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Previously, we've delved into near-death experiences (NDEs), primarily focusing on accounts from individuals in modern Western societies. Now, we’ll explore NDEs from ancient times and diverse cultures. Will these eye-opening testimonies confirm or challenge the authenticity of NDEs?
While we can’t provide definitive answers—after all, you need to die to verify the truth—we do believe these narratives will spark thought-provoking questions, even among the most skeptical readers.
10. Black Elk
As a young boy, Lakota Sioux healer Black Elk (1863–1950) shared his near-death experience with author John Neihardt. At age nine, he collapsed due to swelling in his arms, legs, and face. During this time, two figures appeared from the clouds and told him, 'Hurry up, your grandfather is calling you.'
Though he felt sorrow leaving his parents behind, he ascended beyond the Earth to a rainbow-colored door. There, he encountered six ancient grandfathers, whom he described as 'older than men can ever be—old like hills, old like stars.' These elders shared prophecies and granted him powers of healing and wisdom. After returning to Earth two weeks later, he initially hesitated to speak about his experiences. Eventually, he was brought to a medicine man and relived them during a ritual.
In his youth, he joined Buffalo Bill’s traveling show, eventually performing for Queen Victoria in London. As he continued his European tour, he became separated from his troupe in Paris and fell ill.
Near death for 24 hours, he described a spirit journey across the Atlantic to his homeland in Dakota before being brought back to Europe. The French doctors were preparing to bury him when, to their surprise, his heart began to beat again, and he sat up. He later returned to the reservation, where he became a shaman and prophet.
Black Elk’s experience seemed to be shaped by his cultural background, featuring visions of celestial horses, migrating geese, and spotted eagles. Some have raised questions about why Black Elk would share his experience with a white man.
According to researcher Steve Straight, this might be because Neihardt had undergone a similar near-death experience. Allegedly, Black Elk believed that someone should 'tell the world' about what had happened.
9. The Myth of Er
In *The Republic*, Plato recounts a speech by Socrates that tells the story of Er, a Pamphylian warrior who was presumed dead on the battlefield but later revived. Despite being thought dead, Er’s body showed no signs of decay and returned to life on the funeral pyre. Often interpreted as an allegory by Socrates, some argue that it may be an ancient account of a near-death experience.
Er described traveling with a group to a radiant, otherworldly field. Souls ascended or descended through twin openings in the Earth, depending on their judgment. Er reported witnessing the tyrant Ardiaeus being bound, skinned, and dragged through thorns before being cast into Tartarus.
After seven days, Er claimed to be led to a new realm with a glowing rainbow pillar, where the deceased drew lots to determine their next lives and drank from a river to wipe their memories. Er himself was prevented from drinking and was sent back to the world of the living.
Many scholars are skeptical about whether Er's story constitutes a genuine near-death experience, suggesting instead that it is a fictional tale created by Socrates. However, some researchers of NDEs take it more seriously due to the fact that the narrative contains eight of the sixteen most common features found in modern near-death experiences.
These include movement toward a brilliant light (the radiant plain), a surreal landscape, a terrifying experience, encounters with the departed, life review (as judgment), a boundary between realms, and a compelled return. This might make Er's account the *oldest known record of an NDE* in existence.
8. Islamic Experiences
In Islam, it is believed that after the physical body dies, the soul enters a state of 'soul sleep' called Barzakh, which lasts until the resurrection and final judgment. The specifics of Barzakh are unknown, as the scriptures state that the dead cannot perceive the living world, nor can the living know the condition of the deceased. Nevertheless, many Muslims believe that some individuals receive glimpses of their future destiny during Barzakh, offering a preview of *eternal damnation or bliss*.
After psychologist Joel Ibrahim Kreps observed the absence of information about Muslim near-death experiences (NDEs) in Western literature, he decided to conduct a survey. His interest had been sparked by a woman he met in Egypt, who claimed that after a car accident, she was taken up to Heaven and saw the throne of God. The throne bore the inscription: *Laillahah illalah, Muhamadan Rasussululah* ('There is no God but God, and Muhammad is His messenger').
Another NDE involved a Muslim woman named Suleman, who, while suffering from acute necrotizing pancreatitis, found herself in a 'multidimensional place of layered existences.' She reported entering the sixth dimension, close to the 'Absolute Reality of Divine Light,' where she encountered radiant beings, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
Suleman then saw an even more luminous group of beings: Noah sitting alone, Moses with Jesus, Lord Krishna with the Buddha, and Muhammad beside the Virgin Mary, with the radiant face of his son-in-law and successor, Ali, emanating from his body. This account is unique, as Suleman was an Ismaili Muslim, and her beliefs may have influenced her NDE, incorporating elements that are rare or absent in mainstream Muslim NDEs.
