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1. Introduction to Orbs and NDEs
Across near-death experience (NDE) testimonies, one image keeps resurfacing with remarkable consistency: the soul exists as an “orb.” Sometimes it is described as a clear, shimmering “bubble” or a transparent “sphere” pulsing with color; sometimes a compact “ball” of radiant energy that thinks, feels, and loves. Spirit guides appear as orbs that lead NDErs toward God; to communities of souls which are seen as constellations of spheres moving in harmony. Even the great Being of Light is often encountered as a sun-like “globe” that radiates knowledge and love. In tunnels, these orbs stream past the NDEr like travelers on intersecting paths. In the spirit world, orbs cluster like stars around a living center like a “galaxy.” Within life reviews, the Being of Light can be seen as an orb revealing truth telepathically. At the threshold of death, the NDEr recognizes their own soul as a living sphere among countless others – distinct yet connected by threads of light. These testimonies reveal orbs in its many shades – from sparkling bubbles to a vast “sea” of colored spheres and golden orbs that some identify as Jesus or the Being of Light. They include an exceptional testimony where orbs are seen at moments of mass death such as the 9-11 terrorist attack. Taken together, these testimonies suggest a simple, powerful archetype: consciousness as an orb of light in motion, individual and groups at once, journeying toward God.
The following is a list of descriptions of the orbs described in NDEs profiled in this article:
An orb of light guiding the NDEr to God; transparent sparkling bubbles representing souls; a “sea” of transparent orbs; various colored orbs; countless orbs of light; golden orbs of light; orbs of pure love; spheres of light; balls of light and energy; glowing orbs of light and colors; balls of consciousness as the self; yellow balls of light; orbs of blue light; gray spheres of light; spheres of multicolored lights; spheres of “universal communion”; crystalline spheres; bright white orbs; golden orbs; giant orbs of light like the Sun; loving Beings of Light as balls of light; blue and white orbs; purple orbs; and Jesus as an orb of love and light.
2. The Soul as an Orb
In NDE testimonies, the soul often appears as an orb – a self-aware ball of light with its own color, tone, and motion. Sometimes spirit guides appear as an orb who escorts the NDEr to God; other times as transparent sparkling bubbles; as a sea of transparent spheres, or fast-moving lights weaving past one another without collision. These orbs gather at the entrance of the tunnel, through the tunnel, and cluster near centers of light like galaxies; distinct balls of light linked by a subtle thread and drawn to a common Source. Sometimes these orbs are described as golden, pale pink, vividly colored, or pure white. Orbs often carry the same message – consciousness continues, learns, and travels as an orb in the afterlife realms. Orbs of souls are seen as guiding other souls, returning to life, learning and connecting with others. They offer a glimpse into how NDErs perceive their soul’s true form as a ball of light connected to every other light.
A soul as a spirit guide and orb: During his NDE, Dr. Eben Alexander referred to his female spirit guide as an “Orb” as she was transformed into an orb of light who guided him to the presence of God. (Dr. Eben Alexander)
Souls as transparent sparkling bubbles: “We saw that the sparkling lights were tiny, transparent bubbles that drifted in the air and sparkled on the grass. We realized that each tiny sparkle was a soul.” (May Eulitt)
A “sea” of transparent orbs as souls: “I walked through what seemed like a veil. I saw a sea of orbs with translucent bodies.” (Thomas D.)
Souls as colored, transparent orbs: “[I entered] a clearly mystical or unearthly realm. The colors and sounds were so vivid! There were variously colored, transparent orbs that seemed to pulsate.” (Tish Z.)
Souls as orbs of light: “There were also souls leaving their human bodies (earthly death) and returning to the Light. I didn’t see them actually entering or leaving their earthly bodies. I just knew this to be true. They appeared as orbs of light.” (Joseph S.)
Souls as orbs of light: “I was given an image. It reminded me of one of those maze toys where a silver ball has to be rolled around through a wooden maze while being mindful of the holes so you didn’t lose your ball. It was sort of like that except that there were orbs of light going around all over the place. Sometimes the orbs would cross each other, but they never caused interference. There were countless orbs. And they were zipping around really fast and would appear and disappear in different places. I interpreted that as the souls’ journeys. That we play a part in each other’s journey.” (Brandon D.)
