Category: Spirit Communication


Crossing Over an Old Imaginary Friend

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:
I have a spirit friend who has followed me since I was a toddler. (My mother recalls me talking to her as an imaginary friend even before I do.) Though I don’t live in the house I grew up in, she now lives in my basement, and her name is Alyssa. Recently I decided to learn how to consciously communicate with her again, and now I can talk to her freely. She’s told me that she’s 11 years old and was killed by her abusive father. Her father’s ghost comes around sometimes too, though he’s not here as often as Alyssa. She tells me that he abused her throughout her life. I’ve seen him many times: he’s tall and muscular, looks dirty like a laborer, and is a smoker and an alcoholic. His eyes are filled with hate and sorrow. Sometimes I believe he’s mad at himself, but most of the time I feel he wants to hurt someone. Alyssa is very sweet and would never hurt me, but she hasn’t forgiven her father. Every time I go down into the basement, I feel she stands nearby to protect me from her father, who stares angrily at her while I’m there. When she is watching over me, he just glares at her but never moves an inch. Once she wasn’t there, however, and he crept toward me until I raced out of the basement. I want to help both of these ghosts cross over but I don’t know how. What should I do?
Laura

Dear Laura:

I must admit that this is not my specialty. While I have perceived earthbound spirits in the past, I am much more adept at communicating with spirits who have crossed over. I believe this is the result of a natural progression. When our psychic ability is first awakening, we tend to be pretty freaked out, and our fear aligns us with subtle energies of a lower nature.

Earthbound spirits have a heavier vibration than your average person. Even when they’re earthbound simply because they’re lost, they’re still deeply lonely and confused, so they’re not in a good space. Spirits who have crossed over have a higher vibration than your average person, so it takes someone who can get into a very high state of consciousness to communicate with them.

As we grow in faith and wisdom, our vibration naturally rises, so we tend to shift from psychically connecting with earthbound spirits to perceiving departed spirits in heaven, to ultimately channeling guides and angels. So where people are on this spectrum determines their psychic forte.

While I may not be the ideal person to help you at this time, I have been that person in the past, and I can tell you a few things about this situation that should help.

First, you are right to want to cross these ghosts over. As you can see, they are stuck beyond time and space; they’re interminably on hold. Given the appearance of the father, I’m betting he died shortly after killing his daughter. (Perhaps he committed suicide or got the death penalty for her murder.) In any case, neither of these beings were at peace in life, and thus they aren’t at peace in death.

As for your own needs, having earthbound spirits attached to you (even sweet little girl spirits) can have a negative affect on your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. To sustain themselves, earthbound spirits must draw upon our emotional energy, so even if Alyssa doesn’t mean you one bit of harm, she is a drain on you.

No doubt when you were a toddler, you were cute and seemed safe when Alyssa was looking for a happy family to join after she died. She had nowhere else to go, so she befriended you and hung out at your house. I’m sure it helped that you were able to perceive and play with her.

I bet her father is attached to her, and she is attached to you. He is clearly wrestling with his own demons, trying to overcome his lower nature. He may have resisted going into the Light when he died because he was afraid he would be punished for what he’d done, or he may have simply been trying to hold onto his daughter so he could continue to use her.

Many times murder victims will become earthbound because they want someone to know what happened to them and to see their murderers brought to justice. It’s my understanding that there is a window between a few days and about a week after death during which the Light is ever standing by, ready for us to cross over. If we linger too long before crossing over, that energy fades away, and we end up stuck between dimensions. This is why murder victims often become earthbound.

As for how you can help these two cross over, first you must convince them that this is in their best interests. You might assure Alyssa that once she has crossed into the Light, she’ll find other loved ones who have crossed before her. Further, since her father is clearly attached to her here, by crossing over she can set herself free from him.

As for him, you may have to talk to him about divine forgiveness and the need for him to forgive himself and seek redemption. If this doesn’t work, he may be willing to go simply because Alyssa is going. (You may have to get creative to convince him to move on.)

I would pray my heart out to generate lots of love and compassion for them both and bathe them with that energy. Send him as much love and compassion as you can muster, for though he may be angry and violent, he is clearly a tortured spirit. This will help him to reconnect with his own inner divinity, which will help him align with crossing over. It will also spiritually protect you, for as I always say, the best way to protect yourself from dark shadows is to simply turn up your inner light.

Having said that, it’s important that you don’t feel stressed about crossing them over. While it’s wise and kind to do what you can, they have free will. If they refuse to cross over, it would be best for you to set yourself free from this spirit attachment. That is a big additional subject that I don’t have room to go into here, and which I have covered extensively in other articles.

Once these two have agreed to cross over, you might simply pray for assistance from their guides and angels as well as your own. There are beings ever ready to assist us with this sort of thing, but first we must look for the Light. Getting stuck between dimensions is much like getting mired in any problem here in the physical. For example, an addict can be down and out and feel like there is nothing he can do to break free, but once he decides to change and asks for help, he discovers that there has always been help available to him. So pray with all your heart for guides and angels to come and escort these two over, and tell the spirits to look for these kind helpers.

If this doesn’t work, you could try to simply take them to the portal they need to cross through. An obvious choice would be a funeral, for there will be an open portal there, ready for the recently departed. Tell Alyssa to get her father and come with you. Once there, simply tell her to look for the Light and to take her father with her through it.

If all the above fails, you can always call someone who specializes in this sort of thing. Since you can consciously communicate with her, however, I’m confident you can affect this on your own. Heck, you may even have the makings of an earthbound spirit specialist yourself!

– Soul Arcanum


Questions About Sensing Departed Loved Ones

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Dear Soul Arcanum:

Since I was 16, I have felt the presence of dead relatives around me. Mainly I feel my grandmother who died when I was four, though I also sense a step-uncle and my grandfather now and then. I don’t see them or hear their voices, I just feel their energy as a sudden awareness. This tends to happen when I’m stressed, when I’m driving, or when I’m at family functions. During these moments, I sometimes feel a light touch on my skin, my body will tingle, and I’ll feel warmth and love coming from them. They also communicate with me through music. A certain song on the radio will trigger thoughts of them, or I will unknowingly mention them in normal conversation on a special birthday or the anniversary of their death. They do sometimes come to me in dreams, but I can only recall bits and pieces of the dream content.

Is this really happening, or is it just my imagination? If I am indeed sensing the presence of departed family members, why do I only sense some and not others? Also, why do they come to me instead of other family members?
– L.

Dear L.:

Thanks for this opportunity to explore some of the finer points of spirit communication. The ways you describe sensing the presence of loved ones in Spirit are all valid, common ways that spirits reach out to us. I have no doubt that this is NOT your imagination, especially since it seems to happen when you least expect it.

