Following My Dad’s Death, This Research Convinced Me Of An Afterlife

A few medical doctors are now studying people who were clinically dead, revived, and then had what is called an NDE—near-death experience, in which they might “see the light,” be greeted by their deceased loved ones, float out of their bodies, and later repeat conversations or occurrences that happened on the other side.

Bruce Greyson, M.D., professor emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia, and Sam Parnia, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor at NYU’s Department of Medicine, are two doctors who stood out to me.

They both found that some of these NDEs were verifiable in that people come back with accurate information. For example, at times, the person who had the near-death experience saw a deceased loved one who had a message for a living person that made no sense to the NDE-er but that the living person understood.

There are also some similarities within reported NDEs: Many people are told by beings—either their deceased loved ones or higher beings like guides—that they have to return to the living because it is not their time. Some are given a choice to come back or not. The majority of them say that while the experience was transformative, it is impossible to really describe, like explaining sight to a blind person.

Most people who have NDEs also seem to return profoundly changed. They are much less interested in the material world and making money and frequently state the purpose of life is to help others and to love. They no longer fear death. This lasts for years after their NDE, according to follow-up research.

I think as technology improves and we are able to resuscitate more people who are further along in death, we will start to hear more about these fascinating experiences.