Lynn C's NDE

          My father was sitting next to my bed, bathing my head with cold facecloths to lower my temperature. I was 8 or 9 years old. I remember being very ill and seeing strange things in my room, such as weavers weaving cloth on the wallpaper and blood oozing from the walls. I then have a blank in my memory until I was aware of being in total darkness. A void type darkness in which I felt tremendously sad and terribly lonely. I was also aware of being weightless and floating in this void. I knew that I had died and I had to leave my family behind. I had dreadful feelings of homesickness. The next thing I remember is being on a boat with other people, and those very sad feelings had lifted to be replaced by subdued excitement and a sense of looking forward to something wonderful. 

The boat was something like a canoe or similar, and contained several other people who I didn't know, all adults. Rowing it was an Indian, who had a full feather head dress on and what I now know is traditional Indian dress. At the time, I am not aware that I had any prior knowledge of NDE's or any religious symbolism regarding Indians or any of the other details I will now discuss. I point that out  because it was only in adulthood that I recognized these 'themes'. 

The river upon which we were being rowed was silver, like mercury. The oars made no ripples in the water. Nobody spoke, but it was a comfortable silence. The river was narrow and meandering and within a short time, an island (at least it seemed to be an island) came into view. There was a very bright light behind it so that everything on the island was portrayed in shadow or silhouette. The grass was very verdant on the island. On the shore, there were dozens of people, all waving and giving off a vibe that was utterly joyous. Right in the centre of the island was an enormous chair that I can only describe as being a peacock type chair, of a brilliant white. There was someone on this chair, but again, as the light was behind the chair, I couldn't see who was on this chair, but I was aware that this was a magnificent being.  

Everyone on the shore continued to wave and I was overjoyed at the prospect of joining them. Just as we approached the shore, the waving and joy became angst and insistent gesturing for me to go back. Again, nobody spoke, but my mind filled with voices telling me to go back, it wasn't my time. I was terribly, terribly sad at knowing that I had to go back. I wanted to stay desperately and tried to protest, but I was next aware of being in bed again, my father asleep in the chair beside my bed.

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words?          Uncertain     at the time, yes, but since adulthood, I find it easy to detail the events

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Uncertain     I was ill with a very high temperature. It was so high that I was having hallucinations when awake. Unsure what illness I had but my impression is that it was a standard childhood illness.

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

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?          More consciousness and alertness than normal

If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:        colors were brighter, light was lighter and speaking was not dependent on verbal communication as we understand it

Did your vision differ in any way from your normal, everyday vision (in any aspect, such as clarity, field of vision, colors, brightness, depth perception degree of solidness/transparency of objects, etc.)?          Yes    all things had a much greater clarity and texture

Did your hearing differ in any way from your normal, everyday hearing (in any aspect, such as clarity, ability to recognize source of sound, pitch, loudness, etc.)?
          Yes    it was not hearing as it is physiologically perceived. It was what I presume was telepathic.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?          Yes

What emotions did you feel during the experience?          terrible sadness through to incomparable joy and contentment to sadness again

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?        Uncertain     I did not see a tunnel but felt that the dark void I was initially in was a form of passage.

Did you see a light?         Yes    a very bright, very large light illuminating the island and it's inhabitants.

Did you meet or see any other beings?         Yes    I saw others in the boat and on the island. I did not know them. Joy then insistence at my going  back was communicated.

Did you experience a review of past events in your life?   No     

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

Did you see or visit any beautiful or otherwise distinctive locations, levels or dimensions?          Yes    an island surrounded by a river that was silver

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?  Uncertain     I didn't have any perception of time at all - I have no idea how long I was there.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     Yes    I knew I had died and that this was where I was going to go.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes    The shore of the island

Did you become aware of future events?      No         

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?       Uncertain     Since childhood I have had what I now believe to be psychic events and times that spirits have communicated with me.

Have you shared this experience with others?        Yes    It was many years later, probably in my 30's before I told anyone about this. Almost everyone said it must have been a dream with the exception of a medium I met a few years ago who believed I had had a near death experience.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain     I was too young to remember if I had any prior knowledge, but I would err on the side of the negative  because my family were neither very religious or atheist but the supernatural was not something I recall being discussed.

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:   Experience was definitely real   I knew at the time it was a real experience, but it didn't occur to me that it was anything unusual. Later into adulthood, when I first heard about NDE's I realised that this was what I had experienced.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you? all of it was special and meaningful to me in adulthood, but not as a child. I just took it in my stride and accepted it at face value, for what it was.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:          Experience was definitely real         I do not believe this was a dream, or hallucination induced by my illness, simply because it is all so very vivid to me even now, 30 odd years later. No dream has similarly remained so fixed in my memory, and still able to evoke the feelings that recalling this event does.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?          No     

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience? No     

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?    No         

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?          Since I recognised this experience for what it was in adulthood, it has given me great comfort and happiness to know that life does not end when the mortal body does. I feel certain that upon death, I will return to that island.

Did the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Yes