6.1 Near-Death Experience and Shared Death Experience
Raymond Moody, a physician and philosopher, initially had no interest in spiritual phenomena. Coming from a rational and skeptical background, he described himself as a materialist: he believed consciousness was solely a product of the brain, and that death marked the absolute end of existence. He therefore had no particular expectation of an afterlife.
Everything changed in the 1960s, while he was still a philosophy student. Moody met psychiatrist Dr. George Ritchie, who told him about an incident during which he believed he had traveled to the afterlife while he was dead for nearly nine minutes at the age of 20 (Ritchie later recounted this experience in his book Return From Tomorrow, published in 1978). Moody began documenting similar accounts from other people who had experienced clinical death and discovered that many of these experiences shared common features, such as the sensation of leaving the body, passing through a tunnel, meeting deceased relatives, and seeing a radiant light. The more he heard, the more he was struck by the consistency of these narratives coming from people of very different backgrounds—sometimes atheists, sometimes believers—often profoundly changed upon their return.
In 1975, he published Life After Life, in which he popularized for the first time the term “Near-Death Experience,” a groundbreaking book in which he gathered and analyzed more than 150 testimonies from people who had undergone an NDE. Clinical, philosophical, and accessible, it became a worldwide bestseller. It marked a turning point in research on consciousness and death.
Thus, far from being motivated by religious faith, it was the empirical observation of these extraordinary accounts—their psychological power and their recurrence—that led Moody to consider the possibility that death might not be an end, but a passage.
Years later, he broadened his research with Glimpses of Eternity (2010), focusing this time on a related but lesser-known phenomenon: shared death experiences (SDEs), lived not by the dying themselves, but by their loved ones present at the moment of death.
His method relies on a rigorous qualitative approach: detailed interviews, cross-checking of accounts, and thematic analysis. He does not seek to prove a religious or materialist thesis, but to document universal human experiences with seriousness, taking into account the cultural, spiritual, and social diversity of witnesses.
Classic near-death experience (NDE) narrative
In Life After Life, Raymond Moody identifies 15 recurring elements found in many NDE accounts:
1. Being pronounced dead
The person hears someone (often a doctor) officially declare their death.2. An unpleasant sound
They perceive a loud noise, a buzzing, or an uncomfortable ringing.3. Rapid movement through a dark tunnel
The person feels as if they are being pulled very rapidly through some kind of dark space. Many different words are used to describe this space: a tunnel, a cave, a well, a trough, an enclosure, a funnel, a void, an abyss, a conduit, a valley, or a cylinder.4. Out-of-body experience
They suddenly find themselves outside their physical body, while remaining in their immediate environment.5. Observing their own body from the outside
They see their body from a distance, like an external spectator, and witness attempts at resuscitation.6. Intense emotional state
They are deeply shaken emotionally by the experience.7. Gradual adjustment to the new condition
They regain composure and begin to get used to this non-physical “body” and its different capabilities.
8. Encountering other beings
Others come to meet them to help, including the spirits of deceased loved ones.9. Appearance of a benevolent being of light
A luminous, warm, and unknown being appears, embodying a loving and powerful presence.- It first appears faintly, then becomes indescribably brilliant, without ever dazzling or impairing vision.
- All describe this light as a conscious being, with a distinct personality. From it emanate an extraordinary love and warmth that envelop the person and make them feel totally accepted and at peace. They feel an irresistible magnetic attraction toward it.
- Identification varies according to beliefs: most people with a Christian background identify the light as Christ or an angel; others describe it simply as a “being of light.” Shortly after appearing, it communicates directly—through a clear and immediate transfer of thought, without words or sounds—making misunderstanding or deception impossible.
10. Non-verbal communication and introspection
This being asks a question without words, inviting reflection on one’s life.- Among the formulations reported by Moody: “Are you ready to die?”, “What have you done with your life to show me?”, and “What have you done with your life that is enough?”
- Witnesses insist that, although the question has a deep emotional impact, it is not asked in a spirit of condemnation. They continue to feel the love and total acceptance emanating from the light, whatever their answer. The purpose seems rather to prompt reflection—to help them articulate and understand.
