A RICH MAN

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A RICH MAN WHO DIES A RICH MAN IS A POOR MAN

 

The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
                                              Pablo Picasso

 

Is it true that a rich man who dies a rich man is a poor man? I guess it all depends on the circumstances and attitude of the rich man.

In most cases, I would say it’s probably true that an outwardly rich man is a poor man within, particularly If he hoards his wealth because he thinks he needs more and so can never have enough.

John D. Rockefeller, an Ohio native, started Standard Oil and at one point was the world’s richest man and first-ever American billionaire.  Considering he was a billionaire in the early 1900’s he is still regarded as the wealthiest person in modern history.  When a reporter asked him, “How much money is enough?” He responded, “Just a little bit more.”

What a strange psychosis! Unless, of course, he was joking. But does there not seem to be something wrong when someone always needs more when they already have more than they could reasonably spend? I don’t understand it, except it must come from an abysmally low state of conscious awareness and appreciation of what’s really important in life. And by the way, highly intelligent and privileged people are not exempt from such moral ineptitude.    

Can we say anyone is a rich man if he feels he’s still lacking? Why would he need ‘just a little bit more if he wasn't lacking?’

On the contrary, wouldn’t a comparatively poor man be considered wealthier if there’s only contentment with no sense of lack? If he is satisfied and the rich man isn’t, tell me, who is better off in the long run?

So, let me ask, is hoarding a way to buttress one’s self-esteem by convincing others they are superior because they have more? What happens to them if their fortunes are lost? Is their sense of inner worth lost too? I have a relative in California who was very wealthy, but through no fault of his own, his money was embezzled and he was about to lose everything; prestige, friends, and most of all, his self-identity as a successful mover and shaker at the top of his game.

He couldn’t handle it, so one night he took his gun and killed his beloved wife while she was sleeping in bed. Then he killed himself. Very sad… was such a nice guy, at least until he lost his identity; or was it just his persona?

This illustrated to me that it really does matter whether we invest ourselves in outward appearances and accruements or the inward richness of our soul essence. I’m not saying everyone who is outwardly wealthy is inwardly shallow; many aren’t, even if outward concerns often distract them from getting in touch with their inward resources.  

And yet, one doesn’t have to be the wealthiest man in the world to strut one’s stuff among lesser relatives, siblings, or friends. Having the fastest horse and fanciest buggy might be a source of pride in some cultures such as the Amish for example.

Still, I don’t wish to judge those who have a lot because we don’t know what’s going on with them in their life circumstances. They may have a very generous spirit of giving, as many seem to have in living their exemplary lives. Having been relatively wealthy as a land developer in Alberta and Texas in my early 30s, I admire those who’ve made it because I know it’s not easy when starting out with nothing. (What is easy is losing it when the government turns on you, but that’s another story.)

But what I wish to examine in this post is what’s going on with a hoarder and what makes them adverse to giving. So rather than judge[1] the late and great John D., since we don’t wish to assume his motives, let’s consider the general nature of avarice and hoarding, be it little or great. Here are some questions.

Is hoarding evidence of the soul’s inner poverty? Does a hoarder know anything about the pleasures of sharing?

What are the reasons some of those with great means do not wish to share their wealth with others such as the less fortunate, particularly when the giving is anonymous? Do such hoard their wealth because of insecurities about not having enough? And why do they think that… what are these insecurities?

It would be easy to write a long psychological analysis on any of these questions. Perhaps sometimes I’ll do that, but if I do, it won’t be the standard dystopic Marxist interpretation of exploitation, societal victimhood and entitlement.   

Could it be that hoarding is primarily based on underlying fears of death that cause the futile attempt to stave off the inevitable? If so, is hoarding not just a vain attempt to deny one’s mortality? The joke is: “if I can’t take it with me, then I’m not going.”

Contrary to the hoarder’s experience, a generous soul takes delight in sharing, be it little or a lot, and thereby has the benefit of participating in others’ joy. Willing one’s resources as an inheritance to one’s offspring or relatives may be considered a form of generosity. But is it? I ask, why not share it while we’re still alive to derive some joy from participating in the joy others receive from our abundance?

If we don’t share now, might we forever forgo the joy this opportunity afforded and in doing so, impoverish our souls? Whereas, by unconditional giving, we affirm both ourselves and others. In other words, a rich man who dies a poor (or poorer) man is a man who has indeed become a rich man when he passes on.

Why is this? I would suggest it’s because he has assimilated the quality of generosity and unselfishness into his being that now constitute the essence of who he is… what his soul has become. What he has ‘built in’ is what he takes with him for better or worse when he leaves this mortal plane of existence. If he is generous, he takes this spirit with him, becoming a higher quality of being. I think this might describe the fictional character of Mr Tipton from the old television series, The Millionaire. I have included below an excerpt that describes this from my first book, The Ascent.

 

Let’s step back a moment and examine these issues from the spiritual perspective of wealth and the hereafter. Certainly, sacred scriptures have much to say which I won’t go into now.

However, if we believe there are multiple lives we live on earth, which I do, we may picture ourselves as a snowball that continues to get bigger as we roll down the hill each time to new earthly experiences. We pick it up from where we’ve left off because there is little real growth on the other side since we have no needs. Such it is in paradise, at least according to the theory of multiple lives.

