Adventures in Istanbul and VBIANDS Presentation

ANNOUNCEMENTS

*** Just back from one week in Istanbul, Turkey, where I delivered a talk about the material in Dying to Know You: Proof of God in the Near-Death Experience. The crowd numbered 2,356 and were from five countries. I am so glad I did not listen to the naysayers, including our own State Department about not going. It was a great trip. More about it in the November edition of my free monthly newsletter, and in a short article called “Adventures in Istanbul” which is posted in the Article Section of my website at www.pmhatwater.com.

*** For those who live near Virginia Beach, Virginia, I will be speaking there on December 3rd for the IANDS group. They meet in the conference room of the A.R.E. in the morning; in the afternoon I do a workshop on “Time to Get Real About the Aftereffects.” Hope to see some of your there. 

VBIANDS - OUR NEXT SPEAKER

Dr. PMH Atwater, L.H.D.

December 3, 2016

at Edgar Cayce's A.R.E

67th and Atlantic, Virginia Beach, VA 

Presentation: Sat., December 3 at the A.R.E. from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon

An international authority on Near-Death states, Dr. PMH Atwater, L.H.D. will be presenting “Glimpses of Beyond,” a program based on her latest book, “Dying to Know You:  Proof of God in the Near-Death Experience”.  This is the “people’s book”; a summation of over four thousand adult and child Near-Death experiencers—their words, their truth, and their wisdom. What lies at the heart of Near-Death Experiences? A God that in ways beyond description, smiles at you… an all-encompassing Oneness.  This presentation will also include forty drawings of adult and children of six countries representing the collective hearts of the Near-Death Experience.

Gary "Cody" Johnson, The Voyage of Purpose, and an NDE Handbook for Clinicians

***  Gary “Cody” Johnson passed away on December 18th.  Cody was a renaissance man and maverick who founded The Prophets Conference, The Great Mystery online programs, and many other events down through the years that made an incredible difference to thousands of people.  His own life was turned around by a near-death experience.  After that he dedicated his life to the transformation of consciousness – to help the conscious evolution of humanity.  His wife, Robin, plans to continue some of his programs.  

***  David Bennett has appeared on “George Noory’s Coast-to-Coast AM Radio” on Wednesday, January 11.  The two talked about David’s book, Voyage of Purpose – an important book, not only because it describes what “killed” David, but what he went through integrating the aftereffects of his near-death episode.  Few near-death books go into the aftereffects like David’s does.  Consult the archives of Coast-to-Coast for a replay of this show.  

***  Finally, there is a near-death book for clinicians.  There has never been one before, so this is very important.  The book is Making Sense of Near-Death Experiences:  A Handbook for Clinicians, edited by Mahendra Perera, Karuppiah Jagadheesan, and Anthony Peake.  Published by Jessica Kingsley:  London and Philadelphia, 2012.  Please, buy a copy for your doctor, clinics and hospitals, for mental health-care professionals, educators, nurses, any and everyone connected with physical/mental health-care and educational efforts.  I feel so strongly about this book that I am having it posted on my website Home Page, as a permanent entry.  Clinicians need to know about this book.  It is relatively small, so should not be a reading issue for anyone.

 

LENGTH OF TIME DEAD - NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCERS

I am very concerned about claims from near-death experiencers concerning how long they were without vital signs, as if this were the single sign of legitimacy (which it is not).

The average length of time without vital signs in my research (and corresponding with most of the researchers I know) is from five to twenty minutes. The longest in modern history is George Rodania, supposedly a corpse for three days. I say "supposedly" because the only evidence I have for this comes from his wife Nino and their two children, not from the hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia - although their account, especially hers, is not only riveting but evidential. Historically, in the writings of Plato, we do have the case of Er, the soldier, dead for 10 days before he revived on his funeral pyre, but we have no way to validate that story, tantalizing as it may be.

Thanks to my latest book, NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES: THE REST OF THE STORY, we now have the case of Bruna Reyn (62-63). Bruna drowned in the cistern of the convent of The Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross when she was three. At the time, the near-death episode she had was considered a dream, as a raging fever took precedence. In 1994 her mother contacted her to say The Sisters wanted to talk with her. Apparently, The Sisters who had rescued her and the physician who had treated her, had recorded every detail of the event and had submitted their documentation to the Catholic Church for an official investigation of a possible miracle. . . she had been dead for at least six hours. The Church did indeed investigate her case. Because of what they found, she was invited to attend the 1995 Beatification Mass for Sr. Maria Theresia Scherer, had an audience with the Pope, and received a medal, acknowledging the validity of what had happened to her and her miracle survival. Bruna, by the way, throughout her life, has exhibited most of the aftereffects pattern. --PMH

Natalie Smith-Blakeslee

Well-known and loved near-death experiencer, Natalie Smith-Blakeslee, passed away October 28, 2009. She had cancer in her brain fluid and spine, which suddenly became aggressive and took her life in mere months. She had just married Steve Hodak the year before, the two celebrating their first wedding anniversary when she became ill. Natalie had a late-in-life daughter still in grade school, and several grown children, although a daughter preceded in her death several years ago.

Natalie had a section in the Marketplace on my website for many years. She refined her "breakthrough" abilities after her near-death state, training at Lily Dale to become a professional medium, psychic, and spiritualist minister. What set her apart, however, was her uncommon generosity to others and her devotion to hospice and those in grief, especially from the death of a child. She finally wrote her book about what happened to her along life's way. Check on her website to find out how to obtain a copy, if any are still available. Natalie had plans to host a brand new TV show and was filled with life and a multitude of projects. That's why her sudden death was such a surprise. During the early days of my near-death research, Natalie proved to be far more than a research subject. She arranged several talks for me and promoted my work tirelessly. She had clear, sharp eyes, as if she could see forever, and a smile that could melt concrete. To say that she was an angel of light would be an understatement, as she helped thousands and thousands of people. She will be missed!

Right now, her husband Steve Hodak needs you. He was one of those who lost their job during the downturn. They have no insurance, no money - not even enough to bury her. If you can possibly help out, return to her family what she so generously gave to others during decades of service, please do. Any amount will be helpful. There are several ways to give. On her website at www.loveandlight.com, there is a PayPal button. Or, if you're like me and prefer to send a check, make it out to Steve Hodak and mail it to him at P. O. Box 352, Girard, PA 16417. On behalf of her family, thank you!!

Natalie, you were a blessing to the world. Much love, PMH