Alexandre B FDE

Experience Description

I was swept away by a wave on a Corsican beach and was saved by my father just before swallowing sea water. For about 20 seconds a series of scenes (between 10 to 12) about my short life flashed before my eyes. I did not see these scenes through my own eyes but from above as if I were an observer. In one scene, I saw myself in my mother's arms. In another, I was in the hospital having my stomach pumped. This experience lasted for a few seconds, but back then I felt like it lasted for several minutes.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: été 1980

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident NOYADE 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Drowning

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain I lost awareness of my body

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? The experience started the moment I felt I was going to die. The waves were carrying me away and I could not breathe. The intensity or sharpness of the experience did not change but it stopped abruptly at the moment when my father pulled me out of the water.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning It was very short but it seemed longer.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I saw myself, but during previous scenes of my life

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I could no longer hear sounds of the waves and water.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain I just had the feeling I was not alone.

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? None except that I maybe did not understand and was a little amused.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control I did not learn anything since I was so young. It was a rather strange feeling, neither negative nor positive.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

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

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain I was too young then, but I have always been spiritual although I don’t feel close to any institutional religion.

What is your religion now? Liberal paien

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain I was too young then, but I have always been spiritual although I don’t feel close to any institutional religion.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain After reflection I believe it changed or broadly influenced my life as a teen and then as an adult.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain It has been 30 years since this occurred and any description seems incomplete.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Everything was significant. It was a bit of a trauma for 2 to 3 years after but it did not occur again.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I think I told my parents with childish words. They answered that I had been scared a lot. I did not really share it with anybody afterward. I did not grant much value to it anyway.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real Experience was definitely real. It was like a dream. I almost forgot about it as a teen.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Experience was definitely real but with no actual importance at that time. Recently it seems to be more important after all.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Even if it was not an NDE as such, I would say I believe that as a child it probably affected my behavior to some extent. I always felt detached with regard to death.