2023 IANDS CONFERENCE Registration is Now Open!!

IANDS 2023 Conference PosterInspired to Loving Action
The Transformative Power of Near-Death and Related Experiences

Near-death experiences (NDEs) and related experiences often inspire and nurture compassion, creativity, and curiosity, leading to closer relationships, deeper spiritual practices, and generosity toward others.

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Drs. van Lommel and Greyson: To the Rescue!

Once again, researchers have published an article about bursts of brain activity in the dying human brain, and people interested in the question of the origin of NDEs have contacted Journal of Near-Death Studies editor, Jan Holden, EdD, asking whether the results described in the article provide a materialist explanation of the source of NDEs.

A challenge for intelligent lay readers is that most of us do not have the expertise to understand technical references to medical procedures and assessment results, such as "EEG gamma bursts," described in such articles. So, Jan reached out to two IANDS members who do have such expertise: cardiologist Pim van Lommel, MD, and emeritus professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences Bruce Greyson, MD.

In the brief (4.5 double-spaced pages) Invited Commentary linked below, these experts explain—in terms most readers should be able to understand—why the findings of this most recent study and others like it "do not and cannot explain" either confirmed aspects of NDEs or the source of NDEs. Their Invited Commentary will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal but, as a service to IANDS members and to the general public, is provided here as a pre-print publication.

Remembering Diane Corcoran, PhD, RN, US Army Col (Ret)

Diane Corcoran photoWith sadness, but also with gratitude for her many years of devoted service and contributions, IANDS announces the passing of Diane Corcoran on Sunday, March 5, 2023. At the time of her transition, Diane was an active member of the Board of Directors, a multiple-time IANDS past-president, creator and leader of the Veterans Sharing Group, and near-death experiencer (NDEr).

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2023 IANDS Spring Symposium - April 22nd

2023 IANDS Spring Symposium

FULL DETAILS OF THE SPRING SYMPOSIUM HERE: https://symposium.iands.org/

THE ROLE OF NEAR-DEATH AND RELATED EXPERIENCES IN GRIEF AND GRIEF COUNSELING

The 2023 IANDS Spring Symposium will address the topic of the role of near-death experiences and related experiences in grief and grief counseling. The event will be online on Saturday, April 22, from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern time.

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Kenneth Ring's new book: A Near-Death Researcher's Notebook

Kenneth Ring's new book: A Near-Death Researcher's NotebookIANDS co-founder and first president, Kenneth Ring has published his new book, A Near-Death Researcher's Notebook; What I Have Learned About Dying, Death, and the Afterlife. Nancy Clark, IANDS group leader of the Ohio, Columbus group shares her recommendation here: 

I've read just about everything Ken Ring has written. He is one of the most renowned near-death experience researchers of our time. But lately, he has woven together in his current book not only what he has learned from his NDE research, but he gives you an appreciation for the fragility and complexity of life itself.

Ring beautifully interweaves scientific fact with captivating storytelling in a way that provides the reader with a perspective that allows one to cherish life for as long as we have it.

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Spiritual Awakenings: Scientists and Academics Describe Their Experiences

Marjorie W adSpiritual Awakenings: Scientists and Academics Describe Their Experiences

Edited by Marjorie Woollacott, PhD, and David Lorimer

The essays in this volume are a wonderful and varied collection of personal insights into individual spiritual awakenings and the resulting transformation in the lives of scientists and academics.

Scholars share the experience of their own spiritual awakening and journey, including encountering challenges to their credibility in academia, if they shared these experiences. Their comments about transformation in values, beliefs, and approaches toward life are very moving, expressing a deep inner wisdom and connection, not only with humanity but also with the earth and cosmos.  

Click here to view or purchase on Amazon

Participate in an NDE Research Study!

If you have had a near-death experience (NDE), NDE-like experience or related experience, please consider participating in the on-going research studies below. All of these studies have been reviewed and approved by the IANDS Academic & Research Committee.