Souls as golden orbs linked together: “As I moved through this space, I became aware of others around me. There was no one I knew, but I sensed other beings. Soon I saw them as small golden orbs of light, each separate, an individual. Yet, a thin thread linked them all. They extended out as far as I could see in my mind I knew that each and every one was connected and joined with what I believed was God.” (Henry W.)
Souls as orbs of pure love: “I looked around and saw very large Pure Love Orbs with silhouettes of human souls.” (Mark)
Souls as orbs returning to Earth through the tunnel: “I was able to see out the left side of the tunnel. There were beautiful, mystical, and other-worldly pale pink, almost clear, orbs of light. They were traveling slowly in the opposite direction that I was traveling.” (Will S.)
Souls as colored orbs of light in the tunnel: “What I saw could be described as a vortex. There was a hole in the sky surrounded by clouds and lightning like plasma… Like a galaxy swirling around the most brilliant light one could imagine. It was what I perceive to be the source. Just outside the hole were light orbs going in and out of the hole, they were different brightnesses, colors, and shapes.” (Bridget F.)
Souls as spheres in the tunnel: “There were geometrical figures, mostly spheres, passing around me and going off into the distance… I started to slowly move deeper into the tunnel to where the spheres were going.” (Larisa)
Souls as spheres of light at the end of the tunnel: “I reached the precipice at the end of the tunnel. There were spherical lights as far as I could see. Inside the spheres were searing bright white lines that reminded me of the filaments of an electric light bulb.” (Isabel R.)
Souls as balls of energy ast the end of the tunnel: “I passed into the vacuum of a black hole. Then, I’m was in a universal space and had a few balls of energy, that were entities, around me.” (Matt Mc.)
Souls as spheres of white light outside the tunnel: “Two angels stood outside of the [tunnel]: one was my younger sister the other a nephew. Both had died in separate car crashes. I didn’t visually recognize them, seeing little more than two spheres of white light.” (Roy T.)
Souls as spheres of light: “We started going faster and faster, out of the darkness. Embraced by the light, feeling wonderful and crying, I saw off in the distance something that looked like the picture of a galaxy, except that it was larger and there were more stars than I had seen on Earth. There was a great center of brilliance. In the center there was an enormously bright concentration. Outside the center countless millions of spheres of light were flying about entering and leaving what was a great being-ness at the center. It was off in the distance.” (Howard Storm)
Souls as an “astral sphere”: “The soul follows the same process. By its vibratory mode, it’s changing its state because it is elevating. Component of matter, at the moment of spiritual warming up, it’s transforming and is detaching from the mortal coil. This elevation is a vibratory rise, from an inferior state towards a superior state, what you call astral state or astral sphere.” (Vincent H.)
Souls as spheres: “[I encountered] no beings as we know them or ghosts we see in movies. More like some spheres who were communicating with me.” (Doina)
Souls as small balls: “There are some souls that appear as wispy, cloud-like entities. They take the form of a small ball when they are far away.” (Bobbi D.)
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An extraordinary example of souls as orbs: “Structures and landscapes sprung from everywhere all in a crystalline state, all inhabited by these lesser light beings – some winged, most not – some fully formed, others not – yet even others appeared only as glowing orbs of light and color, bouncing as would bubbles in a glass of carbonated water … Just then I saw five orbs of light. They seemed to be playing, swirling round and about the being and myself. They had appeared from the outlying landscape and I noticed they were all the same size and shape but of different hues as subtle as shades of rose petals, save one which had a bluish hue. Two of the pinkish ones seemed exactly alike, the other two were yet deeper in shades of red and orange. Before I could ask, IT spoke and said, ‘They, like all here are of you, who are of me, but these will come to you and you will care for them more…’ I watched as millions of orbs systematically entered the many planets before me. They appeared as bees flitting from flower to flower, pollinating each, one after another. [Archangel] Michael took me closer and I could now see that so many of these planets had life on them. The orbs were joining with the creatures of these planets. Not every creature was the same on every planet but they all had some commonalities, a head, a body, extremities and the light beings would animate them for a time … I was now before the light being of gold again. Those five orbs were still darting about. I wanted to stay and explore this realm with all the other light beings but I was told I could not.” (Lou Famoso)
3. The Experiencer as an Orb
NDErs often see themselves as a discrete sphere: an orb, a bubble, balls of light or energy. NDErs describe 360-degree awareness without eyes or hands. They describe motion that is instantaneous. The orbs vary in colors: yellow, blue, pink, even gray; small as a spark or vast as a room – yet they function similarly: they move through tunnels and the Void, hover near hospital ceilings, commune with other orbs, and connect with spirit guides and Beings of Light that appear as spheres themselves. Some find their “core self” as a blue sphere. Others perceive past-life knowledge arriving as colored globes of souls that merge with them. In rare cases, the orb becomes a crystalline enclosure where the life review unfolds in loving transparency. These testimonies suggest a striking, cross-cultural theme: consciousness persists as a luminous ball of aware light capable of learning, loving, and traveling through the afterlife realms.
