Rick D NDE

Experience Description

My experience happened sometime, around 1982, when I was 12 years old. A boyhood friend and I were having a summertime slumber party. My friend had heard of the 'pass out game.' Being foolish, preteen boys we immediately attempted this. I was chosen to go first. After a few seconds, I heard what sounded like a very loud crack of lightning. I could smell a heavy 'ozone' type of smell. I found myself instantly transported to a different time and place. I seemed to both, experience myself in another flesh and bone body, and also have an awareness or different point of view from above.

I found myself in the body of a full grown man lying on my back on an altar-like slab of polished marble or stone. I could actually feel what it was like to have a fully adult male body, which was foreign to me at the time because all I knew was being in the body of a 12 year old boy. I vividly recall feeling the cold, smooth marble I was lying on. There was a see-through, sheer fabric covering my naked body. I knew that the adult male body I was now inhabiting was deceased.

I was able to look around or see what was going on. Everything appeared black and white, perhaps due to the sheer fabric covering my body that I was looking through. The scene included several burning torches on the walls around me; large vertical stone columns supporting the walls of the very large room my body was occupying, which appeared to be a large temple. I somehow knew this was in the distant past, perhaps millennia ago.

There was a weeping young woman with a veil next to this body on my right side. I somehow felt that she was my wife at that time. There was an older male figure comforting her that felt like her father in that life. It was night time and there were no other persons present to my knowledge. The altar-like slab I was lying on was positioned to the left side of the temple, with my head toward the altar side of the building.

I recall feeling very sorry for my wife and her father. I also felt a longing to be with them again. I had a sense of guilt; like I had caused my own death by going into battle when I didn't have to. I was trying to comfort these people but could not move. Then I felt a fast and powerful force that abruptly pulled the sheer off my dead body from my feet area. It was almost like a magician pulling off a tablecloth while the glassware and dishes remain stationary.

I awoke back in 1982, in my house with my friend shaking me violently. He was tearful and frantic. My friend told me that upon checking me, he felt that I was not breathing nor had any pulse. Not knowing CPR, he frantically began to shake me and call my name for several seconds. He told me it took between 30-45 seconds before I awoke. He was terrified that he had killed me. During the time I was unconscious, I had no knowledge or recollection of him calling my name or shaking me.

I never really thought of this as an NDE, at least in the traditional sense. After speaking with my wife, I understood that my heart may have actually stopped for a few seconds. I had a very profound experience, which I knew was real. This did not feel like a dream or hallucination.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1982

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Playing the 'pass out game' as an adolescent. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function) Only a few years ago, while discussing this event with my wife who is a physician, did I realize the actions of this game likely had stopped my heart briefly. This got me thinking that though perhaps not a 'typical' NDE, there may be research value in sharing this experience.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Neither pleasant NOR distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? No. 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. My perceptions were very heightened during the experience, including seeing different points of view. This included those apparently outside of the body I was occupying, as well as 'hearing' the thoughts and 'feeling' the feelings of others in the experience.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? During the short event while out of body, while I seemed to occupy a different body and also perceived other points of view, feelings of others in the experience, etc.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning. This experienced seemed like several minutes to me, however, my friend observing the event said I was unconscious only 30-45 seconds.

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. The vision seems to be in the format of a black and white movie. I know that sounds like experiencing lessened senses, however, despite the lack of color, the clarity of the scene and what was occurring was crystal clear.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I could hear the crackle of the torches on the wall and the quiet crying of my wife; and I believe even the quiet, calming voice of her father trying to comfort her.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

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

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? Uncertain I definitely seemed to be 'seeing' through senses other than physical eyes.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place. Most definitely a strange and completely unfamiliar place, especially at that point in my life at only 12. It may have been an earthly scene, however, felt like millennia ago.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Sorrow (for my family mourning in the experience) disbelief, expansiveness, amazement, comfort.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt no longer in conflict with nature

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? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will. I was absolutely dumbfounded by what I was observing during this experience, particularly for being only 12 at the time, and having very limited life experience, spiritual beliefs, historical knowledge, etc. I was fully present observing the event when a force of sorts indicated without words we were leaving, not angry, but almost seemed like a parent correcting me, like I was not supposed to be here yet.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated. Family attended United Church of Christ, a progressive protestant church, though I was not religious, a very questioning youth regarding religion/spirituality.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I went from a skeptic and nonbeliever to a believer in life after death, reincarnation, and a higher power as a result of this experience.

What is your religion now? Other faiths- Unitarian and other liberal faiths. I am now definitely a spiritual believer and seeker, though still not religious and no longer belong to organized church community.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. While I would say the contents of the event certainly match my beliefs now as a middle age adult, at the time of the event virtually every part of it was completely outside of my lived experience (i.e., adult body, ancient times, lost romantic love, life after death, reincarnation implications, etc.).

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I went from a skeptic and nonbeliever to a believer in some higher power and higher purpose, and very open minded about all things spiritual.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I heard a voice I could not identify. I heard voices during the experience. At least some of these were of my mourning wife and her father in the scene, and at the end when the sheer was pulled off my dead body and I returned to this life, there seems to be an otherworldly, parental, voice indicating somehow (not though words per se), that it was time to return to my current life.

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.)? Uncertain There appeared to be a spiritual, parental, presence during this event that 'spoke' to me, however, not aloud with words. I don’t recall seeing a spiritual being however, just the two other parties in the scene.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Yes Absolutely. Prior to this experience, I had questioned the existence of God, was not religious at all, and though interested in spirituality, had no specific beliefs or practices surrounding this. After this event, I had the absolute feeling that I lived before, and this was somehow a past life. Prior to this, I’m not even sure I had even heard of reincarnation, but after the event had no doubt in my mind I had lived before.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain This experience made clear that there was much more to the human experience than meets the eye, that there was a God or unifying force, that there were many lives we experience, and that 'I belonged.'

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

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes I was not given a specific message. For example, that there is life after death; but I experienced a profound understanding that there were many lives we experience and, as such, very clearly life after death.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Uncertain Not directly 'told' to me, however, I had a profound feeling of love and sorrow missing the young woman (wife?) who was mourning me. This was unique as at 12 I obviously had not experienced any form of this type of 'lost love.'

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

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes This was a very profound experience for me, even as I now sit here at 54. For a 12 year old boy, it really defied description. This experience immediately felt otherworldly, and I 'knew' it was not a dream or hallucination. It was so odd and out of ordinary experience, I rarely shared the experience with anyone.

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. This event was so bizarre and profound it has remained one of the most memorable and important experiences of my life.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No I was always a compassionate and empathic person for a 12-year-old boy. I have remained this way overall, however, it is hard to recall exactly

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I would say firstly the gift of belief in life after death and reincarnation, and the profound feeling of love and connection, despite in this case it was mourning love lost.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes This is so many years ago it’s hard to recall, however, I did tell a few friends after the event, and their reaction was largely that I was 'crazy', so did not share the story with very many people throughout life.

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. Despite being a non-believer and only 12-years-old when it occurred, it was a very profound experience for me. I knew with certainty that it was a 'real' experience, and was not at all a dream or a hallucination. This event seemed more 'real' to me than real life, as odd as that sounds.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. This early experience turned me into a spiritual seeker without a doubt, and I’ve had a few profound spiritual experiences since. None of the other experiences have been quite as stark or unusual as this first experience, however, there is a definite difference in feeling between a dream, for example, and a spiritual experience.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes During holotrophic breath work type training, I seemed to connect again with the ancient self I experienced in the NDE who had been killed in battle, along with my mourning wife who appeared in the NDE.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? No.

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