I remember being laid in bed at the side of my sister Margaret, who was sleeping. I remember feeling unwell and being unable to reach out to Margaret for some reason to tell her how I was feeling. It was about 9 o'clock in the morning and it was a Saturday. I remember thinking that my father would be looking after us children as my mother worked on Saturday mornings. Suddenly I became aware of looking down on myself laid on the bed - as though I was floating near the ceiling. I could see myself and my sister laid side by side. I don't remember feeling frightened at all - just accepting of it.

I then seemed to be 'back in my body' and I was looking down towards the foot of the bed. At the end of the bed stood my grandfather. Although he had died when I was a very young age I immediately knew who he was. I remember him smiling at me warmly and holding out his hands to me. I knew he wanted me to go with him, although I cannot recall whether he said this or whether I just instinctly knew it. I could distinctly hear my father with my brothers downstairs so I knew I was not dreaming. I remember feeling very peaceful and not at all puzzled by what was happening. My grandfather looked over his shoulder as though he was listening to somebody else and turned back to me and communicated to me that it wasn't my time yet. I cannot remember whether I heard his voice or whether I just 'knew' that this was what was meant. I seem to recall him shaking his head. The next thing I became aware of was of feeling 'myself' again and of being able to reach out to my sister to tell her I was feeling ill. I managed to get out of bed and go downstairs to see my father. I don't know why, but I never mentioned anything to him and I told anybody of my experience for many years.  

A few years ago I went to see a clairvoyant. Myself and my family have always believed in life after death. The lady I saw did not know me, but knew things about me that nobody else did, which proved her authenticity to me. She described seeing me sitting crying in the bathroom at a certain point of my life - this indeed had happened. She told me that I needn't have worried because my grandfather who had always looked after me was there with me on that day and had comforted me at that time and wanted me to know that he was always around for me. When I told my mother of my experiences with the clairvoyant she immediately said that that sounded like her father and that he was a very gentle, loving soul.

Was this experience difficult to express in words?

No

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?         

Uncertain

          Describe what you heard, how clearly you heard it and what was communicated:     

I don't know whether my grandfather actually spoke to me and told me that it wasn't my time yet or whether I somehow just knew that this was what was meant - but this fact was DEFINITELY UNDOUBTEDLY communicated to me.

          Did the voice or sound seem to originate externally or outside of you, inside you, or did you not hear a voice or sound, but had a sense of knowing what was communicated?        

See above - the voice was definitely not internal - it was more a sense of knowing what was communicated.

          If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar from the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?        

Unknown. Cannot remember my grandfather's voice.

          Is there any possibility what you heard was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?     

No possibility at all.

          Was there any possible impairment to your hearing at the time of the experience?

None whatsoever.

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?         

No

Did you see the deceased?       

Yes

Cannot remember how he looked. Perhaps this is due to my young age at the time of the experience? I just instinctively knew that it was my grandfather.

            How clearly did the deceased appear?            Solid

            How much of the deceased did you see?       All

            Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?            Age at which they died.

            How healthy did the deceased appear to be?            Appeared happy and healthy. Cannot remember further details.

            Is there any possibility what you saw was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?           No possibility whatsoever.

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?  

No

How long did the experience last?      

A few moments.

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?         

Very sudden.

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?         

Yes  Happy

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know? 

No information given.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?        

Experience was definitely real

          Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:  

Although I was drowsy I remember the experience with great vividness. I remember hearing my father downstairs whilst it was happening so I knew I was not dreaming and was awake.

          Was the experience dream like in any way? 

No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:        

I felt 'accepting' of the situation. I did not feel frightened or perturbed by what was happening.

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?         

No

What was the best and worst part of your experience?   

The best part was feeling so loved. The worst part was that is was over so quickly.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?      

No     

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?            Yes    Convinced me that there is life after death, whereas before I had only heard accounts from other relatives.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?         

Yes    My family - especially my maternal grandmother - the deceased's wife - always talked about life after death. She would tell me that she knew her own mother came to 'visit' her after death, because she could always smell wallflowers when she was around - even though there weren't any in the house. Wallflowers had been my great-grandmothers favorite flower and a bunch were placed inside her coffin. My own experience helped clarify and authenticate what my grandmother had always told me she believed and solidly set my own belief in life after death. I have since 'smelled' my own deceased mother around me on a couple of occasions - with a smell unique to her.

Death Compacts are when two or more living people promise among themselves that whoever dies first will try to contact the other(s).  Have you ever made such a compact?     

No

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?        

No
What emotions did you feel during the experience?         

Amazement. I remember still feeling ill and I believe that this stopped me experiencing other emotions following the experience.

Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?         

No

Did you have any sense of altered space or time? 

No

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    

No

Did you become aware of future events?     

No

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?         

Yes

Saw my body from above - as though floating by the ceiling.

Did you meet or see any other beings other than the deceased?     

No

Did you see a light?        

No

Did any part of your experience seem to occur in a place other than the location described above?        

No

Have you shared this experience with others?       

Yes    Some disbelief to my experience. Others - such as my sister and mother - wholeheartedly believed my experience.

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?  

No

Were there any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?     No

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?   

No 

Did you ever in your life have a near-death experience, out of body experience or other spiritual event? 

Yes 

See above responses. In addition I remember hearing the voice of a man in my room whilst a young child and of seeing this person on one occasion on the landing. I remember that I didn't recognise him and that he was very frightening.