Ispectrum magazine #11

ISPECTRUMIssue 11/January - February 2015 MAGAZINEspecial issue ExpNereaier nDceaetsh insights into near and after-death experiencesfirst-hand accounts from medical and scientific experts

CONTENTS Features 15 27 03 Neurological03 Explanations for NDE´s 45 07 Are NDE’S imagined events or hallucinations? 11 The five phase theory of Near Death Experiences 15 TO HEAVEN AND BACK: INTERVIEW WITH MARY C. NEAL 19 How is “Heaven”? 21 “To Heaven and Back” 23 Can science prove the Afterlife? 27 is there psychological explanation for nde 29 Psychological theories and evi- dences for the NDE 37 INTERVIEW WITH DR. EBEN ALEXANDER:THE SKEPTIC NEUROSURGEON WHO WENT TO HEAVEN AND CAME BACK 40 NDEs in the laboratory 42 “Proof of Heaven” 37 45 SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR LIFE AFTER DEATH 52 Research into NDE 57 Past-life regression therapy 58 Evidence of reincarnation 1

editorial Dear Readers Mado MartinezThis month we have a special issue, and Editorial Directorit is special because it is monographic.We have compiled all the articles pub- Ispectrumlished in previous numbers about near-death experiences and we have added magazinenew ones, as we have noticed that thistopic is one of the most debated. Published Bimonthly ISSN 2053-1869Is there a life beyond death? How can Editorial Directorwe define a near-death experience? As Mado Martinez,an hallucination? As proof of an after- [email protected]? In this number you will find inter-views with two doctors who survived Art Directornear-death experiences; Eben Alexander, Rayna PetrovaNeurosurgeon, and Mary C. Neal, ortho- [email protected] surgeon, authors of bestsellingbooks Proof of Heaven and Heaven and Contributing EditorsBack. Matt Loveday [email protected] will also find in this special dossier,different approaches to the phenomenon. Jennifer JamesThrough the variety of points of view wemay gain a better insight into the matter. Ravinder DhindsaEnjoy the reading, share your thoughts Contributing Writersand comments with us, and follow us in Ellie PownallGoogle Plus, Facebook and Twitter. Rob Hutchinson 2 Elaine Vieira Images Cover : ©Piku www.commons.wikimeadia.org , www.morguefile.com , www.freeimages.com www.ispectrummagazine.com [email protected] +44 7938 707 164 (UK) Follow Us

by ellie pownall website www.ispectrummagazine.comNeurologicalExplanations for NDE´sH ave you ever had a moment nomena that cannot be explained, close to death? Perhaps your sights, sounds and tastes that have no rationality. Socially we describe heart stopped beating or you these as Near Death experiences (NDE’S), and it is one of life’s great were momentarily paused in questions that remains unanswered “What is the source of these occur-between living and dying? Medical rences?”staff talk of bringing people back fromthe dead, restarting hearts. Clinicallydead patients recollect strange phe- 3

Some scientists argue we suf- increased. Indeed, the accounts offer a near death experience due near-death and out-of-body experi-to our brain malfunctioning, and ences can be found in the recount-the neurological explanation of our ed stories and written literature‘near miss’ causing our minds to be of about 95 percent of the world’stricked into a fractional moment, cultures (Shelis 1978). The mediain which we believe we are dead. has become increasingly interestedThese events are usually brought to with near death experiences afterthe attention after an individual has Raymond Moody’s 1975 publishedbeen pronounced clinically dead or the book, ‘life after life’1 and thehas been very close to death. With international association for near-recent developments in cardiac death studies in 1981 was founded.resuscitation techniques, the num-ber of reported NDEs has rapidly4

The dramatic recol- pens when the physical Dr Melvin Morselections of a variety of body dies and this fun- describes in his videopatients has fascinated damental question of ‘Near death experiencesthe public, and fuelled life underpins religious and what they mean toa variety of profes- beliefs, personal views our spirituality impov-sional debates. These and scientific doctrine. erished society’2 a near Hollywood has, through death experience is “byexperiences have been film and television, no means due to lackreported in the press used the question of of oxygen to the brain”for example “Then, sud- the afterlife and near and “not what we com-denly, the pain lifted death experiences to monly call hallucina-and I was fading, float- entertain the public, to tions”. He also outlinesing above my body.” encourage debate, self- the idea that the pres-“Though I could still reflection and enable ence of light is essentialhear the voices of the the screen writer the in a near death expe-nurses, everything opportunity to voice rience, arguably thewas quiet, gentle and both their personal and cause of patients recall-a beautiful pinky white societal opinion. ing “I saw a bright whitecolour” and “it was a light”3 .Morse suggestsdream-like scene whereI found myself float- Photo credit: www.aboutmodafinil.coming high above Earth,looking down fromouter space”. There isa desire for people tounderstand what hap- 5

that you do not have tohave a hypoxic (oxygenstarved) brain and beclose to death to havean NDE for example,“you could be joggingor meditating”. Manyscientists disagree withhim, for example JaniceHolden who quotes in‘The Handbook Of NearDeath Experiences’,“many NDEs occurunder conditions inwhich brain function isseverely compromised4” suggesting a near-death state occurs onlywhen brain function isdamaged, this oppos-es Dr Morse’s idea ofno brain damage beingneeded to have a neardeath experience. Manyscientists agree thatnear death experiencesare a product of neu-rological stress to thebrain and the derange-ment of electrical sig-nals in the brain imme-diately following cardi-ac arrest, however just 6

how far are near deathexperience’s simply aneurological outcome? In 2009, Janice Holdenreported that whenexamining 93 veridicalperception cases in theNDE literature, 92%were completely accu-rate in recounting thereality of events, 6%were with some errorsand only one case wascompletely errone-ous. Yet the questionstill remains if NDE’Sare imagined eventsor hallucinations? SamParnia’s research intohospitals inthe Are NDE’S imagined events or hallucinations? 7

