What is the difference between near-death experiences and dreams?

What is the difference between near-death experiences and dreams? | Dr. Bruce Greyson

Oct 2022 01

Are dreams, hallucinations, and near death experiences all connected?

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Near-death experiences are profound events that often radically change the lives of those who have them.

Features of near-death experiences include a sense of leaving the physical body, a life review, and encounters with a divine being or deceased loved ones.

While some dismiss near-death experiences as dreams or the hallucinations of a dying brain, people generally do not have the same kinds of hallucinations. In contrast, the descriptions of near-death experiences are remarkably consistent across culture and time.

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About Dr. Bruce Greyson:
Dr. Bruce Greyson is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the UVA School of Medicine. He served on the medical school faculty at the Universities of Michigan, Connecticut, and Virginia. He was a co-founder and President of the International Association for Near-Death Studies, and Editor of the Journal of Near-Death Studies. His award-winning research led him to become a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and to be invited by the Dalai Lama to participate in a dialogue between Western scientists and Buddhist monks in India.

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Read more of our stories on near death experiences:
Are near-death experiences just psychedelic trips?
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Activity of dying brain shines light on near-death experiences
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Do near-death experiences prove that an afterlife exists?
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SHARON STONE tells OPRAH about her NEAR-DEATH Experience

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Sleeper berth! 🥱 #trucking #trucker #shorts #cdl #truckerslife #truckdriver #trucks #short

--CopyRights: https://heruinterface.com/what-is-the-difference-between-near-death-experiences-and-dreams-dr-bruce-greyson/

John 3:16-17

4 years ago -@

16 For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

17 For God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.

Jim Lewis

I have sleep apnea. I went to sleep one night and had a bad bought of it. I finally felt as if I had no problem breathing, more like I didn't need to breath. I felt as if I was floating high above the earth and felt someone there who was comforting me. I felt unrestrained and I was so curious I had questions. I remember asking how the universe was made or something to that affect. The person or entity that comforted me took me to a large shiny light. This light seemed to contain the answers to any question I had. I have always struggled with math but all of the sudden I understood higher math, it was so easy. Everything made sense. I understood that we were given life on earth but we are restrained by it. I moved through space with a thought. I was taken to a different planet with other forms of life and told I could reincarnate here if I wished. I did not want to and I simply thought about going back to earth and I was there. I was told I needed to go back to my body because I needed to finish the current incarnation of my life on earth. I did not want to, I just wanted to stay there, it was so peaceful. I was then told someone would have to go and finish the life I started but that when that body died it would be painful. I did not want someone else to have to experience the pain of what I had started so I decided to go back myself and finish it. I wasn't told, I just understood that the purpose of life is not to gain knowledge but to have experiences. For lack of a better word we download these experiences into a collective when our body dies. Concepts of good and evil don't really exist there. Just before I went back to my body I was told that I could not remember any of the knowledge like the math I had gained from the light. I understood somehow and only asked to remember what happened here. I woke up, took some gasps of breath and all this was over. It has never happened since. I still believe this was just a dream. But it was really vivid.

Haifa Tirawi

No it not fantasy

Helder Almeida

There are many different stages of dream experience. This question is not well asked because lucid dream experience is a very powerful dream stage and it's not included on question

Moses Exodus

So beautiful, amazing, lovely, wonderful. Much Blessings to you. ✝Thanks for sharing, Lord-Jesus-Christ com

Kyle T

Atheists will do anything they can to deny something that most every culture for all of time has recognized: we are spiritual beings with a soul.

Addson Zhang

NDE is very similar to dreams, because that they see in their NDE is "arranged". I mean they don't choose to see or to explore the unknown world(realm). Even no one would tell us how they themselves look like, how they feel when they touch themselves. Can they hold their own arms? Do they have heart to beat? Do they have lungs to breathe? do they have skin and muscles? Do they take the form of human? If you are experiencing out of body experience, you should have tried to find out all of these questions.
Another thing is many NDErs just tell us their stories, but no one would show us any evidences, like the pictures of accidents, medical history, or the death announcement from their doctors. How do we know that their stories are real not hoax?
China has a population of about 1.4 billions, but I have never heard of NDE stories, the only recorded was the study of the those survived the Tangshan earth quake in 1976 in Hebei province in China. even so, their NDEs were very different from those in the United States.
I hope Dr. Bruce Greyson would answer the above questions. Thank you so much.

