On past-life research — something new?

[The things we forget! As I go through my files on computer, I find these three emails, the first from my friend and partner in Hampton Roads Publishing Co’, Bob Friedman, the second from author and past-life researcher Joanne DiMaggio, and the third again from Bob after I had forwarded to him the second. This is from the time when I was posting my communications with Hemingway as they occurred.]

From: Robert Friedman
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 10:51 AM

Frank, this stuff is so good, and I hope you’ll continue. I think you’re on to something here about the inner-outer material, and the perspective of the other side as it relates to this life, and other connected lives (which presumably are going on at the same time). Relationship to the “higher” self, others who play their roles in the various lives and “in-between” lives. I doubt you/we could ever get credibility on a book that just purports to be channeling or talking with Hemingway. But you/we could sell one that provides a lot of interesting material on the relationship between up there and down here, how it works, how it can be used practically down here, etc. This is part of your life’s theme in any case. But I think playing out in the dialogue with a Hemingway or other “celebrity” types gives it more cache for the book market, while also delivering on material the seekers would love to have. Not for everybody, but the serious seekers might love it.
Food for thought.

[I then forwarded an email from Joanne DiMaggio:]

From: Joanne DiMaggio
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 10:12 AM

Hi Frank,

I finished reading Chasing Smallwood over the weekend, but I already know I have to go back and re-read it. There was so much profound information in it, that I don’t think anyone can absorb it after one reading. Probably not after two or three either. It’s that good. I kept thinking–how can we get this information out to the masses? How can I get people to read this book? Of course, I can do in many ways, but the urgency and the desire to help you share these ideas is very much with me these days.

I have to tell you, I saw so many parallels between what your process and mine. In the very beginning when I started doing inspirational writing (HAVE to find a new word for that!), I did it exactly as you did–in a dialogue format. In my case, it was with an entity who called himself John Mellington and said he had been my son in a previous life. But then at December 1991, I received a message from my previous personality. It jolted me because I never expected anything like that and I thought–if we have the same soul, how can my 18th century self be writing to my 20th century self? It boggled my mind–but here you did it so brilliantly in CS that it seemed as natural as breathing.

Years ago, I lamented to a channeler friend of mine–the fellow I told you about who channeled Dr. Fredericks the Akashic Librarian–that there was nothing new in past life work. It was all the same old, same old, just told a different way. At that time I was especially interested in how past life patterns repeat themselves in current realities. He sat back and said–there’s nothing new because you haven’t written about it yet. That was close to 20 years ago and I still haven’t thought of what could possibly be new. But then I read your book and there it was. This was obtaining past life information on a whole new level (at least for me–but ironically I had been doing it all along and just had not verbalized it). I had always maintained that the ONLY way to judge history is to view it through the eyes of someone who lived through it. Joseph brought that time period alive for me and I came to understand the rationale of the people to a much greater extent than anything a history book would have shared. I got the same kind of history lesson when Donald Norsic, the reincarnation of Nicholas II, told his version of the murder of his family.

I loved the thought that we in the physical are focus points for the “rest of us” who aren’t in the physical. I had not given any thought that they (and we) were looking at things through the same eyes–like having them looking over your shoulder as you observed something. The idea that you were able to help Joseph heal his back blew me away. I had a similar experience–only in reverse. When I walked into the parlor at Monticello in October 1993, I felt a searing pain to my lower back. It nearly crippled me and I barely got home. That pain lingered for six months until I had a reading with Dr. Fred and he said that I walked through a ley line and picked up the energy from the time when I was hit in the lower back by a fireplace poker. Psychic Betty Riley confirmed the same thing. Once the confirmation was made, the pain disappeared and I later learned in a regression what had happened.

The comment made on p. 158 “one person in chains puts everybody in chains” is close to the message I got from “myself” in December 1991 when I was told–“One soul freed, frees us all.” I entitled my still unpublished book, “One Soul Freed.” I also found the reference to someone being considered a slave if they had 1/8 black blood in them. This is no doubt how Jefferson ‘s children with Sally were considered slaves, because they were 7/8 white. I’ve never understood the logic to that math–but that’s the way it was and your Joseph only confirmed it.

I took copious notes throughout the reading of the book and so many ideas swirled in my head. (One being you could have used a second set of eyes proofreading the galleys).

So I guess it comes to this–how can I help you other than to host you at an upcoming A.R.E.  program? You said you had a sense we would be working together. Have TGU given you any suggestions? I’m ready whenever you are. There is just so much here to work with–so many offshoots of other books. I have a few ideas we can discuss later, but you’ve really refueled my jets and put my brain on fast-forward.. God I would love to have some of my shrill right-wing and left-wing know-it-all podium pounder friends read some of what Joseph wrote. Lord!

Joanne

From: Robert Friedman [mailto:rfriedman65@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 12:14 PM

Incredible! Talk about a synchronicity to what we’re talking about with Hemingway. A definite sign from the universe. She sounds like someone you might want to work with.

What is your reaction to her reaction?

[And of course, I have no record of my reaction!]