Jim W NDE

Experience Description

As a child of approximately 5 years, I went to a lake with my parents and a married couple, who were friends of theirs. They were all preoccupied with having fun in the water and did not notice that I had apparently stepped off into an underwater hole. I would estimate the hole to be more than ten feet deep. While I was under the water, I saw a round light above the water, which was very bright and about the size of a flashlight. I do not believe it was the sun. I went up toward the light a couple of times, not reaching the top of the water, and going back down each time. I saw my life pass before me in rapid succession.

Suddenly, it was like my body was physically lifted out of the water and was now standing on solid soil. I saw my mom and dad playing in the water, not noticing that I had almost drowned. At some point after this, I had a remembrance or knowledge of being in heaven before I was ever born, and being offered a selection of a time to come live on earth. I chose the time after WWII because I thought it would be a great time to live. I had the sense that there was another being with me, very close to me, that was also given this opportunity, who chose an earlier period where that person's life would primarily be during the 50's and 60's. I clearly remember this occasion of choice and it was not a dream. When I read on page 157 of the book, there was a quote that said, ’I discovered that I had personally chosen to take on a physical body and have the life experiences I was having’, I realized that someone else had had this experience as well.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 1951

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes I drowned in a Lake Life threatening event, but not clinical death At the time, I was drowning.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

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? Normal consciousness and alertness While seeing the light from above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? While seeing the light from above.

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

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

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? No

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 In the remembrance I have of events prior to my life, I was given the opportunity to live in any period of time. I was aware of a mystical person asking me when I wanted to live, and showing me a type of globe with a chart of time. I was also accompanied by another being who I was very close to, or related to, being given the same opportunity and choosing a different time.

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 I saw a bright light above the surface of the water about the size of a flashlight, but I don't think it was the sun.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was scared to be drowning and not able to reach the surface of the water.

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 was just a quick view of all my life events up to that time, but I was only born about 5 years prior.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future I have, in my life, been able to predict certain events, primarily in the financial world, which has helped me in my profession.

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 None

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist Christian/Baptist

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? Yes The knowledge that I was given the opportunity to choose to come to earth and live in any period of time that I wished.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain I suspect that I know the identity of the person that chose the different period of time to live, although I never met her and she is now deceased.

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? Uncertain

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The knowledge/vision of being given the choice to live during whatever period of time I chose.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I told my parents about my drowning experience shortly thereafter. I only told my mother about choosing the period in which to live my life, and that was just a few years ago.

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 It has always been totally real. I have known that it happened for the past 60 plus years.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I remember it today like it just happened, after 60 years.

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

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I know that I was given the opportunity to live in the time I now live, and I know that heaven is real and that I will be returning there to reunite with the person that I was there with before.