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1. About Josiane Antonette
Born in France and trained as a nurse, Josiane Antonette had a near-death experience (NDE) in 1966 when she became aware of her ability to “communicate with the Other Side.” For over 30 years, she has worked with the dying and the living, in hospitals as a chaplain, universities as a teacher, as a spiritual counselor, healer and ceremonial leader. Her understanding of living, dying and the spiritual realms has touched many people. The following are short excepts from her wonderful book,, Whispers of the Soul: Journeys to the Other Side of Life. It is a book I highly recommend.
2. Josiane Antonette’s NDE
a. Josiane’s Out-of-Body Experience
My NDE shattered my world. It shook me into remembering spirit and other dimensions of life, which I had known as a child but had forgotten so that I could fit into society.
I feel the jerking of the ambulance as it rushes me through the dark streets of Marseille to the hospital.
Twenty-four hours have passed since my underground abortion with a feuseuse d’anges, an “angel maker.” Abortion is illegal in France now, and many women die because of the unsanitary conditions of the procedure. I am only twenty-four years old, a young nurse.
Am I dying? Am I outside myself observing? I see my body and its pain. I look at my feet; they are pale and lifeless. My legs cannot move. My face is white and drawn.
I watch as the walls of the ambulance dissolve. I see the lights of the city speed toward me. I can see the stars! What am I doing up so high? Why does everything look so small all of a sudden?
Memories pass before my eyes as in a movie.
[Josiane Antonette then momentarily returns to her body.]
b. Josiane Experiences a Hell Realm
I see family members at the foot of my bed through a haze. Suddenly they disappear. From where they stood I see faces rushing toward me with incredible speed. They race toward my face, expanding then dissolving. Face after face washes over me! I am terrified. I’m drifting. I’m unable to keep my eyes open.
Who are these people? Some I recognize as people I’ve known who have died. Others I do not recognize.
“Stay away! Where is my family?”
Now the whole room is filled with spirits! They hover near me and look into my eyes. I try to push them away. I fight them. The experience seems to go on forever. These are spirits who are restless. Their faces are twisted with pain. They seem lost. It’s frightening to see them walking back and forth around my bed.
c. Josiane Experiences a Heavenly Realm
And now – spirits with glowing faces come close to me. They reflect a gentle and powerful light, reminding me of the pictures of beautiful angels that I love so much. I feel nurtured and loved by them, and enveloped by their luminescence. These beings are made of light, and even though their brilliance is intense, I am not blinded. Tremendous compassionate love surrounds me!
Now, I am filled with the essence of love and compassion. This magnetic power is filling every atom of me. I have never before experienced such depth and power of love. I am the power of love! Merging into an intimate dance wherein all boundaries have disappeared, I feel myself one with these beings of compassion.
No words or sounds are being exchanged, and yet communication is happening.
A strong presence assures me, “Yes, you are dying to the world of men. But to us you are being born. Do not be afraid. You have always been with us; we have always been with you. We know you. You just fell asleep during your time on Earth and forgot who you are. Now you are remembering.”
Revelation fills my awareness – of course, yes! I am of the Beings of Light and they are of me!
What is this new surge of energy? It begins as a very gentle vibration rising through the length of my body, from my feet to the top of my head, but now my whole self is vibrating. I hear buzzing. It is growing louder, and now the vibration and the buzzing are becoming one.
I feel such a wonderful release! I’m free! I can’t resist this new and wonderful tide of energy sweeping my body upward.
d. Josiane Has Another Out-of-Body Experience
Now I’m on the hospital room ceiling gazing down! Everything appears so small: I see my bed; my body looks small and colorless; the people around the bed are tiny.
Overwhelming grief and sorrow fill the room, and yet I feel completely disconnected from the scene below me.
I hover nearer and look at the strange form lying on the bed. I feel compassion beyond words.
I understand everything, but I have no feeling of attachment to anyone. I look at each person standing at the bedside and feel tremendous love. I want to say to them, “I’m all right. You don’t have to worry. I’m all right. Look at me! I’m fine!”