The NDEr’s soul as a bubble: During Edgar Cayce’s NDE-like out-of-body journeys, he would feel himself to be like a bubble traveling through water arriving at the place where he always got his information … In another instance, Cayce went up through a very large column, passing by horrible beings without actually coming in contact personally with them, and came out where there was the Hall of Records. (Edgar Cayce)
The NDEr and souls as a balls of light: “I arrived at a splendid dimension where the were many glowing trees. I knew each light ball as a consciousness or a person. I found myself becoming a light ball, immersed into this world.” (Anonymous)
The NDEr as an orb of colored light: “This place was like being in space except with no stars. Wherever this somewhere was, I had no human form. I was like a small ball of yellow light. Though in darkness, I knew I could see in all directions at once. Around me appeared other orbs of light. The orbs were other people who had passed away. We all glowed with different shades of light. Some were more pink, some were blue and I was yellow.” (Joschua B.)
The NDEr as an orb of blue light: “I looked down to see my hands, but all I saw was a sky blue haze. I was in orb made out of blue light and in the form of my core self. I was in the soul that I’d always known as ‘my self.'” (Matthew S.)
The NDEr as a giant gray sphere: “Then I went into my experience where I found myself floating or standing in the center of a giant sphere, the color was gray and it seemed to be spinning at a tremendous rate of speed.” (Robert W.)
The NDEr as an orb of light: “I saw [nurses] who was on duty and told them. Then I realized that that was silly because I wasn’t in a body. I was a light orb. Upon realizing this, I returned to the Void.” (Daphne B.)
The NDEr as an orb: “I found myself at the ceiling of the intensive care unit room (ICU) I was in. I was looking down on my body, fully aware that I was an orb.” (Debra P.)
The NDEr as an orb: “I traveled through alternate realities. Everything was more vivid. I travelled to space as an orb and saw nebulas and a planet.” (El S.)
The NDEr as a sphere of light: “[I was not] a form but rather the feeling of having no body. A sphere of light, I would say.” (Doineau H.)
The NDEr as a sphere of light: “I looked down at my body and I noticed that I had turned into a sphere of blue and multicolored light.” (Cristael Bengtson)
The NDEr as a sphere of pure love: “Within me was a never quenching and ever growing sphere of pure love. It is truly unbound. It was so powerful. There was so much power. Like a trillion Hoover Dams generating pure love and beaming it out from within me.” (Paul)
The NDEr as a ball of energy: “My spirit seemed to be a nebulous ball of energy. I still saw and thought and heard but I retained no part of my physical form.” (Lael)
The NDEr as an energetic ball: “I was like an energetic ball that had been emptied of all bad vibrations. By that, I mean I didn’t have negative thoughts such as stress, anxiety, fear, and etc. Everything was positive. The word ‘peace’ would be the perfect term to describe my feeling.” (Jade)
The NDEr as a ball of light and energy in the tunnel: “I saw myself from an outside perspective, flying through a dark tunnel. I was a ball of light and energy, flying super-fast.” (Steffan H.)