If so, then our divine soul has been evolving for a very long time since divinity has no beginning or end; only our memory. In which case, we have been in this for a long time.

This is a little off-topic, but time seems linear to us in this limited third dimension. However, if we could understand it from a higher perspective, we might perceive it as a circle, though not as a flat circle drawn on the floor. Rather, we might view ongoing life as a multi-dimensional spiral, ever spiralling upwards. Being one with this motion ever upward in quality of being, we increasingly become consociated with our Source (God) as a unique expression of divinity.

That’s our ultimate reason for existence because the divine is what we are; we’re finding our unique expression. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant by ‘lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

This seems to mean that if we expect to find our treasures in heaven, we need to lay them up by becoming that treasure in the here and now.  I can think of no better way than having a generous spirit wishing to give, not to get, but to share unconditional love. On the spiritual level, we can only receive what we give. The more we give, the more we receive. To say this must always be about money is shallow to the extreme. There are more important things than money to give and receive, such as love, happiness and fulfilment.

I don’t wish to sound like Mother Teresa since I’m clearly not, but I find it immensely gratifying to take a certain senior out for dinner and a drive in the country about once a week. Since he’s confined to a wheelchair in a senior’s residence, he is extremely grateful to ‘escape’ for a while. I also did this for several years with my mother, who recently passed away. (See my tribute to her on this blog site if you wish.)

But you know what? I receive ten-fold the pleasure of doing this for someone who can’t do it for themselves, far more than going out on my own or with a friend. And what does it cost me? A little gas money and some time?  That’s not a cost but rather an investment in my happiness and theirs.

So, rather than hoard what we have to our last day, why not use what we have by giving? Hoarding our wealth to the last day with the illusion of well-being is to rob ourselves. But there is no well-being when hoarding depletes our spirit of being what we’re meant to be when sharing. The purpose of giving is beyond that of just giving money, it is to enrich our lives freeing our souls from the shackles of avarice. This is to live authentically.

The rich man who invests his resources to create more wealth may do it for philanthropic reasons rather than to augment their standing and image. So, again, we ought not to judge the motive. However, if the motive is to project an image of success of better than thou, then that is pernicious to the soul.

Some give their money out of a religious conviction that God will provide them with good fortune on earth and heaven if they are faithful in their monetary offerings. I’m not sure how impressed God is with such an approach if that is their motive. Rather than giving out of fear, it’s better to give willingly out of the abundance of one’s heart.

Giving one’s time in service to others when there is little or no surplus money to drop in the offering plane may be much better because some things can’t be bought, such as unconditional love, devotion and companionship.

See the link to a post related to this subject.

WHO DO YOU SERVE?
https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/who-are-you-in-serivice-too  

Quotes on Giving and Receiving

 

God has given us two hands - one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing. Billy Graham

Abundance is the process of letting go; that which is empty can receive.” ~ Bryant H. McGill

Abundance is about being rich, with or without money. ~ Suze Orman

If you want love and abundance in your life, give it away. ~ Mark Twain

 Why are you so enchanted by this world, when a mine of gold lies within you? ~ Rumi

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:20 KJV

True abundance isn’t based on our net worth, it’s based on our self-worth. ~ Gabrielle Bernstein

Your most precious, valued possessions and your greatest powers are invisible and intangible. No one can take them. You, and you alone, can give them. You will receive abundance for your giving. W. Clement Stone

We are not rich by what we possess but by what we can do without. Immanuel Kant

I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver. Maya Angelou

Giving does not only precede receiving; it is the reason for it. It is in giving that we receive.
Israelmore Ayivor

It’s easier to take than to give. It’s nobler to give than to take. The thrill of taking lasts a day. The thrill of giving lasts a lifetime. Joan Marques

Happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give. Ben Carson

Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more. H. Jackson Brown

The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
Pablo Picasso

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth. Mohammed Ali

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 (KJV)

The next time you want to withhold your help, or your love, or your support for another for whatever the reason, ask yourself a simple question: do the reasons you want to withhold it reflect more on them or on you? And which reasons do you want defining you forevermore? Dan Pearce
 
The most precious thing I have to give is my time. Silvia Hartmann

Think of giving not as a duty, but as a privilege. John D. Rockefeller Jr.
 
 

Excerpt from Elysium’s Passage: Quantum Leaps, Chapter 6

 

‘As your inward world becomes enriched with all that’s yet to happen here,’ he said, ‘your outer world will be commensurately enriched. That’s because you’ll wish to share all that you’ve discovered here. Even if this takes some time; eventually, we think it will become your raison d’etre.’

‘I’m not sure why,’ I said, ‘it seems, whenever I share my life, I end up getting burned, especially with women.’

‘Okay then, here’s an example for you to think about. Remember, you told us a while back that you occasionally watched old British and American reruns, some from as far back as the 50s.’

‘Mainly it was because a girlfriend I once had was into watching these old flicks... the more sentimental, the better. For me, I found it was a way to relax my mind after intensive study. I would attach my computer to the telly, and sometimes we’d watch whatever we happened to find on YouTube. We’d even make popcorn, just like in the theatre. Some of the flicks were too sappy for my tastes; regardless, she liked them all.’

‘Do you remember an American series called The Millionaire,’ Eli asked.

