Forgotten Knowledge and the Near-Death
Experience
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Biologists tell us that humans
are the only animals born without any instinctual
knowledge, born completely ignorant, and born
completely dependant upon others for survival.
Until something changes in the evolutionary
progress of humanity, this will have to remain
a fact of life. Near-death research reveals
how birth is choosing to fall sleep and crossing
through a veil of consciousness that causes
us to forget the knowledge of where we came
from and who we really are. This knowledge can
only be remembered only at a much deeper level
of consciousness. But trying to remember this
knowledge is like trying to remember a dream
during your deepest period of REM sleep. In
the spirit world, all the knowledge that exists
is already known to us. After death, we awaken,
regain our forgotten knowledge and once again
become our true selves. The following information
is a brief summary of all the insights concerning
knowledge from the near-death accounts profiled
on this website.
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Table of
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1. Forgetting
Pre-Birth Memories |
"We had to take a vow not
to remember anything. Then it had to pass through a
gray misty-looking curtain. The reason is for us to
learn more effectively and faster. The most important
reason for us coming to Earth is to either learn or
teach. Most times both. All the bad things we go through
here is either for our own learning or someone else's."
(Darlene
Holman)
"Humans have a mental and
spirit body. Before going through the veil, we chose
our own physical body. We must forget these memories
because in order to experience a physical life, we must
experience the physical things, be physically challenged,
make choices of free will, and make mistakes so that
we can learn from them in ways that only a physical
life could impart. If we retained all of our prior knowledge,
we might not bother to experience the physical life
for its fulfillment - we might decide to skip the pain
and thus miss the pleasure. We promised God that upon
accepting the opportunity, challenges and responsibility
of a physical life, we would make the most of this opportunity
for ourselves and God, return to God with the knowledge
and experience gained so that God will be enhanced by
our experience. The reason we need to experience a separation
of our total reality when we took on a physical body
is because in order for us to appreciate, benefit, and
learn all we can from our physical life, we must re-discover
what we knew before - in physical ways. Through our
physical life we must discover how to return to God.
By the good that we do to each other here, by the ways
we improve our minds, and by the ways that we learn
to cope with a physical body and physical life, we earn
our right of safe passage back to God; and in doing
so, we honor God. It is God's love that sends us
on the journey and it is our love for God that will
allow us to return to God's loving arms." (David
Goines)
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2. Forgetting
Near-Death Experience Knowledge |
"An experiencer can return
with some of the knowledge of the things they have learned
during their NDE, but the rest of the knowledge is veiled."
(Cecil)
"Immediately after a NDE,
some of the experience may be remembered. A feeling
like that of a shaft of light coming down through the
top of the head making it tender may be felt before
the memories are forgotten." (Joni
Maggi)
"Arrangements may be made
for when, where and how the experiencer will return
to the world and what lessons would enrich them or be
acquired anew. Some lessons learned during the NDE have
to be forgotten. For example, it is not good for the
soul to know when the time of their death will be because
the experiencer would focus on only that, especially
as the time neared." (Karen
Schaeffer)
"An experiencer can only
take as much knowledge as needed to sustain them. They
are given knowledge along the way as they finish out
the rest of their life." (Sandra
Rogers)
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3. Living
with Forgotten Knowledge |
"We have a built-in barrier
protecting us from the direct impact of our souls'
past life experiences, especially those memories that
are harmful or so unpleasant as to ruin any chance of
correcting those mistakes in the present life. This
should be kept in mind when attempting to discover our
souls' past lives. Some of the memories are hidden
for a very good reason. Bringing them to the surface
by force could prove disastrous, crushing the outer
person under a burden that even his or her own soul
would not have sanctioned. The past does need to be
investigated and awakened, but the persons involved
in these investigations (hypnotists, guides, and even
the subjects) must not assume they know what's best.
The inner soul must be allowed to reveal its secrets
in a manner that suits its purposes and timing."
(Edgar
Cayce)
"We have forgotten that we
are children of the most high God; that our spiritual
side, our souls, needs to return to have total fellowship
with God. To do this we have to come to ourselves and
realize that in this human realm of existence, our human,
selfish side has led us down the road of materialism
and of living only for ourselves, which caused us to
turn away from God and our divine destiny and forget
who we are. It caused our spiritual death." (Dr.
George Ritchie)
"In order to become one with
God, work must be done to remember or find the truth.
