An important finding of our study of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage is that pilgrims experience exceptional human experiences. These include near death experiences, and both pilgrimages and near-death experiences take place in a liminal space that undoubtedly changes people. We measured changes in attitudes and values after the pilgrimage experience and compared them with changes after the near-death experience in a methodologically similar study using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was created to study the life changes associated with a near-death experience. We found out that the transformative aftereffects of both liminal experiences are similar. The findings were based on a comparison of life changes in which an individual intentionally exits a structured society into an unstructured, liminal space, with life changes after near-death experiences in which the individual is unintentionally pushed into the space between life and death. Results indicated an increase in appreciation for life, increased concern for others, and greater self-acceptance. The only decrease was in the area of concern with worldly achievement.
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