Ginnie E NDE

Experience Description

At the time of the accident, I was located about thirty miles from the nearest hospital in rural Virginia. Fortunately, a police officer observed the accident and was able to get paramedics to me. I was bleeding massively. They cut down into my arm to find a blood vessel. I briefly came to in the emergency room when my mother pushed her way into the emergency room area where doctors where caring for me. I recalled screaming for her. Then I passed out.

The next ‘memory’ I have was my out of body experience. I was about twenty feet above the gurney where my body was lying. I recall looking down, noticing the medical team working to revive me, but I did not care. Instead, I was fascinated by where I was, up and suffused in a strange place that was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I seemed to have no visible body, but I was circular and I laughed, as I seemed to roll over on a face that was not there. I wanted to go, but something was behind me, some type of barrier that would not let me. Whenever tried to turn and leave, I would turn over on my seeming face and I would laugh. I think I tried to leave three times but it was hilarious that I was rolling seemingly forward. I was not afraid but a bit frustrated that I could not go. I do not know where I wanted to go, but I definitely felt that I had a destination. Then suddenly, I felt suction and everything went black. I was no longer in the mysterious place, which was not bright nor warm. In fact, I am not comfortable giving the place a name. I had no body and I was one with the space.

About three or four days later, I remembered the out of body experience. The combination of a concussion and the morphine that was administered at the hospital, where I as flown by helicopter, rendered me incapacitated. I have about a three day memory gap. My siblings have reported that I was very ‘high’ due to the morphine. Many years passed before I spoke to anyone about the out of body experience. I am convinced that the experience changed my outlook on life. I do not fear death and I focus intensively on my family and life's experiences, generally in a fearless manner. I have little patience for stupidity.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'Feb. 28, 1969'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I was involved in an auto accident. My head slammed into the windshield of a 1961 Pontiac (no seat belts). I suffered extreme loss of blood and a concussion.

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

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I looked down at my body and the medical team. I knew my body was on the gurney, but my body was of no interest to me. 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal I felt free and very aware of being out of my body.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? That would be when I was experiencing the out of body sensations.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I was acutely aware of being without form.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There was no sound. I do not recall hearing anything or anyone.

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? No

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Unearthly light

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

Did you see an unearthly light? Uncertain I was suffused (surrounded by) something. I would not call it a light. It was emptiness. No shapes. No colors. No warmth. No coldness. No physicality at all.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place The strange place had no physicality, and neither did I.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was happy. The fact that I rolled over on a face that was not there was hilarious.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

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

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant I was an adolescent without fixed ideas about religion; though I frequently attended church, the experience was far more social than religious for me.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Not important to me

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated Currently, I do not attend church except for funerals of family members; I have little patience with religious people. Their beliefs are based on fear, ignorance, and selfishness. I do not suffer fools.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I had never thought or imagined that I could consciously be separated from my body. I seemed to be mind only (and briefly).

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes At times, I think I possess a ‘knowing’ or prescience about life. In ways, the experience has distanced me from people generally. I love people, but I do not suffer fools. At times, I have to consciously restrain myself verbally.

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? Yes The outer body experience was novel.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes Since I had no physicality, I seemed to be one with the space/place I experienced.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God probably 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? I am uncertain if God 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? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? I am uncertain if an afterlife exists Uncertain I do not know what the experience means religiously or metaphysically.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I moderately feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Moderately 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 I am intolerant of religious bigots/zealots. I face life head on. I am proactive. I tend to be outspoken.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes At times, I temper my expression of thoughts, particularly as they relate to life or religion. Generally, I find people to be too fearful, to the point of irrationality.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No I was not comfortable speaking of it.

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 The experience was so vivid that I did not know what to make of it. I had not ever heard of near-death experiences until I was in college, about two years later.

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? The entire experience is significant. When my father died in January of 1992, I dreaded looking upon his deceased body. But when I saw him in his casket, a sense of relief swept over me. I knew he had gone, that he was not there. This feeling was an immense surprise to me, a great comfort to me in the time of my grief then and now. I think the experience informed me at that moment.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared it when I was about fifty years of age, more than thirty years after the auto accident. They were inquisitive, but I don't think they were influenced.

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 I remembered it so vividly. I knew it had indeed happened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It happened.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Upon the death of my father, I thought a great deal about the experience. He was not there in his coffin. His essence had gone and I was relieved.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? If the experience is a part of the death process, then death should not be feared. It is probably a letting go of physicality and cares of life, as we know them. I really experience the joys of family and what joys there are in teaching in today's world.