The intertwining of death and life: a hermeneutic phenomenological investigation of near-death experiences among coma survivors.

Background: Death is an experience that every human being faces. As such, the near-death experience (NDE) has been a topic of interest to humanity for millennia. The NDE is often understood as a subjective event of altered consciousness that can occur during life-threatening events and/or near the time of biological death. This study investigated the near-death lived experiences of coma survivors in the context of Iran, providing unique insights into this universal phenomenon from a highly religious (Islamic) and culturally rich context.

Methods: A hermeneutic phenomenological study was undertaken. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 people who had experienced an NDE whilst in a coma. The seven-stage process of Critical Hermeneutic Analysis was conducted to make sense of the data collected.

Results: People with NDE described two primary themes, (1) the impression of traveling to realms outside the body and (2) escaping from death under the umbrella of spiritual protection. The first theme included the subthemes of being in a world full of light, meeting the departed, and interacting closely with death. The second theme included the subthemes of receiving a positive message of health from different prophets and hoping for God's healing. The constitutive pattern which emerged from the data was "The intertwining of death and life."

Conclusion: NDEs for people who have regained consciousness when having been near death are a multifaceted phenomenon accompanied by deep and lasting personal, spiritual, and social changes. Our findings reflect the Heideggerian concepts of 'thrownness' (Geworfenheit) (individuals just finding themselves thrown) into existence (with circumstances and conditions they did not choose), being-towards-death (individuals recognizing and confronting their own mortality) as a fundamental aspect of life, the notion of the enduring presence of the deceased in perceived realms, and the transcending of simple endings of life with death perceived as a profound transition rather than mere cessation of existence. Such findings may help healthcare workers to make appropriate care plans for these people, better understand them and provide support for them.