Steve N NDE

Experience Description

I was at the dentist with my mother. It was not the first time. I opted for gas because I was terrified of injections (having been given various injections for immunization). I was taken into the dentist's room, and a rubber plug on a cable was inserted into my mouth to keep it open. I recall the hiss of the gas, and then I went to sleep. However, this time was different. Instead of waking up, I rose up in the air, and I was able to look down on my body. I saw the two dentists, Dr Godwin and his assistant, fussing around my body and pumping a bellows. This was probably some form of CPR. But I was more interested in what was going on near the window. There was a spinning white light, and a throbbing noise, going 'wob, wob, wob...' at intervals of about one second, or slightly less. It consisted of white and black spirals, like a hypnotist's wheel. It may have been a spinning tunnel.

Then, I was back in my body and awoke.

I was too young to understand what happened, but the dentist told my mother I could never have gas again. In fact, she never took me back to that dentist again.

Only years later, at age 21, after having a second experience, which was very similar, but much stronger, did I begin to understand what the first experience was. I asked my mother (before she had Alzheimer's) if she recalled an incident where they had difficulty in reviving me from gas and she said yes. I do not think they told her fully what happened, and I later found my dental records were lost.

I am not really ready to describe the second experience yet as it contained a personal message, which perhaps even I do not yet fully comprehend. Looking back with hindsight, I think the first experience changed me, and made me believe in something much higher than the day-to-day mundane stuff that went on around me. It also seems to have given me faith at difficult times in later life. Had it not been for the first experience, I do not think the second one would have been possible. The second one was self-induced. I was not in imminent danger, and I was fully conscious and alive in this world when it happened.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1 July 1960

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain While under general anesthesia. CPR given. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I was given an overdose of gas while having dental work done.

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

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes Spinning white light, a feeling of being drawn to it. I was also clearly observing the dentists trying to resuscitate me. 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 I could see this light that I could not ordinarily see, so I must have been more conscious. Plus I was out of my body.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The experience did not last long, so all I can say is that I was fully conscious when I was out of my body. I can still remember the scene quite clearly.

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. Well, it was different! You don't ordinarily see bright lights.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I heard a throbbing noise, as described.

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 I could have gone into the light, but I just hung around for a while.

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

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

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 Spinning white light, like a hypnotist's wheel.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place I am sure the light would have led to some other place, but I did not go into it.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? None in particular, just child-like curiosity.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

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? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant I was so young I don't really remember much about religion. My family only went to church for weddings and funerals.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I now think religion is nonsense. I translated the bible from Greek and it is clear that we have been lied to. Our human beliefs hold us back.

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

What is your religion now? Other or several faiths A belief in Christ, but what I researched bears no resemblance to conventional Christianity. And I believe Christ was just an ordinary person that understood life. But bear in mind I had a SIMILAR experience to the first NDE when I was 21 years old. This has influenced me immensely. Between 5 and 21 I was confused, but believed in a spiritual god

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 Again, I was so young... I had not formed beliefs. I just observed.

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 heard a voice I could not identify The "voice" was just a throbbing noise.

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 Well, it felt as if I was much more than the little boy I saw in the chair below me.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes I can't explain, it was just obvious to me.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? I was uncertain if God exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain I seemed to be the only one present in my dimension, apart from the light.

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? Yes Well, I realized that this universe was much more than what we see on a day-to-day basis. But I was very young and had little worldly experience. I was just an innocent little child.

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Uncertain At the time of the experience, not much happened, but after that point I had a clear awareness that I was connected with something much bigger.

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? Unknown

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes It was obvious. Of course there is life after death.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? Unknown

Do you fear death after your experience? Unknown

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

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Unknown

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? Unknown

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

Were you compassionate after your experience? Unknown

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 I don't know what it would have been like not to have had the experience, because I was so young. But I can speculate that if I did not have the first experience, I would not have known how to find the doorway to the second experience.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No The first experience that I describe here was very simple to put into words. Probably because I was very young, and so just observed the experience as it occurred.

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 I can remember it clearly! To this very day!

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I did astral travelling and frequently had out of the body experiences. I also travelled to other places across space and time, and I met one person I knew. I validated the facts with them: what I saw actually happened. And age 21, at a very low point, I again opened that door, and had a much deeper experience in which I saw a bright light and experienced time differently.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Not really, it just happened. It was strange, but I was a child, in development. I just took it in my stride.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Many years later, maybe 40 or 50 years. I was told that NDEs change people's brain chemistry. Now I am beginning to understand things

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 Why shouldn't I believe it? It happened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It was real, I am certain. I can't explain why, and don't feel a need to.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Big time. I had family problems age 21, which led me to despair, and then suddenly, wham! I found myself right in the center of that light I saw 16 years previously.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I think 2012 will see a lot happen in this world.