My Life after Death begins on the tragic day when Erik Medhus took his own life. What follows is a moment-by-moment account of the spiritual life he discovers on the other side--told for the very first time in his own words as channeled by medium Jamie Butler and then transcribed by his mother, Elisa. In this intimate and provocative memoir, Erik describes more than just a visit to the afterlife. He personally walks us through the experience of dying and reveals a detailed look at the life awaiting us on the other side. In doing so, he helps to answer crucial questions, including: What does it feel like to die? What is it like to become a spirit? Why and how do spirits communicate with the living? Is there a heaven? Ultimately, Erik's story provides the answers that will help listeners find solace and remove the fears surrounding death, showing that love has no boundaries and life does not truly end.
Erik Rune Medhus is an eternal twenty-year-old young man who passed away on October 6, 2009. From his new place in Heaven, Erik’s main occupation is a spirit guide who helps those who struggle with their human experience, and he is the inspiration and contributor to the Channeling Erik blog and community. With candor, sincerity and humor, Erik shares his own experiences and explorations of what happens after death in the first book of the series My Son and the Afterlife (October 2013) by his mother Elisa Medhus, MD. Now Erik’s full story, a memoir from heaven, is brought to the forefront in the follow-up title, My Life After Death (September 2015).
Alright, I'll go ahead and be the only person not singing the praises of this book. I'm going to (attempt to) refrain from commenting on the religious assumptions of the book, because I went into it knowing I wasn't going to agree with the author.
I read it simply because I was curious - I didn't even glance at the synopsis before I began, I just found it in my library's digital audiobook shelves and decided to give it a go. I thought maybe it would be the story of someone who died and was revived, had a near-death experience, something along those lines. This is actually the story of a teenager who committed suicide, telling the story of his death and subsequent life after death, as interpreted through a spirit medium.
My problem with this book is that it opens with the usual disclaimer accompanying material that might cast suicide in a favorable light - "suicide is not an answer, it's a permanent solution to a temporary problem, et cetera, et cetera". Then it goes IMMEDIATELY - like, next paragraph immediately - into talking about how awesome heaven is and how much better the author's life got as soon as he killed himself.
Throughout the book, Erik talks about his seamless transition into heaven, the intense and soothing calm he felt throughout the day of his suicide (including as he watched his family members come home to discover his lifeless body), and the ways his death impacted his family - to quote, "the way I took my exit had an effect on other people, and not all bad. It was the right choice for me." I know this book's target audience is grieving family members rather than those with suicidal ideations, but it does a pretty compelling job of making self-immolation sound good.
I would never want to infringe on someone's freedom of speech - Erik, his mother, and their spirit medium can say and publish anything they please. I'm just saying it's incredibly irresponsible to cast suicide in this light.
This is a sequel to ”My Son and the Afterlife” which I have also read and reviewed.
The book was “written” by Erik in the afterlife by means of a medium, Jamie Butler, who was able to directly transmit his words.
Erik, who was a gentle, caring soul, suffered from bipolar disorder and shot himself at the age of twenty.
In this unique book, Erik tells us why and how he killed himself, what happened to him after death, and in general all sorts of things about Heaven.
First, he is met by his Aunt Denise who explains things to him; he even meets all the dogs he had as pets and communicates with them.
There is a universal language in the after-death realm that everyone speaks and understands.
You mainly experience what you believe you’re going to experience. Atheists who believe there will just be a blackness experience a blackness; however, if they realize this is not what they want and call for help, they will cross to a better place.
Erik finds himself together with six wise spirits, where his life review takes place. He experiences not only every single moment he has had but also what everybody else in his life went through in reaction to whatever he said or did to them.
He realizes that every single moment is affected by every other moment. There is “no concept of judgment or shame” there.
After Erik’s life review he experiences blackness, in which he is healed and nourished. There is infinite forgiveness. “Right and wrong are human constructs, and what really matters is forgiving yourself and others. It boils down to compassion and love.”
His bipolar disorder had made him feel like he was wrong and everyone else was right. The blackness washed away all the “stigma and pain and confusion” of his disease,
In his new energy body he doesn’t feel any craving or needs or desires – he “just existed, pure and simple”.
