Karlin,
How long ago was your experience? I could hardly speak about my NDE experience for year but say, I talked with "God." Do you remember your conversations with the Ravens? If you start to dig into your perceptions a bit more, you might discover what gave you your knowings, "I had a connection to nature that was new and somewhat obvious, like I knew what to look for."
I am certain your willingness to express this openly is a call from your subsconscious to dig deeper into your simple but complex relationship to nature("God is Nature"?)
I would be truly delighted to know more about your transformation and learnings. Rudenski....not lapis but we are brothers I believe...what made you think I was Lapis?