'Reality Shifts...' Ever Have One? A Humble Investigation.

I was driving home one day with my mom - it was late afternoon on a mild spring day. We were driving along the same stretch of highway we had driven on a million times before. Our exit was next, just around the bend. It was a typical day with typical traffic - That is, until we reached the bend. The highway (at that point) was a total of six lanes - three on each side with a concrete divider in the centre. We were in the furthest lane to the right, as just after the bend a fourth lane opened (exit lane), which we were to take. There was a transport truck driving in front of us, a few car lengths ahead. There were no cars beside us, but there were several in front of the transport truck.

As we all entered the bend, a red car came zipping by - at least 30 km/h over the speed limit... at least. The red car was in the lane furthest to the left as it flew past us and then flew past the transport truck. I lost sight of it as it passed the transport truck. Suddenly, in the middle of the bend, the transport truck slammed on its breaks... then I caught sight of the red car again, but only for a split second. It had cut across two lanes of highway traffic to make it to the exit lane at its excessive speed. It had cut off one car, which, in turn, swerved and hit another car - this happened in front of the transport truck. As the transport truck slammed on its breaks to avoid the accident in front of it, it began to jackknife... but it was too late... it was too close to the cars ahead of it and it too joined the accident.

A split second decision by my mother to try to avoid the accident unfolding ahead led us on to the the shoulder. If we could ride the shoulder for the final few metres of the bend, we could make it to the exit lane and avoid the accident. Unfortunately, the accident made its way onto the shoulder, directly in front of us. We couldn't avoid it. We hit another car head on, which, in turn, shot us into the centre lane. As we reached the centre lane, another car coming from behind (trying to avoid the accident on the shoulder) slammed into us and once again shot us from our spot. We ended up coming to rest by the hand of the concrete divider in the centre of the highway.

I woke up after an unknown amount of time. My whole body ached - Stinging, crushing, excruciating pain. I could barely see though the blood pouring down my face. I looked over at my mom. Her head was resting on the steering wheel, her eyes closed. I tried to call for her, but I couldn't catch my breath. I tried to reach for her, but I could barely life my arm - through all of this, though, I knew she was dead. As I struggled to stay conscious, I could hear all of the commotion going on outside of the car - the sound of a continuous car horn (maybe another person's head had come to rest on their steering wheel), people screaming, people crying, people calling for help. I thought about how I didn't want to die. I don't want to die.

Through all of the commotion, no one had noticed that our car had caught fire... I couldn't escape the car and I couldn't scream, nor move. I was stuck. In what felt like seconds, the car erupted into flames. I felt everything. I felt myself burn. I felt my consciousness slipping away. My field of vision narrowed and narrowed and narrowed, until there was nothing. I died. I felt myself die - And then I woke up in my bed. I could smell something burning. Panicked, I jumped out of bed and checked to see if anything was, in fact, burning, but nothing was. It had all been a horrible and extremely vivid dream. Or had it?

I couldn't shake the dream. I couldn't shake this 'feeling' I had that something was different. Not anything noticeable... not one thing in particular... just... everything. A couple of months later, I was hanging around the internet before a lecture at school. I happened upon an experience a person felt like sharing - he started off his story with,"I think I died yesterday..." intrigued, I read on. His experience was eerily similar to mine - it involved a car accident, as well. Only, he did not wake up in his bed, instead, a split second after getting into an accident at an intersection, he found himself safely driving several metres ahead of the accident. Snap. Just like that.

Shocked by this, I decided to search for any other stories like ours... and I found a lot. Not all involved car accidents, or accidents in general. Not all were traumatic events. Some people described simply going to bed and waking up to a different life than the one they had before they went to sleep. Sometimes even tangible things were different - Bed clothes, furniture, and even jobs. There are those who experienced simple 'slips,' such as the looping, slowing, or quickening time. There are those who adamantly claim that certain countries are 'out of place' on world maps. There are even those who claim to have woken up in a different time altogether. Of course, there is really no way to prove any of this... all of these experiences are subjective. My mother has no memory of being in a car accident, just as the majority of the world agrees that all of the countries are in the right place on the world map. So what is really going on here?

In quantum mechanics, there exist several theories that include the existence of parallel universes...

The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics states that an object exists in all of its possible states at once (coherent superposition). It is only when we observe the object that it chooses a single state (the one that we observe). This is demonstrated by the famous thought experiment, 'Schrödinger's cat,' as well as the Double-Slit experiment (amongst others). The Copenhagen interpretation is dependent on the observer (you).