I am love; I am understanding; I am compassion!
e. Josiane’s Consciousness Expands
My presence fills the room. And now I feel my presence in every room in the hospital. Even the tiniest space in the hospital is filled with this presence that is me. I sense myself beyond the hospital, above the city, even encompassing Earth. I am melting into the universe. I am everywhere at once. I see pulsing light everywhere. Such a loving presence envelops me!
I hear a voice say, “Life is a precious gift: to love, to care, to share.”
Questions race through my awareness: Why is there so much pain in the world? Why are humans made of different colors? Why with different creeds? Why with different languages?
f. Josiane Receives Visions of the Future
A vision appears. I see our world from the vantage point of a star, or another planet. Earth appears as a sphere cut in half. The surface of the planet is flat and colorless. The ground is bare. No living plant grows from the Earth. Tree branches are naked. There are no fruits, no flowers, no leaves. The barren hills are obscured behind a gray veil. It is a passionless place where no one rejoices at the sunrise, and no one knows when night comes. Naked phantom-like people stand on what seems to be a stage. All the actors are puppets animated by an invisible force. They move in unison and stop all at once.
On one side of half of the sphere, a sun attempts to shine upon the stage, but no one pays attention or makes a sound. Even the birds in the dead trees are silent and motionless. The other side of the half sphere is in darkness. I watch as the darkness grows with frightening speed and covers the whole planet. No one pays attention. Now the darkness covers the sunlight, and now it covers all the bright planets in the universe.
“This is the world with the absence of light, love, and free will,” the voice states. “It is the people’s choices that created the world you have just seen.”
With these words, the nightmarish world begins to dissolve and is replaced by the other half of the planet – a place of vibrant, breathtaking beauty. I perceive how the Earth, the sun, the moon, the darkness, the light, the planets, and all forms of life – plants, rocks, animals, people – are interconnected; they come from the same source of light. Everything is united by a transparent net, or web, and each thread shines with great radiance. Everything pulses with the same luminosity – a magnificent light of unparalleled brilliance.
“From the light we have come, and to the light we all shall return,” continues the voice.
I realize now I have been standing in the middle of the two worlds. And with this understanding, an image of the path I have been walking appears. It is narrow and rocky; I have the sensation of losing my balance. I grow afraid of falling into the darkened planet. Free will! With the remembering, I gaze at my invisible feet. The narrow path changes into a wide road. The darkness is replaced by light.
“Never, never forget.” I hear the voice say.
g. Josiane Merges With the Light
Merging with the light, I am so overcome with gratitude and overwhelmed by the love that fills me that I cry.
Suddenly, time and space are different again, and I am momentarily aware of my body. I am aware that the window to the left of my bed is filled with vibrant, powerful light. It seems to be calling me and pulling me toward it like a magnet.
I hear the buzzing again, and … Whoosh! I’m zooming through the window!
I merge with the light! I am the light, and the light is me.
“From the light we have come, and to the light we shall all return,” repeats the voice.
What a joy to bathe in this incredible all-knowing, all-loving…
I can travel through walls, ceilings, and space at amazing speed! I visit my son, Philippe, who is only four.
A tremendous power moves me. I am boundless, formless, no longer controlled by my emotions. I am everything. Everything is me!
h. Josiane Meets Her Deceased Cousin
I’m back in the hospital room. A mist coming from the door facing my bed attracts my attention. In the middle of the vapor is a being with the most heavenly smile. Jean Pierre! It is my cousin, Jean Pierre! I am overwhelmed with joy. As I gaze at Jean Pierre, the hospital room disappears. We are suspended in midair.
There are no windows or doors, no ceiling or ground. A brilliant radiance fills all space. He slowly approaches my bed and bends to kiss me. I feel the moisture of his lips on my face, the weight of his body against mine, the gentle touch of his hands on me.
Jean Pierre is the brother I never had. After a long and painful battle with lung cancer, he died two years ago when he was only twenty-two. I am still grieving his passing. How wonderful to see him again! And what is this? He is wearing his butterscotch jacket. This jacket has been the subject of many discussions. He loves it; I hate it.
