James NDE

Experience Description

I can’t remember everything in detail since it was so long ago. I was around 10 years old or so. My family was at a State Park and I was swimming in the lake. At that time, I didn’t know how to swim. I was just 'playing'. Since I tended to be somewhat mischievous, I kept going out into deeper water. I intended to stop once it was up to my chin area. What I didn’t realize was that there was an immediate drop-off just after the area enclosed by a line with buoys on it.

I went immediately under and was fighting to get to the top. After thrashing around for a short period, I distinctly remember a tremendous jerk within my body. It was almost like something automatically was occurring that was a natural part of the dying process. And then suddenly, I was outside of my body floating in a semi-conscious state. I was completely content and was not struggling anymore. In fact, I was unbelievably happy and felt like I was enveloped by a loving presence. There was no time, just the experience of the moment with no future or past.

The next thing I remember was my father dragging me out of the deep end and into the shallow area. Quite honestly, I was disappointed because I did not want to leave this place. I was so happy there. My father got me to shore and I recovered. He came into the lake with his clothes on and then when he was out of the water he started taking his money out of his wallet and drying it on the sand. I remember him saying 'you were just about a goner.'


Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1955

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident Drowning

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? Uncertain 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. There was no time in that state, just now. I was supremely happy. I felt like in the distance there was a light but could not make out its form. Additionally, it felt like I was surrounded by a light, possibly blue which I associate to this day with my devotion to the Virgin Mary.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? After I stopped struggling for breath and passed into the new state of consciousness.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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. Difficult to remember

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Difficult to remember

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? 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

The experience included: Darkness

The experience included: Unearthly 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

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm. I have difficulty explaining

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Complete 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? 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? Unknown

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I feel that the afterlife is not based on how good we are in this life.

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 not 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. Not at that age but later in life experience

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? Yes There is no individuality in this state, the personal does not exist since we are everything.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? I was uncertain if God 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? Uncertain. It seems like I have a purpose to develop spiritually but not in the traditional sense.

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

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

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

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

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

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

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? Unknown

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes Feelings of unconditional love

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Unknown

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain Very young at the time of experience

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes A state of complete awareness that occurs in the now combined with unconditional feelings of love and contentment.

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? Uncertain

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Being jerked out of the body

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Did not disclose this until I was an adult. Most persons have trouble understanding.

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. Too dramatic not to be real

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I remember it like it was yesterday

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

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? None