Customer Reviews

Visits from the Afterlife

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This book is an intriguing view into the world of ghosts, spirits, and "reunions" with loved ones on the so-called "other side." Sylvia in the first chapter takes great pains to explain the differences between ghosts (who are "earthbound" for various reasons) as opposed to spirits who have made the transition. I found Sylvia's descriptions of ghosts she has encountered over the years to be fascinating, frightening, and intriguing at the same time. She points out that spirits will always be friendly, whereas a ghost may not be. Some of the stories are chilling, such as her encounters with Bela Lugosi and Elizabeth Short (aka the Black Dahlia). Others are sad, like her encounters with the Sunnyvale Toys R US ghost who still tends to the farm that was there 100 years ago. Or the servants at the Winchester Mystery House who tend to her house even though Sarah Winchester is long gone. I find it sad somehow these ghosts have not found their way to the other side.

I also found intriguing the stories Sylvia tells of "psychic imprints," places that still hold terrible memories of violence done long long ago. I also enjoyed the chapter on psychic attacks, and how to banish them. Having dealt with a handful of them, I'd like to see more on this subject in her future books.

I am disappointed at those who choose to call Sylvia a "fraud" or claim she is doing the "devil's work." Somehow if that were really true, I seriously doubt Sylvia would have done all this work for so many years and received letters from so many who have experienced contact with ghosts or spirits of their departed love ones. I don't always agree with everything Sylvia says, but I find enough of it resonates with me.

I've become more interested over the last several months in the spirit world and I found this book answered quite a few of my questions.

Having read several of Sylvia Browne's books, this is another one that is an easy to read, entertaining account of Sylvia's experiences. She again gives readers her interpretations of hauntings, spirit visitation , imprints, and all kinds of stuff in between. This is territory that is revisited by Browne, but is presented in a way that is review rather than redundant. What was especially good, were the numerous accounts sent in by readers who share their unique experiences both good, bad and mysterious. Our life is so much more than we can perceive with our limited senses and it is a pleasure to read about these aspects beyond ordinary sight. According to Sylvia Browne, visits from the afterlife, in whatever form are absolutely normal in her world as well as in many others as evidenced from her letters. I appreciate her straightforward, honest and humorous style. She is not trying to prove something but rather deliver her experiences to the reader in an interesting and insightful manner. Some stories are chilling, some sad and some joyful. We all have had sometime in our life when we have questioned life after death and Sylvia delivers convincing truth through her words and the many stories of people who contributed to the book. A thought provoking account.
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I was blessed with the opportunity to meet Sylvia at a book signing. (I have this one autographed my her!) She is just as amazing as I pictured her to be. (She also told me my Spirit Guide's name which I thought was really neat of her to do!)

This book is by far her best. I couldn't put it down. Every Chapter gets better and better. I didn't want this book to end. I have about six or seven of her books and this one is the best I have read. All of her experiences she talks about had me on the edge of my seat. It was great! I liked the chapter on famous people we all wondered about after they crossed over. Well she fills us in!!! I found what she had to say about them all VERY interesting. I highly reccomend this book to anyone! It is a MUST read for her fans. I can't wait for the next one.

This is the 8th book of Syliva's that I have read. Like those I have read before and the others who have given their reviews, I too could not put the book down. However, I read mine in one sitting (approximately 10 hours!)

I'm pleased that she finally expands on some of the things she briefly talked about in her other books. She goes into detail on what an "imprint" is as opposed to a "haunting". She also explains how to tell the difference between the two.

There are also some suprises in it, for she gives readings from some famous people who have passed on and also gives updates on what happened to some very famous people as well (some stayed earthbound, others crossed to the other side immediately etc.) So this was intruiging, and I wanted more!

For those of you who have not read any of Sylvia Browne's books and are thinking of purchasing this one, I would recomend "Life on the Other Side". There she explains in detail the process of what happens to our souls when we die. Since I already have read this book, I had no problem in following along with Visits from the Afterlife. However, for those who haven't read "Life on the Other Side", she gives a brief description of this process. Therefore, this book "stands alone".

My only real complaint is Sylvia's "bull doggedness" in complaining about our society's inncorrect perception of the Bible. [Sylvia practices gnostism, which is not to be confused with agnostic. She professes this to be what Christ was really about]. She had clearly stated that the Bible has been misinterpreted early on in the book, but she continues to harp on the subject well into later chapters. I grew weary of her arguments, and just wish she would focus more on the subject at hand, and not on peoples' beliefs. Mistaken as they may be, everyone has their own journey and must follow their own spiritual path to where ever it takes them. So relax Sylvia!

Overall, it was a good read, and I look forward to her new book coming out on Mother God (can't wait to see her arguments about this one).

I hope those who read this find it useful. Peace!

All I can say is THANK GOD I RENTED IT AT THE LIBARY instead of wasting my money on it this time. I have bought 5 other books of Sylvia's and I am finding that most of her material is either recyled from her other books, or "borrowed" from other great mediums of the past such as Ruth Montgomery, or Jane Roberts (The Seth Material).

