Otherwhere: A Field Guide to Nonphysical Reality for the Out-Of-Body Traveler

by Kurt Leland

A field guide to nonphysical reality for the out-of-body traveler

Genres: Nonfiction, Metaphysics

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2001

Reviews

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kurt Leland's Otherwhere is the first out-of-body memoir/guide (that I've read, so far) that discusses the importance of the individual's consciousness in how the inner worlds are perceived. It's not a new idea, being repackaged and sold throughout time, lately in the New Age/New Thought movement, that one's beliefs shape one's reality. But, as Kurt Leland points out, in other dimensions, where thoughts literally are that reality, that this individual viewpoint takes creation to a whole different level. He suggests that what Robert Munroe, Jurgen Ziewe, and so many other consciousness explorers experience when they are in their various out-of-body states is archetypical energy, though he doesn't use that terminology. Leland calls the perception of this energy: one's own personal translation tables. Rather than taking the figures that one encounters at face value or judging them based on ingrained religious beliefs, Leland encourages the Otherwhere visitors to examine what the figure does. It's very similar to what dream interpreters teach about how to understand your dreams.

Like me, Leland believes that anyone can have out-of-body experiences. He has this to say about why more people don't: "It's my firm belief that what prevents people from having out-of-body experiences and exploring nonphysical reality on their own is fear of the unknown. In my experience, the best way to overcome fear of the unknown is to familiarize oneself with the personal accounts of people who have overcome that fear themselves. I believe that personal accounts of out-of-body experiences are far superior to how-to manuals in stimulating people to venture into the unknown." Preface, xii He goes on to say: "In my opinion, our fear of the unknown is really just anxiety about becoming unlovable as a result of having had unfamiliar experiences and being changed by them. If we attempt to explore nonphysical reality and succeed, we're afraid that we'll be rejected, disbelieved, or thought to be crazy." pg 27. Time to get over that. Don't you think? :)

Lelend uses lucid dreaming as his method of exploring other worlds (Otherwhere). I found this episode of a woman that he encountered there to be very illuminating. In this passage, he is talking to his Otherwhere instructors about her: (the Instructor saying) "As you can see, my colleague and I intended every image in the dream to contribute in some way to the lesson we wanted you to learn." (Leland asks) "What about the woman reading the book?" "As you recall, she was facing the door into Otherwhere. There are many people in the world who have an interest in exploring psychic phenomena. They love to read about other people's adventures in altered states of consciousness. But if a door that would allow them to undertake such explorations on their own were to open, they would make up excuses not to go through. The most common one is that they don't have time." pg 99 Let's not be that woman.

The importance of physical life- in this excerpt, Leland is listening to an instructor in Otherwhere: "While it's true that I no longer feel regret about anything I've experienced during previous lifetimes on Earth, I wouldn't say that I'm grateful to be among the dead. That would imply that life over here, in Otherwhere, has a greater value than life on Earth. From our perspective, that isn't true. There are things that can be learned only here and not there. But there are also things that can be learned only on Earth. Learning is all that matters, and no lesson is more or less valuable than any other. pg 152 Keep on learning, check.

The availability of teachings on other dimensions: "There are many maps of nonphysical reality... scattered throughout the history of your art and literature. These can provide useful translation tables for orientation within nonphysical reality. Why should every individual who explores nonphysical reality start from scratch?" pg 158 Why indeed...

Everyone is an artist: "Every human being is immensely creative. But unless that creativity is channeled into some art or craft, it will be used instead to generate illusion. It could be said, therefore, that every human being is an artist, at least in potential. Developing this creativity is an essential part of every person's life purpose, even if it isn't the main focus of one's career." pg 238. I believe that too.

"How you choose to represent to yourself the ways of gaining access to any zone of Otherwhere is up to you. The validity of such images lies in their usefulness, not in some kind of absolute truth. The only important thing is that you give yourself some way of identifying the zone into which you've traveled, so that you can return on future occasions. Whether this manner of identification is the name of a subway line or station, or the number on a gate in an alley, is your choice. The identifying function of such names or numbers is all that matters." pg 262 Or tarot cards... :)

Leland finishes his account with a modern version of Dante's Paradiso in which, he traveled to Otherwhere and discovered different areas within that place where the dead came to terms with the life they had just completed. Absolutely fascinating stuff... and then he talks about ways to remove your consciousness from the ordinary to experience what he and others (and me!) have experienced- whether that be through meditation, lucid dreaming, shamanic drumming, etc, and, the librarian in me loved this part, gives book lists for learning each type of technique. I highly recommend Otherwhere for folks beginning their consciousness exploration or the experienced traveler. It is a how-to guide, a journal, and an encouraging, exploratory ramble through Otherwhere, a place where anyone can go, if they only set their mind on doing so.

[Robin Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystical interpretations on what to expect during Out-of-Body experiences that will undoubtedly shift your consciousness to a higher reality.

I took several notes while reading of valuable information. It really is profound if you have the perception to perceive.

[Mitchell Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a bit overly New Age-y but it is nonetheless fascinating and compellingly written. If nothing else it’s interesting.

[Johan Pretorius · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read!

A somewhat different perspective on the afterlife that nevertheless corroborates other sources. Should possibly be read in conjunction with his other books…

[Scott Humphreys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Robert Monroe's work this is an important book on the subject of out of body experiences. However, like Ultimate Journey, it is probably a little bit ahead of its time. We all colour the perceptions of our experience, and no other writing highlights this fact more than Kurt Leland's book. It is certainly a different overview, and one that is both interesting and refreshing, but if you are genuinely leaning towards this subject I think it would help if you were to read Robert Monroe's trilogy first.

[Lauri Rules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interested in astral travel. This is the how guide. Interesting.