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Reunions: Visionary Encounters with Departed Loved Ones
Detailed instructions on how to communicate with the dead highlight the sequel to Life After Life, which offers clear evidence for the existence of life after death and a collection of accounts of the paranormal. 100,000 first printing. Tour.
212 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
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324 people want to read
About the author
Raymond A. Moody Jr.
98 books240 followersRaymond Moody, M.D., Ph.D. is the bestselling author of eleven books which have sold over 20 million copies. His seminal work, Life After Life, has completely changed the way we view death and dying and has sold over 13 million copies worldwide. His latest book is GLIMPSES OF ETERNITY: Sharing a Loved One's Passage from this Life to the Next.
Dr. Moody is the leading authority on the "near-death experience"--a phrase he coined in the late seventies. He is best known for his ground-breaking work on the near-death experience and what happens when we die. The New York Times calls Dr. Moody "the father of the near-death experience."
Dr. Moody has enlightened and entertained audiences all over the world for over three decades. He lectures on such topics as: Near Death Experiences, Death With Dignity, Life After Loss, Surviving Grief & Finding Hope, Reunions: Visionary Encounters With Departed Loved Ones, The Healing Power of Humor, The Loss of Children, The Logic of Nonsense, and Catastrophic Tragedies & Events causing collective grief response.
In addition to his writing and lecturing, he is in the private practice of philosophical counseling and consulting on dying. Dr. Moody also trains hospice workers, clergy, psychologists, nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals on matters of grief recovery and dying. He helps people to identify systems of support and to cope with their anxiety, grief, and loss through better understanding of mourning and bereavement.
Dr. Moody received his medical degree from the College of Georgia and his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Virginia where he also received his M.A. and B.A.
He is the recipient of many awards including the World Humanitarian Award and a bronze medal in the Human Relations category at the New York Film Festival for the movie version of Life After Life.
Dr. Moody is a frequent media guest and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show three times, as well as on hundreds of other local and nationally syndicated programs such as MSNBC: Grief Recovery, Today, ABC's Turning Point, and hundreds more.
Dr. Moody is the leading authority on the "near-death experience"--a phrase he coined in the late seventies. He is best known for his ground-breaking work on the near-death experience and what happens when we die. The New York Times calls Dr. Moody "the father of the near-death experience."
Dr. Moody has enlightened and entertained audiences all over the world for over three decades. He lectures on such topics as: Near Death Experiences, Death With Dignity, Life After Loss, Surviving Grief & Finding Hope, Reunions: Visionary Encounters With Departed Loved Ones, The Healing Power of Humor, The Loss of Children, The Logic of Nonsense, and Catastrophic Tragedies & Events causing collective grief response.
In addition to his writing and lecturing, he is in the private practice of philosophical counseling and consulting on dying. Dr. Moody also trains hospice workers, clergy, psychologists, nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals on matters of grief recovery and dying. He helps people to identify systems of support and to cope with their anxiety, grief, and loss through better understanding of mourning and bereavement.
Dr. Moody received his medical degree from the College of Georgia and his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Virginia where he also received his M.A. and B.A.
He is the recipient of many awards including the World Humanitarian Award and a bronze medal in the Human Relations category at the New York Film Festival for the movie version of Life After Life.
Dr. Moody is a frequent media guest and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show three times, as well as on hundreds of other local and nationally syndicated programs such as MSNBC: Grief Recovery, Today, ABC's Turning Point, and hundreds more.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 22, 2015
The author once again offers a deeply moving work that describes an ancient technique of contacting those who have died. The most compelling passages are in the own words of the people who went through Dr. Moody's mirror gazing experience. Most of them got something profoundly valuable out of it. The author also speculates about how mirror gazing might be used to deepen understanding of history and psychology, among other fields of study. If professionals i those disciplines have used mirror gazing since the book first appeared in 1993, they have been quiet about it. But then, not many people have the courage to challenge entrenched dogmas. As an energy-healer, I find the resolution that people achieve through mirror gazing especially compelling. The same technique, of course, might be used to contact souls before birth, just as the circle I outline in my forthcoming book can contact either the "dead" or the not-yet-born. The soul/consciousness is a continuum that does not depend on the physical body to exist.
May 23, 2016
An interesting idea I admit especially considering that as mentioned mirror gazing has a long history. I just don't buy that you can create an encounter with a deceased loved one using a mirror. Call me closed minded but chanting three times calling Bloody Mary did not work for me as a kid. Due to that I doubt calling my loved one's name would work as well.
May 12, 2010
This book discusses the author's exploration of "mirror gazing"- a practice in which people see and sometimes even talk with deceased loved ones. I found the discussion of mirror gazing through history to be enlightening and I was amazed by the numerous accounts of study subjects of his who had paranormal encounters. The idea of mirror gazing seems so out there to me, but intriguing none-the-less...
