It’s difficult for those of us who’ve never had a near-death experience ourselves to imagine what it must be like. And it can also be difficult to find a walkthrough in plain language that explains the phenomenon from point A to point B. So we often feel left wondering, what is a near-death experience like, really?
Let’s try and answer this surprisingly common question here in this IANDS Q&A segment. What is a near-death experience like? What do experiencers see? How do these NDE characteristics take form?
Tragedy or hardship, and then an out-of-body experience
As the name implies, near-death experiences are typically caused by a close brush with death. It might be an accident, a life-threatening illness, or a harrowing event, such as experiencing combat or surviving a plane crash. A person might be unconscious or even clinically dead. In any event, some form of tragedy or hardship that threatens one’s life is involved. And that, unfortunately, is the first step.
Next, the individual has an out-of-body experience. They often feel they’re floating above or near their own bodies, their consciousness detached from their physical self.
Some out-of-body experiences are also coupled with veridical perceptions—the ability to see and hear things when the physical body shouldn’t be capable of doing so. There are countless reports of people accurately reporting events that took place near their physical bodies, or even away from them, that they rightly shouldn’t have been able to see or hear.
A void, a light, and an encounter
Experiencers enter a dark void or a tunnel, oftentimes seeing an indescribable light. This space doesn’t feel Earthly, let alone familiar. And as surreal as it may sound to those who’ve never had an NDE, the experience feels extremely real. They think and observe things rapidly and sharply; they’re alert, and they feel incredibly present in the moment.
Soon thereafter, the experiencer is approached by or otherwise encounters a being. It might be a deceased loved one—a family member, a friend, or even a pet. Some report encountering religious figures or spiritual beings, or even unrecognizable beings. And all the while the experience still feels “more real than real” for the person going through it.
NDEs typically include a “life review” as well. In a life review, the experiencer sees or relives moments from their lives, often feeling the emotional impact of those moments on others. This isn’t judgment from others or from beings encountered during their NDE, but from themselves. Life reviews are rapid or even instantaneous—referenced in popular culture as “seeing your life flash before your eyes.”
What is a near-death experience like, after it’s all over?
At some point, the experiencer finds themselves either deciding to return to the physical world, or they’re told they must. In either case, the person returns to the Earthly world. And for the vast majority of experiencers, it’s the start of a whole new chapter of their lives.
Experiencers are often changed fundamentally by their NDEs. Their attitudes toward work, relationships, and life itself all change. Their fear of death typically evaporates. And many devote themselves to service, to helping others and embracing new paths in life.
Read More: Aftereffects of Near-Death Experiences
The majority of NDEs are defined as “pleasurable”, consisting of what we mentioned here. But some NDEs aren’t so pleasant. “Distressing” NDEs can be quite the opposite, involving terror and anger. You can read more about them in our guide explaining Pleasurable and Distressing Near-Death Experiences.
Learn more about near-death experiences with IANDS
IANDS is devoted not only to researching near-death experiences and related phenomena, but also to spreading information, normalizing conversations, and fighting the stigmas related to the scientific field of near-death studies. There’s so much more you can learn with us, and we’d love for you to get involved.
If you’re new to the realm of NDEs, we suggest clicking the “Learn” tab above and reading some of our many informative articles. You might also want to visit our IANDS Q&A page to read articles on related subjects, explained in plain language. If you run into any terminology you don’t understand, you can read all about it in our IANDS glossary. And don’t forget to check out our magazine Vital Signs, too!
If scientific lingo doesn’t scare you off, we encourage you to read the Journal of Near-Death Studies, the world’s only peer-reviewed scientific publication on NDEs and related experiences. Our researchers also publish useful fact sheets on a broad range of related subjects. And consider attending an IANDS Conference to meet experiencers, hear from key figures, and explore the extraordinary with us!
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- Consider making a tax-deductible donation
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