He can see “360 degrees” and can manifest things with his thoughts. He can see everything at once but eventually learns to narrow his focus to see one thing at a time.
He can’t hold onto negative emotions – it takes too much effort.
He meets a spirit called Cawli who helps explain things to him. You can learn from joy or pain, or both. Some never learn from life’s experiences at all until after death.
Erik’s soul had wanted to learn about relationships, which are “the richest and most important things souls can experience on Earth”.
Erik’s early death was supposed to have a big impact on his family by showing them the true value of relationships and love.
He finds out he is to be a guide, and he is able to do this partly through his mother’s blog called “Channelling Erik”. In this way he reaches many people.
He explains what Heaven is like and tells us about the animals that live there, many of which he has not seen on Earth.
We learn about manifesting and how Erik manifests a house to live in and a couch, TV, musical instruments, etc. However he no longer lives in his “Heaven-house”.
He can create whatever he wants but he says it isn’t easy – it takes a lot of practice to be good at it.
Heaven has lots of buildings, including libraries. Spirits don’t need to eat or sleep. There are no hospitals but healing centres, where energy is mended.
To sum up, this is a really interesting, informative book about life after death. It is well written; though I didn’t really appreciate Erik’s crude language I got used to it. The book confirms what I’ve read in other accounts of the after-life, and also provides new information.
My Life After Death: A Memoir From Heaven was a phenomenal book to read. The word "phenomenal" doesn't even begin to cover how incredible this book is. The story follows a young man, who has taken his own life, as he explains how his afterlife is like. He provides incredible detail of the things he sees, smells, hears, and feels while exploring his way through Heaven. Not only that, but you learn of his journey to becoming a spirit guide, what God is, the concept of time, and the feelings he felt for his family after he had crossed over. You get to see from the point of view of a spirit what the after life is like, which has brought great comfort and an understanding I wouldn't otherwise have had.
You actually get to go inside of Erik's head and understand his every thought and feeling leading up to his transition and afterward. His hilarious, and sometimes mildly inappropriate, sense of humor along with his colorful vocabulary involving many cuss words is what gets you hooked because he is such a relatable guy. His voice throughout the book is carried out in such a way that you are able to connect easily with him because he isn't speaking formally. You sympathize with his every word, and you are pulled in by, not only his experiences, but his compassion.
It's easy to fall in love with this book from the very beginning. It's a very gripping story that will keep you hooked from start to finish. I was blown away by how easily I understood the concepts that were spoken about like timelessness and the idea that there is no true "right" or "wrong". I highly recommend this inspiring book. It will change the way you feel about the world and others around you, and it will also change how you view yourself, which is something that no other book has been able to give me. I have been able to shift my entire perspective, and I have discovered a whole new meaning to my life. Because of this book, I now see my life as worthy and something that's beautiful for me to enjoy. This profound book has changed my life and also saved it.
I will treasure this book for ever it will be a part of me for all eternity. Erik has found me and brought me so many great friends. He has changed my life dramatically. I now see my fairies and the change in the air when spirit is near. I hear Erik and see that loving face. He has become my fave coach. He share so much of himself to help us grow.
This Book is a Life changer and a life saver! It is absolutely wonderful! Erik is a charming, loveable spirit who is wise beyond the earthly years he had. Thank you Erik for confirming what I have always known to be true. Thank you Elisa for sharing your wonderful son with the world and thank you Jamie for being his voice!
This book sheds light and awareness on the unseen; or what we call the afterlife. Crossing over and what it’s like to be a spirit is examined. It’s humbling to see a Mother and Son’s love that transcends time and space. Erik tells his story in a very down to earth fashion which makes it very comforting. This book will definitely expand your understanding of mental illness, suicide, spirituality, love and the afterlife. My Life After Death is an extraordinary journey through the afterlife which I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to understand the realm we will all eventually inhabit through the experiences of Erik who is presently living there.
