Ana R OBE

Experience Description

One night, I was sleeping with my diagnosed sleep apnea when I felt myself leave my body, floating out through my head. The sensation was smooth and painless, as if I were abandoning a shell on the floor. This was not the first time it had happened to me. The first time, also while I was asleep, I felt myself exit through my head, saw my body on the floor, and after a few seconds returned. The second time, I didn't fully leave; I was stuck halfway and immediately went back into my body. So, I was neither surprised nor scared when on that third occasion I floated above myself. However, I suddenly entered what seemed like a dark tunnel and began moving through it at an incredible speed. At first I thought, how strange, this is different from the other times. I felt very curious, along with an inner peace and serenity that are difficult to describe. I remember thinking, I am dying, it was like a certainty. I also remember the phrase forming in my head: It had to come, and it came.

I continued moving at high speed through that pitch-black tunnel for a time I could not quantify, although that feeling of acceptance, curiosity, and a profound peace I have never felt again in my life continued to accompany me.

Suddenly, I began to glimpse a very, very faint light in the distance. It was like a glow far away. A light that intensified as I got closer. My curiosity soared and I became certain that if I reached it, there would be no turning back, that it was the light I had heard about, and that death would be inevitable. Then I remember thinking, but how can I be dying? I reviewed the possible ways a 20-year-old girl could die. None fit my situation; it couldn't be an accident because I remembered perfectly having gone to sleep and saying goodnight to my parents as I did every night with a "see you tomorrow" and a kiss. At that very moment, while I was wondering how it was possible that I was in such an extreme situation (I was unaware then that I had sleep apnea), I felt as if an invisible rope grabbed both of my legs and pulled down with tremendous force. And I woke up sitting in my bed with my heart pounding uncontrollably. Interestingly, the return was instantaneous, considering that the entire journey there had lasted, in my perception, a very long time.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 1986

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes
Apnea episode

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

Did you feel separated from your body? 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? I maintained the same level of awareness at all times
I sent an alert about the natural experience of the experience, and I also wrote the description in an expectant place, with enormous curiosity

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness? Normal consciousness and alertness

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual
The speed at which I was moving was so incredible that it's impossible to accurately estimate how long the experience of moving toward the light lasted. However, the return was instantaneous, leading me to believe that time wasn't linear but rather distorted.

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 I didn't notice any appreciable differences

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience I didn't notice any appreciable differences

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes
Moments after leaving my body, almost immediately afterward, I entered a dark tunnel and moved through it at tremendous speed

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased 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
I saw a light at the end of the tunnel that intensified as I approached it.

Did you seem to enter another world? Some unfamiliar and strange place
The tunnel with the light at the end seemed like a completely strange place to me because of the feelings it produced.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Much of the interior and curiosity

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? No

Did you suddenly understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back? No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes
I clearly had the perception that the light marked a boundary and that if I crossed it, death would be a reality.

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 felt a kind of rope tying my legs and an incredible force, without causing me pain only surprise, pulled me down and made me come back.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic
Christian by upbringing, but not practicing

Have your religious practices changed? Yes
I'm much more interested in spiritual matters. I have more respect for other people's religious beliefs, even if I don't share them.

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic
Cristiana por educación, pero no practicante

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience
Both my Christian upbringing and what I had read about the possibility of the persistence of consciousness beyond death made everything perfectly consistent with my experience.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes
My life changed drastically from the moment I shared it with others. Until then, the change was relative.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? 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

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

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes
Somehow I was certain that life continued beyond death

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

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

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life
I'm paying much more attention to my spiritual life, and I feel a much stronger connection with the people around me. I feel more empathetic, reflective, and intuitive.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes
I tend to forgive more easily, to put myself in the other person's shoes. To not be afraid of death.

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 more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience
I remember the experience with absolute clarity despite the fact that 40 years have passed since then.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes
I have had dreams and intuitions that I consider prophetic due to their low probability.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes, the feeling of infinite peace. I've never felt like that before. When I want to relax, I try to return to that state, although I haven't been able to.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes
For many years I hesitated because I was afraid people would think I was crazy. However, they reacted very positively. My doubts and fears were unfounded.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes
I had read Raymond Moody's book.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real
I had many doubts about what had really happened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real
I see it as something very real for several reasons: because its memory has not changed over the years, because I have compared it with other experiences of other people throughout time and the world, and because of conversations with doctors and experts on matters of consciousness.

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

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Yes
I find them exhaustive; I think they cover all aspects.

Anything else to add? I was struck by the speed at which I was moving and the fact that the return was immediate. I've thought a lot about the physics of the event without ever fully understanding it. I'd also like to point out that I returned not by my own choice or because anyone told me to, but because I couldn't explain to myself why I was dying. I haven't read about that detail in any other person's account.