Boomerang

I'm currently reading Lessons from the Light by Kenneth Ring. It's a fantastic book which covers what we can learn from the near-death experience.
Since I was a young'n I've asked the question, 'What happens when we die?' so I'm naturally drawn to such topics as NDEs and OBEs.

In the book, Ring states that, as an exercise, we should reproduce the quotes he has used from NDErs - so I don't feel guilty for doing so here.

You see, when you read what people have experienced when they have been close to clinical death, it's like a contagious bug; you end up changing, especially if you read them with an open mind and an open heart. Your perspective on life begins to change, and you start to notice your feelings, thoughts and actions and the effects they have on you AND others.

This where it gets interesting, because when people have an NDE they go through certain stages. One of which is a life review.

This life review is like a film being played back from your first breath to the present moment - but you're not detached from it. You are the observer but you're also taking part in it. And it all happens in an instant because time is fiction. Our minds can't even begin to comprehend what that must be like.

This is where I turn to the quotes in the book to show you what people have reported, just so you get a taster.

"Then it seemed there was a display all around me, and everything in my life just went for review . . . When I would see something . . . it was like I was seeing it through the eyes with (I guess you would say) omnipotent knowledge, guiding me and helping me to see. That's the part that stuck with me, because it showed me not only what I had done, but even how what I had done had affected other people . . .because I could feel those things . . . I found out that not even your thoughts are lost . . . Every thought was there."

How does that make you feel?

Every thought was accounted for!

Here's another one:

"I remember one particular incident . . . when, as a child, I yanked my little sister's Easter basket away from her, because there was a toy in it that I wanted. Yet in the review, I felt her feelings of disappointment and loss and rejection. What we do to other people when we act unlovingly! . . . Everything you have done is there in the review for you to evaluate (and) when I was there in that review there was no covering up. I was the very people that I hurt, and I was the very people I helped to feel good . . .It is a real challenge, every day of my life, to know that when I die I am going to have to witness every single action of mine again, only this time actually feeling the effects I've had on others. It sure makes me stop and think."

That's some powerful reading.

Can you imagine not only seeing what you've done to others, but actually feeling what it was like on the receiving end, whether it was good or bad?

One last one for you:

"Mine was not a review, but a reliving. For me, it was a total reliving of every thought I had ever thought, every word I had ever spoken, and every deed I had done; plus, the effect of each thought, word and deed on everyone and anyone who had ever come within my environment or sphere of influence, whether I knew them or not . . . No detail was left out. No slip of the tongue or slur was missed. No mistake or accident went unaccounted for. If there is such a thing as hell, as far as I'm concerned, this was hell."

Can you see how you can be changed by reading such accounts?

How do they make you feel?

Next time you call someone a name, think how they must feel - because, chances are, you're going to feel it when your time comes.

Next time you lose your temper at the traffic lights and give someone the finger, think what ripples you've just caused. And consider the possibility that those ripples, caused by your feelings, thoughts and actions, will recoil straight back to you.

Even if you don't believe the accounts, not only will you be dismissing thousands of peoples' experiences, but you'll be gambling with your souls growth and condition.

In the book, the author suggests you finish the following sentence:

When I reflect on these commentaries in relation to my own life, I  . . .

Why not give it a go.

Remember, whatever you say to others is reflected back to you. Whatever you do to others, whether good or bad, is reflected back to you.

It comes back to the old adage, what you give is what you get.

After reading these accounts I wrote the following in my journal: 'Life is like a boomerang; at the point of death, what you have given, you shall receive. This is universal justice.'

More on this topic later. :-)

Lulu

This post is a little belated but never mind.

My book, Waiting for Wings, is now available to buy in paperback.

I've used Lulu, a self-publishing, print on demand company.

I did this because, not only do I trust them to create a brilliant finished product, but by going with them I'm chopping out the middle man from the equation. Middle man being the hard-to-reach-publisher.

I received a contract in March from a publishing house. I was very excited at the prospect. The subject in the email I received said, 'Contract book offer.' I can remember sitting back in my chair before opening it and saying, 'Sh*t, this is real.'

I read through the contract and it seemed OK to the layman that I am, but I decided it would be wise to get a solicitor friend to read through it, to which, when she did, pointed out some factors that didn't sit very well with her - and later, myself.

The more I thought about accepting the offer, the more fuzzy my stomach felt.

I tell people all the time to follow their gut instinct; it was time to take my own advice.

I declined the offer with the trust that something better would come along.

Lulu was brought to my attention about three years ago and since then I've visited their site several times and looked at what was on offer (in terms of the genres they covered, how much they charged the customer AND the author etc) and that fuzzy feeling never once made an appearance.

My aim, since completing Waiting for Wings, has been to get it out there to as many people as possible - as quickly as possible, and by using Lulu the speed of making it available was achieved.

Now it's just up to me to get it out there - but I won't turn down your help.

I know, from what I've been told by those who have read it and reviewed it (thanks to all of you) that people will gain something of value from reading the story.

As the review by Felicity Warner (Author of Gentle Dying and the founder of Soul Midwives Foundation) says, 'A wonderfully uplifting book, which I would recommend to anybody fearing the process of death or living with a degenerative disease'.

I'm massively grateful to have been (and continue to be) part of this process with the book - it's a real journey, and with it being my first book I'm learning a lot.

I'm currently working on a new project; a short illustrated book on bereavement for 4 to 6 year olds. It's being illustrated by my good friend, Laura Skilbeck. I can assure you it's going to look great when it's completed. I've seen her ideas - and I'm excited!

The ball is rolling faster than ever now with Waiting for Wings and I've always believed that word of mouth will play a big part in getting it to the right people at the right time in their lives.

If you have read it and think someone you know will benefit from its message then please feel free to pass it on.

Once again, thank you.

If you haven't already seen the book, the following link will take you straight to it:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/gavin-whyte/waiting-for-wings-a-story-of-hope/paperback/product-20138926.html