Isabelle M NDE

Experience Description

I was twenty-one and was with my then boyfriend in a hotel, in Paris. It was my first love. We had just made love, I went to take a shower and felt a bit tired but I was okay.

Then, in the shower, I had difficulty breathing, I felt suffocated. I called my boyfriend, who caught me. Apparently, I fainted. The last thing I remember is struggling to breathe.

All of a sudden, I found myself floating in a tunnel, proceeding at great speed, floating/flying. There was quite a strong buzzing sound. On either side of the tunnel were very bright images. I recognized myself, as a child. It was like a film.

I kept going forward through the luminous tunnel, and it was very pleasant. The feeling I had was of infinite fulfillment. Then a moment came when I was brought up short by a 'wall' of dense light, which gave off an unbelievable goodness, an indescribable love. I heard a voice filled with tenderness say to me: 'It's not time, you must go back, it's much too soon.'

That is when I felt myself falling like a stone, condensing, I can't think of a better word, to rejoin my body. The feeling of falling and 'condensing' was so painful that I remained uncomfortable for several hours.

But, what an experience! What wonderful feelings!

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'Hiver 1993, début d'année'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Other

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

The experience included: Out of body experience

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 The moment when the Light spoke to me.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The moment when the Light spoke to me.

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 My friend told me I was unconscious for half a minute. I had the impression that it lasted much longer.

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 seemed to have a spherical view 360 degrees vertically as well as horizontally.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. An intense buzzing which I have never heard since.

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 A very luminous tunnel with moving images, like cinematic images (see above).

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 Precisely this light, which was living.

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 A very white light, but not blinding. Feelings of gentleness, gentle warmth, I would say. It is unlike anything I have experienced on earth. Not even a sunrise or sunset, or an electric light-bulb.

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Very positive. Well-being, and also amusement to see that I was floating like that. Especially well-being.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? incredible joy

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

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control Myself as a child, playing at the home of some of my parents' friends, with a little dress, which I was able to describe very exactly (color, texture, odor of the garment) to my astonished mother, later on.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes The light which formed a kind of wall of energy. I knew that if it allowed me to pass further, it would be the end of my earthly life. But I faced this without fear.

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 'élevée dans la religion catholique, je n'ai jamais cru en un Dieu ''ve.ngeur'''

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal 'Je suis croyante, et je vais à l'église pour le calme et le recueillement. Je me sens bien dans tout autre lieu de culte de n'importe quelle confession.'

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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 Love unconditionally, and love yourself.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain I don't know. It is as if I had always known that the answer was in unconditional love.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain The feelings were special. Intense and difficult to describe in words.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes Visions of spirits. I have sensed energy-fields surrounding some people. Spiritual communication with two people in particular ('telepathy' and dreams).

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, the fact of bathing in the light, and the living, benevolent light. It was so strong.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Two years from the experience to the first person I told about it (my osteopath). It did not surprise him, as he had gone through a similar experience when practicing 'rebirthing'.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I lost a dear friend when I was fifteen years old, and had morbid thoughts. It was awful. One day when I went to the municipal library, I came across Raymond Moody's book 'Life After Life.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I had the impression of sharpened senses - and also the love, which I felt within the light, I brought away with me.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I have still the same feelings and the same state of mind as I had a few weeks after I went through the experience.

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? Yes, this experience has given me 'strength'.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? No, the questionnaire was very complete. Bravo for your work.