Lives Transformed and 'Brain Shifts'

QUESTION:

"I am a 51-year-old Dutch male from the town of Beilen in the north of the Netherlands. For 36 years I have been reading and talking and philosophizing about NDEs, OBEs, and other spiritual subjects. Currently, I am in the process of reading your very interesting and rewarding book, 'The Big Book of Near-Death Experiences.'

"I am writing you this e-mail to ask you a remarkable question: Did you ever in your research of the phenomenon of the near-death experience come across the story (or stories) of psychopaths, who had one? Do you think that the very intense, telepathic and loving communion with The Light of Love could have a life long healing effect on a psychopath and turn him into a respectful and responsible citizen?

"Of course he would have to go through a very intense and highly emotional life review to experience all the hurt, the terror, and the fear he had inflicted on his victims. I am looking forward to your reply." ....Robert

ANSWER:

Well, Robert, that's a question I have not considered before. Psychopaths, no; but those with multiple personalities, various other forms of mental illness, manic depressives, hired killers, and those who were suicidal - yes, many of them. You could argue that a hired killer must be a psychopath, but I do not know that for certain in those cases that I did investigate.

In my book, "Beyond the Light," I talk about several cases of those who were suicidal or who had mental problems, and also in "The New Children and Near-Death Experiences" (especially with those children who were diagnosed with multiple personalities).

What was stunning to me, as per cases with hired hit-men and other such criminals, was how uplifting their episodes were...yet...how incredibly, even horrific, their life reviews were. You would think they would have had a hellish scenario. No. (Maybe one or two did, but the vast majority did not.) That was surprise number one.

Surprise number two was the extensiveness of their life review. Now, that part was hell in the sense of what they had to live through (yes, I said "live") - everything they ever did to another that was hurtful, and then be that person to feel that person's pain and what that person went through, and then be that person's significant others and live what they went through. I mean every pain, blow, betrayal, torture, confusion, depression, despair, and so forth. Life reviews can be like that, but for the criminal element, they can be exceptionally horrible.

Before everyone nods "ah, justice at last," let me add an important observation: as horrific as life reviews can be, the individual viewing/living through one is able to handle this experience in a somewhat detached, objective way. Yes, they suffer. Yes, they feel the pain quite literally. Still, it's as if some part of them, maybe their soul, knows that whatever happened during that lifetime can be used for the greater good, that something beneficial can come out, that nothing (good or bad, large or small) is ever wasted. We can change. We can grow. We can benefit in some manner and use that benefit to fuel a determination to do things better or different next time. And, yes, there is a strong sense of "next time." And for those criminal types I was able to revisit, they did indeed transform their lives afterward, very much for the better, and in remarkable ways that would inspire anyone.

If nothing else, the near-death phenomenon shows us that there is no such thing as a life that is lost. There is redemption, but not always in the manner our traditions and religions teach. Blessings, PMH

QUESTION:

"I read with great interest the information on brain shift that appears on your website. I know you've associated it with near-death experiences and other events, but there is one instance/situation I didn't see and I'd like to ask if my circumstances could apply.

"I lost both of my parents in an automobile accident two years ago. They were in Intensive Care for a few days until they passed; my father one day, my mother the next. I was with both of them and, needless to say, it was surreal.

"I must say that ever since I could remember, I feared death (especially my parents'). I truly lost my fear after I witnessed their passing. I wanted to let you know that so many of the characteristics of 'brain shift' that you listed are things I've experienced in the past two years. I have told some close friends that I've experienced a type of 'detachment' (not completely here, not elsewhere). I had almost completely given up meat (it has no appeal) and create meals with vegetables and grains. My creative output (I do market research) has definitely improved. I'm less timid and able to share my thoughts, writings, and ideas.

"Dr. Atwater, do you think that 'brain shift' could be a result of this experience? Have you heard of anything similar?"....Margaret

ANSWER:

I am now finishing off Phase III of the Brain Shift/Spirit Shift Model, by writing my 10th and last book about my near-death findings. The book comes out late January, 2011, in hardcover, from Hampton/Red Wheel and is called "Near-Death Experiences: The Rest of the Story."

