Near Death Experiences, NDE, What Is It?

Bookmark this page and share it with others! (Or press Ctrl/D on Firefox)

The Near Death Expeience is where one who has been declared "clinically dead" has come back to tell of experiences of a life after this life.

I will admit that I want to believe those stories are true. I am not letting that cloud my judgement in this article. There are two sides of this argument. Those who believe that those who came back actually did see the window to another life and those who believe it was all in their minds.

Within a ten year period, my great-grandmother, both of my grandmothers, and my grandfather have died. I also worked with dying people who have passed away. For my own peace of mind, I would like to believe they are in a better place. I choose to believe they are.

There are two types of near death experiences reported. The positive and negative experience.

In a positive experience, one feels like they are floating outside of their bodies and can see everything going on. They don't feel any pain. They can see their own bodies, but feel indifferent about it unless they start to panic and want to go back. Then they see a bright tunnel of light and are compelled to enter it where they are pulled into another realm as they leave this life. Once on the other side, they feel surrounded by a bunch of entities, some of them are those they knew who were dead and others who are there to talk to them. Some report being told certain things and are asked to go back to their bodies. Many see their lives flash by and report a self-judgement. Then just as quickly as they were brought to that point, they are slammed back into their bodies.

In a negative experience, one may feel like they are in hell. This seems to be the case with a lot of suicide attempts, those who died in violent manners, and those who carry a lot of guilt. They feel themselves being pulled out of their bodies and are in a state of panic. They feel as if they are being pulled into a dark, crowded place with other entities who are "lost," but cannot communicate with any of them. They report feeling terrified, being pulled apart in all directions, hearing lots of noises and screams, almost like being in a madhouse. Then they are yanked back into their bodies and terrified of going back.

Those who say this is just a trick the dying mind plays have many studies to back up their claim. Experiments have shown this state of altered consciousness can be achieved through drugs, stimulating parts of the brain, oxygen deprivation, and through being exposed to zero gravity. While putting subjects in these conditions, they are clinically, very much alive, but have reported similar experiences to those who have "died."

What is clear is those who have had the NDE are experiencing something and it all stems from a part of the brain attaining an altered state consciousness of as we know it. What exactly the something is, that is not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Some of the NDEs have been due to causes other than death such as:

• Dreams
• Stress
• Brain Stimulation
• Seizure
• Coma
• Sexual Orgasm
• Religious Ecstasy
• Surgery
• Drugs
• Gravity/Falling
• Meditation
• Hypnosis/Relaxation
• Mirror Gazing
• Sensory Deprivation
• Sleep Deprivation
• Mental illness

Skeptics have a big problem with the Near Death Experience because it is impossible to define the line between when life and death happens. While these people who experienced NDE have been declared "dead," depending on where they "died" may have a lot to do with how dead they really were. In the US alone, there are many different definitions in the different states as to when one is "dead." In one place where there is no brain activity a person is dead, but in another place they could be considered alive if the heart is still beating or if on life support. In other countries, the definitions can vary even more. Some cultures declare a person dead when the heart stops. Other cultures declare a person dead after a few days. So all of these NDEs cannot be scientifically considered unless there is a concurrence of when death happens.

The fact is one who is truly dead cannot come back to tell about it. Aside from those NDE people, I am talking about those who are really and truly dead to the point of no return. Those who have had their brains deprived of oxygen too long cannot come back. Those whose bodies are so mangled and devastated due to accident, murder or suicide. Those whose bodies have endured a long term illness and their bodies are too exhausted to continue the fight. These are the truly dead. I have worked with such people who are in the process of dying and trust me, when they die, they are dead and not coming back. Some have been temporarily revived for a matter of minutes, hours and sometimes days, but never regain consciousness. [The lights are on and no one is home.] No one has come back to life after being truly dead for a few days to tell about it. [I'm truly sorry to the Christian believers and don't mean to offend, but I don't believe in the story of Jesus' resurrection.]

Another problem skeptics have is defining the "soul" or "spirit" or what makes a person the "I". If certain parts of the brain are damaged after a person has developed a particular personality, the damaged brain can create a totally different person. Does that mean that the brain affects who you are and not an essence of your particular soul? Believers think this has no correlation as the soul goes into an "ego" state which is not their true nature in the soul, but this "ego" is a role you play. This cannot be proven scientifically and has to be taken as a matter of faith.

So the skeptics will say the NDE is impossible as it can be created in lab experiences, death is hard to define, and so is the soul. Believers are just as sure it is the truth.

A cynic cannot help but wonder about some of these claims and the agenda of the person who said they had an NDE. It's one thing if a person had an NDE or believes they had one, but has nothing to gain from it. However, one cannot doubt there is a great market in making such claims as fact. Near Death Experience books are hot on the market. Many have made a lot of money spouting claims of life on the other side. Some seem to be doing it just for the money or fame. Others have a hidden religious agenda and in making such claims want it as proof as why their particular God is the one to follow.

While there may probably be quite a few who are con artists making these claims, that still does not discount the fact that many sincere people are having these experience and that scientists and doctors have forced this experience on others. Something is going on, but what?

Whether this is a window to the other side or simply a brain trick has yet to be proven 100% be either side. Still belief in life after life boils down to a matter of faith. Perhaps the brain is just letting a person die as easily as possible. Perhaps this is really happening and the things happening in the brain is allowing it to be possible to cross over to another realm. We will probably never know for fact the real story.

Back to the religion section.