Paul R Prayer
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Experience description:

My father died in 2004. As I lay in bed praying this night, I began asking God to ask my father to forgive me for not being the son I believed he deserved.  Instantly all I saw was a bright white light.  Nothing overpowering, just a bright pure whiteness.  I then began to see shadows in the distance of what appeared to be people, but I couldn't make out who they were.  As I watched, I had this sense of complete peace.  Peace that I had never felt before.  It wasn't joy or happiness, it was just no worry, fear, or anxiety.  Remembering back, I had no thought or sense of knowledge of anything earthly.  Not my wife, dog, work, nothing.  All those were not here.

I then remember thanking God for allowing me to experience a 'taste' of what it is going to feel like coming home to him.  I kept thanking him over and over again. I don't know if it was seconds or minutes in this state, but I slowly began thinking about earthly things again and as I did, the light, the beings, and the sense of peace faded.

As I woke I remember thinking what wonderful journey I was just gifted and that I will tell anyone who will listen to me about the experience.  Now, the more I think about it, I believe it was God, and perhaps my father as well, telling me not to worry because those earthly troubles are of no concern where I am going and they don't care about such things.

I have been on a C-Pap machine at night for almost 2 years because sleep studies have shown that I stop breathing on average every 2 minutes.  When I was in infant, my mother once found me in the crib completely blue from not breathing so I have a history of it.  My sister thinks perhaps I stopped breathing and may have actually died briefly.  I'm not so sure of that because the C-Pap machine works very well.  In the end, I am just very thankful for the experience and it has reinforced my core beliefs and faith.

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

Was the experience difficult to express in words?  No    

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?      The whole time

 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   Yes I was completely alert

 Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   Same

 Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   Same

 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?   Complete peace  

Did you pass into or through a tunnel?   Uncertain   I just saw a bright light but not sure about passing through anything.

 Did you see an unearthly light?   Yes   A pure white light.  Pureness that I've never seen before.

 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
I saw figures in the distance

 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?   Uncertain   I don't know who they were

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

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?   Some unfamiliar and strange place
 I just knew I wasn't on earth anymore

 Did time seem to speed up or slow down?   No
Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?   No

 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   I believe I confirmed there is life after death and we are at peace with all things earthly.

 During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that God or a supreme being either does (or does not) exist?   Yes   I believe and felt God was listening to me thank him for allowing me to experience a glimmer of life beyond earth.

 During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that you either did (or did not) exist prior to this lifetime?   Yes   I am thinking yes only because I kept thanking God for allowing me the experience.

 During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that a mystical universal connection or unity/oneness either does (or does not) exist?   No  

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   Yes by giving me peace, I knew God loved me.

 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?   No  

What occurred during your experience included:   Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience   I believed that I would experience a sense of peace and I did.

 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 remember it as though I am looking at it on my computer right now.

 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?   No  

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?     I was given the gift of how it feels to be at complete peace.

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes  I shared it the next morning and was fully accepted.

 Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?   Yes   I have heard and read about NDE

 What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:   Experience was definitely real   It confirmed my belief.

 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?   No  

Have your religious beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?   No  

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?   No