Being drawn into darkness through a tunnel, at an extremely high speed, until reaching a realm of radiant golden-white light is one of nine elements that generally occur during NDEs according to Dr. Moody.

The topic of death is one that is unsettling to many but what of those who have fallen into the grasp of death only to return with an enlightened outlook? These people have experienced the phenomena known as a Near Death Experience (NDE). A NDE is a mysterious psychological event that can occur when someone is close to death or in a state of emotional crisis.

People have been reporting near death experiences throughout human history. Evidence of this phenomenon exists in early Roman, Greek and Asian literature as well as in the oral histories of aboriginal societies in Australia,Oceania and North and South America.

It was in the 1970s that the topic of near death experiences really became well known and discussed due to the publication of Raymond Moody's book Life After Life. Moody's book examined 50 individual cases of NDEs, what he found was that no two experiences were exactly the same however, some patterns have emerged. The most commonly reported experience of NDE is an immense feeling of peace, joy and love accompanied by an unconditionally loving light. These people also describe a sense of being outside their bodies and a feeling of movement through darkness, often the darkness turns into a tunnel. Some say they were reunited with their loved ones who are deceased and even pets in some cases. What you experience in a NDE depends on who you are, what type of person you are and where you are from. For example there have been no reports of anyone experiencing the tunnel sensation outside of western cultures.

One affect that has been consistent with nearly everyone who has had a NDE is the decrease or complete loss of their fear of death. Most enjoyed the feelings they experienced during their NDE so much so that they did not want to come back to the living. They often recall only agreeing to return because of the people they were leaving behind who depended on them.

Many say they acquire knowledge of the universe, the nature of being and messages regarding one's life purpose. Due to these intensely personal experiences those who have returned from having a NDE express the need to change for the better, their experiences had a major impact on them and they now spend their remaining years working towards this newly discovered life purpose.

Veridical Near Death Experiences are NDEs in which the person has an out-of-body experience where they witness an event or gather information that can be later verified by others when the experiencer returns.

Pam Reynolds suffered from a life threatening brain aneurysm and in order to have it removed she had to undergo a rare surgical procedure called "Operation Standstill." The body temperature is lowered to 60 degrees, and the blood is drained from the body stopping all heart and brain activity. Once under Pam reports she was able to view her surgery from a vantage point that was over the shoulder of the surgeon. Once she was returned to consciousness Pam was able to accurately describe her procedure including unique surgical tools used and even the statements and conversations between the nurses and doctor.

Dr. Kenneth Ring, Professor of Psychology at the University of Connecticut, has described at least 21 cases where the blind reported having visual perception during a near death experience. He wrote, Mindsight: Near-Death and Out of Body Experiences in the Blind and is the co-founder of the International Association of Near Death Studies where he has been researching this topic for over 20 years and is a respected author in the field.

Dr. Ring says that 80% of blind people report being able to see during a time of clinical death. This phenomenon occurs even in those who were blind at birth and have never experienced sight. People who have died during a surgical procedure or in a hospital are often asked by doctors and hospital personnel to describe the surgery room, hospital or other environmental factors their physical body would have encountered while they were clinically deceased. Many people can recall specific details, much like in Pam Reynold's case. More impressive is the amount of blind people who can accurately describe their surroundings and the procedures that took place when they had no way of really being aware of them. There were even reports from blind patients who observed the actions and emotions of family members in the waiting room when the patient had no idea that they were even there.

The patients were blind before their NDE and return to being blind after their NDE. Dr. Ring's studies find this to be evidence of the existence of a transcendental part of the human being. Vision impairment exists in the physical body so in order for the blind to see they must at some point leave their physical body, this eludes to the existence of a soul. A soul does not need physical eyes to see but when the soul returns to the body the previous impairments remain meaning they will wake up and once again have no vision.

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Life After Life | Raymond A.Moody