John Z NDE

Experience Description

I was behind the operating table perhaps ten to twelve feet back and slightly above the doctor's and nurse's heads and I could feel the palpable sense of frustration and failure of the doctor's because my heart had stopped and they could not continue to try and dissolve the clot in my artery. Next thing I felt was a shock convulsion, very powerful, and next I was in an intensive care recovery room.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 9-9-82

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-relatedHeart attack Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I was having a substance injected into my heart artery in an attempt to unblock a clotted coronary artery.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I cannot make sense of this question. All I know is for a time my consciousness was outside of my body and I could feel other people's feelings directly.

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. I was seeing them from behind and above some doctors, but they were not clear.

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? No

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

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? No

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was just feeling the doctor's sadness, the abject sense of failure, of frustration, of sorrow.

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

The experience included: Special Knowledge

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

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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? Yes Only recently have I talked about it. The notion of this open 'layer' of experience is not in conflict with my view of life and the world. I think there is much more than 'meets the eye'. An eye is only an eye. It does not define reality. An eye only directs what it sees, a limited spectrum literally and figuratively. But the mind somehow comprehended much more.

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? As I look back, I feel that the awareness I had was a different situation and place. I was 'returned' somehow and awoke several days later. I was in a dark intensive care unit connected to multiple machines with green lights. I was in there for a week but had not been aware of it.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I don't remember.

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 was having to cope with my frailty, my vulnerability in the prime of life. It was a frightening experience to be vulnerable to death.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It simply was an extension of my 'viewpoint' and an ability to feel others feelings directly and completely. I really felt quite sorry for them.

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? There are many other experiences that can loosen the mind. I have found that reality is only a 'veil' covering another veil, covering another veil, and so on. It has been very rewarding to draw these 'veils' aside and see deeper into what we can only call the name of God - what we can never know or comprehend but can be more aware of our being a part which is never apart.