- In a sense, it is a Socratic question: not asked to obtain information, but to help the person progress toward truth.
11. Panoramic life review
They instantly see a summary of major events of their life, with deep understanding. This episode is often described as intense and overwhelming.This review is characterized by several elements:
- Extreme speed, comparable to a flash, while still allowing deep and detailed understanding.
- A chronological flow, from early childhood to the present moment, sometimes with back-and-forth movements depending on emotional significance.
- Three-dimensional visualization: memories are not just images or thoughts, but replay as immersive, living scenes, sometimes with sounds, smells, and physical sensations.
- An external point of view: the person may observe as a spectator, or even experience events through the eyes of others involved, feeling their emotions and perceiving the impact of their own actions on them.
- Variable content: for some, the review includes their entire life down to the smallest details; for others, only the most significant moments or those with particular moral weight.
- An educational and transformative purpose: the retrospective seems designed to awaken awareness of how words and actions affect others. The goal is not to judge or condemn, but to foster understanding and encourage spiritual growth.
Witnesses often emphasize that this experience is accompanied by a sense of unconditional love emanating from a luminous presence or spiritual being who gently guides them through the process.
12. Approaching a boundary or barrier
They come near a symbolic limit between earthly life and the beyond.13. The need to return to earthly life
They realize they must return because their time to die has not yet come.14. Resistance to returning
They refuse to return, drawn by the peace, joy, and love they feel in that state.15. Re-entry and post-experience difficulties
They return to their physical body, try to describe the experience, but lack words and face skepticism—often leading them to stay silent—even though their view of life and death is profoundly changed.
Note: It is important to remember that the narrative presented above does not correspond to any specific individual’s experience. It is rather a “model,” a compilation of common elements found across many testimonies. No one necessarily experiences all of these elements, and their order may vary slightly.
The internet is full of near-death experience testimonies. Here are a few:
1. Bill Tortorella
Bill Tortorella recounts his near-death experience after contracting a virus at a jewelry trade show in Tucson, Arizona. During his encounter “on the Other Side,” he describes transforming into a beautiful beam of light, being guided by three guardian angels, reuniting with his deceased brother, and receiving revelations about our origins and our purpose. Bill describes what it felt like to be back in his true home “on the Other Side,” and how the love and forgiveness he experienced changed the way he lived afterward.
“I left my body to this beautiful fluorescent glowing mist, hovering over my body, looking down upon myself and when I recognized that body wasn’t alive anymore, this beam came from behind me so bright. It let up everything underneath me and it drew me right into the gateway, this beautiful tunnel. The tunnel was made up of magnificent colors and now I am starting to move but I’m feeling this amazing feeling. I have a feeling like I never had before. A love. The love was so incredible that you actually become the love. Now you’re in this light, you’re part of this this light and I’m moving at what seems to me like the speed of light, no debris, no nothing, just light, beautiful colors whizzing by me, going through me and this love is growing stronger and stronger. By the time I get to my destination I remember distinctively saying I’m home, I’m finally home. I remember hearing a soft voice speak to me and she says yes Bill you’re home in the light of God and then she says my name is Antonia, I am one of your Guardians and now I’m being greeted by Spirits all around me, family, friends that I remember mingling, talking, feeling love from everybody. I recognize them, they recognize me. It’s all, everything is done through telepathy. There’s no mouths at this point. There’s no bodies at this point. You’re just they beams of light. I’m still a Mist at this time after it seemed like a few minutes have passed by and I hear this voice: hello Billy. When I heard that voice that was my brother’s voice. […] then he explained to me that he has to take me now and that we were going for something and I said “what?”. He says we’re going for Your Life review. […] They showed me all the good I’ve done in my life, they showed me all the wrong I have ever done in my life. Luckily, thank God, I always say, thank God, I never really felt like I really did anything really really bad but I didn’t know the hurt I caused some people but you get to feel that pain, you get to feel that hurt that you put on to others. You become the physical pain and I was I was physically crying in my spirit but no no body but it’s like I felt the tears. It mounted it, mounted it, mounted so bad. I said I can’t take it anymore please forgive me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry and all of a sudden a light came in and said now we’ll show you the good side. “
Full testimony link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=968KcfXhURQ
2. Erica Tait (an atheist before her NDE)
In 2015, Erica Tait, a psychotherapist from New Jersey, nearly died after falling 18 meters from a cliff during a solo hike. During the seven hours she was trapped and injured, she reports having a profound near-death experience that transformed her understanding of life, death, and meaning. She describes a shift from a traumatized atheist struggling with dependence to a person awakened spiritually, committed to compassion, healing, and service.
