John M NDE

Experience Description

I was swimming in the ocean with a friend while my family was on vacation in Massachusetts. I was a skinny kid and couldn't swim well.

All of a sudden I couldn't feel the sand underneath my feet and tried to swim, but I was lousy at it. I became submerged and couldn't get my head above water. I struggled and soon found myself, in my mind, traveling through that familiar tunnel of light with a high-pitched sound, exactly like the highest note in Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings."

Then a lifeguard pulled me out and ended the experience. Sorry, nothing really unique.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date of NDE: 07/00/1954

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No

How do you consider the content of your experience? Neither pleasant NOR distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? No

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Not particularly, just a kid swimming.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness? Normal consciousness and alertness

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience Normal in most respects, just a really different experience.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience Normal hearing but under water.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes
I passed through the tunnel and heard a high-pitched sound, exactly like the highest note in Barber's "Adagio for Strings."

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

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

Did you see or feel surrounded by a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter another world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm
The tunnel.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Curiosity

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

Did you suddenly understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back? No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian - Protestant
I never could quite feel comfortable with Christianity. I was already reading and feeling comfortable with my Native background.

Have your religious practices changed? Yes
Life after death is real.

What is your religion now? Native American religion
Native beliefs are so different and include presence of family spirits until all who remember the decedent are also dead, then our spirit walks the White Road (Milky Way) back to the land of spirits (star and cloud cluster in Orion's sword, which the Maya call the Hearth).

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
I forgot to mention that when the lifeguard pulled me out, I was pretty angry. The experience was pleasant.

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? 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? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Slight changes in my life
Not related to this experience but I have had other experiences that led me to believe in a spirit life after death.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

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 as accurately as other life events that occurred around the time of the experience
Very hard to forget! I remember it all vividly.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes
I could dream of future events in detail.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? No

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes
Right away and several times since.

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 was very real but I did not understand the significance of the experience at the time.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real
Very real and a view of the process of death.

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

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Yes
My experience was simple and straightforward. I was also 14 years old and very unsophisticated.

Anything else to add? No