These spirits come to you when you’re stressed because they want to comfort you in a time of need. You sense them when you’re driving because you’re in an altered state of consciousness. Many people have enhanced psychic awareness when they’re driving because they’re able to let their minds wander and they don’t have anything else to focus on or do.

Being in this state and having the radio on also tends to encourage messages through songs. You’re closer to spirits in vibration because you’re in a trance, so you’re more likely to recognize the sign and perceive the energies and messages they’re trying to send you.

Finally, spirits come to you when you’re at family functions because they’re there anyway. When our families get together, our loved ones in Spirit often gather around. Of course, it could also be that they are coming to you at those times because they are hoping you will deliver a message to another member of the family.

The tingling feelings you feel are these spirits touching your aura. Even the touches on your skin are most likely touches on your astral or etheric body, for it takes a great deal of energy for non-physical beings to affect the physical. Anyone who is highly psychically sensitive like you are can perceive auric interactions like this, and many mistake them for physical sensations.

For example, if you sense someone is looking at you, it’s because you sensed their energy connecting with your aura. If you have an immediate sense of attraction or dislike for someone, it’s because you’re consciously aware of how your aura is interacting with their energy. Everyone experiences this sort of thing – most people just don’t do it consciously.

Your mentioning loved ones in conversation brings up an interesting point. Spirit communication is subtle by nature, and we must remember that our thoughts come from somewhere. If a loved one suddenly pops into your mind for no apparent reason, odds are good that there is either some trigger you’ve overlooked in your environment or your loved one is near.

For example, I often have the experience of suddenly realizing that some particular image or memory is playing through my mind. When my grandmother is near, I may suddenly realize that I’ve had a picture of her house sitting to one side of the rest of my normal thoughts. When I finally notice it, I know to stop and open up my full awareness to her.

As for why some spirits reach out to you while others don’t, this is also a very common experience. For example, my first love died at the age of 18, and while I did have contact with him a number of times, when I was receiving messages from others or dreaming of spirits, I was often surprised and disappointed by how other spirits came through instead of him.

In fact, some of my earliest messages from Spirit came from a girl I had gone to high school with who died in a car accident after we graduated. We had run in the same social circle but never been really close. I had done her a favor that she greatly appreciated, however, and apparently, she was still grateful to me when she reached the other side, for she came through a couple of times with words of comfort and guidance.

Similarly, I barely knew my Uncle Rusty, for he lived across the country from me, yet when I was developing my mediumship abilities, he popped in regularly. Unexpectedly, he proved to be an amazing spirit guide for me for a number of years after he crossed over.

Through this and other experiences, I learned that when we want too badly to connect with a certain spirit, we can block our awareness of that particular loved one. If when we think of someone, we feel sad or desperate to hear from them, negative emotions will lower our vibration and prevent us from consciously connecting with them. So ironically, it’s easier to connect with someone we liked than with someone we deeply loved.

Also, our relationships while living often don’t reflect our true spiritual bond. We may not be very close to someone in this life, but it’s possible we were very close to them in other lifetimes and have a very deep spiritual bond with them. For this reason, some spirits come through with a surprising degree of love and devotion for us after they cross over.

Also, I was very close to both of my grandparents, but it has always been much easier to connect with my grandmother than my grandfather. My grandfather also comes through very differently from my grandmother. I now understand that this is not so much about our relationships as it is about these particular individuals.

Basically, they come through in ways that are like them. My grandfather was very into nature and spent every moment he could working in the garden or the yard. He was also a gifted gynecologist who adored babies and children. It shouldn’t surprise me that the times I have connected with him, I have either been absorbed in nature or someone in the family has been pregnant with one of his great-grandchildren. Similarly, my grandmother was very spiritual and peaceful, and when I’m feeling that way myself, she comes right through.

As for why they are coming to you more than other members of the family, it’s either because they are strongly connected to you or because you’re the one who can perceive them. Certainly, if you can perceive spirits and those around you can’t, you will often find yourself in the position of community channel.

You’re clearly highly clairsentient – that’s why you sense the presence of spirits the way you do. If you develop some of your other psychic abilities, like clairaudience, then whenever you sense a spirit, you can mentally dialogue with them. This will empower you to receive wonderful messages of wisdom and comfort not only for yourself, but also for friends and family who aren’t blessed with your psychic gifts.

– Soul Arcanum

When Sudden Psychic Development Feels Scary or Overwhelming

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
Dear Soul Arcanum:

Recently I’ve been seeing things that aren’t normal. I don’t think I’m seeing ghosts, but I do think I see spirits everywhere. These appear to me in many forms, such as mists, sparkles, hazy spots, orbs, etc. I even see them at work and outside. I am also hyper aware of the energies around me. This seems to be increasing, and now I’m starting to hear things – maybe a spirit guide? I’m getting used to this during the day, but I’m terrified at night. In fact, I’ve been sleeping with the lights on. I don’t think I have prayed this much in my entire life! I just want somebody who understands all of this to give me some guidance. Am I psychic whether I like it or not, or am I supposed to decide if I want to keep going in this direction? Is this for the rest of my life? Can I turn it off if I want? I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, and I’m very scared and confused at times. Thank you for your time. – Alicia

Dear Alicia:

Please don’t worry! I have been down this very same road and counseled many fellow travelers, and I can reassure you that what you’re experiencing is indeed normal, and everything will be fine. Though you may not feel like it right now, the fact that you are questioning all of this as you are suggests that you are relatively grounded and psychologically stable.

The way you are perceiving spirits is also verifying, for this is how I generally perceive spirits as well. Most people assume that mediums see spirits much as they are portrayed on television – as opaque or misty people – but in my experience, this is rarely the case. Instead, when we perceive them with our physical eyes, they often appear as mists or balls of energy, and it is within our minds that they telepathically tell us who they are or show us what they looked like when they were alive.

My own psychic awakening happened quite suddenly too, and in the beginning, I saw all sorts of strange beings, such as a demon and a creepy, naked little man or djinn. I was also seeing stuff everywhere and questioning my sanity! When I learned that the only thing to fear is fear itself, and that the key to having higher spiritual experiences was to raise my vibration, then I began to spontaneously receive visits from regular people in spirit.

The first was my grandmother, who appeared as a big misty haze of purple energy hovering about three feet above the floor. It didn’t seem strange or scary while it was happening, but I was overcome with a wave of love. My grandmother visited me a number of times after this, and then I began to have spirits show up for other people.

This usually occurred when someone was either talking wistfully about the spirit in question or their family in general. One man was telling me about his family’s history, and though he hadn’t mentioned his aunt, she came right through. Another time a friend was talking about her brother who had died, and he showed up as a ball of energy next to her. As these spirits appeared, they would talk to me telepathically or send images into my mind.

