Joseph M NDE

Experience Description :

I woke in the night of December 28th, 2004 with what I thought was a routine asthma attack. I reached for my inhaler and took a puff. I could feel that the medications didn't work, so I prepped and used my nebulizer again with no relief. I could 'feel' that this was different and that it was bad. I told my wife to call 911 and as she did, I stopped breathing. I could not get air into my body and believe me I tried. I went into a death throw. I could feel myself thrashing but it was this other feeling that I was most concerned about. There was this overwhelming feeling of energy coming over my entire body. I tried to fight it off with will power, but it kept coming stronger and stronger and stronger and finally I couldn't keep it at bay any longer. I remember thinking to myself, 'I just can't do it anymore.'

Then as soon as I thought it, POP! This stillness came over me and my thoughts. I wasn't scared anymore. It was insanely quiet and I realized that I was still there, and standing no less, (which was impossible because I just collapsed backwards a few minutes earlier) and then it dawned on me that I had just passed on. WOW! I am still thinking and seeing and I am really here, I am really dead and I am really awake. Everything was bright with this gold reflection from a light that I couldn't identify. I had the distinct feeling of being a sound wave and rippling outward, but only so far. I remember thinking that I was tilted as though I was on an axis. I woke two days later with a vivid memory.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 12 28 04

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness Allergic reaction Other an asthmatic reaction to something caused my diaphragm to cramp and seize, a sort of anaphylactic shock. My diaphragm seized and I suffocated, due to an asthmatic reaction to something.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal I felt as though I was in a state of meditation, only I did not initiate the meditation nor did I have to concentrate to keep it.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was at my most alert during the timelessness after the pop of stillness that came upon me, I felt as though I was aware of everything at once.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither I seemed to stop and look around, without any sense of time. I know I was in my bedroom but it wasn't. I was there like the air fills a room, there but not there. It was like a double exposed film captured moment.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more so

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Everything was very vivid and bright but I did not squint, it did not hurt. The light was everywhere but it had no origin. It was as though I was a golden light bulb and everything was reflecting the light that I emitted.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There was no sound at all. It was the most peaceful silence I have ever experienced. Kind of like being submerged in water, with no one else around to make a sound. Thick, thick silence.

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? Yes A gold reflective-ness was everywhere.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Clearly mystical or unearthly realm

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Wonder and peace of mind. Extreme curiosity, and absolutely no fear at all.

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 agnostic, pseudo spiritual, I had a belief but no proof. Never been religious enough to choose a single way

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I believe one hundred percent.

What is your religion now? Moderate very spiritual with conviction.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I believe one hundred percent.

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? Yes I came to know that I was indeed dead and that I was indeed alive and aware at the same time. I just knew.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I am much calmer and low keyed. The things I got aggravated over in the past no longer have the same effect.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The scope of how big the experience seemed, and the fact that I knew without a shadow of doubt that I was indeed dead, yet still aware. The peace of mind that I experienced, and the lack of time. I was there but not there. I was okay and okay with the fact that I was okay. There was gold light that was everywhere and bright but it had no direction, everything was reflecting it.

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 knowledge that I was indeed dead for a time and that I never lost consciousness from my point of view. There is an afterlife and that knowledge alone has huge meaning for me. I no longer fear death.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was the first thing I spoke of when I came to in the intensive care unit. Their reaction was 'yep, we know we saw you die'

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes Only in passing knowledge through television.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real Can't explain, but the experience has not dissipated or changed in any way since it happened. It is burned into my subconscious like a favorite memory.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It still is with me and it still is/was real.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Dreams seem to touch the feeling every now and then, and if I go into my memory, I seem to have the ability to feel it all over again at will.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I have no memory of coming back at all. Immediately afterward I noticed that taste was heightened and smell.