Sarah L NDE

Experience Description

My little cousin pushed me into the pool; the adults had been in the house.

I remember sitting on the bottom of the in-ground pool, touching the leaves on the bottom. I remember sitting there doing that for some time. Everything felt in slow motion. I remember the feeling and coloring of the leaves. Then came a time where I left my body and saw myself on the bottom of the pool. I saw myself struggling to breathe. I saw my body go limp, and I saw myself being saved by my cousin Erica. She was 16, came outside, and saw I was missing and her sister, who was 4, standing near the pool. It didn’t take much and the water came out.

I felt warm during this whole incident. I didn’t feel any pain; I was outside my body during the time I was struggling for air, so I just saw it, I didn’t feel it.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 05/09/1997

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain
I was 5 years old.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? I clearly left my body and existed outside it
I saw myself drowning and saw myself being given CPR.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Leaving my body.
Saw details I don't think the normal 5-year-old would see.

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

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual
Faster.

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 Not the same, blurry but vivid. A very odd sensation.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience Even being underwater, I could hear, but everything was fuzzy, and I still knew what they were saying.

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

Did you see or feel surrounded by a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes
There was a light that was so bright through the top of the water, but once I got there, my only focus was on my body.

Did you seem to enter another world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Sad.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt no longer in conflict with nature

Did you suddenly understand everything? Everything about the universe
I just felt at peace and all-knowing.

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

Did scenes from the future come? I see myself waking up before I woke up and see my family standing around me being thankful.

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? Do not know

Have your religious practices changed? No

What is your religion now? Do not know

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience
No memory of beliefs.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes
I live in the moment more than most I know. I appreciate every moment.

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? Yes
All-knowing, feeling everything.

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

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes
Just hard to put into words.

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
It sticks out.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes
I've had vivid dreams that have come true and also, true déjà vu.

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
I didn't share about this until I was about 15.

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
Real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real
Real.

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
Yes.

Anything else to add? No.