Did Man Create Hell?

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

There is an incredible online Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. If you haven't discovered it yet, access www.deathreference.com. From A to Z, every possible topic within the field is covered and in-depth. Highly recommended. There is another project, called "Thanatology Online," that is still in-process at this writing. Should you want to inquire, contact Bryan Voell, 606 W. Park Avenue, #15, Champaign, IL 61820.

Be sure to read my Press Release entitled "Is Inducing Out-of-Body Experiences for Real?" This is my reply to "Science Journal" of 8-24-07 and their article about two neuroscientists who claimed to have induced out-of-body experiences in volunteers who participated in laboratory experiments. Their findings, although intriguing, actually match the criteria and experience of doppelgangers (double-walkers), rather than that of out-of-body experiences, especially in regards to the near-death experience. Doppelganger, in case you didn't know, is the term applied to the appearance of one's "ghostly double" or counterpart.

QUESTION:

"Hey, I love your website! It is very informative and credible! Well, my question to you is why do people have near-death experiences with the devil and hell when they never believed in hell? I tend to believe the new age belief system that what you expect will happen to you. I also believe hell is an illusion. God never created hell. Man created hell with man's own free will. Is it because of the fact that everyone has been exposed to the doctrine of hell, and it is in the back of everyone's mind? Like maybe, for the always worried maybe there really is a hell, etc. Or, they just got that near death to learn not to live a sinful life."...Alex

ANSWER:

Well, dear Alex, where the near-death phenomenon is concerned, hellish, distressing, or uncomfortable episodes are just as valid as the heavenly or pleasant ones. Both are real, and people go there, even children.

If we just consider the typical metaphysical "doctrine," or what you call "New Age," the idea of hell makes no sense and seems a violation of what we know to be true. This subject gets even more tricky when we realize that some people who have nightmarish near-death episodes come back so uplifted and positive as a result of them, that they are convinced we all have a second chance and that life itself is very much worth living. Many are aglow afterward - while some people who have wondrous, beautiful and inspiring episodes can come back angry and upset that they ever had such a thing, that an experience like this could ever intrude upon their life. As a result, these people can wind up lost in grief.

You can't call it.

You can't lean on any scripture or dictum or New Age psychobabble or revelations from any guru, abbot, seer, or priest.

You just can't call it, make any sense of it, until you back away and take another look. And I did just that in my book "We Live Forever: The Real Truth About Death" (A.R.E. Press, Virginia Beach, VA, 2004). I suggest you get a copy.

After all the thousands of people I have had sessions with, I have come to realize a few things: that our adventures on the other side of death are open-ended (there is no top or bottom), that there are levels to both ends (hellish and heavenly), that these levels seem separated only by frequencies of vibration, that we go to whatever level matches our vibration when we die, and we stay there (at that level) for as long as we "need" to be there, before we move on. The full description of what I have discovered and others as well is in the book.

Another thing I've learned over the three decades I have been doing this research - is that very few people are in touch with what they really, really believe deep down inside themselves. It's that core vibration that tells the tale, not what we claim.

In that regard, the spiritual axiom "Know Thyself" is more important than what any revelator or "expert" might say. Many blessings, PMH

Are there NDEs in which a Buddhist encountered Buddha or a Muslim encountered Mohammed?

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM KEN: Occasionally, I receive mail that is very touching. What follows is one of them. I think this piece will be deeply meaningful to many of you.

"On 9-11-2001, I was scheduled to be at the World Trade Center. The meeting was canceled and my life was saved. This experience was a inspiration to write 'a letter to my daughters.' In this letter I share my faith, hope, love, and experiences. My loving intent is to remind everyone to do the same.

"People worry about material things by leaving 'Wills' but our hopes, faith, and love are left to memories. Why not write a letter/make a video for your loved ones? If everyone just took the time to reflect, our world would immediately grow in love and peace.

"In addition to the above, my brother was a New Jersey State Trooper, and worked at ground zero. He passed over from cancer last year. In his honor and based on my own experiences, I developed a website titled -

www.aletteroflove.com

"Please visit and send the message to your viewing audience. The website is free. I am not selling anything except Peace and Love.

"On this site, I posted my brother's letter that he wrote before his passing. I also share my experiences with energy healing, life after death, and modern-day miracles.

