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Experience Description 22252: I laid down for a nap, with a request to my wife to wake me at 3 pm if she didn't hear me up before then - I vividly remember noticing the digital clock in our bedroom showing 1:50pm. I had to be at work at 4 pm. My next recollection was being near the ceiling in our home's entry-way. I saw a uniformed policeman just inside the door directing traffic coming into the house - towards the kitchen for other than medical personnel; towards our bedroom for medical personnel. I was experiencing no pain, nor was I hearing anything - everything was eerily silent. In an instant, I was in a corner of our bedroom observing paramedics tending to someone at the foot of our bed. Again, total silence. I remember not being able to force myself to look down to see who was being treated. In another instant, I regained consciousness, lying on the floor at the foot of our bed, with paramedics trying to revive me. I remember hearing the paramedics describe me as an ‘agitated’ patient - my vivid recollection was of coming-to with a large paramedic sitting on my chest to hold me down, while the other two were holding my legs and arms still. I couldn't breathe. I remember gathering what strength I could, then breaking loose from the paramedics and standing up. The paramedics immediately put me on a gurney, and they strapped me down. I was airlifted from my home to a hospital, one of two head-injury facilities in the area. I had tripped getting out of bed, hit my head on the ceramic-tiled floor, and I had suffered severe bruising to my brain. I was hospitalized for nine days, six of which were in the ICU. During my experience, I felt no pain, nor did I hear anything - total silence. I saw no lighted tunnel, or bright lights of any sort. I was not given a choice of returning to my life or going forth with the death process. Background Information: Gender: Male Date NDE Occurred: May 17, 2004 NDE Elements: At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Life threatening event, but not clinical death How do you consider the content of your experience? Positive The experience included: Out of body experience Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I did not see myself in any form. I was just ‘there’! At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? From a medical standpoint, I was unconscious. But, as stated above, I have vivid memory of being near the ceiling in the entry-way of our house, then in the corner of our bedroom watching paramedics treat someone lying on the floor at the foot of our bed. Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning I wondered why this was happening. Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No Did you see an unearthly light? No Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No I visually saw - first from the ceiling in our entry-way, then from a corner in our bedroom - but I felt nothing physically, nor did I hear any spoken words. What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt no emotion, per se, more a feeling of questioning what was happening. 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 From a corner in our bedroom, I vividly recollect watching paramedics coming and going - their primary focus was on someone lying on the floor at the foot of our bed. I remember not being able to force myself to look down to see who they were tending to. Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future From observing paramedics treating someone, I was instantly transformed to that person being tended-to, with all the pain that such an injury involves. Did you come to a border or point of no return? No God, Spiritual and Religion: What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I now believe that we are all spiritual beings in human form, and that we will return to the spiritual world upon our death as humans. I believe that our existence in the spiritual world will be as an aura, not physically seen, but felt. 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? Best - There was absolutely no pain of any sort; total freedom to move about with no boundaries. Worst - Was waking up to the pain of my injury, and the effects it had on my life and the unwillingness of many to believe anything about near death or out of body experiences. Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Mainly disbelief, though most have tried to be sympathetic and understanding. Some have tried to poke holes in my narrative. Organized religion - heaven and hell - have a hold on the vast majority in this world. 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 grew up a Catholic – in elementary and high school at Catholic institutions. The stock answer to most religious questions was that "you'll learn the answer when you die." My experience revealed that to be true, to an extent; but, if anything, it blew apart the heaven/hell myth so prevalent in organized religion. Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I was the one who brought up organized religion - this questionnaire didn't. Keep it that way! Please! Experience Description 2176: I was going to nap. I instructed my wife to wake me by 3 PM if she didn't hear me up at that time. I laid on the bed and noted that the clock read 1:50. My next memory was being in the corner of my bedroom watching people come and go. It was eerily quiet. In an instant, I found myself near the ceiling in our entryway. I was watching and listening to a gentleman standing there directing people where to go: the wife was in the kitchen being questioned; the victim was in the bedroom. In another instant, I was lying on the floor of the bedroom with a paramedic literally sitting on my chest: I couldn't draw a breath to tell him to get off; I thought I was going to die from being unable to breathe. I remember calling on all my strength to throw him off me. I was successful. I managed to stand, and was immediately restrained by three paramedics. I was then strapped to a gurney, and taken to a hospital. I had evidently risen from bed, and in going out into the hallway tripped and cracked my head on the ceramic tile in the hallway. Because