Chris W FDE

Experience Description

I'm not sure if time slowed down, or that my thoughts and cognitive processes were so incredibly fast. As I fell toward the ground in the space of what might have been two minutes, it is as though my whole life was compressed and replayed in the blink of any eye. I remember two or three distinct images of the whole experience and the rest was just a blur. It was as if my mind was operating in two spaces, in one part, I was trying to control the helicopter, and in the other, I was having the playback experience. In the logical part of my mind I had come to the realization that if the wind shear situation did not abate, I would crash and be killed. In a distant and disembodied way, I was wondering if it would be painful. During the event, I was not afraid. It was only afterward that I felt fear and relief.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: May 1989

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Other: Imminent helicopter crash

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain No

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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? During the first few seconds when I realized that the aircraft was out of control and I had the life playback experience.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Altered time, time slowed down.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I had an aviation headset on so I was only hearing what was said through a microphone.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

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

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? No

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was calm and somehow dissociated but still focused on flying the helicopter.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? incredible joy

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? Everything about the universe

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control It was far too fast for me to grasp I just knew that it was happening. I had the image of a previously traumatic event pause for a moment in time.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal Spiritual

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal Spiritual

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Two parts, one was that my life played back incredibly fast, and two that time seemed to slow down to a crawl.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

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 It is simply an event. It is most definitely real but I don't know why such an event should happen just before what I conceived to be an imminent death.

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? Uncertain After this event I felt as though I had been given a clean slate in life and I was freed to move on to my next phase of life.