Experience Description

The experience happened during the birth of my second daughter. Everything was going normally until the nurse injected something into my IV.

Immediately I heard the loud alert on the heart monitor go off. I suddenly saw everything become a light grey color. I felt as if I was not only lying down, but had the sensation that I was being pulled in a backwards motion. I didn't see anyone in particular. But the feeling that I had was of absolute peace. This lasted for some minutes, but I wouldn't be able to say how many minutes. From seemingly nothing, I felt pulled backwards.

As I opened my eyes, I noticed all of the nurses were super-attentive. They were looking at me as if something had almost happened. My daughter was born safely and perfectly. I never had this type of experience again.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 09/11/1990

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes. Surgery-related Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function)

How do you consider the content of your experience? Neither pleasant NOR distressing

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? No I clearly left my body and existed outside it

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Normal consciousness and alertness. My consciousness was normal.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was awake the entire time; so much so, that when the alarm on the heart monitor went off, I immediately noticed a grey ceiling. A also felt an overwhelming sense of peace.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Normal vision.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My hearing was normal.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Absolute peace.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:


What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? None

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I didn't follow any religion before. After the experience, I went to seek answers about spirituality.

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? None.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes To understand that life after death exists.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? 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

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:


During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I greatly feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

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 as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience.

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 with friends and family.

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. When I had the experience, I did not know if it was real or not.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. When I had the experience, I did not know if it was real or not. I only knew that it was real some time after because I felt it and I lived it.

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