Tom Probable NDE

Experience Description

This experience happened in 1978 when I was 10 years old.

I had been sick in false croup for a while with a high fever and a swollen throat.

This night my mum had some friends over for dinner and girl talk.

I was upstairs in my room and they were in a room downstairs having dinner, talking and smoking. As I recall, my mum was determined not to give me any painkillers, unless absolutely necessary and I remember that night, I was exhausted from the fever and ache. The scent of cigarette smoke made it even worse. I was worried about my condition and wanted to tell my mum but at the same time, I did not want to disturb her.

Now, I can't remember exactly what happened but I was in my bed and I must have dozed off. The next thing I remember is the feeling of relief, like all the burden was lifted off my shoulders and all my worries were gone.

This was the most incredible feeling. I was in a softy dark, peaceful and beautiful place, walking with someone I knew very well and trusted. It was like I was home and knew the purpose of everything and especially the purpose of my life. I don't know how long I was there or who I was talking to but I think we discussed my life and that we agreed on something.

When the experience ended, I woke up panicking from not getting any air.

I managed to alert my mom and she took me to the hospital where I stayed for a week. I remember the week in hospital as a very pleasant and happy time and I do think the experience has made me a happier and more relaxed person.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1978 (approximately)

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I had a high fever, swollen throat, and breathing difficulties.

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

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? My highest level was when I was walking in that peaceful, beautiful place.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning I can't recall.

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. I can't remember anything about my vision.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I can't remember anything about my hearing.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain I can't recall a tunnel.

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

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

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Darkness

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? Uncertain I can't remember seeing an unearthly light.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt happiness, relief, and freedom.

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? Everything about the universe I understood everything about the universe and the purpose of my life.

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? Slightly important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

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

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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

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 I believe the being I walked with was Jesus, but I´m not sure.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Uncertain

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain

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? Yes

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 I knew the purpose of everything, especially my own life.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes

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

Do you fear death after your experience? I slightly 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 possibly 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? Uncertain

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Yes I think I knew then the purpose of my life and why there had to be difficulties, challenges and hardships.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Uncertain Can´t remember exactly, but I believe now that the feeling I had of total relief and joy was of knowing that we are all love and love is in everything and forever.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

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

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes

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 as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Most significant to me was the feeling of total relief and freedom.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared it with only one other person.

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 probably real

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Uncertain