3 Things I Have Learned From Near-Death Reports

Lately, I have been researching detailed near-death reports. For some reason, I found listening to them very satisfying. Not that I am reminded to appreciate life more - despite its random awkwardness I do appreciate life already a lot. It is more fascinating to me that the stories remind me of the following paradox: life is complete at any given point in time. Even when it doesn't seem like it at all.

I remember how enlightening it was when Sharon Stone once described how she realized through an NDE (near-death experience) that death is "right there". Death doesn't seem to be a faraway journey across a cold and hostile universe but it feels more like a switch the way you switch between thoughts.

Throughout the reports of a dozen people, there were, of course, many common themes. Several people saw the scene of the event from above. Most of them described a strong pull that took them away and sent them towards the notorious warm and welcoming light. Most of them found it to be extremely irresistible (but not all of them).

The really interesting thing was not how similar their experiences were but in what and how they differed.

One woman described entering a grey, anonymous zone where she didn't know anything or feel anything at all.

Two other people didn't float over the accident but walked around.

One of them met her (dead) grandfather who scolded her for attempting suicide, the other encountered a benevolent figure/spirit/being and begged him persistently to let her back to life - she tried everything in her power and even resorted to threats wanting a second chance because she felt she had so much more to give to life. The spirit didn't give in to her pleas and not until she made peace with the idea of fully surrendering she found herself back in the human body.

Her report was very different from the others - most of them were indeed very willing to let go and join the light.

For all intents and purposes what I've learned:

Death is as individual as life - everyone experiences it differently.

Some people reported reaching the edge of the light but then encountering a familiar person/energy/being who gave them the necessary reassurance to go back.

Some experienced coming back to the body as a blessing. Others couldn't make peace with it for years afterward. All they wanted was to "stay in the light".

You might meet someone who is familiar.

People couldn't quite put their finger on it who the spirit was or they encountered a blend of energies from different people in a singular being - yet the messenger was always someone/something familiar.

The way all people experienced death was not independent of their lives.

There is not one common procedure for all.

By all means - life is very precious even when it seems unbearable. Even in the most compromised of states, we are not the ones to decide over life, death or worthiness of either ourselves or any other being . What seems a life unworthy of living from our current point of view has a very different meaning from our perspective on the other side.

Picture Credit: Alexey Kondakov