Barry B's Experience
Home Page Share Experience New Experiences

Experience description:

I was young, probably between the ages of 5 & 8. I had a dream that I found to be unusual. I wasn't sick, I was just sleeping in my bedroom at home and I had a dream. In the dream I was apparently in a hospital room (other than when I was born, I was not admitted to a hospital until I was about 13 years old for a stomach virus). The first thing I became aware of was people running into the room: medical personnel. As they ran into the room from my right, I asked: "Is he going to be all right?" as they ran THROUGH me. That I found unusual. No one answered my question and it appeared to me that nobody knew I was there. (They might have been ignoring me for all I know). My next recollection is that I began to float above the room and found myself looking down at the scene. I recall seeing several people standing next to a bed with a man in it...but I had no idea who it was. One of the people was a nun...I don't know why I remember the nun, but she was probably the most identifiable individual at the bedside because of her attire. After that I have no recollection of any other part of the dream. To this day I recall thinking:  "I've seen my death bed."  

It wasn't until I read the book "Life After Life" and speaking to two friends who had experienced NDE's that I started thinking about the experience. I saw some very significant parallels between my dream and the initial stages of an NDE...the out-of-body experience, my unacknowledged presence, my floating above the room and observing the activity.  

This dream has puzzled me for years but what is really significant about it is the fact that:  

1 - I had this dream over 50 years ago and I still recall it...not so much in minute, specific detail, but that I do recall it to some degree.

2 - the parallels between this dream and the initial stages of an NDE are very compelling...parallels that I was never aware of when I was at the age of 5 -8 and had no knowledge of until I was in my adulthood. 

I don't know if this helps your research or opinions, but I felt I had to document this experience, which I haven't done until now and which puzzles me to this day, even if only to expose it and obtain some feedback on it. 

Thank you for your time and attention.

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? No      

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          No      

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    See #3

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?    Less consciousness and alertness than normal

If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:            See #3

Did your vision differ in any way from your normal, everyday vision (in any aspect, such as clarity, field of vision, colors, brightness, depth perception degree of solidness/transparency of objects, etc.)?  Yes     See #3

Did your hearing differ in any way from your normal, everyday hearing (in any aspect, such as clarity, ability to recognize source of sound, pitch, loudness, etc.)?
            Yes     See #3

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            See #3

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    No            See #3

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely not real        I perceived it as a dream.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?            See #3

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely not real            I perceived it as a dream.

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

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

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         No      

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?        No

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