Life after physical death

- 69 - door, from whence there is allegedly no return, the way they had been able to. She had been deceased for more than 30 hours at that time. She told the following about it: ‘When I was suddenly overcome with a terrible malaise, I felt how my senses dwindled. I then felt a strong, swaying movement, as if the bed under me rose up and down. It felt as if I was tumbling down from some height, deeper and deeper. All I experienced was a terrible feeling of fear and terrible anxiety. It suddenly felt that I had gained ground under my feet and I stood in a heathland. An arid, steppe-like environment spread far and wide around me. I bumpy and well beaten track seemed to lead into this endlessness. A strange twilight complemented the desolation of this place. Everything appeared like a wet and cold autumn evening, grey and unfriendly. For a moment, I stood there perplexed and irresolute. A small section of the firmament the track led to suddenly became brighter. The light became brighter and brighter, as if the sun was fighting its way through dust and clouds on a rather foggy morning. - I don’t remember whether I walked towards the light or whether it came to me. – Bright daylight suddenly surrounded me and to my surprise, I found myself amongst a crowd of acquaintances who welcomed me most heartily. They were my loved ones that had gone before me; my parents, siblings, both of my husbands – an infinite feeling of joy took hold of me, a peace and serenity never experience before. They jubilantly surrounded me and in their midst I walked forward towards an invisible destination. I was suddenly in the grip of a severe pounding, I swayed and they caught me under my arms and I regrettably heard some well-known voices say: “She only came to visit us today? – She is not going to remain here? – But when does she come to us permanently? – My senses left me again, I once again felt the swaying, falling movement; confused voices reached my ears. They were calling me – I arduously opened my eyes, I was lying on my bed and my children screeched out: ‘She’s alive! She’s alive again !’ I was indeed pleased to have been given back to my children. But when I was alone I was always overcome with an infinite yearning for that other place, as if my home was there. This was particularly pronounced years after when one child after another left me. I am waiting patiently for the day when I may follow them. But this day is unfortunately some distance away.” One grieving mother has unfortunately not been preserved from committing suicide through a fortunate happenstance in the following case. She committed it immediately after the death of her son. This incident is narrated by Allan Kardec22 (1804 – 1869). From 1856 onwards, he worked with the French medium Madame Japhet (Pseudonym for Célina Bequet) and later with a Monsieur Roze as a medium. He had a meeting with the latter in 1865 where the deceased son and his mother announced themselves to questioner F. Kardec22 reports (4, P. 327): “In the month of March in 1865, Mr. C. Kaufmann, who lived in a small town near Paris, had his 21 years old son who was very ill with him at home. When this young man felt that his time was nigh, he called for his mother and he had just enough energy to embrace her. Crying profusely, she said to her son: ‘You go ahead my son. I will not fail to follow you!’ She then left the room holding her head between her hands. Those that were present at this heartbreaking time saw Mrs. C.s words as a simple outburst of her pain, something that time and reason must eventually alleviate. After the patient had passed away, one went looking for her throughout the house and she was finally found hanging in a store room. The funeral of mother and the son took place at the same day.” A number of days after the death of mother and son, a meeting took place with the medium Roze, where the son (Benjamin C.) and his mother (Mrs. C) made psychic contact with Kardec (questioner) and they 22 Allan Kardec, pseudonym of the French doctor and pedagogue Hippolyte Leon Rival (1804 – 1869). Her was a student of Pestalozzi, founder of the roman form of Spiritism and author of numerous books that have been published in large editions and translated into all the major world languages

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