IS IT POSSIBLE ANOTHER LIFE?

Dr. Eben Alexander

The issue of whether there is life after death has been the subject of many articles and publications that, with varying success, have always called the attention of many readers, though, as it is logical and natural, in the end, can not be get any definitive conclusions, beyond credibility you want to grant those who show their personal experiences in this matter. Although this issue was largely forgotten in recent years, most recently, with the publication of the book "Proof of Heaven", surfaced on October 23, 2012, of the hands of the prestigious Harvard neurosurgeon, Eben Alexander, in which the author claims to had traveled to another dimension during the course of a coma, which put his life in grave danger, in that has been engulfed an week, trying to confirm, from his own body experience (autoscopy), the existence of life beyond death, the issue returns now again to become topicality. What catches the attention of this new input to calls NDE (near death experience), is that the author, who has operated thousands of brains to  the throughout his career, had always been very skeptical over all  manifestations attributed to the spirit, was not a believer, the concepts of God, heaven and eternity were not in their ideology, and had come to say that what religious people call "soul" is really just only a product of the brain chemical. The story is really very interesting and disturbing and has attracted powerfully attention to all the readers in the U.S., especially for the reason that the magazine Newsweek took charge of the matter, generating an intense debate between proponents and opponents of these theories. In this regard, the renowned psychiatrist and philosopher Raymond Moody, perhaps the world's foremost expert in this area, which has several publications on the subject, has spoken to the effect that near-death experiences, as described by the Dr. Eben Alexander, is the most astonishing that he has heard for more than four decades devoted to the study of these phenomena. How could it be otherwise, the echoes of this debate have also reached to Europe, and it seems that the issue promises to give enough to talk inside and outside of specialist circles. It is possible that, before long, we will have access to the opinions and assessments of the experts on this side of the Atlantic.

Raymond Moody

Since 1975, when it was published the book "Life After Life", written by the above mentioned Raymond Moody , which, by the by, became a bestseller and was brought to the big screen, until 1984, in which was published that of Robert Kastenbaum (professor of gerontology at the university of Arizona and an expert in clinical psychology), under the title "is there life after death?" have being published several papers related to this subject that have come to capture the attention and interest of many people around the world, being,  later, practically forgotten. The recent work of Eben Alexander, with new contributions on the matter, with the singularity of being narrated by the protagonist himself, coupled with its unique characteristics, will certainly revive the controversy and will bring  many discussions and comments. What does seem clear is that in no case will go unnoticed.

The heaven, perhaps?

Personally, although I have been educated in the principles of the Catholic faith, which teaches us that death is only the beginning of another life, the truth is that, despite how much I have read on the subject, I am not nothing sure of that this can be true. If, by definition, all the material is finite, the possibility of life in an immaterial dimension, spiritual necessarily, relative to the immortality of the soul, compatible with the enjoyment and pleasure of a eternity, enjoying of an idyllic paradise, as principle and end primary of all religious beliefs, is not, in my judgment and discretion, accessible to human understanding, and for that reason, has no ability to be tested. Therefore, I think anyone will have never the ability to affirm, even nor deny, whether there will be another life, in another plane, or in another dimension, but, however, of what I am completely convinced, is that nobody has gone forever while remain in the memory of others, or, more specifically: "not disappear what dies, but yes what is forgotten." What is most sad and unfortunate is that in a world so dehumanized as  we're living now , which considers all  material above the feelings, where we  usually request before giving,  where we deal less of the others to focus on ourselves, in which the concept of family and friendship is being gradually shifted to a secondary plane and subordinate to other temporal interests, increasingly we are leaving less place for emotions and, therefore, for the memories. Thus, the inevitable physical separation, derived from real death, does not take long time to fall into oblivion and, hence, to the authentic and definitive disappearance of being. Beyond this, possibly nothing.

Is somebody there?

I think nobody would displease the idea of being able to be found, at the end of our earthly life, with all those loved ones who have preceded us in the way of life, to those, with so much sadness and pain, we had one day to say goodbye. How much could we say to all those people who, besides giving us the life, attended us to all our needs, were looked after in sickness, protected us when we were helpless, educated us and provided us with the tools needed to start our own destiny, without , for one reason or another, we not have had  time or opportunity to thank they all the efforts and dedication that, so fondly and disinterest, have dispensed us, and even apologize to them for all that we could have caused  grief or sadness to they. No doubt than, if we had that opportunity, it would be really wonderful, but, as often happens with everything that is too beautiful or attractive, at the end, as usual, always becomes impossible or unworkable. I fear that with this, and by applying the same rule, the same thing could happen.

Where to?

All experts in paranormal phenomena that have been interested by the ECM, and that , with varying degrees of success, have tried to investigate about them, have never been able to contribute anything definitively concerning the  question of whether or not there is life after death, beyond some motives for thought. Not there are few who argue that, although real looking for those who reported having had these experiences, at bottom, are nothing more than mere fantasies produced by the brain under conditions of extreme stress; however, there are others who think otherwise. In any case, live with the hope that another life it is possible does no damage, can be of some help and, what is more importantly, it's something that if does not exist, we will never be able to feel no disappointment.

C. Diaz Fdez.

Oviedo, January 2013

P.S. - By the message it contains, loaded of emotive, I want to supplement this article with the poem that the book "Proof of Heaven" incorporates in its final chapter. For my part, I confess that its reading, framed within the depth of the book, thrilled me particularly.

“When Tomorrow Starts Without Me”
(Author believed to be
David Romano)

When tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
all filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry

The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me,

Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready,
In heaven far above
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.

I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
and all the fun we had.

If I could re-live yesterday
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates
I felt so much at home
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,

He said, "This is eternity
And all I've promised you.

Today your life on earth is past
But here life starts anew.

I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day's the same way,
There's no longing for the past.

You have been so faithful,
So trusting and so true.

Though there were times
You did some things
You knew you shouldn't do.

But you have been forgiven
And now at last you're free.

So won't you come and take my hand
And share my life with me?"

So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart.

<> <> <>  ><  <> <> <>