Experience description:

I had been living in a new city for about 4 months for training for a new job. One of my first ventures out into the city was to a Hispanic grocery store. I was pushing a cart when I paused to decide what aisle to go to next. At this point my surroundings faded away and I was in a place of only white light. It wasn't blinding or brilliant, more like the background for a modeling photo-shoot. I was in clear control of my thoughts and I wondered to myself what was going on. I felt no gravity (but not that I was flying or floating), no physical sensations except sight and felt like I could lean back and be completely supported. I wasn't scared at all, but was trying to figure out what was going on. Almost instantly I felt 'love'; I was completely enveloped by it. I said to myself this must be the type of love the bible talks about. It was like nothing I'd experienced, thought about or even thought was possible. I thought to myself I must be having an OOBE, but I did not see my body, there was no body at all. I wondered if I was in a state of infinite being and challenged myself to see if I could go anywhere in the world. I didn't do it, but I thought with instruction I could. I wondered if I could go into the future or into the past. Again I didn't do it. Then I became a little more concerned about what I was actually experiencing and thought to myself that I might be laying on the ground with people trying to resuscitate me. I thought to myself that I wanted to come back into the world if that was the case so I brought myself out of it. Once I came out of it I saw I was still standing in the same place. I looked around and could see no one that noticed anything about me. Then I got concerned because I thought things might be happening to me (like a heart attack or hallucination, etc.) and I didn't want to be in a strange place if they were so I turned to go to the check-out stand without finishing my shopping. I felt completely normal, like nothing had happened. Then I got to the check-out line and the clerk was staring at me. Her eyes were wide open and her movements frozen. She didn't say a word, just kept staring at me. I wasn't accustomed to that kind of attention so I told her one of the items in my basket was priced wrong. In response, the clerk just kept staring at me, reached down grabbed the item and moved it to a conveyor belt behind her. That belt was in use by another clerk and customer, but she completely ignored that fact. I didn't know what to do as the clerk was still staring and frozen. Another clerk came up and looked at her and then looked at me and then offered to check out my groceries, which she did. The first clerk moved from the cash register. I left quickly. I tried to figure out what happened and settled for two thoughts, first, the love mentioned in the bible is real and that we should try to figure out how to bring to the world and second that maybe God was telling me he was with me while I was in that city for training and that I needed to know that. When I got back to my home, in another state, I asked my pastor about the experience and he said he had never heard of anything like that. An evangelist in my church said that the love I experienced wasn't for me but I was used as a conduit and that the clerk was the intended beneficiary. I still don't have an explanation that completely satisfies me.

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

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Yes Can't fully communicate the love I felt.

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? Complete awareness

Was the experience dream like in any way? No.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body? Yes My body was not a part of my experiential equation.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Safe, peace, secure from daily concerns.

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises? None.

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

Did you see a light? Yes The environment was white, there were no objects, just white light.

Did you meet or see any other beings? No

Did you experiment while out of the body or in another, altered state? Yes

I tried to go to a distant location, but didn't. I tried to travel in the future of past but didn't. I tried to find friends or family but didn't. I felt that I could have done any of these things, but didn't because I didn't know how. But I felt I was in an infinite environment and the restrictions I knew in this world didn't exist. But I couldn't prove it.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later? Yes This occurred after the experience, but it works as a verification: Then I got to the check-out line and the clerk was staring at me. Her eyes were wide open and her movements frozen. She didn't say a word, just kept staring at me. I wasn't accustomed to that kind of attention so I told her one of the items in my basket was priced wrong. In response, the clerk just kept staring at me, reached down grabbed the item and moved it to a conveyor belt behind her. That belt was in use by another clerk and customer, but she completely ignored that fact. I didn't know what to do as the clerk was still staring and frozen. Another clerk came up and looked at her and then looked at me and then offered to check out my groceries, which she did. The first clerk moved from the cash register.

Did you notice how your 5 senses were working, and if so, how were they different? Yes The only sense I had was sight.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time? Yes I felt like those things either didn't exist or didn't represent the limitations they do in my daily life.

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose? Yes I felt I experienced and now knew what love really was.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No

Did you become aware of future events? No

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body? Yes I decided to leave the situation and return to reality out of concern for what was going on in my reality.

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience? No

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience? Yes I now strive to get that love and share it.

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices? Yes

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience? Yes Love

Have you shared this experience with others? Yes Most looked at me like I was crazy. When I got back to my home, in another state, I asked my pastor about the experience and he said he had never heard of anything like that. An evangelist in my church said that the love I experienced wasn't for me but I was used as a conduit and that the clerk was the intended beneficiary.

What emotions did you experience following your experience? Elation and fear.

What was the best and worst part of your experience? The best was experiencing the love, the worst part was leaving it. I only left it because I thought I would be returning again in the future. But I haven't I still hope...

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 Very complete.