TODAY, WE ARE THRILLED TO WELCOME THE VERY TALENTED, PATRICIA SUTCLIFFE, AUTHOR OF 'BEYOND THE MORTAL COIL' #RWRTeamBlog #ReadWriteRepeat
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Excerpt from BEYOND THE MORTAL COIL
One of the first stories I was told when writing this
book was that of Paul, a retired 71-year-old engineer.
These are his words:
‘I was told I had prostate cancer and needed urgent
surgery. I had lost weight and noticed difficulty when
Urinating but never suspected cancer. I felt overwhelmed
and just wanted the thing out. I hated hospitals, but not
as much as I hated the thought that I had something
inside of me eating me away. The next few weeks went
by in a blur of family tears and fear. Then, there I was in
the hospital being prepared for surgery. The last thing I
remembered was being told to count from 100 down,
everything went black, and then I found myself up on the
ceiling of the operating room looking down at myself. I
should have felt terrified, but I didn’t. I was watching them
pumping my chest, and I could see with their faces that
something had gone wrong. People were dashing in and
out of the room, and I saw the consultant shake his head.
Next minute, I was in the dark, and the chaos in the
theatre had stopped. I felt peaceful; everything was
black, but I had no fear. Then I heard a whooshing sound
and was pulled upward at speed. I saw things that had
happened in my life, but I also felt how my actions had
affected others. I was then in the open, in bright light, and
I couldn’t see anything, but I felt this immense feeling of
love. I just wanted to be there, but knew I wasn’t meant
to stay. In one instance, I was back in my own body. The
46first thing I became aware of was the loud buzz of
instruments and a feeling of pain in my body.
I’m from a family of atheists, as I was before this
happened. I would have been ridiculed if I had spoken
out then, so I kept quiet but never forgot. I’m sure I died
that day, and I know I changed as a person. When I
finally did tell my family, they laughed at me and said I’d
had too much of the anaesthetic and was dreaming. At
that time, I knew nothing about NDEs. Still, since I have
done a lot of reading and recognise hundreds, even
thousands of people have had what I had, so now I don’t
care what people think, I know there is something after
we leave this life.”
Has it given me a sense of a higher purpose in life? I
now love studying and having time to reflect, which I
never made time for before my NDE. I am more aware of
what is happening around me than ever before, and I see
things differently. I suppose having cancer makes you
think differently about life, but it’s more than that. I can’t
explain it; I feel different in some way. Little things that
annoyed me once don’t matter anymore.
I increasingly feel like an observer rather than an
active participant, especially about trivial matters. Many
issues I once considered worth debating, sometimes
heatedly, now seem unimportant. I realise how easily we
get caught up in disagreements over small things and
lose sight of what genuinely matters. Life is too precious
to waste on unimportant squabbles, and I’m learning to
experience the moments that genuinely give me
fulfilment.’
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are not a new
phenomenon; they are reported by both adults and
children as far back as Plato and the bible and beyond.
As noted under Historical Revelations and Beliefs, there
have always been accounts of what we now refer to as
near-death experiences (NDEs). Hadith literature tells of
the Prophet Muhammad ascending to heaven, meeting
prophets and witnessing paradise before returning to life.
When we compare the elements of ancient
descriptions of what we now call near-death experiences
(NDEs) across various traditions, it becomes evident that
specific themes are common. These include out-of-body
Experiences journeys to other realms, encounters with
spiritual beings, life reviews, and a return to life
accompanied by a profound message.
Dr. Raymond Moody coined the term "near-death
experience"in his 1975 book ‘Life After Life.’ This
publication sparked extensive research into the topic,
which continues to this day. I purchased this book when
it was released, and it still sits on my bookshelf, the first
in my ever-growing collection of books on metaphysical
experience.
Many people worldwide have shared their stories of
near-death experiences (NDEs), and these tales have
stirred our imagination. In these remarkable moments,
individuals often describe profound changes in their
perception of life, sharing vivid and sometimes surreal
experiences they encountered during critical situations.
With the rise of social media, numerous personal
accounts are now available, making it easier to explore
the phenomenon of near-death experiences (NDEs).
A common thread, as noted above, emerges in these
experiences: many people report overwhelming feelings
of love, acceptance, and warmth. Some describe the
sensation of floating outside their bodies, while others
recount encounters with deceased loved ones or
experiences involving glowing beings. These
experiences can profoundly alter how individuals
perceive their lives once they return to the everyday
world. The growing interest in NDEs underscores our
deep curiosity about life, death, and what may lie beyond.
Are Angels Real?
Lily was facing a severe illness and a traumatic period in her life when she reached the breaking point and took an overdose. While waiting for the ambulance, her husband described how she stared into a corner of the room and began speaking to her deceased parents, telling them she was ready to go. She then started smiling and nodding before looking at her husband and saying she would be alright now. She recovered from both her illness and depression.
Dream warnings are also common, and there have been several well-documented reports of people experiencing them. Indeed, President Abraham Lincoln reportedly had a vivid dream in which he saw his funeral. Upon asking a guard who had died, he was told the President had been assassinated. He was assassinated shortly afterwards.
Eryl Mai Jones, a ten-year-old girl from the village of Aberfan, told her mother she had dreamed that her school was buried by something black. The next day, the Aberfan disaster happened, and the village school was buried beneath a collapsing coal tip. One hundred and sixteen children and 28 adults lost their lives. Eryl was among the dead.
We refer to these experiences as Premonition Dreams, where an unknown force seems to warn us of an impending disaster affecting ourselves or others. While scientists often dismiss these dreams as mere coincidences, does that truly explain their detailed accuracy? Are we being visited by angels, warning us of danger? Ultimately, they remain a mystery that science has yet to unravel.
An area that is gaining increased recognition is palliative and hospice care. This interest arises from frequent encounters with terminally ill patients, both young and old, who report experiencing angelic and otherworldly figures. Family members and medical staff see these as angels visiting and supporting patients on their journey to a new existence. In one pediatric hospice, a nurse recounted a story about a young boy who told her that angels were singing and telling him not to be scared. A mother shared that her young son saw an angel with large golden wings in the room just before he passed away. Numerous similar accounts appear throughout the literature involving angels.
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ABOUT ME
Born in a Yorkshire mining town, Patricia Sutcliffe is a retired university lecturer and experienced human ehaviourist with a passion for writing. A published author and ghost-writer, her first writing success came at ten years of age when she won a national competition. Since then, she has continued to write and has become an accomplished writer of fiction and non-fiction books. Writing mainly in the genre of crime and social injustice, Patricia studied forensic criminology and is a behavioural coach.
Patricia's achievements have been many, from an international lecturer to a town mayor and chess coach. Experiences that she draws upon to add realism to her books. As a memoirist, she is skilled at bringing out the voices of those she represents as a ghostwriter.
If you are free in your own mind, nobody can imprison you with theirs.
COMING SOON: On Sunday 23rd August, we are delighted to welcome back our guest author Lucy Brighton, who is sharing an excerpt from Chapter 1 of her novella, 'Finding Truth'.
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