Peter N NDE

Experience Description

My twin brother and I were visiting a friend of my parents, who lived on a man-made lake. My parents were busy inside the house. My brother got in the first canoe and paddled a hundred yards or so toward the middle of the lake. I reached for the second canoe and fell into the lake. I remember blacking out.

The next thing I remember was me, about 10 feet away from my body. I was looking at the body, whose eyes were closed. The body appeared to be floating at the bottom of the lake's mud wall. I remember looking at myself for a short period of time. Time seemed like it was going in slow motion. When I was outside of my body, I felt the most intense feeling of inner peace that I have ever felt. It looked like there was at least four feet of water above my body. I felt myself moving toward and joining my body.

At the point of joining my body, things got dark and I found myself on the shore with no one around me.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Summer 1957

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Drowning 'I did not know how to swim, and I fell into an 8 foot section of a man-made lake.' Other 'I did not know how to swim, and I fell into an 8 foot section of a man-made lake.' I believe that I drowned.

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

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? No 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 When I recall the experience I get chills and I reflect upon that feeling of peace. I have not felt that way again since the experience.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was out of my body looking at my self on the bottom of the lake.

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 than usual

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. It has been many years, but the vision was as clear as every day experiences.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Since I was under water, it was like a silent movie.

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? No

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

Did you see an unearthly light? No

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Indescribable sense of peace.

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? No

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 importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Greatly important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic I was only 8 years old, but I feel that I was a devout believer.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes It made them stronger.

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant I still feel that I am a devout believer.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

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? 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

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely exists

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

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are meaningful and significant

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

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife definitely exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists No

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I moderately feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I slightly fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

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? No

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

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

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life Moderate changes in my life.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It is difficult for me to quantify and qualify feelings

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

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

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The out of body part and the intense sense of peace.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes

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 real I do not remember much after it happened. It was in my adult years that I reflected upon it.

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

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I still do not know who or what pulled me out of the lake, but God charges his angels to watch over us.