I don’t see spirits everywhere, nor do I see them all the time; I usually have to be in an altered state of consciousness for this to happen. Based on my own experiences, I don’t think all of what you’re seeing are spirits – as in a person who was once alive in the physical but has crossed over to the afterlife. I think you’re also seeing other subtle energies, which may include conscious beings such as nature spirits, angels and other inhuman astral entities, as well as simpler energies such as auric interactions, thought forms, emotional currents, structures in the astral, etc.

There are ways to turn your psychic senses off, but since they can offer you so many blessings, why not just learn to control them? I consciously created some compartmentalization in my life many years ago so that I wouldn’t be open to spirits all the time. This involved years of intense training in the Spiritualist tradition, lots of independent spiritual study and practice, and the development of a strong relationship with Spirit and my guides.

While the same combination may work for you, it’s important to note that this was not something I thought up; instead, I asked Spirit to guide me, and I followed my intuitions and the signs and synchronicities that flowed in. The most important thing is for you to develop your own clear, trusting relationship with Spirit, God, Divine Intelligence – whatever term you prefer. That way you can ask for whatever you need in any moment, and relax with faith that you will be guided every step of the way.

You don’t have to become a professional psychic or medium or do anything you don’t want to do – the important thing is that you follow your own heart and do what calls to you personally. Just because your psychic senses are roaring now, that doesn’t mean you must build your life around them. Often psychic abilities burst through as a side effect of sudden spiritual development, and if they’re not cultivated, they fade into the background as you settle into a new vibration. In time, all that you’re experiencing will naturally grow more subtle and internal, so instead of seeing these spirits and energies with your physical eyes, they’ll become more like daydreams that play through your mind.

Everyone I know who has been psychically open for some time has learned to gain control of their experiences. Many of those people were also scared and overwhelmed in the beginning like you are, but as they gained spiritual knowledge and experience, they learned to believe in their own perceptions and trust that they were being guided.

Sometimes far out spiritual experiences have no deeper meaning or higher purpose because they’re not coming to us – instead, we are stumbling into strange new territory where all sorts of unusual creatures and possibilities exist in abundance. It’s sort of like wandering into a zoo and seeing elephants and lions and then wondering what it all means and why it’s happening to you. (It’s happening because you’re in a zoo!)

Certainly this sort of thing will make you question what you believe to be real and true about the nature of so-called reality. If you have never seen a lion before and didn’t believe that they really existed, then visiting a zoo will blow your belief system wide open. Let the questions that come up as a result of your experiences guide you with trust that you will find what is natural and right for you.

For example, you may wonder how in the world seeing that demon was right for me. Well, that whole experience led me to one of the most powerful spiritual lessons I’ve ever learned: that what I experience on an inner, spiritual level is entirely within my own control, for succumbing to fear leads to fearful experiences, while setting a high intention and living with faith leads to wonderful experiences.

In summary, I recommend you pray over the whole situation and ask Spirit to show you what you’re to do with all of this. If it feels right to you, you might look for a local Spiritualist church, for there you will find a medium who can mentor you and also a development circle full of kindred spirits who can help you to make the most of your divine gifts. Remember that many, many people have walked this same path before you, that what you’re experiencing is entirely normal, and if you pray for help from Spirit, you will be guided every step of the way.

– Soul Arcanum


Do Some Spiritual Arts Conflict with Others?

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
Dear Soul Arcanum:

Do you think I may be limiting my success or working against myself by trying to improve my psychic skills and spirit communication abilities while at the same time studying Wicca and spell crafting? – Kim

Dear Kim:

I think it’s natural and healthy to explore all sorts of different paths and teachings in search of what works best for you. Most people who consider themselves to be spiritual as opposed to religious have done this to at least some degree. In my opinion, it’s a sign of true intelligence and open-mindedness! After all, how do you really know the best path for you until you explore your options?

That being said, there is definitely a difference between spiritual dabblers and spiritual teachers or masters. For one thing, the dabblers are seeking something, while the masters have found something and chosen to pour all of their beings into that path. This does not necessarily mean that one is in some way ahead of the other, for every time we evolve into new potential, we begin to seek new truths and practices that resonate with who we have become. As we need different things at different stages in our journeys, our inner beings are ever calling us toward whatever we need most at that time.

I’m wondering what is behind your concern, and whether it arises from a sense that what you’ve been doing isn’t really working for you, or whether it’s a question that came up because of some outside comment or influence. Discerning the difference is the real issue here, for you are in the process of learning to trust your own judgment and inner guidance.

Your question reminds me of when I was in training to become a Spiritualist minister, and one of my teachers occasionally made disparaging remarks about Wicca. As I had practiced Wicca for a number of years and had some of the most incredible spiritual experiences of my life in Wiccan rituals, my ears really perked up.

Since I greatly respected this teacher, I found myself questioning my own experiences with Wicca. My own truth rang through strong and clear, however, while what my teacher was saying did not reflect my experiences. I then gave up questioning my views and instead tuned in to try to determine why my teacher was so down on Wicca.

When I asked Spirit about this, I was made to understand that she had had a very different quality of exposure to Wicca, and that her understanding of it was superficial. She didn’t know what Wicca could be or is really all about. This would be comparable to someone forming an opinion of the Catholic Church based solely on what they had read in the paper about priests sexually abusing children.

This surprised me, as this teacher was clearly very spiritually open otherwise. It also made me realize that everyone makes snap judgments sometimes, myself included. For example, if someone mentioned they were into Satanism, I know I would instantly have a negative reaction to the whole subject. I must also confess that I don’t know much about Satanism, have no desire to know more, and am quite closed minded on the matter!

I have since often encountered a disparaging attitude toward Wicca not only in traditional Christian religions but also in other Spiritualist circles. While much of this can be explained by people not having true understanding of the Wiccan/pagan path, it can also be attributed to at least two other main factors.

First, Westerners have been socialized in a culture that is still strongly influenced by the Catholic Church, which of course condemned and persecuted pagans for centuries and falsely demonized earth-based religions. Sadly, not many people are intelligent enough to think for themselves and question all of this, or ambitious enough to seek out a true education on the subject. (Believe me, what we’re taught in school is not what really happened!) It is only those who have explored these matters for themselves who know how hypocritical the Church was in demonizing earlier religions, for most of the rites and rituals of the Catholic Church are pagan in origin.

The second reason I think there is a bit of a clash between Spiritualism and paganism is because pagans and other earth-based religions tend to work with lower vibrational energies of the earth, nature spirits and the elements, while Spiritualists reach for the divine and planes beyond the physical. Again, we have been socialized to view the earth as less than heaven – the body as sinful while the spirit is divine.

To sort this out, I strongly urge you to listen to your intuition and pursue whatever calls to you, for in this way, ultimately you will end up with what speaks most to your own soul and works best for you. You are wise, however, to ask yourself what teachings and practices will best help you fulfill your personal goals.

