Keely S
NDE
Greyson Scale: 9
#33103
Experience Description
I felt myself reach out and touch a place of light, love, and deep relaxation. I felt an otherworldly presence tell me that my agony over being bisexual in a Christian household meant nothing at all because love was the ultimate purpose in life. I found such relief and such joy in experiencing a moment of communion with this presence. I knew then, with everything in my heart, that we are to love each other with everything in our bodies, that religion in the secular sense is practically silly. As long as I treat others with kindness, care, and understanding, all is fine. For a moment, I felt the web that connects every single person in life, and I was told we should treat each other with compassion, even if we don't understand each other. We are all unique parts of the universe experiencing itself.
What a beautiful thing. When I regained consciousness, I felt a relief I had never known before.
Background Information
Gender
Female
Date NDE Occurred
8/22/2008
Near Death Experience 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
How do you consider the content of your experience?
Entirely pleasant
Did you feel separated from your body?
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 felt as though I was connected to the world in a way I had never known before.
At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?
After I went unconscious.
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
Vision had no meaning because what I sensed and felt were things that have no comparison to normal life.
Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience
I felt these words more clearly than in real life, because in real life I have terrible hearing.
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 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?
Some unfamiliar and strange place, I was part of the universe itself, one point in the web of humanity.
What emotions did you feel during the experience?
Relief and connection beyond what I had felt before.
Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness?
Relief or calmness
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 the future come to you?
No
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- Other Christian
Have your religious practices changed since your experience?
Yes, I have freed myself from my strict Christian upbringing, and I have no regrets.
What is your religion now?
Other faiths- Unitarian and other liberal faiths
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, I felt religion itself does not matter, as long as we respect the world and strive to put more good and love into it. How we treat others is far more important than which god we worship, because every religion focuses on tiny aspects of what God truly is. How can any one religion claim to understand an infinite being?
Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience?
Yes, I mostly left my religion behind and I feel free now. I love God and the universe, but I no longer carry those burdens. It took me time to free myself from the weight of religion, but I haven't looked back.
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, It was as though I connected with God, or a being like a god, or perhaps the universal consciousness that is the universe itself.
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 universal connection or oneness?
Yes, We are all part of the same universe, connected on a level I have yet to fully comprehend. Our kindness to each other is what truly matters, because while we are individuals, we are all part of this universe. The good we put into the world continues and makes the universe a better place. Love endures.
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?
Uncertain, I don't know if the idea of universal kindness is new, but it's in the Bible and the only part that truly matters. God is made of love, and the universe is that love made manifest.
During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife?
Yes, We will return to the universe itself, or perhaps continue in another life if we choose. There seemed to be options.
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?
Yes, The chaos of the universe means bad things will happen, but it's our response to them that truly matters.
During your experience, did you gain information about love?
Yes, Every person's uniqueness should be loved. Our acts of unkindness can be forgiven, and even reluctance to forgive is understood. Love is the ultimate form of god, life, and what we should become. Everyone makes mistakes, but we are loved more than most will ever understand. God, or the universe, loves us with all its power, and we will feel that love when we depart. That knowledge still moves me deeply.
What life changes occurred in your life after your experience?
I used to be very strict in my religious life, but now I understand that religion itself is not what matters. What matters is compassion and love. I believe in trying to understand each other, even those we may not agree with or dislike. Can we put more good into the world? Pretending to care is just as bad as doing nothing if we do not act with love.
Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?
Yes, I try to be a kinder person to everyone. I want to spread as much love and good as possible and help as many people as I can. Even in tough times, doing your best means more than flourishing in good times.
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, I was so sick that I barely remember the events that happened that semester of college, but I remember this very well.
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?
Being told that religious fixations, like gender, sexuality, or immigration, are silly and ridiculous freed me. I was weighed down by these concerns, and now I see them as meaningless. We are love. We are the universe given life and choice. We should explore this with wonder and love in our hearts. Life is a miracle. Every person is a wonder.
Have you ever shared this experience with others?
Yes
Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?
Yes, I knew that near-death experiences existed, but I did not realize how sick I was at the time. After recovering, I sought medical attention and realized how serious it might have been. Initially, I thought it was a special dream.
What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened?
Experience was definitely real, At first I thought it was an important dream given to me by God. I am unsure how close I came to death, but I believe something critical happened after I recovered.
What do you believe about the reality of your experience now?
Experience was definitely real, I know what I experienced was real. It was just a small glimpse of the universe's truth, given to me by God or the universe to guide me in the future.
At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?
Uncertain, I've tried weed since then, but even my heaviest trips cannot reproduce the sensation. Sometimes they feel almost like they can touch the tiniest fraction of it—that love and wonder.
Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?
Uncertain, It's such an intense, unique situation that I honestly have no idea what else you could ask.