It was just an ordinary evening at home.  I went to bed as usual, and at some point I started dreaming.  I dreamt that I was in some kind of theater.  My grandmother's entire living family was seated in the first 4 or 5 rows of the theater, watching some kind of stage production.  The rest of the theater was empty.  I was seated apart from everyone else for some reason, in the very last row, next to the aisle.  The entrance to the theater was just behind me, and to the right of where I was seated.  I noticed that several times the doors to the theater swung open and shut, but no one ever entered.  I became annoyed because whenever the doors were opened, the outside light shined in very brightly, and was distracting my view of the performance. 

The next time it happened, the doors remained open and did not swing shut.  I jumped out of my seat and spun around, planning to confront the person who was playing with the doors.  I became shocked at what I saw, and that is when I realized that this was no longer a dream.  Standing before me was my grandmother.  She was standing on the other side of the doors.   She looked beautiful.  Still grandmotherly, but perfectly healthy.  She was wearing a white gown, and she shined brightly. She was also wearing several strands of pearls, that hung around her chest area.  My grandmother was surrounded in a deep, rich, gorgeous light that seemed never-ending.  She was also surrounded in music, which is very difficult to describe.  It was not music that I had ever heard before.  It was the most fulfilling sound I had ever heard.  I felt it, as well as heard it.  Grandma communicated to me (not through words, but through thoughts) that she would like me to walk with her down the aisle so that she could greet the family.  I put my arm out to her, and she took hold of it.  I felt her touch.  She held on to my arm like she always did when she was living, and used it like a person would use a cane.  She stepped out of the light and music, and together we took steps down the aisle towards the stage.  I could actually feel the pressure that she put on my arm with each step.  My family was concentrating on the performance and no one was aware of what was going on.  We approached everyone from behind, and I was so excited about what was about to happen.  We got to the 1st row, in front of the stage, and I said "Hey everybody, look who's here!"  With that, the stage performance disappeared.  It was just my grandmother and I, standing before her entire living family.  I will never forget the excitement on my family's faces when they saw us.  I also vividly remember how beautiful my family looked.  They all seemed to glow.  At that point my grandmother communicated to me through thoughts that everyone would have an opportunity to talk to her, and her to them, but it would all be done through me.  So that's what we did.  Everyone told me things that they wanted her to know with words, I communicated them back to her with thoughts, and then conveyed her message back to them.  It is hard for me to remember the details of what was said, but I know each person was communicating their love for her, and she was communicating her love for them.

Everyone got their turn, and then Grandma told me it was time to go.  Again, she took my arm, and I felt her touch.  I walked her back up the aisle towards the light on the other side of the doors, feeling the pressure on my arm with each step.  We got to the doors and she told me that was as far as I was allowed to go.  She seemed to know that I wanted to step through the doors and go with her.  Then Grandma walked away into the light and the music and disappeared.

I immediately woke up.  I was so  and grateful for the experience, and I cried happy tears.  From that point on, I have never doubted that there is a heaven and that it is a marvelous place.  I remember the experience as vividly today as I did 8 years ago when it occurred.

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:  

I heard 'music' which I described in my narrative. I also heard my grandmother's thoughts.  She communicated her love for her family and they did the same for her.

            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 music originated outside of me.  That is the sound I definitely heard.  My grandmother's thoughts were just a sense of knowing what was communicated, I guess.

            If you heard a voice or sound, was it similar or dissimilar from the voice or sound the deceased made when they were alive?          

The music was unlike anything I had ever heard before.

            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

On the arm.  My grandmother used my arm for support, just as she did when she was alive.  Please see narrative.

            Was the touch familiar or unfamiliar?  

So Familiar!  It was exactly the way it always felt, the pressure, the softness of her skin, everything.

            Was anything communicated by the touch? 

My grandmother was perfectly healthy during this experience.  She would not have needed to use my arm for support as she did when she was living.  This was simply her way of communicating that this was real.

            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?        

Yes

She wore a white shiny/glowing gown with several stands of long pearls.  She looked healthy and more beautiful than I had ever seen her.  The pearls did not have any significance to me, personally.  My mother wept when I mentioned the pearls to her when telling her about the experience.  She told me that Grandma wore pearls like that all the time when my mom was growing up.

            How clearly did the deceased appear?            Somewhat transparent.

            How much of the deceased did you see?       All.

            Did the deceased appear or not appear to be the age at which they died?       She looked like a grandmother.  So about the age she was when she died, just healthier.

            How healthy did the deceased appear to be?            She appeared to be perfectly healthy.  Before she died, she needed support to walk, and she always held on to somebody's arm.  This she did in the experience, but it was only so I would recognize the experience as being real.

            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?       

Not sure.  It occurred during a normal nights sleep, so I am not sure what time it started or ended.  My guess would be about 30 or 45 minutes.

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

The experience began suddenly, when I turned around and saw my grandmother standing there.  It ended gradually.  I walked her 'home', knowing the experience was about to be over for me.

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?          

Yes

Grandma was happy and wanted to spread joy to others and bring them peace.

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know? 

Yes.  I did not have any sense or understanding of what Heaven is like, and now I do.  I also know that death is not the end for the person who died because they continue on to something else.  Death is the end for the people who are left behind, but only until we ourselves die.

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:         

I am amazed at the similarities of my experiences with others that I have learned about.  However, I did not become aware of other people's experiences until after my own.  The fact that I could sense and understand my grandmother, and also feel her touch, also gave it reality.

I am also aware that parts of this experience were dreamlike, such as the part where the rest of the family was involved.  In reality, this was an experience between my grandmother and I only.  I'm not sure what the message/purpose was in bringing other people in to it who would not be aware of it afterwards.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?  

Yes

I am also aware that parts of this experience were dreamlike, such as the part where the rest of the family was involved.  In reality, this was an experience between my grandmother and I only.  I'm not sure what the message/purpose was in bringing other people in to it who would not be aware of it afterwards

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:          

shocked, awed, amazed, excited, flattered

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

Yes

Yes.  I became happy for my grandmother rather than sad for her.  Instead, I realized that I had become sad for me, because I was without her.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?     

There was nothing bad about it at all.  The best part was seeing my grandma again, and realizing that I was 'special' for being given the opportunity.

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

No

What other attitudes and beliefs about your experience do you currently have?       Sacred

   
 
This was the first of 4 ADC's that I have had.  I realize that each of them is either a consolation for something that has happened in the past, or a preparation for something that has lied ahead.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes

I became more spiritual and wanted to get closer to God.

Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?           

Yes

A better understanding of the afterlife, and the power of love.

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?           

gratitude, peace, happiness

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 the knowledge that is is possible to see/communicate with loved ones again after they have passed.

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?         Yes



Just the ability to experience 3 other ADC's.  One more from my grandmother, and 2 more from my boyfriend who died since then.

Did you meet or see any other beings other than the deceased?           

Yes

My living family was present during part of it.

Did you see a light?          

Yes, See narrative.

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 shared it with family members.  They were touched, and seemed envious that I had this experience.  They seemed to believe the realness of it.

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 have had 3 other ADC's (as I have already mentioned) since this one.  No near death experiences or anything out of body.

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

Yes, Some of the questions seem repetitive, but yes.

Please offer any suggestions you may have to improve this questionnaire.   

Is there anyway to eliminate some of the repetitiveness of the questions?  I'm tired  now.  I can not think of any other questions you should ask.