Maria J NDE

Experience Description

For the rest of my life I shall remember the birth of my daughter. It is already twenty-six years ago but for me the experience I had is unique and remains fresh in my memory.

I went into labor and until the last stage it was a normal birth, with contractions until total dilation, and all without any kind of medication, since at that time and in the place I gave birth there was no doctor in attendance if everything went normally, you just had a midwife and an auxiliary, in this case a nun.

In the birth ward, everything got complicated as my daughter did not engage her head and could not come through the birth canal. In the end, they opened me without anesthesia, and my daughter was born with tearing to the uterus. They padded me up and took me to my room. Once I was there, I began to feel bad and I noticed a kind of warm dampness trickling down my legs. I felt weak and little by little, I was fading. I managed to tell my husband that I was bleeding out and asked him to call my mother. I felt inside that I was dying and that is when I felt afraid. My husband pulled back the sheets and the whole lower part of my body was covered with blood. He called the nurse, and according to what he told me later, they were very slow to assist me. I lost more than two liters of blood and while this was happening, the moment arrived when I believe I gave up.

I was no longer afraid, and I began to notice that my body had no weight; it was as if I was stuck to the ceiling of the room. From above I could see the bed, my inert body and the crib with my daughter in it; I felt no pain at all. Then the moment of darkness came, with no sense of time, but I know that I was fine, peaceful, with no cares, feeling warm. I know there was a small and brilliant light far, far away, though I could sense it behind me rather than see it with my eyes. But, I knew it was there. I don't know how it happened, but suddenly, and little by little, I began to hear distant voices, I realized they were talking about me, that someone in the distance was calling me by name. I did not want to come back but I knew that I was, because I began to take note of my body again, I was in an operating-theatre and a doctor was saying something to me which I did not understand. I could not speak but I could hear and feel everything around me. The hardest thing was trying to speak, I wanted to communicate but no words came. Then bit by bit I came back to myself, I could speak, and after a week, when I was discharged from the hospital, I spoke with my husband about everything that had happened to me.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 08/09/1984

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Childbirth 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death'

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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 When I realized that my body was separated from me.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I realized that my body was separated from me.

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 Time cannot be appreciated.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

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

The experience included: Darkness

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? Yes But I always felt it behind my back.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt wellbeing, peace, tranquility, and pleasant warmth.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future From that moment I have been able to foresee things in normal everyday life, which do then happen. I am aware of them well in advance, as if this were the most normal thing imaginable.

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? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Religion is not real, it is just a way of keeping people deceived, unless one has an experience of this kind one cannot understand through words alone.

What is your religion now? Liberal

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes Religion is not real, it is just a way of keeping people deceived, unless one has an experience of this kind one cannot understand through words alone.

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? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes For me it is easy, but I don't know if people understand exactly the meaning of the feelings I experienced.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes Predicting things about facts or people that I do not know.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Since the event I no longer fear dying. Death is part of life from the moment we enter the earthly world. Leaving here should not represent a trauma. I believe people are afraid not so much of death as of how one may die.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes With my husband and relatives. I have always felt reservations about other people believing me.

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 It was unique and I am glad that I had it. You see life differently and no longer fear death, you change as a person and think about things more.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real For twenty-six years it has been the best experience I have had, I have lived it and shared it with others. It was neither traumatic nor painful; it was an enrichment of other aspects of my present life.

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

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I think that with the written account it is more than sufficient.