Welcome to Near Death Experiences

How many of you guys have seen the movie The Mummy Returns (2001)? It’s the sequel to the 1999 Mummy movie (the really good one with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz). I remember when they came out and seeing them in the old movie theater at my local mall before they tore it down and built a huge theater in its place. 

Well, near the end of the movie…

*SPOILERS*

…Eve (Rachel Weisz) is killed in front of her family by the bad guys. 

There’s a brief scene of morning before her husband, Rick (Brendan Fraser), decides he must defeat the bad guys and leaves his newly dead wife with their ten year old son and Eve’s brother, Jonathan (John Hannah). Jonathan tries to comfort his nephew when they realize that they can bring Eve back to life using the Book of the Dead. Jonathan causes a distraction, while his nephew reads the spell that will bring Eve back, humorously paralleling a scene in the first movie.

Eve is saved! 

The bad guys are defeated!

The place where they are has a self destruct button and has started to collapse, but the heroes are saved by the timely arrival of a friend in an airship.

As the sun sets, the two leads lean in to kiss (much to the immature disgust of their son and brother/brother-in-law) when Eve asks Rick…

*END OF SPOILERS*

“Would you like to know what heaven looks like?”

I don’t necessarily want to categorize what happened to Eve as a Near Death Experience (NDE for short), but on the surface it’s pretty close. Eve was clinically dead, she came back to life, and remembers the time in between. 

Near Death Experiences are a phenomena that happen to real people. They have real psychological consequences. And they are not well understood.

I recently read a book called "After: A Doctor Explains What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond" by Bruce Greyson, M.D. It's pretty good and honestly hopeful. Some might find it a little repetitive, but I found that it reinforced the idea that this was something that needed to be taken seriously. 

Dr. Greyson shares a lot of stories from many different people who experienced NDEs. Some of these stories involve meeting diseased family members, others of meeting a deity, and many have a bright light at the end of a tunnel like structure. People reported feeling at peace or enveloped in love. A few simply floated above their bodies. 

Amongst the many beautiful stories of peace and love were a few terrifying events were people reportedly felt like they were falling into an abyss. Others had their religious beliefs challenged. 

I appreciated that Dr. Greyson took a skeptical and scientific approach to NDEs. His first experience with someone reporting an NDE was very personal for him and it sparked his interest in the phenomena. He isn't affiliated with any religious or spiritual organization. 

I've been curious about Near Death Experiences. Part of me wonders what it would be like to experience one. On the other hand, I have no desire to nearly die.

Dr. Greyson suggests that the brain could possibly be a filter for the mind, that the mind may not be a manifestation of the brain, but something the brain interprets. He sites that many people who have NDEs feel that they are thinking with a clarity that they've never experienced while conscious. They also don't show the same signals of someone recalling a fabricated memory or dream. It is a very real thing that has happened. 

The idea of Near Death Experiences does exist in literature, movies, and pop culture. It has caused some misconceptions about the phenomena and how it impacts the people who experience it. The majority of people who have NDEs become unafraid of death...and living life. They tend to be less materialistic and focus on interpersonal relationships. Some face a backlash when they try to tell others what they experienced, which can lead to depression and anxiety because they don't have the support they need. However, with the right support, NDE experiencers feel like they have a new purpose in life. They are more likely to live in the moment and appreciate the now. 

Dr. Greyson suspects that most people know at least one person who has had a Near Death Experience. He says that if someone wants to share their experience with you, to listen and not be dismissive. People who have had an NDE have already gone through one traumatic experience. 

Near Death Experiences may never be explained (I'm not holding my breath for an explanation in my lifetime). They are real. People experience them. And I find that it gives me hope. Lots of religions claim to have the answer for the next life. I wonder if some of them were inspired by members of their community having NDEs. It's certainly possible.

There are a lot of things in life we still don't understand. That's okay. I don't think all the mysteries are meant to be solved. But if you're interested in NDEs, I recommend picking up a copy of "After". You might find it at your local library.

And if you haven't seen either the Mummy or the Mummy Returns, totally check that out too. Those movies are amazing.

So, Eve, what was heaven like?

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Until next week.