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After Death Communication
~ Joyous Reunions With Deceased Loved Ones ~
©1995; by Bill Guggenheim & Judy Guggenheim
co-authors of Hello From Heaven! published by Bantam Books
Have you been contacted by a loved one who has died? After-death communication (ADC) is probably as old as mankind, but ours is the first complete research study of this field. These spiritual experiences are extremely common, and in many other parts of the world they are discussed openly and freely.
Between 1988 & 1995, we interviewed 2,000 people who live in all fifty American states and the ten Canadian provinces. Ranging in age from children to the elderly, they represent diverse social, educational, economic, occupational, and religious backgrounds. We conservatively estimate that at least 50 million Americans, or 20% of the population, have had one or more ADC experiences – and the actual numbers may be closer to double these figures!
We collected more than 3,300 firsthand accounts of ADCs from people who have been contacted by a deceased family member or friend. These are spontaneous and direct communications that may occur anytime and anywhere, but no third parties such as psychics, mediums, hypnotists, or devices of any kind are involved.
Based upon our research, the following are the twelve most frequent types of after-death communication people report having with their deceased loved ones:
Sensing A Presence: This is the most common form of contact. But many people discount these experiences, thinking, "Oh, I'm just imagining this." It's a distinct feeling that your loved one is nearby, even though he or she can't be seen or heard. Though most often felt during the days and weeks immediately after the death, you may sense his or her presence months and even years later.
Hearing A Voice: Some people state they hear an external voice, the same as when a living person is speaking to them. However, the majority of communications are by telepathy – you hear the voice of your relative or friend in your mind. When you have two-way communication, it is usually by telepathy. In fact, it's possible to have an entire conversation this way.
Feeling A Touch: You may feel your loved one touch you with his or her hand, or place an arm around your shoulders or back, for comfort and reassurance. You may feel a tap, a pat, a caress, a stroke, a kiss, or even a hug. These are all forms of affection, nurturing, and love.
Smelling A Fragrance: You may smell your relative's or friend's favorite cologne, after-shave lotion, or perfume. Other common aromas are: flowers (especially roses), bath powders, tobacco products, favorite foods, and his or her personal scent.
Visual Experiences: There are a wide variety of visual experiences, which we have divided into two broad categories: partial visual and full visual ADCs. Appearances range from "a transparent mist" to "absolutely solid" with many gradations in between. You may see only the head and shoulders of your relative or friend, or someone you love may make a full appearance to you, and you will see the entire body as well, which will appear completely solid. Some visual ADCs occur in the bedroom, next to or at the foot of the bed. Others may happen anywhere – indoors or outdoors – even in a car or aboard a plane. Typically he or she will be expressing love and well-being with a radiant smile. Loved ones virtually always appear healed and whole regardless of their cause of death. Verbal communication may take place, but not always.
Visions: You may see an image of a deceased loved one in a "picture" that is either two-dimensional and flat or three-dimensional like a hologram. It's like seeing a 35 mm slide or a movie suspended in the air. Visions are usually in radiant colors and may be seen externally with your eyes open or internally in your mind. Communication may occur, especially during meditation.
Twilight Experiences: These occur in the alpha state – as you're falling asleep, waking up, meditating, or praying. You may have any or all of the above types of experiences while you are in this state of consciousness.
ADC Experiences While Asleep: Sleep-state ADCs are much more vivid, intense, colorful, and real than dreams. They are very common. Both one-way and two-way communications are typical. You usually feel your loved one is with you in person – that you're having an actual visit together. These experiences are not jumbled, filled with symbols, or fragmented the way dreams are.
Sleep-state ADCs are similar to those that occur when you are wide awake. Your relative or friend can come to you more easily, however, when you are relaxed, open, and receptive, such as while you are in the alpha state or asleep.
