Dale B NDE

Experience Description

I remember clearly looking down and seeing everyone talking loudly and scurrying around. Then I was aware that I was fine, actually better than fine. My first thought was that I felt no pain anywhere. I wondered: how is this possible? I realized time was not time to what I was accustomed. Rather, time seemed to encompass 'all time' is the only way I can explain it. I felt all that there is, was or ever would be. I was a part of it all, and still a singular entity. I felt I could be anywhere, any place, and at any time, I wanted. Knowledge was free and I was a part of it all. There was love in abundance. I felt no hate anywhere and no confusion. I felt only joy. I was not alone, but no one was with me. I was overjoyed. Then I was back in my frail body and upset.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1992

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes After widowmaker developed lethal arithmias ... They induced v-tac or v-fib but couldn't get me out Life threatening event, but not clinical death crash cart After the widow-maker heart blockage, I developed lethal arrhythmias. They induced v-tac or v-fib but couldn't get me out of the deadly condition. I was on a crash cart. I was about to receive my first AICD a couple of weeks after I had a widow-maker. They needed to induce an arrhythmia to get the settings right. When I came back, I had burns on my chest that I noticed scabbed slightly. I do not know what all they did or how long I was away. [Editor's notation: AICD is an Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, battery-powered device that can fix abnormal heart rate or rhythm and prevent sudden death.]

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 See Experience 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 I had never been so happy, for lack of a better word. Not imprisoned in my body was so nice. I experienced heightened consciousness. I was surrounded by and part of such joy. The fear of death was totally erased and I still do not fear death but will patiently await it.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? From the time I left my body until the time I returned abruptly to my body. It felt like being in a car crash.

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 Time just wasn't the same, eternity=seconds and seconds=eternity.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No comparison because there was no mortality

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No comparison because there was no mortality

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? No

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? All good. Had I remained, I believe I would have had a choice or the ability to visit, or maybe even reincarnate if I chose. The answers were there, I just didn't seek them. I was so overjoyed.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

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

The experience included: Special knowledge or purpose

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe So much knowledge, yet coming back, the mind hadn't the room to contain it.

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? Unaffiliated- Agnostic I was raised Baptist but didn't think God was in a chariot amid the clouds smiting people and had my own ideas of what was what... Spiritual not religious... I still don't care for organized religion, not everyone can be right...

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I have moved more to the Buddhist way of thinking.

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

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Agnostic My experience was more awareness than religious and that has stuck with me...

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 I have always been able to enter the wilderness and find happiness and beauty; in a strange way, it was similar.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I now know, for certain, that I have nothing to fear, even in this life on earth. I will enjoy it and Mother Nature as long as I can get around to enjoy it.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

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 I believe it was a distinct possibility...

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes There was a unity of all things. I was uncertain about being imprisoned in mortality. I remember feeling that I had to go through hell to get there. Going through hell again and I am more aware of it; but strangely content and happy, although I am old and in pain more than when I was young.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? I was uncertain if God 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? 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 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 I was there and I clearly remember it. I can't describe it in words very well.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I slightly 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? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? I am greatly more aware of how destructive humans are, and how no one thinks the same.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I am more of an introvert that would give away anything to someone that really seems to want it. I suppose that I still want material things but after I get them, they don't seem as important as they once would have.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes My friends, there are no words. I just used what I had to work with.

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.

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 Maybe around a year later. I was asked if I saw the tunnel with the light at the end, or did I follow the light. They always seem very interested but I always had the feeling they wanted to hear something good but feared death.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes Just that I had heard of it. I was taught you go to heaven or hell, but began to believe, as I got older, that hell was more about not moving beyond earth.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real It was real and I didn't want to come back, but the choice wasn't mine and I regretted that.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It hasn't changed. I was convinced and still am.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes I feel my place is there now.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I look forward to my next experience.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? It was fine.