Compared to other cultural groups, Muslim NDEs seem to be reported less frequently. A survey conducted after an earthquake in Pakistani Kashmir found no NDE cases, whereas nearly 40 percent of those affected by a similar event in China reported NDEs.
One theory posits that Muslims who have NDEs may be hesitant to share their experiences, as these NDEs *contradict the orthodox teachings* of Islam. They may fear being labeled as heretics for speaking out.
7. Hindu
There are both similarities and differences between Hindu and Western near-death experiences. The first significant study on the phenomenon was conducted by researchers Karlis Osis and Erlendur Haraldsson in 1977. They discovered that around 80 percent of cases involved encounters with otherworldly beings, though these experiences typically had a more bureaucratic nature than their Western counterparts.
Frequently encountered figures in Hindu NDEs include Yamraj (the god of death), the *yamdoots* (his messengers), and Chitragupta, who consults a ledger to evaluate a person’s balance of good and bad karma. A recurring theme in Hindu NDEs involves the individual being taken for *post-death processing* by a clerk, only to discover that a serious error has been made.
Vasudev Pandey described being dragged by two figures to a terrifying black, naked entity. The entity became enraged and yelled at the attendants, 'I told you to bring Vasudev the gardener. Our garden is dying. You’ve brought Vasudev the student instead.'
Pandey was returned to his body and woke up surrounded by his friends and family, including the gardener Vasudev, who passed away the following day. Pandey identified the dark figure as Yamraj, the Hindu god of death. Another man recounted being brought to a waiting room where his legs were severed at the knees when he tried to flee. After realizing his name wasn't on the list of the dead, he was told to reattach his limbs and return.
Researchers Dr. Satwant Pasricha and Dr. Ian Stevenson noted that there were no reports of tunnel-like experiences and only one instance of an out-of-body experience. However, other researchers have documented tunnel experiences in different studies.
Rather than the 'life review' commonly reported in Western NDEs, Hindu NDEs are more likely to involve a reading of one’s life from the *akashic* record, a spiritual ledger that catalogs every action and thought.
6. Drythelm’s Vision
In the eighth century, English monk Bede included an NDE in his *Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum* (also known as *The Ecclesiastical History of the English People*). A man from Northumbria named Drythelm fell ill and appeared to die. His spirit was escorted to another realm by a guide, whose face shone and who wore bright garments. In this otherworldly place, some sins were punished with both fire and ice, but Drythelm was saved from evil spirits by his guide.
Drythelm was shown a vision of Hell's entrance, where souls of the dead were imprisoned in fiery orbs that rose and fell. He also witnessed the area between Heaven and Hell, where souls, not yet worthy of Heaven, sang as they awaited their fate to be decided.
Drythelm did not die. However, after his vision, he was said to have *divided his property* among his family, entered a monastery, and dedicated the remainder of his life to teaching the significance of prayers, alms, fasts, and Masses for the dead. For Bede, the story's value lay in its potential to inspire sinners to convert. It reflected the emerging Catholic belief in Purgatory, distinct from Hell.
Pope Saint Gregory the Great, in the sixth century, also wrote a book discussing visions of the afterlife and other supposed evidence of the soul's immortality. One such vision featured a hermit who was dragged into Hell, where he witnessed the torment of the spirits of powerful individuals.
However, the hermit was rescued at the last second by an angel, who advised him, “Leave, and consider carefully how you will live from now on.” Another account told of a soldier who saw the spirit of a businessman *hanging halfway off* a supernatural bridge, with grotesque demons attempting to pull him into a river by his hips, while angels tried to lift him up by his arms. These tales from Gregory and Bede contributed to the development of a religious narrative tradition that has endured for centuries.
5. Chinese And Japanese Folklore
In medieval China and Japan, various accounts of NDEs, dreams, visions, and hallucinations were recorded. One early Taoist tale featured Kien Tsze (Jianzi) of the Chao principality in 498 BC. He had been ill for nearly three days before recovering and recounting a strange experience.
He shared with his courtiers: “I went to the residence of the emperor [of Heaven], where I enjoyed myself greatly. With the host of *shen*, I wandered around in the all-ruling Heaven.”
