Steven T NDE

Experience Description:

All of a sudden I'm in an extremely bright and white room with a large wooden table in the center of this room. Chiseled in the center of the table was an unknown design. (No other articles in the room whatsoever.) Sitting at the table were three knights (like during the crusades with the large red cross on the clothing). Two were sitting side by side with their backs to me. The third was sitting across from the two. All three had their armor helmets resting on the table just to the right of each one of them. They never acknowledged my presence, so I don't know if they saw me or not. The knight sitting by himself stated with a firm voice, 'We need him now.' One of the knights with his back to me stood up, slammed his fist on the table and shouted, 'No, it is not his time!' Immediately after this, I came back to life after being defibrillated two times. I immediately said to my wife who was at my side (she was a registered nurse at that hospital), 'I got to tell you what just happened to me.'

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 6-10-97

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Heart attack Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) My heart was in ventricular fibrillation and then stopped completely.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain 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 I remember the entire incident as if it happened yesterday.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I remember the entire incident as if it happened yesterday.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Time seemed to go faster than usual

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

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Clarity colors brightness.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Clarity and loudness with a slight echo.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes

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? Uncertain Just the brightness of the room. I remember seeming to squint for a brief period until I adjusted to the brightness.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Unfamiliar, strange place The bright room had a special feeling about it

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt special, as an important decision was being made about me.

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? No longer in conflict with nature

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither

Did you come to a border or point of no return? Neither

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal non practicing Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal Christian

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? Definite being, or voice clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I felt like there was something I had to do or finish before I died.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I was a work first then family guy, but know I know that nothing is more important than family.

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? I found the experience very special, more so because I have never had any interest in the Crusades, knights or the medieval period.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Shared with my wife about one hour after the experience. She was fascinated with my recount of what I had experienced. Not sure if she was influenced in any way.

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 Again because it involved people in a time in history that I had no particular interest. That made me know it was real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Same as above but also. Six years after my NDE I found the symbol that was carved in the table during my NDE. I was watching a commercial of the Freemasons and spotted the Masonic Symbol (the compass and square).

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No