UK concluded that “only would remember, and9 per cent had experi- also have evidence thatences compatible with the NDEr perceived itNDEs and 2 per cent while they were wellexhibited full awareness past cardiac arrestcompatible with Out but not yet resuscitat-of Body Experience’s ed. Until recently, we(OBE’s) with explicit believed that our bestrecall of ‘seeing’ and hope was in a multi-‘hearing’ events?”5 But hospital study, but Samdo we believe these see- Parnia’s study has soing and hearing events far not yielded a clearare hallucinogenic rath- case. As to whetherer than imagined? these failed attemptsJanice Holden answers mean that veridicalthese remaining ques- perception does nottions by confirming, exist: It might. On the“First, these phenom- other hand, as illustrat-ena are rare and elu- ed in my chapter insive. For example, The Handbook, sever-for my chapter in The al independently veri-Handbook, I combed fied anecdotal accountsthe professional litera- exist, which suggeststure through 2006 and that the phenomenoncould find only a little may simply be rare andover 100 cases. Second, elusive. A very rareI have conducted two of phenomenon that hasthe six studies, and one not yet been observedof the many challenges under controlled condi-is to find a target of a tions may be assumednature and in a location not to exist--or may bethat the NDEr would (a) assumed to exist but bebe able to perceive, (b) very difficult to capture.would notice, and (c) For now, the question8

must simply remain unanswered. ment of our imagination. “This sug-In the meantime, I believe that the gests a more spiritual explanationweight of existing evidence sup- to the NDE’s.”.ports the hypothesis that veridi-cal perception exists but is dif- There is also wide debate as toficult to capture under controlled whether near death experiencesconditions.” This conclusion sug- give evidence towards an afterlife,gests that it is unclear whether Jan Holden tells us more on thisNear Death Experiences are mere- subject “Regarding the question ofly imagined, and it is difficult to an afterlife, even if NDEs are tran-define the boundary between hal- scendent phenomena, from a pure-lucination and reality. Jan Holden ly scientific perspective, they alonesuggests that the conditions are so cannot provide definitive proof of,rare in which we can see these phe- or information about the naturenomenon’s that knowledge on the of, an afterlife. The reason is thatsubject is limited. However, there is every NDE has not stayed dead andreason to argue that in Near Death has not, therefore, fully entered theExperiences the hallucinations’ or afterlife. The nature of a hypoth-imagined events are not veridicalperceptions, and are merely a fig- 9

esized afterlife experience might a middle ground to ‘examine one’schange drastically once one is phys- own mind’ touches on the ideaically irreversibly dead. Research of spiritual explanations for nearwith irreversibly dead people is death experiences, proceed fur-challenging--though perhaps the ther into religious ideas of ‘heaven’most promising is research using and ‘hell’ and deciding ‘where theymediums, such as that being con- want to go next’. Janice Holdenducted at the Windbridge Institute.“ also suggests that “The limits ofOther opinions on NDEs to inform about an afterlifethe afterlife can being acknowledged, I concur withvary, some people cardiologist and NDE researcherbelieve an after- Pim van Lommel who has assertedlife is merely a that a “convergence of evidence”myth such as Dr from research on several phenom-Kevin Williams who ena point to the existence, if notexplains the after- the specific nature, of an afterlife.life as a ‘void’ that These phenomena include NDEs;is visited brief- nearing-death phenomena suchly in Near DeathExperiences. Hesuggests that “thegeneral consensusamong near-death reports is thatthe void is totally devoid of love,light, and everything. It is a realmof complete and profound dark-ness where nothing exists but thethought patterns of those in it.It is a perfect place for souls toexamine their own mind, contem-plate their recent Earth experience,and decide where they want to gonext.”6 This idea of ‘the void’ and 10

as terminal lucidity The five phase theory of Nearand deathbed visions; Death Experiencesafter-death communi-cation; and medium- The five phase the- of light [near a border],ship”. This suggests a the return through ablurred haze over the ory of Near Death tunnel to the physi-true extent of the exis- cal body and unifica-tence of the afterlife. Experiences presented tion with the physicalWhether it be ‘’the void’ body”7 This suggestssuggested by Dr Kevin by Maureen VenselaarWilliams or the theo-ry in recent news that also suggests a neu-Professor Robert Lanza‘claims the theory of rological occurrence inbiocentrism [the theo-ry of everything or life a near deathcentre] teaches thatdeath as we know it is experiencean illusion created byour consciousness’. We is the mostmust attach the exis-tence of the afterlife dominantwith Near Death expe-riences as we pause to over otherquestion where exactlyour minds visit, if it is spiritual ornot simply a hallucina-tion as previously dis- religious hap-cussed. penings. The theory sug- gests the five stages to be; “Separation from the physical body, a jour- ney through a tunnel to a heavenly light, being in the presence 11