I’m not sure, what was it about?

It involved a distinguished gentleman named Michael Anthony who would come to someone’s door each week with something big. 

‘Like what?’

‘A million dollars. Typically, he would politely introduce himself and ask if he may come in to discuss something that would likely be of considerable interest to them. Because of his professional demeanour, they generally allowed him in, albeit reluctantly at times, if they suspected he was a salesman or agent trying to sell them a life insurance policy.’

‘I find it interesting you would know anything about that series. I think I might have watched a couple of episodes since my girlfriend enjoyed fantasising about becoming instantly wealthy, which may explain why our relationship didn’t last for long.’  

‘Then let me remind you what this series illustrated. Even though this series might not have seemed to have any philosophical merit, nevertheless, they portrayed several important lessons. These may not have occurred to you at the time, though they probably didn’t occur to the producers either.’ 

‘I’m not sure how they could,’ I said.  

‘Banal as the series may have seemed, you might recall how each episode was a variation on a theme whereby the beneficiaries had no idea what Mr Anthony was about to give them. After a few pleasantries, he would hand them a cheque for one million US dollars and then explain a few things before they signed a nondisclosure agreement. That would probably be well over ten million dollars in today's currency. 

‘Mostly, the money was to help an ordinary person who was in the middle of dealing with some problem related to work or relationships. At times it would be about someone who worked hard and yet, for whatever reasons, couldn’t get an even break. Typically, these were good people, the type that would find it in themselves to offer what they could help others who might be considered less fortunate. 

‘Of course, the recipients would be incredulous and often suspicious whether there might be a catch. However, they would soon get over it after it was explained that the largess was from an anonymous philanthropist who had taken an interest in their wellbeing. And who doesn’t want to believe that, even if it sounds improbable? In some episodes, things would get a bit complicated… money has a way of doing that, in case you haven’t noticed. Still, in the end, things eventually worked out.’

‘That’s jolly… a happy ending, so what’s the point to this?’ 

‘Try to imagine that you were Mr Anthony. What might it be like to knock on someone’s door and be greeted by someone who was in an unfortunate situation and ‘Let not get carried away, I think I prefer to remain the old James the world has come to love and adore, albeit with a little tweaking on this side of the veil. Besides, I’m not sure how many would believe what happened to me here. Actually, I do know… none of them, or for that matter, anyone else at my workplace.’

‘Each time, you would be able to witness how their countenance changed,’ Mo continued, ‘slowly transforming the heavy lines on their face from disbelief to the release of unbridled joy. Even before showing up at their door, you already knew the circumstances of each person, since the benefactor always did his research before identifying the beneficiaries he considered most appropriate. Would not knowing this heighten your anticipation of what excitement was about to ensue?’

‘Sure, that sounds delightful,’ I said, ‘yet there was another series I preferred called The Twilight Zone.[2] 

I think it was my favourite next to the British sitcom, Are You Being Served?[3] More than ever, I can relate to its surreal air, considering how I suddenly find myself in such a zone.’ 

‘So, what if things should become even more surreal the further you venture into Elysium’s Passage,’ Eli asked, ‘far beyond what Rod Serling might have conceived or dreamt? I hope you’re ready for more fascinating adventures, far more than you could have imagined in the Lowlands where only sameness prevails.’ 

‘To be honest,’ I said, ‘I’m not sure if I’m ready for more fascination in my life at this time. I’d prefer to keep things just as they are while I await the fall guy to call me back.’ 

‘Ah, if only you knew, James, what’s to come,’ Mo said. ‘Now, back to what I was about to say… I’m not done with Mr Anthony.’

‘Then please continue,’ I said, ‘and tell me what other epiphanies you’ve derived from this tawdry series.’

‘Well, first of all,’ he said, ‘can you imagine how this would feel in being able to offer someone such enormous wealth? I mean, seriously, what could be more satisfying than that? Doesn’t it feel better to give than to receive when giving comes from the heart?’

‘I’m sure; still, Mr. Anthony didn’t give anything that was his… it was someone else’s.’ 

‘That’s true; he was just the messenger, so why should that diminish his joy? As for the philanthropist, why do you think he kept giving away millions to people who would never know him or even be able to thank him? Money can’t always buy happiness. In this case, however, it probably would. He was excited in making others feel happy by giving what he had to offer.’

‘Splendid, so why can’t I make friends like that? I’m sure I could make my benefactor happy too. Unfortunately, The Twilight Zone makes for a lesser fantasy than finding any such soul on earth to bequeath their wealth upon me.’ 

‘And, what if you are to be the benefactor, James?’ Eli asked. ‘Just think of the wealth you’ll be able to spread about when you return, worth far more than the millions of pounds that’s only good for a short stay on this planet. Besides, you might be pleasantly surprised how much your soul becomes enriched by enriching others with what spiritual wealth you have to offer, far more than money ever could.’

‘Spiritual wealth, you say? That’s jolly, however, what I could use is a little more of the financial variety after I return. I’m not even certain if the fall guy will have a job.’

‘Remember,’ Mo said, ‘you only manifest outwardly, what you have invested inwardly. I think maybe you’ve heard me say that before.’

‘Yes; it’s always delightful to hear you say that again... and again. So, tell me, how am I supposed to cash in this etheric investment to pay my rent?’ 

