Jennifer B NDE

Experience Description

It was a very brief experience. I was told that I only stopped breathing for thirty seconds. But it felt like I was 'gone' for much longer than that.

It began with me floating slowly downward. I was in a tunnel made of cream and rust colored mist. I felt very tired and sick to my stomach and I just wanted to go to sleep. I remember thinking, 'I'll just rest for a bit.' The next thing I remember is suddenly being completely awake. I felt as if I were floating on my back. My eyes seemed to be open, but I could not see my body even though it felt as if I still had one. I was in an endless black void or space. There was nothing to see. Even though it was totally black, it wasn't dark. In other words, if there had been something to see, I would have been able to see it. It was just very empty.

I remember thinking, 'This is weird,' but I wasn't afraid. Instead, I was completely relaxed and pain free. I felt filled with love and peace, as if I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I also noticed that my thoughts were extremely clear, very unlike my usual self.

I wasn't floating long before I noticed a field of stars below me. They formed a sort of curtain that divided where I was from somewhere else. I knew I would be able to go to them if I just thought about doing it, but right after I had that thought, a male voice spoke to me in my head. He told me that if I went past the stars I wouldn't be able to come back.

I remember thinking, 'I'm not sure I want to go back, it's so wonderful here.' And that was it. The next thing I remember is feeling my aching body and hearing my husband calling my name. The first thing I said upon waking was, 'I went somewhere.'

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'April, 2004'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Direct head injury Drop in blood pressure 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Undiagnosed congestive heart failure with severe hypotension followed by fainting, blow to the head and cessation of breathing.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? As soon as I entered the black void, I guess that would be the middle?

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Not until I came back, did I realize that it felt like I had been gone longer than I was.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I was hearing inside my head instead of with my ears.

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? Yes I was surrounded by a diffused light of cream and rust colored mist that was all around me but not touching me, like a tunnel, and I floated downward slowly in it.

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Darkness

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 The black void

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace, safety, love, joy, euphoria, a feeling of being accepted.

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 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 It was a field of stars, and I would not be allowed to come back if I crossed over.

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? Conservative/fundamentalist Jehovah's Witness

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I no longer feel that the Creator needs to be put in the box of organized religion. I feel that we are all acceptable to him no matter how we worship. I try to keep an open mind. Kindness and love seemed to be the key. Helping when and how you can.

What is your religion now? Liberal Not affiliated with any organized religion

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I no longer feel that the Creator needs to be put in the box of organized religion. I feel that we are all acceptable to him no matter how we worship. I try to keep an open mind. Kindness and love seemed to be the key. Helping when and how you can.

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? Yes I am much more accepting of others and their beliefs. I now feel that everything will work out in the end for all of us, and so I have become a more forgiving person. I also now feel an interconnection with everything in the universe.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Words don't adequately describe it.

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? That I felt loved and accepted.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Only my immediate family. They were intrigued, but otherwise seemed unaffected.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes Very limited. I'd heard a few accounts on TV over the years about the light and tunnel.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real It felt real, so I believed it was real and I wanted to learn more about it.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I still feel that it really happened and I have been reading about other people's experiences. I'm no longer afraid of death (just the associated pain).

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? No.