Ricardo S's Experience
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Experience description:

I was resting in my bed, ready for a good night sleep. I was in my grandparents home because my parents were living, at the time, in the other side of the world. I was in Portugal and my parents were in Macao (a former Portuguese administrated region in China).

I was in Christmas holidays and after I went to bed I started to fell a little bit strange and the experience started. I don't know how to express what I felt. Suddenly I was in the bedroom ceiling looking down to the bed. I felt a calm, a relax sensation and a pleasure that I never felt before and even afterwards...

I was made of light and I was floating around, without control. This lasted for a few seconds, only, but it seemed to last for several minutes. As soon as I understood that it was me on the bed, that I was looking to myself, I got scared and I went back to my body automatically! It was like a funnel, because I came down, entering my body, in circular movements that got smaller and smaller...

After that moment I felt my way of looking at things and at death changed dramatically!

Any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?     Uncertain

I am epileptic. So, I took Hidantina, at the time. But I don't think it had anything to do with my experience. I took it before and afterwards and I even take anti-epileptic drugs now and the experience never occured again!

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Yes

The process of quitting my body and entering back again. The experience of floating and looking at me in my bed. The sensation of total relax, calm and pleasure I had when I was out of my body...

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 could swear I was WELL awaken! I told about this to some close people and they told me probably it was a dream or a nightmare. When I told I was awake, they answered me back that probably I was in between (that period when we are almost sleeping, but still alert, a little bit awake, too).

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   NO! Not a chance. It was very real.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes

I wasn't the same consciousness... I felt very different and I understood things better. Everything made sense. I even understood that I floated! I didn't ask me why I was hanging from the ceiling!... I just did get scared when I saw myself on the bed.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            Calm, relax, pleasure, knowledge.

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?           No.

 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?           Uncertain

I felt like being a light, because I was bright. I even saw myself in the bed in the dark!

Did you meet or see any other beings?           No

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?          Yes

I could see in the dark.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   No

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    Yes

At that time, I was 17 years old. I had a lot of existential crisis and difficult questions. When I was floating, everything made sense, even the fact of being floating around and seeing in the dark.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?             Uncertain

Just the ceiling of my room, but I didn't try to cross it. And I even didn't have time because I went back to my body as soon as I saw myself in the bed.

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?         No

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes

I am not afraid of the death (although I am afraid of a violent or painful death). I looked at people in a different way. I valorize them, but sometimes I get to cold. I know for sure that people will have a nice, calm, relaxing and pleasure full existence after death. So, sometimes, I don't care enough about people problems. Because somehow and somewhat, their problems are temporary. I even look at suicide and euthanasia with a new perspective: freedom.

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices?       My relationships are chosen. My daily life is orientated to a today-id-the-last-day style. My religious practices decreased a lot.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         No

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes

Only very close people. When I experienced that it is hard for others to understand, I stopped sharing the experience.

What emotions did you experience following your experience?  Anxiety and happiness (I felt lucky and grateful for having such experience). I understood that life is not limited to our body. We will survive after our death and we will have a much better existence.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      Everything was EXCELLENT. The worst part was finishing so soon.

 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