Hi All, I'm new here, so I'll introduce myself first. I'm Daan, 31 years old, living in Holland. Like almost everyone here I've been (and still am in some way) very reserved about things according afterlife and non physical things. But I've had a few strange things going on since I was a kid. It started when "someone" told me a year in advance that I had to enjoy the christmas at my grandma's, because it was going to be the last one. I didn't pay a lot of attention to it then, but one year later, 2nd X-mas day, she went over.
The second one was an out of body experience, whilst asleep I dreamt that I was in WW2, in a plane which was shot down. Before the plane crashed, I felt like a huge vacuüm cleaner sucked me out of the plane. I knew I had died and was curious where I was going. When I opened my eyes, I was in my room, but I could see everything clear (though it was pitch dark). I woke up and was a bit confused to see nothing anymore. Only after I put on the light I recoughnised the out of body experience, because I saw it moments before without having to turn the light on.
Then, when I drove in my car, someone told me to hit the brakes really hard. I thought it was a stupid thing to do, because the traffic lights where still far away. As soon as I hit the brakes, on the other lane a big truck passed me with high speed and slammed it's brakes for an emergency stop at the traffic lights. the whole combination swept over to the lane I had stood when I didn't hit the brakes so early.
Later I fainted in the garden, but I didn't loose my spiritual conciousness, I was traveling somewhere when I heard my name from somewhere.. I was very surprized that I awoke in the earth of the garden, because I had never felt as beïng away..
The last one was that I overslept. I only overslept once in my life and that was on the morning that a ghost driver drove his car across the highway I had to use going to work. It crashed at 5,20 am in another car, exactly at 5.20 am I'm normally also on that place on the highway..

This is in short a bit of those strange things, which should clear the question "does afterlife excist" for me. But it doesn't. I feel my past away brother often, chat with him and know he's somewhere, but my mind doesn't want to accept that as a proof.

I've read a few things here and there, learned to relax and meditate, know about energy and see the "light" around a body, but I'm still in a stubborn "I'm not sure" situation.

On this board I hope to find that my experiences don't only excist in my brains.. I'm scientifically educated and I've learned not to accept things being "likely" or "possibly".
That's where I have the problem. Learning about experiences from others hopefully will shrink my hunger for proof and educate me to let loose the scientific part.

I also use energybuilding with meditation, but the last time it got so huge, that my body felt like I was connected to a wall socket. My fingers started to tingle first, later on my complete body started to shake and I felt the "sparks" in my fingers for about half an hour after. Is that something usual? (It was a very relaxing and pleasant feeling though)

Anyway, I'm glad to find a place where I can read about other one's experiences. Hopefully my doubt will shrink a bit, it's constantly there, like an annoying fly circling around in my head and it disturbs me in exploring a part of life which I would like to know better.

betson said

You are very fortunate, except that your education in science does not permit you full belief.


I don't believe that education in science has anything to do with developing a belief system...that would apply that the more ignorant you are in science the more a believer you'll be....don't forget that there were many scientist including nobel prize winners that did innovative research in the field of afterlife.
I believe it more has to do with the specific individual set of experiences and unique character of each person.

I apologized to antwhn on a PM but that still bothers me. I know scietific research is crucial and that some scientists are among the most avid seekers. I have no idea why I said they weren't.
Apologies, bets

Hai Spooky,
Those are interesting thoughts. I've discussed them some time ago on another board with some scientists who didn't believe in anything (well, actually they believed in being dead after dying.)
They came up with: The here and now experience is simply a byproduct of time. (since time is a byproduct of material movement) like a computer having a clock ticking; it knows what has been past, wat is present and what is future. Simply because the input data tells him so and because of it's ability to compare the data with the clock ticking, it can make up it's mind about the here and now.

Experience. Also a computer comparison. If the computer crashes due to an invalid input, it will remeber this construction in it's system data and will not make that mistake again. It has the ability to experience and make decisions on that.

If you start to think of it, there is a comparison to almost all sorts of situations we call spiritual, and if they can't give a explanation, it's simply "good luck" or "coincidence".

The harsh reality (or semingly hars reality) makes me hesitate sometimes to accept certain spiritual experiences, because it can also be explained without having to think of a spiritual realm. I'll have to learn and keep learning.

I have another "goal" for the spiritual world though; after trying to get in contact with my brother while meditating, an uncle I (shame on me!!) completely forgot about, appeared in my "dream" and we had a pleasant talk. He announced himself and I really am ashamed that between my grandpa's, grandma's and my brother I forgot about him..

However it's not a good thing forgetting to remind him, it made clear to me that HE was the one contacting!!

I have something to add: it may be is not necessary to introduce a spiritual realm to explain certain experiences, but IT MAKES MORE SENSE if you do.

Everything in nature makes sense. A tree doesn't grow a branche accidentally, it grows a branche because it can catch more light that way. If you call every odd thing "accidents and coincidents" life is simple, but makes no sense.
It's odd that sience accepts the idea of unlogic and meaningless coincidences instead of figuring it would fit much better in their logical way of thinking if the coincidence had a logical purpose, like everything else.

In the discussion I had lately, the early braking urge I had was coincidence and lucky, nothing I could proove to say it was more then that. Now I add the spiritual part. The -to me- logic influence my "urge" had. Namely, not getting crushed by that truck.

That's the big reason why I'm on the side of afterlife; science has addapted a completely pointless view in a world where everything in the natural surrounding has purpose.