#328 - What We Learn From Studying 5,000 Near Death Experiences
What Researchers Found
The Story
Jeff Jansen was a 42-year-old man who experienced a severe heart blockage in his widowmaker artery, leading to a life-threatening situation during a stress test. This health crisis triggered his deep reflection on death and the afterlife, though he did not clinically die. During his contemplation inspired by studying NDEs, he imagined scenarios of leaving the body and entering a realm of unconditional love. He described feeling surrounded by warm, loving energy, greeted by deceased relatives, and encountering a bright being emitting light and peace, feeling at home with God. Key events included out-of-body observation of medical efforts, reassurance to loved ones, and immersion in absolute love. After this brush with death and subsequent research of 5,000 NDEs, Jansen transformed his life by prioritizing family, showing compassion to the homeless through conversations and generosity, and shifting from a type-A business focus to selfless service and kindness.
“love and again going back to the Life review a lot of times we find out that”
The transcript includes a brief introductory NDE account describing clinical death and a basic out-of-body experience observing people screaming around the body, but provides no specific, verifiable details, confirmation attempts, or unpredictable elements. The remainder consists of general discussions and life reviews from studied NDEs without veridical perceptions of impossible-to-know information.
Score reflects verifiable perceptions reported. A low score indicates the experience was primarily spiritual or subjective, not that it didn't occur.
Score reflects transformation as described. Domains scored 0 indicate the topic was not discussed, not that no change occurred.
Are you here because someone you love has died?
These accounts were gathered because death may not be the end. Thousands of people have experienced something beyond — and come back to tell us about it.
What Researchers Found
The transcript includes a brief introductory NDE account describing clinical death and a basic out-of-body experience observing people screaming around the body, but provides no specific, verifiable details, confirmation attempts, or unpredictable elements. The remainder consists of general discussions and life reviews from studied NDEs without veridical perceptions of impossible-to-know information.
Score reflects verifiable perceptions reported. A low score indicates the experience was primarily spiritual or subjective, not that it didn't occur.
Score reflects transformation as described. Domains scored 0 indicate the topic was not discussed, not that no change occurred.