Julie D Probable NDE

Experience Description

I was standing in the ocean. I could feel the pull of the undertow. I knew nothing about undertow. I sat down in the water. The undertow pulled me out into the ocean and flipped me all around. I felt a deep sense of peace and a feeling that I was going to drown. There was no panic only peace. I thought to myself, 'I wonder how far this has taken me out into the ocean?' I also thought calmly, 'I am going to drown.' I also had a panoramic view of my life - there was no sense of time - I didn't know how long this was all taking. There was some sense of God being in control of the situation; however, I did not specifically see any Being. Then, suddenly, I was 'let go' and I came to the top of the water. I was not far from shore. I was with a friend. She was on shore laughing at me. She said it looked 'funny'. I never told her (or anyone else) for a long time I did not know this was an 'NDE'. Years later, I heard someone on TV describe exactly what happened to me. They had been in a near drowning experience as well.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1983

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' I was caught in the undertow in the ocean.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal Throughout.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Throughout.

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 I did not know if this was taking seconds, or hours.

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 can't even be sure if I opened or closed my eyes. Everything I could see in the panoramic view was more in my mind.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. At this point I don't remember anything but silence.

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

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace, acceptance of death.

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

The experience included: Special Knowledge

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 could see my whole life before my eyes. I did not feel a judgment regarding my life. It was simply there. Afterwards, I had a sense of the brevity of life.

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No I was a Christian before and still am.

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No I was a Christian before and still am.

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

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? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The peace, the calm. Prior to this, I thought drowning would be a most horrible death. Now I think that the death experience is controlled and we are given a peace to enter it. I am not afraid of death.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was a long time, maybe fifteen years.

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, but I did not understand what happened, really.

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