Atlanta Weather

| Traffic

Search
Better Health

Have you had a near-death experience?

1:56 pm February 16, 2010, by Joy Johnston

I recently had the opportunity to review a copy of Carole A. Travis-Henikoff’s latest book, “Passings: Death, Dying, and Unexplained Phenomena.” The book explores pre-cognitive dreams, near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences and strange occurrences that can happen as one is dying, based upon events that have happened in the author’s own life. I personally approach these subjects with a skeptical, yet open mind.

iStockphoto.com

iStockphoto.com

Travis-Henikoff opens up and shares with readers some of the most painful moments of her life, involving the illnesses and deaths of loved ones. I found her examples of pre-cognitive dreams, near death experiences and phenomena that took place upon one’s passing from this life to be compelling and unsettling. She also investigates these experiences from a metaphysical angle, such as the light that so many people claim to see in near-death experiences . Travis-Henikoff not only explores the moment of death itself, but the events and processes leading up to passing from this life. It’s definitely a memorable read and I highly recommend the book.

While I have had a moderate amount of pre-cognitive dreams, it was always about something mundane or trivial, not a “singular” dream that stood out in my mind as being as real as reality, as explored in the book. I also know of a family who experienced strange incidents just before the passing of their mother. Was it just a form of mass hysteria induced by grief and exhaustion or was it something else? “Passings” explores such intriguing topics with a balance of human compassion and scientific research.

Have you ever dreamed about an event or experience that became true (pre-cognitive dream)? What about a near-death experience? Have you ever experienced any strange phenomena upon the passing of a loved one?

Follow ajchealthcare on Twitter for more health news and information.

  • Print

24 comments Add your comment

Arhur R Thompson

February 16th, 2010
9:01 pm

2/15/2010

I am 53 years old today.. when I was 13 I had spent the previous 6 years seeing my mother’shealth decline from cancer. After a long week visiting with her, we were home. I was in my bed and awoke at 1am with a vision of my Mom’s face overhead.she said everything would be alright. At 1:10am the phone rang and a distant voice told me Mom had passed at 1:am.

Later when I was 19 coming home from a long weekend of partying in Panama City with a friend from Auburn University , we stopped at a small store to get some smokes and a coke.We got back into the mid size car with Ralph driving and me in the passenger seat. We started out and for some reason I said Ralph “We should put on our seatbelts.” Up to this point I had never worn a seatbelt.

Less than a mile from the store with us traveling at 55MPH on a two lane road near Opp,Ala destiny met with us via a headon collision with a pickup Truck. I remember saying Ralph what is happening.?

What occured in a split second was the truck heading south sideswiped the vehicle in front of us, ran off the road and then hit us headon. At the point of impact,I was thrown forward at the same time the front hood of our car sheared the top of our vehicle off passing over my head by inches.

I only found this out a month later.My recollection was as follows. A loud bang then blackness.
suddenly I was aware of a floating sensation and then quiet. I observed the scene of desolation below with 2 smoldering wrecks of 3 cars. People were milling about on the road and one person was under a sheet along the side of the road. i felt no pain only peace and relaxation. My attention was turned to a bright light above me and I began to drift in this direction. Everything seemed so intensely bright and comforting. As I ascended, I heard a voice state, “You must go back it is not your time. I hesitated and then the light dimmed and my mind suddenly screamed out in pain and anguish. I opened my eyes and raised up from under a red cloth on my body. I screamed in pain as I felt sharp pricks against my back which were the prickles from a thorn bush I was laid on earlier.

My screams brought me rushing back into a world where I spent the next month in a hospital in Montgomery ,Al, underwent facial reconstruction, stomach operations for intense internal bleeding and painful recuperation..After the wreck the rumour had swept back to Auburn University that 2 students had been killed that afternoon and fraternity brtohers congregated at the Lambda Chi House to see if the worst was to be realized, Freind visited me in the hospital later and I always thought how the few decision we made saved us.

My life chagned and i dropped smoking drinkign excessivly and became involved in leadership and becoming the best student I could be. I married in my mid 20’s raised with my wife 3 lovely kids .. now all in their mid 20’s and recently at the age of 53 had my first Grandchild presented ,a sparkling little boy.

I am so thankful for my life and know that the experience I went through was real and life changing!!

Richard Thompson

dfh

February 16th, 2010
9:20 pm

Different people see different things. Some see light, some see a ladder. Some see old friends. As to religious sightings, it’s been said that Christians see Christ, Muslims see Mohammad, The Chinese see Buddah. Basically, we see images that are we made up in our mind at an early age, things that we’re brought up with and taught, not things that everyone sees.

