Abstract: A host of literature accumulated over the past 40 years attests to the powerfully transformative nature of near-death experiences (NDEs) through a consistently reported pattern of aftereffects. Many of the qualitative and quantitative studies of post-NDE changes have been conducted in the United States and in Western European nations. Although examining the cultural diversity of NDEs was recently highlighted as a research priority, no researchers to date have examined how near-death experiencers (NDErs) from Aotearoa New Zealand describe any changes they experience after their NDEs, whether these descriptions are similar to those in previous research with samples from other Western nations, and, if not, whether culturally-specific explanations might account for those cross-cultural differences. In this exploratory study, our aim was to examine these questions. Participants were 28 individuals who self-identified as NDErs. Four participants were interviewed about their NDEs, whereas a further 24 provided written accounts. All 28 accounts were thematically analyzed, with findings overall indicating that many of the NDE aftereffects reported in previous literature were also evident in our sample. In cases in which participants did not describe typical aftereffects identified in previous literature, possibly culturally specific explanations are provided.

Abstract: In this article we present a distressing near-death experience (NDE) that a 23-year-old Iranian Shi'ite Muslim man described having experienced five years previously, during coma following a serious car accident. Given that very few Muslims, especially Iranians, have reported NDEs, one of our aims in presenting this case was to begin to fill this void in the near-death studies literature. We provide extensive quotations from our 40-minute interview with this experiencer, in which he describes the NDE itself as well as aftereffects of it, including experiences of disclosing it to others. We conclude with a discussion about the relationship between his NDE and Islamic beliefs as well as what his case can offer regarding an understanding of the role of culture in NDEs.

Abstract: A comparative survey of how near-death experiences (NDEs) intersected with afterlife myths and shamanic practices, as reported in the mid-19th to mid-20th century by missionaries, explorers, and ethnographers of Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Australia, reveals various culturally distinct patterns. In Polynesia and Melanesia, documentary accounts of NDEs are found alongside myths and beliefs that directly refer to the phenomenon. In contrast, in Australia and Micronesia NDEs are almost entirely absent, and afterlife journey myths instead typically have shamanic contexts. I argue that these dynamics can be explained by reference to certain religious and cultural particularities, including differences in burial practices, variations in attitudes towards the dead, and diversity of shamanic traditions.

Abstract: We describe results of a qualitative study investigating spontaneous mediumship experiences (SMEs) of near-death experiencers (NDErs). Using archival data from a prior survey (Holden, Foster & Kinsey, 2014), we used cross-comparison qualitative analysis to examine emerged themes of participants' descriptions of SME characteristics, challenges of SMEs, and strategies to cope with SMEs. We identified 19 themes across 3 research questions. We discuss implications, including our urge to NDE researchers to continue investigating SMEs among NDErs to provide deeper clarity and understanding of this NDE aftereffect.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to explore the states of consciousness associated with various features of near-death experience (NDE). The sample comprised 23 Norwegian adult survivors of unconsciousness associated with life threatening medical conditions, either cardiac arrest (CA; n=19) or surgery to address another type of trauma (OT; n=4). Of these, 11 CA and 4 OT patients endorsed at least one item on the Near-Death Experience Scale--Norwegian translation. We individually interviewed each of the 23 patients to ascertain their perception of the phase of unconsciousness in which each endorsed item on the NDE Scale occurred. Although most features reportedly occurred during unconsciousness, at least one item was endorsed for four other phases related to unconsciousness: before, while awakening from, after (conscious), and after (asleep/dream). Our results indicate that healthcare providers need to be prepared that ND experiencers may report clinically significant NDE features during both unconsciousness itself and that more research into this topic is warranted.