Table 3.

Verbatim written comments about the nature of the spiritual experience for all 24 volunteers who rated the experience at the 14-month follow-up as being among the top five (including the single most) spiritual experiences of their lives. These comments were excerpted from the Retrospective Questionnaire that asked open-ended questions about what was most memorable and what was most spiritually significant about the experience.

Volunteer	Verbatim Comments
02	The understanding that in the eyes of God - all people…were all equally important and equally loved by God. I have had other transcendent experiences, however, this one was important because it reminded and comforted me that God is truly and unconditionally loving and present.
03	Freedom from every conceivable thing including time, space, relationships, self, etc… It was as if the embodied “me” experienced ultimate transcendence – even of myself.
04	A non-self self held/suspended in an almost tactile field of light.
05	That in every horrible experience or frightening experience, if you stay with it, enter into it, you will find God. That the horror is in reality only an illusion and God lies beneath it all. It has become a guiding principal in my life.
07	The utter joy and freedom of letting go – without anxiety – without direction – beyond ego self
08	Collapse of ordinary space and time sense. Realization of unity of existence and relativity of ordinary consciousness… I have had glimpses of this before -- but this was profound and sustained.
09	The 'knowing' was so powerful and yet personal. Experiencing the Beloved and falling in love.
13	The sense that all is One, that I experienced the essence of the Universe and the knowing that God asks nothing of us except to receive love.
17	I became like a point of awareness able to travel inside myself, others, and the outside world. No reference to time or space… The feeling of joy and sadness at the same time – paradoxical.
21	The experience of death, which initially was very uncomfortable, followed by absolute peace and being in the presence of God. It was so awesome to be with God that words can’t describe the experience.
23	To cease to “BE,” as I understand it, was not frightening. It was safe and much greater than I have words for or understanding of. Whatever is larger than the state of being is what was holding me.
27	“Surrender” is intensely powerful. To “let go” and become enveloped in the beauty of – in this case – music – was enormously spiritual.
28	The feeling of no boundaries – where I didn’t know where I ended and my surroundings began. Somehow I was able to comprehend what oneness is.
29	The profound grief I experienced as if all of the pain and sadness of the world were passing through me cell by cell tearing apart my being.
32	The breath of God/wind/and my breath are all the same… I really enjoy the deep knowings or truths and laughing about them with “God.”
36	It opened my third eye – I could see many spiritual beliefs that I hold/held and linked them – a more cohesive and comprehensive spiritual landscape became apparent to me.
37	The experience expanded my conscious awareness permanently. It allows me to let go of negative ideas faster. I accept “what is” easier.
39	[I experienced] a reality that was clear, beautiful, bright and joyful… In short, this experience opened me up (gave me a tangible vision) of what I think is attainable every day.
40	I felt as if tons of information about “what is” was being downloaded quickly into my knowing/understanding.
43	The part that continues to stick out for me was “knowing” and “seeing” and “experiencing” with every sense and fiber of my being that all things are connected.
45	When I confronted my shadow and yelled “What do you want?” and it disappeared in a puff of smoke.
46	The complete and utter loss of self… The sense of unity was awesome… I now truly do believe in God as an ultimate reality.
47	My conversation with God (golden streams of light) assuring me that everything on this plane is perfect; but I do not have the physical body/mind to fully understand.
50	I remember feeling a profound sense of loss of [my family]… I remember after I resolved my fears, the shift then went to joy.