Experience Description

Back in 2000, I had a triple bypass operation. For the first time, I was taken out of bed, put in a reclining chair, and tilted back. I still had tubes coming out of my chest draining red fluid into a container.

I closed my eyes and suddenly found myself in another place. I was a consciousness, and I could see all around me. I was in a very small close valley, almost a very wide ravine. It was in full Technicolor and seemed real. I could sense a light breeze; there was no sound. I was the only one there, and no one else had been there for a long, long time.

I was on one side of this place. I could see up hill, downhill, and across to the other side. The grass seemed closely cut and green, and yet I felt like no one had been there for hundreds of years. It was a forgotten place, and I was totally alone.

I felt like I was fixed in midair, I could sense and see fully everywhere I looked, but I couldn't move.

All over on the slopes were small individual terraces, and on every one, there was the same monument. Each monument looked like a large stylized cast iron birds wing covered with brown patina. I would guess them to be eight or ten feet in length, I could see them above me, below me, and across from me on the slopes of the other side.

I was looking at one right in front of me. The wing tip was pointing to me, and where it would have joined to a bird's body, was pointing away from me. I felt transfixed in midair as I looked, like I was a captive.

Then way off in the distance, so faint I could hardly hear it, I heard a voice calling me. The cast iron wing I was focused on, began to slowly break up feather-by-feather, and each feather slowly floated toward this voice in a stream. I was finally allowed to move, and I followed. I felt relived. When I finally got back, there was a nurse standing there with some medication for me to take.

I have never thought of this as an NDE. I saw no one else, no light, no tunnel, and actually, I don't know what to think of it. Perhaps my heart stopped for a few seconds, and then started up again. This was in 2000, and I still remember everything that happened vividly.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: July 2000

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain Surgery-relatedHeart attack Other Heart bypass recovery I think my heart may have stopped for a few seconds, which is why I felt immobilized in the experience.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The same as usual, but the feeling I had was surprised, and totally alone.

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

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 felt like I had no body, couldn't move, and yet I could see anywhere I focused my attention very clearly.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There was no sound, except I was aware of the whisper of a soft breeze.

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? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

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? No

The experience included: A landscape or city

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Surprised, and alone.

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

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? Liberal Spiritual seeker from any and all sources

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal Same as above

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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? No I've always cared about, and have tried to help others. It just seems to be part of my nature.

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? No I just don't know what to think of it, or even if it's worth posting on your website.

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? Only that it was vivid, and had strong emotional impact. Aside from that, there was no revealing personal message.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes A couple of times. Some were interested, some thought I was out of it.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I have read extensively. However, I don't think it effected the experience, because to me it didn't qualify as a near death experience.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real I have never forgotten it, but I put it on the back burner so to speak. Lately, I've begun to think about it again, a sort of 'what in the Hell was it!' feeling.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was probably real I still don't know what to think. This is why I'm finally voicing it. Maybe those with more experience can shed some light on it. I see no deep revealing message other than consciousness exists outside of the body.

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? Yes, while I was having my heart attack, being pushed in a wheelchair into the trauma center, an intense whispering female voice started up right behind my head. A totally disinterested guy was pushing the chair, and my wife was walking several feet ahead of me. The voice said 'It didn't have to get to this!! You're fat, and you're lazy'. We all do have guardian spirits right here, right now, watching over us, and keeping track of how we evolve. This spirit was very angry about how I'd screwed up. The vibe was 'you have a lot more to do and you've shot yourself in the foot.'

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? It's always been good.