Graeme C NDE

Experience Description

I suffer with (normally) well-controlled asthma. However, the asthma is currently exacerbated by a sinus and lung infection. This has led to severe bouts of uncontrollable coughing. During one of the coughing fits, I appeared to pass out, stop breathing and had to be revived by my wife. I apparently suffered no ill effects.

A little later the same evening, whilst watching TV on my own, I had another severe coughing fit. Since there was no one around to revive me, I guess the fit ran its full course and I must have stopped breathing. It was then that I sensed the sweet perfume of incense and found myself looking into a brightly lit, white-walled corridor. I remember feeling very calm and not at all afraid. I think the experience lasted a brief few seconds before my breathing started and I came around.

The whole experience, whilst not at all unpleasant was, nevertheless, quite perturbing. As you will already have realized, I have no really positive thoughts about religion or the afterlife. However this experience has made me think again.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 19 February 2014

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain. Illness. 'Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening' I had a severe asthma attack.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes No

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 As mentioned, I have a sinus infection, which prevents my sense of smell from working. Yet I definitely smelled the incense.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I saw the corridor.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. About the same.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There was total silence.

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

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain I saw the tunnel but didn't enter it.

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? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes It was a pure, intense white light.

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace and tranquility.

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? I felt no longer in conflict with nature

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

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Uncertain As stated, I saw the corridor/tunnel but didn't enter, for no other reason that the event ended: before I was faced with a decision as to enter it or not.

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? Slightly important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Agnostic I am a sceptical Protestant

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

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

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Agnostic Lapsed Church of England

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 As stated, until the event, I was sceptical about religion and the after life. Now I'm not so sure: certainly with regard to the after life. The event was very vivid.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain It has certainly given me food for thought but I remain a skeptic.

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 probably does not exist

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? I am uncertain if God 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? 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 does not exist

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? I am uncertain if an afterlife exists No

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I moderately feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I moderately fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Moderately fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Moderately 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 possibly 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? Greatly 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? Unknown Unknown

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

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 as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience It was an unforgettable and special experience.

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? Smelling the incense was a revelation.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I told my wife the day after and my physician today. They were clearly surprised and probably skeptical, but I believe they feel that I was speaking honestly.

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 believe it was real but I can't explain it.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It wasn't a dream because the memory of the event is so vivid and enduring.

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? No.