Experience Description

My delivery was scheduled. I went into hospital the night before to give birth to my third child, by c'sarian section like the first two. My eldest daughter wasn't quite four years old, my son was fourteen months, and that day I was going to give birth to my last daughter. I went into the operating room around 11:30 am and I was put to sleep.

Then, I saw. I was above the operating table! And my body was floating in a tunnel, at the end was a light that was growing bigger, I could see shadows at the end of this light and my body stopped floating, I was content, I felt like continuing on my way. But a voice told me I had to go back, that I was needed. When I came to a pain, ripped my body, I felt like I was in a vice and that someone was pushing on my stomach, and at every pressure, I heard music, a tango, and with each rhythm of this tango, pain in my stomach and chest. Then I heard nothing.

When I returned to consciousness, I was in my room, bars around my bed and I was hitting my head on these bars. It was 6:30 pm. My sister was at my bedside. My daughter was born at 4:25 pm and I had gone in at 11:30 in the morning. I didn't see the anesthesiologist again during my hospital stay, and in those days. I had never heard of this subject, so I didn't talk about it. I'd also had a tubal ligation, which neither I nor my husband had been told about. Afterwards, I was just told that I wouldn't have to resist another delivery. I was twenty-nine years old. For five years it was silence, I didn't want to be thought crazy, I kept this secret, but I knew what I'd gone through was extraordinary, that there was something after death. But after the death of my nephew in a car accident at the age of twenty-one, the day of his burial my sister who was his mom felt a force that was pushing her towards the casket that was being put into the ground. I started talking about death saying that for us, the living, the pain was immeasurable, but those who were going towards the light felt good. She went to all the bookstores, to see what was written about death, and there I came across the after-life experience. I WASN'T ALONE, OTHERS HAD GONE THROUGH THE SAME THING I HAD. Now, when someone close dies and I'm there, instinctively I look at the ceiling - one feels the sensations much more, and I take things philosophically, I am very attentive to what surrounds me, I comfort those who need it.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 21 mars 1980

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Childbirth accouchement par césarienne Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function)

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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? After my baby was taken from me, because I didn't see her, when I found myself above the operating table.

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

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I could see the slightest details of the room, and of the people bending over a body which was mine.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Especially that pounding tango music, at every loud note, the pain which still hurts just to think about it.

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? Yes I see my body floating, I see a point of light at the end of the tunnel, the point becomes bigger and bigger.

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I see shadows in this light, who look in my direction but they kept their distance.

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Light

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 The closer I get the more intense the light becomes, but it doesn't hurt the eyes.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Fulfillment, when I was in that tunnel, heading toward the light. Then intense pain when I returned to my physical body.

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

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future Since then I was hypnotized, I've become more aware of Nature, I inspired two people who were very young at the time, to take care of Nature in their work, respecting what surrounds us. People find me wise, happy and tell me that it's a pleasure to be with me, that there's an atmosphere of fulfillment in my house.

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? No

What is your religion now? Liberal

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 Of knowing that there's an elsewhere, and of being privileged, I feel that more now, with the passage of time since this experience, I especially learned wisdom, discernment, listening, tolerance and love.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain Yes, for years I thought that if I talked about it I would be thought crazy.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes As I said previously, I've found myself hypnotizing, giving massages, reading the Tarot, stones, but especially not commercially. With what I can feel, if I'm asked, it's with my heart that I do it, what I was given through this experience is Love, and one doesn't trade in Love. In writing that for you I get the impression that you'll think me enlightened, my feet are firmly on the ground.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Of feeling well and of keeping things in perspective since the experience and understanding that what happens can't be changed, that one must live in the present, in the moment with those we love and telling them that we love them.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Seven years after my experience. Some skeptics of course, and others who'd been through the same thing, but it caused some skeptics to think, considering my behavior because aggression was no longer appropriate. I speak calmly, and I flee conflict, I have since managed to block out everything that surrounds me, even with people around me, I put myself in a bubble, people can yell, make noise, I hear nothing if I'm not interested, I feel good.

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 What I went through I felt in my flesh, on my return I knew that I didn't dream it.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real That I'm not the only one to go through it, and that all the situations that I heard of are similar to mine, and (if it was a dream) there would be many of us who have had the same dream.

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 am happy to have had this experience with hindsight, because I think I've become more diplomatic, and a better person.