• Welcome to our podcast! In this episode we give a little background about who we are and why we wanted to start this podcast. We get into just a little taste of what you'll hear over the next several weeks. Along with identifying the nuances of an NDE and the 5 stages of one.

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond! Now that we've discussed what an NDE is - let's learn how these experiences connect the people who've had them! In this episode Marina and Lexie talk about the Near Death Experience networks and societies that seek to offer support for those who have had an NDE. We take a look at social media, the International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS), and real life support groups that specialize in life after an NDE. We invite you to listen and get involved in these networks (only if you like) and ENJOY Bright Lights Beyond!

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond! Now that we've learned about what an NDE is and the networks that connect them it's time to head to the great beyond. In this episode, Marina and Lexie discuss the question(s) that you might be asked in the great beyond and they encounter their very first GUEST! Between pondering the biggest question facing those who have NDE's and listening to their guest, this episode is sure to have you thinking about some questions yourself. Although not always present in NDE's, the question on whether to go back to earth or to pass onto the great beyond is present in some cases. Sometimes NDE survivors don't even get asked that question, they are just sent back to earth. We will take a look at what those questions looks like and how you'd answer it. We also get to get hear from a real life NDE survivor! Through their story we get a little light shed on some of these questions and the GREAT BEYOND!

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond! Now that we've gotten well acquitted with NDE's and some of the lore surrounding them it's about time we look at the more paranormal aspects of them! In this solo episode, Lexie dives into the parapsychology of NDE's and the psychic connections that their experiences leave on their survivors. Along with the more paranormal aspect in episode we are also lucky to get to hear from our second guest, Santiago Facundo! Santiago gets into his NDE/OBE experience and the lessons he learned from it. Far from a stranger to NDE's Santiago has had several NDE's begging the question...is there a psychic bond between those who have NDE's and the meta-physical world? Despite not being a requirement of NDE's, there is quite a few statics that brings parapsychological connections into play after experiencing near death. Learn about what that means for the survivors and the people they connect after their NDE's. Connection is key in this episode so look out for all the connections and redlines that can be drawn from these stories!

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond! We've made it to episode 5, it's a marathon not a sprint, and it's time to get into the not so bright side of near death! In this solo episode, Lexie gets into the darker side of near death experiences with talk about distressing NDE's. Although less reported than regular near death experiences, distressing near death experiences happen and can be life altering. Looking at the three types of distressing NDE's: inverse, void, and hellish we will get a sense of what it looks like to go to a different kind of beyond. This episode talks about some darker topics and some harsher themes so if you spook easily you might want to listen with the lights on! Lexie shares some distressing NDE's stories while getting into why it's so important to talk about these experiences. We can learn so much from each one, even though it's a little harder to see the silvering lining! Talk of distressing NDE's, the balance between life and death, and the greatest show ever THE SOPRANOS - this episode is one for the books! It's all leading up to our final episode of the season, episode 6, so you don't want to miss it!

  • Welcome to the FINAL Bright Lights Beyond episode of season 1, episode 6! Having learned all we can this season about NDE's it's time to look some of the science behind the phenomena... or the lack thereof! In this season finale, Lexie and Marina bravely venture into the scientific side of near death. Looking at not only the fringe science involved but also at the possibility that somethings can't be explained away with even the most basic of scientific methods. It seems to be that science itself doesn't quite have the answers all figured out but one thing that might make all the difference is our conscience. It's theorized that our consciences are able to live outside of our physical bodies, could that be part of the science we're seeking? With the ever changing world of medicine, science, and technology; it could be just a matter of time before we find out!

Past Season

Bright Lights Beyond: The Podcast seasons 1, 2, and 3 lives here!

Give a listen, get caught up, and get reacquainted with our podcast.

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond...THE GRAVE! Season 2 is finally here! Join Marina and Lexie as they tackle a whole new season of the Great Beyond. In this episode, Marina and Lexie welcome you back to the great beyond! With the announcement of a brand new season and a whole new angle, our podcast co-hosts are ready to tackle not only NDE's but also the concept of death. Coined in the mid-1970's Shared Death Experiences, SDE for short, are a concept that allows those who've experienced it to really feel, see, and encounter what is it like to die. Watching someone's soul leave their body or feel the icy breath of death can only be explained as one of the most unique phenomena that exist today. How do people continue living once seeing death? What can death teach us about life? It's questions like these that this episode, season, and podcast aim to answer (or at least attempt)! Come along this season as we chart perviously uncharted water of life after death... life beyond the beyond!