September 25, 2016
Very interesting ideas concerning mirror gazing and its role through history. However, most interesting to me was the parallels I saw with the LDS temple experience, though with caveats. Whereas the temple is a place where the worshiper comes to commune with God and seek His audience the psychomanteum is a place to commune with spirits and/or the unconscious self. But the preparatory elements are present in both, removing the location from time, putting it in a space that is both beautiful and outside of normal life. The mirrors that are used as focui in the psychomanteum are also present in the temple though it is explained they have different meanings by authority figures. The book raises the question in the reader that perhaps they both are used for the same purpose.
Moody also discusses how mirror gazing can be used to draw the unconscious mind out and he acknowledges that the messages can be misleading if not interpreted correctly. The author inspects them from a professional clinical standpoint and does not subscribe to the wild imaginations of others, such as past lives or what not. Even for those experiences the user encounters with possible dead people the author suggests that while the experiences might be real it doesn't matter insofar as the visions help people overcome grief and other emotions/conditions.
All in all the book is very eye opening and sheds respectful light on a rather dubious practice. Moody's examples, history and experiences have made me reconsider many of my previously held beliefs about the subject.
Moody also discusses how mirror gazing can be used to draw the unconscious mind out and he acknowledges that the messages can be misleading if not interpreted correctly. The author inspects them from a professional clinical standpoint and does not subscribe to the wild imaginations of others, such as past lives or what not. Even for those experiences the user encounters with possible dead people the author suggests that while the experiences might be real it doesn't matter insofar as the visions help people overcome grief and other emotions/conditions.
All in all the book is very eye opening and sheds respectful light on a rather dubious practice. Moody's examples, history and experiences have made me reconsider many of my previously held beliefs about the subject.
July 12, 2021
The exploration of speculum gazing and its brief, sporadic historical context were fascinating, but I was a little disappointed it didn't include more testimonies from his studies. I would love to see a follow-up book that adds more breadth in the experiences of the clients of Moody's personal psychomanteum.
October 5, 2018
Interesting book. I'm surprised I hadn't noticed how prevalent mirror-gazing is in the stories of our culture. From Snow White, to Aladdin's lamp, witch's cauldrons, and more. It seemed to me the author milked a book out of what could have been just an article.
May 3, 2016
It's really just a synopsis of his other books.
August 14, 2024
THE "LIFE AFTER LIFE" AUTHOR USES MIRROR GAZING TO CONTACT DEPARTED SPIRITS
Raymond A. Moody, Jr. (born 1944) is both a philosopher and psychiatrist. He has written many other books, such as: 'Life After Life,' 'Reflections on Life After Life,' 'The Light Beyond,' 'Coming Back,' 'The Last Laugh: A New Philosophy of Near-Death Experiences, Apparitions, and the Paranormal,' etc.
He recounts in the Introduction to this 1993 book that while he was browsing in a bookstore, a book called 'Crystal Gazing' fell at his feet, and it intrigued him. "Through the book I became excited at the possibilities of mirror gazing... This book and the additional research made me realize that visions of departed loved ones were far more accessible than had previously been believed... I began to wonder, could mirror gazing allow apparitions to be created in a controlled setting, where scientists could actually watch a person seeing a ghost? It was an exciting notion, to be sure... I also decided to conduct an informal study in which I took a number of people through the process of mirror gazing... mirror gazing allows people to see the spirits of departed relatives virtually anytime they want. Which means, of course, that the experience can be studied in a laboratory setting. For the first time, scientists can watch as someone 'sees' a ghost. No longer will scientists have to wait for the experience to happen spontaneously and then attempt to study the event afterward."
He testifies, "I realize how people can assume that these apparitional facilitations are hallucinations... I can say that my visionary reunion with my grandmother was completely coherent with the ordinary waking reality that I have experienced all my life. If I were to discount this encounter as hallucinatory, I would almost be obliged to discount the rest of my life as hallucinatory too." (Pg. 22)
He notes, "Since existing accounts of mirror gazing remain sparse, it is almost impossible to provide a historical delineation of it without gaps... there is no continuous tradition extending back hundreds of years." (Pg. 51) He suggests, "I feel that mirror visions also give clues to the contents of the unconscious mind. Since the images seen in the speculum are largely creations of the mind of the seer, they constitute what may be called a projective test... Such a test might be very useful in evaluating a client's state of mind." (Pg. 127)
Fans of Moody's earliest books may begin to feel that he is getting too "far out" for them; but others (with a more "open" or "New Age" perspective) will be more attracted by his new directions.
Raymond A. Moody, Jr. (born 1944) is both a philosopher and psychiatrist. He has written many other books, such as: 'Life After Life,' 'Reflections on Life After Life,' 'The Light Beyond,' 'Coming Back,' 'The Last Laugh: A New Philosophy of Near-Death Experiences, Apparitions, and the Paranormal,' etc.