‘The Bank of Elysium,’ he said, ‘provided that’s where you have your treasures laid up.’[4]

‘Sure; like that fictitious bloke that gives away all his money.’

‘If you find this story hokey,’ Mo said, ‘then maybe it is, at least to you. However, I can tell you the plot illustrates, by earth’s standards, how genuine joy is experienced in Elysium. And that, my friend, is not fiction or fantasy!’

‘I think what Mo wishes to illustrate,’ Eli said, ‘is a simple lesson about what the essence of giving means. Again, we wish to emphasise that we’re only able to truly receive what we have first given with joy, even when it may seem we have not received anything in return. As with the distinguished philanthropist, Mr J.B. Tipton, you don’t necessarily expect or even desire a tangible return when much greater wealth is provided to your soul.’  

‘That’s why,’ Mo said, ‘it’s not necessary to be recognised as the giver to be eligible for your reward. That’s why the philanthropist remained anonymous because he realised his delight in giving was not dependent on being recognised, thanked, or adulated. In his wisdom, he understood this would only compromise his joy of giving for the sake of giving without reward.

‘As for Mr Anthony, could there be a better job in which to serve? His joy is in delivering the big cheque to those he already knew would be filled with gratitude. And so, his happiness was far greater than any other task he could have performed as Executive Secretary for Mr Tipton.

‘Unconditional sharing is what relationships are all about; it’s what reminds the soul of Elysium’s forgotten essence. Yet it can never be truly lost, even if they crucify you. That’s why we keep saying how important it is to remember this principle, to give is to receive. In the truest sense, they are one since it’s impossible to receive without having given in some form. Without giving, you cannot appreciate what is received.’

‘As with sex,’ I said with a smirk. ‘It seems quite natural that giving and receiving all happen at once… there’s no waiting.’

‘I’m not surprised you might think of such an example,’ Eli said, ‘still, it’s not just with sex; it’s everything. To give without receiving is just as impossible as a coin having only one side. Even as we share what we know with you, we receive more than we give. That’s what relationship is about… an expression of reciprocity. 

‘And that’s why Elysées is continually seeking more opportunities to share its essence with earth and everywhere else in the multiverse. To accomplish this, it’s necessary to have willing recipients that are open to receiving its infinite largess of divine love and wisdom.’ 

‘At least in this sense,’ Mo said, ‘you may regard us as your Mr Anthony. We’re the special messengers that have been designated to inform you of your vast wealth… an inheritance you’ve always had, but didn’t realise.’ 

‘Most jolly,’ I said, ‘then show me the money, in whatever form it may come.’ 

‘We’re about to do that,’ he said, ‘just as soon as you’re ready to receive what’s to be offered. As you know, inner wealth is not about money; instead, it’s the riches that emerge in relationships. That’s what’s about to happen to you. Do you know how many wealthy souls in your world remain chronically depressed because they traded off relationships for money?

‘If money has a role in happiness as it did with Mr Anthony and his boss, it’s because it was transmuted into a spiritual investment that can be brought into Elysium. One might manifest a fortune, even by winning a lucky lottery ticket, yet, manifesting rich relationships is something quite different that money can never buy.’ 

‘That’s why,’ Eli said, ‘spirits in the higher regions of Elysées are what might be considered philanthropic billionaires of the soul. We wish to give to those who have the capacity to receive what we have to offer. And the more we give, the more, in turn, we become enriched in the very process of sharing. That’s what creates relationships, so it’s pure joy for us to be here with you. The more we share with you, the more inwardly enriched we become. Keep up the good work, ol’ chap. You’re helping to make us even wealthier.’

‘I’m pleased to be of service,’ I said, ‘although, this seems an unorthodox approach to investing… more like a Ponzi scheme.’

‘Except the bottom can never fall out,’ Mo said. ‘That’s because you can never lose what you give… the return comes quicker than you can give. Such is the infinite universe of Elysium, the perfect expression of perfection.’

‘Okay, Mo, that’s the way everyone gets to win,’ I said, ‘still, it all sounds a tad ethereal, considering there is no real exchange of hard assets.’ 

‘That’s because acquisitions, as you understand them, have no meaning in Elysium where any asset can manifest at will, except for that of love. It’s never about what external assets you’ve acquired so much as the quality your soul has accumulated. That’s your most valuable asset... what determines your capacity to experience real wealth.

‘Just as in your world, one becomes enriched or impoverished by each affection cultivated within… the essence of one’s being. And so, James, sow joy, and joy is what you will reap on earth and thereafter when you and your fall guy finally part company.’

‘However, there’s also an inverse lesson,’ Mo said, ‘that ought to concern those who gratify themselves at other’s expense. In doing so, many foolishly participate in the illusion of separation. For that reason, these cannot experience the delight of unconditional love. Few states are lonelier than covetousness, where the ego’s hellish affections reign, devoid of life essence.

‘To illustrate this, let’s go back to Mr Anthony,’ Eli said, ‘and consider a different sort of person who, behind his gracious demeanour, is envious and resentful towards those receiving the good fortune he was required to give away. He may have asked himself why all these good things always seem to happen to others and not to him. After all, he may reason; he’s worked hard all this life and so deserves the money more than these losers.

