Life After Death: What Near Death Experiences Reveal

The belief that life continues to exist after death has been debated for centuries. Several million people have recalled sighting apparitions, having their own personal experiences on the other side, and putting all of their beliefs into a psychic medium. However, with all the sightings and miraculous readings, life after death cannot be scientifically proven as of yet.

Near Death Experiences, sometimes called NDE'S, are experiences that people claim to have with the spirit world before they are revived back to life. Many report seeing white lights and talking to deceased loved ones. However, there have been several explanations as to why these experiences occur. One of the main points of interests is that almost every person who has experienced an NDE has also experienced the famous "white light". Because the accounts are so similar, it could be possible that what people are actually experiencing is the death of their brains. "But that same case, the "sameness" evidence, is also a fundamental part of the argument that NDEs are not real experiences, not spiritual voyages, but a function of the dying brain" (Williams). When the neurotransmitters shut down, the white light illusion appears to everyone near death. Another theory is that people secrete endorphins near death, which suppresses pain, and gives people a sense of peace and elation, which is common with an NDE. Mediums and psychics have always been revered as either authentic or phony. However, how do you explain the mediums and psychics who can tell people things about their deceased loved ones that they could not have possibly known?

There are several ways in which this could happen. First, there is something known as a cold reading. In a cold reading, a medium will ask general questions that just about anyone could do with a little practice. After they have the general questions, the mediums then put on an act as if they are really talking to the deceased. This does not though, explain how some mediums know personal information that they would never know. This process can happen because of what is known as a warm reading. For example, if a famous psychic has a live show, he can easily look up the addresses of the people who have bought tickets. With that information, more information can be obtained from neighbors, newspapers, or private investigators. Last, mediums can simply be playing the mind reading game, and picking up on cues of how people act in front of them.

Then there are people who have claimed to actually communicate and see deceased people even though they have no psychic abilities. How can one explain away millions? of stories of the deceased returning to give messages, and showing their full appearance? seeing apparitions can explained away as easy as the wind blows. For instance, when the wind blows a certain way at a certain time with the right temperature, a substance could form that resembles a spirit. The only reason that they appear is basically because physical factors produced them. Another explanation is hallucination. Many people whether under the influence of drug or not, have had hallucinations in which they think that they have experienced some sort of phenomena, when in reality it was just their minds playing tricks on them. When people are in grief, their emotions are so out of whack that they may actually think that they are talking to a dead loved one, when in fact it is only wishful thinking.

Although it would be delightful for most people to know that their existence will continue after life on Earth, there still has been no scientific proof that a life after this life actually exists. Until a day comes that we can prove beyond a doubt, then there is reason to believe to that life only exists in what can prove 100%.

Works Cited

Sandhu, Harringer. Paranormal. 08 July 2005. < http://lifeafterdeath.info/Paranormal.htm >.

Williams, Kevin. Scientific Theories of the NDE. 02 Feb. 2006. < http://www.near-death.com/experiences/experts01.html >.