Michael Tymn reviews The Risen

(Originally published 2010 at Amazon and also in The Searchlight, newsletter of The a\Academy for Spiritual and Consciousness Studies, Inc.)

Michael Tymn, globally esteemed paranormal journalist,  author of The Articulate Dead, Resurrecting Leonora Piper: How Science Discovered the Afterlife, and many other outstanding books on the afterlife and survival, provided this review of our book, The Risen.

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Had I started reading this book 20 or so years ago (assuming it had been written and published then), when I was just beginning my serious metaphysical studies, I probably would not have gone beyond the first few chapters, as the material would have far exceeded my boggle threshold. I likely would have tossed the book aside as just so much fantasy.

However, with those 20 years of metaphysical study behind me, I quickly became engrossed in the book. Not only were the "dialogues of love, grief, and survival" (the sub-title of the book) consistent with the most credible testimony relative to life after death that I have encountered elsewhere but the dialogues helped me make sense out of a number of things which I had previously struggled to grasp.

Outside of the actual evidence suggesting that consciousness survives physical death, the most important teaching coming through modern revelation is that we do not cross over into some humdrum heaven or horrific hell, as orthodox preachers would have us believe. We pretty much cross over as we are when we depart the material world. As Professor Robert Hare put it many years ago, we build up a moral specific gravity by our actions and deeds in this world and find a starting place on the Other Side that is in accord with that moral specific gravity. From that point we continue to evolve spiritually.

That is the primary message conveyed by August Goforth and Timothy Gray in this intriguing 315-page book. August Goforth is a pseudonym for a New York psychotherapist who for obvious professional reasons is reluctant to use his actual name. He is also an intuitive-mental and psychophysical spirit medium. Timothy Gray was a New York City writer, editor, and photographer who transitioned to the spirit world during the early 1990s and then, about two years after his physical death, began communicating with "Goforth," his former partner in earth life, providing his own experiences in the afterlife as well as information given to him by "The Risen Collective," a group of more advanced spirit entities who use Timothy Gray to relay information to Goforth. The "Risen" is the authors' term for those who have transitioned to the spirit world and seen the light, i.e., excluding earthbound spirits.

"Tim and I passionately want to share that there is no such thing as death," Goforth writes. "There is only Life - infinite varieties, forms, qualities, and expressions of it. What the majority of still-embodied people fear as `death' is simply a transitional phase from one quality of life to another."

The subject matter includes everything from the initial experiences after death to dwelling places in the afterlife, the nature of the afterlife, and advancement in the afterlife. The authors discuss the nature of self, obstacles in communicating, materializations, the rescue of earthbound souls, dreams, out-of-body travel, mediumship, skeptical attitudes, dealing with grief, and misinterpretations relative to reincarnation, to name just some of the subject matter. To quote a few passages:

Tim on when he was dying: "I thought I was hallucinating. I perceived the environment of a hospital because there were so many people coming and going, but most of the people I saw were not embodied. I could see them because I was nearing separation from my physical body. They were transparent and glowing with light and became easier to see the deeper I sank, the closer I neared my transition."

August on the decline of ectoplasmic phenomena: "Tim shared that he heard of a study that certain Risen Ones are conducting to determine how all the chemicals we take in through our food and water may affect various mediumship abilities. As my own experiences illustrate, ectoplasm, or something like it, can still manifest. The intense headache that I developed became one of the main side effects of these kinds of experimental experiences with Tim."

Tim on materializing before August: "When I had materialized, I wasn't fully conscious of it simply because I wasn't conscious that I was experiencing anything other than a very realistic dream."

August on skepticism in the afterlife: "Tim and others have told me that there are Risen who believe that their earth experience was all a dream - or a nightmare - from which they simply woke up. There are groups of Risen, including those who were once scientists on the earth, who maintain adamant skepticism that such a place as earth ever existed. When compared with their present reality, it simply doesn't make sense to them and so they challenge others there to prove the existence of such a crazy-sounding place as `Earth'."

August on the problem with getting names: "Why can't the Risen just simply say their names, for pete's sake? Because light and sound move at a highly faster, finer rate in the Risen environment, so a medium may catch the sound as it zips past his spiritual ear - and not much more beyond that first sound. `Mandy' might sound like `M-ee' to the medium. It could be Mikey, Mindy, or Murphy...The Risen One might present the symbol of candy, which rhymes with Mandy. But maybe showing a piece of candy further complicates matters..."

