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================================================
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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(1)
News of the NDE (2)
NDE Forum
(3)
Info and Events
(4)
Discussion
(5)
P.M.H. Atwater's Q&A
(6)
TV Listings
(7)
Books
(8)
Web Links
(9)
Odds and Ends
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(1) NEWS OF THE NDE================================================
***
Visit
the NDE News page
================================================
(2) NDE FORUM
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***
An Accountant's NDE
"As we walked along together to find Jesus, I noticed there was one building larger than all the others. It looked like a football stadium with an open end to the building where a blinding light radiated from it."
***
Cheryl Powell's NDE
“I was losing my consciousness and I was completely aware of it. But I was not afraid. I thought ‘so this is what it is like to die. This isn't that bad!'
*** Pam Barrett's NDE
She was amazed that she seemed to be in two places at once, like a split
screen. When she slipped seamlessly back into her body, she felt as if she was punched in her solar plexus by God and told, “Get on a new path.”
*** Sandra's NDE
"I was slipping into this pink cloud and it felt warm and peaceful. I wanted
to just slip into the warm cloud when a voice from somewhere said,
"What about your kids?"
*** Dave Nelson's NDE
"I went into a sort of spinning, swirling wrestling match with it. Fast and
furious. Suddenly, it all stopped. A realization had come to me. I was dead. It was all over. From a stupid accident."
*** W. Knorr's NDE
"He reached out His hand toward me and smiled and said, "Do you want
to come with me now or do you want to stay?" This frightened me and
I screamed. The nurse came running into the hospital room and I was
crying saying get him out, get him out, I want to stay."
*** Mihbond's NDE
"I knew that this PURE WHITE Sun was from God the Father. I saw the
world as in physical form, but it was lit up, illuminated, but not to the
point of blinding light. The world was a bit brighter, from That WHITE Sun."
*** Ida Acosta's NDE
"Things I knew somewhere else returned to me. I knew everything. And
I realized how right I had been all along believing that God isn't a being.
It is the love that feels so blissful. It is what holds humans together."
*** Bruce Budden's NDE
"The next thing I remember is floating out of a tunnel. It was kind of like
coming out the other side of a black hole. I am in my true self of spiritual
form which is like a cloud of electrical energy. As I looked around it was
like the night sky, black background. I was greeted by spirits which looked
like streaks of lights."
*** Malcolm Gilbert's NDE
"I never saw a long dark tunnel or a brilliant light as many NDErs do but
I began to sense an unseen presence with me and the most purest, unearthly, overwhelmingly tremendous love embraced me. It's simply impossible to describe it in words."
*** LaSpirit's NDE
"I remember an angel appearing who had the most beautiful eyes filled
with sparkling light. The angel was trying to push me back into my body
and inside the car. I put up a pretty big fight with him as I really didn't
want to go back into the car and my body."
*** Post your NDE at:
http://forums.near-death.com
or email it to me at:
http://www.near-death.com/contact.html for
possible inclusion in this newsletter and website.
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(3) WHAT'S NEW
================================================
[These are new web pages recently added to near-death.com]
(1) P.M.H. Atwater's Marketplace
New research papers in PDF ebook format are available by P.M.H. Atwater.
(a)
Adults' Near-Death States: A Transformation of
Consciousness
(b)
Children's Near-Death States: New Research, A New Model
You can also find links on her page at her Marketplace page.
(added 08/25/03)
(2) This
website's Site Map!
Finally! One web page containing links to all the web pages on this
website. See the whole website at one glance. (added 08/25/03)
(3)
The NDE and Spirituality
A large amount of information from near-death accounts concerning spirituality has been added to this page. (added 08/31/03)
(4)
The NDE and God
I added my own attempt to describe the nature of God based on near-death accounts. You can find it at the bottom of this page. (added 08/31/03)
(5)
The NDE and Death
Scientific theories explaining near-death experiences have been added.
More will be added to this page in the future. (added 08/25/03)
(6)
Buddhism and NDE correlations
Near-death accounts and the Tibetan Book of the Dead describe death
as floating out of your body, encountering with a divine light, judgment,
ego-loss and merging into the light, visions of heaven and hell, seeing
"angels" and "demons", a journey through many realms, and reincarnation. (added 08/25/03)
(7) Newsletter Help page
Some people get an error message when they try to subscribe to the
newsletter. It is because they have a firewall installed on their computer.
