For instance, after cardiac arrest the brain and body may shut down for a short period before being resuscitated. In many near-death experiences a person briefly dies in a clinical sense. This is probably why the study found that NDEs were more transformational than psychedelic experiences. Many people who have NDEs feel that they actually have died for a short time. NDEs involve a close encounter with death, which makes us aware of the preciousness of life. Although many psychedelic experiences have hallucinatory elements, in this sense, the experiences are actually a glimpse into a deeper reality. This heightened awareness has a revelatory quality. There is a sense of unity and harmony which feels like a natural quality of the world somehow edited out of our normal awareness. In NDEs and psychedelics, the world becomes a different place. We have a sense of living in duality to the world, inside our minds and bodies with the rest of the world “out there”. Our everyday surroundings seem familiar and mundane. Our regular state is to see the world through a filter of thoughts, with a never-ending stream of associations passing through our minds. Darkdiamond67/Shutterstockīut both types of experiences take us beyond the limitations of our familiar awareness. People who have used psychedelics or had a near-death experience feel like they’ve undergone metamorphosis. So it might seem strange that they have similar transformative effects. But these don’t feature in psychedelic trips. Common elements of NDEs include travelling through darkness towards a light (or a transcendent place), reaching a border or point of no return, encountering deceased relatives or a life review. NDEs and psychedelic experiences have some very different characteristics. However, people who had NDEs were more likely to report the event as “the single most meaningful, spiritually significant, insightful and challenging experience of their lives.” These elements were stronger in psychedelic experiences. Participants described both types of experience as spiritual or mystical, featuring a sense of oneness, transcendence, sacredness and awe. Compared to people who took psilocybin or LSD, those who took ayahuasca or DMT reported longer-lasting and more positive effects. The study found some differences between different psychedelics. People reported significant increases in psychological insight, welfare and meaning in their lives. In the study, people described both drug and NDE experiences that brought a more positive attitude to death, with less fear. Four psychedelic substances were examined, including psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) and ayahuasca, a South American brew which contains the natural hallucinogen DMT. The study analysed the experiences of over 3,000 people who reported changes in their attitude to death after either a psychedelic experience or an NDE. I was fascinated to read a recent new study, comparing the transformational effects of NDEs and psychedelics, conducted by researchers at John Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US. However, I’ve found the most transformational event human beings can have is a near-death experience (NDE), when a person either comes extremely close to death or dies for a short time. In my recent book Extraordinary Awakenings, I show that transformation often follows bereavement, cancer diagnosis, a period of depression or addiction or time in prison. They feel as if they’ve woken up and are living in a more intense way. Their relationships become more authentic and intimate. They feel a new sense of wellbeing, purpose and appreciation of life. Occasionally, people who suffer intense turmoil and trauma undergo a profound change.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |