Genealogy Chat

Jean Ward's fascinating thread prompts me to post a message that I've never felt comfortable about discussing before. Many years ago I was in a near-death situation; when I awoke I was told that I was as close to death as could be determined. During that time my late grandmother appeared in front of me and told me forcefully that I was to go back, not give up, as my family needed me. The experience was completely real to me. I remember it as any other event I have experienced. Of course, I don't want to be seen as a crank, so it's hardly a subject I would raise down the pub. Yet I can say that I've experienced delirium before and this was not the same. In my memory this is something I've really experienced, not just envisioned. Has anybody else experienced something similar?

Hi Paul I too had something similar, which even my family are uncomfortable discussing. When my son was born I was very ill and he was delivered by Ceasarian section. My late father came to me and told me quite firmly that it wasn't my time and that I had to go back to my son. When I came round I was asked if I wanted to know if I had a boy or girl, to which I replied I knew it was a boy as my Dad had told me. There were a few dumfounded looks, which quickly turned to assumptions that I must have heard someone in theatre say it was a boy. I know that experience was real, yet the rest of the family felt so uncomfortable with it I never mentioned it again. I am so glad that I am not the only one to have experiened something like this. Helen

I hope you both take comfort from your experiences and are not scared by them? It's not something I've ever experienced myself but I do know of a few people that have had similar experiences. I do believe that there is 'something' - I've had different experiences of my own which make me believe there is more to life than what we know - I'm just not sure what it is.

My experience is a little different, but along the same lines in some ways. A few years ago I had major surgery to remove two large tumors from my abdomen. To this day I recall watching from above as they performed part of the surgery. I don't know if it was an 'out of body experience' or if the discussions of the doctors around me made my brain envision what they were doing. But I vote for the OOB experience, It was just too precise to have been absorbed by sounds alone.

I don't know about Helen but I was definitely not scared by the experience. In fact I and my family have had a number of psychic experiences.... premonitions and ESP, and in every case our reaction has not been fear but marvel. I do think it's something that runs in the family. Many of these experiences cannot be discussed outside the family for fear of ridicule, which is a shame because they can never be subjected to serious study.

I have never experienced anything like that before but I do get alot of deja vu and since I was about 16 I come across major accidents. For example three times I have come across people trying to jump off of bridges and numerous car crashes and a very nasty thing with fire which isnt the prettiest of stories. It tends to be if its going to happen then Im there, my family feel safer traveling with me in a car than in front or behind me.... I'm glad they see the funny side to it...... Mhairi

Hi all, i have had an experience similar to those you describe. I was living in Bristol away from my family in London. I had a 'dream' which has been described as a ADC or after death communication. In my 'dream' my grandfather stood by my bed and woke me, he spoke to me telling me to ring my dad as he needed me, i was quite aware that it was the early hours and told him that i couldn't as i would wake him up. The experience was so real, i have had other dreams but this was nothing like them, his voice, the smell of tobacco and even his clothes. it was so strange especially as i was lying in bed and talking to him standing by me, if you know what i mean, it wasn't even in a different place. The next day which was sunday, my dad always rang for a chat, while he was talking to me i yawned, he then said 'you are not the only one who is tired, somebody rang me last night at 3am when i answered there was nobody there' what do you think? as you say its not something that you like to broadcast is it yvette

I find all this fascinating, I really do and the thing that bugs me the most is the fear of ridicule. I think what happened to you must have been one of your top 10 special moments of your entire life but because of what people may think or say you can't really tell anyone! Ive had many experiences and have to keep them to myself, one infact where I saw a dog walk up my hallway and vanish about 7 years ago. I finally mentioned it to my daughter and she had seen it too, but neither of us ever said before for fear of the other laughing. Such a shame that so many wonderful experiences have to be hushed

I have been having premonitions since I was a nipper also seen dead people (whom now after seeing photo's know who these dead people are but since they died before I was born there is no way to explain how i knew them) As ive got older the premonitions come only when something bad is going to happen (like a pre warning) a couple of years ago I was so upset about these that I saw a spiritulist and he taught me how to block these premonitions. I blocked these for almost 3 years then decided to unblock them and boy am I glad I did. They still deeply upset me but ive accepted them and sometimes (not always) can alter the outcome of something bad thats going to happen.

Hi Everyone No I have never been scared by the experience, but of all the coincidences, I too have had premonitions. They take the form of dreams and I see scenes unfold infront of me, which later come true. They used to frighten me when I was younger, but I have got used to them now, and they seem to be decreasing with age. I firmly believe some part of us goes on after death, and I find the experiences I have had comforting. Helen

My story is a little different. My brother, the biggest sceptic in the world, was at a friends house with his wife, for dinner. Knowing the friends had a four year old boy, when they saw two little boys running along the verandah, they asked if Mitchell had a friend staying over. They were told no, there was no-one else there. Thinking he'd seen a reflection or such, he mentioned it to Mitchell at dinner. Mitchell said it was his friend, Joseph. The parents explained Joseph was Mitch's imaginary friend. About three months later. after the friends had found an article about the history of their house in the local library, they found there had been a four year old boy named Joseph who died by drowning in the dam. My brother believes anything now.

