Ramie N NDE

Experience Description:

It was a hot summer day in South Texas. I, along with two other friends, had gone to where my father worked. My father worked at the Donna Lakes, a large water reservoir with several lakes and deep canals that lead to the main diesel pumps that take the water from the lower levels of the canal across the road where the water is discharged to a higher level canal that takes the water to the area farmers, ranchers, and small communities.

We had all jumped into the water in the canal section approximately two hundred yards away from the main water pumps. In that particular area two other smaller canals drained into the canal we were swimming in.

Suddenly, a strong water current pulled me down. The depth of water where I was must have been at least forty feet deep. I remember that I could not control my body - my swimming didn't help - my lungs quickly filled with water and I began to sink further down to the bottom of the canal. I recall hitting my body on a huge log that was stuck at the bottom.

It was at this point that I noticed that I had left my physical body and was in my spirit form, as I could see myself there in the bottom of the canal just swaying back and forth. I slowly began rising upward in the water and finally saw the light of day and I was above the water mark. At that time, I saw my father and his worker running down the bank yelling to the others to go down and look for me, 'Where was Ramie!. He didn't see me, but I saw them and the two other boys taking dives into the water looking for me.

I continued my slow rise into the sky, the clear light slowly turned darker; I heard music (nothing that I had heard before). The music was nice and it calmed me. Then, I began a tumbling action like if a power was pulling me upwards, then there were small lights (soft blues and pinks) and I continued to float and tumble upwards. After some time, I began to see a brighter light in the distance and I knew that I was floating towards that light - that would be my destination.

I recall thinking about my father and his face; he was full of anxiety and fear. He displayed a deep sense of love or loss for his son. I felt extremely sorry for my father and I also felt a deep sense of love towards him. As I got close to the light - I heard within me that it was not my time and that I was being sent back. There was an inner feeling as if 'it was a question to me' that is, did I want to stay or return. I felt a need to return to be with my father.

The next thing I remember, someone was pumping my chest and breathing in my mouth. I could hear them say that I was blue and there was no heart pulse so that they should not expect anything. I recalled that I heard them so clear. I sat up and spat out continuous gushes of water - I was bloated. I looked around and I saw my father. He came and gave me a strong hug. Enjoyment come over me and we went home, they then took me to the local doctor, then we went home.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: June 1962

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) Drowning.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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? More consciousness and alertness than normal It is just more awareness and alertness without the anxiety nor stress. You feel that you are a 'part' of where you are; unlike here where one at times feels that we are like a piece of furniture.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was floating in the air - I was aware of everything around me - the new dimension. It was a new feeling, I was alive and part of where I was at.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither Most definitely, I felt both altered space and time. Those things didn't seem to matter nor to be present in that dimension.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more so

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No real changes.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No real changes.

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? Uncertain I don't know if it was a tunnel or enclosure - I believe that once you entered the light then you went through a tunnel - the place I floated was like a piece of the night sky with the stars shining, there was plenty of room for movement.

Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain I heard words in my head, no oral sounds, I was asked if I wanted to stay or return to my former form. I recalled something to the effect that it wasn't my time and I could return if I so chose to, so I did.

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 Soft glowing but bright light - didn't hurt the eyes you just knew there was a light there like that was the center of all there is.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Clearly mystical or unearthly realm That whole journey was distinctive and beautiful.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace, no pain, freedom, floating, energy, and no pressures of any kind.

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 longer in conflict with nature

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither

Did scenes from the future come to you? Neither I had some events that I could sense that something was to happen or that I would receive communications (letters, mail, etc.). I have never know the when nor how of these thoughts - but they are still with me, and I've come to accept them to be part of my life.

Did you come to a border or point of no return? A conscious decision to 'return' to life

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate Roman Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Confirmation of a Divine Spirit or Energy in the Universe - no matter its' name or its' character. There is one divine Spirit and we all will confront the gatekeeper who allows us either in or out of that other plane or dimension.

What is your religion now? Moderate Roman Catholic

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes Confirmation of a Divine Spirit or Energy in the Universe - no matter its' name or its' character. There is one divine Spirit and we all will confront the gatekeeper who allows us either in or out of that other plane or dimension.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Definite being, or voice clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither

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 There is a grounded feeling that somehow I really don't belong here in this plane. I at times feel that surely my life is a dream and that I am asleep somewhere else.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain It is a feeling (or lack of feeling) of both anxiety and then a 'no feeling' and of traveling to a place that is 'not' in our normal dimensions of life.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes See the previous written response - I was always able to 'read' people whether they were kind or mean, but being human I wasn't able to use that to my advantage. As I believe that everyone does deserve that initial chance to show their character.

My biggest though was the several 'floating' sensations that I experienced at various stages of my life. I never know then they will happen, but they don't happen that often - years may pass.

Finally, I have gotten a feeling of 'Not being afraid to die' it is only a passage from one form to another, from dimension to another.

I do believe in God, and in His Extended Powers that affect time, space, and the outcome of circumstances or events.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes In the beginning I shared with my family, especially my mother. Then for a long period of time, I never spoke about it. There are times depending with whom I am with that I will discuss my experience. However, there are many times during the course of my day, that I can still recall the experience. It is not in a negative manner.

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 Because I felt that my physical and mental state had been restored or re-energized. I had overcome, or allowed to overcome a very traumatic event of my existence.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I view it in the same manner today as then. Even though time has marched on my recollection and emotions are still the same as then. In one sense it made me not fear the passage of life to death.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes 1) For a while after this initial experience, I could always anticipate a letter or communication coming from someone with some type of news. I was never accurate on the timing - but they would arrive.

2) November 1967: At the age of eighteen, I had recently joined the US Army and was temporarily stationed in a 'tent city'. It's basically a place where the troops live in 'tents' instead of barracks. There were eight young men to a tent. One night as I laid on my top bunk. The feeling of floating up awakened me and when I finally awoke, I was actually floating very near the top of the tent. I had two other soldiers witness this.

3) May-October 1982: I was part of a group of office workers that experience the presence of 'ghosts' (unknown presence of an energy force) in our office.

These events were on-going for several months. It attracted local, state, and national attention. Story was published by 'Readers Digest' and 'Newsweek' magazines and others. This was more of an encounter of the third kind were we had visual contact. That was not such a positive part of my life experience.

4) Periodically I've had other experiences dealing with other planes or dimensions that I can't explain. I have had other 'out of body' experiences. I have felt that there have been a few times that I have been able to bi-locate, there is a sense that I am at two places at the same time. It drains my body very much. I have been through two major operations (1983 and 1996) and an extremely serious auto accident (2003) since.

In conclusion, I do feel that I have a more 'in-tuned' feeling to our total environment - at various levels. One just lives with it, it reinforces that one is really not from here but from somewhere else, and in the end we will all go back home, from where we came from.