When I was 10 my mum gave me a kingfisher brooch. My mum died 2 years before my dad had to move in to residential care. I was clearing the house out and found the brooch. It had been badly damaged and I didn’t think I could get it fixed so, with great sadness, I threw it away. I later went to a medium who told me my mum was saying “use the blue bird to remember her”. I instantly knew she meant the kingfisher and I was devastated.  I looked everywhere for one: online, in every jewelry shop and market stall I passed. Some time after one of these brooches came up on eBay. I bid quite a lot of money for it but I was outbid and I was devastated again: very upset and emotional.  I continued to look for another brooch but didn’t think there could be that many out there as it was made in the 1950s.

In March 2019 I had a dream that I was at a market and the brooch was in the middle of a whole tray of kingfisher brooches. When I woke up I thought "I know there is definitely one of these out there, when will it come back to me?". I thought nothing more of it, but when I got home a magazine had been delivered with a kingfisher on the front, and it prompted me to search EBay again. There it was! It had a “buy it now” price, I paid, and three days later it arrived. It is my belief that I have a physical gift from my mother, after she died.

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?      Yes

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 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?      It’s not really an experience in the typical sense. I can’t tell you how long the dream lasted as I was asleep, but the dream is essentially what my intuition tells me was communicatuon from my mother.

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?       It was a dream.

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

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  She “told” me to look for the brooch again.

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:   To an outsider the significance is probably lost and can be explained away as coincidence etc. But for me what I can’t express in words is the KNOWING. It’s inherent, intuitive, and different from other experiences. The best way I can describe it is it’s on a soul level.

          Was the experience dream like in any way?  Yes

It was literally a dream.

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:  I woke up feeling frustrated - this brooch was out there and I need it in my life. I was puzzled.

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

I have tangible proof that my mum is with me.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?          There was nothing bad about this experience. My mum is powerful and magical. When I look back on her life I can see that she was always tapped into the spiritual. She could do anything she turned her hand to in life and now in physical death she is giving me little earthly miracles. I feel her love. It makes me miss her physical presence but I know I will be with her again. I’m not suicidal but part of me looks forward to death as that’s when I’ll see her again. But I know I have to live my Earthly life first, do whatever I’m needed to do here and I’ll go when it’s my time.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience? Uncertain                 Describe:     I suppose it reinforced my beliefs in consciousness persisting after physical death.

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    Mum is still with me, always.

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 I found the brooch for sale, bought it, and have it in my possession.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?          Euphoria when I found the brooch and bought 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?         No

Did you become aware of future events?      Yes

In a way. I got a massive pointer to where to look.

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    They are skeptical

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?         Yes

I emailed it you a lady who had written books on the subject.

 Is there anything else you would like to add regarding your experience?   Just that I can’t convey tge intuitive feeling that accompanies these experiences and that feeling is so important to the receiver. The experience doesn’t need to be significant or cast-iron proof to anyone else, as long as the receiver acknowledges and accepts the message.

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? Yes 

A few other examples of communication from my mum: I woke up in the night of 30/03/22 and into my head popped “Love can build a bridge”. I looked up the lyrics the next day: that was 100% a message from my mum. She’s also sent me “There is a light that never goes out” by The Smiths. Neither of these songs were familiar to me previously.

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

I guess my experience doesn’t include seeing, hearing, feeling her presence as such.