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Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
Whether you believe near-death experiences imply a plane of existence beyond our own, or are nothing more than the misfirings of a traumatized brain, you’ve got to admit, they’re pretty interesting. While many features of NDEs are common throughout the world — the sensation of floating above your own body, the long dark tunnel, strange loud noises — the cultural differences say a lot about who were are. For instance:
- Many Africans interpret near-death experiences as somewhat evil, a bad omen or a sign that they were somehow “bewitched.”
- Among 400 Japanese NDErs that participated in a study, many reported seeing long, dark rivers and beautiful flowers, two common symbols that frequently appear as images in Japanese art.
- East Indians sometimes see Heaven as a giant bureaucracy, and frequently report being sent back because of clerical errors.
- Americans and Brits often say they are sent back for love or in order to perform a job or task.
- Natives of Micronesia often visualize Heaven as a large, brightly lit American city with loud, noisy cars and tall buildings.
Anyone have a similar experience they’d like to share? (The closest I’ve ever come to death was falling out of the oak tree in my backyard as a kid and bumping my head; no big thing.)
“(The closest I’ve ever come to death was falling out of the oak tree in my backyard as a kid and bumping my head; no big thing.)”
Another piece of the puzzle falls into place. lol!!!
posted by Sheldon Siegel on 1-17-2007 at 1:28 pm
East Indians sometimes see Heaven as a giant bureaucracy, and frequently report being sent back because of clerical errors.
================================
Its all part of outsourcing death….
posted by Mark on 1-17-2007 at 6:00 pm
“Among 400 Japanese NDErs that participated in a study […]”
Is this data from a study? Can you tell me the name of the study or post a link?
posted by Jason! on 1-17-2007 at 6:19 pm
During the past 30 years, near-death experiences have been the focus of many scientific studies at universities and medical centers throughout the U.S. and around the world. You can read about them on the website of the International Association for Near-Death Studies at www.iands.org. In particular, you might want to check under the Research tab for published papers outlining new findings from the most current research, particularly the two written by Dr. Peter Fenwick and Dr. Pim Van Lommel. Many medical professionals who have seriously studied the research – and it is extensive – no longer dismiss this phenomenon as hallucinations or pharmacologically induced.
I recently attended a 4 day conference on NDEs at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston that reviewed in detail 30 years of research on NDEs. DVDs of the presentations can be ordered on the website above.
Allen
posted by Allen on 1-18-2007 at 5:40 am
It was my 25th birthday and I fell off an overpass onto concrete. 4 stories. I broke 14 bones, had a punctured lung, and a bruised brain. I had funeral arrangements made, and my organs ready to be harvested. I saw nothing. No light, no anything. Just a coma. Maybe I wasn’t truly near death to cause an instance of otherwordly sights, but that was it for me.
posted by Donald on 1-18-2007 at 12:42 pm
On how different cultures interpret Near-Death Experiences…
Hat tip to Jonah Lehrer, who shares with us an blog post over at Mental Floss, “We are how we die.”
The post speaks on cross cultural interpretations of near death experiences. It is pretty common, here in the United States, to hear of stories of peo…
posted by Anthropology.net on 1-18-2007 at 12:46 pm
FYI, the site linked by Allen, post 4. above, seems far from objective in this matter, what with their advertised “2007 Spiritual Retreat for Near-Death Experiencers ” etc, and seem to be approaching the phenomenon as proof for their beliefs.
“Many medical professionals…” Hmmm…cite.
posted by Senter on 1-18-2007 at 8:38 pm
I was “kiled” by a truck when I was 6. I saw the light people report- warm, golden white, kinda like christmas ribboncandy. The funny thing is I can only visualize it in the right side of my brain even though it was 52 years ago.
posted by dennis on 12-27-2007 at 6:53 pm
i’ve never had an NDE, but i do know that when you die (and also when you are born) your brain releases a chemical called DMT. you can take the “drug” to have a hallucinating experience. my friend took it a couple times and she doesn’t recommend it. of course, ‘they’ say not to take it more than once because of the effects it may have on your psyche. she and her husband took it together and for over a week they went to bed every night either not touching each other, or bawling their eyes out in fear that they were going to die soon. when she took it, she said it felt like she was falling into the floor, almost as if she was already ’six-feet under.’ they were deeply depressed for weeks. i’m sure there are more significant studies and more credible people than i that know about this stuff (allen has the links and the info), but i think that actual NDEs slightly trigger the brain to produce that chemical, therefore giving them the appearance of a heaven or out-of-body experience.
posted by holly on 12-28-2007 at 7:04 am
DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) is a chemical released by the Pineal gland.
About 49 days after you are conceived, your tiny fetal body is flooding with DMT.
When you are born - your brain is flooded with DMT. (The birthing mother’s brain is also flooded with DMT)
All through your life DMT plays a major role. Every night when you sleep - you have a DMT trip. DMT is what your dreams are made of.
When you die - your brain again is flooded with DMT.
DMT is also released during very traumatic times - thus causing hallucinations aka “Near Death Experiences.”
Alien abductions and sleep paralysis can also be attributed to DMT.
DMT can also be found in nearly every ecosystem on earth and can be synthesized from common plants.
It is a VERY safe drug. The human brain craves it.
BUT IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE AND SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN RECREATIONALLY.
If you truely have any interest in Near Death Experiences and DMT then please read Dr. Rick Strassman’s book entitled
“DMT: The Spirit Molecule - A Doctor’s Revolutionary Research
into the Biology of Near-Death
and Mystical Experiences”
posted by Urban Shaman on 12-28-2007 at 10:21 am