E l e m e n t s o f t h e N D E
Out of body
The out of body event is in no way disallowed by Catholic theology, and it need not be assumed to be false. Historically many such events are recorded by trustworthy persons.
The core of the NDE is not near death, but a visit to the afterlife, and out of body experiences are repeatedly recorded in the lives of the saints. Brain seizure, extreme stress, hypoxia, even orgasm have all produced out of body experiences; clinical death is just the most common means.21 None of these things produce an NDE; they chemically reconfigure the brain to perceive spiritual worlds.
NDE’s as discussed here are real experiences of the preliminary stages of the afterlife, due to the soul’s short term loss of its human body. If the body fails to a sufficient degree, the soul loses the services of the body including its limited physical perception. The soul may then observe the world of the spirit: Heaven, Hell and Purgatory which are always present, but rarely observed, (Heb 12:1).
A person, out of body in an NDE may be accurately aware of persons and events even far beyond the location of his (former) body. This is simply one’s soul, unbound from the physical senses, observing beyond its former limitations. As a person enters further into physical death, the NDE is more extensive. The out of body experience is just the first NDE element encountered.
Many out of body experiences are verified between hospital staff and patient, with the revived patient reporting something not observable from the operating table, and impossible for the unconscious patient to observe. Persons and events in other rooms, or even other locations are accurately described.
A meaningful study of the numbers and depth of the NDE was conducted by Dutch cardiologist Dr. Pim von Lommel from 1988-1992. The study was professionally conducted, and in a statistically unbiased manner and included ten hospitals, and both physicians and psychiatrists.22
344 survivors out of 509 patients participated in the study, all were resuscitated survivors of heart stoppage, 62 persons (18%), retained memories of their NDE. Of these 62 people, 31% reported the light tunnel, 20% reported meeting deceased relatives, 23% reported communicating with “the light” and 8% had a life review. Asking about a distressing NDE was intentionally avoided, so that no survivor would avoid the interview. Other studies put the percentage of distressing NDE’s at 10% -25%.
Factors which were examined, but made no difference in the numbers were: duration of cardiac arrest, medication, religion or education. The reader may consult the website of the International Association for Near Death Studies, www.iands.org, for a listing of the many NDE studies made.
Light tunnel
The tunnel of light is most often described as a tunnel with a light at the end. The patient is drawn without effort toward the light. The light does not remain simply light, but becomes one or more persons.
The persons who are formed are members of Christ, (the body of Christ), and they may be any member of the person of Christ: Jesus, deceased family, Moses, a saint, guardian angel, Buddha. The most commonly encountered individuals are Jesus, family and angelic guides, (tours of Heaven are common).
The tunnel was explained by Jesus himself to Barbara W. as being a conduit between different ‘worlds’ or levels of spiritual advancement in the universe, with Hell being the lowest and darkest, and Heaven being all light.23 Jesus compared this conduit or tunnel to a stack of cd’s, and said that if it were room height, earth [human morality], would be only twelve inches from the floor, with more perfect realms increasingly higher. Distressing NDE’s may report little or no light. This tunnel of light has been recorded for centuries and again presents no particular problem for any theological system.
The light tunnel is likely our intermediate stage “circular” perception of divinity. In death, we seem to gradually lose the function of our physical senses, and our spiritual senses gradually take over. This tunnel is described as light or darkness, depending upon the person making the observation. As a fuller awareness of the divinity of Heaven is attained, one’s spiritual vision emerges from the tunnel.
Light beings
Those NDE’s progressing to a meeting with a light being often tell of the light source at the end of the tunnel forming into a person. Just as often, the light is already in the form of an illuminated person. This person is most often a family member, a guide, guardian, or Jesus.
In scripture and post biblical accounts, Jesus is referred to, and claims to be the light. God is indeed light, but not all light is God. Perhaps light is God’s native form. The presence of light beings is no real challenge to any religious theology. What they say varies considerably, and this will be examined by topic in the following sections.