of the fall, I suffered a broken toe when I tripped, and subdural and sub-arachnid hematomas to my head. While I was in the corner of the bedroom and the ceiling in the entryway, I never saw my body being worked on. The paramedics reported to my wife that I was being ‘combative’ - trying to crawl back into the bedroom. Other than throwing off the paramedic because I couldn't breathe, I have no recollection of being ‘combative’.Background Information: Gender: Male Date NDE Occurred: 17 May 2004 NDE Elements: At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No. Accident Direct head injury Life threatening event, but not clinical death How do you consider the content of your experience? Frightening 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 have no recollection of being able to understand what was happening. I vividly remember being in the corner of the bedroom watching people come and go; then, I remember being overhead in the entryway watching and listening to a gentleman ‘direct traffic’. I did not observe my body. While overhead in the entryway, I was not given a choice as to whether I wanted to stay there or return to my body. One instant I was observing; the next instant I was lying on the bedroom floor with a paramedic sitting on my chest. Only after the experience was I able to reflect on what had happened. When I say afterwards, I mean almost immediately. I shared the experience immediately and often with my family. Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening all at once I had no idea what was happening. Were your senses more vivid than usual? More so than usual Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It was like watching High Definition TV, as compared to normal: all people and things were vivid; there was no darkness or shadows. Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither 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? Clearly mystical or unearthly realm What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt a calmness and serenity I had never experienced before. Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness Did you have a feeling of joy? Neither Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No longer in conflict with nature Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither Did you come to a border or point of no return? A barrier I was not permitted to cross; or 'sent back' to life involuntarily God, Spiritual and Religion: What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes The experience solidified my belief that we are all spiritual beings in human bodies for a time. What is your religion now? Moderate Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes The experience solidified my belief that we are all spiritual beings in human bodies for a time. Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Neither Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither 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? Yes I do not let a day go by without telling my loved ones that I love them. 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? The church to which I go teaches that we are all spiritual beings. I can understand this now, as I feel my spirit is what observed the happenings in both the bedroom and entryway. There was a feeling of calmness and serenity I had never felt before. Those feelings ended when my spirit rejoined my body. Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes As quickly as I could, I told my family. They were supportive. As time has gone by, my wife seems to be somewhat skeptical. Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had read and seen on TV reports of experiences such as I experienced. What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real Immediately afterwards, I was mystified and in a hurry to share the experience with my loved ones. I didn't know what to make of it. What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I have lost a fear of dying as a result of the calmness and serenity I felt while out of my body. At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No
How do you consider the content of your experience? Positive The experience included: Out of body experience Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I did not see myself in any form. I was just ‘there’! At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? From a medical standpoint, I was unconscious. But, as stated above, I have vivid memory of being near the ceiling in the entry-way of our house, then in the corner of our bedroom watching paramedics treat someone lying on the floor at the foot of our bed. Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning I wondered why this was happening. Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No Did you see an unearthly light? No Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No I visually saw - first from the ceiling in our entry-way, then from a corner in our bedroom - but I felt nothing physically, nor did I hear any spoken words. What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt no emotion, per se, more a feeling of questioning what was happening. 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 From a corner in our bedroom, I vividly recollect watching paramedics coming and going - their primary focus was on someone lying on the floor at the foot of our bed. I remember not being able to force myself to look down to see who they were tending to. Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future From observing paramedics treating someone, I was instantly transformed to that person being tended-to, with all the pain that such an injury involves. Did you come to a border or point of no return? No God, Spiritual and Religion: What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I now believe that we are all spiritual beings in human form, and that we will return to the spiritual world upon our death as humans. I believe that our existence in the spiritual world will be as an aura, not physically seen, but felt. 