Ernesto A NDE

Experience Description

I was seven years old when I had the near-death experience. I had a severe asthma attack and was not breathing.

Then, I saw myself with my father carrying me on his shoulder. It was like a scene in a movie with the camera zooming out so I could see my father rushing me to our family doctor's clinic.

Then, it quickly cut to the next scene. I saw myself from a top-down view with our family doctor performing CPR on me, pumping my chest. My father and another doctor were by my bedside. I saw some rays of light shining from my back, but I did not look at the light. Suddenly, I felt like I was being sucked back into my body. Then I woke up.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date of NDE: 1979

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes
I had a sever asthma attack and was not breathing.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Neither pleasant NOR distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? I clearly left my body and existed outside it
I guess the bright light that shone upon me during the time of the experience when our family doctor was performing a CPR.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? I think I was at the highest level of consciousness throughout the experience. It's hard to explain as what I saw was kind of glassy. It's like a dream but it wasn't.
My normal consciousness at that time prior to my NDE was a typical 7-year old boy. During my NDE, it's as if I can see my experience from a different lens.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness? More consciousness and alertness than normal

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning
It's hard to describe about either time slows or moving fast. It's happened in sequence, time seemed fast but slow at the same time as I saw what was happening in detail like when my father carried me on his shoulders and I can see him rushing - walking fast. Or when I saw the doctor pumping my chest. Time seemed warped.

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 I think the experience seemed brighter like there's a light in the scenes I mentioned. But it also seemed that there's a filter like on a film, if that makes any sense.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience As far as I can remember, I didn't hear anything. I saw everything, but there was no sound. Prior to collapsing, my hearing was normal.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain
I'm not sure. I think from one scene to the next, I felt like I passed a tube.

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased beings? No

Did you see or feel surrounded by a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Uncertain
The light that was shining behind my back was bright and like thick.

Did you seem to enter another world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calmness. It's as if I was not the one in my experience.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

Did you suddenly understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back? No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Uncertain
I'm not sure as I feel like going through a tube or a tunnel in a quick manner.

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic
I went to church every Sunday and Catholic holidays at that time. My family was quite religious.

Have your religious practices changed? No

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Atheist

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 a Catholic when I was I kid, I was told that there's life after death. During the experience, my 7-year old mind was probably aware of the light as the light from heaven so to speak.

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 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.)? Yes
I was raised Catholic and because of my religion, I know the life and story of Jesus Christ.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain
I was 7 years old and in my formative years. Though I was Catholic, I had questions about faith even at that young age.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes
I guess the brilliant light.

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

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

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Unknown

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain
Though I think my near death experience feels real, I don't know how to describe that experience. The term "near death experience" is the basic description in my mind. I'm not a doctor/scientist and they may have some explanation regarding how our mind and consciousness work.

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
I still remember my NDE as a 53-year old man now in detail, compared to say, my experiences in 1st grade school.

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? I guess being alive serves a purpose.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes
I think I have shared my NDE with my mother, siblings, my husband, and friends as an adult.

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 probably real
I don't know. I was young, but know that what happened to me seemed very real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was probably real
My question to myself is: If this is not real, how come I can tell someone that experience in detail?

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

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Yes
I wrote to the best of my knowledge the full detail of my NDE.