Shedding Light on the Tunnel and Light in Near-Death Experiences: A Case Study

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Partial abstract: In this article, we present a case study of an adult male who experienced both gravity induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC) as a Korean War aviation cadet, including narrowing of his visual field to a point of light and also two subsequent transpersonal experiences -- a near-death experience (NDE) and an after-death communication (ADC) -- that both included a tunnel-and-light feature. His Near-Death Experience Scale scores for each experience and his comparison of the qualia of these experiences provide unique evidence in the debate about the nature and likely origins of such experiences. These data place more weight … continued below

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27-43 p.

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Holden, Janice Miner & Loseu, Saharnaz Autumn 2015.

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This article is part of the collection entitled: Journal of Near-Death Studies and was provided by the UNT Libraries to the UNT Digital Library, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 3302 times, with 21 in the last month. More information about this article can be viewed below.

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Partial abstract: In this article, we present a case study of an adult male who experienced both gravity induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC) as a Korean War aviation cadet, including narrowing of his visual field to a point of light and also two subsequent transpersonal experiences -- a near-death experience (NDE) and an after-death communication (ADC) -- that both included a tunnel-and-light feature. His Near-Death Experience Scale scores for each experience and his comparison of the qualia of these experiences provide unique evidence in the debate about the nature and likely origins of such experiences. These data place more weight on the argument that the tunnel and light in transpersonal experiences cannot reasonably be attributed to loss of oxygen in the brain.

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27-43 p.

Notes

"[The Journal of Near-Death Studies] is the only peer-reviewed scholarly journal (ISSN 0891-4494) devoted exclusively to the field of near-death studies. It is cross-disciplinary and published quarterly."

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Pagination is continuous through volumes.

Full abstract: Since 1975 when Raymond Moody published his influential work on near-death experiences (NDEs), controversy has existed among researchers regarding the nature and source of these phenomena. Some researchers have attributed various NDE features to physiological changes in the human body; one such feature that many experiencers have reported is rapid movement through a tunnel toward a light, which materialists have reduced to anoxic narrowing of the visual field. Although experiencers themselves and some researchers have disagreed with materialist, reductionist explanations, limited evidence has existed to contribute to a resolution of the dispute. In this article, we present a case study of an adult male who experienced both gravity induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC) as a Korean War aviation cadet, including narrowing of his visual field to a point of light and also two subsequent transpersonal experiences -- a near-death experience (NDE) and an after-death communication (ADC) -- that both included a tunnel-and-light feature. His Near-Death Experience Scale scores for each experience and his comparison of the qualia of these experiences provide unique evidence in the debate about the nature and likely origins of such experiences. These data place more weight on the argument that the tunnel and light in transpersonal experiences cannot reasonably be attributed to loss of oxygen in the brain.

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  • Journal of Near-Death Studies, 34(1), International Association for Near-Death Studies, Fall 2015, pp. 1-17

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  • Publication Title: Journal of Near-Death Studies
  • Volume: 34
  • Issue: 1
  • Page Start: 27
  • Page End: 43

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Journal of Near-Death Studies

The Journal of Near-Death Studies is a scholarly peer-reviewed journal devoted to the field of near-death studies. It is published on a quarterly basis by the International Association for Near-Death Studies. The Journal began publication in 1982 under the name Anabiosis which was changed to its current title in 1986 with the start of Volume 6.

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  • Autumn 2015

Added to The UNT Digital Library

  • Jan. 16, 2017, 10:42 p.m.

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  • Dec. 8, 2023, 1:18 p.m.

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Holden, Janice Miner & Loseu, Saharnaz. Shedding Light on the Tunnel and Light in Near-Death Experiences: A Case Study, article, Autumn 2015; Durham, North Carolina. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc948094/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .

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