This web page provides instructions on how to subscribe with a firewall.
Other problems are addressed as well. (added 08/25/03)
(8)
Daniel Rosenblit's NDE
Dougs NDE has been expanded and some of his writings have been added. He is a man on a mission and he has some very interesting things to say. (added 08/31/03)
(9)
Events of the NDE
New events have been added to this listing of conferences,
seminars, workshops, lectures and other activities around
the world concerning near-death experiences. (added 09/01/03)
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(4) DISCUSSION
================================================
***
Dealing with the Fear of Death
How to deal with "death anxiety" from the point of view of NDErs, science,
philosophy and religion. Includes excellent links to excellent resources on
the internet. (added 09/01/03)
***
Search NDE Discussions Archive
================================================
(5) AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE NEAR-DEATH PHENOMENON
Q and A with P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D.
================================================
In this new section of the newsletter, P.M.H. Atwater will answer
questions submitted to her from subscribers to this free newsletter.
If you have a question that you would like her to answer, just email
your question to
http://www.near-death.com/contact.html for consideration.
P.M.H. Atwater's next book, entitled "The New Children and
Near-Death Experiences," will be released on December of 2003.
You can order your copy now through Amazon.
Dr. Ken Ring had this to say about her book: "This book is the richest,
most probing, and most comprehensive available of NDEs in children."
QUESTION:
"What is the difference between the soul and the spirit?"
........ Jerome
ANSWER: "The answer to this question depends entirely on who you ask. Different religious traditions, different spiritual leaders, all seem to have their
own special way of delineating soul and spirit. What I can share with you
is the majority view from near-death experiencers, which, interestingly
enough, matches what I have seen myself while on The Other Side of death.
"Soul: appears to be our essence, our core, that part of us still connected
to God, still perfect and in that perfection still knowing and powerful. Many
claim that we are linked or held to our soul by a "silver
cord," an
umbilical
cord of sorts, that enables a continuous channel to exist between the two -
the individual and his or her soul. Some call the soul the Higher Self, or
Greater Me, or Self (with a capital "S"). Soul is divinity, that part of us
that is One With God, now and always.
"And the soul is huge - too big and too powerful to inhabit any one body.
Remember, almost invariably, when near-death experiencers return to their
body they report having to shrink to fit back in. Once they are out of their
body, they are much larger and far more capable than while in it. . .faculties are sharper, the mind function more expansive and multi-dimensional in its scope, capable of 360-degree, instantaneous vision/sound/smell/action/response.
"The soul is featureless and sexless and consists of a type of light. Some
see the soul as having a somewhat human form; others see it as more of a
globe or sphere, pulsating or radiating with energy. Where it says in the
Christian Bible that we are made in the image of God, the majority view
amongst near-death experiencers is, that is absolutely right, the real us,
our full/complete/total Self, our soul self, really is like God - in shape, mass, energy functioning, potential, and creativity. We are Co-Creators with the Creator, made in that image and likeness, enjoined by our very existence to discover our identity and live according to our discovery, to be all that we can be, to honor the gift of life, to uphold our part in A Greater Plan.
"In psychological circles and in cases of multiple personalities existent
within a single body, it was found that always there is one central source,
one particular personality-being that was all-knowing and all loving, and
would often assist the professional in his or her therapy with the patient.
This central, organizing core came to be known as the "Inner Self Helper."
All of the professionals that I have spoken with who have dealt with multiple personality syndrome sense or think that the Inner Self Helper is the same thing as the soul - our central place/source/force/core. I teach a
shamanic-style guided visualization that enables an individual to find and to recognize their Holy of Holies, their Center where the True Self resides. This goes for everyone; we all have that conduit, that channel, that "launch-pad," that place from which we touch the "Hand of God" in the sense of how we are affected once we align and/or merge with our soul. (The
shamanic-style guided visualization I teach can soon be purchased over my website as an addition to my forthcoming book, GODDESS RUNES. Check
my
website in late September for "Goddess Runes: The Adventure Begins." This
is a one-hour audio presentation, available in either audio cassette or CD
format. The visualization is on Track Two.)