This book was a godsend to me. My son took his own life the same way Erik did, and this book helped me understand why some people commit suicide and what happens to them afterwards. Yes, Erik uses the F word frequently (which I don't like), but so did my son and so do most of his contemporaries. It does give the book more realism. For all the people complaining about it, if you have read much about metaphysical subjects, including NDE's and reincarnation, you would know that things (even words) aren't good or bad, they just are. If you've never been to "Heaven" or "Home" as Erik calls it, how do you know how they speak there? Do you really think God has a list of words you are not allowed to say? Which is all beside the point anyway, because his conversations are not with beings on the other side. He is speaking to humans, who do say those words.
This book is also more believable if you read his mother's book "My Son in the Afterlife" by Dr. Elisa Medhus first. Her book is wonderful and gives credibility to Erik's, because it explains more of the process of how she changed from being an Atheist to a believer in the Afterlife. As a physician, she didn't become a believer through one session with a medium. She did a tremendous amount of research into the available literature and research on subjects such as consciousness, NDE's, quantum physics and metaphysics. Her book and the Channeling Erik Blog are great resources (with many references) to learn about what scientists, physicians, philosophers and religious experts think about Life and the Afterlife.
Both Erik's and Elisa's books correlate well with other literature and research on these topics. Their biggest value (and that of their blog) is the personal aspect. As a mother who is trying to come to terms with the fact of my son's suicide and the resulting despair and grief, Erik and Elisa's personal observations and the love between them and all the blog members, have been a great help to me and given me solace when I so desperately needed it. My husband (who is not one to read this type of literature) has also been helped tremendously by Erik's book.
I would recommend these two books highly to anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide or any other cause. They are also good books for anyone wanting to understand more about the afterlife, suicide, and bipolar disorder. If you know anyone you think might be considering suicide, please tell them to read these books and/or look up the Channeling Erik Blog. Maybe it could help prevent a tragic loss of life.
Here's a Book That Will Change Your Life. All You Have to Do is Read and Trust
This excellent book needs to be reviewed by the NYTimes, WSJ and other conventional press. The world must hear Erik's message and understand the beauty of his journey. People sit frozen every day, marinating in bad news sold to us by CNN, Fox et.al. A better option is to read this book and heal /eliminate all the unnecessary fear that chokes the very life out of you. Then allow yourself to cherish your body, soul and our shared life experiences here on Earth. That's how peaceful change comes about. Thank you Erik and Elisa. And thank you Jamie. I learn something each time we connect. You have changed my life; this book is there to guide others who are open and ready for that shift to a higher state of existence. Blessings to all.
I've read many, many books about the afterlife since I lost my own son, Grant in 1969. This was one of the best I've read, gives me so much hope that my son is not gone forever. I would recommend it to anyone who has lost a loved one or is curious about death an what comes after. I have always believed in an afterlife, but still am curious about everything and anything about it. I thank Erik and everyone else who wrote this book in such a way that really touched me. I'm going to read the first book now, and continue to explore !I've after death and try to connect to my mom and dad and sister and son who have passed and I miss so much.
I 've read many, many books since my son Brent died in 1969. This book was one of the best. It just stuck with me. Gives me new hope that my son is still with me, also my sister and parents who have also passed. Anyone who has lost anyone I recommend this book to. This is the first review I've ever written, and I read all kinds, that's how important I think it is for anyone interested in dying or life after death. I'm looking for signs now everywhere.
Do I believe in life after death - yes. Do I believe that certain people can communicate with those who have passed - yes. Do I believe that a young man who committed suicide several years ago could and would have literally dictated a book from the hereinafter? That's where it starts to get dicey. And the 'authentic' swearing in the book certainly does not help, even with the explanation that he used to do it while alive, too. For the book, it could most definitely and should have been 'tidied up'! Overall, the subject itself was an interesting one and most definitely makes the reader think about 'Life after Death’, and that is most probably the primary ‘motif’ for writing this book in the first place. Should it then be ‘categorised’ as a self-help book, per se? In way, I guess. One way or another, though, it does bring up interesting ‘insights’ in what awaits us, once we move on – which, on the whole, makes for interesting reading.
