Mark P NDE

Experience Description

From above the operating table, I saw the doctors working on my body. I felt no pain. Saw my wife and her parents in the waiting room and my mother 2,500 miles away. I will never forget it. I was a medical student. My wife is recently deceased after forty-nine years of marriage.

I only wish I could apply what I experienced to my wife's death.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: June of 1978

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I had resuscitation because of surgical complications during a right upper lobotomy of the lung.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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? When I was watching the doctors pounding me on my open-chest wall. No consciousness during surgery, only while I was like floating over my body. I remember it as if it happened yesterday.

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 Floating above my body, my chest open and pounding on my chest with absolutely no pain. Clearly saw my wife and her family in the waiting room and my mother in California and I was in New Jersey.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? None other than questioning where I was. I had no pain. I was in awe of what happening to me, but do not recall other types of emotions, then or now.

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 And I have had this happen to me many times over the years.

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? Conservative/fundamentalist Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No I have been God centered since I was a child. But having experienced what I did and seeing God work through me as I have, I feel alone and insignificant, and now, even more so. I have many more questions than answers, and that is good! I only know that I know not. And that is also a good thing!!!

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist Catholic

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No I have been God centered since I was a child. But having experienced what I did and seeing God work through me as I have, I feel alone and insignificant, and now, even more so. I have many more questions than answers, and that is good! I only know that I know not. And that is also a good thing!!!

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 I am gregarious, but feel I don't want to get too close to anyone except my family. Because of the Gift I think I received, people were crowding me. I feel I am just as we all are a Temple of The Holy Spirit and I must keep it totally pure, as best I can. I don't want to have people approach God as a divine aspirin. It requires a change of life and soul. It is difficult, because I am nothing by myself and I know it.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No I was above my body in the operating room for pulmonary surgery. I saw the doctors working on me and my wife in the waiting room and my mother about 2,500 miles away.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes About ten years after that, I was asked to pray for some people in a prayer group and several were healed. I was asked by the Bishop to submit to study and I did. Subsequently for many years, I had a rather large (free) healing ministry and used a Catholic Church where Mother Theresa's Sisters lived. I met her. I did this in a couple of countries and visited Priests in two countries who had large healing ministries. I did this for about six years until my wife became ill.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The fact that having had a medical education, I saw my body on the operating table and had no pain. Also the gift that came after. But, I cannot seem to alleviate the pain I feel after my wife passed away last year. Even after experiencing that, I seem to apply it only to me. I am absolutely not preoccupied with dying but suffer enormously because of my wife passing to The Lord.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes They were affected by it.

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 has been over forty years and it seems as yesterday. It is implanted in my soul. God gave me a gift and a mission and I have carried it through, until the death of my wife. I don't know what my future holds. I'm too depressed right now, but will follow God's lead if He gives it to me.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It simply happened and I verified it all.

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? Like Longfellow so well put it: Dust thou art and to dust though shall return, is true of the body, but was never written of the Soul. It is strictly a matter of faith; no explanation is sufficient or necessary.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I have so many thoughts about it that I don't want to offer any until I think on it.