Peggy L NDE

Experience Description

I was having spinal surgery. I went through a 'tunnel' that had a very bright white light at the end. As I neared, the light, I could see many people with their arms stretched out beckoning me to come. They appeared as 'grayish' figures, but I could not see their faces. As I got closer, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace beyond any understanding of the word and I wanted to go. Then I heard a male voice that permeated my entire being and it said, 'No! Her children need her.' Then I woke up with my friend shaking me.

A couple years passed, and I found out that my husband, her step-father, had been molesting her. That is when I finally understood what that meant. They did need me.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: Dec 1984

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness. Surgery-related Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) My heart stopped beating during surgery A nurse who brought me to recovery was from our church. She told me that they thought they lost me and it freaked her out because she knew me. When I woke up, she was standing there shaking me like crazy and saying 'Peggy, wake up, Peggy, wake up!' I asked her why she was shaking me and she told me what they thought they had lost me while in recovery.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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? Normal consciousness and alertness

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

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. My perception of the persons there was not clear.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. The sound of the voice that spoke was so permeating.

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 See above.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

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 They were welcoming me.

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 A very bright white light.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? A very strong sense of peace and tranquility. I wanted to be 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? 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 Right on.

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 Church of Christ

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist None

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I try to live my life as a decent person.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes The people that I saw were standing with their arms outstretched to welcome me, but they were 'faceless', so I didn't recognize them.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I can 'read' people more easily, like I see through them, and sense 'spirits' occasionally.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I now believe that we go 'somewhere' that feels good and is peaceful.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Not for years. I was afraid they would think I was crazy.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes In 1972, during my first spinal surgery, I sat up on a shelf in the operating room and watched the doctors working on me.

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 it HAD to be real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It was real.

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