A Warning From Spirit

[mktexan]

I am a long time member of this forum, all the way back to middle or high school I think. I am 32 now. This story is one I have shared only with my close friends and some family. It's deeply personal to me but after reading other stories here, I thought y'all might be interested and maybe someone would have some insight as it's of a spiritual nature. 

I was a soldier in the US Army (National Guard) from 2004-2012. I deployed to Iraq in 2008 with the Colorado National Guard. It was a normal, easy, behind the wires tour on the FOB (Forward Operating Base) and the year was uneventful. 

After returning home from Iraq, I desired to deploy again within the year as I wanted a combat tour under my belt. I volunteered to go to Afghanistan in 2010 with the Vermont Guard and began my preparations in November of 2009. It was during this preparation time while I was still at home that I had what I describe as the most confusing and frightening dream of my life.

What I recall is being in a dark sandy field of sorts. I don't know why I was there, but two black, hooded spirits were with me. One was above me, hovering. The other was below me, partly in the ground at my feet. The spirit below immediately began pulling me down, as if it wanted to pull me through the earth. I knew for some reason it was trying to take me to hell. I remember fighting to stay above ground while the other spirit was trying to pull me the other way. After what seemed like quite some time of struggle, I finally got up in the air with the other spirit. It was then that a very specific message was relayed to me by this oddly hooded and dark yet positive feeling entity. The message was this. "You will die on April 29th, 2010 by an IED in Afghanistan." That is my last memory of the dream. 

After waking up, I had an odd sense about the experience but I brushed it off and actually managed to forget about it consciously for the most part as I had a lot of training in the following months in preparation. 

We arrived in Afghanistan in early February and soon the 29th of April passed uneventfully. Two days later, on our way home from an ANP (Afghan National Police) outpost, my truck hit an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) made up of 400+lbs of homemade explosives. I was immediately rendered unconscious as the vehicle flipped 2 times before landing on its side and sliding into a ditch. During the time that I was "unconscious", I remember being in a black void with a terribly faint light in the far distance, almost like a pinprick radiating outward. There was no transition, I was just there all the sudden and had no memories of where I was before or getting there. I felt like I was suspended or floating, no time, no space, just a sense of calm and simply being before suddenly snapping back into my body and waking up. 

What leaves me confused in the end is the proximity of dates given to me by the spirit (2 days difference) and how the event was what I was told it would be.  Though the dates weren't exact, I felt I was surely given a message. I had no apprehension about the tour before going, no stress, only excitement (naive young soldier!), so the dream seemed out of place to me.

It left me wondering for years if I died temporarily in that moment and somehow managed to get back in my body or If I actually died in that life and chose to continue my own timeline (same life) in another sort of "reality" if you will. This event was what really got me questioning everything in the universe and existence in general. As is when one digs, I am left with more questions than answers. Maybe it was all just a coincidence and the message was a fabrication of my subconscious mind, or maybe it was really from spirit. This was truly my spiritual awakening and it allowed me to start to discover a lot about myself, including potential past lives. 

If you read this, thanks for taking the time. I hope I didn't bore you to death! I appreciate all the insight and opinions. Please don't make this political

Edited December 8, 2019 by mktexan

[jypsijemini]

I believe premonitions are like the contrast to deja vu. We don't know why it happens, sometimes it serves to warn us - to assist in our decision making - and other times, they're just indications. But I believe premonitions to be incredibly real because of personal experience.

I had a vision of a red sedan being T-boned at a X intersection. At the time, I didn't realise that I was familiar with the location of the intersection. The next day, I was travelling home after shopping at a mall I rarely visited and as I attempted to leave, I was stuck in traffic. There'd been a car accident. I drove past a red sedan in the middle of a X intersection which had very clearly been T-boned.

And more recently, I was getting ready and excited for a full day of 'drift triking', an extreme sport where you send yourself down hills on a fully reinforced trike - customised so the rear has gokart wheels blown inside a PVC sleeve (or better quality pipe if you can afford it). The crew I rode with found roads with numerous blind, hairpin turns and so steep that in some places, you end up at a top speed of almost 100kmph. The night before, I felt like something was wrong with my right ankle and I knew it was a premonition sort of feeling, not any sort of injury. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it but I had this indescribable feeling that something was about to be wrong with it. I couldn't stop thinking, "If you ride tomorrow, you're going to break your ankle." I went the next day, and rode the hill once. The feeling got worse so I opted out and drove the chase car for the rest of the day - up until it happened. Somehow my ex got both of his feet wedged under his rear gokart tyres and absolutely mushed the tiny bones in his foot. I think it ended up being his left foot - but you know what they say about couples - the 'other half'. To this day, I believe that my premonition was true but that I had misinterpreted it. Either that, or just like "Final Destination", my decision to keep myself safe then caused the injury to happen to someone else.