"I would be honored if you had a link to my website from your site. Also, please pass this message on to your friends and family and everyone else. Thanks for your time. You can reach me at Ken@aletteroflove.com.

"In Peace and Love, Ken."


QUESTION:

"My name is Matthew. I am a physician in New York. I am an active participant in Bruce Moen's website forum at www.afterlifeknowledge.com. I must say at the beginning, that I am a great fan of your research and work; I believe that it has been enlightening and a comfort to many. There is a participant in the website forum named Don, who is quite erudite and also a man of a strong Christian faith, all of which I greatly respect. However, he has taken the liberty of claiming to have researched near-death experiences and made sweeping generalizations which he claims discredit many 'New Age' ideas.

"His main contention is that the being of light encountered in NDEs is most often seen as Jesus Christ, not other major religious figures as is often said. He cites cases of devout Muslims who encounter Christ in NDEs, but has challenged us to find even one case of a person of Islamic faith or Buddhist faith encountering other beings of light. The implication, whether he says it directly or not, is that there is only one path to God (the famous 'I am the light and the way' passage).

"I take a broader view of the divine based on the expression of love. However, I do not have access to NDEs to refute his claim that adults of other faiths encounter other beings of light with any frequency. I know you must have a very busy schedule, but I was wondering if there was any way you could respond to this discussion with any specific examples of NDEs in which a Buddhist encountered Buddha or a Muslim encountered Mohammed? More than 3,000 people are registered at this discussion form site, and I understand that you have one of the largest databases on NDEs in the world.

"I would greatly appreciate any help you are able to give in this discussion. Many thanks."....Matthew

ANSWER:

All of my cases are confidential, Matthew, as with other researchers, and this man knows that. That is why he is making this particular type of challenge. He knows you cannot answer his challenge, unless through your own work. Allow me to offer this, instead.

The most common components of near-death states are the out-of-body experience and the light. There are many other components, but these are the most typical - both for adult and child experiencers - and have been throughout time and what we can know of history anywhere in the world. Light is not always experienced as a light being. Many times the focal point is the light itself as a loving and intelligent presence that is quite alive. The scripture of all the religious and sacred traditions known to exist talk about and try to describe this light, since it is as commonly experienced in religious and prayer life as with near-death experiencers and in other transformative shifts of consciousness. This is undisputed.

Where arguments arise amongst various people and groups is over the interpretation of that light and any form it make take, and how to regard it. Scientists say it's endorphins; Muslims say it's fantasy; religious fundamentalists of any "stripe" say it is Satan (Lucifer); people of faith say it is either of God or of emissaries from God; the experiencers themselves say it is pure ecstasy, love incarnate. Those who receive "revelation" are more specific about the light and its various aspects (clearly, there are three main types of light seen: primary light, dark light, bright light....refer to my book "The New Children and Near-Death Experiences" or to my website as the "Eight Fliers"--one of the charts is on the three lights).

Numerous experiencers see figures and forms in the light. These are variously described as angels, guides, guardians, light beings (beings made entirely of light), religious figures, high holy ones - often kids call them "the people." Deceased loved ones usually appear in the light. This can include pets or other types of animals. Descriptions of these "appearances" will, for the most part, stay true to how they were once experienced by the individual involved. Sometimes, overtime, that individual will add to or alter what was seen to correspond with the beliefs of others, the preferences of culture, or the constraints of language. For the most part, though, the vast majority of individuals remain consistent overtime with what they say and do not distort original narratives. That means accusations of New Age jargon, religious prophesy, Christian visions, Western indulgences, or the like, are not only untrue but cannot be associated with either the individual or what happened to the individual. To say that a near-death experiencer, for instance, is simply spouting New Age nonsense is utterly false. It is true that those who report being greeted by a religious figure will usually associate that being with either the religion of their youth or one they are familiar with. Thus, most Christians will report being visited by Jesus, Buddhists by Buddha, and so forth. However, there can be mixups. Refer to "Beyond the Light" and the case of Jeanie Dicus. She was a Jew yet she was visited by Jesus. This so surprised her and confounded her that she promptly challenged Jesus, and continued to do so throughout her entire near-death episode, saying: "I don't believe in you. Why are you here?" Of note, atheists report the same type of visitations as do religious folk. In other words, you don't have to believe in anything to be surprised at what you find when you die or nearly die.

