Something really strange just happened

[InSwamTiddler]

I’ve NC for this as I’m not sure what to make of it and I’m really confused.
Back story - I was raised Catholic, but I’m atheist now. I work in a science based field and for as long as I can remember I have believed in the factual, empirically provable reality of things. I don’t believe in God or the afterlife, or ghosts / paranormal stuff.

Nearly 9 years ago my dad died. He died very suddenly and unexpectedly at a young age in my childhood family home.

Due to some circumstantial things, I’m currently living back in my family home.
My mum has mentioned a few times over the years that she’s felt my dad’s presence here and I’ve always been openly kind to her about it, but thinking “nope. Your imagination is going crazy because you’re grieving”. She’s mentioned she’s felt pressure on the bed as if someone has sat down on it next to her for example.

Anyway, this morning DP has left for work and I was still in bed. I was listening to him brushing his teeth, then popping the kettle on so I was definitely awake, but a little drowsy.

I felt him get back into bed with me and thought “what’s he doing?”... it’s not unusual for him to pop back into the bedroom and give me a hug or kiss before leaving the house.

I felt the heaviness of him pressed against my back and his arms wrapped around me. There was a heat between my shoulder blades I have never felt before but I wasn’t scared but I knew it wasn’t DP then. I heard the front door open so DP was leaving the house. Then my whole back went tingly a bit like pins and needles but not in an unpleasant way.

When it was happened I felt calm and warm but I’m freaking out now and can’t stop crying. Sounds silly but I feel like it may have been my dad.

I was 100% awake, not dreaming. I leant over and flicked the lamp on straight after.

Does anyone believe in this stuff? I never have but now I’m questioning everything.

Oh Yes. Felt the presence of my dad just before my aunt passed away.Said to my sister who answered "I know!'
We felt he had come to take her. He loved his sister very much.

Take comfort in it.
Believe your mum now.

Ach, people will always say it must have been xyz, it can't be anything woo because woo doesn't exist, only science and rational explanation exist etc etc.

But we don't know for sure do we? No living person does, with any certainty.

I'm in the "if it brought you comfort then that's lovely" camp. And why not? Pisses me off when anyone tries to take that away from someone. I often dream about my Dad, and (whether it's true or not) I like to think he's paid me a visit somehow.

I'm a very strong believer in God, and I have several stories I could recount of both humans and dearly loved animals talking to me after their deaths. I'd say, try accepting that God created science! And made evolution possible ... but just be happy that your Dad came back to give you a cuddle if that's what you feel was happening.

OP - let me share something with you...

When I was 13 my grandmother whom I was extremely close to passed away. It was cancer and from diagnosis to her passing was only 2 weeks so very sudden. A few days before she died I visited her. She was sitting up in her bed (my grandparents had separate bedrooms as grandad snored! My last moments with her were of me sitting on her bed, the tears rolling down my face and my grandma put her hand over my hand to comfort me. I then went and stayed with my best friend whilst my mum moved in to care for her. I never got to say goodbye.
Fast forward 3 years and my lovely grandad ended up having a leg amputation due to his diabetes. My mum, brother and I all moved into his house to take care of him. I was assigned my grandma’s old room. I wasn’t particularly happy about it - but relieved to know my grandma had passed away in a makeshift room downstairs when she died and not in her bed which I was to now sleep in!
That first night I lay awake shivering. I felt very hostile towards my grandparents house as so many bad things had happened since they’d lived there (my beloved granny only passing away 3 months after they’d moved in). As I was laying there feeling emotional, I felt a hand rest upon mine over the bedcovers. I froze. I had not fallen asleep - my eyes were wide open and I physically felt a heaviness/warmth press down on my hand. I wasn’t terrified though (which is unbelievable for me as I’m quite a wuss!) but instead felt a calm sensation spread over me. I just ‘knew’ it was my grandma telling me all would be ok, and comforting me by resting her hand over mine in the same spot just like she did the very last time she saw me.
This experience will stay with me forever.

Wow . A seizure!! How weird an unhelpful are you.

I think some people misunderstand the meaning of "open minded".

i don't think so - you said "no. not possible" and I replied that that was that then, there is not much point continuing the discussion in the face of "no not possible" and you then said "you could have given me evidence but now you're not because I am too unreceptive" - kinda hard work, even if you think you are open minded now (after confirming that you were not, I thought). If you think you are open minded now, that is great, but I think you would do better discussing it with someone with more patience for your debating style.

@miscible i think your post should be aimed elsewhere, I was saying the same thing as you - that if someone cannot prove something doesn't mean that they are wrong - it doesn't matter if it is a "negative" or a "positive". But in this context, where it is about spiritual beliefs, as well as "proof" it is also about manners and respect for other people. If you were Buddhist and you talked to someone Christian, would you harass them to prove that God existed (ie a positive), for example? Chances are not, most people wouldn't. In my world anyway.

This post made me really sad I'm sorry you lost your dad at such a young age. I hope this experience brought comfort to you

OP, I'm an atheist and a STEM person too. I deal in facts and figures and I'm the kind of person who's changed yoga studios before because I can't stand teachers who get too much into the whole touchy-feely side of things. I argued with my teacher over religion as a 10-year-old and over feminism at 14 because I really was (and still am) that bloody annoying when things don't make sense to me.

So, yes, I get where you're coming from.

But at age 18 I had a vision. I wasn't sleeping but lying wide awake on my bed when I suddenly had this very clear and strong mental image of my grandmother walking up seemingly infinite stairs disappearing into the mist. Before she disappeared into the mist, she turned around and waved her hand and said "you'll be okay, my darling, you'll do just fine". And I knew right then that she was going to die. Which she did, three days later, from what was supposedly mild flu and definitely not a problem for a healthy woman of her age.

