No, when we are dead, that's it, recycle time.

I think the brain is mis-firing somehow and projecting these visions/experiences - whatever you call them - before it either closes down for ever or clicks back to normal.

I agree with GandT that when you die - that's it.

No that's it your time is done but we live on in the hearts and minds of offspring

- and friends, parents, relatives....

Absolutely, dead is dead, that's it no alternative I don't think.... I used to believe there was when I was young and want there to be, but my reality tells me that's it, time over

Goodness me!! How depressing! Even if there isn't an afterlife, I would find it very boring not thinking about all the possibilities and how it would be. Even theories are more interesting than just be living there's nothing out/up there for us.

When my DH was very ill, as a young child, he had an experience of seeing some people waiting for him then hearing a voice say "No, it's not his time yet."

It may have been imagination but it's unlikely he would have had any cause to imagine such a thing, at a young age.

As an adult, he retained complete confidence that all would be well, after his death.

As a Christian then my answer is yes there is

We die and become "moon dust". We live on in the memory of those who love us. End of...

I believe there is an afterlife. My grandmother, the most down to earth practical person you could wish to meet, was ill and when I visited her she started talking about her coming death. When I remonstrated with her she just said she knew she was going to die because she had seen my grandfather and my uncle and they had come to show her the way. She died later that day. I often feel the presence of my late DH in the house. When I was recovering from an operation for cancer I saw my late father standing by the side of my bed, he smiled and told me I was going to be fine.

I believe that these near death experiences are the product of the brain shutting down. But it is comforting to know that these brain-induced illusions might be with us at the point of death.

I think we came from the stardust and we return to the stardust - our atoms go back to spinning around in the cosmic soup.

I like to think but think you are right gagagran I have seen a lot of people die and a lot of them with a smile if it is brain misfiring it appears to take the fear away which can't be bad if like me you are frightened of dying

No

Hmmmn, I agree it could be the dying brain sending calming thoughts /visions, as when a person has a high fever, they see all sorts of things.The only thing that is odd though, and that the brain cannot do, is for you to be floating over the top of yourself and seeing the scene in front of you happening, and almost all these tales are the same in that respect.So, the consciousness or spirit does leave the body at death and appears not to worry about it.

I believe there has to be an afterlife. I had a message from my mother via a medium who told me exactly what I had been doing that morning and who had been in the house with me and all sorts of other things that the medium couldn't possibly have known. It was the first time I had met her! Also just as my mother in law passed, she had a radiant smile on her face as if in recognition of a loved one coming to meet her. I'm a great believer that this life is not the end!

I think to experience whatever this is, is beautiful. I love that this is part of our mystery. Scientifically it's been explained and I'm a great believer in it and the power of the brain and dreams. The brain is an organ we can't fathom. It's just a shame we coincidentally only experience it the moment of near death. Our brains are amazing controllers. I believe there is nothing when we die, like a plant lives and dies. But who knows? Nobody..... Absolutely nobody!

I just hope there is!

On reflection, I think that I should have said "stardust"...no matter...I believe that we are recycled. If so, I'm all for it.

I always find it difficult that someone as genuinely nice as you Soop, doesn't believe in spiritual things. No way would I. Wish to be nasty, but I have thought this before. Was there some incident that put you off the idea of higher beings, states of existence? Or should I not be so damn nosy!!??

I hope not. I'm not going through all this again. Having said that, when my young nephew was dying of leukaemia, as he took his last breath he leaned forward on his pillow and gave a thumbs up sign. Makes you think.

Why should there be? Is there an afterlife for an ant? A slug? A puffin? I think not, so why should we be any different.

Being a nice person and having spiritual beliefs do not necessarily correlate. There are lots of wonderful and truly horrible people on both ends of the belief spectrum.

Of course, you are right. I find it hard to imagine that truly awful people would be interested in a heavenly existence. Perhaps I've built up a very rosy picture because I haven't got the guts to contemplate the alternative. Not having had a very good life, I'm probably try I g to compensate myself with ideas of a better future.

And what happens to all the wisdom and knowledge gained in some people's life times?? How can it all disappear? Perhaps I'm naive.