The Many-Worlds interpretation states that, for every single possible outcome to an action, the world will literally split into another copy of itself (decohesion). By doing this, each possible outcome will exist in its own world, where, you guessed it, each possible outcome will occur. However, unlike the Copenhagen interpretation, which is dependent on the observer, the Many-Worlds interpretation is independent of the observer. For example, if I was shot in the head and survived in one world, I would die in the other (of the same gun shot wound) - but I would forever remain unaware of my parallel self, the one who died (much like the thought experiment, Quantum Suicide). The Many-Worlds interpretation goes against Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, which states that we are able to influence the outcome of an event, simply by observing it. Even more interesting, in the Many-Worlds interpretation, time is not linear - it does not exist in a coherent motion. Instead, time can be thought of as 'branching' in every possible direction (due to every possible outcome).

The Many-Minds interpretation builds on the Many-Worlds interpretation to bring just that, the mind of the observer, into the equation.

Of course, these are only a few examples, explained in very, very brief detail - Discussing each and every one in proper detail in a single post on an internet forum would not do any of them justice. But how do they tie into 'reality slips?' They propose the existence of parallel universes. Now, 'reality slips' are called all kinds of things - 'time skips,' 'timeline shifts,' 'time jumps,' and so on. I just stick with 'reality shifts' for the sake of simplicity. Regardless, each is unique; each is similar - but all involve a person being 'thrown' into an alternate reality, an alternate timeline, whether intentional or not. Now, there are obvious problems with relating 'reality slips' to the above examples, mainly due to the observer. However, none are fact (yet) so anything is possible.

These experiences could also be a construct of the mind. I posted this in another thread, but I'll use it again as an example,

Snap your fingers... but watch your fingers as they snap.


I bet you heard the snap at the exact same moment you saw the snap... yes?


In reality, your auditory system processes information faster than your visual system. You actually heard the snap before you saw it... Your brain, in this case, has 'edited' the events to make them appear simultaneous. Your brain does this all of the time... it edits/synchronizes incoming signals which are processed at different speeds.

It's all a matter of perception.
Or,
construct.

Your mind constructs/fills in gaps all of the time. The world as it is and the world as you perceive it are two very different things. It is possible that when we experience such things as 'reality slips,' that they are simply another trick of the mind - And this is only scratching the surface of (what we currently know about) the human mind.

Did I die in a car crash, only to wake up in another timeline? It was more than likely just a dream - but I can't say for certain and therefore I must consider all possibilities. Whatever it was, it certainly stuck with me - and it has stuck with me enough to lead me on a quest to find answers. It has also stuck with me enough to feel extremely uneasy every single time I drive that same stretch of highway. I also can't discount other people's experiences with the subject at hand. One only has to google to find numerous stories of people's personal experiences.

Have any of you ever experienced a 'reality shift?'

I've been reading a book on healing that involves reality shifts.
"The Physics of Miracles"

"Impossible" changes in physiology brought abut through shifts in perception.
The writer (a chiropractor) also brings in quantum ideas but has no idea what actually causes-enables. these effects, that he teaches. Including rewriting the past-present of a specific event-injury.

That's a remarkable-scary story and I won't guess at the possibilities, as you certainly already have.

The closest thing I'd experienced were vivid dreams of living with my wife for a year after she died... they felt like valid memories , indistinguishable from "true" memories.
The same thing happened with my 2nd wife after we divorced... our relationship continued in vivid dreams where she visited/stayed with me for varied periods.

Haven't yet experienced "waking" experiences of time-reality shifts, other than occasionally objects that disappeared, only to reappear at a later date.
But like you, I've heard a few stories.

they felt like valid memories , indistinguishable from "true" memories.

And that's exactly how I explain it... the only way I can explain it. As far as my memory is concerned (take that for what it's worth, as we know our memories are far from 'accurate'), I was in a car accident, I died, and then I woke up in my bed. There was no separation of time between the 'events.' I do not remember 'living' a normal day - going to sleep, dreaming of the accident, and then waking up - I remember the day of the accident (all of the events that led up to it), being in the accident (time slowed down, probably due to adrenaline), and then dying. After dying, I 'woke up' again - only somewhere different (different, as in, not the same place the accident occurred). As far as my mind is concerned, the accident actually happened. After that, my world felt different, somehow. It's so hard to explain, but I think you understand.

I only bring quantum mechanics into the picture because that is how my mind 'works...' that is what I understand, and, through things like that, I am able to (attempt to) make sense of things - But, it's good to hear that there are others out there who are also trying to explain occurrences like these. They are just so strange.

It's interesting that you have experienced objects disappearing/reappearing - a lot of the stories I have read of others experiences involved tangible things - even people. Some people have claimed to wake up to a different spouse. Of course, they were only different to that person (subjective), so there's no way (as of yet) to validate these experiences.

Thanks for sharing your stories of your wives... who knows, maybe you were slipping in and out of different timelines. We can't say for sure, but, as it stands right now, anything is possible.

