Dean C FDE

Experience Description

I was cycling down a country lane. I neared the opening to a local nature park, which was just in front of me to the left. A car was on the opposite side of the road indicating it would turn into the nature park. A speeding car swerved around the indicating car and onto my side of the road. This is when time slowed down, almost like a scene from the movie "Matrix". I swerved and narrowly avoided the speeding car which was now moving in slow-motion. The car sped on, and I went into a ditch. This happened in a split second, but it felt more like 10 seconds. I reacted quickly to avoid the car. Yet, it felt like I had all of the time in the world to swerve to the ditch. This was the only place I could go to avoid being hit by the speeding car.

Simultaneously, in super-fast motion, events from my life flashed before my eyes. After the incident, I was fully aware of what had happened. I felt a combination of calm, relief, and curiosity. I wondered how I managed to move out of the way of the car and also experience the memories of my past in slow motion.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 2010

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Life threatening event, but not clinical death. I avoided an oncoming speeding car.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No 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. I was able to easily move out of the way of a car travelling at high speed. It felt like a Matrix scene. This wasn't like an ordinary reactionary event.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? As it happened. It was an event that happened in a split second but felt like much longer

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 wasn't really a factor with regard to being able to avoid the oncoming car. However, my memories moved at unbelievable speed, like life on super-fast forward

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. I took in every aspect of the event and was aware of my movements

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My hearing was like that of something slowed down

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? 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? 1. Fear when I realized I was about to be hit by a car 2. Calmness when reacting and moving away from the car 3. Sadness when memories flashed before my eyes - but because I had heard of this happening at the time people have accidents/pass away 4. Inquisitiveness at what had occurred

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? My past flashed before me, out of my control. Memories of my life flashed before my eyes

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 was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated. No religious background. Although residing in a Christian nation with the beliefs of Christians taught in school settings, I do not consider myself religious

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? I believe I had a ghostly experience before this. This incident consolidated my spiritual thoughts.

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated. No change

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'm not a religious person but have wondered about the afterlife. I had a ghostly experience at around the age of 18 in my family home, and since the accident also at the age of 29 in Rome, Italy.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes Slightly more belief of life after death

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? 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

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

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? An afterlife probably exists

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

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

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? No changes in my life. The experience made me think that it wasn't my time and I was potentially given a helping hand to avoid a life threatening situation.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? 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 more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience. The experience was standout and hard to forget.

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? (I) I was able to avoid what seemed like an unavoidable collision. This made me feel that it wasn't my time to go. (II) memories flashing before my eyes has made me feel that they were seen / remembered for a reason. I can say that I have a great family and wonderful memories

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Within an hour. I had to continue cycling home. I lived with my parents at the time so told them right away.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had read about experiences like out of body, going into a bright light, being met by deceased relatives, and life flashing before one's eyes.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. The experience was vivid. I have no doubt that it happened as I remember.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I am unsure if the experience was a NDE or an extreme fight flight reaction

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Yes