A Near-Death Experience (NDE) is a profound psychological event that may occur to a person close to death or, if not near death, in a situation of physical or emotional crisis. Because it includes transcendental and mystical elements, an NDE is a powerful event of altered consciousness; it is not considered a mental illness.
Near-Death Experience Interesting Facts
1. Near-death experiences have been well documented all over the world. They do not seem to be culturally motivated nor do they have bias when it comes to age or gender.
2. Accounts can be found in the folklore and writings of European, Middle Eastern, African, East Indian, East Asian, Pacific and Native American cultures. Plato who was the first to write about it in his book Myth of Er, the end of book X which was written in 420 BC.
3. The International Association for Near-Death Studies says: “Every day in the U.S. 800 near-death experiences occur.”
4. People’s NDEs are classified either as “pleasurable” or “distressing.” Majority of near-death experiences are actually pleasurable experiences that lead to a heightened awareness of the beauty of life. We’re not dying to know how the distressing ones play out.
5. There are four phases in a pleasurable near-death experiences. The first phase disassociated, feels as if the individual is not connected to the psychical world, or even their body. The second phase called naturalistic which leads to the individual to have an heightened awareness of their senses. This is when colors and sounds come alive, and their vision. is sharpened. The third phase “Supernatural” encounters dead relatives passing. They can pass through the tunnel at warp speed seeing lights pass them. The forth phase “The Return” where they have an option to return to their body.
6. The term coined by French psychologist called Victor Egger experience de mort imminente (experience of imminent death), pertaining to climbers stories who had fallen and experienced this event.
7. Dr. Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon, wrote a book about his near-death experience called Proof of Heaven.
8. George Michael wrote the song White Light about his own NDE. Other famous people experienced this phenomenon including Sharon Stone, Burt Reynolds and Gary Busey.
9. NDEs could be linked to the persons religion or their idea of what heaven is. People of all cultures and religious backgrounds have reported similar feelings.
10. Not to be confused with an out-of-body experience (OBE). This classifies as an experience that typically involves a feeling of floating outside one’s body and, in some cases, the feeling of perceiving one’s physical body as if from a place outside one’s body. This is often mixed up with a near death experience, though share similar sensations.
Psychological /Physiological Changes
Around 85% of the people who experienced near-death states say that their lives were forever changed by the experience. These changes can have a profound positive effect on the individual.
Psychological changes include no longer having a fear of death, and becoming more spiritual rather than religious and having increased psychic abilities. They are known to become engaged in abstract thinking, that on a philosophical level.
Experiences seem like an emotional roller coaster with bouts of anxiety and depression. Many have been known to have an ego death that results in them finding their inner child. Other changes can be felt not with the normal senses but of that of psychic senses.
Physiological changes ranging from sensitivity to sound and light, to faster synchronicity and creativity. Many report changes in the bodies diet, energy levels, and increased sexuality. Electrical sensitivity can occur around objects with any energetic force field causing them to be distorted.
Energy surges have been reported up and down the body , and can be accompanied by “lights” flashing beside them. Researchers usually regard this as the release of “kundalini”.
According to the Indian culture the kundalini energy is Sanskrit for “coiled.” In yoga, the kundalini applies to the life force that lies like a coiled serpent at the base of the spine and that can be sent along the spine to the head through prescribed postures and exercises. The upward movement passing the rest of the chakras leads to enlightenment.