Kathryn A NDE

Experience Description

I was driving too fast in the rain. When I applied the brakes, in order to slow down for the oncoming curve and bridge, my car hydroplaned, spun around, and slammed into the sign marking the bridge. The car hit the sign so forcefully that the front seat passenger door was so crushed that it nearly touched my right elbow. The force of that impact flipped my car upside down, over the side of the bridge, and into the water.

I cried out to God for help. I was telepathically told, ‘Take a deep breath.’ I do not remember the impact. But when I opened my eyes, my car was upside down at the bottom of a stream. My seat belt was on. All the glass in the car had broken, and my car was filled with water. The first thing I noticed was the absence of time and space. I was most definitely upside down in my car under water, but I was in another dimension of that reality. As I looked around, I felt no fear whatsoever. I felt calm and safe, warm and at home. Everywhere I looked, I saw what appeared to be colorful rainbow bursts of flying bright energies. I knew I was dead and began to telepathically express the thought that, other than missing my children, I was thrilled to be home.

I began to ask, ‘How do I get out of here? I am so happy to be home! Get me out of this car!’ I was lovingly told that I had more work to do. I was specifically instructed to take off my seat belt and get out of the car. I was shown something that appeared to me only in my thoughts for that moment, and that gave me the desire to return. I took off my seat belt and crawled through the space where the window used to be. As I began to rise, I asked, ‘How long do I have to hold my breath?’ and immediately the answer came, ‘As long as it takes.’

When I surfaced and took in a breath, in that moment, I was fully back in this dimension, time, and space, and very cold and wet. I decided I would need my purse, because somehow I knew the police would be coming and I would need my ID. I tried to go back into the water, but it was so cold, it took my breath away, and I could not do it.

An angel pulled me out of the water. I may say ‘an angel’, but he looked like a truck driver. As he pulled me out of the water, he said he had called the police and an ambulance and explained that he was there to help me.

Because he had seen me trying to go back into the water, he asked if there was someone else in the car. I said no, I just wanted my purse. He laughed and helped me up the hill to the bridge, where the police and ambulance had just arrived.

I had a cut on my forehead, and as the ambulance driver was wrapping my head, and the policeman was saying it was a miracle that I survived. The truck driver/angel walked between the two of them and handed me my purse! Then in the literal blink of an eye, the truck driver and his truck were gone.

Later, when my car was pulled out of the water, it was really shocking to see. Like I said earlier, the front passenger door was crushed to my right elbow and the hood of the car was nearly on the back seat. To look at it, no one would believe anyone could have survived.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: March 2000

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Direct head injury Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) A car crash that resulted in me being upside down in my car with my seat belt on and my car filled with water.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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 At all times, I experienced the same level of consciousness.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? At all times, I experienced the same level of consciousness.

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 other dimension I experienced had no space/time.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Well, yes, if you mean the fact that I was seeing in another dimension.

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? No

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 The voice that spoke to me, and the man who helped me out of the water.

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 From the moment I opened my eyes under water I was in a different dimension/time/space. And I remained in that dimension/time/space until I came out of the water and took my first breath when upon taking my first breath immediately I was fully in this dimension/time/space.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Love, pure love.

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 Once again, I was given certain knowledge while under water that convinced me to return.

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 Southern Baptist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Before the experience, I was a guilt-ridden Christian. I had been repeatedly raped by a family member from the age of 5 and the church had taught me that I was also a sinner. I was so guilty from years of abuse that I was in church every time the doors were open - Sunday morning, evening, Wednesday, Saturday. I was afraid to tell anyone about the abuse and I believed Jesus would eventually save me. I used prescription drugs and alcohol to escape my painful feelings. After my experience, I no longer wanted/needed alcohol and drugs. I discovered meditation (which the church would not allow me to practice). Meditation led me to another world of spirituality that I found to be far superior to religion. My current understanding of what we call ‘death’ is simply a lightning-fast transition of the soul from the body to Nirvana - Earth's spirit world that many of us call ‘Heaven’. In the light of that realm, people whose past lifetimes were marked by fear, prepare to be less vulnerable in their next physical lifetime. This is the next evolutionary step in the eternal life of our souls.

What is your religion now? Liberal spiritual not religious

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes Before the experience, I was a guilt-ridden Christian. I had been repeatedly raped by a family member from the age of 5 and the church had taught me that I was also a sinner. I was so guilty from years of abuse that I was in church every time the doors were open - Sunday morning, evening, Wednesday, Saturday. I was afraid to tell anyone about the abuse and I believed Jesus would eventually save me. I used prescription drugs and alcohol to escape my painful feelings. After my experience, I no longer wanted/needed alcohol and drugs. I discovered meditation (which the church would not allow me to practice). Meditation led me to another world of spirituality that I found to be far superior to religion. My current understanding of what we call ‘death’ is simply a lightning-fast transition of the soul from the body to Nirvana - Earth's spirit world that many of us call ‘Heaven’. In the light of that realm, people whose past lifetimes were marked by fear, prepare to be less vulnerable in their next physical lifetime. This is the next evolutionary step in the eternal life of our souls.

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 The knowledge that came to me was only temporary. Once I was out of the water, I lost the knowledge that had convinced me to get out of the car.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I was able to leave my abusive family.

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'm not sure how to explain exactly. I have been with certain friends and family who were dying and suddenly, after my arrival, they got better for a month or two. It was long enough to take care of unfinished business before crossing. And when they did cross they had taken care of their unfinished business and were ready.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Each moment was life-changing. My religious convictions were dissolved and replaced with spirituality. It feels to me that my life began following this experience.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No The first person I told my story to was the surgeon at the emergency room, who said what I told him was simply impossible. He told me that I had been unconscious. I asked, ‘Then why didn't I drown?’ He did not have an answer, but he was certain that I had ‘dreamed’ it all. Then I began to tell my family, and they all thought I was crazy. Then I met my husband, who not only believed my experience, he thought I was quite special from having been through it. And I was with him when he had a conscious crossing resulting from brain cancer a couple of years ago.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real The moment I looked at my car when they pulled it from the water and saw that the only place in this huge car that was not completely crushed from the crash was the small space in which I had been sitting. Also, each time I looked at my purse...

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real My whole life changed after the experience. I was finally able to get away from abusive family and friends. I found sincere, loving people, especially my late husband, who became the love of my life.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes My husband and I visited John of God in Brazil, and I was introduced to a very similar field in the work they were doing. Also with the use of entheogens, first psilocybin and then ibogaine (taken in Costa Rica with a licensed practitioner), I have been able to reach very similar dimensions.