As I settled into my position, I allowed my body to relax more and more.  Gradually I felt myself sinking into the earth as if she were a soft and down-like cushion.  I was so at ease it felt as if my body were floating like a cloud.  I don�t remember if my eyes were open or closed and I know it makes no difference.  I could see the trees, the individual blades of grass, the house, the chain-link fence and the others in the group scattered across the yard.  Although I was facing the sun I remember thinking Wow, how odd, I can see everybody and everything at the same time!  There was a sense of lightness and a feeling of being detached from my physical body.  I was everything.  It was not only Renee laying on the grass, I was the grass!  I was a blade of grass just �being� a blade of grass.  I was the sky and the clouds that were drifting above.  I was a tree growing roots deep into the earth from a hardy trunk while holding up branches sprouting delicate green leaves.  I was everything happening all at once!  I had this feeling of knowing that everything is perfect and on purpose.  I felt bathed in warm and glorious LOVE.  I was so happy!  It felt like the true meaning of home.  Everything is as it should be and all is well in the world.  It was a timeless experience because it seemed to last so much longer than what I believe to have been seconds.  I may have been in that state for only a moment and what a beautiful moment it was.  It was a flicker of Oneness, consciousness unbounded.  I was then back in my body and back in this physical reality. 

Throughout my life I have always reflected on that particular instance and often wonder if my life was somehow changed from this rich observation.  I want to say �yes� because afterward I also remember considering with amazement and a stronger sense of self the possibility of a grander scheme of things.  Something much larger than what is available through our five senses.  The taste of the infinite in that short visit gave me hope.  It gave me a drive to continue my search towards self-awareness.  Even after all these years I am still learning that loving myself is the key to living a passionate life.  I am a work in progress and sometimes it feels at a snail�s pace.  I say that respectfully because I am still learning to be gentle with myself and I absolutely love snails!

At the time of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?   No 

Was the experience difficult to express in words?  Yes     Words are limiting to expression.  I was experiencing loving feelings, calm and balanced emotions, knowingness and oneness.  There was a sense of timelessness because everything was happening all at once and I was everything.  I felt bigger than my body.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    When I was a blade of grass just �being� a blade of grass.  That particular moment was etched in my memory.

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   There is no comparison.  I was in a state of timeless bliss.  I was everything at once.  I was love, I felt ease, lightness, freedom and joy.  I had a great sense of knowing that everything is alright in the world just by being and not doing anything.

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   I could see from my body prior and then I could see everything as well as my body during.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   Since we were practicing Tai Chi, it was fairly quiet.  What I did notice was wherever I placed my focus I knew what was going on.

Did you see or hear any earthly events that were occurring during a time that your consciousness / awareness was apart from your physical / earthly body?   No  

What emotions did you feel during the experience?   deep love  

Did you pass into or through a tunnel?   No  

Did you see an unearthly light?   No   Not in this experience.

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.)?   No  

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

Did you become aware of past events in your life during your experience?   No  

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

Did time seem to speed up or slow down?   Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning
There was a sense of timelessness because everything was happening all at once and I was everything.  Wherever I placed my focus I was there.  I felt bigger than my body.

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?   Everything about the universe
I understood that everything is connected somehow.  One intelligence in illusionary separate manifestations.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?   No

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

Did scenes from the future come to you?  No 

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness suggesting that there either is (or is not) continued existence after earthly life (�life after death�)?   Yes   In this state, there is a knowingness that life in the physical manifestation can end and continue spiritually.  So the meaning of life and death owns different definitions.  Life itself continues after the physical form is abandoned.  What I also learned is that language limits expression.

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that God or a supreme being either does (or does not) exist?   Yes   In this state, there is a knowingness.  God is one word or supreme being is another way to express oneness.  I am god, you are god.  We are the same supreme being in separate manifestations.

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that you either did (or did not) exist prior to this lifetime?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that a mystical universal connection or unity/oneness either does (or does not) exist?   Yes   In this state, there is a knowingness.  We are one, we are all the same, we are the Universe ...

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life�s meaning or purpose?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life�s difficulties, challenges, or hardships?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding love?   Yes   We ARE love.  Again, language limits expression.

During your experience, did you encounter any other specific information / awareness that you have not shared in other questions that is relevant to living our earthly lives?   No  

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge or purpose?   Yes   The only "special knowledge" is that we are connected.  I did not receive or understand the purpose.

What occurred during your experience included:   Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience   My experience validated that there is something more going on than the earthly experience.  It gave me hope.

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 remember accurately because other life events were tedious and less pleasant.

Discuss any changes that might have occurred in your life after your experience:   The experience gave me hope to continue living.

My experience directly resulted in:   Moderate changes in my life

Did you have any changes in your values or beliefs after the experience that occurred as a result of the experience?   Yes   Although light in my shift, it gave me more courage to trust myself, to trust my intuition.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you?   Yes.  My willingness to allow.  I trusted enough to allow what is to come to come.  When I was the blade of grass, that experience has been etched into my being.  I believe this part of the experience was the rebirth of loving nature and her elements again.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience?   Yes   Although I have always been open to intuition, I have always struggled with trusting it and following it.  As I have matured, I have made great efforts to strengthen, trust and follow my intuition

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you?     Yes.  My willingness to allow.  I trusted enough to allow what is to come to come.  When I was the blade of grass, that experience has been etched into my being.  I believe this part of the experience was the rebirth of loving nature and her elements again.

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes  I recently shared this experience on my animal communication blog.  One brief encounter with a client in the gym locker room was that she shared it gave her something to contemplate.  I haven't received any other responses.  Could be that not many people read my blog...

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 at the current time:   Experience was definitely real  

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?   Yes   I've remained connected with two women from that time and that same day of experience.

Have your religious beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?   Uncertain   I want to believe that the experience gave me strength to continue to want to grow and change spiritually and stay on the planet.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?   Yes   Meditation and some dream experiences.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience?   Love, timelessness and oneness.  We are all the same, one.  Sometimes I lose that, when I allow judgment to step in.  Then I do my best to snap myself out of judgment and feel compassion and empathy and self love.  When all is well within me, all is well outside of me.

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?   Uncertain   I want to believe that I gave it my all.  I feel that even after all the questions, more information surfaces afterward because it's a process and never ending. Please offer any suggestions that you may have to improve this questionnaire.  Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience?  

What could a national organization with an interest in near death experience (NDE) do that would be of interest to you?        Create a moving documentary.  I feel that many people have similar experiences and don't or won't reveal them out of fear of judgment.  The more people who step up and share soften the fear factor of expression.

Please offer any suggestions that you may have to improve this questionnaire.  Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience?                    Maybe another time.  This has rattled my memory and emotions and I just need some time to settle.  Thank you so much for having a place to share and be understood.