The age old question of what happens to us after we die has faced man since the dawn of our existence. It is a question I myself have pondered upon the answer to for many years. Being raised by Catholic parents, I was told growing up that when we die our spirit goes to heaven or hell. I was satisfied by that answer for many years, but as I grew older and my beliefs changed, I again began searching for an answer to this question.
With so many different religious beliefs around the world, how can we be sure which one is correct? What if none of them are correct? What if all of them are correct? Maybe after our bodies die our consciousness goes wherever we believed it would go while we were alive. Despite the countless number of times I have heard people confidently debate their beliefs and what awaits us after death, I have yet to hear one that I can stand behind.
There are also those who believe that there is nothing waiting for us beyond death and our consciousness just shuts off. I struggle with this concept as well. Our minds and our consciousness within are so complex that I cannot fathom it just fading away into nothingness.
During my search for answers, I came across a few interesting articles that linked near death experiences with REM sleep related lucid dreaming. They theorized that as our brain begin to shut down, it enters a fight or flight state and switches into the REM state of consciousness. I find this theory extremely fascinating. If our mind is able to enter the REM state of consciousness before death, then maybe the afterlife is nothing more than a dream fabricated by our own mind as it fights in vain to survive. Even though in real time our brain may enter that REM state for just a brief moment before death, the dream that we perceive to be the afterlife may feel like an eternity because of the timeless feeling that dreams tend to have.
This is the most appealing theory I have heard so far. Think of the possibilities. If the afterlife was a dream created by our mind, we could make it anything we wanted it to be. Who knows, with access to our vast amounts of memories, maybe it would be possible to manifest our friends and family into our dream-state afterlife as well. Even though I don’t believe in this theory wholeheartedly, it’s comforting to think that this could possibly be what’s awaiting me when my time on this earth comes to an end.
Inside Matthew's Mind 
Very interesting. I’ve thought this plenty of times myself. As I am able to lucid dream, I find that that may be very possible. This is a wonderful post, you did very well and put it in simple terms so even a person like me can understand. ^^ Thank you, this was a very wonderful read. (:
I’ve never heard that REM theory before, but you explained it very well-it has always seemed to me a strange thing in dreams that even though we are all alone in the dream state, we are never conscious of it. I have had the odd lucid dream, but never to the extent of realising the eople in the dream are figments of my imagination. I don’t necessarily believe in a God-but if there is one and He/She is nice and loving, then you can be sure the Afterlife will be great. After all it’s been saved for last.
Thoought provoking read, Matt. Keep sharing your insights with us!
Enjoyed reading every word of this. I really like how your writing was organized and down to the point.
The ideas suggested here definitely need a pause. Thank you for introducing them to us 🙂
Physicist would have you believe that if you smash an unlimited number of atoms together in an unlimited number of places for an unlimited amount of time you could create anything. I can buy that for something simple like a finger nail, but not for the complex array of cells and organs that are inside our body, all working together for our benefit and evolution.
There has to be some intelligence that is driving this process with some predetermined intent. I believe that intelligence is us. There is much more to us then we are consciously aware of. When we are conscious we are in a state of mind with limited, but focused awareness. A good example of this is if you spill a drink you are consciously aware of all the actions you are taking to clean it up. But if there is something wrong inside your body, your body goes into action but you are only aware of the pain or discomfort. When you sleep at night you are aware of time passing by but little else. You might wake up in the middle of something that your brain will associate memories to, but that’s about it. I doubt if resting the body is the main function of sleep. In fact it might be more real then consciousness itself, which could be just energy turning into light creating electro magnetism and a whole lot of pretty pictures based on each person’s own sense of normality, perspective and awareness.
I couldnt disagree more Matt. But you know my faith.
But if you need science… http://youtu.be/AJioWKPlBIw
I like to read about things we have excavated and found ex: Sulfur in Sodom and gahmorah, Noahs Ark, the red sea wheels etc.