Death is not something that many people want to think about. However, death is a part of living a human life. At least, our current level of science and technology acknowledges that death is inevitable. Is death something to be afraid of or is death something to look forward to? The answer may depend on who you talk to. Aside from the obvious religious answers, what body of information exists that can help us to approach this question with some degree of logical thinking? When exacting scientific evidence is lacking, our only option is to consider the anecdotal or subjective experiences that others have had. Fortunately, there is a body of information that leads to the formation of some interesting thoughts on the subject of death and what it is or what it might lead to. You can find this resource at near-death.com. Each person is encouraged to draw their own conclusions. Yet, I would like to share some of my thoughts and opinions on the matter. Many people who have a near-death experience have strikingly similar experiences. There are some who report a horrible experience but the majority report more positive experiences. Some may have gone to a terrible place, while others seem to leave the pain of the mortal body behind and experience an interesting journey before they revive. Both kinds of experiences have been recorded. One striking similarity is the 'life review' process. This has been reported as a review of one's entire life where each event is played out before your eyes. People that have experienced this process say that you suddenly become aware of how you affected the people you interacted with during your life. If you did something that caused them pain, you may become cognizant of those feelings as if you were experiencing them yourself. People report that they feel regretful. The experience doesn't just extend to that one person, but the effects are like a ripple in a pond and you see how that ripple affects multiple people. On the other hand, if you did something good you experience that as well. It does appear that the good things involve acting from compassion. For example, one lady said the most significant act of her entire life occurred when she was a little girl. She cupped a flower in her hand and gave it 'unconditional love'. Others don't experience an in depth life review, theirs lasts a few seconds and doesn't seem to have much impact. Experiences vary someowhat. However, the fundamental similarities remain. Can a person change as a result of a near-death experience? I was struck by the example of one person who was a self described atheist and hateful person. After his near-death experience he became a minister and a kinder, gentler soul. The change was not only noted by himself, but also by his family members. Wouldn't it be fascinating to actually talk to a person who has had a near-death experience? I remember listening to a gentleman named Dannion Brinkley talk about his NDEs (near death experiences). He actually had more than one in his life due to an unfortunate propensity to attract lightning. I found his insights to be very interesting. If you want to read more about NDEs, visit near-death.com Although it is hard to classify the information there as anything more than subjective, there is a large body of recorded experiences there. Perhaps it will provide you with more insight as to whether death should be feared or not. |