Been there

February 16th, 2010
9:28 pm

I had a serious illness and operation in my late twenties. The doctor that operated on me was a quack and basically didn’t seal up my intestines properly. After being discharged from the hospital I stayed at home with peritonitis (ie. a ‘leaky gut’). One night I was very near death. The pain was unreal and hard to understand unless you’ve actually experienced something like that. I’m talking serious pain – even morphine didn’t help it later. I hope to never experience anything like that ever again. While it may be a cliche, I found myself in a tunnel with a very bright light at the end – not blinding, but very bright. As I went down the tunnel I finally saw it was a person with a seriously bright halo. Others seemed to be around as disciples / angels and hang on every word or action by ‘the bright one’. I’ve never been as calm in my life (and believe me, with the pain I was in I wasn’t exactly calm before that). It was the most calming and serene place I’ve ever been. The being (who I wholeheartedly believe was Jesus or God) said in a very calming voice “Don’t worry, everything will work out in the end”. That was all that was said. It was said in such a way as to be unquestionable. It just was. I was in a totally aware state. It wasn’t like a dream. You have to understand that while not an atheist, I had never been a particularly religious person. There is no doubt in my mind I saw a glimpse of heaven that night. Everything WILL work out in the end, no matter what.

ane

February 16th, 2010
11:36 pm

I was 5 yrs old and went into a swimming pool during the summer in upstate NY. I remember going down with my behind up deeper in the pool at one point [I was a child and didn't understand what was happening] saw myself drifting down deeper. I enjoyed the feeling of watching myself. Suddenly I heard my Fathers voice and others calling me. I knew I had to go back to my body, though I didn’t want to because I was feeling good. I went back and then I kept hearing my father calling me . He told me to put up my hand and as I did, I felt his grabbing my hand and pulling me out. The water soon came out of my lungs. I don’t honestly remember if I was on my back or stomach. This happened in 1948 and the underwater part is fresh in my mind today as if it happened recently. I think that Mr. Thompson recalling his experience with “peace and relaxation” is a very good way of expressing it.

Want to be Single

February 17th, 2010
7:55 am

I’ve been married twice, does that count?

Cece

February 17th, 2010
11:26 am

I was 22 when my mother passed away from kidney failure (this was in 1969). The night after she passed, I experienced a “dream” vision of her face where she looked very young and radiant. Though she didn’t speak, I felt she was happy where she was. I told my family about it and we were all comforted.

Barb

February 17th, 2010
12:35 pm

Every experience is unique. There was a time long ago when I was expecting with my first daughter. A month earlier my Aunt had given a baby shower for me. All my sisters were there. My sister later told me that this was unusual and my Aunt Marion rarely did things like that. One night as I lay in bed ready to drift asleep, I saw my Aunt standing in the doorway. This puzzled me. The next day, my sister called to tell me my Aunt died suddenly the day before. I wasn’t afraid when I saw her but had the sense that she was watching over me and my unborn child.

Barbara Harris Whitfield

February 17th, 2010
2:28 pm

I’m a local here in Atlanta. I had an NDE 35 years ago and it still effects my life. I just released my 5th book on my experience and the experiences of the 100s of people my colleagues and I interviewed at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. For more info please go to http://www.barbarawhitfield.com
And my new book is called The Natural Soul. That’s who we were when we “died.” And that’s what we are yearning for now — not the place we went to but who we were in that place and IT is available now — not just for near-death experiencers but for all of us.

HT

February 17th, 2010
2:29 pm

My father died last month of a massive heart attact. The day of his death, I went to my parents house to be with my Mother. That night, I slept in his bed. I turned the lights off and got in the bed and about a minute later someone sat down on the foot of the bed (The bed actually sunk as if a heavy weight had sat on it). I sat up because I thought my Mom had come into the room to talk to me. However, I didn’t see anyone and I called out to my Mom to ask if she’d been in the room. She han’t, she was in the bedroom next door and in bed. I truly believe that it was my Father letting me know that everything was ok.

s

February 17th, 2010
2:42 pm

Yeah – when I heard OBAMA was elected LOL!

Jason

February 17th, 2010
3:34 pm

Hear, Hear for “S!” I, too, had the same NDE and it was a toss up as to whether I stayed “dead” or came back. I came back and know I made a mistake!
JPC

CJ

February 17th, 2010
9:39 pm

Be careful about “experiences”, as Satan comes as an angel of light to decieve. The only ones who will make into Heaven are those who have accepted Christ, and whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life.

Please, for your own sake, do not believe every spirit/angel/light that tells you it is from God. Jesus is the Only way to Heaven…He is the Door, all others are robbers.”I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”John 14:6

Dee

February 17th, 2010
11:01 pm

I drown when I was 9 yrs old, having a full near death experience. I have dreams that come true all the time. I have been involved with IANDS now for several years and have come to accept these things. We are simple humans, we do not know the answers to everything. For those of you who chose to make silly political comments…get over yourselves…

SavedbyGraceAlone

February 18th, 2010
2:25 am

Here is an important question. Will you go to Heaven or Hell when you die? Do you consider yourself to be a good person? Here is a quick test to see if you truly are a good person:

How many lies have you told in your life? Have you ever stolen anything? (The value of the item is irrelevant). Have you ever used God’s Name in vain? (The same God whose heaven you expect to go to when you die). Jesus said, “Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Have you ever looked with lust? Will you be guilty or innocent on the Day of Judgment? Will you to go Heaven or Hell?