Tim on remembering past lives: "The experience of remembering past lives may also be from the projection of character elements of an earthbound spirit onto the ego-mind of a receptive embodied person. Those who are convinced they have lived a previous life are actually recalling memories of those who have gone before them."

August on the problem of modern psychology: "Unfortunately, most modern people, having lived in denial and disbelief about survival, are paralyzed by their ignorance and fear into further states of confusion or silence. The attempts of the transitioning person to tell others about what they are experiencing will be misinterpreted as some kind of delusional or hallucinatory symptom of their illness or medication."

Tim on conveying higher realities: "I partially materialized because there was only so much atomic substance that could be used at the time, although in truth this substance goes far beyond so-called `quantum' levels - but there is no way to convey these finer, higher vibrating realities in human mental concepts."

There is much more like this to ponder in this book. As with me 20 years ago, the boggle threshold of most people is probably too low to fully understand and appreciate what August, Tim, and the advanced Risen Ones have to say about the greater reality, but to the serious student of metaphysics this book has much to offer. And as the authors point out, there are things which may not make conscious sense at this time, but the spiritual senses comprehend them and retain this knowledge for the Authentic Self.

Italian Congress of Mediums 2015: Segni (Signs of Contact)

# 4 in the Series.  The following excerpt has been translated into Italian for the participants of the Italian Congress of Mediums this coming October. (English version further below).

IL CONTATTO COI RISORTI: SEGNI

Insieme ai nostri sensi fisici della vista, dell’udito, del gusto e dell’odorato, convivono altri sensi, talvolta definiti come extra-sensoriali, ma che in realtà non sono extra affatto. Questi sono infatti i nostri sensi spirituali, che appartengono al nostro corpo spirituale, altrimenti detto astrale-eterico e compenetrano lo stesso spazio dei nostro corpo fisico. Per molte persone i sensi spirituali sono a malapena riconoscibili, e vengono spesso misconosciuti per carenza di educazione, di consapevolezza, ed attenzione. Tu puoi essere stato accompagnato a questo libro dai tuoi sensi spirituali, come un segugio che riconosce le tracce odorose più sottili ed invisibili. 

Il tuo corpo spirituale è in grado di riconoscere cose che normalmente evadono dai sensi spirituali, ivi incluso delle cose molto particolari che comprenetrano lo spazio di questo libro, che tu stai ora tenendo fra le tue mani. Questo vale anche quando si legge qualcosa in formato elettronico, che è comunque una manifestazione fisica materiale, anche se talvolta pare che determinate energie spiritiche non risuonino con queste tecnologie tanto quanto con quelle cose che condividono la natura fisica con il corpo umano- ecco perché leggere questo in un libro fisico determinerà una esperienza energetica completamente diversa ed accresciuta. Così come i sensi fisici comunicano messaggi dal mondo fisico al nostro cervello, altrettanto i nostri sensi spirituali consegnano messaggi -dal mondo spirituale- alle nostre menti ed ai nostri cuori.

I nostri sensi spirituali consegnano messaggi dal mondo spirituale,
alle nostre menti ed ai nostri cuori.

Sono certo che ognuno di voi abbia già – in qualche modo- ricevuto comunicazioni da coloro che non risiedono più all’interno di un corpo fisico, anche se non ne siete consapevoli. I vostri sensi fisici vi hanno comunque informati circa l’essere stati toccati, visti o contattati,  in un modo o nell’altro, da una persona Risorta; potreste anche aver annusato odori e profumi sorprendentemente familiari. Queste esperienze sono normali e comuni per molte persone, a prescindere dai loro credo personali. I Risorti possono entrare in contatto con noi attraverso molteplici mezzi. Più  tardi potrete ritrovarvi a collegarvi con loro per il tramite di tecniche assolutamente uniche e brillanti per connettersi e comunicare.

Qui a seguito sono indicate alcune tra le tante modalità attraverso le quali voi potreste aver percepito il contatto con un Risorto, od aver ricevuto un suo messaggio, senza tuttavia essere certi di  potervi fidare della vostra percezione- perlomeno non nel modo in cui normalmente fate affidamento sui vostri sensi fisici. Alcune di esse potranno già risuonarvi come familiari, e molte possono meglio esser catalogate sotto il curioso termine di “orchestrazione”. Noterete che la parola “sentire, percepire” verrà utilizzata spesso.