‘Let’s say one day he contrives a way to abscond with one of the philanthropist’s cheques by forging a signature and setting up an offshore account in the recipient’s name, thereby depriving them of the money intended for them. After all, no one needs to find out, including Mr Tipton, and these people won’t be any worse off. 

‘Such a person, when unrestrained, will act without care or regard towards anyone else because that’s what the ego-mind does when it can get away with it. It can rationalise anything by allowing itself to fall into the dark delusions of its benumbed conscience.

‘It’s only through a change of heart that Mr Anthony could find his way out of the ego’s prison in which he locked himself. Yet, this can only happen in conjunction with the quality of his soul’s desire and intent to choose what is highest and best, instead of taking advantage of others.’[5] 

 ’So, where does this leave me?’ I asked. ‘I can’t say I’ve always been that altruistic when pursuing my self-interests. Even if I’m not a thief, cheat or liar, I confess I often tried to steal the hearts of various young lassies on occasion. To be honest, there might have been times I told a few frivolous fibs. When I wanted something, I could be most adept at using flattery to achieve my salacious objectives.’

‘Yet, as with Julianne,’ Eli said, ‘some could see through you. Isn’t that right?’ 

‘I suppose so. It’s a rather sobering to think that if Julianne could do that literally; what other peccadillos might she see through in the future?’

‘I’m sure she’ll make you an honest man,’ Mo said, ‘but don’t worry about it now. Anyone searching to find the Mountain by charting a course out of the swamps has already advanced in their ascent, regardless of what they might have said or done in the past. Whatever happened in your past is irrelevant to where you now stand on this Summit.’

‘In truth,’ Eli said, ‘you were already headed in this direction long before you knew it, ever since you began to scope out this Mountain during your nocturnal visitations. Now that you’ve answered the call, Elysium will remain open to you as long as you remain open to its guidance.’ 

‘If that’s the case, I’ll just plead ignorance for all my past misdemeanours and transgressions.’ 

‘That doesn’t serve you anymore,’ he said, ‘except to keep you bound. The past is in the past, so, don’t allow anyone to disturb your mind with the residue of guilt.’ 

‘What’s of importance,’ I said, ‘is how well I relate to Julianne when I return to the controls of my fall guy.’

‘With Julianne, you might never be at the controls… not fully,’ Eli said, chuckling, ‘even if you think you are.’

With that, we went our separate ways. I left to do some hop-skipping across a few new peaks in the sierras of the Bolivian Andes that I had never visited. God, I thought, I will miss all this fun should I ever remember what I was going on here.

ENDNOTES  

[1] Jesus implored us not to judge because judgements have a way of turning on us Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:1-3 (KJV)
[2] The Twilight Zone was conceived, written and narrated by Rod Serling, commencing the series in 1959.
[3] A British sitcom produced in the 1970s 
[4] Mo was always good with quotes and allusions to famous quotes, including scriptures. This statement was about: Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Mathew 6:20, 21 (KJV).
[5] Charles Williams’ Descent into Hell and George MacDonald’s Lilith remains great literary classics, illustrating what Mo was speaking about. In Descent into Hell, Westworth steps down an allegorical ladder, one rung at a time down into a pit. Yet, no matter how far down he goes, there’s always a glimmer of light at the top. And though he’s still free to look up and see the light so he may climb back into the daylight, he chooses not to, preferring spiritual darkness.

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SUMMARY OF ELYSIUM'S PASSAGE NOVEL SERIES

 

 
This is a series of seven Elysium Passager novels regarding a young British philosopher named James Phillips, who finds himself living in an altered state of reality while still remaining on earth.  

After experiencing a near-fatal fall while climbing to the summit of a remote mountain in the Andes, James awakens in a new dimension. He soon encounters two mysterious beings who provide him with a very different perspective on the nature of his existence. Over the next year, before his body recovers from the coma, he is challenged to re-examine his understanding of life’s meaning and purpose far beyond anything he previously believed or could believe.

An engaging and sometimes surreal adventure with intimations of impending romance, the narrative explores the most important questions about life, death, reality, and our ultimate destiny. 

The Plains of Elysium (Champs-Élysées) was described by Homer, Hesiod, Virgil, and many other poets as the paradisiac afterlife realm reserved for heroes. As the title suggests, this is about a journey through a passage that leads towards Elysium’s exciting realm of adventures.

To read a sample press review at https://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/05/prweb15515775.htm 

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PENDING PUBLICATION OF ELYSIUM’S PASSAGE SERIES

                                          Amazon in 2024

 

The Ascent: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Summit: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Quantum Leaps: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Surreal Adventures: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Mystical Romance: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Elixir: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Return: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

 

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1. The Ascent is the first novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage that’s foundational to everything that happens in the following narratives that embark on an adventure that will surprise and delight the reader like no other book.

It all begins with an extreme adventure of climbing a remote and challenging mountain somewhere in the Andean Mountains. Just as James, the protagonist, is about to reach the mountain summit, he falls into an abyss that leaves him in a coma for almost a year.

After being airlifted by a forestry helicopter and flown back to London, where his body remains for almost a year. Eventually, he learns it was not him but his body that was rescued. Several days later, without understanding what happened, he continues to climb to the summit in an alternate dimension of higher consciousness.

