Thank you Dave and Lights of Love for your replies
I hadn't considered that the 'mass' might have been a hitchhiker/separate entity. I love God and don't have any obvious dark side lurking within me so, if present, the 'influence' isn't an evil one thankfully. I have done as you suggested, looked inside and asked if anyone else is in there with me, but nothing. I don't feel as though there is either but am going to research this further, thank you.
Lights of Love, I had considered the 'mass' may have been my astral body returning into my physical body. I somehow managed to fall asleep with the cramp and I wondered if the pain had caused me to leave my body. However, all the accounts I have read about OOB experiences describe rising above and observing the physical body from a distance whereas I would have been in my physical body observing the 'astral' body - is that possible? I haven't read anything like it ??? Also, that would not account for the second time it happened.
Lights of Love, you suggested what I experienced may have been healing light coming from my guidance. the 'mass' was white (first time) and coloured (second time) but it was not a bright light. I did not feel anything as such when it happened to be honest. I woke because I sensed something moving towards me, I saw it, then observed it fall into my body (I didn't FEEL it enter my body). I cried out aloud in shock waking others in the room who asked me if I was alright. I lay awake for a while and then fell back asleep. Neither my body nor spirit felt any different. I had been in emotional distress for some considerable time prior to the experience, however - my mother had commited suicide and I was being bullied, though I stress this did happen and I wasn't imagining it (I wasn't under that much duress). I did not feel love, as often reported when visited by loved ones.
My experience doesn't seem to be one regularly had by others as I haven't come across anyone else in life or on boards such as this who recognise what it was which is a shame as I would like to know as part of my own spiritual journey.
May I ask what your friend experienced while sitting at his kitchen table? Did he see, or did he feel his mother - or both?