A life review is a segment of autobiographical memory widely reported as a characteristic of near-death experiences. It’s a process during which a near-death experiencer witnesses a “replay” of their life in an instant, often accompanied with feelings of how others emotionally interpreted those moments.
We’ve all heard someone say they “I saw my life flash before my eyes” when confronted with a frightening situation. This essentially describes a life review. The experiencer sees their life play out rapidly, often from a third-person perspective. It’s almost like starring in a movie of your own life, often with vivid emotional intensity draping every scene.
What happens in a life review?
Each life review is unique to the person having it. But there are some common features, which include:
- Reliving personal experiences, including key events, important moments from personal relationships, and life choices.
- Emotional depth, not just in remembering what happened, but in feeling or sensing the emotions of others involved in or affected during those key moments.
- A shift in perspective, where the experiencer says they witnessed their lives through the perspectives of others and had an understanding of how their actions rippled outward.
- Learning and growth, offering an opportunity for reflection, compassion, and spiritual insight.
How common are life reviews?
Research suggests that life reviews occur in a significant portion of near-death experiences, but not a majority of them. One study found that life reviews played a role in approximately 14% of NDEs. Another study found that they occurred in approximately 20% to 30% of NDEs.
Is a life review judgmental?
Near-death experiences often involve visits from deceased loved ones, religious or spiritual figures, or other beings. And sometimes, the life review portion of an NDE involves these beings, too. But it’s important to note here that they are not typically judgmental. These beings may serve as a loving guide or might represent a higher power, but not usually with negative associations.
Life reviews are more a matter of self-reflection. Many experiencers emphasize that their life review was not about punishment or condemnation. They’re a process of understanding. They’re an opportunity for the experiencer to see their choices, feel their consequences, and recognize patterns of love, kindness, or harm.
Help IANDS unravel the mysteries of NDEs
Life reviews are just one of the many fascinating mysteries surrounding near-death experiences and related subjects.
At IANDS, we’re on a mission to learn as much as we can about NDEs. We hope to educate people, too, erasing stigmas and normalizing conversations involving these important topics. But we can’t undertake this work without your help.
If you or someone you know has had a near-death experience, we encourage you to submit your story to our NDE accounts registry. It’s a safe space where you can share your personal story and help researchers better understand this complex, beautiful, life-changing phenomenon. You might also consider taking part in an NDE research study, helping the science community in a more direct way.
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