The Art of Dying

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You probably know that a large number of astronauts had transcendent experiences. Edgar Mitchell is one (Mitchell and Williams, 1996). But the astronauts who were in control of the capsule did not have these experiences because they were busy with calculations and responsibilities. It was the guys that could stare out of the windows, who were not doing so much, who had the luxury of contemplation, who had transcendent experiences. And, again, if you talk to Mitchell, he will tell you quite simply that the universe is a universe of consciousness and love. Goswami’s ideas go along with this, but the challenge is in formalizing these observations so that they can, in fact, be used by science. Question: In childbirth, people are not dying, so why do they have NDEs? Only one of the descriptions of NDEs which occurred during suicide attempts had elements that might possibly be construed as hellish. It is one of the very few in which the feeling is one of descent, into a pit, rather than upwards, and in which the light seen is red rather than white or golden. Although there is a presence, this is not perceived as friendly, but not as hostile either. In fact, the whole experience has a neutral quality – not hellish, but not positive either, except for the compassion the returning self feels for her body in the hospital bed.

Do animals appear in death-bed visions? Well, before I get to that, let me say a word about DBVs in general, since some people may not be familiar with the term. Death-Bed Visions Irwin, H. J. (1989). The near-death experience in childhood. Australian Parapsychological Review, No. 14, 7–11. Krupitsky, E. M., and Grinenko, A. Y. (1997). Ketamine psychedelic therapy (KPT): A review of the results of ten years of research. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 29, 165–183.I could cope no longer with three small children and one dreadful husband (whom I later divorced). I took a massive overdose of sleeping tablets and was not found for four hours. I was rushed to the nearest hospital by ambulance from the RAF base in Wales, where we lived at the time. I very nearly died and was unconscious for four days. On the fourth day I was slipping away. I had a cardiac arrest and the doctors and a sister were working on me.

We asked 500 of those who wrote to answer a detailed questionnaire about their experiences. Our aim was to gather in a standardised format as much detail as we could about the NDE, the people who have experienced it and the effect that the experience has had on their lives. The third type of approaching-death experience is the deathbed coincidence, in which the dying persons go to visit somebody to whom they are close, to tell that person that they are dying. This is a fresco of St. Francis dying in one part of Italy. Here, in another part of Italy, is another prelate who is dying, and just as he is about to die, he suddenly sits up, sees St. Francis, and says, ‘‘Wait for me, wait for me, St. Francis; I’m coming.’’ He seems to have paranormal knowledge that St. Francis is dying at the same time.

References

Grice, Elizabeth (23 June 2008). "How to give death a good name". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 22 April 2009 . Retrieved 18 April 2012. 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 heart felt as if it was lifting to join this light and music. Suddenly, there was a hand on my shoulder, and a nurse said, ‘‘Sorry, love. He’s just gone.’’ I lost sight of the light and the music and felt so bereft at being left behind.