Out-Of-Body ADCs: These may occur while you are asleep or in a meditative state. They are dramatic experiences during which you leave your body and often visit your loved one at the place or level where he or she exists. These are extremely vivid, intense, and real – some say, "more real than physical life." The environments usually contain beautiful flowers and butterflies, colorful bushes and trees, radiant lighting, and other lovely aspects of nature – and are filled with happiness, love, and joy.
Telephone Calls: These ADCs may occur during sleep or when you are wide awake. You will hear a phone ringing, and if you answer it, your loved one will give you a short message. Two-way conversations are possible. His or her voice will usually be clear but may seem far away. If you are awake, you will probably not hear a disconnect sound or a dial tone when the call is completed.
Physical Phenomena: People who are bereaved often report receiving a wide variety of physical signs from their deceased relative or friend, such as: lights or lamps blinking on and off; lights, radios, televisions, stereos, and mechanical objects being turned on; photographs, pictures, and various other items being turned over or moved; and a long list of "things that go bump in the night."
Symbolic ADCs: People frequently ask a Higher Power, the universe, or their deceased loved one for a sign that he or she still exists. Many receive such a sign, though it may take some time to arrive. Occasionally these signs are so subtle they may be missed, or they may be discounted as mere "coincidences." Common signs include: butterflies, rainbows, many species of birds and animals, flowers, and a variety of inanimate objects such as coins and pictures.
According to our research, the purpose of these visits and signs by those who have died is to offer comfort, reassurance, and hope to their parents, spouse, siblings, children, grandchildren, other family members, and friends. They want you to know they're still alive and that you'll be reunited with them when it's your time to leave this physical life on earth – and they'll be there to greet you when you make your transition. Their most frequent messages, expressed verbally or non-verbally, include:
"I'm okay ... I'm fine ... Everything is okay ... Don't worry about me ...
Don't grieve for me ... Please let me go ... I'm happy ... Everything will be all right ...
Go on with your life ... Please forgive ... Thank you ... I'll always be there for you ...
I'm watching over you ... I'll see you again ... I love you ... Good-bye ..."
You may be asked to give a message from your loved one to somebody else. We urge you to write down the message verbatim and to deliver it, if possible, because it may help the recipient far more than you realize.
Nearly all ADCs are positive, joyful, and uplifting encounters that reduce grief, provide lasting comfort and hope, and accelerate emotional and spiritual healing. We encourage you to trust your own experiences and to accept them as being real for you.
Unfortunately, some people react with fear when they have an ADC. This is usually because they are startled by the suddenness of the event, or they may have never heard of one happening to anybody else. Such people may assume they are "losing their mind and going crazy." And others find it difficult to reconcile after-death communications with their philosophical or religious beliefs.
Not all people are contacted by their deceased loved ones. We don't know for certain why some are and some aren't, but it seems that fear, anger, and prolonged heavy grief inhibit the possibility of having an ADC.
Based upon our research, we suggest the following: Ask for a sign that your relative or friend continues to exist. Pray for him or her and others who are affected by the death, including yourself. We recommend that you learn how to meditate, especially if you are currently bereaved or have unresolved grief. Meditation will enable you to relax and soften any fear or anger you may have. It will reduce your depression, improve your ability to eat and sleep, and facilitate your healing process. These deep relaxation exercises will also allow you to unfold your inner, intuitive senses. In fact, you may have an ADC experience while you are meditating.
Our research indicates that after-death communications are a natural and normal part of life. Therefore, we feel ADCs deserve the same public awareness and acceptance that near-death experiences (NDEs) have already received.
For most people, an after-death communication from a deceased family member or friend is valued as a sacred and profound experience that will be cherished for a lifetime. ADC experiences usually expand one's understanding of life and offer a deeper awareness of life after death. They consistently communicate an essential spiritual message: "Life and love are eternal."
Copyright © 1995 - 2009 The ADC Project. All rights reserved.