I think my interest in this topic (and my own experience) is slowly becoming an obsession lol.

Those 'memory/dream" experiences I mentioned , were frequently obscured and only by reflecting did I pull them into consciousness.... and i really couldn't discern any qualitative difference from "real" remembered events.

However they didn't fit the timeline of verifiable reality so I know they were either parallel universe experiences, or astral experiences, to complete "unfinished business".

I dream quite a lot , and no dream experiences had the emotional authenticity these things did. Much iike some things folks report that you mention.

Regarding your comments:

Rationality may come up with a useful analogy to grab on to, but these things are
part of a reality-dimension beyond rational grasp. IMO.

Only by stepping out of logical thought can we likely glimpse the answer in our current stage of development...the heart can grasp things mind cannot.
We've discussed the greys and their ability to navigate other dimensions.

I suspect miltidimensional beings can perceive the totality of this reality, that to us appears fragmented.

These things have been likely heard of before, but seem more "common"these days.

Either folks are finally talking about these experiences that they kept to themselves. OR
We are gradually slipping into the 4th dimension and these events are simply becoming more common.

Another phenomena to consider... the 100th monkey effect.
Our consensus reality is slowly changing, and we are possibly acknowledging
phenomena we would formerly write off as imagination, hallucination or a bad dream... with no further thought.

I feel it's a bit of both, a changing consensus reality that allows consciousness to consider such things as more than "dreams', as well as a planetary-consciousness shift that allows "impossible" phenomena to occur more readily.



It'll be interesting to see what others contribute... but that's about the extent of my speculation.

I doubt there will be many responses... usually, when people see a rather large post (online), they'll take a quick glance and move on (especially if nothing jumps out at them)... we're all guilty of it, from time to time. I actually trimmed my post down... this is the 'lite' version lol. I didn't present everything I could have (should have, maybe).

I have (quite obviously) researched this topic to a great extent since my apparent 'death' - but I am still hoping to hear more experiences and different points of view. I am especially interested to know if anyone else has experienced their own death, as I (apparently) did.

It's an odd feeling - being able to walk around with the knowledge of exactly what it feels like to die in a horrible, horrible car crash lol.

i have had a small things that could fit this happen to me every so often. they are small details, but i notice them. the most recent one and one that left me scratching my head happened a couple of months ago when i was out running after work. there is a route i take and when i go around 4 times it is 3 miles. i went around 4 times, and all four times there was an open half eaten tuna can (quite a large one) in someone's driveway.

for my cool down lap i got my dog and went around with her. i remember that when i started to get close to the tuna can i thought ok gonna have to choke up on the leash and make sure she doesnt get into the tuna can. then we passed the house and there was no tuna can. i thought, hmm... ok maybe it was the wrong house but i kept going and there was no tuna.

i run pretty late at night (mid night-ish) so there wasnt anyone out, but at the time i figured ok someone probably brought it in. the next morning i went running again, this time before work, and the tuna can was back. it was in the exact same spot and it looked like it had been there all night and morning.

i realize it is possible that someone could have put the tuna can back out, but it was in the exact same spot and really did look like it had been out all night. it was also one of those moments when it just felt weird. i don't always get that but sometimes i just get this "feeling".

another odd thing like this that has happened to me is that i remember having a conversation with someone about something, but then realize later that i never did have that particular conversation. it isn't ever about anything big, just small details. i used to just say oh well i must have dreamt it, but i don't remember dreaming it. and i find myself totally convinced i had the conversation until, through talking to the person (usually), i find that i never did. other things include: finding things in strange places that they couldn't possibly be, repeated deja vu (had an art class a few years ago that often seemed like just and hour and a half of deja vu for several of the classes), etc

i realize that these all have other explanations, and for most of the time when they occur, i believe another explanation fits, but, like i mentioned, i have had some that just feel different.

[002 Cents]

Very interesting experience.

Someone referred me to this thread when I had posted about a near collision with a train that left me with the feeling, that in another dimension I never cleared those tracks. Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...ad.php?t=38390

I love the very scientific route you take in your explanation.

i realize that these all have other explanations, and for most of the time when they occur, i believe another explanation fits, but, like i mentioned, i have had some that just feel different.

I have tried to explain away my situation a million different ways - I even turned to my trusted friend, science, to 'slap some sense' back into me... all my trusted friend could tell me was that it is a possibility that I did, in fact, die in a car crash and then proceed to snap into another 'timeline' (or whatever one prefers to call it). As it currently stands, all explanations remain a possibility... it's quite an unsettling feeling! I was well aware of all of these theories (including the ones that did not 'make the cut' in my OP) beforehand, and am quite well versed in quantum mechanics (it is an area of study of mine - but I am still only a student and have much more to learn) but, until this experience, I never really grasped what the implications would be if any of them were, indeed, verified.

