Bart A NDE

Experience Description

I went to the Venetian Pool with my foster parents at the time, one of their daughters, and my brother and sister. I was in the water holding on to the edge of the pool, moving around the pool with my hands. At a point near to where my family was present outside of the pool, my hands slipped from the edge where I was holding on. I fell straight to the bottom. The pool was about 8 feet at that point. I initially tried to go to the surface but couldn't.

After a while I felt very much at peace, content. I had the feeling that everything outside of where I was did not have any meaning, i.e., everything was meaningless and pointless - and an illusion. I had absolutely nothing to worry about. I floated above the pool. I could see the tops of the umbrellas that were in the middle of the tables. I saw my sisters. Then I saw my older brother walk to the edge of the pool. I could tell the moment when he realized that I was drowning. I heard him call out that I was drowning. I saw him dive in to get me.

The most prominent memory has always been that I did not want him to save me. I wanted to stay in the peaceful place. I could not understand why he would take me from such a great place, back to a world that had not been very good to me up to that point. I remember coming to consciousness by the side of the pool. The biggest effect this experience has had on my life is that it has made me careless, sometimes reckless. I have not feared death since then. This has caused me to take risks, and I have had to learn to control my impulses.


Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: June 1963

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain Accident Drowning Other Unknown if clinical death. I was resuscitated from unconscious.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I saw the people, tables, umbrellas around the pool from a vantage point that went higher and higher until I saw my brother diving in to get me. Once he did that I came back to my body, in the bottom of the pool. I clearly left my body and existed outside it

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal It was completely blissful. Everything happened as if in slow motion. I could not understand why I was being saved (brought back) when I didn't want to.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Right before I was saved.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual Time seemed to go slower. Each event presented itself individually at its own pace. I was underwater about 3 to 4 minutes but it seemed like 30 or 40 minutes had passed.

Were your senses More vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I worried less about things and became more carefree after the experience.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. During the experience it was more acute, I could isolate the voices of those I knew from the strangers.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

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

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? Uncertain Everything seemed brighter. The colors were more intense.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? All the things that we worry about are insignificant. There is nothing to worry about. I was more happy than I had ever been. I did not want to come back.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Incredible joy

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? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic I had been baptized as a baby. I had not been to religious school. I had attended occasional mass.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain My religious beliefs changed as a result of growing up and leaving the church. Not necessarily because of the experience.

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Secular unaffiliated I do not participate in any organized religious. I have my own spiritual beliefs.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I was too young to have such beliefs, so I really can't answer this question.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I was just less worried about problems in general and death in particular.

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Unknown Yes I felt that if I stayed it would just be like that forever.

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? Yes Death is a very pleasant experience, not to be feared.

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Yes Life's difficulties, challenges and hardships are unimportant.

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life At the time of my experience I was 7 years old. I was already pretty fearless. I probably would have outgrown that much more if not for the experience. I have had problems in my life related to apathy, feeling as this is all an illusion, not caring, not worrying about my health. I have no special desire to live to an old, old age. I love my life, am happy with it but I've more or less been resigned that in the scheme of things whatever happens - happens.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience. This experience has been part of me since it happened. I think of it from time to time and it is always the same. I have discussed it with others including some who were present.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain It's hard to tell what it was like before because I was so young. But I've always been intuitive and often know what's going to happen next before it happens.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I did not want to come back. But there must be a reason why I was saved. Therefore, I must have a purpose.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Immediately after with my sister. Later years with others.

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 Very real, I thought about it. I was a little sad that I had not been able to stay there and had to return to this life.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It happened, I've known it happened since it took place.

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

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? None