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.
New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in "parapsychology" ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980).
(Recorded on April 20, 2021)
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[@billthorne1]

The Monroe Institute offers a course called "Going Home." It describes a state of being Bob Monroe called "Focus 27" that sounds similar to the Astral World Stafford Betty is discussing, but much more fluid. The dying person passes through Focus 27 when crossing from this physical life to another form of existence. You can spend time with them in the Focus 27 state and it's really quite wonderful. We've helped dying family members and friends and strangers in mass death events locate and navigate in Focus 27.

[@therevddrruwanpalapathwala1463]

My personal research involving 638 people over 30 years confirms Dr Betty’s findings of the after life. Thank you Dr Mishlove for this episode.

[@joetotale6354]

Were the reports sent back from the other side consistent?

[@pr4f603]

Travel in saucers?

[@Knightfall3000]

@@pr4f603 yes, if they want to explore deep space

[@janetworrell5979]

I enjoyed your guest so much. I was born in 1950 so I’m experiencing death all around me. A few months ago my dear younger brother passed. A few years before that my dear sister passed. I believe in the after life so it give my comfort listening to your guest. God be with you both. 🌼🍀☀️🍀🌼

[@pheresy1367]

We are all on the same "conveyor belt", headed for the same place. I was born in 1955, so I'm just 5 buckets behind you.... :) My dad just died, but he was 92. It is hard to believe he is no longer existing in "this realm".... :)

[@wantabwriter]

I have had an interest in this for many years, and never actually knew why. I have never had any experiences as many that are commenting , but I feel the comments are generally good and informative, and Drs. Betty and Mishlove are giants in these talks. BTW Janet, I am trailing you by a year and also seeing so many people from school and childhood passing on. My parents passed very long ago as did my wife's parents. When my mother died I consoled myself with things much like this.--- I wish you well.

[@janetworrell5979]

@@wantabwriter Thanks for your message. I think I’m doing better. I found it extremely hard when my siblings passed but I can feel their presence when I need too. My twin brother and I are the only ones left of our nuclear family. It can be lonely at times. We were all so good together.

[@jimji2774]

You say that there are no sources as detailed as Swedonbourg. Have you heard of Jurgen Ziewe ? Hundreds of hours exploring the higher dimensions including other planets and he is still alive today. Check out his book Vistas of Infinity for the most complete descriptions.

[@taylorbaxter659]

Fascinating interview, but I was really surprised by his reference to "Time." At 43:05 "He's not allowed to practice his therapy for a year." This reference to "Time" in the other World seems to contradict the often-repeated maxim that there is NO sense of Time in the other World.

[@ginageorgio814]

We create our afterlife I believe too ♥️

[@peterturley1331]

Yes Gina. I agree.💜

[@r3b3lvegan89]

That which is eternal has no beginning or end, so it’s impossible to be created, it is ever present. Beliefs are mostly the longing to return to our pure essence of divinity/love. Namaste

[@KP-ek9ok]

I want to go wherever my dog goes

[@davidwise3426]

Very good discussion. Book spoiler alert! Doctors Carl A. Wickland, Shakuntala Modi and Michael Newton also describe the spirit world and afterlife. There is always hope for each and everyone of us. I think the higher one goes up into the spiritual realms, the more joy is felt.

[@chuckallen6487]

Thanks for those names, David, I will check the out. That's not a spoiler, that's another road to self-discovering.

[@chuckallen6487]

I seldom watched a video in its entirety, platitudes, and redundancies bore my little sister and me to death. But that interview was for us both more than a revelation. There is a twilight world between the etheric and the earthly one, which is seldom touched by other investigators; but the people there, those who could never renounce the pleasures of the physical world and prefer its shadows to the light are legion. I'm glad Dr. Betty mentions the souls hanging around bars and drinking imaginary booze gulping vapors off the gullets of drunks and even possessing them.

[@RnBReworked]

"What Dreams May Come" is easily in my top 5 of my favorite films. Me and Robin Williams share the same birth day, which I discovered after watching the movie years ago. I've always felt a connection with his energy.

