Beyond Death The Afterlife By Lisa Miller
Since humans have had the ability to reason, many have been curious about what truly happens after one leaves the physical world for good. According to certain religions, reincarnation or going to heaven are among the most popular concepts for what occurs after death. An Article titled “Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife” written by Lisa Miller, Director of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, shows possibilities of life continuing after death by describing the experiences certain individuals have claimed to have seen during a near-death experience (NDE). The individuals stated that they lifted away from their own physical body after having their brain completely shut down due to a variety of medical problems.
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During the out-of-body experience, or what can also be called the “Astral Dimension,” many claimed to experienced calmness, peace and God.
Miller notes the opinion of a neuroscientist, Andrew Newberg, who argues that NDEs are only chemical and physical responses from the human brain that occur to humans that are dying or that are already dead. Additionally, Miller also gives incite on what Emily Williams Kelly, a psychologist who works at the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies, had to say about NDEs. Kelly argues that after the death of a human being, there can’t be any chemical or physical responses causing one to go into an afterlife. She claims that once the brain is “off,” the mind is gone and there can’t be an explanation on why many have experienced an afterlife. Like many people, I have had many thoughts and sleepless nights thinking what actually happens after death. After many experiences and extensive research into the subject, I would have to agree with the notion that there is in fact an afterlife to which the living among us has yet to
transcend. In “Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife,” a neuroscientist named Andrew Newberg claims that some parts of the nervous system continue to function after a human is declared dead, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic system. Newberg argues that these two complex parts of our nervous system are responsible for why individuals claim to be out of their bodies after death. However, scientists who authored a study entitled “Near-death experiences in non-life-threatening events and coma of different etiologies,” defy Newberg’s claim by explaining that NDEs and the experiences that occur during one cannot be explained by some reason. In the conclusion of the study, scientists specifically state “The question whether the NDEs' extraordinary features can be fully explained by cerebral activity is still a matter of debate and a challenge awaiting the neuroscientific analysis of this phenomenon is to identify the neural correlates of such a physiologically real yet unexplained cognitive experience.” This argument refutes Newberg’s claim since scientists have not been able to find a correlation between cerebral activity and NDEs. While science continues its research and studies for NDEs, I specifically believe that during a NDE an individual’s energy, or soul is converted into a realm I’d like to identify as heaven. Humans are limited to the physical world and are only able to comprehend what is in our realm and not what is beyond it. Because of our limits, it is impossible for neuroscientists to truly identify what is happening during a NDE. As far as any of us really know, it can be possible that during a NDE it might not have anything to do with cerebral activity but within the soul to whom it is happening too. As evidence, Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon and author of Proof of Heaven, implies that our soul exists outside of our mind and body, and can travel into different dimensions or realms such as heaven. Alexander claims and defends his words after experiencing a NDE during a time when he slipped into a coma. Before ever experiencing a NDE, Alexander was against the idea of God and the afterlife. After Alexander awoke from his coma, his ideas had been drastically altered to the point where he became a strong believer in the afterlife. Emily Williams Kelly, the psychologist who was mentioned in the article “Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife,” addresses that there is more to the mind and consciousness that humans cannot fully understand. Kelly explains that there are other unique functions or properties of our mind and consciousness that can alter the way the physical world is perceived. Additionally, Kelly argues that NDEs have to be that unique function from our consciousness or soul, giving us the ability to travel into different realms like heaven. Kelly’s insight about consciousness is an important factor for explaining NDEs because it is also a subject that has been a mystery to neuroscience. In my own views, I believe consciousness is a unique formless energy within us. Eckhart Tolle, famous author of The Power of Now, influenced my idea of consciousness by explaining that it is what we are, and that it is ever present and does not exist within time. It makes sense that only our consciousness would only be able to reside in heaven after death because it is what we essentially are as soon we are born in the physical world. In conclusion, the afterlife brings curiosity to most people who live in the physical world. Individuals who believe or don’t believe in an afterlife will transition to what comes after our physical realm. Our intellect and consciousness that is soon to leave our body will be in a peaceful and present state for eternity. When death comes upon us, our body will stay on the physical realm and our energy, or consciousness, will have to take form within some thing or realm such as the afterlife. As Famous physicist, Albert Einstein once stated “Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another.” On the other hand, it is possible that NDEs and the concept of an afterlife can soon be defied by science in the time coming. Many scientists believe it is a “defensive mechanism of our mind” (“Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife”) that occurs during a NDE and is also responsible for the different realms people claim to have seen. It can be possible but, it is also important to take notice of the unexplainable theories in the universe even in our technologically advanced world today. For example, taking note on how vast our universe is and how it came to be is yet something mysterious to science. I like to think of science as the study of Gods intelligent complexed creation. I believe that science would only be able to go so far until it hits a boundary line. That boundary line could be figuring out what happens after the death of a human being. It cannot be understood mainly because it is beyond limits in our physical dimension. The afterlife is only to be discovered once our time has come to separate from our bodies.
