S2 #64 / Dr Gregory Shushan on Near-Death Experience in Ancient Civilizations

In this episode of Spirit Box, I’m joined by Dr. Gregory Shushan, a pioneering researcher on near-death experiences (NDEs). He has spent over 25 years studying historical accounts of NDEs, uncovering their profound influence on religious beliefs, mythologies, and cultural understandings of the afterlife. His research, as explored in his book Near-Death Experiences in the Ancient Civilisations; The Origins of the Worlds Afterlife Beliefs, reveals striking parallels between modern NDEs and accounts from historical cultures, shedding light on how early societies interpreted these extraordinary events.

In the show we explore what ancient texts reveal about encounters with the dead, the journey of the soul, and how different civilisations—from Egypt and Mesopotamia to India and Mesoamerica—understood these experiences. Gregory shares fascinating insights into how NDEs may have shaped early ideas of judgment, reincarnation, and the soul’s transition into the next world. His work also investigates the connections between NDEs, shamanism, initiation rites, and visions of the Otherworld, questioning whether these universal phenomena influenced the development of religious traditions across cultures.

In the Plus show, we take a deeper dive into Gregory’s upcoming research on Greek and Roman NDEs, as well as lesser-known accounts from indigenous First Nations traditions that challenge modern assumptions about the afterlife.

Beyond ancient civilizations, we also examine connections between NDEs and folklore, particularly in Irish fairy lore, where people were said to vanish into the Otherworld and return transformed. We discuss how these stories might reflect ancient beliefs about crossing the threshold between life and death, and how different cultures interpreted the journey between worlds.
Show Notes:
Dr Shushan's Website https://www.gregoryshushan.com 
Get the book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Near-Death-Experience-Ancient-Civilizations-Afterlife/dp/1644118688

Keep in touch?https://linktr.ee/darraghmasonMusic by Obliqka https://soundcloud.com/obliqka