Maia S NDE

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:

During childbirth I was given an epidural, immediately afterwards I felt more comfortable but not pain free, I laid back on the bed then within seconds started to feel like I was going to be sick, I asked my husband for a receiver by which time every movement of people around me seemed to slow right down which confused me at the time as I didn't feel like I was in the same time zone, it felt like everyone else was in slow motion, at the same time even though I could sense people's panic everything started to become very quiet. I sensed that I was going to die but wasn't concerned, I felt a sense of completeness and that my unborn daughter was going to be fine with her dad without me and that I'd achieved what I was meant to do.

As I shut my eyes I was immediately above my own body and could see the whole of the labor room below me as if I was watching a scene of a play unfold. At that point I was aware that there was no sense of pain or pleasure or even movement within my body, it was an unnaturally calm, still and complete weightlessness that I cannot liken to anything I've ever felt before or since. The feeling seemed to be a split second in time then the feeling of my own steady breathing came back and I opened my eyes to find myself back within my body. My mum was at the end of my bed crying asking me if I'd remembered what had happened. I answered that yes I knew I was close to death but I knew everything was going to be ok either way. She was so worried that she'd nearly lost me. After the experience I realized that instead of the split second that I thought had passed, it had actually been 45 minutes and felt extremely baffled as to what had just happened.

At the time of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?   Yes  was given an epidural during childbirth, immediately my blood pressure started to plummet (43/28) which wasn't immediately noticed, nearly too late once noticed.

Was the experience difficult to express in words?  Yes     It's difficult to express in words because I can't liken the way I felt to anything I've ever experienced before.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    I was at my highest level of consciousness and alertness the second I saw I was above my own body.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness?      More consciousness and alertness than normal   I felt like I had never had a clearer mental clarity, like prior to that I'd only ever been 80% awake.

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   Everything was in intense focus with surprising luminosity and color.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   My hearing of the medical professionals was distant, like I was extremely far away from them.

Did you see or hear any earthly events that were occurring during a time that your consciousness / awareness was apart from your physical / earthly body?   Yes   I saw my mum pointing out the drop in blood pressure on the monitor to the midwife and witnessed the midwife run out of the room and come back in with 2 anesthetists who then proceeded to give medication via injection. This was later verified.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?   Complete serenity, calm, happy.  

Did you pass into or through a tunnel?   No  

Did you see an unearthly light?   Yes   I felt a part of it.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice?   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  

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings?   Yes   Only the people present in the room at the time.

Did you become aware of past events in your life during your experience?   No  

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

Did time seem to speed up or slow down?   Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual
Everyone in the room seemed to slow down almost to a stop whereas I didn't feel included in the same time zone.

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?   Everything about myself or others
That every normal everyday thoughts had vanished, nothing mattered anymore, everything else seemed trivial.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?   Yes
The room's ceiling.

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

Did scenes from the future come to you?  No 

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness suggesting that there either is (or is not) continued existence after earthly life (“life after death”)?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that God or a supreme being either does (or does not) exist?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that you either did (or did not) exist prior to this lifetime?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that a mystical universal connection or unity/oneness either does (or does not) exist?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s meaning or purpose?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s difficulties, challenges, or hardships?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding love?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any other specific information / awareness that you have not shared in other questions that is relevant to living our earthly lives?   No  

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge or purpose?   No  

What occurred during your experience included:   Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience   It was consistent with what I believe in the sense that I think you are a spirit and your physical body is just a host. However, with the loss of all concerns and worries at the time of the experience I feel that was not consistent with what I believe as I thought that there would be more of a sense of tying up loose ends instead of just being able to easily leave everything behind.

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   It has remained in my memory so clearly because it was so vivid and clear.  

My experience directly resulted in:   Unknown

Did you have any changes in your values or beliefs after the experience that occurred as a result of the experience?   Yes   I'm less fearful of the end of life.

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

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes  A few days later I told my mum and husband but not in much detail. They aren't very spiritual and I'm not really sure what they thought.

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   Because what I saw whilst out of body was verified.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience at the current time:   Experience was definitely real   Nothing has changed, I will always believe that my experience was most certainly real.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?   Yes   In a most unfortunate way really, I feel a lot more spiritual and as a result somewhat distanced to the people I was especially close to.

Have your religious beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?   Yes   I'm more open to phenomena that can't be scientifically explained.

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

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?   Yes   It made me think about the experience in greater detail and made me assess how it made me feel and how its changed my perceptions.