Near Death Experience Essay, Research Paper
Christian Spirituality
The near death experience is a very traumatic and powerful experience. It is not merely a moment of peace and tranquillity but a moment of excitement and fantasy. A so-called near death experience can happen at any time, it does not necessarily have to occur during a traumatic situation. Although the experience itself may be traumatic the situation really is not. In this essay I will first explain the type of experiences and situations these people have had then I will look into certain people who interpreted (these near death experiences (e.g. Grof, Siegal, Frued, and Jung). Finally, I will distinguish which of the interpretations I personally agree with.
In the film with Moody there were many times in which the description of the experience seemed like an unconscious fantasy. Many of the various were very much alike. Many saw a bright place and felt good feelings. They all seemed to experience a tunnel (dark, yet a compassionate and loving sensation) leading to this lighted area. The one thing that seems very odd is that most cases have shown that they see familiar faces (even though they are all deceased). It is sort of a type of feeling of security as you enter into the afterlife. One final thing that is usually experienced is the closer you get to the light the better the feeling gets. Normally, there is some type of insensitive which seems to bring the person away from this type of feeling or experience he or she is having.
An interpretation by Grof explains the near death experience as the prenatal matrix. He feels that the tunnel we see is actuall
Siegel interprets the near death experience as a stimulant caused within the body. This electro-chemical reaction causes the ability for the retina to see the light. He feels that all it is, is a hallucination caused by the brain.
Frued has a completely different interpretation from Grof and Siegel. Frued feels that when a person has a near death experience he or she automatically sends their minds into a dream state. They want to get away from the fear of death and so invents an ideal world for themselves. She explains the absence of pain by getting away from the body and there for an outer body experience occurs.
The final of the four interpreters is Carl Jung. He has a very spiritual outlook on the whole near death experience. He feels that even though we are alive we are without vital signs which in a way open up a door into the afterlife. He feels that when we die there are guardian spirits who are awaiting to take us off to a safer better place. We can only contact these sprits if we are within our unconscious borders.
In conclusion I look at near death experiences the same as does Jung. I feel there is something more than our life we live now. All we really have to do is have faith. I feel this way because there is no scientific reason for the way we feel so many different emotions in our life and have a different way of expressing hem. I don?t think you can touch or see that you can only feel it.