JUST WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE?
by Shari Harris
"It is my belief that evidence of reincarnation will lead to a science of spirituality,
which in turn will help humanity evolve much more quickly and peacefully."
Walter Semkiw, M.D., Origin of the Soul
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Answers About the Afterlife by Bob Olson
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Just Who Do We Think We Are?
Bob Olson Says...
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"So many people ask about the meaning or purpose of life. While it took me years of investigation and experience in this field to understand it, the answer is that the meaning (or purpose) of life is to have experiences. It's really just that simple--life is about having experiences. And to take this one step further, life is about having experiences that our souls are unable to have in the spiritual realm.
As souls who exist eternally in the spirit world, which is always free from fear, suffering, and death, we choose a physical life as humans to know the experience of living in a domain where mortality is imminent.
...[M]any folks believe that something has gone wrong in life when they meet challenges (disappointment, tragedy, suffering, loss, and pain), but life is about experiences, both positive and negative. Nobody promised us that we'd have only positive experiences. We learn just as much, if not more, from our challenging experiences as humans, and whether we want to accept it or not, this is what we signed up for as souls when we chose to have a physical life."
Bob Olson, Answers About the Afterlife, p. 16
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Greetings!
Wow! This topic of what happens when we die is so interesting to me and I hope to you! As I state at the bottom of each issue, I believe that our soul continues after our life is over (we are eternal) and that our consciousness remains intact even when the body shuts down and stops functioning.
Bob Olson is just one of many who have researched death and the afterlife, but I am highlighting his book, Answers About the Afterlife, today because of its unusual format. It consists of 150 questions about the afterlife with answers that he believes are true for him based on over twenty years of his investigation, which he continues to this day.
The questions in his book are divided into ten parts with topics such as Death and Dying, The Spirit World, Angels and Ghosts, Spirit Communications, Readings with Psychic Mediums, Suicide and Murder, Past Lives and Reincarnation, and Near-Death Experiences. I have included a few examples of the questions and his answers below. If you are interested in this topic, I highly recommend reading his book. You may enjoy watching the video included here of Bob Olson explaining his research.
Olson stresses in the introduction that "we do not know all the answers," but "we do have a great deal of evidence from which we can draw persuasive conclusions." He presents his evidence and his beliefs, but he writes that "proof is subjective," and that everyone must decide for themselves. Answers About the Afterlife, p. 1
He concludes that his investigation "has taught [him] as much about life as it has the afterlife." He believes that it has made him a better person. On p. 239 he writes:
"I'm more loving and more compassionate, and I feel a greater sense of inner peace and purpose than I ever did when I never gave the afterlife a second thought."
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During this chaotic time, I hope you are able to stay grounded and have hope for the future, both personally and for our country and the world. Astrologers tell us that we are in a transition period leading into a new age--the Age of Aquarius--where the world will shift into a new paradigm of stability and inclusiveness. Astrologer Kelly Surtees (pictured) tells us that this transition will take another twenty-five years to complete, but as of December 21, 2020, we will move into a much calmer period. That gives me hope for the election and for the future. If you are interested, you can find more on her website: https://www.kellysastrology.com/
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Best wishes!
Be well and enjoy your amazing life!
Shari
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About Bob Olson
The picture is of Bob Olson and his wife Melissa, who helps him with his work.
They have been sweethearts since middle school.
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Over twenty years ago, Bob Olson was a private investigator. After graduating with a degree in Criminology in 1985, Olson apprenticed with a private investigation agency where he continued to learn and practice investigative procedures and evidence evaluation.
When his father died of lung cancer at the age of 64 in 1997, Olson decided to use these skills to find out what happened to his father in death. He was a skeptic and did not have a background in religion, but he did have an open mind. He was determined to attempt to find out what happens to people when they die, if there is evidence of life after death, and if we can know if our loved ones are okay.
