Hacking The Afterlife podcast

As usual, another mind bending session.

It begins with a visit from Kobe, who mentions some of the work that Jennifer has been doing with his family.  I asked him some questions about his observations of watching NBA players, and he says he plays an active role in terms of helping those who are open to it.

He called his "council" his "line up" - the team that we all have that help us when we're navigating the stage. He said he's more likely to work with coaches than individual players.

Luana then brought forward JFK jr and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy - whom we've had a brief chat with before, but this time it's a little more indepth.  Asking him what it was like to cross over to the flipside, he said he was someone who didn't know where he was for awhile.. and then his mother brought him that awareness. 

I asked him some questions about his opinion of the current administration and he couldn't stop laughing. John McCain (Maverick) stopped by as JFK Jr said he was one of the people who surprised him on the other side - as it wasn't someone he'd have conversed with on the planet, but offstage they were able to talk about John's incarceration and aspects of that part of his journey. 

In terms of speaking to Carolyn about who she was surprised to meet on the other side, a question I often ask people, she said she was surprised to meet with Oprah's "higher self."

We only bring a portion of our conscious energy to a lifetime - based on the reports - and a larger portion of "who we are" is always "back home."

So that included some unusual questions to "Oprah's higher self" about her path and journey and what advice she might give to people listening in.

All of it mind bending.

But it's what we've been doing for years now, and about six years on our podcast.

Enjoy.

HERE'S A PODCAST FROM A YEAR AGO - 2025... LAST YEAR'S Happy New Year!

Well no time like the present to kick off the new year with a mind bending podcast courtesy of Jennifer Shaffer and Rich Martini.  Jennifer's web page JenniferShaffer.com has links to her "Uncorked" events, or to book with her directly, RichardMartini.com is where one can book a guided meditation with Rich.

So the other day in my kitchen (and I don't know why it's the case, but I sometimes get a message or feeling there that someone wants to talk to us) President Jimmy Carter popped into my head.

It of course could have been because he'd just passed away - but I try not to judge why someone shows up, or if someone shows up.  I just leave it aside, and see what happens when we start the podcast.

And as we often do, I left it up to our moderator on the Flipside, Luana Anders to suggest the topic for the day. And she told Jennifer: "Richard has someone who spoke to him yesterday."

Which is accurate.  And just prior to the podcast - literally a minute before, I remembered that happened, and I looked up Jimmy on Wikipedia so at the very least I had some of his background correct. as it is - at some point I call the King of England before Elizabeth "Edward" when everyone knows that's not her father's name.

But Jennifer didn't say his name - just pointed out that she was seeing him when Winston Churchill showed up. (For historians out there, the story of Winston sleeping in the White House and seeing a ghost is old news.)

As noted, when over the past ten years we have someone Presidential show up (We've had all chats with Hoover, FDR, Truman, JFK, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr.. and folks associated with the Presidency - Abe Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, RFK, John McCain - those interviews are in the books BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE FLIPSIDE (books 1, 2 and 3).

Some of them are searchable on the podcast - Abe, JFK, RFK, etc... but it wasn't surprising what Jimmy said about seeing Reagan on the flipside, how McCain stopped by - and the legions of people who loved him were there to greet him.

Interesting that he said Rosalyn was "with him" frequency wise - he spoke about the regrets he had from his life (associated with war) and the things he was proudest of. 

I asked him a question about a film project I've been working on - something only he would know about, the land case in Maine.  Fun to hear him say it's a story "that should be told."

He also talked briefly about people off planet - since he saw a UFO back in 1969, and says that the kinds of work they're doing are benevolent... nothing to fear.  The same kind of things I've heard in the research behind CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE FLIPSIDE KIND. 

We asked him who he was surprised to see - and he mentioned Winston Churchill and Elvis - who was friends with him. Paul Newman showed up - I wasn't aware of their friendship, but Jimmy talked about Paul's food charity work, and we asked Paul some questions about his journey, including what it was like to welcome his wife Joanne Woodward home.  (Joanne is still on the planet, but has Alzheimers - from the research, multiple conversations with people offstage, our loved ones who have dementia are "90% already home" - so it's normal for them to interact with each other.  As my friend's father Jack Tracey told us in his last weeks of being here, "It's like leaving a leg in the pool."  I didn't mean to imply she is gone - just was asking him what it was like to see her "higher self" on the flipside.)