The truth is this: our true self is a spirit and our
spirit is one with God." (Sandra
Rogers)
"By coming here without our
eyes fully open, we are forced to follow the whisperings
of our spirits - those quiet truthful impressions that
spring from the subconscious. As we follow them, we
begin to hear also the whisperings of God." (Betty
Eadie)
"We have all forgotten that
we were the one original being. So we live out our lives
in the illusion of separateness. Our aim is for all
of us to come together again, to merge back into the
original being and become the One we truly are beneath
the surface. The way to do this was love. Love is simply
the name of the natural force which, like gravity, tends
to pull everything back together. As human beings, the
way we experience this force is through love. As fragmented
creatures, our job is to love each other and become
one again." (Joseph
Kerrick)
"Souls getting ready for
embarkation to Earth are like battle-hardened veterans
girding themselves for combat. This is the last chance
for souls to enjoy the omniscience of knowing just who
they are before they must adapt to a new body." (Dr.
Michael Newton)
"The reason we don't
remember the lives we lived before is both simple and
complex. The simple answer is, 'Because we have not
lived before.' This is because our current conscious
mind, personality, and body are new; they have not been
alive before. Nor have they reincarnated in the true
sense of the word. However, our souls have been alive
before - this is the distinction - and they have reincarnated.
The memories are those of our souls' - not our own
conscious memories." (Edgar
Cayce)
"When we trust in God, he
guides and directs us to further knowledge as we need
it. Growth is a process, and when we take time to internalize
and understand what we believe, we are more richly blessed;
our beliefs radiate in our countenances for all to see."
(Betty
Eadie)
"During a NDE, a person can
remember and feel different times and events as if they
were happening right now. In life, death is merely the
other side of a threshold over which we can not normally
see. So, too, in death, life and the land of the living
were on the other side of a very thin veil. (Lynnclaire
Dennis)
"The knowledge of what has
always been, remains in us ... When we follow our hearts,
when we are in tune and balanced, and when we listen
to the still inner voice within ... we 'know.'"
(Betty
Eadie)
"Karma is memory coming
into consciousness again. What occurred in the past
can be recalled and have an effect on the present. The
recollection may not surface to the conscious level;
the personality may have no awareness of the memory,
in fact. Yet, it exists at the deeper, soul level. After
death, as a soul draws closer to Universal Mind of God
it becomes aware that some of its memories are not compatible,
and since its ultimate purpose for being is companionship
with same, the soul will seek out opportunities to resolve
these incompatible memories. We must meet every bit
of our karma. However, there is a way that it can be
modified, softened, even ameliorated. If a soul, knowing
another soul has wronged it, forgives that soul and
holds no lingering resentment perhaps has even forgotten
the wrong in the depths of its forgiveness and understanding
then it begins to take hold of the power of forgiveness.
The more it forgives, the more it perceives and understands
forgiveness. Then, when it approaches the Universal
Mind and realizes it possesses memories that are incompatible
with It, forgiveness is much more viable, removing
the barrier of separation. Humans have became so encapsulated
in the physical that we began to identify ourselves
more with our bodies than with our consciousness. We
began to think of ourselves as physical entities rather
than free, living consciousness. We began to think we
were only physical beings and our heavenly origins began
to be forgotten. The physical body is so substantial,
so captivating that it is difficult to hold on to the
more delicate reality of spirit-thoughts, pure point
of consciousness in a Universal Mind." (Edgar
Cayce)
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4. Remembering
Afterlife Knowledge |
"During a NDE, a person may
remember spirit and other dimensions of life which they
knew as a child but had forgotten in order to fit into
society. Then, they may realize that life means falling
asleep and forgetting who we are." (Josiane
Antonette)
"All that happens in life
is for a purpose, and that purpose is already known
to our eternal self." (Beverly
Brodsky)
"During a NDE, our consciousness
expands while we absorb more knowledge. During the return
trip, the whole process is reversed and even more knowledge
can be given." (Mellen-Thomas
Benedict)
"At death, it can feel as
if we have been living behind a curtain our whole life.
Then, all of a sudden, this veil of illusion is lifted
and the floodlights shine on us. Then we learn the reality
that everything is really veiled spirit." (Daniel
Rosenblit)
"A NDE can feel like going
to a large gathering of relatives at Christmas but not
being quite able to remember their names or who they
are married to or how they are connected to you. The
experiencer knows that they are with family. It can
feel like they are closer than anyone the experiencer
had ever known." (Rev.
Howard Storm)
"During a NDE, a person may
notice the landscape gradually becoming familiar. They
may feel as if they had been there before. They may
remember that heaven is our real home. They may remember
that on Earth, we are visitors and a homesick stranger."
