A brilliant, loving light that appears near death

Leslie Kean writes in Surviving Death: “Light is a predominant feature of the NDE and plays a part in the dying process as well. It is seen not only at the time of death but in the days or even weeks before. In both situations, its qualities are described positively, as warm, loving, peaceful, compassionate; and people feel drawn toward it. After an ELE (end-of-life experience) involving the experience of light, the dying person describes it to others, just as the resuscitated person does after an NDE.

 

"Occasionally caregivers or relatives who are sitting with the dying see light at the moment of death, as though they are somehow sharing the same vision. They usually describe the light as bright and white and associated with strong feelings of love that at times permeate the whole room. It is often emanating from or surrounding the body, and it usually lasts over the time of the death process. It can be radiant glowing light or more like ‘spiritual’ globules of light. Three accounts are as follows:

 

“Suddenly there was the most brilliant light shining from my husband’s chest and as this light lifted upward there was the most beautiful music and singing voices, my own chest seemed filled with infinite joy and my hear felt as if it was lifting to join this light and music. Suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder and a nurse said, ‘I’m sorry, love. He has just gone.’ I lost sight of the light and music, I felt so bereft at being left behind. (Wife’s account)

 

“Sometimes I’ve seen a light, which is in a corner, like candlelight, it’s a golden light. It’s not electric light and it’s not one of the hospice lights. It just appears sometimes. It goes when they die. They take their last breath, and everything settles down and the light goes out. (Hospice chaplain)

 

"When her mother was dying this amazing light appeared in the room. The whole room was filled with this amazing light and her mother died. (Pastoral caregiver in hospice)”

 

Leslie Kean, Surviving Death: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for an Afterlife (Three Rivers Press, 2017).