In this sense of term, a near-death experience (or NDE) happens when a
person is either very close to death (perhaps through a fall or in a
coma) or actually does briefly die in a clinical sense. For instance,
after cardiac arrest, a person’s brain and body may shut down for a
short period before they are resuscitated. In many cases—about 20%,
according to some studies—people
report that even though their brain showed no signs of activity, they
underwent a remarkable series of experiences. Typically, they report
leaving their body and looking down from above (sometimes describing
medical procedures in very specific detail), then floating away into
space, sometimes through a dark tunnel towards a light. They report a
tremendous well-being, with feelings of connectedness and love.
Sometimes they see a review of their whole lives, flashing by in the
space of a few seconds.
Although NDEs only last for a few
minutes of normal time (at the most), they almost always have a
transformational effect. People undergo a major shift in perspective and
values. They become less materialistic and more altruistic; they feel
more connected to nature, with more love and compassion for others. They
have a heightened sense of beauty, and often relish solitude and
inactivity in a way that they had never done before.
There have
been many attempts to explain NDEs as an illusion or hallucination
caused by unusual brain activity, but to date, no satisfactory
explanation has emerged. In fact, in my view, the fact that the
experiences almost always bring a powerful and permanent transformation
strongly suggests that they are not an illusion. Illusions are rarely,
if ever, life-changing....
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