If you have done those things, God see you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart. That means you’ll be found guilty. The Bible warns that if you are guilty you will end up in Hell. God, who the Bible says is “rich in mercy” sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross for us guilty sinners. We broke God’s Law, but Jesus paid our fine (what we owed for breaking His Law). That means that God can legally dismiss our case. He can commute our death sentence.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Then He rose from the dead and defeated death.

God doesn’t want you to go to Hell. He can forgive you. Please, repent (turn from sin) today and God will grant everlasting life to all who trust in Jesus. Then read your Bible daily and obey it. We will all die in time. When will your turn come? Please don’t put off your eternal salvation. Get right with God today. http://www.livingwaters.com

SavedbyGraceAlone

February 18th, 2010
2:26 am

The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.” Psalm 53:1

“…That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’” Romans 10:9-11

Durwood

February 18th, 2010
7:50 am

Yes, I experienced a near death experience. When I was 15, I was in the backyard smoking. My mom walked around the corner and caught me, and yep, I had a near death experience.

Rectal Bleeding

February 18th, 2010
8:50 am

I had a vision that nearly scared me to death:

President Sarah Palin

Nottingly

February 18th, 2010
9:35 am

I was in the midst of natural child birth, when I started to slide out of this world. I saw light and a tunnel leading towards it. I started to go in that direction, but then heard the nurse say “stay with us here.” Several years later, I had the same experience, but that time I decided not to go towards that light because I couldn’t leave my children without a mother.

I have no doubt that three people close to me that passed away came by after death to check on me. It was wonderful.

Single2

February 18th, 2010
9:37 am

@Want To Be Single: ROFLMAO!!!

LibraryJim

February 18th, 2010
4:04 pm

Have I had a near-death experience? Every April 15th!

moddyd

February 18th, 2010
4:19 pm

sga stfu

Melody

February 18th, 2010
5:12 pm

Back in 1984, I had a premonition dream that my Great Aunt would die of a heart attack three days later. I dreamt that my sister would try to perform CPR on her, but she would die anyway. I told my sister, but she didn’t believe me. Three days later, it happened exactly as I had dreamed.

Ella

February 22nd, 2010
5:12 pm

HT- I have also had the experience of someone sitting on my bed. The mattress depresses.
This has happened to me 3 times.
I also believe it is either someone in my life who has passed or an angelic being and is there to let me know they are there and are with me.

Tom

July 10th, 2010
7:59 pm

In 1983 I had a precognitive dream of a NDE. I was in a hospital for minor surgery at the time. Doctors wanted to use a general anesthetic and I agreed. A series of dreams began the evening I signed the authorization for the general anesthetic and continued right up to the night before surgery.

In one of these dreams I was standing at the foot of my hospital bed looking at my corpse and thinking to myself that I had stopped breathing in my sleep. In this dream I was filled with a great sense of compassion and viewed the corpse as something akin to a friend. Some of the other dreams during the three nights prior to surgery troubled me. In one of them I was gripped by terror and helplessness as I pounded my fists frantically upon an impenetrable wall screaming I’m not dead. They made a mistake. I was full of forgiveness for the doctors but knew nobody would ever know the truth about what had happened to me. I awoke from this dream surrounded by a sense of claustrophobia which continued for a few moments after I awoke. This dream and the emotions attached to it forced me to try and think of a solution to what I viewed as an impending future. The only dream that contained any useful information was the dream where I was looking at my corpse realizing I had stopped breathing in my sleep.

In the morning after the dream of pounding on the impenetrable wall I started to ask the doctors what it meant when someone stopped breathing in their sleep. The answer I received was that it was a possible side effect of a general anesthetic. So, I asked the doctors to use a local for the sugery. They used a local anesthetic. Shortly after the operation, while back in my hospital room an unexpected complication developed. I had to get out of my hospital bed and find someone to bring it to their attention.

For days after this complication I was hooked up to a machine that removed water and blood from my lung. I went into respritory distress twice. Today I have the lung capacity of someone with only one lung due to scarring.

I believe if I had not changed the choice of anesthetic to be used and had the surgery under general anesthetic instead of a local I would not have been able to bring my distress to the attention of the doctors who would later place one of two chest tubes in my side to save my life.

In the years since this event I was troubled by the emotions attached to the dream of pounding on the impenetrable wall and the distress attached to being buried with the truth. I tried to write about it once on a discussion board about life after death. If anyone is interested in reading it Google Fatal Medical Error. You’ll find it under the heading Fatal Medical Error and Non-Disclosure.