Charlotte A NDE

Experience Description

I had a double mastectomy and tug-flap reconstruction. I lost a great deal of blood and they did not have enough to transfuse. My blood pressure dropped and I flat lined for a bit.

I was initially delirious and frightened by darkness and a sense of a void. However, shortly after it all began, I felt encompassed by light (I didn't see it, I felt it) and an unearthly awareness from someone/thing imparted the knowledge that I was going to be fine. It wasn't about life or death just that everything was going to be fine. I felt connected to a larger energy than I have known in my lucid life.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: January 2009

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Surgery.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I lost awareness of my 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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I don't know. I was on heavy narcotics but I felt very conscious and alert.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

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 sensed light by feel, not vision. I sensed words by emotion not voice.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It seemed like audible sounds were clouded as though I was outside the area of sound.

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? Uncertain I didn't enter into, it sort of encompassed me.

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain Meet or see? No. Have an awareness of presence, yes. Security and love for me was instilled upon me.

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Darkness

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? Uncertain I felt darkness and light.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm maybe...i had a sense of being elsewhere in the light

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Extremely peaceful and content.

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

The experience included: Special Knowledge

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? Liberal None

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No Religious, no. Spirituality, yes. I am seeking.

What is your religion now? Liberal 'None, but spiritually seeking'

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No Religious, no. Spirituality, yes. I am seeking.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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 I have had an anxiety disorder in the past and it has all but cleared up since this experience. During the experience, I gain an awareness of grounding in myself and connectedness to a larger energy and a sense of peace and my place within peace.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I am more confident and grounded with myself in relationship thus, I question them less.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain I seem more connected and aware and I can read people much better; I have much stronger intuition about people's motivations that are usually later proven to be correct.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The sense of peace.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes About a year after the experience my wife and me started talking about it. It was really difficult and scary for her to potentially lose me. Now we are talking about it much more often.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No Just that people claim to have had them.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real Unquestionably real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Unquestionably real.

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