Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I heard the author of "OtherWhere" on a paranormal-type radio show
I listen to frequently. The host claimed that the book was a "complete"
guide to the after-death world, which the author calls "OtherWhere."
For the most part I would agree.

The author started having profound dreams and out-of-body experiences
when he was young, and after a number of years, felt compelled to become
a guide (on the physical plane!) for other humans, to help with
understanding dreams, OBE's, and most importantly, what it means for
humans to be souls having physical experiences, what we are supposed to
learn from our temporary time in this world.

I have mixed feelings about "OtherWhere," but I want to say up front
that I absolutely recommend that people read it. The author writes mostly
with great clarity and insight, and through his personal experiences
and "visions" (though of course you can't "see" on the other side),
the reader can get a very good idea of a broad spectrum of both the
dream world, the after-death world, and where the two diverge. The author's
own learning of this last point is itself an interesting part of the book.
The author also writes most engagingly about the types of beings who inhabit
"OtherWhere" and aid souls, and what we can learn from their perspective.
There are also some haunting, fascinating descriptions of the "zones"/planes
we experience on the other side after death. The discussions of the Alternate
Is, Was, and Will Be worlds are a most interesting take on the "parallel
universes" idea!

The chapter entitled "The Evolution of Human Consciousness" is
really brilliant, a must read. The author has a very accessible
experience where he comes to understand how an individual can have
his own consciousness and yet be part of a larger consciousness by
becoming a blade of grass in a world of grass blades! He later
experiences the consciousness of a flower, then a bee, which itself
is remarkable, but what is outstanding is what he learns and how he
conveys his understandings to the reader. Also discussed very well
are types of creativity, and how integral creativity is to soul
development.

Mr. Leland also shows great care in defining to the reader how
he will present material that is difficult to put into words, with a
minimum of bias. He devises "translation tables" and discusses his
attempts to be as objective as possible very well. He insightfully
distinguishes between the possible distortions he might project onto
what he is "seeing" and the actual meaning or function. For example,
the author transcends his fear when he comes into contact with a being
who to many would look very frightening, but to the author he is simply
a "guide," because the being's function is to take the author to the
other side. Also, he calls dead people "Shades," an innocuous term, so

we will minimize our preconceptions, though it is important to note that
many times we see how belief systems do literally "shape" much of the
after-death sworld and the experiences of the departed.

But the confusion between what the author is experiencing, which
he writes correctly, many times, is based on his own biases which
create the energies he perceives, and what we are to understand from his
experiences, is the biggest problem with the book. In chapter 8 he explains

that he perceives "creatures" when he is repressing emotions in waking
life. So are we to believe that everything else are "clear perceptions,"
w/o biases? In chapter 9 again he isn't clear on what he is perceiving
and what it means, so the same question arises, at least to me.

As well the book only lives up to the "meaning of life" claim in
part. For most souls it certainly is very valuable to read the details
of how we come to understand, dispassionately, impersonally, at the soul
level, the lessons from our life's experiences, in "OtherWhere." Yet
personally I was looking for some deeper answers. I don't normally
concern myself with *my* own soul's evolution. I care about things like
why billions of seemingly decent people are born into wretched, hopeless
depravity, while others are born into relative wealth, sometimes with
no gratitude or mindfulness of others' suffering. On p. 261 (and
elsewhere) the author falls into what I would call the "absolutist" trap,
when he (his guide) writes, "Resistance to learning is the source of all
human suffering." I am generally averse to simplistic answers to explain
"all" anything. Another "meaning" question that is not covered at all
in "OtherWhere" is the question of evil.

Ironically, Mr. Leland does admit (astonishingly) that none of his
nonphysical guides knows about the lessons after "graduating" from the
soul's need to reincarnate! And one repeatedly gets the impression from
the book that few are ready to graduate, in contradistinction to the
"New Age" teaching that we are already perfected beings!

Let me repeat, there is much to recommend "OtherWhere" that I do
not have space to discuss. My criticisms of the book do not diminish my
recommending it. One final comment - if anyone reading this review has
not read "Journey of Souls" by Dr. Michael Newton (some prefer his
"Destiny of Souls"), I would advise him/her to read that book asap
if interested in the topics covered in "OtherWhere."