(Arthur
Yensen)
"We may remember the life
with God - a spirit life seems to extend to the beginning
of the universe." (Angie
Fenimore)
"The farther forward a person
is propelled through the tunnel, the more knowledge
can be received. The mind can feel like a sponge, growing
and expanding in size with each addition. This knowledge
may come in single words and in whole idea blocks. Everything
can be understood as it is being soaked up or absorbed.
The mind expands and absorbs as each new piece of information
comes in. It is receiving knowledge that was already
known but forgotten or mislaid, as if it were waiting
to be picked up on the way by." (Virginia
Rivers)
"I had complete love and
acceptance for everything. I saw my own gentleness,
tenderness, harmlessness. I simply was perfect and loving.
I said to him, 'Of course!' I felt I was connecting
with knowledge that I had known before. I wondered how
on Earth had I forgotten anything that important. I
have known that. I said, 'Can you tell me what everything
is all about - the whole world - everything?' He said,
'Yes.' He told me in only three sentences at the most.
It was so simple. I understood that immediately. I had
total comprehension of what he was saying to me. I remember
again saying to him, 'Of course!' Then there was that
feeling again of connecting with knowledge I had once
had. I wondered how on Earth did I forget that." (Jayne
Smith)
"The light gave me knowledge,
though I heard no words. We did not communicate in English
or in any other language. This was discourse clearer
and easier than the clumsy medium of language. It was
something like understanding math or music - nonverbal
knowledge, but knowledge no less profound. I was learning
the answers to the eternal questions of life - questions
so old we laugh them off as clichés. 'Why are we here?'
To learn. 'What's the purpose of our life?' To love.
I felt as if I was re-remembering things I had once
known but somehow forgotten, and it seemed incredible
that I had not figured out these things before now."
(Kimberly
Clark Sharp)
"I was in the company of
an innumerable amount of others who were just like me.
It was as though they were family ... that I didn't
know or I had forgotten. They knew all about me and
were there to celebrate, comfort, ease and move me ahead.
There was no sense of recognition but I knew they were
there to help." (Grace
Bubulka)
"In heaven, we have the opportunity
to assess our progress as a soul, to evaluate pros and
cons and outcomes, to remember all truths including
that of our real identity." (P.M.H.
Atwater)
"Other thoughts were conveyed
and I remember thinking, 'Wow, now I get it. Everything
about our existence finally makes sense.' ... He kept
saying, 'All is known. You have simply forgotten.' I
didn't feel like I knew anything; yet, there was
a place in me that knew everything." (Laurelynn
Martin)
"The light was delicious.
I soaked it up like a dry sponge soaks up water. I felt
like I had been sealed up in a vacuum packed jar for
a long as I could remember. Now the jar was opened and
the pressure was gone. I could breathe again. I could
feel energy flowing into me, loosening and softening
parts of my being that I did not even know I had. My
whole being thrilled with well being and joy. A feeling
that I had known before, though I could not remember
where or when." (John
Star)
"Floodgates of knowledge
opened, and truth poured into me without end or constraint.
Its source was the light and truth all around me, and
it was clarified, or explained at my level, by my grandmother.
She gave me knowledge about God, life, the creation
of the world, and even the reaches of eternity. The
truths were comprehensive and complete and rushed upon
me in such enormous volume that I thought my head would
explode. It was coming too fast. I wanted to be able
to absorb it, to remember it all, but it was too much.
'I can't take this!' I said. 'Stop!'" (RaNelle
Wallace)
"Once people are in the spirit
world, it is very obvious what kind of people they were
intrinsically in the world. In the spirit world, they
are acting on the basis of what really belongs to them.
If they were inwardly involved in something good in
the world, they then behave rationally and wisely -
more wisely, in fact, than they did in the world, because
they are released from their ties with a body and therefore
from the things that darken and, so to speak, cloud
things over. On the other hand, if they were involved
in something evil in the world, they then behave senselessly
and crazily - more crazily, in fact, than they did in
the world, because they are in freedom and are not repressed.
When they lived in the world, they were sane in outward
matters because they were using them to fabricate a
rational person. So once these outward matters are taken
away from them, their madness is unveiled. All people
who have lived in the world involved in what is good,
and who have acted out of conscience (those who have
acknowledged something divine and loved divine truths,
especially those who have applied them to their lives)
- it seems to all such people, when they are brought
into the spirit world, as though they have been roused
from sleep and come awake, or have come from darkness
into light." (Emanuel
Swedenborg)
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5. Remembering
Past-Life Knowledge |
Read the article on
Reincarnation and the Near-Death
Experience.
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