From Blindness To 360-Degree-Vision: What 4,000 Near-Death Cases Bring To Light

Vicki Umipeg, born blind due to a medical complication, had a near-death experience (NDE) after a car accident. During this experience, she gained 360-degree vision, saw her own body, and experienced a surge of knowledge, including understanding of calculus and planetary formation. Dr. Jeffrey Long, a radiation oncologist who has dedicated years to studying NDEs, highlights Vicki's case as an example of the common "out-of-body experience" reported in NDEs. Long's research, encompassing over 4,000 cases, reveals shared NDE characteristics: out-of-body experiences, painlessness, passing through a tunnel towards a bright light, encountering deceased loved ones, undergoing life reviews, and feeling immense love and peace. The scientific community initially dismissed NDEs as delusions, but the International Association for Near-Death Studies, founded in 1978, has ushered in a shift towards scientific exploration of these experiences. Long refutes numerous hypotheses attempting to explain NDEs, including those related to hypoxia, hypercarbia, endorphins, seizures, medications, and fear of death. He emphasizes the occurrence of NDEs under general anesthesia, further challenging the notion that these experiences are solely physical brain functions. Long’s research, spanning diverse cultures, religions, and ages, reveals striking similarities in NDE content. He found that NDEs often involve encounters with a being of light, often perceived as God, and that these experiences frequently lead to increased belief in God's existence. Long argues that NDEs offer compelling evidence for consciousness existing beyond the physical body, suggesting a more eternal existence. He believes this discovery holds a profoundly positive message for humanity, implying that we are not merely limited to our physical forms, but hold potential for greater possibilities.