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Near-Death Experiencers

A gathering of those who have been to the “other side”

  I had to keep my Near-Death Experience to myself for years so I became like a poker player. Knowing when to bluff at the right time so as not to be discovered holding a good hand, until I was ready to show my cards. When I arrived at the “Experiencers Only Retreat” I knew there was no need to bluff these folks. We could all see each others hands and feel each others hearts. We could let go of our guarded nature and truly share.
   Here are some of the pearls of wisdom Spirit has shared with me in the light.

   I now understand that at the time of death we do not really die. I believe we live on in a higher level of consciousness. So with this understanding I no longer fear death. Fear of death is similar to the way we fear our first day in a new class. We have some anxiety, apprehension and fear of the unknown. But those of us that have died and returned have had our introduction to the class and the other students. We found that we really liked the subject and the other souls we found there. We know there is going to be some intense study ahead. But we are looking forward to it. So, in the meantime, we are doing our pre-course requirement. In this life I plan on gaining as many experiences as I can so I can bring them back to the class for examination when the time is right.
   However, no longer having the fear of death gives an incredible freedom. Its freedom to live life unbridled and to it's fullest. A life filled with joy and gratitude with each encounter or experience. It also gives a sense of calm and ability to unwind, no longer needing to get caught up in the rat race. Not that I do not participate and contribute in life, on the contrary. I want more that ever to live a full life. I’m carrying on through hardships and good times, overcoming and taking it all in. I try to keep as positive as I humanly can through all times. When I can accomplish this there comes a sense of completion. That is usually when something synchronistic will occur and signal the end or the direction of a new path to move toward. If I have learned anything from my experiences it is to follow those synchronistic events in life. There is always more to it. Even though I may not be able to see the bigger picture when it is happening, I know it will reveal itself at the right time and place. Sometimes it seems too good to be true, that we can connect to the greater universal consciousness. But, when it does happen, I can physically feel my heart opening and filling my being with that warm love and acceptance. I sometimes feel like it is larger than me and projecting beyond my physical self. It is when I am in that place that I can see my light and sometimes the light of others. At times like this is when spirit speaks soft, loving encouragement to keep me moving forward and giving me the strength to take on what is next in this wondrous journey.

   I learned that how we interact with others is much more important that what we perceive as our great accomplishments in life. We give off an energy which refl ects our emotional and mental state. Because of our interconnectedness, this energy exchange is actually a form of unconscious communication that is

perceived in our soul as well as a cellular level. I saw this more in my second NDE life review as actual slivers of light that connects us with each other. The more erratic your mind and emotions are, the more erratic energetic message you are sending. Also, the level of passion directly correlates with the intensity of the signal or message. It didn’t matter whether the passion was love or hate. The slivers were brighter and stronger when the passion level rose. As I share I try to keep in mind how my love has changed and how others may misunderstand a loving manner. When keeping my heart open I realize the energetic communication that is transferred is always felt but not always understood. So I try to stay mindful of the power in our interconnectedness. I am reminded of how my passion created some of the greatest ripples, good and bad. I saw that if we could learn to discipline our mind, these interconnected communications would be less inconsistent.

   One more lesson I received about interconnection is that this interconnection runs between us and the greater All or Divine Consciousness as well as between individuals. In my experiences and through the interconnectedness, I had a greater knowledge and understanding of anything I focused upon when I was a light being within the light.

    We begin to know ourselves, and understand others without getting caught up in the drama. We learn to love beyond the drama that surrounds us. As we grow with our practice we need to always remember the basics of acceptance, tolerance, our truth, and respect. Also remember to practice the basics without judgment and using mindfulness. That is what the NDE does to experiencers. We are reminded daily of our time in the light and we try to live and apply it to what we are experiencing now. “You have a purpose”, rings in my ears many times each day. That keeps me mindful of my promise to communicate and share my Spirit with others. As I do this, I feel as though I am continuing my quiet ministry.

    I believe in the power of prayer as a vehicle of intention to affect the most positive for the greater good of all. I believe prayer can create miracles and that I am living one. I would also like to say that all the experiences that we have in our life, both good and bad, are important. They are what make us grow. They make our Spirit grow. How we deal with those responsibilities and how we deal with those experiences and opportunities are of great consequence. Because we were all from God's light, (God, Buddha, Great Spirit, what ever you're familiar with) we don't have to go searching for Spirit because it is within us all and all we have to do is just Be and listen. When we are able to do that, we get that clarity, and expansion. Then we have an understanding of where we need to be, so that we may live our life just a little bit better and return those experiences to our home (and class) in the light.

    Dave Bennett

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