Rebekah J NDE

Experience Description

I was visiting relatives with my parents. They lived next door to the city pool. I went to the pool with my cousin. I was not able to swim but wanted to jump off the diving board. The kids at the pool said to just kick and I would be okay. I jumped off and hit the water. I panicked. I came up and went back down twice. The lifeguard wasn't watching and I went under the water a third time.

Then suddenly I was somewhere else. I saw the most beautiful colors like a swirling rainbow tunnel. It was so bright. I saw shadowy figures like angels. I heard a voice. It was all around me. I do not know if it was male or female. It said, ‘you have a choice, you can continue on or go back.’ I thought for a moment then I thought, ‘I want to grow up and my parents would miss me’. The sense of peace and tranquility was overwhelming but I chose to go back.

At that very moment, I was at the top of the water and close to the edge of the pool. The lifeguard stretched out her arm and pulled me out of the water. I was only under the water for a few seconds but when I was having my experience, it seemed to last about five minutes. Bystanders told me my body sunk to the bottom then suddenly my body shot up like it was pushed up out of the water. I became conscious only after coming back to the top of the water. Because of my experience, I do not fear death. I see it as a wonderful next step to a better place

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: July 4 1979

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Drowning Life threatening event, but not clinical death. 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 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

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was in the tunnel: the colors were so vivid. I smelled flowers and heard the beautiful voice.

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 While I was under the water time was slow. It seemed almost like time was suspended.

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 was so sharp. I had very poor eyesight as a child and could not see without my glasses, but I didn't need them in the tunnel.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It was so sharp.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes It was like a swirling rainbow with the strong smell of flowers.

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain Angels

The experience included: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes It was all over and also ahead of me.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm It was like a bubble.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace and happiness

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 My understanding of life is so different now. I know why I am here.

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? No

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 I wanted to grow up. I had a sense of an important purpose.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes Because I know my spirit is on-going.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

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? Yes My parents told me God was real but afterwards: I knew for myself.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I heard a voice I could not identify The voice was all around me. It didn't sound either male or female.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

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.)? Uncertain I saw angels but they did not speak. The voice I assumed was god.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Yes When I was in the tunnel I became aware that we live each life to learn and develop my spirit. Our human body is a vessel for our true self. Our spirit does not die only the vessel.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes I came to understand we are all connected to god. Like spokes of a wheel.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God probably existsá

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes The voice I believe was god.

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? Yes After my experience I never questioned: Why am I here? I knew I was going to be a mother and a healer. That's why I became a nurse.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes We go thru life in order to develop our spirit.

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife probably existsá

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes I wasn't actually told this but somehow I know it to be true.

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

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Greatly 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 possibly 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? Yes When we face challenges we grow

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Not compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes Love is the most important gift we give ourselves.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

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

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I treasure each relationship.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

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? Yes I have a strong sense about people. Like if they are good or evil.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Most people just listen and don't comment.

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. When I became an adult I found out other people had similar experiences.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real We can't be all liars or having a mass hallucination.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No