William E NDE

Experience Description

I had just turned 21 three days prior and I was in my college-housing apartment with two friends. I was preparing the free base cocaine and I was the first one (and only one) to smoke. I remember lighting the flame and putting it to the pipe. The next thing I remember was being in place of the most comfortable warmth, a bright warmth, and peace one could ever imagine. I had no fear what so ever and I knew I was somewhere far from where I should be but I did not care. This was the place where no harm could ever come to me. It was perfect warmth, peace and comfort, and I loved it. I remember thinking that I was somewhere special and I did not want to go back to where I'd come from.

Then I remember starting to wake up and I was mad because I wanted to stay where I was.

The bright warmth I was in was holding me and protecting me. I was one with the presence that was pouring warmth into me. I did not want to come back to this world. When I awoke, I was in the hospital. The nurse told me that I had almost died. I had a sense of knowing special things but forgot them after I woke up. I remember feeling after this, that death should not be feared.

There was a big snowstorm that night. My friends told me that after I smoked the cocaine that I passed out and fell very hard to the ground. I stopped breathing and had no pulse. They called 911. When the paramedics arrived, they injected adrenaline into my heart with a big needle like in the movie, Pulp Fiction, but I still did not wake up and was rushed to the hospital. I was unaware of any of this and I was unconscious for quite some time.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Dec 5, 1981

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Drug or medication overdose I stopped breathing and my heart stopped. I am not sure if I was declared dead or not. Other I stopped breathing and my heart stopped. I am not sure if I was declared dead or not. Overdose while smoking free-base cocaine.

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 It is hard to explain. I had a feeling that I knew the answers to all of life's questions but upon returning to this world, that knowledge was taken from me.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The whole time I was out.

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 Time lost all meaning. It did not matter anymore.

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. It was a vision not seen by your eyes. It was a complete soul experience.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My eyes, nose, skin, ears were not needed. It was all felt by my soul.

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

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

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm A place of great warmth and peacefulness.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calm, peace and ease.

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 no longer in conflict with nature

The experience included: Special knowledge or purpose

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe I was being filled of knowledge but upon waking, I lost it.

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? Not important to me

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes

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

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

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 I knew I was in the presence of something very, very special. And this presence was filling me full of knowledge and I felt that everything was okay now.

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? Yes I was one with the presence that was pouring warmth into me

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes The bright warmth I was in was holding me and protecting 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? Yes It is hard for me to remember now. But I clearly understood that there is a continuation of life after death. Death should not be feared.

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? 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 It is hard for me to remember now. But i clearly understood that there is a continuation of life after death.

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? Not 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? Yes Death should not be feared

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Not compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes There are no words to explain the complete comfort that I experienced.

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

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

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

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