Trovarsi nella situazione di aver avuto una conversazione spontanea con qualcuno che voi sapete “essere morto”, è spesso accompagnata dalla dismissione della succitata conversazione con un “ stavo parlando fra me e me”. Ecco quindi alcuni indizi che vi permetteranno di capire quando voi avete invece corriposto all’interno di una conversazione che loro hanno avviato:

•  Percepire una improvvisa ed incontenibile emozione: tristezza, gioia, serenità- allorchè si sta pensando a qualcuno che è “morto”. Questo indica che loro sono proprio affianco a noi e comunque molto vicini.
•  Percepire una brezza, oppure una sensazione di solletico provocata come da “ragnatele”, oppure una sensazione di pressione sul viso, in particolare vicino agli occhi ed a lato della testa in prossimità delle tempie allorchè si sta pensando ad una persona “ morta”. Talvolta la pressione può diventare fastidiosa e trasformarsi addirittura in mal di testa. Un bel bicchiere d’acqua ci aiuterà ad alleviarlo, oppure un sonnellino- potreste allora addirittura incontrarli durante il sonno!
•  Percepire una sensazione di solletico dopo che siete andati a letto ed aver spento la luce, anche se non state pensando a nessuno in particolare.
•  Vedere piccole scintille blu o bianche dopo che la luce è stata spenta, oppure quando vi state rilassando al buio od alla luce flebile di una lampada. 
•  Percepire sulla mano una sensazione come di brezza leggera, oppure di solletico, o pressioni di qualsiasi tipo, specialmente quando state scrivendo oppure state semplicemente pensando di mettervi a scrivere.
•  Sentire chiamare il vostro nome quando state per addormentarvi o quando state per svegliarvi, o quando siete soli.
•  Udire piccoli rumori, picchiettii, click o colpi che vengono dal soffitto, dai muri, dal pavimento o anche dai mobili, dopo che la luce è stata spenta.
•  Svegliarsi dal sonno, fermamente convinti che il sogno che si è sognato non era un sogno normale, ed addirittura sentire che è stato più reale della vita stessa.
•  Udire musiche o suoni della natura, come un coro che canta in lontananza, oppure campanelli che tintinnano, od uccelli che cinguettano, allorchè state per addomentarvi la notte oppure prima di un  sonnellino diurno.
•  Percepire che qualcuno vi sta osservando , scrutando o guidando.
•  Percepire qualcuno che sta ponendo le proprie mani sulle vostre spalle, oppure vi sta abbracciando da dietro.
•  Trovare messaggi strani od indecifrabili sulla vostra segreteria telefonica, che suonano come un miscuglio di voci, musiche, rumori statici ed altri rumori, e provare una certa riluttanza a cancellarli.
•  Vedere ripetutamente persone assolutamente sconosciute che somigliano in maniera sorprendente a vostri cari e familiari, la cui somiglianza può essere tuttavia vista ed apprezzata solo da voi.
• Trovare un libro che sembra contenere messaggi scritti direttamente dai vostri cari solo ed espressamente per voi.
•  Sentire una canzone od una musica, in un determinato momento, come se i vostri cari in spirito l’avessero commissionata proprio per voi.
•  Sentire l’irrefrenabile desiderio di accendere la televisione, e sintonizzarsi su di un programma o film che vi sembra essere perfettamente riferito a voi in maniera speciale.
•  Orologi che si fermano quando non dovrebbero.
•  Lampadine la cui luce si affievolisce oppure che si fulminano proprio quando state pensando ai vostri cari.

Se vi è mai capitato di vivere alcune delle esperienze su elencate ponetevi queste domande: “E’ possibile che sia stato reale?” -e- “vorrei che succedesse di nuovo?”. Se sentite dentro di voi una eccitazione crescente mentre vi rivolgete queste due domande, sappiate allora che i vostri sensi spirituali stanno cominciando a vibrare più velocemente, e che questa accelerazione di vibrazione vi conduce più vicino al luogo nel quale i vostri cari Risorti si trovano ora. Ed ancora più verosimilmente alcuni di loro sono proprio qui con voi, e stanno leggendo con coi queste righe, incoraggiandovi.

