Signs From Our Loved Ones

[cleodoggie]

I look for the playful signs because my Jim was always teasing. A bird pecking at the window, my garage door misbehaving(because he had great mechanical skills). And when I hear his favorite song on the radio I know he put it there because it seldom is played. It's that feeling you get when you get a sign that makes me believe. I have had some pretty strange things happen since he died. I just can't believe that any of this is a coincidence.

[Andrew]

Thank you so much, Roberta—and Happy Birthday to you

Happy (belated) Birthday, Roberta! I apologize for the lateness of my message - I've just had time to catch up on my reading here! I hope you had a wonderful day!

[Andrew]

Hi Andrew,

I was going to post a new forum thread entitled "Where's Andrew?" since I noticed that you have not been posting as much as before. But here you are (Hmm, coincidence or serendipity?

Anyway, I read your post with great interest. It seems that your worldview is evolving, a sure sign of growth. I'm happy to see that you are looking at all the evidence with an open mind and open heart. Maybe, if you're inclined, you can share with us some of the evidence that you've come across that has shifted your views. I'm sure we'd all benefit from it.

I've experienced many coincidences and anomalies in my life. Being a skeptic I always look for a rational explanation first. But I've had a handful of things happen to me that, skeptical as I am, I cannot explain away. And so I have a solid conviction that there is much, much more to our lives and the worlds around us than atoms randomly bouncing into each other. And though 97% of all the evidence may be wishful thinking at best, or outright deception at its worst, 3% is Real. And so I keep searching for that 3%. I hope you do too, my friend.

With Lovingkindness (metta),
vic

Hi Vic,

I apologize for the late response, as well as my general absence. As you and others have noticed, I have not had much time at all to be posting here. Being an administrator, I have been spending as much time as I can "behind the scenes", but unfortunately I rarely ever get to the discussions in a timely manner anymore. I fear that I may be rather close to having to take a formal, long-term break from this website's administration and/or it's discussions, as my schedule seems to allow for work on only one of the two - if that! Should I make any formal decisions about lessening the time I plan on spending here, I will make a post informing the community.

As I age, I find myself becoming less and less insistent that the afterlife evidence presents a certain portrayal of the afterlife. I see it as being beyond doubt that the existence of the afterlife can be proven and that kindness is the only key to its gates. Everything else though, seems to be much less concrete. But is that really such a problem? Must we know everything about the afterlife? Once we realize that it exists, all other differences and viewpoints are but trifles.

I think it is foolish to deny, as some people do, that after-death communication with the living occurs. There are just too many incidences of it to ignore, in my opinion. However, I cannot find (though I have searched) for concrete proof that all coincidences or odd occurrences have spiritual origins. I would say that it is perfectly reasonable to say that some things are just odd coincidences or tricks of the eye - random flukes of the universe. Even when discussing coincidences concerning deceased loved ones, I think that it is rash to presume, that anything which makes one think of the deceased, is a sign.

Personally, I am beginning to feel that we, on Afterlife Forums, have begun to over-generalize when discussing certain things. We are but human, after all, and should not presume to be entirely privy to the workings of the Greater Reality.

I hope this helps!

[vic smyth]

...I find myself becoming less and less insistent that the afterlife evidence presents a certain portrayal of the afterlife. I see it as being beyond doubt that the existence of the afterlife can be proven and that kindness is the only key to its gates. Everything else though, seems to be much less concrete...

Hi Andrew,

Thanks so much for your response. I admire you for re-evaluating your beliefs and having the courage to share this with everyone. I think you summed it up very beautifully above: The afterlife exists, kindness is the key to its gates. If readers could take away only one key concept from this website, that would be it.

I agree with you completely: The details of the afterlife are hazy, and sometimes our wishful thinking can get in the way of critical analysis. It's all a part of our Journey.

I encourage you to find time to contribute once in a while, we'll all be enriched by it!

With Lovingkindness (metta),
vic

[Fasaga]

Hi Vic,

I apologize for the late response, as well as my general absence. As you and others have noticed, I have not had much time at all to be posting here. Being an administrator, I have been spending as much time as I can "behind the scenes", but unfortunately I rarely ever get to the discussions in a timely manner anymore. I fear that I may be rather close to having to take a formal, long-term break from this website's administration and/or it's discussions, as my schedule seems to allow for work on only one of the two - if that! Should I make any formal decisions about lessening the time I plan on spending here, I will make a post informing the community.

As I age, I find myself becoming less and less insistent that the afterlife evidence presents a certain portrayal of the afterlife. I see it as being beyond doubt that the existence of the afterlife can be proven and that kindness is the only key to its gates. Everything else though, seems to be much less concrete. But is that really such a problem? Must we know everything about the afterlife? Once we realize that it exists, all other differences and viewpoints are but trifles.

I think it is foolish to deny, as some people do, that after-death communication with the living occurs. There are just too many incidences of it to ignore, in my opinion. However, I cannot find (though I have searched) for concrete proof that all coincidences or odd occurrences have spiritual origins. I would say that it is perfectly reasonable to say that some things are just odd coincidences or tricks of the eye - random flukes of the universe. Even when discussing coincidences concerning deceased loved ones, I think that it is rash to presume, that anything which makes one think of the deceased, is a sign.

Personally, I am beginning to feel that we, on Afterlife Forums, have begun to over-generalize when discussing certain things. We are but human, after all, and should not presume to be entirely privy to the workings of the Greater Reality.