the mind comes away mind to exit the body regarding explanato-from the body which whilst being declared ry theories of NDEs, Iwould explain the term physically dead. concur with Greyson,“don’t head towards Kelly, & Kelly’s conclu-the light” used in many sion in their Handbookmedia productions. This chapter that, so far,theory eliminates the The idea of the neu- no physiological modelidea that Near Death rological explana- accounts for all fea-Experiences are merely tion for Near Death tures of NDEs. For now,imagined events, and Experiences and the that leaves only thethe physicality of this five phrase theory was transcendental modeltheory suggest there further explored by Jan as accounting for allis no other way for the Holden as she answers features. For me, most notable among those the question of ‘how features is veridical per- far do you person- ception during NDEs-- ally believe near the subject of my sole- death experiences authored chapter in are merely neurologi- The Handbook 8 . cal and follow the five Although occasion- phase theory rather al cases of veridical than due to religious, perception might be super natural or stress explained alternative- reasons?’ to which ly through physiologi- she replied “Although cal processes, not all I try to maintain a dis- can be, which, again, tinction between my leaves the transcen- personal beliefs and dental model. my scientific beliefs, So, regarding my per- my personal beliefs sonal beliefs, I have are influenced by my come to believe that scientific ones, so NDEs represent tran- here are my scientif- scendental phenom- ic conclusions. First,12

ena: functioning of 40% percent ofthe mind/conscious- cardiac arrest patientsness/spirit apart from described themselvesthe physical body.” as having some kind ofThis gives evidence ‘awareness’ at the timefor the transcendental they were pronouncedmodel of Near DeathExperiences and also a clinically deadbiological explanation,similar to examples of 13near death experiencesin the media. ScientistSam Parnia undertooka study which foundthat forty percent ofcardiac arrest patientsdescribed themselvesas having some kind of‘awareness’ at the timethey were pronouncedclinically dead 9. Thisgives further evidenceof brain activity dur-ing near death experi-ences and suggestinga coexisting relation-ship between the neu-rological cause and thespiritual happeningsin these Near DeathExperiences.

In conclusion, Near Experiences. Whether different theories andDeath Experiences are it be a visit to the spiri- individuals, with fur-explained in many dif- tual void or a rare and ther research it mayferent ways, doctors exclusive phenomenon, become easier to pinand psychologists such Near Death Experiences point the exact aeti-as Janice Holden, Dr hold an important spot- ology of occurrences.Kevin Williams and Dr light in social media. However, is it bet-Melvin Morse all hold Overall the neurologi- ter that some thingsdifferent opinions of cal explanations for remain unknown…….the events that take NDE’s do cover all ofplace in Near Death the ideas presented byreferences: Experiences http://www.near-death.com/experiences/1 Raymond Moody book and information research15.htmlwww.raymondmoody.org 7 Five Phrase Theory http://www.noetic.org/noetic/issue-twenty-2 Dr Melvin Moore Video three-june/physics-of-near-death-experienc-http://youtu.be/PWT7N0uj_7U es/3 Near Death Experiences Stories Told 8 The Handbook for Near Deathhttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story. Experiences- Edited by Janice Holden, EdD,php?storyId=104397005 Bruce Greyson, MD, and Debbie James, MSN.4 The Handbook for Near DeathExperiences- Edited by Janice Holden, EdD, 9 Sam Parnia ArticleBruce Greyson, MD, and Debbie James, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sci-MSN. ence/life-after-death-largestever-study- provides-evidence-that-out-of-body-and-5 Study into consciousness- Sam Parnia neardeath-experiences-may-actually-be-http://www.horizonresearch.org/main_page. real-9780195.htmlphp?cat_id=386 Kevin Williams- The Void and Near Death 14

TO HEAVEN AND BACK:INTERVIEW WITHMARY C. NEALT o Heaven and Back” is a by book that Dr. Mary C. Neal mado martinez had written about her spiri- website tual journey and the near- www.madomartinez.comdeath experience she had in 1999,while kayaking in the Los Riosregion of southern Chile. She wroteit because more than anything shewants people to know that God’sunconditional love for each of us isintense, complete, and is reflectedin all of Heaven. According to Dr.Neal, before we return to Heaven,our real home, we have an incred-ible opportunity on Earth to facechallenges that will help us learn,grow and to become more Christ-like in the fruits of our spirit. Ourtime is so short that we need to beabout God’s business every day. 15

Who is Dr. Mary C. NealDr. Mary Neal is a board-cer- Dr. Mary C. Nealtified orthopaedic spine sur-geon who drowned while kay- the University of Southernaking on a South American California after which sheriver. She experienced life lived in Sweden, Switzerland,after death. She went to and LosAngeles while under-heaven and back, conversed going one a half years ofwith Jesus and experienced specialty training in spinalGod’s encompassing love. surgery before becomingShe was returned to Earth the director of spine surgerywith some specific instruc- at USC. Five years later, shetions for work she still need- left the University for Privateed to do. Her life has been Practice.one filled with the miraclesand interventions from God. She currently lives and worksHer story gives reason to in Jackson Hole, Wyoming,live by faith and is a story of where she and her familyhope. enjoy everything the outdoor world offers, especially allDr. Neal was born and raised forms of skiing, bicycling,in Michigan and graduat- boating, and hiking.ed from the University ofKentucky before attendingthe UCLA Medical School.She completed her ortho-paedic surgery training at 16