Hei, hei, do you want me to blow your mind with this book? Yeah, yeah, sure, go ahead. Nothing better than being an emotional wreck in the middle of a work week. But I am thankful that I've read a few afterlife books prior this one because I would have experienced a nice panic attack collection because this one is very detailed (and funny) and did I feel the energy boost. Neale Donald Walsch, Ester Hicks, Dolores Cannon, Mike Dooley, Wayne Dyer, Michael Newton (and many more) have already given me insight into this topic, but Erik's book is more intimate because two members of my family committed suicide, which are events that demolished everything I thought I knew about everything.
So, I've given myself a lot of time to research suicide within the sociological (religious), psychological and spiritual domain, as I had to kill everything who I was and then resurrect myself again. On many levels, I have had a stunning miraculous journey to become who I am today and I am aware that this is the blueprint of my soul in this incarnation; I understand that I had come here to experience and explore amazing relationships and the utmost heartbreak, not just once, but twice, and then to transform myself completely into this mountain of energy, hope and purpose. I am addicted to purpose driven life.
4 years ago I wanted to shut down and die, but I didn't, because there was this vision of my life waiting for me on the periphery of my peceptions, and after I vanished as a person and started building myself again, I now understand my soul tribe and our connections much better. I understand myself and their choices very well. It is a relief to live in this bliss knowing and living some of my higher potentials. I still mourn, because just like Erik's mom, I still can't kiss and hug people in my family who killed themselves, but it was so easy to forgive them, ... not so easy to forgive myself.
But since I did, this book resonates so much. I understand my physical existence much better although it is still an overwhelming book. The concepts are not unfamiliar due to marathon reading and research, but it doesn't make them easier to digest because imagine, just imagine.
Thank you Medhus family. And Erik? Don't prank me you little shithead, spirit guide or not. :***
Let me start off by saying that this is not my typical kind of book. I was raised in a Southern Baptist household. I believe in Heaven and Hell. Personally, I don't believe that spirits are walking the earth with us. If you get a Ouija board and someone is talking to you, I am more inclined to believe that it is a demon instead of a loved one. That being said, I was still willing to give this book as much of a chance as I could. I probably only did it because I could listen to the audiobook. I doubt my brain would have allowed me to read it.
This is supposed to be written by a young man who committed suicide. The words were spoken to his mom through a medium. His mother then wrote the book. The mom and medium work together on a blog too. It's tough for me. The subject's (Erik) mom is an MD. She's educated, and yet she believes her son is speaking to her. They have decided that their mission in life is to help others spiritually.
There are some good points made here. Things like the things you get from a relationship are things you need to work on in yourself. And that we are all energy and should use our time on this earth to love. I'm all for that. But, I still don't believe my mom and dad are hanging out with me.
“My Life After Death: A Memoir from Heaven” begins on the heartbreaking day Erik Medhus took his own life. What follows is a raw, moment-by-moment account of his journey in the afterlife—told in his own words through the medium Jamie Butler and transcribed by his mother, Dr. Elisa Medhus.
This book came recommended by Hoppla (a library app I use). I’ve been reading a lot of spiritual books lately, so when this popped up, I decided to give the audiobook a try. At first, I was completely taken aback. I actually found myself thinking, “WTF is this?!” Be warned: there’s a lot of explicit language—if F-bombs offend you, this might not be the book for you.
After a couple of chapters, I initially stopped and returned it. But then I read the synopsis, realized there was a prequel (My Son and the Afterlife: Conversations from the Other Side), and decided to give it another shot. I highly recommend starting with that book first to better understand the context and avoid the confusion I experienced.
Erik’s voice is direct, brutally honest, and surprisingly humorous. He doesn’t just describe the afterlife—he walks us through the experience of dying, the trauma and regret of suicide, and his transformation into spirit form. It’s intimate, provocative, and unlike anything I’ve read before.
As someone who has read many books on and by mediums, channelers, & psychics, I found this unique—and at times, hard to fully embrace. Traditionally, mediums receive signs or impressions they must interpret, not full conversations. So I remain a bit skeptical about the level of detail Erik provides. That said, it’s well written, easy to follow, and deeply moving.
