John S Probable NDE

Experience Description

At first base the third baseman threw the ball way over my head. I jumped up to catch it anyway. When I came down, my jaw landed on the top of the onrushing runner's head. I vaguely remember standing up. I was told that I mumbled, 'I'm okay. Let's keep playing', but there was a lot of blood and I was clearly not okay. Then I vaguely remember the feeling of being in a car and feeling my mouth feel out of place.

The next thing I recall, I was looking down at myself sitting on the bench of the emergency room. The girl who brought me over was seated next to me. A doctor was kneeling in front of the 'me' on the bench, moving my mouth around. He said the jaw was broken clear. I later found out the left side was also broken in pieces. As I looked down, I was aware of an endless continuum behind me, but I did not turn around. Indescribable, all-encompassing love surrounded everything. It was perfect peace and well-being beyond imagination. There was someone or something communicating telepathically with me. It's hard to explain the feeling of intimacy, care and connection I felt with it. We were almost one, but what was behind me was so much greater than me. Looking down at 'me' on the bench, 'we' felt such compassion for the poor guy. He didn't know that he was surrounded by love. Telepathically I heard, 'If only the dear one knew how much he was loved!', and I agreed. I stayed up there for a while and then suddenly returned to the body.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 7/16/74

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain Accident Direct head injury Horrendous Collision during baseball game Life threatening event, but not clinical death

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The entire time.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither It was like time didn't exist.

Were your senses More vivid than usual? More so than usual

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I heard telepathically and normally, as when I heard the doctor speak. It was like hearing in two different worlds.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? Neither

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain I was towards the bottom of a continuum.

Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain There was a 'someone' behind me, but it can't be explained. There was total love, intimacy and caring. The words don't suffice.

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? Uncertain I sensed it behind me and there was a glow but I did not face that direction.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Neither As described

What emotions did you feel during the experience? How can it possibly be conveyed. The most overwhelming LOVE beyond comprehension.

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? United, one with the world

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? Neither

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I became much more interested in 'spiritual' things.

What is your religion now? Liberal

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I became much more interested in 'spiritual' things.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Definite being, or voice clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

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? Yes Just witnessing this was extraordinary.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I became much more interested in 'spiritual' things.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The degree of all-encompassing LOVE that was present.

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? All of it.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Some years later. At first, I was somewhat embarrassed to talk about it because it did not fit my world view. I've told it selectively to those I thought would be interested. They were very moved.

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 seemed a lot realer than everyday life.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real So many hard and difficult things happened subsequently that it's hard to make sense of much of it all.

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