Martha BG NDE

Experience Description

I was in hospital for delivery of my fourth child. Everything seemed to proceeding normally as the other three births had been, and then I realized that there was a lot more activity happening in the delivery room. I went unconscious.

There was a very bright light and a welcoming place. I was not in a city and there was no landscape, just the warm, loving, wonderful, welcoming bright light. I was coming toward an indistinct group of people, they had no bodily form they just seemed to be hovering near a central figure who had on a flowing robe. I had a choice. I could join them or return to my life. I had a wonderful, joyful, peaceful feeling. It was suddenly decided for me.

I became aware that a nurse was slapping my face and saying, 'breathe, breathe.' The following day I required a blood transfusion. The doctor told me that I shouldn't have any more children, because the next time he likely would not be able to save either one of us.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: July 16, 1957

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Childbirth. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) The life of my child and myself was at risk.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? No I was only aware of the nurse slapping me as I re-entered my body. I clearly left my body and existed outside it

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 most alert when I saw the central figure standing in his flowing robe in front of the other beings. All the usual problems of my daily life didn't exist, I was happy and had not a care in the world, but was totally focused on the central figure.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? More vivid 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 extremely sensitive to the bright light or aura surrounding the group.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I don't remember hearing anything during the experience.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

Did you see any beings in your experience? I sensed their presence

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 There was an aura surrounding the scene of the group and the central figure. The light was brighter than I had ever seen before.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I was transported to an unearthly place that had no shape or form, just the bright light and the beings who had not form. I was just aware of a group surround the central figure who had on a robe.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calmness, pleasantness and joy.

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? No

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? No

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? Christian- Protestant

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I have more understanding and empathy for other people.

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 I didn't hear a voice or any sound.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I sensed their presence

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.)? Uncertain I've always felt that the central being was God.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

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? Yes I felt that the central being was God.

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? No

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are probably 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 had the feeling that the being in the robe was God and that the beings surrounding him were people who were in heaven.

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

Do you fear death after your experience? I moderately fear death

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

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 probably 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? No

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? Moderately compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life I feel that I have been more sympathetic and understanding to other people.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I am more patient and understanding with other people. Since I was a teacher, I think the experience helped me in dealing with and understanding my students.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes In the fifty-seven years since my experience I've only tried to describe it to one person.

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 I will never forget the feeling I had at the time of my 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've had two psychic experiences of knowing that things are going to happen, and then finding out that they did happen.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The whole experience has been very meaningful for me.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I have shared this experience with a close friend who I knew would be accepting of my experience.

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 so vivid that there was no doubt in my mind that I had an out of body experience.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real There has never been any doubt in my mind about the experience and I think it has been significant in my life.

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