The City of Light and
the Near-Death Experience
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Fifty of
the near-death experiences I profile
on this website which I gathered
statistics on, 17% of them experienced
a city of light. These cities of
light have been described by various
experiencers using such adjectives
as: golden, beautiful, unearthly,
fairy tale-like, indescribable,
beyond anything that can be described,
so superior to anything on Earth,
colorful, brilliant, heavenly, endless,
crystalline, grand, paradise, and
galaxy-like.
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These cities of light are
said by experiencers to represent an entire world, made
of light and love, radiate with multi-colored lights,
with transcendental music, filled with light beings,
made of glass, built of the purest light, multi-dimensional,
built by God, whose light of the city is God, the city
of God, resembling
New Jerusalem,
the heavenly city in the
Book of Revelation.
Within the city of lights, experiencers have seen glowing
crystal cathedrals, domes, towers like European castles,
and houses like never seen on Earth.
This city of light experienced
by some Christian experiencers have been identified
to be the New Jerusalem, a heavenly city described in
the Book of Revelation in the Bible. According to Revelation,
this city comes down from heaven to the Earth sometime
in the future. Because the Book of Revelation is highly
symbolic, it might be that
this city described in the
Bible is also symbolic.
A golden city with towers and domes:
Just a little ways
off I could see a bridge with someone standing
on it. Beyond the bridge, I saw a golden city
with towers like European castles. The whole
city seemed to be shining with light that shot
up into the sky like a giant searchlight. I
could see that some of the domes of the city
were red, others were gold, and a few were blue.
The gates and walls of the city seemed to be
made of bright blue, red, and violet lights.
(Randy
Gehling)
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A city of crystal cathedrals:
Like wingless birds,
we swept into a city of cathedrals. These cathedrals
were made entirely of a crystalline substance
that glowed with a light that shone powerfully
from within. I was awestruck. This place had
a power that seemed to pulsate through the air.
I knew that I was in a place of learning. I
wasn't there to witness my life or to see what
value it had had, I was there to be instructed.
(Dannion
Brinkley)
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A beautiful unearthly city:
Jesus took Emanuel
back to heaven and showed him a beautiful city.
Emanuel said this was a very beautiful city
with houses he has never seen anywhere in the
world. There was a lake there and he was told
he could not go across it. (Emanuel
Tuwagirairmana)
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A beautiful fairy tale city:
I remember the scene
was shown to me in a fairy tale city and setting
- somewhat like I had always wished for in my
life while alive. It was so beautiful. (Sherry
Gideon)
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A city that represents
a world:
As I found myself
at the top of the hill, I saw that over on the
horizon and just a little bit lower on the horizon,
there was a city. I realized in some way that
this was more than just a city, that what I
was seeing actually represented a world. I wondered,
"Was that the world I just came from or the
one I am going to? (Jayne
Smith)
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A multi-colored crystal city:
In the distance I
saw a sight so magnificent and astounding -
a city made up of what seemed to be glass or
crystal! The lights were of many colors that
radiated from it. Never have I ever seen such
a sight! I began walking toward the city in
a daze of unbelief! So many questions raced
through my mind. I had to know where I was.
What was happening to me? I reached the front
of the city and saw a double door that looked
to be about thirty feet or so in height and
width! (Ricky
Randolph)
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Souls are seen being prepared for the city of
light:
Those living on the
higher realms of the city radiate the brightest
light, being so resplendent that their glory
must be cloaked so others of lower degree can
look upon them. Visiting the higher levels is
possible, but the spirits of lower realms must
be prepared or covered so they can stand in
the presence of greater glory ... Some new arrivals
are taken to a place of orientation where they
rest, adjust to their new condition, and prepare
to take their place in the city of light. (Craig
Lundahl)
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George Ritchie saw an endless, brilliant, city of light
and love:
"And
then I saw, infinitely far off, far too distant
to be visible with any kind of sight I knew
of- a city. A glowing, seemingly endless city,
bright enough to be seen over all the unimaginable
distance between. The brightness seemed to shine
from the very walls and streets of this place,
and from beings which I could now discern moving
about within it. In fact, the city and everything
in it seemed to be made of light, even as the
figure at my side was made of light.
