Scientific Evidence of Survival of Consciousness After Death

A few things I've learned regarding Dimethyltryptamine ('___').

It is typically released during deep sleep states, for example during REM (rapid eye movement)

From Wiki..


N,N-Dimethyltryptamine ('___') is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound of the tryptamine family. '___' is found in several plants,[3] and also in trace amounts in humans and other mammals, where it is originally derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan, and ultimately produced by the enzyme INMT during normal metabolism.[4] The natural function of its widespread presence remains undetermined. Structurally, '___' is analogous to the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT), the hormone melatonin, and other psychedelic tryptamines, such as 5-MeO-'___', bufotenin, and psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin)

In some cultures '___' is ingested as a psychedelic drug (in either extracted or synthesized forms).[5] When '___' is inhaled or consumed, depending on the dose, its subjective effects can range from short-lived milder psychedelic states to powerful immersive experiences, which include a total loss of connection to conventional reality, which may be so extreme that it becomes ineffable.[6] '___' is also the primary psychoactive in ayahuasca, an Amazonian Amerindian brew employed for divinatory and healing purposes. Pharmacologically, ayahuasca combines '___' with an MAOI, an enzyme inhibitor that allows '___' to be orally active."

"Structurally '___' is analogous to the neurotransmitter serotonin."

Most of the stories I've read from people whom have smoked it and from people whom have experienced NDE's describe very similar stories. Like a feeling of projection upward and outward, as well as vivid visual interpretation of shapes. Many experiences seem similar in that they describe sensing energy, or "orbs".
These "energy beings" are sometimes relatives, friends etc.

I guess the point I'm driving at here is many of these experiences through NDE's, lucid dreams (when dmt is released), and inhaling synthetic forms all seem to have similar effects despite race, gender etc.

I've never had an NDE and also haven't touched any version of '___', so this is mostly speculation on my part.

Terence McKenna did quite a bit of research regarding the pineal gland, sleep states, and the release of '___' in our brains and it's effect.
I believe at the very least it can act as a spiritual lubricant so we don't dwell on the (often times) negative aspect of passing from this world... missing limbs, horrible pain...

Not many things exist in nature, or in ourselves, for no reason..

Some believe McKenna was a quack, others think he was really on to something...
Take it for what you will.

Originally posted by TupacShakur
It's called '___', an extremely powerful hallucinogen/psychedelic that your brain releases massive amounts of upon death. This would account for reported near death experiences.

The scientific evidence shows that when your brain shuts off, your body stops functioning. You stop thinking, you stop perceiving your surroundings-- you're just dead. It sucks, but that's the way it is. Could there be more to it than that? Sure, but from a scientific standpoint, you just trip balls on '___' and die.

edit on 7-12-2011 by TupacShakur because: (no reason given)

You may be looking at this the wrong way. You are assuming that hallucinations are not a part of reality. I'd like to suggest that they are a part of a higher reality, just like dreams are. They are of a different consciousness dimension than the ego consciousness. That is why you are not bound by space and time when dreaming or "hallucinating". When your ego consciousness 'shuts down' for whatever reason (death, mental crisis, psychedelics, sleep, etc.) your brain gains access to a higher dimension. Think of consciousness as a field, much like the gravitational field, to which your brain can be tuned in, like a radio. The music on your radio is not IN the radio, nor is it produced by the radio. Similarly, your thoughts, memory, etc, are not produced by your brain. They are only translated by it.

Think about it. Many many things will make sense when you understand this. A good book to start with is The Field by Lynn McTaggart. Another good one is The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene (+/- 1000 pages. Good luck! ). It explains the theory of quantum physics quite well and in depth. Deepak Chopra is also awesome when it comes to the subject of consciousness. Other great writers on the subject: Jiddu Krisjnamurti, Eckhart Tolle, Richard Moss, Stanislav Grof, and many more.

An awesome book on NDE: Endless Consciousness by Pim van Lommel (cardiologist who did a scientific study of NDE during 20 years in 10 Dutch hospitals). The Lancet (very well respected medical journal) did an article on it in December 2001.

There is a recent book by Hans Siepel about how myths, fairy tales and even the bible are actually about the different stages of consciousness, but it's in Dutch and I don't think it has been translated. This theory is amazing!

I could go on and on about this subject, not only from reading, but also from experience. After I get my 20 posts, I will definitely do some threads on different aspects of consciousness because it is fundamental to basically everything.

reply to post by angellicview


If the girl was born blind how would too much oxygen in the incubator cause it? That's not born blind is it? How much of the rest of your 'evidence' is untrue?

Originally posted by scottlpool2003
reply to post by angellicview

 

If the girl was born blind how would too much oxygen in the incubator cause it? That's not born blind is it? How much of the rest of your 'evidence' is untrue?

