In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife

The first half of Chapter 2 explores near-death experiences (NDEs) through various lenses. The author begins by recounting the story of Tyler Carroll, a combat medic in Afghanistan who had a profound NDE during a firefight. Carroll’s experience included a life review where he simultaneously relived his entire 21 years of existence, feeling intense love for his family and a sense of universal consciousness. Despite being severely wounded, Carroll cycled through periods of unconsciousness while continuing to treat his injured comrades.

Junger describes a mysterious experience that occurred during the last days of his father’s illness. He was awoken in the middle of the night because he heard his father screaming his name, despite the fact that his father was in Boston and Junger was in New York. Upon checking the time, he noted it was 3:15 am. Later that morning, Junger received a call from his mother informing him that his father had attempted to throw himself out of bed at 3:15 am, which his father’s nurse interpreted as a sign of his impending death. Junger notes that he was never able to explain dreams such as these.

Junger shares that after being discharged from the hospital following his own near-death experience, he cycled between intense states of appreciation for life and overwhelming panic. He reports experiencing moments of profound gratitude and wonder at everyday phenomena, such as the patterns of water droplets on a porch screen after rain. However, these periods of heightened appreciation were interspersed with episodes of extreme anxiety about the possibility of sudden death.

Junger then delves into the scientific and cultural aspects of NDEs, discussing the work of researchers like Raymond Moody, Bruce Greyson, and Sam Parnia. These researchers have documented numerous cases of NDEs, highlighting common elements such as out-of-body sensations, encounters with deceased loved ones, and feelings of peace or euphoria. The author presents specific cases, including that of Pam Reynolds, whose NDE during a complex brain surgery has become a notable example in NDE research. Reynolds’s case is particularly compelling because she reported accurate details about her surgery despite being under deep anesthesia with her eyes taped shut and her brain activity monitored as flat. Junger also describes cross-cultural accounts, including a Maori woman’s near-death experience, suggesting a universal aspect to these experiences.

The narrative explores various scientific explanations for NDEs, including the effects of oxygen deprivation on the brain, the release of endogenous compounds like DMT—a naturally occurring psychedelic compound in the human body that is thought to be released in significant quantities during extreme stress or near-death experiences—as well as temporal lobe seizures. Junger discusses the work of neurologist Wilder Penfield, who induced NDE-like experiences through electrical stimulation of the brain. Junger presents both skeptical and supportive perspectives on the validity of NDEs as evidence for an afterlife. He delves into the “dying brain hypothesis” and the potential role of endogenous DMT in producing NDE-like states, describing how the brain reacts to extreme stress and oxygen deprivation. According to this theory, the vivid experiences reported during NDEs—such as out-of-body sensations, life reviews, and encounters with deceased loved ones—are hallucinations produced by a brain under extreme duress. The hypothesis proposes that these experiences are the final activity of a dying brain rather than evidence of an afterlife or separate spiritual realm.

Junger draws parallels between NDEs and other altered states of consciousness, such as those induced by hallucinogenic substances or shamanic practices. He discusses archaeological evidence of ancient drug use in spiritual contexts, including the discovery of hallucinogenic compounds like atropine, scopolamine, and ephedrine in 3,000-year-old hair samples from Mallorca. The author explores the universal human desire to experience altered states of consciousness, linking this to both ancient and modern spiritual practices. He describes how Neolithic Mallorcans and Indigenous Americans decorated ceremonial objects with concentric rings, which scholars associate with inner visions induced by hallucinogens.

Throughout the narrative, Junger grapples with the tension between rational, scientific explanations for NDEs and their profound impact on individuals. He explores evolutionary and psychological theories that might explain the human capacity for such experiences, including the concept of “limbic lobe syndrome” and the potential adaptive benefits of euphoric or calming experiences during extreme stress. Limbic lobe syndrome refers to stress reactions associated with the flood of neurochemicals in the brain’s limbic system during life-threatening situations. This concept is presented as a potential physiological explanation for the euphoric or transcendent aspects of near-death experiences, suggesting that these reactions may serve an evolutionary purpose in helping individuals cope with extreme stress or the prospect of death. Junger describes how the release of endogenous opioids and other neurochemicals might contribute to NDE sensations, while also considering the possibility that these experiences serve a deeper purpose in human consciousness.

Reflecting on his father’s scientific background, Junger consults his father’s former colleagues Rudolf Martinez and Joel Garrelick for their perspectives on NDEs. This section highlights the tension between scientific rationality and unexplained phenomena. The author describes his father’s work on Helmholtz resonators and how his colleagues viewed him as both a rigorous scientist and a romantic open to unconventional ideas. Martinez and Garrelick discuss the extreme improbability of Junger’s father appearing as an apparition, comparing it to the odds of all oxygen molecules suddenly congregating in one corner of a room.