M.M. You had a NDE and you very realistic sort of thinker and amassure that you were a in place always sceptical of people’s moti-that you clearly identify with vations and hidden agendas whenHeaven, with a God and angels. they make claims such as these.Is Afterlife a Christian Heaven?M.N:Near death experiences occur M.M. What does it feel like -in all cultures, all faiths, and even dying?in atheists. In fact, 50% of atheists M.N. I had always thought drown-encounter Jesus in their NDE. Mine ing would be a terrible way to die,was a Christian experience, but I but for me, it was painless, with-will never pretend to know what out fear, and peaceful. I never hadsomeone else’s dying experience a sense of panic or air hunger. Iwill be like. What I do know, how- never felt pain, even as my legsever, is that God loves each one of were breaking. I felt wonderful.us intensely and eternally, regard-less of who we are, or the circum-stances of our birth.M.M. Before you had your NDE,did you believe in the Afterlifeor were you sceptic?M.N. Before my NDE, I would havesaid that I believed in God and Ihoped that there was “somethingmore” after death, but I was defi-nitely sceptical about reports ofnear-death experiences. I am a 17

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M.M. How is “Heaven”? What magnified and intense, and every-did you see there? thing was exploding with a joyful,M.N. I do not have the language to complete, pervasive, all-encom-adequately describe what heaven passing love of God. I believe thatis like. It is as though I am trying God sends His most gentle mes-to describe a 3-dimensional world, sengers to collect us at the timeusing 2-dimensional language. That of our death and speaks to us insaid, it was filled with beauty and ways we will both understand andcolour that was of an intensity far appreciate. For example, everyonegreater than anything we experi- who experiences a NDE describesence on Earth. I could “see” all great beauty, but the details of thatof the colours of the rainbow and beauty vary from person to person,more, all at the same time. It was just as they do on Earth. I respondas though I could see, feel, experi- to colour, flowers, aromas, etc., soence, and understand the essence that is the beauty that I describe inof the colours and aromas. The my NDE. Other people may respondaroma of the flowers was equally more to music or animals, so that is 19

what they describe. We all describe (visions or information aboutthe palpable and all-encompassing the future). It happened to youlove of God. too, right? M.N. I came back with knowledgeM.M. I have interviewed many of several things that were going topeople who had suffered a NDEs happen, such as the future death ofand many of them assure that my oldest son, and with expecta-they came back to life with tions as to how I would respond tospecial powers or knowledge these events. 20

M.M. Your book is a personal M.M. You and Dr. Ebenstory full of love. Why did you Alexander have in commondecide to share such a personal NDEs that has made you to bething? sure that there is an Afterlife.M.N. Indeed, this book is very per- M.N. Our experiences were similar,sonal and not something I would yet different in the details. We arehave chosen to do under normal both people of science and wouldcircumstances. My husband and never have expected that this sortI have always been very privatepeople, I knew nothing about writ-ing, and I have never felt comfort-able speaking in public. When Iwas sent back to Earth, however,I was given a mandate to sharemy experiences with other peopleand, in giving of myself in this way,help others transform their hopeor faith, in the promises of God, toan absolute trust in their truth. Thewriting of my book “To Heaven andBack” was in obedience to whatGod expected of me. It continuesto be a very personal story and itis often painful to share, but it issimultaneously a great privilege forme to help other people make thistransformation. Dr. Eben Alexander 21

of experience would happen to us M.N. I spent many months review-and both experiences speak to the ing the details of my accident,reality of life after death. I think reviewing my medical records, lis-that readers will find “To Heaven tening to those who were at theand Back” is not just a story about scene and in the emergency room,someone else’s experiences, but and researching the dying process.that it contains many stories with I thoughtfully considered whetherwhich the reader can identify. “To my experience could have just beenHeaven and Back” shows readers a dream or hallucination, a resulthow they can also experience the of anoxia, or the chemical effecttransformative nature of NDEs into of a dying brain in which there iseach person’s life and inspires oth- a sudden and large release of neu-ers to embrace this transformation rotransmitters. I read the literaturein their own life. on NDEs. After all the data was col- lected and analysed, I came to theM.M. As a doctor and surgeon, conclusion that my experience wasdo you have any scientific the- beyond the boundaries of medicineory about NDEs? and of science. 22

M.M. Are you looking forwardto your future death?M.N. I have no fear of death andlook forward to the day when mytime is over. I would not acceleratemy death as I know that I have, justas every person has, more work todo here on Earth. One of the over-whelming feelings I had while I wasin heaven, however, was the sensethat I was “home” and I definitelylook forward to the day when mywork is done and I am able to gohome again.M.M NDEs it’s a very controver-sial topic. Most of the doctorssimply deny them. Do you thinkit will arrive one day that sci-ence can prove the Afterlife oris it impossible, proving spiri-tual things with material tools?What’s your opinion?M.N. I believe spiritual things areoutside the boundaries of scienceand medicine. I think our observa-tions on death and on NDEs willcontinue to become more detailed,but absolute proof will continue to 23

be lacking. There is power in choos- ing to believe something without seeing it. As for evidence, however, I believe there is plenty. Judicial systems determine the guilt or innocence of a criminal based on one or two accounts of witnesses. There are hundreds of thousands of accounts of NDEs. How many is enough? I don’t think physicians are different from other people in the sense that they are threatened by the concept of life after death and it is much easier to casually discount and discard accounts of NDE. I think this reflects an intel- lectual arrogance (that if we are smart enough and skilled enough we can understand and control everything), a laziness (it takes time and effort to collect data), and mostly a fear (if there really is a God and there really is life after death, then we each become accountable for our choices, our behaviour, our treatment of others, and how we spend each moment of time). Humans try to control what we do not understand.24

