Motfis of passage into worlds imaginary and fantastic
F. Gordon Greene
Journal of Near-Death Studies 1992 DOI: 10.1007/bf01074165 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 3 |
| Key points | Argues that reports of out-of-body and near-death experiences and imagery in classic modern fantasies and fairy tales share a common pattern of passage into otherworlds, including separation of consciousness from the body, floating and flying, tunnels or fluidic spaces leading to bright lights, and emergence into supernatural realms. Proposes a metaphysically neutral depth psychology to explain these parallels and examines two metaphysically opposed extensions of it. |
Abstract
In this paper I match phenomena associated with the passage into otherworlds as reported during out-of-body and near-death experiences, with imagery associated with the passage into otherworlds as depicted in classic modern fantasies and fairy tales. Both sources include sensations of consciousness separating from the body, floating and flying, passage through fluidic spaces or dark tunnels toward bright lights, and emergence into supernatural worlds inhabited by souls of the deceased and by higher spiritual beings; and both describe comparable psychophysical intiatory factors. I introduce a metaphysically neutral depth psychology to explain these parallels, examine two metaphysically opposed extensions to this depth psychology, and consider several implications of a transcendental perspective.