Messages from the Afterlife is both an account of Ireland's journey from indifference to belief and an overview of resources available to the bereaved to help them contact their lost loved ones.
Messages from the Afterlife shows how spirit communication can be both undeniably accurate and frustratingly ambiguous, and above all demonstrates the value of having an open, receptive mind while maintaining faith in the indestructibility of the human spirit.
Excerpt
Sometimes people don't understand the reasons why I-a person they view as grounded and practical-chose to explore and write about psychic phenomena and mediumship. They wonder about my basis for directing bereaved persons to mediums for readings or "sittings" as they are also called. Apparently I don't exude the sort of vibe expected of someone interested in the "paranormal" or the metaphysical because of my sensible approach to things.
The short answer to both questions is that I have an intimate knowledge of the pain associated with the death of a loved one, having lost my youngest son, Brandon, in early 2004. Losing someone so close-especially a child-is often the most painful event a person will ever experience. For some, the effects of grief can be crippling. They can ripple out for months, years, or even a lifetime.
But I've also seen the healing effects that a good reading can have on the bereaved. I've experienced this process firsthand. And I only refer people to the best mediums-the ones who have generated exceptional results on a repeated basis, under controlled conditions.
My father, Richard Ireland, was a highly capable psychic-medium as well as a minister. On many occasions I saw him serve as an instrument of spirit-communication, yielding moving, specific validations that infused me with confidence in the reality of the other side of life. Referenced by various religious traditions, I refer to those non-physical realms of being where those we call "deceased" now dwell-and with whom a few of those we call "living" are able to communicate-through a variety of channels.
As noted, I have witnessed the positive effects that a reading can have on someone navigating the turbulent waters of grief-when the medium is able to reveal specific, meaningful information. Observing such individuals before and after readings, I noted that something usually changed. More times than not the end result was positive-the outcome was transformative, accelerating their healing process. In one instance, a bereaved father had a breakthrough when medium Tina Powers shared specific, impactful details about his deceased son that he said "there was no way she could have known." Before this, the man had essentially lost all hope, was destitute, and seriously questioning his own faith. Afterward he was relieved, as if a major burden had been removed. He explained that these key pieces of obscure information, shared by Tina, were his bridge to hope.
Professional Reviews
Guy Lyon Playfair, SPR Council Member
"Not all books deliver what their titles promise. This one certainly does-and much more. The messages are there, and very impressive many of them are, as is the author's balance between spiritual seeking and a strictly scientific approach....Fascinating reading."
Larry Dossey, M.D.
"In Messages from the Afterlife, Mark Ireland raises fundamental questions about the nature and fate of human consciousness. This touching, heartfelt account takes its place in the enlarging body of evidence suggesting that death is not final."
Jane Katra, PhD.
"I loved this book! Raymond Moody opened the dialogue on NDE's, Brian Weiss did it for past-life memories, Michael Newton for life between lives, the Guggenheims for after-death communications, and now Mark Ireland has done it for mediumship, the capacity of certain individuals to communicate with the spirits of the deceased...."
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