If you want to develop your mediumship abilities to work with the grieving, Spiritualist training is a great choice. If you want to be able to see fairies or work magick, then Wicca might be better. Please remember that you can do both and more, of course! In fact, if you want to become a medium in order to free earthbound spirits, a combination may be best, because you would be connecting with spirits of a lower vibration. If instead, you want to channel divine healing and messages from guides and angels, you might find it easier to attain the high vibration needed for that sort of thing through Spiritualism or some other channel.

I am not in any way suggesting that any one path is better than another, as I do not believe that is true. That would be like saying that the color blue is better than the color red. I do, however, believe that we all travel a natural order of progression, and are ever rising in vibration. Thus people tend to get interested in more earthly psychic phenomena before they are drawn to explore higher realms. We must also remember that evolution is not a straight line; it’s more like a spiral. If we focus on only one aspect of development, we’ll only get so far before we are led to circle back and bring the rest of our being up to speed. So someone who was a master at working with earth energies could be much more evolved than a dabbler who happened to be into angels at the moment. On top of all of this, we are all unique, and are wise to honor our special gifts and pursue our personal passions.

In summary, the ultimate authority on what will work best for you is YOU. Trust your own experiences and your own inner being/intuition, and don’t let anyone else tell you what you should be doing on your spiritual path, or what you should stay away from. Remember too that often the paths that people may fear and warn you against are simply both misunderstood and very powerful.

I recommend you ask Spirit to guide you to whatever you need now, and forge your own path by taking the best of what you find along the way and leaving behind whatever doesn’t resonate with you as true or useful. With this approach, you will naturally tailor your spiritual journey to your true Divine self, and honor your connection to Spirit as the most sacred, personal relationship you could ever have.

– Soul Arcanum

Can She Help Grieving Mom Communicate with Departed Husband?

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

My mom lost her second husband almost a year ago, and she is having a hard time with this. I’ve asked her to seek grief counseling, but she won’t do it. Last summer my stepfather came to me in a dream. This is not unusual – I’ve had many spirits come to me. In the dream, I was at the foot of my mom’s bed, talking to her as she cried over his death. He entered the room and I was so happy to see him. I said to him, “Ron help her! Help my mom!” He sat at her bedside and wrapped his arms around her. Then he turned to me and said, “I can’t. She won’t let me.” When I asked why I could perceive him and she couldn’t, he said it was because of her sadness. He then explained that he doesn’t understand such feelings, for they are no longer a part of him. He said he feels no sadness, regret, anger or grief – he only feels the love they still have. He wanted me to tell her he is with her every day. Every time I’m with my mom, she asks why she can’t feel him. I have no real answers for her aside from what he told me. Can I help her to be more open to him?
– Susan

Dear Susan:

This is mainly a problem of vibration. Sadly, it’s often the people who most long for contact with a loved one in Spirit who have the hardest time. This is because the emotions of grief are of a very low vibration, and in order to consciously connect with spirits, we have to reach high toward their vibratory range.

This is also why spirit contact is a relatively rare experience: when someone we love dies, we are grieving during the time when they are trying the hardest to connect with us. Once our grief has subsided, our loved ones know we’re okay and they move on. So what your stepfather told you in that dream is right on.

I’m betting your mom isn’t big on remembering her dreams, for if she was, she would have had a dream about your stepfather already. As you are very psychic, you have a naturally high vibration and ready access to your dreams. I’m sure your stepfather came to you because he’s been trying very hard to get through to your mom without success.

In order to connect while awake, we must have a high vibration, unmitigated desire, and the belief that this is possible. Then if we can stay open and trust what we perceive, it’s pretty simple to draw spirits close with feelings of our love for them.

Here are some suggestions for anyone who is grieving and longing for contact with a loved one in Spirit:

First you must give yourself some time to heal, for as you do, your vibration will naturally rise. When you are at peace with your loved one’s passing, you will be in a better position to purposefully connect with their spirit.

In the mean time, you can try for contact via your dreams. Of course, for this to work, you must be able to remember them, so begin to keep a dream journal and study various techniques for remembering and working with your dreams. Each night before you go to sleep, think of your loved one with affection and ask them to visit you while you’re dreaming. You can also ask your spirit guides and angels to facilitate this experience.

Ask yourself if you have any fear about the whole idea of spirit communication. Many people think they want this but deep down the idea of it unnerves them. That fear can both make us block our own success, and make our loved ones in Spirit hold back because they don’t want to scare us.

Further, ask yourself if there are any inner conflicts or issues you have yet to resolve about your relationship with the loved one in Spirit you are seeking. If you’re carrying any conscious or subconscious feelings of guilt, anger or any other lower emotion, those feelings can lower your vibration and prevent contact. For example, if you feel guilty because you weren’t there when your loved one crossed over, you could subconsciously “protect” yourself from facing your loved one until you resolve those feelings.

Beliefs are very important here. The more you expect to be able to connect with spirits, the more that will tend to happen. It is therefore wise to read about others’ success. It can also help to have someone else make contact. (For example, you might ask your stepfather to come to you in another dream and give you some information you could not have known. This evidence will both convince your mom that he’s really trying to come through, and show her that it’s possible to ask for a dream and have it happen.)

Understand that the spirit world is all around us, but it’s not tangible like this realm. If you expect to be able to perceive spirits with nothing but your physical senses, you will be disappointed. Some people even call the spirit world the “subtle realm.” Our thoughts and feelings already exist in this subtle realm, which means that spirits naturally come to us via thoughts and feelings. To manifest success with spirit communication, we must learn to trust that our thoughts and feelings about spirits are “real.”

When you feel you’re ready to make contact, turn on all your senses, sit quietly, and open up to a ny impressions you get. It’s rare that we sit quietly with all our senses turned on and then reach out to Spirit from a high vibration, and yet that’s all we really need to do.

As you reach out with your heart from a high vibration, watch for signs of your loved one’s presence. You may feel awash with love, sense their presence, have their face pop into your mind, hear their voice in your head, or have some memory you strongly associate with them seep through from the background of your mind. (For example, whenever my grandmother is near, I begin to notice memories of her house popping through from the background of my conscious awareness. These may be mental snapshots of the street she lived on or of rooms in her house.)

When something like this happens, let your heart swell with love for this person. Don’t focus on feelings of loss and how they aren’t here anymore, for that will bring your vibration down. Instead, remember happy memories. It may also help to physically smile, close your eyes, and turn your face upward, like you’re basking in the light of the sun. Breathe deeply and evenly, and send thoughts of love to this spirit. Tell them that you’re not afraid and ask them to draw near so you can psychically embrace them. This can lead to some very moving experiences.

Mind you, all of this is metaphysical, so it’s happening on an auric level. Sometimes you may feel things in your aura like tingling, or like someone is faintly stroking your hair. The hair may stand up on the back of your neck, or you may get goose bumps. Afterward, your head may still have some doubts, but your heart will know that something real has occurred.

