The sort of phenomena you describe via NDE is not unlike the sort of psychological experiences that Jung describes in the process of individuation, or more plainly put, individualized religious experiences. Whether the word "religious" appropriately describes this sort of thing is neither here nor there, but nonetheless they are moments of significant transformation. Experiences that tend to have lifelong impacts on one's life, versus the sort of group-induced religious experience one might undergo at church, or a concert, or a football game. Jung explains the reasoning for this as being because the group experience does not reach nearly as deep into one's unconscious as an individualized experience does. (hence why the church wants you back every Sunday for your healthy dose of indoctrination).
Lastly, I have to give kudos for the use of the famous Greek slogan "If you die before you die, you won’t die when you die." That one always gives me chills.
As coincidence would have it, in my role as an Interfaith Chaplain at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles I recently encountered a patient who shared with me his Near Death Experience. I had first seen the patient when he arrived in the emergency room two weeks prior with a Level 1 Trauma following a motorcycle accident. I remember the trauma team working furiously and the patient was rushed to surgery in the hopes of saving his severely injured legs. Old gunshot wounds were visible on his body, and he was covered in tattoos some of which signified gang involvement. During our most recent visit, the patient shared with me an extraordinary near-death experience that he had in the Emergency Room that night two weeks before. He reflected on the experience of seeing a bright white light and human figures without bodies that he described as “pure spirit”. He recalled very clearly receiving the message that it was simply not his time to die. He then shared with me his powerful commitment to focus outward in love and service to others. He shared his experiences about incarceration and as a gang member and vowed that these experiences would be used to benefit others. It occurred to me that this so-called “white light experience” may well have been caused by the high doses of narcotic pain medication in the trauma bay, and I considered the possibility that this could have been just another way to induce a non-ordinary state of consciousness which allowed this white light experience to occur. Whether this was an induced experience or an actual NDE may be irrelevant because, in either event, the result was a deep personal conversion.
Exceptional writing as always, Alex.
The sort of phenomena you describe via NDE is not unlike the sort of psychological experiences that Jung describes in the process of individuation, or more plainly put, individualized religious experiences. Whether the word "religious" appropriately describes this sort of thing is neither here nor there, but nonetheless they are moments of significant transformation. Experiences that tend to have lifelong impacts on one's life, versus the sort of group-induced religious experience one might undergo at church, or a concert, or a football game. Jung explains the reasoning for this as being because the group experience does not reach nearly as deep into one's unconscious as an individualized experience does. (hence why the church wants you back every Sunday for your healthy dose of indoctrination).
Lastly, I have to give kudos for the use of the famous Greek slogan "If you die before you die, you won’t die when you die." That one always gives me chills.
Thank you for sharing sir.
As coincidence would have it, in my role as an Interfaith Chaplain at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles I recently encountered a patient who shared with me his Near Death Experience. I had first seen the patient when he arrived in the emergency room two weeks prior with a Level 1 Trauma following a motorcycle accident. I remember the trauma team working furiously and the patient was rushed to surgery in the hopes of saving his severely injured legs. Old gunshot wounds were visible on his body, and he was covered in tattoos some of which signified gang involvement. During our most recent visit, the patient shared with me an extraordinary near-death experience that he had in the Emergency Room that night two weeks before. He reflected on the experience of seeing a bright white light and human figures without bodies that he described as “pure spirit”. He recalled very clearly receiving the message that it was simply not his time to die. He then shared with me his powerful commitment to focus outward in love and service to others. He shared his experiences about incarceration and as a gang member and vowed that these experiences would be used to benefit others. It occurred to me that this so-called “white light experience” may well have been caused by the high doses of narcotic pain medication in the trauma bay, and I considered the possibility that this could have been just another way to induce a non-ordinary state of consciousness which allowed this white light experience to occur. Whether this was an induced experience or an actual NDE may be irrelevant because, in either event, the result was a deep personal conversion.
Very closely describes the NDE yes
Great article brother ♥️🙏🏻