Christine A's Probable NDE

Experience description: 

The most frustrating thing about the entire experience is that I CANNOT REMEMBER MOST OF IT.  I suffered severe short term memory loss from the accident and can only recall a few specific scenes, but unfortunately, the memories are NOT vivid.  Therefore, I am uncertain as to whether it was real or not.  But this is basically what I remember:

In the first scene, I was in the bedroom of my apartment.  My uncle and aunt (who were deceased at the time of the event but with whom I was very close to when they were alive) were with me.  I don't think I could actually see them, I just felt their presence.  We were watching my body lying on the floor, being "worked" on by the paramedics.  I did not feel afraid, I felt glad that I was with my family members.  all the lights were on in my bedroom and I remember thinking how bright it was.  I remember that "brightness" very well.   

In the next scene, (i don't remember how I got from the apartment to this next place), I was outside.  I was in a vast open field, a beautiful natural landscape, 'moving' (not walking, but floating or flying) over a hill and looking down into a valley.  In the distance were several massive mountains that made like a "wall". My deceased uncle and aunt were with me.  There were no houses or lights in the valley, and it was night, so everything around me was pretty dark.  I remember looking up at the night sky.  I remember having a sense that I was on a journey and that I was going somewhere specific, and my family members were there to take me to that place.  I don't think I was in heaven, but I was not afraid...even though it was night and I was in a strange place.

     That is all I can remember, which makes me afraid that maybe it was just a dream.  But it did happen while I was unconscious.

Any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?     No      

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Yes     yes because I have a hard time remembering it

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes     My heart stopped, I was unconscious and not breathing

What was your level of consciousness and alertness during the experience?           unconscious, not breathing and no pulse

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   I couldn't and still cant decide whether it was an actual dream or not. Although my mother believes that based on what I told her after the event, at THAT time, I felt strongly that it was a real experience and not a dream

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes     I was able to watch myself in my bedroom, also, I was completely out of my apartment at some point

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            not a lot... just calmness, definitely NOT afraid at all, maybe a little curious as to what was going on and what was going to happen next.  I felt very safe knowing that my aunt and uncle were with me.

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?           no, not that I can remember

LOCATION DESCRIPTION:  Did you recognize any familiar locations or any locations from familiar religious teachings or encounter any locations inhabited by incredible or amazing creatures?            Uncertain      Don't remember

Did you see a light?           Uncertain      Don't remember

Did you meet or see any other beings?           Yes     Two deceased family members were with me throughout the experience...my uncle Harry and my aunt Kate (who was actually not my aunt at all, but my grandfather's cousin).  I was extremely close to both of them while they were alive.  I cannot remember them speaking to me, but I knew they were there for a reason.  They were there to comfort me, help me to not be afraid, and to take me "somewhere".  The first thing I said to my mother when I woke up from my coma was "I was with Aunt Kate and Harry".  And I believed strongly that I was with them, and that they were not dead, and what I had experienced was REAL not imagined.

Did you experiment while out of the body or in another, altered state? No      

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          No      

Did you notice how your 5 senses were working, and if so, how were they different?          Yes     I didn't have many sensory experiences, there was just a sense of "knowing" and a sense of "presence" of my family members.  The perceptions that I DID have were basically visual.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Uncertain      I was aware of the fact that it was night.  The vast open field that I moved through was under a night sky.  I felt that I was still on the earth but that I was going "somewhere".

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    Yes     I knew that I was going "somewhere".  I guess I assumed it was the afterlife I was going to .

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?             Uncertain      There was a row of mountains in the distance and I was curious as to what was beyond those mountains.  So I guess that may have been the boundary?

Did you become aware of future events?       No      

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body?       Uncertain      I cannot remember

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         Yes     I was able to float or fly, or at least that was the sensation I felt.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Uncertain      IF I could only REMEMBER the full experience, I'm sure that it would have had a powerful affect on my belief system.  Prior to the event, I was unsure about the existence of God and the afterlife.

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices?       Only recently have I been trying to "search" for a higher being and have been trying to relate my near death experience to the existence of God.  I have been doing a lot of reading about spirituality and my catholic religion.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         Uncertain      I am definitely more open to the possibility of a God and an Afterlife.  I would really like to believe.  I am slightly less afraid of death.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     My mother, who was with me when I came out of my coma, is convinced that what I experienced was a REAL event, and not a dream...based on the way I spoke about it when I woke up.  Most people I've shared this with believe that it was possible that the event actually occurred, except for one person, who remained skeptical about it.

What emotions did you experience following your experience?  Can't really remember, just curiosity and confusion.  I wanted desperately to try to remember the experience in more detail so that I could have a stronger faith in God.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      Best - the peacefulness of it, being with my uncle and aunt