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Life is Forever: Evidence for Survival After Death
This is a well-documented, highly entertaining book giving case histories that prove there is evidence that life is forever. The Susy Smith Project at the Unviersity of Arizona is at present acknowledged as the source of the Afterlife Codes research, but Susy Smith herself had established a reputation as a writer of critical and objective books in the psychic field many years before she established the Survival Research Foundation and evolved the idea of scientific study of the possibility of communication from the dead by codes. When writing Life is Forever, published originally in 1974, Miss Smith made a comprehensive search of all the literature of the psychic field and chose the best example of each type of experiencedeathbed vision, ghosts with a goal, guardian angels, possession, voice phenomena and all the other curious and interesting means by which dead or dying people managed to provide evidence of their continued existence. This important book has been out of print too long. It will be welcomed back.Visit the Afterlife Codes website of the Susy Smith Project at www.afterlifecodes.com.
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First published January 1, 1974
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April 13, 2024
A SURVEY OF VARIOUS TYPES OF PSYCHICAL RESEARCH SUPPORTING SURVIVAL
Susy Smith (1911–2001; born ‘Ethel Elizabeth Smith’) was a Self-taught Medium, columnist, and author.
She wrote in the first chapter of this 1974 book, “Much that has been written on this subject is in journals and proceedings of psychical research societies or in out-of-print books. Even a lot of the new martial is in specialized magazines nor much read by the general public. I have here made an effort to dig out some of the old and obscure and to gather up some of the new, and to present it in as condensed a form as possible for easy reading. Surprisingly, I found that there are such vast quantities of interesting material that it has been difficult to select from the many good accounts. If anyone can say after reading this book, ‘But no one has returned,’ he will at least say it from the point of view of knowing what the literature of the field has to offer.” (Pg. 9-10)
She continues, “I have gathered together here some well-documented cases and other not well-documented but so similar that they stand by comparison. Many researchers contend that a few well-documented cases are strong enough to support the authenticity of other similar cases which are not documentable. A few of those which do not have the verification of witnesses, or which are possibly suspect because of their age, are thus used here because of their similarity to those others which are stronger. I believe, on the whole, the great number of cases reported here gives pretty sound evidence for survival of the human soul. Read them and see what you think” (Pg. 13)
She explains, “There is an event which occurs to a great many people to which their consciousnesses seem to leave their bodies while they are asleep, under anesthesia, in a coma, or even while awake and resting. This is termed an out-of-body experience (OOBE) or astral projection. They are as varied as the characters and personalities of the individuals who undergo them, but they are real. There is no doubt about that. And they frequently bring about a change in thinking about life after death.” (Pg. 14)
She suggests, “There is indeed a need for revolutionary changes in our philosophical way of thinking, but many of us have not allowed ourselves to face it… Yet when we read of data conclusive to the fact that it is possible for the human mind to leave the body on occasion while the body is alive, it is implied that the mind might also leave at the moment of death and survive when the physical body is destroyed… Here is one thing we should bear in mind. If even one apparition is every definitely authenticated to be the actual conscious surviving remnant of the deceased person he purports to be… then the survival of the human soul has been proved.” (Pg. 32-33)
In Chapter VIII (on ‘Guardian Angels’), she says, “There are undoubtedly many who couldn’t care less for this sort of afterlife activity… But from the evidence of this chapter, if you have recently lost someone wo loves you very much, it seems a reasonable assumption that he or she will continue to be around to help out whenever it is necessary. Even if they are unable to produce psychic phenomena, they may frequently be sending you helpful thoughts when you need them.” (Pg. 85)
She notes, “many persons who start out by using the tipping table or the Ouija board continue their purported correspondence with spirits by means of automatic writing with a pencil, pen, or typewriter. In fact, they are often instructed to do so by their communicant. I was… I now receive reams of inspirational material automatically on the typewriter.” (Pg.132)
She reports, “There are so many remarkable accounts from the really great mediums of past and present that it is difficult to select certain instances as more outstanding than others. Unfortunately, many of the best of them are old standbys and have been restated many times, but they bear repeating in the context in which we are using them. So here are some stories which have been told before, and before that… and they will be told again, as long as men look to mediums for evidence of survival. And here are also a few brand new stories that have never before been published.” (Pg. 186)
She acknowledges, “With some especially gifted mediums a phenomenon known as direct voice sometimes occurs… Although startling and exciting, the evidence it brings is still the criterion by which we must judge the genuineness of such manifestations. Phony trumpet mediums abound, but the real thing is quite rare. If the medium insists that the room must be absolutely dark for a trumpet service, you can take it for granted that whatever comes will be fraudulent.” (Pg. 221)
He records, “The newest, and to me the most challenging thing going on in psychical research today is the upsurge of interest in what appear to be voices captured on tape recorders when no human present is speaking. These voices purport, of course, to come from spirits. They are very faint, at a rapid speed, and quite difficult to hear in most cases, but they are definitely human voices from somewhere. Naturally there is a great deal of controversy about where they come from, and it will undoubtedly go on for a long, long time.” (Pg. 233)
This book may interest some who are studying life after death, and related psychical topics.