Then he was *attacked by two bears*. After shooting them, the emperor of Heaven was pleased and bestowed blessings upon the prince. Kien Tsze’s physician noted this encounter was similar to a prior experience reported by Duke Mu of the Qin dynasty.
Chinese NDEs were later influenced by the arrival of Pure Land Buddhism, which promoted visions of Heavens and Hells. A man named Chao T’ai died, only to revive after 10 days. He reported being taken to a city in the East by horsemen. There, he was presented to a magistrate, told to confess his sins, and appointed as the inspector of Hell’s waterworks.
He witnessed the various punishments for the dead and learned how to avoid such a fate. Ultimately, it was discovered that his presence in the afterlife had been a result of a bureaucratic mistake, and he was returned to the living world.
The earliest documented Japanese accounts of NDEs were compiled by ninth-century monk Kyokai. The first of these was a heavenly experience reported by Lord Otomo no Yasunoko no Muraji, who journeyed along a road of colorful clouds to a golden mountain. There, he met a recently deceased prince regent and a wise monk.
In contrast, a darker experience came from Kashiwade no omi Hirokuni, who traveled a golden road to a golden palace. Inside, he saw his deceased wife and father being tortured. However, his good behavior earned him a return to life.
Another key figure in medieval Japanese NDEs is the 12th-century monk Honen, founder of the Jodo (Pure Land) School of Buddhism in Japan. He wrote vivid descriptions of his visions of Heaven, which featured jeweled trees, golden ground, and music from birdsong, harps, and flutes.
The Pure Land Buddhists sought to *simulate NDEs*. They placed a statue of their principal Buddha, Amida, at the foot of a dying person’s bed, attaching cords to the statue that led to the dying person’s hands.
4. Delok
Some researchers of NDEs have pointed out notable similarities between near-death experiences and descriptions in *The Tibetan Book of the Dead*. According to the text, at the time of death, a person passes through bardo states, which provide an opportunity for enlightenment.
The bardo states appear to mirror elements found in NDE reports. For instance, the bardo of dying features a phenomenon known as *ground luminosity* (or clear light). In the luminous bardo of *dharmata*, various religious deities are said to manifest. Some of these may appear as non-Buddhist figures, meaning a Christian nearing death might see visions of Christ or the Virgin Mary.
Those who enter the bardo states and later return to life are known as *delok* (meaning ‘returned from death’). Although they appear to die from illness, they actually journey through the realm of the dead, witnessing judgment and suffering in Hell. Occasionally, they also visit paradise. Eventually, they are sent back with a stern warning from the lord of death to live spiritually beneficial lives.
A famous 16th-century *delok* was Lingza Chokyi, who recounted an out-of-body experience where she saw a dead pig lying in her bed, wearing her clothes. She observed her family performing the rituals for her death, but became frustrated when they didn’t offer her a plate of food.
When her children cried, she described feeling an excruciating ‘hail of pus and blood.’ Eventually, she merged her mind with a guiding master and entered the bardo realm.
There, she came across a bridge leading to the Hell realms, watched the lord of death recording the good and evil deeds of the dead, and met a yogi who was on a mission to enter the Hell realms to relieve the suffering. Eventually, a clerical mistake was identified, and she was sent back to life.
3. Jewish Tradition
NDE researchers have examined experiences in Israel and found parallels with afterlife narratives in the Talmud, Zohar, and other Jewish texts. The theme of judgment plays a central role in the Jewish NDE experience. While many modern Jews may dismiss or show little interest in afterlife matters, older generations placed more emphasis on these traditional concepts.
Researcher Jonathan Neumann notes that the Talmud contains two distinct accounts of NDEs. The first is of a man named R. Joseph, who died and returned to life. He described a world where social roles were reversed, but sages and martyrs were still honored.
The second story is of R. Huna, who became gravely ill, and funeral preparations were made for him. He revived and claimed that God had overturned the decree of his death. These accounts feature similar encounters with spiritual beings and mystical realms found in modern NDEs.
In the Zohar, a key text of the kabbalistic tradition, there is the tale of R. Jose. After his death and revival, he claimed that his son's mourning cries had moved the heavenly host to beseech God, granting him an additional 22 years of life.
A modern account features an Orthodox Jewish woman named E.L. Her brother dreamed of an impending tragedy for her. After reflecting deeply, E.L. realized that her failure to uphold the highest feminine virtue of modesty was calling her to death.
A week later, E.L. fell ill and believed her time had come. She remained home and performed the Sabbath rituals with her husband. The angel of death could not approach due to the sanctity of the room.
