| Research has documented the range of powerful | | | | on my own meditative experiences, I realized that |
| emotions accompanying many Near Death | | | | emotions stemming from meditation can be |
| Experiences and shows how their profound | | | | similar to those resulting from an NDE. |
| effects often transform lives. This article will | | | | In fact, I realized I had experienced all five of the |
| cover the similarities between the near death | | | | above emotions while in meditation, at different |
| experience (NDE) and meditative phenomena, and | | | | times in the past thirty years. Perhaps they were |
| propose ways the practice of meditation can lead | | | | not as brilliant or urgent, but I knew meditation |
| to profound life changes. | | | | could be one way of experiencing these intensely |
| Although no one wants to endure a battle with | | | | beautiful feelings. After all, meditation is an ancient |
| death, suffer a tragic accident or experience an | | | | means of achieving transformation. A particular |
| illness that leads them to the brink of death, most | | | | emotion may come up in a meditative experience, |
| people who have had an NDE feel grateful for it. | | | | alone or in combination with others, but that is |
| Some say it was the single most important and | | | | also the case with NDEs. |
| enlightening event in their lives. | | | | Every NDE is unique. In mine, I felt joy, lucid |
| Emotions | | | | thoughts, vivid imagery, heightened color |
| What are the common emotional components of | | | | perception and freedom from pain. But not |
| a NDE? | | | | everyone does. |
| 1. Unspeakable joy | | | | Similarly, those who mediate often enter sublime |
| 2. Lucid thoughts | | | | spiritual states, encounter remarkable emotions |
| 3. Vivid imagery | | | | and find liberation from worldly attachments and |
| 4. Heightened color perception | | | | problems. |
| 5. Freedom from bodily pain | | | | Tips For Practice |
| The above extra-somatic emotions were found | | | | 1. Meditation is best practiced as a ritual and the |
| to be characteristic of NDEs in a large study done | | | | best results occur when it is a part of one's daily |
| in the last decade, and more recent studies have | | | | life. |
| shown similar results, pinpointing feelings of | | | | 2. Meditate whenever you get the chance -- you |
| euphoria and fearlessness. | | | | don't need to set aside two hours for every |
| In some ways, the survivor of a close brush with | | | | meditation experience. You can feel a sense of |
| death feels like he or she is on top of the world, | | | | wonderful tranquility and calm in just a few |
| and entertains a fresh, new way of viewing the | | | | minutes, once you have a little experience with |
| world and thinking about life. When I had my near | | | | your techniques. |
| death experience in 2003, I came away from the | | | | 3. Practice Vipassana meditation, which can be |
| experience feeling all of the above emotions . . . | | | | integrated with your daily life, and entails |
| joy beyond belief, fearlessness, vivid imagery | | | | developing a clear felt sense of what is happening |
| floating around in my brain, a sense of heightened | | | | as it happens. Once you get the hang of it, it is a |
| color perception and an awareness of great | | | | type of mindfulness that is open to you every |
| beauty in the world, along with lucid and quickened | | | | single moment of the day. Vipassana meditation |
| thoughts that left me feeling as though the world | | | | can lead to profound feelings similar to the |
| had somehow been transformed and was more | | | | emotional after effects of a NDE. It is a kind of |
| lovely and intriguing than I had ever found it. | | | | in-vivo meditation, which can have many |
| My NDE changed my life for good. It was a gift | | | | wonderful long-term benefits. |
| beyond compare, but one that had come at great | | | | For example, by becoming more aware of others |
| personal cost, in terms of pain and suffering, | | | | and yourself, you can attain an acute sense of |
| trauma and other negative consequences. | | | | inter-connectedness, peace and love. You will feel |
| After my recovery, I began investigating NDEs | | | | and think more vividly and deeply. |
| and learning everything I could learn about them. I | | | | Meditation can be your ticket to life-changing |
| wanted to know if it was possible to have a | | | | emotion and awareness. It can lead to the same |
| similar transformational experience without coming | | | | kind of transformational change as a powerful |
| near death. | | | | NDE . . . and, over time, open many inward |
| Findings | | | | possibilities. In the moment, meditation can fill you |
| I discovered that a few people have similar | | | | with great joy and a sense of profound inner |
| experiences as a result of unusual dreams or | | | | peace. |
| meditative and prayerful experiences. Reflecting | | | | |