Susy Smith (1911–2001; born ‘Ethel Elizabeth Smith’) was a Self-taught Medium, columnist, and author.
She wrote in the first chapter of this 1974 book, “Much that has been written on this subject is in journals and proceedings of psychical research societies or in out-of-print books. Even a lot of the new martial is in specialized magazines nor much read by the general public. I have here made an effort to dig out some of the old and obscure and to gather up some of the new, and to present it in as condensed a form as possible for easy reading. Surprisingly, I found that there are such vast quantities of interesting material that it has been difficult to select from the many good accounts. If anyone can say after reading this book, ‘But no one has returned,’ he will at least say it from the point of view of knowing what the literature of the field has to offer.” (Pg. 9-10)
She continues, “I have gathered together here some well-documented cases and other not well-documented but so similar that they stand by comparison. Many researchers contend that a few well-documented cases are strong enough to support the authenticity of other similar cases which are not documentable. A few of those which do not have the verification of witnesses, or which are possibly suspect because of their age, are thus used here because of their similarity to those others which are stronger. I believe, on the whole, the great number of cases reported here gives pretty sound evidence for survival of the human soul. Read them and see what you think” (Pg. 13)
She explains, “There is an event which occurs to a great many people to which their consciousnesses seem to leave their bodies while they are asleep, under anesthesia, in a coma, or even while awake and resting. This is termed an out-of-body experience (OOBE) or astral projection. They are as varied as the characters and personalities of the individuals who undergo them, but they are real. There is no doubt about that. And they frequently bring about a change in thinking about life after death.” (Pg. 14)
She suggests, “There is indeed a need for revolutionary changes in our philosophical way of thinking, but many of us have not allowed ourselves to face it… Yet when we read of data conclusive to the fact that it is possible for the human mind to leave the body on occasion while the body is alive, it is implied that the mind might also leave at the moment of death and survive when the physical body is destroyed… Here is one thing we should bear in mind. If even one apparition is every definitely authenticated to be the actual conscious surviving remnant of the deceased person he purports to be… then the survival of the human soul has been proved.” (Pg. 32-33)
In Chapter VIII (on ‘Guardian Angels’), she says, “There are undoubtedly many who couldn’t care less for this sort of afterlife activity… But from the evidence of this chapter, if you have recently lost someone wo loves you very much, it seems a reasonable assumption that he or she will continue to be around to help out whenever it is necessary. Even if they are unable to produce psychic phenomena, they may frequently be sending you helpful thoughts when you need them.” (Pg. 85)
She notes, “many persons who start out by using the tipping table or the Ouija board continue their purported correspondence with spirits by means of automatic writing with a pencil, pen, or typewriter. In fact, they are often instructed to do so by their communicant. I was… I now receive reams of inspirational material automatically on the typewriter.” (Pg.132)
She reports, “There are so many remarkable accounts from the really great mediums of past and present that it is difficult to select certain instances as more outstanding than others. Unfortunately, many of the best of them are old standbys and have been restated many times, but they bear repeating in the context in which we are using them. So here are some stories which have been told before, and before that… and they will be told again, as long as men look to mediums for evidence of survival. And here are also a few brand new stories that have never before been published.” (Pg. 186)
She acknowledges, “With some especially gifted mediums a phenomenon known as direct voice sometimes occurs… Although startling and exciting, the evidence it brings is still the criterion by which we must judge the genuineness of such manifestations. Phony trumpet mediums abound, but the real thing is quite rare. If the medium insists that the room must be absolutely dark for a trumpet service, you can take it for granted that whatever comes will be fraudulent.” (Pg. 221)
He records, “The newest, and to me the most challenging thing going on in psychical research today is the upsurge of interest in what appear to be voices captured on tape recorders when no human present is speaking. These voices purport, of course, to come from spirits. They are very faint, at a rapid speed, and quite difficult to hear in most cases, but they are definitely human voices from somewhere. Naturally there is a great deal of controversy about where they come from, and it will undoubtedly go on for a long, long time.” (Pg. 233)
This book may interest some who are studying life after death, and related psychical topics.
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