Jim T NDE

Experience Description

I am a type one diabetic and have been since 1982. During this time, I have experienced numerous episodes of severe low blood sugar. These have always involved unconsciousness with no memory of events. One of the first things to occur during low blood sugar episodes is a loss of brain function. The brain requires glucose to function properly.

This episode was different. I had stumbled out of my bedroom and collapsed on my kitchen floor. I suddenly was aware that I was somehow floating in the air near the ceiling and observed a body on the floor surrounded by people wearing dark blue jackets. It took me some time to realize that the body on the floor was me! The people surrounding me were paramedics. They were working quickly and methodically trying to revive me.

During all this, I felt an indescribable peace and calm. It's hard to put into words but I have never felt such a feeling before in my life. To simply say that I felt calm and peaceful does not do it justice. Low blood sugar, once consciousness returns, produces intense feelings of anxiety, agitation, confusion, fear and panic. I felt none of this. Quite the opposite. I have never felt such peace, calm, warmth and love in my life.

There were no tunnels, bright lights or life reviews. What I did experience was a presence, which reassured me that everything would be all right. It was not a spoken voice but rather a telepathic message, which was just as clear as a spoken voice. It reassured me and put me at ease. I firmly believe it was a higher power communicating this message to me.

Just as quick as it started, it was over. One of the paramedics told me my blood sugar was seven. He had never seen one so low. It remains the most powerful spiritual experience of my life. I didn't want it to end but it just wasn't my time. My wife was pregnant at the time and I also had a year old son. I was given a second chance to live and raise my children. I do not fear death however as a result if this experience.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: January 2000

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Severe hypoglycemia and diabetic seizures.

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? Yes I saw my body on the floor and I saw the group of paramedics working feverishly on me, surrounding me in a circle and administering an injection of glucagon into my stomach. 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal I have never been one to believe in an afterlife or spiritual beings. My senses felt incredibly vivid, especially my perception of the voice which spoke to me with no words.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was at my highest level of consciousness as I floated above my body and realized I was looking at myself. Furthermore when the voice was telling me everything would be all right.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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. My vision did not seem any different than my normal vision. I saw no vivid colors or lights that so many describe.

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 incredibly vivid to the point that I not only heard unspoken words, but intensely felt them as well.

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? Peace, calm, and happiness. All so much more intense than anything I have ever felt before or since.

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 no longer in conflict with nature

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? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Agnostic Raised Roman Catholic but not practicing at time of event

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes My beliefs have changed but my practices not so much. I still don't go to church on Sunday. I guess I worship God in my own way.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I was unconvinced as to the existence of an afterlife or higher power. I am convinced otherwise now.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I believe in God and heaven.

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 It was a clear voice that spoke to me without words and completely reassured me that everything was going to be all right.

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? 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? I was uncertain if God exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes See answer above.

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 I now believe in an afterlife and higher power and I no longer fear death. I almost look forward to it, but am content to wait until it is truly my time.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Uncertain

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes I felt, very much so, that the voice communicating to me was a higher power. I not only heard this voice, but FELT it in a highly cognizant manner. I was in awe and still am when I remember this experience.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I moderately 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? Unknown

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? Uncertain

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Uncertain I like to quote the Beatles/ John Lennon and the song "Across the Universe". "Limitless, undying love, which shines around me like a million suns, it calls me on and on across the universe". I felt love from this higher power in an extremely intense way

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life I was not convinced in the existence if a higher power or an afterlife. I am now wholly convinced of both.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain Yes I still struggle to be more patient and tolerant of others, to overlook the ‘little things’. I do believe, however, that overall I am a better father, son, and brother. I do believe this experience has fundamentally changed me for the better.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes To describe the feelings as peaceful and calming in no way does justice to the intensity if those feelings. I have never felt such peace and calm before or since.

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 It remains vivid and feels like it happened yesterday, not 13 years ago. My memory is pretty bad overall but not in this instance.

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 whole experience was very meaningful to me. I just wish it would have lasted longer.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was probably five to seven years before I shared this with anyone. I think I feared being ridiculed or just not believed. I think most people believe in my story and some I know have given the whole question of God and afterlife more credence.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had heard/read about near death experiences, but was wholly unconvinced. I do not believe this knowledge in any way affected my experience.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real It was so vivid and real that I never doubted the reality of what had happened. As I stated above, I have had literally dozens of severe low blood sugars and always remained unconscious with no memory if the event. This time I was awake and aware if what was happening to me. I watched it like a movie. It also was probably the worst incident of hypoglycemia I have ever experienced. I should have been unconscious with no memory. Instead it is the most beautiful and vivid thing I have ever experienced.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No