Laura L NDE

Experience Description

After delivering twins prematurely, I had retained placenta and was losing too much blood. I was afraid of blood transfusions and wouldn't give consent. I continued to bleed for three days. On the third day of losing blood, I felt a detachment with my loved ones. I was afraid. Then, feelings went away.

The next thing I remember, I was on the ceiling of the hospital room looking at my body and the doctors and nurses. I wasn't afraid or aware that was my body lying there! I wondered why they all were so concerned over that person. A second later, I was in this wonderful light! It was all around me and felt tremendous. Overwhelming, it felt so good that I have no words to describe its wonderfulness!!!! Then, in another second, I was standing on a river made of liquid light! There was grass and landscape but it was all made of this light or had the light in it. It is hard to describe. As I said earlier, it was so AWESOME! I couldn't believe how wonderful this river was and I turned to look upstream and didn't get to see.

I was back in the hospital bed receiving blood. I was SO angry! I would rather have stayed in the place made of light! I forgot a lot of things I used to know. I learned many things again but have never recovered some memories of my life. It took a few years to get over the anger, but no longer fear death at all! I used to be afraid of death. I came back a different person. It changed me in many ways.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 10-31-1996

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Childbirth 'received blood transfusions, not really sure what life-saving procedures were performed on me other than the blood transfusions' Other 'received blood transfusions, not really sure what life-saving procedures were performed on me other than the blood transfusions' Delivered twins prematurely and had retained placenta. Lost A LOT of blood over a three day period.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I saw my body on the hospital bed and doctors and nurses busy doing things to my body but I didn't know it was me. I could see the entire room, everyone, and everything in it. 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 More intense. With more feeling if that makes sense.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? After I got out of the light that carried me to the river. It was all clear except leaving and entering my body.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Hard to explain.

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. Everything looked as though it had light or was made up of the light

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Do not have any memories of sound while I was there.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

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

The experience included: Unearthly 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 Just after hovering above my body, I went into the light. After that, the light was everywhere in everything. The river was made of liquid light.

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I was standing on a riverbank. It was absolutely stunning! It was like Earth, but not. I experienced the feeling of being privileged or so fortunate to be there.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? First, I wondered why those people were so concerned about that person in the hospital bed. Then, once I got into the light, it was the most wonderful experience I have ever had! If you rolled every great and happy moment in my lifetime all in one, it couldn't even come close to describing the great feeling of being there!

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? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

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 importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Slightly important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Do not know

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I believe in God, before I didn't really. I wanted to but just couldn't fully believe. Now I KNOW He is there.

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I thought when we died, we went away forever. Like you would cease to exist any longer. Now I know we do continue to exist and we are still us even after we arent on this earth or in our current bodies

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I am a much better person now and I know there is a God. I doubted before.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Uncertain I knew I was still me. If that makes sense!

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes I know for a fact that we go elsewhere after our earthly bodies are no longer useful to us.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? I was uncertain if God exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I had a feeling that everything was great and always would be as long as I was there.

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes I know for a fact that we continue on after our earthly bodies are no longer useful. It is still you.

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I greatly feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Unknown

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are possibly meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Uncertain I know the difficulties, challenges, and hardships cease to exist there

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Slightly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life I have more feelings of sympathy and empathy. I have become a firm believer in God. I seem to have more emotions than before. I am A LOT different. I am less violent. I used to drink a lot of alcohol and now I don't drink at all. I am teaching my children there is a God and an afterlife. If not for this experience, my children would have no religious beliefs.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I give more, feel more, don't take things for granted, and love people as much as I can while I can.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Very hard to express still. I don't think we have the proper words in any language on Earth to make the living world truly understand the feeling of this place!

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I sense things now. I know if I am around bad people.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The river is my most special experience. I just felt privileged to see it!

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I woke up talking about the river but shut up when I realized what I was saying! I didn't talk about it for about six months because I thought others might think I was crazy!

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 know it was real because I was there!

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I know it was real because I was there!

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? I thought when we died, we went away forever, like ceasing to exist any longer. Now I know we do continue to exist and we are still us even after we aren't on this Earth or in our current bodies. I know, for a fact, that we go elsewhere after our earthly bodies are no longer useful to us. I know the difficulties, challenges, and hardships cease to exist there.