Shared death experiences

[ravensgate]

You're welcome, mac.

Good point about the doctor who had never previously met the patient, raven -- I'd forgotten about that one.

The "little voice" you mention is inside me too, at least sometimes. I occasionally have a sneaking suspicion that when I die I will end up in a loving afterlife where my husband and maybe "god" will jokingly give me a verbal slap upside my head, saying "See? You knew it!". And I'm ok with that, lol.

If you're right that there is something greater, I really don't understand why it should remain a mystery, or at least so much of one. It would make a massive difference to me, to know for sure that an afterlife exists, and I'm sure I'm not the only person who would be affected that way. I can understand that while living our regular human lives we may not be ready or able to know or understand all the details, but just knowing for sure that an afterlife exists, that it's a good place, and that we will be reunited with our loved ones there is really all I would need.

I think - and I could be mistaken, of course - that the problem is the degree of "knowing" that we need. Some people believe they have enough evidence; they do not call it believing, but knowing. Then there are people who doubt others' experiences and also doubt their own experiences! For example, when I saw people who were no longer on this plane, there was no doubt whatsoever that what I experienced was real. My mind was occupied with other stuff (sorting through some lecture notes - not related to death, the afterlife, and the like) when I saw him. The second time I saw another person who had died several years prior, and it was at the grocery store!! As I said, there was no doubt in my mind; but as the days went by I began to wonder....
I also think that for some people, no amount of evidence/proof will be enough because the need to make contact with the deceased is enormous. In fact, I'd go as far as to suggest that even if we saw a loved one and interacted with him/her, after the experience the doubt would creep in again, and we might end up dismissing the entire experience. For me, the beginning of my search for answers began when I saw "something" leave the body of a hospitalized 53 year old woman. At that point in my life I was still a staunch atheist, but that was about to change. Perhaps that was the first pop on the head I received from the Universe. (Some people call it God, some may call it The Greater Reality, I choose to call it The Universe!).
I'm inclined to think there is an afterlife. I continue to be particularly interested in veridical perception accounts; still, my search for answers continues

 

[mac]

As I remarked earlier in posting #17, "Individuals may have a level of psychic sensitivity they are not aware of having." Maybe this awareness is what sometimes manifests as a strong desire to know more and an intuition that what they've heard and/or seen is actually as explained and taught but still is accompanied by nagging doubt.

They're just my thoughts based on what I hear and what I observe and I have no evidence to show it's the case. It frustrates me that such individuals are left in their doubt by situations that didn't do similar to me but to use that horrible saying, it is what it is.

 

[bluebird]

I think - and I could be mistaken, of course - that the problem is the degree of "knowing" that we need. Some people believe they have enough evidence; they do not call it believing, but knowing. Then there are people who doubt others' experiences and also doubt their own experiences! For example, when I saw people who were no longer on this plane, there was no doubt whatsoever that what I experienced was real. My mind was occupied with other stuff (sorting through some lecture notes - not related to death, the afterlife, and the like) when I saw him. The second time I saw another person who had died several years prior, and it was at the grocery store!! As I said, there was no doubt in my mind; but as the days went by I began to wonder....
I also think that for some people, no amount of evidence/proof will be enough because the need to make contact with the deceased is enormous. In fact, I'd go as far as to suggest that even if we saw a loved one and interacted with him/her, after the experience the doubt would creep in again, and we might end up dismissing the entire experience. For me, the beginning of my search for answers began when I saw "something" leave the body of a hospitalized 53 year old woman. At that point in my life I was still a staunch atheist, but that was about to change. Perhaps that was the first pop on the head I received from the Universe. (Some people call it God, some may call it The Greater Reality, I choose to call it The Universe!).
I'm inclined to think there is an afterlife. I continue to be particularly interested in veridical perception accounts; still, my search for answers continues

Yeah, you've pretty much described me there, unfortunately. I cannot seem to help but doubt, even my own experiences, even things which might be signs from my husband. I would hope that if he actually came to visit me, if I could see and hear him for real (not in a dream) that might truly convince me, but I suppose even that I can't know for sure (I think it would convince me in that moment, it's later that I might start to doubt). It's what I want, though. Even a "visitation dream" would be good, although I know it would be harder for me to doubt a visit experienced while I was wide awake than one experienced in a dream.

 

[mac]

I think - and I could be mistaken, of course - that the problem is the degree of "knowing" that we need. Some people believe they have enough evidence; they do not call it believing, but knowing.

Speaking as someone in this category I don't BELIEVE I have found enough evidence. I am comfortably persuaded by the details I have found and the experiences I have had to declare I KNOW what I know now.

As I've pointed out before, I don't have belief or faith concerning spiritual issues. I either understand/know or I don't and I consider myself blessed that understand and know apply for me in terms of survival. Such reassurance allows me to accept some of what others say concerning situations I haven't faced or experienced weighed against the stuff I am comfortable with.

I don't doubt what Ray Moody has to tell us. I don't doubt what others have to say provided it is in overall line with what I am comfortable with. For years I've asked with limited success whether psychics/sensitives/mediums are able to communicate with the spirits of individuals in a persistent vegetative state, coma etc. If they could, if it could be authenticated that information they were getting was highly-probably from the spirit of such an individual based on evidence family could identify and accept, then the value would be enormous. Families would know their loved one was there and alive albeit in a damaged body. That individual could communicate how she/he felt and what her/his wishes were.

I'm a realist, though, and can see the difficulties it would raise so even if such communication were possible - and I'm confident it is possible - the ethical situation would be tricky beyond belief and I'm not confident it would be accepted.