In closing, while I applaud your desire to help your mom, we each have to find our own spiritual path through life, and there is only so much we can do for others. I want to reassure you that your mom is being guided and will heal in her own way and time.

– Soul Arcanum

Adolescent Medium is Suddenly Scared

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Dear Soul Arcanum:

I am concerned about my son, Travis. Ever since he was little, he has seen and talked to spirits. I have always told him this is a good thing, that this is a gift from God, and that he could help a lot of people with it. He is 12 years old, and until now, the spirits have never scared him. Then he had a spirit come to him and he said that this one scared him because he couldn’t see his face. Does Travis have reason to suddenly be afraid? Will he always have this gift and be able to help other people with it? Thanks!
– Tammy

Dear Tammy:

I want to commend you on the graceful, positive way you’ve supported Travis. It sounds like you yourself are not a medium, yet you have truly accepted his gift. With this sort of early encouragement, Travis’ abilities will probably evolve in wonderful ways throughout his life.

Your open approach is very rare in the Western world, where most people have either been socialized to view everything psychic as somehow evil, or are simply afraid of things that are strange or unfamiliar to them. People here tend to thoughtlessly react to subjects like spirit communication in a way that shuts others down. As a result, young natural mediums quickly learn to hide their spiritual experiences in order to prevent upset, rejection and embarassment, which means they must sort out their psychic experiences on their own.

What your son is going through is pretty common for natural mediums his age, for lots of big changes occur on all levels during adolescence. Physical changes are perhaps the most obvious, but we also go through lots of emotional, psychological and spiritual changes as well.

Most younger children naturally have a high spiritual vibration. They have wonderful qualities that adults tend to lose over time, and may try to regain through spiritual practices. For example, children tend to live in the now; they don’t worry about much of anything; they are very open to life and every experience that comes their way; they trust everyone they meet; they embrace everything new with a sense of wonder; they are hopeful and idealistic; they are free of addictions and other bad habits, etc. This creates a high vibration, which manifests otherworldly experiences of a positive nature.

During adolescence and all the angst that goes with it, however, our vibration begins to swing all over the map. (Our mood is a good indicator of our vibration, so mood swings suggest wild variations in our vibration.) This would naturally open us up to a broader range of experiences on all levels.

In addition, adolescence is a time of intense energy. With the surge in hormones and other physical changes comes a surge in life force energy and creative power. This happens on all levels of our being, but the most obvious example is our new ability to create life itself.

So while adolescents are bursting with creative (sexual) energy, at the same time they’re under tremendous cultural pressure designed to repress that very energy. We pressure them to abstain from sex, to sit still, to pay attention and listen to teachers instead of talking, to focus on their homework instead of following their bliss, etc. Given all of this, the aura of your typical adolescent is bursting with the dramatic sort of energy earthbound spirits crave. Further, they’re new to this whole crazy scene, so they don’t yet know how to control their vibration in order to manifest the quality of psychic experience they desire.

There are even more reasons why your son may suddenly be scared by his encounters with spirits. We are all being bombarded with mass media messages that spirits and related subjects are terrifying stuff; in fact, teens and adolescents are the main target audience for horror movies. Since most parents don’t let little kids watch such things until they’re around 13, adolescence is when most kids are first exposed to the idea that there are invisible evil forces around us all the time.

So an adolescent medium who has been talking to spirits for as long as he can remember may suddenly “realize” that what he is doing totally freaks a lot of people out, and could be very dangerous. If this stirs up fear in him, that fear itself could attract or make him vulnerable to spirits in the lower astral.

We must remember that earthbound entities are seeking more than just negative energy to feed on. An ideal victim will be vulnerable due to a low vibration but also sensitive enough to perceive spirits on some level, and inexperienced enough to not know what to do in a stressful situation.

If all of these reasons aren’t enough, there are more. I believe that young children have extra divine protection around them in the form of guides and angels, just like in the physical we have all sorts of nannies, babysitters, teachers, older siblings, and social agencies that look after our children’s well-being.

When we get older, however, we have to learn how to navigate through life for ourselves. This doesn’t mean we’ve been abandoned or are defenseless, but just as it’s good for us to grow up in practical ways, it’s good for us to grow up in psychic ways. Adolescence is a natural time for us to begin to figure more things out for ourselves, to question the things we’ve been taught, to study our own experiences and learn what feels right and works best for us personally.

For natural born mediums, this involves wandering outside their own psychic back yards, where they may encounter a gatekeeper. This is a frightening experience that prevents them from going too far or getting in over their heads. When they learn not to fear the gatekeeper, and how to work with their own vibration in order to rise above dark experiences, they gain the freedom and power to pass into a bigger psychic world.

I’ve written extensively on how to maintain a high vibration in other articles, and don’t have room here to go into more detail. Beyond cultivating a high vibration, I recommend you encourage your son to learn more about the spirit world by reading enlightening teachings on the subject, and help him find a good mentor. You might begin with your closest Spiritualist church, for there he’ll not only find someone who can guide him, but also lots of kindred spirits, and it will comfort him more than you might think to simply know that he’s not alone in the world with his gift.

– Soul Arcanum

Will Spirit Communication Be Easier in the Age of Aquarius?

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Dear Soul Arcanum:

I’ve been reading about a certain shift that may happen around 2012. Is this true? If it is, do you think we will then be able to communicate with our loved ones who have passed over more easily? It’s hard to believe that nature intended death’s sudden and total disconnection from those we love. Soul Arcanum, please give me any answers you may have. Thanks and love to you!
– Arsheya

Dear Arsheya:

First we must remember that life is an evolutionary journey – that all living beings are constantly growing more complex, more intelligent, and higher in spiritual vibration. This applies not only to the individual but to all life. Even the planet is evolving and rising in vibration: scientists have determined that the Earth’s base resonant frequency is increasing.

I do believe that there are turning points in this evolutionary process when a critical threshold is reached, after which global and perhaps universal shifts occur. This is often referred to as the 100th monkey effect, which has demonstrated that once a certain number of a population learns something new, that knowledge spreads throughout the rest of the population.

Further, Rupert Sheldrake’s research into morphic resonance has demonstrated that it’s easier for people to learn things that other people have already mastered. For example, average IQ rates have risen in the past few decades, which suggests that we are all building on the evolutionary progress of our forebears. This grows from the idea of non-locality in quantum physics, and how we all must be connected on a metaphysical level, since particles can be separated by great distances but still affect each other.