I couldn't help but chuckle a little at the tuna can... I could almost picture your face as it 'reappeared.'

I know what you mean about the 'feeling...' it's a feeling that I have not been able to shake.

Thank you so much for your reply!

Originally Posted by 002 Cents

Very interesting experience.

Someone referred me to this thread when I had posted about a near collision with a train that left me with the feeling, that in another dimension I never cleared those tracks. Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=38390

I love the very scientific route you take in your explanation.

Oh my goodness - I'm glad you are ok! I'll definitely head over to your thread. Crazy that we would both post on a similar topic, with such similar experiences, and post those experiences around the same time!

And I'm glad you liked my approach... I can only speak from what I know best. I think that's why I felt compelled to share my story... it would be quite helpful to hear similar experiences, only told from a different point of view/perception.

Many thanks

Yes, shifts happen all the time. Reality is not a stable, linear thing like people often think of it. It is constantly in flux. Time-space is never stable - there are gaps that form and close (even quantum physics speaks about this) at all times. Some bigger than others.

I've had personal experience with it more than I prefer to discuss in depth. But I will tell one of my stories in brief.

There was a very traumatic series of events going on in my life. Through a steady string of misfortune, I found myself broke (and threatened with being penniless), without transportation, on the verge of homelessness and with a breaking relationship, all far away from any friends or family or anyone who could help or be there for me - and surrounded by people who were highly critical, rude, and judgmental. My health took a dramatic decline and I nearly died, and then came a frivolous false lawsuit from someone who was trying to scam me out of money while I was down.

As you can imagine, I was desperate.

During this time, there seemed to be no hope. I began to contemplate suicide very heavily. After a particularly terrible argument with my boyfriend at the time, he walked out of the house, and I had this distinct feeling I would never see him again.

Something happened to me.

I was sobbing, pacing the house, breaking inside. I wanted to just go to the nearby beach and drown myself and end this whole hopeless mess. As something in me broke, I lunged for the door and walked out of the house and into the street, toward the beach. It was late at night, with nobody but me and the street lights in a nice quiet neighborhood. I clutched myself against the cold and just kept walking - and suddenly things got very weird.

All I remember is things swaying. Warping. Everything around me became distorted and I felt as though I were a ghost, or a dream, wandering in the night...everything had a dream-like, misty quality to it, and it was as though nothing acknowledged my presence. Everything was horribly cold, this bone-deep chill that couldn't be warmed, and I started feeling this terrible need to find my boyfriend, no matter what. Everything was hushed and muted around me, colors and shapes distorted and warped, and everything deathly quiet. I didn't feel my legs moving me, hardly felt anything at all...I just pushed forward in this dream-like walk along the street.

I went to the beach. I crossed the street and cars didn't seem to acknowledge me - I remember dashing past one of them and feeling like it was weird that I didn't get hit.

I arrived at the beach and stood along the sidewalk. And I hugged myself, shaking, and called out for my boyfriend over and over. I didn't know if he'd be there - but I was SURE he was, for some reason.

I spotted him walking away from the beach, and he stopped dead in his tracks and stared at me from the distance in shock. He walked up slowly and I grabbed and hugged him, and he was tense, almost shaking. We sat on a bench and I told him I loved him and I just wanted us to get through all this together....and he just kept staring at me in shock.

Finally he asked me: "Did you go down into the beach? Did you walk on the sand?"

I said "No...of course not. Why?"

He told me that he'd seen a single set of foot prints leading to the water that were my size. He followed them in a panic - and had found me, floating, dead on the water's surface. I had walked into the water and gotten pulled under, drowning myself.

When he found me, he was (understandably) overwhelmed, and said only one thing in a short, furious growl: No!

And when he'd finally walked up the beach again, shocked and grieving and trying to figure out what to do now that I was dead - there I was calling out for him. I had no memory of any suicide, and to this day I do not have any memory of it whatsoever. But I was there, my body floating in the water - and then, I was standing on the beach. A sudden "shift" in reality.

My best guess is that the weird sensations I was going through as I walked around must have been some kind of...altered reality, or something, perhaps I WAS some kind of ghost - we simply don't know. All we know is that he saw my dead body - I felt like I was wandering in dreamy limbo - and then I just was there, standing there waiting for him and perfectly alive. Perhaps this was one of those shifts - as a gap in reality seemed to form, warping and distorting things temporarily, perhaps merging two realities for a few moments...and then close, onto this reality...the one where I did not die, I simply walked to the beach to make things right with him.

Truth is simply much, much stranger than fiction. That's all there is to it.