R.A. NDE

Experience Description

This experience was many years ago, but its impact on me was profound enough that I recall general impressions of it as well as some of its specific events. I believe that the experience only lasted for a few minutes. I lost touch with earthly reality very quickly, but my consciousness continued.

First, I experienced a quick, but comprehensive, replay of my life. It was similar to watching a movie of my life, except that I was 'in' the movie, rapidly re-experiencing my life's events. I experienced something like the 'traveling through a tunnel' feature, but for me it seemed more as if the tunnel came to me. I saw a circle of light that quickly grew in size until I was inside of it. Once I was inside the light, I was aware that it was much more intense than earthly light. The light seemed to be coming from a sun that was so big that it covered most of the sky.

I remember with certainty, being joined by a friend who had died about six months previously. We had an interaction that felt really similar to those we used to have on Earth. I think there are some other details of my experience that have slipped my mind after all these years. Something else I remember clearly, though, was feeling full of acceptance, forgiveness, and love, and that there was a complete lack of negative feelings, such as hatred and revenge.

Then I became aware that I was again back in my body, quivering and shaking, as I regained earthly consciousness. I would liken my experience to this. It was if I had lived my whole life in a bubble at the bottom of a dark ocean, and one day the bubble broke loose from the ocean floor. I rose to the surface of the sea and my eyes were flooded by the light of day. I initially believed that during this experience, I had been in the presence of God. Over the years I had some real struggles, wondering about which being, God or Satan, had been its source. I cannot prove which one it was, but I do tend to believe that in this case, it was God.

To this day, I am very careful about not being misled by false prophets. I know the difficulty that people have with correct discernment when influenced by spiritual beings and, over the years, since my experience, there have been times when I have felt that I was undergoing spiritual disruptions and attacks, and have sought protection from God.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1984

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Suspected asphyxia. Other Suspected asphyxia. I was overcome and choked by a jealous girlfriend. I guess I had not taken her threats seriously, until it was too late.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No I lost awareness of my body

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 This may not be possible to do.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? This is very hard to respond to, because I don't believe that we are talking about a physical experience or anything really comparable.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning But I don't really know.

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. I don't know if my sight was from my eyes.

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 hearing with my ears.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain It was like a circle of light rapidly grew until I was there, inside it.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

Did you see any beings in your experience? I sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes A friend, my sister's former fiancΘ, who had been accidentally killed by a handgun about six months previously.

The experience included: Unearthly 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 Very bright.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I remember entering the light, but I don't recall much of the scenery there.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace, forgiveness.

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 I developed kind of a sense of spiritual enlightenment.

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? I remembered many past events

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? Moderately important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Other Christian Independant, unaffiliated Christian.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain

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 I felt that the light was coming from a spiritual being.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I sensed their presence

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain

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? Uncertain

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 probably exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes The fact that I experienced the presence of my deceased friend convinces me.

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

Do you fear death after your experience? I slightly fear death

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

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Moderately 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? Uncertain

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Uncertain

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

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Uncertain

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain Uncertain

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes What can I say? The best way I have found to describe that other reality is to compare it to earthly realities.

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

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared it soon afterward, and I received some positive reactions. But I stopped sharing due to some feelings of alienation I would get.

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

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real

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