What most people do not realize is that I did this type of research long before I ever died or heard anything about "near-death experiences." In this previous work done in the sixties and early seventies, I found the same or virtually the same pattern true then for anyone who had undergone an impactual transformation of consciousness, be it from a spiritual awakening or from a vision quest or kundalini breakthrough, or Baptism of the Holy Spirit, or whatever. The important thing here is intensity, and how the intensity of our experiences in life affect the limbic system, frontal lobes, brain structure and function, our digestive and nervous systems, our heart and skin sensitivity. There is no way anyone can undergo a spiritual transformation without it affecting one's body. Not possible. One can also understand this by understanding colloidal conditions in water, the stirring of water and reversal of that stirring, and how that creates colloids. (Yes, I explain this in-depth in the book.) Should this intrigue you, you might read my book "Future Memory," as it broaches these topics in a deeper way than I can do with this e-mail. I might warn you, however, that "Future Memory" is really not a book - it is a labyrinth. In order for the book to make sense, once you start reading it, stay on the path (don't skip around). A labyrinth is meant to be walked as it winds. The book is no exception to that. You may find the material in the book quite helpful. Did your parent's death begin the process of a brain shift/spirit shift for you? Sounds to me like it did. Now would be a good time for you to study the aftereffects pattern and where that might lead you. Enjoy your journey. It will take you to places you never dreamed of before. Blessings, PMH

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

******* Sign up now for my free newsletters. Just go to the bottom of the Home Page of my website at www.pmhatwater.com, and fill out name and e-mail address. Addresses are kept confidential and not shared with anyone. I will be doing more and more newsletters - sometimes articles or book suggestions or tips, or...........just personal sharings. Come aboard!

******* Don't miss the terrific conference on near-death experiences September 2-4 in Denver, Colorado. Put on by the International Association For Near-Death Studies (IANDS), it will feature some of the best researchers in the field, including Dr. Pim van Lommel from the Netherlands, all manner of talks and sharings, experiencer panels, timely material on the aftereffects and how that affects experiencers and their families, special talks by Mellen-Thomas Benedict, Maggie Callanan, Dr. Melvin Morse, Dr. Jeffrey Long, myself, Kimberly Clark-Sharp, and many others. The theme this year is "Mysteries of Near-Death Experiences." Register today at www.iands.org. It will be held at the Red Lion Hotel, Denver Central. See you there!!!!!!!!!!

Skeptics and the Fear of Death

QUESTION:

"I was very hesitant about sending you this e-mail, but I cannot take this torment much longer. It has been weeks since this has started, and it isn't the first time. One day, all of a sudden, it came back. . . my fear of death. This last time was two years ago when I started college. Somehow I had gotten over that, but I don't know about this time. I think the reason this is happening to me is because I have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and I keep dwelling on these thoughts (I can no longer afford any medication or therapy). I haven't been able to study anything ever since this has started. If this continues, I will probably flunk college. But I am powerless and unable to do anything. I simply don't have strength any more. I really want to buy your books but unfortunately I live in a third world country. Even though I have the money due to the cheap price of your lovely books, I cannot manage money transfer. I live in a bit of a small house, and my parents are devout Christians. Their beliefs make them happy. I do not want to change that for them.

"So, I decided to read some of the articles in your website. I was feeling better reading them, then I decided to browse around the Internet. I read on a skeptic site about out-of-body experiences, but it was nothing I haven't seen a good reply to, so I was happy. But then I decided to read the comments, and found one that made me shiver and I am more depressed than ever. It was a comment left by someone who used to believe in NDEs, but stopped. The reason he stopped believing is because he went to an IANDS Conference, and he was asking around. He found from one of the researchers who was there, who had been experiencing with people who have OBEs, that despite the large number, none of them had been able to prove they had had an OBE (in the sense that they couldn't describe their surroundings). Is this true? I really want to believe in NDES, but I just can't. Also, I am scared about the AWARE study. What if the researchers come out with negative results? Will that prove that NDEs are not true spiritual experiences?

"On a bit more optimistic note (if that is possible), I have read an article on child near-death experiences. Even though I am 20 years old, I was kind of surprised at how I could relate to the story. I sensed that in some way it described my childhood. Even when I was around 10, I have a rather keen love for 'light.' In the living room, we have a window in which the sun shines right through. I really HATE it when that window is closed. For some reason, I feel like I HAVE to open it, and when I do, I usually like to lay on my back on the couch and just look at the sky. I really dislike the afternoon. It depresses me for some reason. I always felt alienated during my childhood. It was not until college that I met new friends whom I can relate to. I always feel detached from the world. Maybe that is partly due to my ADD and OCD. I have always had a hunger for knowledge, and an amazing zest for life! I liked laughing, studying, and almost anything else (rather ironic considering my situation).

