Book Review: The Other Side and Back

Author: Sylvia Brown 
Title: The Other Side and Back 
Genre: Non-fiction, Religion, & Fantasy
Pages: 304
First Published: August 1999
Where I Got It: My shelf (Christmas gift from Reece)

World-famous psychic and New York Times bestselling author Sylvia Browne takes readers on an unprecedented and comprehensive "tour" of the afterlife—a world-changing revelation that has helped millions live for today, tomorrow, and forever...

This is my second book I've read by Sylvia Browne. The first one I read was solely about reincarnation and near-death. That was really good and it reaffirmed my belief in reincarnation and spirit guides, so I've always been interested in Sylvia Browne's work since that book. Reece found this for me recently and I'm glad she did.

In this book she does talk a bit about spirit guides and reincarnation, but she mainly focuses on the "Other side" which is a form of heaven, but not your a-typical heaven with clouds and harps. Bleurgh. Who wants that? BORING. She talks about how the Other Side is much more in-tune in your interests and so forth. It is also on Earth, but its considered a different dimension. Better then the old tales of heaven and I can get behind something that doesn't involve me being naked on a cloud playing a harp. *nods*

She also does talk about talking the dead, ghosts, angels, and even the future. I've had my far share of ghostie encounters, but as for the future? I can't take her serious. No one can predict the future in my mind. Maybe you can predict a general thing that is set in stone, but I don't know if if "God" or whoever would curse anyone with that knowledge. Plus....it's like reading the end of a book. Leave well enough alone.

Now I have of course had my future told to me from many different psychics. They've been 20% right. I also do divination cards and tarot cards to give me direction or help or whatever (they've been more right then psychics), so I believe in those more so. However, the future is too fickle in my mind. 

Now...reading the past is more set in stone. I totally believe in reincarnation and all that stuff, because I've experienced a couple of my past lives through regression. Its spooky and explains a lot about why I am the way I am. It also explains why I am here and trying to "better myself". I won't go into details about my stories, because I am shy and I don't really want people too know that. I rarely have told any friends or my parents (I oddly feel embarrassed and I don't want people to look at me like I am crazy - I know, I know.....I should not be ashamed in my beliefs). 

This was a quick read and it was interesting. Do I believe in everything Sylvia Browne says? Hell no. Do I believe in some of it? Yes, but I've experienced some it and I'm a "have to see it to believe it" type of gal. THUS why I don't believe in aliens completely, because I have not had an experience with an alien or UFO or whatever. 

I do recommend this to those with an open-mind. It's an interesting belief on the world. Is it any more crazy then any other religious theories? Nope. Some of it makes sense, some of it seems out of this world. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 4 stars. More like 3.5 stars, but I rounded. 

Random Time: Phobia & Fears

Hey everyone! You all doing okay? 
I know I usually post 'Wordless Wednesday' on today (or whatever), but I'm feeling like posting something different. Why? There are a few reasons: 1) I've been reading a lot of non-book/non-movie posts that have inspired the writer in me to branch out and 2) Last night I was attacked by a spider!


Yes, last night I was attacked! After I got home from work, I decided to take a shower (which is normal behavior). The water was all heated up and I jumped in. Next thing I see on my shower curtain is a huge, nasty spider! I gasped (I don't scream, odd, eh?), jumped out, and grabbed a dirty pair of PJ bottoms and got in my battle poise. Slowly, but surely the spider began coming after me. I killed the little bugger and continued to shower in terror. Once I was clean and my anxiety attack was finished, I got changed and began to think. Why am I so afraid of spiders? Why do I have all the phobias I have? Why does anyone really experience this phenomenon? 

Yes, I took Psychology a couple semester ago, but we barely touched base on it. I understand some phobias come out of horrible experiences we've lived through. For example, when I was extremely young I was nearly kidnapped right from my mom's hand and so now I experience a phobia of being kidnapped. However, I was never really hurt by spiders in my youth, so why do I fear them? So many questions and a lot of answers, I bet.

Here's a snipbit from a BBC News article on phobias:


"An estimated 13% of the adult population will develop a phobia at some point in their life, according to one study. But why do people develop phobias?
It is all related to anxiety, which is a normal response to stress or danger and often called the "flight or fight" response. It involves adrenalin being quickly pumped through the body enabling it to cope with whatever comes its way.
Problems start when this response is out of proportion to the actual danger or is generated when there is no danger present. That is when it can become an anxiety disorder, of which phobias are a category.

There are several factors that can trigger such a disorder, according to the National Phobics Society (NPS):

-Stress
-childhood environment
-genetic predispostions

-physical factors, such as thyroid problems

-biochemical imbalance and changes in the levels of chemical messengers in the brain

For some people it can be one of these factors that results in a phobia, while for others it can be a combination. It is also quite common for people to suffer from more than one phobia at the same time.While no one trigger is related to a particular phobia, often the more bizarre fears are caused by stress, while more common ones - such as the fear of spiders - are more likely to be linked to childhood environment."

There is also another theory that the article doesn't mention. For some it may be completely nuts, but hey, anything is possible. Right? I read about this theory from one of Sylvia Browne's many books. She believes that some fears/phobias (some, not all) are caused from a past life experience. This would suggest that one of my fears/phobias are caused from an event from another life I "lived".

Which could explain my fear of falling backwards, having my neck touched with objects (besides for necklaces), or my phobia of spiders. I've never been bitten by a spider, but I'm deathly afraid of them. Also, I may be clumsy, but why have a fear of falling backwards? I've never been choked or whatever in this life, so maybe events from my past lives could still be affecting me today? Who knows? Nothing is 100% proved and set in stone. That's why they're called "theories". 

Anything is possible, even reincarnation or Big Foot. However, these subjects will be brought to life sooner or later. Haha. I'm such a tease.

What phobias/fears do you have?

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

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<3CaroleRae