Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2023
Bruce Greyson
3 citations
Consciousness in humans and animals is explored, with a focus on near-death experiences (NDEs) and how both species may psychologically and spiritually interact during moments close to death. The article suggests that animals, like humans, can have NDEs and that these experiences can create a shared, transcendent connection between them. This interaction is described as a mutual awareness or communication that occurs at the threshold of death, challenging purely materialist views of consciousness. The work argues for a broader understanding of consciousness that includes non-human animals and highlights the spiritual dimensions of dying.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2023
Bruce Greyson
1 citation
Near-death experiences (NDEs) have been studied for 50 years, yet no simple, widely accepted definition existed. This study surveyed 100 near-death researchers and 100 near-death experiencers to identify a brief, consensual description. Both groups agreed on the most common physical circumstances, features, and aftereffects of NDEs, leading to a proposed model conceptual description.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2023
Alex Álvarez, Rodrigo Arriola-Godoy, Ramsés D'León
1 citation
Near-death experiences in Latin American communities shape individuals' perspectives on life, emotional well-being, and religious beliefs. The experiences often lead to positive changes in outlook and reduced fear of death, while also influencing spiritual or religious orientation. The article presents evidence from studies within these communities, suggesting that such experiences can have lasting psychological and existential effects.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2022
James G. Matlock
1 citation
A letter to the editor of the Journal of Near-Death Studies offers commentary on a previously published article about reincarnation. The author engages with the earlier work, providing critique or additional perspective on the topic. The letter does not present new empirical data or a systematic review but contributes to scholarly discourse on reincarnation within the field of near-death studies.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2021
R. Mays, Suzanne Mays
1 citation
A research group at the University of Liège evaluated and revised the widely used Near-Death Experience Scale, producing a new 20-item instrument called the Near-Death Experience Content (NDE-C) scale. The revision added items for negative emotions in distressing NDEs, the decision to return to life, and a tunnel experience, expanded Likert responses from a 0-2 to a broader range, and simplified wording. The development involved psychometric analysis of scores from 403 near-death experiencers, expert panel review, validation with 161 experiencers, and tests for discriminant validity against experiences from recreational drug use, meditation, and cognitive trance.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2020
Alinaghi Ghasemiannejad Jahromi, Jeffrey Long
1 citation
Accounts of near-death experiences (NDEs) from seventeen Iranian Shia Muslims show both similarities and differences compared to Western NDE narratives. The thematic analysis reveals that while core elements such as out-of-body sensations, meeting deceased relatives, and a life review appear across cultures, the Iranian accounts uniquely incorporate Islamic religious imagery, including encounters with figures like Imam Ali and descriptions of heaven and hell aligned with Shia eschatology. These findings suggest that cultural and religious background shapes the content and interpretation of NDEs, indicating that the experience is not universal in its details but is filtered through the experiencer's worldview.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2020
Phd Nicole Lindsay, Phd Natasha Tassell-Matamua
1 citation
Sleep quality changes after a life-threatening event regardless of whether a near-death experience (NDE) occurs. In a survey of 154 New Zealanders who had faced a close encounter with death, both those who reported an NDE and those who did not said they slept less, took longer to fall asleep, and experienced more sleep disturbances after the event. No differences in sleep duration, latency, or quality emerged between the two groups, indicating that the life-threatening event itself, rather than the NDE specifically, alters sleep.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2025
J. Matlock
A review of 10 specific cases shows that some people who have had a near-death experience later report new or more extensive past-life memories or visions. The article examines these cases to explore a possible connection between near-death experiences and the emergence of past-life recollections.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2025
J. Gibbs
Near-death experiences sometimes include a profound feeling of "returning home." This article examines accounts of that sensation and considers whether such experiences might provide evidence for reincarnation. The authors explore the hypothesis without drawing a firm conclusion, noting both the subjective power of the phenomenon and the lack of empirical data to confirm a literal return to a previous life. The discussion remains speculative, grounded in anecdotal reports rather than controlled observation.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2024
Mitchell Liester
The article explores how the experience of time changes across different states of consciousness, such as near-death experiences and those induced by mystical practices or psychedelic medicines. It introduces new terms for additional dimensions of time-experience and reviews the potential benefits and methods for achieving higher states of consciousness.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2024
R. King
Most people who imagine receiving a vague message from a supreme being during a near-death experience—that it is not yet their time—interpret it as being sent back to Earth to fulfill a purpose. This finding comes from a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 106 survey respondents who had never had a near-death experience. The study examines how individuals without personal NDE experience would interpret such an ambiguous, isolated statement if received from an authoritative source under those conditions.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2024
Natasha Tassell-Matamua, Antti Savinainen, Bruce Greyson
