By chance I came upon an interesting topic “dying”. A research being done by a famous British neuropsychiatrist, Dr. Peter Fenwick, who studies the brain and mind, especially the actual dying process. He answers the most fundamental question of our time-what is consciousness. There are two theories about this- that consciousness is outside and the brain filters it, however the main thrust of modern science say -it is all brain function. He say that the later is too limited. His studies show that consciousness is separate from the brain, and is not product of the brain-as most theories presume. Consciousness is not a function of the brain. This is interesting, as most of the eastern religions state this-including The Tibetan Book of the Dead and even The Egyptian Book of the Dead. How interesting-did the ancients know more about dying than what our modern science knows today? Seems so.
What actually happens preceding death-the actual physical and psychological process is extremely interesting. Often when this topic comes up one cringes a bit and one sort of wants to move along, yet we all have to face it one day. No escape from it, no mercy for all living creatures, including all fauna and flora. His research is very interesting, based on thousands of people with NDE (near death experience) over decades.
Fear of the unknown has much to do with it. Different cultures face death differently-there are certain fundamentals which are culture specific. This is due to world view, religion and cultural roots which impacts it greatly. The different belief systems do influence the experience, but upon examination they all converge and come to the same conclusion. An important fact is that NDEs have a powerful affect on the people that have them and change them profoundly. This does not mean that all to the death experience, there is more to it. Also that the dying process is simply not abnormal misfiring of neurons and that the experiences are illusions of a dying brain. Fenwick believes that consciousness is beyond the brain.
His studies show a number of interesting phenomena. One-before even getting a diagnosis, some time before you may get a premonition or a dream that you will die. Second is that a few weeks ahead of death you get "deathbed visitors"- relatives that come to you. They may stay outside your door, or come in or sit on your bed and they will talk to you. Sometimes spiritual beings come, they behave differently-they may stay outside and be seen through the window, or may come through the door. This process is very comforting. The third phenomena is that you go back and forth into a different reality, like getting conditioned to it. But now new studies out of Switzerland show that at a point you realize that you are going to die-and there is no recovery. This hits you hard as you have never been in this position of no control whatsoever-you realize you have to give up everything you have ever known.
The previous phenomena, going back and forth, happens 90% of the time so research shows. If you don`t give up all, you remain attached-this is the most difficult death, if you do give up all, then you will have a very smooth transition. In post transition you have given all up and you go more and more into the spiritual domain. You have lost all, including ego-you have lost that part of yourself that had differentiated you and you become non-dual. You have lost all your earthly trappings-then you merge with the universe, the greater cosmos and become universal.
Remaining attached creates two great problems in dying- both pulling you in different ways. One of fusion the other pulling back into the limited. This is called spiritual restlessness. There is one more phenomena before actual dying-this is "terminal lucidity". Suddenly you sit up in bed, even ones that have been paralyzed for years will do this-and say goodbye to all. The real question for science is that this even happens to Alzheimer patient who were in a vegetative state suddenly remember and recognize loved ones-say goodbye and lay back and die.
However at this point this is not over for some yet. There is what is called "death bed vision". If you have a loved one you could not say goodbye to, you will visit them. This takes place within half hour of death, or at the time of death. If the person is up-they will have a feeling that something is happening, or that you need help or a catastrophe is happening. If you are asleep, you may get a "narrative dream" and get a positive message: "I am fine, I am alright do not worry".
An other fascinating phenomena are lights in the room-it looks like real light-it can stream out of the dying`s room or just flood the relatives room. At times it is like a golden river of describe as a "golden river of love". This has a very strong spiritual quality to it. This is a very complex phenomena-not all in room can see the light, it depends on the level of attachment to a loved one. The light fades when the person actually dies.
Also at times of death shapes seem to leave the body. Like smoke, there maybe a change in atmosphere, or some actual form leaving. This is also described in The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Then there are clocks that stop at the time of death-even modern clocks stop-flashing the time. Animals will howl, birds often appear on window sills of the dying.
To have an easy death-you have to give up your body to join Universal Consciousness joyfully, lovingly, happily and willingly. You have to be unattached then you become non dual and merge. The evidence is very strong and becoming stronger as the more research is being done.
