Thoughts on death and dying

[armymedic571]

Ruff,

Maybe faith is just that.....faith. Perhaps we are not supposed to understand some things. We cannot explain it away. We just have to hav faith. Who knows what will happen. Who cares.....It's what YOU believe and no one else...........

Anywho, stay strong, as for one day, you will learn the answer to that question. As we all will.

Remember, dont mourn death. Celebrate life.

Jeff

[Richard B the EMT]

The "Near Death" experiences, as not witnessed by Lone Star, but witnessed by others, go from the White Light, voices saying go to, others saying run from, dead family members telling them "It's not your time", some claim to be floating above their own bodies as resuscitation efforts continue.

I've never been that close to that situation, so I really don't know what to say, that I haven't said already.

[HERBIE1]

When I went in for surgery to treat a giant cerebral aneurysm, the neurologist clinically induced hypothermia, so that he would have an extra 30 minutes with the skull open.

During the 'rewarming period' I went into cardiac arrest not once, but twice. I ended up getting zapped twice during the ordeal. (Yes, it friggin HURTS!).

I don't recall any 'white lights', no 'beckoning late relatives' and no voice 'calling me home'. I didn't have any 'out of body experience' and never got to watch them working on me. None of the stuff that we see claimed on television. I was kind of bummed because of it!

*Edited to correct spelling error

Lone Star-

Well, religion is all about faith, and by definition, that means there is no proof of any life after death. Either you believe or you do not(or you may simply be waiting for proof). We have yet to see physical evidence other than accounts of folks coming back from the brink. Like you said, I too was bummed that nothing happened- at least that I recall.

So- all the accounts (of seeing the light, watching them work on your body, seeing dead relatives, etc) are either man made explanations of biological/physical changes our bodies go through in a near death experience, or maybe it's simply that not everyone gets to recall such experiences.

[emtannie]

I had to sit on this one for a bit before I responded… so many things come to mind.

Although I believe in heaven, I don’t think that moving from life to death is instant. I remember as a young child being very ill with pneumonia and chicken pox (not a good idea to have at the same time), and remember seeing my mother and an uncle crying, and watching them from some place above the scene… I remember Mom saying that I was dead, and thinking “if you would just look up, you would see me”… that has always stayed in my head. I remember the look on Mom’s face when some time later, I told her what I had seen and heard. Apparently I wasn’t breathing, I had no pulse, and I was cool to touch, but before the doctor arrived to call time of death, I started breathing again.

That has always had me thinking… when we leave our life for wherever we go in death, is it instant, or is it a journey, like life is? I think it is a journey, not just a “hey, I am checking into Heaven’s Hotel, or Hell’s Bates Motel…” at the instant we die.

Several here have said they didn’t have an out of body experience, or the “move to the light” situation, or voices saying it is not their time. Maybe, like other life experiences, everyone is different. When we sleep, there are times when we do not dream, and while sleeping, our sense of the passage of time is dulled. Perhaps the transition from this life to death, or the next life, is the same way – maybe there is a transition time where our sense of time is dulled, and our experiences, just like dreams, all differ.

Many religions, and many cultures, have references to “life after death” or “circle of life.” Religions put it into the perspective of going to heaven or hell, and cultures refer to it as moving to another realm or another life. Why can’t both be true? Look at many ancient cultures, who prepared their dead for journeys into “the next world.” I don’t think that religion is the only right idea. I think there is validity in the cultural aspect of the next life as well.

As most here, I have seen people die painful and horrible deaths, and I have seen those who have passed away peacefully. I have seen those who have fought it to the bitter end, and those who welcomed it with open arms. Although I feel for those who died a painful death, I have always felt that once they died, they left that pain and suffering behind, and were now feeling comfort, if not peace. It has always appeared to me that once a person has died, there is a certain calmness after.