1. Physicians who have had a near-death experience
  • Objectives:  We are recruiting physicians who have had a near-death experience (NDE) for an online study. The purpose of the study is to learn about physicians’ attitudes towards NDEs. Because of the impact of NDEs on experiencers’ lives, patients sometimes talk about these experiences with their physicians. This research aims to improve these interactions. We are interested in your participation even if you have not had patients who have reported an NDE.
  • Researchers: Marieta Pehlivanova, Ph.D., and Bruce Greyson, M.D., of the Department of Psychiatry and  Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
  • Type of study: Participation in the study will take about 15 minutes of your time and will consist of an anonymous online questionnaire. You are eligible to participate if you are a physician in any specialty and have had a near-death experience.
  • Further information and contact information

2. The sense of space, feelings of motion, emotions, and sensations in NDEs
  • Objectives: The study focuses on the type of spaces, feelings of motion, emotions, and sensations you experienced during your NDE. This research project has been reviewed by the Bar Ilan University Institutional Review Board Israel. To be eligible to participate in our study you must be fluent in English, be at least 18 years old, and have no mental disabilities or need for a guardian.
  • Researcher: Dr. France Lerner, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv District, Israel
  • Type of study: Premininary questionnaire (30 minutes); Online study questionnaire (up to 2 hours). To participate in this study, you will need: 
    1. Internet access.
    2.  Gmail account (or, if you do not have one, create an account at http://www.gmail.com/).
    3. A pen (blue ink ballpoint 0.5).
    4. A printer with a scanner (or use a free cellular scanning App to scan your documents with your phone).
    5. An indoor place where you feel physically and psychologically at ease.
  • Further information and link to preliminary questionnaire

3. The Social Self: Differences between Individuals with and without an NDE
  • Objectives: A student from King’s University College is carrying out psychological research to better understand the differences in the social self of individuals who have had near death experiences compared to those who have not.There are no requirements for this study. It is open to both individuals who have had a near death experience and those who have not. The study requires participation in an online self-report survey. You will be asked to state your level of agreement on scales measuring authenticity, self-monitoring and mindfulness.
  • Researchers: Meglyn Murphy, King’s University College at Western University, London Ontario, Canada 
  • Type of study: Questionnaire            Time required: 40 minutes
  • Further information and link to questionnaire

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Welcome to IANDS!

Welcome to IANDS 4

Founded in 1981, IANDS is a membership-based, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that promotes research, education, and support around near-death experiences and related experiences. Our mission is to advance a global understanding of these experiences. We envision a future in which all people embrace near-death and related experiences as sources of meaning and inspiration for a better world. 

If you are not currently an IANDS member, we kindly invite you to join our organization. 

Why Join IANDS?

  • Make a difference in the world.
  • Be part of an inclusive, accepting community.
  • Change the public perception of death and dying.
  • Help end discrimination against people who have NDEs and related experiences. 
  • Receive members-only discounts and opportunities. 
  • Get our quarterly Vital Signs magazine exclusively for members only.
  • Enjoy our popular monthly near-death or near-death-like accounts.
  • Support NDE research and the publication of the Journal of Near-Death Studies.
  • Receive helpful information, resources, and educational offerings.
  • Provide valuable information, resources, and educational offerings to the world.
  • And much more.

You are here for a reason. We hope you will stay in touch!  

JOIN IANDS                 SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL LIST 

Near-Death Experience Accounts

Near-Death Experience Accounts

On this website you will find near-death experience accounts (and NDE-like accounts) submitted by experiencers. These first-hand testimonies offer compelling insights and perspectives about consciousness and what happens after we die. You can also see more NDE accounts on our YouTube Channel (IANDSVideos) and in the IANDS publication, The Self Does Not Die.

NDE Accounts                What is an NDE?                 Submit Your Experience

IANDS on YouTube

IANDS YouTube Channel

We add a video to IANDS’s YouTube channel every week. Subcribe to IANDSVideos and ring the bell to be notified when we post a new videos.