THIS I know about. I am a Neonatal Nurse. I know that a newborn receiving too much oxygen can cause blindness. Now you're definitely in my 'hood. If YOU do not know about this, what makes me think anything you say is true? What? Because you are a human being and I will treat you as such. I know that every person is not speciallized in every subject. That's why you come here and read books and go to school. To learn.

orch-or theory is something to look into if you're into the possibility of an afterlife having a scientific explanation

Originally posted by soulwaxer

Originally posted by TupacShakur
It's called '___', an extremely powerful hallucinogen/psychedelic that your brain releases massive amounts of upon death. This would account for reported near death experiences.

The scientific evidence shows that when your brain shuts off, your body stops functioning. You stop thinking, you stop perceiving your surroundings-- you're just dead. It sucks, but that's the way it is. Could there be more to it than that? Sure, but from a scientific standpoint, you just trip balls on '___' and die.

edit on 7-12-2011 by TupacShakur because: (no reason given)

You may be looking at this the wrong way. You are assuming that hallucinations are not a part of reality. I'd like to suggest that they are a part of a higher reality, just like dreams are. They are of a different consciousness dimension than the ego consciousness. That is why you are not bound by space and time when dreaming or "hallucinating". When your ego consciousness 'shuts down' for whatever reason (death, mental crisis, psychedelics, sleep, etc.) your brain gains access to a higher dimension. Think of consciousness as a field, much like the gravitational field, to which your brain can be tuned in, like a radio. The music on your radio is not IN the radio, nor is it produced by the radio. Similarly, your thoughts, memory, etc, are not produced by your brain. They are only translated by it.

Think about it. Many many things will make sense when you understand this. A good book to start with is The Field by Lynn McTaggart. Another good one is The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene (+/- 1000 pages. Good luck!

). It explains the theory of quantum physics quite well and in depth. Deepak Chopra is also awesome when it comes to the subject of consciousness. Other great writers on the subject: Jiddu Krisjnamurti, Eckhart Tolle, Richard Moss, Stanislav Grof, and many more.

An awesome book on NDE: Endless Consciousness by Pim van Lommel (cardiologist who did a scientific study of NDE during 20 years in 10 Dutch hospitals). The Lancet (very well respected medical journal) did an article on it in December 2001.

There is a recent book by Hans Siepel about how myths, fairy tales and even the bible are actually about the different stages of consciousness, but it's in Dutch and I don't think it has been translated. This theory is amazing!

I could go on and on about this subject, not only from reading, but also from experience. After I get my 20 posts, I will definitely do some threads on different aspects of consciousness because it is fundamental to basically everything.

Thank you for that contribution! Your line of thinking is right in synch with mine.

Originally posted by biggmoneyme
orch-or theory is something to look into if you're into the possibility of an afterlife having a scientific explanation

"Orch-or Theory"? I haven't heard of that. Thank you and I'll look into it.

reply to post by angellicview


Where's the scientific evidence that was mentioned in the title? I see no scientific evidence at all, just what people "experienced" during these so called NDE's from people who supposedly experienced them

Originally posted by CosmicConsciousness
reply to post by angellicview

 

Where's the scientific evidence that was mentioned in the title? I see no scientific evidence at all, just what people "experienced" during these so called NDE's from people who supposedly experienced them

Here is scientific evidence for the fact that consciousness does not end when the brain has completely shut down (as in flat line on the electrocardiogram) :

www.pimvanlommel.nl...

That basically means that science has been wrong for 400 years about the fact that consciousness is generated by and located in the brain.

To be clear: I am not saying that this is proof that consciousness continues after death, but it makes it very much plausible, as in it would be the most logical conclusion.

Originally posted by CosmicConsciousness
reply to post by angellicview

 

Where's the scientific evidence that was mentioned in the title? I see no scientific evidence at all, just what people "experienced" during these so called NDE's from people who supposedly experienced them

We have gone over and over this in this thread. I'll give you one example and then if you read the OP and click the links you will see the rest. So one example is that the NDEer will leave their body and float around in the hospital before going into the light. They will witness happenings and conversations in other rooms which then can be verified later. They might say, for example, there's a little boy on (such and such) floor with a broken leg. He was eating a chicken leg and talking to his little brother about what happened to him on the playground. Then they can go and verify the story. That is just one example of many.

Originally posted by soulwaxer

Originally posted by CosmicConsciousness
reply to post by angellicview

 

Where's the scientific evidence that was mentioned in the title? I see no scientific evidence at all, just what people "experienced" during these so called NDE's from people who supposedly experienced them

Here is scientific evidence for the fact that consciousness does not end when the brain has completely shut down (as in flat line on the electrocardiogram) :

www.pimvanlommel.nl...