"At first I thought these things were normal, especially since I don't remember having an NDE. But when I read the article on your website about people repressing childhood NDEs, I thought maybe that was the case with me. Do you think that is the case? If so, how do I unlock those memories? Please help me."...Patrick

ANSWER:

I attended that same conference where the man said after decades of work he had yet to find one bit of proof about the validity of out-of-body experiences. He spoke the truth from his viewpoint, but that was only his viewpoint. He did not and could not speak for the field of study, only for himself. In the field of study there are thousands of verifications, more than I can count, really, and within my own research as well. Why people like this "authority" makes statements like this (which are not true), is beyond my understanding. Perhaps it is because he was unable to verify any, and interpreted that to mean no one had. Researchers do that a lot, thinking that what they do and who they are speaks for the entire field. Wrong.

For instance, in the field of near-death studies, there has yet to be a single skeptic who has researched the entire phenomenon (the experience and the aftereffects). They only look into bits and parts, never the whole thing. That means there is no skeptical approach yet that has the bearing and weight of true research. Not one.

The near-death phenomenon does not prove there is an afterlife, yet of all other human encounters, it comes the closest to revealing what death may be and what may happen after death. As a fact, the phenomenon actually reveals more about life than it does death, a life that far exceeds what we think life is, what our faculties are, our purpose or mission in life, and what we are capable of. For this reason, if none other, the near-death phenomenon is the most important field of research today. Whether or not the AWARE project proves anything new or not, it is still a valuable step forward. I personally doubt they will be able to "prove" out-of-body experiences as part of the near-death phenomenon, because of the protocol they are using. It is full of "holes" and may not work. I really doubt that it does work. OBEs as part of near-death states evolve around emotion and are emotional. This is something that bothers "science," and something science has no real way to measure. Pim van Lommel, a Dutch cardiologist, comes out with his great book later in 2009. I am sure it will be most incredible, and with the type of verification scientists should welcome.

Excessive fear is a state of mind. Perhaps something happened to you while you were young, or a past life is "bleeding through" or making itself known. A good past-life regressionist tends to be better than a doctor with this. But you want a trained transpersonal hypnotherapist. This is the best type to go to. You must check credentials, though, to make certain the individual is who he or she claims and has good endorsements.

ADD and OCD can be caused or irritated by diet/allergies in food. A number of psychologists in Canada are now giving such children (those with "learning disorders") food tests to check on food allergies. By doing this and with some good counseling, they are turning around 80% of their cases: no more learning disorders. You may be able to check on this yourself. Investigate through the Internet how to check on foods that may be harmful to you or causing problems. I was born with dexlexia and synesthesia, and became a stutterer because of how I was treated by kids at school. Determination is a funny thing - I was so determined to teach myself how to keep a focus, talk right, read right, that, after three years of effort, I was just fine, did well, and turned my grades around for the better at school. We didn't have special education classes then. If something was the matter with your faculties or brain, that was your tough luck. Guess I was born a fighter, because I refused to accept the verdict. I also had a number of major illnesses as a child. I wouldn't accept them, either. Check your intention. What is it you want? Lay out a plan to get there, do it, and you will. You have to stay the course, however, and not give up.

You're not afraid of death.

You're afraid of life.

Seize the life you have and live it fully - your way - not some other person's way. I like things squared up on table tops and throughout our house and wherever I am. That doesn't make me OCD. It just means I'm a neat-freak. Yup, I can see a dirt ball at 40 paces. Chuckle.

Bless yourself. You have more going for you that against you. Remember that! PMH


ANNOUNCEMENTS:

I have never done this before - telling you about the talks and workshops I offer, but it feels right to do so now. Just access my website at www.pmhatwater.com and move over to the Talks and Workshops Section. You will see that I offer a broad selection: anywhere from subjects like the near-death experience and its evolutionary aspects, to fun-intensives about relearning how to live life's basics in new ways ("Thriving Skills for Dynamic Times"), to rediscovering that life itself is a dream and how we can recognize and interpret "those" symbols ("Day and Night, the Symbols We Create"). And don't forget, Rune Casting Playshops using Goddess Runes (these are not like oracle runes and are much more specific - they are a particular divinatory system that fosters whole-brain development, not just right-brained).

