Near death experiences: exploring the mind-body connection

183 Pages·2008·1.43 MB·English

by  Ornella Corazza

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Near-Death Experiences
Near-death experiences (NDEs) fascinate everyone, from theologians to
sociologists and neuroscientists. This ground breaking book introduces
the phenomenon of NDEs, their personal impact and the dominant scient-
ific explanations. Taking a strikingly original cross-cultural approach and
incorporating new medical research, Near-Death Experiencescombines new
theories of mind and body with contemporary research into how the brain
functions.
Ornella Corazzaanalyses dualist models of mind and body, discussing the
main features of NDEs as reported by many people who have experienced
them. She studies the use of ketamine to reveal how central characteristics
of NDEs can be chemically induced without being close to death. This
evidence challenges the conventional ‘survivalist hypothesis’, according to
which the near-death experience is a proof of the existence of an afterlife.
This remarkable book concludes that we need to move towards a more
integrated view of body and soul, in order to understand what human life
is and also what it can be.
Ornella Corazza is a Fellow in the Department of the Study of Religions at
SOAS, the University of London. In 2004–5 she was a member of the 21st
Century, Centre of Excellence (COE) program on the ‘Construction of Death
and Life Studies concerning Culture and Value of Life’ at the University of
Tokyo.
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Near-Death Experiences
Exploring the Mind–Body Connection
Ornella Corazza
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First published 2008 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon. OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 100016
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2008.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
© 2008 Ornella Corazza
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or
other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying
and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Corazza, Ornella.
Near-death experiences : exploring the mind-body connection /
Ornella Corazza.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Near-death experiences. I. Title.
BF1045.N4C67 2008
133.901′3–dc22
2008000555
ISBN 0-203-92890-3 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN10 0-415-45519-7 (hbk)
ISBN10 0-415-45520-0 (pbk)
ISBN10 0-203-92890-3 (ebk)
ISBN13 978-0-415-45519-0 (hbk)
ISBN13 978-0-415-45520-6 (pbk)
ISBN13 978-0-203-92890-5 (ebk)
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In memory of two marvellous teachers, Laura Huxley
(1911–2007) and Yasuo Yuasa (1925–2005).
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Contents
Foreword viii
Acknowledgments ix
List of abbreviations xi
Introduction 1
1 The mind–body connection 5
2 Journeys in the afterlife 22
3 The river of no return 54
4 Meeting God in a nightclub? 80
5 Gaining new insights 102
6 Explaining the mystery 118
7 Rethinking embodiment 125
Notes 140
Bibliography 147
Index 164
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Foreword
Through her experiential knowledge of the near-death experience, Ornella
Corazza brings us, in a convincing and logical way, a deeper understanding
of the relation between body and soul, pointing out that the spirituality of
the senses and the sensuality of the spirit are one during our lifetime.
Laura Archera Huxley
Los Angeles
September 2007
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Acknowledgments
The completion of this book was a fascinating and arduous journey, which
would not have been possible without meeting many people who provided
me with plenty of encouragement and numerous inspiring discussions.
Amongst these, special thanks go to Cosimo Zene, who helped this project
at every step with his criticism, charm and sense of humour. I owe a special
gratitude to Peter and Elizabeth Fenwick, who introduced me to the field of
near-death studies and who stimulated my critical thinking during our
numerous meetings in both London and Tokyo. My sincere appreciation also
goes to Paul Badham and Karl Jansen, for supporting me with valuable guid-
ance and profound insights. I also owe a debt to Susumu Shimazono who
made it possible for me to take part in his 21st Century COE program on
the ‘Construction of Death and Life Studies’ at the University of Tokyo,
one of my most life-changing experiences. There I met friends and scholars
who were of great help and inspiration, especially Allan Kellehear, Yasuo
Yuasa, Hiroshi Motoyama, Carl Becker and Yoshi Honda.
I should also like to thank The Japan Foundation and The Great Britain
Sasakawa Foundation for the generous funding that made my research in
Japan possible.
My editor Lesley Riddle and the rest of the team at Routledge made the
process of revising for publication both constructive and pleasant, despite
all the challenges of writing a book in my third language. I also benefited
from Paul Marshall’s vigilant eye and useful suggestions.
Several other scholars and friends contributed to this work: Fabrizio
Schifano, Shigenori Nagatomo, Lucia Dolce, David Lorimer, Cherie
Sutherland, David Fontana, Rupert Sheldrake, Chris French, James
Robinson, Fulvia Cariglia, Giuseppe Festa, David Luke and Sidney Chang.
I should also like to acknowledge the help of those who agreed to be inter-
viewed for this project and the Religious Experience Research Centre at the
University of Wales, Lampeter, for supporting me with invaluable material,
which made much of this book possible.
To my family, for their love and support, I reserve a very special gratitude.