Observations placeholder
Madame J. de Vasconcellos – I had the impression that my bed was about to fall to pieces; the continuous cracking noises were so loud and so violent
Identifier
025018
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Madame J. de Vasconcellos knew of his death, thus we cannot presume that it was his spirit trying to get in touch, but her emotion is certainly invoking a spirit of some sort.
A description of the experience
Death and its Mystery: After Death – Camille Flammarion
The following account was sent me from Florence on November 1920, by Madame J. de Vasconcellos:
On January 15, 1915, at ten minutes to three in the morning, I lost my brother, aged forty-one. His was a master mind, because of his great intelligence, and he was a confirmed idealist. His illness lasted twenty years! He had lung trouble; his heart weakened, and he passed away suddenly.
During the last months of his illness he often discussed the question of immortality; he believed in a future life rather by reason of that instinct inherent in every superior nature than because of any religious conviction.
During the night of the second day after his death, at an hour corresponding to that of his demise-ten minutes to three in the morning-I was awakened by a loud noise near my bed. The room was lighted by electricity, and the noise came from the combination washstand and chest of drawers a meter from my bed. It was one of the handles of the chest of drawers which was striking distinct and very loud blows! I did not have the courage to look at once in the direction of these blows. After a few minutes they began again. I turned my head, very much agitated. The blows ceased, but I no longer had the courage to keep on looking, and turned over on my back once more. Several times there was a repetition of the blows, and immediately, emanating from this part of the chest of drawers, a fluid in violent motion (I shall never forget the strange sound it made) passed over the whole of my bed, and flowed to the end of the room.
When this strong current was flowing by (I cannot describe it, since it was not of the nature of air) I had the impression that my bed was about to fall to pieces; the continuous cracking noises were so loud and so violent that a Belgian lady and gentleman who were in the room next mine were awakened, and I heard them cry out, “What's that?"
The current passed over my bed a second time, moving in the direction of the chest of drawers, and once more one of the handles struck, clearly, several loud blows, as though it had been seized by an invisible hand. I could not go to sleep again.
In the morning my chambermaid, before I had spoken to her of the phenomenon, told me that about three o'clock someone had tried to open her door ; that she had lighted the light and asked who was there, but had received no reply. I do not doubt that it was my brother's spirit seeking to manifest itself; wishing to give me a proof of survival.
J.DE. VASCONCELLOS
(Letter 4306)