During the out-of-body experience, or what can also be called the “Astral Dimension,” many claimed to experienced calmness, peace and God.
Miller notes the opinion of a neuroscientist, Andrew Newberg, who argues that NDEs are only chemical and physical responses from the human brain that occur to humans that are dying or that are already dead. Additionally, Miller also gives incite on what Emily Williams Kelly, a psychologist who works at the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies, had to say about NDEs. Kelly argues that after the death of a human being, there can’t be any chemical or physical responses causing one to go into an afterlife. She claims that once the brain is “off,” the mind is gone and there can’t be an explanation on why many have experienced an afterlife. Like many people, I have had many thoughts and sleepless nights thinking what actually happens after death. After many experiences and extensive research into the subject, I would have to agree with the notion that there is in fact an afterlife to which the living among us has yet to
transcend. In “Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife,” a neuroscientist named Andrew Newberg claims that some parts of the nervous system continue to function after a human is declared dead, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic system. Newberg argues that these two complex parts of our nervous system are responsible for why individuals claim to be out of their bodies after death. However, scientists who authored a study entitled “Near-death experiences in non-life-threatening events and coma of different etiologies,” defy Newberg’s claim by explaining that NDEs and the experiences that occur during one cannot be explained by some reason. In the conclusion of the study, scientists specifically state “The question whether the NDEs' extraordinary features can be fully explained by cerebral activity is still a matter of debate and a challenge awaiting the neuroscientific analysis of this phenomenon is to identify the neural correlates of such a physiologically real yet unexplained cognitive experience.” This argument refutes Newberg’s claim since scientists have not been able to find a correlation between cerebral activity and NDEs. While science continues its research and studies for NDEs, I specifically believe that during a NDE an individual’s energy, or soul is converted into a realm I’d like to identify as heaven. Humans are limited to the physical world and are only able to comprehend what is in our realm and not what is beyond it. Because of our limits, it is impossible for neuroscientists to truly identify what is happening during a NDE. As far as any of us really know, it can be possible that during a NDE it might not have anything to do with cerebral activity but within the soul to whom it is happening too. As evidence, Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon and author of Proof of Heaven, implies that our soul exists outside of our mind and body, and can travel into different dimensions or realms such as heaven. Alexander claims and defends his words after experiencing a NDE during a time when he slipped into a coma. Before ever experiencing a NDE, Alexander was against the idea of God and the afterlife. After Alexander awoke from his coma, his ideas had been drastically altered to the point where he became a strong believer in the afterlife. Emily Williams Kelly, the psychologist who was mentioned in the article “Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife,” addresses that there is more to the mind and consciousness that humans cannot fully understand. Kelly explains that there are other unique functions or properties of our mind and consciousness that can alter the way the physical world is perceived. Additionally, Kelly argues that NDEs have to be that unique function from our consciousness or soul, giving us the ability to travel into different realms like heaven. Kelly’s insight about consciousness is an important factor for explaining NDEs because it is also a subject that has been a mystery to neuroscience. In my own views, I believe consciousness is a unique formless energy within us. Eckhart Tolle, famous author of The Power of Now, influenced my idea of consciousness by explaining that it is what we are, and that it is ever present and does not exist within time. It makes sense that only our consciousness would only be able to reside in heaven after death because it is what we essentially are as soon we are born in the physical world. In conclusion, the afterlife brings curiosity to most people who live in the physical world. Individuals who believe or don’t believe in an afterlife will transition to what comes after our physical realm. Our intellect and consciousness that is soon to leave our body will be in a peaceful and present state for eternity. When death comes upon us, our body will stay on the physical realm and our energy, or consciousness, will have to take form within some thing or realm such as the afterlife. As Famous physicist, Albert Einstein once stated “Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another.” On the other hand, it is possible that NDEs and the concept of an afterlife can soon be defied by science in the time coming. Many scientists believe it is a “defensive mechanism of our mind” (“Beyond Death: The Science of the Afterlife”) that occurs during a NDE and is also responsible for the different realms people claim to have seen. It can be possible but, it is also important to take notice of the unexplainable theories in the universe even in our technologically advanced world today. For example, taking note on how vast our universe is and how it came to be is yet something mysterious to science. I like to think of science as the study of Gods intelligent complexed creation. I believe that science would only be able to go so far until it hits a boundary line. That boundary line could be figuring out what happens after the death of a human being. It cannot be understood mainly because it is beyond limits in our physical dimension. The afterlife is only to be discovered once our time has come to separate from our bodies.