Reports of near-death experiences (NDEs) often include stories of flying through a tunnel towards a bright light, meeting deceased relatives, reviewing one’s life, and ultimately gaining a new perspective. People who have NDEs often begin to cherish every moment, find purpose in life, and are no longer afraid of death.
Researchers from Cyprus, Canada, and Greece decided to evaluate these transformations. They found eight people who were resuscitated after their heart had stopped. All participants were Greek Cypriots and Orthodox Christians. The scientists conducted three detailed interviews with each of them. The analysis revealed five themes, including the classic NDE elements, such as feeling like one is in another world (altered perception of body, time, emotions) and the personal and social transformations that occur after an NDE.
For example, respondents described that their entire lives passed before their eyes like a movie. Experiences included flying through a tunnel towards a bright light, leaving the body, and encountering various beings—some called them souls, while others were sure they had communicated with specific loved ones. Only two participants did not remember any “adventures” upon waking up in the hospital.
All survivors’ reports included a deep transformative effect. The NDE affected all aspects of their existence: physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and spiritual. After the NDE, all respondents cherished life more, lived more purposefully, and became more loving, more compassionate, and less materialistic.
It is worth noting that the NDE is one of the phase states, which include lucid dreams (LDs), out-of-body experiences, etc. In an experiment conducted at the Phase Research Center, lucid dreamers reproduced classic “near-death” scenarios with a flight through a tunnel in an LD. It is no coincidence that the Cypriot respondents drew parallels with dreaming; as one of them said, “I remember [my soul] stepping into my body, feeling something akin to a shudder, and then I woke up.”
Given your expectations and beliefs, what do you think you would see if you had an NDE?
The article was published in April 2023 in Nursing Open.
Get all the latest news about lucid dreams via our channels on Telegram, Facebook, Twitter
