Catherine A NDE

Experience Description

I was up in the air in the operating room. I could see the doctor and the nurse anesthetist down below me and I knew that was my body down there on the operating table. I was going around in circles. They would get smaller and smaller. When I got to the center of the circle, I would pop out and start another circle. I got up in the corner of the room. I wanted to go out of the room and see what was on the other side. At that point a male adult voice said to me, 'You better get back down there.' That was all I remembered. My mother told me later, when I came out of the anesthetic, that I almost bled to death during the operation

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1942

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related Life threatening event, but not clinical death I almost bled to death.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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? Normal consciousness and alertness All of it.

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

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

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 more plainly up in the air.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. The voice telling me I better get back down there, it was quite loud.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes Just heard the male voice saying 'You better get back down there.'

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? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Loved going around in the circles and popping out and strting another one.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I enjoyed it - wanted to go on but was used to doing what I was told.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

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

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

The experience included: Boundary

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes I didn't leave the room once I got up in the corner because the voice told me, 'You better get back down there.' It was an adult male voice and I was used to doing what adults told me. I was seven years old.

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 was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I'm much more certain that this physical existence is not all there is.

What is your religion now? Liberal

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I'm much more certain that this physical existence is not all there is.

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? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No Only that I seek out more metaphysical, paranormal literature, books, groups etc.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I had a full blown classic premonition from a very good friend of mine who had been dead a year. I was in my fifty-nine by this time when she appeared in my bathroom one night to yell at me my husband would not live. He died three days later. She was accompanied by three monk like clothed beings.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The first one made be believe in OBE's The second one gave me great comfort after my husband's death and the friend who brought the premonition warning had died approximately one year before. It was great to know she was still in though.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes That night I called a friend who was also interested in the paranormal. Said she thought she was right. She was.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No The premonition one. I got interested in NDE's, etc. as a student nurse and found books like Larry Dosseu's, etc.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I have also been grateful for them and they both made a lot of sense to me in a comforting way about what really goes on around here as has subsequently been reinforced by all the research such as Gary Swartz etc., etc. and so many more in the paranormal field.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Well - they're still letting me walk around and I still pay taxes - no one has locked me up and there is plethora of literature, etc. out by now that validate my experiences. I think we need more of what you are trying to do.

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? I'm so glad this field is getting more recognition!

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I think it's VERY good.