all questions, even before they arise. I never knew what that meant until I did, and I've never forgotten the experience. May you all find a transcendent experience that lets you know your are Eternal, and your nature is Love/Light/Life.