M.M. Would you say organized person and plan for the future, butthat you are a differ- I hold on to my plans loosely, knowing thatent person since your God may have different plans for my life.NDE episode? In whatsense?I would like to think I wasa “good” person beforemy NDE, so I hope I havenot outwardly changeddramatically, but I havecertainly experienceda profound internalchange. The reality ofGod, of life after death,and of the truth of all ofGod’s promises changesthe way I experience to say “no”. I acceptevery moment of every not always knowing theday. I live in a state of answer to the questionsgratitude and prayer – of “Why…?” trusting thatthat is, constantly giv- God has a plan for eaching thanks and listening person that is one offor where God is lead- hope and that beautying me. I always try comes from all things.to say “yes” to where I try to always reflectI think I am being led God’s love and to seerather than findings the God’s beauty in othermany reasons and ways people. I am still a very25

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is There a psycholoGicalexplanaTion for The nearDeaTh experience? by Rob HUTCHINSoN WEbSITE WWW.ISPECTRUMMAGAZINE.CoMI n the last issue of Ispectrum I have always had an interest in magazine we had a fas- NDEs and despite never experi-cinating interview with Dr Eben encing one myself I am a strongAlexander, a distinguished neuro- believer in them. However, as asurgeon and sceptic of the near psychologist I couldn’t help butdeath experience (NDE). He never delve into the past research andforesaw that, despite writing a see if there was anything vergingpaper discrediting people’s experi- on a purely psychological explana-ence of NDEs, he would one day tion for the NDE. Many scientistsbecome a believer. After bacteria point to neurobiological evidence,attacked his brain and put him in such as a lack of oxygen in thea coma for seven days he had his brain as the reason for NDEs, andown NDE in a heavenly realm, and other corroborating evidence alsohe awoke from that coma a changed points to neurobiological factors.man, a believer. In fact, oxygen starvation causingPhoto credit: bp girl (devianart.com) 2417

hallucinations is the most popular lections are subject to psychologi-explanation for the NDE and does cal interpretation, so an explorationhave various merits. Although neu- of psychological mechanisms couldroscience and psychology overlap shed light on the NDE reports andI am more interested in focusing lead to a better understanding ofpurely on the psychological aspect the NDE itself. Could a psychologi-as so far this has been largely cal model explain the NDE? And ifignored in favour of neuroscience. there is no psychological evidence,It is possible that the NDE fulfils a where would a psychological theorypsychological need, or could even for the NDE start and what would itbe a psychological defence mecha- need to prove?nism. In terms of the reports of theNDE itself it is likely that the recol- 2482

PSYCHOlOGICAl THEORIESAND EvIDENCES One of the earliest that would explain why Photo : ©Pikupsychological theo- there is such consisten-ries for the NDE was cy in NDE reports. The is highly unlikely thatput forward by Grof peace and transcen- it can remain buriedand Halifax in 1977. dent feelings alongside and be activated byThey were looking for the advancing through the moment of death.a psychological expla- a tunnel is in fact a No empirical evidencenation as to why NDE subjective recountance supports this theory,reports are so univer- of being born and trav- and scientific evidencesal. Their birth - mem- elling through the birth strongly indicates thatory - activation model canal, with the peace infants simply do notpostulated that a close and light at the end have the mental pro-shave with death trig- representing the feelinggered repressed mem- of being born into theories of the process of world. However, therebirth. After all, every- are obviously majorone is born in gener- issues with this, notally the same way, so least that being born is a pain- ful experi- ence for the baby. Also, the infant does not have the capacity to remember this experi- ence so it 4239

cesses necessary to fulfil a psychologi- regressing to a prever-remember their expe- cal need. However bal stage of develop-riences of birth. unlikely this may ment where they had seem, it could be an imbedded trust in Many psychologi- possible to explain the ‘realness’ of theircal theories have the NDE in this way. experiences and feel-shown that our reac- The theory of crisis ings of bliss associatedtions, experiences and intervention sup- with a time when, asdesires are working to poses that patho- a child, all their needs logical states can were readily met. This lead to an oppor- could explain why peo- tunity for positive ple report feeling so growth. This oppor- at ease and in awe of tunity for growth in their experiences with- crisis involves the in the NDE. But could person entering a this regression indicate state of disequilib- that the NDE served rium due to great a psychological need? periods of stress. In Greyson (1981) tried this period the ego to explain why posi- is overwhelmed and tive personality trans- the person becomes formations sometimes more susceptible to occurred in those who positive and correc- had attempted sui- tive influences. It is cide and experienced possible that the per- an NDE. He concluded son has a regression to that it was possible the a very primitive level NDE reduced the per- and this return to basic son’s suicidal intentions functioning leads them in the future by using to view their experi- psychological mecha- ences (real or imag- nisms. Some of these ined) in a sense of psychological mecha- childlike awe and bliss. nisms he used for these In essence, they are explanations included 3404

that the NDE represents the death die, so the psychologicalof the ego, providing a substitute for mechanism would servethe death of the person, and the life no purpose. And, if itreview helps to resolve old conflicts occurred just to those whoand move on with life. went on to live, how could these mechanisms possi- Could facing death cause a regres- bly know if the person wassion in the mind of the individual to a going to live or die? Ondevelopmental stage of life, thereby the positive side, it wouldallowing psychological mechanisms explain the consistency ofto kick in , manifesting as the NDE? the NDE reports, as wellThere is no hard evidence for this as it’s paranormal aspectsand this idea relies a lot on factors and why it can have ben-that cannot be tested easily. Also, eficial effects on the indi-does this happen just to survivors or vidual.to everyone at death? If this regres-sion occurred in everyone it would The most promising psychologicalbe pointless as the huge majority theories all seem to focus on whyof people who are dying do in fact people have such a universal expe- rience. There are some academics, such as Grosso, who have pointed to the similarities between the universal experience of those who experience the NDE with that of patients who suffer Delirium Tremens. This disease is caused by withdrawal from alcohol or sedative - hypnotic drugs, such as barbiturates. The symptoms of Delirium tremens include, amongst others, palpitations, convulsions and auditory and visual hallucinations. These hallucinations involve distor- tions of the environment and tactile sensations such as animals crawling3415

