Sally A NDE

Experience Description

I was in hospital in a seven bed ward. All the beds had a curtain for privacy. I was hovering up at the ceiling. I was looking down at all the patients in their beds and then looked at myself. I questioned myself, 'If am I up here, how can I see when my eyes are back down there in my head? And how can I think while my brain is down there in my head?' I thought it was very intriguing. My mother, aunt and (now ex-) husband were sitting alongside my bed. I was thinking to myself that I could just take off if I wanted to, but then I saw and heard my mother crying and saying, 'Angie please don't die, please don't die.' Then I said to myself, I am not going to die; I just had a baby, at which point I went back into my body.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: Between 7-21-1970 & 7-25-1970

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain Spouse Abuse. Punched in the nose while 9 months pregnant. Put into labor by punch in the nose. Hemorrhaging via artery behind nasal cavity. Life threatening event, but not clinical death . After initial punch in the nose and ambulance ride to emergency, hemorrhaging was stopped. Later that night I gave birth to my son. Then two days later, I was released, but the hemorrhaging started again and I was taken back to hospital, unconscious and receiving blood in both arms. Stayed in hospital for two weeks.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes
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? Normal consciousness and alertness I think the entire time I was up at the ceiling.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I think the entire time I was up at the ceiling.

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 Does hovering up at the ceiling qualify as altered space?

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Did your vision differ in any way from normal? Lighting was dim. I was in a hospital and it was night time so I am assuming the lights were off or dimmed. No difference in clarity than my normal vision.

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? No

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 I saw what was in the room and the people there, from the ceiling.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? No emotions. More like puzzlement and curiosity.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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

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? Moderate Raised Catholic/Catholic School But not practicing.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I am no longer a Catholic or practice any regulated religion.

What is your religion now? Liberal None

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I am no longer a Catholic or practice any regulated religion.

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 Funny, I thought to myself as I was up at the ceiling, I thought, I can take off right now. If I wanted to go to the moon, I could go. I remember thinking, it all makes sense now.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Fear of being called crazy. Thought I had imagined it or dreamed it. Didn't convey experience until five or six years later when I heard someone else conveying the same type of 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 have premonitions and dreams that come to pass.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes. It showed me that consciousness doesn't need a physical body to exist. We have all of our senses even without the body. Since that point, I have never feared death, not that I had a big fear to begin with. I was young so death wasn't even considered. Also, I don't know why or how, but I came to realize that my rational mind is what hinders me and keeps me here.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Five or so years later I was watching a TV talk show and NDE was the topic. In those days, people looked at you funny when relating the experience. I am unaware of anyone being influenced by my experience. I didn't tell too many people.

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 was aware of having the experience when I regained consciousness a few days later. At first I thought (my brain was getting in the way and telling me) it was a dream, but I knew it was real. I was kind of in conflict over it with my mind trying to rationalize it.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I was given an opportunity to get a glimpse at what's beyond this physical reality. If I died today, it would be okay. I have thought of the experience often and still do. I will never forget it and feel very fortunate to have experienced it. I am comfortable with myself and my life's journey.

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 know we are all connected. I know we are bits of a greater whole and we are here to gain material/physical experiences in order to increase knowledge and perfect the whole. I know why I am here. I had a very revealing dream not too long after my NDE. I dreamed that I was looking at myself (at the back of my head) looking through a window, I was choosing the life I wanted to live. I picked this one because of all the experiences it was going to have. Now, no matter what happens, good or bad, I say to myself, 'You picked this life,' and I try to do it, live it one hundred percent.