Marianna C NDE

Experience Description

Beautiful day swimming in the sea side resort beach with sisters and cousins. Stayed in water up to waist. Waves began to form. Enjoyed and swam with the waves. Suddenly overheard warning of waves becoming higher and stronger and to swim to shore. By then I couldn't feel the land on the bottom because the waves took me up forward and backward over and over again.

I remember my sister and me trying to swim back to shore. I was concerned for my sister we held hands for a bit. I recall men with ropes swimming into the beach. Then being pulled down into the water. Bright lights turned into the multicolor vision and then into a black darkness.

I woke up or came to on the shores of the beach on the sand. Many people surrounded me. I was asked if I was okay. My sister was okay and she helped me up. We walked to our family picnic area. My mother came running to me as she heard about the near drowning from a cousin.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'July 17, 1975'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Resort beach area swimming in the Mediterranean Sea 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' Tidal waves.

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? Normal consciousness and alertness Towards to end of NDE when regained consciousness.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Towards to end of NDE when regained consciousness.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Sense of being pulled down by a spiral down and out area with range of colors from white to multicolored to black zones into a pain-free and struggle-free zone without a sense of time.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

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? Yes Seemed as if passing through a spiral tunnel.

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

The experience included: Void

The experience included: Darkness

The experience included: Light

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 Initially the light was bright white then multicolor like a kaleidoscope then black.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm No where definate but I sensed an exhileratingly calm and peaceful place.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Initially flight and fright experience which evolved into a 'release' of struggling into a peaceful and calm and floating sensation.

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? Liberal

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Reaffirmed my Christian beliefs because after extreme struggling and suffering passing to the other side is rewarded with peacefulness.

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes Reaffirmed my Christian beliefs because after extreme struggling and suffering passing to the other side is rewarded with peacefulness.

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? Uncertain I realized that if I did experience near death that the initial dying or struggle to stay alive is a battle but that letting go to being dead is not a fearful sensation but rather exhilarating, calming and peaceful feeling.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

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? Uncertain I dream of dead family members who tell me they're okay and not to worry about them.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I just remember struggle to stay afloat over the water and to swim to shore. Then I slipped into NDE and when I came to life, I found myself on the beach sand surface with a lot of people around me. I got up walked away with my sisters to where the family was waiting.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Just recently. Quiet pause then discussions about what they heard from others on TV. No.

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 probably not real I was confused and then in denial. Returned back home as if it didn't happen and it was never discussed or brought up again.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real With some research and media information I believe my experience was definitely real NDE. I have never felt such peacefulness and serenity since. Even anesthesia never produced that sense.

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? That I never have had a nightmare or dreams about the experience.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Expand on reactions from family members and friends when I finally reveal my experience - i.e. supportive or not, willing to listen or not, comfortable or not? Present questions that explore any repressed and denied emotions. Only now with internet am I able to tell my story. I am looking for some sort of affirmation to tell me that I'm not losing it and I'm not alone. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to reach out to your organization whether or not my experience is truly a near death experience.