NDE: Powerful, Life-Changing Near-Death Experience Quotes (Updated)

A collection of powerful, life-changing quotes from people who have had near-death experiences, as well as those who have researched this very important topic…

Quote: Socrates

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

– Socrates

Quote: Nassim Haramein

“Looking for consciousness in the brain is like looking inside a radio for the announcer.”

– Nassim Haramein

Brene Brown: ‘The Power of Being Vulnerable’ (Updated)

Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past decade studying vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame — and a concept that she calls Wholeheartedness, posing the questions: How do we engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to embrace our imperfections and to recognize that we are enough — that we are worthy of love, belonging and joy? Brené is a nationally renowned speaker and has won numerous teaching awards, including the College’s Outstanding Faculty Award. Her groundbreaking work has been featured on PBS, NPR, CNN, and has appeared in The Washington Post, Psychology Today, and many other national media outlets. Her 2010 TEDx Houston talk on the power of vulnerability (watch here) is one of the most watched talks on TED.com, with over 6 million views…

Quote: A Wise Person…

“A smart person knows what to say. A wise person knows whether or not to say it.”

– Author Unknown

Quote: W. H. Murray

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!’ ”

– W. H. Murray

Dream Basics by David Sunfellow

A two-page handout on why dreams are important, how to remember them, how to interpret them, and how to use them to transform your life. This handout was created by David Sunfellow for his near-death experience class in Sedona, Arizona…

Quote: Gandhi

“A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

Quote & 2005 Movie: Sophie Scholl

“The real damage is done by those millions who want to ‘survive.’ The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don’t want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won’t take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don’t like to make waves — or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honour, truth, and principles are only literature. Those who live small, mate small, die small. It’s the reductionist approach to life: if you keep it small, you’ll keep it under control.

“If you don’t make any noise, the bogeyman won’t find you. But it’s all an illusion, because they die too, those people who roll up their spirits into tiny little balls so as to be safe. Safe?! From what? Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn.”

– Sophie Scholl (1921 – 1943), German student, a member of The White Rose Society, a non-violent anti-Nazi resistance group. Died at age twenty-two.

Quote: Steve Jobs

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” — Steve Jobs

NDE Researcher Kenneth Ring: The Golden Rule Dramatically Illustrated (Updated)

NDE Researcher Kenneth Ring writes: “For [decades] we have been hearing about near-death experiences (NDEs), those transcendental episodes of light and love that so many people who have experienced the beginnings of death have recounted for us upon returning to physical life. By now, these travelers tales have become very familiar to us, and they have certainly helped to fashion a much more positive vision of the nature of death itself. Recently, however, NDE researchers such as myself have been more concerned with the question of what those of us who have never had such experiences ourselves can learn from those who have about how to live our daily lives. In short, what do all these beautiful stories have to contribute in a practical way to how we go about living our ordinary lives in the world? Specifically, how can we make use of this body of knowledge about NDEs so as to live with greater self-awareness and spiritual insight?”

New NHNE Facebook Page on Relationships!

NHNE now has a new Facebook page on relationships. NHNE’s relationship page is dedicated to the rarest, most valuable of all earthly treasures: conscious, caring, healthy relationships — first, with our fellow human beings, and then with the rest of creation…

Quote: Walter Anderson

“Our lives improve only when we take chances – and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.” — Walter Anderson

Story: The Power of Words

There was once a wise sage who wandered the countryside. One day, as he passed near a village, he was approached by a woman who saw he was a sage, and told him of a sick child nearby. She beseeched him to help this child. The sage came to the village, and a crowd gathered around him, for such a man was a rare sight. One woman brought the sick child to him, and he said a prayer over her. “Do you really think your prayer will help her, when medicine has failed?” yelled a man from the crowd…

