Near Death Experiences 8: Conclusion: NDEs as an Expression of the Unfolding of Truth

Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) have long been the subject of debate—are they proof of an afterlife, hallucinations of a dying brain, or something else entirely? Throughout this series, we have moved beyond these conventional interpretations, recognizing that both the materialist and religious readings of NDEs remain confined within the assumption of becoming. Rather than proving or disproving an afterlife, NDEs reveal the necessity of Being, exposing the incoherence of viewing existence as something that begins, ends, or moves from one state to another.

This concluding article revisits the main themes explored in the series, drawing together the fundamental insights that NDEs offer when considered in light of the eternal structure of Being.

NDEs Do Not “Prove” an Afterlife—They Challenge the Assumption of Becoming

Many take NDEs as evidence that life continues after death, reinforcing the notion that existence moves through stages: from life to death to an afterlife. Others attempt to reduce NDEs to neurochemical processes, dismissing them as illusions created by a malfunctioning brain. Both views assume that reality unfolds in a linear sequence, where Being is subject to transition. However, if Being is necessary, then existence is not something that continues—it is eternal. The very notion of an “afterlife” assumes movement, as if one departs from one state to enter another. But if what is, is eternally, then there is no “beyond” to reach.

The Necessity of NDEs Within the Appearing of Truth

If NDEs are neither mere hallucinations nor glimpses into a separate realm, then what do they signify? They are expressions of the unfolding of truth, appearing in ways shaped by historical, linguistic, and cultural conditions. Their varied content—light, encounters, a sense of unity or separation—reflects not different realities but different ways in which the eternal manifests within the conditioned horizon of human experience.

The fact that many NDErs struggle to put their experiences into words further demonstrates that what they have encountered is not something new or external but an appearing that exceeds conventional frameworks. This struggle is not a failure to describe an afterlife but an implicit recognition that what has appeared transcends the categories of time, space, and separation.

Why the Experience of “Returning” is a Misconception

A recurring theme in NDEs is the sensation of leaving one’s body and then returning to it. This has led many to interpret NDEs as temporary departures from physical existence. However, as we have explored, the idea of “leaving” and “returning” assumes that Being itself is subject to movement—a contradiction of necessity. If one cannot truly depart from what is, then the experience of returning does not signify an actual transition but a shift in how reality appears. NDEs reveal that the assumption of location, movement, and separation is itself conditioned rather than fundamental.

The Eternal as the Ground of All Experience

Throughout this series, we have seen how NDEs challenge the assumption of linear time, the limitations of language, and the imposition of cultural and religious frameworks. They do not reveal a hidden afterlife but expose the deeper truth that Being is not subject to change. The peace, euphoria, or fear experienced in NDEs does not indicate movement toward or away from truth but reflects how the conditioned mind responds to the appearing of the eternal.

Rather than viewing NDEs as extraordinary events that provide privileged insight, we recognize them as part of the necessary unfolding of truth. They do not reveal something separate from ordinary experience but expose what has always been—the eternal structure of Being.

Final Reflections

NDEs are not about proving survival after death or disproving materialism. Instead, they illuminate the fundamental error of assuming that existence itself is subject to becoming. When seen in light of the eternal, they reveal not a journey beyond life but the necessity of what is, always appearing in ways shaped by the conditions of human experience. By recognizing this, we move beyond the dichotomy of belief and skepticism and toward a deeper understanding: there is no before or after, no transition from life to an afterlife—only the eternal appearing as it must.