Paul H NDE

Experience Description

I was visiting New York on holiday and on the last day I had a condition called an Arrhythmia which is a life threatening irregular heartbeat, I was rushed to New York Downtown hospital where I was given a drip to try to regulate my heart rate. At approximately 1:00 a.m. I was given a drug, which I believe is supposed to stop and re-start the heart. My partner was sitting opposite me. He observed my eyes rolling back into my head so only the white was visible and my jaw went slack, leaving my mouth open. My personal experience was hearing the Doctor telling me 'this is going to feel a little weird'.

The next thing I remember incredibly vividly is looking down and seeing myself on the stretcher. I felt a feeling of warmth, security and total peace. I could see myself somehow over trees, the experience was as if I was in a wonderful dream. Then I was resuscitated, my vision and mind became clear, and I realized where and what was going on.

Had I died there? I can honestly say that I wouldn't have suffered in any way. However, for my partner the whole thing was horrific. But my personal experience was one of peace, security and love. For a person with absolutely no religious conviction I feel the experience was actually spiritual.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 03 December 2012

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Heart attack 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I had a life-threatening heart condition and my heart stopped for approximately 15-20 seconds. I was resuscitated by defibrillation.

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? Uncertain I could see very briefly myself but then I saw trees and the NDE began 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 I can remember with far more clarity the colors , the way I was feeling and generally every aspect of the experience , far more so than a memory from everyday life

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was at my highest level of consciousness during the 15-20 seconds when my heart stopped and I was technically unconscious.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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. Far more vivid and sharp

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

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

Did you see an unearthly light? No

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace, warmth, security

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 united or one with the world

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? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Do not know

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain I feel certainly more spiritual and that there may be some super intelligence in the Universe which we can't comprehend

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

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Agnostic

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? No

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? Uncertain that there maybe level of survival after phtsical death that there may be some level of survival after physical death

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? Uncertain i felt such total peace I'm open minded as to whether any spiritual presence was there or why i survived , if God or whatever God is was there and helped me I really don't know but I felt love during the experience

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? Uncertain I felt such total peace. I'm open minded as to whether any spiritual presence was there or why I survived. If God, or whatever God is, was there and helped me I really don't know but I felt love during the experience.

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are 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 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 do not 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? Moderately fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are 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? No

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

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Slightly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Uncertain i felt a sensation of love

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly 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? 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 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? Yes I have only shared my experience with my partner who was present for fear of people thinking I'm being eccentric

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