I don't remember what was going on in the dream but I was outdoors at some sort of carnival and my son came up and hugged me from behind. He was just a little younger than he was when he passed, so he was at his adult height. It was just a short part at the end of the dream, but I was filled with such love and longing that it was unlike any dream I had had in the past. When I woke up and realized that he wasn't still here, I was really sad and depressed for the next day or so because the dream seemed so real.

Was this experience difficult to express in words?  Uncertain

What happened in the experience wasn't hard to express, but the feelings it gave me were hard to put into words.

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? Yes

He came up from behind me and hugged me. I didn't see him face to face, but I knew it was him.

            Was the touch familiar or unfamiliar?   It was familiar in that I knew it was my son and that he loved me.

            Was anything communicated by the touch?  I felt a really strong sense of love and joy that he was still with me - it's hard to describe.

            Is there any possibility what you felt was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?           No, I don't think so.

Did you see the deceased?         Yes

I didn't really see him but I somehow knew it was him.

            How clearly did the deceased appear?            Solid.

            How much of the deceased did you see?       Not sure. He was behind me but I knew it was him.

            Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?       He seemed to be the same as or slightly younger by a year or two than when he died.

            How healthy did the deceased appear to be?            He seemed healthy. He didn't have any physical infirmities while alive. He didn't seem depressed though, which he was when he was alive.

            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?        Just a very short time - maybe less than a minute or so.

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

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

He seemed happy.

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  No.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?           Experience was probably real

            Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:           I think it was real because it was definitely unlike any other dream experiences I have had. Since this first dream experience I have reported on here, I have had 3 other dream experiences that were very similar. I went to a medium and that gave me more reasons to believe that it is real.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   Yes

It was a dream, so yes, it was dream-like.

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:           It was such a joyous feeling of love and happiness. I remember feeling so excited that he was still alive.

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

Since I have had 3 more similar dreams, with each one I have felt better afterwards.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      The best part is the feeling of love and being with my son again. The worst is waking up and not having him with me physically.

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

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Uncertain      Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?            Yes     It has let me believe that it is possible that he is contacting me and is okay.

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?            Uncertain

I wanted to make one with my husband years ago, but can't remember if I talked to him about it or not. I had not made one with my son.

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?            I was very sad and disappointed when I woke up and realized that it was just a dream and that my son was still dead.

Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?           No

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Uncertain

It was a dream.

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?     Uncertain

I was asleep.

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     With a few friends and with the medium I visited. My friends thought that it was really cool. The medium said that it was my son contacting me.

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 have had 2 more dreams very similar to this one in that my son was hugging me. In each dream, he was a different age, from a young child to a teenager.

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

As much as I could explain it since it was just a part of a dream and it happened very quickly. As I said earlier, it is very hard to describe the wonderful feelings that I experienced.