Then I felt leaving my body and turning around  with the belly up. I could notice lots of people by my side.

Afterwards I saw myself in a tunnel of white lights with blue rays which came from upwards . I got the sensation of being involved by them. I felt pain in my stomach like a pressure due to acceleration. And so I heard a voice: �Concentrate yourself and get into the right frame of mind. Your pain will diminish�.  I concentrated myself and the pain actually decreased.  The blue rays intensified as I entered in a concentration state.

I had the impression that there were different speeds  inside the tunnel.

I reached a sort of dark room with big pillars, without doors or windows, and there were yellow and purple lights. I stayed there alone for a certain time.

Later I was put in a sort of  hovel,  like a slum, where a young boy, may be four years old, was lying in a hammock. Standing by his side there was a much upset young woman. I smoothed the boy's head and he smiled. The woman was emotionally drained, she talked extravagantly, seemed highly disturbed. I started talking to her but she couldn't keep a logical conversation. I insisted and after some time she stopped speaking and listened to  me. I said:  "Do you know that you have already died?�,  the woman stood silent, then I continued saying: � We are going to pray Our Father�. She prayed with me and then she understood she had already left her body and that she was lost there. She started crying of emotion as she realized her condition but also feeling great relief.

Soon I felt being pulled  out of that place and during my exit I was still holding tightly the woman's hand as she couldn�t  stop thanking  me.

I went back immediately to the lighted tunnel , feeling the same sensations although tired but happy and relieved.

I felt going back to my body. Then I woke up and heard the voice of an old lady who smiled and seemed proud for having carried out the service.

 Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words?       No       

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?            Yes      I was in a postoperative condition, about one week after the surgery.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?   I had been conscious all the time but the strongest moment was during the tunnel's trip.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal.

If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:  I had been conscious all the time but the strongest moment I think it was during the tunnel`s travel.

Did your vision differ in any way from your normal, everyday vision (in any aspect, such as clarity, field of vision, colors, brightness, depth perception degree of solidness/transparency of objects, etc.)?        Yes      I could see simultaneously my room and the hovel where I was.  Everything was colourful, quite clear and I could choose which field to look at.

Did your hearing differ in any way from your normal, everyday hearing (in any aspect, such as clarity, ability to recognize source of sound, pitch, loudness, etc.?
            Yes      I heard voices of people praying, singing and giving me advices.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?       Yes

What emotions did you feel during the experience?     Happiness, satisfaction, pride, confidence.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?   Yes      It was full of white lights with blue rays, and as I moved through it I crossed the lights.

Did you see a light?     Yes      White with blue rays.

Did you meet or see any other beings?            Yes      They were always by my side, may be more than 6, all  young. I communicated with them.

Did you experience a review of past events in your life?          Yes      I realise nowadays that I went to make a visit to some dead relative.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?     Yes            It looked like a projection of a previous life.

Did you see or visit any beautiful or otherwise distinctive locations, levels or dimensions?    Yes      A waiting room,  for meditative practises before getting in touch with the suffering spirits.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?        Yes      I could feel the displacement and  the waiting time in each step.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?           Yes      I received orientations as to how to talk to the spirits.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?        Yes      The tunnel of light is not empty. It moulds itself as one passes through it.

The place where I met the woman was limited by energies.

Did you become aware of future events?          Yes      It became easier and more frequent to get out from the body.

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?     Yes      The visions increased.

Have you shared this experience with others?  Yes      With spiritual people who have knowledge on the subject.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?           Yes      I knew  it happened, as I experienced other trips outside the body. The one described here was the most intense.

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:      Experience was definitely real      It is possible to know if an experience is real by the quantity of information it provides and the  spiritual development that comes with it.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?           Many trips and visits to persons and unknown places.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:        Experience was definitely real

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?  No       

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?      No       

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience? No       

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?        The near death experience is a way of getting more information and better understanding of the spirit world. It keeps us linked to it.

Did the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?     Yes      Although nothing can replace a live talk.


Translator Note:

�Umbanda temples are autonomous organizations that focus around a leader, mediums (psychics who can act as a medium between the physical and the spiritual worlds), initiates (people with psychic abilities who are being taught in the ways of Umbanda) and lay members.

During its first years, the Umbanda rituals were performed in poor suburban houses because the followers had no resources and also to avoid police persecution. Most often, the leader's own house was used as a place for religious meetings. The rituals were performed in the backyard. Sometimes, a tent was pitched to protect the meeting from rain. Today, the Umbanda religious buildings are still called Terreiro (backyard) or Tenda (tent). When the religion flourished, buildings were specially constructed for ritual use.

Tendas or Terreiros usually look like ordinary houses when seen from the street. Some religious artifacts like African styled ceramic vases can be put on the walls or ceilings to give a touch of religious appearance to the house. A wood board with the name of the temple is placed over the main entrance. Larger Umbanda houses often are laid out in a fashion similar to a humble Catholic church. Even when the Tenda or Terreiro is specially built to be used in Umbanda rituals, a separated part is used as the home of the leader and his or her family. The areas for residence and rituals are close enough to be considered a single unit��