I wouldn't doubt or discredit your intuition and premonitions. Both are incredibly powerful and extreme personal experiences. Only you can make sense of them but I understand that it's comforting to know that other people are experiencing the same and believe in the truthfulness and accuracy of their own experiences.

I think it's beautiful that your experience brought you to explore spirituality and topics which may not have particularly interested you before your NDE. (Side note: Honestly, I don't know why they call it a 'near' death experience. It's basically a death experience, you just come back from it. There's really nothing 'near' about it because it happens! Some people clinically die and are revived. It's a literal death experience!) To me, all premonitions have a purpose - even if it's not entirely apparent to the receiver. For me, the car incident was completely unrelated to me and wasn't a warning and had no particular meaning to me as an individual - other than the way that it convinced me that 'spiritual' experiences are very real. It was not the power of my conscious mind that did it, or even my unconscious mind. Something else allowed me to see that somehow. And the same for the broken foot - I wasn't necessarily meant to warn my ex that he was going to break his foot. If I was, I would have seen it happen to him. I thought it was going to happen to me because that's what my intuition was telling me. It was just a way for 'spirit' to remind me that these sorts of abilities are very real and can be trusted. A sign, of sorts.

Signs have become incredibly important to me since I started to explore Spirituality (separate from religion and the acceptance of or belief in an all-powerful supernatural deity). I'd abandoned Christianity because I had no personal proof and had no idea why I'd kept believing after 20 years of blind faith. Stepping into spirituality, I began to be overwhelmed by butterflies, meaningful songs coming on at just the right time, synchronicities, repetitive number sequences, coincidences that seemed more like serendipity and then - premonitions. It was like the spiritual realm was saying, "YES! Welcome HOME!" The whole time I was a Christian, I'd wondered why things like this didn't happen. Why there wasn't overwhelming personal proof. Why flipping open the Bible and picking a random verse never worked. Why I didn't have dreams or visions. Why God just didn't seem to reach out. But as soon as I changed my perception and focus to just base my belief on Love, it all rushed towards me like a train. Every personal experience I needed that would convince me, happened. I went for Reiki for the first time and saw the most brilliant flashes of light, felt the most overwhelming peace and serenity. I began a course and for the second Reiki experience, I felt just as much bliss and peacefulness, if not more than the first. It was like I was walking on air for hours afterwards.

I think that the Truth has a way of contacting us and breaking through to us and proving itself to us. It does it in its own time, I don't know what or who it is that all this could be attributed to but it's simple - personal experience is as real as it gets and it's generally pretty life-changing. I was so open to hearing from God, I desperately wanted it to happen and I asked for it to happen constantly. If these phenomena are just the product of consistent thought patterns and wilful manifestation, then the evangelist at the church I visited would have easily 'slayed me in the spirit' like she did to the other 15 people standing beside me. I was the only one who wasn't overcome by God's power and love, the only one who didn't faint. She'd picked me out of the crowd while the others were volunteers. I really thought this would be the moment that God would use to show me that he was real! But nothing happened. She even put her hand to my forehead and tried twice to push me over. I'm not even joking.

Premonitions, synchronicities, coincidences, repetitive signs etc. can not be proven as a product of wishful thinking that manifests itself into a reality. Usually they present themselves when we need some sort of wake up call, change to our beliefs or are being guided to step in a new direction and consider the impossible. I really think that it's less about what happens in the premonition and more about how it effects you to have such a powerful experience - and what you do with that.

[XenoFish]

41 minutes ago, jypsijemini said:

Premonitions, synchronicities, coincidences, repetitive signs etc. can not be proven as a product of wishful thinking that manifests itself into a reality.

Our brains like patterns. We has something called the reticular activating system that is basically what allows us to see what we wish to see (confirmation bias). It's the same thing that allows people to see 11:11 or notice all the blue cars that look like their new car. Premonitions can also be a form of self-fulfilling prophecy (mostly likely are). Synchronicity is just another word for conformation bias. 

Edited December 8, 2019 by XenoFish

[jypsijemini]

5 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Our brains like patterns. We has something called the reticular activating system that is basically what allows us to see what we wish to see (confirmation bias). It's the same thing that allows people to see 11:11 or notice all the blue cars that look like their new car. Premonitions can also be a form of self-fulfilling prophecy (mostly likely are). Synchronicity is just another word for conformation bias. 

