Experience description:

My friends and I were at the graveyard one evening because one had told us that if you stared at this statue of Jesus long enough, you would see his head turn. He stood behind us one by one with his hands on our shoulders because he said he would "be able to see what we saw". My other two girlfriends apparently saw the head move, thought it was cool... I went last. I was standing in front of the statue of Jesus on the cross, Mike's hands on my shoulders, thinking this is silly but trying to concentrate; the head began to turn toward me but it did not stop there, it began to go back and forth; slowly at first then faster and faster. Suddenly the statue burst into flames from about the waist up. His arms began to blacken and look charred, and while shaking his head back and forth, he began to try to wrench himself off the cross. Lifting his shoulders and pulling his arms etc... Quite suddenly, and disorienting, I was in space among the stars and moving more quickly than I can even describe. kind of like that stars computer screensaver. There was no Earth in view, but many many stars and planets, systems. I could not see or feel my body I just WAS, there was a feeling that I was a spark of light, and off to my left but a bit behind and out of view, there was a faint glow traveling with me. I seemed to feel automatically that this was another spirit. (I had thought at first it was an escort, friend... now I wonder if it was my husband- he has a vague memory of being in the stars in what he thought was a dream. He would only have been about 13 at the time.?) Anyway, I can't really express the feeling I had hurtling through the stars, I felt that I was going somewhere in particular. I was terrified, confused, and full of wonder. The spirit with me gave a feeling of peace. All of this seemed to happen simultaneously, and as I struggled to grasp where I was, I was just as suddenly pulled back into my body- as if it had all simply been an eye blink- standing in the grass in front of the statue. My friends were calling my name and shaking me. Mike was lying on the ground behind me and crying that his hands were burning, he could see blisters all over his palms. We helped him up and tried to convince him that we saw nothing wrong with his hands- he and I were both somewhat shaken. He seemed to come back to himself, and told us what he had experienced. before I told them what happened to me, he described that with his hands on my shoulders, he had seen the statues head move- he described the flames and burnt arms. He said that as the statue began to try to pull itself off the cross, his hands began to burn and blister; and it was like my mind had slammed a wall down in front of him so forcefully that it had literally knocked him backwards onto the grass and our physical touch was broken. He did not see anything past that. My other two friends told me that after mike fell I stood by myself for a minute or so and I can't remember if it was just what happened to Mike or something that I did that alarmed them enough that they felt they should try to rouse me. I was filled with  a leftover sense  of such wonder and confusion and almost as freaked out as my friends; needless to say they wanted to leave pretty quickly. I remember staring out the car window at the stars as we drove and I was very quiet and withdrawn the rest of the night.

Any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?     No      

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain      It is difficult to express all the emotions involved and how instanteously it seemed to happen- the fear that others will think I'm a weirdo

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          No      

What was your level of consciousness and alertness during the experience?           I was standing up and conscious, but apparently not responding to my friends at first

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   I guess you could say coming back to the cemetery was like waking up from a bad dream- where your heart is still racing but you are beginning to realize that you are safe in familiar surroundings

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes     I could not see or feel my body. weightlessness, I felt free and I had no pain. I did not seem to have any form other than the feeling that I was a spark of light

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            overwhelmed by the vastness of space. fear, awe, wonder, confusion, peace, out of control yet a sense of purpose, a sadness that my friends brought me back. I wanted to know where I was going.

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?           I remember a deafening silence

LOCATION DESCRIPTION:  Did you recognize any familiar locations or any locations from familiar religious teachings or encounter any locations inhabited by incredible or amazing creatures?    No            not then, but now just about every picture of space I see, especially those gorgeous pics from the satellites, takes me right back to the experience



Did you see a light?           Yes     I seemed to have a glow and there was a light coming from the side and slightly behind me, as if someone were with me



Did you meet or see any other beings?           No       didn't meet anyone, just felt another presence



Did you experiment while out of the body or in another, altered state? No      

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          No      

Did you notice how your 5 senses were working, and if so, how were they different?          Uncertain            I felt weightless, kind of like I was in a sensory deprivation tank- but I could see. I was traveling faster than I can describe but felt no wind, etc..

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Yes    

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    Yes     I felt purpose- that I was heading for a specific destination- Heaven? I was somewhat frightened but at the same time it has been a spiritual experience for me.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?             Uncertain      It's such a muddle. I was a little alarmed, I was so far away from my body- I  had a sense of a distance and a destination but I don't know if quite the same as your question

Did you become aware of future events?       No      

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body?       No       Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?   Uncertain      these stayed about the same- but my feelings about them changed subtly hard to describe

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   No       not really- just strengthened them mostly. It was a special experience, I would love to understand it all someday.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         Uncertain     

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     mostly pretty positive reactions, I don't share it much, just when it feels appropriate.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      I have felt confusion at parts like the burning and the creepy jerking on the cross- but that part is overshadowed by the freedom and the way it felt to be among the stars

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         No      

Did the questions asked and information you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?               Yes     I think so