Updated February 4, Reviewed by Lybi Ma. The feeling of timelessness is commonly reported in altered states of consciousness ASC , whether during meditation in experienced meditators , through the intake of psychedelics , or during near-death experiences NDEs.
It involves a sense of unity with the surroundings, the collapse of past and future into the present, or the perception that time ceases to exist. Studying these extreme states can provide insights into the structure and processes of consciousness, which remain unexplained. After life-threatening events like heart attacks or near-drowning, survivors sometimes report near-death experiencesβstriking altered states of consciousness occurring during apparent unconsciousness.
Research on near-death highlights common themes, including seeing a light or tunnel, out-of-body experiences , and experiencing deep calm. Most prominent are reports on a loss of time. Our study conducted in Wittmann and colleagues, , where we used the near-death experience scale developed by Bruce Greyson, found that 65 percent of individuals with these experiences reported a change in subjective time; 94 percent of those mentioned a feeling of timelessness.
Donna Maria Thomas, Ph. Donna Thomas uses different methods such as drawing, creative play, or storytelling to explore what children perceive. Children talk about telepathic experiences, such as having emotional connections with siblings or with the mother who is not present, having out-of-body experiences, past-life memories, or premonitions.
For some, it is hard to believe that those children should have true anomalous perceptions, which are out of time and space, transcending the here and now. But without doubt, these experiences do occur and have to be studied. They are experiences children have to live with.