It is striking that child experiencers of near-death states tend not to mix up racial skin tones as do adults. Example: most Western children that I am aware of see Jesus as light brown, not white. It is the adults who sometimes see Jesus as white skinned. Where this situation gets fascinating is when you invite experiencers to draw the high holy one/religious figure who visited them. To a person, you cannot tell the difference between a drawing from someone in the State of Wyoming from one done in Thailand or Israel or Russia or China or Nigeria. Patterning holds; differences in patterning only concern a few details of dress and behavior. That's it.

Whoever the holy one is, that being is held in great esteem and experienced as awesome, sacred beyond sacred, above and beyond anyone else. That is, unless the individual experienced God. The Light of God, God Itself, The Presence of God - well now, that's a different story. If the individual has a sense of Deity, there simply are no words to encompass or express what that feeling is. I have tried in "Beyond the Light" (pages 154-155), but really, it's impossible to do so. All I can say is, for myself, and to this very day, I still tear up when embraced by the Presence of God I experienced during my third episode back in 1977. That Presence and the passion I feel for it has fueled by steps since then, and is the very breath I breathe.

In seeking stories from near-death experiencers, bear in mind that today, more than in the past, the various religious groups tend to be rather protective of their faith's dogma. For instance: in the Muslim faith, visions and experiences like near-death are considered blasphemy. Even if a Muslim had such an experience (which they do), nine chances out of ten, he or she would never admit to such a thing - usually out of fear. I never encountered any problem with Muslims during most of my research fieldwork, but I do now. They clam up when I broach the topic.

I hope this explanation helps you and your group. Treat the dissenter with respect, knowing that this information and any other information you could provide, even actual experiencers who meet his requirements, will not satisfy him. An individual with a closed mind cannot perceive nor accept "open doors."

A SPECIAL REQUEST TO EXPERIENCERS OF NEAR-DEATH STATES -

If you are non-Christian and were met in your near-death experience by a holy presence or light being associated with your own religious faith - like with a Buddhist being met by Buddha - please send me your story and give me permission to post it in my NDE Cases section. My e-mail address is atwater@cinemind.com. Thank you. PMH

Are there differences in male and female near-death experiences?

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
**** Here are two items that might be of interest to you: "Spirituality and Practice," 26 meditative half-hour films on 6 DVDs - contact: www.SpiritualityandPractice.com. "Natural Home Magazine," for sustainable living/homes/gardens - contact: www.NaturalHomeMagazine.com.

**** Greg Soula had a near-death experience that ultimately led to a series of prophetic visions that included the events of September 11, 2001. He is now writing the book, "Revelations: A New Look at the Apocalypse from the Perspective of the Prophetic Near-Death Experience." If you have had a prophetic near-death experience that you would like to share with Greg, you can contact him by e-mail at barbis@sover.net, or you may call him at (802) 457-4800.

**** Parents, spouses, relatives of near-death experiencers continue to struggle and be confused about what happened to their loved one and why that person is acting the way he or she is. This confusion can lead to anger, blow-ups, divorce, guilt, or a deep sense of loss. Please, if you are such a relative, contact IANDS for information and support. You can learn much from their website at www.iands.org. My books may also help, especially "The Big Book of Near-Death Experiences," due out October 19, 2007 from Hampton Roads.

**** For near-death experiencers themselves, here is an important weekend just for you - "Living Lessons from the Light," put on by IANDS-Los Angeles, October 20-21, in Marina del Ray, California. There are around 30 speakers - all of them tackling the real issues: self-care, relationships, dating, finances, grief management, and more. For details contact Denis Purcell at (310) 237-3696, or CIACB@aol.com, or www.iands.org.


QUESTION:

"During our last IANDS meeting, an interesting question arose: are there specific differences in male and female near-death experiences? As far as I can remember, this question was nowhere directly addressed in NDE literature (I can be, of course, wrong). But I can imagine that, as Ken Wilbur would put it, male NDEs show more characteristics of agency, and female NDEs of communion, whereby the basic features are the same. Our data base is too small to answer this question. Have you found such differences in your overwhelmingly large NDE sample? This question is intended to be addressed at our next meeting"....Thomas

ANSWER:

What we know so far in near-death research from the various countries participating, is that there is no difference whatsoever between male and female near-death experiences: the same with children. No difference. Same types, same elements, same scenarios, and they deal with the same pattern of aftereffects.

