Theos-Talk Archives (September 1996 Message tl00281)

One of the things which I wish scientists would try, if they have the
equipment necessary, of course, would be to moniter the activity in the
thalamus recently after a death, more appropriately after a heart attack.  I
have a theory, rather, a hypothesis that the thalamus is the "relay" during a
near-death experience.  This is why:

First of all, the thalamus acts as a relay for all of the senses, excluding
smell.  Everything that one sees, hears, touches, etc. must go through the
thalamus before it can be interpreted and remembered by the appropriate lobes.
 Just as in the Upanishads it says that the spleen is the physical "seat" of
the astral body, I believe that the thalamus is similar in the microcosmic
sense.  Perhaps even the seat of the atman.

When a person has a near-death experience, and I am referring to those who
have seen the tunnel, the light, etc., they are seeing the light, the atman,
perhaps, at the end of a tunnel.  Their senses and instincts are the first to
go in, for they are the "nearest" to the thalamus, and also the most "basic".

When the people enter the light, their whole life flashes before them so to
speak, and it all happens at once.  They feel the emotions, as well as the
senses, (except smell, coincidentally, (or not), that occurred during their
life.  This experience is all of their memories retreating into the thalamus,
probably a spiritual mechanism of sorts to prepare them for the final stage of
physical death.  Once their entire spiritual and mental self is "enclosed"
within the thalamus, they can decide upon whether or not it is "their time."

Has anyone else thought of this?  Or does anyone know if this kind of thalamic
testing is possible?

---
The Triaist