2019 – 2022
In 2022, a scholarly article was published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences detailing the findings of one of, if not the largest, cross-discipline symposiums on Near-Death Experiences (NDEs). The conference and symposium were held on October 26th, 2019, at New York University, NY, and were “followed by a symposium and panel discussion on November 19th, 2019 at the New York Academy of Sciences in New York City. These were attended by experts from the social sciences, resuscitation science, emergency and critical care medicine, neurology, and neuroscience, with the aim of exploring the current state of understanding regarding cardiac arrest resucitation, as well as what happens when people die and during the initial postmortem period.”
While their findings are quite extraordinary, refining our current understanding of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), what causes them, and, most importantly, elucidating exactly what criteria manifest during an authentic NDE, the scholars recognized the necessity to redefine the term “NDE.” This need arose due to the lack of exactitude in how people tend to label NDEs, ranging from harrowing situations without actual injury to full-blown psychedelic trip reports. A new term was deemed essential to accurately label the extraordinarily precise criteria that manifest in an authentic NDE. Within scholarly discourse, the new term is a Recalled Experience of Death, or RED.
This Project
Katabasis, from ancient Greek, is a descent into the underworld. While in ancient Greek mythology most who descend into the underworld never return, on occasion several individuals (ie. demigods) had a katabasis (the descent) and an anabasis, the return to the overworld.
The Katabasis Project emerged from the expanding scholarship surrounding Recalled Experiences of Death (REDs), as academics, doctors, and professionals delve deeper into this intriguing phenomenon. It is estimated that between 10% to 20% of all individuals who survive cardiac arrest report experiencing several of the criteria associated with REDs. Despite the generally low survival rate of cardiac arrest, even among patients fortunate enough to receive treatment at an adequate medical facility, a significant number of those survivors do report RED phenomena.1
The creator of this project, Nick Shumate, is a historian holding a Master’s in Applied American History with a concentration in Digital and New Media. While conducting research on Near-Death Experiences, he identified a gap in NDE scholarship.
The term NDE was coined by Dr. Raymond Moody in 1975 as he observed a paradigm emerging among his students and patients who reported remarkably similar experiences at the moment of death. Since then, numerous studies have been conducted stemming from that genesis. From a historical standpoint, however, this raises an interesting question and path of inquiry.
Initially, Nick wondered if Near-Death Experiences were solely a societal manifestation of the impactful work of Dr. Moody. There exists the possibility that the profoundly influential work of Dr. Moody could have been the genesis that created the very phenomena. While Nick is not a psychologist, the power of the subconscious mind is not to be underestimated. Does this phenomenon exist prior to 1975? If so, we can eliminate that as a possibility. If there is a historical component to NDEs, meaning they manifest today and have been reported since the beginning of recorded history, then we can better understand what they are, what causes them, and ultimately address the question that most of us ask: Are these experiences authentic and genuine?
It’s Approach
The very outset of this project illustrated quite quickly that NDE phenomena have existed, in some form or another, at least as far back as the Spiritualist movement. As this evolves we hope to document as far back as possible the strings of NDE phenomena. By doing so, this project hopes to bring us closer to answers regarding NDEs such as, are they purely a neurological and biological response to death? Are they manifestations of latent religiosity or expectations on the part of the experiencer? Do they help us to understand more about consciousness, death, and “reality?” This project hopes to bring us closer to those answers by providing a singular place for researchers to find examples and cases of NDEs.
However, beyond all the nuances and challenges of studying NDEs by academics and medical professionals today, studying the history of NDEs has many more pitfalls.
Resusitation Techniques
Modern resuscitation techniques, including CPR, were only invented in the latter half of the 20th century. Drs. Kouwenhoven, Safar, and Jude combined mouth-to-mouth breathing with chest compressions to create cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the 1960s. Many scholars directly correlate the invention of CPR to the paradigms Dr. Moody witnessed only a decade later.2
The manifestation of Near-Death Experiences is closely aligned with CPR, as it not only significantly increased the number of cardiac arrest survivors but also extended the window for resuscitation after “death.” The extent to which individuals recall and experience NDE phenomena seems to be directly related to the duration of their “death.”
As we delve into historical research on REDs and NDEs, analyzing reports before 1960, we expect to encounter a significant challenge: low survival rates. Individuals who suffered cardiac arrest or other life-threatening illnesses/injuries before 1960 often did not return from their terminal experiences.