That basically means that science has been wrong for 400 years about the fact that consciousness is generated by and located in the brain.

To be clear: I am not saying that this is proof that consciousness continues after death, but it makes it very much plausible, as in it would be the most logical conclusion.

Thank you Soulwaxer. I think maybe where some people are going wrong is that they are confusing the terms "scientific evidence" with "scientific proof". There's a difference between evidence and proof. Evidence points towards the reality of the subject. Like, "there is much evidence that (this person) robbed the bank", as opposed to, "it has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that (this person) robbed the bank".

Thank you for your valuable contribution.

reply to post by angellicview


Any time!

By the way: I like your signature! It is very relevant to your thread.

This project, apparently formulated nearly 50 years earlier; was intended to provide a sophisticated and scientifically literate public with irrefutable proof of human survival, and a significant part of the plan behind the work was to be the holding of special sittings at which respected assessors - scientists and intellectuals -would be present in order to provide validation of the experimental results. The impetus, agenda, and planning for this work all ostensibly came to, and not from, the group.

Some may find this documentary and body of work interesting. I watched The Afterlife the other night and found it intriguing because of not only the subject, but the set up for testing which included scientists and scientific methods. There is still a little fluff imo, but additionally there is some interesting things to ponder and review.

In their book The Scole Experiment G. and J. Solomon refer to "the [Scole] group's willingness to invite stringent scientific scrutiny" (The Scole Experiment p.70). They qualify this by observing that "individuals with credible academic, specialist and scientific knowledge were welcomed to sessions". But the presence of scientists in no way implies "stringent scientific scrutiny". As the Society for Psychical Research investigators acknowledge in their report (Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, Vol.58, Part 220), "critics have argued that lawyers [can be] more suitable [observers] than scientists,... investigative journalists would be shrewder in detecting duplicity than psychologists" (PSPR, p.312).

Scientific scrutiny implies effective isolation and control of the systems under investigation. And no matter how critically alert trained scientific specialists might be, they are not functioning as scientists if they are prevented from exercising such control. It is simply not good enough to maintain that no amount of control would "satisfy resolute critics" and that "clever illusionists can outwit any form of surveillance" (PSPR, p.309). There can never be complete control. But a good experiment is distinguished by aiming for the best that is possible under the circumstances. And, as the SPR investigators admit, standards fell very far short of what was possible in this case (see e.g. PSPR,

www.thescoleexperiment.com...
Full Doc:

May be a better explanation.....There is some evidence that we all have the ability at all times to know the unknowable around us. While in our couscous state we block these abilities because we do not believe in them.

the currant experiments like the one which brought virtual particles into real existence by our greatest scientists may one day open our mind to our own ability to "with a thought move a mountain".

people put too much importance into their drug use. Drugs like dmt( i have experinced) may provide you a glimpse over the wall. but it's just a glimpse. It isn't practical to stay on these drugs so the possibility of them truly transforming someone is slim. Now if you simply tear down that wall it's gone. You don't need anything to provide a "boost" to see a different way of life. instead you can live it.

reply to post by angellicview



For proof one only needs to look at the clinical definition of death which is based upon the presence of measurable electrical impulses found in the body. Measured by Electrocardiograms. or in the case of Brainwaves, EEGs.

But it's all electrical energy. And measurable via the same laws of electricity via Ohm's law.

The fact of the matter is that if we are clinically declared to be DEAD due to the lack of brain function and/or the absence of brain waves or a pulse.

And hence the term "Flatline".

Which is measurable and quantifiable energy now at Zero on the amplitude scale.

And we understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed.....according to Einstein.

In the case of a NDE We have this energy return to the body after resuscitation and once again is present and measurable.

Which does prove that something quantifiable has left the body which caused the death to occur and later does return and is then once again measurable.

Returning normal brain and cardio pulmonary function called "LIFE".

Which is electrically measurable electrical energy impulses via the EKG.

Proving that this energy existed and survived outside of the physical body only to return and once again measurable in the form of a pulse and brainwaves.

Plain and Simple.


Peace

Originally posted by TupacShakur
It's called '___', an extremely powerful hallucinogen/psychedelic that your brain releases massive amounts of upon death. This would account for reported near death experiences.

Except this isnt true at all.

Dr Rick Strassman, the authority on all things '___', and author of "The Spirt Molecule", has debunked this himself. And i quote:

Quoted from Erowid vault and an interview with Dr Strassman
"I did my best in the '___' book to differentiate between what is known, and what I was conjecturing about (based upon what is known), regarding certain aspects of '___' dynamics. However, it's amazing how ineffective my efforts seem to have been. So many people write me, or write elsewhere, about '___', and the pineal, assuming that the things I conjecture about are true. When I was writing the book, I thought I was clear enough, and repeating myself would have gotten tedious.

