Emmanuel Swedenborg described what happens to a person after death when bodily functions such as breathing and blood circulation cease. This description is very similar to that described by people who have had a near-death experience (NDE).
Swedenborg wrote how he himself went through the early stages of death and had experiences outside of his body.
During the events outside the body, Swedenborg encountered creatures he identifies as angels. Basically, they ask him if he is ready to die.
The communication that took place between Swedenborg and the spirits is a direct transmission of thought - a way of communication in which there is no possibility of misunderstanding.
Swedenborg described how - compared to physical life - spiritual life has fewer limitations. Perception, thought and memory are more perfect. Time and space no longer create the obstacles they once had in physical life. This is in line with NDE evidence describing how thought becomes broader and how the afterlife realms exist in a timeless state:
According to Swedenborg, a dying person can meet other dead spirits that they knew in life. These other spirits exist to assist the dying person in their transition to life on the other side. This is consistent with the NDE certificate in which the student meets someone in their home country.
Swedenborg wrote how a departed person can be shown his whole life in a vision. The departed person remembers every detail of this, and there is no way to lie or hide anything.
Swedenborg also mentioned the "light of the Lord" that pervades the future life. It is a light of unspeakable brightness in which Swedenborg claims to have a glimpse of himself. It is the light of truth and understanding. This is consistent with the otherworldly Light seen in many near-death experiences.
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Information taken from the section of the book "Life After Life" by Dr. Raymond Moody dedicated to Emmanuel Swedenborg.
