32 eerie experiences that defy explanation

Do you believe in a sixth sense? In ghostly apparitions, spirit voices or messages from beyond the grave? Before you decide, have a read of these 32 gripping, real-life experiences. From disembodied footsteps to death foretold – and yes, even a comforting vision or two – they may just change your mind.

“When my son was born, we lived in an older house. His room was always cold, even in blistering summer heat. When I would change his nappy he would ‘talk’ to someone over my shoulder, although no-one was ever there.

“One night I went into his room to check on him before going to bed and the rocking chair in the corner of his room that had seized up years ago was gently rocking, although there was no breeze in the room. I grabbed him and took him into our bed.

“The next day we had friends come and stay with their caravan. I went to bed early and the next day Sharon, our friend, asked what I was doing in our pantry (it had a small window) at midnight. I told her I didn’t get up again after going to bed at about 8pm. She, her partner and my husband all swore they saw the pantry light come on and a figure move around.

“We moved out pretty soon after this and about four years later my son said to me one day: ‘Who was the old man I used to talk to as a baby, Mum?’

“I couldn’t figure out who he was talking about, then he said, ‘I remember laying down and you were standing there and behind you was an old man that would sing and talk to me.’

“I figure it was our ghost!” – Mrs T.L.

“My beloved cat died in 2005. That night his body lay on an armchair awaiting burial, and late that night while I read he came jumping onto the end of my bed and sat looking at me. We communicated told me that instead of waiting to replace him I needed to act immediately, that there was a cat of his breed urgently needing a home. And then another cat appeared beside him. I was worried that I couldn’t afford another pedigree cat, and was told that it would be taken care of.

“I started looked, right after burying my friend the next morning, and found a cat of the same breed, looking for a home, and although I couldn’t afford what was asked, I said I would take him anyhow. I was told by the breeders that it would take a week for him to arrive. I said that was fine and the next day I received a cheque in the mail. I’d won one of the contests I often do – and the cheque was for exactly the amount I required to pay for my new friend.

“As I type this he sleeps on my feet. A cat that really did need a home and someone who could live with some of his peculiarities. A cat sent to me, paid for by his predecessor, and I wonder – now that my friend is 15 and fading slowly – if I will be sent another when the time comes and by whom, him or his predecessor? – Ms L.M.

While you’re here, check out these 13 things you do that your cat actually hates.

“My 60th birthday was spent on a sleepover at the old Quarantine Station in Sydney. During the experience I felt and sensed a presence and felt an incredible coldness over the lower part of my body. I saw my son-in-law’s head move from side to side, and he couldn’t stop this from happening. I heard a heavy shower of rain pelting a building we were in, even though it was a bright, starry night outside.” – Mrs G.J.

“When my mother was five years old, she saw a big thing falling from the sky. It fell in a nearby paddock and burst into flames. she ran in to tell her parents and they told her she must have fallen asleep and must have had a dream. Five years later a plane crashed in that same paddock and burst into flames.

“My mum lived in the southern part of Tasmania then and had never seen a plane until that one crashed. But she insisted to her parents that was the thing she saw falling from the sky five years earlier. My mum was born on 1923.

“Much later, after I had my children, one of them was a very sick child. I lived in Far North Queensland and Mum lived in Tasmania. She would write to me and ask what was wrong with Karan because she had seen her in hospital again. She was always spot on correct.

“I think I have inherited some of my mum’s ability to predict things that are going to happen. I am quite often correct.” – Mrs J.H.

“I had a very eerie and unforgettable dream that came true. My husband’s father passed away. He was Croatian and spoke mostly Croatian. I have never learned the language. But in a dream, I dreamed words that sounded Croatian: ‘Dodete na moje malo mjesto.’

“As soon as I awoke, I spoke them back to my husband to find out if they were Croatian or just silliness. He said they were Croatian and it was a sentence: ‘Come to my little place.’

We didn’t think much of it other than I dreamed in Croatian, which was actually amazing. When we all came together at the graveside to farewell my husband’s father, I spotted a dog from about 500 metres away coming straight for us. I mean, the dog was making a bee-line directly for our group. Other members of the family started to notice the dog as he made his way to us. When the dog arrived, it went to my father-in-law’s partner first and licked her hand, then went to every member of the immediate family, then stopped his greetings and laid down just looking around at all the people gathered there.

“Once the casket had been put into the ground, the dog got up and left. Members of the family believe to this day that the dog was in some way saying goodbye for their father and that my message in the dream was from his dad asking everyone to come to the grave, ‘his small place’.” – Mrs L.C.

“I had a dream one weekend that I saw my elderly neighbour in a coffin dressed in a white dress. I saw her daughter a few days later and told her that her mother didn’t have long. She didn’t seem interested. The following Saturday she died and her whole family were in complete shock. I went to the funeral and she looked as I had seen her in my dream.” – Ms I.C.

“One morning I found my mother at the kitchen sink after an apparent stroke. I called for an ambulance and started CPR. Horrifically, my mother passed away. But the moment she was pronounced dead and I was left with her body, a vapour-like mist lifted from her body. It was so surreal that I wasn’t scared but relieved that her soul had gone to heaven.” – Ms L.M.

“It was 1940 and I was aged ten. My brother had just turned 21 and was home on final leave before being sent by the airforce to fight in the Pacific. It was a Sunday night, long before television came to New Zealand, and it was suggested that my mother, two sisters and I entertain ourselves with a Ouija board.

“My brother had been recently engaged and was converting to Catholicism and was strongly opposed to dabbling in such things, so he took off for a long walk. He returned about an hour later and as he came into the room he said sarcastically, ‘Ask your Spirit what I have just experienced.’

“We did and the answer was ‘squashed’.

“As he had walked through our yard back to the house, he had heard our dog in a distressed state. She had a new litter of puppies and had been put in our more comfortable workshop. One puppy had crawled away and was wedged (squashed?) behind a box and the wall.

“I can still see the colour drain from my brother’s face when our Spirit gave its answer. It was no longer entertaining – it had become too serious – we stopped playing and I can’t remember ever playing again.” – Mr B.N.

“Lying in bed one night, I had the feeling of someone sitting on my feet. I couldn’t move my legs. It lasted for a while before I could finally move. We had just moved into an old home.” – Ms K.M.