To me, death is just another journey, just like life. I do not know what the details of death will be, just as I don’t know the details of my life a day, a week, or a month from now. I don’t think death is something to be scared of… it is just another part of us that we can’t really control. As with others here, if I spend my life worrying about what happens after, I miss the opportunity to enjoy the now. I want to spend my now doing my best to enjoy life, not in a completely selfish manner, but in a way that I can have a positive impact on those around me. I will worry about death when it happens.

[tcripp]

Very interesting question. I started to read the posts from others but decided that that might skew my response. Without being able to cite for or against religion, I feel that this one is difficult to answer, but you did use the word "wholly".

I like to believe that there are two parts to the whole...the body and the soul. At the point of death, the body is nothing more than the vessel and that is what we bury or cremate. The soul moves on. Now, I do believe in Heaven and Hell, but my idea of Hell is not fire and brimstone, but rather the lack of moving on...these souls are recycled. I believe in the possibility of reincarnation and that souls keep coming back until they (we) get it right. Once we get it right, then I believe in the biblical definition of Heaven - all the rewards and such. This is where I see my lost loved ones when I think of them. You know, "Pappy is out fishing with Uncle Troy" or "Mimi is cooking for everyone and not having to do a single dish...cuz that's what she'd like to be doing".

I'm not sure about bright lights and such, but I don't discount any of that...there is, I'm sure, some way of notifying the soul of which direction it needs to be going. :-)

The only thing that I know for certain is that if I were to be taken from this world tomorrow, I have been blessed. My husband and daughter, my family, my friends and the ability to work in many different fields in both paid and volunteer positions. There have been bumps along the way, but everyone of them has made be a much better person.

I have been blessed.

[rock_shoes]

To be perfectly honest what happens after I die isn't something I've put much thought into. I've never held to any particular religious views and considering the death and destruction caused in the name of religion (I'm not pointing fingers in any specific direction. Just saying...) I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.

I believe in being the best person you can possibly be, whatever that entails for you. If in the end being a good person results in some kind of everlasting reward so be it. If it doesn't and you simply rot in the ground then that's ok too. At least you made a positive difference while you were alive. I will say this. If you die and no one misses you, you're either a poor excuse for a human being or you're so damn old you've outlived all your loved ones. Either way it is time to go.

Maybe we just keep getting re-cycled, I mean re-incarnated. I have enough different pieces of footwear I might have been a woman in a past life.

[Kaisu]

I have been extremely privileged to experience a lot of life. My life started pretty badly... the out of body stuff... disassociation... kids are good at it. Our brains don't know at that age what's possible and what isn't and getting out of the body to a safe spot near the ceiling is a damned creative way to escape something unbearable. That being said, after being through more shit (and more joy and happiness) in one lifetime than many can claim in several, I have come to an unshakable knowledge that God is good. I feel loved beyond measure, protected in every way possible and more grateful than I can say for my life.

What happens after? I really don't know, but I do know that it will be good and when my time comes, I will meet it the way I meet life... with joy and expectation and the thrill of the adventure.

God bless you all

[Richard B the EMT]

I remember as a young child being very ill with pneumonia and chicken pox (not a good idea to have at the same time), and remember seeing my mother and an uncle crying, and watching them from some place above the scene… I remember Mom saying that I was dead, and thinking "if you would just look up, you would see me"… that has always stayed in my head. I remember the look on Mom's face when some time later, I told her what I had seen and heard. Apparently I wasn't breathing, I had no pulse, and I was cool to touch, but before the doctor arrived to call time of death, I started breathing again.

By that description, Annie, it seems you might have experienced something called "Astral Projection". My friends that claim to have some psychic ability, say they can control it, to visit places, sometimes at great distance from where their body is, physically. If you can do this, theoretically, I won't see you here in Belle Harbor, NY, but you'd see me, Lady J, and Momma B in my living room, while your physical body would still be (insert name of your home community), sitting in the La-Z Boy recliner, seemingly passed out.

[Chief1C]

Thanks to denial, I am immortal.

[Kaisu]

Thanks to denial, I am immortal.

And your ass glows!!!