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Death and the Near-Death Experience
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Near-death experiencers
unanimously report losing their fear
of death upon return. Many actually
look forward to their own death, a time
when they can return to the beautiful
realm they experienced. The NDE changes
people's ideas of death forever.
This is true even for many people who
only read about the NDE. Some experiencers
were not even aware they died at the
time of their NDE. This demonstrates
how insignificant death is really is.
It reveals that death is only a very
brief transition from the physical to
the spiritual - like walking through
a door. It has also been described by
some experiencers to be similar to the
process of waking up from a dream the
dream being the physical world.
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Table
of Contents |
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1.
Introduction |
One unanimous aspect involving people who
have NDEs is that they know absolutely there
is life after death. They no longer believe
in an afterlife. They know there is an afterlife.
The idea that near-death accounts provide this
knowledge has nothing to do with faith. Faith
implies the possibility of doubt. Knowledge
implies certainty. NDEs are based on solid knowledge
and facts - not faith. If a million astronauts
go to Mars and return to Earth saying that there's
Martians living there, it is then that I would
know for sure that there's Martians living
on Mars. In the same way, millions of people
have returned from death saying that there is
life after death. Can millions of people experiencing
the same thing all be wrong? Isn't it easier
to believe they are right? For this reason,
the only rational conclusion is that there is
life after death. Faith and skepticism then
becomes irrational.
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2.
When is Death Really Death? |

The
term "near-death" is a misnomer because
the evidence suggests that people actually journey
beyond death during near-death experiences.
Philosophically, to say that such experiences
are "near-death" is like saying a
woman is "near-pregnant." Either a
woman is pregnant or they are not. Philosophically,
it would seem that a person is either dead or
they aren't.
The medical definition
of "death" has been debated for centuries
depending on the culture, social conditions,
and the role of the medical profession. The
newest definition (i.e., "brain death")
may not yet be adequate for encompassing all
of death's meanings. There is no consensus
within the scientific community concerning when
conscious life begins. In the same way, there
is no consensus within the scientific community
concerning when physical life ends. Determining
the precise time of death is, in fact, medically
and scientifically impossible according to cardiologist
Dr. Michael Sabom
who states, It used to be thought that the point
of death was a single moment in time. But it
is now thought that death is a process, not
a single moment.
But because doctors
need something to go by, they have come up with
various legal and social definitions over the
years for the sake of finality. Here are the
terms we're most familiar with: |
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3. The Classifications of Death |
The Classifications
of Death
a. |
Heart-Lung
Failure: This
was the traditional definition
of death until advances
in medical technology made
it possible for people to
survive this condition.
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b. |
Clinical
Death: The
patient's breathing and
heartbeat stops but they
might still be able to be
resuscitated with CPR or
other means, depending on
why the vital signs ceased
and under what conditions
it occurred
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c. |
Lower
brain death: The
brain stem controlling the
automatic functions of the
body stops working. The
length of time which the
brain stem must be inactive
before a person is declared
legally dead varies from
jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Complicating the issue,
the same person can be considered
legally dead if about to
become an organ donor, but
legally alive if not.
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d. |
Higher
Brain Death: The
brain stem still functions,
keeping the heart, lungs
and digestive system working,
but the sensing, thinking
part of the brain has shut
down. When such a "person"
is dead, the body might
still be functioning. But
for all practical intents
and purposes, there is no
ethical reason to keep the
body alive.
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e. |
Whole
Brain Death: Both
lower and higher brain functions
have ceased. This definition
was first developed by the
ad hoc committee at Harvard
Medical School in 1968.
In 1980, hospitals were
permitted to begin using
it as a determination of
death in patients. But even
though a person might suffer
from whole brain death,
they can still have a heartbeat
which only ends due to the
failure of the lungs. If
the lungs are forced to
keep breathing, such people
can continue to digest food,
excrete waste, and even
bear children. Whether or
not such people are "dead"
is currently up for political
debate.
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f. |
Biological
Death: This
is when permanent cellular
damage occurs to the brain
due to a lack of oxygen.
By definition, this process
is irreversible and final.
By definition only, nobody
has ever returned to life
from this condition.
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g. |
Metaphysical
Death: This
occurs when the
silver
cord
breaks during a NDE. The
silver cord is the "umbilical"
which connects the physical
body to the spirit body.
Once this cord is broken,
returning to the physical
body is impossible.
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Whichever definition science ultimately agrees
on will influence how people are treated in
hospitals, how people get organs for transplant,
whether women have abortions, and when doctors
perform stem-cell research - not to mention
the implications within religious, philosophical
and metaphysical circles.
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4. Perhaps the Best Case of a Person Surviving
Death |

Pam
Reynolds met all the criteria for surviving
whole brain death. While in this state, she
experienced an extraordinary NDE. Because her
death was not final, it cannot be said that
she survived "biological" death. However,
her case provides an excellent example of how
there is nothing "near" about the
so-called "near-death" experience.