The NDEr as a ball of light or energy: “Then, just like that (clapping her hands), I became a ball of light or energy in the midst of this crowd that was circling a body. I became massively aware, unlike any awareness I had had during physical existence. I was not really aware of myself. I was aware of everyone around me. I was aware of my mother and my neighbors, and my friends and the firemen and what they were thinking and what they were feeling and what they were hoping and what they were praying. This was such a pummeling input of emotion and information that I was all at once overwhelmed and confused, and rather disoriented. I tried to communicate this to them over and over again and I realized that I had no mouth. I had no body. They could not hear what I was saying to them. I would have to leave them in the same hands I had left myself in the process of dying. With that I turned away, just sort of like a ball, just turned away.” (Reinee Pasarow)
The NDEr, other souls and Being of Light as spheres: “The Sphere of Universal Communion is what I saw and what I felt. It’s the only true name that I can imagine and the only one I can use to describe it at all. It appeared to me as a sphere of light, but light that is aware… I was fully awake when I realized I was myself a sphere of communion. I was a sphere of aware light: Surrounded by an infinite number of other spheres of aware light.” (William H.)
An NDEr’s past life souls appearing as orbs: “After this I saw myself floating in the void, and little by little tiny spheres of many colors became manifest, not moving at first, then suddenly starting to vibrate while smoothly approaching me and incorporating themselves with my essence…I asked what this was, and a voice said, ‘This is the knowledge you have accumulated in previous lives, it was kept from you, but now it will be of use to you.'” (Marta Y.)
An extraordinary example of the NDEr as an orb: “All attention seemed to be directed to the celestial field around me, and a shimmering, luminescent sphere enveloped me, making me feel as if I had stepped into a crystal globe. Although I was aware that the crystalline sphere was suspended on the celestial field in view of all the spiritual beings in attendance, I found myself in a different celestial realm. Somehow the spiritual beings were still observing me inside this crystal sphere. I realized why the hush of silence had fallen over the crowd: My life review was about to begin in public, it seemed. I was aware that I was about to review every event, thought, emotion, and experience of my life. I became aware that the purpose of the review was for me to evaluate my life in terms of my intended mission as a human, to review my life in a manner that permitted me to focus on the areas that provided the most important experiences in terms of my spiritual growth and development. Although I was alone in the crystalline sphere, I was aware that I was in the presence of God and watched over by the many spiritual beings in the amphitheater who were encouraging me with their love and support. Nothing about my life was a secret to God, nor to the spiritual beings, yet I did not perceive that I was being judged. I realized that all who were part of God’s spiritual creation had fallen from God and had made mistakes in their own journeys. There was no one among the assemblage of spiritual beings who was about to cast the first stone at me.” (Ned Dougherty)
4. The Being of Light as an Orb
Many NDE testimonies describe the “Being of Light” as a living orb: radiant and filled with love. NDErs describe the Being as a golden orb like the Sun who knows the NDEr completely and loves them unconditionally. The orb varies in description: snow-white, blue-white, or golden, and pulsing with lightning. Sometimes the Being draws souls to itself for a life review. Sometimes the Being stands at a distance, bathing souls in its love. Sometimes smaller orbs gather around the Being like planets around a star as a cosmic “family”. Sometimes the Being is encountered as a glistening “Eye of God,” a radiant sphere, or a gentle ball of light. What follows are descriptions of the Being of Light as like the Sun, who knows the soul completely, and is filled with love.
An Orb Like the Sun
The Being of Light as a white orb like the Sun: “I did see a bright orb that reminded me of the sun, but this beautiful white light seemed to radiate from every direction. Somehow, I knew within the deepest part of my soul that the light was coming from the heart of God.” (Sharon Milliman)
The Being of Light as a golden orb like the Sun: “Then I saw this large, golden orb in front of me, suspended in the blue. It was close enough to touch, but I didn’t. Its surface undulated, like the sea – rising and falling. Immediately, I thought, ‘This is the sun,’ but then remember saying, ‘I am so sorry.’ Instantly, without word, I was corrected. This ‘orb’ in front of me was no ‘thing,’ it was a personality.” (Michael G.)
The Being of Light as a giant orb like the Sun: “I felt a feeling of pleasure and bliss so awesome, I can’t describe it. As I move upwards, towards the sky, I saw a giant orb of light. It looked like, and I still believe, it was the Sun. But it was up close, like I’d never seen before.” (Bryan G.)
