Sandi C ADC

Experience Description

I had arrived home after driving for several hours because my mother had died overnight. I was not able to see her or talk to her over the past few days.

When I went to bed that night, I had a dream that I was driving my mother north out of town in my car. It was dark, but the lights were flashing around the car like we were in a tunnel. Could the lights be stars? Possibly, but I don't know. I knew the road very well and knew just where we were. The park had been there since my childhood. At the point when we were about to pass the park on the left, I knew I couldn't go any further. My mom urged me to keep driving, but I told her I couldn't. We were both somewhat distressed at this, but I didn't continue to drive.

I woke up. The dream had ended. She was gone.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 04/00/2001

NDE Elements:

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

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? No

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? During the dream.

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? 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 My vision was normal as in normal nighttime driving. There was not much physical detail of the road we were on, just the stars, the car and my mom sitting next to me. I knew where I was on the road and which direction I was heading.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience I don't recall any difference in hearing.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain
The stars were passing the car as if we were in a tunnel, but I knew we were driving along a familiar road.

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased beings? Yes
My mother, who had died just a few hours before, was in the car with me.

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
It was stars passing by the car or the car was driving through stars. I don't recall if there was a single light up ahead.

Did you seem to enter another world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was upset that my mother wanted me to keep on driving toward the lights, but I knew I couldn't.

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

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
We came to a spot in the road where I knew I could drive no further even though I knew exactly where this road goes.

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
It wasn't a physical barrier, but I knew I could not drive any further.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian - Protestant
Regular church attendance (Episcopal), singing in the choir.

Have your religious practices changed? No

What is your religion now? Christian - Protestant
Same as above.

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
My religious upbringing taught me that there is a "heaven" waiting for us when we die, so this experience is consistent with that. Also, I had read some reports of near-death experience, but this experience was weird because I myself wasn't having a traumatic, physical event.

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 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
It was the sense that I was taking my mother somewhere that she needed to go after she died.

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? No changes in my life
I don't think there were changes in my attitudes. It was just an unexpected and memorable experience.

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
It seemed to be brief without many details to remember. I also recall bits of the funeral and the dealings with my father who had Alzheimer's.

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? When I have told friends about the experience, they find it "creepy". It certainly has stuck with me.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes
I probably first shared it with my sister the next day. She thought it was strange. She's more of a believer in psychic experiences than I am. I've told other friends about it when the topic of NDE or strange experiences has come up. The response was mostly that it's a "creepy" story.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes
I had read reports about it because the stories are often compelling. My experience probably has some of the hallmarks reported in the articles such as lights and the sense that I could not go further on the road.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real
I knew it was a dream and I didn't have any waking manifestations of typical NDEs.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was probably real
I don't think the experience changed my perceptions of life or the afterlife.

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 was accurate in my responses.

Anything else to add? I realize this may be an untypical report of this kind of experience, but it was good to have the opportunity to report it.