As well as NDEs, these include out-of-body experiences, visions, spiritual emergencies, awakenings, kundalini, enlightenment, exceptional human experiences, pre-birth memories, past-life experiences, nearing death awareness, after-death communications, empathic or shared near-death experiences, peak experiences, etc. See details.

All types of STEs tend to transform experiencers’ values in a more spiritual direction and propel an increased desire to be loving, ethical, and of service to others. After their first or spiritual awakening STE, many Experiencers find themselves launched into a long-term process of transformation which affects their body, mind, and spirit. Read more about after-effects. 

Many studies suggest that these experiences are so common as to be considered normal; according to several researchers, up to 40% of people have them at some time in their life. Dr. Yvonne Kason claims to have collected nearly a thousand cases from people that she counseled as a doctor and psychotherapist. She details many of these in her books.

And yet in our Western culture, without a cultural or religious framework to contain them, such states are barely understood. In many cases, they are viewed by doctors, clergy, family, and friends of the experiencer, as mental illness. Hopefully talking about these experiences will lead to a much wider understanding and ways to help experiencers to integrate them.

DR. YVONNE KASON M.D. TALKS WITH RICK ARCHER
Rick Archer shares his spiritual awakening story, starting with his complicated family life, learning to meditate in 1968, and his years as a Transcendental Meditation teacher. He describes his inspiration and motivation to start Buddha at the Gas Pump—a very popular podcast that enables ordinary people to share their experience of awakening.