Near-Death and Other Transpersonal Experiences Occurring During Catastrophic Events.
Madelaine Lawrence
The American journal of hospice & palliative care June 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1177/1049909116631298 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review with illustrative examples Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Keywords | After-death communication Catastrophic Deathbed communication Disasters First responders Spiritual Transpersonal experiences |
| Key findings | Transpersonal experiences occur during catastrophic events beyond clinical or grief settings, and first responders and emergency professionals need awareness of them. |
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to describe examples of near-death and other transpersonal experiences occurring during catastrophic events like floods, wars, bombings, and death camps. To date, researchers have limited their investigations of these transpersonal events to those occurring to seriously ill patients in hospitals, those dying from terminal illnesses, or to individuals experiencing a period of grief after the death of a loved one. Missing is awareness by first responders and emergency healthcare professionals about these transpersonal experiences and what to say to the individuals who have them. Some responders experience not only deaths of the victims they assist, but also deaths of their colleagues. Information about these transpersonal experiences can also be of comfort to them. The examples in this article include a near-death experience during the Vietnam War, an out-of-body experience after a bomb explosion during the Iraq War, a near-death visit to a woman imprisoned at Auschwitz, and two after-death communications, one from a person killed in Auschwitz and another from a soldier during World War I. Also included are interviews with two New York City policemen who were September 11, 2001 responders. It is hoped the information will provide knowledge of these experiences to those who care for those near death, or dying, or grieving because of catastrophic events, and encourage researchers to further investigate these experiences during disasters.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distressing Near-Death Experiences | 1992 | Review | |
| Attitude Change Following Near-Death Experiences Individuals who have had near-death experiences | 1980 | Review | n = 21 |
| Near-death experiences. | 2004 | Review | |
| The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences | 2009 | Review | |
| Near-death experiences in cardiac arrest survivors | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Semiology and Mechanisms of Near-Death Experiences Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports July 27, 2019
- Near-Death Experiences: A Bibliometric and Systematic Review of Published Literature From 1977 to 2025. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying July 30, 2025
- Near-Death Experiences in a Multi-religious Hospital Population in Sri Lanka. Journal of Religion and Health October 1, 2018
Cites 3
- Dissociation in people who have near-death experiences: out of their bodies or out of their minds? The Lancet February 1, 2000
- A Thematic Literature Review: The Importance of Providing Spiritual Care for End-of-Life Patients Who Have Experienced Transcendence Phenomena. The American journal of hospice & palliative care July 12, 2015
- The incidence of deathbed communications and their impact on the dying process. The American journal of hospice & palliative care November 1, 2013