Richard S NDE

Experience Description

I was admitted to hospital with acute abdominal pain, the surgeon performed an emergency laparotomy (stomach inspection). During surgery they found nothing wrong in the stomach area - I had a pneumonic virus, during surgery my lungs collapsed and heart stopped, with a struggle they got me back but I spent two weeks on full life support in a drug-induced coma.

The NDE:

A native American village, with the greenest grass and bluest skies, allowed me to live with them with my family. They gave my wife and me a crystal each, chosen by the village chief. We left the village, lived our lives. We grew old, my wife died and I was dying, we were told to return the crystal to the village after or before dying.

I reached the village close to death; the village elder gave me a new crystal to help me on my journey and led me to a cave. There was a noise like wind chimes, but the most beautiful sounds filled the cave and cool clear water flowed over a large mound of crystals returned by other people. I placed my wife's and my crystal onto the others. I immediately felt at one with every crystal; I could feel the presence of my wife and thousands of others in total harmony.

The most brilliant yellow, warming light opened in the cave, I walked into the light, feeling my life end, no fear, no loss, just total peace. As I felt myself leaving my body the light warmed me, filled me, like it was recharging me with energy, but energy of thousands of lives stored in the crystal.

As I filled with oneness, I felt as if I was being fired out of the light almost at light speed, again no fear, just loneliness at not being in the light. Quickly the light was just a speck in the distance and then, with a bang, I knew I was back - which was strange because it was two weeks before I woke up.

The drugs given to me caused the worst nightmares, which still haunt me one year later. I only had one 'light' experience and due to the jumble of nightmares I cannot swear to the order of 'dreams' but I feel that this one was during the time when all life had stopped and the surgeons were working on me.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 08/10/2002

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Surgery-related Clinical death

How do you consider the content of your experience? Positive

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? None.

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Did your hearing differ in any way from normal? Water flowing, wind-chime-like but relaxing, soothing.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes Cave type dwelling with flowing steam, Native American women working on crystals in the opening.

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes Native American women and an old wise chief.

The experience included: Light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes Warming yellow, very bright but didn't hurt.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Green valley with eagles, deer, animals everywhere, blue, blue sky, crystal clear cool water.

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

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? No

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 I felt the return, like a thump or jolt. This may have been when they jumped my heart.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I now believe dying is easy, living is hard.

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? At times I feel as if I shouldn't be here. Other times I feel as if I was sent back to complete something, I don't know what, yet...

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I have found people worry about what will happen when they die, I think my experience helps them.

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? Whilst I am grateful to be alive with my family, I wouldn't want to make the choice of going back to the light.