Fortuitously, he meets two adventurers on the summit ridge who are no longer of this world. After that, his surreal life leads him to several new adventures in the subsequent chronicles that include a rich mix of adventure, romance, and fantasy, along with profound discussions of philosophy, spirituality and the afterlife.

 
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

2. The  Summit, the second novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, carries on where James, the narrator and protagonist, is taught more about a multidimensional reality that he finds difficult to comprehend.

Not only does he find he’s not as clever as he imagined, but his off-world companions on the summit demonstrate that much of what he believed about life was not just parochial but wrong. At first, he finds this difficult to comprehend since their teachings are contrary to his limited understanding of non-material reality.

After being tricked into teleporting off a ledge where he was trapped, James becomes aware of the new reality that makes him capable of far more adventures than could have ever been experienced previously in his physical body back home.

Now, if only he would win over the only woman in this life who matters, the nurse on the other side of the veil, who continually demonstrates her unconditional love toward his healing.

Warning: This book may also open the reader’s eyes to a much vaster reality than most might be aware. As with the other Chronicles, there are discussions of philosophy, the spiritual afterlife and what might seem like fantasy.

 
 

3. Quantum Leaps is the third novel in Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, where James, the philosopher-protagonist, teleports back to London to visit his body and make contact with the special nurse taking care of it in his absence. Immediately, he feels an inexplicable spiritual bond with her for reasons he remains unaware of.

Now aroused by a renewed interest in matters of love, the beginnings of a relationship begin to emerge as he attempts to reach across the chasm of their worlds. But it’s not until the fifth novel, Mystical Romance, that he encounters her in a way that he finds difficult to believe.

However, before that can happen, there is much about his failed relationships that must be resolved before he is ready to move forward in his new life in Elysium’s Passage. It is during this time he christens his comatose body as the fall guy since it took the fall for him down the abyss so he could learn the lessons he’s now learning.

That will be the next focus of his life, where in his next Surreal Adventures, he is given virtual lessons to release many of his past beliefs about life.

 
 

4. Surreal Adventures is the fourth novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, which finds James, the protagonist and narrator, escorted by his companions to a remote South Pacific Island, where he is left to reflect on what he’s learned.

During the next forty days, he battles the demons of his past as he works through some rather painful issues from his early youth. Here, in a tropical storm, he encounters an eery suspended spectre of the one he loved yet still resents for abandoning him as a child.

After this, he achieves peace of mind and is ready to return to his lodge to join his off-world companions on the Andes summit. However, just when it seemed things couldn’t get any stranger, a sixteenth-century sea captain sails his ancient ‘ghost’ ship onto the beach. Together, they sail off on a mystical ocean voyage to a couple of virtual islands supposedly in the South Pacific, where he witnesses and, at times, participates in several important life lessons.

Near the end, these encounters help prepare him for a new challenge within the interior of a mountain, where he falls deep into a dark tomb of fear. After being rescued by a mysterious stranger wielding his Excaliber, he continues on to where his life is about to be transformed in the following chronicle, Mystical Romance.

 
 

5. Mystical Romance is the fifth chronicle in Elysium’s Passage, which will surprise the reader with a romantic twist of how love is expressed in higher realms. From this lofty perspective, everything about intimacy is understood as within, so without.

After escaping his tomb, James, the narrator and protagonist, makes his way through a maze of tunnels until he arrives at a large oak door, which he opens with the golden key he had been given. There, he steps into Elysium’s Passage’s Great Hall, where his life and recent achievements are celebrated now that his eyes have been opened to perceive a fascinating interior world of wonderment… and romance.

To say more might risk diminishing the multitude of delightful surprises as circumstances begin to open to The Elixir, where James is about to re-enter his earthly body’s existence.

 
 

6. The Elixir is the sixth chronicle of the Elysium’s Passage series that prepares James, the narrator-protagonist, to awaken and return to his body in London. Before that can happen, however, his off-worlder friend presents a mysterious equation enshrouded with a light code frequency that will stimulate multidimensional DNA strands within him.

Much of this narration is centred in London, where his nurse unknowingly becomes involved in how the Elixir’s equation finds its way from a taxi cab driver to higher echelons of science. There are many twists in how she unwittingly brings the Elixir to the attention of mathematicians and physicists, after which they eventually discover how to code the equation into a laser ray to stimulate his fall-guy body into full consciousness.

Ostensibly a new Adam, he is destined to return humanity to a higher multidimensional existence. How this happens is filled with intrigue, as is his shocking return to his earthly body.

 
­­­­­­­­­­­­­

7. The Return is the seventh and last chronicle in the series where James, the narrator and protagonist, has re-emerged from Elysium’s Passage as he readjusts to life in the third dimension. Many of the events experienced in the previous novels are tied together in an exciting, fast-moving, action-packed narrative over several countries.

 At first, it seems all memories have been lost, with his fall guy’s brain not being aware of what happened to him while in his coma. As a consequence, it takes a while for him to be convinced he had been out of his earthly body for almost a year.

Through some rather unexpected events and evidence, along with his girlfriend’s urging, he is brought to an awareness of much of what occurred. It takes a while for his mind to catch up with the changes made in his heart during his stay in the alternate realm. But after experiencing several harsh realities, he discovers what he became within while out of his body. Gradually, he comes to understand the many challenges that lie ahead for him in fulfilling his future mission on Earth.

