Holly S NDE

Experience Description

A friend dunked my head under the water and I did not know how to hold my breath. I panicked at first, thrashing around trying to find my way up. I then lost all air and the water painfully hit my lungs as I tried to breathe in. The light underwater was blurry and bright but I then I blacked out.

The next thing I remember I was hovering about 20 feet over my body, observing. I had been pulled from the water and was lying beside the pool on the concrete slab. Two teenage swimmers, a male and a female, were arguing with each other about what should be done. One wanted to turn me on my side and whack me on the back and the other wanted to do rescue breathing.

I did not care about what they were doing, I was just observing. I felt very light and pain free. I wanted to turn and see behind me, but suddenly my body had been turned on its side and I was sucked back into my body instantly. I felt the whacks on my back, water rushing out of my mouth and choking to gain air.

I remember sobbing and wailing all the way home, not because of the traumatic experience but because I was sad and angry that I had been pulled back into this painful heavy plane of existence.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1975

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Near drowning 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Drowning at a public swimming pool.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Just before being pulled back into my body.

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 The place I was when hovering above my body was absolutely timeless.

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 was floating effortlessly, seeing the roof of the shower house and the lifeguard tower all from above.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Besides the panic of the immediate area I heard cars on the nearby street and children playing, splashing and laughing in the rest of the pool.

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? No

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

The experience included: A landscape or city

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt calm and at peace. I just 'was'. There was no thought pattern and no human emotion (ego?) attached to my soul. I did not judge and did not feel I was judged. I loved being in that painless state of existence and was surprised at being jerked back into my physical body.

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? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control

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? Moderate 'I've tried many religions, i see wisdom and dogma in all of them'

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes There is no one religion that answers all the questions, but the answers we seek will be revealed to us eventually. I have not had the desire to practice, as much as I seek the wisdom from different religions, and I leave the rituals and dogma to those not enlightened. I don't judge those who are seeking their own path, even if it includes religions with stifling dogma. We only need to believe and try to do good!

What is your religion now? Moderate Shamanism

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes There is no one religion that answers all the questions, but the answers we seek will be revealed to us eventually. I have not had the desire to practice, as much as I seek the wisdom from different religions, and I leave the rituals and dogma to those not enlightened. I don't judge those who are seeking their own path, even if it includes religions with stifling dogma. We only need to believe and try to do good!

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? Yes I've made some poor choices in life. However, I knew they were part of my path and I needed to just get them over and done with so I could return to the good stuff, which I deeply appreciate when it comes my way.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes When in school I often felt as though I had already been taught things, and it was a review of subjects I was already aware of. I was not raised with any religion but I forced my mother to take me to Sunday school and church activities. I was always the child the pastor hated to call on because I knew things about God and was frustrated that this educated and experienced old pastor did not have a clue about God's love and the extent of his mercy. Later in life I explored other religions and sought others with the same 'knowing'. I have dreamt about events that have later occurred. I am very intuitive to people's needs and illnesses in the hospital setting where I work.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I pushed the memory of this event into my brain's attic until about 20 years after the fact. I didn't repress the memory in so much as did not need to recall it until I could deal with 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 never thought this was an unusual enough experience to mention to anyone. Just as one doesn't consciously think about breathing, I didn't give much thought to the uniqueness of my experience.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Same as above, only now I realize that what I experienced changed the whole direction of my life.

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 though I don't consciously remember being imparted with any gifts or special knowledge of the universe during my experience, I feel that event did somehow achieve this on a subconscious level.