One of the avenues by which he gathered evidence was through sessions with mediums and psychics, including double-blind studies. In addition, he investigated past-life regression, spirit writing, meditation, and channeling through reading, interviewing practitioners, and personal experience. He sought out and learned from people who had experienced near-death, past-life recall, and other afterlife phenomena.
Through his research, Olson discovered that not all mediums and psychics are legitimate or effective, but he found many that were able to communicate with persons who are in spirit. He began to test hundreds of psychics and mediums and he created websites called BestPsychicMediums.com (in 2002) and BestPsychicDirectory.com (in 2007). In 2011, he created AfterlifeTV.com for the purpose of educating the public about life after death using an online video format. His book, Answers About the Afterlife, was published in 2014.
On his website Afterlifetv.com, you can see video episodes that include discussions about the afterlife, actual recorded past-life regressions, and interviews with people, including Dr. Eben Alexander speaking about his near-death experience. See links to these websites below.
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Video of Bob Olson Speaking About the Afterlife |
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I love this video!
Olson gives a fantastic explanation of nine types of experiences that he has investigated and that he feels give evidence of an afterlife. It is 27 minutes in length and something I think you will remember long after you watch it.
Olson explains that he was a skeptic when he began his investigation. He writes, "So skepticism comes from a refusal to believe. Belief comes from vicarious experience [hearing it from others]. And knowing comes from personal experience. When I experienced knowing for the first time, it felt more like a remembering than a learning of something new." Answers About the Afterlife, p. 25.
In the video, as he describes the nine types of experiences, he urges viewers to investigate for themselves, and he provides names of books and authors with which to follow up, if interested.
I'm impressed by his straight-forward personality. It is apparent to me that he is reporting what he has learned for himself without trying to convince anyone. There is no "phoniness" what-so-ever in his demeanor in the video, in my opinion. I hope you will take the time to watch it.
AFTERLIFE TV with Bob Olson, December 21, 2011
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Some Questions from Answers About the Afterlife
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In this section, I'm highlighting a few of the questions that are asked in Answers About the Afterlife. I have abbreviated the answers for this format, but is does give you a general idea of the nature of the book if you are interested in reading more. The book's website (link below) includes a listing of all 150 questions that are answered in the book.
Olson describes his conclusions as "true, but not accurate" because our physical brains cannot perceive the viewpoint of the spiritual realm. However, we can have an "awareness that allows us to understand the really big questions about life, death, and spirituality." That is what he hopes to accomplish with his book. (p.1)
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1. How do you define God? pg. 19, 20
"For so many years, I struggled to understand God. Even as I began investigating the afterlife...many of my questions about God and the afterlife eluded me, especially the big ones like why God allows suffering, why God allows children to starve, and why God allows war and terrorism."
"It wasn't until I stopped thinking of God as a single entity...that everything finally began to make sense. The more I investigated the afterlife...the more I could no longer envision God as a person and instead began to view God as Creative Intelligence, Source Energy, or Universal Energy--the one force that connects everyone and everything together."
"...When you think of God as creative intelligence, you stop thinking of God as having a fragile ego or as being vengeful, judgmental, or selective in His favorites. In fact, there's no more His or Her at all. God is love. God is joy. God is compassion. God is the life force that drives every human, plant, and animal."
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2. Will I remember who I am and what I'm like in the afterlife? pg. 41, 42
"You will definitely remember everything about your life in the spirit world, even more than you might want to remember. Everything that you ever said, did or thought is recalled, mostly due to a process we go through upon our entry back into the spirit world known as our life review."
"...With our transition from the physical to the spiritual comes clarity--clarity regarding our personality traits and characteristics, our choices and actions, and even how we affected other people and the world."
"There is a purpose for living a physical life, so remembering everything about who we are is part of the process--it's the reason for having a human life. Who we are and how we live our lives will stay with us for all eternity, which is why every day of our lives is so important. This is a great reminder while we're alive so that we can make the most our of life and be the best person we know how to be. After all, the memories of this lifetime are everlasting."