Is anyone here an expert on paranormal stuff (or knows anything about paranormal stuff that isn't quite so 'main stream'?) I know this sounds very strange, but no way am I putting this on the board - you'll have me certified, lol!!! Bev x

Hi I worked with a lad who had an operation to remove a brain tumour. When he was taken back to Intensive Care his heart stopped and the medics flew into action. He told the nurses a day or so later what had happened and what the doctors and nurses were doing in order to bring him back from the dead. They told him that although his heart had stopped, he was not dead since the crash team got to him almost immediately. Therefore he had probably heard what was going on around him. He was insistant that it was not only what he had heard but also what he had seen. He believed that his body had risen to ceiling level and he was watching the crash team bringing him back. The response was obvious. That was untill he pointed out that it did happen and that when he had looked out the window (in the out of body experience) there was a single shoe stuck on a ledge with no obvious signs of how it could have got there. Looking out the window the nurses could not see any shoe untill one of them got a step ladder and climbed up. The ledge was only visible when she had reached almost ceiling level and there indeed was the shoe. I knew the fellow for years before he ever told me the story. No doubt he did not want to be ridculed. I certainly believe that he truly believed it happened. Paul

Ive never had any outer body experiences but Ive had premonitions. One was my sister in law was expecting her first child, everything was going well, but one day I was sitting in the livingroom very quiet and turned to my mum and said, we will never see our little girl running round here, mum told me not to be daft. When sister in law had the baby it was a little girl and she was stillborn, when she got pregnant again I never had any funny feelings, she had a baby boy and hes now 27. Yvonne x

Hi Paul, I am a retired nurse and I have nursed a few people over the years who have had the same experience as you. I firmly believe that it was not your time to go, and that is why your loved one came to you to tell to go back. Gwyn

I was traveling back in a car from a day out in when I was on holiday in Canada and my Brother-in-law who was driving said that as we had reached a particular point in our journey we were only 15 mins away from where we were staying and as he said that I looked out the car window and saw an indian riding bare back across the planes and imediately said what is that indian doing there but no one else could see him. My brother - in - law (as he lived there) immediately picked up on it and thought I was mucking about and said to me you've seen the post card about the legend of the indian who is surposed to rome these plains, but I did not know what he was talking about. The whole of the holiday everyone tried to find the postcard which showed a picture of the indian and details of the legend but they could not find one. I think they believed me eventually. It was not until about a year later my brother-in- law sent me the postcard and the picture was just like the image I saw of the indian riding across the plains. I can still see the image as I am typing this story and I did not know about the legend. I believe in Paranormal. Gwen

I've had a near death experience (NDE), an after death communication (ADC) and premonitions. My mother had an out of body experience during an operation. It runs in the family. My grandmother once saw a letter floating on the ocean in a dream. The next day she received a telegram telling her that her son (my uncle) was being held a prisoner of war. I do believe in life after death and this is mainly because of my own personal experiences and those of my relations. Many people don't discuss these events for fear of ridicule. Cheers, Horatia

My Grandmother had surgery in the early 70's. After coming round she told the Doctor 'I died in there ' The Doctor was astounded as , yes, my nan had to be resuscitated on the operating table. (Several ribs were broken in the process) My Nan had seen the tunnel, the white light and then crossed a stream towards her husband and other dead family members. My Grandad told her it was not her time yet and then she felt a sensation like she was being pulled back into her own body. She also hovered above the operating table watching the Surgeon give cardiac massage. This all happened long before NDE had become a subject of debate. My Nan believed implicitely that this was no dream. A lot of this could be explained in a scientific fashion. (If you've ever nearly fainted you'll be familiar with the tunnel and light) the relatives waiting could just be memories enduced by the release of endorphins to allieviate pain making you hallucinate but what I am at a loss to explain is the ability to hover over your own body and describe what you see going on.

I've never had an out of body experience but I sure have had dreams and premonitions...mainly of tradgedies. Very scary. I had a cousin to went to live in the USA and I alway knew when she had written to my Mum even before Mum had received the letter. I knew when this cousin had lost a baby during pregnancy..again long before Mum had received any comunication from my cousin. I had a dream of a 3 month old baby dying on night and woke up in a cold sweat. I thought it was my neighbour's little girl but I was wrong....it was another friend's daughter...she died the same night I had the dream. This one really scared me.....remember the space shuttle that exploded after the launch with 7 on board......I dreamt about that 2 weeks before it happened. Even to-day when they show it on the TV.... I shiver...It's just like seeing my dream all over again. Why oh why do we get these premonitions and dreams? Teresa

My father suffered a stroke at the age of 76, which at first appeared as if it would be a minor one. One night, a couple of days after he was admitted to hospital I had a dream where he said to me 'it is better this way.' It was so real that I thought he must have died. The next day when we visited the hospital his condition had deteriorated badly over night and he was unconcious. He died a couple of days later. I know that he would not have wanted to live with the effects of a very serious stroke and the dream assures me that he was happy to go. Christine in NZ