What Is An NDE?

After I inadvertently revived the nine year old boy (Dylan), that I had hung by the neck until he stopped breathing and let loose his bowels (which commonly occures when lower brain function is lost), the first words he spoke were, “I thought I was in heaven...”

I immediately asked him what he meant. He told me, “I saw a light... I thought it was heaven.” I questioned him more about his obvious near-death experience (NDE) later on, and he told me that the last thing he remembered about being hanged was me pushing his head down so he couldn't breath. The next thing he remembered was floating in a pitch black space, and then he saw a light in the distance that started getting bigger (closer?). He “felt” that the light was heaven. Then the next thing he remembered was that his neck was suddenly really sore and he was laying on his back on the floor (of the cabin) and I was yelling questions at him.

After I saw that he was conscious (moaning and in pain) I started demanding that he tell me his name and how old he was. I did this to see if his higher brain functions were working (I was aware that he could have been brain damaged from lack of oxygen to the brain).

When we spoke later I told Dylan that the light may or may not have been significant. I explained to him that there were different theories about what he experienced, but it was a commonly reported experience from people who nearly die.

After telling him what little I knew about current NDE theories (from heaven to hypoxia), I asked him if he still thought it was heaven that he saw. He shrugged and said he didn't know. I also asked him if he could choose between “there” (the light) and “here” (being alive) which he would choose. With only a slight hesitation he said he'd rather be alive.

Because of Dylan's NDE I decided recently to read up on the latest information about them. Not much has changed since I last read about such things. Everyone seems to think they know what NDEs are, but I'm not convinced by any of them. I don't really have my own theory, but I don't think anyone else has a good theory either.

I don't believe that the OBEs (out of body experiences) that typically go along with NDEs are any more (or less) real than dreams. But I also think that our dreams are perhaps the best clue we have as to the nature and possible significance of the NDE.

In fact, I'm convinced that dreams hold the key to the nature of the universe itself. If we ever come to understand what a dream is then we will also then understand reality itself, not to mention NDEs.

After all “(everything) we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” And that's what I believe (thank you Poe).