on the skin. The interesting The most promising psychologi-part in relation to the NDE is cal theories all seem to focus onthat there is a common ele- why people have such a universalment reported in these hal-lucinations, be it walls mor- experience.phing or visions of rats forexample, and that this ele-ment is reported across cul-tures, age groups and personalities. breathing rate and sometimes sei-It seems that the common hallucina- zures. All these physiological chang-tory experience is universal in the es are rapidly affecting thesame way as the NDE. we system, just like the bodyknow Delirium Tremens may go through sharpis caused by withdrawal changes just before,from a drink or drug or during, a person’sthat is usually preva- NDE. In the case oflent in the body sys- Delirium Tremenstem, and it is charac- these changesterized by high blood cause hallucinationspressure and pulse, that are similar inincreased most sufferers, so why does it seem so strange to suggest that the simi- lar experiences reported in the NDE could be caused by the physiological changes that they are experiencing? Many people assume that the NDE is such a special experience because of the common elements reported, but Delirium Tremens shows that it is not unique for people who suffer drastic changes in the physiological components of the body to experi- ence common elements in visions or hallucinations. 4362

So far the evidence fora psychological expla-nation for the NDE islooking pretty thin onthe ground. The theo-ries or ideas are therebut nothing has beenshown to be solidenough to be rigor-ously tested to providehard evidence. A keyfactor in all psychologi-cal theories is havinga workable model thatcan be tested, so whatwould a model for theNDE have to accountfor and how could it beput to the test? If weassume that the NDEdoes have some sortof psychological func-tion then a workingmodel would be ableto explain it. A psychological model the psychological rea- to construct any kindwould have to account son behind it and the of model in relation tofor three things in rela- physiological process- the NDE as the psy-tion to the NDE; the es in the brain that chological theories areconsistency of reports occur during the pro- just not robust enoughand the universality of cess. At the moment to form the basis ofthose who report them, it is extremely difficult a model. looking back 3437

At this moment there seems not be a strong psychological explanation for the NDEon Grof and Halifax’s points but still remains At this moment therebirth - memory activa- elusive in terms of pro- seems not be a strongtion model it is almost viding anything that psychological explana-impossible to test, and could lead to concrete tion for the NDE. Therein terms of a model results. are some loose theo-based on the regression ries that are difficult totheory it has more valid prove but could serve as a starting point for further analysis if a more in depth investi- gative method can be found. However, inter- esting points are raised in terms of explaining the consistency of NDE reports. As for pro- ducing a psychological model, the criteria it would have to explain are clear, but as yet no-one has been able to put forward anything substantial in terms of ticking all the boxes and providing valid results. 3484

Physiological evidence tance to a psychologi- of the brain and mayon the other hand cal approach, which, if lead investigations intoremains the most solid a testable theory could a different, more pro-scientific explanation be developed, would at ductive, direction.for the NDE. However, least focus more on theDr Kenneth Ring, who mind than the biologyhas committed sub-stantial time and effortsinto researching theNDE, feels that withthe consistency of theNDE reports and thefact that these reportsare across cultures, agegroups and differentbackgrounds, cover-ing such a large spec-trum, that it is hard toexplain by just usingthe processes of thebrain. How can it be soconsistent across peo-ple from all continents?After all, scientistsare still struggling toexplain the conscious-ness, itself a key partof the NDE. If scien-tists cannot unravel theintricacies of this piv-otal factor of the NDE,how can they hope toexplain the NDE itself?This gives added impor- 3459

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INTERVIEW WITH DR. EBEN ALEXANDER THE SKEPTIC NEUROSURGEON WHO WENT TO HEAVEN AND CAME BACK by Mado Martinez website www.madomartinez.comF rom a skeptic to a believer. What ferent man. Now he truly thinks, he truly knows that there is life beyond death.makes an atheist neurosurgeon who What happened? Well, it’s easy. Dr.didn’t believe in Near-Death Experiences Alexander almost died. His brain was attacked by a bacteria that kept him in a(NDEs), change his mind to the point of coma for seven days and turned off his synapses. While his physical body was inaffirming that Heaven is real? the bed of a hospital surrounded by his family, this neurosurgeon was in anotherFor many years, Dr. Eben Alexander place; a Heaven where he learnt importantthought that everything finished when you lessons…die. Near-Death Experiences? What werethey? Surely a result of a lack of oxygen Do you want to know which ones?in the brain but nothing else, and he wasso sure about it that he even manifestedit. But today Dr. Eben Alexander is a dif- 37

M.M. You are a famous neurosurgeon that in the past, didn’t believe inNDEs. You even wrote papers against any remote possibility of life afterdeath. What was your theory in this period of your past?E.A. As a surgeon, I was proof of what happens science behind them—Iused to believing in what after death. But after found a wealth of infor-I could see, feel, and my experience, when mation that revealed ameasure. At the time, I started really looking firm grounding in sci-NDEs and conscious- for scientific papers— ence and belief in NDEsness independent of the not necessarily papers are not mutually exclu-brain seemed like wish- that had made it into the sive.ful thinking to me, and news, but papers andI never really looked for research with rigorous 38