“The first thing I remember is separating from my physical body and so I remember looking at my body and recognizing that I am not that. There’s something separate from my physical being and in that I learned that I don’t die, that there actually is no death. There’s something that actually survives death and some people can call that a soul or a spirit or consciousness but that was really profound because at the time, all I ever believed in was what I could sense with my five senses but this was proof that there’s actually something more than just the physical. "
“And from there I had what many people call a life review and so it was in a flash where in the state I was there was almost like there was no time. So in a flash, I saw my entire life flash before my eyes and I grew up with a lot of childhood trauma and I struggled with addiction. I was really just like a sick and wounded human at the time and a huge atheist and what I saw in my life review was that I was actually causing more harm to those around me than I was actually relieving the suffering or living in alignment with my soul’s purpose and you know that saying that: hurt people hurt people. So I saw very clearly that my own suffering was then unconsciously being transmitted to all those around me and that was very eye opening. I believe that’s what we would call karma. I learned about karma and cause and effect and how it determines where we go next and how deeply it affects the people, not just ourselves and our own soul journey but also the people all the people around us. "
“And it was interesting because there was no one judging me as good or bad, except for myself, the most objective version of myself. It wasn’t judgmental or shameful. It was more like an honest assessment of like: you’re just not living in alignment and so that was hard to see but also really important and has created, really created a huge heart expansion in me like deep compassion for the suffering in the world but also a deep understanding of what our true purpose is here around, how like earth is actually a school and karma or what I learned as these like lessons or these decisions and every action is here to teach us so that we’re living more in alignment with our soul’s purpose eventually to fully embody love. […] "
“It’s that I experienced what many people would call God so and that was my experience with the white light which some people would call God or maybe just ultimate consciousness or the spirit but it taught me about how it is everything and it was the most incredible unspeakable amount of love and peace I have ever experienced there’s like no words to describe that state and the wisdom that came from being in that energy was tremendous as well. I learned that it makes up everything on the whole planet, that every single cell, every atom in matter is created by this one energy and that we’re actually all just one thing, we are all fully connected and because we are all one there actually is no separation and no death.”
Full testimony link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igN4sFp79b8
3. Nancy Rynes
Nancy Rynes reports had a near-death experience during surgery after being hit by a car while cycling. During her time “on the other side,” Nancy describes an experience in a spiritual realm where she met a guide who showed her the interconnectedness of all things. This revelation helped her become aware of the impact of her actions on others. After returning to her body, she struggled to integrate the experience into daily life. But she eventually chose a path of spiritual awakening through practices like meditation and gratitude.
Today, she supports others in their own spiritual journeys, emphasizing that the essential purpose of life is learning to live in love and compassion. Her testimony highlights the transformative power of NDEs and the importance of seeking spiritual understanding at the very heart of life’s trials.
Here are the main points of her testimony:
1. Awakening in a different realm
“I woke up and what I’m looking around at is this beautiful hillside… sort of like in a meadow… looking out over a series of rolling mountain ranges.”
“The first thing I noticed was this wave of Peace… it felt like I was being hugged… there was this big moment of feeling acceptance and really just unconditional love coming into me.”
2. Realization that she is dead and there is something after death
“Oh my God, I died.” “I thought: I must have died on the operating table.” “But then I thought: wait a minute… if I died, what’s all this? Because first of all, I don’t believe in anything. And second, my parents told me that I’m going to go to hell because I’m an atheist. But I’m not experiencing either one of those.” “That’s when I really began to wonder what the heck was going on and why I am here.”