Two new ones have been added (1 1/2 hours each or could be extended into a half-day session), and they are mentioned here. Don't forget I can gear my material to your needs or the wishes of your group. You can easily contact me through my website.

(1) "Revelations from the Near-Death Experience"

• - everyone has a purpose in being born
• - most experiencers return to life because they have more work to do
• - the pressure to be about doing their purpose is relentless
• - some state that the greatest sadness they have endured afterward is never learning what their purpose is
• - child experiencers have a solution to this
• - revelations of the "Big Picture" from adult experiencers
• - revelations of the "Big Picture" from child experiencers

(2) "The Will of the Soul"

• - the incredible power of our soul is unveiled in transformative experiences
• - we begin to recognize that the soul, our soul, has a will and agenda of its own
• - soul cycles, soul waves, soul groups, twin souls, the goal of souls
• - manifestations/ensoulments
• - the human form
• - our comings and goings
• - we have gifts to share
• - the talents we bring in, and what we did with those talents when we leave
• - fate/destiny/free will
• - the numbers 12 and 13

Fear of Death

QUESTION:

"I understand perfectly how busy you are and how many questions you receive, but I simply don't know who else can help me and keep praying that you answer my e-mail.

"Here is my story. My name is Olga. We are from Ukraine and now living in Toronto. Just a few months ago I was the happiest person in the world, surrounded by love, my second marriage is a gift. I have two kids; my baby daughter is almost five months old.

"Suddenly it all changed and collapsed. And I did it myself. A couple of months ago I was playing with my daughter, when I first had a freezing thought: 'Oh, sooner or later we are all going to die. Myself, my husband, my kids....' And I became terrified. Since then I've totally changed. I'm in a constant state of panic. My husband thinks I am going crazy. I have to say that I've never been into spirituality, religion, etc. As the result of that, I began looking for all possible information about afterlife and so on (that's how I discovered you and your amazing research). I read everything I could and became in some ways relieved (maybe survival is real), but even more confused and terrified. I read about very negative NDEs, e.g. one woman saw an evil being literally trying to get her soul out of her. What do you think of this? Can it really be so that at death we'll be harmed, destroyed, or possessed by some evil forces? How to protect ourselves?

"Another question is that I don't know how to live now - when I became obsessed with death. I totally changed; it's like I am another person. I stopped being interested in things like clothes, cars, sex, redecorating my new house, etc. Everything I liked doing doesn't make any sense anymore. At first I thought it to be the postpartum depression, but now I am sure it is not. I look at everybody enjoying their life like from a distance. I don't understand why I changed. I miss the old Olga with all her love, optimism, no fears. But I am not the same person anymore. I am constantly thinking about death with fear and curiosity. I know that I do not want to become a sparkle of light somewhere. I want to be with my husband forever. I want my old life back and don't know what to do. I don't know how to live constantly thinking that we are all going to die and never be together anymore. At the age of 36 I became a zombie. Life became torture.

"I am really crying for help. Thank you very much for your time and understanding. I hope to hear from you."...Olga

ANSWER:

Fear can do terrible things to us when we invite it in. We cannot always know the reasons behind what happens in our lives, but we can take whatever happens and use it to benefit us. We're in charge of our minds, our bodies, our lives. No one else is.

Everything in life, everything, has both a positive and a negative polarity. This is necessary for the creation of stress. Without a certain percentage of stress in existence, there would be no earth, no universe, no life, nothing. The gift of stress is tension. It is that tension that enables light to become dense, dense enough for matter to form. We exist in a world of matter, have a "stage" on which to act out our many parts, because of the tension between stress points: positive/negative. That necessary balance can tip in favor of one polarity over another: too much of the positive can make us lazy, too much of the negative can numb us. Balance is the secret in all things. The great masters of old said this. It is still true.

Right now your life is out of balance to the negative. That's because you have discovered a truth you did not accept nor pay any attention to before. This discovery can be a great gift or a great curse - your choice.