As for 2012, this date is found in the predictions of many ancient civilizations, but most notably those of the ancient Mayans, who were known for extraordinary astronomical achievements. In the ancient Mayan calendar, December 21, 2012, is a major turning point, for at this time, all numbers in the Mayan calendar reset to zero, and we enter a new age. Further, on this date the plane of our solar system will align with the plane of our galaxy, the Milky Way, for the first time in 26,000 years, which indicates the end of a major cycle and the beginning of a new one. According to some astrologers (but certainly not all), this is the official start of the Age of Aquarius.

This transition into a new age is already well underway, of course, and is growing day by day. The awakening of humanity to a new level of consciousness has been evolving since the beginning of time. A major shift began in the 1960’s, however, and many say that it will continue to grow as we head toward 2012, at which time we will reach that critical number needed for global change. After that, a new level of spiritual consciousness will spread around the world and become the norm, and humanity will enjoy a spiritual renaissance.

It is said that this transition will lead humanity into higher spiritual awareness and the desire to make the world a better place for all its inhabitants. It will shift the Earth into a higher spiritual vibration, which will mean that we are closer to the vibration of the spirit planes, and spirit communication and related endeavors will indeed become easier and more universal.

I don’t believe that those of us who are living through this transition will experience anything sudden or dramatic, however. Perhaps when viewed in the context of all of human history on this planet, it may look like a dramatic shift, but for those of us who are going through it, it will seem gradual.

As for the merit in these ideas, I have really been struck by the number of people who are awakening to the truth that we create our own realities. In fact, I believe we are heading toward a time when everyone will know how to employ the law of attraction to make the world a better place.

We can also see the energy of Aquarius in the development of quantum theory and the incredible surge of technological innovation that has marked that past 100 years or so. There is also growing interest in the synthesis of science and mysticism, alternative health practices and other spiritual matters � all Aquarian interests.

As the energy of Aquarius takes over, I expect we will see more and more people thinking for themselves, which will lead to the further breakdown of traditional religion and a greater emphasis on personal spiritual paths. As was the trend in the 1960’s, people will question cultural norms, reject silly laws and codes of behavior, explore innovative alternatives, and strive for a sense of peace and brotherhood.

I also expect this will lead to big breakthroughs in scientific methods for exploring other dimensions. Aquarius is not about blind faith but open-minded, rational exploration of the unknown. This could mean we soon have reliable ways to communicate with spirit via technology like EVP. The use of mind-altering substances or new techniques to facilitate mystical states of consciousness is another strong possibility.

Further, as their vibrations rise, more and more people will naturally awaken to their psychic abilities, which will lead to more people having encounters with spirits and other metaphysical experiences. These initial encounters will open up belief systems and lead to more and more spiritual phenomena.

As for what nature intended, who could say? When I ask Spirit about this, I’m reminded of special camps and schools where parents and their children are not allowed to have any contact for the first two weeks or so. This is so that the kids can adjust to their new environments, learn to be independent, and make new friends. Otherwise, instead of focusing on where they are and what they are supposed to be doing, they’d be calling home all the time, begging their parents to come and get them, and not taking full advantage of their new learning environment.

Finally, doomsayers predict that life as we know it will end catastrophically on December 21, 2012, while visionaries herald the dawn of a glorious renaissance. I believe each individual will determine how this shift manifests for them. There are many parallel realities, and people who believe that 2012 will bring catastrophe will gravitate toward that reality. The more people talk about, write about and think about catastrophe, the more power that reality will gain, and the more people will be pulled into that orbit.

The same is true of utopian visions, of course, so it is very wise to focus on and believe in what we desire, and all the wonderful changes that our evolution toward higher consciousness could bring.

– Soul Arcanum

Using EVP to Connect with Loved Ones in Spirit

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Dear Soul Arcanum:

I’ve heard that sometimes, you can hear spirits talking by using a tape recorder. I’ve tried setting up my recorder at night in order to connect with a loved one in Spirit, but nothing happened. I’m wondering if my tape recorder is too cheap or if I’m not doing something right. Do you think that electronic equipment like tape recorders can be used to engage in communication with loved ones in spirit, and if so, how is this best achieved? Thanks!
– Linda

Dear Linda:

What you’re referring to is called EVP: Electronic Voice Phenomena. There are lots of people doing research in this area, and there is a lot of information on the web on how to go about it. Try plugging “EVP” or the full, unabbreviated term into a search engine.

Thomas Edison was the first to suggest the idea that an electronic device could be used to communicate with the dearly departed. He worked for years to invent just such an apparatus, but died himself before succeeding. Since then, many have taken up this line of research, and with amazing results.

One of the most famous was a psychology professor named Konstantin Raudive, who not only amassed a great deal of EVP research and evidence, but continues to work with today’s researchers from Spirit. Some of the voices that have been recorded have been known to acknowledge the researchers by name, respond to questions, and even provide valuable information on occasion. While early experiments centered largely on the recording of audible voices, spirits now use all sorts of electronic equipment to connect with people on this plane, including cameras, video cameras, televisions and even computers.

While certainly fascinating, I don’t believe EVP is an ideal way to communicate with our loved ones in Spirit for a number of reasons. First, it tends to be very brief and faint: most messages are composed of just a couple of words, and are less than two seconds in duration. This is because like all forms of physical mediumship, spirits must summon a great deal of focus and energy to manifest in this dimension.

Instead of hoping to commune with a specific loved one in Spirit, EVP researchers are usually seeking basic proof of the existence of an afterlife. They are thus thrilled to simply receive an audible voice or other “hard evidence” of the existence of non-material beings. They don’t so much care who supplies this evidence, and aren’t longing for an emotionally healing experience. To truly commune with someone in Spirit, a less physical, more spiritual or “inner” approach to connection is advised.

Further, most EVP researchers are not mediums, and thus they may not have the spiritual knowledge essential to ensuring a safe, fulfilling experience. If one takes an experimental approach to spirit communication, the results will tend to be unpredictable. Though it is patently foolish to open oneself up to interaction with any spirit who may wish to come through, many researchers apparently don’t know any better.

As with all spiritual experiences, your beliefs, expectations and general attitude will strongly influence your results. This is true not only technically speaking, but also in terms of your subjective experience. For example, two different researchers can use the same equipment in the same way, and one will consistently manifest much more positive results than the other.

Scientific types and folks who are merely curious often encounter problems when experimenting with things like EVP, Ouija boards, etc. This is because it requires both knowledge of spiritual realms and self-awareness to ensure a positive experience. To rise above the vibratory realm of lower entities, one must have noble motives and a pure heart and mind.

If you have any fear of negativity or unconscious inner shadows, you put yourself at risk of contacting malevolent spirits. If you have a very high intention, such as emotional healing, and a strong belief that it is possible to achieve that healing via this method, then you may be empowered to succeed.

I think it would prove more fulfilling for you to find a local Spiritualist church and join a development circle there, for this would put you in contact with mediums who can guide you in developing spirit communication abilities yourself. This approach would empower you to truly commune with your loved ones in Spirit, and also provide you with help and support should you have any difficulties.

