This article at Psyche.co offers some provocative insights into new research linking altered states of consciousness with death acceptance:
By not facing the issue of our mortality prior to our passing, we miss a unique opportunity, not only to reconcile with death and make peace with it, but also to gain a sense of levity and serenity that we can carry with us through our lives. But how can we overcome a fear of death that’s so deeply rooted in our culture?
Research is starting to reveal that certain states of consciousness can have a powerful and positive effect on how we perceive our own mortality. There’s a strong association between a decreased fear of death and undergoing a near-death experience (NDE), out-of-body experience (OBE), lucid dream and psychedelic experience.