Daniel A's ADC
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Experience description:  

While sitting at my computer, I noticed a fragrance that reminded me of "old ladies' perfume". It's a smell that I've always associated with something an older woman would wear, probably due to having smelled in on them in my youth. It's probably more of a bath powder than perfume, however. So, I smelled it and wondered where it was coming from. Sometimes the chemical plants in Pasadena, which isn't too far away, will produce odors when the wind shifts, but I think I've smelled all of them in the 7 years that I've lived here, and there are really only 2 that I'm aware of, and neither smells like perfume... 

The first thought I had, for some reason, was of my grandmother, who passed away in 1971. I was very close to her. The thought that followed that one was her looking over my shoulder and saying, "I'm so proud of you". I then did a sniff again to be sure this wasn't some imagined smell. No, the smell was real, not strong but definitely there. I was in a state of wonder, then the smell was gone after about 1 minute perhaps. I had no explanation but could only consider the chemical plants as a possibility, but when I smell those smells they persist for hours. I went about my business. Later that evening, my mother called telling me that my aunt Judy had passed away. She had been sick with pancreatic cancer and we all knew it was coming but were under the impression that she had a few more months at least. 

It occurred to me while talking to my mother that it might've been aunt Judy letting me know she was OK. Why the "old ladies' perfume" smell? I can only think that somehow she knew I'd associate it with her, even though I never smelled it on her, but through the association with my grandmother (her and my mother's mother) I certainly did. We were all very close and I know that, if she had the chance, would want to make an effort to reassure me of her after death survival, especially since she and I had discussed the subject earlier this year. 

As an addendum, last week I had been enjoying some oldies on YouTube and was singing along to Stevie Wonder tunes, sometimes playing the same tune 10 times or so. My mother called several days later and said that a thought occurred to her (the thought sounded a bit unusual to me at the time) that she would send my money to buy a harmonica, thinking that she always liked the harmonica and knowing that I had always been musically inclined. I told her that in fact I'd been listening to Stevie Wonder lately and this one tune had a great harmonica solo in it and I could learn that. Then it hit me, I'd silently asked my aunt Judy for another sign for certainty that she was OK. I thought that, if she wanted to let me know that she had been with me while singing along to Stevie, how would she do it? By planting the thought in her sister's head to hook me up with a harmonica, of course! My mother has never mentioned the harmonica in all of my life so I take this as that asked for sign....

 Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?          No

 Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?            No

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

             What smell, scent, fragrance or odor did you smell?           "Old ladies' perfume"; a scented powder more likely.

             Was the smell, scent, fragrance or odor familiar?     It has always reminded me of old ladies since I'd often smelled it on them in public places throughout my life.

             Was anything communicated by the smell?   It instantly triggered a thought of my grandmother, who was my aunt's mother, and who passed away in 1971.

             Is there any possibility that the smell, scent, fragrance or odor was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?        There is, since I live fairly close to chemical plants. However, I've lived here 7 years and there have only been 2 smells, neither of which is perfume-like, and those smells happens when the wind shifts and persist for several hours. I live alone and there's no way that smell originated within my house and the neighbors aren't that close.

 How long did the experience last?        1 or 2 minutes. I did a double sniff a few moments later to be sure it wasn't a mental scent, and confirmed that it wasn't.

 Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?         No change throughout.

 Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?           Yes

 I had the feeling that my grandmother, who I associated with the smell initially, was with me watching me stare at the stock market charts and feeling proud of me.

 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:           I double sniffed to be sure. I know that we can experience scents within our minds, really just memories of scents, whereas this was an actual scent. Despite my believing in these types of events prior, I was wanting to be certain and fortunately had enough time to do that before it went away.

             Was the experience dream like in any way?   No

 Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:           Sort of a bewildered calm wondering where it came from

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

 The news of her death came at the same time as the realization that she had probably already visited me, and so I never felt any real grief. I had already believed in after death survival so, as opposed to healing, it left me with a comfort knowing that she was alive, free and happy, and loved me enough to let me know that.

 Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         No

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?            Yes     Confirmation of previous beliefs.

 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?            When my mother called later that evening telling me that my aunt had died, it hit me what it probably was and left me with a happy semi-amazement that 1) I'd experienced something like that and 2) that my dear aunt was home and free.

 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 have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         No

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     No

 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     I've told my mother and my daughter and a friend. My mother listened with interest but probably wondered if I had imagined it, then asked me about it a week later as she had her own experience (not involving a smell). Daughter and friend; probably reacted as anyone would, including myself, vague belief in the possibility but most likely something else.

 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?           No 

Did the questions asked and information you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?               Yes