No one knows what happens after death, and thinking about death often brings sadness and mourning, making it a profound fear for humanity.
Everyone dies once, but only a very few have died and come back to life, so people cannot experience what it feels like to die. Therefore, death remains a source of immense fear and unease for humankind. However, out of curiosity, experts continue to research what sensations people experience at the moment of death.
A man slipped and fell over a waterfall. In that moment, close to death, he saw his life flash before his eyes. Fortunately caught by his brother, the man survived but could not forget the “surreal moment”. “It was like a slow-motion film; everything flashed through my mind. It was the first time it happened, and I still get chills thinking about it,” he wrote anonymously on Reddit.
According to News, this experience is not unfamiliar. Whether in real life or in films, we have mostly heard about it. Now, science indicates that the phenomenon of life review before passing is indeed real.
The renowned American psychologist, Dr. Raymond Moody, conducted research on 150 people who had near-death experiences and drew some conclusions about their sensations. Although the circumstances and personalities of these individuals varied greatly, Raymond asserts that those who experienced near-death had several common experiences that can be categorized into 14 groups, ordered based on the sensations described by those who have had such experiences:
Various sensations experienced in the 10 seconds before death. (Illustrative image).
- One is hearing the doctor or those around saying that one is dead. They feel that their physiological fatigue has reached its limit.
- Two is an unprecedented feeling of peace and comfort. At the moment of dying, there may be a flash of pain, but it dissipates quickly. They then find themselves soaring over a realm of pure darkness, enveloped in a profound sense of relaxation.
- Three is hearing strange sounds. These unusual sounds resonate in the surrounding space. A young girl reported hearing a sound akin to a melodic tune, a kind of beautiful music.
- Four is feeling pulled into a dark space. People begin to perceive it as a cylindrical form devoid of air. It feels like a transitional zone between the earthly realm and a strange world.
- Five is seeing oneself shedding one’s physical body. A man who survived drowning recounted that he left his body, floating gently through the air like a feather.
- Six is realizing that others cannot hear you. A woman who underwent a near-death experience recounted that she tried to communicate her current situation to those around her, but no one could hear her.
- Seven is being in a constant state of exiting and re-entering one’s body, yet the perception of time ceases to exist. Some who recall their near-death experiences mention that during that period, they continuously moved in and out of their bodies.
- Eight is experiencing vision sharper than ever, with hearing even more acute. One man stated he had never seen so clearly; his eyesight enhanced to an unimaginable level.
- Nine is feeling an overwhelming sense of loneliness. One man said that no matter how hard he tried, he could not communicate with others, leaving him feeling profoundly isolated.
- Ten is the appearance of other “people” around. These “people” either come to help them transition peacefully into the world of the dead or ring the bell for a world beyond that they have yet to hear.
- Eleven is the emergence of light at the final moment of the near-death experience. This light has a clear “humanness” about it.
- Twelve is recalling one’s entire life during the dying moments. At that moment, images of their entire life play out like a slow-motion film. Those who have had this experience describe it as: “Scenes unfolding one after another, emotional events appearing in perfect sequence. Even the images, sensations, and feelings repeat two or three times.”
- Thirteen is encountering limitations or barriers. People come across a path that may be referred to as a boundary or limit, preventing them from going anywhere else. The form of this path varies for each person: sometimes it’s water, sometimes fog, sometimes a door, a wild fence, or a stretch of road.
- Fourteen is returning. When a near-death experience reaches a certain stage, if a person is saved, their life returns. At that moment, many wish to return to their bodies quickly, but it also depends on how deeply they entered the near-death experience. Some are inclined not to return to their bodies, especially if they encountered light during the near-death experience, which strengthens their desire to stay away from their physical form.
Above are various sensations experienced by individuals in the moments leading up to death. It is hard to fathom that in just a brief moment, one can experience such a multitude of sensations. These findings summarize the research conducted by scientist Raymond Moody. Hopefully, this helps humanity gain a more accurate understanding of death.
While many people share similar near-death experiences, researchers have also noted unique factors in each case. “We observe that there are many different factors within the same type of near-death experience, and they do not appear in a fixed order.”
