My mother died on a Tuesday morning in September, 1998, of a massive heart attack.  On the Sunday previous, we had spoken on the phone, as we did every Sunday, being that we lived far apart.  Her last words to me after each conversation is always "I love you."  On the Sunday before she passed, we'd actually hung up the phone without her telling me she loved me and she actually called back and stated, "Oh, I forgot to tell you I love you."  I said, "Mom, you didn't have to call back to say that.  I know you love me."  She said, "Well, always remember that."  I thought nothing of it until after she died. 

I grieved my mother's death deeply, because it was so unexpected.  My depression grew deeper as the weeks went by, and I wondered if my mother was in Heaven.  

One night in October, I had just gotten in bed when I saw a ball of softly glowing mist slowly descend upon my bed from the corner of the ceiling.  I was speechless as I saw it slowing coming towards me.  Somehow I knew it was my mother, even though I couldn't discern a body or a shape.  The mist enveloped me as I lay in bed and filled me with feelings of love and calm.  I had the presence of mind not to move or open my eyes, because somehow I knew that it would spoil the moment.  I just forced myself to remain calm and focus on every moment so that I could remember the experience. 

My mother communicated telepathically with me by repeating my name over and over, saying, "Eve, Eve, Eve, I love you so much.  I love you so much.  Don't worry about me.  Where I am, there's complete freedom, freedom, freedom!  Tell your brothers and sisters I love them and I will always be with you all." 

The mist slowly gathered itself in a ball, once again, and slowly ascended to the ceiling, then it was gone.  I immediately opened my eyes and had this incredulous feeling when I realized that I had just been visited by my mother! 

I felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation and renewed self worth.  It gave me the strength to overcome my depression and to live again.

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?          Yes

            Describe what you heard, how clearly you heard it and what was communicated:    My mother enveloped me with feelings of love and said, "Eve, Eve, Eve, I love you so much.  I love you so much.  Don't worry about me.  Where I am, there's complete freedom, freedom, freedom.  Tell your brothers and sisters I love them and I will always be with you all."

            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 voice was inside my head, as if my mother was communicating by softly whispering the words into my brain.

            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 was my mother's voice, even though she wasn't in physical form.

            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?            Yes

I was softly caressed about the entire body.

            Was the touch familiar or unfamiliar?   It was a very soothing touch.

            Was anything communicated by the touch?  Yes.  Warmth, love, calmness.

            Is there any possibility what you felt was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?  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 1 minute.

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?         Both were gradual, as if in slow motion.

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

My mother was calm.

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  It was as if my mother had sensed my grief and came to settle my spirit.  She definitely accomplished her mission, because I woke up the next morning a new person.

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's real, because I was not dreaming during the experience.  I was in a different state of mind.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   No

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:           I felt tingly all over as my mother's presence enveloped me.  It was a feeling of absolute peace and love.

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

As I said, I had been depressed following my mother's death.  It was the first time I experienced such profound depression.  I just couldn't shake it off. 

After the experience, the depression was lifted and I began to live again.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      The best part is that it pulled me out of the mental prison I had dug myself into.  The worst part is that it was so fleeting.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         Yes                 Describe:            Same as last answer.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes     I don't take thing for granted as before.  I love life more.  I share my feelings with my loved ones more.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?            Yes     I believe the soul lives after physical death.

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 deeply relieved that my mother was in a better place.

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

I truly felt as if my mother was on a mission to make contact with me.  Since she died suddenly, I felt as if she was given permission to contact me for the sole purpose of letting me know she was in a better place.

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?           Yes

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 share my experience freely with family and friends.  They seem to respect the experience for what it is, and some of my friends have even expressed similar experiences of their own.

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 

I had a humorous out-of-body experience I'd like to share.  This really happened. 

When I was in my early 30's, I read a few books on astral travel and it fascinated me enough to start experimenting with it myself.  One night, as I lay in bed inducing the mental state to allow me to leave my body, I found myself leaving my body and actually floating in the air.  As I floated to the kitchen, I saw my cousin at the refrigerator, drinking directly from a carton of milk.  I was so mad with him that I quickly reentered my body, jumped out of bed and called out to him.  Needless to say, he dropped the milk carton on the floor, spilling the milk in the process, and replied, "How did you know I was in the kitchen?  I thought you were asleep!"  That experience frightened me so much that I never tried it again!

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.    No.  You did a fine job of covering it.  Thank you for giving me a forum to share my story.  I just happened upon your website and am the better for it.