Experience description #1:   

It was late summer of my 4th year. I'd risen before dawn and had run out into the back yard to await the awakening of others in my family and to watch the sun rise. Why, I don't know, but as a goofy kid I threw myself face down in the grass and was lying spread-eagle with my nose to the dirt waiting for the sun to come up. There was no sound or movement around. It was largely dark outside and the grass was wet and still. Soon I felt a shaking under me, a sort of trembling of the earth and a sense of "take off" on gets on a jet plane. The birds came alive with song and movement at the joy of the sun's rising. The light seemed to fill inside of me the grass stared to move and insects began to crawl through my fingers. I was PART of it all in some sort of celebration of creation and existence. It was as if I were a conductor at the greatest performance of the "Hallelujah Chorus" ever. I only wiggled my fingers and toes some but I felt a slight floating and inner warmth and a "communion" with God, whom I knew nothing of then. I continued to lie in that manner for about another half hour after sun rise. Then I heard my Mother was up and ran into the house to excitedly share this great experience, but was told to pipe down. I figured adults knew about this too but didn't want to speak about it. Nature became my church after that and I developed a sort of communion with the creation others didn't seem to get. Later I was baptized in the Episcopalian Church and was a devout kid. I believed that when I got my 1st Communion at age 10 that Jesus would come into me just like I experienced in the yard that morning. When that didn't happen, I became disillusioned, but kept searching. Later I chose to major in Comparative Religions in order to find out everything about God I could find. I figured that was a way to explain it all. Spiritual matters have been a central focus of my life. I enjoy partaking in ritual but church never brought me such experiences. In fact, it seemed to diminish mine. So, I've done yoga, meditation and such. Deep prayer brings me closest. I've had a number of other similar, even more profound experiences, but this was my first one. The worst of this has been that I hadn't truly been able to share this with others. Very few I've known can relate to such and the closest friend who did was an NDEr. Thus, I'm quite different from most people and have always wondered why. Truly, feeling part of all creation as a child was the most wonderful, moving, life changing experience. Wish others could feel that too, BEFORE death.

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

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words?   Yes    I was a child at 1st experience. Excitedly told Mother who told me to pipe down. So I thought adults knew/experienced such things but didn't want to discuss them.

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?   High.

Was the experience dream like in any way?   Not this one. This was very sensate and rather an "orgasm" of the conscious.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?   Uncertain   A slight one as I felt this tremendous merging with God and creation. A touch of floating was there.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?    Overjoyed then confused as to why others didn't report such and just blew me off.

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?    The sounds of the birds beginning to sing and sort of a whoosh of wind. These were natural but EXPANDED. (Other occasions I felt a telepathy with God.)

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 at this 1st experience.

Did you see a light?    Yes    It was more than just sunlight coming upon me. I felt it radiating within me - a white silvery glow.

Did you meet or see any other beings?    No   

Did you experiment while out of the body or in another, altered state?   No    Not on this occasion.

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    All was extremely heightened. As mentioned, I felt as if I were conducting God's symphony along with him - live and bigger than Radio City Hall. (The Navaho have a tradition of praying for the sun's rising to keep the world alive. Wonder if they've experienced such too.)

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?    Yes    It seemed I was in a different world, or perhaps had just felt reality for the 1st time. Doors, windows flew open. I was in the middle of something that knew no time.

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    Yes    We are part of creation and co-creators. The luminosity and joy I felt is as the NDErs describe.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?    No   

Did you become aware of future events?    No    Not in this experience.

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body?    Uncertain    Not really. I was rather transfixed by it all and only "came back" to the world when I heard my Mother.

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?    Yes    A closeness with nature, animals. Sort of a correspondence. Later I've had some aspects of the psychic and paranormal - above average, but not as huge as some report.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes    God is real.

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices?    I seek closer bonding with others than they can mostly deal with. Superficial relationships bore me. I developed intense loyalty and caring for others. Prayer and being in nature (my true church) have been of near constant importance. I went into law presuming "justice" was the objective - not.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?   Yes    Per above.

