posted October 13, 2007 02:03 PM         

The first near-death experience book is Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody, the first to truly study them. It's a good place to start when reading about NDEs.

Dr. Gary Schwartz did an indepth study on the survival of consciousness and the existance of the afterlife at the University of Arizona, and the first book on it is The Afterlife Experiments (about $13 on Amazon). The website for the continuing research is http://veritas.arizona.edu. I highly, highly recommend that book for you and your brother. He also has two other books available.

These sites have a lot of information and a lot links to more sites with even more information: http://near-death.com (Even has a list of celebrities who have had NDEs and their experiences.) http://www.nderf.org

An excellent article: http://science.howstuffworks.com/near-death-experience1.htm

Betty J. Eadie wrote a wonderful book about her NDE, one of the most detailed descriptions of the experience. Her website is http://embracedbythelight.com/index.htm. Her book Embraced by the Light is about $7 on Amazon. I also highly, highly recommend that book.

posted October 13, 2007 04:39 PM         

I do have a personal death experience that I am more than happy to share with you, though I'd rather not post it to this board.
Note: I said death experience, not near death experience.
This experience I had at the age of just 4 years old altered or rather set the tone and pattern for my thinking for the rest of my life and continues to do so today.
No there was no white light, tunnel, or angels present. Yes, my spirit COMPLETELY detached from my physical body. No there was no fear or emotion at all towards the flesh. I actually found it somewhat absurd that my friends, family, and medical crew were fussing over my body so.
If you are interested in hearing the events of this true life story please contact me via email yourfriendinspirit@gmail.com

I don't really know how this will help your brother. It is after all not yet, his experience. I can give validation that I myself DO NOT FEAR DEATH. I'd be more than willing to share the events via telephone with him as well if he's up for it. (This would seem more personal and comforting, I believe. As well as give him the opportunity to ask any questions he may have. I would be pleased to answer any that I am able -directly aquired from this experience)

posted October 13, 2007 04:55 PM         

I am very sorry to hear about your brother. I have not had any near-death experiences, but i have found a couple of books that were very helpful to me in my grieving process after the death of my grandfather. Perhaps they could be of some help and comfort to your brother and your family as well.

(1) Many lives, Many masters- Brian Weiss
(2) Only Love Is Real- Brian Weiss
(3) Conversations with God, Books I, II, and III- Neale Donald Walsch

posted October 13, 2007 05:54 PM         

i really wish i could say something helpful here but i guess death is a topic that terrifies the best of us, we know it is the truth we cant escape it but we simply cant except it either...why? i wish i knew.
my 2cent on what happened to me..
i had 1 not near to death experience but a small accident in which i was painfully struggled to breath but i couldnt breath through my nose or my mouth and i reached a point when i realized this is it! this is my end!...my exact thoughts before dying(during my experience)were
"this it?is this really my end?..is this really how i was supposed to die? why didnt i get enough time to say good bye to my loved ones? why cant i see them for the last time? i cant die without saying goodbye to my family that i love so much...i dont want to go so soon..where am i going to go after this? my loved ones are going to be so sad when they find out i am no more.."
i felt so much pain, confusion and sadness i couldnt even cry..my eyes poped wide open looking around to find someone to save me... thanks to God thanks to my mom i was saved but i really cant describe that terror that pain of actualy experiencing such a momment when you know this is finaly your end! no second chance..its over!
that experience has made me think alot about
1- i take life for granted as if i am going to live forever.
2- how unprepared i felt when i knew i was going to die... i was shocked and scared more than anything else.
3-why i never discussed death with my parents, my brother/sister my boyfriend.

after this experience i believe no matter how painfull or sad it may be but i have to discuss this with my family and research more on the spritual aspect of life n death after all sooner or later one of us has to go ... so why not talk about it and be prepared.

posted October 14, 2007 02:47 PM         

(end of) 6

What do you think has become of the young and old men?
And what do you think has become of the women and children?

They are alive and well somewhere,
The smallest sprout shows there is really no death,
And if ever there was it led forward life, and does not wait at the end to arrest it,
And ceas'd the moment life appear'd.

All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses,
And to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.

7 (middle)

Has any one supposed it lucky to be born?
I hasten to inform him or her it is just as lucky to die, and I know
it.

I pass death with the dying and birth with the new-wash'd babe, and
am not contain'd between my hat and boots,
And peruse manifold objects, no two alike and every one good,
The earth good and the stars good, and their adjuncts all good.

I am not an earth nor an adjunct of an earth,
I am the mate and companion of people, all just as immortal and
fathomless as myself,
(They do not know how immortal, but I know.)

15 (end)

And these tend inward to me, and I tend outward to them,
And such as it is to be of these more or less I am,
And of these one and all I weave the song of myself.

20 (end)

I know I am deathless,
I know this orbit of mine cannot be swept by a carpenter's compass,
I know I shall not pass like a child's carlacue cut with a burnt
stick at night.

I know I am august,
I do not trouble my spirit to vindicate itself or be understood,
I see that the elementary laws never apologize,
(I reckon I behave no prouder than the level I plant my house by,
after all.)

I exist as I am, that is enough,
If no other in the world be aware I sit content,
And if each and all be aware I sit content.

One world is aware and by far the largest to me, and that is myself,
And whether I come to my own to-day or in ten thousand or ten
million years,
I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness I can wait.

From Walt Whitman
Song of Myself
Leaves of Grass

posted October 16, 2007 06:53 PM         

I mean, I do think of dying and life and what my existence is for etc etc...but when it is in your face like it is in mine, seeing my brother wither away but still try to live each moment, it can be encompassing and paralyzing and mentally taxing and you are on edge waiting for the worst to happen. But, it doesn't have to be that way. Nothing ever really dies, right? It just changes form and travels along the road ahead of you.

I really want to try to be positive about this whole experience I am dealing with. I just want to be a rock for him to lean on and have things to say that will be spiritually uplifting and based on facts that I can share to encourage him that it will all be ok.

posted November 09, 2007 04:46 PM         

just bumpin' back up for any others who may wish to contribute...