Helen W NDE

Experience Description

I was living in an industrial building with some friends at the time. I felt like I was going to faint - hot and clammy, dizzy, nauseous. I couldn't talk or yell out, so I stumbled out to get my friends attention. I might have grunted before I collapsed in front of them.

I felt myself being sucked away from my body. When I opened my eyes, I was in an amazing place with lots of greenery. There were trees, rolling hills, etc. I felt an overwhelming joy and freedom. I noticed a trail of sorts, sort of like a dirt track, so I started to follow it. I wasn't walking; it was more of a floating sensation. I was full of wonderment. Everything looked so amazing. It was like I was experiencing everything for the first time, as if I had never seen an old oak tree or green fields before. I came to a crossroads where an old man was waiting. He had a wizard-like appearance with a long beard but no hat, and he had an ordinary-looking cane. There was a raven/crow-like bird sitting on a signpost. The signpost didn't seem to say anything, it just pointed off in different directions. I said, 'Hello', although we didn't actually vocalize, just talked in thoughts. He told me to choose a path. One path went off towards some mountainous area, another down into a valley filled with forests. Another carried on over many rolling hills. I was about to choose the path to the valley and forests, when I decided to turn around and see where I had come from.

I saw myself lying on my bed with my friends around me. As soon as I saw myself I got big shock, and I felt myself being sucked back into my body. I started yelling, 'No!' because I didn't want to go back. I heard a faint thought, 'Not your time yet', as I was being sucked back. My body sat up as I rushed back in, and I was still yelling out when I became conscious. At first, I couldn't breathe properly. So, a flatmate grabbed an inhaler for me to use until I had calmed down. They kept asking what happened, and I was so upset all I could do was sob and say I didn't want to come back. The next few days I kept in my room and slept a lot. I didn't want to be around anyone.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1996

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No. Illness 'Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening'

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I clearly left my body and existed outside it

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? When meeting the old man.

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

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. The colors seemed brighter, and I could see details further away than normally possible.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I don't recall any sounds, apart from the old man's thoughts.

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? Uncertain I think so. When I was being sucked away, it felt like being sucked through a tunnel.

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I met an old man at a crossroads. He told me to choose a path.

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

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I visited a place of amazing beauty - lots of trees, valleys, meadows.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt extremely happy.

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

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control

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

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes I came to a crossroads, but never got to choose my path. I didn't have any idea of what would happen once I had chosen, but that didn't seem to be an issue. I would have gone on regardless.

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 none

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain I still don't have any religious attachments, but I do have an open mind. I have read about many different religions since my experience.

What is your religion now? Liberal none

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain I still don't have any religious attachments, but I do have an open mind. I have read about many different religions since my experience.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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? Yes I could sense when visitors were coming and open the door before they could ring the bell. I also heard thoughts of certain people close to me, only if they consciously thought something at me, though. This hasn't happened for some time now, but I sense people's emotions very strongly, and this reflects how I feel a lot of the time.

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 was definitely real to me. Whenever I thought about it, I would get upset and relive the emotions I went through.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It is still clear in my mind fourteen years later. I still relive it every time I think about 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 have often wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience to me but am too shy to approach other NDE people. I have read many books, as I own a secondhand bookstore, but have yet to come across anything useful.