Larry W FDE

Experience Description

I was a Combat Marine, in a battle in which certain death seemed imminent. We'd been overrun by the enemy twice. The battle had been unfolding for three days, with constant firefights and repelling attacks. Sleep deprived, with little time to eat, the battle was furious and often hand-to-hand. Adrenaline coursed through my body. Time seemed accelerated, yet at the same time running in slow motion.

An enemy machine gun fired directly above me, strafing my entire position, which was located at the bottom of a steeply sloped hill. In a fighting hole to my right flank a fellow Marine was shot. He shouted for help. I knew that going to his rescue would mean exposing myself to the deadly fire. Nonetheless, knowing he needed medical attention I could not let him die without at least some effort to save him. My honor and duty demanded that I try. 'Isn't this a bitch,' I told myself, 'this is where I die.' I ordered a Marine to help me and we crawled to the fighting hole. We pulled the wounded man up and positioned him out of the ground. Then, on the count of three, we picked him up and ran up the hill where corpsmen waited on the landing zone established above and on the other side of the hill.

The enemy machine gun opened fire and hammered us as we ran. Instantly, I was transported into the sky. I looked down on the action taking place, seeing myself carrying the wounded Marine, watching dirt exploding as rounds hit all around me. I had a panoramic view of the whole hillside. I could see our dug-in positions and even the faces of my fellow Marines. All sounds of battle stopped, though muzzle flashes and explosions were clearly visible. All smells of battle were gone. I heard a gentle wind blowing, as I seemed to float about the battlefield. I felt a presence behind my back, which seemed to be supporting me, and seemed also to radiate a light over me. I was flying, or hovering, superman style.

The whole event probably lasted less than a minute, certainly two. When we reached the top of the hill, we set down the wounded Marine and my consciousness whooshed back into my body. I then began to throw-up quite violently. That was it. I sensed, or had the impression, that life happens on many dimensional tracks. There exists a reality in which I died that day. A powerful life force simply switched the channels of reality, opening new doors of perception, and I was now in an alternate life track where I hadn't died. There may be millions of these alternate channels or tracts of reality, all happening simultaneously.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 'June,1968'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was under attack by enemy forces and felt certain I was about to die.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? No 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? Right away.

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 Time seemed not to exist.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I heard only the sound of a gentle wind. The 'real' world was completely silent.

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? Yes I felt a presence behind me as I floated above myself. I could not see it, but it was reassuring to know it was there.

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? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I felt like I was flying.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calmness though confused at what was happening.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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

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? Moderate Catholic.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Moderate None.

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

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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? Yes I felt like I had entered a multi-dimensional space, as though reality was simultaneously many things and time/space could be changed as though clicking a TV channel switcher.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The experience challenged my understanding of reality.

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 presence of a being behind me was quite strong.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It took several days to share the experience. I thought I was crazy. Reactions ranged from explanations of a fear induced hallucination to adrenaline inspired dissociation.

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 as though life is being lived on many different time/space tracks, and that if you die in one a powerful life-force shifts you to 'change channels' and pick up in an alternative life.

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