Experience Description

Let me go back a few months before my experience. A good friend of mine had died in a car accident, and we all missed him.

At the time of my experience, it was during recess at middle school. As usual, my friends and I would gather around in the grass, playing around.

This particular time, a friend of mine, grabbed me from the back, and put me on a headlock, and as much as I struggled to free myself, I could see myself blacking out. Out of the blue and without warning, I found myself in a dark place. I didn't have time to feel afraid, annoyed, or any other emotion. All I knew was that I was getting closer to a small speck of light far in the distance. I was not walking; I was just getting to the light, as if something was pulling me. No pain, no fear.

Just then, the dear friend that had died a few months before, appears in front of me, and in a soft manner, kind of made my forward motion stop. As soon as I felt not moving anymore, he just said to me that I needed to go back, that it was not my time. He put his hand on my chest, kind of pushing me back, and I felt a lot of pain at that moment, and woke up with the local paramedics trying to revive me. I was taken to a hospital, and released later on that night.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1972

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No foolishness. We were wrestling. Other 'playing around with friends, accidental death'

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain 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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I suppose it has to be at the time that my friend appeared to me in the dark tunnel.

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 It all seemed far away for me. There were no walls, no floor, and no ceiling.

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 could not sense any walls, floor, or ceiling, it was sort of a void.

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 very quiet place where I was, even though it was dark.

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? Yes

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 A good friend of mine that had died a few months before, at age thirteen. He advised me that it was not my time to go to the light yet, and that I had to return. He didn't say return to my body, he just said return.

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Darkness

The experience included: Light

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 A light far, far away, like it might have taken me forever to reach it.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? No emotions until after my friend touched me, and sent me back to my body.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

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? Scenes from the world's future

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will

God, Spiritual and Religion:


What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I have become agnostic.

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist none

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I have become agnostic.

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 actually saw them

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? Yes Well, upon my dad passing away, I know that he lives on in another dimension, or place.

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? Uncertain I seem to be able to sense other spirits around me now. In my house for example, I sometimes sense, or see, a shadow running in the hallway, and going into the closet. I have had other paranormal experiences that may be related to this NDE.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The experience made me realize that there may be something beyond death.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Only now, as an adult. I was afraid my friends would ridicule me in school.

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 started thinking about it more and more, and I just concluded that it was real to me.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Other experiences that I have had over the years, have reinforced my view that I had a real experience.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes I have had more than my share of experiences, some more drastic than this NDE.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Not about this experience.