The Being of Light as an energetic ball of light like the Sun: “The light carried me off into space, beyond our universe and into a ball of light so bright that I could see it long before I actually reached it. Energy was flowing not only into the massive ball of light but from it as well. The light was heading off in various directions through the multiverse. I entered the ball of light that I now know as the ‘central sun.'” (Telesa H.)
The Being of Light as a ball of light looking like the Sun: “[I encountered] this ball of light that looked like the sun.” (Arthur B.)
Miscellaneous NDEs on the Being of Light as an Orb
Souls connected to the Being of Light as a ball of pure love: “I found myself in the middle of a warm, golden field. I heard murmurs and voices. I felt so warm and so loved. The only thing that existed in the world was love. We were all connected into it one giant energy ball of pure love-source.” (Rachel C.)
The Being of Light as a loving ball of light: “This amazing living, loving ball of light was off in the distance and I was naturally drawn to travel there… As travel ensued rapidly, I realized to myself that this was death. I felt and thought that, ‘No, I don’t want this yet.’ The response back to me was more of the wonderful, living ball of light.” (Dr. Jean Renee H.)
The Being of Light as a loving ball of light: “And just as soon as I started to fly towards this light, I was at the source of this light. It was a great, giant white ball. It was huge but small at the same time. It felt amazing. The light was pouring out love in all directions. And the love it did pour out was love that had no bounds.” (Brandon R.)
The Being of Light as a loving ball of light: “I saw a very bright light, but not a blinding one. I started to approach the light, it grew bigger, and bigger and finally, it turned into a great light ball around which I started to move, just like a planet. The ball was radiating love and tolerance.” (Barry C.)
The Being of Light as a loving ball of light: “I looked up and saw a huge ball of light that cast the purest, warm light all around me and felt God touch my skin. He knew me, he loved me no matter how imperfect my earthly life had been.” (Laurie L.)
The Being of Light as an orb of white light: “I realized the red, pink, orange, peach- colored glow was gone and all that remained was the white radiant light from the orb, continually increasing in brightness and hum.” (Robert T.)
The Being of Light as an orb of white light: “There was a huge Orb of The Glistening Eye of God that was hovering in front of me. It was so large and filled with the Light of diamonds and bright white. I said, ‘I am ready. I know I did bad things. You can judge me now.'” (Alma B.)
The Being of Light as an orb of white light: “I could see, in the distance, a tiny point of light that grew quickly into a glowing disc, or orb. It was emanating an incredible milky white color, yet was very brilliant at the same time, without hurting the eye. This light was radiating an indescribable reassuring calm. All my pain was gone and my only desire was to reach the light.” (Oliver V.)
The Being of Light as white/blue orb: “I remember being so disappointed in myself for dying an addict. For a short time, I looked down at myself, lying in the tub with my eyes open. Suddenly, a white, almost blue, sphere/orb appeared. It seemed to speak to me telepathically, saying, ‘It’s okay, we can go now.'” (Enrique)
The Being of Light as an orb of white/blue light: “I also become aware of another being – a ball of blue-white light that hovers near my shoulder… Now the glowing orb is in front of me, and it lightly touches my forehead.” (Trisha S.)
The Being of Light as an orb of golden white light: “I saw a pulsating orb with golden, white light emanating from it. To the front and right of me, I saw a mountainous valley filled with millions of people. All of them were bathed in the light from this orb.” (Robert E.)
The Being of Light as a ball of light: “I was facing a wondrous, glowing ball of light. I don’t possess the vocabulary to describe the light.” (Steve D.)
The Being of Light as a ball of light: “Without any hesitation, a bright light-shaped ball or mass appeared before me. It seemed just out of reach, although I didn’t try. Like a giant ball of light swirling into itself.” (Robert Tremblay)
The Being of Light as a sphere of white light: “A distant point of light below moved toward me at incredible speed. As it neared, it slowed, revealing itself. I saw a sphere emitting white light, within which lightning bolts in all the colors of the rainbow moved unceasingly. It was beautiful beyond words and something I could never have imagined.” (Jeffrey D.)
The Being of Light as a radiant sphere of light: “I was suspended, held by a thin, shining silver thread of light. Above me was an immense, radiant sphere – glorious, powerful, yet warm, not threatening. There, I felt no fear, no pain, no discomfort. Only peace.” (Elenilda G.)
