The Surprising Benefits of Dying

Near-death survivors tell stories of out-of-body experiences and spiritual awakenings. How is it possible for near-death experiences to result in religious experiences so profound that they totally and utterly transform an individual? Is it really possible to attain such mystical illumination through this experience?

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SHOOK GOD'S HAND LATELY?
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Most people would perceive that such deep and reflective mind power is associated with religious personalities, like saints, yogis, and lamas. Therefore, for ordinary people, experiencing spiritual wakening can be simply fascinating to some and simply frightening to others. Moreover, there are several who intentionally journey towards enlightenment through meditation, yoga and other fringe-zone traditions and rituals. Yet, there are others who experience spiritual awakening, if at all, only on their deathbed.

NDE survivors say that they would have an out-of-the-body experience, where the spirit or the soul detaches itself from the body. During this detachment, survivors can experience seeing pitch black darkness or the brighter than the sun light, meeting spiritual and divine people, deceased loved ones, angels, deities and somehow reliving and judging their lives.

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NDE FORENSICS
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In an essay written by Dr. David San Filippo entitled 'Religious Interpretations of NDEs', he stated that a "near-death experience (NDE) is a conscious experience, in which the individual experiences a sense of being detached from the physical world, during the process of physiologically dying." Medically, near-death experiences as described by Dr. Filippo, are exhibited when the patient cannot breathe, making the muscles in the heart fail, and powerful elements are released.

By rights, suffering a near death experience is relatively common. In a survey conducted in 1991, there appeared a whopping figure of 13 millio
Americans, or 5 percent of the population, who reported that they had experienced an NDE.

Near-death experiences, and mystical awakening after them, can act transcend any culture and religion. So this is to say, that if the patient believes in a divine or Supreme Being, a near-death experience could happen.

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THE EXPERIENCE OF A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE
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The survivor first feels a sense of isolation, lightness, and overwhelming peace. The soul or the spirit separates from the body and meets various characters that have already passed over like; family, friends, even angels and religious identities. These characters often offer messages of condolence and advice. The soul/spirit then seems to rise into the air overlooking the still body and frequently encounters an eerie, irresistibly bright Light which is often associated with a supreme intelligence or entity, be it is God or Allah, Jesus, Moses, Buddah etc.

The survivor then recalls all that happened in his/her lifetime and subjectively rates it. Usually, the survivor is compelled to feel reluctant to going back to the world of living. He/she is presented with a complete and comprehensive view of the total earthly life scenario. There is often a 'transitional object' offered, like a bridge or a tunnel, the passing over or through representing the point of no return. However, amazingly, the final decision is always within the control of the survivor. Survivors cannot deduce time, space or anything corporeal that would restrict them from going wherever they want.

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THE BENEFITS AND FEATURES OF A NDE
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There are significant psychological effects of these NDE's to the survivors. According to Dr. P.M.H. Atwater "People are dramatically changed by NDEs" Here are some of the psychological effects, which may also be somewhat referred to as enlightenment or spiritual emerging:

>>> FEARLESSNESS OF DEATH - suddenly becoming totally aware of an alte
ate post-death existence, survivors lose completely any fear of death. They don't however welcome the death experience, they're simply fully cognizant of its place in the life cycle, and resign to it like a teenager may resign himself to future adulthood.

>>> UNCONDITIONAL LOVE - NDE survivors suddenly become fully loving and generous people who would themselves express their wonderment to every person they meet.

>>> TIMELESSNESS - survivors begin to follow the "flow" and tend to ignore schedules and time- frames. They would shift their focus and give increasing attention to the present.

>>> PSYCHIC ABILITIES - some survivors would wake up or return to the world of the living with heightened senses of ESP, extrasensory perception. Some can see through walls, read others minds, see into probable futures, etc.

>>> ENHANCED RELIGIOUS BELIEF - survivors of NDE would exhibit a completely fresh or radically reinforced belief in a Supreme Spiritual Intelligence and the rationale of existence.

>>> REINCA
ATIONAL BELIEF - These soul- survivors would show more interest in reinca
ation and would readily now accept this concept regardless of their previous belief. Since they have experienced the soul or the spirit separating from the body, they understand that the body is nothing but a treasury for the soul.

>>> COMMUNICATION- Some NDE survivors develop the gift of new languages or new vocabularies, very different from the one they used to speak before.