Experience Description:

It was January 1972. I was living the life of a hippy with its associated drug-taking. Four of us rented a house together on the outskirts of Birmingham, England. After work each day we spent our leisure hours in taking drugs, but only the 'softer' versions like cannabis, speed, mandrax and LSD. Sometimes with alcohol.

I only took LSD on three occasions and all three were 'bad trips'. It was on this last occasion that my NDE happened.

I was in the house in the evening and had taken an LSD tab. I was left unsupervised. (Probably due to my Friends all being high themselves.) I had wandered around the house during my nightmare 'trip' and eventually fell down the stairs from top to bottom. I have no memory of this. This was told to me later on.

What I do remember is finding myself in the midst of a wonderful light. I realized that I did not have a flesh and blood body anymore but I was still enclosed in 'something' - a kind of spiritual body. My eyes told me I was floating in this light and that hundreds, maybe thousands, of other entities were also there floating in this beautiful, warm, comforting light; though I was too far away to communicate with anyone. There was this amazing feeling of love all around me. I felt just wonderful and blissfully happy. I wanted to stay there forever!

Then I heard a very sweet voice, which seemed to come from inside my head. This voice felt very, very special to me. I had this intuition that I was hearing the voice of God. His voice was so wonderful to my senses and the only word I can think of is beautiful. He said only three words - 'Come to me'.

I wanted to do just that and go with Him! But instead, I found myself back in my earthly body and lying on a hospital trolley all alone in a corridor. I just got onto my feet and went home. I never told anyone about his wonderful event in my life until about three or four years later. And then only to selected people whom I thought might understand my story. I never told my parents nor my other family. My parents have both passed on and today my brothers and sister still have no knowledge of this.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1972

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Possible injury to my head.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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 felt so much more alive!

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Whilst within the light.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither Where I was felt timeless.

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

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It was a kind of telepathy. A link from my mind to His mind.

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? Sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I perceived other beings like myself held within the light whom I was not able to communicate with, but my unshakeable belief is that God spoke to me.

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 I was within the light. It held and sustained me. I needed nothing else.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Clearly mystical or unearthly realm I perceived the light i was suspended within was the light of God. His personal radiance.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Complete bliss!

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? Neither

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 None

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I now have an unshakeable belief in the existence of God and our afterlife.

What is your religion now? Liberal

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I now have an unshakeable belief in the existence of God and our afterlife.

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? Sensed their presence

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion

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

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

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? Prior to my NDE I was indifferent to God. I never thought He existed. Now I am certain.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Three to four years later I told it to four friends. It was met with respectful silence. Perhaps they were speechless?

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 I knew it was real from its start to finish. It's like being hungry then having a full stomach. We do not need others to tell us this. I felt full and complete in my new identity.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I have since studied books on theology in some depth. And other peoples NDEs. These evidences confirm my belief.

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