Life after death???

[dolphinrescuegirl]

Embraced by the Light : http://www.embracedbythelight.com/

I LOVE this book! I read it a long time ago and it helped me a lot with different family deaths. In fact I probably read this book once every couple of years. This is a great book and I also recommend it.

 

[Rora]

OP-I am so sorry for your losses.

You have gotten some wonderful responses and heartwarming (convincing!) stories on this thread that I hope bring you some comfort.

I'd like to add a story of my own:
I was at Disney World when the Haiti earthquake happend. Tuesday night (the day it happened) I had a dream about my best friend from high school's dad (we were close- he was like a second dad to me). In this dream, he looked hurt and told me to call his daughter (my friend). I woke up the next morning, turned on the news and saw the devestation in Haiti. I said a prayer and went on with my day; I didn't call my friend. That night, I had the dream again but he looked worse- sicker, more hurt. I woke up on Thursday to a text message from my mom saying that he had been doing missionary work in Haiti and was missing. I was distraught. I called his daughter- we had hope. But then a week passed with no results. We knew that it was too late for miracles. The following Tuesday (week after it happend) I had a dream that he came to me and said that he died painlessly, that he was happy in Heaven, and that things were more perfect than anyone could imagine. He looked serene and well. The next day we got the news that his body had been found under the hotel he was staying in.

I just went to his funeral this past weekend. It was so sad, yet beautiful. I took so much comfort knowing that he seemed happy in my dream and that he clarified the whole Heaven issue.

I'm sure science "can explain my dreams" but I chose to believe that this sort of thing happens and when it does, you should listen and believe.

OP- there is a Heaven, I think, and right now, your parents are enjoying it!

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

OP, I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my mother unexpectedly 5 years ago to cardiomyopathy. She was only 61 and had been planning to retire that year or so. My DH is a firefighter and had the unbearable job of calling me to say there was an accident at the house. He rode in the ambulance with her and helped do everything he could to save her.

The windchime she gave me that hangs in the kitchen rings unexpectedly without being touched. And when days are hard because I miss her so much, I can hear her saying it's going to be ok. When we visit her the trees could be standing still and then a rush of wind comes suddenly swirling in the branches. I think she's an angel in God's nursery taking care of all the babies. She did home daycare for 13 years and absolutely adored babies. I wish she could hold my boys right this instant, but I have a little happiness knowing she held them for 9 months prior to us meeting them.

 

[lukenick1]

Embraced by the Light : http://www.embracedbythelight.com/

I've never heard of that book before....I would love to read it.

 

[CathrynRose]

I've never heard of that book before....I would love to read it.

PM me - and did you get your nose pierced, yet?

There's no time, like ....now.

BTW - I was 32 and my mom was 55, when she died. It was terrible, I felt like it was too soon, she was too young, it wasn't fair. I still needed her, and still do need her. But she was done here (remember, her's was unexpected too - she choked, which stopped her heart).

They're around us.

 

[CandyMandy]

It's Cathryn.

There are also studies that debunk the debunkers.

The mere existence of possible scientific explainations for "near death" phenomena immediately defines all of them as cases of "debunking?"

As for studies that debate the possibility of a scientific explanation, the closest things to I've seen to that are from sources that shall we say are ..."out there." But perhaps you know of some credible ones that base arguments on facts.

I think in a thread trying to help out a fellow Dis'er through the pain of questioning where her mother (and father) now are, this is a pretty tasteless time to 'debunk' anything.

Cathryn, the OP asked a question - one that has no single agreed upon correct answer. That inevitably leads to discussion; as part of that simply pointing out there is another possible explanation for an experience (which no one can prove is or isn't proof of life after death) is neither "debunking" nor tasteless. It's simply part of the discussion around the OP's question.

 

[rhpools]

I suggest the movie What Dreams May Come with Robin Williams. Let me warn you it is hard to watch, and you will need a full box of Kleenex, but by the end it gave my a new perspective on the afterlife.

 

[CathrynRose]

Cathryn, the OP asked a question - one that has no single agreed upon correct answer.

Wow.

I hope you never hurt like the OP is. Truly.

