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Proof that Consciousness Survives Physical Death
- Eben Alexander M.D.
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In today’s episode of “Healing From Within” Host Sheryl Glick author of Life Is No Coincidence-The Life and Afterlife Connection, welcomes Eben Alexander M.D., author of “Proof of Heaven.” a neurosurgeon for the past 25 years, including 15 years at the Brigham & Women’s and the Children’s Hospitals, and Harvard Medical School in Boston. As a Near Death Survivor Dr. Alexander has authored a wonderfully candid, honest, and thoughtful description of his experience beyond this physical life. In an article in Newsweek written by Dr. Alexander entitled The Science of Heaven the question” Can Consciousness exist when the body fails?” is asked. Dr. Alexander says he has seen it firsthand-and takes on critics who vehemently disagree. It has been a major goal of this show “Healing From Within” to answer questions about the dual nature of our physical and energetic life force in order to demonstrate that whether in a body or in Spirit information and experiences gathered in this physical life survive-- consciousness or our soul does survive. As an intuitive healer who receives spiritual messages to assist my clients in their healing process and as a longtime hospice volunteer, I have seen people during the dying process discover new awareness of their true nature as spiritual beings— aware of souls waiting to welcome them beyond these shores.
Dr. Alexander recounts the extraordinary discoveries he made while in a life- threatening coma as a result of a severe case of bacterial meningitis. These discoveries shattered his long- held notion about the brain, consciousness and God. An avowed man of science who for most of his eminent medical career Eben Alexander believed that NDE’s were nothing more than the neurological response of a brain under stress. The concept of an afterlife is often met with skepticism if not outright rejection by the scientific community. Lacking physical proof or evidence scientists and doctors repeatedly dismiss the testimonies of those who claim to have had Divine encounters through Near Death Experiences (NDEs). Dr. Alexander was of that mindset until he had one himself.
During the course of the illness induced by a rare form of bacterial meningitis affecting only one in 10 million adults, Dr. Alexander was in a deep coma with little hope of survival and none for recovery to his original state of being. His entire cerebral cortex shut down. This is the part of the brain responsible for all higher neurological function –the part of the brain that controls thought, emotion and language and which doctors and scientists had believed was responsible for generating near- death experiences— his was completely shut down by infection. The consensus of a large portion of the medical profession thinks that the self is created through the electrochemical activity of the brain. Most neurosurgeons and many doctors believe the body produces the mind and when the body stops functioning, the mind stops much like a picture projected on a screen does when the projector is unplugged.
Dr. Alexander goes on to describe that most near-death experiences (NDE) are the result of momentary cardiac arrest and a brain deprived of oxygen unable to support consciousness. In that situation the brain is not truly dead, but in Dr. Alexander’s case the synapses – the spaces between the neurons of the brain that support the electrochemical activity that makes the brain function were not simply compromised—they were stopped. No broad networks capable of generating anything like what we call consciousness was functioning. In all near death experiences by people I have interviewed, they always report they knew themselves and their earth personality but were free of the body and were met by loved ones or relatives they have known while alive. Dr. Alexander in contrast to other NDE”s says as he had no memory of his earth existence, and was in a state of limited amnesia was able to go deeper beyond the beginning layer of afterlife to the Core. Most near death survivors remember their experiences vividly and the deep feelings of love and peace exchanged in that dimension. They return with a new view of themselves and life—usually are more intuitive, spiritually awakened, and anxious to share their life altering journey with others.
Dr Raymond A. Moody Jr. author of Life After Life who is the foremost leader in documenting Near Death Experiences for over four decades, and a former guest on “Healing From Within” gave a quote for the cover of Proof of Heaven”…Dr Eben Alexander’s near-death experience is the most astounding I have heard in more than four decades of studying this phenomenon. (He) is living proof of an afterlife.” While the medical community believes the body produces the mind, and when the body stops functioning the mind or consciousness, or life as we know it is over. Dr. Alexander shares how he initially discovered what he called The Realm of the Earthworm’s Eye View: the first stage of Afterlife, and described himself as limited—not human, just a lone point of awareness in a time-less red—brown sea. Dr. Alexander was not able to leave this spot until a beautiful girl with golden hair surrounded by butterflies shared a deep moment of love— pure and genuine, and she then imparted a 3 part message that said:
“ You are loved and cherished, forever. You have nothing to fear. There is nothing you can do wrong.’
As a Reiki Master Teacher I have found these are the sentiments of all healing, the basis of all change and forgiveness, and the evolution of all humanity—love. Some call it Unconditional Love. I call it our soul remembering our divine nature and reaching beyond our physical restrictions to reconnect to Spirit.
As Dr Alexander left The Realm of The Earthworm’s Eye View and lifted up to higher realms moving towards The Core he described the beauty of the place he found himself in, which he states is nearly impossible to describe in words. The passage that follows is from Proof of Heaven:
Higher then the clouds—immeasurably higher-flocks of transparent orbs, shimmering beings arced across the sky, leaving long, streamer-like lines behind them. Beings more advanced, Higher and a sound, huge and booming like a glorious chant, a joy unable to be contained…it seemed that you could not look at or listen to anything in this world without becoming a part of it… everything was distinct, yet part of everything else.
On the fourth day of the coma, Dr. Alexander’s wife Holley asked an intuitive friend Susan, who works in a similar way as I do as an intuitive healer/medium, to tap into the energy of Dr Alexander and Susan found out he was not going to die. Susan conveyed the message “It wasn’t your time yet and your body would know what to do. I tell a similar story of going to the hospital to see a client’s father who was in a coma and on life support In meditation and connecting to his inner essence he let me know he was ready to take a rocket ship to his new life. A few days later when I again tapped into his energy, he revised his original trip plans by saying he was only taking a helicopter ride and would actually be close by. Dr. Alexander qualifies this story by writing in his book “This grand universe is right here, right now, but simply exists on a different frequency or vibration of energy.. It is unrestrained by space and time and the Universe has no beginning or end.”
Aside from finding Eternity, Dr Alexander’s near death experience brought him new knowledge of how our unique life plan takes us to the people and places we need to experience, and that though we may experience loneliness at times, we are never alone. We are always pointed towards our Source and true home beyond this physical life. We all long for that beginning connection to All that is and All that will be. I highly recommend reading “ Proof of Heaven” as a vehicle to take you beyond your mind thoughts to the higher consciousness and reality of our true life force and being. It is this unity and oneness to Eternal Source and Life that we all seek.
A quote from Dr. Alexander expresses the wish we have for those to know the Universal Dimension of Life that he and I and others know as a result of our personal experiences…..” I want to affirm to everyone that there is a larger, more real world out there. Those who have experienced it are neither deluded nor dishonest, but they are hampered by the limits of language to convey the sheer exponential vastness of what they encountered. This world of consciousness beyond the body is the true new frontier, not just of science but of humankind itself, and it is my profound hope that what happened to me will bring the world one step closer to accepting it.”
