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The Wisdom of Near-Death Experiences – Dr Penny Sartori

In response to a newspaper article in 2006, Steve Rushton reported:

It was a Sunday afternoon in October 1967; I was nine years old and had gone fishing in the local canal, with some friends. I was leaning over the water, attempting to catch a large snail with my fishing net, when I suddenly fell into the water which was around 12 feet deep. At the time I was unable to swim, though I learned soon after.

I started to throw my arms about instinctively, but this only sent me further away from the tow path.

The first time I went under, I managed to get back to the surface but then total panic set in. The second time I went under, I still somehow managed to get back up but by now my strength was sapping away and I grew extremely weak, and was starting to swallow a lot of the dirty water. The third and final time I went under, well that was that; at first everything went black and I now realize that I was drowning.

After a while the initial panic began to ebb away, and a very strange sense of calm set in. I felt at peace.

This was the point when I was being drawn into the white tunnel.

It was a very bright light in there. As I moved further up this tunnel, I approached what appeared to be two arched, brown, church-like wooden gates. On the left-hand side at the entrance, I saw a figure, dressed in a brown-coloured cowl, resembling a monk’s habit. This was when I heard the immortal words, 'Go back, it is not your time.'

It was a woman’s voice but I could not see her face. It was a very comforting voice. The next thing I remember was coming back around on the canal bank, having had the kiss of life four times. The man who saved my life had been working at a nearby factory, on his first Sunday shift for eight weeks. How lucky was that?

I was told afterwards that I had been underwater for about six minutes. He said he thought I was dead when he first pulled me out as I was totally lifeless and my skin had turned grey. I was rushed to hospital, where they pumped the dirty water and some tadpoles from my stomach. I remained hospitalized for a week. I have not had any other effects, but it left me thinking there must be a reason why the lady in brown turned me back. I honestly believe that I died for some minutes but came back. The experience will be with me until I do actually pop my clogs. Perhaps that is when I get to see her face?

The point of no return? Back then I knew nothing whatsoever about NDE. Since then I have read many things, which confirm what I saw that day. It still makes me go cold whenever I recall those events.

I definitely do not believe the cynical explanations of the so-called scientists. I have been there. I often wonder why I was given a second chance. Please believe me there is truly some place else, out there.