There is a neurologist who was declared brain dead, and he had a NDE. You cannot blame it on his brain shutting down when there was zero activity.

In the immortal words of Albus Dumbledore in Harry’s jaunt into the netherworld, “Of course this is all happening in your head, Harry. But why would that mean it isn’t real?”

I have had two near death experiences. One when I almost drowned. Was caught underwater became very hypoxic. As the oxygen left me, I felt very calm and peaceful, in fact I felt a bit euphoric and happy. Had I died, it would not have been a bad ending. The fear and panic was long gone. I also was determined to not open my mouth and take in water so that helped as well.

The second one was when I went into respiratory arrest and my pulse weakened to the point they couldn't find it. In that case I was in a hospital bed. I floated out of my body and watched the resuscitation efforts as though I was looking down from the ceiling. Again I felt calm. I didn't have any spiritual event or lights - I just floated up and watched it all happen then I floated back down into my body and woke up eventually. I have no recall of a sensation of floating. It was more like I didn't have a body and just was watching it.

Anonymous wrote:Long before the whole NDE dialogue began, I knew someone who had a near death experience. She was a grownup talking to my mom. I was the kid listening in on the conversation. When NDE became a topic of discussion a decade or so later, I was struck how this person's account very closely aligned with huge numbers of other individuals with NDE.

Who knows what these people are actually experiencing. Nobody knows.

Exactly.

Lots of hubris on display here.

Thought about this the other day after a story of a boy in Arizona who drowned, was declared dead then was found to be alive 5 hours later. Though they don’t know what happened, if he was dead for 5 hours would like to know what he experienced.

I’m all for some experience post death. Have nothing to lose thinking that way as I cannot know I was wrong when the time comes.

Check out Dr. Bruce Greyson at UVA - Division of Perceptual Studies. There is a good Oprah podcast with him as well.