Rita NDE

Experience Description

My father was on the Catholic church softball team. The game was held at the church. My brother (who is three years younger than I am) and I wandered off. We weren't too far from the game though. He climbed a tree and told me to climb up. So, I did and had to climb higher than him. I was about 17 to 20 feet high. I noticed a woman below seated on a bench and wearing a gold sweater. This was the last thing I saw before I reached out for a branch. I then fell on my back to the ground.

This is where my experience begins. I appeared in another place, it is hard to explain, floating in a different universe with tall beings (10 ft.). They were angelic-like, not human-looking, and very kind. Then I was floating or flying in front of my father. He was running fast from the softball game, looking very scared. Then I'm now looking down and watching people huddling over me.

I opened my eyes and the woman sitting on the bench threw her gold sweater around me. My parents rushed me to the hospital. Due to trauma to my brain, I couldn't remember my name, age or day. The doctor examined me and asked me questions about my fall, like how high and where I was. I answered them correctly. The doctor sent me home because he couldn't find anything wrong with me. On the way home, I told my brother that after my fall, I went to the circus and saw people on trapeze flying. It was so fun. He was surprised.

Since then, I never mentioned the experience to anyone else until I was about 20 years old. I was coming home from work and started to watch Oprah. The show was about life after death. I didn't think anything about the incidence until I saw the drawings and pictures on the show. I called my brother to the room and asked him if he remembered what I told him about my fall. He said, 'Yes, you went to the circus.' Then I pointed to the TV and told him that's where I went.

Now I hear many stories about NDE's and their physical traits that I have in common with. I always felt different from others and didn't know why.

I rarely share my story with anyone, only with people who are losing a loved one. Or I will share with those who are about to pass over, but with those it is telepathically as I'm praying over them holding their hand.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: summer 1978

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Direct head injury 'Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening'

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? Yes Many angelic beings very tall and kind. Sort of like the movie 'Avatar'. 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? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? About an hour after my fall

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 Seemed I was moving faster than anyone.

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 could see everything and everyone very fast like a super hero.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

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

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

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Not sure just very observant.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe It feels like life can be so easy to live if we really knew what love means.

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

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Slightly important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Moderately 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

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? 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.)? Uncertain Angels

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? Yes

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? Unknown

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

Did you fear death prior to your experience? Unknown

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

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Unknown

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? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life I look at the world differently. Sensitive to light, loud noise, thunder and lightning, cruelty towards animals and people. Unable to wear a watch. Look at people's problems overrated. I can sense good and bad in everyone.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I feel no one really understands me.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Because there was no time or space

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

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes 15 years later

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

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

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Uncertain