1)Five days after my mother died, I was awakened in my bed by three distinct knocks on my door.  (That was how I announced myself when visiting her in the retirement home).  My apt. was right beside the stairs, at the end of the hallway.  I listened for footsteps but heard none after the knocking.  I would have heard something due to my apt.'s location.  I opened the door, no-one there. 

2)Tired after cleaning out her room, I lay down but didn't go to sleep.  I had a headache.  I was fully awake when I heard a "snapping" at the end of my bed and sat up.  There was nothing but a blank wall in front of me.  Suddenly, an image, approximately 3 feet off the floor began to emerge quite quickly on this blank wall. It was a circle that grew to approx. 2 feet in circumference.  Within this circle, it looked like a snarl of elastic bands, snapping and filling the circle. I believe these "bands" were slightly moving among themselves. I don't recall seeing any color but tend to think it was a neutral shade - beige, maybe. The outside of the circle appeared to be black, almost a void.  I stared at the circle for a minute or so, listening to the snapping, then told it to go away. It shrank into itself and went away and the last I saw of it was a black dot which disappeared.  I have never experienced anything of this nature since, nor before her death.  I was not frightened, but instead just curious.

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?          No

            Describe what you heard, how clearly you heard it and what was communicated:    1)  I heard three distinct knocks

2)  I heard  "snapping" as the image appeared and until it disappeared.

            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?  The noises were definitely external

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

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

            Was there any possible impairment to your hearing at the time of the experience?   No

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

Did you see the deceased?         No

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

How long did the experience last?        Approximately one to two minutes

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?         The image appeared very quickly and ended very quickly

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?           No

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  Nothing

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:           It was real.  Although I had always believed in life after death, this confirmed it to me.  I'm a realist, and analytical so this experience(s) was totally foreign to me.  I am not a panic-artist nor did I become hysterical over this.  The word that comes to mind is "acceptance" and a joy in knowing I was able to experience a small part of the beyond.  Kind of an "aha" moment, if you will.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:           I don't believe I even thought at the time.  It was more of a "what is this?" kind of sense.

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

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      I feel I have confirmation that there is life after death.  I can't think of anything about it that's adversely affected me.

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.?  Yes     I feel more complete in a spiritual and emotional sense knowing that "something" awaits us on the other side.

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?        Yes

I have an identical twin sister (who has also experienced a "visit" from one of her friends) and we've made a compact to try to communicate with each other when one of us passes. No, I never discussed trying to "get in touch" after her or my death.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          No The only events were the knocking and snapping I heard


What emotions did you feel during the experience?            A little confused, immediately.  I thought it was my mother from the beyond, but I felt happy that I got to see that there was proof that our energy carries on.

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 haven't told many people but those I did, believed me.  They know me and my nature and understand that this was simply something that I experienced.  I know it really happened and believe people will take it for what it's worth, factoring in their religious beliefs and their thoughts on death.  No-one laughed or said it was impossible.

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?       I'm glad I experienced it.  I would really like someone try to explain it to me.  i.e.:  was it my mother? why me? what did the image and knocking represent?  was it some kind of symbolism I'm not aware of?  what kind of message was I to receive, if any?

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

To the best of my "earthly" knowledge, yes.  I seem to have more questions and no answers! 

Please offer any suggestions you may have to improve this questionnaire.    I can't think of any.  This questionnaire is pretty thorough and I've answered to the best of my ability.  It would be great to hear from someone who can explain it to me and let me know if others have experieced something similar.