Experience Description

As a family we had gone for a swim in the pool. I was left in there and although I had floaties on my face was under the water. My uncle said that I had been there for six minutes. He pulled me out and could not feel a pulse.

The walls of the swimming pool were peeling away. I was standing on the bottom of the pool and stamping my feet alternately in excitement. It felt like I was at the door of a birthday party (I was three) and the door was about to be opened and inside were all the children having fun and enjoying themselves with all the presents and party food and games.

I saw lovely green grass like a field and big trees. I couldn't hear the birds though. I wanted to go in but my relatives said to me that it was not time yet and to go back and behave myself. I was disappointed, as I wanted to stay.

They have given me this big house in heaven and I dream about it and sometimes go there in my dreams.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: August 1966

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? Wonderful

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? ?

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 It was spacious. Plenty of it. I felt relieved that it was not fast. Peaceful but excitable and playful.

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 in color. But I wasn't allowed to see anybody. I thought, 'where is everybody?' The vision was due to nobody being there. So the nothing. The lack of people. It was like everyone were holding their breath! A secret.

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 saw my body on top of the water and thought it was a boat. It was my body. I think the swimming pool was a sort of tunnel. The walls peeled away so there was some sort of process. But not a big process.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

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

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I heard voices and knew they were ancestors.

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? No

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I was on the edge of a big landscaped park. Even today I Love Learning about landscape artists.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Intense Excitement. Confidence. Exquisite Happiness. Joy. Contentment. People playing. Having Fun. Loved. Security. A sense of 'I can do this'. Home.

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

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

The experience included: Vision of the future

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future I explained above.

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? Conservative/fundamentalist

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No They have deepened even though Jesus was nowhere in sight and that disappointed me.

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No They have deepened even though Jesus was nowhere in sight and that disappointed me.

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? Yes That it didn't matter what unfair things happened on earth. It would all be put right in this place.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Again it is to do with patience. I'm not pushy enough. In this world you have to be quick or else you miss the boat.

After the NDE:


Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes I was floating on top of the water but my feet were stamping in excitement on the ground.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I was interested in the Bible at an early age. My parents are not Christian people. My attitude toward life is different. I don't value this life on earth as being the be all and end all. I am not very materialistic e.g. I hand wash my clothes I don't have a washing machine. I live in rented property. I have few fashionable clothes. I don't drive a car. I live simply. I don't know what people go on about when they have a death in the family and they don't let go of it. I think things like only the good die young. Attitudes like that.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Yes. I love green grass trees and birds. I wouldn't want to go to an airy-fairy white light floaty pink palace place! I Love nature and down to earth things like cooking with my own herbs - growing vegetables. So I was at the right place for someone like me.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes When my auntie died my uncle at her funeral told me about the event of my drowning again. That was six years ago now. I'll tell anybody if the conversation comes to this topic. I usually get silence. People think about it or ignore it.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No I was three.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real Being a child I accepted it automatically. It was just like going on holiday. Only the holiday is here and I wish I could go home for good.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I am a very patient person.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes In my dreams I go home to my house. I fly as well. I like flying. When this world gets too much for me I visit.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? No, it's quite thorough.