I'm 100% certain this happened. I've even got contemporary evidence in the form of a diary entry describing it written in between me having my "vision" and her actually passing away.

But I don't think I'm psychic at all. I rather suspect that dying is a lot less binary than being fully alive one moment and totally dead the next and that I may have picked up on some signs of it - maybe in the way that some cats seem to know their time has come and go away to die alone - but without fully realising it. And that my brain was helping me interpret it in a way that was accessible for me. Something like that.

I think it's rather amazing what the human brain can conjure up in order for us to deal with things we may have difficulty processing in some way. E.g. I've never had a vision ever again after that one time - but I've only recently had the most vivid dream of my boss being flayed and woke up realising that he had been getting tons shit but I'd been too busy to pay attention, and that it was my job to help him shovel it. I get these every once in a while when I overlook stuff.

So, no, not metaphysical IMO - but maybe your brain trying to redirect your attention?

That's interesting SkullPointer. As a teenager I worked in an old people's home in the kitchen, and one thing I remember clearly is the staff telling me (respectfully, not in a gossipy way) about how they often knew when someone was going to die, typically up to 2 weeks before. One described it as a sense of physical coldness around the person, or that the person themselves would say they felt cold.

If it's not already been mentioned, have a look on the web for hypnopompic and hypnagogic hallucinations. I think your answer lies there.

Anyone that's been in love would never buy it's a brain chemical nonsense so do you believe in love?

It's hormones. It's measurable. Of course you could now say to me that i must never have been in love and we could go round and round that one for a while. But there is a fair bit of scientific investigation on the subject. It's hormones. I mean it's great and hormones are amazing. But you're a bundle of chemical energy and you interpret certain states as being in love.

I’m a non believer in terms of things spiritual and not a religious person either.

Years ago, after my cat died (hear me out) I used to “feel” him on the bed. The weight of him, at the back of my knees. Him moving about as I moved. It baffled me then and still does. Also, after my DH left and I wasn’t in a good place, I’d be “aware” of feeling like someone was tucking me in, in bed. In a comforting way.

Can I also ask, are you physical feelings you describe have been associated with heart problems. Heat and pressure between the shoulders, a feeling of being “held’ and tingling/pins and needles. Heart problems are very different for women. Sorry, don’t mean to upset you.

Here yer go!, its all expalined here the houses that are haunted quite simple really their just a recording medium!

Sorted:)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stone_Tape

Sleep paralysis? haha how funny.

Both my parents died years ago, and I truly believe they come and see me sometimes. My dad smoked a pipe all the time, and sometimes the smell of smoke is so strong it's uncanny (No one in the house smokes now). I also have my cat that died a few years ago lie on my bed sometimes, the bed actually dips. I'm not an atheist and I do believe in some sort of afterlife, so I find comfort in these visits. Maybe you shouldn't search for a reason, just accept that you obviously needed a hug.

On a slightly more insane scale, my house is haunted by children, including one that left a black handprint on a freshly painted ceiling, and footprints up the walls. They don't really bother us tbh.

I feel sure it was your dad taking the opportunity to give you a hug while you were back at home.. it's obviously just the way he likes to do things! I'd just feel happy and grateful and blessed.. tell your mum.

I think there is so much seen and unseen we are not aware of. I don’t doubt what you are saying. Have had strange things myself.

Op you’re very fortunate, many people would be over the moon to experience that with a loved one. Sometimes it’s just easier to accept things for what they are. Just go with it. God is real, you’ve had the proof.

Do you know what, we like to think we understand this world. But we don't. There are so many amazing, magical and wonderful things. And we just can't explain them. I always remember a lesson in school where the teacher said energy does not just go away. It's transferred. And we are energy aren't we? Every cell in our body little miracles. So who can say for certain what happens. I'm agnostic myself, but I see the wonder of this world. I think whatever your experience was, it sounded lovely.

My beloved dog was put to sleep in our garage. Not sure how long afterwards it happened but I came into the garage & there was a trail of “ wee spots”on the carpet ( dead posh our family!), just like he used to do. It was so comforting.

Sorry, my post meant to read “are you physically well?”

None of this is unusual in the world of spiritualism. I suggest you visit your local spiritualist church and have a quiet word with a Medium, who will hopefully help you to understand the experience.

OP, I believe you.

It doesn't sound like sleep paralysis. I used to suffer from sleep paralysis and this doesn't sound like it.

A very very very close family member of mine died. After his death, I smelt his scent everywhere I went- but I thought- well you know- my brain is just playing tricks on me- feeding on my emotional state.

Then something odd happened. The night I slept (my close family member who died, was being buried abroad and his coffin was already in the plane flying to the country he will be buried at- I couldn't attend). I had sleep paralysis- and I haven't had one for 8 years ! I thought- Oh not this shit again. Then something weird happened. I felt a heaviness on my bed and someone wrapping their arms around me- squeezing me. I then woke up and just received a text from my sister who said that our family member has arrived to the country and just been buries.

I have suffered from sleep paralysis for many meany years. I have never experienced a person hugging me whilst I'm in that paralysis state. I believe the hug was a goodbye.

It's funny you what you said about being a scientist etc. I'm currently learning a scientific topic in my degree, coming from an Arts background. I just think the human body is amazing- especially the brain. This has deepened my belief that something so perfect, like the human body, had to be created by something/ someone of a higher being.

just been buried

many

No one can answer this for you. You have to accept there are things we will never know and mysteries are part of life. Scientist find this hard to accept, but most of the 'big questions' are unanswerable. Make of it what you want.