Kathy F NDE

Experience Description:

I was experiencing much abdominal pain, perhaps because of cholera or food poising or something, nobody really knows. I had symptoms of being severely sick with vomiting and diarrhea with cramping in my stomach and extremities. I remember getting into the ambulance from a gurney but then I do not remember much after that.

Then I remember seeing an intense light and having no fear, but relaxed. Then a figure emerged who I identified as Jesus - a figure consistent with a painting of Jesus my grandmother had. I really only remember seeing the bottom part of his robe, ankles and feet, but I knew the whole being was also somehow present. I remember arguing with this figure, very forcefully, telling him that I could not join with him yet because I had a child to raise. I needed to be there for my child.

Then I woke up. At first, I was incredulous that what had happened to me was real. The longer I reflected on this experience, the more I was convinced it was real and that it was a gift, a responsibility of some kind. Very special. Eventually I became peaceful with it and accepted it as part of me.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: Summer 1976

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness Illness, trauma or other condition not considered life threatening I was very sick to my stomach. I was extremely dehydrated and losing feeling in my extremities. Possible cardiac arrest. I have a vestigial memory of someone pounding on my chest. When I woke up I was in the hospital room with an IV.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal I'm really not sure whether my consciousness was greater at that time because over the years I have become very purposeful in the way I direct my life and in seeking spiritual answers. So everything sort of blends together as a continuum.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was arguing with the being, Jesus.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither The experience was so unlike my earthly existence, with no sense of time or space.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? More so than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My vision was all encompassing. I was part of the vision and included in what I perceived.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I do not remember hearing any sound at all. My communication with the being was telepathic.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No Not that I remember.

Did you see any beings in your experience? Saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I met a being who I identified as Jesus and argued with him to let me raise my child.

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 The light was all encompassing and I was part of that light. It was a very bright light but comfortable.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Clearly mystical or unearthly realm

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calm and confident. I argued very strongly and persuasively for my request to return to raise my daughter.

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? United, one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither I learned that an experience like this could happen, which was something I did not know before. I became less fearful of earth life after this experience. This fearlessness remains with me today. I am not reckless in anyway, but I have no fear of dying at all.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither

Did you come to a border or point of no return? A conscious decision to 'return' to life

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain I just don't know.

What is your religion now? Liberal

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain I just don't know.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Definite being, or voice clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I felt free and peaceful without fear. My husband is full of fear but I am not. I'm not a daredevil or reckless, but I am willing to try different things and participatory in social ways. I became much more confident. I believe I had these traits before the experience but felt that my confidence was being eroded because of my husband's fear. The experience snapped me out of that erosion.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain I'm really not sure.

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? Uncertain Perhaps the event freed my intuitions about others.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The part of arguing and that I would react with such strength and purpose was significant. Also the fact that I returned and am still here was meaningful.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I shared it with my husband but he just scoffed at me. So I just kept it to myself. But at some point I shared it with my mother and she listened, accepted, and said that she knew others who had this kind of experience and that it changed them forever. I believe her acceptance of my experience allowed me to be more accepting of it myself. In a way she gave me permission to accept it.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I knew there were such things in a clinical way, but that was it. It never occupied much of my awareness.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real I knew something had happened to me but I searched this world for confirmation or understanding of what had gone on.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real My study and experience with others has taught me how common it is and that it definitely had a reality within the consciousness of many others besides me.

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