“Light beings”, that is persons who exist as light, who then form into a human person are very diverse in their person and function. Brian H encountered a light being who became an adolescent girl, then told Brian that she was his guardian angel.N Incredibly, Brian survived head strikes, 27 stab wounds, and nine hours in a dumpster, before returning to this life. He could not yet enter Heaven because his guardian angel told him he still had things to accomplish in this life.24
According to Catholic theology, the head halo of light, or the whole body halo occurs because that person is sanctified and is a “child of the light” (1Th 5:5), with the light being Christ of course. In NDE’s both the light form and the human form is seen. All Heavenly beings are light, which may assume human form. Mt 17:2 tells of Jesus becoming a being of light.
Boundary of Heaven
We have only NDE accounts of those persons who choose not to cross over into Heaven. Of those reporting their NDE, some are offered the choice to enter Heaven or return to earth. Most perhaps, are encouraged or required to return to their earthly bodies and lives.
Ninety-five percent of people dying do not return to life, and they are placed somewhere in the afterlife. Of these people, it is known from NDE accounts that some are given the choice of entering into the afterlife, or returning to earth.
Jesus most often speaks for Heaven in the matter of staying or returning. Those given the option are told that if they cross over into Heaven, they may not return to their earthly life. The boundary of Heaven may be a line, or a gate, or not observed. Sometimes the silver cord of Ecclesiastes 12:6 is observed unbroken.O
Few who sample Heaven want to return to their earthly lives. Many must be prodded or reminded. The most cited reason for returning is family well being or an unspecified task that requires completion. At times Jesus or a Heavenly elder will remind the visitor that he or she agreed to a contract or covenant (life mission), that must be fulfilled in their earthly life.
The real task that must be done is not so much material care for family (Jesus has no lack of resources, and can make these arrangements), but spiritual growth that occurs when caring and dealing with one’s family and the world. Spiritual growth is the reason anyone is incarnated.
It is quite unknown how many people are offered, and accept an early entrance to Heaven during an NDE. Most people dying likely do so according to God’s schedule and their death is not early. NDE patients who do visit the gates of Heaven are told that it is not yet their time. They are presumably at the gates because of some sort of cosmic mistake. Jesus said just this to Betty Eadie, “You have died prematurely, it is not your time.”25
Anything this side of Heaven is subject to sabotage by the disorder caused by sin. Death was never intended, but even the disorder of death is subject to failure in timing and cause.
Jill D. was wandering about outside of Heaven during her NDE and was told to see the man at the desk.26 Yes, a desk. The clerk at the gates of Heaven (named Peter no doubt!), looked at her suspiciously and said, “What are you doing here?” He checked, then sent her back to earth.P
NDE’s are not all mistaken early deaths. One of the most interesting and detailed NDE’s is that of Howard Storm. Howard seems to have been selected for an early unscheduled death, so that he might experience Hell, Heaven, and Jesus, and tell others about his experience. Howard got the grand tour including a sort of question and answer period.27
Why not a sinner prophet? By his own admission, Howard was pursuing nothing more than his self vanity and satisfaction, with little regard for others. His first visit was to Hell, where he was attacked by its occupants. An interior voice told him to pray to God, and Howard stumbled through all the religious words he could remember.Q It was enough to remove him from Hell, and into the presence of Jesus and his angels.
Of those given a choice to stay or return, many return based on a vision of their family future without them. Michael J. was given such a prophetic vision of the world without him.28 In the absence of his stabilizing presence, his sister damaged her life with drugs, his parents divorced over his death, and his father killed himself. He also saw a parade of people who he was intended to influence, but did not, if he were to choose to stay in Heaven, rather than return to earth.
This idea that we have intended life tasks and life interactions is both a Catholic and an NDE teaching, and it really comes under scrutiny from several angles during an NDE visit to Heaven.
God
Many who undergo an NDE, experience the presence of God. The NDE experience presented here is typical in content, but extraordinary in length of description. It is the NDE of a woman (initialed JB), who deeply viewed the essence of God.
This NDE cannot be specifically classified into any particular religion, although she does observe the Word of God in it. “The Word of God” as understood within Catholicism is the Son of God, or Trinitarian Christ, and his human incarnation as Jesus.
“I am in the operating room of a small private hospital. On the operating table, I stare without emotion at the wall facing me. There is a black and white photograph of an old man. I imagine he is the founder of the hospital. I am reassured, administered anesthesia through a mask and rapidly begin to disassociate from my physical senses.”
