Near Death Experiences is a controversial phenomenon that has been debated among researchers, physicians, and the general public. The debate is whether or not what people think they experience is real or if it can to be explained by science. There are twelve characteristics of these experiences that are frequently experienced across the board including out of body experiences which lead to the questions: Does the conscious require the brain, or is it a separate entity that can exist and function on its own? Is there really life after death? Skeptics will answer in the negative and offer many possible explanations, but I can find no good explanation that can account for many of the experiences people have during an NDE.
The research I will refer to uses a very specific parameter for people to be used in the studies. They are near death when they are clinically dead, have no heartbeat, are not breathing, or they are so physically compromised that they will die if their condition does not improve. Often they are unconscious at this point. Their experience has to occur at this point of near-death and it must be lucid and not fragmented memories. All of these conditions must be met in order for the experience to be considered a true near-death experience. Although everyone’s experience is different, there are twelve elements that occur during a near-death experience. Not all of them occur in each experience, but those that do occur generally happen in the order I will describe them. (Long and Perry, 2011, 5-6)
The first element is the out-of-body experience. In this experience, some element of consciousness seems to separate from the physical brain. Some people experience floating upward and watching the scene from above....
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The video Round Trip, The Near Death Experience is an interesting and informative documentary. Five people were interviewed about their near death experience. Catherine was sick for several years; John almost drown from scuba diving, Mary had complications during childbirth, Alena was in an accident and Allan’s heart flutter during surgery. These five people near dead experience were similar. It is remarkable to hear them speak about their experience and how they are not afraid of death. The near death experience changed their lives. Catherine stated that she sees the future, she will know about something before it happens; also her religious structure became stronger. They all saw a bright light and experience a divine feeling and the power
In the United States and worldwide people have different culture, beliefs and attitude about death. Over the past years, death is an emotional and controversy topic that is not easy to talk about. Everyone have a different definition of what is death and when do you know that a person is really dead. In the book Death, Society, and Human Experiences by Robert J. Kastenbaum demonstrates that you are alive, even when doctors pronounce you dead.
Religion is fraught with stories and myths of otherworldly journeys. There are a variety of reasons; however, the two main ones one may notice are humans’ innate pattern recognition, and our necessity to define and understand the world in which we live. These otherworldly excursions, out-of-body-experiences OBEs, near-death-experiences NDEs, and altered-states-of-consciousness ASCs are side effects of trauma rather than real experiences. In this paper ASC will be the basic reference unless otherwise noted. Therefore, it is prudent to explore those examples of forced ASCs, the causes, and the impacts on the society. An ASC experience within a religion may serve an important purpose in the belief system, yet it is a personal experience of the mind and not a legitimate experience in the real world.
“… There is a feeling of strange intoxication and shifting consciousness with minor perceptual changes. There may also be strong physical effects, including respiratory pressure, muscle tension (especially face and neck muscles), and queasiness or possible nausea… After this the state of altered consciousness begins to manifest itself…..among the possible occurences are feelings of inner tranquility, oneness with life, heightened awareness, and rapid thought flow…these effects will deepen and become more visual. Colors may become more intense. Halos and auras may appear about things. Objects
This investigation into the paranormal eventually evolved into the field of parapsychology. Current research in parapsychology has three focuses: psychokinesis (PK), extrasensory perception (ESP), and survival-after-bodily-death experiences. Psychokenisis is direct mental interaction with objects animate or inanimate. Extrasensory perception is a general term for obtaining information about events beyond the reach of the normal senses ("Parapsychology FAQ"). Survival-after-bodily-death is the investigation into events and phenomena dealing with life after death.
Life After Life, by Raymond A Moody Jr, M.D., is an account of Dr. Moody’s research of near death experiences (NDE). Dr. Moody has a Ph.D. in philosophy and a medical degree. This scientific discipline provided a path for him to document his findings. His intent was to draw attention to a phenomenon of NDE. He accounts it was “very widespread and very well-hidden, and at the same time, help create a more receptive public attitude toward it” (Moody Jr, MD, 2015, p. xix). As the modern Western world moved into the twentieth century, so did the scientific discipline of medical science. This allowed a transition of individuals dying at home, to dying within the confines of the hospital under the care of medical professionals. He interviewed
Smith, Andrew. "Chapter Nine: Life After Death." 2014. A Secular View of God. 12 May 2014 .