“How did you know I was here?”
My question is a thought not yet put into words as Jean Pierre answers, “We know everything about you, and we welcome you.”
Such a warm feeling of peace! I am complete – whole! I am free of pain and fear. There is no past or future – everything is! There is no need to speak to be understood or to communicate. I feel serenity beyond anything I have ever known. And joy of joys: I can fly! I swirl easily and with great speed around my cousin in a playful way, expressing the ultimate joy that is me. Everything is the way it should be. Never have I felt so clear, so complete, so loved.
I gaze at myself: I am whole and healed! I can interact and play with Jean Pierre with my natural vigor. Familiar Beings of Light are here, too. I immerse myself in their loving presence. It’s as if they are protecting me and carrying me. We are all interconnected.
I relax into the timeless joy. What a glorious feeling! I want to be here forever.
Jean Pierre is gazing at me now as the other beings begin to depart. His dark eyes are filled with great tenderness and purity. He turns to leave with the others, and I plead with him to take me with him. His eyes fill with sadness.
“Not now,” he responds. “There is much, much work for you. You have to go back and tell them. Life is a precious gift. Each moment is filled with great opportunities. Don’t waste your time on Earth. Spread love and understanding. We will always be with you – guiding you, protecting you, awaiting the time when we will be reunited – when your work on Earth is over.”
I watch as Jean Pierre dissolves into the same brilliant light with which he had entered. The light is fading away, too.
i. Josiane Returns to Life
The room is empty now. My grief is intense. I start to cry out of desperation and loneliness.
Suddenly, I’m back in the hospital in bed. I am fully aware of my surroundings and my physical state of being. Tubes are implanted in my body. The pain is overwhelming. My sadness is intense. I am so weak I cannot speak. I have lost my voice, and the doctors are alarmed by the tears which are using up the strength I need to recuperate. Crying is all I want to do! My body feels like a suit that is too tight; the room is confining; the smell of sickness surprises my senses; the human condition saddens me.
“Josianne, you’re back!” I recognize my sister’s voice. I see her careful gaze. “You’ve been in a coma for three days. We didn’t know if you were coming back.”
I cried for ten days and then gradually regained my voice and began to relate my strange experience to an audience of family members gathered around my bed.
3. An Analysis of Josiane Antonette’s NDE
Josiane Antonette’s NDE is remarkable because it contains many of the classic elements commonly reported in NDEs while also emphasizing themes of free will, spiritual awakening, universal interconnectedness, and humanity’s responsibility to choose love over fear. Her account follows a progression from suffering and confusion to illumination and transcendence, reflecting what many researchers describe as the transformative journey of the NDE.
Josiane’s experience begins with a classic out-of-body experience (OBE). As she is transported by ambulance after a life-threatening medical crisis, she observes her body from an external perspective and watches the surrounding environment dissolve. This detachment from the physical body is one of the most frequently reported features of NDEs. Her perception of rising above the ambulance and viewing the city and stars suggests an expanded state of awareness unconstrained by ordinary physical limitations. Significantly, she reports a life review-like sequence in which memories pass before her eyes. Such experiences often serve as a transition from ordinary consciousness to a broader spiritual awareness and are frequently associated with profound self-reflection and learning.
Unlike the stereotypical image of NDEs as entirely blissful, Josiane’s experience includes a disturbing encounter with earthbound souls. The restless entities surrounding her hospital bed appear confused, suffering, and trapped. This resembles what researchers often describe as “hellish” or “distressing” NDEs. Importantly, the beings are not depicted as demons inflicting punishment. Rather, they seem lost and tormented by their own condition. This distinction is significant because many NDE accounts portray negative realms not as places of divine condemnation but as states of consciousness characterized by fear, confusion, separation, and spiritual ignorance. Josiane’s terror appears to arise from her perception of these beings rather than from any direct threat they pose.
