The most recent account:  I got out of my closet and old CD called "Edgar Cayce Pre-sleep Series:  Realizing Your Psychic Potential."  Have not used this CD for a very long time and began to take an interest in it again.  I fell quickly asleep using this CD - woke up twice and at one heard CD "You will see your spirit guide tonight while dreaming."  Said to myself:  "Yeah, right; have heard that one before and nothing ever happens.  Maybe tonight will be my lucky night (went to sleep before 9 PM).  Sometime, between 9 and 11 (had to be later, because CD runs one hour and the CD had quit upon awakening.  Anyway, I was standing in a hallway (unknown or unfamiliar hallway).  Ahead of me and on the right side was a French glass door (we have many of these type doors in our house; but still it was not really familiar to me).  The door began to open and as it was opening, I knew it was my mother.  When she began to come through the door, she was smiling at me.  She was dressed very casually in a plaid (dark blue) shirt and some kind of dark pants.  I really did not pay too much attention to the clothing, because I was very fixated on her face.  I said to her:  "Oh, Mom, you look wonderful.  I can't believe you are here."  She did look good, but was not real young; somewhere in her late 30's to mid 40's.  Her hair was dark like it used to be.  She came toward me and at that point I was a little apprehensive, because I knew she was dead and that thought sort of frightened me a little.  She raised her arm with palm facing towards me.  She then pointed (with her other hand) to the edge of right palm and directly under the little finger - but on the side where most people have horizontal lines.  She asked me if I knew if this area was a CBC."  In the medical field a CBC is known as a Complete Blood Count.  I just had one recently which showed some abnormalities (always does since I have an inherited blood condition called Beta Thalassemia).  This condition was inherited by her side of the family.  After this, awoke very quickly and was wide awake.  My first reaction was "I just saw my mother; I actually spoke with her."  Then I was a little frightened because I also touched her hand and I had heard somewhere you should never touch the dead (who return).   Anyway, I felt the solidity of her hand. 

The first experience occurred about four years after mother's death.  Again I was doing a mediation CD by Dr. Wayne Dyer "Manifesting Your Destiny."  Supposedly, when doing this meditation the correct way, you will get whatever you want.  This meditation has worked for me several times in profound ways, and now I am frightened for what I wish for and do not use it anymore.  Anyway, I was meditating and requesting that I have some contact with my mother.  I thought I would feel better if I knew without a doubt she was out there somewhere and had survived death.  Now, during this time I worked night shift and since it was night off was unable to sleep.  Usually ended up falling to sleep about 5 AM every time I had a night off.  I also was in the living room because I thought the TV might help me sleep.  My husband was also at work, and felt a little frightened without him in the house.  Finally about 3 AM, I turned off almost all the lights, except for the BR light which provided a low light.  I was sitting in a deep Papasan chair with my feet on a little hassock.  My 5 year old cat was by my side on the couch.  No sooner had I just shut my eyes (still wide awake, but trying to go to sleep) I heard this very loud jangling sound from the kitchen.  Between the living room and the kitchen is a large cut out window.  I sat bolt upright and said to myself "What the H _ _ ll was that!"  I jumped up at the same time my cat jumped up and went flying through the cut out window, onto the kitchen table and onto the kitchen counter.  She was going crazy, looking all over the place in the kitchen.  I said to my self, "I swear that was chimes ringing loudly, but we have no chimes.  There was not one thing moved in the kitchen.  We lived out in country at that time and there was no one about either.  I even checked outside with flood lights, all though I was well aware that the sound originated in the kitchen.  I checked pots and pans and nothing was disturbed.  I knew it was not dishes, or pots and pans - knew it was chimes.  Anyway, we settled back down all mystified and bewildered to as what made the noise?  TV was off.  Finally fell asleep.  Next morning got up and went into the kitchen looking around asking myself "what made that chiming sound."  I then remembered something.  Looked up and right above the kitchen sink were the heavy metal chimes my daughter gave me as a gift one year."  I shook the chimes with my hand, and there was the same exact noise as the night before.  Now, in case you don't believe me - this is the truth.  The windows were closed.  It was a cool night.  Even when I used to have a fan on the kitchen counter and the air conditioning running, those chimes had not moved in the past three years.  They were covered with a thick dust (much to my shame).  I was then very disturbed and asked over and over "was that my mother, or was it some entity?  I told this story to anyone and everyone who would listen.  I just couldn't believe it.  Now, here is something else that should be known.  When I bought the house, I felt my mother had picked it for me - don't know why but just felt that way (bought the house a couple years after her passing).  She was a bird fancier in life.  I am also and have a huge picture window which looks out on my bird feeders - so while I am standing at the kitchen window, can see the feeders.  This chime hangs right above that window.

