As I stepped through the door and into a small room like a porch to a house, my conscious mind became concerned that my children had heard the eerie and strange resonation of my name being called out as though through all eternity.  There was an open door to my left that I had been instructed to go through but I hesitated because I was torn between the thought of my children and the immense feeling of peace, expansiveness and amazing well being that is impossible to describe, that I was experiencing in the small room.  I did not want to leave that feeling.  I knew I was instructed to go through the door but I knew there would be no returning to my children if I did.  I hesitated and stayed in that room long enough that my husband spoke to me and when he did I was instantly back in the bed.  I was mad that he had interrupted such a beautiful experience.

At the time of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?         No            Please see my comment above.  My ex-husband prayed that I might experience this.

Was the experience difficult to express in words?   Yes     Euphoria is the closest I can think of

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    More consciousness and alertness than normal    As I walked through the door, prior to thinking of my husband and my children.    Nothing mattered but being in that state of feeling.

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.    There is no comparison.  The vision was with different eyes because the light was so brilliant, my ordinary eyes would never have been able to open to see it.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.    I only heard the sound of my name being expended into eternity.  The voice came from me but was silent for my husband as he did not hear it.

Did you see or hear any earthly events that were occurring during a time that your consciousness / awareness was apart from your physical / earthly body?    No   

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            I was torn between wanting to stay in this experience forever and worrying that my children were scared as I sensed that they were running up the stairs to see what was wrong (due to the strangeness of the voice calling out my name) but they were still sound asleep when it was over.  

Did you pass into or through a tunnel?           Uncertain      Like I said above.  I was given very clear and detailed instructions but could not remember even one word after I returned.

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes     It was so brilliant that it would have burnt my earthly eyes but it was beautiful to my inner eye.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice?            No   

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings?         No   

Did you become aware of past events in your life during your experience?    No      

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?          A clearly mystical or unearthly realm            The small room was filled with the brilliant light and I was reluctant to look into the doorway to the left but it seemed to be filled with this light also.

Did time seem to speed up or slow down?     Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning            I think I was only gone for a few moments but can't be sure.

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?            No       It just didn't matter

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Yes     The door, but it opened and I walked inside.

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

Did scenes from the future come to you?       No      

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge or purpose?        No      

Discuss any changes that might have occurred in your life after your experience:   Large changes in my life  For the first 6 months, I could not get grounded.  I was obsessed with spiritual matters but I leveled out in time.  I think my parents thought they should commit me to a mental hospital as I was so obsessed with the experience and out of balance. 

Did you have any changes in your values or beliefs after the experience that occurred as a result of the experience?    Yes     There were some strange experiences due to my beliefs, over the next few months, particularly in regards to a local church that my husband joined and I also attended.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience?    Yes     yes.  I developed a sense of "Knowingness" which is more powerful that being psychic but I have let this gift lessen over time.  I also have "Healing Hands" and started doing Reiki in 1998 which used my gift of "Knowingness".  I have had a lot of synchronicities in my life, as well as daja vu.

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes   Immediately - they thought I was crazy.

My Spiritual Guru told me it was a NDE.  I always called it an out of body experience.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    Yes     I don't think it affected me because I do not remember going through any tunnel, nor did I read about any doors or eerie voices.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:    Experience was definitely real    It is possible that it was psychological but how could my husband initiate this through prayer?

What do you believe about the reality of your experience at the current time: Experience was definitely real          

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           Yes     I was strong in my belief in myself because when my husband consulted the elders in the church he was starting to attend, they said I had such a gentle spirit that I would be protected from any harmful consequences from this experience but that my husband needed to be cautious because he was dabbling in the occult and trying to steal his way into the light before it was time for him.  That was why he always got scared but I had no fear.

Have your religious beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience? Uncertain    Perhaps.  I started reading a lot and meditating, doing Yoga, practicing Mantra's, and following the Buddhist philosophies while respecting all religious beliefs.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?  Uncertain    The closest thing that was only minutely similar was euphoria during the birth of my first child where I lost conscious awareness of the time - the clock made no sense.

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?    Yes    I think so but there really is no language to describe this experience.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you?     Just that because I was not near death in the physical sense, my experience seems to be very different that others.  I read Anita's book and that led me to your website but her experience was way different.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience?        I feel blessed to have the experience