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NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE
NDE - TUNNEL OF LIGHT
from the desk of Joseph Patrick Jakubal
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are something that people have been talking about for decades, all over the world.
Interestingly, many people report similar things happening during these experiences, even if they are
from different cultures, places or times.
The most common things people mention are . . .
(1) feeling like they are going through a tunnel,
(2) seeing a bright light and,
(3) seeing their whole life flash before their eyes.
It is reported that these experiences change people in big ways and make them think differently about life and death.
THE TUNNEL
One thing that comes up a lot in NDE stories is the "tunnel". People say it is like being pulled through a dark tunnel
toward a light. For example, in his book 'Echoes from Eternity,' Arvin S. Gibson recounts about how one person described
it, i.e., "There was this tunnel going down and to the right, with light coming from there."
This "tunnel feeling" seems to
be how people transition from being alive to whatever comes next. People usually say they feel really calm during
this and like they are no longer in their bodies.
THE LIGHT
Another big part is seeing an extremely bright light. But weirdly, even though it is super
bright, it does not hurt the eyes.
People say it feels warm and loving, like it accepts you no matter what. Some writers, like John Major
Jenkins, talk about how this light makes people feel connected to everything and like time does not matter anymore. A lot
of people think this light is God or something else that is spiritual. After seeing it, people often become nicer and care more
about others.
THE LIFE REVIEW
This is where things get really interesting. People say they see their whole life play out,
like a movie, but they also understand everything that happened in a new way. They can see how their actions affected
other people and they usually feel forgiven and want to forgive others too. Gibson's book talks about how this makes
people change their lives afterward, wanting to be better and do good things. It's like getting a second chance to
understand what is really important.
WHAT SCIENCE SAYS
Scientists have tried to figure out why these things happen. Some think it is because
the brain is not getting enough oxygen and starts hallucinating and making things up. Others say maybe it is just
what people expect to happen when they are dying. But these ideas do not really explain why so many different
people have such similar experiences, or why these experiences change people so much. It seems like there might
be "more to it than just brain chemistry".
HOW PEOPLE CHANGE
People who have NDEs often come back different. They usually care less about money and materialism, and more about
being thoughtful and helping others. Gibson points out that many become more spiritual and want to live in a way that
benefits the world. It is like they get a wake-up call about what really matters in life.
WHAT WE CAN LEARN
Even if we do not know exactly what causes NDEs, they suggest some important things.
They remind us that we are all connected and how our actions affect others. They remind us to focus on long
term gains through virtues and well thought out values. People who have had these experiences say we should concentrate on
things that are typically beneficial to society as opposed to "short term gains" that only satisfies an individual's EGO.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The tunnel, light, and life review parts of NDEs happen quite a bit and across different cultures.
These experiences tend to make people think differently about life and death. They teach us to be better people and to care
about more than just "short term gains" and the "quick buck".
While we might not fully understand them, they give us important lessons about how to
live. Maybe if we listen to these stories, we can learn to live more meaningful lives without having to almost die
first.
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