Experience Description

I fell down from a carriage under a wheel. The wheel dragged me, but didn't run over me.

I left my body and was floating above myself. In the distance, I saw an indescribable bright light. I saw myself lying under the wheel. I was swinging back and forth between the light and myself. I saw my father as he struggled to take care of me. As long as I was outside myself, I didn't feel pain: only calm and peace. Suddenly, I was back again.

I felt strong pain. I had bad crushes and a broken upper arm. In this condition I was delivered to the hospital.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: ca. 1968

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I fell off of a carriage and was dragged by the wheel.

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? Yes I saw my father who was striving to help me and that he was shaking me. I saw the vehicle, the carriage and myself lying under the wheel of the carriage. 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 perceived everything very clearly and distinctly. The memory of this event stayed very clear in my mind until today.

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

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

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

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. The sight was more precise and sharper than before.

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

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

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: Unearthly light

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

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes The light was in the distance, and completely different from any Light, that I saw before on earth. It was a white light, indescribably bright.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt no fear. I wasn't aware what just happened to me. I felt calmness and peace.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

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- Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I'm sure, that I can exist without a body, and I'm convinced that there is a life after death.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic

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 ich kannte bis dahin nur reliöse Erfahrungen aus der Schule und erfuhr ja nicht was mich in dem Licht erwartet hätte.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I went through life much easier and less afraid.

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 definitely 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? 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? Unknown

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 greatly feared death

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

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Slightly 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? Unknown

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are probably 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? Moderately 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? Large changes in my life I lost my fear of death; I can feel happy for the deceased that they were allowed to make the way to the light. I had the experience that after death our body is just an empty shell and that our life in the form of a spirit is going to the light. Large changes in my life.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain Uncertain At the time I was still a child, so I cannot say it positively.

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Because the light was so indescribable and floating was an unknown state to me.

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 Die erinnerung ist nach 45 Jahren noch genau so gut wie damals

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? After 45 years, the memory of it is still as good as at that time. I just knew about religious experiences from school but didn't learn what would have awaited me in the light.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Up until the death of my wife two years ago. Reactions were diverse.

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 Because the experience was so clear and without ambiguity.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Because for me today, it is still as if it happened yesterday.

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? For many years I kept silent, out of fear, not being taken seriously.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Couldn't determine any