3. Encounter with a guide
“All of a sudden I saw someone kind of materialize out of fog. She was very ephemeral, vaguely human… I was never able to see her face because it wasn’t about her; it was about me learning what I needed to learn.”
“It’s time for you to learn what you need to learn in order to go back and make your life one that would be worth living.”
4. Learning her life’s purpose
“You’ve already agreed to go back.”
“You did that before you were born into your life.”
“She showed me me planning my life before I was born.”
“The place that you are in now is not the Ultimate Reality of where you’re going to go… here what we do is we’re making this an environment that is comfortable for you to learn in.”
5. Seeing the paths of her life
“All around me I saw the map of my life… there were these different pathways I could see from one end of the map to the other.”
“It’s not like there’s a particular right path that you need to be on.”
“Balance those two out so that you’re making decisions from a really holistic place rather than simply an analytical decision.”
6. Experiencing a life review
“She said well I want you to kneel down by the side of the pond and just touch the surface of the pond… when I would focus on one [moment], I was back in it… experiencing it again from my perspective but also experiencing it from the other people and I could feel everything they felt as if it was mine.”
“Everything that you do has an impact and therefore be more conscious of how you impact others.”
7. Being sent back
“She laid hands on my shoulder… and then she sort of sent me back.”
“For the vast majority of souls that come here to have a life experience… they consider this nearly life but not real life.”
“The core purpose that we all share is to learn how to be here in this environment and still live from a place of love and compassion—not just for your immediate family but for everybody else.”
Full testimony link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZfaPCwjguk
4. Elmira Strange (Muslim)
In 2012, Elmira Strange underwent emergency surgery that saved her life due to ulcerative colitis… and she crossed the threshold between life and death.
At that moment—somewhere between this world and the other—she reports what can only be described as a near-death experience (NDE). She found herself in a realm filled with light, bliss, and unconditional love. A being of light—whom she initially believed to be a spiritual guide—showed her around. He told her something she never forgot:
✨ “You exist… and that alone is extraordinary. You have nothing to prove to anyone.” ✨
It was the deepest and most joyful state she had ever known—a sense of divine presence, peace, and unity that words can barely convey. Years later, she reports encountering the same state during a shamanic ceremony—as if she returned to that same “particle of light.”
But today, after returning to Islam, Elmira reflects on the event differently. Was this being of light in fact an angel? Was the realm she visited the Barzakh—the intermediate world where souls enter after death?
“So during the surgery I found myself in a different reality. It’s the reality that is filled with light. It’s a reality that looked like a corridor with many doors. It’s the reality where I wasn’t alone. In fact, there was somebody with me on my right side. Somebody was walking with me, some kind of light being, some kind of entity which wasn’t a human. But at the same time it was absolutely reassuring like your best friend. "
“And that being was telling me about our life on the other side. What we do, how we live and literally even our work there. We teach there, we learn there, we do all kind of things. Life goes on. And this is what he was explaining to me. I feel like it was he rather than she. For some reason I felt it was a masculine energy at that time because I was deeply in new age. I literally thought after that experience I thought it’s a spirit guide. "
“Now from the Islamic perspective I can say that it was some kind of being divine being whether it’s angelic being or not I don’t know. I know that it wasn’t a human and I know it was a light being that the being that emanates light, kindness, bliss and so on where you feel reassured where you feel like you’re with your best friend and someone who deeply cares about you and we were walking along that corridor.”
“I remember the state of bliss and pure happiness, pure love, pure joy at that point. And I remember that that being said to me basically now your time to go back. Don’t worry about anything. You are in the right place doing the right thing. And with that I opened my eyes. I was on the table after the surgery in the next room. And when I opened my eyes I knew that the vision was an experience. It was real 100%. It was real. It wasn’t a hallucination. It wasn’t some kind of dream. It was as real as anything. "
Full testimony link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOlv-VKINZE
Shared Death Experience (SDE)
In Glimpses of Eternity, Moody describes a phenomenon related to NDEs: shared death experiences (SDEs). SDEs are reports from non-dying individuals who are present at the death of a loved one and who experience—at the same time—certain typical elements of near-death experiences: out-of-body sensations, intense light, a feeling of peace, visions of the deceased, or perceptions of an “afterlife.”
