The winter of 2012 was a dark time for me. Alone and in constant physical pain, I was seriously considering suicide. An atheist for much of my life, I had just started exploring spirituality and was still skeptical. But I was fascinated by accounts of reincarnation and near death experiences, since they seemed to provide something approaching “evidence” of the existence of a spirit world. One of the books I was reading along these lines was Journey of Souls by Michael Newton.
Michael Newton was a mainstream psychologist who, in using therapeutic hypnosis, accidently stumbled upon a client’s past life. He wasn’t the only mental health professional to do so (others include Brian Weiss), but he took it a step further. In addition to exploring past lives, his clients began to describe time in the spirit world – between lives.
They talked about life reviews and soul groups and lessons. Eventually a comprehensive picture of the spirit world began to emerge. (Note: The following are my own personal “take aways” from the book, and do not necessarily represent the author’s interpretation.)
Our souls are “born” from a universal “source” of energy. We – meaning our souls – are each unique and eternal. We inhabit physical bodies to develop our potential in order to contribute to “all that is”. Many of us reincarnate over thousands of years.
Everyone (again, meaning soul) belongs to a small, close-knit, long-term soul “group”, and each group has a long-term personal guide. Group members help and support each other, and often incarnate together, though in varying roles (in one life, I’m your mother, another life, your brother.) And when you are incarnated, you have access to “your team” in the spirit world because a part of the soul always stays in the spirit world.
And here’s the kicker: we choose our lives. In consultation with our guides and other spiritual elders, we decide if, when, where and in whom to incarnate. And we are never forced. If we had a particularly hard life and want to hang out in the spirit world for a while, we can.
As I was listening to the Journey of Souls audiobook one night during that dark period in the winter of 2012, something clicked. I found myself looking up and saying (to whom I wasn’t sure), “Ok, I’m all in. Let’s go.” I decided right then and there that if “my team upstairs” thinks I can do this, I’ll keep trying!
Now, I’m not saying that what Michael Newton has written is the absolute truth. I don’t think any of us will know for sure until we’re actually on the other side. But then it will be too late, won’t it?
All I can say now is that I personally find his account – combined with the hundreds of other accounts of NDEs – interesting and compelling. It also provides me with a measure of strength and comfort as I go through this particular life. Which is nice. But I’d have to say that the primary reason I would recommend reading this book, and the sequel Destiny of Souls, is that the world Newton describes is just really, really fascinating!
