Life after death has been a subject of curiosity and research amongst all the societies of the world since ancient period. All the dominant streams of religions and ancient philosophies believe in life after death. Hence, they used to believe that consciousness is not the product of the brain, it is only expressed through it. The Indian traditions believe not only in life after death, but in the transmigration of the soul and the theory of rebirth. With the emergence of science, the concept of life after death was rebutted and the classical theory of the science propounded that the mind or consciousness is the product of the brain, it has no independent existence. But the matter was not buried there and the multidimensional research continued into the realm.

 

The studies conducted into parapsychology over decades is not ready to believe that consciousness is the product of the brain. The concept of NDE or near death experience has opened a new vista of discussion. There are numerous writings and articles including books by noted psychologists and psychiatrists in support of NDE or OBE (Out of body experience).’ After is a very famous book written by the noted American psychiatrist, Dr Bruce Greyson. Earlier Dr Bruce was skeptic. But his clinical experiments and experiences convinced him that the NDE phenomenon is real. Even when the brain is totally collapsed or scientifically not able to register any electric activity, the subject after revival related the ongoing activities on the operation table or nearby area. In some of the cases the concerned person was fully aware even when his brain was dead or non functional. So it is believed that dying is not the end of consciousness. Death is a launching pad to jump into another realm of consciousness from the present one. It was found that the life of those who underwent NDE was profoundly changed along with their beliefs and values. Even today many premier institutions of the world are doing research on the mind body relations. Even Schrödinger, the Nobel laureate in physics has remarked that consciousness is not individual, but universal and cosmic. The famous psychologist, Wilder Penfield has remarked in his famous book

 

The Mystery of the Mind that consciousness is so complex that it cannot be explained by the brain alone. He was of the opinion that consciousness is the product of centrencephalic integrating system of the brain. But he failed in unifying the brain and the mind. The poetic and aesthetic sense of the brain cannot be accounted for only by any neural reaction of the brain. Yoga treats the mind as a vibratory energy interconnected with the cosmic consciousness.

 

There are numerous Indian texts where consciousness is not considered as the product of the brain. But amongst the Puranas, the Garuda Purana describes in detail the journey of the soul and consciousness after death. The Garuda Purana is called the Hindu book of the Death.These descriptions vividly match with the recounts of the persons who have undergone the NDE or OBE.