The Eternal Journey: How Near-Death Experiences Illuminate Our Earthly Lives [Hardcover]

Craig R. Lundahl (Author), Harold A. Widdison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

A unique volume based on research that includes every near-death experience ever documented suggests that our souls exist in a parallel universe and actually map out our human lives prior to birth. Tour."

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Focusing on the "eternal" nature of our existence, Craig Lundahl and Harold Widdison share their quest to understand "the purpose of life and the meaning of death." The Eternal Journey incorporates near-death experience (NDE) case studies that reveal the afterlife with cases involving pre-earth life encounters, making this an up-to-date work on the entire journey of the human soul. Grounded in scientific research yet emotionally charged, this is a revealing look at where we came from, what we're doing here, and where we're going.

From Booklist

This book will sound familiar to readers of other books on the near-death experience. In fact, the authors have mostly gathered firsthand experiences that have appeared in previous volumes and put them together in an upbeat narrative of what it is like to die. Familiar symbols such as light, tunnels, and angels all make their appearances. The authors also go a little futher in their descriptions of cities of light, where spirits go about their business of learning their lessons and helping others. It all seems very organized, very cozy until one of the final chapters, in which the authors must confront the fact that many people reporting near-death experiences have found them terrifying, with visions of light exchanged for visions of hell. Libraries with many titles on the topic may not need this one; for other libraries, The Eternal Journey may work as an overview that brings together studies done by the best-known names in the field. Ilene Cooper

Product Details

• Hardcover: 294 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446520543
• ISBN-13: 978-0446520546
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #775,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a book without guile., January 28, 2002

By 

OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" (Algoma, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Eternal Journey: How Near-Death Experiences Illuminate Our Earthly Lives (Hardcover)

I've read this book twice, and I intend to read it again. This is simply the best organised, straight-forward, most scholarly account on the nature and purpose of life that I have ever read. Yet, at no time did I feel that I was being "sold" a particular dogma. There was nothing that I had to sit down and struggle to accept or rationalise;it just simply had the ring of truth. One look at the table of contents reveals the clear, logical organization of the book- there is no fuzzy minded pseudo- mysticism here. Everything from the nature and purpose of pre-earth life, life on earth, and post-earth life is right here. You find definate information on everything from angels, bewildered spirits, pets; to the big questions like the purpose of life and the nature of suffering. If you've been told that you can't possibly understand the great mystery of God's will, try reading this book- it gives some satisfying and comforting answers in clear and simple language.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Eternal Journey, May 31, 2000

By 

P.D. (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Eternal Journey: How Near-Death Experiences Illuminate Our Earthly Lives (Hardcover)

Insightful, informative and to be believed. There deffinately is a LIFE after death.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The First Shall be Last and the Last First, September 13, 2003

By 

southpaw68 "southpaw68" (florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Eternal Journey: How Near-Death Experiences Illuminate Our Earthly Lives (Hardcover)

The Eternal Journey's best insight is that what kindnesses sincerely we do especially for the lowly and helpless is what is the most important thing we will be judged by once we reach the afterlife. All the earthly cares and pleasures we are focused on such moving up in the world will not matter much in the afterlife and going after material things solely will deaden our spiritual growth, which has eternal value. We grow by love and according to this book, our faith in the right sort of religious doctrine will not matter as much as how loving we were, even to those very different from us.

As far as practical problems on earth, the book leaves one confused. Things have to be done and set up properly for society to function well and some ideas on how to do that are better than others. So I don't see how one could just sit back and not worry about such temporal problems, as the book seems to suggest we should.

The book suggests we should love everyone, but this suggestion doesn't make much sense to me on a practical level when enemies bent on our destruction will just take advantage of our love and attempt to take all of our power from us.

Another interesting insight is that we, our lives and our decisions are important both temporally and eternally. What we think and do or don't do rightly or wrongly will have an effect on everyone being that we are all interconnected. We should be careful of what we do, think, or say and we should consider what effect that we bring to us and others. This is not a meaningless existence, all of it is rather very meaningful and we are important players in this existence both here and now and in eternity.

Also, we are given a mission that relates to our families, which we should fulfill for spiritual progress of the family. Unfortunately, we don't know exactly what that mission is while we dwell on earth and have passed through the veil of forgetfulness. The mission probably has something to do with love, I suppose. Families and their relationships are important on earth and in heaven.

There are also other interesting tidbits such as it not a good idea to get addicted to something until it becomes a spiritual addiction. You will not be able to slake your cravings in the afterworld without a physical body.

The Eternal Journey has a Christian world view mostly. You get one shot at living a proper life and then you are judged eternally. You don't keep coming round and round like in reincarnation to get it right. It makes this one life much more important, if this is true. Some hellish NDE's are reported, which are about 12 percent of all reported NDE's. Whether hell is eternal or not is debatable, according to the book, but it is appropriately scary. A lot of what is reported in the book illuminates some scriptures such as earthly losers being winners in heaven (the last shall be first) and everything hidden shall be revealed (there will be no hidden secrets in the afterlife).

Reading this book may encourage readers to think about their lives, their values, and whether they are living right and valuing the right things.