Pam's extraordinary NDE occurred while
undergoing a rare surgical procedure to remove
a brain
aneurysm. The procedure required her to be:
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a. |
Put unconscious using an anesthetic. |
b. |
Her body temperature lowered to 60 degrees. |
c. |
Her heart and breathing stopped. |
d. |
Her brain waves allowed to flatten |
e. |
The blood drained from her head. |
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While
in this condition, she floated out of her body
and watched the doctors operate on her lifeless
body. Later, she was able to describe the surgical
instruments, the conversation, and the procedures
performed during her surgery.
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5. NDEs are not Exactly Identical but Common
Elements can be Found |
Some skeptics claim NDEs
are not real real afterlife experiences because
they are not identical. On the other hand, other
skeptics claim NDEs are not real afterlife experiences
because they are "hard-wired" in the
brain which explains the similarities. Which
is true? In my opinion, neither. Here is why:
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a. |
No Experience
on Earth is Exactly Identical:
Think of the near-death
experience as you would any Earth experience.
Everyone's perspective is unique
from everyone else. Yet, there are similarities
to Earthly experiences. People go to
work, go to school, live in homes, have
sex, eat, sleep, practice religion,
travel, visit family and friends, etc.
Despite these similarities, no two Earth
experiences are identical.
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b. |
No Near-Death
Experience is Exactly Identical:
Some people travel
back in time, meet a worshipped religious
figure, travel the universe, view their
past lives, meet future children, etc.
Everyone has a unique perspective. Yet,
common aspects can be found in NDEs.
(Kevin
Williams)
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6. Common Aspects Found in NDEs |
Within a number of NDEs a
pattern becomes evident. This pattern can be
found in children's NDEs as well. The pattern
(and any single experience) includes one or
more of these things:
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a. |
Feeling that the
"self"
has
left the body
and is hovering overhead. Sometimes
a "silver
cord"
is seen connected to the body. Sometimes
the person may later be able to
describe who was
where and what happened,
sometimes in detail. Some
people who were
born blind can see
while out of their body.
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b. |
Moving through
a
dark space
or
tunnel
and having a sense of
timelessness.
Sometimes the
Earth can be seen
from outer space.
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c. |
Experiencing intensely
powerful emotions,
ranging from
bliss
to
terror.
Sometimes
heavenly music
is heard.
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d. |
Encountering a
light.
It is usually described as golden, or
white, and as being magnetic and
loving;
occasionally it is perceived as a reflection
of the fires of
hell.
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e. |
Receiving some
variant of the message, "It
is not yet your time"
from a heavenly being by means of
mental telepathy.
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f. |
Meeting others;
may be
deceased loved
ones,
recognized from life or not;
sacred beings;
pets;
guides;
angels;
orbs;
unidentified entities
and/or "Beings
of Light";
sometimes
symbols
from one's own or other
religious traditions.
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g. |
A
life review,
seeing and re-experiencing major and
trivial events of one's life, sometimes
from the perspective of the other people
involved, and coming to some conclusion
about the adequacy of that life and
what
changes are needed.
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h. |
Having a sense
of
understanding
everything,
of knowing
how the universe
works.
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i. |
Reaching a boundary
– a cliff, fence, water, some kind of
barrier that may not be crossed if one
is to return to life.
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j. |
In some cases,
entering a
city
or
library
or
receiving station.
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k. |
Rarely, receiving
previously unknown information about
one's life – i.e., adoption or hidden
parentage, deceased siblings. Some
bring back scientific
discoveries.
Some bring back
knowledge concerning
the future.
Some bring back
knowledge of past
lives.
Some bring back information concerning
astrology.
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l. |
Decision to return
may be voluntary or involuntary. If
voluntary, it usually associated with
unfinished responsibilities.
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m. |
Returning to
life
and to the body. Afterward, an increase
in
spirituality
may be found. Often,
dramatic changes
within the person are discovered.
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n. |
Some interesting
facts concerning NDEs are: A group of
people can die together and
share the same
NDE.
Some NDEs have occurred when
the brain is verified
to be dead.
NDEs have been occurring for
thousands of years.
They happen to people of all backgrounds
(see below).
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o. |
Most near-death
experiences are pleasant, but others
are deeply frightening. For additional
information about frightening near-death
experiences, contact
IANDS
(International Association for Near-Death
Studies) for a special publication.
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7. Unusual Facts about Near-Death Experiences |
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8. NDE Researchers'
Comment on the Near-Death Experience |
"One of the near-death experience truths
is that each person integrates their
near-death experience into their own
pre-existing belief system." (Jody
Long)
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"There are so many different descriptions
of NDEs because there are so many different
perceptions, perspectives, beliefs,
biases, backgrounds, and afterlife realms
to fit them." (Kevin
Williams)
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"Childhood NDEs are similar to adult
NDEs." (P.M.H.
