Myth: NDEs are transformative.
Sartori found that only 2 of the 16 NDEers seemed to attach any significance to the events. Only 6 people completed the life changes questionnaire, 4 NDEers and 2 non-NDEers.
Again I think it's worth providing readers who do not have access to the study with an alternative perspective on your claim. Of the 16 patients in Penny's study who are reported to have had an NDE, only Patients 1, 2, 3 & 4 and Patients 6, 7 & 8 had an NDE which was associated with cardiac arrest.
Of these 7 patients, only 1 patient completed the 'change-in-lifestyle' questionaire (Patient 6), where he reported some increases in feelings of vulnerability; self acceptance; insight into problems of others; understanding of himself; and desire to express love openly.
I've tried to give readers a
very brief flavor of these 7 patients experiences (from my perspective), so you might judge for yourself whether their experience may have held any significance for them... and also whether or not Penny was able to get any data from them before they died.
It's also worth pointing out that there were other cardiac arrest patients who reported an experience, but they died before Penny could enrole them in the study, and so are not included.
Patient 1 : Patient felt thrilled when she woke up, and thrilled to have seen dead stepson.
[Enrolled in study. Patient died before any interviews could be completed].
Patient 2 : Patient describes falling but being caught by Angels, sense of peace and harmony, and being united with the world.
[Enrolled in study. Patient died before any interviews could be completed].
Patient 3 : Saw 4 y/o dead aunty dressed "
in white like a proper little angel", was comforted by seeing her. Patient felt content and safe, comfortable as if "
my mam had me in her arms".
[Enrolled in study. 3 interviews completed].
Patient 4 : Distressing experience, felt like hell, saw unknown woman wearing a straw hat, who was in a rowing boat on a stream. Didn't want to go near her, very frightened of her. Distressed by talking about the experience.
[Enrolled in study. Only 1 interview completed. Refused 2nd interview. Patient died before any further interviews could be completed].
Patient 6 : Tunnel, entered the light to expectant faces, where he saw lots of people who he knew, and whom he also knew to be dead, and 2/3 people he did not know, but could not later recall any faces or remember who they were. Describes the tunnel part of his experience as much more important, when compared with his hallucinatory trips to France & Italy. Transcript indicates that he has some strong religious issues.
[Enrolled in study. 2 interviews completed, and Lifestyle Questionnaire completed].
Patient 7 : Dead father simply standing amongst the nurses in the A&E department (it's not very clear if this was during his NDE, appeared to be more like a DBV to me, and indeed he passed away shortly afterwards).
[Enrolled in study. Unable to complete 1st interview. Patient died before any further interviews could be completed].
Patient 8 : Patient doesn't recall much, saw her dead mother who shouted at her to get back down there to look after them kids, playing hell with her for being there. Mother never used to shout at her (patient starts crying...). States that she's afraid of death "..
.I'm afraid of it, I don't want to die".
[Enrolled in study. 2 short interviews completed].