Experience description:

I was in open-heart surgery.  When I was waking up from anesthetic, I remembered being in a hard to describe location which seemed infinitely large and bright.  Many pinpoint lights, each of a different color, were swirling around, apparently living lives happily.  I felt that this space was pervaded by infinitely deep, profound love.  I was amazed that so many beings were living in harmony, even blissful community, while carrying on what they thought of as normal life even though there were no physical structures.  I was accompanied by a larger being - I seemed to be a young child kind of being.  The larger being was silent but spoke telepathically to me, as did the light-beings with each other.  I attempted to join the light-beings, but was gently restrained by my companion, who communicated that it was 'not my time' (or something like that).  There was much more to the experience that I cannot now, nor from the time I woke up, remember. 

Then my companion indicated that it was time to 'go back.'  Uncharacteristically, I turned to him/her and said 'Oh, OK.'  And we went somehow somewhere.  Then I was in a dark corridor going toward a small light at the end.  My companion didn't enter the corridor.  I came out the other end into a bright cloudy place and two people greeted me.  I thought, 'Oh, the two people I love most!' and they embraced me, greatly relieved that I had returned.  Those two people are alive on earth and I know them.

As I was going down the corridor I realized that the experience was evaporating, so I decided I needed a 'sound bite' so I could remember it later.  What I came up with was 'There are definitely, absolutely, other planes to existence!'

At the time of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?   Yes  mitral valve in heart failed suddenly(rheumatic fever damage in childhood), was in heart failure, sent by ambulance to hospital and then into open heart surgery.

Was the experience difficult to express in words?  Yes     The surroundings were more ethereal than physical reality.  There were also many strands or levels of consciousness all around me.  I could sense them but not participate.  There was such a sense of well-being, love, and comfort that I was overwhelmed.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?      I believe I was equally alert and conscious throughout this experience.  My ability to remember, however, seemed to be somewhat diminished.  Was like a constant NOW.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness?      Normal consciousness and alertness   It was different only in that I did not worry about being in an unfamiliar space nor about anything.  I felt totally safe (which is not generally so in my normal life).  My senses all seemed to be one coherent function.  I felt I was being shown something special and felt privileged.  Yet the space seemed familiar somehow.

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   Physical vision was only one way of perceiving in that space.  Seeing, hearing, and feeling/touch were the same sense, I think.  My physical vision was similar to my normal everyday vision.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   I did not experience physical sound during it.  Sound, sight, touch all were the same, I think, and I just experienced it as consciousness.

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?   Lovely bliss, relaxation, wonder, happiness.  

Did you pass into or through a tunnel?   Yes   On the way 'back,' I went down a dark tunnel toward what I knew was going to be a different kind of existence.

Did you see an unearthly light?   Yes   The space where the light-beings lived was very bright, almost as if the light had substance.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice?   I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin
My companion was a definite being, was a benign presence, perhaps a teacher or something.  This presence seemed to feel privileged to accompany me, even while I felt privileged to be there.  My sense was that this being was slightly amused by me.

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?   Yes   At the end of my experience, two of my friends met me as I came out of the tunnel.  One of them was a former student of mine whom I had taken in for a while when his parents couldn't deal with him.  The other was my psychologist of long standing with whom I have felt a strong spiritual link.

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

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?   A clearly mystical or unearthly realm
Please see the description in the answer describing the event.  It was clearly a 'real' space though without physicality.  It was pervaded by what I thought at the time was 'infinitely deep love.'  This meant that the love was infinite - I knew I could not reach its end.  It was pure energy, as were the light-beings.  I believe I was also.

Did time seem to speed up or slow down?   Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning
Much happened that I do not remember.  I just remember thinking that I could not remember everything that had just happened.  Time seemed to dilate for me, while, for the light-beings, time was normal.

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?   No


Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?   Yes
I was not allowed to enter the space where the light-beings were swirling about.  I was on a periphery watching and my companion would not allow me to fly into the space.

Did you come to a border or point of no return?   I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will
When told it was time to return, I did not object (which I find unusual), but accepted it and willingly turned to go.