Sure, if that's all it means to you in your world, good on ya.

I'm gonna stick to my perception because it's the only thing that's real for me.

Cheers for sharing your opinion tho.

 

[Kittens Are Jerks]

1 hour ago, mktexan said:

It left me wondering for years if I died temporarily in that moment and somehow managed to get back in my body or If I actually died in that life and chose to continue my own timeline (same life) in another sort of "reality" if you will. This event was what really got me questioning everything in the universe and existence in general. As is when one digs, I am left with more questions than answers. Maybe it was all just a coincidence and the message was a fabrication of my subconscious mind, or maybe it was really from spirit. This was truly my spiritual awakening and it allowed me to start to discover a lot about myself, including potential past lives. 

First and foremost, thank you for your service.

I'm sorry you suffered such a horrific accident, and can understand why it was such a life changing experience.

It is not unusual to to experience what appear to be near-death experience-like sensations (such as dark voids and tunnel vision) during a traumatic injury. Such sensations typically occur when people are close to death, during situations of extreme physical pain, and even during a loss of consciousness. They are also quite common.

The following article explains the science behind this phenomenon. You might find it interesting.

https://theconversation.com/are-near-death-experiences-hallucinations-experts-explain-the-science-behind-this-puzzling-phenomenon-106286

I understand and appreciate the profound impact of such a traumatic event. I do not, however, believe there was anything spiritual about it. If anyone was giving you a message, it was most likely your own subconscious (at some level you may have had some anxiety about going to Afghanistan, whether you consciously felt it or not). Your dream and the timing/nature of the accident was simply coincidental. I don't wish to diminish your experience as it appears to have provided you with both comfort and insight, but I don't think it was anything that can't be explained by science.

[Kittens Are Jerks]

1 hour ago, jypsijemini said:

Honestly, I don't know why they call it a 'near' death experience. It's basically a death experience, you just come back from it. There's really nothing 'near' about it because it happens! Some people clinically die and are revived. It's a literal death experience!)

Thank you for sharing some of your experiences and beliefs.

I selected the specific comment above because it's important to note that it is called a near death experience because the person is not permanently dead. Death is a series of physical events, and clinical death is but one such event. So in the case of a clinical death, the person is dying, not dead. No one comes back from actual, permanent death.

[+joc]

57 minutes ago, jypsijemini said:

Sure, if that's all it means to you in your world, good on ya.

I'm gonna stick to my perception because it's the only thing that's real for me.

Cheers for sharing your opinion tho.

 

Perceptions are not real.  There is    r e a l   and there is  p e r c e p t i o n.   If we confuse those two terms we find ourselves wandering all over the place in constant search for a cognitive thought that actually makes sense.  

[mktexan]

35 minutes ago, Kittens Are Jerks said:

First and foremost, thank you for your service.

I'm sorry you suffered such a horrific accident, and can understand why it was such a life changing experience.

It is not unusual to to experience what appear to be near-death experience-like sensations (such as dark voids and tunnel vision) during a traumatic injury. Such sensations typically occur when people are close to death, during situations of extreme physical pain, and even during a loss of consciousness. They are also quite common.

The following article explains the science behind this phenomenon. You might find it interesting.

https://theconversation.com/are-near-death-experiences-hallucinations-experts-explain-the-science-behind-this-puzzling-phenomenon-106286

I understand and appreciate the profound impact of such a traumatic event. I do not, however, believe there was anything spiritual about it. If anyone was giving you a message, it was most likely your own subconscious (at some level you may have had some anxiety about going to Afghanistan, whether you consciously felt it or not). Your dream and the timing/nature of the accident was simply coincidental. I don't wish to diminish your experience as it appears to have provided you with both comfort and insight, but I don't think it was anything that can't be explained by science.

No, not at all. This is exactly what I wanted to see. I have answers from both sides which is outstanding! Thank you for sharing.

Edited December 8, 2019 by mktexan

[jypsijemini]

44 minutes ago, joc said:

Perceptions are not real.  There is    r e a l   and there is  p e r c e p t i o n.   If we confuse those two terms we find ourselves wandering all over the place in constant search for a cognitive thought that actually makes sense.  

Reality is just a perception that is different for each person.

Some people agree on the accepted perception and some don't.

I thought this site was called Unexplained Mysteries not "Arguments about Truth and Reality".

[+joc]

2 minutes ago, jypsijemini said:

Reality is just a perception that is different for each person.

Some people agree on the accepted perception and some don't.

I thought this site was called Unexplained Mysteries not "Arguments about Truth and Reality".

Reality = a brick wall with you approaching very fast in a car.