"I truly believe that soul discovery is the over-riding reason or purpose
behind spiritual development. . . so we, in this lifetime, can be more
mindful of who we really are and can align our will with God's Will. When
this occurs, we can merge more and more with the power of our own soul.
You see this in cases of near-death experiences and deathbed visions,
NOT that there is a split-off at death (the personality self sluffing off with the
body or as an egoic being having some sort of existence by itself - as
some researchers claim); but, rather, that at death the soul and the ego
(personality) merge into each other and become one again. It's like at
birth, a "finger" of the soul drops down into the body, to properly animate
it so the ego personality can develop and grow. It's the ego that seems to
"feed" the soul, in the sense of what can be learned, experienced, given,
and received during a lifetime. It is the soul that seems to be the major
"player" in the outworking of God's Greater Plan. To use an analogy, we
humans are like worker bees, the soul that guiding intelligence which keeps
us on track, and God that which provides the environment and the power
source in which we can not only learn and grow - but transcend that which
seems to limit us, so we can "awaken" to a higher reality and a grander
view. We can then realize there really is no separation, no distinction of
three in one, but One - All in One. You could look at this situation yet
another way: One Mind, many thinkers.
"No matter how you regard the soul, it is awesome, simply awesome,
when you see it, when you're there and you see your own soul. I saw mine
and I was stunned at its beauty and its power and the love it possessed.
Most near-death experiencers feel the same way.
"Spirit: appears to be as an invisible emissary of the Divine, like the
stirring within and around us of a "breath," a zephyr of fresh air and clear
thought, an essence. Some use "spirit" to depict a disincarnate (one who
has passed on) or any manner of invisible spirit beings - those beings or
thought-forms or airy residue made of a gaseous, filmy substance substance,
a vapor-like ectoplasm. I talk about this living breath, this airy substance, this helpful and ever present guidance system ever at our disposal, at length in my book that will be published March 2004 from the
A.R.E.
Press. The book is called NOT HERE, PRESENT ELSEWHERE: THE REAL
TRUTH ABOUT DEATH AND DYING. Here are some excerpts from the book that should be helpful to you in coming to terms with the reality of "spirit" and what it might be.
"Many adult experiencers of near-death states claimed that during their
episode it seemed as though the whole universe and all of Creation were
breathing - expansion/contraction. To them, "breathing" came to represent
the stirring of God's Thought as it reverberated throughout an ever-expanding field of conscious awareness, what we would call "Creation," and sustaining as it did the "stage" where our dramas, our roles, our endeavors, our dreams of who we are, are arranged and played out. Comments child experiencers gave during sessions I had with them included this offering: "Spirit is everywhere, like air, and it breathes, but not like our nose does. That means everything breathes. I do. You do. So does God. God's Breath is what keeps the universe alive."
"There is precedence for what modern-day near-death experiencers report.
That precedence can be found, oddly enough, in the historical concept behind
the evolution of certain word meanings from various cultures, particularly
as relates to the word "spirit."
"Originally "spirit" meant "essence" or "breath." Yet, all three words have
been used interchangeably as if they each referred to the same thing. This
makes a tremendous difference concept-wise with interpretations of meaning.
For instance, when we say we're being "spiritual," the inference is that we
have chosen to live in "the fullness of breath's essence." When we speak of
"spirituality," we are actually describing "the source from whence the
pureness of breath comes." "Spirit realms," if we continue further with
this line of thinking, exist as "source places of pure essence," while "spirit beings" become "visitors or emissaries from source places of pure essence."
"See what happens? If you regard "spirit" in light of its original meaning,
everything alters: our view of ourselves, our beliefs and emotions, the
breath we breathe, and reality itself.
"It intrigues me to reinterpret "Holy Spirit" in this manner. Numerous Biblical scholars have and they have come up with: "The Breath of God Breathing." When I discovered this it triggered all kinds of memories and associations for me. Mainly because, during my near-death experiences, I had the distinct sensation that the universe and everything therein was alive and breathing, and that breath was what moved the creative fire, and that which existed in-between the motion of God's Breath - the Centerpoint of Truth - ever hidden, yet ever exposed.
"But there's more. Native peoples the world over emphasize verbs over nouns
in their speech, placing the emphasis on relationship rather than on object.
