Near-death experiences are reported by some people who have come close to dying. They often describe a sense of peace, moving through a tunnel, seeing a bright light or meeting loved ones. These experiences can be deeply meaningful to the people who have them.
What researchers have studied
Researchers have collected many accounts of near-death experiences and noticed common features across cultures. Some see them as evidence of life after death; others suggest they may be explained by what happens in the brain under extreme stress. The question remains open.
What they can’t tell us
Near-death experiences don’t provide scientific proof of life after death. Science can study what people report, but questions about what happens after death go beyond what experiments can answer.
Meaning for those who experience them
Many people who have had near-death experiences say they feel less afraid of death and more focused on love and meaning. Whatever their cause, these experiences can change how people live.
Your own beliefs
Many faiths and traditions offer their own views on what happens after death. Your beliefs, whether religious, spiritual or neither, are your own.
Living fully now
Reflecting on death can remind us to appreciate life and the people we love.
How little is enough
Today, tell someone you love what they mean to you.
For more, read Death and meaning: big questions about what comes next.
For a quiet place to write your way through this season, you’ll find a guided journal on the Guides page.