This book is filled with adventure, romance and personal intrigue that ties together all six previous narratives of the Elysium’s Passage series.

ELYSIUM'S PASSAGE: READER REVIEWS

The following comments are excerpts from among the first readers, including a number of Amazon five star reviews. To read the full reviews, go to READER REVIEWS on www.elysiumspassage.com or directly at https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/reader-reviews 

"A delightful mix of fantasy, reality, conjecture, and humour; Mr Meyers draws the reader into the story with a gentle narrative that captures the imagination, leaving one anxious to get to the next page drawing you into his exceptional world.”

"Quietly, gently, and without imposition, the Author unfolds the pages, creating an intricate, interlocking bridge spanning the chasm between mind and heart. Renewing, refreshing, restoring. In my bereavement, it was vigil and light…."

“Excellently written with an exceedingly deep understanding of this world and the next. The characters are very well written and engaging. I can't wait to complete this book!"

“Takes the reader on both a philosophical and spiritual journey, a journey that at times is both disquieting and tranquil. James, a British Philosopher, can be irreverent and caustic, traits that should have left me cringing but instead made me laugh out loud. Elysium’s Passage is a fun, enlightening and remarkable book.”

“This is a masterful fantasy, becoming a real possibility, as the reader is drawn into the story. The Summit leaves you anxious for the next book in the series, yet also leaves you totally satisfied with the world you have just visited. Genius! An exciting yet calming experience that is not to be missed."

"There was hardly a page on which I did not find at least one sentence worthy of hi-lighting for future reference. In addition, I thoroughly enjoyed the main character, James, whose personality and passionate verbal exchanges with the other characters kept me coming back for more. I am reading the book for a second time while I wait for the next one in this series to be made available."

 “N.G. Meyers has clearly put a great deal of research and thought into what the afterlife may look like, and I like his perspective. It’s an altogether welcoming and exciting vision. The book gives one a great deal to think about and a reassuring confidence that the end of our lives is truly the beginning of life in the next. I highly recommend it."

"I am really enjoying your book, it’s fantastic! It is so incredible and diversified that I can’t really explain it to other people, so what I say is just read this book. Thank you so much for the blessings that you’ve given the world!"

“The humour interjected into a serious discussion makes me laugh out loud. Totally unexpected....l may be in the presence of at least a master, if not a genius. A fair ride into reality... seeking that which is unseen, yet absolutely real.”

“An engaging story of adventure embracing man's deepest desire to search for meaning and purpose, N.G. Meyers takes the reader on an adventurous, thought-provoking journey. This book has substance. It is a perfect blend of adventure and fantasy combined with spiritual philosophy. It ignited my imagination. The author magically weaves a good story laced with wit and humour together with deep philosophical wisdom. This book has it all!”

“An evolution in thought is triggered by many fresh philosophical themes which could inspire readers to re-think their reality and former ideologies that have dictated their lives… the author fires readers’ imaginations to view what could be possible when spirit vacates the body.”

“This is the book spiritual seekers have been waiting for. For me, it granted a great read as well as increased inspiration to live every day with a heightened sense of purpose. I highly recommend it.

“The Summit is capable of hooking readers and luring them to search for Book 2 to discover more about Dr Philip’s surreal trek into the mysterious unknown universe. This thick book is well worth the read and to share…”

“Mind-blowing statements and speculation (‘…everyone is a non-physical thought form conceived in the Mind of God, preserved for all eternity because God’s thoughts never die…’). Many will find Meyers’ journey up the Mountain intriguing—and possibly even life-changing.” (BLUEINK REVIEW)

“In its effort to grapple with fundamental questions about the meaning of life, it raises questions that have echoed throughout the ages, including about where we come from, where we are going, who we are.”  (CLARION REVIEW)

 
______________________________
 
.

 
PENDING PUBLICATIONS IN THE SERIES

 
The following titles in the Elysium's Passage series are projected to be released in 2024: 

THE ASCENT  

The Ascent: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Summit: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Quantum Leaps: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Surreal Adventures: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

Mystical Romance: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Elixir: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

The Return: Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage

 

­­­­­­­­­

1. The Ascent is the first novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage that’s foundational to everything that happens in the following narratives that embark on an adventure that will surprise and delight the reader like no other book.

It all begins with an extreme adventure of climbing a remote and challenging mountain somewhere in the Andean Mountains. Just as James, the protagonist, is about to reach the mountain summit, he falls into an abyss that leaves him in a coma for almost a year.

After being airlifted by a forestry helicopter and flown back to London, where his body remains for almost a year. Eventually, he learns it was not him but his body that was rescued. Several days later, without understanding what happened, he continues to climb to the summit in an alternate dimension of higher consciousness.

Fortuitously, he meets two adventurers on the summit ridge who are no longer of this world. After that, his surreal life leads him to several new adventures in the subsequent chronicles that include a rich mix of adventure, romance, and fantasy, along with profound discussions of philosophy, spirituality and the afterlife.

 
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

2. The  Summit, the second novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, carries on where James, the narrator and protagonist, is taught more about a multidimensional reality that he finds difficult to comprehend.