Perception = you thinking the brick wall doesn't really exist.

Now, I'm thinking the wall is there.  It is real.  It is going to be bad news when you hit the wall.  

You are thinking...the bricks are not real...I can drive right through them.  

How do you think that is going to end?

Unexplained Mysteries for the most part ARE arguments about Truth and Reality and Factual Evidence vs Perceptions and Belief 

[XenoFish]

20 minutes ago, jypsijemini said:

Reality is just a perception that is different for each person.

Some people agree on the accepted perception and some don't.

I thought this site was called Unexplained Mysteries not "Arguments about Truth and Reality".

Our subjective view of things may differ from one person to the next. As Joc pointed out a brick wall is still a brick wall. 

[lightly]

1 hour ago, joc said:

Perceptions are not real.  There is    r e a l   and there is  p e r c e p t i o n.   If we confuse those two terms we find ourselves wandering all over the place in constant search for a cognitive thought that actually makes sense.  

So,  if I perceive that my hand is burning...I needn't be concerned or move it, because "perceptions are not real"?

actually, I guess I might understand what you mean....in my example, the burn is real....the perception of it is 'something else' ??  . . .sort of like, we perceive the "sky" to be blue....but the air it is composed of is not really blue?

[+joc]

1 minute ago, lightly said:

So,  if I perceive that my hand is burning...I needn't be concerned or move it, because "perceptions are not real"?

actually, I guess I might understand what you mean....in my example, the burn is real....the perception of it is 'something else' ??  . . .sort of like, we perceive the "sky" to be blue....but the air it is composed of is not really blue?

If you perceive that your hand is burning...it might be frost bite.  It might be on fire.  It might be that your hand went 'to sleep'....are you really arguing about this? lol

[lightly]

54 minutes ago, joc said:

 

Unexplained Mysteries for the most part ARE arguments about Truth and Reality and Factual Evidence vs Perceptions and Belief 

           LOL  yep.    But I think the intention may have been something more like .  .  .

Unexplained Mysteries for the most part ARE discussions  about Truth and Reality and Factual Evidence vs Perceptions and Belief 

just teasing ya bud.

[lightly]

4 minutes ago, joc said:

If you perceive that your hand is burning...it might be frost bite.  It might be on fire.  It might be that your hand went 'to sleep'....are you really arguing about this? lol

no...I'm discussing the idea that perceptions are "real".   As opposed to your statement that they aren't.   .and yes, ^ perceptions can be misinterpreted . . .anything can?    

[XenoFish]

3 minutes ago, lightly said:

no...I'm discussing the idea that perceptions are "real".   As opposed to your statement that they aren't.   .and yes, ^ perceptions can be misinterpreted . . .anything can?    

Our perception is based on the mental model of things our senses take in. It's a representation. However no amount of belief will allow someone to phase through a solid wall. This model can also be "screwy" at times.

[lightly]

6 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Our perception is based on the mental model of things our senses take in. It's a representation. However no amount of belief will allow someone to phase through a solid wall. This model can also be "screwy" at times.

I understand that....I painted my perception of a mountain lake....it's a representation, I don't believe I can dip my hand in the water.

however, the painting is real.

[+Not A Rockstar]

Hi @mktexan and welcome to UM.

I have had two separate experiences that approximate yours, so I will tell you what they were and what I think about them. Maybe that will give you another perspective.

Back in the early 80's I was being PCS'd (permanent change of station) to Europe. At the time the was a great deal of terrorist activity against US troops. A lot of bombings and such. We were advised to go nowhere in public without direct need and basically stay off the roads and out of the public.

Shortly before I left to go to the new base I had a dream, one of the most vivid of my life up till then. I was in the dark and cold and hiding around what seemed a storage depot of some sort, dodging behind crates and tanks for shelter as I was being shot at. It was extremely vivid. I felt the sting of the cold, the heat of the confusion and fear, and I felt the bullets when they hit me. I felt and saw myself die.

This was alarming for a young troop. I did not want to go to this new duty station. I was scared. I admit it. But, in my case, I went and this event never did happen. Maybe coz in the dream I was thinking it was Germany and my duty station was not there though it went there often on TDY (temporary duty). Or maybe something else shifted in the timeline, or maybe coz I stayed the heck away from depots, or maybe because the dream was just a manifestation of my repressed fears and meant nothing more LOL.

Maybe ten years after this I was told by a spirit that I would die at (age given) and if I did not then, then I would die at (age given) because that was the last door option I had.