So while one is watching the nation mourn this President, while the nation has a funeral for him, honoring him and his service, be aware that he hasn't disappeared or is gone: he's just not here.

Available. Like everyone is.

Hope this helps.

WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK!

Happy New Year!  Jennifer and I chat about the upcoming New Year, about pets in the afterlife.  Also a visit from Amelia Earhart prior to my going on Coast to Coast to talk about the new book SHE WAS NEVER LOST: THE AMELIA EARHART SAGA. George's mom stopped by (she's still on the planet, but his mom's higher self stopped by)... and we chat with Amelia about the book, also chat with Robert Towne's dog Hira who talks about the life and returning home of pets.  (Not death - but returning home)  To book a session with JenniferShaffer.com - or myself RichardMartini.com - happy new year!

Welcome to the podcast Hacking the Afterlife. I tend to put information here that gives context to the podcast. In that vein, for those unfamiliar with what we're doing:

At what point in time is it okay to ask recently deceased people questions on the flipside? When is too soon? When is it inappropriate? 

Some context: as a filmmaker, I’ve written and or directed 10 feature films, made a number of documentaries about the afterlife, and have spoken at UVA Medical school DOPS regarding how the footage shows consciousness is not confined to the brain.

Jennifer Shaffer works with law enforcement agencies nationwide on missing person cases. I’ve interviewed some of those agents from the FBI, LAPD (NYPD) who work with her on a daily basis. A third of her practice is pro bono work with law enforcement. She also works with a number of people who knew Rob and Michelle, and the families of Kobe Bryant and Steve Jobs have allowed her to mention that she works with them.

Ten years ago, I began working with Jennifer - we met for lunch and have been talking since then. The past five years on our podcast. Our moderator on the flipside is Luana Anders - who worked with Rob Reiner in the film THE LAST DETAIL.

Luana died in my arms, and began visiting me not long after (back in 1996). It took me until 2004 to investigate how it was possible she could communicate with me - and upon meeting Jennifer I realized I could have conversations with her. And indeed - we’ve been doing that nonstop for over ten years. Luana was in many films - worked with Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson and others - and in my case, I worked with Ray Charles in the film LIMIT UP where he plays “God.” The point is that it’s “six degrees of separation.” If Luana knows someone, or I worked with someone, it’s easier for us to verify those details. I knew Penny Marshall, we did a gig together once, I appeared on Laverne and Shirley once (cutting room floor because Harry Dean Stanton’s song went long.)

So when this question is asked; “Are you going to be speaking to Rob and Michelle soon?” it comes from the couple of hundred interviews we have on the podcast HACKING THE AFTERLIFE on YouTube.

In terms of our podcast, people tend to miss the notion that we aren’t in charge of the guest list. Since Jennifer and I have begun to talk to the flipside, it’s really up to Luana Anders to decide who is “ready to be interviewed.”

In terms of how that works, sometimes I “hear” a voice from someone I knew or know - and when that happens, I’ll say to myself “Well, if this person wants to show up for a conversation, they know where to find us.” And then - since Jennifer and I have been doing that for over the past ten years, frequently I’ll show up for a meeting with her - and she’ll say “so and so is here.”

That has happened more often than I can recall. I can report that I heard Robert Kennedy’s voice one day saying “I understand you’re the person I need to speak with to get a message to my family.” I had the presence of mind to not judge that I heard his distinct voice - and said to him; “Actually I’m not the guy, you need to find Luana.”

The next day I went to meet with Jennifer and she said before I could say anything; “Robert Kennedy is here.” The other day during the Frank Gehry interview, I heard his voice (or had the impression of hearing his voice) saying “Yes, I’ll be on your podcast.” And not believing that it was actually him and not my imagination, I said to him “Well, we met through Sally Kellerman, so if you do want to speak to us, Sally should show up and I’ll know it’s you.”

And during that podcast, at first Jennifer said “Luana says you have someone” and then said “Hot Lips is here.” (Sally Kellerman’s role in the film MASH.) So I knew that Frank was available to converse.

In this case, we have spoken to Rob Reiner’s ex, Penny whom I was pals with. When she crossed over, we have a conversation with the one and only. We’ve also interview Garry Marshall, whom I knew when he was still on the planet - so it wasn’t hard for us to connect with Penny.

