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The Continuity of Consciousness: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Death
In this book the concept of the continuity of consciousness is described, based mainly on recent scientific research on near-death experiences (NDE), but also on other experiences of enhanced consciousness. Since the publication of several prospective studies on NDE in survivors of cardiac arrest, with strikingly similar results and conclusions, the phenomenon of the NDE can no longer be scientifically ignored.
There are now good reasons to assume that our consciousness does not always coincide with the functioning of our enhanced or nonlocal consciousness can sometimes be experienced separately from the body. The general conclusion of scientific research on NDE is indeed that our enhanced consciousness does not reside in our brain and is not limited to our brain. Our consciousness seems to be nonlocal, and our brain facilitates rather than produces the experience of that consciousness. It is evident that these findings are important for our concepts of life and death, because of the almost unavoidable conclusion that at the time of physical death consciousness will continue to be experienced in another realm, one that encompasses past, present, and future. Based on these ideas it seems obvious that death, like birth, may be a mere passing from one state of consciousness into another.
There are now good reasons to assume that our consciousness does not always coincide with the functioning of our enhanced or nonlocal consciousness can sometimes be experienced separately from the body. The general conclusion of scientific research on NDE is indeed that our enhanced consciousness does not reside in our brain and is not limited to our brain. Our consciousness seems to be nonlocal, and our brain facilitates rather than produces the experience of that consciousness. It is evident that these findings are important for our concepts of life and death, because of the almost unavoidable conclusion that at the time of physical death consciousness will continue to be experienced in another realm, one that encompasses past, present, and future. Based on these ideas it seems obvious that death, like birth, may be a mere passing from one state of consciousness into another.
93 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 4, 2024
15 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Pim van Lommel
17 books34 followersPim van Lommel, M.D., was born in 1943, graduated in 1971 from the University of Utrecht, and finished his specialization in cardiology in 1976. He worked from 1977–2003 as a cardiologist in Hospital Rijnstate, an 800-bed Teaching Hospital in Arnhem, the Netherlands, and is now doing full-time research on the mind-brain relation.
He published several articles on cardiology, but since he started his research on near-death experiences (NDE) in survivors of cardiac arrest in 1986, he is the author of more than 20 articles (most of them in Dutch), one book, and several chapters about NDE. He is married, has two children and five grandchildren.
In November 2007, his book Endless Consciousness (Eindeloos Bewustzijn) was published in The Netherlands, which was a bestseller with more than 100.000 copies sold within one year. It was nominated for the Book of the Year in 2008. This book has also been published in Germany by Patmos Verlag as Endloses Bewusstsein. Neue Medizinische Fakten zur Nahtoderfahrung, and in English by HarperCollins as Consciousness Beyond Life: The Science of the Near-Death Experience.
He published several articles on cardiology, but since he started his research on near-death experiences (NDE) in survivors of cardiac arrest in 1986, he is the author of more than 20 articles (most of them in Dutch), one book, and several chapters about NDE. He is married, has two children and five grandchildren.
In November 2007, his book Endless Consciousness (Eindeloos Bewustzijn) was published in The Netherlands, which was a bestseller with more than 100.000 copies sold within one year. It was nominated for the Book of the Year in 2008. This book has also been published in Germany by Patmos Verlag as Endloses Bewusstsein. Neue Medizinische Fakten zur Nahtoderfahrung, and in English by HarperCollins as Consciousness Beyond Life: The Science of the Near-Death Experience.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 12, 2024
Excellent Summary
In this essay Dr. van Lommel not only deeply describes his scientific reasons for the notion that consciousness is eternal, but also bares his soul regarding what he has come to believe about consciousness - specifically that we are eternal, interconnected, and unconditionally loved. A recommended read for anyone wanting a concise yet deep dive into the scientific and spiritual aspects of human consciousness.
(Garden Girl’s husband)😉
In this essay Dr. van Lommel not only deeply describes his scientific reasons for the notion that consciousness is eternal, but also bares his soul regarding what he has come to believe about consciousness - specifically that we are eternal, interconnected, and unconditionally loved. A recommended read for anyone wanting a concise yet deep dive into the scientific and spiritual aspects of human consciousness.
(Garden Girl’s husband)😉
January 2, 2025
Seems to be mostly a collection of individual delivered lectures at conferences dealing with near-death experience NDE. It could be considered scientific and its approach but it does require a lot of leap of faith and belief in near-death experience. Of course there is no hard fast definitive proof that near death experience exist or that consciousness can exist outside of the living brain.
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August 8, 2024Anyone looking for a short primer on the best evidence for the objectivity of NDEs will appreciate this essay.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews