Carolyn A NDE

Experience Description

My experience happened 54 years ago. I have always wanted to share my experience but never knew how.

One early morning, something woke me up. I went to the bathroom and noticed I was bleeding and strangely enough, I could barely see. I was scared and woke my husband up and he called my physician who then said for me to get to the hospital immediately.

Once entering the hospital, I remember everyone around me very frantic. That night, I remember vividly drifting off and losing consciousness. I remember being in a tunnel and seeing an unbelievably bright, white light. It was everywhere. Everything in the light was so beautiful and colorful. It's very hard to describe. I'll never forget the feeling of peace and calmness. It was like the most unreal feeling of love and tranquility. It was like nothing I have ever felt before or since my experience.

I don't remember how it was spoken or directed to me that I had to go back and could not stay. I remember repeatedly begging to stay in that peaceful, state of tranquility. I didn't want to leave. Anyone that knows me, knows that I love my life and my family. I wouldn't have wanted to leave either one. The only way to explain this discrepancy is that I was in a place of the most awesome beauty, the feelings were so strong; I was in the middle of all that is perfect, wonderful, peaceful, and full of love. I was willing to give up all my worldly life and stay there. It is very hard to believe, but I did experience it ALL.

I was later told that the doctor came out to speak to my husband and mother. They were both told that I was very sick with toxemia poisoning and severe eclampsia. I experienced hemorrhaging and edema that had settled behind my eyes and caused temporary blindness. The doctors were trying to save both, me and my unborn child, as I was 6 weeks early from delivery. Through the grace of God, my son is now 54 years old and is a wonderful blessing. Recently, I heard others who experienced the same things that I had, so I decided to share my experience.

It is comforting to know that others felt it was as real as I did. I don't remember whether I had always thanked God everyday for my life, although and always believed in God's goodness and mercy. Today and every day, I do thank God for my life and my blessings. I only hope that he is not disappointed that he sent me back.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 03/29/1966

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Childbirth Life threatening event, but not clinical death. I had severe eclampsia, toxemia, edema and hemorrhaging.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No. 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal. The sensation of complete and absolute calmness, tranquility and peace was indescribable, like no other feeling in this world.

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

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning. Everything happened all together at once. I have no idea how long my experience was but while I was going through it, everything happened all at once.

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. My vision was so much brighter; clearer and more intense.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My hearing was clearer during my experience. I kept hearing a voice telling me to stay and not go back.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes I passed through a tunnel that had a huge, bright white, and vivid light

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? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm. It was like nothing I had or have ever experienced in my lifetime. I knew it was not like my everyday life, such a strong experience.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? happy, peace, love, calmness

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? No

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 was pleading to stay but there was a very strong-willed overpowering voice telling me that I could not stay there and I had to return.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic

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 I am now certain that there is a better place that we/I will go to after the physical world.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I heard a voice I could not identify. The voice sounded very strong in the sense it was demanding me to go back and that I could not stay there despite my pleading to do so.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes I would say 'yes' because I have always believed and had been taught that God is the ultimate creator of the heavens and earth. When the day comes, we'lI 'cross over' or leave the physical world. Then things are indescribably perfect and like no other feeling that a human on this earth will ever experience.

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 an afterlife? An afterlife definitely exists My experience allowed me to see and believe that there is another life much larger and greater than the physical life here on this earth today.

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? Yes I had an extreme sensation of overwhelming love.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain I don't think so but I would like to state that I was a very young woman with a different role in life then I have now. So I can't be sure how I was then as compared to now.

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.

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? Yes, the feeling I experience during my experience. I have never and will never experience the feelings I had during the time while I am on earth.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It is hard to remember for certain the time frame when I shared my experience with someone because for a while, I kept it to myself thinking I had a dream. When I started reading their experiences, then my experience became clearer and more defined because of all the similarities. I no longer think it is a dream.

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 probably not real. At first, I thought my experience was just a dream and probably not real. Then, I discovered it was very real and was not a dream. I will NEVER FORGET my feelings during this amazing experience.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. Yes it was very real because it was validated due to the fact that I have never felt, experienced or been through anything remotely close to my experience.

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

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? No