The Void Between Life and Death

2012 – A night of laughter and chaos, when my life was abruptly shattered beneath the weight of a vehicle. The car struck my leg first, then crushed my chest, and finally rolled over my head—a fact that still baffles me to this day. The human skull, fragile by design, isn’t built to withstand such force. Yet, somehow, I was still alive.

The moment the tire pressed against my chest, pain exploded through me. I instinctively tried to push it away, my body fueled by nothing but sheer adrenaline. But then, everything went black. I wasn’t just unconscious—I had left my body entirely.

Yet, I was still there. Fully awake. Fully conscious. Not in my physical body, but somewhere else entirely. I could hear the panic around me, the screaming voices of partygoers who had witnessed the accident. We had just left a club, and the night had been alive with energy moments before. Now, chaos reigned.

I tried to move, to do something, but nothing happened. I could think clearly; I knew what had just occurred. That’s when I realized something extraordinary: I could hear my own voice. It wasn’t coming from my body—it was coming from me, wherever "me" was. I called out, telling myself to get up. My voice was steady, unwavering. I repeated the command, over and over: Get up. Get up. Get up.

And then, it happened. I jolted back into my body with such force that I rose too quickly, only to collapse again. Determined, I pushed myself to my feet once more, slower this time, more deliberate. The crowd around me erupted in shock and confusion. I tried to calm them down, insisting I was fine. I wanted to diffuse the situation. After all, the driver of the car was my friend—drunk and foolish, like me.

The next morning, the reality of what had happened hit me like a second impact. My head had been run over. A grotesque smile, stretching from the corner of my mouth to the top of my cheek, disfigured one side of my face. My leg, bruised to the point of blackness, hinted at internal bleeding. Walking was nearly impossible, my body a battlefield of pain. Yet I refused to go to the hospital. I didn’t want my friend to face the consequences of his actions.

Instead, I became my own therapist. Every step was a war I waged with myself, but I taught myself to walk again. The pain was relentless, but I endured.

The experience stayed with me—not just the physical trauma, but the memory of the place I went to. I call it "the void." It felt like the beginning of something, a blank canvas of existence. I was fully awake, fully conscious in that place. And it was my voice, my command to get up, that brought me back.

---

Scientific Explanation

From a scientific perspective, this event might be explained by a combination of extreme physiological stress, adrenaline, and what is known as a near-death experience (NDE). NDEs often occur during life-threatening situations, where the brain is deprived of oxygen or overwhelmed by trauma. The sensation of leaving one’s body is a well-documented phenomenon, thought to stem from disruptions in the temporoparietal junction, a region of the brain that integrates sensory and spatial information.

The ability to hear one’s own voice and maintain conscious thought despite physical trauma suggests the brain’s remarkable capacity for resilience. This could have been a manifestation of "body schema," where the mind’s awareness of the self persists even when the body is incapacitated. Commanding oneself to "get up" aligns with the concept of neuroplasticity and self-directed neurofeedback—where intense focus and repetition can rewire neural pathways, reinforcing the connection between intention and action.

The survival of the skull, which is typically unable to endure such force, may be attributed to a combination of fortunate variables: the angle of impact, the distribution of weight, and perhaps even the softness of the ground.

---

Spiritual Explanation

From a spiritual perspective, this experience represents a profound awakening—a moment where the boundary between life and death dissolved. Many mystics and esoteric teachings describe "the void" as a liminal space, a bridge between dimensions, where the soul exists in its purest form. Indigenous cultures often speak of near-death experiences as initiations, where individuals are reborn with a deeper understanding of life’s purpose.

The act of commanding oneself to "get up" is an embodiment of divine will and the power of the soul over the physical realm. In many belief systems, the voice carries spiritual energy, a manifestation of intention that can transcend the limitations of the body. The fact that your command succeeded could signify a moment of divine intervention or alignment with universal energy.

This event might also symbolize a second chance, a call to rise not just physically, but spiritually. The grotesque smile, the internal injuries, and the pain you endured may be seen as marks of transformation—wounds that carry both suffering and the wisdom of survival. Many would interpret your survival as a testament to an unfulfilled purpose, a reminder that your journey was meant to continue.