Was this experience difficult to express in words?  No

Did you ONLY sense an awareness of presence of the deceased without actually seeing, hearing, feeling or smelling them?            No

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

            Describe what you heard, how clearly you heard it and what was communicated:    My mother asked me a question - and heard the voice very clearly.  Just felt intensly it was real and NOT a dream.  Also, heard the chimes ring, when I had meditated on communication from my mother.

            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?  No, heard her voice.

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

            Is there any possibility what you heard was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?           Not that I could determine (chimes).  The only way that sound was re-created, was by wacing those heavy chime with something - they never rang for as long as I could remember, unless you shook them.

            Was there any possible impairment to your hearing at the time of the experience?            Absolutely not.

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

I accidently touched her hand.

            Was the touch familiar or unfamiliar?   Neither.  I was frightened because I had touched her.

            Was anything communicated by the touch?  No - just awareness that I had touched her and she was solid - don't know what I expected - wispy cloud?

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

Did you see the deceased?         Yes

She was younger than before and her hair was darker, like when she was a young woman, but she was not that young - she was in her late 30's to mid 40's.  I forgot to say above, I could see every line and wrinkle in her face - and I was amazed that my sight was so clear.

            How clearly did the deceased appear?            Completely solid - in human form

            How much of the deceased did you see?       Full body walking towards me

            Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?       No. Much younger as described above

            How healthy did the deceased appear to be?            Very healthy and smiling.  No infirmities were noted - did notice some lines and/or wrinkles, but not bad - just normal for 30's to mid 40's.

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

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?      No

How long did the experience last?        The sleep one - ?? May a couple of minutes.  The chime one, few seconds.

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?         Beginning in the sleep one was gradual and ended suddenly.  The chime one was "instant" - chime noise lasted a few seconds - maybe 15 seconds or more.

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

My mother was smiling at me and appeared very healthy.

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  No.  But I felt she may have been telling me to have my blood count done again for some reason.

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:           The chimes - who could have moved them other than a spirit?  The sleep - just knew I had been with my mother.  I absolutely believe that.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   No

It was "too real."  It had none of the abstract scenes I see in all my dreams.

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:           I was a little fearful; wondered if it was wrong to have this contact.  Also, since the chimes rang at 0315 in the morning, I just kept wondering if it really was my mother or some mischievous earth-bound spirit?  Was it really my mother?  Finally went and saw a psychic who told me it was my mother.  I just kept asking, why would she choose the "witching hour" to contact me?

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?           No

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      Best part was believing my mother is out there somewhere.

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

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   No      

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?  No       Did not change my understandings; have always believed in life after death; just wanted to know more about it.

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?         Yes, re-created the sound by shaking the chimes.


What emotions did you feel during the experience?            I was mystified the first time.  Second time (sleep time) it was just very profound.  I was not excited nor was I depressed; was just factual.

Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?           Yes

Witnessed by my cat - know that sounds silly, but it's true; and that cat knew something unusual was going on.

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?       Uncertain

Still believe she was trying to give me a message about my blood count

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         Yes

Can see auras on some people (usually the ones that are most religious.  I have dreamt of things that have come to pass in almost the same exact way the dream proceeded.  I had a dream of passing under a bridge while speeding and that a cop stood on the bridge and waved me over to give me a ticket.  I was laughing about it and told the dream to several people.  A week later I was speeding on that same road (not speeding intentionally) - just moving fast to get home.  A state trooper passed me not far from the bridge and made a u-turn in the road to come and give me the ticket.  Have had 2 dreams that actually occurred following a dream THAT I COULD RECALL.  I often write my dreams down anyway.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes  Yes, during the dream - felt like this was absolutely an out of body experience and that I met my mother somewhere.

Did you meet or see any other beings other than the deceased?          No

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     They listen.  A couple believe me and some seemed frightened by my experience.  One or two think I am crazy.

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?   No

 Is there anything else you would like to add regarding your experience?       It DID happen

Were there any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?            Yes

I take Ativan three times a day for a condition called Blepharospasm (to keep my eyes open) and have taken for a long time.  I do occasionally take an opiate based analgesic at night for chronic pain.  This night I took this pill after the experience so I could go back to sleep.

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?       May have had an out of body (spontaneous) at one time.  It was a flying one - unbelievably real - hard to explain.  Could feel my body, but could not see it.

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

Please offer any suggestions you may have to improve this questionnaire.    None that I can think of