[@mayateola4732]

What a wonderful interview 😍 I first encountered the idea of creating our own after life when I began reading Terry Pratchett's books. I was so fascinated by that notion and so hoped that would be true for us too)))

[@chuckallen6487]

Thanks for the advice, Maya; my little sister and I would certainly look for Terry Pratchett's books. Have a nice day.

[@r3b3lvegan89]

Highly disagree with Betty claiming that early humans didn’t have an afterlife. We are all one consciousness so it is contradicting to say that “evolution” helped with an afterlife……eternity is eternal, it has no creation or ending…..so how could an afterlife not be there even for early humans which by all evidence were highly intelligent and spiritual and innovative and self aware of their essence. So there’s 2 ways that show Betty’s misperception but we are all learning. God is ever present and loving. If we are apart of God then even the very first human BEINGS couldn’t have not had an afterlife because it’s our initial state of being which is infinite love. Namaste

[@cullenrichardson1944]

Excellent work, Stafford! I'm excited to read the new book.

[@lizafield9002]

Hope to meet Huston Smith! He taught me to stand on my head! He did that headstand into high old age. Question: Eben Alexander said the different worlds don't separate us, but we can connect just thru a thought of them (love!) Soundvright? Hope so, as i feel my departed mom was more evolved than i, & I'll likely end up in the dilapidated run down city & won't be able to shower her with love & gratitude. She'll be in some celestial realm full of the trees & creeks we both loved. Maybe she'll come get me out of Ruined City! 😊🌲🌃🌿🦋

[@wantabwriter]

Huston Smith standing on his head. Some things are just so interesting when learning of a noted person doing a rare move as this. Your writing on some points is worth comments.

[@michaeltymn2370]

It's too bad we don't have more religion and philosophy professors like Stafford Betty. The world might not be falling apart if we did.

[@vadamulder4608]

Hi Stafford! Fun running into you on KZbin! Great interview and I will look into your new book. Hope all is well. Thank you Jeffrey for this episode. Always interesting!

[@estelsaradop492]

I'd like to ask your view of the late Michael Newton's work. I stumbled upon his work years ago and this has turned on my interest.

[@Rvnmoon111]

A NOVEL is Fiction, so anyone who writes novels is good at “making up stories”, need I say more? I know spirits exist, I have seen them but this nice man does not convince me because his info comes from mediums who are basically psychics and story tellers in my view. Nde’rs are much more compelling to me.

[@davidsillars3181]

I was present at a soul release for a suicide, a Tibetan Lama conducted this. Many of us there described an inner vision of the deceased which matched rather eerily. This 'phowa' is also conducted for people who don't know they have died and to assist the dying. I have had too many dreams in which I met the dead in simulcrums of earthly environments to dismiss Stafford's ideas about astral worlds. I guess I won't know till I'm there! Nice chat. 🕉

[@pr4f603]

We need to give them a break and stop sending ignoramuses over there

[@tarotdreamseverythinginbet350]

I came here by accident. This channel was recommended on a reddit post. This is the first video I decided to click on. So random that I literally just had a discussion with a friend less than an hour ago about "What dreams may come"! We were saying that this movie seems like it is such a close description of what it really is like in the after life. Brilliant movie and very engaging.

[@jerryk3280]

As the saying goes, there really are no accidents 🙂

[@TheBigBumpinPartyPad]

Shadowlands is also the name of the afterlife-themed expansion for World of Warcraft...!

[@MermaidAlertnessCourse]

Love the old music!!

[@adagietto2523]

I love Dr Betty's documentary books, interesting to hear about this work of fiction based on his researches.

[@Dellen-Roger]

What do you mean?

[@Drvenjola]

Finally the old intro is baaack!!!

[@zardoz7900]

What's strange to me is that how long do you stay in heaven or how long do you retain your characteristics? I find it difficult to think of it as eternal and never changing.

[@khoney32]

The writing is incredible

[@innerstar6569]

I didn't know that the way that we exit is important. We should exit from the pineal gland. The book of emerald tablets of thoth speaks about concentrating all your energy at the center. Some people are not ready and exit from the solar plexus or other parts.