Atwater)
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People born blind have NDEs which are
similar to sighted people. However,
people born blind see for the first
time in their lives during their NDEs.
But they do not retain their sight when
they return to their bodies. (Dr.
Kenneth Ring)
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"Our life on Earth can be thought of
as one channel on a radio. At death,
it is as if someone spins the dial on
the radio to a different channel. The
previous channel is still there, but
we are now experiencing a different
channel. That is all death is - a change
to another channel. We go to that particular
channel where our speed of vibration
fits a particular channel on the radio
dial." (P.M.H.
Atwater)
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"There exists a point of no return during
the NDE and once this barrier is crossed,
returning to our body is impossible."
(Dr.
Kenneth Ring)
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"All physical and mental handicaps are
corrected immediately after death."
(Dr.
Kenneth Ring)
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9. Near-Death Experiencers Comment on Death |
"If I lived a billion years more,
in my body or yours, there's not
a single experience on Earth that could
ever be as good as being dead. Nothing."
(Dr.
Dianne Morrissey)
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"Death makes us more alive. We
are more dead now while alive on Earth
than we are when we are physically dead."
(P.M.H.
Atwater)
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"Death is just a body problem."
(Chuck
Griswold)
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"Life does not end when we die.
Death is a rebirth into a spirit world
of light and love, a transition from
the physical to the spiritual that is
no more frightening or painful than
passing between rooms through an open
doorway. It is a joyful homecoming to
our natural home." (Betty
Eadie)
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"Death means losing your physical
body. Nothing else is lost." (P.M.H.
Atwater)
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"Death is leaving your physical
body and facing God. We then become
pure Mind. Our minds become naked in
that our thoughts are there for all
to understand perfectly." (Dr.
George Ritchie)
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"Birth is a sleep and a forgetting.
Death is an awakening and a remembering."
(Josiane
Antonette)
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"Birth in the physical is death
in the spiritual. Death in the physical
is the birth in the spiritual." (Edgar
Cayce)
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"Death is a process similar to
waking up from a dream." (John
Star)
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"Death is like falling asleep
or like waking up. We leave one state
of consciousness and enter another."
(Joni
Maggi)
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"Death means dying to the physical
world. It also means being born into
the spirit world. When we are
born into this physical world, we fall
asleep and forget who we really are.
When we are born into the spirit world,
we awaken and remember who we really
are." (Edgar
Cayce)
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"Death is actually a rebirth
into a greater life of understanding
and knowledge that stretches forward
and backward in time." (John
Star)
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"Life and death are one, and
only those who will consider the experience
as one may come to understand or comprehend
what peace indeed means." (Edgar
Cayce)
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"The memory of a NDE is more
real than the memory of what one did
yesterday." (Dr.
Rene Turner)
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"I knew with total certainty
that everything was evolving exactly
the way it should and that the ultimate
destiny for every living being is to
return to the Source, the Light, Pure
Love." (Juliet
Nightingale)
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"Immediately after death, the
connection to our humanity begins to
wear off and an experience of being
light as air, extremely happy and in
love begins to happen." (Karen
Schaeffer)
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"The Being of Light can be called
Jesus, Buddha, Yahweh, the Great Spirit,
our Higher Self, etc. which can be a
feedback of our own religious perspective.
The name of the Light Being does not
matter. Only the recognition of
absolute love and truth is important."
(Mellen-Thomas
Benedict)
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"In the light of God, there are
no opinions, conclusions or beliefs
- only being. It is being in a state
of total harmonic perfection." (John
Star)
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"From the light we come to Earth
and to the light we will return." (Josiane
Antonette)
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"The only thing we take with
us at death is the love we have given
away while on Earth." (Laurelynn
Martin)
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"Death means breaking through
the barrier of space and time." (Beverly
Brodsky)
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"Our senses and our sense of
awareness are tremendously greater when
we are outside of our physical body."
(Thomas
Sawyer)
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"The last to be overcome is death,
and the knowledge of life is the knowledge
of death." (Edgar
Cayce)
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"You grow to heaven. You don't
go to heaven." (Edgar
Cayce)
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"Time stops when we die. Past,
present and future become the eternal
now." (Dr.
Gerard Landry)
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"When children die, they are
not children after death. They appear
to be as they would in the prime of
their life." (Ruth
Montgomery)
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"There is nothing worth worrying
about - not even death." (Joni
Maggi)
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"Getting back into your body
from a NDE is like jumping into a swimming
pool." (Pam
Reynolds)
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"Death is one of the most important
lessons that must be learned by those
who are affected by it." (Karen
Schaeffer)
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