Fergus J NDE

Experience Description

I had arrived at the hospital, suspecting that I was having a heart attack. While waiting to be examined, there was complete cardiac arrest. A doctor and emergency room nurses were summoned and they worked for several minutes to try to restart the heart. I was told later by the doctor that it was an extremely tenuous situation, with no results for several minutes. I do not remember any pain or other sensations as I lost consciousness.

The experience itself was very vivid and beautiful. I was standing in a strange place, I could move about, but did not feel that I was walking. It was more like floating weightlessly, but upright in a standing position. It was dark. There was a rail fence directly in front of me, like 10 ft. away. There were three thick rails, the bottom two were dark, and the top rail glowed brilliant white. I moved up to the fence, but did not touch it. Beyond the fence to the right stood a group of people, at least 20 or so. They were all facing me and were silently watching. They were dressed in strange garb, more like close fitting robes that covered their bodies and heads, but not the faces. The material was not exactly like anything I had ever seen. The faces were not covered, and it was too dark to recognize features, but I was certain I knew all of them.

My parents stood out, mostly by their outline and position. They were at the front and more to the middle of the group standing together. Straight ahead and next to the group was a very ancient looking stone archway. A pathway went through it and straight ahead through a very long and dark valley. A long distance ahead, the valley sloped upwards. Over the horizon and beyond there was a very bright light shining up into the night sky, like the lights of a distant city. The night sky above the glow was lit with beautiful shades of purple. I stood for a while, just staring at everything, then had a sensation of being pulled back.

I woke up suddenly and doctors and nurses around me were calling my name and applauding. I am not one to cry easily, but there I did quite a lot, not from fear or hurting, just the realization of how close I had come to leaving my family and gratitude to the doctor and nurses who brought me back.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 11/03/2010

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Heart attack Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function)

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? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I had complete awareness throughout the whole experience.

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. About the same.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It was very still during the experience. There was no noise.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

Did you see any beings in your experience? I sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes Family and close relatives and friends. I felt their presence and recognized them.

The experience included: Darkness

The experience included: Unearthly light

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

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes The rail fence glowed brightly and there was a great glow over the horizon.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Everything I saw was of a strange material which I did not recognize.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt extreme curiosity, happiness at seeing loved ones.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt no longer in conflict with nature

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

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes The high rail fence with the glowing top rail. I knew that I couldn't even touch it.

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 Returning was not a decision that I had to make.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience All parts of the experience seemed to be consistent with beliefs I had at that time.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I try to be a better person to all around me- more loving and generous. Have come to realize how precious our short time on earth really is.

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

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? Uncertain

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely 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 definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes I felt confirmation that life's real meaning is love- for family and each other.

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 This experience made me certain of continued existence. I heard no voices or other sounds, but the experience being there and observing left no doubt.

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 probably 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? Yes I felt a tremendous joy in the knowledge that I would be reunited with deceased friends and loved ones.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Slight changes in my life I am much less concerned about earthly possessions.

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

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Hard to find the right words and make the experience sound plausible, afraid others might not believe me, and also the emotional part.

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 memory of this is absolutely accurate and I'm sure it will remain so.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Seeing loved ones who came to greet me makes me very emotional.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was a while, like several days. I thought it might sound foolish, but to my surprise all whom I have related this to have been very interested.

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 knew it was real right from the start.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real This experience was so profound and real, that I could never doubt it

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? I felt a tremendous joy in the knowledge that I would be reunited with deceased friends and loved ones.