M.M. So today you defend NDEs as real experiences, more real than thereality in which we live. Can you affirm that consciousness exists?E.A. The tougher question, physical brain and how Consciousness might and one that I have the mind appeared to learned a lot about work. For example, ifbe defined as aware- since my experience, is I had a patient with aness of things outside whether consciousness tumor that affected aoneself. So while phi- is essentially mechani- part of the brain asso-losophers have been cal—that is, arising sole- ciated with language,debating more precise ly from physical pro- he would have trou-definitions for millen- cesses in the brain—or ble communicating. Butnia, and the finer points holistic, in that it tran- I’ve since learned thatare quite complicated, scends the brain. As it’s a lot more compli-the core of the thing is a neurosurgeon, I was cated than that.easy; if you’re reading used to a one-to-onethis, if you’re aware of correlation between thethis newspaper, you’reconscious.M.M. Do you affirm it from the personal point of view or from a scientificpoint of view?Е.A. then, I have learned a to accept the hypoth- While the science lot, and based on my esis that consciousness experience, a wealth exists beyond the phys- has been emerging of anecdotal evidence, ical brain. throughout the last and emerging research few decades, I refused in medicine and to seriously consider physics, I have come it until my own per- sonal experience. Since 39

M.M. Is it possible to experiment with NDEs in a laboratory?Е.A. ly precious, and while exciting research in this research in this area area, and all of them Absolutely. However, interests me, the health have found creative as a doctor, I hold the and well being of other ways to learn about Hippocratic oath—do no people far outweighs consciousness—from harm—in the highest anything we might learn neuroscience to theo- regard. Doctors and sci- using that method. I’m retical physics—without entists cannot in good in contact with teams of risking patients health conscience perform researchers all over the in any way. experiments that could world doing some very harm their patients. Our lives are infinite-M.M. Can Science explain everything, or does it need to open up to otherdisciplines of knowledge to explain themysteries of life, physics and the universe?Е.A. mentally ill were and theory and proven Ultimately, science is assumed to be pos- fact aren’t always clear sessed. Now we have the study of the observ- the right vocabulary able universe. I think and conceptual frame- science can explain work to talk about everything—if we can viruses and bacteria, find ways to observe and the right tools, a broader range of the like microscopes, to universe. observe and measure them. But the differ- Just a few hundred years ences between “magic” ago, illness seemed like a curse, and the 40

until much later. And be incredibly arrogant without assumptions orwhile we’ve learned a of us to assume that we preconceptions.lot, we’re nowhere near have discovered every from neuroscience to100%. Witch hunts way to see the world theoretical physics—continue even today and every tool to mea- without risking patientsin countries like Papua sure it. Scientists are at health in any way.New Guinea, where a their best when they arewoman was burned open to all possibilities,alive in 2013. It would and arrive at a studyM.M. When a person says that she/he has had an NDE, a scientist doesn’tbelieve her/him. When people like Louis Hay, Gregg Braden, etc, say thatthey have cured themselves from a cancer with positive thinking, what doyou - a doctor - have to say?Е.A. at their bedside from py and radiation ther- As a doctor, I’ve seen doctors and loved apy, works better than ones—even people who anything else. But it people recover who “shouldn’t” be able to doesn’t work in every every medical test hear or process audio. case, and there’s often indicated should have Clearly, we still have a no clear reason why it died. And I’ve seen lot to learn about how works for one person people deteriorate who the brain works, and and doesn’t for another. should have responded how we interact with I would never advise a to treatment. We just our environment when patient to forgo chemo don’t know everything the brain is severely in favor of meditation about how the human injured. or other mental efforts, body heals itself. but I don’t dismiss the We know that modern power of positive think- Some studies show treatment for cancer, ing. that show people in a including chemothera- coma do better when they hear positive talk 41

M.M. During your experience you met other beings, and you knew aboutother worlds, other universes, other existences. Do these experiencesprove that “aliens” exist?Е.A. are other planets capa- miraculous thing, but ble of sustaining life. I am not so egotistical I believe that there are Statistically speaking, or naive as to think we more things in heav- it seems likely that at have a monopoly on en and earth than are least some of those that consciousness. dreamt of in most peo- can, do. Humanity is a ples’ philosophies. We know now that thereM.M. In “Proof of Heaven” we find the testimonial of a person that is a neu-rosurgeon; but it is not a scientific book. Are you only interested in ‘spread-ing the word’ or have you thought about conducting scientific research inorder to publish papers and books for the scientific community? Е.A. how what I learned can change their lives for I wanted Proof of the better. While I don’t Heaven to be acces- feel a calling to do labo- sible to people without ratory work with NDEs, a medical background. I do continue to follow While there are lots current research about of studies about near- consciousness and death experiences, NDEs, and support the research jargon can be researchers doing that daunting for many peo- work. There is some ple. really exciting research out there right now, and Right now, I’m focused I feel very blessed to be on continuing to share here at a time when we my story and help- ing people understand 42

are constantly learningnew things about whowe are, where we are,where we’re going, andwhat it all means.WHO IS DR.EbenALEXANDER?Eben Alexander PROOF OF HEAVEN: THEis an American neu- EXCERPTSrosurgeon and theauthor of the best-sell- A beautiful, incredible any words, she spokeing Proof of Heaven: dream world… Except it to me. The messageA Neurosurgeon’s wasn’t a dream. Though went through me likeJourney into the I didn’t know where I a wind, and I instantlyAfterlife, in which he was or even what I was, understood that it wasdescribes his 2008 I was absolutely sure of true. I knew so in thenear death experi- one thing: this place I’d same way that I knewence and asserts that suddenly found myself that the world around usScience will determine in was completely real. was real […] The mes-that Heaven really does sage had three parts,exist. [A girl] Without using and if I had to trans-If you want to knowmore about him, checkouthttp://www.ebenalex-ander.com/ 43