While this experience will naturally be more subtle in nature, it will also tend to be far more rewarding. This type of connection can be made personally or via a medium; either way, you will have the ability to actually dialogue with the spirits you are missing instead of simply recording snippets of phrases from random entities.

While I don’t recommend EVP as the ideal approach to fulfillment for you, I do want to encourage you to trust in the ideas that come to you, and believe that you can work magic in your own life with the help of your guides and angels. So if you feel drawn to trying to connect with your loved one via EVP, then you should do so. It is entirely possible you are being guided in this direction by a spirit who wishes to communicate with you.

Before you begin, please note that if you do receive any negative communications or intuitions, you should immediately cease your experiment, tell that entity to be gone in the name of whatever higher power you believe in, and spend some time developing your own spiritual knowledge and faith before attempting EVP again.

Since the tricky part is to approach EVP with the right spirit, that’s what I’ll focus on here. (You don’t need any fancy equipment, and can find the technical details on how to go about EVP research on the ‘net.) One thing I will emphasize is the wisdom in having an “energetically rich” environment, for spirits will use this energy to manifest in the physical. Usually this takes the form of white noise in the background, which the spirits may either draw upon or distort in order to form intelligible words. Do always begin any spirit communication effort with a prayer for a positive, uplifting, helpful experience. That is essential.

When you’re ready, just think of the spirit you are hoping to hear from with great love in your heart. (If you are grieving, don’t try this until you can remember that person with love instead of sorrow.) The love you feel in your heart will draw your loved one to you, and the energy of your deep desire to connect is what that spirit will draw upon to manifest sounds or images via your equipment. It may also help for you to have a picture of your loved one where you can see it, or to hold some treasured object that belonged to them in your hand.

After you’re flowing with love, ask a question out loud, and then sit quietly while you allow them time to answer you. You may not physically perceive anything during this time, but that doesn’t mean that nothing has happened. Often EVP will only show up when the tape is reviewed. Sometimes that is because one must play with the volume and such in order to hear spirit voices, and sometimes it seems that spirits can make audible impressions on the tape itself, even when nothing was heard in the room at the time. Spend five to fifteen minutes with this, and then review your tape.

If you devote yourself to this endeavor with patience and faith, I trust you will succeed. When you do, remember to give thanks to Spirit for answering your prayers!

– Soul Arcanum


Can Spirits Spy on Us?

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Dear Soul Arcanum:

This may sound silly, but I assure you that I’m very sincere in asking this question. I believe in the spirit world, and that we are surrounded by guardians, departed family members and so on. Because of this, there are times I feel uncomfortable. Can spirits see us using the bathroom or having sex? How does that work? I feel ashamed when I think of my parents or grandparents possibly watching me do these things. Thank you for your time!
– Karen

Dear Karen:

I used to wonder the same thing! Thank you for having the courage to ask this question.

Let me reassure you: it is highly unlikely that your departed loved ones are any more aware of your private activities now than they were when they were alive. For the most part, whatever would have been true of your loved ones while living will be true of them on the other side. I apologize for this freaky example, but if your father would not have “peeked in” on you having sex when he was alive, he won’t do that after crossing over either.

People who were unethical or lacking in moral character in life, however, may continue along the same veins in the afterlife. We generally refer to spirits of a very low vibration as “earthbound.” Hopefully, most of our loved ones don’t fall into this category, and they move on to higher realms when they cross over.

Also, whatever is emotionally important to an entity will guide it in the astral. If it is important for your father to get a message to you that he is okay, he will be drawn to do that. Unless it is emotionally important to someone in the astral to “see you” having sex or doing something else you’d like to keep private, it won’t happen. This means that just as in life, the only ones who may be “spying on us” are what we might call perverts.

Given all of this, while it is possible for someone in the astral to intrude on our private moments, it is not something that people we trust would do, for it is just as unethical on the other side as it is here.

Furthermore, when we leave behind the physical, we also leave behind our physical senses, so the nature of our perceptions changes. In the dimensions beyond this plane, our appearance is malleable – only the quality of our energy shines through.

For example, when we are caught up in fear or darkness, our auras appear shadowy. When we are full of love and light, our energy shines. Whatever is going on inside of us will suffuse our aura with certain qualities, but that doesn’t mean our specific actions or thoughts can be seen or read. Just as you might look at a person and think they look “sad” but not know why, in the astral, beings can sense the essence of our energy but not know what we’re thinking or doing to feel that way.

When spirits perceive us, they don’t see our physical bodies. Anything that is purely physical in nature is “beyond them.” So if we think of them with love while we’re washing the dishes, they will be called to the energy of our love, and probably have no idea what our physical hands are doing while we’re reminiscing about them. In the most unlikely event that they happened to visit us when we were having sex, they may perceive us in union with our lover’s energy, but it would be hard for them to distinguish if this was because we were making love or because we were expressing our affection via soulful communication or some other activity.

Lust, however, is another matter, because it shows up differently in our auras. If we have debased thoughts of some kind, the quality of that energy is easy to distinguish from higher forms of desire. Remember, it’s the QUALITY of our energy that is perceived, not the details of our thoughts. On the other hand, if we’re having debased thoughts, the only way our loved ones in Spirit would know it is if they were a vibrational match to it. When we’re caught up in some “lower” thinking, we’re too low for higher level spirits to enter our energetic orbit; only spirits that are a match to that vibration will head our way. This is why the best way to connect with loved ones in Spirit is to raise our vibration by thinking of them with great love and joy.

It also explains why it’s so important for us to purify our hearts and minds, for if we are lusting after alcohol, we’ll attract the earthbound spirits of former alcoholics. If we’re having some perverse sexual fantasy, we’ll attract the earthbound spirits of former perverts or sex addicts. If that’s not what we want in terms of metaphysical influence, then we have to choose higher thoughts. Similarly, if we focus on higher spiritual principles like wisdom, compassion, healing, etc., we will attract high spiritual teachers from the other side.

Now I’d like to address the deeper issue in your questions, and that is your sense of shame about basic biological functions. I feel the time you spend worrying about whether anyone in Spirit can see you doing things you find embarrassing may be better spent pondering why you feel ashamed in the first place. I assure you that there is no spiritual reason for your shame; it’s entirely a product of social conditioning.

In fact, shame about natural functions is a relatively new human invention, and though this truth may surprise you, it is not universal in nature. There are many parts of the world, for example, where people go to the bathroom in full view of others. Our shame about biological functions stems from the Puritan perspective that the physical world is inferior to “heavenly” realms, and thus physical desires and impulses must be “risen above” if we want to be rewarded when we leave this life.

So long as we remain in conscious control of our choices, this notion is total rubbish. This deep-seated shame is one of the many disservices the Christian religion has done to humankind. In truth, the human body is a miracle of divine perfection!

