On the vast African plains, a behavior has been observed that continues to astonish scientists. When an elephant dies, other members of its species may approach, touch its body with their trunks, remain by its side, and even return sometime later to examine its remains.
In 2006, a team of researchers led by Iain Douglas-Hamilton documented the reactions of several elephants to the death of a matriarch. Their observations revealed behaviors involving assistance, approaching the body, and showing interest in the deceased elephant.
What do these animals feel?
I find it surprising that, while we still know so little about the conscious experiences of other living beings, some people confidently claim that we already understand our own. But perhaps the most important question is not what happens when we die, but what we are doing with our lives while we are alive, while we are here.
One of the phenomena that has personally impressed me most about near-death experiences (NDEs) is what is known as the life review. Some of us who have undergone such an experience describe how, in just a few moments, we witness episodes from our lives with extraordinary clarity. But certain accounts go even further: people report experiencing the emotions they caused in others—the suffering they inflicted, the joy they shared, the words that wounded, and the small gestures of love that transformed someone's life. Let us imagine for a moment that this were true. Personally, I am convinced that it is.
What if one day we had to experience everything we have made others feel?
We live in a society where we constantly judge. Far too often, we criticize without knowing, condemn without understanding, and hurt others without being aware of their suffering.
I am not speaking of divine punishment. In numerous NDE accounts, the life review is described as an experience of profound understanding, sometimes accompanied by unconditional love. Perhaps true judgment does not consist of someone condemning us, but rather of fully understanding and experiencing the consequences of our own actions.
And if that is the case, shouldn't we begin to live differently? Are we truly who we believe ourselves to be?
Neuroscience has made extraordinary advances, yet it has still not fully explained the nature of our conscious experience. Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor, whom you will read about in the following pages, challenges the exclusively materialistic interpretation of our existence in his book The Immortal Mind, co-written with Denyse O'Leary. After performing more than 7,000 brain surgeries, Michael Egnor has reached a conclusion that challenges materialism: understanding the brain is not the same as having explained consciousness. And, in his view, our existence does not end with the death of the body.
If death did not represent the end of our existence, and if our decisions carried far greater significance than we imagine, perhaps success would no longer be measured by what we accumulate or achieve, but by what we share. True wealth would not lie in what we possess, but in the love we have been able to give.
However, as we will explore in upcoming editorials, we do not need to scientifically prove the survival of consciousness to recognize that our actions have consequences. We can begin our own life review today: Whom have we helped? Whom have we hurt? What decisions have we judged? Which decisions have we made out of fear, and which out of love?
And you, what do you think?
At Somos Alma, we want to open this discussion and hear about your experiences and reflections in the video featuring Michael Egnor.
I would like to conclude by returning to those African elephants that remain beside the body of one of their own. We do not know exactly what they feel, but their behavior reminds us of the importance of the bonds we build throughout our existence.
One day, we will understand that our consciousness truly transcends the physical body. In the meantime, there is one question we should not postpone: What if we were living the wrong life?
Because perhaps what truly matters is not discovering what awaits us after death, but understanding what we are doing with the life we have been given—the life that has been gifted to us.
And if one day we had to look back on our decisions from the perspective of those who experienced their consequences, perhaps we would discover that love, compassion, and respect were, from the very beginning, the most important lessons we were meant to learn. Or perhaps the only ones.
One Final Question for Our Readers
We will continue discussing these judgments and the decisions we make throughout our lives. For now, I will say goodbye and leave you with a quote from Lyrica Marquez, an autistic and deeply spiritual individual, from her book Lyrica, published by Editorial Faro (2022), page 249:
“When humanity stops judging, it experiences the most precious and unique gift that exists.”
Xavier Melo PhD
Founding Director
Icloby Foundation