Jessica B NDE

Experience Description

I was in a coma for seven days suffering from encephalitis during this time I had my NDE. I was still quite young and knew nothing of what was going on in the hospital. Other than what I have been told to this day.

My NDE started with the tunnel, it was a bright soft white light calm and serene (I still have yet to experience this type of serenity again I think I'm still looking for it). I met my Brother at the end of the tunnel and he greeted me and explained who he was (he had died five years before my birth). I remember him wearing jeans and a red sweatshirt.

I was thrilled (I had asked for a brother since the age of three). We sat in a place I'm not sure where but we were using white garden furniture. We talked for a while I asked questions like does God exist? He said he did. I don't remember what else we talked about but I was given a choice I was asked if I wanted to visit for six hours or to stay forever. I have to say that I was tempted (after going eight years asking for a brother and finding out I had one) and the serenity, oh it was wonderful, my parents fought a lot! So I needed some serenity. Just after that, I thought of my mom and I got a bit scared that I would never see her again but I was not afraid to die. I wanted to say yes but instead I said no, mommy needs me, (I have no idea why). Then I was asked to promise my brother that I would name my first born son after him, I agreed. (My second child was a boy and as a second name, I gave him my brother's name.) I asked my brother if I would see him again? He told me I would and he said that I was to be a good little girl. This was the end of my experience. I unfortunately have no recollection of coming back except I was sad to leave; I really did want to stay. After regaining consciousness I had lost my memory except of that and I had temporal lobe brain damage.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1983

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness encephalitis Life threatening event, but not clinical death . Encephalitis (brain swelling).

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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? Normal consciousness and alertness As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The whole time I was aware, alert and conscious and even you could say excited to have a bother.

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 Time went for me very fast, not movement wise, but it was over very quickly. Too quickly.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Did your vision differ in any way from normal? The color and transparency were bright but not painful to the eyes things seemed soft, bright, and possibly translucent.

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 The tunnel was a soft bright light the feeling of peace started there.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

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 My brother, who I had not known about until my experience, I met him at the end of the tunnel. We talked for a while, I asked if God existed and I accepted my promise to him.

The experience included: Light

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 we were in a place that was both beautiful yet plain it was all white no real color of gardens but we used garden furniture. i think it was a first level of heaven?

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Excited, happy, scared, joyful, sad (to leave).

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

The experience included: Special Knowledge

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 My son's birth.

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 none but i believed in God sort of

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I may be a Buddhist but I'm sure I'll go back when I die. It has also made me question everything including reincarnation.

What is your religion now? Moderate uncertain Buddhist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I may be a Buddhist but I'm sure I'll go back when I die. It has also made me question everything including reincarnation.

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? Yes A son would come to me, nothing else except that God existed.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I have more compassion for people even though I was a caring child. I think I'm stricter about what are deal-breakers in my relationships with men.

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 Ability to see spirits. Had one in my house once, just after I moved in, this is at the age of twenty-one years.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The whole thing.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Just after regaining consciousness I was asked where I had been by my best friend's father and he said 'Jessica where have you been?' I said visiting my brother. (He was confused and asked my mom about it as far as he knew I was an only child.)

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. It was real, I still feel that way, it was not surreal, it was spiritual in a way and it was meaningful for me. The fact that I asked specifically for a brother only to find out I had one - only on the spirit realm - it was psychic sibling-ship to me. After a while I would talk to him for many years to come after it happened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I still feel that it was real I have a terrible memory and remember it to well for me. It gives me hope for my death and I look forward to seeing my brother again.

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

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? One negative effect it had on me was I had wanted to go back so bad I started to attempt suicide as a teenager only to go back. I also had therapy after my experience but never brought it up that I can remember.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? No suggestions needed at this time.