by Karen Frazier

I've spent a majority of my life studying the afterlife. While paranormal research is probably the most obvious way to do this, it is actually the most recent subject in my ongoing pursuit.

As a child, I grew up with the traditions of the Christian church. I questioned those beliefs from an early age, however, because some things just didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. 

You see, along with an insatiable curiosity about the origins of the human soul, I also absolutely adore science. It was one of my favorite subjects in school, and as an adult I continue to pursue scientific knowledge. As a kid, this quest for the human soul seemed in direct contradiction to my scientific learning, and I sadly felt the only conclusion I could draw was human beings didn't have souls because no scientific evidence existed suggesting otherwise.

This didn't sit well with me - the whole concept of not having a soul, and I became a voracious reader. I began comparatively studying the world's religions and philosophies. I also became a consumer of afterlife research as it was being conducted by pioneers such as Dr. Raymond Moody, Ian Stevenson, The Society for Psychical Research, Dr. Michael Newton, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, and Dr. Gary Schwartz, among others.

In this pursuit, I decided that I needed more than just reading others' research and anecdotes. I began seeking out my own experiences with the afterlife, exploring past life regression hypnotherapy (I've had five sessions), interviewing experts, experimenting with scrying and automatic writing, researching the paranormal, and engaging in a life between lives hypnotherapy session. 

I am blessed I can do many of these things under the guise of journalism. You see, I am also a writer for Paranormal Underground Magazine, as well as the host of the magazine's weekly radio show. This has granted me access to amazing experts in the field of afterlife research, and I've been lucky enough to have in-depth discussions with some of the field's greatest minds - like Loyd Auerbach, Dr. Barry Taff, Mark Macy, and many others. I've also talked to numerous people who recount their own experiences of the afterlife. Of course, I've also had a few experiences of my own as a paranormal researcher with SSPR. 

All of these experiences have led me to the inescapable conclusion that I was wrong to believe humans don't have souls. Now I believe we do. With my continued interest in quantum physics, I also feel that science and belief are not mutually exclusive. I think quantum physics will eventually prove what I know to be true, and then it will no longer require a leap of faith to believe in an afterlife.

That's a leap it took me years to make, but let me assure you it remains a leap of faith. While I believe in the survival of the soul after death, I cannot currently scientifically prove it to you. I can't prove our souls are eternal, that they reincarnate, that they communicate with the living from the other side, or that some may actually stick around for a few years as ghosts, but I could sure tell you some great stories. The truth is, I could be all wrong about the conclusions I've drawn from the experiences I've had, but I don't think I am. While I believe in the existence of the human soul as well as the strong possibility of the afterlife, I remain open to all potential explanations. It's because I am a sucker for possibilities. Open-mindedness has brought me this far, and it's been a pretty interesting ride.

All of this research has served me well as an investigator for SSPR. Other members of the team have made their own journeys to arrive at personal levels of understanding. All of the individual research our team members have done over the years provides our clients with a wide base of knowledge about philosophy, metaphysics, psychical research, religion, spirituality, science, investigative technique, and many other subjects. We're always happy to share that information with others, and we hope our clients will never be afraid to ask us any question. We will always try to answer them and, if we can't, we also have a team of outside experts with whom we can consult. Even if you aren't a SSPR client but you have a question, please feel free to share them with us. You can do so by completing our Contact form or emailing us. We'll do our very best to answer.

Want to learn about some of the experiences I've had? You can visit Paranormal Underground and peruse their magazine and radio archives, where I've documented many of my experiences.