"At this time I had not yet read the
Book of Revelation. I could only gape in
awe at this faraway spectacle, wondering how
bright each building, each inhabitant, must
be to be seen over so many light-years of distance.
Could these radiant beings, I wondered, amazed,
be those who had indeed kept Jesus the focus
of their lives? Was I seeing at last ones who
had looked for him in everything? Looked so
well and so closely that they had been changed
into his very likeness? Even as I asked the
question, two of the bright figures seemed to
detach themselves from the city and start toward
us, hurling themselves across that infinity
with the speed of light.
"Now
this was surprising because this was the first
realm in which the inhabitants could see the
Christ and me. Even more amazing, they exuded
light almost as brilliant as the Christmas the
two beings approached us, I could also feel
the love flowing from them toward us. The complete
joy they showed at seeing the Christ was unmistakable.
"Seeing these beings and feeling the joy,
peace and happiness which swelled up from them
made me feel that here was the place of all
places, the top realm of all realms. The
beings who inhabited it were full of love. This,
I was and am convinced, is heaven. As marvelous
as I thought the previous realm was, after glimpsing
this new realm we were seeing, I began to understand
for the first time what Paul was saying in 1
Corinthians 13 when he wrote: "If I have
the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries
and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that
can remove mountains, but have not love, I am
nothing."
"I do not infer that the
wonderful souls of the fourth realm did not
have love because they did but not to the degree
that the souls of this realm had reached.
"But as fast as they came toward us, we drew
away. Desperately I cried out to him not to
leave me, to make me ready for that shining
city, not to abandon me in this dark and narrow
place." (Dr.
George Ritchie)
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A heavenly city in the clouds where souls leave to come
to Earth and where souls go for after death for rejuvenation.
Webmaster's note: David Oakford uses the name Gaia,
the real name of this planet. For ease of reading, I
have replaced his references of Gaia with Earth.
"We started to head back
toward Earth. We went to a place in the shadow
of Earth. It was a great city in the clouds.
The city had these beautiful white buildings
as far as I could see. I saw spirits living
there all of which had vibration but no real
physical body. These inhabitants went to and
from the buildings - going to work and play
too. I saw a place where spirits went to get
what I thought was water. There were no vehicles
there. Spirits seemed to get around the same
way my being and I got around, by flying.
"The city had no boundaries that I could
see. This was a place full of life of all kinds.
There was nature there, many pure plants, trees,
and water just like on Earth but more pure.
Nature there was absolutely perfect. It was
untainted by human manipulation. This place
was just like Earth only without the problems
and negativity. I felt that this was what is
called heaven in Earth terms.
"I saw spirits
going to and from Earth and the city. I could
tell the development of the spirits going to
and from by the energy they emanated. I could
see that animals came to and from Earth just
like humans do. I could see many spirits leave
Earth with guides and could see spirits returning
to Earth without guides. The being told me that
some of the spirits passing were the ones that
were doing the work with humans on Earth . I
could make out the type of spirits that were
doing the work and the spirits that were coming
to the great city to become replenished to eventually
go back to Earth to experience and further evolve.
I could feel the emotions of the ones coming
back for replenishment. I could feel that some
of them were sad, beaten and scared, much like
I felt before my being came to me." (David
Oakford)
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4. A Multi-Dimensional City of Light
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a. Jan Price's
Multi-Dimensional City of Increasing Glory:
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"Taking form before my
eyes was the skyline of a great city. I could
see three different dimensions of it simultaneously.
The first had a dinginess pervading the atmosphere.
There was a gloominess, and everything was gray,
even the inhabitants, though I sensed that somewhere
beneath the discoloration pulsed life and beauty.
It brought to mind the lowest levels of existence
in the world from which I'd come. Evil walked
the squalid streets with malevolent bearing.
No one here was up to, or expected, any good.
"The second dimension was of the same panorama,
but brighter and more colorful, and had a familiarity.
Hope lived amid despair. There were neighborhoods
with neat houses holding reasonably contented
folk; shabby rows of dwellings housed those
more discontented. Expansive lawns separated
palatial homes from those of less grandeur.
Within each sector was happiness and horror,
love and hate, joy and sorrow -the dualities
of life on a less that harmonious plane. It
was a life accepted by many in the land I'd
left behind as the only way life could be. Some
knew better, more than just a few, and the hope
that lived amid despair would at some time blossom
into a better way of life.
