Near death experience

[mostlyharmless]

A friend recently described to me [Whilst discussing cricket but I don't think theres a link] how he died from a heart attack for 3 minutes and had the most wonderful feelings of peace and love before he came back which has left him with no fear of death.

Some people suggest that near death experience is caused by anoxia [ lack of oxygen to the brain] and that this is what happens as the neurons start to "misfire" before shutting down.

Other folks may suggest that the mind is not created by the brain but separate from it, and that near-death experience is a temporary breakdown of the connection between the two.

There are both remarkable similarities and remarkable differences in near death experiences in people from different cultures; Japan and the U.S., for example. If it were merely a biological phenomena, this would be unlikely.

On the other hand, now that near death experience accounts have been publicised and millions of people have read about what other people already described, will the idea be forever described as copycat.

I have heard of blind people dying and looking down on their bodies clearly describing themselves and those around them which seems difficult to explain.

What do you think?

[porshiepoo]

My husband was hit by a car when he was a youngster and had to be resusitated. He was close to death but he doesn't remember seeing anything or anything happening - he was just 'unaware'.
On the other hand we have a friend who started coughing while we all in the pub one night. He seemed to slip his head and banged it very slightly on a mantel. The next thing we knew was that he just wasn't breathing, he was just slumped against the mantel.
Took us what seemed ages to grasp what was happening and it seemed like we sat in complete shock forever (not that long really though). Luckily my husband had just been getting up to pat our friends back and as he did our friends head fell back and obviously opened his windpipe back up and he started breathing again.
He came to straight away but the first thing he said as he looked at us with this weird expression was 'where did I just go?'. When we asked him what he meant he said he was somewhere else, it was calm, peaceful and loving and just felt 'right'.
This friend wasn't a believer in life after death until that point and you have to understand that this particular friend is not one to be swayed by others opinions. He's extremely intelligent.
For days after that experience he seemed to be on a high. He was calm and unbothered about anything and he actually said that if thats where we go when we die then he's no longer afraid to go.

So I guess that would be a near death eperience?

[gleeber]

This friend wasn't a believer in life after death until that point and you have to understand that this particular friend is not one to be swayed by others opinions. He's extremely intelligent.
For days after that experience he seemed to be on a high. He was calm and unbothered about anything and he actually said that if thats where we go when we die then he's no longer afraid to go.

So I guess that would be a near death eperience?

I had a near death experience at the age of 12. I prefer now to call it a far out life experience. :eek: I almost drowned and went through the famous tunnel with the bright light in the distance. I recall no fear, no sensation of dying or any other obstacle to a nice peaceful death. I freaked though when I was pulled out. Maybe that was my first battle with God and the devil.
Apparently drowning is one of the more relaxed ways to die. Theres evidence which shows the muscles of drowning victims are more relaxed than any other dead person.
On another occasion I saw something really scary. I had a few drinks and was walking up a dark lane behind the church in Olrig street. Suddenly I heard the most peircing scream and when I looked round there was an apparition hovering above the ground and must have been all of 30 feet high. It was dressed in a dark grey shroud with only the face visible. I had seen the face many times before in comics and still today the same face typifies demons and fear in western mythology. I didnt hang around to test its authenticity and I suspect I would do the same today
It taught me to question everything my mind thinks, and sees, no matter how real it appears. Its not unknown that psychotic patients often have hallucinations where their inner thoughts are projected out, and using the environment as a kind of cinema screen, have scary visions. Drunks very often have deeteez where horrible visions are common place. Dreams are another example of the power of the human brain.
Taking these abnormal human conditions into consideration, how can any inteligent person come up with another form of delusion reserved only for normal people? Very easily i suspect if the contents of this weeks caithness.org are to be taken seriously. ;)

[saffy100]

Hi

Apparently when i was little my mum took me swimming, she says she turned away for literally seconds, ( i was big enough to touch the bottom of the baby pool) when she turned back she could'nt see me and looked around the edge to see if i'd got out, then she saw me lying on the bottom of the pool. They dragged me out and i coughed and spluttered and apparently told my mum i was having lovely dreams while i was under the water. (luckily no permanent damage...although my friends may dissagree...lo..!!)

saffy100

[golach]

I was involved in a motor cycle accident at a race meeting in 1954 at a race track in a place called Errol, the bike came into the crowd and killed my pal who was next to me. I apparently died on the operating theatre in Perth hospital, but I was resuscitated. I ended up with crushed skull, 54 stiches in my napper and a green stick fracture of my right arm.
To this day I have no recollection of this accident, I never felt a thing.
When I finaly came out of a three day coma, I saw my parents at the foot of my bed and had to ask them what happened.
As far as an out of body experience I have to say I never had one

[paris]

When my mum died i was with her and 10 mins before her last breath she called to my dad who had died 17 yrs before hand. She was talking about a very bright light and Tom ( my dad ) was there waiting for her to go to him. Belive it or not when she did pass over the wall lights in the room started to flicker,( and thats no lie ) i felt this unbelivable feeling of love and peace come over me to think he was waiting for his wife. The staff then opened the windows to let her spirit go to him. It was then i became a true beliver in life after death and i know they will both be there waiting for me when my time comes. jan x

[obiron]

When my mum died i was with her and 10 mins before her last breath she called to my dad who had died 17 yrs before hand. She was talking about a very bright light and Tom ( my dad ) was there waiting for her to go to him. Belive it or not when she did pass over the wall lights in the room started to flicker,( and thats no lie ) i felt this unbelivable feeling of love and peace come over me to think he was waiting for his wife. The staff then opened the windows to let her spirit go to him. It was then i became a true beliver in life after death and i know they will both be there waiting for me when my time comes. jan x

nice story paris. i would like to think that there will be someone to meet me when i pass over.

[Cedric Farthsbottom III]

My Mums Mother had suffered from senile dementia for a few years before she passed away.On the night in the hospital when my Gran died,surrounded by 2 of her daughters and 2 of her sons she remembered all their names.

A moment when my mother realised that their truly is something spiritual in life.Tears of sadness for their mothers passing.Also tears of joy on seeing an old lady recognising her family for the first time in a while.

[pultneytooner]

My Mums Mother had suffered from senile dementia for a few years before she passed away.On the night in the hospital when my Gran died,surrounded by 2 of her daughters and 2 of her sons she remembered all their names.

A moment when my mother realised that their truly is something spiritual in life.Tears of sadness for their mothers passing.Also tears of joy on seeing an old lady recognising her family for the first time in a while.
This might sound silly and I apologise if it does but they say a candle burns at it's brightest just before it goes out as an analogy to when someone is near to death.

[Cedric Farthsbottom III]

This might sound silly and I apologise if it does but they say a candle burns at it's brightest just before it goes out as an analogy to when someone is near to death.

Disnae sound silly at all pultneytooner.Thought that masel:D

[mostlyharmless]

Thanks for sharing those stories not enough I'm sure for the scientific fraternity but interesting and heart warming nonetheless.

What was strange is my friend didn't really change from the sometimes unpopular person he was but he had a sort of peaceful so what if I am outlook on life.

[Fran]

some people who have open heart surgery and have their heart stopped have these experiences too. It cant be through lack of oxygen as they are on ventilators, but they do see deceased relatives and remember this some days later when they come round.