The Being of Light as a radiant sphere of light: “I felt as if I was rushing towards a giant, intensely bright, round sphere and was overcome with a feeling of deep happiness and contentment.” (Mr. W.)
The Being of Light as an orb during a life review: “I was shown and taken into a large glowing orb, as big as the end of a room. On the outside it was alive with flashes, moving like hot lava. Inside, I was washed over with conversations and interactions from the past. I could see, hear and feel emotions, including those of others. When I came out of the orb, I answered honestly, as I could sense that was what the being wanted to hear.” (Kim A.)
The Being of Light and souls as balls of light and energy: “I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin… Imagine a three dimensional ball of intense energy made up of golden white light. In the center of the ball is a figure of a person (could not tell if it was male or female but just a figure). Around the ball were smaller balls of energy traveling in different directions and made up of all different colors that circled the outside of the ball.” (Sam J.)
The Being of Light as a ball of light and energy: “The light was so very bright but did not cause me discomfort. Matter of fact, it was comforting. I was warm and happy and felt so much love. So much love! I was finally home. I asked the energy ball if it was God. They said, ‘That is a human word, but if it makes you feel comfortable, you may call us God.’” (Tonja BB.)
The Being of Light as a Ball of Light: “I felt at that time that I might be dying. Not much later, my hands and feet were gone altogether and my midsection was getting sparse. The feeling was very peaceful. More peaceful than I had ever known. I seemed to be shrinking to a ball shape centered near my throat. Would I lose consciousness as the ball of active nerves shrank past the boundaries of my cranial cavity. As I pondered the idea, I fell through the surface of the operating table … Still closer and brighter the light came. I strained to detect its surface but could not. It was about the size of a beach ball, with no discernible surface … The one who had been doing my life review was no longer a ball of light but now a hooded and robed figure.” (Hal)
The Being of Light as a circular shape: “While I was talking to her, a light appeared. It appeared as a circular shape and then came down as a long oval.” (Sarah Powell)
Beings of Light as orbs: “[I saw an] ominous light and the light of other beings – elongated orbs with a spectrum of light.” (Denver P.)
Beings of Light as purple orbs: “Other beings were there. It was like I knew these beings very well, but I cannot say who they were. The only word I can think of to describe them is ‘mauve’. They were mauve orbs of mist.” (Laura S.)
5. Jesus Christ as an Orb
In some NDEs, Jesus Christ is revealed as a radiant orb or sphere of divine light. NDErs often report that Jesus’ luminous presence emanates perfect love, peace, and understanding beyond human comprehension. Sometimes the orb appears golden, pulsating with living light; at other times it unfolds like a sphere that reveals the person of Jesus within it. For some, Jesus expands as an orb to envelop the NDEr in unconditional love. For others, Jesus condenses into the familiar figure of Christ.
Jesus as a golden orb: “I saw a beautiful pulsating orb of golden light that I took for the Lord Jesus as it emanated perfect peace and love.” (S.A.)
Jesus as a sphere of light: “The light seemed to be churning, just like smoke churns as it rises, yet the churning was contained within the confines of the sphere as the rays of light radiated outward. As I was studying the sphere of light, I suddenly saw a very black speck in the center of it. For some reason I knew this tiny speck was very important, and so I concentrated on it very intensely. As I concentrated on it, it suddenly zoomed out toward me, and there standing before me was Jesus in all His glory, bigger than life itself.” (Odell H.)
Jesus as a giant sphere of light: Jesus, the angels and platform, disintegrated into a giant sphere of light once Berkley Carter Mills no longer needed their shape or form to put him at ease. As the sphere grew it absorbed him, infused him with the ecstasy of unconditional love. (Berkley Carter Mills)
Jesus as a ball of light: “The ball of light came through the window with the sound of a swift wind, and I saw an awesome image of illuminating white light who was Jesus.” (Elizabeth S.)
6. Robert Grant’s Research of Orbs
In the outstanding book by Robert J. Grant about mystical experiences, NDEs, and the Edgar Cayce material, Universe of Worlds, he documents the testimony of a woman named Jan Manette who had the following very interesting mystical experience involving orbs while witnessing the September 11th terrorist attack on the Pentagon.
