The Country Beyond; A Study of Survival and Rebirth

by Jane Sherwood

The Country Beyond is a truly remarkable testimony of communication from beyond the physical plane. First published during the Second World War by the author who sought contact with her husband who was killed in the First World War. She could not accept either that her Andrew was no more or that he might survive in a realm where there was no use for his own energy and enquiring intellect, and having both great endurance and the strength of mind as well as a healthy skepticism, Jane Sherwood sought guidance from Beyond to help explain in scientific terms how such communication could work and what we might learn about the Afterlife.

The book mostly takes the form of conversations - via automatic writing - between Jane Sherwood and 3 people on higher planes. The unusual, impressive, thing about the book is that whilst in many ways it talks about "all the usual suspects", it manages to link together features of reality often treated as isolated e.g., it talks about why matter (as perceived on earth) exists at all, what causes evil (and the link between matter and evil), how perceptions of distance vary between planes, why people reincarnate, and how to reconcile evolution with the reality of multiple lives and multiple planes of existence. Sherwood and her companions tried to bring a scientific outlook to what they were analyzing ... and they've done a good job.

An invaluable section of the book describes what happened to the author when she first attempted to contact her husband via automatic writing. She did not know anyone who was qualified to advise her or more importantly, warn her of the types of pitfalls she could be faced with, and so throughout many years she endured frustrating, misleading experiences and dangers she had innocently been unaware of.

This book should be valued for the advice given to all who attempt psychic investigations. However, Ms. Sherwood came through it all because she possessed three important advantages: unshakeable faith, a discriminating logical mind and sound common sense. Finally, through tireless determination she eventually developed the gift of automatic writing. She then achieved her goal of contact with her husband, and also with two other communicators.

If a couple of psychologists with mystic leanings and great teaching skills passed away, and then contacted a medium to transmit back to the physical plane their experiences and reflections on their new life in the lower astral realms, this book might be the result. This may seem gloomy and pedantic, but actually the material is breezy, sometimes humorous stuff... completely fascinating. She puts dry concepts like memory, the unconscious mind, childhood development, etc. into a completely new perspective: what these concepts look like to the moderately well informed social scientist living on the astral plane, and be thankful that you are not stuck somewhere in the illusions and dead ends of the astral plane for a thousand years!

Packed with good information. Author Jane Sherwood is clearly highly dedicated to understanding the nature of the spiritual dimension. This book is a record of conversations between her and three beings who have crossed over who reside at different levels or locations on the other side. This is one of the most clear, logical, straightforward accounts of the Afterlife I have read. It is much clearer than that of Edgar Cayce, while entirely consistent with his views. It is packed with profound insights that will blow your mind.

This book provides a surprisingly detailed and convincing description of the Afterlife. I would recommend it not only to spiritual seekers but to anybody who has the slightest interest on what may happen after we die. I have no doubt that on reading this book it will not only provide an enormous range and wealth of useful information, it will also change almost anybody's outlook on our life on earth and our potential afterlife. Find the book on Amazon or wherever books are sold.

(Originally published in 1945 by Rider & Company, London)