late them into earthly not one universe but impossible, and with-language, I’d say they many –in fact, more out free will could beran something like this: than I could conceive- no growth –no forward“You are loved and but that love lay at the movement, no chancecherished, dearly, for- center of them all. Evil for us to become whatever. You have nothing was present in all the God longed for us to be.to fear. There is nothing other universes as well,you can do wrong”. but only in the tini- est trace amounts. EvilThrough the Orb, Om was necessary becausetold me that there is without it free will was 44

SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR LIFE AFTER DEATH by mado martinez and Elaine Vieira website www.madomartinez.comNew scientific methods and S ince time immemorial,technologies are being used to research human beings have won-the age-old question of whether life dered if there isexists after death. something beyond life.Rigorous studies of mediumship,near- Many cultures, religions and sys-death experiences and past-life memo- tems of knowledge have beenries suggest that consciousness based on the belief that the deadindeed survives are raised up into another world, going to paradise or reincarnating. But what if science could show evi- dence that there is life after death? In the last few decades, many scientists and medical researchers from universities and institutions around the world have been revo- lutionising the paradigm, provid- ing evidence that consciousness indeed survives physical death. 45

MEDIUMSHIP IN THE The famous Brazilian medium ChicoLABORATORY Xavier, who died in 2002, wrote more than 400 books by 600 spiri- Mediums claim that they can some- tual authors but never took credithow feel the spirits of deceased for being the author of any of them.people. Heavily influenced by the works ofAccording to spiritist terminology, 19th-century French spiritist Allanthese spirits are called “discarnate”. Kardec, Xavier professed that his hand was guided by spirits who dic- tated to him.Allan Kardec An estimated 50 million copies of his books have been sold, and all the profits from these sales have been channelled into charity work. In 1981 and 1982, Xavier was nomi- nated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Furthermore, he attended to, free of charge, around 60 people per day in his modest home in the city of Uberaba. Apart from books, Xavier wrote letters from deceased people 46

whose family memberswere visiting him.In 1991, Chico Xavier’smediumship was investi-gated by Dr Paulo Rossi.His study confirmed that93.3 per cent of the peo-ple who visited Xavierhadnot known him before-hand. Information fromthe letters receivedthrough Xavier containedso many details about Chico Xavierthe deceased and theirfamilies as tomake fraud impossible.Around 62.2 per cent ofthe messages showed Moreira de Almeida only use their medium- ship free of charge tomore gained his PhD degree help the spirits. It is important to men-than six relevant facts from the University of tion that Moreira de Almeida and his teameach, and 71.1 per cent São Paulo, Brazil, with chose these mediums because the spirit-had detailed information his research focus on ism founded by Allan Kardec is wellabout the deceased mediumship experi- known worldwide for its seriousness in study-people which was sub- ences. ing the relationship between the spirit worldsequently confirmed by He studied 115 spiritist and human nature.their families. mediums with the aimDr Rossi concluded that of building theirthe information revealed sociodemographic pro-by Chico Xavier actually files and checking theircame from the spirits of mental health.dead people and was not His study was basedthe result of any kind of solely on spiritist medi-fraud. ums who follow the doc- trine founded by AllanIn 2004, Alexander Kardec, because they 47

The researchers con- level of education. Anne Gehman.cluded that the majority Their studies confirmedof the mediums devel- During 2001–2008, that all of the mediumsoped their mediumship were very precise,during childhood and Professor Gary Schwartz and their degree of suc-that they also showed a cess was very highhigh socio-educational and colleagues from the compared to probabil-level. In addition, they ity. Factors suchfound only a very low University of Arizona as fraud, error andlevel of psychiatric dis- coincidence were con-orders among the medi- conducted detailed sidered and eliminated.ums. Thus, the medi-ums who have so often research into the At The Windbridgebeen labelled as “crazy” Institute in Tucson,turn out to be people authenticity of medi- Arizona, USA,with few psychological from 2008, Dr Julieproblems and a high umship. Beischel has been con- They investigated the well-known mediums George Anderson and John Edward, and other mediums such as Suzane Northrop, Laurie Campbell and 48

ducting fascinating research with August 2011 to ask more about themediums to demonstrate that there scientific method which she appliesis life after death. in these investigations. She said thatBasically, she uses three methods she uses strict controls to investigateto study the phenomenon of medi- the phenomenon of mediumshipumship: proof-focused research, through a scientific program thatinvolving tests to verify whether the contains a great amount of data:mediums are giving accurate infor- “At The Windbridge Institute, we aremation; process-focused research, primarily interested in mediumship,which studies the experience of the ITC [instrumental transcommunica-mediums during their spiritual com- tion] and haunting-related occur-munications; and applied research, rences.which examines how the informationcan benefit society in general. We use the scientific method and strict controls to investigate theseThe mediums studied by Dr Beischel phenomena, and the mediumshiphave given accurate information research program involves the larg-about deceased people which was est amount of robustsubsequently verified. Dr data.Beischel’s results confirm the hypoth-esis that the spirit survives death. Through our unique quintuple-blind- ed readings with Windbridge certi- We emailed Dr Julie Beischel in49