My husband, 2 children and I were staying in a guest house overnight while vacationing in New Zealand. We were just settling in our new space sitting around relaxing from the day of site seeing. It was late afternoon, very early morning back home in Michigan. My sister called from Michigan to say dad, who had been battling cancer, had collapsed unconscious at home and was taken to the hospital and was determined to have no functioning signs of life, was taken off life support and shortly afterwards, passed away. I had been living overseas as an ex-pat and my dad’s oncologist had given him until the following spring before he would most likely pass so I thought I had time to go home and see him again beforehand. After hanging up the phone with my sister, I knew I was going to start sobbing and my kids, ages 7 and 9, had never witnessed me completely lose it before, so not wanting to not scare them, I went into the bathroom, closed the door and started crying inconsolably. This bathroom had an awning window up high on the wall so one could not look out of it directly but it was open to let in fresh air. I was only crying for about 3 minutes when a bird I could not see but only hear began to sing and the birdsong was so loud it was as if the bird was sitting on my shoulder.  Upon hearing it, I immediately stopped crying, like someone had flipped a switch and at that moment, was filled with such an immense sense of peacefulness like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.  I knew at that moment, my dad was okay.  He had crossed over and I didn’t need to worry about him or feel sad about his dying.  I’m not sure if he sent the bird but I like to think he did however I know someone from the other side did because that experience was otherworldly and my response, how I felt in that moment, was undeniably Divine. I love all things nature and I believe we are connected to our loved ones, spirit guides, angels…whatever you want to call them, in ways we respond best.  My loved ones knew I would understand the bird but I must say, the way I felt…from deep grief to unimaginable peace…it was such a gift. This happened seventeen years ago and I remember every last part of it like it just happened. In the years since that experience, I have found bird feathers while out walking my dogs.  Enough feathers to fill several jars.  I believe there is so much more going on behind the scenes so to speak, than we can possibly know.  Every now and again, we get a glimpse.

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?          Yes

          Describe what you heard, how clearly you heard it and what was communicated:   I heard birdsong through an open window.  I heard it so loudly, the bird could have been sitting on my shoulder but it was outside the window.  I didn’t see the bird.  It communicated an immense sense of peace and comfort.

          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 birdsong originated outside of me, though it was impossible to ignore.  I remember it was the only thing I could focus on.

          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 birdsong, not human.

          Is there any possibility what you heard was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?   It was just me alone in a closed rather small bathroom and I was sobbing. My mind was racing and I was very emotional.  When the bird started singing, the birdsong was absolute and all I could hear.

          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?      Only a few minutes. Maybe 2 minutes, but I wanted it to last longer.

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?       The beginning was very sudden and immediate.  As soon as the bird stated singing, I stopped crying. I didn’t hear the bird when I entered the bathroom it was only after a few minutes of me crying that it began to sing, as if someone said “Queue the bird!”  The peacefulness feeling drained from me gradually over the next couple of minutes.  I sat there enjoying it, wishing it wouldn’t go away but I could feel it slipping away.  I felt changed in the days afterward.

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

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

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 wasn’t so much about what I saw, it was how I felt and how quickly and deeply I felt it that struck me and has stayed with me.  It felt profound.

          Was the experience dream like in any way?  No   

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:  Words are not sufficient to describe the feelings I experienced. The best I can do is to say the feeling and emotion I felt were all encompassing, complete peacefulness, warmth, a complete lack of wanting or needing unlike anything I’ve ever felt before or have since.  There was a certain knowing without words that the Divine was at work and I could feel it.  An understanding or knowledge had touched me. It was brief but profound.

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

I was at peace knowing my dad was accepted on the Other Side.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?          Being touched by God is the best.  Knowing the feeling couldn’t last here on earth was not great but I know in time, I will experience it again and for a much longer period.

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    Reinforced my spirituality.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?         Yes    The experience confirmed what I had already thought to be true. Earth is a classroom and we are here to learn and to advance our souls through the experiences we have on earth.  Also, there is SO much more going on back Home than we can possibly know as human beings.

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?          No

What emotions did you feel during the experience?         I felt gratitude and happiness for days afterward.

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    Usually, the people I tell relate a spiritual experience they’ve had.

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?   No

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 

On separate occasions, I dreamt of my dad in our garden at my childhood home, my grandfather (who died when I was three years old)standing in the lake at his home and an old wise man in the woods sitting by a pond.  Each dream was unlike my ordinary dreams. I was present in each dream but no one ever spoke. All the dreams were very short. Each dream felt very real and the colors in my dreams were like Willy Wonka intense and fantastical, bright and sparkly.  These dreams were all years ago, but I remember the details as though they just happened.  They felt very real.

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.       I don’t think so. Thank you for the opportunity to relate my experience.