My passion for metaphysics was ignited by an odd sequence of events that followed my husband’s death in 2001. He had been profoundly affected by progressive multiple sclerosis. Yet, beginning the night after his death and for the twenty-two years since, he has reached out to me time and again. I take great comfort in knowing that he's still somewhere, and very much his former vibrant, funny, loving self. Even though my life has moved on, and I met the woman who would later become my wife, my late husband remains very much a part of my life and spiritual education. As to who I am—only time will tell.
In October 2004, I tuned the television to the series, Unsolved Mysteries, to provide background noise while I had lunch.
When George Anderson’s story was featured, I was riveted, and ordered We Don’t Die as soon as the show ended. That led me to a myriad of other metaphysical books and experiences, and a fascination that has not waned in the nearly two decades since I first heard of George and his ability to speak with those who have passed from physical life.
As I have learned over the years, it was not by accident that I saw that TV show. It was a soul signal that I’d set for myself before birth, to guide me to a new phase of my life.
This is the phenomenal true story of the world-renowned psychic medium George Anderson-the groundbreaking book that first brought afterlife experience into the light. For over 12 years Joel Martin documented evidence of Anderson's powers-the ability to reach 'the other side'-and repeatedly astonished believers and skeptics. This is the book of those universal visions, the inspiring messages of hope, truth, and peace, and a glimpse into eternity to answers to the unfathomable questions about life and death.
As part of my metaphysical quest, I had several readings through a medium my sister-in-law recommended.
In the second reading, my late husband came through loud and clear, and I was given a recommendation to read Echoes of the Soul. When I read it, it was as if I remembered it, rather than reading it for the first time. I understand this book, too, was a soul signal I set before birth that kept me moving toward my destiny.
My wife and I had the opportunity several years later to attend a seminar Echo Bodine conducted in Atlanta, and Echo was as impressive in person as on the pages of Echoes of the Soul.
During my decades of intensive metaphysical reading, I encountered good, bad, and mediocre books.
The best ones sparked not only intellectual interest, but stimulated my desire to learn more. Such books were difficult to set aside, as they revealed the enthralling experiences of ordinary people who got caught up in unexplained circumstances, all of which pointed the way to eternal life between physical lives.
When I pickedJourney of Soulsto read, I did not know that I was preparing the way for metaphysical episodes of my own, ie. out-of-body experiences and vision dreams, which would change the course of my life. Copious folded corners, underlined passages, and margin notes indicate how seminal I found this book to my own path.
While in deep hypnosis, 29 patients of the author describe their hidden memories of the hereafter, including what has happened to them between their former reincarnations on earth. They reveal how it feels to die, who meets us after death, and what the spirit world is like.
It is Dr. Weiss’ account of his progression through his therapeutic hypnotic practice from scientific skepticism to steadfast belief in survival of the soul and reincarnation. I was so fascinated that I attended two of his seminars, in 2010 and 2013, and for the first time, experienced past life regression for myself.
My initial regression was to a childhood memory, which instructed me how to overcome the writing block I was experiencing. Following the advice of that regression, when I resumed working on my book, the story fairly poured out of me, resulting in a finished first draft in three weeks.
The second seminar was equally valuable, though in more metaphysical ways that I would not fully grasp until several years later.
From author and psychotherapist Dr. Brian Weiss comes the classic New York Times bestseller on the true case of the past-life therapy that changed the lives of both the prominent psychiatrist and young patient involved-now featuring a new afterword by the author.
As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks. His skepticism was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from the "space between lives," which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss' family and…
By the time I read Courageous Souls, I had, through a combination of reading and metaphysical experiences, developed a deep belief in the survival and reincarnation of souls.
So, encountering the ten personal stories contained within the book did not introduce me to anything new. What it did, however, was dive deeper into questions that have plagued philosophers and theologians.
Why do some people stumble through life, and others float blithely above universal chaos? How do we square the concept of a loving Creator with all the evils which escaped Pandora’s Box, and haunt humanity? Is it possible that we truly choose personal adversities to be part of our lifetime? And if so, why?
This book further expanded my growing understanding of the spiritual soul choices that guide all incarnations.
Would you like to understand the deeper spiritual meaning of physical illness, parenting handicapped children, drug addiction, alcoholism, the death of a loved one, accidents, deafness, and blindness?
Your Soul’s Plan (which was originally published under the title Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?) explores the premise that we are all eternal souls who plan our lives, including our greatest challenges, before we are born for the purpose of spiritual growth. Through compelling profiles of people who knowingly planned the experiences mentioned above, Your Soul’s Plan shows that suffering is not purposeless, but rather imbued with…
Loss is one of humanity’s universal experiences. No one gets through life without the loss of a loved one. The desire to know what comes next for that lost loved one, and in doing so, desiring to know what will ultimately come next for one’s self, is also universal. Walking the Labyrinth is about learning to love again, after barely surviving the grief of loss. It is about romantic love, about the love of friends who refuse to give up, and about love reborn, even when it takes every ounce of courage to accept that love.
At its heart, Walking the Labyrinth asks the soul’s most poignant questions: does love survive beyond death, and does a lost loved one still exist…somewhere?
I’m an OB/GYN, passionate about adventuring beyond what’s expected. This has led me to pivot multiple times in my career, now focusing on writing. I’ve written a play, The Post-Roe Monologues, to elevate women’s stories. I cherish the curiosity that drives outer and inner exploration, and I love memoirs that skillfully weave the two. The books on this list feature extraordinary women who took risks, left comfort and safety, and battled vulnerability to step into the unknown. These authors moved beyond the stories they’d believed about themselves–or that others told about them. They invite you to think about living fuller and bigger lives.
Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctor—and only woman—on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.
The team attempts a new route up the East Face without the use of supplemental oxygen, Sherpa support, or chance for rescue. When three climbers disappear during their summit attempt, Zieman reaches the knife edge of her limits and digs deeply to fight for the climbers’ lives and to find her voice.
The plan was outrageous: A small team of four climbers would attempt a new route on the East Face of Mt. Everest, considered the most remote and dangerous side of the mountain, which had only been successfully climbed once before. Unlike the first large team, Mimi Zieman and her team would climb without using supplemental oxygen or porter support. While the unpredictable weather and high altitude of 29,035 feet make climbing Everest perilous in any condition, attempting a new route, with no idea of what obstacles lay ahead, was especially audacious. Team members were expected to push themselves to their…