[@karoblazenko]

Dear Mr. Betty will be greatly surprised when he finds out (after his own death) about the afterlife of Neanderthals :) The thing is, Swedenborg, which you mentioned, says that before the current human race (that we call Homo Sapiens), there was another human race, very similar but with a few differences - some anatomical, some spiritual; and that this earlier race is the one that perished in the Great Flood. Mind you, according to him, the Flood story is written in purely symbolic language; there was no water actually involved, no ark, and "Noah" is only a symbol for the first tribes of our own race, that survived the "flood". When you look at the anatomical differences he mentions, combined with the fact of a rapid and total extinction of a complete race, it is extremely clear that this earlier race are the Neanderthals (and Denisovans; ie. the "archaic humans"); and the "Great Flood" IS in fact the (still unexplained) Neanderthal Extinction event. Btw, Swedenborg knew and wrote about all this full 80 years before even the first N. bones were excavated, a century before archaeologists realized the bones belong to a separate race, and even more decades before they realized there was a rapid mass extinction. Altogether, it constitutes one of the main proofs that Swedenborg wasn't either crazy or making stuff up, as some believe, because he obviously knew things that not only were unknown at his time - they were literally UNKNOWABLE. Yet, he knew about Neanderthals and their extinction a full century before it was even possible, because "angels" told him about it all. (Not to mention that he knew about the differing roles of our brain's halves; which was also literally unknowable until brain activity scanning was available in mid-20th century). As for Neanderthals' afterlife - contrary to our ideas of them, according to Swedenborg they were initially a completely heavenly race, extremely - even purely - spiritual, unconcerned with earthly life. They were all about loving and supporting each other, about God, about connecting to heavenly realms and their ancestors, and had a whole range of theologies, represented in the Bible (symbolically) by the long ancestry lists in Genesis 1. But, the human ego was slowly forming, and with thousands of years, this connection to heaven slowly deteriorated, eventually completely, until - from once the best humans that ever walked the Earth - they became the worst generations ever. This slow but complete deterioration was due to their psychological setup, which was different from our in one crucial way (look it up in Swedenborg's Arcana Celestia). The next race, ie we, the Homo Sapiens ("Noah" and his descendants) are different in that we have a fail-safe mechanism, which we call - conscience. We can correct our behavior based on what we know, which they couldn't. Of course, we can - and do - fail on individual basis, but we're safe as a race, from such a mass-downfall. In any case, the surprise that awaits Mr. Betty, is that not only have Neanderthals had an afterlife, but that the very highest Heavens of our earthly afterlife are inhabited *mostly by Neadnderthals*. :D By their early generations, that is. They constitute some of the "highest angels" in afterlife realms. Their last generations, however, inhabit the lowest of "hells"...

[@originalcableguy]

I was so convinced I bought your book "The Afterlife Unveiled" by Stafford Betty =))) Great value considering I could bring it to the netherworld! XD

[@steadyliam]

Jeff, it’d be great if you could try and get Chris Bache on the show. His latest book, “LSD and the Mind of the Universe”, is extremely interesting.

[@RichardDownsmusic]

Yes! he would be a great guest!!!

[@pheresy1367]

YES! I totally read his book. I personally have experienced some of the realms he described when I was a teen during the early 70's. When I first heard him speak, I was SO happy, as if I'd waited my whole life for "SOMEONE" to finally speak on those rarified "states" of consciousness in such vivid detail. The Leary, Metzner, Alpert book from 1964 "Psychedelic Experience" touched on these ideas but was still only basic in its description. Terrence McKenna never even came close. I am always happy to hear Professor Bache speak!!!! So yeah!

[@pr4f603]

_Unified Psychic Field of Humanity_ ~ we will ALL GO UP TOGETHER!

[@MrBrindleStyle]

wow (@30 mins) I was once outside a bar and took a photo of two people - the air around them and the sky in the background was absolutely FILLED with hundreds of orbs. Normally I usually get one maybe two or three... not usually an entire skyfull.