Have you shared this experience with others?    Yes    I've tried a few times with a number of people. Only very few seem to get it. Mostly, I just learned to observe their wave lengths, interests and speech for clues as to who would be receptive. Odd the most avowed church Christians can't relate at all.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?   Per question #24.

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?    Such experiences are available to all of us, some how, some way, while we're alive. Wish we could live that every day. Wish the whole planet could tune in on that level. We're killing the creation along with each other and all living things.

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?    Yes          Mushrooms did in the '70s.

Experience description #2:   

It was about 9:00p.m. on the Christmas night of 12/25/2010. I'd had no Christmas celebrations due to traumatic events which meant I would likely loose my house, all that I'd owned and my beloved horses. (All of which did happen.) I'd worked physically hard that day in the snow getting hay and grain for the horses and de-icing their water tanks. I was very tired and my joints and muscles ached from the cold, hard labor. I lay before my fireplace for warmth. I had not been praying, or reading scripture then and was on no drugs or alcohol. There was nothing unusual going on and my panic over circumstances was days before. Was just tired, wanted to get warm and have a deep sleep and forget my troubles. 

Spontaneously, a warm glowing began to develop around me and come into my body. It was a soft, silver-white light of some iridescence but the internal warmth was amazing. I soon became warm all over my body and the pain began to disappear. There was also some sort of unseen fluttering around me as if hundreds of wings were moving nearby. The light seemed to expand out from my body increasing to about 2ft/+ away. I could see this with my eyes open or closed. Then a rather uncomfortable pressure formed in the center of my upper forehead and radiated out like a head ache. Mind head was pushed backward with my face locked upward. A telepathic "voice" came into my forehead. 

The first details communicated I don't recall. The overall message was no fear, no pain. I wasn't afraid then, but in awe with a numb curiosity. The "voice" was strong, firm, male, not threatening but powerful. I could not ID it. I felt a humble fear in the presence of some greatness. But I asked "thought" questions. First about a spiritual friend who had taught me healing prayer. It replied, " a gentle one" (my friend is gentle). I asked about a minister, answer "a favorite son". The Mother Theresa, "my dear one". Then of Jesus, and I got a powerful "MY SON". Thus, I felt I was communicating with the God head or some top angel. I could see no face or features. Then there was a message that the "Seventh Seal was broken". I wasn't sure about this but some of what I'd recalled about from scripture. A warning message was being given but there was to be no fear or pain for me/us/the world. This rather went on and on. 

I felt I was floating a bit out of my body in the 2ft. range of this expanded aura/energy light-field. The light did keep getting stronger in intensity. At one point I got up/was pulled up on my feet and began wandering around (not of my will). The pain in my legs was gone. I did not feel the floor below my feet or realize where I was going. At one point I was arrested before my living room window to the pasture fields. Again the "Seventh Seal is broken" was emphasized. But then it was being revealed, not in precise visions or words, that there would be chaos among peoples and earthquakes. (The typical story in Revelations but without too much clarity.) I was then sensing calamity across the land. The message, not as much in voice now, was a spiritual warning but equally combined with "no fear, no pain". I felt a loving concern in this communication but a direct declaration of love was not part of it. I was in mystical awe.  

Then it was as if I was released, like a puppet let go. I collapsed before my fireplace and looked at my watch. It was after 11:10 p.m. The occurrence had lasted over 2 hrs. I was very warm and had no more pain. I was confused, elated and fell into a deep sleep.  

