When I was nineteen, I went to a party, took some LSD and walked out into the moonlit Arizona desert night. I needed to be alone and needed to find something, although I didn’t know what. I climbed up a small mountain, arriving to a view of the city skyline. The climb apparently winded me, because my heart was beating fast. My pounding heart caused me to be increasingly aware of my mortality, which caused my heart to pound even faster. I became concerned that the combination of a psychedelic and physical exertion could somehow kill me. My heart raced faster.

And then I died.

I immediately felt surrounded by benevolent beings I understood to be angels, who assured me I was alright. I was more than alright.  I was completely awake and alive!  I had suddenly woken from a dream to the actual, real world.  Except, there was no more “me”. There was only perception…of everything around me and of my life…with absolute clarity and understanding.  I was dead, but more alive than ever.