Quote: The Velveteen Rabbit

“Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” — The Velveteen Rabbit

Quote: Rumi

“The inspiration you seek is already within you. Be silent and listen.” — Rumi

The Pathwork Lectures On Relationships

The Pathwork Lectures provide the best, most clear and inspiring material I have ever come across when it comes to the importance of human relationships — especially male/female relationships. What follows are quotes from some of my favorite lectures, including Pathwork Lecture 44: “The Forces of Love, Eros, and Sex”, which presents the best overview of relationship dynamics and potentials I have ever encountered…

Shadow Work: Insights From The Pathwork Lectures

Before integral perspectives came along, the Pathwork Lectures of Eva Pierrakos provided the best, most inspired overview of personal growth and the spiritual path that I had ever come across. Along with being exceptionally “integral” in the way they view and encourage personal growth, the Pathwork Lectures are unique in terms of how much, and how clearly, they deal with shadow issues…

Quote: FDA

“Every drug that has been recalled by the FDA was first proven to be ‘safe and effective’ by the FDA.”

Quote: David Sunfellow

“Unlike spiritual paths that arose from the ideas and inner experiences of lone, isolated human beings, the path presented by near-death experiences is emerging as a direct, grassroots revelation that millions of people from all over the world are receiving and sharing. If we explore this newly emerging path deeply enough, we discover that all religions, philosophies, and cultures are honored; that science and spirituality are celebrated; that both the human and spiritual side of our natures are cherished and embraced. In short, near-death experiences present us with a universal, all-inclusive, perfectly integrated spiritual path that revolves around three core truths: 1. We are all one; 2. Love is the essence of life; 3. We are here, in this world, to become perfect embodiments of the divine.” — David Sunfellow

10/23/12 Sedona NDE Class Notes

David Sunfellow writes: “For the last couple of months, we’ve been studying The Light & The Light Review (pdf). Tonight we dove into the final part of this paper, “6. Life Reviews from God’s Perspective”. The ideas presented in the final chapter of this paper are enormously important. Understanding them is critical not only living healthy, happy lives, but also to learning how to love ourselves more deeply and, by extension, others…

Quote: Marianne Williamson

“In God, all things are possible” means “Where there is love, the rules of time and space as we know them don’t apply.” — Marianne Williamson

Quote: Leo Buscaglia

“The hardest battle you’re ever going to fight is the battle to be just you.” — Leo Buscaglia

Quote: J.C. Watts

“Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking.” — J.C. Watts

Aaron Huey at TED & Famous Native American Words (Updated)

“Look at me, I am poor and naked, but I am the Chief of the nation. We do not want riches but we do want to train our children right. Riches would do us no good. We could not take them with us to the other world. We do not want riches, we want peace and love. The riches that we have in this world, Secretary Cox said truly, we cannot take with us to the next world. Then I wish to know why commissioners are sent out to us who do nothing but rob and get the riches of this world away from us?”

Quote: Russian Proverb

“Better to be slapped with the truth than kissed by a lie.” — Russian Proverb

Ray Kurzweil On Using Dreams To Solve Problems

Ray Kurzweil on how he has learned to use his dreams to solve problems…

Quote: Mary Jo Rapini

“No matter how long you have been in a relationship with someone, you don’t know their heart. It’s easy to make assumptions, but many times those assumptions are flawed. If you want to know why someone behaves the way they do, always remain curious and ask. In fact… the single one thing that happy couples report being is curious about one another.” — Mary Jo Rapini

Quote: Thich Nhat Hanh

“When we listen deeply to another person, we not only recognize their wrong perceptions, but we also identify our own wrong perceptions about ourselves and about the other person. That is why mindful dialogue and mindful communication is crucial to removing anger and violence.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

Quote: Raymond Moody: ‘Scoffers are on the defensive’

” …I think of something recent that I see as very important. I’ve sensed in the last five years or so that the scoffers are on the defensive… They’ve been rattled when I see them in the debates… there’s not this abrasive aggressiveness you used to see. It’s rather more like they feel they don’t know where they are and all their old arguments have run out…”

Recent Near-Death Experience Stories

The posts includes 11 people describing their near-death experiences…

Quote: Fred Rogers

“Feeling good about ourselves is essential in our being able to love others.” — Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers)

