I had the great pleasure of speaking with best-selling author Dr. Raymond Moody on “The Way” about his groundbreaking work on what happens to us when we die, and the afterlife. Raymond has written 12 books on the subject, won numerous awards, and has taught extensively. His book “Life After Life,” which was complied from over 2000 stories of near-death experiences, has sold 30 million copies and was made into a film. His newest work, “Paranormal: My Life in Pursuit of the Afterlife,” is a memoir covering a lifetime of studying “the other side.”
During our fascinating discussion, Raymond recounted the story of how he came to be an “expert of the unknown,” starting with his deep admiration and study of the ancient Greek philosophers, from which much of his work is grounded. In bringing the subject of life after life to the forefront, Raymond’s concepts has brought hope and confidence to those struggling with questions about what happens at death, and a new context for grieving the loss of loved ones. It is a subject close to my heart, as I recounted to Raymond how my family and I experienced a reassuring sign of the endurance of consciousness during the passing of my wife Linda, three years ago.
Of all the observations and incidences of near-death that Raymond has studied over the years, his most important conclusion is that there are two phases of life. The first is when we live it forwards. The second phase is at the closing of life, where we see the entirety of our experiences from the perspective of the people we knew during our lifetimes. Everyone who comes back from this experience is given the gift of knowing that the most important thing we can do while still alive is to learn to love.
For more information on Dr. Raymond Moody, please visit his website www.lifeafterlife.com
-Derek