I was raised a Baptist in the Bible belt and damn near became a communist atheist myself, but instead became a Methodist after becoming rather disenchanted with the Southern Baptists. I have friends of all different kinds of faiths and we openly discuss what we believe and joke about the perceptions of our faiths. We’ve all heard the Pesbyterians called the “frozen chosen,” the Episcopalians are “Catholic lite,” and the Methodist fall in between the two somewhere, and Julia is right - casseroles are mandatory when someone expires down here in the South. You just weren’t raised right if you don’t show up at the deceased’s home without one. It is such a way of life here that a book has been written about it called Being Dead is no Excuse by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hayes. It is written in jest, but is a reflection of how people believe and in some ways celebrate death. Just realize if you read this - not every Southerner is like this - there are way too many misconceptions about us anyway. Back to the point about openly discussing religion, my circle of close friends includes not only Methodists, but Baptists, Presbyterians, Catholics, Jews and Hindus. We accept and love each other despite the differences in our belief systems, but most of all, I am just glad we have something to believe in. It is good to understand what others believe and I don’t think it is my job to proselytize to everyone who does not believe what I believe. I do believe in the grace of God and in Heaven.

I was raised in both the Methodist and Catholic religions. I don’t have a strong conviction on what happens to our spirit in the end. I do however hope that it’s not like a staff meeting! Maybe an agenda will be posted on the door giving me a “heads-up” as to how it will turn out!

I was Catholic, I do not attend church now because of my beliefs. I pray sometimes. I feel that some prayers are answered. I have never liked the phrase “I found my soul-mate”. It sounds so trite. So at the risk of sounding trite, I will say I believe in soul-groups. That “gut feeling” people experience that you talked about yesterday is the energy emanating from the universe. You are part of that energy whether you are dead or alive. When you are dead you will just experience it in a different manner. Your body as you know it will not be with you.

This is a poem I wrote in 1970, which is the most optimistic, natural way of going. Now, in 2008, it still rings true for me. Ground Rules Get down on your hands and knees. Do not pray. Point your voice directly Toward the ground. Now dig. Do not claw. Crumble the clods. Release no sound. Breathe deep. Smell the dirt, but Do not taste. There is another way: Stretch out flat. Do not play dead. Go to sleep. Let the earth be fed.

We’ve been told old Ozzie & Harriet radio shows are roaming around out there forever. How can we believe the wonder and poetry of a human being is lost forever after a few (for some terribly) short years? I vote with J.A. on the energy thing and I’m rather looking forward to learning the answer. Let’s face it, if it’s a big nothing - I won’t know it. But it sounds like an amazing adventure to me.

Bravo Joni Evans for using your platform right out of the starting block to ask the important question about what happens after we die, and for offering your own experiences — which are on a similar wavelength as my own. I am a former journalist with The Denver Post who wrote about spirit contact with my father in my book “We are Here for a Purpose: HOW TO FIND YOURS.” During the course of my 16-year newspaper career I interviewed numerous actors, directors and producers who have also had these life-changing experiences. Once I told them about my clairvoyant gift, they were willing to open up to me about it, but not many have voiced to the public what they know as Joni has just done. I happily left my rewarding journalism career in 2000 to devote myself to the work I call Spiritual Life Support that I do with my father’s guidance from the other side. I give my clairvoyant gift away free. My work has expanded into a series of lectures called “SALON ONE: exceptional conversation” and the most recent one featured writer John Meredith who shared the experiences of his 4 past lives. The knowledge of those lives informed his decisions during the Vietnam war. It is a message of peace and peacemaking and I am happy to say I recently found out the program will air on PBS. For those who want a copy of the 58 min dvd, please email me at gisellemassi@aol.com or go to my website www.gisellemassi.com for more information. Infinite blessings, Giselle M. Massi