Most people who have near-death experiences say they have changed their lives in many positive ways. Blackmore notes, "Again and again NDErs describe how different are their priorities, hopes and fears, after their experience" (Blackmore, 1993, p. l25). Most people say their lives change very positively after they have a near-death experience. One woman said, "Before my experience, I guess I was like most people struggling with a better self-image. But I really experienced how precious and how loved I am by God -- the light -- and I am constantly reminded of that in my daily life" (Ring & Valarino, 1998, p. 189). For those who live through near-death experiences, they are meaningful, and many point to a time during the experience when they made the choice to turn back and go on living. In addition, while other memories fade with time, the near-death experience remains vivid and quite real, even after many years have passed. This seems to be another argument that the experiences are real. They are so memorable because they were life changing and unlike any other experience in life.

While many researchers believe in the validity of near-death experiences, many others believe the phenomena can be explained by many other causes. Many people believe these experiences are simply hallucinations brought on by severe stress, as writer Blackmore notes, "At the other extreme are those who dismiss the visions as meaningless hallucinations. Californian psychologist Ron Siegel shows how the descriptions given by dying persons are virtually identical to descriptions given by persons experiencing drug-induced hallucinations" (Blackmore, 1993, p. 3). Other researchers have found they can actually simulate the near-death visions in many people by stimulating a specific area of the brain. Another researcher reports, "What Penfield found was that stimulation of the right temporal lobe in the area of the anterior Sylvian fissure led to typical, reproducible images of near-death states, angels, the Virgin Mary, and other archetypal forms of images with significant physiological and theological aspects attached to them" (Peters, 1994, p. 5). Thus, near-death...

10). Thus, religion, and the acceptance of religion plays an important, even vital, role in near-death experiences according to most experts. Even if the person experiencing the visions is not religious, they all tend to see many of the same things regarding faith, such as peace and serenity, loved ones, and a feeling of security. It is not unusual for a person to become more spiritual or religious after experiencing a near-death encounter.
In conclusion, to the people who experience them, near-death experiences are quite real and almost always change their lives in many positive ways. Author Peters continues, "The near-death experience promotes a sense of peace and love for both self and others" (Peters, 1994, p. 11). While many people argue against near-death experiences as simply a dying mind coping with death, there are many others who believe in the phenomenon without question. Perhaps the most compelling argument in favor of the reality of near-death experiences comes in the experiences of the blind, who have no visual memories to compare with what they see, and yet do "see" something during their near-death experiences. It is difficult to argue with evidence such as that. As research continues into near-death experiences, perhaps researchers will be able to prove for the last time that the phenomena exists, and then, they can move on to understanding how these experiences occur.

References

Blackmore, S.J. (1993). Near-death experiences. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.

Osis, K., & Haraldsson, E. (1997). What they saw: At the hour of death (3rd ed.). Norwalk, CT: Hastings House.

Peters, L. (1994). The internal mystery plays: The role and physiology of the visual system in contemplative practices. Re-vision, 17(1), 3-13.

Ring, K., & Valarino, E.E. (1998). Lessons from the light:…