Generally - what we’ve learned recently is that Luana Anders is teaching a class in the flipside in how to communicate with us. The class - is large. We’ve spoken to quite a few people in the past ten years.

So all that being said, I was wondering if we’d be speaking to Rob and his wife Michelle this week. A friend of mine who has done a guided meditation session with me said “I have the feeling you’re going to be speaking to Rob Reiner this week.” I said “It may be too soon - but I have to be open to whomever does show up.” In other words - I know how tragic the event is, I know how raw his friends feel - and some of them I know well enough to say that I know they’d be upset to hear that we were inviting him to our podcast.

This week - I’m about to post it - he does show up. I ask Luana “Who is here on your guest list” and Jennifer makes a face and says “Rob Reiner.” Then she said “He’s just observing. He doesn’t want to speak. But he’s observing the class.”

We’ve had that before - where people show up to just observe this give and take to see what it is. In the Frank Gehry podcast I asked him if he was ready to converse (He was friends with Luana and I told him at a party that I had scattered some of his old friend’s ashes at the Guggenheim in Bilbao) - and we ask him about that on the podcast.

The point is - without context it may seem exploitive to converse with someone who is recently passed. I know that some people are offended that we speak to anyone in this fashion - however, as I try to point out, as a filmmaker for the past 40 years, a music critic at Variety, and since Luana was in over 100 films and TV shows - between us we know many folks on the flipside, and she has many of them in her class on how to “communicate with the denser realm.” (Folks onstage).

So Rob and Michelle may talk to us in the future. That’s up to them.

Again - it’s not my opinion, theory or belief that people exist after leaving the stage - it’s what the footage, data and research show. People can spend their lives believing that life ends, and be completely startled, shocked to realize life goes on. That our manner of passing isn’t as relevant as our many of living - and how many people we’ve affected or cared about.

Love is all there is.

So it’s a cogent question, and the answer is revealed in today’s podcast: “Yes, he still exists and No, he’s not ready to talk about it yet.”

We’ll see if he is at a future date. The point of the podcast (and the underlying point of the question) is that “everyone can communicate with people offstage” - our loved ones are not gone, they just aren’t here. I’m sorry that bothers some people - but I wouldn’t be accurate if I didn’t report verbatim what the data, research or footage was showing.

Hope this helps someone. For people who want to communicate directly with loved ones, I can recommend Jennifer's help - there's also her "Wine & Spirits" events in Manhattan beach. For those willing to do hypnotherapy, I recommend Scott at LightBetweenLives.com - a way to explore in detail. For those who are familiar with guided meditation, I can help them access their teachers and guides via RichardMartini.com

Hope this helps.

Some years ago, when Jonathan Krane was producing my films and married to the Oscar nominated actress Sally Kellerman - who was Luana Anders closest pal on the planet - my wife and I had a Christmas dinner at Sally and Jonathan's home.

Frank Gehry was there - by himself, so my wife and I, both children of architects sat down to have a lively conversation about everything under the sun.

So the other day, after Frank passed, I had the "feeling" or awareness that he was willing to join our podcast - mainly because we've interviewed so many pals of his.

Frank was in "group therapy" with Sydney Pollack, Sally, Jonathan, Luana - Blake Edwards, Dudley Moore and others... Milton Wexler was the renowned psychotherapist who ran the group, and remained a famous therapist until the end of his life.

But because I knew Sally was in the group - I made that the "bell ringer" for myself - if I asked to speak to Frank and Sally showed up ("Hot Lips" in the original MASH) I knew it was him.

And that's what happens in the podcast.

Frank stops by to talk about his journey - and I was startled to see that his favorite building was the home of Norton Simon - which I didn't know he designed when I went to Sally and Jonathan's wedding at the palatial estate.

But there you have it - I don't even know if Jennifer said "Venice" and I heard "Malibu" - I'll have to check the tape, but that's where my mind went.

And yes, Jennifer Jones did offer to have our wedding at her home - but we didn't go that path.  Funny to remember it now and in this fashion.

It's another mind bending podcast and serves as a reminder; they aren't gone; they're just not here.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and for folks like Frank who are Jewish; Happy Hannukah!