Ranju

Long Story Short – GOD IS DREAMING EVERYTHING

Tarang

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” Jesus Christ, John 3:16-17

#10

chana bayla1

Drugs, seizures, etc can also cause these so this is bs. Just the brain shutting down

#11

PowerTime88 com

It's a near death…not death ..There is either heaven or hell..We must know Jesus..and have him as our Lord in our lives..Otherwise it's just deception during a NDE…Scripture tells us Satan can transform himself into light..a deception..

Any all is good..all is well..no need to be saved and have accepted Jesus work on the cross as the only way for salvation..is deception!!

#12

gatewaytobeing

The main difference between NDEs and dreams, based on what I've learned, is that your memory of NDEs never fade, and remain as vivid as the day they happened. Dreams, on the other hand, fade so fast you are lucky if you can still remember them 1 minute after waking. I'm surprised Bruce didn't bring this up in this video.

#13

real eyes realise real lies fully reppin brum town

the light at the end of the tunnel sounds like been born

#14

Ava Yu

Precisely because most of us appreciate the miracle of life that it is, we are reluctant to think that when we die, that we just end. However, logistically it just makes sense that we would return to nature as raw matter once again when our mortal coil decomposes and then reform again. What that is could be any one of billions of living organisms in the dimension we know as earth.

#15

Jeremy W Variety of Viewpoints

I don't think a feeling of certainty means it is real. Things can be vivid and seem real and not be real.

#16

0 . 0

I had a dream i left my body floating up and almost left my house and i was freaking out then i woke up scary

#17

Rozsa

Jeff mara podcaste attatcked by demons youtube

#18

Going up

#19

Pure Energy

I had a NDE experience as a child. I existed with a very stressed out parent that became vicious. During that time I felt and heard energy and light beings around me. They became my parents. Not that this helped me in a world that believes we are physical and then die. These are very archaic notions, not true at all. Atoms spin as positive and negative protons and electrons. Atoms are electrical energy fields. Right there this should tell everyone that this did not happen by accident. We are not accidents. We did not just happen.
Batteries consist of 2 poles and have to be created. Why are we any different? After 40 years of researching to find out why I was hated so much as a child, I found out that there are people on this earth that want to keep us as slaves. They want us building their cities, until we are done, and then they don't want us anymore. They blame US for all the melting glaciers when it is THEM that are the corporations spending OUR tax dollars on fossil fuels when we should have had free energy by now.
Huge mistakes have been made. Rockefeller in the 1920s should never have been allowed to put holistic doctors in jails. Rockefeller should never have been allowed to use his money to influence hospitals and doctors to the point that allopathy is what insurance pays for. The insurance corporation in america does not pay holistic doctors, so I go to no doctors except those holistic ones online and in books, like the book Hands of Light written by the physicist Barbara Brennan. She wrote that we are eternal holograms and eternal electrical energy fields. There is no such thing as death because we are constantly being created.

#20

Ben Scrwbiutb

Was there more money to be made if researchers deduced these were not people just dreaming? Same as there is more money in not reporting the fact that planet started heating up thousands of years ago, not since beginning of industrial revolution

#21

William

i have so much faith in humanity restored.

#22

tyamada21

My new understandings of what many call 'God -The Holy Spirit' – resulting from some of the extraordinary ongoing after-effects relating to my NDE…