This book definitely challenged me. It’s different—but it left me curious and wanting more. I plan to read the prequel next and explore the Channeling Erik website that Dr. Medhus created. Whether you’re a believer or just spiritually curious, this book offers a bold, fascinating perspective on life after death.
This book was based upon chanelling sessions through spiritual medium, Jamie Butler, with the author and son, Erik, who died by suicide as a result of his bipolar disorder. It is difficult not to get emotionally involved in the story if you have had a loved one who took their own life or has bipolar disorder. At times, Eric is quite believable as a mischevious spirit who still spends time in this earthly dimension and but other times he does not. There is, however, messages of enlightened truths that make this book definitely worth reading, and that will stay with you long after reading the last page.
It was interesting... certainly a different dimension of reading/listening. Oddly, there were so many questions that came up while I was listening. Eric, the dead subject, talked at length about the dimensions after death, and spoke of 'god', 'the source', and different planets, but really didn't address some of the obvious questions... such as... is there alien life on earth or outside of earth. If there are guardians and spirit guides, why IS there so much strife on earth? What's the purpose of them if they don't have a more profound impact??? What ARE the secrets of the universe? Did he see Hindu or Egyptian gods? Ohhh the list goes on and on.
For all those who question an afterlife, who wonder what Heaven is like, and need reassurance that our departed loved ones still walk and even interact with us (albeit in spirit) every day of our lives, this is your book.
Erik Medhus, whose mother is a physician, committed suicide at a young age. This book is his story in his own words as he still impacts the lives of those here on Earth. He and his mother have a blog and broadcast that have prevented and cured a lot of heartache. Just wow.....
Erik paints a very frank and hilarious picture of life as a Spirit. Some of it is hard to believe, but the message of the book: loving (starting with yourself), kindness, and calling are all very real.
There are some bizarre descriptions about how energy goes together, interacts between different dimensions and planes. It makes you really wonder, what the world really is and can be. Erik tries to do it all in a very narrative, funny human way---this is the true strength of this book.
I bought this book to gain understanding of the suicide of a dear friend, what his experiences have been in the afterlife, and thus heal a little myself. I am very grateful I found this first. Thank you so much.
Anyone grieving the physical loss of a loved one will benefit from this book. Also anyone who wonders about our journey after our time on earth is done.
Because I have read a number of books about this already I feel like it is a bit more of the same. However it's still interesting to hear it from someone else's perspective. Also, if you've never read a book like this or about this, then this is a great introduction to a life changing subject.
Erik and his mother created a wonderful glimpse as to what it is like when and after your transition to the other side. For anyone who loved the “Seth Material” this is a must read. Be prepared to be pranked by Erik, however. I know I was. Amazing what he can do on your computer.
This was a book I had a difficult time putting down. It was fascinating! However, this book was one of those books which left me wanting more and it felt like I couldn’t get enough. I personally am absolutely fascinated with books about the afterlife and this book was definitely no exception. A great read in my opinion!
I enjoyed this read. I do however think that unless you have lost a loved one and asked or wanted answers on the death of a loved one. You might not get this book. I do believe that it will give those looking for peace in the fact that life goes on after death and those wanting to know more about how to feel that presence of a loved one that has gone ahead.
This is a true-to-life account of what life is like after we die. I have followed Elisa Medhus and Jamie Butler for many years and now I’m happy to say, yes, Erik has pranked me.
A friend recommended this one & since it’s not something I would normally read, decided to give it a try. Was an interesting read. Parts felt dragged out/repetitive but posed some intriguing thoughts about what comes next.
A somewhat different perspective on the afterlife and an excellent resource for bereaved parents. The information validates, and is validated by most literature on the afterlife…
I saw on one review, somebody complaining that this book glories suicide. It doesn't. Relax. I think, that person was upset that, this book doesn't spread the lie that, suicides get punished in the afterlife.
This is a story of Erik, a young adult, who has died. He is able to tell his story about how/why he passed and about heaven through a medium. It's a sweet story that tugged at my heartstrings, and helped me to believe in heaven's glories. Highly recommend.