May 2006

Researchers at the Neurology department of the University of Kentucky define near death experiences as a time during a life-threatening episode when someone experiences what they feel is an “out-of-body experience, unusual alertness or sees an intense light or feels a great sense of peace”.

These researchers suggest that there is a biological basis for these experience, but wonder about its potential meaning. Professor Kevin Nelson says, “However, I hesitate to call it dreaming or dreaming while awake.”(our italics) (See news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4898726.stm for more)

We, Amy and Arny Mindell applaud the neurologist for his biological theory and for his saying, “the theory did not automatically rule out a spiritual dimension to near death experiences.’ We are researching near death experiences. We are studying how learning to “dream while awake” (See Arny’s book with that name) may possibly ameliorate or at least assist making such near death experiences a more integral and meaningful part of life (as well as the death experience). At this point, it seems to us that near death experiences are examples of what we call the “big U”, a central part of personal myths. In addition, we are researching the social impact and significance of such experiences.