Horacek, B. J. (1997). Amazing grace: The healing effects of near-death experiences on those dying and grieving. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 16(2) 149-161.
Abstract: Kenneth Ring (1991) argued that near-death experiences (NDEs) act as compensatory gifts helping individuals cope with and understand life’s difficulties. He saw NDEs as conferring “amazing grace” on individuals whose lives were spinning out of control toward self-destruction. Expanding on Ring’s contention that NDEs can be seen as healing gifts, this study presents evidence of seven categorical situations where participating in or knowledge of NDEs and near-death awareness experiences serve as healing agents in facing one’s own death or the death of a significant other. NDEs and nearing death awareness seem to free persons from paralyzing death anxiety and, consequently, allow them to focus on additional ways help each other face dying and grieving.
Copyright: © 2008 International Association for Near-Death Studies
Link: http://www.iands.org
Topics:
Accounts of NDEs—Biographical, Cases
Aftereffects of NDEs—Orientation to Death
Characteristics of NDErs—Age, Adults
Characteristics of NDErs—Age, Children and Adolescents
Characteristics of NDEs—Autoscopy, Out-of-Body
Characteristics of NDEs—Emotions, Pleasurable
Characteristics of NDEs—Encountering Beings, Deceased or Living
Characteristics of NDEs—Light, Mystical
Characteristics of NDEs—Parapsychological Phenomena, ESP
Characteristics of NDEs—Return, Involuntary
Characteristics of NDEs—Sensory, Kinesthetic
Characteristics of NDEs—Tunnel Experiences
Circumstances of NDEs—Accident
Circumstances of NDEs—Illness
Circumstances of NDEs—Induced Chemically
Disclosure of NDEs
Healing and NDEs—Physical
Healing and NDEs—Psychological
Health Care Professionals and NDEs—Psychological
Nearing Death and NDEs—Deathbed Visions
Nearing Death and NDEs NOS
Non-NDErs' Attitudes toward NDEs