Are medical miracles real and is there a spiritual reason they occur? Is there a place for euthanasia in the mind of the spirital seeker? Can participating in open-heart surgery and dissecting cadavers tell a medical student anything about the soul? Is there an intersection between spirituality and physicality where the two become one?

Let's get more direct with our questions. Is there a place for God in the system of modern Western medicine? Should metaphysical/spiritual principles be part of the medical school curriculum? Is keeping patients alive an appropriate top priority for doctors?The answer to of the above questions is yes.

Is it possible that human beings are more than simply biological creatures, physical entities with a highly developed mind? Could it be that we are also (or even primarily) spiritual entities? If so, could "healing" involve more than "fixing" the body and treating the mind, but also engaging the Source from which many believe we have emerged? These are not inconsequential questions. Neither are the answers found here.

NEALE DONALD WALSCH is the author of nine books in the Conversations with God series, which have sold over ten million copies in 37 languages. He is one of the major authors in the new spirituality movement, having written 28 other books, with eight books on the New York Times bestseller's list. His life and work have helped to create and sustain a worldwide spiritual renaissance, and he travels globally to bring the uplifting message of the CwG books to people everywhere. He lives in Oregon with his wife, the American poet, em claire.

Bit Cooper, MD graduated from the University of British Columbia medical school at 24 after being the top mathematics and science student at the University of Victoria. She is the author of the forthcoming book, From Doctor to Healer: A Clarion Call to the Medical Profession.

Contents

1. Death

2. Consciousness

3. Assistance

4. Pain

5. Barrier

6. Imagination

7. Aspiration

8. Insight

9. Hesitation

10. Confusion

11. Suffering

12. Faith

13. Persistence

14. Trust 

15. Liberation

16. Comprehension

17. Acceptance 

18. Heaven

"In a thoughtful, open, and 'no-holds-barred' dialogue, Walsch and Cooper show that they have much to share with each other . . . The two end up agreeing that it is time to put the metaphysical back into the practice of Western medicine and to allow allopathic physicians to openly acknowledge and utilize the spiritual component of their craft."

Introduction

When I set out to write this book, I intended to describe my beliefs regarding the afterlife. Essentially, I hoped to explain what heaven would be like. The change from a physical existence to a spiritual one would obviously require a change in perception. I also hoped to expand my own understanding as to the power of imagination and consciousness freed from a mortal body.

Unfortunately, I did not believe I would be able to hold an audience’s interest for long if I simply tried to write a dry narrative. The differences in life experiences and expectations would also prove to be a difficult burden to overcome. How could I share my beliefs of a joyous, fulfilling afterlife with others that certainly have different backgrounds, hopes, and desires?

At one point, I considered trying to express my expectations as if describing a dream. The idea held merit, but only to a point. Utilizing a dream could assist in separating material existence from imagination, but it did not go far enough. I wanted to ensure a clear difference between a dream world and the afterlife.

Instead, I decided to utilize a story about a man who dies suddenly and steps into a spiritual existence. Through this story, I could depict the moment of death and the switching of consciousness from a physical world to a spiritual one. The main character is fictional, but I utilize him as a tool to explain my expectations of the afterlife. The character in the story would experience the aspects of a true heaven, and there would be no confusion as to whether he was caught in a dream state or existing in an afterlife.

As the story unfolded in my mind, I began to examine not only the facets of a spiritual existence in comparison to a physical one, but connections between the two planes. The story quickly shifted from an individual’s spiritual journey into an internal conflict as to what actually constituted heaven. Leaving the physical plane means more than simply adjusting perceptions to meet a soulful existence. It also means accepting the limitless scope of consciousness unbounded by any material objects.

Such acceptance may not come immediately. Barriers created during lifetimes in this world may not simply disintegrate upon the first step into the afterlife. Holding to those barriers would prove to be an obstacle for truly experiencing heaven.

A large barrier that became clear to me was my own continuing doubts regarding the nature of this physical world. To me, an acceptance of heaven means an acceptance of God. An understanding of God, however, is blurred by doubts that rise out of conditions existing right here on earth.

Thus, the story evolved. It was no longer about a man’s simple journey into heaven, but a probable scenario for those that hold on to doubts about the nature, or even the very existence, of God.