A New Scale to Assess Near-Death Experiences -- Commentary

Statistics

Abstract: An expanded scale, the Near-Death Experience Content (NDE-C) scale, has been developed by Charlotte Martial and colleagues (2020) to assess near-death experiences (NDEs). The scale was modeled after the existing NDE Scale (Greyson, 1983), using reworded scale items, and added five additional items, notably items about a gateway or tunnel and a feeling of non-existence or fear. NDE-C uses a rating scale of 0–4 for each item and thus ranges from 0 to 80. In this article, we raise concerns that several of the reworded items appear to have changed the meaning of NDE Scale item and appear to be significantly more prevalent or less prevalent than the original item, as demonstrated in a Rasch statistical analysis of the NDE-C results. We suggest wording changes for these items so that they return to their original context and meaning. [This page is an abbreviated version of the full article PDF, which can be downloaded here.]

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Reckoning: Discoveries after a Traumatic NDE by Nancy Evans Bush

Reckoning Nancy Evans Bush Book

Reckoning: Discoveries after a Traumatic Near-Death Experience

A devastating near-death experience--a disempowering NDE of the Void--overturned the certainties and worldview of Nancy Evans Bush, a young teacher and new mother. Decades later, recognized as a trusted pioneer in research of distressing near-death experiences, she writes for the first time about her long struggle to come to terms with the experience. In this third book, she looks at reconciling foundational beliefs with the powerful messages of a strange and otherworldly NDE. The unexpected, sometimes humorous, often synchronistic discoveries point beyond herself to challenges and reassurance for everyone.

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Closing the Gap in Medical Care for NDErs

VOICES Close the Gap Resources
 
NDE DISCLOSURE DISCRIMINATION
Those who have a near-death experience (NDE) struggle with sharing this information with their healthcare providers, family members, and others. Some struggle to make sense of the experience, mainly if they are unaware that others have reported similar accounts. Though it’s challenging to explain NDEs scientifically, they happen to millions of people and often leave individuals profoundly changed for the remainder of their lives. Studies have found that 10 – 20% of people who are resuscitated after nearly dying have an NDE: an out-of-body experience accompanied by various perceptions such as traveling through a tunnel of light, feeling loved, and/or being received by deceased loved ones. Most NDEs are highly pleasurable experiences, but a percentage describe a distressing experience, which can be traumatizing to patients.
 

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Join Our Team

Working together

We are now accepting applicants for the following position. 

Volunteer Coordinator (Volunteer Position)

Manage all aspects of volunteer coordination for IANDS. This position does not involve direct supervision of volunteers, which is provided by the leader of the area in which the volunteer is working. Hours: Initially 10 hours per week, and later 10 hours per month.

Download PDF Job Description

Thank you!

 

Dr. Kenneth Ring, IANDS Co-Founder Launches New Book

Ken Ring book cover Reflections

IANDS Co-Founder, Kenneth Ring, PhD, released new book: REFLECTIONS IN A GLASS EYE: Essays in the Time of COVID
In these lively and often witty essays, Dr. Kenneth Ring, best known for his pioneering work on near-death experiences, reveals his talents as a Kenny-come-lately humorist and would-be man of letters. Now in his mid-80s, this book shows he has lost none of his verve for writing on a range of subjects as diverse as they are entertaining.  Kenneth Ring, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Connecticut, author of five books on NDEs, including his bestselling Lessons from the Light, cofounder and first president of the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS).
 
Review by Nancy Clark of Ohio on Amazon: After reading Reflections In a Glass Eye by one of the most influential near-death experience researchers of all time, Kenneth Ring, PhD, I figured I should tell you how great it is. Unlike many of his near-death research books, Dr. Ring has now written a book that masterfully draws the curtain on the true nature of his character, his intellect, and his private and public personas. Humorous anecdotes, poignant encounters, and touching narratives breathe life into this no-holds barred collection of essays that is a joy to read. Kenneth Ring has an amazing gift of writing that touches the reader's heart and delights the soul. I love this book and so will you! 

