Great question!!!!!

This is just my answer, not necessarily THE ANSWER and definitely not for everyone.

In all of my NDEs a little voice came to me and said, "Just relax and everything will be ok". After the first time it was easy to trust that voice. Over time I learned that was the voice of my own consciousness, my soul, my spirit, my light body, my heart. You don't have to put yourself in a life and death struggle to learn to hear the voice of your own being (your heart). I'm a slow learner and it takes a lot to get my attention. It takes moving your own conscious awareness out of your mind and focusing it on your heart.

OK judge me. How did I do?