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   I was shown another form of existence and realized it at the time.

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that God or a supreme being either does (or does not) exist?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that you either did (or did not) exist prior to this lifetime?   Uncertain   The space I was in felt familiar, so I wondered if I had been there before (though not as clearly as this sentence implies).

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that a mystical universal connection or unity/oneness either does (or does not) exist?   Uncertain   Part of the communication from my companion seemed to be that we were all connected to this 'plane' or way of being, and that there are many ways of being, and that they are all good, and all within the scope of the fact of having an existence.  If that makes sense.

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s meaning or purpose?   Uncertain   Part of what I was being shown seemed to be that, while I am currently an earthly being, I can also be or become a different kind of being, and that earth is just one of many spaces to be in.

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   Love is infinite and is perhaps the fabric of the universe, if we would allow ourselves to experience that.  That energy seemed to be what the light-beings were held by.  If that makes sense.

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?   Yes   My companion seemed to say that I don't have to worry about anything, that I have learned a lot, and that earth-bound achievement is kind of a child's play.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge or purpose?   Uncertain   I did feel that this was a special kind of experience, and that, if I could fully realize what it was, I would know much more about life.

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   I have always hoped that there is more to my existence than eating and making babies.  But I was not sure.  I have had a few psychic/mystical experiences in my life, where a voice warned me or explained something to me.  However, these experiences were so random and never when I asked to have insight, that I despaired that they indicated something 'real.'

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 th   I was on narcotic drugs immediately after the experience, for about two weeks, so that time is hazy to me.  Immediately before this, I was on a respirator trying to breathe, so that is equally hazy to me.  I had been, for a few weeks, slowly becoming more unable to do things, and, while a bit perplexed, was just ignoring that that was happening to me.

Discuss any changes that might have occurred in your life after your experience:   First of all, I am greatly privileged to be comfortably retired and thus without the stricture of earning my way any more (which was somewhat a struggle).  My main, perhaps only, focus now is on understanding or developing a spiritual life.  This does not include organized religion, which, in my opinion now, is a political/power enterprise.  I have always wanted to know what a human is and why humans, or anything, exists.  Now I have a seemingly coherent sense that the universe is a function of consciousness, that 'God' is the energy (love) that underlies everything, and that we have the capability to develop more sensing ability than we normally use or think about, and that we have the ability to influence our lives in much greater ways than we normally use.  Now, politics, human conflict, the problems we face every day, are all real, but are equally unimportant in a larger sense.  What's important is learning how to manifest love, how to sense spiritual entities (or forces) that help us, and how to use consciousness productively (that is, in service of health and growth) rather than as a contest.

My experience directly resulted in:   Large 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   I gave up being worried about how I seem or look to other people.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience?   No  

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you?     Yes.  The mystery is greater than I knew.  And we can explore it.  But not as we've been taught.  The exploration is internally, intentionally, as long as it's done with honesty.

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes  I don't remember exactly how long it was.  I'd say it was more than a month.  Their reactions were amazingly supportive.  A couple of them seemed to be influenced to relax and to be happier.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?   Yes   I had studied reincarnation, had read about NDE's and Moody's Life After Life books, etc.  At the time I was a bit jealous and convinced I'd never actually experience something like this.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:   Experience was definitely real   The experience was profound.  It had the 'ring of truth' about it.  I cannot say otherwise, but had and have no doubt about it.  I have read about the so-called anesthetic effect that doctors attribute to this sort of thing.  Before I worried that they were right.  Now I don't.  I do not really know why, but am happy with that.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience at the current time:   Experience was definitely real   In some way, the experience confirmed things I've always sensed but could not prove.  Now, at least to me, it's proven.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?   No   Yes

Have your religious beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?   I have stopped attending organized religious services and small groups.  I feel it's more that I need to learn to be rather than to act spiritual.   No

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?      I wish I could understand more about it.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience?   Yes

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?   I've tried to be exhaustive without embellishing it.  Since a large part of it is inchoate, it seems impossible to put into words altogether.   Find ways to measure it?  Seek ways for the mind/consciousness to influence physical reality directly.  I don't know.