Experience Description 20582


I was only twelve and was at a slumber party. When I fainted, my spirit rushed out of my body and I went to a place. It was my home. Although I cannot really describe it. It was like a place of ideas. There was no landscape or colors. I just existed and there were other beings there also. We didn't have bodies either, just minds. They all thought it was very funny that I was there, like it was my personality to try to get out of this life experience before it was my time to. Nothing in me wanted to come back to this life. I know this may sound egotistical but I thought this life thing was beneath me. It seemed that I was playing a sort of kindergarten game when I was much more intelligent than that.


While I was there I knew everything, I had all knowledge. I didn't bring it back with me though. Maybe a page of the book or just a few lines. I did bring back that no one is better than anyone else. We are all here for a purpose. I got the feeling that I decided to make this journey but I didn't realize how hard it was going to be and I tried to say, ‘you know, I've changed my mind, I really don't want to do this.’ My friends over there thought this was very funny and I knew that I was going to have to see it through. I did see my life and how it was going to be and all I remember was the dread of what I was going to go through. There was no sympathy for me from my friends however, just amusement.


Anyway, as I came back and entered my body I was overcome with the limitations of life. How seeing, tasting, feeling, hearing and smelling were nothing compared to the freedom of being without a body and how literally trapped I felt. It was kind of like being thrown into jail. My spirit was trapped in this gross body. It was hard to adjust at first and I was not happy to be here. I knew though that I had to play this out and I have, but now through other experiences, I do value this life. I have to say that I don't think anyone tried to show me anything at this time, it was my own rebel spirit that tried to sneak away but there's no hiding on the other side.


Now I'm fifty-five and I don't know how long I have left over here, I just sure hope I get it all done. I do believe this thing we call life is an especially hard school and when we are done, we will be proud of ourselves for accomplishing the task. I do want to say that on July 4 when the fireworks go off, there is one that explodes and a whole bunch of sparkling lights spill out and fall to the earth. That's who I am, one of those little lights. I am always comforted when I see that, knowing that someday I will again be this pinpoint of bright light, my heart yearns for it.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: Summer of 1960

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain silly childhood game that makes you faint 'At a slumber party, we were making ourselves faint, bent over, taking 50 deep breaths, quickly standing up and someone behind us, lifts up and squeezes'I was out for some time, long enough for the rest of the kids to be scared, probably only five or ten minutes. Usually the person is out only about a minute.

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 was just a sparkling light.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Very alert, much more than this existence.

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning There was no time.

Did your hearing differ in any way from normal? Everything seemed natural. I don't really remember any noise. Although, I was aware of my friends' extreme amusement.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes It all was familiar because I felt like I was home. There are no words or anything on earth like it. It was a mind thing. We were all lights but we were also all minds, ideas--hard to explain in words.

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I didn't really talk to them because they were so amused that I was there and that irritated me, although it did give me insights into my personality and I knew they loved me.

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes I was light, a tiny pinpoint of light, I felt I had no business being on earth, it definitely was a strange place for me.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm The five senses were so primitive. What I had there was so much more and totally unexplainable.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was free! I was soaring, finally free!

The experience included: Special Knowledge

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe I knew everything, or thought I did. I didn't bring the knowledge back. I don't think I could live this life if I had kept that knowledge, not then anyway.

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control It was an idea place. So I thought about all the things we deem important on earth, to see how I would feel about them over there. They all seemed so utterly stupid. Really the only important thing is love.

The experience included: Vision of the future

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future I saw my life, what was ahead of me and it filled me with dread. Like you would feel if you had this huge task before you and had no energy or desire to do it. I did not remember what was shown to me (I showed myself, by the way), I only remember the dread.

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 I knew there was no getting out of it. I had to come back.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate

What is your religion now? Liberal but I definitely believe in the divinity of Jesus but I also believe in reincarnation

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I was unhappy for a while; I didn't feel like I belonged here. For a while I felt like I was being punished.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No Nothing on earth to relate to it.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I have always had one foot in this world and one foot in the next.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The best? I always felt that I would have been much happier without this experience. Ignorance is bliss. It really did give me a love for mankind though and all in all it made me who I am. I have a unique way of looking at life. I love mankind because I know what we gave up to come here. We have something to learn and evidently this life is the best place to learn it.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Not quite to this extent. Most people only believe in this life and can't really comprehend another. It's something I know, they have not been there so they don't know.

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 think I said everything. Except I also know that suicide is a definite no-no. We will just have to start the whole thing over again.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? The questionnaire is comprehensive.

Experience Description 5022


About 6 of us girls were taking turns breathing and exhaling 10 times and then someone would come from behind us and squeeze very hard around our chests.


The next thing I remember is floating in the corner of the ceiling at least 15-20 feet high. Below me was the circle of students around my body. I fully realized where I was, yet I felt no anxiety or fear. It was just floating. I can't remember the specific conversation but I do know it was going on. I don't know how long I was up there but it was more than a minute or two. It seemed to last quite a while. I never moved past the ceiling, it seemed that something was holding me at that level. I was floating.


Next, I woke up on the floor and then nothing. I suppose no one thought it was fun anymore, and we all went about our business with never a word or conversation about what had happened. I think as a child, I just was so overwhelmed that I pushed it back, yet never forgot the experience. This remained my biggest secret until recently. And that is the honest to God truth. When others comment on what happens to us after death, I feel secure in knowing, 'It's not over'

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1966

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain choking game at school Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I stopped breathing in the girl's bathroom.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I assume the whole time

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 The space was different for obvious reasons. I was floating. The time is very unclear to me. I don't know how long I was dead. And I say that in all honesty.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Did your vision differ in any way from normal? I certainly had a different angle of vision than normally.

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? Uncertain It seemed dark grey except for the circle of people surrounding my body. It seemed illuminated.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I don't remember feeling anything. I was overly excited but certainly not afraid either.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? incredible joy

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

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 Baptist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes But only after I matured and started embracing what had happened to me.

What is your religion now? Moderate Non-denominational

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes But only after I matured and started embracing what had happened to me.

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 I didn't tell anyone.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes I never told anyone until about 5 years ago. I thought people would think I was insane.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I knew I had died and been spared or returned.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared it with my best friend of 40 years after we starting questioning life after death. She accepted the story and knew it was the truth because we have known each other's darkest secrets for so many years. It was definitely something I kept to myself until then. After telling her, I told my daughter and sisters in a conversation about NDEs

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. There was never any question in my young mind what had happened to me. I had died and gone to a different level.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I know what happened to me and when I realized there were other people out there with similar stories, I was relieved for the first time about it.

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