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond...THE GRAVE! Season 2 is in full swing, join Marina and Lexie as they tackle questions and concepts about death, dying, and the afterlife! In this episode, Marina and Lexie talk bodies; warm and cold! Through our NDE's studies we've found some possibility of where our souls might go when we die but what happens to our physical bodies? It's a little more "cut and dry" ... or is it? Throughout all of history the ritual of death has been practiced and perfected over and over again. It's important to not only the person who's died but also the people who loved that person. In looking at Egyptian, Tibetan, Mexican, Malagasy, Nordic, and even modern American cultural funeral processions and rituals we can get a better sense of how universal death, dying, and remembrance is! Whether through mummification or viking burials, how does the way we send off our dead make a difference in them getting to the afterlife? And, how does the process of remembering our lost loved ones bridge the gap between life and death like in the practices of Día de los Muertos or Famadihana? We hope this episode helps you remember that losing someone doesn't mean you've lost them forever, it's a part of life. Remembering them and looking forward to meeting them again is something that is shared throughout the world and in almost ever culture! Come along and learn as we go over some of our favorite practices... you might be making some *asterisks* to your funeral arrangements!

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond...THE GRAVE! Season 2 episode 3 is finally here and so is the quiz... not! In this episode, Lexie and Marina talk "ghosts" and all things in-between! Now that we've learned about burial rituals and shared death experiences it's time to take the next step and learn a little about what happens when you're not quite ready to cross over to the other side! Mentioned throughout out Gaelic, Celtic, and Irish folklore banshees are female spirits who herald death through their screaming, shrieking, and wailing. It's said that whoever hears the banshees cry is met by death soon thereafter... but after some digging around their might be another reason banshees comes to some and much a like a Celtic knot... there are strong family TIES! Yurei are the Japanese folklore equivalent to the western ideal of ghosts. Often depicted as floating, feet-less, and wearing a ghostly white kimonos; Yurei are said to take whichever shape they were in once they met their untimely death. Barred from reaching the afterlife until they are freed from whatever curse was put not them, Yurei are said to drain the energy of the mortals around wherever they haunt! If you're a Yurei you might be in luck because family member can help preform rituals to free you from you're halfway state and send you on your way to the Shinto heaven: ame! Caught between our world and the afterlife, ghosts are pretty much a staple in American society. Whether it's Casper or Bruce Willis in that very famous M. Night Shyamalan movie... sometimes other can "see dead people"! And after our brief history of different cultures "caught-betweens" I think we're ready for our own ghost story! Next episode we'll be talking with someone who has a real life ghost encounter... and we can't wait! So thank you again for tuning into this episode of BLB, we hope it's not only educational but also a little eerie! If you want to learn more about Banshees, Yurei, Ghosts, or anything else we've talked about there's always google and REACHING OUT! We'd love to get your insight and perspective on these folklores! And just because we can't see them ... doesn't mean they're not there!!

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond...THE GRAVE! We're over the hump! We have officially hit the halfway mark and it's all down hill from here... way down ... into the ground! In this episode, Marina and Lexie welcome their first in studio guest - Mitch Donahue! Famously known for drawing our cartoon characters and for being Marina's lovely husband, Mitch shares his eerie yet nostalgic experiences with the other side. Once as a young middle-schooler and another time in early high school Mitch tells us about his experiences with seeing ghosts of the Interactive Personality variety! After a brief yet informative conversation about the different types of ghosts and the history of Poltergeists, in true ghost-story fashion, Lexie shares an experiences she's had depicting her own encounter with a ghost! Proving that sometimes ghosts are bad, good, or scary sometimes they just are... now what they are in the real question!

  • TW: this episode contains material pertaining to sexual assault, themes of suicide, and overall death/dying... viewer discretion is advised :

    Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond: the Grave! We are so excited to announce we have a real life death doula in the house today! In this episode, Lexie and Marina welcome Sandi Bianchi - a reiki healer, ordained minister, death doula and one of the founding members of the Chicago Death Doula Collective! Listen and learn about the practice of death doula-ism and how Sandi got started on her journey. Hear why talking through and healing from past hurt and trauma can be so beneficial to a happy life ... and death. This episode is chalked full of inspiration, so be sure to grab your tissue box and remember in the words of one of the best bands to come out this side of Abbey Road... all you need is love!