"Last in the
trinity was a city of light, like unto John's
holy city in the
Book of Revelation. I saw the same skyline
as before, but this time it was pure gold -
with colors like precious gems, transparent
glass, crystal clear. All who walked through
the city brought glory and honor into it. Harmony
and order prevailed, and the residents lived
joyfully, creating that which brought forth
beauty and fulfillment- a place of perfect peace,
the peace that passes understanding." (Jan
Price)
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Dr. Craig Lundahl
is one of the pioneers in NDE research. Together with
Dr. Harold A. Widdison, their research is documented
in their classic NDE book entitled,
The Eternal Journey. This book divulges mesmerizing
eyewitness descriptions of the hereafter's city of light.
Information they gleaned from experiencers suggests
that the afterlife has two major divisions. The first
division has been named cities of light by
Dr. Raymond
Moody,
Betty Eadie,
Dr. Melvin
Morse, and others. The other division has been variously
labeled a realm of bewildered spirits by Moody, a place
devoid of love by
Dr. George
Ritchie, a place of earthbound/lingering spirits
by Eadie, and the sphere of wasted, elusive, and misused
opportunities by
Joy Snell. Here are some examples from their book:
(1) Heavenly cities of increasing glory:
"In a moment we were
at the gates of a beautiful city. A porter opened
it and we passed in. They city was grand and
beautiful beyond anything that I can describe.
It was clothed in the purest light, brilliant
but not glaring or unpleasant. The people, men
and women, in their employments and surroundings
seemed contented and happy. I knew those I met
without being told who they were. My guide would
not permit me to pause much by the way, but
rather hurried me on through this place to another
still higher but connected with it. It was still
more beautiful and glorious than anything I
had before seen. To me its extent and magnificence
were incomprehensible."
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This man visited three unique
places, a place where people were yet to reach their
assigned place, a city of light, and a second city of
even greater grandeur beyond the previous city of light.
He pleaded with his guide to remain and was told he
was "permitted only to visit these heavenly cities,
for I had not filled my mission in yonder world; therefore
I must return and take my body." (Dr.
Craig Lundahl)
(2) More
Heavenly Cities of Increasing Glory
John Powell had a similar experience when, in his words:
"A personage came and said, 'Come!'
"My spirit left my body and went with my
guide who took me to the next planet. Here
I beheld the inhabitants. The houses and
trees were beautiful to behold. I was so
amazed and delighted that I requested my
guide to permit me to stay and dwell there,
for all things were far superior and in
advance of this world that I had come from.
"He answered, 'No,' and said, 'Come.'
"He then took me to the next kingdom which
so exceeded the first in beauty and glory
that I was again amazed and requested permission
to stay. I cannot command language to describe
the beauty of the inhabitants and scenery,
but my guide said, 'No, come!'
"He then took
me to the next kingdom which was far more
beautiful in glory and order than the former
two. The beautiful flowers, trees, gardens,
people who were dressed in pure white, and
so pure that I was overwhelmed with joy
and most earnestly implored my guide to
allow me to stay, but he said, 'You
cannot go any further, for this is next
to the throne of God.'" (Dr.
Craig Lundahl)
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(3) Even
more heavenly cities of increasing glory:
"Herr Pettersson was
also permitted to visit the spirit world and
discovered, much to his surprise, that even
the worst in heaven exceeded the best on Earth.
"To Herr Pettersson
the world of spirits resembled the material
world. There were many countries, or kingdoms.
There were cities and villages, temples and
palaces, flowers and animals of great beauty
and variety. The people were very busy. Some
were preaching on street corners and in assembly
halls, and all had great congregations.
"But no matter what
level or city a person qualifies for, each city
is so superior to any on Earth that it is indescribable,
and each succeeding realm is indescribably better
than that immediately below it. It seems that
the assignment to a specific city is contingent
on the actions and attitudes of the individual
while on Earth. The key that opens the gate
to a specific city of light is the ability to
dwell in the light of that city, and this evidently
depends on behaviors during Earth life." (Dr.
