Beyond and Back

I have a new favorite TV show called "I Survived: Beyond and Back." It airs on Sunday nights at 7pm on the Biography channel. If you've ever wondered if there is an after life, this is definitely the show to watch.

The premise of the show is that they tell the story of 2-3 different people who clinically died and then came back to life (in most cases their heart stopped for 20 minutes or more). The people share the experiences they had while they were 'dead', what they saw and felt and learned. They also show what the people who were trying to save them were experiencing as well.

The people tell stories of the relatives they spoke with, the intense feelings of peace and love that they had, the understanding of how everything in life made sense when they were "on the other side." Many of them went through life reviews, where they saw their whole life flash before them and could see where their journey had taken them thus far and why. Often times, the people don't want to come back - they want to stay on the other side because it is such an intensely wonderful experience to be on the other side.

It usually takes away any fear they ever had of dying, as they realize that it is not only something they shouldn't be afraid of but actually it is something to look forward to. They often have a renewed sense of purpose, a shift in priorities and a new found belief in something greater than themselves.

In one episode, a man in his late 50's explains that when he was "on the other side" he saw his beloved dog who had passed away many years earlier. He got choked up and started to cry, when he said how shocked he was, as he didn't know animals went to the same place we went to, . Through tears he said, "It was so good to see him again."

It reminded me of a conversation I had once with a client's elderly mom when my client's dog was getting ready to make her transition. Her mom told us she was sure that animals didn't go to the same place we did and my client and I just smiled at each other, because we knew that wasn't the truth. Some people do believe that animals don't have souls like we do but I know that they do.

I think part of the reason I love this show so much is that it confirms so many of the beliefs that I have about the other side, about what the purpose of our journey is while we are here and how much support we really do have as we try to make our way on our given paths.

If you haven't seen the show, I highly recommend it. If nothing else, it will give you some things to think about. Maybe it will even take away any fear you may have about the loss of life, whether it is the loss of a person or an animal.

The new season starts tonight!!