Near Death, New Life

The Wellpoint Interview with John McMullin, Ph.D./c, H.C.

Most of us have heard about the near-death experience, people who suffer such a horrendous physical trauma that they are physically dead and then are revived. Common, but not universal, themes between these individuals include: a third-person omniscient experience of the trauma, a sense of timelessness, walking towards a light or sense of all-encompassing love, and a feeling of returning to their physical form after they realize they are not to die yet. Many have a renewed sense of life and living after their experience, feeling a depth to life they had not previously touched. Some are called to be of service or dramatically change their lives with a deep appreciation for the life they are given.

Whenever anyone tells their story, we are given a glimpse at one of the great mysteries of life and the fundamental shift in perspective that occurs in the mind of the individual near death. If we let it, the story can allow us to lift the shroud of our own illusions about life, if only for a moment. We take life for granted, and moments near death are gifts for us all.

We asked John McMullin, director of Journeys of Wisdom, to tell his story. We hoped this could give all of us a chance to see through his eyes, appreciate the perfection of a head-on collision, and witness the fundamental shift in consciousness that occurred afterwards.

WP: John, tell me the story of your experience with being near death.

JM: On a cold December 30th in 1980, I was taking my daughter Kelly to the office for a father-daughter "work experience" required by her school. About four blocks from our home and several blocks from the Schrock Road bridge crossing I-71, Kelly spontaneously said, "Iâve changed my mind, Dad. Please donât be mad at me." I asked her if she wanted me to drive her back home and she simply chose to walk back.

I continued driving towards the office crossing the Schrock Road bridge that had been uniquely iced over from the vapors of Anheuser Busch brewery. On the other side of the bridge, a 20-year-old young man had just purchased a suped-up hot rod and wanted to demonstrate how fast his car could go, not realizing the icy condition. We met half-way on the bridge with his car traveling at an excessive speed, where he lost control and I was left with no choice but to experience the collision. He was instantly killed and I was thrown through my windshield and critically wounded.

WP: Many people experiencing near-death are able to hear and see things they should not have been able to, given their physical condition. What was your experience?

JM: The parts that I recall include me watching the accident from above as though I was in a helicopter. I was surprised how clearly I could see, as I could zoom in and out with incredible resolution and I was surprised to notice I wasnât wearing my glasses. I watched with curiosity as a friend of mine, who saw the accident, jumped out of her car and saw the decapitated young man with horror and fainted, and I remember thinking, "How will they know she wasnât part of the accident?" I also recall watching the emergency squad as I looked down and saw a person in my car that I couldnât recognize as myself. That was the moment a number of insights came to me.

WP: What insights?

JM: First, I realized I could ask any question and the answer appeared as quickly as I could ask the question. This was the genesis of powerful concepts we teach in our Journeys of Wisdom workshops÷that "the answer is always in the question." The second insight was realizing how easy it was to expand or contract time. Like a VCR, I could slow down or speed up any experience, depending on the emotion experienced.

The third insight was realizing the synchronicity of the experience which included Kelly deciding to get out of the car, the perfect timing for the accident, the realization that without the collar of the top coat I was wearing (for the first and last time), I would also have been decapitated when my head came back into the windshield.

Other insights included the reality of "no time" in which everything has already happened, and understanding that this concept is extremely threatening to the human ego. The most profound insight was the incredible compassion that I experienced with the gift of my life and the urge to teach others how to value the gift of their lives.

WP: What have you done with these insights? How have you applied them after your recovery?

JM: Out of the shadow of this very painful and humbling experience, the phoenix rises from the ashes, and Journeys of Wisdom classes and experiences have unfolded for more that 60,000 participants. I am still surprised at how grounding and yet insightful this trauma was for my life. I was too busy owning six companies and running on the treadmill to experience the sweetness of my family and the simple things of life. For me, our Creator brings trauma, pain, and suffering into each of our lives to give us a new sense of appreciation.

WP: After these experiences and insights, how has your life changed?

JM: I am still surprised by the gift of intuition that permits me new perceptions of the serendipity of life and how it prepares us to access new sensitivities with the unfolding of life. To give is to receive and to receive is to give, and I realize that part of my unique place in this circle is to invite others to claim the gift of their intuition and imagination. Without these gifts, we are limited by the illusions of our own ego and constantly live in the fear of not being enough or too much. Upon reflection, I now understand each of us runs away from conflict, shame, pain, and guilt, only to realize that these are the serendipitous events in life that awaken us to new realities. Teaching ourselves to own each day and the many miracles presented to us requires accessing sensitivity beyond the numbing and blindness of our own ego. Waking up is a process, not an event, and Iâm still waking up from this trauma in 1980.

If you were called by this story, why donât you join Journeys of Wisdom every Thursday night for free lectures and demonstrations from guest speakers and John McMullin himself as you discover the realms beyond the limitations of your own ego. You will learn the many concepts that put you in touch with your own intuition and creative imagination. Classes begin at 7:00 p.m., end at 9:00 p.m., and are free to the public. They are held at 6161 Busch Blvd., Suite 302, Columbus, OH. Phone: 614-888-1240.