Poelen NDE

Experience Description

I flew head over heels while training for a cross-country bicycle race. My chin hit the ground. Luckily the ground was sandy and soft, otherwise according to the neurologist I would likely have died. During my fall I flew up high and it became dark.

Then I stopped rising and found myself in the cosmos. I could see the earth as a huge ball. It was spectacular and hard to explain in words. Then I realized that this is impossible! I need to be down there since I had fallen down. With this thought, I flew at an unknown speed toward the earth in a fraction of a second. But I did not go back into my body. I lingered in the air between the trees above my body. Then I thought, I need to go lower. Immediately, I shot toward my body. I re-entered my body head first and then slower, I entered the rest of my body. It took several minutes for my left leg to go back into my body.

I wanted to stand up but quickly discovered I couldn't move. My hands, arms, feet and legs were totally numb.


Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 5-12-1992

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain. Accident. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function). I fell from a bicycle accident.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? No No

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. Hard to describe. The only thing I can say about this is that to this day I can remember it all in clear detail.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? During the time while outside the body.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses More vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My vision seemed much greater and in clearer detail during the experience.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I didn't hear anything nor felt any feeling of warmth during the experience.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

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? Hard to provide.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? No

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

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? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Slightly important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic I did not attend church very regularly.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Moderately important to me

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic I hardly go to church at all.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. I became quite convinced about life's continuance after death.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes. We are here for each other. And each person is equally as important as our self.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Uncertain I have read books about life after death.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Did you believe that our earthly lives Are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife definitely exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists. Yes. I had the distinct feeling that this is what happens when you die. You journey to your destination, but I was stopped and turned back.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I slightly feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Unknown

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Slightly fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives Are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life. One year after my experience I again exited my body and was joined by two entities who I didn't know. They showed me how to travel on that side and how thoughts function. They also gave me the feeling they could take me over. I couldn't understand any of it at the time. But later it became completely clear to me. I have since, with this knowledge been able to help other people who have problems.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes An old college friend once said to me, 'Before your accident you were a nice man but a poison frog. Now you are a nicer man, more patient and more concerned about your fellow humans.'

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain I have been able to help other people. For example, I have taken away spirits twice. Although I didn't understand how it worked, I followed the directions of the entities.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? That I can help people from the other side seems important to me.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain, From books

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. Especially the fact that it was difficult to get back to my body establishes for me the reality of this to me.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. Because I have more experience with one side, that only confirms the authenticity of this.

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

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I hope I have made clear all that happened to me.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? This is very difficult to answer. You have to deal with the out of body experiences of people, which each could be totally different. Many such experiences have a purpose. I was allowed to experience this myself.