Charles P Possible NDE

Experience Description

While undergoing surgery as a junior in high school, I'm pretty sure I had an out of body experience (OBE). While breathing a combination of ether and nitrous oxide gas, I began to feel a very uncomfortable vibration developing in my head.

Following that, my consciousness seemed to shoot out into a very starry universe, with a sense of laughter. While I was in space, I received a very strong, non-verbal, profound, clear and friendly message. It was that my surgery was of no significance whatsoever to my eternal existence.

This OBE and accompanying message was very short, but I remember it well, even though it occurred about 60 years ago. I think the laughter was probably caused by the nitrous oxide, also called 'laughing gas.'

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: approximately 1951

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No While under general anesthesia. Apprehension before a surgical procedure

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? No 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal The non-verbal message I received was very clear.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? While passing through space or the universe.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I don't believe they can be compared.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I did not 'hear' the message; somehow it was imparted to my consciousness.

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

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

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes I saw stars and there was some color, I think it was blue.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I probably felt relief that the experience was very pleasant.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

The experience included: Special knowledge or purpose

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? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant I attened a rather liberal Presbyterian Church in Nashvile, Tennessee.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes My current spiritual outlook is validated by that experience.

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

What is your religion now? Other faiths- New age I have a "spiritual" mind set and believe reincarnation as a stong probability.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I don't recall having a definite religious belief at that time in my life.... maybe largely agnostic.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain That OBE experience became much more meaningful to me after learning about NDEs within the past few years. I don't recall having a definite religious belief at that time in my life; I think I was largely agnostic.

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 As noted above, a clear, non-verbal message was imparted to my consciousness.

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? Yes Only that my surgery was of no consequence whatsoever to my eternal existence. I did not previously have the mind set of an eternal existence.

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? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God probably 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? Unknown

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 probably exists Yes The message I received was that what was happening (my surgery) was of no consequence whatsoever to my eternal existence. That's all there was to my message.

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

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

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Unknown

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? Unknown

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are probably 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? Slightly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Uncertain Only that the message I received was imparted in a very positive manner or probably in a loving manner.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life I have become much more spiritual, but most of this change is due to study and research on science-spiritual connections. Moderate changes in my life.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The message I received was non-verbal, that is, language was not used.

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 This was a very profound, clear but very short experience.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain Long after my OBE, I continued to experience dreams which have affected my life in positive ways.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? My OBE significantly validates for me the NDEs of people I've read about or watched on YouTube. The message I received was that what was happening (my surgery) was of no consequence whatsoever to my eternal existence. That's all there was to the message. Only that my surgery was of no consequence whatsoever to my eternal existence. I had not previously ever heard of the concept of an 'eternal existence.'

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I've shared this with a few friends within the past year. I did not share it with anyone right after it happened, as I probably didn't think it was significant.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably not real I did not think about it much at all, because I thought it was just a side-effect of the anesthesia.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I now believe it was real, due to its being validated for me by knowing about similar NDEs and OBEs of others.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? This was a very profound and clear, but very short, experience. The message I received was imparted in a very positive, loving manner. The message let me know that I was eternal.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I think your questionnaire is quite good.