I did not take this seriously, only as a curiosity and it was interesting to me to entertain the notion that we have "exits" in our timeline built in. That I had passed and not taken the options many times earlier. I don't know if it is true, but it is a fun idea to think about. I have not reached the younger of the two ages spoken yet, but it is close. I have learned to not worry about it and I personally buy into the belief that we do not know our time or manner of death and it can be tomorrow so live well all the time inwardly, do what good you may today.

But, dreams and synchronicities can be used by Spirit to make us think about our mortality and make decisions or shifts that perhaps matter more than we suppose in the over all flow of time. Perhaps this is why they happen.

Thanks for sharing your story. Thanks for serving with me, and for going anyway, like I did. Life can be fun  

[+joc]

2 hours ago, lightly said:

no...I'm discussing the idea that perceptions are "real".   As opposed to your statement that they aren't.   .and yes, ^ perceptions can be misinterpreted . . .anything can?    

Okay...

My perception is X + Y = Z.

That is my perception and my perception is real...real thoughts in real time.  The perception has no bearing on the equation. The equation may in fact be incorrect. In reality, X + Y may equal C.

In which case your believing that the concrete is lemon meringue will meet the reality that is actually concrete when blood is spilled and perceptions are shattered.

 

 

[+joc]

2 hours ago, lightly said:

           LOL  yep.    But I think the intention may have been something more like .  .  .

Unexplained Mysteries for the most part ARE discussions  about Truth and Reality and Factual Evidence vs Perceptions and Belief 

just teasing ya bud.

Discussions are discussions until there is disagreement...then they turn into arguments. 

[lightly]

1 hour ago, joc said:

Okay...

My perception is X + Y = Z.

That is my perception and my perception is real...real thoughts in real time.  The perception has no bearing on the equation. The equation may in fact be incorrect. In reality, X + Y may equal C.

In which case your believing that the concrete is lemon meringue will meet the reality that is actually concrete when blood is spilled and perceptions are shattered.

 

Yes, whatever your perception is . . .is Real.   Whether a perception is an accurate reflection of reality, or can be "shattered" has nothing to do with it.        Perceptions are simply,  as you say  ...real thoughts in real time.   You began this exchange by stating that "Perceptions are not real"    Do you now agree,with me, that perceptions are real ?  

   

[Bed of chaos]

I consider it very unusual. I think most self fulfilling prophecies offer explanation w out paranormal phenomena (ive previously mentioned 'we spill coffee in dream, next day, spill coffee in reality). Its another thing when death prediction is made and effing bomb goes off (around same date). To play devils advocate, let's say u really wanted to die around that date (I understand this is probably false) how would 'fulfill' that prophesy??? How would you purposely know the IED was planted??? I dont get it (perhaps a message). Furthmore I'm curious if u took any additional precautions (or gear) during that trip. Also was anyone else in truck?.

Edited December 8, 2019 by Bed of chaos

[mktexan]

34 minutes ago, Bed of chaos said:

I consider it very unusual. I think most self fulfilling prophecies offer explanation w out paranormal phenomena (ive previously mentioned 'we spill coffee in dream, next day, spill coffee in reality). Its another thing when death prediction is made and effing bomb goes off (around same date). To play devils advocate, let's say u really wanted to die around that date (I understand this is probably false) how would 'fulfill' that prophesy??? How would you purposely know the IED was planted??? I dont get it (perhaps a message). Furthmore I'm curious if u took any additional precautions (or gear) during that trip. Also was anyone else in truck?.

It is really weird.. why it wouldn't it just be that exact date? Why so close? Pure coincidence is always a possibility... It was a Cougar MRAP so there were 5 other people in there with me. Funny thing is, that is the day I forgot my seat belt cutter and couldnt get to my knife which left me rather stuck. That was also the day that an Afghan official canceled his plans to follow our convoy out to our district. There were signs, but.... the Lieutenant... well. Lets leave that one there, haha! 

Edited December 8, 2019 by mktexan

[lightly]

2 hours ago, joc said:

 

In which case your believing that the concrete is lemon meringue will meet the reality that is actually concrete when blood is spilled and perceptions are shattered.

 

Perceiving ,or believing, concrete to be lemon meringue would be a Mis-perception.

        My apologies mktexan, for going on and on ..Off Topic !     I'll hush now. 

Edited December 8, 2019 by lightly

[mktexan]

7 minutes ago, lightly said:

Perceiving ,or believing, concrete to be lemon meringue would be a Mis-perception.

        My apologies mktexan, for going on and on ..Off Topic !     I'll hush now. 

Not at all. I'm following all of it like I always do and am enjoying the sidebar. It gets me thinking.

Edited December 9, 2019 by mktexan