Chris Probable NDE

Experience Description

Before the experience:

My mum, stepdad, grandmother, and I, were returning from home on Christmas day, 1979.

The car in which we were traveling was driven by my stepdad. Mum was sitting in the front passenger seat, I was sitting in the back seat behind the driver, (the car was right-hand drive) and my grandmother was sitting next to me. There were no seat belts in the back.

I was interested in the passing scenery and was sitting at an angle, so I could see past the driver and to the right.

The experience itself:

I saw a car approaching us on a fairly straight stretch of road.

Then I became aware that I was somewhere else.

It was as though I ‘looked up.’

The environment was dark; there was no noise or vibration. Everything was calm and non-threatening.

I would say that I was ‘there’ for a very short period.

I was informed later that this ‘area’ was possibly ‘The Void.’

After the experience:

When I came to, I could feel the difference in the environment, and then I knew, or was told, to keep still. I heard a sharp intake of breath. I knew that would be my mum.

She had managed to free herself from wreckage, and had come around to see how I was doing. I was lying on the back seat, covered in blood.

I can remember arriving at the hospital, and being in same cubicle as the driver of the car, I had seen coming towards us. He was complaining about his injuries.

I was left on a gurney for what seemed like hours, and then later I felt parts of the operation.

In court, the driver of the car admitted he had been speeding; he was a police constable late for work.

The combined impact of the cars was thought to have been around a hundred and ten miles per hour.

My physical injuries resulted in a scar that runs from my hairline, to my eyebrow and across towards my ear, with another scar in my opposite eyebrow.

There was a hole in my skull that I had felt/heard the surgeon working during the surgery.

My head had hit the A-post, which is located at the spot where the driver's seat belt attaches to car.

I’m glad to report that the accident did not result in any loss of life.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 25th Dec 1979

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No. Accident. Life threatening event, but not clinical death

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

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? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The experience of the void did not seem to last long. After my initial realization that I was somewhere else, it seemed constant. There was no grogginess.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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. They were the same.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. They were the same.

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? I sensed their presence

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? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm The void seemed far distant from, yet so very connected to, the planet we live on.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? It felt natural.

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? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

The experience included: Awareness of the future

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? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Do not know

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes

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

What is your religion now? No comment

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 came to believe that we go forward and onward. We develop and achieve a higher level of self. I feel there is another dimension that we might never fully fathom in this realm, but it is intrinsically connected to our existence here.

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 feel sure that I knew, or was told to, keep still, by some source other than my own mind. I felt a guiding influence to not panic upon hearing my mum's reaction when she first laid eyes on me after the impact, and to not move, and to wait for help. But this was not felt during my (possible) time in the void.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I sensed their presence

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? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? I am uncertain if God 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 possibly 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? Unknown

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists No

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

Do you fear death after your experience? I slightly fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Moderately fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Slightly fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly 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? Slightly compassionate toward others

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

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life The impact the experience was having on me while it was going on was not realized until later on. The injuries and the family issues left me somewhat more withdrawn than I had been. When mum asked if I remembered anything about the accident, I told her, ‘No.’ I didn't want her to carry the burden of my memories as well as her own, because knowing what I had gone through might have increased her pain. And I was concerned that she might think of me as a ‘freak’ if I were to tell her my unusual, otherworldly experiences. I needed time to find out for myself, to process the experiences.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain Finding the words, in context of the questions, maybe. The experience, overall, no.

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 as accurately as 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? No

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes

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 I was a passenger, along for the ride. The experience just happened. I had no real choice in the matter. It took time for the physical injuries to heal. I felt there was no one with whom I could share these experiences. My mum had been through traumatic times. She had had a nervous breakdown and had tried to commit suicide when I was five years old. I knew just a little about the suicide attempt. I had to adjust myself to having had the experience without really knowing what it was. I did not get the chance to read and do research on it until I was in my early twenties. For myself, the reality was as normal and as ‘real’ as anything else, but, as my ‘In’ box was stacked to its fullest level already, I thought it best for me to come to terms with the whole thing later, gradually, and not focus on it for the time being. Others' perception of me, how they might see me if I talked about my experience, was a concern of mine.

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? No