 

[EMom]

Wish there was proof that there is life after death. Would make my Mom's death a whole lot easier for me

To tell the whole story would take too long, but I had a dream in which my mother came to me and it was so vivid that when I awoke I looked at the clock to check the time. It was two weeks to the minute that she passed away...I know because I was with her when she died. (And it was not a normal wake up time like 7 a.m.)

In essence, she reassured me that she was fine and I had no need to worry. What amazed me was that she looked like she did 20 years earlier and it was as if every worry and trouble had been erased from her face and body......And I don't remember my mother really ever being untroubled by something. All the weight of her troubles were gone. She told me she and my daddy "were having the best time." A lot of it came to me in impressions, if that makes sense.

What I got from her was that she and my father were kind of making the rounds, catching up with old friends and visiting. That is what they LOVED to do on earth. Just drive around and visit friends, play 42, drink coffee, tell tall tales and jokes. And that is exactly what they were doing. EXACTLY. That was NOT the "vision" I would have expected. I don't think my brain came up with that for a minute.

It seemed that Heaven was doing what made you happiest. And she was happy.

I hope this helps you.

 

[Jennasis]

Wow.

I hope you never hurt like the OP is. Truly.

Agreed.

 

[CathrynRose]

What amazed me was that she looked like she did 20 years earlier and it was as if every worry and trouble had been erased from her face and body......And I don't remember my mother really ever being untroubled by something. All the weight of her troubles were gone.

Yes. This is how my mom looked too. She looked like she did when I was maybe 10- and she was early 30's. Beautiful, perfect, relaxed and it was her. I woke up crying - but tears of joy. I felt her, again.

Another odd story - My mom passed in Jan, and in July 2006, my youngest son turned 9. On his birthday, we were in the car and my son said how it kinda sucked because this was his first birthday without Grandma calling him. (she would call and sing him Happy Birthday, every year)

Just as he ended his sentence, and I was able to get out "I know..." on the radio came "Benny & The Jets". Was it happy Birthday? No - but my mom would alwaaaays sing to him "Danny, Danny, Danny and the Jettttttssss" - always. It would make him giggle.

We both looked at each other. We totally knew she sent him his birthday song.

 

[Sparx]

I suggest the movie What Dreams May Come with Robin Williams. Let me warn you it is hard to watch, and you will need a full box of Kleenex, but by the end it gave my a new perspective on the afterlife.

What Dreams May Come is so beautiful. Its definitely a tear jerker even if you're NOT mourning, so be forewarned.

op

 

[MouseketeerOvaHere]

Sorry for your loss. My mother passed 14 years ago when I was a senior in high school and I have missed her everyday. And as much as I would love to see her and touch her again, I don’t believe I ever will. I have actually been researching the existence of a “soul” and “afterlife” recently and the more I read into it the more that I think that an afterlife doesn’t exist. Even with all the evidence that when a person is weighed at the moment of death, they weigh 21 grams less due to the “soul” leaving the body I personally believe that it isn’t a “soul” at all. We all know that there are magnetic fields and that all the atoms, molecules, minerals, ect. that compose us contain electromagnetic charges as is many elements of the world. For example, when a cell is radiated, the electromagnetic charge changes. We are exposed to radiation everyday of our lives. Where am I going with this? Well, I wonder if the 21 grams that is being displayed on the scales as the “soul” are actually that of some kind of magnetism leaving the body since the life of those cells have ceased. When the heart has stopped and the blood has ceased flowing to the brain, do the cells within our being release a magnetic charge? The energy that allows our nerves in our brains to send our neurons signals, once it has ceased, what happens to our electromagnetic charge? Perhaps when we expire, we release that magnetic charge into the universe to be transferred to another element of the world.

I have had experiences where electrical appliances have sounded when no current is applied to them. Could this have been my mother communicating with me? I believe it could have been. Not some much “her” but her energy that was left after she passed. Or it could have been just an electrical malfunction. One truly doesn’t know for sure. I have been reading different books lately trying to figure out an answer but my medical knowledge and personal beliefs has me believing that once we expire, our personality know as “us” ceases as well.
This link is a little biased but it may start your brains churning as it did mine. I can’t find the one that supports life after death but if I do, I will post it too.

http://blogs.salon.com/0001561/stories/2002/10/30/doesTheSoulOrSpiritReallyExistAFollowup.html

 

[ols386]

When my father was ill, he was in a nursing home/rehab center in Indiana. We knew he was getting close to death, and I had called my dd (who lives in Michigan), probably about an hour before he passed. And then shortly after that, he passed (around 10:45 pm), I called her about 15 minutes later to let her know.

