Today, we are honored to share an insightful interview with William Peters, conducted by MysticMag.
William is the founder of the Shared Crossing Project, a transformative initiative aiming to reshape how we perceive death and dying by highlighting the profound spiritual experiences that occur at the end of life. Through extensive research and education, the Shared Crossing Project illuminates the shared death experience, where loved ones and caregivers witness and accompany the dying during their transition into the afterlife.
Join us as we delve into the remarkable work of the Shared Crossing Project and its impact on end-of-life care.
Can you describe the Shared Crossing Project and its primary objectives in helping individuals and families at the end of life?
Yes, the goal of the Shared Crossing Project is to transform people’s relationship to death and dying by raising awareness about profound spiritual experiences that occur at the end of life, which are largely unknown. As a psychotherapist working in end-of-life care, my experience and that of my colleagues indicate that most people are not well-informed about end-of-life processes. They often defer to medical professionals without a clear understanding of what is possible for them.
The Shared Crossing Project conducts research on end-of-life experiences and possesses the largest collection of shared death experiences. We consider the shared death experience to be the most awe-inspiring, mystical, and life-affirming experience available to caregivers of the dying. This occurs when a caregiver or loved one feels they have witnessed or shared in the transition of the dying person, almost as if they entered the initial stages of the afterlife alongside them. These phenomena are identical to those reported in near-death experiences, which also examine the initial stages of the afterlife. The key difference is that in a shared death experience, the experience does not face death themselves but accompanies someone who is dying. They almost ‘hitch a ride’ with the dying person, seeing what they see as they transition into the afterlife.
Ultimately, the mission of the Shared Crossing Project is to raise awareness about these shared crossing experiences, particularly the shared death experience, and use these insights to transform people’s perceptions of death and what is possible for them and their loved ones at the end of life.
What are Shared Death Experiences (SDEs), and how do they differ from near-death experiences?
Shared Death Experiences (SDEs) and Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) are identical in terms of the phenomena and features they present, but they differ significantly in perspective. In a Near-Death Experience, the individual personally approaches death, temporarily entering the afterlife before returning. They might be experiencing a serious illness or injury that brings them close to dying.
In contrast, during a Shared Death Experience, the experience is typically healthy and not undergoing a personal life-threatening event. Instead, they are often a caregiver, loved ones, or hospice workers who are close to someone who is dying. They can be physically present at the bedside or even remotely connected. The experiencer accompanies the dying on their journey into the afterlife and observes the same phenomena.
Common phenomena in both experiences include alterations in the time-space continuum, out-of-body experiences where individuals see themselves and the dying person from outside their bodies, visions of heavenly realms, encounters with deceased relatives or elevated spirit beings, and a luminous light that appears to signify a transition to a deeper dimension of the afterlife. Both experiences typically reach a boundary or border, which is recognized as a point beyond which they cannot pass or they will not be able to return to their human life.
How do the Shared Crossing Protocols facilitate a meaningful end-of-life experience for both the dying and their loved ones?
The protocols I devised aim to facilitate shared death experiences and other spiritual experiences at the end of life.
There are three main parts to these protocols:
Education: We educate people about the variety of shared crossing experiences available to the dying and their loved ones. These include pre-death visions and visitations, shared death experiences, post-death visions and visitations, and various synchronicities related to death and dying, such as digital displays stopping at the time of death or displaying significant dates.
Psychoemotional Preparation: This involves spiritual and emotional steps to address unfinished business in one’s life. We guide people through healing relationships and conducting a life review to identify regrets and move toward forgiveness for themselves and others. This process is imbued with compassion to help individuals accept and forgive the imperfections inherent in human life.
Shared Crossing Training: We teach both the dying and their loved ones how to connect across the veil through guided visualizations. This training may be delivered individually, in small groups, or in larger groups as part of what we call the Shared Crossing Pathway Program. The visualizations explain what to expect as they transition from the human realm to the afterlife, using signposts based on my experiences with people who are dying. These guided experiences also teach how to maintain and reconnect bonds that may loosen as the dying person transitions.
These protocols are designed not only to prepare for a meaningful end-of-life experience but also to ensure that the connection between the dying and their loved ones persists, fostering a supportive environment as they approach the transition.
What role does research play in the Shared Crossing Project, and what have been some key findings?
The Shared Crossing Research Initiative serves as the research arm of the Project, where we collect and document shared crossing experiences. To date, we’ve received over 1,000 case submissions and conducted in-depth interviews with more than 300 experiencers, thanks to our international team of six interns from Europe and North America.
Our research primarily focuses on analyzing these experiences to understand their common features, particularly within the shared death experience. For instance, our findings show that in over 51% of cases, the experiencer sees their deceased loved one in the afterlife. Additionally, 16% reported seeing an elevated spirit, 13% encountered a deceased relative, and 25% witnessed a transcendent light.
We publish our research in several top academic and medical journals, including the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the Omega – Journal for Death and Dying Studies. Our work is approved for publication in a nursing and transpersonal psychology journal. We have attempted to publish in a variety of professional and academic disciplines related to death and dying.
Furthermore, I share our findings through teaching sessions with hospices and healthcare providers, speaking at symposiums, attending conferences, and participating in online seminars. Additionally, I engage with a wider audience through podcasts and interviews, like this one, to spread awareness and understanding of our research.
Can you discuss the significance of the Shared Crossing Story Collection and how these stories impact participants and the public?
The Shared Crossing Story Collection is an archive of fascinating shared death experiences available on our website. It was established to allow people interested in learning more about shared crossings and shared death experiences to access firsthand stories.
By entering their name on our website, visitors can gain access to view personal accounts of shared crossing experiences. We take extensive interviews and edit them down to concise segments of about four to six minutes each. This library serves as an educational resource, enhancing understanding of these profound experiences.
How do you address skepticism or fear surrounding the concepts of shared crossings and afterlife experiences?
Skepticism is a natural response to any new or less-understood phenomena, and we welcome healthy skepticism from researchers, medical doctors, and others. Our research is rigorous and robust, having identified a consistent pattern known as the shared death experience, its features, and the occurrence of these features. This has passed the muster of rigorous scholarship, validating the existence of these experiences.
Regarding the nature of these experiences, skeptics often question whether they are merely hallucinations or imaginations. However, these experiences occur in independent minds across the globe, among people unaware of such phenomena beforehand, which strongly suggests their authenticity. The consistency and unexpectedness of these experiences are compelling evidence of their reality.
As for fears associated with these experiences, there is little to worry about. Distressing shared death experiences (SDEs) are rare. When they do occur, it’s often due to misunderstandings about the experience. For example, a person might initially be frightened by seeing a deceased relative during another’s passing, mistaking it for something alarming. Once we explain that this is a typical part of the ‘welcoming party’ into the afterlife, they find comfort and understanding. This clarification helps alleviate fears and helps individuals interpret these experiences more positively.
Find out more at: www.sharedcrossing.com
