A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound personal experience associated with taking the death journey and returning back at life, usually during a period of being close to or declared clinically dead. Such experiences may encompass a variety of sensations including detachment from the body, feelings of levitation, serenity, security, warmth, and love, the ability to look down at your loved ones from above, and the presence of a light, though some also report negative, painful, or fearful experiences. Explanations for NDEs vary from the scientific to the religious and the spiritual.