Matthew J NDE

Experience Description:

I fell from a tree whilst trying to tie a rope to make a swing. I remember falling and feeling a warm sensation as if I were wrapped in a blanket. I remember looking down from where I'd been in the tree and seeing myself lying on the ground below with my younger brother sat beside me. I felt sick and then remember being about twenty feet from my dad's house in the company of my little brother and then awaking in hospital a few hours later. I was told that I'd received three hairline fractures to the front of my skull and a broken cheek bone.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1999

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Direct head injury 'Fell 67 feet from a tree, suffered 3 fractures to the skull' 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I had attempted suicide about three weeks before the incident.

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 I could smell that it was summer, vividly. I felt that it was late afternoon with no need for knowledge of the time. It's hard to explain.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? After I hit my head.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither

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. It felt as if I could see with 'zoom'. A bit like looking through binoculars but without wanting to.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I had a high pitched sound in my ears for about a week but my doctor said it was due to the head injury.

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? Neither

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Unfamiliar, strange place I was in a wood at the time. I know that there is no waterfall there but I KNOW I heard one.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? A lack of emotion if anything. A feeling of freedom I suppose.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

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 No belief in a monotheistic god but spiritual

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Moderate No belief in a monotheistic god but spiritual

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? 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? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

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? No.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I was stillborn for eighteen seconds due to a hole in my heart. My mother has told me about it in the past.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I kept it to myself. I found it interesting and it has given me pause for thought when considering myself as a person/force in the world.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I know it happened. I have studied meditation and Shamanic Journeying and the feeling I felt when I nearly died was much more real than being in a dream state.

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

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? No thank you.