If you keep this in mind, the various Native American names for Deity or God
actually translate to something like "Thinks Breath Creates" or "Dwells
Above Great Breathing." Our notion that tribal terms for "God" always mean
"The Great Spirit" bypasses entirely the truth these people seek to convey.
To a native speaker, "God" is a verb that denotes the relationship between
the essence of breath (Sourcing) and the act of breathing (connecting with
Sourcing). Accordingly, then, all kingdoms and all worlds spiral around the
same "great breathing."
"The link then between spirit and breath and essence weaves together into one
fabric the tapestry we call "existence," a tapestry we can better appreciate if we reduce its scope to the basic function of. . . breathing in, breathing out.
"Do that. Take a deep breath right now."
"Notice that a deep breath calms your nerves and perks up your brain. It's
not just the added oxygen we take into our lungs that does that, but the
circulation of that oxygen. Breath movement is the most common criterion
we have for determining aliveness, perhaps on The Other Side as well.
"Have you ever noticed that the air is alive. The air hears you, watches
you, senses. And it responds if you need help, ask for help. Yes, there
are guides and guardians who do this. But the air, this mixture of
substances we live in, this environment that cradles us and holds us close
and puts up with how we pollute it and abuse it, is so alive that it shimmers and pulsates. We breathe it, exist within it, and learn (if we're wise) to recognize its movements and signals and moods.
"Spirit is what permeates air, it is what enables life to move. It is what
we live in, God's Breath, but more than that, The Breath of God Breathing.
It is an active force, movement, ever ready to respond, ever ready to assist. Enjoy that sense of spirit, that aliveness that caresses you and cares about you, and knows you."
"Oh, by the way, I turn 66 on September 19th. I enjoy birthdays and invite
all of you to have a big laugh when September 19th rolls around. Envision
me laughing with you. What a wonderful gift that will be.....all of us
enjoying ourselves and opening up to - spirit!
Blessings to all, P. M. H. Atwater, L.H.D.
| Atwater's
website | The
Marketplace (a public service)
| Atwater's
research |
================================================
(6) TV LISTINGS
================================================
(Check your local TV listings for the correct time near you)
*** September 6,9,12,13,14,16,18,20 -
"Flatliners" (Drama)
Medical students experiment with the afterlife by inducing near-death
experiences that have strange aftereffects.
*** September 7 - "Heaven and Hell" (Documentary) - History Channel
The origin of angels and devils, and heaven and hell are explored.
Also: the influence of these images throughout history.
*** September 7 - "End of the World" (Documentary) - History Channel
Ancient prophecies that have come true and other predictions of the future.
*** September 7,8,11,12,17,18 - "Heaven Can Wait" (Drama)
An athlete dies and is granted by God to return to Earth in another body.
Warren Beatty, Buck Henry, James Mason, Charles Grodin
*** September 7 - "Ghost" (Drama)
A murdered man refuses to go into the light and becomes a temporary
earthbound spirit in order to protect his girlfriend from danger. This
movie has outstanding special effects of the NDE as well as sound
NDE principles. Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore
*** September 10 - "Hideaway" (Drama) - TNT Channel
After a near-death experience, an antiques dealer (Jeff Goldblum) is
horrified to discover that he's seeing visions linked to a serial killer.
Based on the novel by Dean R. Koontz. Alicia Silverstone,
Rae Dawn Chong.
*** September 13,14,15,16,17,18,19 - "Dragonfly" (Drama)
A doctor encounters young cancer patients who have had near-death
experiences and claim to have messages from his deceased wife.
*** September 16 - "Ghost Stories V" (Documentary) - SciFi Channel
Experts exorcise a house of poltergeists; how to find and get rid of
unfriendly spirits; a visit to a haunted graveyard.
*** September 16 - "Ghost Stories IV" (Documentary) - SciFi Channel
Spine-tingling tales of documented hauntings.
*** September 16 - "Ghosts: The Best Evidence Caught on
Tape"
(Documentary) - SciFi Channel - Film shows ghostly phenomenon.
***
Television series featuring the paranormal (including
NDEs)
*** Search cable TV listings for NDE programs aired from
Sept. 15
through Sept. 30.
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(7) BOOKS
================================================
***
"The New Children and Near-Death Experiences"
by P. M. H. Atwater, L.H.D. (Available: December 2003)
This book is a remake of the original; same basic style, but new
cases and new research never before published, especially as
concerns our tiniest near-death experiencers (newborns and
toddlers).