Webmaster: Will Guggenheim
Comment
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Comment by dream moon JO B on March 4, 2013 at 3:06pm
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yestday woz my dads 1s yr anversy of his death
but lots of weid and strange tngs happend it did i let ballons off in the yrd in stead of the grave yrd and thy all burts like today thy burst
fotos hav fell off the walls today and fell off ysterdaythy did
a botel of bron sarse fell in my diner ystrday my mum tryed to put mint sarse on her diner ysterday but end uop bean coverd in it u wud thnk my dad woz olaying pranks on us frm heven gates
the fone rang but it woz like a weid mesage
i wen on 1 of the video canles on the internet tht woz bean weid to and a strange dream i had abot my dad tht we wear in a restront to many weid thngs hapend on my dads anversy of his passing
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i come acros a old diary of my dads on fryday i dont no if it woz a sine or any thng but the yr woz 1991 just had his drs apointmnts in and fone numbers of peole wish a lot of htm haz past sisne thn i didnt no he had 1 in 1991 im pleased i fond it
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i dont if ny 1 else has had a dream lik ths 1 i dremt i woz playing online gaming and skype umpt up i dont even no how to use skype but my dad jumpet up on the screan making sure evry is ok lik he dose in dream s and im not blame its not my falt wen i woke up i nealy fell out of bed but luckly i did not it make me wonder hav thy got skype in heven or wear evr thy r but ths dream i had the othr day has still got me confusd very confusd
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i fogot to mentsion mark wen i woz at a family funrell last fryday i felt my dad side me in the creamortoriam sad thng is its the only time i get to sea the family on my dads side at funrells i seam 2 go to a lot of funrells and som of the family looke like past mebers who past and the dreams abot my dad is to say his enjoying him self like he always enjoyed life maybe is enjoing the after life as well he woz allways playing pranks on us wen we he woz alive he had me doing it do like puting salt or peper in som 1s tea or coffie nothing nasty just the silly prank stuf iv some tims seaing him in the house and thnk im seaning thngs but he used to allways say im not going in side thm gates till u all come i thnk my dad is my gurdian angel i no evry 1 has more thn1 angel looking over thm even if its a pet gurdian angel to day i thort i saw my dad siting on the chair in the kitchn i som times thng the cat seas him 2 i no pets hav a 6th sense stronger thn humens 6th sense
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Comment by Mark on February 3, 2013 at 5:52pm
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@jb there have been three events since the passing of both of my parents that have struck me as interesting. The first was the day and hour my father died. As I noted we were estranged. However, I knew the very second he was gone from this earth and always know it was a very brutal transition for him. There was a mixture of doom, fear, sorrow, and regret that all came over me at that moment but also a feeling of release. That feeling of release I attributed to his soul being released from this earth. I also want to add that if my father would ever try to contact me after his death I am non receptive to it. It was bad enough dealing with his behavior while he was alive but there were additional things added to the equation after his death that blew me away. I had hoped so bad my intuition was wrong and that some where along the line he at least tried to own some of his choices. Instead I learned he just continued spiraling deeper and deeper. The bi product of his behavior is seen in his adopted children. They've all got drug problems, legal issues, and would sell each other into slavery for a fast buck. It's just too dark of a lifestyle to even want to give that man one second of my energy even if he were to crawl out from his misery and beg my forgiveness I'd just tell him to stay away from me.
The second situation happened very early after my mom passed. The shroud of grief that fell over me after she died was horrible. We shared a very unique life. We faced a lot of real bad situations together and I'd always thought since we made it past them and moved on to the next group of challenges I'd left them behind. Unfortunately the mind has a HUGE filing cabinet and it does come back. All of it and some times in vivid detail. The only way I can explain that type of veil is like a looming dark blanket and you fight very hard for it not to fall on you because you just don't want to revisit certain things. At that particular time this dark veil would hit me around 7pm in the evening and I would weep from somewhere so deep inside of me I call it my soul crying. I would talk to my mom while crying and then after the moment past I'd blow my nose and move on. After about a week something strange happened. A complete sunny day I get out of my truck and one drop of liquid hits my cheek. As if it was raining but only raining one rain drop. I felt it was a tear from my mom to let me know she was there crying with me. At least that's what I've told myself it was considering how odd the moment was. I felt her presence at that moment.