Jan Manette was two weeks into her new job as a Pentagon consultant and was late for work on that fateful morning of September 11th. For some strange reason she didn’t hear her alarm clock go off which made her late and in a panic. She was under stress because of her new job and on top of that now she was late which made her even more stressed. Being late for anything is her biggest pet peeve and she always prides herself as being a person who is always punctual. But being late that morning also made her very perplexed because she always hears the alarm go off and usually woke up before it went off.
As she was fighting the Washington DC traffic, she became relieved when she finally saw the Pentagon building. But she immediately became afraid when she saw something hovering over the building that also brought her a feeling of dread over her. She saw what looked like a huge, black, oval mass or cloudlike thing on top of the Pentagon building. She knew that it wasn’t a cloud or smoke because of its shape. It was oval, symmetrical and perfectly still and looking at it made her feel awful because, more than anything, it appeared to be evil. Stranger still, above this black oval mass was a brilliant oval white mass which made the whole thing look a little like the Chinese yin-yang symbol. What Jan saw before the plane crashed into the Pentagon was “the most powerful, unexplainable thing I’ve ever seen.”
Within a minute of seeing this evil black mass over the Pentagon, she saw the plane that was filled with innocent people and being flown by some terrorists heading straight for the Pentagon. She said that it was like seeing something totally incomprehensible. Before the plane crashed, she felt as if everything went into slow motion, literally, as though she was watching a movie in slow motion. The plane was still some distance from the Pentagon when all at once she saw these round sphere-like orbs of light rising up out of the plane. Dozens of them came out of the plane, and then it seemed as if hundreds of them rose out of the roof of the Pentagon. Everything was in slow motion except those round lights. Then they zoomed upward in a sort of spiral motion – all of them together – upward through that awful blackness and then they disappeared into the whiteness.
In a flash of instantaneous knowing, she was divinely reassured that those orbs of light were the souls of those who were about to die in the terrorist crash. She said she knew that their souls were removed from their bodies before the actual crash into the Pentagon.
Jan talked with other witnesses to the terrorist attack and no one seems to have seen what she witnessed. Nevertheless, Jan believes there was a spiritual reason for her having this experience. Had she not slept in that morning she would probably be dead. That day was the beginning of her spiritual life. Although she was glad she wasn’t killed, dealing with the profound survivor’s guilt and post-traumatic stress of witnessing the plane crash, sent her into bouts of depression. Yet the thing that brought her peace about it was seeing the souls of the victims leave for heaven before the plane crashed. She believes that despite the fact that God is unable to stop the terrible things that people do to each others, God is present at the darkest times of traumatic situations. She now knows that God takes care of the souls involved behind the scenes.
Perhaps Jan survived and witnessed what she did so that this message might be told – although we grieve over the loss of our loved ones who died like this, we can be assured that God provides a safe passage for their souls before the horror. Although what she witnessed didn’t take the horror away, it awakened her to a new understanding that, to the soul, death does not exist. She had seen it with her own eyes.
[Note: In my opinion, the “black oval shape” that Jan saw the orbs fly through is most likely the so-called “Void” through which they travel by means of the tunnel towards the light as seen during many NDEs. Seeing souls as orbs of light during an NDE is well documented in the NDE literature.]
7. Conclusion
Across NDE testimonies, a single theme can be seen: souls, the Being of Light, and Jesus Christ can appear as an orb of light. Whether encountered as transparent bubbles, colored spheres, or a sun-bright Presence that many name as God or Jesus. The orb is an organizing essence containing the soul’s identity – a distinct center of awareness connected to every other soul through love. Souls appear as orbs that learn, guide, and return to life. NDErs recognize their own being as a sphere of aware light. The Being of Light can be seen as a radiant globe that knows us completely and loves us unconditionally.
Each sphere has a specific tone, color, and motion. All are linked, moving within a greater light. The Being of Light honors our free will as souls choose, grow, and serve others while guiding the soul through the tunnel and other realms. In the end, these testimonies reveal a simple, profound truth: consciousness is an orb of light. We are travelers in a universe of orbs, distinct and inseparable, moving through many realms toward the same radiant Source.
