Julie NDE

Experience Description

I had been horseback riding at my grandfather's house. I dismounted to open a gate to return to the house. As I closed the gate and turned toward my horse a bee flew at her eye. My horse spun around toward me, she hit me square in the face with her head. I didn't know how badly I was injured, my face felt numb. I was afraid to open my mouth, even though I needed to spit out blood. I feared my teeth might fall out. I mounted my horse and rode a short distance to my grandfather's house. He and a friend were sitting to the left of the house in lawn chairs under a tree. I tied my horse behind the house, wiped the blood from my face with my shirt. I waved at them as if nothing was really wrong. I wondered if my grandfather would wonder why I didn't stop to talk with them.

I walked from the back of the house to the front door. I went in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I checked my teeth. They were a little loose. My nose was bleeding. I washed my face off, and got a wet towel. I walked down the hall and sat on the side of the bed. I was feeling very light headed. I remember fainting and lying back on the bed with my feet on the floor.

The next thing I remember is being on the ceiling looking down at my body. This did not frighten me; it was just 'okay'. I didn't think this was strange. My thoughts were light not deep. It was very peaceful everywhere. I felt very safe and secure. I could hear the birds outside. I was aware of everything around me. Yet, I was at the ceiling looking down at my body. I heard my grandfather come in the front door. I heard the door close. He called my name. When he saw me on the bed, he yelled my name. He began shaking me violently by my shoulders. He was crying and asking me what happened. I could feel his fear, but I had none.

The next thing I remember is just seeing him above when I awoke. He rushed me to the hospital. He talked to me all the way, and held my hand. I talked very little. My experience was all I could think about. I was uncertain of what had happened to me. My injuries were slight. A small crack on the side of my nose. My teeth tightened in a few days. He told the doctor I was blue and had no pulse and was not breathing when he found me. The doctor said I had gone into shock. I was okay - knew I would never be the same. I didn't tell anyone about this for several years.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: summer 1974

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Accident. Direct head injury hit in the face by a horse 'Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening' 'heart had stopped , respiration ceased, turned blue, eyes open and fixed'. Just a minor accident.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes
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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was alert the entire time, but not having deep or questioning thoughts. Just acceptance. Pleasant.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning When I left my body it was faster than the speed of light. While above my body, there was no 'time factor'. I reentered my body at the same speed.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Did your vision differ in any way from normal? My vision was a little different. I could see out a window and it seemed brighter than normal. The inside of the room was normal where experience happened.

Did your hearing differ in any way from normal? I could hear better than normal. The clarity was enhanced.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

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

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

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? Very peaceful. Void of all fear. Acceptance of being out of my body. I felt safe.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control I no longer feared death. I think I was at the brink of not coming back. I didn't think of anyone alive or dead during the experience. The only thing strange to me was I could feel everything my grandfather was feeling, his panic and fear. Even though I felt his fear and his feelings, I felt no negative feelings of my own. I did learn death is not instant. It takes a little while to go through the process. I was only at the beginning. It confirmed we live after we die.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Conservative/fundamentalist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I felt as if I knew something, like an (almost) answer to a puzzle. I felt I was more aware of everything and everyone after my experience. I could sometimes feel what others were feeling; I mean really feel their emotional feelings.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes My lack of questioning during the experience, I did not have feelings of surprise when I was seeing my body, it was just okay, very peaceful, I had no desire to return to my body. I wasn't thinking about anything, just looking down at my body. I could not explain not being afraid.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I sometimes have an experience while doing some mundane task like putting a stamp on a letter, this 'act' will happen again during a death of someone or traumatic event. This is hard to explain. I felt my mother's presence when she died. I was riding in the car on the way to the hospital. I told my friend and son, she had just died. A year later, this same friend died a great distance away. I was asleep I felt his presence very strong against me. I knew he was dead. I awoke; I recognized this was the feeling when my mother died. This presence only last about a minute.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The entire experience was so pleasant, so peaceful. I was so aware of being out of my body and everything around me.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes My out of body experience - I shared this with my grandmother about fourteen years later.

I'm not sure why I waited so long to tell anyone. After this, I've told four other people, all who are close to me. The presence of my mother and friend at their time of death, I've shared with four people. This was a more profound experience than my out of body experience. I can't explain why. I'm guessing because their deaths caused me so much grief and pain.

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. The experience was so vivid and real. I didn't know at the time there was a term for this. I knew what happened to me didn't just happen to everyone. I was so at peace with my experience.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I view my experience the same now as to when it occurred. I had a peek as to what it's like to die.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I became an embalmer. It was my calling. Something I had to do. To present the dead to their loved ones so they could say goodbye.