Radiation oncologist Jeremy Long writes in his article, "Evidence for Survival of Consciousness in Near-Death Experiences: Decades of Science and New Insights" - "Another common spiritual message from near-death experiences is that every one of us is united in the afterlife. I will let the NDErs themselves introduce this important spiritual aspect of NDEs:
We are each pieces of a greater whole, as I understand it. Getting back where we can all be together again is the ultimate "going home.”
I felt a universal connection or unity, but it didn't seem mystical at the time. It just felt like this IS how it is. In retrospect, it appears mysterious or unearthly, but at the time it was apparent that everything is interconnected, and it was plain and simple.
I was aware of a oneness, a connection with God and all the other souls, and individuality.
I felt like a single atom as a single point of energy, surrounded by other energy. We were all connected; we were all infinite. I felt like I belonged. I felt at peace.
"Many near-death experiencers find themselves in realms vastly different from anything they knew from their earthly lives. It is rare for NDErs to encounter realms that are frightening or hellish. These unusual NDEs are sufficiently rare that they are outside the scope of this article but are discussed on the NDERF website.
"Unearthly realms in near-death experiences may be analogous to earth but enormously more beautiful. NDErs may encounter mountains, forests, streams, lakes, and dwellings which they often describe as distinctly unearthly in appearance due to their exceptional beauty, brightness, or scale. Wendy shares an example of this otherworldly beauty. During surgery, her heart stopped. CPR was started, and she had an NDE:
I came through the light and knew everyone there. They were delighted to see me and welcomed me home. All of them were dead relatives that I never met before, yet I knew everyone. They appeared in human form to allow me to recognize them. However, I sensed that was not their real form now. I was connected with everyone and had an almost a collective consciousness, though I cannot describe it. I feel so many emotions as I recall this. It felt like a blanket of love was wrapped around me when I came through the light before I saw everyone. There is no feeling here that can express the love or feelings I felt there. Everything was "pure", such as the brightest blues, greens, reds, yellows, whites, purples etc. It was like removing a filter so that I could now see the purity of everything.
I went to the right where I saw what I believe was God, who was pure energy. Yet you knew who it was and the great wisdom within. God spoke to me, stating that the message for me to bring back was love. We all have to live in love.
The next thing I saw was a meadow in the mountains of indescribable beauty. The sky was the bluest blue, and the grass was the greenest green. All colors here are extremely pale compared to there. I saw my grandmother with children running towards me. She took me by the hand, and we were on the beginning of a bridge over a small creek. I had just turned nine when she died. We talked for seemingly hours about my life since she died. We also talked about when she came to let me know that she died, say goodbye until we would meet again, and not be sad. She died of a brain tumor, yet now she was vibrant and healthy. I told her how much I missed her, and she said that she watches over my son and me. She then said something unexpected: She said I had to go back and it was not my time yet.
Jeffrey Long, MD, "Evidence
for Survival of Consciousness in
Near-Death Experiences: Decades of Science and New Insights." In the
next several posts I will share excerpts from Long's 2021 article.
Footnotes
have been deleted. The complete text is available as a pdf at
https://www.nderf.org