Life in the Afterlife with Stafford Betty

Stafford Betty, PhD, is professor of religious studies at California State University at Bakersfield. He is author of Heaven and Hell Unveiled, The Afterlife Unveiled, and When Did You Ever Become Less by Dying? He has also written two novels, based on his studies of spiritualism, whose protagonists are deceased figures in the afterlife, The Imprisoned Splendor and The Afterlife Therapist.

Here he describes various aspects of his understanding of the afterlife, as portrayed in his novel, The Afterlife Therapist. Some of the recently deceased do not realize that they have died. Many conflicts exist on the astral planes. These are seen as opportunities for soul growth. Reincarnation is also an option. Guides and teachers encourage souls to progress to higher planes of existence.

I watched this video, my feeling taking a rollercoaster ride from ‘liking’ to ‘nah’ back & fro a few times. I wonder if anyone tries to incorporate the NDE into an actual death, where it’s not ‘near’ but the real thing? In a novel such as Stafford writes, I’d be surprised if they hadn’t. 

I don’t really know about this attempting to guess or get evidence through mediums or people like Jurgen or Tom Campbell. I’d maybe prefer to find out in the now? How much will we find out on passing, if anything? It’s interesting. The more I see how deluded we can get in this life, the less confident about anything that I read I become! 

There’s no harm in using our imagination. I guess. 

I agree Stan. I find it very hard to get a real fix on what an afterlife is probably like as there seems so much variation from the different sources. I decided not to worry too much about it and focus on forming  view on whether there actually is an afterlife first lol

My guess is there are many afterlife locations, some like the grand Heavens and terrifying Hells and others far more mundane.

Some of Betty's collection of medium accounts are looked on as depressing because there's no grand revelation, in some cases you even have to get a job.

in some cases you even have to get a job.

I might be gagging for a job after a million years rest! 

My guess is there are many afterlife locations, some like the grand Heavens and terrifying Hells and others far more mundane.

Some of Betty's collection of medium accounts are looked on as depressing because there's no grand revelation, in some cases you even have to get a job.

I can relate especially to the idea of many different 'locations'. Sometimes people refer to different levels, higher and lower. But I think it is much richer and more complex than that.Think sideways, left and right, forward and back, as well as up and down - and that's just using our everyday metaphor of 3-dimensions. But I also tend to think more in terms of consciousness-locations, which don't have any physical analogy, instead our state of mind becomes a location.

I can relate especially to the idea of many different 'locations'. Sometimes people refer to different levels, higher and lower. But I think it is much richer and more complex than that.Think sideways, left and right, forward and back, as well as up and down - and that's just using our everyday metaphor of 3-dimensions. But I also tend to think more in terms of consciousness-locations, which don't have any physical analogy, instead our state of mind becomes a location.

My impressions are similar to yours. It seems to me that the afterlife environment is experienced according to our beliefs, expectations and desires. Thus, for example, if we carry excessive guilt we might find ourselves in a kind of world where we are subject to what seems like hellish conditions to some degree. From what I have read, these conditions can be temporary or quite lasting but we are given every opportunity to recognise that the conditions are of our own making.

At the other extreme, the first book I ever read about the afterlife was "Life in the World Unseen", channelled by Anthony Borgia. It described the afterlife world of an English country vicar and my impression of that world was precisely how I would expect to be ideal for that kind of gentleman. All very genteel and polite and accommodating with pretty meadows, perfect light and climate like a nice warm English summer's day. Yet he also described his mission to rescue those who are in the nether regions and subject to a kind of torment which they did not understand to be self-generated.

Many years later (quite recently) I watched the Brazilian film, Nosso Lar which tells a similar tale of the differing regions and how these conditions are determined by our own actions and beliefs. 

We do not become saintly upon entering "heaven". We take with us the personality we have developed over an earthly lifetime and it does not suddenly change just because we "died". There are guides who help us understand that we create the living conditions by our own thoughts and actions and, sooner or later, we gravitate to like-minded souls who share our values and interests. So I do not expect to find myself in the unseen world described by Anthony Borgia. I don't know what my expectations are, exactly, nor do I know precisely how my mental baggage will determine the conditions in my new world but I am sure that, once I have been able to reflect on my life and personality, I will understand why I find myself in that particular setting and how to change it if I so desire. By the way, according to the Seth Material, it is upon coming to this understanding that we begin to remember our past lives and relationships and are able to join our familiar group of souls to plan our next earthly adventure.

But I also tend to think more in terms of consciousness-locations, which don't have any physical analogy, instead our state of mind becomes a location.

This part I think I should add, also describes my understanding of this present Earthly existence too. The good part is that because we have free will, we can change this. Sometimes rapidly, other times over a more prolonged period. Recognition of this possibility, the realisation that it is possible, is an important step. And to my way of thinking, rather more practical than for example attempting to develop skills in say psychokinesis. Though the latter may be an aid to concentration and focussing of intent.

This part I think I should add, also describes my understanding of this present Earthly existence too. The good part is that because we have free will, we can change this. Sometimes rapidly, other times over a more prolonged period. Recognition of this possibility, the realisation that it is possible, is an important step. And to my way of thinking, rather more practical than for example attempting to develop skills in say psychokinesis. Though the latter may be an aid to concentration and focussing of intent.

If I get what you are saying correctly, I am very much in agreement. We can change the course of our lives by our decisions and beliefs. I think that the reason we don't recognise this is the fact that it often does take a prolonged period to take effect so we tend to think in terms of fate or accidental/coincidental events rather than subtle but purposeful nudges which cause events to play out in a certain fashion.

I read something recently (or rather re-read because I originally read the book 40 years ago) that is a kind of illustration of this influence our thoughts can have on our lives. It was asked how we can know what kind of person we are and the answer was to look at the people we find populating our lives - the people we are drawn towards and who are drawn towards us. They are in many ways a reflection of who we are. I believe this is what happens to a more obvious degree in the afterlife, as I mentioned in my previous post.

Think it might just be a case of punching above our weight. I think we get snippits of potential info every so often but it might just be too far removed from what normal life is like to get a proper idea. My new favourite dude, Dr Callum Cooper, he's talked about how he's not sure if an independent consciousness survives death in a way we imagine normal life to be like, unless it's in something like a dream state. But maybe to us looking in it appears to be disorientating and disorganized and conflicting, but is more understandable once you get there, like trying to explain a dream. There's just too many questions to be asked and not enough answers I feel.

More in Obiwan's boat. Show me it's real first. Then maybe what it's like. Then other less fun questions like is there causality, time, is it eternal or just long ect ect.