Drs. Pim van Lommel and Peter Fenwick, however, have noticed that in their work females tended to have more episodes than males and that people of advanced ages tended to have fewer of them. Their findings at this point have not been verified by others in the field, nor have I noticed what they claimed. Thus, I believe their findings are preliminary and should be taken in that regard.

I did find a significant difference between males and females, though, in how the experiencers died. In my research base, a little over half the men I contacted died because of heart-related ailments, while another 25% were involved in violence or accidents (the rest from assorted causes). With females, a whopping 70% experienced their episode either during childbirth, miscarriage, or hysterectomies.

When viewed symbolically, I take these figures to be indicative of the fact that in our society men are not encouraged to express their "heart" or emotions openly. Aggressive, athletic behavior is promoted but not gentleness or lovingkindness. Men are expected to perform as stalwart paragons of strength and success. Weakness is not tolerated. It should come as no surprise, then, that so many men suffer heart stress, commit acts of violence, or are involved in accidents. By repressing or holding in their emotions, they build up pressure that must be either externally or internally released.

The process of pregnancy and childbirth, the child-bearing years, have always symbolized a time when a woman is completely transformed through the high drama of co-creation, which carries with it the ever-present possibility of death, either for herself or her child. Although women died more often in the past from childbirth and related conditions, women today still "die" in the sense that the birth of a child demands both the surrender and the rebirth of the mother. Interestingly, in a survey done by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2007, they found that childbirth is still today the number one killer of women worldwide. They estimate that one woman dies every single minute of every day because of childbirth (refer to Newsweek Magazine article "What Kills One Woman Every Minute of Every Day" by Barbara Kantrowitz - July 2/July 9, 2007, page 56).

As for the aftereffects, I have not noticed the kind of male/female differences in handling them and with integration, that one finds reams of material about in psychology and psychiatry. We just don't see that. What we do see and there is agreement on this - is that people more left-brained before their experience tend to return more right-brained, and vice versa. I fall into this category. I was more right-brained before; returned more left-brained. My goal: to become more whole-brained. It was taking up rune casting using the elder runes that enabled me to do that. Yes, of all things, free-form rune casting with the ancient runic symbol-signs going back 12,000 to 30,000 years ago (not the better known Norse or German runes which are much younger in history). That's why I have written books about this and have a section of these runes on my website---not because I have turned into some type of neighborhood psychic, but because I have found the skills I have gleaned from using Goddess Runes plus the way they affect others in the sessions I offer to be tremendously helpful. It certainly made a difference with me. As of July 14, 2007, my "Runes of the Goddess" is now available in kit form or as a single book.

Kenneth Ring claimed that he found a number of switches in handedness in his research: a left-handed person becoming right-handed and vice versa. I only came across this switch with maybe five or ten people, not enough, in my opinion, to comment on nor even to consider as an anomaly of the experience. Perhaps another researcher might be able to pursue this with a larger research base. I did find slight changes in the length between the joints on fingers, though. They were longer, afterwards, as if the fingers had grown. This happened to me as well, and I have before and after handprints to back this up. This also happened to around 2% of the people I had sessions with. Again, this is another small number, but the fact that it happened at all and with that many I think needs some looking into. Perhaps one could combine this with switches in handedness to see if there is something happening to, not just people's hands afterward, but with size or joints or with the physicality of the body - above and beyond the big ones that are well documented now (that of changes in the digestion, brain structures and function, the skin, and the nervous system). More research is now coming in on these "big ones." I refer you to Richard J. Bonenfant's paper in our Journal, Vol. 22, No. 3, Spring, 2004. He found that synesthesia (multi-sensing) really is an aftereffect of near-death states - something I have been saying since the early eighties. And there are other strange differences that occur: for instance, with acupuncture, using gold needles is much more successful and quicker for results with experiencers than using stainless steel needles. This seems to be true across the board, although we don't as yet have numbers to back up observations.

I hope all of this helps at your next IANDS meeting. If I can be of further service, let me know. PMH