What is portalecm?
portalecm is a website about near-death experiences (NDEs). It tells, step by step, the stories of people who came close to dying. We ask each story the same five questions, to check what can be proven today. It also explains the scientific studies of these experiences: what they found and what they could not find out.
- What it is
- A website that explains near-death experiences (NDEs) to a general audience. Free, with no sign-up.
- What’s on it
- Full stories of near-death experiences, pages that help you understand them, and scientific studies told step by step. New stories are added often.
- How it checks
- It asks every story the same five questions. The score, from 0 to 5, shows how much can be proven today.
- Its stance
- It takes no side in advance. It holds the two main explanations to the same standard: that everything happens in the brain, and that consciousness can carry on without it.
- Languages
- Multilingual, written natively in each language.
- Who it’s for
- Anyone who is curious. Also people who have had an NDE, their families, and students and journalists.
- Who makes it
- Miguel Parada. Below, in his own words.
- Where the information comes from
- From a working archive of accounts and records of scientific studies, which grows with every story. Every story and every study ends with its sources, one by one.
A near-death experience is a very intense experience that some people have when they are about to die. Many say they left their body, saw a light, or met relatives who had died. On portalecm, you hear it from them first. Then you see which part can be checked.
What you’ll find on portalecm
- The storiesPeople who came close to dying tell what they went through, step by step. At the end of each story: what can be checked. The list starts with the best-checked ones.
- Verified casesThe most-cited cases, one by one: what has been checked and what hasn’t.
- Understanding NDEsThe basic questions: what an NDE is, how many people have one, what science says, how life changes, frightening experiences, and other cultures.
- The studiesThe best-known scientific studies, told step by step: what they did, what they found, and what they could not find out.
What makes portalecm different
It separates what people say from what can be proven. Every story has two parts. First, the account, told the way the person who lived it tells it. Then, “What can be checked”: what was written down, when, and by whom.
It asks every story the same five questions. Did anyone tell the person what had happened before they gave their account? Is it known when they were at their most critical? Is it known when what they described happened? Does anyone else confirm what they described? Could they have known it by ordinary seeing or hearing? How each one is answered is explained in How we check each story.
It holds both explanations to the same standard. One says that everything happens in the brain. The other says that consciousness can carry on without it. Both have to back their claims with evidence, and mistakes are looked for in both directions.
It shows its sources. Every page ends with its sources.
Who makes portalecm
My name is Miguel Parada. For years I have been reading and researching near-death experiences, on my own, without depending on any university or any belief.
I made portalecm because almost everything available in Spanish is accounts that have not been checked. Here every case goes through the same five questions. We say what can be proven and also what cannot. If something has not been checked, we say so.
I review the texts carefully so that they meet high standards of quality and accuracy. The sources for each story are at the end of its page, so anyone can check them.
If you would like to tell us your story, write to us.
Questions about portalecm
What does the name portalecm mean?
portalecm puts two words together: portal, a gateway, and ECM, the initials of “experiencia cercana a la muerte,” which is Spanish for “near-death experience” (NDE in English). It is written as one word, all in lowercase, like the website address: portalecm.com.
Are the stories on portalecm real?
They are accounts from real people, told the way they tell them in books, interviews, videos, or medical studies. Someone telling a story does not make it a proven fact. That’s why, at the end of each story, portalecm says separately what can be checked and what can’t.
Does portalecm believe in life after death?
portalecm doesn’t take sides. It tells what people went through and checks what can be checked. So far, science has not been able to prove that consciousness carries on without the brain, or that it can’t. Both explanations are set out in What does science say about near-death experiences?
What does a “4 of 5” score on a story mean?
The score is the sum of the answers to the five questions asked of every story. Each “yes” adds one point and each “unconfirmed” adds half a point. For example, three “yes” answers and two “unconfirmed” answers add up to 4 out of 5. The score says how much can be proven today. It doesn’t say whether the person is telling the truth. A story with a low score can be completely sincere.
Do I have to pay or sign up to read portalecm?
No. Everything on portalecm is free to read, with no sign-up.
Can I share my near-death experience on portalecm?
You can write to contacto@portalecm.com. Every story that gets published goes through the same five questions as all the others.
How do I cite portalecm?
Give the name, portalecm, and the address of the page. What each person says is their own account. What has been checked is in the “What can be checked” section of each story. An account should not be presented as a proven fact.
Have more questions? Questions about near-death experiences, the cases, and the studies are answered in Frequently asked questions.