I called my "gentle friend" the next morning to discuss the experience. We reviewed the 7th Seal prophecy of Revelations. Somehow the meaning was there. I was stupefied by the experience. Never had quite such before and was more confused about the message, it's meaning and what I was to do about it. I shared it with a hired hand, a Christian, but a Jehovah Witness. He was indifferent as he said it has already been foretold. I kept re-reading Revelations. After a couple of weeks the experience began to fade. Then Fukiashima happened and I got a bit afraid, but remembered no fear. The the Arab Spring began and I felt we certainly were into the end times of tribulation. Still the comforting thing was we were not to be afraid and there would be no pain. I still get some "flash-backs" of it all, but the details have blurred. That's as I've had before. Something is given, then for some reason the message/experience is erased to dimness. Regardless, I felt I should share this message and experience because it was not meant just for 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    I was receiving a telepathic sort of communication which is as hard to understand as it it to explain. Plus the messages didn't make full sense to me and my bodily state was the strangest I've ever experienced. It was as if it was a partial OBE because at times I was floating away from the body, but then the body was also rather walking at times, in a floating manner, without my bidding.

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?   Rather OBE like. I was floating at the bounds of the energy field and not in control of my body. I had been overtaken by a higher source.

Was the experience dream like in any way?   Not really. More sensate, telepathic.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?   Yes   I was floating at the edge of the energy around me. When I was pulled up I was not really aware of my body or directing it. I was as if floating above the floor. When looking outdoors thru the window, I felt a mergence with the world/existence. It was a telescoping away from the body.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?    An awe-like "fear" of such an unknown. Overwhelmed that I was being given such a revelation. A peace and comfort in the frightening message. Amazement that my pain was gone and I was warm.

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?    The telepathic "voice" and a sense of a whirring/fluttering around me.

Did you recognize any familiar locations or any locations from familiar religious teachings or encounter any locations inhabited by incredible or amazing creatures?    Uncertain    No exact locations. That the message was of Revelations I knew.

Did you see a light?    Yes    A warm glowing, silver-white soft light/energy which had the iridescence of say whitish/silver nail polish. I've seen some polymer tissue paper like this. But this was very warm internally and grew in intensity (not brightness per se) around my body up to at least 2ft. I saw it with eyes closed. It took away my pain and made me warm.

Did you meet or see any other beings?    Uncertain    I heard this presence telepathically. I didn't not recognize it from prior experiences. Later, I felt it must be God. Communications per above.

Did you experiment while out of the body or in another, altered state?   Uncertain    I did not try to visit anyone nor could I see the being(s) with me. I did have a sense of coming catastrophes but they were as a blur, at a distance, of brief flashing scenes/impressions.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?   Yes    Yes, earthquake, riots, war.

Did you notice how your 5 senses were working, and if so, how were they different?    Yes    They weren't really working. I was listening from within and although I could see with my eyes, it was unfocused. My body was not under my own control. Pain and cold were gone. There was some internal cognition about this mystery and questioning but the "state" had mostly overwhelmed me.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?    Yes    Time vanished. Space telescoped. I was floating in a different realm.

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    Yes    Yes, per above. But it was not all clear to me what it all meant or what I was to do with it.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?    Yes    I floated to the edge of the expanded energy field, about 2ft.

Did you become aware of future events?    Yes    World disasters came. The Japanese earthquake (although radiation was not part of the message) and the Arab Spring seemed to be part of the message too as I saw the street riots there.

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body?    No    I was dumped like a rag doll.        

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes    Yes, more concern about world events and taking Revelations more seriously.

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices?    I truly can't discuss this with others. They fob it off or think I'm nuts. I began praying much more up to 2+hrs./day in deep, deep prayer. I've been blessed more by having the sense of warmth and light around and within be because of this. If I stay intent, I can call upon it and it comes to me within 15 minutes. No other effects.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?   Yes    Prayer life per #22 above.

Have you shared this experience with others?    Yes    Only one friend sort of accepted it, but she's never had any such experiences herself. Others blew me off or thought I was nuts, so I kept quiet, once again. Thus, I share here.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?   The warmth, the peace, the lack of pain, the mystery of floating, that I would be chosen for this gift, the knowledge I was not to be afraid (hard) and that there would be no pain. Re that latter, I felt that was in an afterlife sense. The worst parts are as per #24 above.

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?    Would like to know if others have had something like this, what it really "was" in correct terms, and what it all really means. Thanks.

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?    Uncertain           Aspects in prayer life and a bit in some lucid dreaming.

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