In the first half of the program, guest host Lisa Garr (email) welcomed author Jacob Cooper, who recounted his near-death experience as an infant in 1993, when a severe case of pertussis left him unable to breathe. As his body shut down, he felt his consciousness lift away and move at incredible speed toward a radiant, divine source of life. Cooper said this event revealed to him the eternal nature of the soul and the interconnectedness of all existence. He described this awareness as something that transcended language or belief, a direct knowing that became the foundation for his understanding of the divine and human purpose.
Cooper admitted it took years to fully process and articulate his NDE. He kept it private, not out of shame, but for protection, fearing misunderstanding. In his mid-twenties, influenced by Betty Eadie's Embraced by the Light and encouraged by his mentor, Dr. Prentice, he began sharing his experiences publicly. Cooper said these connections helped him see his experience as part of a universal pattern. He now helps people identify and integrate their own spiritual experiences, believing storytelling transforms isolation into connection and fosters healing.
Cooper spoke about how he uses past life regression therapy and between-lives soul regression therapy to help clients explore consciousness beyond their current lifetime. He explained that past life regression involves guiding individuals to recall memories from previous incarnations; these memories may contain emotional imprints or unresolved patterns influencing issues in one's present life. He clarified that between-lives soul regression, a method originally developed by Dr. Michael Newton and later expanded by Dr. Linda Backman, involves helping clients enter a state where they access experiences from the spiritual period between physical lives. In this space, he added, patients often remember interactions with soul groups, reunions with loved ones, and gain insights into their souls' objectives and lessons.
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During the second half, Dr. Tara Swart shared the personal story that inspired her latest book, The Signs. A neuroscientist and former medical doctor, Swart lost her husband Robin to leukemia just before their fourth wedding anniversary, an experience that profoundly shattered her worldview and beliefs. Although raised with ideas of reincarnation and ancestor worship, grief left her skeptical and desperate for reassurance. She initially noticed small coincidences, such as robins appearing in her gardens, but a powerful apparition of her husband early in the morning, six weeks after his death, convinced her that something extraordinary had happened.
Swart approached this experience with curiosity and rigor. She began testing her perceptions, asking for specific, unlikely signs and tracking how precisely they appeared. Over time, these signs became more precise, which she interpreted as a form of communication with her late husband. She also connected her experiences to broader scientific concepts. Drawing on her knowledge of neuroplasticity, selective attention, and the brain's natural filter, she proposed that altered or loosened filtering, whether through trauma, near-death experiences, or practices like breathwork and dark retreats, can open people to perceptions normally excluded from awareness.
Swart also described her own recovery process and what grief does to the brain. She noted its impact on mood, neurotransmitters, executive function, and even motor reflexes, at times questioning whether she herself might be developing psychiatric symptoms. Ultimately, she reframed her intuitive experiences not as psychosis but as comforting guidance, rebuilding self-trust through research and embodied practices. She explored therapies such as body realignment massage, craniosacral work, and yoga to reconnect her mind and body, viewing intuition as a hidden wisdom held both physically and mentally. Today, she says signs appear without her asking, offering not only comfort but also joy, guidance, and a model for how others might blend neuroscience with spirituality to navigate loss, expand consciousness, and live with greater compassion and purpose.