[@PalmarLlano]

Jeffrey and Stafford, why the need to grow if you reach the midway point, say first thru third dimension? Why not enjoy intellectual spiritual learning and forget suffering on earth? Why not just create stuff there?

[@gillrippingale1173]

I found this very interesting. The novel does sound in keeping with many of Jurgen Ziewe's descriptions of his travels into other realms. I find this a very convincing and inspiring description of an afterlife where there are no limits to our growth - our future development is in our own hands..

[@wantabwriter]

I have seen ads for Jurgen Ziewe books but I have delayed in buying one. Your mentioning this has me leaning toward doing so.

[@gillrippingale1173]

@@wantabwriter I have read his book 'Multidimensional Man', which is good, however I read it after having watched a number of his interviews and videos so I already felt I knew the author. He comes across very well in interviews ( there is one of him being interviewed on 'Conscious TV' on KZbin) He comes across as very genuine and compassionate. The book 'Multidimensional Man' was compiled from his own diaries of his astral travels, so the diary form is more matter of fact in style. I would recommend his website ( Multidimensional Man again)

[@wantabwriter]

@@gillrippingale1173 Very kind of you to respond so quickly. It is strange discovering some of these interests that people, many being highly respected and well-educated are involved in. I honestly will say I was completely skeptical of so much of the psychic phenomena a number of years back. It is a fascinating study and gives hope to many. I will look in on the information you have passed along. My thanks.

[@timteo1]

excellent!

[@jamespoff8632]

I remember as a child very young I was troubled about something (I don't remember what it was) and I told myself just close your eyes james when you open them again EVERYTHING WILL B DIFFERENT. I wonder how I knew that?

[@khoney32]

Loved hearing the excerpts and basic plots within this amazing book! Wow! Inspiring and helps me pinpoint catalysts of evolution in my life here on Earth.

[@pheresy1367]

What about "Transmigration of the Soul"? Or what about the "Pure Land" Buddhist vision of the "hereafter"? They describe an afterlife that provides a more conducive environment for developing their "Buddha Nature". It's NOT an eternal paradise, but a place to do "work". I'm guessing that the "hereafter" is vast and multitiered.

[@asan1050]

Thanks!

[@A7k7o7s]

I suggest comparing these works to Jacob Lorber's accounts on the souls course in the after life, e.g. Robert Blum or Bishop Martin from the early 19th century.

[@AtticusStount]

No, we also call them family counselors or therapists interchangeably. There's a similar word councillor, IE: someone working for local government. That's possibly what his problem was.

[@bennguyen1313]

So is there a 2nd death that occurs once you've climbed thru all the spirit energies, where you return back to the oneness and ceasing having a unique/conscious experience? On a recent Mysterious Universe podcast (25.18 - Ancestral Mind Lasers) they suggest the power and uniqueness it is to be a human, compared to other alien races.. and how we've been given this experience as a means to grow?!

[@SainteMichele]

what happened to the Trance-y music?

[@Lu11abi]

this story should be a tv series. It's not as dark as what I like to consume, but Def gonna grab a copy!

[@mastersodamastasoda1980]

It is. It's called "The good place" lol.

[@slydavis6882]

It sounds like Dr Staffods book is set in "The Good Place"

[@tiggykatz8707]

Thank you, this was a great interview. It resonates with me so much so I will be seeking out his book.

[@lizafield9002]

A Dickens character, Mark Tobler or something maybe from Martin Chuzzlewit, sought the worst conditions, to bring "'appiness!", like your bodhisattva character seeking a hell realm. So cool. Maybe that's why we chose Earth. It is quite daunting here. Americans think suffering is a terrible mistake & failure, & work so constantly to avoid it, there's no time to do what the soul came to do.

[@jackflanagle6079]

The United Security States of Anxiety (USSA) is 'all about the Benjamins'.

[@mj-uc6wc]

Basically, the more privlidged and sheltered you are the less horrific stuff you'll have in your subconscious and unconscious, therefore a better afterlife. Yeah, as above so below, I guess...

