Stop Worrying! There Probably is an Afterlife

by Greg Taylor

What happens when we die? Over the course of human history, more than 100 billion people have shuffled off this mortal coil, and yet we still have no definitive answer as to their ultimate fate. Religious leaders and outspoken atheists tell us they have the answers, but both want us to take their personal belief on faith. But what if there was another way forward?Over the past 150 years, a small percentage of scientists have taken it upon themselves to investigate testimony given by the dying from their deathbeds, by patients who went as close to death as possible before returning to life, and from others who claim to be able to speak with the dead. At risk of ridicule and damage to their reputations within the academic community, these scientists have nevertheless reported on what they have found. 'Stop Worrying! There Probably is an Afterlife' gives readers a comprehensive overview of this research, and as you'll see there is no shortage of hints and suggestions that some part of us does continue on after the physical death of our body.For too long we've worried and fretted about death, and relied on others to tell us the answer to the ultimate question of life – what happens when it ends. 'Stop Worrying! There Probably is an Afterlife' puts the power back in your hands, helping you to put your concerns to the side and got on with the important part of "A balanced, beautifully written and thoroughly researched aspect of death and dying that rarely sees the light of day. Not since Raymond Moody's book 'Life after Life' have I read anything as fascinating and as interesting... not only opens readers to the mystery of death but also goes a long way to dispelling some of the fear of dying." - Palliative care physician Michael Barbato

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality, Paranormal, 21st Century

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 30, 2013

Reviews

[Nikki ღ Navareus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fabulous read. I cannot get enough of these stories lately. This book is filled with near death experiences as well as departing visions of loved ones at the time of death. Stories from doctors, nurses, hospice workers, as well extremely old historical accounts. Very comforting for those wondering what happens to us after we die.

[Amy Arnold · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this at the request of one of my high school students. I promised her I would read it with an open mind and I did so to the best of my ability. The most that I can say about the book is there are some interesting stories. There are also a lot of logical fallacies and over-extensions. I checked many of the sources quoted in the text and found that general impressions of scientific community were not reflected by the depictions of the author. I wasn't worried anyway, but I don't think that if I were, this book would have been much relief.

[Robert Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and thought provoking. Makes an interesting read alongside Biocentrism by Robert Lanza. The afterlife brought to you by quantum physics. Strangely reassuring bedfellows.

[Aslam Lateef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful well written well thought out and expressed work.

Wonderful well written well thought out and expressed work. Best all-around general and introductory work on the topic of the evidence for persistence of consciousness and afterlife. Not much new info for someone who is well read in this area, but a work I will recommend as a good intro for those newly interested in this important topic.

[Buckanjaer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Grey Taylor's take on the potential reality of an afterlife, and what that would be. He does not focus on the idea of "heaven" or postulate about religions. What he does is explore the ideas of Near Death Experiences (NDE), Mediums whom speak for the dead, and of the mind being separate from the brain and the mysteries of quantum physics to explain it.

I found the NDE section of the book to be the most provocative. The phenomenon is too wide spread to be considered an anomaly, or a figment of individual people's imaginations. But it IS a mental experience. It can only be experienced in the mind. So are people really communicating with the dead?

I felt more cynical about mediums. There are so many tricks that charlatans have used over the centuries. Some of the examples that Taylor uses that are supposed to prove genuine, could still be explained with some of these tricks, like facial ticks, etc. However, I readily admit that just because con artists exist, doesn't mean that real mediums are therefore impossible. The case of Mrs. Piper is the most convincing I have read.

The quantum theory part is over my head, but I found it fascinating. Just what is the mind anyway? Does it really differ from the brain? Can it exist in a computer? "There is a twenty percent chance that we are living in a computer simulation" is the funniest quote in the book; after all, we invented computers, so if we are actually in a simulation, then during this simulation we would have "thought up" the very thing that caused our existence in the simulation to begin with! But it is the thought behind the quote that is important. We can only experience "reality" as we go through our own lives. We can't prove what others know, or that anything we experience is real. The oldest philosophical questions are linked to the ideas about afterlife.

Ultimately, what I liked about Taylor's approach is that he is asking people to ponder it, and not make snap judgments, or hold onto doctrine. We don't know what happens after we die, it is possible that some people are able to cross over temporarily while continuing to live, or to be able to receive messages. But it could also just be the work of brain chemicals going haywire during illness and injury, or of charlatans. But Taylor wants us to recognize and cherish the mystery of it all, the biggest being that we exist in the first place.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant introduction to the idea of conscious survival of death.

Here the concept is examined through the lenses of anecdotal evidence, science, mediumship, personal experience, and so on. What is most interesting about this work is that it is not a feel good examination of the topic, but nor is it given over to knee jerk cynicism. Mr. Taylor is in part skeptical, but, also, in part skeptical of the skeptics [bio-determinists].

If there is a final conclusion, it is that conscious survival of death is a possibility but by no means a certainty. Hence the title – Stop Worrying! There probably is an Afterlife. The title, more than a little flip, makes sense when you realize Mr. Taylor is predominately, according to his Wikipedia page, an author of children’s books and YA fiction. Still, the title is a little on the embarrassing side for such a weighty topic. The style follows in line with the juvenile title – witty and irreverent…at times but not consistently. The arguments readers will find in the book are well reasoned and insightful.

All in all, it is an excellent work that has been well researched and wonderfully written. Also, the book takes a refreshing middle of the road approach that is so rarely seen any longer. Today you are either pro or con the topic…there is no room for reasoned skepticism on either side. Here we have an example of excellent writing and thinking on a divisive issue.

Recommended for all thinking adults with a balanced perspective on life, death, and the whole bloody mess.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

[Jeff Ramone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dumb title, super-interesting read. Ostensibly a look at the history of the view the possibility of the afterlife through the eyes of scientists and mystics alike. The key word in the title is "probably", and the author goes to great lengths to emphasis that there's data worth exploring, but doesn't expect the reader (nor himself)?yo simply take it on faith that we exist after shuffling off the mortal coil. One of the most interesting and brief chapters comes at the end and has to do with quantum physics. It's pretty mind blowing. But again, the author is not suggesting anything definitive, but rather proposing theories. Great read. Definitely recommend.

[John Butts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broad Examination of Conscious Existence After Death

The author does a very good job of examining anecdotes and scientific research associated with the question of life after death. I suppose one can never get enough nde stories but it's interesting to know the history of the human experience with this topic as well as current research and associated theory. For myself, I found the exploration of the relationship between consciousness and quantum physics intriguing. The book makes an interesting argument for the relationship between this obscure science and the fantastic sensory experience of those who have had an nde.

[Terri Huck · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've experienced a series of losses this year, which has me thinking about what happens to our loved ones when they die and will I ever see them again? Taylor's book is an attempt to examine the scientific evidence that consciousness survives death, and it's a refreshing approach that is free of religion. I had no idea that so many researchers have been tackling this topic for years.

I've posted the full review on my blog.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read. A nice mix of anecdotal evidence and scientific theory. A bit of philosophy too. I enjoyed it. I came away feeling like I did on the first page - live life to the fullest.

"- perhaps the true self is the mind or consciousness that originates from that other realm, and who we are in the material realm is a transient, modified version, constricted by the requirements of existence in the physical world."

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read, light and humorous style but well organized and fascinating.