After having lost my son almost a year ago, I found Sylvia
Brown's "Visits From the Afterlife:" comforting.
I have had experiences off and on all my life, usually unasked
for.
One very recently. I was in Sedona killing time while my
sister and friend were having pyschic readings done. I thought
I would have an aura photo done.
The person came in, told me where to sit, adjusted the camera
looked through the lens, looked at me and stopped. We hadn't
spoken except for the where to sit part.
She asked me if I knew I had two people standing behind me.
A tall young man and an older shorter man, whom the young man
seemed to know very well.
It was my son and father-in-law, they showed up as shapes
in my photo. Both had passed in 2004. The photographer, also
pyschic I learned later, said they were smiling and waving for the camera.
So Sylvia does not make these things up, she is, in her
own way, telling it like it is.

*Visits from the Afterlife* chronicles Sylvia Browne's lifetime experience of ghosts and ghost hunting. As with all of her books, she has a wonderful sense of humor about the whole thing and seems most sincere. I also think she is motivated by a desire to help people. In other words, I believe *she* believes everything she writes. But...

I never know exactly what to think of her writing. At times she makes complete sense to me and I find myself nodding my head in agreement. At other times, her writing is, well, just plain wacky. (Like her story of being covered with gooey, ghostly ectoplasm.)

Still, I am in love with the *possibilities* presented in her book. No one has ever proved beyond doubt that ghosts exist, but no one has ever disproved it, either. *Visits from the Afterlife* validated some of my own lifetime ghostly experiences. It doesn't matter if ANY of it is true or not. (After all, I may be nuts, too.)

I gave it four stars instead of five because of two irritating contradictions in the book: As another reviewer mentioned, she writes a lot about all her "pro bono" work. Then you go to her web site and see that she charges $700.00 for a half-hour phone reading, $750.00 if it is in person. I know the old saying "you get what you pay for" but she has made herself inaccessible by pricing herself out of most people's capacity to pay. (She calls herself "an instrument of God." I didn't know God was so expensive.) She justifies her hefty fees by telling us that she charges a lot for readings so that she can keep doing her pro bono work. Hmmmm....

The second contradiction in the book is that she tells us she reads every single E-mail she receives. And she makes a very big issue out of the fact. She explains that she can't respond individually to the thousands of E-mails she gets, of course, but she swears she reads every one. The first thing you find when you get to her web site is a notice: "Sylvia does not read E-mails." So, OK, which is it?

Having said that, the most important thing to me is that Browne's writing had the overall effect of comforting me somehow. I suggest that you take what is yours to take from this book and leave the rest. I took comfort, and isn't that a wonderful gift from any writer?

I purchased this book on Friday and had it half read by Saturday morning. A metamorphous of myself took place last November 2002. After reading many many books by several empowering authors such as, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer and Marianne Williamson, and of course, the most wonderful book of all, A Course in Miracles, that I am still reading. My life opened up to me in such a different wonderful way. Sylvia's new book is so enlightening, well written, and thought provoking. As for me, she is cast up there with all the great transforming authors of all time. This book is such good reading, soothing and educational for most souls who have had loved one's return home and/or had encounters with ghost or spirits of their own. Well worth the buy!!!

I have read everything Sylvia has written, and for a while I was beginning to doubt her. Believeing nothing just made sense in my bones. Yet I was still looking forward to her new book and read it all in two days. Maybe it's just that I want to believe. But Sylvia seems genuine. I just cannot believe she would make up all this stuff on purpose to make money. If that were true, she'd have retired by now and go live in paradise.

The book was very interesting and was mostly about hauntings. Many readers wrote in about their own experiences. I secretly wondered if Sylvia wrote them all herself, but that's just paranoia on my part. I have never had any experience of my own, and don't know anyone else who has, but supposedly there are thousands out there who have.

I did notice that often Sylvia makes it a point to say she keeps busy with pro-bono work. She'll find missing people for free. That's great- but how come when she has those Francine sessions, where people get to ask her Spirit Guide something for an outstanding fee per question, one of the rules is "no missing people in this venue"?

Elizabeth Short, a.k.a. "The Black Dahlia" speaks from beyond too which I was very interested in. But she doesn't say what happened. The case isn't solved once and for all. Wouldn't this be the perfect time to reveal? From her herself?

I don't mean to sound critical. I really liked the book and I want to believe. Whether you do or don't, it's still very entertaining.

When I read through the first third of SB's book, I was afraid that she was just going to repeat herself over and over again what was in her previous books. But the further I got, the more interesting it became so I think this is one of her best books since the "Tools" series. I can see that she has been defending herself and her beliefs in her books now. That's sad.
I can imagine how all the Bible thumpers are getting to her.
She makes ONE mistake and does not mention Jesus in a book and all the Christians come down on her at once. Although, she has since said that she was "christian gnostic" instead of "gnostic" it's a little late for her redemption. Personally, I don't think she has to step on eggs shells around people. People don't seem to come down so hard on other spiritual authors (with the exception maybe of John Edward) as they do her. Why? Because she believes in the afterlife? Isn't that what ALL religions promise? Isn't anybody paying attention? Do you have to go to church and put money in the plate that's being passed around to get to heaven? No, you don't! Will you burn in ever lasting Hell for not supporting the church? No, you won't! The whole concept of Hell is man made to keep the people scared and under the Church's control.
There is going to be a spiritual awakening in the world soon (I can see it starting now) so if you don't want to be the last one on board, go within. Find the God in you. He's there and will always be there. We love you Sylvia!