Experience Description

I was having a difficult labor and delivery of my son. I was on the delivery table and was told that the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. I lost consciousness. I was immediately floating above my body and heard the doctor calmly say, 'She's lost all blood pressure'. I was very calm watching myself and felt no pain. The bright lights were intense, but I wasn't 'heading' anywhere, it was extremely fast, maybe 20 seconds. I felt a slight push and I was back in my body.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 7/1/1984

NDE Elements:

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

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I saw myself being revived on the delivery table. I saw the medical staff from above. Interestingly enough, I did not see my husband, who was in the room. We had a terrible relationship and later divorced. 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal All. It was very brief. I just felt complete.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual 20 seconds or so seemed like a very long time.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

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

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. More vivid

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: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes Everything was very bright, although I was not moving.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I wanted to stay but somehow 'knew' I couldn't.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace and love. No fear or pain.

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

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about myself or others I just felt peaceful.

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? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will I wanted to stay but there was a presence that sent me back.

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? Christian- Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain I believe I have become more religious with age and other experiences.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I was a lapsed Catholic but still felt deeply spiritual.

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

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? Yes Indescribable peace & contentment.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God probably existsÂ

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes There was a presence that sent me back as I did not want to return.

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

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:


During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes The experience didn't 'change my life' as for years, I hid it. I do realize now, I had many things to accomplish. Not all of them good.

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? Yes I was sent back for a reason.

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 probably exists Yes I was watching myself. That was enough for me.

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

Do you fear death after your experience? I slightly 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? Moderately 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? Yes I didn't want to return but the presence made me. I didn't want anymore hardship.

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Slightly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes I felt incredibly loved.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? No changes in my life No changes in my life. It took many years and many experiences to be where I am today. Not all good. I had rarely heard of NDE's at the time of my NDE so it took many years to understand.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No No

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain I thought no one would believe me so rarely spoke of it.

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 more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience It was 30 years ago. My memory isn't that great, but this memory could have happened yesterday.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I am hoping that my NDE was real.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was many years. I felt I would not be believed. I still have told very few.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain Very little knowledge.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I knew it was real but did not tell anyone. I wanted to keep it to myself for a while.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It seems like it was yesterday.

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