Frequently reported elements include:
- Out-of-body sensation: The living witness feels their consciousness leaving the body, sometimes floating above the scene.
- Perception of a light or tunnel: Some perceive a radiant light, often described as benevolent.
- Vision of spiritual beings or the deceased: They may “see” the deceased being welcomed or guided.
- Non-verbal communication: Some report an exchange of emotions or thoughts with the dying person or other entities.
- Altered time perception: Time seems suspended or slowed.
- Unity, deep peace, unconditional love: Witnesses describe a sense of transcendence or absolute love.
These experiences occur while the witness is in good health, awake, sometimes even while accompanying someone in their final moments in a hospital or at home.
Scott’s testimony
In 1981, Scott lost his partner Mary Fran in a car accident that also seriously injured their 7-year-old son, Nolan. During the six days Nolan fought between life and death, family and friends took turns keeping vigil at his bedside. Scott had a private moment with Nolan just before his death, telling him that he could go if he saw his mother.
At Nolan’s death, Scott reports a shared death experience: he saw Mary Fran come to take their son. He felt their love-filled reunion, and to his surprise, he was invited to join them. Together, they entered an intense light where he felt a universal love, shared farewells, and found deep peace—while simultaneously remaining aware of his body in the room, sitting near other family members.
Key quotes from his testimony:
« Mary Fran came across the veil and scooped him [Nolan] out of his physical body. They had this most exquisite reunion as you could only imagine between a mother and son. »
« I got to participate in it somehow. I could feel what it is that they were feeling… this joyous reunion. »
« The two of them then turned to me, came over, and embraced me. Then the three of us left and went into the light. »
« I felt like I was me… and yet connected to everything in the universe. My focus was with Mary Fran and Nolan. We had a chance to express our love and say our goodbyes. »
« It wasn’t like ‘time to say goodbye’; it felt like we were done, like this was good. Then Mary Fran guided Nolan further into the light. »
« I was with Mary Fran and Nolan in the light… and I was also fully present in the room sitting next to Willie. »
See the full testimony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgI9t2KlMlA
These testimonies are unsettling, because they seem to suggest that consciousness can exist independently of the biological brain, challenging the idea that NDEs are merely hallucinations produced by a distressed brain.
Profile of people reporting NDEs and SDEs
The accounts collected by Moody come from extremely diverse witnesses, which strengthens the universal character of the phenomenon.
- People of all ages, backgrounds, and religions (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu) or atheists.
- No necessary link to prior faith.
- Experiences often followed by an inner transformation: less fear of death, more empathy, and a spiritual search.
- Some conversions or deepening of faith are reported, but not systematically.
The impact of these experiences is often profound, but their interpretation remains personal and free.
Can science explain these experiences?
Yes—part of NDEs/SDEs can be explained through known mechanisms. When the brain lacks oxygen (for example during cardiac arrest), it can produce sensations of tunnel, light, and peace. Certain medications or drugs (such as anesthetics) can create similar experiences: feeling detached from the body, intense well-being, and a sense of unity. Extreme stress, isolation, and sleep deprivation can also trigger confusion, vivid dreams, and mixed memories. It is also known that stimulation of certain brain regions can trigger the illusion of being “above one’s body.” In this reading, consciousness is a product of the brain: if brain activity changes, experience changes; if it stops, consciousness disappears.
Contexts with little sensory reference often produce effects resembling fragments of NDEs/SDEs:
- In a sensory deprivation (float) tank, many report seeing lights, hearing non-existent sounds, or feeling bodily boundaries dissolve, sometimes with the impression of floating outside the body.
- In prolonged enclosed environments (polar stations, submarines, space simulations), vivid dreams, time distortion, a sensed presence in the room, or even perceived voices have been observed.