  • Welcome back to Bright Lights Beyond...THE GRAVE! We're so excited to welcome you to the season 2 finale! We are officially wrapped... signed, sealed, and delivered. In this episode, Marina and Lexie welcome you back to the great beyond one last time this season with some ideas to jump start your afterlife journeys. In the book titled "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning" by Margaret Magnusson she explains the importance of de-cluttering before de-ath. Listing 9 helpful things to remember while clearing out your personal effects that can help bring you and your loved ones peace in death. Legacy journals, projects, and videos are all the new rage and this is one fade we think you should hop on. Letting our family, friends, and future generations know our stories is one of the many reasons you should stop what you're doing and start legacy journaling.matter of time before we find out!

  • Welcome back, Bright Lights Beyonders! It's official; we're in our Synchronicities era with new episodes, a new season, a new host, and a new topic, all fueled by the same love for the great beyond! We're thrilled to welcome you and yours into our world full of meaningful coincidences.

    In this episode, Lexie and Andie (season 3's new host) delve into the topic of synchronicities and explore how this term has come about. With an introduction to Carl Jung and the merry band of "new thoughters," we start to see the concept of coincidences take on a whole other meaning.

    Chock-full of golden scarabs, Jimmy Buffet tattoos, and a final kiss goodbye, it's a side of the great beyond we haven't seen before, or rather, not known to look for before. Join us as we discover the reasons behind the signs we see and explore some signs we choose not to!

  • Welcome back, Bright Lights Beyonders! It's here, the long-awaited and much-anticipated episode two! Come with us on a ride through fate; you know, some might say it's the journey, not the destination, but what if it's both?

    In this episode, Andie and Lexie explore the themes of fate, family, and just how closely connected they are. From a brief palm reading to a full-on existential crisis; fate lines and family ties offer a few answers and a lot of questions about our own destiny.

    Whether it's nurture vs. nature or free will vs. predetermination, join us as we get into the "Carl Jung" of it all and see what might be going on if we look a little deeper into things... fate does whisper to the willing heart!

  • Welcome back, Bright Lights Beyonders, to lucky episode number 3! Join us as we explore signs and spirit guides with our first guest of the season, Peyton Spurlock!

    In this episode, Lexie and Andie take it old school as they discuss not only the brilliance of M. Night Shyamalan's Signs but also the significant ones in our own lives. From spirit guides that offer sage advice on the bridge between realms to our ever so helpful and present guardian angels, this episode is one that will have you looking deeper into seemingly normal circumstances.

    With input from the world's best DJ, learn about how someone's synchronicities, signs, and spirituality can give depth and meaning to "surface" interactions and learn to walk with signs in mind.

  • Welcome to Episode Four of Season Three, Bright Lights Beyonders! Follow us on a voyage through runes and rituals to find the synchronicities we seek!

    In this episode, Lexie and Andie take a brief but deep (ish) dive into the origins of runes and the cultures that made them popular. With help from the Norse God Odin and a heavy emphasis on rituals like divination and runology, see how the intentions we set can inspire our reality.

    Not only is there talk of the Tree of Worlds and how brushing your teeth is a sacred practice, but there is hope in exploring everyday actions and how they are magical. Remember to STOP and smell the roses (or see the synchronicities) all around you. Casting runes isn't the only way to get answers... or is it?

  • Welcome back, Bright Lights Beyonders, to the realm of dreams (and nightmares) for episode 5! Enter our dreamscape and come along as we discuss all things dreams and meaning!

    In this episode, Andie and Lexie are joined by dream interpreter and spiritual growth coach, Pamela Cummins. Listen and learn with us as we explore our dreams and what they might mean.

    Through the lens of emotion, feeling, and introspection, we can learn how to interpret our own dreams and make sense of what they mean for us in our waking lives. Remember, dreams are there to teach us about ourselves. However, they're spoken in our nighttime language, so why not try to learn it in our daytime one!

  • Bienvenue, Bright Light Beyonders, to our season 3 finale! Mama, we made it! Tag along as we traverse memory lane, two times over!

    In this episode, Lexie and Andie explore the concept of Déjà vu, the phenomenon that's so nice it happens twice! From 19th-century French parapsychologists to Keanu Reeves and a glitch in the matrix, this episode is filled with interesting facts and thought-provoking ideas about the very common and often unexpected feeling of familiar recall.

    Whether it's our subconscious mind at work, a misfire of neurons in our temporal lobe, or maybe a memory from one of our prior incarnations - Déjà vu is something science, scholars, and spiritual gurus have been pondering since before Beyoncé dropped it on B'day!

    Finally, in true denouement style, we end with a recap of all our favorite moments from this season. In the words of The Police's song Synchronicity I, "A connecting principle, linked to the invisible, almost imperceptible, something inexpressible, science insusceptible, logic so inflexible, causally connectible, nothing is invincible".

    Thank you for watching and keep your eyes open to the possibilities of synchronicities all around you!