And the third occurrence deals with a horrible financial situation we were forced to go through while dealing with her cancer. Things fell a part for us to the point of complete collapse. It was like some sick twisted evil game was being played on us to endure all this hell at once. For me I was dealing with the loss of my mom,watching her suffer and then stepping into potentially being homeless quickly. I was forced to starve myself while providing her care so that whatever little bit I was making could be saved to give me maybe a month of coverage after she died. I had been manipulated by a boss that cost me over 7,000.00 dollars. I was forced to wait for retro pay and would scream inside to God to please end all this hell. 9 months after my mothers death while struggling and worrying something happened out of nowhere that enabled me access to all that money that was taken from me. In fact because of the accounting process the money had acquired interest. I was stunned. It was gruesome to think that in order to have access to that money finally i had to first endure pure hell on earth but it was a moment of reality. Through all the pain and misery certain events happened to sustain me later on when I'd really need it. I do consider this an act of something well beyond this earth. It was a very harsh plan but it's still amazing. A week prior to learning of this money I woke up hearing my moms voice as if she was crying and calling my name. I still don't know why I heard it that way. It wasn't pleasant it was unsettling like she was scared or concerned but I have to admit my entire life I always kept one ear awake and alert should she need anything and so my brain may always generate that my mom is in distress.
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my dad woz goood it numbers mark wen it coms to maths withh me im hoples at maths today i did somthng iv never did for yrs i fell over scrapet my right nea now im bated and bruse but 2 kind ladys helpt pick me up but the funny thng woz i felt my dad side me makig sure i woz ok i woz ok just a bit shaky as any 1 else had a exprense like ths
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@Connie I have been given a front row seat to what I call the numbers "game" where you see a string of matching numbers on the clock, microwave, DVD player, receipts etc.. They are haunting me.
My biological father died in late Nov of 2010. We were estranged. He was an abusive man. Ironically, a week before his death this feeling came over me that his health was failing him. I knew the day he died and approximately the time because at 4:44 pm it hit me like a brick. I knew he had passed and his passing for him was brutal but I also felt as if I was being handed some curse through his death. From that day fwd 4:44 for me has represented darkness.
I don't feel happy or good about it but very uncomfortable when it appears. It makes me think of my father and I can become very unsettled thinking about him.
Maybe 6 weeks after my fathers death and seeing this 444 over and over my mother became ill. The numbers I would see after that were a combination of 1111 222 333, and 555 two weeks before she became ill again something came over me that there was something wrong with her health and for some reason sat down a week before she got ill and talked about her health in general. in 9 months time my mother died of cancer.
Since her death primarily I see 1111 222 333 and 555. Nothing happens after seeing them. I don't feel comfort and I don't feel sorry. I feel completely frustrated that they might means something and I can't figure it out. I don't want to see 444 but the others I'm left wondering what they mean. As I said 444 to me is uncomfortable and it actually scares me when it shows up.
My mom and I were very close. Extremely close. We really were one my entire life. She was physically challenged. I was her arms and legs. I knew her as well as I know myself and she the same with me. Oddly most if not all my dreams of her are uncomfortable and unpleasant. She is either crying or we are arguing. Both situations are a recall of events that did occur. Maybe it's my own stored memory of those moments playing out during rest but I don't like it. Maybe it's my own guilt. It's hard to even explain my life and all that we endured but after her death I've had to be brutally honest and wonder if my mother didn't use me and that she was so focused on trying to survive with her challenges she was actually denying me of a full healthy life. As I said it's a very complicated life we shared with more ups than downs but to my last breath the love I have for that woman cannot be measure it is so immense. She never thanked me for all that I did which is something I realized just right before she died. It would be great if she could communicate with me to let me know certain things that I am left very confused about.
