Sheila NDE

Experience Description:

My friend, then in her twenties, had been very ill and was in the intensive care unit when she collapsed. She does not recall being taken to the operating theatre or the team working on her. (She was later told by her mother-in-law that a team of twelve doctors worked for three hours before she came around.)

Interestingly, her experience of time does not match the three hours spent by the doctors on reviving her, as you will see. Neither does she recall any sensation of separating from the body or even when that happened.

She says that she suddenly found herself going down a black tunnel. That experience felt 'interesting' because she said she kept observing what was going on. Today, in her forties (which is now, when she told me) she is (alas) unable to recall whatever it was that was going on.

She reached the end of the tunnel where she found a tall/big dark man standing with a lantern. He saw her and said, 'No, no. Not you. It's another Sheila (I am using a pseudonym here), that I am waiting for.' There was no further conversation, nor did she see anybody else.

That was it, the next thing she knew she was awake. The whole experience was narrated to me as though it were very short. On earth, they took three hours to get her back. She actually has no sense of the amount of time she spent in the tunnel.

Thank you for a great website. I find NDE stories inspiring and that many of them tell us how are earthly lives should be lived.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: About 13 years ago

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) Collapsed and taken to the operating theatre.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes No

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Throughout.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither She described the experience as going through the tunnel, which was 'interesting' and then being sent back. The three hours doctors spent on her on earth was later told to her. She does not know how long her time in the tunnel was.

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 friend did not mention this.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My friend did not mention this.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes

Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes A tall/big dark man carrying a lantern.

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? Neither

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes A lantern!

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Neither My freind seems to have enjoyed her time in the tunnel which was not an earthly dimension.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? She found it very 'interesting' while it was happening.

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? Neither

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

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither

Did you come to a border or point of no return? A barrier I was not permitted to cross; or 'sent back' to life involuntarily

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal Hindu

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal Hindu and practicing Buddhist

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? Neither

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither

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? No

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? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? No.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I am afraid I don't know who else she has shared it with, but she talks about it very naturally. Also Hindu culture has a very high acceptance of other realms - our ancient texts are stuffed with gods, demi-gods, space ships, other dimensions/realms such as that of Yama the God of death. His messengers are supposed to get people across and are described as big dark-looking somewhat menacing men. But she didn't feel any sense of menace/ fear. So if she did speak people would accept it as a very real possibility/happening.

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 am afraid I didn't ask her this.

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

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