- With sleep deprivation in a very quiet room, waking hallucinations can occur (light flashes, buzzing, faces), with sensations of floating or doubling.
- In intensive care, stress, machine noises, and the loss of day/night cues can create intense scenes mixing real perceptions and imagined elements, leaving strong but confused memories.
However, not everything is fully covered by these explanations, including the effects of isolation.
- No medication involved in many cases. Many people report an NDE when no substance known to produce such effects was administered at the time of the event. Medications therefore cannot explain all accounts.
- Flat EEG and detailed memories. Some patients describe rich, structured memories while their EEG (electroencephalogram, which records the brain’s electrical activity) was flat—indicating no detectable neural activity at the relevant moment.
- Verifiable perceptions. Some witnesses report perceiving precise details (objects, words, events) during clinical unconsciousness; “chance” or later reconstruction does not always account for the reported accuracy.
- Insight and lasting impact. Many describe deep realizations (moral clarity, prioritizing others, changing direction) and durable transformations: less fear of death, more altruism, reoriented values. These stable effects are not easily reconciled with brief hallucinations.
- Shared experiences. Simultaneous SDEs experienced by several loved ones at the same moment show concordance between witnesses that purely individual hallucinations explain poorly.
- Only partial laboratory “replications.” Lab-induced or substance-induced experiences reproduce fragments (out-of-body sensations, light, unity), but rarely the whole: rich life review, encounters perceived as real, and deep personal transformation.
- End-of-life brain activity: necessary but not sufficient. Brief “spikes” of activity near death might illuminate certain elements (for example the life review), but they do not explain the coherence, richness, and alleged veridicality of many accounts.
In short: science explains several aspects of NDEs very well—lack of oxygen, extreme stress, sensory isolation, effects of certain medications, or perceptual illusions. However, when one examines the full range of testimonies, some elements remain difficult to integrate into these models: detailed narratives reported with flat EEG, verifiable descriptions of external scenes, cross-cultural coherence, and profound personality changes.
These elements prove nothing by themselves, but they invite the question to remain open: can consciousness truly be reduced entirely to brain function, or are we encountering phenomena that surpass current models?
Although science has not yet settled the matter, these experiences continue to challenge the materialist paradigm.
In an interview with Jeffrey Mishlove ( https://www.intuition.org/txt/moody.htm), Moody shares his personal conclusions about his research on NDEs/SDEs:
I do not hesitate to say that after speaking with more than a thousand people who have had these experiences, and after personally experiencing on several occasions some of the truly perplexing and unusual aspects of these experiences, it has given me great confidence that there is life after death. In fact, I must honestly confess that I have absolutely no doubt—based on what my patients have told me—that they have had a glimpse of the afterlife.
Conclusion
After analyzing hundreds of testimonies, Raymond Moody draws several important observations:
💡 The mind appears to survive physical death.
NDE accounts suggest the existence of a state of consciousness that persists beyond clinical death.🌍 These experiences are universal.
NDEs occur among people of all ages, cultures, social backgrounds, and religions—including atheists. This suggests they do not depend on a particular belief.🔄 They deeply transform individuals.
People who have had an NDE often become more empathetic, altruistic, less materialistic, and no longer fear death.
What stands out is that these experiences profoundly change people morally or spiritually, but do not systematically lead them to convert to a particular religion. Some become more spiritual; others deepen their original faith; others remain agnostic or atheistic but live with more openness or inner peace.
Raymond Moody does not seek to impose a religious interpretation. His approach remains cautious and philosophical: he does not prove life after death, but he shows that death might not be the end.
To go further: #
Raymond Moody’s two books:
Moody, Raymond A.
Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon — Survival of Bodily Death (1975)Moody, Raymond A. & Perry, Paul.
Glimpses of Eternity: Sharing the Near-Death Experience (2010)
A few videos to discover or explore Raymond Moody’s work:
Documentary “Life After Life” – Raymond Moody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG4zfeemtEsDr. Raymond Moody talks about “Life After Life”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYuniH2jYRI