Experience Description

At the age of 8, I arrived in Australia from Italy. I was already unwell with a hernia. Sometime after arrival I had emergency surgery. At now almost 60 years of age, I can still recall the sheer fear of falling backwards into what felt like pitch black tunnel of jelly, unable to stop the fall. Next thing, I was on the roof of the operating room looking down on the table with my body, a Nun and medical staff surrounding it. I was not scared; I could see the homes and traffic outside as if the hospital walls did not exist. The next thing I remember is being in an elevator and going back to a ward. Nobody like the family or hospital staff believed my story. The experience has stayed with me all of my life and is as clear as day.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1966

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No. Surgery-related. Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain. I clearly left my body and existed outside it

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Normal consciousness and alertness. I remember it at the age of 60 clearly so I guess, yes.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Falling through the tunnel and being on the ceiling.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses More vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Cannot recall

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Cannot recall

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes I can still recall the sheer fear of falling backwards into what felt like pitch black tunnel of jelly, unable to stop the fall.

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an Unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? calm

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? No

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Unknown

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes No longer believe in man-made religions

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Unknown

What is your religion now? Other or several faiths. I believe there is a universe and higher power. This is just one of many things that have happened in life for which there is no explanation. These have made me lose faith in 'man-made' religions.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. Not sure how to answer this, I was a kid.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain. I was 8 years old. I imagine it shaped my life and made me more aware and open to experiences

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Did you believe that our earthly lives Are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? Unknown

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists No

Did you fear death prior to your experience? Unknown

Do you fear death after your experience? Unknown

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Unknown

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives Are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Unknown

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Unknown

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Unknown. Religious not important, but spiritual is.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes ESP more acute

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Looking down on the table and being to see through walls.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Few people

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. I had no concept of time (how long I was out of body etc). It is real, it still is as real as all those decades ago when it happened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. It's still clear as day.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Uncertain. I do not understand the question

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? no

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Make some of the questions clearer.