"We don't know whether '___' is made in the pineal. I muster a lot of circumstantial evidence supporting a reason to look long and hard at the pineal, but we do not yet know. There are data suggesting urinary '___' rises in psychotic patients when their psychosis is worse. However, we don't know whether '___' rises during dreams, meditation, near-death, death, birth or any other endogenous altered state. To the extent those states resemble those brought on by giving '___', it certainly makes one wonder if endogenous '___' might be involved, and if it were, it would explain a lot. But we don't know yet. Even if the pineal weren't involved, that would have little overall effect on my theories regarding a role for '___' in endogenous altered states, because we do know that the gene involved in '___' synthesis is present in many organs, particularly lung. If the pineal made '___', it would tie up a lot of loose ends regarding this enigmatic little organ. But people seem to live pretty normals lives without a pineal gland; for example, when it has had to be removed because of a tumor.

"In both these regards--the pineal-'___' connection, and endogenous '___' dynamics--we ought to know a lot more within the next several years due to the efforts of a research group being led by Steven Barker at Louisiana State University. He, with his grad student Ethan McIlhenny, are developing a new super-assay for '___', 5-MeO-'___', bufotenine, and metabolites. This assay will be capable of detecting those compounds much more sensitively than previous generations of assays. They're looking at endogenous levels in awake sober normals, to assess baseline values of these compounds. We should have some data from those samples within a year. They also will be looking at pineal tissue. Once we have some baseline data in normal humans in normal waking consciousness, comparisons can be made between those levels and levels in endogenous altered states, like dreams, near-death, and so on."

So yeah. All taken out of context and no proof whatsoever of the amount of '___' available in our bodies being enough to cause any kind of "trip". Nor has it been proven that the penial can produce it at all in the first place.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


This is the only truly scientific experiment done on this subject. It left no room for tampering. I recommend you watch the documentary and then check out the credentials of the individual scientists and professionals involved. The Scole Experiment is a real eye opener...

Originally posted by nh_ee
reply to post by angellicview

 

For proof one only needs to look at the clinical definition of death which is based upon the presence of measurable electrical impulses found in the body. Measured by Electrocardiograms. or in the case of Brainwaves, EEGs.

But it's all electrical energy. And measurable via the same laws of electricity via Ohm's law.

The fact of the matter is that if we are clinically declared to be DEAD due to the lack of brain function and/or the absence of brain waves or a pulse.

And hence the term "Flatline".

Which is measurable and quantifiable energy now at Zero on the amplitude scale.

And we understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed.....according to Einstein.

In the case of a NDE We have this energy return to the body after resuscitation and once again is present and measurable.

Which does prove that something quantifiable has left the body which caused the death to occur and later does return and is then once again measurable.

Returning normal brain and cardio pulmonary function called "LIFE".

Which is electrically measurable electrical energy impulses via the EKG.

Proving that this energy existed and survived outside of the physical body only to return and once again measurable in the form of a pulse and brainwaves.

Plain and Simple.


Peace

Plain and Simple indeed! Thanks a lot!
May I use this in the future as an argument for my own views, which I could not put into clearer words myself?

Also, how do you star and flag a post and what does each of them mean exactly?

Thanks in advance!

Originally posted by nh_ee
reply to post by angellicview

 

For proof one only needs to look at the clinical definition of death which is based upon the presence of measurable electrical impulses found in the body. Measured by Electrocardiograms. or in the case of Brainwaves, EEGs.

But it's all electrical energy. And measurable via the same laws of electricity via Ohm's law.

The fact of the matter is that if we are clinically declared to be DEAD due to the lack of brain function and/or the absence of brain waves or a pulse.

And hence the term "Flatline".

Which is measurable and quantifiable energy now at Zero on the amplitude scale.

And we understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed.....according to Einstein.

In the case of a NDE We have this energy return to the body after resuscitation and once again is present and measurable.

Which does prove that something quantifiable has left the body which caused the death to occur and later does return and is then once again measurable.

Returning normal brain and cardio pulmonary function called "LIFE".

Which is electrically measurable electrical energy impulses via the EKG.

Proving that this energy existed and survived outside of the physical body only to return and once again measurable in the form of a pulse and brainwaves.

Plain and Simple.


Peace

Thank you for elaborating that point! I am a nurse and maybe I assume that people understand these things you point out. But when you have specialized in something your whole life, you lose touch with what the general public knowledge level really is. A very good contribution