Myoho-Renge-Kyo represents the identity of what some scientists are now referring to as the unified field of consciousnesses. In other words, it’s the essence of all existence and non-existence – the ultimate creative force behind planets, stars, nebulae, people, animals, trees, fish, birds, and all phenomena, manifest or latent. All matter and intelligence are simply waves or ripples manifesting to and from this core source. Consciousness (enlightenment) is itself the actual creator of everything that exists now, ever existed in the past, or will exist in the future – right down to the minutest particles of dust – each being an individual ripple or wave. The big difference between chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and most other conventional prayers is that instead of depending on a ‘middleman’ to connect us to our state of inner enlightenment, we’re able to do it ourselves. That’s because chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo allows us to tap directly into our enlightened state by way of this self-produced sound vibration. ‘Who or What Is God?’ If we compare the concept of God being a separate entity that is forever watching down on us, to the teachings of Nichiren, it makes more sense to me that the true omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of what most people perceive to be God, is the fantastic state of enlightenment that exists within each of us. Some say that God is an entity that’s beyond physical matter – I think that the vast amount of information continuously being conveyed via electromagnetic waves in today’s world gives us proof of how an invisible state of God could indeed exist. For example, it’s now widely known that specific data relayed by way of electromagnetic waves has the potential to help bring about extraordinary and powerful effects – including an instant global awareness of something or a mass emotional reaction. It’s also common knowledge that these invisible waves can easily be used to detonate a bomb or to enable NASA to control the movements of a robot as far away as the Moon or Mars – none of which is possible without a receiver to decode the information that’s being transmitted. Without the receiver, the data would remain impotent. In a very similar way, we need to have our own ‘receiver’ switched on so that we can activate a clear and precise understanding of our own life, all other life and what everything else in existence is. Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo each day helps us to achieve this because it allows us to reach the core of our enlightenment and keep it switched on. That’s because Myoho-Renge-Kyo represents the identity of what scientists now refer to as the unified field of consciousnesses. To break it down – Myoho represents the Law of manifestation and latency (Nature) and consists of two alternating states. For example, the state of Myo is where everything in life that’s not obvious to us exists – including our stored memories when we’re not thinking about them – our hidden potential and inner emotions whenever they’re dormant – our desires, our fears, our wisdom, happiness, karma – and more importantly, our enlightenment. The other state, ho, is where everything in Life exists whenever it becomes evident to us, such as when a thought pops up from within our memory – whenever we experience or express our emotions – or whenever a good or bad cause manifests as an effect from our karma. When anything becomes apparent, it merely means that it’s come out of the state of Myo (dormancy/latency) and into a state of ho (manifestation). It’s the difference between consciousness and unconsciousness, being awake or asleep, or knowing and not knowing. The second law – Renge – Ren meaning cause and ge meaning effect, governs and controls the functions of Myoho – these two laws of Myoho and Renge, not only function together simultaneously but also underlies all spiritual and physical existence. The final and third part of the tri-combination – Kyo, is the Law that allows Myoho to integrate with Renge – or vice versa. It’s the great, invisible thread of energy that fuses and connects all Life and matter – as well as the past, present and future. It’s also sometimes termed the Universal Law of Communication – perhaps it could even be compared with the string theory that many scientists now suspect exists. Just as the cells in our body, our thoughts, feelings and everything else is continually fluctuating within us – all that exists in the world around us and beyond is also in a constant state of flux – constantly controlled by these three fundamental laws. In fact, more things are going back and forth between the two states of Myo and ho in a single moment than it would ever be possible to calculate or describe. And it doesn’t matter how big or small, famous or trivial anything or anyone may appear to be, everything that’s ever existed in the past, exists now or will exist in the future, exists only because of the workings of the Laws ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’ – the basis of the four fundamental forces, and if they didn’t function, neither we nor anything else could go on existing. That’s because all forms of existence, including the seasons, day, night, birth, death and so on, are moving forward in an ongoing flow of continuation – rhythmically reverting back and forth between the two fundamental states of Myo and ho in absolute accordance with Renge – and by way of Kyo. Even stars are dying and being reborn under the workings of what the combination ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’ represents. Nam, or Namu – which mean the same thing, are vibrational passwords or keys that allow us to reach deep into our life and fuse with or become one with ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’. On a more personal level, nothing ever happens by chance or coincidence, it’s the causes that we’ve made in our past, or are presently making, that determine how these laws function uniquely in each of our lives – as well as the environment from moment to moment. By facing east, in harmony with the direction that the Earth is spinning, and chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo for a minimum of, let’s say, ten minutes daily to start with, any of us can experience actual proof of its positive effects in our lives – even if it only makes us feel good on the inside, there will be a definite positive effect. That’s because we’re able to pierce through the thickest layers of our karma and activate our inherent Buddha Nature (our enlightened state). By so doing, we’re then able to bring forth the wisdom and good fortune that we need to challenge, overcome and change our adverse circumstances – turn them into positive ones – or manifest and gain even greater fulfilment in our daily lives from our accumulated good karma. This also allows us to bring forth the wisdom that can free us from the ignorance and stupidity that’s preventing us from accepting and being proud of the person that we indeed are – regardless of our race, colour, gender or sexuality. We’re also able to see and understand our circumstances and the environment far more clearly, as well as attract and connect with any needed external beneficial forces and situations. As I’ve already mentioned, everything is subject to the law of Cause and Effect – the ‘actual-proof-strength’ resulting from chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo always depends on our determination, sincerity and dedication. For example, the levels of difference could be compared to making a sound on a piano, creating a melody, producing a great song, and so on. Something else that’s very important to always respect and acknowledge is that the Law (or if you prefer God) is in everyone and everything. NB: There are frightening and disturbing sounds, and there are tranquil and relaxing sounds. It’s the emotional result of any noise or sound that can trigger off a mood or even instantly change one. When chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo each day, we are producing a sound vibration that’s the password to our true inner-self – this soon becomes apparent when you start reassessing your views on various things – such as your fears and desires etc. The best way to get the desired result when chanting is not to view things conventionally – rather than reaching out to an external source, we need to reach into our own lives and bring our needs and desires to fruition from within – including the good fortune and strength to achieve any help that we may need. Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo also reaches out externally and draws us towards, or draws towards us, what we need to make us happy from our environment. For example, it helps us to be in the right place at the right time – to make better choices and decisions and so forth. We need to think of it as a seed within us that we’re watering and bringing sunshine to for it to grow, blossom and bring forth fruit or flowers. It’s also important to understand that everything we need in life, including the answer to every question and the potential to achieve every dream, already exists within us. My autobiography explaining how I, and others I've told, have used this chant to successfully change our poisons into medicine titled: 'Saved by the Light of the Buddha Within', is now available at Amazon Books for 99 cents (the lowest Amazon allowed me to price it)
You can also read more about Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo in Tina Turner's new book: Happiness Becomes You — or you can Google 'Let go and let God' by Olivia Newton-John.

