Karen M NDE

Experience Description

I had to have an emergency c'sarian section. During the surgery, my lips went numb and I told the doctor I could not feel them. After I said this, I stopped talking and he began patting my face. At first, I could feel it, but only vaguely. I remember I turned my head to the left, and then I could no longer hear anything, or feel him patting my face. I knew he was still doing it but I just couldn't feel it. Everything turned black around me.

Off in the distance I could see a light. As I watched, it started moving towards me, getting closer and closer. I actually cannot say if I was moving towards it, or if it was coming towards me. But I do remember that I was not afraid, in spite of the strangeness of what was happening. I could feel the warmth from the light, which was not like any light I had ever seen before. It was bright, but at the same time, it didn't hurt my eyes as I looked into it. I felt happy and unafraid. The light had just come to the point where it was starting to surround me, when it started to back away. I remember thinking ‘What's going on?' and 'Why is it leaving?’ I couldn't understand why it was leaving. Then I was aware that it was I who was going backwards, back into darkness. I didn't see anyone or hear anything. All I remember is the light and how it felt. I did not even know I had passed until much later on. It turned out that I had died for five minutes before they brought me back, but the few minutes in the light only felt like seconds to me before I was pulled away from it.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'June 23, 1990'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related. Childbirth Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I was giving birth to my son via c'sarian section. I had preeclampsia. My baby and I were in danger and so he had to be born 3 months before his due date.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was at my highest level of consciousness when I entered into the light. At that moment it was intense as my awareness was very strong.

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

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 did not hear anything.

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 light. When it first became visible to me, it looked like a white tunnel of light.

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: Darkness

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? Yes

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Happiness.

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 I do not remember.

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? Moderate Spiritual

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I became spiritual. I believe in God /Creator. He lives in all things around us. I also feel that people should take the time to really look around them and see the beauty of the earth, connect to it, and understand it's not just about us.

What is your religion now? Liberal 'spiritual, do not attend church'

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I became spiritual. I believe in God /Creator. He lives in all things around us. I also feel that people should take the time to really look around them and see the beauty of the earth, connect to it, and understand it's not just about us.

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? Uncertain

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I went on to divorce my husband. Now I want to do more in life, such as go places, see things, meet new people, and learn all that I can.

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 think for me, it heightened what I could already sense.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? My experience was only the start of moving further into the spirit world. I only grazed the edge at that time, but a very important thing I was introduced to was a happiness that I had never experienced before. It was different from what I had always thought of as being 'happy'. When I was feeling it, I wasn't thinking of anyone here, I was only aware of myself and the light I was seeing and moving into.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I have shared it with a few people, one of whom had experienced an NDE. His was much different from mine.

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 immediately knew that the experience was 'definitely real'. I know it was real and I still remember it from the start to the end (which happened when I opened my eyes). I didn't know I had stopped breathing, or that my heart had stopped during my journey to and from.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I continue to see the experience as 'definitely real'. I see it as an experience that's changed my way of thinking. Before I only thought of spirits and so forth as an interesting topic, but now I know that there's more than we know out there. There is a purpose for everything. I don't stress about most things because there's no real reason to do that. You cannot fix things that can't be fixed, so you just have to deal with it and go on.

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