Observations placeholder
Talking to his dead shipwrecked brother
Identifier
010834
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
This example is a ‘well attested case’ according to Myers where the information provided by a newly dead person proved to be immensely important to the survivors. It would appear that this sort of case is not uncommon, the newly dead feel there to be unfinished business that needs them to intervene and help the remaining souls on earth.
The following observation does not provide conclusive proof because the exact time of death is not known, but it does seem to match the general pattern, a brother wants to break the news of his own death in as pain free a way as possible…………….
A description of the experience
Extract of Proceedings of the Society for Psychical research volume v -[from Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death – F W H Myers]
Mr George King of Westbourne Park tells of bidding his brother goodbye as he left by ship for Brazil in 1874. His brother had once before survived a shipwreck. Mr King was not worrying about his brother before the dream. He writes that one night he went home and retired shortly after midnight. …. suddenly he found himself in the midst of a brilliant assembly, such as he had recently left at King’s College. He stood in evening dress on the steps at the entrance to a great and crowded hall and he had a delicious feeling of pleasure and peace. He writes:
“Suddenly my brother appeared and advanced towards me. He was in evening dress, like all the rest, and was the very image of buoyant health. I was much surprised to see him, and going forward to meet him, I said ‘Hallo! D, how are you here?’ He shook me warmly by the hand and replied ‘Did you not know I have been wrecked again?’ At these words a deadly faintness came over me. I seemed to sink into the ground. After momentary unconsciousness I awoke, and found myself in my bed. I was in a cold perspiration, and had paroxysms of trembling, which would not be controlled. I argued with myself on the absurdity of getting into a panic over a dream, but all to no purpose and for long I could not sleep. Towards morning, I again slumbered, and the fear passed off from me “
As it turned out, his brother’s ship had foundered in a terrific gale in the Bay of Biscay and his brother was drowned at just about the time of his dream