What Is a Near Death Experience?
Doctors and scientists have always worked under the assumption that a person is either alive or dead and that once dead, one cannot be alive again. But the truth is that there are many people who essentially die and then come back to life.
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That time spent while “dead” before being alive again is now being called a near-death experience, or NDE. Dr. Long states that an NDE is “someone who is either comatose or clinically dead, without a heartbeat, having a lucid experience where they see, hear, feel emotions, and interact with other beings.”
Most NDEs Include an Out-of-Body Experience
Dr. Long reports that in the twenty-five years he’s been studying NDEs, most people report an out-of-body experience.
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Dr. Long reports that about 45% of the NDEs he has studied include an out-of-body experience, which means that the person literally felt their consciousness separate from their body. In most cases, the consciousness or the soul hovered above the physical body, and the person could see what was happening to the body they lived in.
Many See the Well-Known “Light at the End of the Tunnel”
The second most common report from those who have NDEs is that they pass through a bright light or see a light at the end of a tunnel.
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These days, the idea of a “light at the end of a tunnel” is essentially synonymous with the departed heading into the afterlife. But after looking at Dr. Long’s research, it seems that the reason that it’s common knowledge this might happen is because it actually does.
Deceased Loved Ones & Pets Appearing Is Classic NDE
Another common report among those who have had an NDE is that in the time between, they saw their deceased loved ones, almost as if those who had passed on were waiting for them.
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Others have also stated that they clearly saw their beloved departed pets in the prime of their lives, once again simply waiting for them. All who have seen someone who died said that they felt an unbelievable rush of love when they saw them.
Children Who Experience NDEs Confirm Dr. Long’s Hypothesis
Skeptics may believe that adults who report NDEs are simply regurgitating experiences they’ve heard of before, such as heading down a tunnel to a bright light.
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However, according to Dr. Long, young children who would never have heard these anecdotes before have had the same episodes. Specifically, Long studied a group of children under five years old who also reported seeing bright lights, tunnels, and deceased pets or loved ones during their NDE.
Some Report Almost Unbelievable Adventures
While some people report seeing a loved one, a bright light, or even having an out-of-body experience, others told Dr. Long about seemingly unbelievable scenarios during their NDEs.
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One person who lost consciousness while riding a horse told the doctor that while her body lay unconscious on the trail, her spirit traveled with the horse back to the barn. She was able to describe exactly what happened when the horse returned, even though her body had never been there.
Fear-Death Experiences: Why Life Flashes Before Your Eyes
It’s important to note that there is a difference between near-death and fear-death experiences.
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As Dr. Long explains, a person must be unconscious to have an NDE, but there are also fear-death experiences that occur when a person is conscious and feels their life is in “imminent danger.” During this type of phenomenon, a person is more likely to see their life “flashing before their eyes,” as opposed to a tunnel of white light or see the spirit of a loved one.
Is There Any Science Behind the Experiences?
Dr. Long has proven that NDEs can be studied and understood in a more complex and scientific way than doctors have long assumed. However, there is still no tangible evidence as to why or how this occurs.
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Dr. Long said, “I’m a medical doctor. I’ve read brain research and considered every possible explanation for NDEs. The bottom line is that none of them hold water. There isn’t even a remotely plausible physical explanation for this phenomenon.”
Understanding NDEs May Change How You See the Universe
Even though science can’t quite explain why or how NDEs happen, knowing that they do based on studying people’s personal experiences may change the way many understand the universe as well as the afterlife.
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Dr. Long said, “evaluating them with the mind of a scientist and doctor. I [made] opinions based on evidence and came into this as a skeptic. But in the face of overwhelming evidence, I’ve come to believe there’s certainly an afterlife.”
NDEs Analysis Has Made Him a Better Doctor
Many doctors believe that science is the most important aspect of understanding a patient’s medical needs, but Dr. Long has reported that studying NDEs has made him a better doctor.
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He said that in his work as an oncologist, “I’m able to help my patients face life-threatening diseases with increased courage and passion.”
‘When They Pass, They Will Be at Peace’
Almost everyone Dr. Long studied stated that even if they can’t remember the physical details of their NDE, they remember feeling completely at peace there. “They feel like this other realm is their real home,” he explained.
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Dr. Long said that his research has made him “firmly believe that if and when [people] pass, they will be at peace.”