(Estratto da The Risen: Dialogues of Love, Grief, & Survival Beyond Death, Traduzione di Serenella Massacci)

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SIGNS OF RISEN CONTACT

Intermingled with our physical body’s senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch are other senses sometimes called extra senses, but which are not really extra at all. These are our spiritual senses, which belong to our spiritual or astral-etheric bodies and interpenetrate the same space as our physical body. For many people the spiritual senses are barely detectable and are often undernourished from lack of education, awareness, and attention. You may have been drawn to this book by your spiritual senses, like a bloodhound that detects the most subtle and invisible of scents.

      Your spiritual body can recognize things that usually evade the physical senses, including very particular somethings interpenetrating the space of this book you are holding in your hand. This is true as well if you are reading it in electronic form, which is still a manifestation of material physicality, although it seems that certain spirit energies are not as resonant with such technology as they are with those things that share physical nature with the human body—this is why reading this in a physical book will bring an entirely different and more energetic experience. As the physical senses communicate messages from the physical world about us to our brains, our spiritual senses bring us messages from the spiritual worlds to our minds and hearts.

Our spiritual senses bring us messages from the spiritual worlds
to our minds and hearts.

      Whether or not you have ever shared about it, I’m certain that you have very likely received communications in some way from those who no longer have a physical body. Your spiritual senses informed you of being touched, seen, or spoken to in certain ways by a Risen person; you may have even smelled surprising but familiar odors. These experiences are normal and common for many people, regardless of their beliefs. The Risen can contact us through countless means. Later on you may find yourself joining with them in devising your own unique and brilliant techniques to connect and communicate.

      Following are just a few of the many ways you might have spiritually sensed Risen contact or their messages but were never quite sure if you could believe them—at least in the way you feel you can believe your physical senses. Some may be quite familiar to you already, many which can be best categorized under the curious concept of “orchestration.” Note that the word “feeling” is used quite a bit.

•  Finding yourself spontaneously having a conversation with someone you know is “dead” but not realizing it until a few moments have gone by, and then you dismiss it as “talking to yourself.” Here’s a hint—you were responding to a conversation they started.
•  Feeling a sudden and overwhelming emotion—sadness, joy, calmness—when thinking about someone who has “died.” This indicates they are right next to you or very near in some way.
•  Feeling breezes, tickling sensations or “cobwebs,” or pressure about your face, especially near the eyes and on the sides of the head near the temple, when thinking about the “dead” person. Sometimes the pressure manifests as discomfort or even headaches. A glass of water will help relieve this, as will a nice long nap—you might then even meet them in the dream state!
•  Feeling the tickling sensations after you get into bed at night and turning out the light, whether or not you are thinking of anything in particular.
•  Seeing tiny points of white or blue “sparks” after the lights have been turned out, or while sitting quietly in the dark or in low lighting.
•  Feeling sensations on your hands such as breezes, tickling, or pressure of some kind, especially when writing or thinking about writing.
•  Hearing your name called as you’re falling asleep or waking up, or when you’re alone.
•  Hearing little taps, clicks or raps coming from the ceiling, wall, floor, or even furniture after the lights are turned out.
•  Awakening from a dream and firmly convinced it was no ordinary event, and perhaps even more real than waking life.
•  Hearing music or nature sounds, like distant choirs singing, bells ringing, or birds chirping just as you’re falling asleep or while daydreaming.
•  Feeling as if someone is watching over and guiding you.
•  Feeling someone placing their hands on your shoulders or embracing you from behind.
•  Finding strange and often undecipherable messages on your voice mail that sound like a mixture of voices, music, static, and other noises and yet feeling reluctant to erase them.
•  Briefly but repeatedly seeing total strangers who look like your loved one in breathtaking ways, but often in ways only you can see.
•  Coming upon a book that seems to contain messages that were written directly from your loved one to you.
•  Hearing music at a specific time that seems as if your loved one ordered it especially for you.
•  Feeling compelled to turn on the television and the program or movie seems to be about something related to you and your loved one in some very particular way.
•  Timepieces stopping when they shouldn’t.
•  Light bulbs dimming or burning out around the same time you’re having thoughts and feelings about your loved one.

      If you’ve experienced any of these things ask yourself, “Is it possible it could actually have been real?”—and—“Do I want more?” If you feel a rising excitement somewhere inside you when you ponder these two questions, know that your spiritual senses are beginning to vibrate faster, and that this raising of vibration brings you closer to the place where your Risen loved ones are now. Most likely some of them are right here with you, reading along and encouraging you.

(Excerpt translated from The Risen: Dialogues of Love, Grief, & Survival Beyond Death, by Serenella Massacci)