He recounts in the Introduction to this 1993 book that while he was browsing in a bookstore, a book called 'Crystal Gazing' fell at his feet, and it intrigued him. "Through the book I became excited at the possibilities of mirror gazing... This book and the additional research made me realize that visions of departed loved ones were far more accessible than had previously been believed... I began to wonder, could mirror gazing allow apparitions to be created in a controlled setting, where scientists could actually watch a person seeing a ghost? It was an exciting notion, to be sure... I also decided to conduct an informal study in which I took a number of people through the process of mirror gazing... mirror gazing allows people to see the spirits of departed relatives virtually anytime they want. Which means, of course, that the experience can be studied in a laboratory setting. For the first time, scientists can watch as someone 'sees' a ghost. No longer will scientists have to wait for the experience to happen spontaneously and then attempt to study the event afterward."
He testifies, "I realize how people can assume that these apparitional facilitations are hallucinations... I can say that my visionary reunion with my grandmother was completely coherent with the ordinary waking reality that I have experienced all my life. If I were to discount this encounter as hallucinatory, I would almost be obliged to discount the rest of my life as hallucinatory too." (Pg. 22)
He notes, "Since existing accounts of mirror gazing remain sparse, it is almost impossible to provide a historical delineation of it without gaps... there is no continuous tradition extending back hundreds of years." (Pg. 51) He suggests, "I feel that mirror visions also give clues to the contents of the unconscious mind. Since the images seen in the speculum are largely creations of the mind of the seer, they constitute what may be called a projective test... Such a test might be very useful in evaluating a client's state of mind." (Pg. 127)
Fans of Moody's earliest books may begin to feel that he is getting too "far out" for them; but others (with a more "open" or "New Age" perspective) will be more attracted by his new directions.
December 8, 2025
Fullständigt magisk bok! Älskar Raymond Moodys böcker. Ska försöka att inte avslöja för mycket men här dissikerar han begreppet spegelvisioner och vad det betytt för mänskligheten genom historiska och kliniska exempel men också tips på hur du själv kan dra nytta av det.När jag började läsa den här boken dök min döda mamma upp och ville ha kontakt. Som Moody själv säger:” Man får kontakt med det man behöver”. Måste fortsätta utforska hans böcker!
December 3, 2023
I read this book a few years after reading another book by Dr. Moody (Life After Life). Given how much I loved Life After Life, I had high expectations for Reunions, but I feel a bit let-down by it.
The subject material is super interesting, and I loved all of the historical context Moody provided. It's also a very short, easy read. I got through the whole book in one afternoon and it definitely wasn't an unpleasant way to spend my time.
My problem with the book is that I just didn't feel like Moody's research into this phenomenon of mirror gazing/"scrying" was all that compelling. Unlike Life After Life, which is absolutely meticulous in the way it documents near-death experiences, I feel like Moody pretty much glazed over the actual personal encounters he claims participants in his study experienced. He makes some big claims in this book (like saying that more than 50% of his mirror-gazing subjects successfully saw a vision the first time they tried) but he fails to back them up anywhere. He only tells a handful of stories, and not even in their entirety. Unlike Life After Life, which left me utterly convinced that Near Death Experiences are real, I closed this book feeling very doubtful that mirror gazing is everything Moody claims it to be. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a "skeptic" when it comes to the paranormal, either. I was certainly open-minded when I picked up this book.
The subject material is super interesting, and I loved all of the historical context Moody provided. It's also a very short, easy read. I got through the whole book in one afternoon and it definitely wasn't an unpleasant way to spend my time.
My problem with the book is that I just didn't feel like Moody's research into this phenomenon of mirror gazing/"scrying" was all that compelling. Unlike Life After Life, which is absolutely meticulous in the way it documents near-death experiences, I feel like Moody pretty much glazed over the actual personal encounters he claims participants in his study experienced. He makes some big claims in this book (like saying that more than 50% of his mirror-gazing subjects successfully saw a vision the first time they tried) but he fails to back them up anywhere. He only tells a handful of stories, and not even in their entirety. Unlike Life After Life, which left me utterly convinced that Near Death Experiences are real, I closed this book feeling very doubtful that mirror gazing is everything Moody claims it to be. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a "skeptic" when it comes to the paranormal, either. I was certainly open-minded when I picked up this book.
June 3, 2021
I personally just didn’t rate it compared to his earlier work. I don’t get mirror-gazing, and maybe I should try it, but as a white witch I believe there is a lot more to mirrors & it freaks me out. Just didn’t connect with it compared to his other work.
January 20, 2013
An interesting look at the history, study, and psychotherapeutic use of mirror gazing. Raymond Moody again leaves the reader questioning whether the man believes the 'paranormal' aspects of such a technique. However, there is no doubt from the results, including a personal encounter, that the subject should be furthered study. In fact, I may personally try it myself.
July 10, 2009
An interesting proposition - the act of mirror gazing as a window of the subconscious. What's stopping me from trying? Fear of the unknown that's hiding inside of me???
A very quick read that I recommend to anyone interested in the Psychomantium.
A very quick read that I recommend to anyone interested in the Psychomantium.
October 25, 2012
Provided a few tips on scrying that I haven't encountered before.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews