Tom K Probable NDE

Experience Description

I was greeted by four guides on a well-worn path in a field of the most beautiful golden colors I had ever seen. My guides appeared to be Mayan Indians. We all walked down the path together, with the leader out in front, and the others flanking me, either beside me, or in front and behind me. Although we spoke different languages, we all understood what the others were saying. I was told that there was nothing to worry about and that I should follow them on this path. The weather was perfect; the sky was the bluest blue I have ever seen, with scattered puffy white clouds. I don't remember what I was wearing, but I do know that everything felt perfect.

I did encounter a friend of my son's, who had taken his life the year before. He was on the far side of the field, standing on a stonewall, on the other side of which was a very thick forest. He told me how sorry he was for what he had done, and asked me to come with him. My guides directed me to end my conversation with him, because it would be best for me to move on with them. I explained to Jim that I would continue to pray for him, but that I had a different path to follow. We continued walking until we came to a huge pile of boulders. As we reached this pile, I remember trying to take a short cut and the next thing I knew, I was in intensive care with wires and tubes sticking out of me everywhere. I discovered from speaking with my nurses that it was Friday. I had gone in for my 'one to two hour operation' two days before, on Wednesday at twelve noon.

This experience brought me the most all-encompassing feelings of peace that I have ever experienced.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: April 2 2008

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) The experience took place when a surgery went completely wrong.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal I was aware of every movement, every conversation and every activity around me, while at the same time I was very focused on my discussion with Jim.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? While I was speaking with Jim, and I was aware at the same time that my guides were conversing with each other.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

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

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It was perfect! When Jim called out my name, I had the same reaction as if I were somewhere that I did not expect anyone to know me, and yet I heard my name called out. My first thought was, 'Who would be calling my name? No one here knows me.'

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes My son's friend Jim.

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? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm It was earthly, but also unearthly. It was 'unearthly' to me because it was perfect. There was nothing there that did not please the senses. My feeling of well-being was complete.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was filled with the most fantastic all-encompassing peace I have ever experienced. Complete peace and love.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

The experience included: Special knowledge or purpose

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No It wasn't that I understood 'everything', but it seemed to me that 'everything' didn't matter anymore.

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? 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- Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain I still feel I have the same strength in my religious beliefs.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I always thought there would be a light, tunnel, trumpets or something to signify a change or acceptance to a continued life.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I believe I am a better person, whose values have changed from material values to real, spiritual, and worthwhile values.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin My guides seemed to be other-worldly in origin.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

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? Yes I really don't understand the question totally, but I would think the presence of others confirms a connection between all of us.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes Experiencing a total all encompassing peace is proof to me.

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? 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 Yes my experience confirmed to me that there is life after death.

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? Moderately 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? Yes Not all who experience death will experience what I did. Prime example: Jim, who took his own life, realized his error and was trying to make up for it.

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No As a matter of fact, I had no memory of any difficulties, challenges, hardships or relationships.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes I consider the all encompassing peace/love

Were you compassionate after your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Dramatic changes have taken place. I divorced after twenty years of marriage. I no longer work in the finance/healthcare profession. I have relocated to Europe. I have remarried. I have a completely different outlook on life.

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 do not remember anything between Aug 2 and Aug 4th other than what I have described above along with the memory of waking up again.

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? The meeting/conversation with Jim was very significant. He was close to our family and he always cared about us.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Within 12 hours of waking up, I discussed it with my mother and a family friend, who also happens to be a priest. I shared with them that I feared that I might not have been sufficiently worthy to stay in that other world, and that maybe I had not been worthy enough to see my departed Dad. I was very depressed about that for a while.

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

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real The all-encompassing feeling of peace and love was real and it's something I try to share with all I meet.

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? I seem to have a much clearer understanding of the differences between right and wrong. I have corrected every wrong I have had control over and do not want to make any more wrong choices in my life. I also have a keen appreciation for the value of time.