Death is not a negative. We just think it is. Without death, this planet would be in a terrible mess. Death keeps everything recycled, including people. Death "hurts" in the sense that it interupts life; it changes our sense and image of life, ours and everyone else's. But if we understand death and how necessary death is, we come to develop a more realistic and easy relationship with death, with the comings and goings of life, with cycles, with the very pulse of nature and all that is good and holy. You cannot live, really live, until you accept death. Love cannot continue, cannot give us depth and true meaning, cannot have value that is long-lasting and true, if death has failed to convey the contrast between what we think is love and what really is love. This is what the near-death experience teaches so dramatically: 99% of experiencers come back with no fear of death, for they know that death ends nothing but the body we wear. Regarless of whether they had a hellish experience or a heavenly one, they come back with this realization. We are talking about millions upon millions of people here.

An interesting counter-point to the sudden fear of death, to the point that the fear of it disrupts an individual's life (at it has with you), almost invariably, this is a sign (probably from the soul level) that it is time for you to take spiritual studies seriously. It is time for you to begin your spiritual journey, the inner journey, to the heart of what exists within you, the truth of life and death. I would suggest that you begin in a class, perhaps a class in meditation or contemplation, or recognizing the sacred in nature. Walk a labyrinth, plant a garden, volunteer somewhere, pray. You might find that the more metaphysical churches will appeal to you: Unity Church, Church of Religious Science. Google "Science of Mind" magazine. Subscribe to that magazine and start reading it every day. Find yourself some inspiring books to read or other kinds of classes to attend.

There are no guarantees in life - none. We have no way of knowing how long anyone will live or even if our house will stand or our job continue. So, how do you live a life without guarantees? With gusto. Seize the day, each day, and live it to the hilt. Put as much love and joy into each minute as you can - even if those moments are awful, sad, painful, tearful, terrible. Every part of life is good, and that includes the non-so-good. I can say this because I have been dead three times in three months, in 1977. I lost everything, yet what I found was better than anything I had or knew before. You might read my story someday. A brief version is on my website and in Chapter Two of my book "Coming Back to Life" (Transpersonal Publishing, Kill Devil Hills, NC 2008).

A particular litany helped me very much during those frightful times when I was trying to rebuild my life after losing it. The litany is from the science fiction book, "Dune" by Frank Herbert. Although the way I memorized the litany is not what is in the book, here is the Litany of Fear as I memorized it. Why I differed from the original I do not know.

Fear is the mind killer.
It is the little death.
I will face my fear.
It will pass over me, around me, and through me.
And when it is gone.....I will remain.

I used to chant this litany for hours. The litany and the phrase "God is" are what kept me sane. I never gave up. I learned to allow, not force - allow. I allowed God to spread throughout every cell in my body. I allowed my breath to become God's Breath. I allowed my heart to beat in rhythm with the pulse of life and that which heals and helps and affirms Truth. I now consider my deaths to be the most wondrous gift I could ever have been given. In death, I found true life. No, I have yet to recover from the financial setback that followed (if you think writing books makes you much money, think again). Yes, in trusting the Truth of Life, I have learned how to access the source of wealth that exists beyond the physical.

Perhaps this new fear you have is a gift your soul is giving you, so you will be motivated to look beyond the veil and explore the rest of life. The more you look, the more cetainly you will discover what lies within the greatest of mysteries - that life itself is eternal. Many blessings, PMH

ANNOUNCEMENT:

This blog is not meant to be a major or complete source of findings about near-death research - my own or that of others. Its purpose is to serve the public at large through a question/answer format, in exploring the phenomenon of near-death and related issues. Lately I have been criticized for not carrying a more in-depth rendering of research observations and data - not only on this blog - but throughout my website (www.pmhatwater.com). I invite anyone who wishes this type of information to read my various books, especially "The Big Book of Near-Death Experiences," as it contains the largest, broadest, most up-to-date rendering of the subject anywhere to be found.

I have also been criticized for having a section in my website on Goddess Runes and anything to do with things psychic. I make no apologies for this. Discovering and learning to use this ancient form of rune casting the year after my three near-death experiences, is what enabled me to retrain the way my brain worked and become more whole-brained. I highly recommend this particular divinatory system, especially for tweens with learning disabilities, older children who are spatial/visual learners, and for anyone at any age wishing to enjoy the wonder and fun of exploring things sacred and spiritual. Yes, I do give readings. This enables me to serve in a more personal and intimate manner. I am also a Prayer Chaplain. Both endeavors continue the spiritual commitment I have to put God first in my life.

Thank you, PMH