Eben Alexander did not believe in spirituality and was fond of para-jumping which he had done several times. Once he was about to dash against another trooper while on JUMP, but some part of his brain (he calls it CORE - Not the one that does analysis, neither the one that controls body parts), shifted him to his utter astonishment to safety.
Later he had an attack from E.Coli bacteria (1 in 1,00,00,000 of meningitis patients!) that lead him to COMA for 7 days. He describes those days as touring the Universe beautifully with something that was always pleasant, like sun-rise, green-cover, water-falls, canals etc. He could find himself flying above these.
For a neurosurgeon who had performed 100's of brain surgeries, opened the skulls, injected plasma, no amount of antibiotic worked and his return from death-bed, he says, was due to pure LOVE from God.
Out of his coma he was given a picture of his birth sister, whom he’d never met because he was adopted and she had died. He was shocked to find that she was the angelic guide who gave him the tour of the universe.
On Science he writes that "our focus on exponential progress in science and technology has left many of us relatively bereft in the realm of meaning and joy, and of knowing how our lives fit into the grand scheme of existence for all eternity".
About BRAIN: The brain does not REALLY THINK!!!. It filters bits and pieces of information and formulates a story. This is what it decides is reality, all the while true reality lies outside its awareness. Our daily experiences are an illusion. However, love is the true reality and the love we have for our children, spouses, friends, pets, etc. never dies.
# Time does not exist in reality. Time and space are only a function of the dualistic nature in the physical universe.
# We are loved, innocent and there is nothing to fear.
# We must choose love instead of fear because we are allowed to choose what we will experience.
# The false belief in separation from God is the source of all anxiety and problems and the solution for every problem is recognizing that we are one with each other and God.
# Physicality is characterized by defensiveness. There is no loss in Spirit, therefore nothing to defend.
He also refutes other scientific versions in an appendix, with medical language that only a physician would understand.
Excellently narrated, this book should become must read for everyone who love spirituality and who believe in life-after-death. I would go to an extent suggesting that this book could even be included in some 'literature' part of the College syallbus. I am thankful to Prof. Rahmatullah Vellore for referring us to a review about this author in 'Newsweek' some time back.
