Tom B NDE

Experience Description

I had taken a new job in Michigan. I was living in an apartment Monday through Friday and returning home to Indiana on the weekends. We were planning on moving the family during the school break the next month in January.

One night at the apartment, I was having chest pains and went to the emergency room at the local hospital. The nurse hooked me up to an EKG machine and had me sit on a gurney while she explained what was happening on the monitor. As we were watching, the line on the monitor flat-lined. As I fell back on the bed, I remember that it was painless.

I felt very relaxed and peaceful. Everything was black and I had the feeling of being in a tunnel. Way off, in the distance at the end of the tunnel, I could see a bright light.

Before I reached the light, I regained consciousness to see half dozen Doctors and Nurses hovering over me. One of them was pounding on my chest and another was holding zappers over me. The next day, I asked the Doctor how long I had gone without a heart beat. He said, 'About a minute.'

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: December, 1986

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Heart attack. CPR given. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function) My heart had stopped beating.

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? Normal consciousness and alertness. It seemed to be about the same.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was only out for one minute, but I was alert and conscious throughout.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses More vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. About the same.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No hearing.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

The experience included: Passing into or through a tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes. I had visuals of a tunnel but it was more a feeling of being in a tunnel.

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: Darkness

The experience included: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an Unearthly light? Yes It was a very bright light at the end of the tunnel.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place I seemed to be in a place with no features and then I was in a tunnel.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peaceful

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

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? 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 Attended a Southern Baptist church.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes After my experience, I no longer felt that the Christian faith was right for me. I now practice Zen Buddhism but not as a relegion. I use it mainly to meditate and to practice mindfullness.

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

What is your religion now? Buddhist, Zen Buddhism

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. Prior to this, I attended a Southern Baptist church, taught Sunday school, and even delivered a sermon once. After this experience, I never attended church again. Years later, I started practicing Zen Buddhism.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I no longer felt that strict Christian beliefs were essential to my life.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

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? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? I am uncertain if God exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

Did you believe that our earthly lives Are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are 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 No

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

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

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

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? Are 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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

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

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

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life. I would say that I am much more compassionate now than I was before.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

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 now have age-related memory issues but that experience is as real today as it was 31 years ago.

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? No, it was the overall experience that was important.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Within days I shared it with the Pastor of my church. He said it was all dark because I was going to hell.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain. I can't remember when I first became aware of NDEs.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. I knew my heart had stopped beating and I saw the flatline on the EKG, but I still had thoughts during the experience and could see a tunnel and bright light.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. What I experienced has been reinforced by reading about others who experienced something similar.

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? Just that it was my experience and I know that it was real.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? It was very comprehensive.