Ryland D FDE

Experience Description

When I got sucked into the drainpipe, the instant I knew I was in trouble, my life flashed before my eyes not like a movie with scenes in it. It all happened in an instant - I remembered my whole life and what I had done. It is a very peaceful feeling, (besides from the trauma of almost drowning) everything was very relaxed and calm. It felt like I was underwater at least ten minutes before I blacked out, but only two minutes had actually passed. Then I could feel nothing; like my brain wasn't working at all, for I don't how long. Then suddenly with a flash of white light, I came to as I was being pulled out of the water but I could not see anything but white light for five minutes. Afterwards everything just looked new to me, like the trees and grass and everything looked so much brighter and vibrant for a day at least. Now I feel so much better about life, like the event changed the way I feel.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Easter Sunday 2008

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 had been sucked into a flooded causeway and got stuck inside of it.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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 When I had just gotten stuck.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I had just gotten stuck.

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 When I was running out of breath it had felt like twenty minutes had passed but only three minutes did.

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 think it was oxygen starvation, but when I came to I could see only bright white light for five minutes then normal vision slowly faded in, but everything looked so much more vibrant in color and brightness for two days at least.

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 I was actually going through a pipe when this experience happened.

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: 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 When I came back to consciousness all I could see was white and nothing else but it slowly faded away.

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Pure relaxation and harmony.

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 It all happens in an instant, you remember what has happened in your life with a very positive view about it, this gave me a peaceful feeling.

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 NONE

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Moderate NONE

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? 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 I feel a lot closer to my family now.

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

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes The first person I told was the ambulance guy and he thought I was crazy.

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 The white light I saw was probably because of oxygen starvation from drowning.

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