What happens when we die? We hear stories of loved ones meeting us at the end of a tunnel of light and I tend to believe that because of a story my father tells.

There was a fellow from his home town who “died”. At the end of a tunnel Tommy was delighted to see his mother who had predeceased him but she said, “Tommy, it’s not your time. You have to go back.” As the story goes, Tommy wasn’t happy about that. He wanted to stay.

It will come as no surprise to you that I wonder what it’s like on the other side since my son Alex died. I’ve read about Near Death Experiences [NDEs] in the past. Most recently I encountered one in Carl Jung’s book Memories, Dreams Reflections. (If you “Click to look inside”, then select “Table of Contents” and then “Visions” you can read his story online.)

My brother caused me to remember Jung’s story recently when he spoke of a neurosurgeon who was able to retain complete recall of his NDE. The doctor tells his story in his book Proof of Heaven.

Information on the other side abounds today, but if you know me you know I like to do my own research. I wanted to hear from Alex what it’s like on the other side.

About a month after Alex died I laid down to take a nap and I thought, “Alex, show me what it’s like where you are.” hoping for a dream. There was no dream but when I awoke I became aware of a song in my head, At first, still groggy from sleep, I didn’t remember that I had asked a question. When I did remember I paid attention to the lyrics of the song which seemed to be stuck on one word, Hosanna. I went to the computer for clarification on the word and found, “Hosanna; an expression of adoration, praise, or joy.”

Was this an answer? For me it was. He’s very happy there, yet he’s also still connected to me here because he heard and (so eloquently) responded to my question.

We don’t have all the answers yet and even those provided by people who have had an NDE vary depending on their perspective and beliefs. It makes me wonder which reality is real. Can there be multiple realities as quantum physics suggests – even for the other side? What if, as Julie quoted recently in a discussion on another post, “reality is but a dream within a dream“?

Have you ever had a near death experience? What do you think it’s like on the other side?

photo credit: Hartwig HKD