***
The Afterlife Connection : A Therapist Reveals How to Communicate
with Departed Loved Ones, (Available: October 2003) by Jane Greer
Dr. Jane Greer, a classically trained therapist, explores the spiritual
aspects of the bond that exists between the living and the dead. She began with the belief that this bond was not purely a psychological one but
was, in fact, much more dynamic and empowering. It was only in the
shattering aftermath of her own mother's death, however--a turning point
that, Dr. Greer admits, challenged her own ability to cope--that she began
to explore and understand how to recognize and even initiate an ongoing
communication that can have a profound impact on the ways we grieve and heal.
***
Journey Through the Dying Process - by Fairview Health Services,
Fairview-University Medical Center, (Available: September 2003)
This booklet describes what to expect during the dying process, including
the physical, psychological, and spiritual changes that your loved one is
likely to experience. You will also find suggestions for helping your loved
one cope with these changes, advice for taking care of yourself, tips for
responding to the concerns of family members, and practical steps for
working with your healthcare team.
***
Death, Society, and Human
Experience, Eighth Edition, by Robert
Kastenbaum, (Available: Now)
This landmark text in death education draws on contributions from the social and behavioral sciences as well as the humanities, such as history, religion, philosophy, literature, and the arts, to provide thorough coverage of understanding death and the dying process. Kastenbaum is a renowned scholar in the field who developed one of the world's first death education courses and introduced the first text for this market.
***
"Visits from the Afterlife: The Truth About
Hauntings, Spirits,
and Reunions With Lost Loved Ones" - by Sylvia Brown
(Available: October 2003) Sylvia describes true encounters with
earthbound souls seeking peace and closure. She explains the
reasons behind many of the world's most bizarre and mysterious
hauntings. And she shares her own personal, face-to-face
experiences with these inexplicable phenomena.
***
Search for NDE books at Amazon.com
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(8) WEB LINKS
================================================
Note:
My website is dedicated to promoting IANDS, its website, and its scientific research into the NDE. Don't let the humble look of their website fool you. It is filled with a wealth of valuable info on NDEs and related subjects. Here are links to just some of their material.
*** International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS)
Visit the foremost NDE website for reliable information about NDEs,
along with excellent resources and support.
|
Home
| Site
map | NDE
Revelations
| Message
Boards | Register
NDE | CD-ROM
|
|
*** NDE examples from IANDS website |
***
Near-Death Experiences in Quotations website
An excellent NDE website! It is categorized according to various
aspects of the NDE such as the life review and reincarnation. All the
quotes from these NDEs come from the leading NDE researchers.
***
Larry Hagman's Life-Enhancing NDE website
The famous actor had a several very interesting NDEs resulting from
an LSD trip he had when he was younger and a recent battle with severe
liver disease. Well worth reading.
***
The Transpersonal Model of Death as Presented in Theosophy
This website gives much information about the religious/philosophical
organizations view of death and the near-death experience. It is a nineteenth century explanatory scheme for the interpretation of near-death experience.
***
The Juxtamortal Dream: The Near-Death Experience and Evolutionary
Epistemology - This website deals with NDEs, self-revelations
(such as
"seeing one's life flash before one's eyes") as well as face to face encounters with the dead or otherworldly beings, and frequently reports paranormal cognitive abilities (precognition, thought-reading, etc.).
*** Beyond Indigo: Changing the Way You Feel About Grief and Loss
I stumbled across this website and discovered that it has a large amount
of information about death and dying. I wish I would have found this
website when my mother died two years ago.
***
Paranormal Websites and Newsgroups
This website has an incredible number of links on a variety of
paranormal phenomena.
***
Search for all the NDE websites on the internet
*** If you know of any new NDE website or web article you would
like to see profiled, email me the address of the website at:
http://www.near-death.com/contact.html
Thank you!
================================================
(9) ODDS AND ENDS
================================================
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Please feel free to share this newsletter with others.
Search for past issues of the newsletter
Visit the International Association for Near-Death Studies website (IANDS)
That's it for now. Stay tuned for the next monthly issue!
================================================
Copyright © 2007 Near-Death Experiences and the Afterlife
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