Bethany R NDE

Experience Description

The first thing I noticed was a sense of pure calm and peace. I started to see people currently in my life and then going backwards into the past. Next thing I knew I went to a pure blackness. There was in an open amphitheater on the left and amazing gardens to the right. It wasn't what I saw though it was this indescribable by words feeling of absolute peace and comfort. I looked around. There were many, many people standing all around talking in light whispers amongst each other asking, ‘What is this? Where is this? Why are we here?’ Then I just knew this wasn't a dream nor in any way did it feel like a dream. I was in another place, another realm. I knew I was at a point of I didn't know if or how to return. I knew I wasn't alone and I was with other people who had just passed as well. It was interesting. I heard many different languages yet I understood them all.

I sat in a chair because I didn't want to talk to anyone and looked out onto the beautiful gardens with colors unearthly. Tighter, more vivid and colors I've never seen before. It wasn't so much what I saw as to what I felt and I loved what I felt so much. When I found myself back in darkness I just panicked. Just this sheer ‘No, no, no, I don't want to leave here, please no!’ panic. I feared the darkness I knew I was coming back to this life. I felt so heavy. I was so upset and mad I came back. I was drenched in sweat and heard many hospital staff talking about me being in hyperthermia and my heart rate being close to two hundred. Then I just started to cry. I was so scared to be back here, felt heavy and sweaty, and be in pain with my arm, chest, and eyes. I realized I had a young child at home and it struck me that when I had died and was in that wonderful place I had no cares. I didn't care I had a child and that was so impactful to me. I knew I had died, that is the only way I'd never care I had a child.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'August 1, 2011'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes While under general anesthesia. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I went in the operating room for eye surgery and had a severe reaction to the anesthesia. I believe I was told I was flat lined for eight and a half minutes.

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? 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? Less consciousness and alertness than normal I didn't remember that I had a three year old multi special needs child at home waiting for me. I'm a single parent and I didn't remember or care and that's not normal everyday me by any means.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I realized I was in a place with other people who had passed recently as well and had an indescribable feeling of absolute peace.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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. Colors. It was the colors that are incomparable and indescribable. And it just was vivid and sharp.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Hearing was like people were whispering like there was no need for anyone to talk above one another or need more attention than each other. Hearing other languages yet understanding them perfectly was astonishing to me.

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? Yes People of current direct closeness and importance to me at that time during my near death experience are the people I first saw. Then it went backwards from significant people close to me from being as an adult down to being a child.

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

Did you see an unearthly light? No

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Complete absolute peace, warmth, and contentment. It was pleasant and I was without a care.

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

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Uncertain

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 was not happy to go back into darkness and come back to my body. I was so happy where I was.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Mormon I was "inactive" at the time of my NDE.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I'm active now. I'm a ward missionary. I'm endowed now and happier in my life now than ever before. I feel so certain about my life now and my life to come.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Mormon Currently I'm actively going on a weekly basis and I'm serving as a Ward Missionary. I hold a Temple Recommend and am temple worthy.

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

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes My near death experience just confirmed so much for me in what I saw and felt. I know that I love god and my faith and all faiths that center around god and the savior.

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 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? An afterlife definitely exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists No

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I did not fear 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 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? Greatly compassionate toward others

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

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life The experience confirmed to me there is an afterlife and its wonderful and blissful and real.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I know I'm going to have to answer for the way I treat people on earth in the afterlife.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes There are no words to express the feelings associated with what I experienced or the colors I saw.

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 Unforgettable by any means it was so pure and deep

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No I had severable dreams before and after.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The peace and fulfillment I felt.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes About a year or so after I had never heard of the term near death experience until I told my mom what happened.

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 There's a definite afterlife and purpose on earth.

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? No

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? It was so simply wonderfully impactful.