As we explore further back beyond the 1960s, the miracles of modern medicine begin to diminish. Survivability is often inversely proportional to how far back we look. Thus, not only were fewer people surviving their terminal experiences, but the reporting of such phenomena was also limited. While even cursory investigations into historical NDEs provide many cases that may satisfy an individual, a systematic approach must confront these inherent limitations.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place:
Scientific Method & Religion
Most scholars investigating Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), along with phenomena categorized as “para” or “paranormal,” endure relentless ridicule from a spectrum of constituencies, spanning from physicians responding to patients with NDE claims, to medical and academic professionals, the media, and society at large. While the paradigm surrounding these phenomena is gradually shifting, the domain of Near-Death Experiences has historically been shared by medical professionals, clergy, and scholars.
Although contemporary studies into Near-Death Experiences grapple with these challenges, a historical perspective reveals a struggle for recognition and legitimacy. These experiences often languish in the space between established science and religion, their voices and authority marginalized. As a scholar leading the Katabasis Project, an investigation into NDEs from a secular standpoint, our approach fully embraces the scientific method and rigorous analysis to the extent possible.
Nevertheless, throughout history, these experiences, particularly since the emergence of Spiritualism in the U.K., U.S., Canada, and parts of Europe, have become entangled with religiosity, both implicitly and explicitly. Scholars delving into these realms have faced condemnation from the clergy and neglect from mainstream science.
Historical Psychoanalsysis
Psychoanalysis in the historical field has long been considered antiquated. A better understanding of the complexity of individual psychology has rendered a psychoanalytic approach to historical actors obsolete. It takes psychologists numerous direct engagements and conversations with individuals before they can ascertain a proper diagnosis. While most historians are not psychologists, even for those who are, we simply cannot glean foundational information solely by examining the records and words of those from the past. While historical records may offer insight into motives, perspectives, etc., they cannot be subjected to psychoanalysis.
When attempting to unravel claimed experiences and documentary records surrounding cases throughout history, the endeavor of labeling and categorizing documented experiences closely resembles psychoanalysis. How conservative or liberal an investigator will be in claiming something as a manifestation of NDE phenomena versus latent religiosity or personal convictions is a critical question. While such decisions are often individual choices scholars make in any investigation, the same applies here as well.
For the purposes of the Katabasis Project, the cases listed on this website typically exhibit more than one contingent aspect of RED and NDE phenomena. I have categorized all the constituent parts of an authentic RED and labeled the corresponding cases for both ease of access and transparency. Ultimately, it is up to the individual scholar to make certain decisions on a case-by-case basis, but the purpose of this project is to provide as much information as possible.
Personal Agenda
Those who report Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) are frequently subjected to public and intellectual ridicule. Numerous studies indicate that NDE occurrences are far more prevalent than the estimated 10-20% of cardiac arrest survivors. However, a significant impediment lies in the underreporting of these experiences due to prevailing fears.
When we extend this fear throughout history, its pervasive impact becomes evident. Often, such narratives are dismissed as mere religious awakenings, delusions, or attempts at proselytization. While such interpretations may hold true in some instances, they fail to account for the prescriptive nature of NDEs and their consistent paradigms that transcend temporal, spatial, cultural, religious, economic, ethnic, and linguistic boundaries.
Regionalization
The majority of cases compiled thus far for the Katabasis Project originate from documentation in native English. This phenomenon can be attributed in part to the establishment of various societies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries dedicated to gathering accounts of deathbed visions, the experiences of the dying, and related narratives. However, in the course of conducting a comprehensive historical investigation, regional variations present a significant challenge. It is highly probable that many such cases exist across diverse cultures, languages, oral traditions, and sources, rendering them exceedingly difficult to unearth without specialized knowledge of these contextualized areas.
Furthermore, the documentation of these stories poses its own set of challenges, leading to the final section of our discussion.
The Obscure
When embarking on a research endeavor concerning the historical narrative of any subject, the initial step involves determining the most suitable and available source material. Regrettably, mainstream science has historically overlooked a thorough investigation into Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), relegating much of the existing documentation to secondary consideration until relatively recently. Numerous accounts exist of libraries, archives, and universities disposing of potential documentation pertaining to NDEs, reflecting a systemic undervaluation of such materials.
Moreover, the question arises: where are these sources located? Are they housed within diaries, newspapers, religious publications, scholarly journals, or other mediums? The challenge lies not only in locating these sources but also in ascertaining their significance, particularly when they have not received substantial scholarly attention in the past.
Despite the multitude of challenges encountered in this endeavor, it is imperative to recognize that surrendering or dismissing these cases outright offers no substantive pathway toward achieving an epistemological understanding of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs).
Thank you,
The Katabasis Project
The Katabasis Project 