Experience description:
The entire experience occurred over about 5-10 seconds. I was walking into my
bedroom, and suddenly felt someone behind me. Something about the feeling made
me think of my mom. She lived in WI and was 1000 miles away. I turned around and
there was her loving presence moving toward me. It gave the impression of being
basically a cloud at face-level and not a body. I said 'mom?' out loud. I was
startled, but not scared. It was clearly her, and the message was entirely of
empathy, excitement, happiness and love. It seemed important. I didn't see
anything distinctly, but I felt her very strongly. I had an impression of her
face, and she reminded me of the way she looked when I was growing up. She came
right up to me, and then was gone. It was a peaceful feeling, and I didn't call
to check on her afterwards. I cataloged it in my head as something I couldn't
explain, but didn't worry, because she was of course okay, she was my mom, and
had been doing well. My husband and I went to a movie, and I found out the next
day that she had passed away. I didn't share my experience with my family, but
I've promised myself that I will share the story if my brothers need reassurance
of her well-being after death.
Background
Information:
Date of experience:
1/17/2016
Length of time between death of deceased and
your experience:
Same day
Was the date of the experience significant in
any way?
She passed away either on the night of the 16th or
sometime on the 17th
General geographic location of experience:
San Antonio, TX
Details of location of experience and your
activity at the time of experience:
just walking into my bedroom in my house, I didn't know she had died at the time
of the experience
Degree of bereavement for deceased immediately
prior to the experience:
No sadness and/or grief feelings
Degree of alertness immediately prior to
experience:
Fully alert
After your experience, did you consider the
contents of your experience:
Wonderful
Have you had multiple experiences?
Yes Several
Was this experience difficult to express in words?
Yes
I thought it would be simple to explain, but when I started writing it, I
realized that none of the words were exactly right. I think I've managed to
describe it fairly well now, although it sounds weirder than it felt. I also
can't explain my reactions very well.
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:
I thought I heard her behind me, the way she moved,
and breathed.
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?
There was no voice, but I heard 'her' normal sounds
behind me. Once I turned around, I didn't hear anything else.
Is there any possibility what you heard was from any other
source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?
Yes, it was quiet, but
it was enough that I turned around.
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?
Yes
My whole body felt a sensation of warmth when she approached me
Was the touch familiar or unfamiliar?
unfamiliar
Was anything communicated by the touch?
Happiness, Love, Caring, Empathy, and also Excitement
Is there any possibility what you felt was from any other source present in
the surroundings at the time of your experience?
Yes, the sounds were quiet. Its just that the
combination of sounds 'felt' enough like her that I turned around.
Did you see the deceased?
Yes
I didn't see a whole body, just her face. She looked like she did when I
was growing up.
How clearly did the deceased appear?
The expression seemed very clear to me, but the entire 'presence' I would
describe as more of a beach-ball sized, transparent cloud.
How much of the deceased did you see?
Only her expression, and only for a moment
Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which
they died?
She appeared younger
How healthy did the deceased appear to be?
There was no body, but the communication was full of love and well-being.
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?
5-10 sec
Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?
The beginning was very sudden, and I turned around and said 'mom?'. The ending
was distinct, but not abrupt.
Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?
Yes
This was the strongest part of the experience. She communicated caring,
love, and excitement.
Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?
I think she was saying goodbye. If I had been smarter, I might have realized
that and checked on her right away. I didn't know she had died.
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 occurred, I have no reason to doubt that.
Was the experience dream like in any way?
Uncertain
Sometimes in dreams you don't know or understand everything that happens.
Describe in detail
your feelings/emotions during the experience:
I was confused for the first second, and then just happy and peaceful.
Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?
Uncertain
I wasn't worried about what's happened to her spirit. She was clearly
happy. I just jumped right to grief and missing her.
What was the best and worst part of your experience?
The entire experience was wonderful. The worst part was truly realizing
afterwards what it had meant.
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 I feel I
understand death a little more
Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life,
death, afterlife, God, etc.?
Yes What I've
extrapolated: People remember each other after death, still love and care for
one another, retain some sense of 'self', and that, at least for my mom, it was
a pleasant journey.
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 actually spoke to my mom about that when she was alive. I told her I
would want her to talk to me. She was concerned that it would be scary or creepy
for the one still living.
Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your
experience that could be verified later?
Yes
Well, according to the medical examiner, she died sometime that day or the
previous evening. I didn't know she was dead at the time.
What emotions did you feel during the experience?
Warmth, love, peace. I thought about it for a little while, and decided I didn't
know what to make of it.
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?
Yes
Just love
Did you become aware of future events?
No
Well, just
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?
No
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 believe people should share these experiences. There seems to be a taboo about
it, but I suspect they are more common than people admit. It didn't seem all
that weird at the time. Answering these questions definitely made me think it
was weird as heck.
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
Please offer any suggestions you may have to
improve this questionnaire.
It feels like the language isn't well-developed to describe
this kind of event. A dictionary of relevant terms might help.