REPOST: Episode 3 of the Afterlife Revealed podcast (originally posted May 16, 2025)

In this episode Dani Foffa talks to Rev. Bill McDonald who has had three near-death experiences — the first at eight and a half years old, when he floated above his hospital bed and, instead of a life review, was shown the next 50 years of his future: his marriage, his children, his Vietnam service, and a vision of Babaji’s cave in India he had longed to visit since reading Autobiography of a Yogi. Exactly fifty years later he stood in that cave, had a heart attack, fell thirty feet, and left his body again. His third experience came during open-heart surgery, when he found himself in a second body in India while surgeons worked on the one on the table. His whole life has been a mystical trip in search of gurus, the paranormal, and self-discovery. Bill also talks about a palm-leaf prediction, a visitation from Babaji, why he no longer fears death, and why he believes the meaning of life is to love and serve.

Bill is an author, award winning poet, international motivational speaker, artist, veteran advocate, a Vietnam War veteran (Distinguished Flying Cross, The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart Medal, 14 Air Medals, The Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, etc.). He was born In San Francisco and raised in California, Oregon and Hawaii. Graduated from San Jose City College with an AA Degree in Labor Management and later from The University of San Francisco with a BA degree in Public Service Administration. He spent over 30 years working for the federal government and retired in 2001. He was a Keynote Speaker for IANDS and has written 2 books. This episode is packed with the wisdom he gained from all of his experiences, so be sure to watch until the end!

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Bill’s website –
Bill’s YouTube –
Bill’s “Warrior A Spiritual Odyssey” book – autobiography –
Bill’s “Alchemy of a Warrior’s Heart” book – his many profound experiences with holy men, miracles and his personal relationship with the Divine-
Dani’s Instagram –
Dani’s Facebook –

Timecodes:
0:00 – Introduction
1:52 – First NDE
9:16 – Future Life Review
14:01 – Second NDE
36:27 – Third NDE
55:05 – The biggest lesson
58:55 – Are Spiritually Transformative Experiences normal for you because you are a child experiencer
1:00:39 – Are you afraid of Death
1:03:03 – Why are we here
1:06:56 – What can skeptics do to prove the afterlife
1:09:18 – What is God for you
1:13:41 – What’s the meaning of life to you
1:16:18 – Final thoughts

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ABOUT IANDS (The International Association for Near-Death Studies)
IANDS is a membership nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to advance global understanding of NDEs and related experiences through research, education, and support. We envision a future in which all people embrace near-death and related experiences as a source of meaning and inspiration for a better world. We believe NDEs can transform an individual’s life, influence the sciences, and embolden society. Today, IANDS engages in far more than research and has members from around the world. We invite you to consider becoming a member of IANDS. To learn more about near-death experiences, visit iands.org.

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What is an NDE?
A near-death experience (NDE) is typically a profound, life changing, intensely emotional experience that usually occurs during a clinical crisis and has common characteristics and aftereffects. It is not a dream, hallucination, or mental illness (Greyson, 1983). There are no predictive variables to identify who will have an NDE. They happen to people of all ages, religions, socio-economic groups, cultures, educational backgrounds, and belief systems. They occur under a variety of circumstances such as accidents, near-drownings, illnesses, combat, surgical procedures, and childbirth. Following an NDE, experiencers (NDErs) often display some common aftereffects. Research has established a set of common NDE characteristics and long-term aftereffects. Theories used to explain near-death experiences in purely physical terms have been proven inadequate by NDE researchers and others.

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