Isabel B Probable NDE

Experience Description

I woke up that morning feeling relatively okay. I went to the Dentist for a root canal. My Dentist always gave a pill to relax me prior to any serious dental work. He then would give happy gas prior to novacaine injections. It was at the point that he gave me the happy gas when my near-death experience happened.

I began to get the sensation of floating off, but still felt in control. It seemed like the Dentist was taking too long as I felt my consciousness slipping away. I kept thinking, 'Please hurry.' All of a sudden I was moving quickly through a dark tunnel. It was like being on a very fast train and faintly in the background hearing a 'swooshing' sound. At the same time, I was seeing a fast glimpse of my life.

Then, I was on a edge of darkness with a brilliant, huge circle of light. It began communicating with me telepathically. The light kept telling me I was dead until I acknowledge within myself that I was dead. I then asked, 'Where are the trees, sky and pastures that I read about in Psalms.' The light responded, 'Those are only words.' This distressed me.

I was aware at the time what was happening to me on the Dentist's office. I knew the Dentist was slapping my face. I knew he turned the gas to oxygen, even though he was behind me. He was holding my wrist and checking for a pulse. Once the oxygen took effect, I came back very quickly through the tunnel and regained consciousness.

I was woozy and did not want to talk about what had happened. The Dentist didn't discuss what happened until my next appointment. He just asked me if I had eaten that morning. I replied that I had just a slice of toast. He then said that I really should eat before my appointments. At my next appointment, I let him know that I had a kidney infection at the time of me being out. Then he asked about what happened. He did say that sometimes when his patients are under 'happy gas' they have experiences. He really wanted to know if I had a NDE, but I was still not ready to share what happened. I was still unsure why the light had said, 'those are only words.

In retrospect. I like to believe that God's word created the trees, the sky and green pastures. What really bothered me was that I kept talking and did not enter the light. What seemed like a long time was probably only a couple of minutes. I have since had other experiences and even dreamed of talking to a loved one who passed. I woke up feeling very loved and at peace.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1976

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain In Dentist office under the effects of nitrous oxide while unknowingly sick very severe kidney infection.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I was aware of the Dentist turning the oxygen on, slapping my face, and checking my pulse. 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 was very focused in concentrating because I knew I was experiencing something different.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Really all throughout the experience but mostly when conversing with the light.

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. The tunnel and past lives were very rapid then slowed down dramatically to almost standing still.

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 don't think I noticed vision changes. I didn't look with my eyes at the light because I was not in my body. I was looking from an awareness of what my new form was and I'm not quite sure what that form was. I have thought about what it might have been, such as if I was a light form like the light talking to me.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I wasn't hearing with my ears during the experience. It was like telepathy, not physical hearing. When I came back the sound increased gradually back to normal.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, but the facts have not been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes A very rapid upward thrust through a dark tunnel.

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain My brother died in Vietnam and my Mother had past in 1975. I am really not sure who the light was.

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. A very, brilliant, huge circle of light.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm. On the edge of some unsure darkness looking at brilliant light.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was young and not ready for death. I wasn't upset. I accepted I was being told I was dead. It just took a few times being told to believe it. I was unsure about what death would be or was supposed to be so I started questioning the light. I thought that once I said about green pastures, I would see and feel that. The light just that those were only words and I felt that I had fallen short of being worthy.

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? My past flashed before me, out of my control. It was a compilation of my life in chronological order. It went by so rapidly fast that I could not say if anything was not accurate. It was like flipping through the edge of pages very quickly.

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a definite conscious decision to return to life. Not that a decision was made so much as I was brought back to life by my Dentist actions. I was not wanting to come back as I was in a discussion with the light.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic. Catholic with very strong faith

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. It was what I expected except for not moving into the light. But, I was very young and not prepared for death. That's what hit me most. What if I didn't return. Would I go into the light. Would I be allowed to go into the light. Then there was the thought that if the light was God and I was questioning him about his creation, how brash was that. Then I became ashamed of myself for not being prepared.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I felt a need to become aware of what death is and what life after death is

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. Once through the tunnel a very, vivid, brilliant circular light appeared and told me I was dead. It then replied to my question of where are the trees, sky, pastures. It replied that those are only words. This was not my thoughts but a comment made from outside of me.

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.)? Uncertain The circular light could have been someone from past who died or Jesus. I was not made aware of who the light was.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain There was some awareness that the light was supernatural and unearthly. I was upset afterwards that I did not question or ask what the light was.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes I believe the comment that those were only words was for me to think and feel more. That God felt that I was not paying enough attention to my emotions.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Uncertain Not sure, but have since seen actual ghosts on two occasions and had a dream of my brother who died in the past.

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes I was told that my question was only words and that was a riddle that has bothered me the rest of my life.

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Uncertain I was not made aware of it but I was certain that it does

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? Yes Only that I might not have been paying attention to my emotions or feelings.

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Uncertain Possibly

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life. I have become more aware of the spiritual world around us. I have had feelings of loved ones who have passed being near me at difficult times. I have seen spirits or ghosts. I have had visions of future events and knowledge of loved ones who will die before they pass.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain I can't explain being in two different situations at the same time. I was talking to and looking at the light, and above my body while also aware that Dentist was taking my pulse and slapping my face.

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. I remember it vividly.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I see spirits. I've had visions, I am made aware of people I know who will die that their time is near.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I was in-between of jobs. I was sitting at the computer and a sudden urge came over me to look at pictures of Vietnam 1968 the year my brother died. I felt compelled, even driven. I came across this picture of a guy with a very bushy mustache. I was sure it was my brother but he never ever wore a mustache in the past. It was a close up black and white picture. I went and got his letters to my mom and started reading them. In his last letter to her he wrote that while on field ops he grew a mustache and went on to explain how bushy it was. He said he was going to find someone who had a camera to take a picture of him so he could send it home. He was killed shortly after that. When his body came back it was without the mustache. I forgot to download the picture and I have never been able to find it again but I know my brother wanted me to see it. I truly feel he guided me to it.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was several years. When people are open to hearing of Zan NDE, I always shared my experience with them.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes My knowledge was through books on the subject. Knowledge of Jesus and resurrection. Also, probably programs on TV.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I definitely felt I was dead and lived beyond life.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I still believe the same and hope next time I am begging for forgiveness of my transgressions. Don't want to be that brash kid again.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Sometimes when I go to the Dentist and their overhead light is over me, I get a feeling that I going through the tunnel and things are rushing past me.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Very in-depth.