ABSTRACT
This chapter presents material on attitude changes following near-death experiences and commented upon their importance for our understanding of the human experience of death. It discusses that near-death experiences have revealed to us a fundamental strategy for coping with the threat of death. In aliveness, we see a basic human strategy for coping with the threat of death, one having its origin in the experience of birth. Thus, the experience of rebirth may bring with it an assurance of survival that is reflected in the content of the experience. Ultimately, we are interested in near-death experiences because of their power to change attitudes, personality, and beliefs. Although the experiences we are discussing occur under a wide variety of circumstances, more than mere circumstances appear necessary for their development. We have seen that near-death experiences may provide some persons with direct experiences of aliveness including assurances of continuing life.
