Chris F NDE

Experience Description

I was surfing in Florida and the waves were around 8 feet high, which is bigger than I am used to surfing. I was with two other guys who were unable to make the paddle-out due to the choppiness of the water and size of the waves. I was sitting about 200 yards offshore looking at my two friends who were standing on the beach. So at this point, I am alone out there. I remember that I was a little nervous. I vividly remember how long it would take me when a large wave would come that required me to duck dive, which is a technique used by surfers to sink their surfboard underwater so they can dive under waves with their surfboard and resurface on the other side of the wave. I was holding my breath a lot longer than I was used to. In between each wave and in the trough, I could not see my friends or any buildings. I caught a wave and fell off my surfboard sometime during my ride. As I was underwater, I remember telling myself to stay calm. I needed to not fight the ocean and conserve oxygen. I realized that I was deep under water and completely out of air. I was also having problems trying to find the 'up' direction.

Then, everything was calm. It felt as if I was looking up from a dark space through a tube. There was a very bright white light and human figures towards the end of the tube. I could see beings start to appear in the light. I did not specifically recognize any of them, but I knew them. They were very friendly and I was excited to see them. I didn't have time to relay my emotions. Their arms were reaching out for me and in that moment it felt like I had a decision to make. The choice was all mine to either go into the bright area or I could return to my body. One choice was completely calming and inviting, where I could be with all of these friendly beings forever. Every part of me wanted to go there. The other choice was that I could return to the chaos of my bodily circumstance under water fighting for air. I did not get to make that choice.

Suddenly my head popped out of the water and I took a breath. I was back. I was coughing up water and choking, but I was able to grab my surfboard. I made it to shore.

I don't remember if I shared my experience with my friends immediately once I made it to shore. But, I have talked about it periodically over the years. My wife knows this story very well. It has always given me comfort to think God still had a purpose for me and that's why I am still here.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1994

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No. Accident Drowning Life threatening event, but not clinical death

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal. I was more in touch with my and the beings emotions and don't remember thinking of my body at all.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I felt completely aware and conscious the entire time.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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 can't say that there was any difference in vision but everything was perfectly clear during my experience.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Wow, never thought about this before. I was not talking and neither were the beings. It was all through thoughts.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? 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? Yes I saw between 5 and 10 beings. I could not see their faces because of the brightness behind them, but I felt like I knew them all.

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? Yes I could see a bright light that was just perfect with no source.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place. I was not standing or floating. I was just in a dark space looking up into a bright tube.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calmness, peace and a strong attraction to the area I was seeing.

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 no longer in conflict with nature

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? I came to a definite conscious decision to return to life. As soon as I felt like I needed to make a decision to stay or go, I took a breath. I did not make that decision.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant non practicing Christian

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

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. It was not religious at all. It did not feel like I was in the presence of God. It was weird and welcoming; that all these beings/people were totally loving me and wanted me to come to them. I did not have any preconceived ideas of heaven or hell at that time.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

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. The beings I was looking at were talking to me, inviting me in and acting as if we all knew each other.

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? Yes It felt as if everyone and everything in the realm I was looking into was friendly, welcoming, and everyone knew everyone else.

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? Yes It felt like I had a sneak peek into what happens after life. It specifically felt as though I was destined for heaven and I had a purpose to come back.

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes I felt that after life nothing else matters. As though you are forgiven and totally accepted in the new realm.

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes As I was looking at the beings, I knew they were all 'dead' on earth and this place is where you go after death

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Yes Kind of, It felt like everyone in that realm was saying 'He is here!' He made it as if they were happy that I made it through all of earths troubles and challenges.

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes It seemed as love was all there was. A very strong feeling of love came over me.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Slight changes in my life. The actual event did not immediately change my life. As I've aged, I see the lessons of love and acceptance that I learned that day.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? It helps me daily. I don't specifically think of the day but I often remember the belief that there is something after this world.

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. I don't remember much about that day anymore. But I vividly remember what happened.

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

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Same day, on the drive home, I talked about it.

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. I knew it was real from the moment it happened. It feels as real as anything else in life.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

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

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