Craig Lundahl)
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5. Edgar Cayce's Tunnel with Levels of Increasing
Glory |
The following is Edgar Cayce's description of how he
journeyed through a tunnel with levels of increasing
glory:
"I am conscious of a white
beam of light, knowing that I must follow it
or be lost. As I move along this path of light
I gradually become conscious of various levels
upon which there is movement. Upon the first
levels there are vague, horrible shapes, grotesque
forms such as one sees in nightmares. Passing
on, there begins to appear on either side misshapen
forms of human beings with some part of the
body magnified. Again there is change and I
become conscious of gray-hooded forms moving
downward. Gradually, these become lighter in
color.
"Then the direction changes
and these forms move upward and the color of
the robes grows rapidly lighter. Next, there
begins to appear on either side vague outlines
of houses, walls, trees, etc., but everything
is motionless. As I pass on, there is more light
and movement in what appear to be normal cities
and towns. With the growth of movement I become
conscious of sounds, at first indistinct rumblings,
then music, laughter, and singing of birds.
There is more and more light, the colors become
very beautiful, and there is the sound of wonderful
music. The houses are left behind; ahead there
is only a blending of sound and color. Quite
suddenly I come upon a Hall of Records. It is
a hall without walls, without ceiling, but I
am conscious of seeing an old man who hands
me a large book, a record of the individual
for whom I seek information." (Edgar
Cayce)
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Cities of light with beautiful music:
"In the bardo of becoming,
as well as many other kinds of visions, the
mental body will see visions and signs of different
realms. A small percentage of those who have
survived a near-death experience report visions
of inner worlds, paradises, and cities of light
with transcendental music." (Lingza
Chokyi)
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Cities of colorful light:
"A long way off there
was a pinprick of light. I moved toward it,
slowly at first, then faster and faster as if
I were on top of a train accelerating. Then
I stopped and stepped fully into the light.
I noticed everything - sky, buildings, glass
- emitted its own light and everything was much
more colorful than what we see here. A river
meandered around. On the other side was a city,
and a road running through it to another city,
and another city and another and another ...
The first city was like first grade. People
stayed there until they were ready to go to
the next city - your eternal progression, from
city to city." (Cecil)
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Cities built of light:
"Darryl, [a] man who
was electrocuted when his home was struck by
lightning, found himself moving toward lights.
As he drew closer to the lights he realized
they were cities and that the cities were built
of light." (Dr.
Craig Lundahl)
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Golden cities:
"Others have reported
seeing children playing in big golden cities
and seeing busy people in cities, from which
it is possible to infer there is more than one
city in the spirit world." (Dr.
Craig Lundahl)
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A galaxy-like city of lights:
"In its total energy
configuration, the galaxy looked like a fantastic
city of lights." (Mellen-Thomas
Benedict)
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A galaxy of light beings:
"We started going faster
and faster, out of the darkness. Embraced by
the light, feeling wonderful and crying, I saw
off in the distance something that looked like
the picture of a galaxy, except that it was
larger and there were more stars than I had
seen on Earth. There was a great center
of brilliance. In the center there was an enormously
bright concentration. Outside the center countless
millions of spheres of light were flying about
entering and leaving what was a great being-ness
at the center. It was off in the distance ... Everywhere around us were countless radiant
beings, like stars in the sky, coming and going.
It was like a super magnified view of a galaxy
super packed with stars. And in the giant radiance
of the center they were packed so densely together
that individuals could not be identified. Their
selves were in such harmony with the Creator
that they were really just one." (Rev.
Howard Storm)
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Souls visit various heavenly cities to determine their
residence:
"So they are taught by
their friends about the state of eternal life,
and are taken around to different places, into
different communities. Some are taken to cities,
some to gardens and parks; but most are taken
to splendid places because this sort of place
delights the outward nature they are still involved
in. Then they are intermittently led into thoughts
they had during their physical life about the
soul's state after death, heaven, and hell,
until they also come to resent their former
utter ignorance of things like this, and resent
the Church's ignorance of such matters" (Emanuel
Swedenborg)
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Swedenborg's writings about the cities of light:
"Two hundred years ago
Emanuel Swedenborg was writing about the same
common elements found in NDEs. In his writings
he frequently mentions the feelings of ineffability
and also the peace and joy. He speaks of a light
which he calls the Sun of Heaven. He tells us
stories of those who meet their friends or relatives
who had died before them. He speaks of the review
of the person's life, the cities of light, and
the realm of frustrated spirits. He even speaks
about the out-of-body experience before there
was any public knowledge of such a thing." (Emanuel
Swedenborg website)
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Swedenborg's discussion of how a soul's destination
to a particular heavenly community is determined:
"Taken
all together, they [our desires] make up a kind
of kingdom. Thus they are in fact organized
within a person, even though people are completely
unaware of their organization. To some extent,
however, this is made known to people in the
other life where they have an outreach of thought
and affection that depends on this organization.