I hope this helps!

I applaud you Andrew for your honesty and openness, and agree with some very good points you make and realisations you've come to.
The Afterlife Evidence presents one thing for certain, the existance of life after death - everyone's journey is different on this plane and the next.
Not all is communication from the other side - there are forces at work on this side as well, while linked through mind energy, the origin of influence can come from many sources.

Once we realize that it exists, all other differences and viewpoints are but trifles. You are spot on. Our focus must be on living and looking after each other and our world, we are the caretakers - and haven't we stuffed it up!

All that said, the Orchestrations that guide our lives are more than we would care to believe. But guide it does, not dictate, not rule, but guide...this will never take away our free will or choice. And as you said Andrew, not all coincidences or odd events have spiritual origin - if spirit is the energy that survives our death, then surely that energy is active in us in life, and more accessable to some than others, even if they don't know it. Some things we just make happen!

We will not be privy to the Workings of the Greater Reality in its entirety from where we stand now, but the time will come.

[Roberta Grimes]

Andrew and I have been talking about this, and I feel strongly that his wisdom is even more valuable to us than his wonderful administrative help has been, so I have encouraged him to make occasional posting his priority where these forums are concerned. This means that for awhile you are going to be stuck with just one administrator who is also a full-time lawyer and a hands-on grandmother, so I hope you all will cut me a bit of slack ;-).

Each of us is on a different journey. For many of us, just developing a broad and consistent understanding that we are eternal beings is enough, and we move on to other things; but some others of us - like yours truly - feel driven to know the afterlife environment in minute and complete detail. That it is even possible to know it as well as you know your own earth-neighborhood is a source of never-ending wonder to me! Yes, many of the afterlife details are highly personal - which many people initially find confusing - but there are consistent explanations for that as well. Dear friends, it is all real! No matter what else I may seem to be doing, all day and all night I sit in lotus position before that ultimate truth of our lives, transfixed by wonder and delight.

Members who have been here for awhile sometimes lament the fact that beloved friends come and go, or perhaps come and are here intensely for awhile, and then - like our wonderful Andrew - tend to join us less often. Our extraordinary friend Rude Awakening urged us to start the Off Topic section in hopes that it would help people to stay around longer. But I am coming to see that our purpose here is not to be just another website where people of like mind congregate (although we are that too!). But rather, we seem to have two purposes:

1) We are here to help those who are hurting. Whether they are sick or grieving or afraid of death or contemplating suicide or troubled in some other way, we are here for them. If they stay for awhile and then move on, if we have helped them at all then our time here is worthwhile.

2) We are here to help one another to better understand reality. This is such a tremendous topic! Most people who really get into it will generally study it mostly alone, but I find the interplay here with fellow students of reality to be so wonderfully helpful. I hope that you do as well.

What do you all think of these issues? I think that everyone here would love to know!

[Fasaga]

Beautifully put Roberta.

"We are all here to help one another!" whatever the need is.

[Carol and Mikey]

I / we totally agree! I feel this site has been, and continues to be, very helpful to many on the different aspects of life. The site has knowledge based on the research and experiences of many. We share them and discuss them. To me, how the Afterlife is, still is the Great Mystery and we won't know "for sure" until we get there. But what is so wonderful is the incredible consistencies how important love, kindness, and forgiveness is. Truly that is what it is about. If that is the one main message that is given from this forum site, that is enough. If it makes people more kind and loving on their life journeys with others, it is so worth it! The other discussions are just an added bonus and fun! Good stuff!
We truly love it here! Thank you to all for making it happen!
Carol and Mikey "in Spirit"

[Fasaga]

"The heart is like a vessel. Fill it with qualities of Truth, Love and Sacrifice." - Baba

[Annie]

Happy belated birthday Roberta!

First of all, I have to agree with Andrew that most things are indeed coincidences...I've always thought this, then again I've never really looked for signs from dead people because I've been fortunate enough not to feel that particular sort of grief yet. I do kind of try to keep my eyes and ears open from anything my guides are trying to get across to me, which I think is important because they're the ones guiding us to do what we set out to do in the first place, provide help in times of need, and above all have known us our whole lives and maybe even remember us in a previous life too. That being said, these signs have to be fairly obvious for me not to dismiss them as coincidence. Like Andrew said, sometimes when something is on my mind, I see it everywhere. Once I had a boyfriend (who is still alive) whose name I suddenly noticed everywhere, on TV shows, things like that, even though he was the first person I personally knew of that name. Still, it's a semi-common name so I'm pretty sure it was all just a coinkydink.

Roberta, I'm glad you said that you think some spirits exaggerate because I've felt that too at times. Some transcripts I've read of communication, or seances I've listened to, are so cryptic and out of touch with reality, and the messages are very broad and generic. I wish I could think of a specific example. It's like someone trying to sound very wise and mystical, but the message doesn't come across as very kind or loving but rather impersonal and cold. Not that these spirits don't mean well, they just might not always be as advanced as we think.

Oh yeah, and I kind of feel like a general category isn't necessary. I think the reason people sometimes come and go isn't from the lack of that. For me, life got busy and this isn't one of those forums where I can read a few posts, make fast replies, and then be along my way. I end up stopping and thinking so much that I could end up spending way too much time thinking about the afterlife. When we're basically discussing what is largely unknown to most of society and a lot of us unknown to us, it just gets really involved.