When I dream of my father it's infuriating and each time I am seething with anger to the point of actually punching him. What he left me with and how he treated me was horrific. I am positive if there is a place called hell my father is there. I cannot imagine he actually got away with what he did to other human beings but again in my dreams he doesn't come to me asking for forgiveness. He is just as cruel and heartless as I remember him.
It's so hard for me to distinguish if there even is an afterlife or if things we see or we feel we aren't making them into something. But those numbers and the manner in which they will show up for me means something but I can't seem to tap into what they mean. I've looked them up on forums called "angel numbers" and when they are seen none of what they say the meaning of those numbers can be applied in my case. The only one closest was when I read that in some asian nations they believe the number 444 represents death and if that is true I can honestly say that would apply in my life.
I also have to say that daily I feel like I'm being blocked from important information that could change my life and I have no way to get to that information. It feels strange. I'd say that these feelings are heavy on the heart so to speak and again it's through these numbers but I just can't seem to figure what it all means. I'm so open to the idea of someone communicating with one of my deceased family members to get a message to me I'd do it but I'd first have to research that medium, psychic or whatever they call themselves real carefully. i'm real good and spotting nonsense a mile away.
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Comment by Tahnee Attwood on January 31, 2013 at 8:38pm
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Hello, I lost my boyfriend on the 31st of July 2012 in a motorcycle accident, he was only 20. Since then I've been to visit a medium a number of times but haven't got a message from him however his mum has, i was so gutted that he hasn't got in contact with me in that way i would love it if he would. However there have been some signs, one being i was downstairs and my mum was upstairs I thought i heard a motorbike that sounded like his pulling up on my drive so i looked out the window and nothing was there, my mum then came downstairs and asked me if i just heard a motorbike i said yeah, she said she had too but didn't see one. I then went to visit my boyfriends friend in hospital who was on the back of the bike during the accident he also said he heard a bike rumble without me even telling him of me hearing a bike. As well as that, i decided to buy a motorbike and learn to ride like my boyfriend wanted me too the day of my test a message came up on the computer when i was looking for something saying 'you can do it i know you can' with a bike picture under the writing. Also when im searching to buy things on the internet like clothes, adverts on the side always show biker stuff and showing a helmet to buy that was identical to his? I've also had white feathers falling around me a lot out of no where, even inside the house, this is supposed to be a sign of a guardian angel, which I believe to be him. Has anyone else experienced this? I don't know whether its me just looking for things or it's really happening?
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i dont mind the dreams kim but som of the dreams r to strange i just wish i cud put a video in side my hed nd video the dreams and i hav ths dream a lot lately my dad and othr past family mebers warking on clouds and going to a ot of feilds and mountains and a big lake iv had ths 1 a lot and ths dream makes me feal weid 2 im pleased the nitemares stopt after i got the dream catcher now the dreasm feal so real likes its realy hapning i hav 3 or 4 days of dreams i dont mind the dreams its fealing weid after th dreams like befor xmas my dad com to me told me he miss us all and get my muma gift from him wish i did iv only told serten 1s in the family if i told othr peopel thy wud probly get me secsend wit the key thron away and iv had more xspersne s with ballons poping but the last few shut flew acros the grave yatd in the snow like it woz a spook coming from the raves or wear peoples ashes burred i will try and get the cod from my vemeo acond wear i posted thm on my vemeo acond
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Comment by Kim Phillips on January 31, 2013 at 3:14pm
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Hi, Not sure if anyone can answer this question but i thought I would through it out there. I buried my best friend and light of my life about 8 months ago. She has not come to me at all. However, I keep having these reoccuring dreams in which I keep searching for her but can't find her. For instance, in one of the dreams her son asked me if I had talked to her on the phone. I told him no and I was concerned b/c I hadn't heard from her either. Is this just my mind trying to adjust to the loss or is it something more?
Thanks
Kim
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