Experience Description


In August 1985, the day I arrived on vacation at the seaside in the south of France, I arrived having only one idea in mind, to have a bathe, to have a swim, to enjoy the pleasures of the sea. My four year old niece came into the sea with me and at the time I put my head underwater, I lost consciousness. Seeing that I stayed too long floating with my head in the water, my niece took my head out of the water, pulling on my hair.


At this moment, I saw my body as if I was dead. It was as if I was on a kind of pedestal, watching the scene, without any fear. I paid attention to the scene without worrying about anything. I didn't understand why my family cried, bothers go into a panic, whereas I feel so well. Staying at the top of this pedestal, I watch several scenes at the same time, in several different places; I hear everything and I am even able 'to hear ' each one's interior dialog, without being astonished. I see the firemen who try to resuscitate me and the ambulance service staff trying to resuscitate me with electric discharges to make my heart beat again (I want them to stop what they are doing, I feel well there 'where I am'). I paid attention to the complete reanimation scene and my transportation by helicopter to the hospital of Montpellier.


I felt attracted, as if magnetized, by a light, which attracts me, the closer I come to this light, the more I feel well, a feeling of peace, love, wellbeing, and fullness. This light attracts me and I lose sight of my terrestrial body. I go towards this light, which absorbs me more, and more. I never felt such total wellbeing before in my life.


All at once, the light disappears; I see my terrestrial body lying on a bed. That body is connected to a multitude of machines, that doesn't surprise me. Without moving out of the room, I can see what occurs in the corridor where my sister and her husband are in a state of shock. I attend to their conversation and all seems natural to me.


All at once, black hole, nothing anymore, something keeps me from breathing, I cough, I recover consciousness, I awake disappointed, frustrated, I suffer physically, I realize that I was there without being there, was it a dream? My family tells me what happened, it is exactly as if I had been with them, but I prefer to say nothing, I can't find the right words. I'll keep this event to myself forever. I won't disclose it to my family members, they would not understand.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1985

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Accident noyade Drowned in water.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Positive

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I was like a floating ball of energy, a kind of very light, vaporous and airy cloud.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Very alert. Bi-located.

Did your hearing differ in any way from normal? Read peoples' minds.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

The experience included: Light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes See main narrative.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? See main narrative.

The experience included: Special Knowledge

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Conservative/fundamentalist aucun

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist 1 seul Dieu pour tous

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Unreal impressions, the words can't come out to tell this event, verbally indescribable.

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Uncertain