[@StephenCRose]

Doesn't freedom in heaven allow one to reject those who will be hostile?

[@jeffdunlap2754]

Existence is about Ideas, Truth, Meaning, following your Conscience, and making your Consciousness about Love, Forgiveness. and Healing.

[@mysticdan]

Anybody forming a depiction of the afterlife based on mediumistic communications needs to read The Siren Call of Hungry Ghosts by Joe Fisher. Many times the entities coming through mediums give false names and their past life existence cannot be validated. If we know they are lying in one area, it becomes hard to trust what they say about another-the afterlife. That's not to say that everything they say is false. Finding commonalities is important and looking at the Near-Death Experience literature will help to give us a better understanding of what awaits us after death. It is still unclear how much of mediumistic communication is imagination and how much is legit information about the afterlife.

[@lewisstaffordbetty5313]

You make a good point. That's why it's important to look at dozens of such accounts, compare them, and synthesize them. As for NDEs, they don't come close to giving the detail you get from these mediumistic communications. NDErs don't live in the astral. At best they only visit for a few minutes. They are helpful in forming the total picture, however.

[@Dellen-Roger]

​@lewisstaffordbetty5313 what do you think happens?

[@ianinjapan2]

Did this "Ti-Tsang" refer to 地蔵 Bodhisattva, who is well-known here in Japan as a guide for those recently deceased? If so, his name in Chinese pinyin would be "DiCang" (which in the Wade-Giles romanization system would be "Ti-Ts'ang"). The reason why I ask is, in Sanskrit, DiCang's name is Ksitigarbha, not Avalokitesvara (the Bodhisattva of compassion) whose name is 観音: "Kannon" in Japanese and "GuanYin" in Chinese?

[@lewisstaffordbetty5313]

Yes, this is the same character--inspired by my study of Avalokiteshvara. He is a major character in one of the chapters and even shows a sense of humor. Who can't love Ti-tsang (DiCang)?

[@timr3023]

What is the machine sound I hear, at points?

[@jackflanagle6079]

I don't know, but I hope I don't have to listen to any weed whackers on the other side.

[@dar_jada]

@@jackflanagle6079 that's weed wacker hell, lol.

[@lanceanderson1513]

I would like to know if Stafford Betty is familiar with Allan Kardec, the codifier of Spiritism (1804-1869)? He too surveyed mediums from around the world regarding the afterlife. He looked for commonalities in their answers to get a picture of the afterlife. He wrote 5 books: The Spirits Book (1857), The Book on Mediums (1861), The Gospel According to Spiritism (1864), Heaven and Hell (1865), and Genesis According to Spiritism (1868). I would also like to know if Mr. Betty is familiar with the works of Emanuel Swedenborg.

[@NewThinkingAllowed]

Of course. He is familiar with both Kardec and Swedenborg.

[@lanceanderson1513]

@@NewThinkingAllowed: Thank you for the quick reply. I wasn't sure I'd even get one since this video is from a couple of years ago. :)

[@ginageorgio814]

You would know your dead if u don't go toilet or eat lol t Those people are unevolved spiritual y

[@christofl6523]

Maybe you have spiritual poop.

[@jackflanagle6079]

@@christofl6523 Holy Shit!

[@VladyslavKL]

🦋

[@bajajones5093]

Dr. Betty, I appreciate and enjoy your work and I am in great agreement with you. But I simply cannot accept that the union with the "GODHEAD" is about concerts and all of the other Earthy activities you mention. I know the work is fiction but it seems a big "EGOIC" for my liking. Cheers!

[@contemplativepursuits]

ॐ 🙏

[@belindabarbo5392]

💫👑💫

[@barbarabartels5449]

Maybe I am dead now!😄

[@withgoddess]

I was with him until he said other beings have not had an afterlife. The arrogance!

[@houmandehdashtidmd9078]

No dentists! Hmm..lol

[@humanelectromagneticpsych7960]

Plasma universe is plastic

[@krismck6872]

Lol, just making shit up.

[@robertdownie6135]

I find Staffords teachings very re-assurring