View More or Purchase Here 

Netflix "Surviving Death" Series Features NDEs

Netflix Surviving Death

The Netflix series "Surviving Death" Near-death experiences are the subject of episode 1 of the Netflix series "Surviving Death". It features in-depth dramatizations with commentary by NDErs Dr. Mary Neal, Jose Hernandez, Pam Reynolds, and Stephanie Arnold. Both Jose Hernandez and Stephanie Arnold have presented this month on ISGO (IANDS Sharing Groups Online). The recordings of their talks can be found by clicking on their names.

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One in 10 had NDEs According to Study

Conference one in ten NDE
 
A study by European researchers has found one in 10 people have undergone a “near-death experience.” The findings were presented at the fifth European Academy of Neurology Congress by researchers hailing from Danish specialty hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and the Center for Stroke Research in Berlin, and the Norwegian University of Technology in Trondheim, Norway.
 

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SOMETHING'S KILLING ME: Near-Death Experiencers on HLN (CNN)

HLN Somethings Killing Me

11/24 When You Die Episode

Dr. Mary Neal is a spinal surgeon with an adventurous side. She used to think that near-death experiences could be written off by science – caused by lack of oxygen or certain drugs. But on a kayaking trip down the rapids she becomes trapped under water for 27 minutes – and changes her mind. T. Scott Marr was on life support. His family is told that he had a massive stroke, and brain death is inevitable. They pull the plug. Then, he wakes up – and has an amazing story to tell. Everyone has a perception of death – but what really happens when we die? For thousands of years, the dreams and visions of the dying have captivated cultures. But what are they, what causes them? And are they real? This episode also includes IANDS co-founder, former IANDS President and Near-Death Experience Researcher, Dr. Bruce Greyson, current IANDS President, Dr. Diane Corcoran, Dr. Sam Parnia and Maggie Callanan, RNFor a Trailer Click Here     Or For More Info Click Here

CNN logoHLN Logo 

 

IANDS is Neutral and Respects Diverse Opinions

From the IANDS Board of Directors: 

IANDS members from around the world have diverse views on many topics.  As an organization, IANDS is neutral and does not align itself with any particular social, religious, or political ideology.  We promote respectful dialogue. 

Hospice Documents Nearing Death Awareness

Dr. Christopher Kerr and his team at Hospice Buffalo in New York has been recording death-bed visions of residents for ten years now. Of 1,400 clients studied, 80% have reported vivid episodes of deceased family or friends or even pets that appeared to them. The vast majority of these are felt by the experiencer to be positive events welcoming them for what happens with their impending death.

 

Source: KDKA2 CBS Pittsburgh

The Day I Died Video - 2003 BBC Documentary

The compelling 2003 BBC documentary, The Day I Died: The Mind, the Brain, and Near-Death Experiences, is now available free of charge. This documentary presents numerous near-death experience (NDE) accounts and the then-current scientific interpretations of NDEs. There is also a 2006 media review of the documentary by Janice Holden, Jason MacLurg and Debbie James from the Journal of Near-death Studies. Finally, there is a Viewing Guide for the documentary that can be used for teaching about NDEs.

Veterans' NDE Video is now on sale!

Veterans Video CaseThe new video DVD, Understanding Veterans' Near-Death Experiences, is NOW ON SALE ($24.95 IANDS members, $29.95 non-members). Service members who have had an NDE should be assisted by medical personnel or chaplains trained to deal with those who have experienced NDEs. However, because of lack of training, that care is often not available, and the impact of this crucial gap of care can be great. It is traumatizing, exacerbating the effects of already devastating injuries, as well as PTSD, and magnifying feelings of confusion, fear, isolation and hopeless despair. Veterans may carry these feelings for a lifetime. This new IANDS-sponsored Veterans' NDE Training Video provides answers.

donateIANDS and many generous donors contributed $25,000 to produce the video. We are still seeking donations of an additional $15,000 to promote the video to veterans and veteran care givers. See the video trailer on YouTube. Order a copy today!

Vet Video Title Page

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