Bart F NDE

Experience Description

I had been extremely ill with food poisoning and what was thought to be measles. Later, it was determined to be Scarlett Fever. I had a number of days without holding food or water. I was VERY nauseated and disoriented. My mother and friend of same age were watching over me through the event. Without any awareness of time, I found myself in a void. There was really NOTHING: no fear, no danger, and nothing but the distinct thought that I was not 'in Kansas anymore.' I was aware that there was a decision to be made. My initial impression was this decision was that of God, but as I pondered the possibility of not reaching adulthood it really became my decision. BOOM! I'm hearing my mother say, 'Oh my God, he's not breathing!' She was not able to drive, so she carried me a half mile to the nearby hospital. I was in and outside of my body through most of that. The doctor immediately iced my body because it was at a temperature of around 108° F. I was in a lot of pain. The doctor seemed awfully pleased when he realized I was conscious, albeit barely conscious given my health condition. The following months brought hair loss and deep ridges that grew out of my nails indicating protein synthesis had ceased. I had minor brain damage. For example: I could write beautiful cursive but lost that ability after the fever. Most other little inconsistencies eventually returned but I still can't write English cursive; although I can write in Arabic without issue. Weird but that is the only lasting effect.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 4/4/79

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain. Illness. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function)

How do you consider the content of your experience? Neither pleasant NOR distressing

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I was aware of my body after the decision. I was in and out, and while in I was pretty foggy. Outside was normal, although no sensation of mass or weight. I lost awareness of my body

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Less consciousness and alertness than normal I was sick with high fever.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was very ill so I was never fully alert. I was in the bed around sundown with a rising fever. The best I can tell is that this all happened around midnight because it was early morning when I returned home. They were calling for 5 AM prayer shortly after returning home. It has been a long time but this is best I can recall.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Time did not exist.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No change of self-awareness. There was nothing to see in my instance.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Same as vision.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Darkness

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I wasn't scared at all. It felt completely normal.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a definite conscious decision to return to life It was MY choice.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Moderately important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Muslim I was in an Islamic private school yet prior to the experience I was confident of the existence of a universal consciousness, a source, which you can give any name to here on Earth. Silently agnostic, never truly religious.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Agnostic The experience, and two since, just confirmed my convictions.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I'd say it increased the value of things, but at the time I was a child, so I was still looking forward to things in life.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin I felt the presence of God, more a part of it, but no direct communication in terms we know.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God probably exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes Absolutely God exists. Outside our dimensional constraints.

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife probably exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes Consciousness is infinite. How I'm aware I have no idea.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I moderately feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain I was definitely dead. I can't describe it other than I've never felt that way even through two other NDEs that I would experience later in life.

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes Slightly clairvoyant but not controllable. Dreams of a passed relative normal and pleasant.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes A few years later I've recounted this experience to a few people which I consider close friends.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Drug overdose and motorcycle accident produced two distinctly different NDE.