“I was plunging rapidly into my body. I felt that I was getting entombed. I was falling into myself and into an inner, ever expanding, deep darkness. The normal sense of time, place and space became non-existent. After I had been in this engulfing darkness for what seemed to be a very long time, I suddenly became aware that I was on some sort of horizontal escalator or a conveyor belt, that was moving incredibly fast almost at the speed of light or greater, intentionally taking me somewhere. I felt I had traversed millions of years and millions of miles. At some point during this journey, I became aware that I was traveling in a pitch black tunnel. This moving through the tunnel went on for quite some time, almost an eternity.”
“Then all of a sudden, I was approaching an amazing, truly indescribable white shining, light. This light was scintillating, every particle of it alive and full of the purest, highest love. It was tantalizing, brilliant, beautiful, living and moving.R This light was at the end of the tunnel or by its very presence ended the tunnel. As I came closer, still moving at the incredible speed, I began to feel a mounting sense of exhilarating anticipation. I felt I was approaching a truly great, magnanimous, magnificent and beneficial event. In complete clarity, I thought and felt. This is what I have been waiting for all my life, this is what had been missing all along, this is why no event, no relationship, no possession, no achievement, no desire hankered after or possessed had ever felt complete. This is the reason why I have never felt fulfilled. Every bit of me desired to completely go into this living light and these thought-feelings seemed to add an additional momentum to the escalator's speed. I sped to the Light but at the very moment of union, I heard a loud, sonorous, authoritative, masculine voice, coming into me from all directions ask, 'Are you ready to die?'”
“When I heard this, everything came to a stop. I was completely aghast. I was, and had been, totally ignorant that reaching, meeting and going into this 'beyond everything else' and 'all knowing light', astonishingly meant my death! I felt betrayed. Then, filled with great fear in my thinking and responding (both occur simultaneously here), I quiveringly asked, 'Why must I die?'
Instantaneously the Voice replied, 'You must die, because you have failed to do what you promised us.' (No wiggle room here. My death was imminent.) Confused and frightened, I fell to my hands and knees (metaphorically speaking), and began begging for my life. I begged like I have never begged before. Groveling like a worm beseeching a human not to stamp on it, I implored, 'I don't remember what I promised, and I don't know why I must die. Please give me another chance. I don't remember what I promised!'”
“The Voice answered. 'You promised us that you would help others. You have failed to do this, therefore you must die.' At this point, I was begging in a manner, which could be equated to convulsive crying from my deepest depths. I had no idea what promise the Voice was confronting me with, but deep inside me, I knew that the Voice knew more about me than I did and that it was behaving justly; I was getting exactly what I deserved.”
“After hearing my desperate pleas and acknowledging my sincerity, the Voice, with a gesture of benevolence (like a sweeping motion of a hand in gushing wind) announced, 'You have a second chance.'”
“Everything was still very dark; except for the presence of the Light. Then the Voice changed its judgelike manner and became instead, a teacher. Still very just and awesome but now, much kinder. What followed was even more mind-blowing.”S
“I found myself suspended and moving in a pitch dark, empty, endless cosmic space (no escalator this time!). I was just a tiny dot of consciousness. I had no remembrances other than that I was an 'I'. The only ground (metaphor) to hang on to was my 'I'. I was getting smaller and smaller until I became an even smaller 'I'.
There were no reference points, no up, no down, no right, and no left. Just my concentrated essence, my 'I' that had been falling into and onto itself and becoming smaller and smaller. I became aware that there were a multitude (infinite) of other 'I's around me, like stars studding the sky. They were 'I's; 'Ego's'. These 'All Seeing Eyes' were scrutinizing me. 'They' who are the One Voice (the voice that had been communicating with me all along) began to tell me things. They transmit, convey, and tell. 'They' as the One Voice, with a finger (metaphor) drew a white, brilliant, fluorescent, living plasma-like, and palpable-light graphic in the darkness. This was a circle. Its entire circumference moved in a clockwise manner. Then arrows were drawn on the circumference to show me the direction of movement.”
