When Near-Death Experiences Do Not Fit the Popular Narrative

Key points

Most near-death experiences are deeply individual and do not necessarily follow popularized narratives.

Commercial accounts often obscure the subtlety and diversity of real NDEs.

Genuine understanding requires listening without imposing templates or assumptions.

Public expectations can create pressure for answers experiencers may not have.

The man sitting across from me introduces himself as a house painter. His near-death experience followed a severe fall from a ladder: fractured ribs, internal bleeding, loss of consciousness before the ambulance arrived. “They told me afterwards it was close,” he says, rubbing his palms together as though checking for dust that isn’t there. “Very close.”

I ask him what he considers the most significant insight from the experience. He loo