Guest editor's foreword

2012 Journal of Near-Death Studies  
JOURNAL OF NEAR-DEATH STUDIES (formerly ANABIOSIS) is sponsored by the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS). The Journal publishes articles on near-death experiences and on the empirical effects and theoretical implications of such events, and on such related phenomena as out-of-body experiences, deathbed visions, after-death communication, the experiences of dying persons, comparable experiences occurring under other circumstances, and the implications of such phenomena for
more » ... our understanding of human consciousness and its relation to the life and death processes. The Journal is committed to an unbiased exploration of these issues and specifically welcomes a variety of theoretical perspectives and interpretations that are grounded in empirical observation or research. The INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR NEAR-DEATH STUDIES (IANDS) is a worldwide organization of scientists, scholars, healthcare providers, near-death experiencers, and the general public, dedicated to the exploration of near-death experiences (NDEs) and their implications. Incorporated as a nonprofit educational and research organization in 1981, IANDS' objectives are to encourage and support research into NDEs and related phenomena; to disseminate knowledge concerning NDEs and their implications; to further the utilization of near-death research by medical, psychological, social, and spiritual healthcare professionals; to form local groups of near-death experiencers and interested others; to sponsor symposia and conferences on NDEs and related phenomena; and to maintain a library and archives of near-death-related material. Friends of IANDS groups are affiliated in many cities to provide information, support, and networking for near-death experiencers (NDErs) and their families, healthcare providers, and anyone with personal or professional interest in NDEs and related phenomena. Information about membership in IANDS can be obtained by contacting IANDS, of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. ABSTRACT: This article provides a summary of current literature regarding the nature of spiritual development, types of potentially spiritually transformative experiences (pSTEs), and both short-and long-term aftereffects of pSTEsbiological, psychological, spiritual, and social. The author concludes that in the aftermath of pSTEs, experiencers, their intimates and associates, and their healthcare providers should be prepared to encounter any of a number of aftereffects that manifest in a process of experience integration that can be manageable or be deeply challenging and that can be relatively brief or can last for years.
doi:10.17514/jnds-2012-31-2-p61-63. fatcat:krqryhw7g5cf7grkgb5yaackmm