In recent years, near-death experience (NDE) researchers have dared to suggest that this “out-of-body,” or dualistic, phenomenon is evidence that consciousness survives death, thereby validating the words of St. Paul that we have two bodies—physical and spiritual—the spirit body separating from the physical body at the time of physical death, or within minutes of it. This “spirit” body has also been referred to as an etheric body, astral body, vehicle of vitality, double, doppelganger, and mental body. Some mystics and psychics claim there are more than two bodies, the so-called “second death” which involves a transition from one spirit body to a higher spirit body.

The spirit body is attached to the physical body by what the Bible calls a “silver cord.”  While the umbilical cord is severed at birth, the silver cord is severed at death.  Those having NDEs have experienced a separation of the bodies, but not a severance of the silver cord.
 
For many years, dedicated researchers concluded that the NDE was more than a hallucination, a drug-induced reaction, the illusions of oxygen-deprivation, or some evolutionary chemical effect not yet understood by science, but most of them stopped short of suggesting that anything spiritual was involved. Such an hypothesis would have been looked upon as a “religious” explanation, and conflicted with the advancement of science, which was not open to a dualistic explanation, believing it had already impeached religion. Dedicated researchers, however, eventually came to see it as an advancement of science even if it did support religion. 
 
While the NDE was given a name in 1975 by Dr. Raymond Moody, and was being studied at the same time by Dr. Elisabeth Kűbler-Ross, reports of the phenomenon existed here and there but had not been collected in a single reference until Moody’s best-selling Life After Life.  Section two of this four-part book offers a number of pre-Moody NDEs, two of them probably the most dynamic or profound NDEs ever reported.  The author otherwise draws from his interviews with a number of experiencers and researchers, along with leading references, all supporting the dualistic nature of the NDE.

Contents:

Preface: New and Old Light on the Near-Death Experience

Part I – Examining the Existential, Evidential & Skeptical Aspects

1. Taking your toys with you after death
2. NDE researcher sees life as a paradox
3 Overwhelming evidence for the survival of consciousness
4. Experiencing a pre-death life review
5 .  Dealing with “Doubting Thomas Syndrome” 

Part II – Historical NDEs
 
6. Admiral tells of drowning and what happened after
7. The most profound NDE ever? 
8. The physician who watched himself die
9. Sort of a cloud but not a cloud
10. The most dynamic NDE you’ll ever read about
11. An intriguing 1911 NDE

Part III – The NDE in Recent Times

12. A science professor sees the light
13. The man who fell off Everest
14. An NDE on the battlefield
15. Retired naval architect tells of his NDE
16. A physician discusses her NDE research
17. From surgeon to Superman

Part IV – Science Examines the NDE

18. Has the NDE been debunked? 
19. Researchers offer more light on the NDE
20. Finding Truth in the Light
21. Dr. Peter Fenwick discusses dying, death, and survival
22. Dr. Bruce Greyson updates NDE research

Epilogue: 10 lessons not offered in Sunday School or Science 101

References

About the Author

A 1958 graduate of the School of Journalism at San Jose State University, Michael Tymn has contributed more than 2,000 articles to some 50 newspapers, magazines, journals, encyclopedias, and books over the past 70 years.  While nearly all of his early writing was in the sports arena, Mike also wrote travel, human interest, and metaphysical features.  He won the 1999 Robert H. Ashby Memorial Aware given by The Academy of Religion and Psychical Research for his essay on “Death, Dying, and After Death.”  Writing assignments have taken him to such diverse places as Bangkok, Panama, Glastonbury, Jerusalem, Hollywood, St. Paul, and Tombstone.

He has interviewed and written about more than 40 Olympians in his sports writing and more than 30 scientists, researchers, educators, and philosophers in his metaphysical writings.  He is the author of seven books, one on long-distance running and six dealing with life after death.