This is an outreach into the heavenly communities
if the strongest desire is made up of desires
of heaven, but an outreach into hellish communities
if the strongest desire is made up of desires
of hell.
"This has been made clear to
me by observed experiences over and over again.
The whole of heaven is divided into communities
on the basis of differences in the good that
comes from desire. Every single spirit who is
raised into heaven and becomes an angel is taken
to the community where his or her desire is,
and once there they are where they belong, so
to speak- as though they were at home, where
they were born. An angel senses this, and makes
close friends with others like themselves.
"When they leave and go to another community,
there is a certain constant resistance. This
is the effect of their longing to return to
those who are like themselves, which means to
their own strongest desire. This is how close
friendships are formed in heaven. The same holds
true in hell, where people also form friendships
on the basis of desires which are opposed to
heavenly ones.
"Paths are visible in the
spiritual world. Some lead to heaven, some to
hell; one to one community, one to another.
Good spirits travel only along paths that lead
to heaven, to the community which is involved
in the particular good that comes from their
own desire. They do not see paths leading in
other directions. Evil spirits follow only paths
that lead to hell, to the particular community
there which is involved in the evil that comes
from their own desire. They do not see paths
leading in other directions; and even if they
do, they do not want to follow them.
"All souls arrive at the type of community where
their spirits were in the physical world. In
fact every person is bonded to a particular
heavenly or hellish community-an evil person
to a hellish one, a good person to a heavenly
one. A person is guided there step-by-step and
eventually gains entrance.
"When
evil people are involved in the state of their
more inward elements, they are turned by stages
toward their own community. Eventually they
are turned straight toward it before this state
is completed. And once this state is completed,
they hurl themselves into the hell where there
are people like themselves.
"The separation
of the good from the evil happens in various
ways. Broadly, it happens by taking the evil
ones around to those communities they were in
touch with through their good thoughts and affections
during their first state. In this way, they
are taken to those communities which were persuaded
by their outward appearance that they were not
evil. Normally, they are taken on an extensive
circuit, and everywhere they are exposed as
they really are to good souls. On seeing them,
the good souls turn away, and as they turn away,
the evil souls who are being taken around also
turn their faces away from the good ones and
turn toward the region of hellish communities,
which is their destination." (Emanuel
Swedenborg)
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A city built by God:
"For he was looking
forward to the city with foundations, whose
architect and builder is God." (Hebrews
11:10)
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Choosing the city of God instead of reincarnation:
"If they had been
thinking of the country they had left, they
would have had opportunity to return. Instead,
they were longing for a better country -
a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed
to be called their God, for he has prepared
a city for them." (Hebrews
11:13-16)
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An eternal city:
"For here we do
not have an enduring city, but we are looking
for the city that is to come." (Hebrews
13:14)
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The New Jerusalem - the city of God:
"I will write
on him the name of my God and the name of
the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which
is coming down out of heaven from my God."
(Revelation
3:12)
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Earth becomes a city of God:
"I saw the Holy
City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out
of heaven from God, prepared as a bride
beautifully dressed for her husband. And
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and
he will live with them. They will be his
people, and God himself will be with them
and be their God." (Revelation
21:2-3)
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A crystal city of light:
"... the Holy
City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God. It shone with the glory of God,
and its brilliance was like that of a very
precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as
crystal." (Revelation
21:10-11)
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The light of the city is God:
"I did not see
a temple in the city, because the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The
city does not need the sun or the moon to
shine on it, for the glory of God gives
it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The
nations will walk by its light, and the
kings of the Earth will bring their splendor
into it. On no day will its gates ever be
shut, for there will be no night there.
The glory and honor of the nations will
be brought into it. Nothing impure will
ever enter it, nor will anyone who does
what is shameful or deceitful, but only
those whose names are written in the Lamb's
book of life." (Revelation
21:22-27)
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