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3. Can my loved one in spirit hear me when I talk or pray to him/her? pg. 123, 124
"Our loved ones in spirit always hear us when we talk or pray to them...All we need to do is think of them, and they are instantly aware of our thoughts."
"But our loved ones in spirit are also aware of when we write a letter or email to them, even if we have no place to send it. They know when we're talking about them with someone else. They know when we draw a picture for them or make a birthday card for them or sing a song for them. And they know when we're simply looking at a picture of them and thinking about past memories with them."
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4. Do pets have souls? pg. 87, 88, 89
"Yes, pets (and all animals) have souls (and spirits) just like people, and they too go to the afterlife."
"Most people ask this question because they wonder if they will see their beloved pet in the afterlife or if they can communicate with their deceased pet now. The answer to both questions is yes."
"What might surprise you is that your pets will be able to communicate with you from the afterlife in spite of your animal's inability to speak our language while here on the earth plane. Since communication is the afterlife is telepathic, animals can talk to us in our dreams, during meditation, through spirit writing, and through mediums."
"There's a wonderful book by Kim Sheridan titled Animals and the Afterlife that covers this subject in great detail. I definitely recommend it."
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The Magic Mala: A Story That Changes Lives |
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book, also by Bob Olson. It is a charming fictional story that highlights the use of intention, attention, and focused thought to bring about what we hope for in life. The characters learn principles that change their lives. I found it inspiring. Shari
"The Magic Mala (pronounced mah-lah) is the story of Robby Robertson, a down-on-his-luck writer who realizes that he doesn’t know as much about life as he once believed. His desperate financial circumstances lead him to open his mind to new ways of living. After finding some mala beads, Robby is taken on a journey that teaches him the secrets to personal manifestation and happiness.
"An inspiring novel that transforms the lives of its readers, this book will leave you fascinated and educated about the universal laws that govern our lives. It’s a story you'll want to read often to remind yourself of its wisdom—primarily, the magic of living a conscious life. More importantly, The Magic Mala will help you recognize the power you’ve always had but didn’t know was there: your inner ability to create the life of your dreams." From the Cover of The Magic Mala
Bob Olson offers an online course that helps you to understand and apply the life-changing teachings in The Magic Mala, some of which are
- The power of your thoughts, words, and actions
- Setting intentions to transform your life
- Recognizing guiding signals from the Universe
- Using the mala or alternate tools for meditation
- Identifying beliefs that are holding you back
- How to stop feeling like a victim
- Simple ways to filter negativity that makes you miserable
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Just Who Do We Think We Are?
Shari Says...
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I believe we are eternal spiritual beings who are currently
living one of our many lives on Earth and who are the co-creators
of our experiences through our thoughts and beliefs.
Shari Harris
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Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends
you think may be interested! Others are welcome to sign up.
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Previous Issues of "Just Who Do We Think We Are?" are available on
#1 February 15, 2020, Dr. Brian Weiss
#2 March 1, 2020, Edgar Cayce
#3 March 26, 2020, Abraham (Esther Hicks), Part 1
#4 April 7, 2020, Abraham (Esther Hicks), Part 2
#5 April 22, 2020, Past Life Story Series: Robert Snow/Carroll Beckwith
#6 May 5, 2020, Past Life Story Series: Jenny Cockell/Mary Sutton
#7 May 20, 2020, We Are Not Here By Accident
#8 June 1, 2020, Children's Past Lives (Carol Bowman)
#9 June 22, 2020, More Children's Past Lives (Ian Stevenson and Jim B. Tucker)
#10 July 2, 2020, Four Stories of Children Who Remembered a Past Life
#11 July 23, 2020, Near Death Experiences/Raymond Moody
#12 August 9, 2020, Near Death Experiences/Anita Moorjani
#13 August 28, 2020, We Are Co-Creators
#14 September 20, 2020, Past Life Series: John B. Gordon/Jeff Keene
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