#23

Paul M Cover

Just wishy-washy desires for anecdote to be sufficient for belief…
Just.. like… religion

#24

JESUS FAN

The continuation of life is REAL..indeed. Nothing to fear and comforting to know, we will after crossing over, experience the Light and Love of Jesus…and our loved ones too!

#25

Chi Guerilla

This "defense" sounds a lot like UFO sightings. I'm sure they're convinced it was real too and just like this case there's an expert selling a book.

#26

Ganymede

I had never experienced such thing but when I was a 7, I had a very unpleasant experience that felt real. I don’t know whether I fell asleep but I found myself in hell like place. It was a vast underground place where everything seemed made of lava. I remember myself laying on my back and the suffering from burning. There were three man who seemed totally in shadows 5 meters away from me. Even though they were just standing there I felt like because of their presence I couldn’t move my body. I was crying and my sister came to wake me up. I heard her noise and pleading to her to wake me up. I still remember like it was yesterday it was such a pain. I when I opened my eyes I found big sister was shaking my body like crazy and I jumped out of the bed saying “Oh! It’s not hot in here at all”. All pain gone suddenly. I asked why didn’t you wake me up didn’t you hear my call, because I thought maybe I was only talking in my dream and not for real. She said I heard you, you were screaming and it has been 10 minutes since I starting shaking your body. It is not possible someone to not to wake up with that and even at some point you were just pretending. That could be a near death experience because the pain felt so real but why would a 7 years old would go to such horrible place even if it was. I could never understand this.

#27

Robert Forrester

Good work.

#28

Wild4lon

Who is paying big think to put this shit out? This guy talks like a cult leader or some crap. Completely unbacked statements and proof by examples. I expect better. His conclusions he draws make several leaps of assumptions based on data for which I can think of multiple loopholes. I want links to citations so I can look at methodologies and sample sizes. Until then, I'm going to assume his entire theory is bullshit and pattern finding where it doesn't exist.

You're starting at guilty until proven innocent, not innocent until proven guilty. Same kind of principle here. If you cannot prove beyond all doubt an NDE is not biologically created (and similar experiences make SENSE given our brains are biologically created from the same base structure), what reason do I have to believe any other explanations?

#29

Aaron britt

Don't think I'm insane but I would love to have the Ego death experience on magic mushrooms or DMT just don't know where or how I can get my hands on them, so hard to find. One time I was trippin on too much acid and I was staring at a fire pit and the fire pit turned into a mini world with little people and buildings, wonderful experience btw

#30

Cornpop

The human soul is eternal and once dead, we serve out the rest of eternity in one of two planes of existence: one is referred to as heaven, the other is referred to as hell. Hell is the absence of God. Some make a long pit stop in purgatory, also known as limbo.

