We compared features of Asian and Western intermission memories in a sample of 85 published reincarnation cases, 58 from seven Asian countries and 27 from five Western countries. We found non-significant differences on most variables but a highly significant (p < .000001) difference regarding the environment of the after-death state, with Asian subjects more likely to recall an earthly (terrestrial) environment and Western subjects more likely to recall an unearthly (heavenly) environment. Subjects from both world areas reported nonhuman spirit entities and spirits of deceased relatives and friends, but Western subjects reported them significantly more often, largely because of their frequent references to God and Jesus. Subjects from both world areas portrayed non human entities in similar roles but tended to identify them differently, according to their respective cultural precepts. Whereas Western subjects more commonly perceived God and Jesus to be the Entities in Charge of the heavenly environment, Asian subjects more often saw Yama or the King of Death in that role. We found that features of the intermission experience were remarkably similar in Asian and Western cases on the whole and concluded that most of the differences may be traced to cultural expectations and interpretations.
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