She told me (a couple days later), that right as her phone was ringing (it was me calling to tell her the bad news), a truck pulled in to their driveway, and then she heard a knock at the front door, so she told her dh to go answer the door since she was on the phone with me. Just as he was getting to the door, the truck was backing out of the driveway. It was dark, but he could tell it was a white truck.

We just thought it was odd that someone pulls into their driveway that late, and then the knock on the door, and it was a white truck (my Dad had a white truck), and it was just a few minutes after my Dad had passed.

Then in the middle of that same night, the alarm clock in their spare bedroom went off at 3am, and they never use that room. They got up and turned it off, and then it went off another time later that same night.

There may be nothing to the whole story with the truck, alarm clock, and the timing of all of the events, but we like to think it was my Dad saying good-bye to his granddaughter.

 

[MouseketeerOvaHere]

Then in the middle of that same night, the alarm clock in their spare bedroom went off at 3am, and they never use that room. They got up and turned it off, and then it went off another time later that same night.

More evidence of electromagnetic currents. If it is our loved ones, it is nice to know they want us to remember them.

We had our alarm clock turned off and the alarm/radio came on. Turned it off and unplugged it. Later, it went off again. We turned it off and took out the batteries. Again later, it went off again. Young and scared, we took it down and put it in the attic.

Another time, we had issues with the phones ringing. My mother would wake me for school in the mornings cause I personally didn't use an alarm clock. After she had passed, there were a couple incidences when I would be woken up by the phone ringing. When I answered, it was a either a dead line or a dial tone like I was calling out. It was only on days when I would have been super late to school had the phone not rang.

 

[lukenick1]

PM me - and did you get your nose pierced, yet?

There's no time, like ....now.

BTW - I was 32 and my mom was 55, when she died. It was terrible, I felt like it was too soon, she was too young, it wasn't fair. I still needed her, and still do need her. But she was done here (remember, her's was unexpected too - she choked, which stopped her heart).

They're around us.

Nope no nose ring....dont think it will look good on me but I may get a belly one now

I'm sorry you lost your Mom so young too. How do u deal???

 

[Buckalew11]

I think there IS indeed something to dead people and communicating through things like clock, lights, door bells etc. Esp. very soon after death.

I think the soul weighs nothing though. In Heaven, no weight is allowed, those days are over. lol

 

[Bluestars]

OP, I am so sorry for your losses. I know this is a painful time for you.

I read somewhere that energy can be neither created or destroyed, just transferred to a different form. I believe our souls are energy.

I lost a loved one a long time ago. Strange things happened in the house within a week of him dying. They didn't just happen while I was there, they happened to other people while I was not there. I can't tell you how happy I am that I was able to experience these forms of what I believe were communications between the person who died and our family.

I think something like that has to be experienced to be believed. It's not a belief though, it's a knowing. I've also had dreams that were most likely just dreams. But one dream in particular stood out in its intensity. He was in the dream, but his face was so happy and he was looking at me with these eyes of love. It was so intense. He didn't say anything. He just looked at me with the deepest love I have ever seen.

I've had many, many more experiences with him and a few other loved ones who have died. I wish that everyone could have the same experiences. The saddest thing in the world (to me) would be to believe that we will not always exist in some form.

I think reading about near death experiences and after death communications might be helpful to some people. I am fascinated with the stories of other people's experiences.

 

[Suz D]

I feel compelled to comment on this thread. First of all, OP, I'm so terribly sorry for the pain you are feeling. My mother passed away in August of 2008 after a very brief battle with lung cancer. I miss her every day (especially when my girls do or say something and I want to call Mom to tell her).

I know that people have all sorts of beliefs. My story really is directed to those who have uncertainty about life after death but have an open mind about Christianity. Those who don't believe in Christ are not likely to find anything in my thoughts that will touch them (I'm not being critical of your beliefs nor am I trying to "convert" you. I want to stress that I know this post won't appeal to everyone and it is not my intent to start a debate. Just trying to share with the OP what helps me). I also hope that I don't offend anyone but my heart aches for you, OP. I truly could feel the pain in your post. I DO know that I will see my mother again and that our earthly life is just a miniscule portion of our whole existence. This has been a source of great comfort to me.