I enjoy lucid dreams and astral travel when they happen to me at night, but I was in need of some serious help to understand what they were for beyond my ego's abilities to be impressed by whiz-bang special effects and name-dropping. I've read several out-of-body travelogues and collected many good ideas, but "Otherwhere" really pulled it all together for me. Some astral travel books are so will & action oriented, even macho, that they miss the instructive points behind the endlessly varied and reflective realities that our souls create for us to explore. Mr. Leland is a true teacher/philosopher for the ages, because he is willing to follow the threads of meaning from such sources as Greek myths, Christian symbolism, and Dante into our own modern society and metaphysics. The author, who also trained at the Monroe Institute, complements his classical background with the humility of a real guide who has been there for us; so for example the stories of his confusion in astral environments are so human and reassuring that we cannot help but learn while we laugh. Mr. Leland's willingness to work with higher guides and share their private conversations guarantee that we will always find out the purpose behind even the strangest of events. This book is so well-written and friendly that everyone can benefit, from the beginning seeker who is treasuring an anomalous experience, to the advanced traveler who is seeking to solidify their belonging within the time-honored traditions of nonphysical education. I've had the good fortune of meeting the author, who also channels wonderfully, so I can say with confidence that nothing here is pretense. "Otherwhere" is a very fine, wide-ranging, idea-packed book from a truly gentle wise old soul, so it is sure to help you on your own path of dream and astral exploration. Thank you Mr. Leland!

Kurt Leland has taken us on a trip where few have gone, short of dying. I call Leland's book a kind of field guide for out of body experiences. Leland explains his adventures in delicious detail, all the time with the qualifier that my trip would be tailored just for me. Keeping this in mind, his trips let me know what to expect on future out of body trips, as well as understand what I've seen in the past.

The best thing about this book is that I can read it again and again, each time with more understanding. Oh, and by the way, it's a great read. What more could I ask for?

The author of this book has traveled far and wide into many realms. He is a master manipulator of his own consciousness, because he is also a trance channneler. He seeks however, not to manipulate ours, only to tell us where he has been and what he has seen and learned from beings who live in the non-physical world. His recall or (re-channeling upon awakening?) of the material he has experienced while in the Afterdeath Zone is nothing short of astounding. He combines the best of the Monrovian out of body travellogue with the after-death fascinations of the Van Praghers, but he does so much more informatively than the latter. Of course, all books like these must be taken with a grain of salt since it is so hard to verify the results for ourselves. Yet what is compelling is the way all his information seems to come from one cloth, rather than being a patchwork quilt of various ideas. If there are "rules" to follow in these realms, it only means that Life and the AfterLife have an intrinsic meaning. Ultimately one must decide for oneself whether the words presented in any book coalesce in a compelling way that could only come from a real world.

Yet the author himself is no proselytizer for his worldview. He would love nothing better than that the reader be able to go there and see for him/herself. In the meantime, however, here is as clear, humane and literate an exegesis of what happens to us after death and between lifetimes as I can ever remember reading.

Having read widely for over the past few decades in the spiritual realm, I've always considered the books by Robert A. Monroe to be the benchmark for all other books on out-of-body-experiences--or as Monroe calls them OOBE's. In particular his books "Journeys Out of the Body", and especially "Far Journeys", have heretofore been my favorite two books in this particular area. Well I have a third favorite book now! "Otherwhere" is not only well and entertainingly written, but also both original and thought-provoking. And interestingly enough the book actually starts out with the author visiting the Monroe Institute and having an OOBE there.

If you are interested in OOBE's, I don't think that you would possibly be able to put this book down.

An interesting book. As mentioned in one of the previous reviews, if you are looking for a how-to book, this is not it. This book is more of an account of one person's experiences in the out of body, specifically, what one can expect when one passes over to the 'other side'. It is a little different from other books of the same genre because, again, it has the author's bias and interpretation. It has more symbolisms than some of the other books. Perhaps this make it more easy to understand what is going on. But for me, I felt that there were too much symbolism to make it believable. It is however an interesting book to read but for me it is not an essential book for my library collection. I would give this book 3 stars.

As a person who has managed a few conscious OBEs and at least one really great lucid dream, it was wonderful to discover Kurt Leland's book "Otherwhere" on Amazon.

This book is inspiring. The adventures are exciting and Leland does an amazing job translating such "foreign" experiences into something a reader can comprehend. Of course if you go into Leland's book with fixed beliefs about the Afterlife and you fail to see that metaphor is integral to the way truth is perceived in such experiences then you may find yourself disappointed. If, on the other hand, you're genuinely seeking to understand people's experiences during altered states of consciousness and what is possible and available to be learnt, then this is a book you'll enjoy. It helps too that the writing is clear, intelligent and personal.

I picked up Leland's book, thinking list most other books on spirtuality, I would read part way through it and put it down. Not so! His relation of personal experience, explanation and instruction kept me interested the entire way through. I found the writing colorful and entertaing rather than the dry repetition you find in many books of the genre.

If you're interested in out-of-body experiences, or seeking clarification for what goes on when they happen, I highly recommend Mr. Leland's book.

A must-read for everyone. It prepares you for what follows the inevitable end of this lifetime.

This is a wonderful introduction to the exploration of the afterlife through out of body travel. Leland uses a pragmatic, sensible model for understanding his experiences, which reduces fear and allows for a great range of differences in the perception of the other world. By sharing his experiences with us, Leland introduces us to a philosophy of living that enhances our compassion for ourselves and each other, making life more livable and death less fearsome. Highly recommended.