AFTER

A renowned psychiatrist chronicles decades of scientific study of near-death experiences.

Greyson, a professor emeritus of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, draws on a lifetime of direct, evidence-based investigation into NDEs. As such, he offers a highly knowledgeable, well-contextualized inquiry. He is not here to convert but to present his findings along with a variety of insights and themes. He recounts his earliest introduction to NDEs and how he assembled the raw data into hypotheses and discusses the tricky application of practical research questions and protocols to such an amorphous, slippery concept. Greyson presents dozens of illustrative stories—much of the book’s pleasure derives from the author’s concise yet descriptive storytelling—and then tallies a number of distinctive qualities. For example, NDEs are common, typically lead to profound aftereffects (their transformative power is mostly, but not always, positive), reduce fear of death, and amplify one’s focus on living in the moment. Of paramount interest to Greyson is the information that NDEs provide regarding the mind-body problem and “the question of whether our consciousness might be able to continue beyond death.” Ever the scientist, the author is quick to situate his findings as “repeated assessments by experiencers and other researchers” aided by “statistical analyses.” Greyson’s enthusiasm is palpable, but he is always grounded in scientific observation, making conclusions based on where the research leads. “NDEs may be triggered by electrical or chemical changes in the brain that permit the mind to experience separating from the body at the moment of death,” he writes. “There is no inherent conflict between a physical and nonphysical understanding of NDEs….It’s like saying my desk is mahogany—a physical description—and that my desk is a legacy from my grandfather—a nonphysical one. They are both correct, but neither by itself gives a complete description of the desk.”

A bright, passionate journey through murky waters.