Newlin D NDE

Experience Description

As I was being electrocuted I left my body and floated above the scene. I was surrounded by a warm diffuse light but could see everything clearly. I could see my body shaking and convulsing with the electrical current, my eyes were open, my mouth was open but I couldn't speak. I seemed to know that I was going to die unless something changed. I don't remember being scared or frightened at all - very matter-of-factly.

While floating I went over to where my dad was working at the other end of the garage. He had his back to my body and wasn't aware of what was going on. I went over to him and then he looked up from his work on the floor, turned to see my body being electrocuted. He picked up a hammer, threw it across the room, and knocked the extension cord/drop light out of my hand.

After that, the light went out, the scene collapsed. The next thing I was aware of was being awakened by my mother in our family room. Apparently, I had collapsed on the garage floor and then my dad had carried me into the family room. I remember feeling tingling all over; especially in my mouth (I had braces at the time). But I had no immediate recollection of the events. Likewise, it wasn't scary or unsettling in the least. I don't think I realized that I had nearly died physically and certainly didn't realize I had left my body.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: August 1972

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Other Temporary electrocution I was being electrocuted from an extension cord/drop light I was holding while standing bare footed on a concrete garage floor.

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? While floating above the scene and seeing everything as if it was transparent.

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 Going through the tunnel was very rapid. After coming out things seem to be moving really slowly and there wasn't any sense of being hurried.

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. Everything I saw seemed transparent - I could see through physical structures. And there was a softness to all the edges of things, as if slightly out of focus or fuzzy.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I don't recall having any sensation of sound or being able to hear.

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? Yes Now that I ponder the question I recall speeding towards a point of light, which may have felt like a tunnel, and then coming out on the other end to have the experience I described above, i.e., floating above my physical body.

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain Not on the same plane or dimension that I was in but I could see my body and my dad in their physical forms.

The experience included: Light

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 Bright white light.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm The dimension I was in was very beautiful and peaceful.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace - as if everything was fine and nothing bad or harmful could ever happen. With the peace came contentment and happiness - not smiling, gleeful happiness - placid happiness and wellbeing. And warmth, although warmth isn't an emotion that is what I felt and remember.

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? 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

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes Only during the tunnel travel was there any experience of being confined. After emerging in the light everything seemed boundary-less.

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

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? Uncertain Not sure. I knew I was dying or going to die and that I could do something to change that.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Experiencing eternity (if that is what it was) has caused me to think differently about who I am and who I am in relation to others - actually, in relation to everything. I used to think that everything was connected. Now I think that everything is one - all are one, and always has been. My relationships have changed. Treating others the way they would like to be treated makes so much sense. I believe that whatever you send out comes back to you; therefore, you have to be very careful about what you think, say and do. I'm much more respectful, considerate and compassionate as a result of my experience - at least I'm trying to be.

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? Yes I had some vivid dreams of future events that turned out to happen a day after the dreams, but this was when I was still a young boy.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The feeling of peacefulness was incredible. The sense of everything being transparent or translucent was also amazing. Since then I've had several dreams where I've flown to whatever destinations I've wanted and did so instantaneously - think or will it and it happens. That's the closest I've come to having a similar experience, and that feels incredible.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Several years passed before I remembered things completely. I think I was eighteen when I first shared the experience with some friends. I don't recall their reaction but it wasn't negative. I tend to remember it whenever I get electrical shocks. I've told my wife and children about it many times.

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 was more real then and still is today than most of the life I've experienced during the last forty-seven years.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real When you know something to be TRUE in your heart then it is easy to accept it as so. You don't have to think about it or explain it for it to be real. Conversely, it's far easier to question or dismiss that which you don't understand or can't explain. BUT, once experienced never forgotten.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Deep meditation.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I am very glad I had the experience. Even if I had died physically that day, I still would be glad to have had the experience.