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? Best - There was absolutely no pain of any sort; total freedom to move about with no boundaries. Worst - Was waking up to the pain of my injury, and the effects it had on my life and the unwillingness of many to believe anything about near death or out of body experiences. Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Mainly disbelief, though most have tried to be sympathetic and understanding. Some have tried to poke holes in my narrative. Organized religion - heaven and hell - have a hold on the vast majority in this world. 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 grew up a Catholic – in elementary and high school at Catholic institutions. The stock answer to most religious questions was that "you'll learn the answer when you die." My experience revealed that to be true, to an extent; but, if anything, it blew apart the heaven/hell myth so prevalent in organized religion. Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I was the one who brought up organized religion - this questionnaire didn't. Keep it that way! Please! Experience Description 2176: I was going to nap. I instructed my wife to wake me by 3 PM if she didn't hear me up at that time. I laid on the bed and noted that the clock read 1:50. My next memory was being in the corner of my bedroom watching people come and go. It was eerily quiet. In an instant, I found myself near the ceiling in our entryway. I was watching and listening to a gentleman standing there directing people where to go: the wife was in the kitchen being questioned; the victim was in the bedroom. In another instant, I was lying on the floor of the bedroom with a paramedic literally sitting on my chest: I couldn't draw a breath to tell him to get off; I thought I was going to die from being unable to breathe. I remember calling on all my strength to throw him off me. I was successful. I managed to stand, and was immediately restrained by three paramedics. I was then strapped to a gurney, and taken to a hospital. I had evidently risen from bed, and in going out into the hallway tripped and cracked my head on the ceramic tile in the hallway. Because of the fall, I suffered a broken toe when I tripped, and subdural and sub-arachnid hematomas to my head. While I was in the corner of the bedroom and the ceiling in the entryway, I never saw my body being worked on. The paramedics reported to my wife that I was being ‘combative’ - trying to crawl back into the bedroom. Other than throwing off the paramedic because I couldn't breathe, I have no recollection of being ‘combative’.Background Information: Gender: Male Date NDE Occurred: 17 May 2004 NDE Elements: At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No. Accident Direct head injury Life threatening event, but not clinical death How do you consider the content of your experience? Frightening 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 have no recollection of being able to understand what was happening. I vividly remember being in the corner of the bedroom watching people come and go; then, I remember being overhead in the entryway watching and listening to a gentleman ‘direct traffic’. I did not observe my body. While overhead in the entryway, I was not given a choice as to whether I wanted to stay there or return to my body. One instant I was observing; the next instant I was lying on the bedroom floor with a paramedic sitting on my chest. Only after the experience was I able to reflect on what had happened. When I say afterwards, I mean almost immediately. I shared the experience immediately and often with my family. Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening all at once I had no idea what was happening. Were your senses more vivid than usual? More so than usual Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It was like watching High Definition TV, as compared to normal: all people and things were vivid; there was no darkness or shadows. Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither 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? Clearly mystical or unearthly realm What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt a calmness and serenity I had never experienced before. Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness Did you have a feeling of joy? Neither Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No longer in conflict with nature Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither Did you come to a border or point of no return? A barrier I was not permitted to cross; or 'sent back' to life involuntarily God, Spiritual and Religion: What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes The experience solidified my belief that we are all spiritual beings in human bodies for a time. What is your religion now? Moderate Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes The experience solidified my belief that we are all spiritual beings in human bodies for a time. Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Neither Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither 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? Yes I do not let a day go by without telling my loved ones that I love them. 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? The church to which I go teaches that we are all spiritual beings. I can understand this now, as I feel my spirit is what observed the happenings in both the bedroom and entryway. There was a feeling of calmness and serenity I had never felt before. Those feelings ended when my spirit rejoined my body. Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes As quickly as I could, I told my family. They were supportive. As time has gone by, my wife seems to be somewhat skeptical. Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had read and seen on TV reports of experiences such as I experienced. What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real Immediately afterwards, I was mystified and in a hurry to share the experience with my loved ones. I didn't know what to make of it. What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I have lost a fear of dying as a result of the calmness and serenity I felt while out of my body. At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No
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