There is no natural function or endeavor that is inherently immoral. Sex above all is a beautiful reflection of divine creativity. It is the holy power of sex to create life that fuels humankind’s fearful obsession with controlling it. Far from being something to be ashamed of, it is a facet of the sacred force that created and continues to sustain life.

Sex was devised by a much wiser, higher intelligence than the society that has taught you that it is unseemly. Why would “God” have created us as we are if it was inherently bad to be this way? Since we are created in “God’s” image, it seems to me that when we’re ashamed of natural functions, we are essentially ashamed of God.

So you can rest easy knowing that only your higher spiritual thoughts and acts will be perceptible on the higher spiritual planes of the heavens. Further, it’s my understanding that the higher one goes in Spirit, the broader one’s perspective becomes, so even the things we feel misplaced shame about would not be considered shameful to heavenly spirits. To sum up your answer in one sentence, when it comes to your loved ones in Spirit “catching you in the act,” you have nothing to worry about, my dear!

– Soul Arcanum

Is It Harder to Communicate with the Spirits of Suicides?

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Dear Soul Arcanum:

Last September my husband took his own life. I am spiritually evolved in many ways, but have questioned my beliefs about death since the day he died. I have been able to communicate with souls that have passed over for family members here, such as my husband’s grandfather, but I’m not sure if I’ve been able to reach my husband because I wonder if I want so badly to have him with me that I’m imagining things. What do you think? Also, how does suicide affect spirit communication? I’m unsure what I believe anymore. Thank you very much for your time. Namaste!
– Chelle

Dear Chelle:

My heart goes out to you. I can only imagine how hard it must be to heal from a loss of this nature. Before I explore general ideas, I want to tell you that I feel that your husband is trying hard to connect with you, and it is only your own pain and doubt that is keeping these experiences from being more real and fulfilling for you.

As I’ve explained a number of times, having a strong desire to connect with a certain spirit is very powerful, but if we pressure ourselves to produce, it may just hinder us. This is why I may bring through great evidence from spirits for strangers, but will have a harder time bringing through loved ones for people I know. When I feel I “must” succeed, I know I tend to stretch for evidential details more, which causes me to question everything I perceive more stringently. I also expect more of myself and my own loved ones in Spirit than I do of strangers, and this bogs the whole spirit communication process down.

It can be very confusing, disappointing, and even disillusioning to receive clear, evidential communication from a casual acquaintance in Spirit, and not be able to connect with your own spouse, parent or child. In such cases, however, we are almost always the source of whatever is preventing successful interaction. Our vibration may be too low due to grief, we may be too invested in making a connection, or we may doubt everything we perceive both because messages from those we were very close to tend to be more subtle, and because we know we are prone to wishful thinking.

While most people who are grieving tend to see even the smallest coincidences as signs from a loved one in Spirit, lots of us go too far the other way, and refuse to accept as valid anything less than a full blown miracle. We must remember that EVERYTHING we experience in life is ultimately a result of “wishful thinking,” and trust the power of our desire as much as we do the discernment of our intellects.

In light of all of this, I encourage you to trust that the experiences you’re having are real and valid. By trusting them, you will be able to cultivate clearer, more validating experiences with your husband, who probably just wants you to understand why he did what he did and forgive him.

As for suicides in general, and how this act may affect spirit communication, it all depends on that person’s motivation for taking their own life, for that will greatly affect where they end up on the other side. If you think about it, there are what we might call “degrees” of suicide.

For example, it seems to me that a soldier who throws himself on a grenade to save his comrades is way ahead of your average American couch potato, who is slowly killing himself with junk food, inactivity and cigarettes. The first man is demonstrating great reverence for the gift of life by sacrificing himself in order that a number of others may go on living, while the second man is demonstrating a profound lack of appreciation for his physical existence. Given all the “suicide” possibilities we might imagine in between, it’s easy to see how each individual’s motivations would greatly affect what happens when they get to the afterlife.

Further, when we cross over, how we have lived will be far more important than how we have died. A person’s general nature will greatly affect their ability to reach through from Spirit, regardless of how they passed. Someone who was highly conscious, intelligent, sane, positive, grateful, kind and spiritual in life will tend to be easy to communicate with on the other side. It’s like we each carry our own torch into the afterlife in the form of our spirits. If we are radiant with light, we can see far and are empowered to do much more than if we are stumbling through darkness.

People who were unconscious, ignorant, insane, negative, ungrateful, selfish, and cynical or disbelieving while alive will be much harder to communicate with when they cross into Spirit, as they will be in dark, murky territory. If their lights are very dim, they can’t see to do much. Some even reincarnate without regaining consciousness in the afterlife.

As we continue on in death much as we were in life, two of the most rewarding and powerful traits we can cultivate are a strong, positive belief in Spirit and knowledge of spiritual principles. The more we focus upon and center our lives on higher spiritual values, the lighter and freer we’ll be in the spirit realm.

Now, when most of us hear the word suicide, we don’t think of military heroes or couch potatoes, of course: we think of someone who was of sound body and mind who became depressed and lost hope of ever turning their lives around. As these people were in mental and emotional hell while living, they tend to continue to be in mental and emotional hell when they cross over. Contrary to some religious teachings, this suffering is not a punishment, but arises from natural spiritual law. It is no more imposed upon them than the hell they created for themselves while alive.

These sorts of spirits tend to be as hard to get through to in the afterlife as they were when they were living, at least until they attain a higher state of mind. Such spirits often become earthbound, and continue to wander in the inner darkness and confusion that led them to take their lives in the first place. The lessons they were supposed to learn while living are still on their metaphorical “to-do” lists, but they have no clear way to complete those tasks, and thus we might say they have “unfinished business.” They do not remain like this forever, of course. When they realize how precious life is, they begin to “see the light.”

It takes a lot of focus and energy for any spirit to communicate inter-dimensionally. While it does happen, someone who couldn’t summon the will to live is unlikely to pull that sort of personal power together. Sometimes, however, suicides are shocked to find they still exist, and realize that killing themselves just made things worse. They may then want nothing more than to tell us they are sorry and urge us not to follow in their footsteps. When they witness how much pain they’ve caused those they love, they may be overwhelmed with remorse, and go to great lengths to seek forgiveness. As we pray for them and send them love, we bathe them in light, which can help them quickly rise in vibration and understanding, and move on to higher planes.

Again, I feel that your husband is not lost on the other side, but is definitely trying to reach you. Keep praying for him and visualize him being flooded by divine light. It will help him to heal, which will empower him to connect with you in a more fulfilling way. I know it’s hard and you have your own healing to work through, but try to have compassion for how much he must have been suffering to take his own life, and offer him your forgiveness if you can.

I’m sending you prayers for love and healing, my friend.

– Soul Arcanum