Have you ever had a near death experience? A near death experience is a profound psychological event that may occur to a person close to death in a physical or emotional crisis. Everyday normal people go through near death experiences the NDERF reports that 774 near death experiences occur in the United States. That is not all of the people who do not report their near death experience or die in there near death experience. In near death experience many people experience the following: time past slowly, change in priorities, a feeling of death and experiencing it as a dream.
Having a near death experience is life changing and can change your perspective on life by 180 degrees. A near death experience (NDE) defined by the International Association of Near Death studies Inc, or IANDS Inc is a profound psychological event that may occur to a person close to death.(). One day you could be preoccupied with all the work and stress building up that you do not realize that you need to slow down and take a breath until that breath is gone. There are some people who experience “death” and are fortunate enough to be brought back to life. NDEs transforms people into a whole new person psychologically and physiologically and although it seems it is for the better it usually backfires and affect them in harmful and negative ways.
Cuskelly, Claudia. “PROOF of afterlife? Doctors unlock MYSTERY of the tunnel of light you see when you die.” Express.co.uk, Express.co.uk, 26 Mar. 2017. Accessed 6 Sept. 2017.www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/784095/afterlife-near-death-experience-brain.
There are many phenomena present in today’s world concerning both life and death. An extraordinary incorporation of these prominent values is a Near Death Experience (NDE). Near Death Experiences empower and affect the psyche of many, changing their lives forever and altering their perception of death. Many questions arise from this particular topic simply because you have to experience it to fully understand its meaning. Questions such as, What is it, What happens, and how do they occur are familiar to experts in this field or to the people who have first hand experience.
Life after death is a topic of controversy in which Bertrand Russell and John Hick discusses the idea of whether it is possible to have life after death. Russell addresses his argument against the idea through his brief essay titled “The Illusion of Immortality” (1957). In addition, Hick also discusses the topic through his work “In Defense of Life after Death” (1983) of why life after death is a plausible idea. In this paper I will be discussing Russell’s argument against the belief of life after death. As well, I will also be addressing the opposing view by explaining Hick’s argument in defense of life after death. My goal in this paper is to highlight through the analysis of life after death how Russell in my opinion holds the strongest position.
Most OBEs have common features. For instance, the subjects often see their own physical body during the experience, like any other object in the room. They usually report having "ghostly" bodies that can pass through solid objects during the experience. Sometimes others even see their ghostly bodies! They also report floating or flying, and often report seeing places or events that were out of eyesight. Simply put, an OBE is an experience in which the mind may be consciously apart from your ...
My first experience with death occurred when I was around the age of 6. My grandfather on my dad’s side had been diagnosed with lung cancer. I did not know him, he was in India and I had only seen him through pictures my mom had shown me. At that time, I felt nothing, how could I be upset over someone I barely knew? I remember my parents sitting at the table talking about his deteriorating condition. My dad decided to visit India for a month to be with him during his last days. I felt angry, very angry. My dad would be leaving me for a whole month because of that old guy? I mean he brought the lung cancer upon himself maybe he shouldn’t have smoked cigarettes right?
After our plane landed, we had to take a train to Venice. The reality of being in a different country didn’t hit me until we exited the station. Abby and I were both awe struck and all we could say to each other was, “Dude, we are in Italy.” When we were through with our out-of-body experience we began our search for our hotel. We couldn’t find it so we asked for help. Then, because we asked the same guy four times, he walked us to our hotel. It was through several tiny alleyways. If I was in America, I would’ve been sure that the man was leading us to our killers, but I was still in awe of Italy. The alleyways were sometimes so small that you would have to walk single file and sometimes let others go before you entered. Other alleyways would