Not only does he find he’s not as clever as he imagined, but his off-world companions on the summit demonstrate that much of what he believed about life was not just parochial but wrong. At first, he finds this difficult to comprehend since their teachings are contrary to his limited understanding of non-material reality.

After being tricked into teleporting off a ledge where he was trapped, James becomes aware of the new reality that makes him capable of far more adventures than could have ever been experienced previously in his physical body back home.

Now, if only he would win over the only woman in this life who matters, the nurse on the other side of the veil, who continually demonstrates her unconditional love toward his healing.

Warning: This book may also open the reader’s eyes to a much vaster reality than most might be aware. As with the other Chronicles, there are discussions of philosophy, the spiritual afterlife and what might seem like fantasy.

 
 

3. Quantum Leaps is the third novel in Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, where James, the philosopher-protagonist, teleports back to London to visit his body and make contact with the special nurse taking care of it in his absence. Immediately, he feels an inexplicable spiritual bond with her for reasons he remains unaware of.

Now aroused by a renewed interest in matters of love, the beginnings of a relationship begin to emerge as he attempts to reach across the chasm of their worlds. But it’s not until the fifth novel, Mystical Romance, that he encounters her in a way that he finds difficult to believe.

However, before that can happen, there is much about his failed relationships that must be resolved before he is ready to move forward in his new life in Elysium’s Passage. It is during this time he christens his comatose body as the fall guy since it took the fall for him down the abyss so he could learn the lessons he’s now learning.

That will be the next focus of his life, where in his next Surreal Adventures, he is given virtual lessons to release many of his past beliefs about life.

 
 

4. Surreal Adventures is the fourth novel in the Chronicles of Elysium’s Passage, which finds James, the protagonist and narrator, escorted by his companions to a remote South Pacific Island, where he is left to reflect on what he’s learned.

During the next forty days, he battles the demons of his past as he works through some rather painful issues from his early youth. Here, in a tropical storm, he encounters an eery suspended spectre of the one he loved yet still resents for abandoning him as a child.

After this, he achieves peace of mind and is ready to return to his lodge to join his off-world companions on the Andes summit. However, just when it seemed things couldn’t get any stranger, a sixteenth-century sea captain sails his ancient ‘ghost’ ship onto the beach. Together, they sail off on a mystical ocean voyage to a couple of virtual islands supposedly in the South Pacific, where he witnesses and, at times, participates in several important life lessons.

Near the end, these encounters help prepare him for a new challenge within the interior of a mountain, where he falls deep into a dark tomb of fear. After being rescued by a mysterious stranger wielding his Excaliber, he continues on to where his life is about to be transformed in the following chronicle, Mystical Romance.

 
 

5. Mystical Romance is the fifth chronicle in Elysium’s Passage, which will surprise the reader with a romantic twist of how love is expressed in higher realms. From this lofty perspective, everything about intimacy is understood as within, so without.

After escaping his tomb, James, the narrator and protagonist, makes his way through a maze of tunnels until he arrives at a large oak door, which he opens with the golden key he had been given. There, he steps into Elysium’s Passage’s Great Hall, where his life and recent achievements are celebrated now that his eyes have been opened to perceive a fascinating interior world of wonderment… and romance.

To say more might risk diminishing the multitude of delightful surprises as circumstances begin to open to The Elixir, where James is about to re-enter his earthly body’s existence.

 
 

6. The Elixir is the sixth chronicle of the Elysium’s Passage series that prepares James, the narrator-protagonist, to awaken and return to his body in London. Before that can happen, however, his off-worlder friend presents a mysterious equation enshrouded with a light code frequency that will stimulate multidimensional DNA strands within him.

Much of this narration is centred in London, where his nurse unknowingly becomes involved in how the Elixir’s equation finds its way from a taxi cab driver to higher echelons of science. There are many twists in how she unwittingly brings the Elixir to the attention of mathematicians and physicists, after which they eventually discover how to code the equation into a laser ray to stimulate his fall-guy body into full consciousness.

Ostensibly a new Adam, he is destined to return humanity to a higher multidimensional existence. How this happens is filled with intrigue, as is his shocking return to his earthly body.

 
­­­­­­­­­­­­­

7. The Return is the seventh and last chronicle in the series where James, the narrator and protagonist, has re-emerged from Elysium’s Passage as he readjusts to life in the third dimension. Many of the events experienced in the previous novels are tied together in an exciting, fast-moving, action-packed narrative over several countries.

 At first, it seems all memories have been lost, with his fall guy’s brain not being aware of what happened to him while in his coma. As a consequence, it takes a while for him to be convinced he had been out of his earthly body for almost a year.

Through some rather unexpected events and evidence, along with his girlfriend’s urging, he is brought to an awareness of much of what occurred. It takes a while for his mind to catch up with the changes made in his heart during his stay in the alternate realm. But after experiencing several harsh realities, he discovers what he became within while out of his body. Gradually, he comes to understand the many challenges that lie ahead for him in fulfilling his future mission on Earth.

This book is filled with adventure, romance and personal intrigue that ties together all six previous narratives of the Elysium’s Passage series.

_____________________________________________________

CONTACT INFORMATION & SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
 

EMAIL: nmeyers@shaw.ca   

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/neil.meyers.1 or www.facebook.com/elysiumspassage/  

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LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-meyers   

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