What's referred to as dead is merely leaving this plane of existence, which is essentially a trial, for which you are judged and sentenced for the rest of eternity. Purgatory for those who are in need of additional purification before going to the plane of existence, called heaven.

Einstein proved numerous biblical concepts. The biggest being God "spoke" the heavens and the earth into existence, meaning it appeared from nothing. Before Space (and matter) there was no time. We call it the impetus for this "The big bang". The other big biblical concept Einstein proved mathematically was, other planes of existence. The Bible documented these 4 thousand years before Einstein expressed these concepts mathematically.

#31

Palin

After researching the history of great assets such as real estate, dividend-paying stocks, gold, oil, and other commodities, Ive come to the conclusion that most excellent assets never come down to the price you want to acquire them at. Simply get the ones you can afford right now.

#32

M. F. Richardson

Very interesting.
Thank you.
Peace 💕🇺🇲🇺🇲

#33

Andrew Jackson

I for 1 am really trying to figure out the purpose in this whole thing called life. Ive never had a NDE but I believe there is life after death of this body. From what I am observing after listening to many many NDE experiences from people. They need to do more work..They have more to do.. Is there a quota for us? Based on our abilities. Physical, mental and emotional abilities. To help other people. Im not a christian. But in the Bible Jesus states Greater love has no one than this, to lay down ones life for his friends. A life of sacrifice? Is that what we are expected to do for the Divine?

#34

Joel Mouton

People that believe in the supernatural have a deep seeded need to believe. He provided no case studies. Anyone who says he is completely right because he has studied them is employing an Argument From Authority Fallacy. One scientist does not represent all of science. We actually can replicate NDEs in the lab. If he denies this then he is being dishonest. Also we have a fairly good understanding of what happens to the brain as it approaches death. Near death isn’t completely dead. No one has come back from being completely brain dead and biologically dead.

#35

Funny how NDEs are all different. If NDEs were real everyone would see the same thing. Some people when they die or almost die report seeing or feeling or hearing nothing. This is one scientists opinion. Did he do peer reviewed studies? Where are the cited studies? There are Christian scientists that think the universe is 10,000 years old. We know that is incorrect. The simple fact is that none of us know what happens when we die but the evidence and knowledge in neuroscience leads us to the fact that nothing happens.

#36

S Bell

One of the most compelling phenomena out there.

Im abour 75/25 in favour.

The many Nde reports ive read and heard are so simlar im inclined to believe most of them. Though im sure some are made up and dont get me wrong i can accept that im been deceived as well…like its some mass pyschosis where an individual is basically compelled to lie and make shit up. But generally i steer towards belief.

Life is good ✌

#37

Eero Soralahti

In competitive freediving there are many cases of athletes blacking out due to low oxygen and requiting outside help to prevent death. If NDEs were caused by low O2 in brains you’d expect many reports of NDEs. Over a decade in international competitive freediving community and I have heard of zero cases of NDEs. So, it would seem that other explanations are needed.

#38

Glasstumble16

It's crazy how this video is titled Devil's advocate yet. People knowing this will still click on the video and complain about it.

#39

Darryl Sequeira

In my NDE I had a vision of me living my best life. I was comatose with half my brain destroyed for 21 days. My vision however lasted 11 months. The world I was in was more real than this one. I experienced everything completely, every moment was filled with love, I just know there's more to us than just life and death.

#40

UHFStation1

If drugs repress a NDE doesn't that imply that they are a brain function? Any physical scientists that don't specifically study paranormal agree with this video?

#41

Malcolm Gladweb

0:50 my man has clearly never tried dmt! let alone any psychedelic before.

#42

Jim Mc Nicholas

Answer: Yes.

#43

tom ellis

Had one as a boy when nearly drowned in cold, muddy flood water. Don't remember screaming, which alerted my rescuer, but do remember floating effortlessly in a beautiful stream with a sandy bottom, waving fronds, and coloured fish. Which do you think was reality?
As to out of body experiences of people dead – whatever the exact definition of that is – rising up to the top of the theatre and looking down. What has been done is put an unmissable message on top of an upper shelf. Couldn't be missed, except all those reporting NDE failed to see it.