The Journey Home - What Near-Death Experiences and Mysticism Teach Us About the Gift of Life

By Richard Stooker

Although the connection is obscured by the drama of the circumstances under which they occur, according to the author near death experiences are another form of mystic episodes.

People throughout history have had times when they spontaneously -- or deliberately sought, though religious practices -- felt a deep connection with the Universe, Life, God, Love... however you may term it. It's often called cosmic consciousness.

People describe it in different times, but it's evidently a time of extremely heightened awareness of the ordinary world as some form of illusion. Or at least that the ways we view and experience space/time is an illusion, and that beyond it is a fundamental reality given various terms.

Of course, the main difference between these types of experiences, which can occur at any time, and NDEs is that the latter are much more dramatic and have elements that can be verified.

If a friend tells you they had a profound experience of God while mowing their lawn, you may or may not be impressed.

However, if that same friend suffers a heart attack, goes into a flat line coma but later recovers talking about the Light, you're going to be more impressed. That's especially true if they can accurately describe what happened in the hospital operating room while they were technically dead. Especially if the ER doctors and nurses confirm it.

When people have no heart beat, their brain is receiving practically zero oxygen. When their EEGs are flat, their brains have no measurable activity.

This is not a state of sleep or dreaming -- which is totally normal and natural -- it's a state where our brains are not even functioning. They certainly should not be able to think in the slightest, let alone go through profound experiences of journeying through a tunnel, meeting dead loved ones and so on.

Berman however examines both states by interviewing people he's met through the years. He lets the people tell their fascinating stories in their own words, and how their experiences changed them.

He makes the case that going through these kinds of peak experiences is psychologically healthy, based on how people have changed afterward.

He makes the final point that life after death does remain unproven, but that death is a wake up call to live our lives better.

I agree, but find it hollow in the face of tragic grief.

And at some point, even if we live our lives very well, we'll be faced with the loss of a loved one or, at least, our own death. Then we'll want to know the reality.

Next, to learn more about taking care of your body now while it's still alive, check out Pilates rebounder and Pilates Method Alliance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Stooker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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What Are Visitations and What Do They Mean?

By Keith Ward

When someone loses a loved one, especially one that is very close, they may be so distraught that they cannot accept this death. The need to keep a connection to the person whom they have lost is so strong, they may experience visitations. Many times these people will wake in the middle of the night to see their loved one in the room with them. There are even reports of talking to the departed one.

Is it a Dream or is it Real?

Although many believe that the visitation during a dream is nothing more than the need to see the person again so badly that the mind manufactures the visit, there are some visitations that are not so easily explained. Visitations have been reported when the person was not sleeping. They may sense a presence around them and turn around to see their son, daughter or husband who has recently passed.

Visitations are not always seeing the individual. Some are feelings or a smell such as the scent of the perfume worn by the deceased. Others are arrangements of objects that were important to the person who has passed. There have been instances of collections that belonged to the deceased being re-arranged even though no one was near them.

What this means can be interpreted in many ways. The most popular belief is the person wants to let their loved ones know there is life after death. In addition, they may want to assure them that they are okay where they are now. Often people will make a sort of pact. They will promise each other whichever one passes first will use a certain sign to let the other one know they are still around. This visitation reassures the remaining person that they will not just cease to exist when they die.

Near-Death Visitations

Many times when someone is near death, they may see a loved one who has passed before them. Relatives have reported the ill person saying the name of a mother or husband who has been dead many years. They also have noted that the person will look happy and seem to see them in the room. Is this a figment of our imagination or does the person actually see their deceased relative? If you believe in an afterlife, you will most likely believe they have actually seen their relative.

Many movies have focused on this and some have been based on true-life happenings. The spirit of a deceased person trying to communicate with the living is one of the great mysteries that we want to understand. So why does the visitation happen? Many believe that the person who died may have left unfinished business. They may feel the need to visit their loved ones and reassure them that they are fine. There are also theories that the person never really leaves and their presence is felt constantly in the home in which they lived.

Consciousness of the Living World

This brings up the subject of knowing what is going on after you die. Does the person who is no longer of the physical world know what is happening here anyway? The soul is the core of this discussion. Since many believe in the existence of the soul apart from the physical body, the conclusion is that there must be knowledge of what is still happening on Earth. It cannot be impossible for them to know that their loved one miss them and are grieving. In some instances, this will be a reason for a visitation.

In other cases, when it comes to the visitation, it is most likely that the deceased wants to make contact with the living for a reason. It may be that the person left unfinished business. They may want to warn the person they left behind about something. If the deceased was the victim of a murder, they may want to let their loved ones know who was responsible.

Sometimes visitations are made in times of stress. This may mean that the departed person knows the person is going through life-altering transitions and wants to let them know they are not alone. The connection between the two may have been so strong that when one was upset, the other was upset as well. Therefore, when they visit to let it be known that they are still with them this is a sign that you are not handling everything by yourself.

Have you ever heard an instrument play by itself or found the same objects day after day? This is also considered a visitation. The spirits are said to be able to manipulate electronics more easily. Often this would seem to be a way of allowing the living to know that the spirit of someone is still around even though we may not know whom. There are psychics who believe this is the way some spirits visit the world of the living.

Religion and Visitations

It cannot go without saying that if you believe in the existence of God and Jesus that you must believe in life after death. This is the basis of the teachings of the Bible and the way a person is supposed to live their life. The visitation of angels is another basis of the belief that there is something more than life as we know it now.

Whether or not you believe in visitations is a personal belief. Those who have experienced them believe and they believe they know why they received the visit. The world is full of mysteries that we will never understand. When it comes to the meaning of visitations, many are easier to understand than others are.

Keith Ward is the Founder and Director of the Circle of Professional Clairvoyants, which offers Psychic Readings with fully qualified Psychic Readers and Senior UK Clairvoyants.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Ward

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For more information, you might enjoy reading my book, More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
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Integration in Mind-Body-Spirit

Our consciousness is spiritualizing the material dimension through our expanded thought patterns.

What would like be like if we stopped judging people and started asking what piece of the puzzle they have? What is their vision? What can I learn from them?

Read the rest of the article here http://tinyurl.com/6e9v34.