I personally am a Christian who has a strong belief in God, in His son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit which guides and directs us with a still small voice. I know that family is eternal and we can be together as a family forever. When my uncle passed away very unexpectedly I spent a great deal of time talking with my aunt about this very topic. She felt much as you do and I also was impressed to try and reassure her that she could be with my uncle again.

These are the things that I talked with her about. I know she has Christian beliefs so the first questions were to start the thought process rather than determine her religious views. Does she believe in Jesus? She said yes. Does she go to church? No except at Easter and Christmas. So does she believe that Easter celebrates the ressurection of Christ? Again, yes.

Okay, so here is the part that's important. Why would Christ be resurrected after death? If there is no life after death then what is the point in his resurrection? If you believe in the resurrection, then the knowledge of life after our time on this earth would logically follow. Take time to ponder that idea and I hope it will comfort you (much like the peaceful feeling that PP's have talked about).
If you are still with me, I would like to share one more story with you and I'll try to make it brief as the full story would be too long to share. This story is less about a "logical Christian explanation" and more about a spiritual feeling.

I believe that we lived in heaven before we came to this earth and that we are here for a purpose. At some point after that purpose is fulfilled God will bring us back to live with Him. We rarely know our specific purpose, we just need to do our best while we are here and take every opportunity to bless our family and others around us.

Our first child was born 12 weeks early and weighed one pound 1/4 oz. Two days after her birth she had a pulmonary hemmorhage and was near death. The doctor told us that she would not live through the day and that we had two choices. We could disconnect the machines that were keeping her alive and hold her until she passed away, or they could try an experimental procedure that they had not tried on a baby that small.

I went to our daughter and spoke quietly and gently to her. I told her that she had come to us too early and that the veil between heaven and earth was very thin for her right now. That she was as close to heaven as she would ever be in this earthly life. I told her ask God if it was her time to return to heaven and if it was, she should let go and be with Him. That Daddy and I would be fine because we knew that we would always be her parents and that when we got to heaven we could be with her again.

I also told her that if God said that she still had work to do on this earth, then she should fight with everything she had to pull through. We then prayed about what we should do. My husband and I both felt strongly that the doctors should try the procedure. The rest of the story is long so I'll give you the short version. After 87 days we brought home a 3 lb. 4 oz., 15 inch long, beautiful daughter.

Now she is 14 years old and one of the most kind, gentle, and spiritual girls I have ever known. Many people who meet her comment on the spirit they feel when they are around her or how special she is. I truly believe that it is because she was blessed with an earthly glimpse into Heaven that most people will never experience. She was given sort of a heavenly "pixie dust" (since this is the Dis)

OP, I wish you peace as you struggle with your feelings. There will be good days and bad but I promise you that eventually there will be more good days. The pain grows a little dimmer with each passing year and the joy you knew when your mom was with you will be a comfort and a blessing for you. The "firsts" are the hardest. First Mother's Day, first Thanksgiving, first birthday without your loved one. It sounds like many people are keeping you in their thoughts here on the Dis.

Thanks to all who read my ramblings at this late hour. I'm sorry this post is ridiculously long.

 

[KimR]

Thanks to all who have shared their stories. I hope they are bringing comfort to the OP.

I did think of one more thing. Shortly after my Mother died, we were at my Dad's house when I looked out the window to see the most beautiful rainbow. The thing was, it wasn't up in sky - it was down in the yard, from one end to the other. It was breathtaking, and of course, my first thought went to my Mother and I wondered if she was paying us a visit.

Then I went home and tried to look up any information I could find on rainbows and whether they were ever associated with loved ones who had passed. I couldn't find anything and in the end, I decided it was probably just a regular rainbow resulting from light refracting off moisture. How could a spirit control something like that? Still, I always wondered.

I've never really experienced anything odd with electrical equipment, though. But then again, my Mother was technologically challenged, so I can't really seeing her coming through to us in that way. She'd never be able to figure it out. She loved nature and the outdoors so I think she'd be more likely to return to us via that route.