Near Death Experiences

I recently ran across a piece of writing that echoed my own understanding as it was passed on to me in my childhood.  After my many childhood “NDE’s” – I would often talk about a ‘twin’ who had been born into a different family other than mine.

My Grandmother was part Cherokee and was raised up by a Grandmother who was full blooded Native American.  My Grandmother would often tell me that ‘her people’ had told her tales of myths similar to the tale I was speaking about after my many ‘near death experiences.

My Grandfather was Irish and most of the clan had inherited his nature.  My Grandmother was proud of the fact that I seemed to have inherited a part of her nature in my heritage.   The fact that I could speak to ancestral spirits was something familiar to her understanding.   My family eventually accepted the fact that had inherited my ‘Grandmothers’ stock of genes.

I can now recall many conversations I shared with my Grandmother about my own spiritual twin.

I found a reference to a Native American author who wrote a reference about this in his culture.

Charles Alexander Eastman (Sioux: Ohiyesa, (pronounced Oh hee’ yay suh), February 19, 1858 – January 8, 1939) was a Native American author, physician and reformer. He was active in politics and helped found the Boy Scouts of America.

One of the books he authored was titled “The Soul of the Indian.”  A passage from the book reads:

Many of the Indians believed that one may be born more than once, and there were some who claimed to have full knowledge of a former incarnation. There were also those who held converse with a “twin spirit,” who had been born into another tribe or race. There was a well-known Sioux war-prophet who lived in the middle of the last century, so that he is still remembered by the old men of his band. After he had reached middle age, he declared that he had a spirit brother among the Ojibways, the ancestral enemies of the Sioux. He even named the band to which his brother belonged, and said that he also was a war-prophet among his people.

Upon one of their hunts along the border between the two tribes, the Sioux leader one evening called his warriors together, and solemnly declared to them that they were about to meet a like band of Ojibway hunters, led by his spirit twin. Since this was to be their first meeting since they were born as strangers, he earnestly begged the young men to resist the temptation to join battle with their tribal foes.

“You will know him at once,” the prophet said to them, “for he will not only look like me in face and form, but he will display the same totem, and even sing my war songs!”

They sent out scouts, who soon returned with news of the approaching party. Then the leading men started with their peace-pipe for the Ojibway camp, and when they were near at hand they fired three distinct volleys, a signal of their desire for a peaceful meeting.

The response came in like manner, and they entered the camp, with the peace-pipe in the hands of the prophet.

Lo, the stranger prophet advanced to meet them, and the people were greatly struck with the resemblance between the two men, who met and embraced one another with unusual fervor.

It was quickly agreed by both parties that they should camp together for several days, and one evening the Sioux made a “warriors’ feast” to which they invited many of the Ojibways. The prophet asked his twin brother to sing one of his sacred songs, and behold! it was the very song that he himself was wont to sing. This proved to the warriors beyond doubt or cavil the claims of their seer.

• Reincarnation Beliefs of North American Indians: Soul Journey, Metamorphosis, and Near Death Experience
• The Soul of an Indian 2nd Ed: And Other Writings from Ohivesa (Charles Alexander Eastman)