However, when she entered her bedroom, she collapsed and lost consciousness. She described feeling the angel of death pulling her soul away. She was struck by furious angels and then taken before her righteous deceased relatives.
She sensed a divine presence weeping. After seeing the soul of an immodest person condemned to Hell, she pleaded to return to care for her children. Thankfully, a Hasidic rabbi who knew her appeared in spirit and interceded on her behalf, allowing her to return to life.
2. Thai Experiences
Thai near-death experiences seem to be shaped by the Theravada Buddhist tradition and the Book of Phra Malaya, a work written by a medieval monk. Similar to other Eastern cultures, the theme of clerical error appears in these experiences.
Phra Malaya, while meditating, had a vision of descending into Hell and entering the hall of Yama, the god of death. In this realm, various paths were available for the dead to reincarnate.
The souls could be assigned new human lives in various social standings and levels of physical appeal. They might also be reincarnated as different kinds of animals. Alternatively, they could find themselves in one of the 14 Hells or nine Heavens, realms that Phra Malaya explored during his vision.
A woman named Pong shared her experience of dying after being bitten by a cobra. She was brought before a judge, who revealed that her death was a mistake. Before she returned to life, she witnessed a Heaven filled with birds, flowers, and comfortable houses, while Hell was a place of endless tortures, especially whipping.
Major General Sanor Jintaraht experienced two near-death events. In the first, after a stroke put him into a coma, he found himself walking among a crowd of people dressed in white mourning attire. He then entered a Hellish realm populated by skeletons, where he was told he would never reunite with his family.
In a sudden twist, a woman appeared with his favorite foods. However, when he asked for water, she denied him, explaining that he had never given water to anyone in his life. Determined to change, he vowed to be charitable to monks if he was granted a second chance. After a long walk with the woman, he woke up.
His second near-death experience occurred while he was receiving treatment for kidney stones. He heard a voice tell him he was dying, and a spirit messenger, known as a yamatoot, appeared, asking him to lie on a glass plate to be transported to Heaven, a realm filled with sweet-smelling yellow flowers.
After some time, he was escorted to a house on the seventh level. However, the attendants refused to give him the key, citing his numerous sins. In time, these attendants transformed into massive black giants.
He quickly fled back to the glass plate and continued his exploration of Heaven. Just as he was delving deeper, a voice called him back to his body. He struggled to reenter, as his body kept rejecting his soul, but after a final attempt, he managed to leap into his body through his head and regained consciousness.
1. Aerial Tollhouses
In Eastern Orthodoxy, there exists a debated belief that after death, angels escort souls toward Heaven. However, before they can reach their final destination, they must journey through an aerial realm where demons present reasons for sending the soul to Hell.
Critics argue that this idea is a heretical remnant of Gnosticism, while supporters claim that Saint Ignatius (also known as Dmitry Brianchaninov) was a proponent of this belief.
One piece of evidence for the existence of the aerial tollhouses comes from the vision of Gregory of Thrace, a disciple of the 10th-century monk Basil the New. Gregory witnessed the torments faced by a woman named Blessed Theodora, who had passed away on her couch and found herself surrounded by 'Ethiopians.'
Theodora described these figures as having eyes like glowing coals and a terrifying, evil presence that resembled fiery Hell itself. They became enraged and made sounds like dogs barking; others howled like wolves. As they looked at her, their expressions were full of anger. They lunged at her, showing their teeth and seeming ready to devour her.
Theodora proceeded to pass through 20 tollhouses, each representing a different sin. The first tollhouse was related to sins of speech, like idle chatter. The next two tollhouses were associated with lies and slander.
From this point, the sins grow progressively more severe—gluttony, laziness, theft, usury, injustice, envy, pride, anger, and hatred. After these, there are the tollhouses linked to murder, magic, lust, adultery, sodomy, and heresy.
At last, there is a tollhouse dedicated to cruelty and a lack of mercy. With the assistance of angels, Theodora managed to endure the torments of the tollhouses and finally reached the gates of Heaven.
Father Seraphim Rose, a controversial Orthodox theologian, proposed that NDEs represent experiences of passage through these aerial tollhouses. He concluded that NDEs take place in an unseen part of the real world, inhabited by fallen spirits, rather than in a heavenly realm.
According to Rose, those NDEs that describe pleasant experiences are the result of deceit by these spirits. He argued that accounts of luminosity should not be trusted, as the Orthodox tradition holds that beings of light might not be Christ or angels but evil spirits in disguise.
