Customer Reviews

Beyond the Light: What Isn't Being Said About Near-Death Experience

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As a near-death experiencer I am always interested in reading other's near-death experiences. One half of this book or less is devoted to that, and I wish it were more. But the experiences included were of a variety that we don't hear enough about or at all, such as: near-death like experiences when one's life is not lost or endangered; hellish or unpleasant experiences; and seeing long lost pets or other animals. This book is also a wealth of references to sources on every possible subject relating to this subject. It, unfortunately, contains far too much personal opinion and interpretation and unfounded and biased commentary. To the author I would say, just give the information and let the reader form their own opinions. There were also some outlandish statements that are unlikely to be truly known or for which no substantiation is provided. Such as (paraphrased) we are being prepared for higher awareness evidenced by the fact that more people today than those before 1850 recognize the color blue. (!) Or (paraphrased) it is estimated that far more people have near-death experiences while temporarily dead than believe they do, but they don't know they did because they forgot. If someone has no memory of having a near-death experience, how can another decide that they had one but just forgot?

I divide Atwater's book into two parts. The first half is an interesting overview of the near-death experience (NDE). The second half deals with New Age-like, occult-like issues that depart from NDE. The second section is so New Age-y and off-the-point (and so counter to my beliefs religious and otherwise), that I could only stand to thumb through it. This half of the book contains the silly remarks that draw many complaints in reviews. The purpose of the book really seems to promote interest in all sorts of occult practices (especially in light of her anti-Christian attitude, described below, and her occupation as a psychic advisor and as a writer in occult topics). My questioning of her motive for this "bait-and-switch" book is supported by her wanderings into non-NDE topics (such as the alien abduction) and her claims to have had every type of paranormal experience (including both types of "walk in" phenomena: now that she has a different soul, doens't that make her a different person?).

Secondly, I object to Atwater's contemporary politically correct way of joyfully respecting all belief systems and cultures except for Christianity. Christians come in all varieties and cannot be stereotyped. In every reference to Christians the tension begins and Ms. Atwater never misses an opportunity to stab them in the back and twist the knife. She can't be respectful to Christianity at all for one second. Not once. I think that this blind anger invalidates her overall judgment and might turn readers away from more NDE research. How can I trust someone whose writing is always biased and whose conclusions are partial? Real research must be objective, but Atwater redefines the word.

One of the most astonishing things about the book was the jealousy the author speaks of. If NDEs are short voyages to death and the experience generally develops one's personality and conscience, it is interesting to see experiencers who are still selfish and go after fame and success in a very negative manner.

I loved the book, because I believe the author is open and sincere with her subject. I am reading the Complete Idiot's Guide... right now and it is as good as this one.

I highly recommend this book as the standard in Near-Death Studies. Not only is it well documented but written in a style that is easy to comprehend with a fresh new look at four types of Near-death experiences. Near-Death Experiencers (NDErs), Spiritually Transformative Experiencers (STErs), researchers, and anyone interested in helping experiencers understand and integrate the physiological, psychological and spiritual aftereffects of such experiences, this book is invaluable. Dr. Atwater has received awards and accolades for her work in Near-Death Studies and lectured around the world. Reading this book is like having a conversation with a knowledgeable friend who is helping us understand a "homework" assignment on the Near-Death Experience. Enjoy!

I was very disappointed with this book. It cannot be considered a serious study of the NDE. A waste of time, unless you think NDE experiences are related to alien abductions.

I enjoyed this work tremendously and found it inspiring and honest. I can see how many would rather have a feel good - everything was wonderful approach to the NDE, but I would prefer the good and the bad. Everyone gets the experience they need or have earned - which is the bottom line message of this book. I can see how the author generated controversy with her experiences, but I found her writing tremendously interesting and useful.

The classical books on near-death experiences by Raymond Moody or Melvin Morse paint the phenomenon in a very bright light. NDEs are virtually always positive and have positive after-effects on those who experience them. I'm sure the Unitarian Universalists love Moody and Morse. And who knows, maybe they are right.

And then there's P.M.H. Atwater.

"Beyond the Light" gives a somewhat different view of the other side than the all-positive works of Moody. Atwater mentions the heavenly encounters, but also details hellish near-death experiences. They are apparently relatively common. She also makes a connection between NDEs and other paranormal phenomena, including UFOs. The most interesting part of the book deals with after-effects of the NDEs. It seems that even positive NDEs can have "negative" effects, including missing time, oversensitivity to light, the strange malfunctioning of electronic equipment, and virtual hauntings. Some people who experienced NDEs see more UFOs than usual. The subjects are frequently misunderstood by their spouses, relatives or peers. Occasionally, they feel a strong drive to convert the rest of the world to some kind of "message" given them while on the other side.

The same kinds of after-effects are also reported by Albert Budden in his book "Electric UFOs". That book, however, is not about NDEs but rather deals with supposed encounters with aliens or ghosts! Budden believes that the experiencers have been exposed to strong electromagnetic fields, making them prone to hallucinations. This explanation is difficult to apply to NDEs, unless one can prove that the resuscitation attempts in hospital beds are "major electric events", to use Budden's terminology. However, even people who "die" out in the open, miles from a hospital, can experience NDEs. Are dying people more sensitive to unknown electromagnetic fields? Or is God electric? Or...?

Well, who knows. Still, the fact that many people who experience the occult or the supernatural react in the same physical manner, surely must mean something. At the very least, it shows that we are dealing with *some* kind of objective phenomenon. But what on earth that phenomenon can be, I honestly don't know.

The third part of "Beyond the Light" is New Age fluff. Still, there are some interesting items even there. Thus, Atwater is fascinated by alternative medicine and food. This, too, reminds me of Budden, who claims to have found that many people who supposedly encountered UFOs and aliens have masked food allergies, which makes them prefer health foods...

There is *something* beyond that light...

After reading many other books on Near Death Experiences, I came to the conclusion that this book was very biassed in its presentation. 75% of other books on near death experiences tell about people who had met Jesus at the end of a tunnel. He was as an immense light of love. He introduced himself and talked to them before they had to return to their bodies. There were also experiences of people taken to hell and came back to life to tell about it. This book had an agenda to promote, the occult. It doesn't tell the whole story on near death experiences, only the views of her occult movement. Not worth wasting your time reading.

pg 152 "It is known, for instance, that Kundalini is rare among patients who are mentally ill, and that it is distinctly different in charecter from a psychotic episode. (Kundalini leads to order, not disorder, incereased intelligence, not derangement, moral advancement and joy, not despair and despondency..."first of all to say Kundalini is rare among the mentally ill is wrong as Kundalini is in everyone. If she means the awakening of Kundalini energy is rare then she is being biased as we are not a diffeernt species--we are just as likely to experience a Kundalini awakening as anyone else--especially if we practice Kundalini Yoga. The two are totally unrelated and there is no need to link them. Mental or Physical ill health is not an indicator of Spirtual ill health.To call the mentally ill "derange(d)" is bigoted and hurtful.I don't recommend this book as someone so unenlightened about the disabled cannot bring much to this subject.

I've known the author for many years and have read almost every book on the market dealing with this subject. Atwater presents extremely clear and convincing evidence from thousands of "near-death survivors" that we are eternally conscious beings. If you want to learn that you don't die, read this book