The article examines accounts of life review found in the writings of the Theosophy movement from the 1800s and 1900s. It describes how these accounts present a retrospective examination of one's life, often occurring after death or in spiritual contexts, as part of the movement's broader metaphysical teachings. The Theosophical literature portrays life review as a process of moral and spiritual evaluation, where individuals confront their actions and their consequences. The article likely explores the origins, variations, and significance of these accounts within Theosophical thought, situating them within the movement's synthesis of Eastern and Western esoteric traditions.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2024
Marco Condorelli
The article examines how descriptions of heavenly scenes in the Geneva Bible, a 16th-century English translation popular among Puritans, correspond to elements found in modern near-death experience (NDE) accounts. It argues that certain biblical passages—such as visions of light, tunnels, beings of light, and life reviews—share structural similarities with contemporary NDE narratives. The author suggests that these parallels may indicate that early modern readers interpreted biblical texts through experiential frameworks that resonate with NDEs today, though the article does not claim direct causation or empirical verification. The analysis is historical and interpretive, drawing on textual comparisons rather than experimental data.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2023
Patrick Brissey
The author defends the traditional argument that near-death experiences point to a transphysical self—a self not reducible to brain activity—and responds to recent naturalist objections from researchers such as Borjigin and Vicente, who argue that such experiences can be explained by physiological processes. The paper engages with objections accumulated over the last decade, aiming to show that the transphysical interpretation remains viable despite alternative naturalist accounts.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2022
P.m.h. Atwater
A letter to the editor clarifies differences between the author's own book and multiple other publications and research studies, addressing discrepancies noted in a previous review. The author explains how their work differs from others in the field, aiming to correct misunderstandings and provide accurate context for readers.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2022
Don Cozette
A letter to the editor proposes that the protagonist of Fyodor Dostoevsky's short story "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man" exhibits features resembling near-death experiences, and suggests Dostoevsky may have drawn on his own life for the story.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2022
Near-death experiences (NDEs) and shared death experiences (SDEs) share many core features, such as feelings of peace, seeing a light, and encountering deceased relatives, but differ in who has them. NDEs occur in individuals who are close to death, while SDEs are experienced by bystanders, such as family members or friends, who are not themselves in danger. Both types of experiences lead to lasting positive aftereffects, including reduced fear of death and increased spirituality. The comparison suggests that the phenomenology of deathbed experiences may extend beyond the dying person to those present.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2021
Patrick Brissey
People who have had near-death experiences often report lasting changes: they fear death less, become more moral and spiritual, and feel more certain that life has meaning and that an afterlife exists. Some supernaturalists claim these changes happen because the experience is real. Philosophers John Martin Fischer and Benjamin Mitchell-Yellin offer a naturalist alternative: they interpret NDE narratives metaphorically, preserving their meaning while rejecting supernatural causation. This article argues that Fischer and Mitchell-Yellin’s psychological explanation fails to adequately account for near-death experiences.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2021
S. Laureys, V. Charland-Verville, M. Botbol-Baum
People who have near-death experiences often report feeling as if they are outside their own body or moving through a different space. This article discusses how these unusual sensations of self-location and movement can be better understood by using a concept called "Archi-Textures," which helps to more clearly define the spatio-temporal experiences that occur during an NDE.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2021
B. Greyson
Near-death experiences (NDEs) sometimes include life reviews containing apparent memories of past lifetimes with verifiable details, suggesting that consciousness may continue after bodily death. These past-life memories parallel those reported by young children who recall past lives, and some children's memories include scenes from a period between lives that resemble the realm described in NDEs. Although some children's memories contradict common beliefs about reincarnation, and the idea of reincarnation into a new Earthly body conflicts with NDE accounts of encountering deceased persons in a non-Earthly realm, these contradictions can be resolved by reconceptualizing ideas about time and which aspects of human consciousness survive death.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2020
The physiological and psychological causes of near-death experiences (NDEs) after cardiac arrest remain unclear. Two competing neurophysiological models have been proposed: the real-time model, which suggests that residual brain activity during the crisis generates NDEs as they occur, and the reconstruction model, which proposes that NDEs are later reconstructed during brain recovery due to severe oxygen deprivation. Analyzing the phenomenology of autoscopy (out-of-body viewing) from literature and a 2015 online survey, the authors found that the reconstruction model lacks empirical support and some evidence contradicts it. Future research should prioritize the real-time model and a third alternative where autoscopy and NDEs occur independently of typical brain processes.
Journal of Near-Death Studies
January 1, 2020
Learning about near-death experiences (NDEs) through psychoeducation helped two cancer survivors cope with their diagnosis and treatment. Both individuals reported that this knowledge enabled them to face ongoing medical care and the possibility of death with greater peace. The case studies suggest that psychoeducation on spiritual topics, particularly NDEs, can be a beneficial coping strategy for cancer patients dealing with psychological distress.