Mayim Bialik Explores Near-Death Experiences With Bruce Greyson, MD, in Not-To-Be Missed ‘Breakdown’ Podcast
Neuroscientist and actress Mayim Bialik, Ph.D., interviewed IANDS founder and University of Virginia Professor Emeritus Bruce Greyson, MD in a compelling episode of her ‘Breakdown’ podcast.
In this not-to-be-missed, 90-minute podcast, which references IANDS in the introduction, Greyson recounts how he was raised in a scientific, materialist household and describes the experiences that led him to become one of the most important near-death experience researchers in history. Greyson says he met Raymond Moody just after publication of Life and Life, and Moody described the phenomenon of what Greyson had observed in his own work.
‘We’ve had crazy ideas throughout the centuries that turned out to be perfectly true’
“When you think about these experiences, how do you frame them in terms of our understanding of science? People used to think that the notion of germs was insane,” Bialik asked, prompting a fascinating discussion about the need to be open to possibilities that sometimes seem inconceivable.
“We’ve had crazy ideas throughout the centuries that turned out to be perfectly true,” Greyson says. “I look at these things [NDEs] and I say there is no doubt they happen. I talk to thousands of people who had these experiences. They say it’s more real to them than talking to me is.”
“When you ask somebody what happened in a near death experience, they almost always say ‘I can’t tell you. There are no words for it. Can’t be described,’” Greyson says. “And then we say ‘Great! Tell us about it.’ So we make them use metaphors and the metaphors that they tell us they get from their cultural background, their religious background,” he continues. “Although the phenomena they report are the same around the world and going back to ancient Greece and Rome, the cultural background of these people will determine how they describe it to us.”
Greyson says people all over the world will talk about encountering a warm, loving being of light that makes them feel welcomed and unconditionally loved. He explains that people in the western world may use words like ‘God’ or ‘Christ’ while people who are Hindu or Buddhist won’t use those words. “People will tell me ‘I’m going to say God, but this is not the guy we talk about in church. It’s much bigger than that,’” Greyson adds.
NDE Episode of Breakdown Podcast explores the science behind NDEs
In their wide-ranging discussion, Greyson and Bialik explore research into physical and biochemical explanations for NDEs, and research into psychedelics and the similar experiences they can produce.
Greyson also talks about the impact that NDEs have on people, changing the course of their lives. “No matter what they thought of death going into NDEs, they are no longer afraid coming out,” he says. He notes that experiences often change their careers, entering helping professions and finding themselves more spiritual, often embracing many spiritual environments, rather than a single faith tradition.
Greyson and Bialik also explore the importance of maintaining open minds to ideas that some might describe as outlandish or insupportable.
“Way back in the sixties and seventies when I was going through college and medical school, I was told that one-third of what you are taught in medical school is totally wrong. The problem is, we don’t know which third it is. So we are told ‘don’t take all of this as gospel.’ This is our understanding as of now,” he said. “When you look at the science of 100 years ago, we laugh at some of the things they believed and I’m sure that people 100 years from now, they will laugh at what we believe.”
He added, “That’s what science is—it’s getting better and better models that can improve on the ones we had last year or last decade.”
This is a podcast you’ll want to hear – and share with your most skeptical friends and family.