“I then heard the following, 'In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God. The Word made all things. Humanity cannot understand The Word. The Word is always (seeking) chasing after humanity and humanity is always chasing The Word (seeking). This is the way it was, this is the way it is, this is the way it shall ever be.'”
“The finality and truth of this sacred communication, naturally and instantaneously dissolved my every barrier to humbleness, and apprehending the circle, I was spontaneously made part of a dynamic living cosmic revelation. I was placed in THE WORD. It is difficult to fully describe this immersion for what it was in actuality. Adjectives and descriptions herein are only feeble attempts.”
“I was in, and surrounded by The Word. I was made an integral part of it but I was not 'absorbed' into The Word for I fully retained my awareness as a separate I.T The Word is a supremely alive, charged, scintillating, dynamic, exquisite and eternal flowing of fine living particles. The Word is true wisdom, true knowledge, eternal truth, all pervasive, all knowing, everywhere, in all, outside all, all powerful, complete, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is that in which everything has its origin, its life and its return. But nobody can go beyond the Word because there is a permeable membrane, a force-field like barrier and through its pores (not a metaphor) oozes out this subtle, but most substantial holy, sacred, pure, dynamic ceaselessly-in-motion energized particles. These particles are both homogeneous and heterogeneous, fully self-sustaining and all-sustaining truth-wisdom substance; a substance which is the be-all and end-all of all that is possible for all beings, animate or inanimate. This is not figurative substance, but literally 'substance'. It has 'being-ness'. It is a being. Naturally, this substance is not at all the material substance that we all know of ordinarily, yet it is related to it in a (some) extremely remote sense. It's some sort of living force made up of the above described lively and living particles. It is the basis of all other substances and forces as we experience them in ordinary daily consciousness. It penetrates and reverberates in all.”
“As I was experiencing this profundity, I began to have a strange feeling of claustrophobia. I felt irrevocably enclosed; I wanted to break through this thing-in-itself, the all encompassing Word. I felt deep within me that there is something else and I must go to it. I was drawn to The Word's cosmic boundary. Boundary, not as a metaphor but as it actually felt and showed itself to me. It is truly a boundary. I tried to go through it but was unable to. Then 'They' as the 'One Voice' told me that no one can cross this boundary, except that which emanates through it; The Word.”U
“Being in The Word was discombobulating and anti- climactic, yet The Word is complete, just and fully integrated, full of reason, logic, wisdom, the container-holder of past, present and future, the all-sensible, all knowing in its every particle. I believe that the Logos substance is the actual substance of the 'Other'. The 'Other' is the rest of the Logos or some superior and/or different part of it that is on the other side of the boundary. I experienced this entire event in a unique state of timelessness where the past, present and future are one. I was told that I had made a promise to the spiritual world, which I had failed to keep. I was told that my purpose on Earth is to help others. I was also shown my previous incarnation on Earth in great detail.V I was told that I had to regain what I have spiritually lost; that which is known as Samadhi consciousness. I have also been told explicitly how I am to help others; however, this is not an easy thing to do.”
“Afterwards, I fuzzily saw several beings in white robes with blurred halos surrounding me. I had died and gone to heaven. 'Are you angels’, I asked? The blurring cleared and I saw smiling, relieved human faces. One of the doctors said, 'You gave us quite a scare. We almost lost you.'”
“The operation had taken no more than an hour and a half, but to me it felt like I was gone for billions of years to a place trillions of miles away.” 29
The woman JB, who experienced this NDE speaks of the Word of God as the expression of God, which the Church understands to be the person of Jesus Christ. She seems to be a student of religion, and makes a brief remark about the Hindu/Buddhist idea of Samadhi consciousness, which is the highest state of consciousness. In Buddhism God is recognized as a possibility only, but in her NDE, JB had a definite experience of God, and even the Word of God, which is a Christian idea.
Those NDE patients sensing or seeing Christ and his love are ecstatic, overwhelmed, heightened, enamored, and completely committed to his presence. Mickey R, described his ecstatic vision of Christ, “His magnificence pierced me like a laser. All that mattered was that I stay in his presence.” 30
Jesus
Jesus is the single most frequently encountered person in NDE’s, and NDE Jesus satisfies Catholic theology: