The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 2012
Ryan Rominger
DEATH STUDIES (formerly ANABIOSIS) publishes articles on near-death experiences and related phenomena such as out-of-body experiences, deathbed visions, after-death communication, and the experiences of dying persons. The journal explores the empirical effects and theoretical implications of these events, including their significance for understanding human consciousness and its relation to life and death processes. It is committed to unbiased exploration and welcomes diverse theoretical perspectives grounded in empirical observation or research.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 2012
Stanley Krippner
Spiritual experiences can powerfully change a person's attitudes and behaviors, often in beneficial ways, drawing on examples from organized religion across history. Research on spiritually transformative experiences is reviewed, along with a tool for measuring spiritual content in written or verbal reports: the Casto Spiritually Scoring System. This instrument includes subscales for spiritual settings, objects, characters, emotions, activities, and experiences. The system has shown high reliability and has proven clinically useful when spirituality arises in counseling or psychotherapy.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 2010
Ken R. Vincent
Near-death experiences (NDEs) and other transpersonal experiences, which exceed ordinary limits of space or time, suggest the existence of God and ongoing personal consciousness after death. A historical review of these experiences before 1850 and their scientific study from 1850 to the present concludes that a large percentage of the population has had such experiences, the vast majority of experiencers are mentally healthy, and the experiences improve people's lives. Although these experiences cannot prove a personal God or afterlife, they strongly point to them.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 2010
Dan Punzak
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are not hallucinations or psychiatric events but appear to be a genuine phenomenon that challenges current scientific assumptions about consciousness. The book reviews evidence from prospective studies showing that NDEs occur during cardiac arrest when the brain is clinically dead, yet patients report vivid, structured experiences with clear memories. These findings suggest consciousness may function independently of brain activity, raising questions about the nature of mind and reality. The author argues that NDEs indicate a nonlocal aspect of consciousness that continues after physical death, supported by cases of verified perception during out-of-body episodes.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 2006
Brian A. Bain
Near-death experiences (NDEs) represent the latest stage in a long history of a phenomenon that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries. By focusing on where such profound human experiences share common ground, humanity itself can be seen at perhaps its most sublime level. The article discusses the interpretation and religious aspects of NDEs, suggesting that these experiences reveal a common thread across different eras and societies, offering a window into the deepest aspects of human existence.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 2003
Greene, F. Gordon
A fractal-scaling scheme previously introduced by the author is elaborated to explain hyperspatial experiences. Four cases of out-of-body experiencers reporting heightened visual capacities are correlated with this model. Three of these cases include the ability to see through solid obstructions, and one includes the ability to pass through them. Additional evidence from ecstatic, near-death, mystical, visionary, and psychedelic experiences supports the thesis. Other reported hyperspace signifiers, such as spherical 360-degree vision and seeing all sides of three-dimensional solids simultaneously, are also considered.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 1997
Bruce Greyson
A review of Kimberly Clark Sharp's book 'After the Light' recounts her personal near-death experience and describes how the event transformed her life and worldview. The review presents Sharp's account of what she discovered on the other side of life and the lasting impact it had on her, including her subsequent work with the International Association for Near-Death Studies.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 1996
Bruce Greyson
A prolific author argues that ancient accounts of near-death experiences (NDEs) and underworld journeys, drawn from Greek and other sources, provide essential context for understanding both modern NDE research and medieval otherworld narratives. The book presents the author's own English translations of passages from ancient writers describing phenomena now called NDEs, along with mythological parallels and historical cases. Platthy contends that Pythagoras's account of visiting Hades foreshadowed later Christian themes of the soul's torture after death. The work retells and integrates 25 mythological visitors' stories to the underworld, many already familiar through Western dramatic retellings.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 1996
Bruce Greyson
A review of Jeno Platthy's book 'Near-Death Experiences in Antiquity' examines how ancient texts describe experiences similar to modern near-death experiences, arguing that such phenomena were recorded across classical and ancient cultures. The reviewer notes Platthy's collection of historical accounts from Greek, Roman, and other ancient sources, suggesting that these narratives share features with contemporary reports, such as journeys to other realms and encounters with beings. The work contributes to the history of ideas about the afterlife and paranormal experiences, placing modern near-death research in a broader historical context.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 1990
Bruce Greyson
In a retrospective comparison of 183 people who reported near-death experiences and 63 who did not, the two groups were similar in age, gender, and time since the event. Those with near-death experiences endorsed all 16 items on the NDE Scale more frequently than those without such experiences.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 1989
Bruce Greyson
Near-death experiences (NDEs) raise empirical questions that science can investigate, but scientific study carries risks for those who have had NDEs and for how the experience itself is understood. Because NDEs offer unique access to information about consciousness and death, these risks are outweighed by the benefits to experiencers and to humanity that come from a scientific description of NDEs.
The Journal of near-death studies
January 1, 1988
Bruce Greyson
Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are not signs of mental illness but are relatively common, occurring in about one in ten people, often during sleep or relaxation. The book reviews empirical research on OBEs, finding that they typically occur spontaneously, are more frequent in people with certain personality traits like openness to experience, and are generally not linked to psychopathology. The authors argue that OBEs represent a psychological phenomenon that can be understood through empirical analysis, challenging earlier views that pathologized such experiences.