Quote: Pema Chodron

“By being kind to ourselves we become kind to others.” — Pema Chodron

Quote: Sigmund Freud

“If I had my life to live over again, I should devote my life to psychical research rather than psychoanalysis.” — Sigmund Freud

Quote: Anne Frank

“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” — Anne Frank

Robert Moss: ‘If You Want To Be A Shaman, Start At The Breakfast Table’

Robert Moss, author of nine books on the dreaming process, shares ideas and techniques for reclaiming the lost part of ourselves, our soul…

Quote: Carl Jung

“Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people.” — Carl Jung

Quote: Dalai Lama

“Every morning when I wake up, I dedicate myself to helping others find peace of mind. Then, when I meet people, I think of them as long term friends; I don’t regard others as strangers.” — The Dalai Lama

Quote: George Bernard Shaw

“All great truths begin as blasphemies.” — George Bernard Shaw

Quote: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

The Healthy Relationship Preamble v2.0 (Updated)

The first version of “The Healthy Relationship Preamble” emerged in 2008. It grew out of a desire to understand the core qualities of healthy, happy, deeply integrated relationships — and fashion these core qualities into a simple, one-page statement. This is the second major version of The Preamble, which continues to change as more people read it and offer their feedback. Version 1 was called “The Integral Relationship Preamble”. Click here to download a printable copy of the current version…

Dreams: Excerpts from “Healing Dreams” by Marc Ian Barasch

“In our era, the past is vanishing like smoke. The ancestors and gods and spirits who speak through dreams were once welcomed into the circle of community; were among its essential members. But who now will listen to them? The cultures that honored them are dying, their very languages becoming extinct. The thread of received wisdom that has sustained us is stretched thin to breaking. Shorn of memory, we no longer recognize as part of life’s fabric those who have come before us. The voices of the myriad beings, visible and invisible, who surround us grow faint, though they are still talking in our sleep.
…Our dreams are a continuum, revealing, if we care to look, that we do not exist alone, but in a skein of relationship with all that has been, all that is, and all that shall be.” — Marc Ian Barasch

Quote: Steve Jobs

“When you grow up you tend to get told the world is the way it is and you’re life is just to live your life inside the world. Try not to bash into the walls too much. Try to have a nice family, have fun, save a little money. That’s a very limited life. Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.” — Steve Jobs

Quote: Alfred Adler

“It is always easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.” — Alfred Adler

Poster: ‘I Pledge Allegiance…’

“I pledge allegiance to the Earth and to all the beings that inhabit it, and to the planet, for which it stands, one world under love, indivisible, with peace and liberty for all.” — Author Unknown

Adyashanti (Updated)

A resource page on Adyashanti. Among other things, this page includes two remarkable interviews — one with Tami Simon of Sounds True and the other one with Rick Archer of Buddha At The Gas Pump — and many links to Adyashanti websites and resources.

Quote: Adyashanti

“The proof of the depth and embodiment of your realization will be seen in your love relationship. That’s where the proof is in the pudding. If it all collapses in your relationship, you have some work to do. And people do have a lot of difficulties in their relationships.” — Adyashanti

Dreams: Excerpts from “Healing Dreams” by Marc Ian Barasch

“In our era, the past is vanishing like smoke. The ancestors and gods and spirits who speak through dreams were once welcomed into the circle of community; were among its essential members. But who now will listen to them? The cultures that honored them are dying, their very languages becoming extinct. The thread of received wisdom that has sustained us is stretched thin to breaking. Shorn of memory, we no longer recognize as part of life’s fabric those who have come before us. The voices of the myriad beings, visible and invisible, who surround us grow faint, though they are still talking in our sleep… Our dreams are a continuum, revealing, if we care to look, that we do not exist alone, but in a skein of relationship with all that has been, all that is, and all that shall be.” — Marc Ian Barasch

Quote: William Butler Yeats

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” — William Butler Yeats

Quote: Bertrand Russell

“What we need is not the will to believe but the will to find out.” — Bertrand Russell