The frightening scene abruptly gives way to radiant beings of light whose presence fills her with overwhelming love and compassion. This transition from darkness to light mirrors countless NDE narratives in which fear dissolves in the presence of divine love. Particularly noteworthy is the message she receives: “You just fell asleep during your time on Earth and forgot who you are. Now you are remembering.” This theme of spiritual remembrance is common in mystical traditions and NDEs worldwide. The message suggests that human beings are fundamentally spiritual beings who temporarily forget their true nature while incarnated on Earth. Her realization that she is one with the Beings of Light reflects the NDE theme of divine kinship and the underlying unity of consciousness.
As her experience deepens, Josiane reports a dramatic expansion of awareness. She no longer perceives herself as confined to an individual body but instead experiences herself as filling the hospital, the city, the Earth, and eventually the universe. Such experiences of cosmic consciousness have been reported by many NDErs and mystics. The boundaries between self and universe dissolve, producing an awareness of profound interconnectedness. Her perception that everything is linked through a luminous web resembles descriptions of a universal field of consciousness connecting all life. The accompanying message, “Life is a precious gift: to love, to care, to share,” serves as a concise summary of one of the most common lessons reported by NDErs – that love is the central purpose of earthly existence.
One of the most striking aspects of Josiane’s NDE is her visionary experience of two possible worlds. The first is a barren, lifeless planet dominated by darkness, conformity, and the absence of free will. The second is a radiant world filled with interconnected life and spiritual luminosity. The symbolism is powerful. Rather than depicting a fixed prophecy, the vision appears to illustrate two potential outcomes determined by human choices. The voice explicitly states that the dark world was created through people’s decisions. This emphasis on free will is central to the experience. Humanity is not portrayed as helpless before fate; instead, collective choices shape the future. The image of standing between the two worlds symbolizes the moral and spiritual crossroads facing every individual and perhaps humanity as a whole. Her narrow path becoming a broad road after remembering free will suggests that spiritual awakening expands possibilities and leads toward light rather than darkness.
Josiane’s merging with the light represents one of the highest stages of the NDE. Here she experiences complete unity with the source of existence: “I am the light, and the light is me.” This statement reflects a mystical realization found across many spiritual traditions and NDEs. The experience transcends ordinary religious concepts and expresses direct union with a divine reality characterized by infinite love, wisdom, and consciousness. Her ability to move effortlessly through space, visit deceased loved ones, and experience herself as boundless further reinforces the NDE theme that consciousness is not limited by physical form.
The appearance of her deceased cousin Jean Pierre provides one of the most emotionally compelling portions of the narrative. His recognizable personality, familiar appearance, and even the controversial butterscotch jacket lend a sense of authenticity and continuity to the encounter. The interaction conveys another common NDE message: deceased loved ones remain aware of and connected to the living. Jean Pierre’s statement that “We know everything about you, and we welcome you” reinforces the idea that relationships survive physical death. His final message summarizes the central lesson of the experience: “Life is a precious gift. Each moment is filled with great opportunities. Don’t waste your time on Earth. Spread love and understanding.” This teaching echoes the conclusions of countless NDErs who return convinced that love, compassion, and service to others are life’s highest purposes.
Like many NDErs, Josiane experiences profound grief upon returning to her physical body. The contrast between the freedom and love of the spiritual realm and the limitations of earthly existence creates a painful readjustment. Her description of the body as a restrictive suit and the hospital room as confining reflects a common post-NDE reaction. Her ten days of crying suggest the depth of loss she felt after leaving a realm she experienced as her true home. Yet this sorrow is balanced by a renewed sense of mission and purpose. She returns carrying a message intended not only for herself but for others.
Josiane Antonette’s NDE presents a comprehensive spiritual journey encompassing out-of-body perception, encounters with distressed spirits, immersion in unconditional love, expanded cosmic consciousness, visions of humanity’s future, union with divine light, and reunion with a deceased loved one. At its heart is a powerful message that human beings are spiritual beings temporarily living in a physical world, endowed with free will and connected to one another through a universal web of light and love. Her experience suggests that the future of both individuals and humanity depends upon the choices we make, and that the ultimate purpose of life is to learn, express, and embody love.
