Dr. Eben Alexander generated much curiosity about the existence of the afterlife in his bestselling book “Proof of Heaven.” He is now expanding that account by connecting science, religion, and stories from ordinary people to prove the survival of consciousness following physical death.
His new book, "The Map of Heaven," links the journey of the soul from past and present accounts. His idea is to give a virtual understanding that the realms outside of the physical world, witnessed by people who have had profound spiritual experiences, are all quite similar.
As a reminder, Dr. Eben Alexander was a practicing neurosurgeon whose life was dedicated to studying the human brain. He would use his extensive background in neuroscience to refute claims made by those who said they had visited heaven during a near-death experiences, as he was confident that what they experienced was simply fantasies produced by the brain under extreme strain.
In 2008, all that changed when he contracted bacterial meningitis of the brain and fell into a deep coma. His neocortex (the part of the brain that handles all the thought processes) had completely shut down. But when he awoke, his memories still existed, defying all known laws of science and all known beliefs Dr. Eben Alexander once had. At that moment, he realized that heaven did exist.
By sharing his story, Alexander has allowed other people to believe in more than just a single realm. Furthermore, his "Map of Heaven" takes a deeper look into the spiritual history of humankind, and how the world's most renowned philosophers, like Plato and Aristotle, describe the conscious survival of death in the past. Mapping together their historical and present stories, Alexander concludes that they all share the same connection — this "proof" that there is another world outside of the physical one.
"One of the main reasons I put 'Map of Heaven' out there has to do with helping the skeptics," Dr. Eben Alexander tells FOX News Magazine in an exclusive interview. "I wanted to help those who were in the same boat I was in — trying to disprove the afterlife — come to realize there is a far deeper unfolding in our knowing that is happening now," he adds.
"Our pure scientific proof is all completely false. As we move forward in our deepest understanding, we are about to awaken to a grander knowing. This awaking is a much grander view in the destiny of our thinking, combining science with the deepest lessons we've learned over thousands of years."
Dr. Alexander also believes that the birth of modern science in the 17th Century contributed to humankind forgetting what their grander purpose was.
“In the current level of humanity, what needs to be learned is that infinite love of the creator and the creation,” he says. “We are here to learn and to serve as teachers of unconditional love and its infinite power to heal. We are here to bring love, compassion, forgiveness and mercy, and to teach that there is an evolution of consciousness after the physical life ends.”
Through this understanding, he says, people will at last remember what true destiny really is.
As he continued, I questioned some of the unexplainable events that cause harm in this realm, and he confidently responded that there is no battle between good and evil.
“I rather see it that the power of that unconditional love, of the light and love of the creator, is an infinite force that can expel the darkness of evil; both in material realm and spiritual realm,” he says.
“It was clear to me the infinite love of that creator, that I encountered in the spiritual world, had infinite power to heal. [And] to defeat that 'evil' in the world, we can all serve with the power of love, compassion and forgiveness. We need to wake up and take greater responsibility for this world. I believe this is all a part of a grander plan.”
Although Alexander knows some might still discredit his account into the afterlife, he is confident in the all-empowering force and beauty of God.
“The most beautiful message of all and the most important message in both of these books is the power of the creator, and that beyond the physical realm, God is absolutely real at the core of reality,” he says.
“At the core of our consciousness and all that is unfolding in this universe — God is absolutely and fundamentally real. He has the infinite power to heal. "
Fun stories about food, relationships, the great outdoors and more.