~ 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

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Tags: ADC, after, communication, death

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Comment by dream moon JO B on July 19, 2015 at 1:51pm

i fond a fethr again dolly  i fond a few fethrs lty evn in frnt of my patg or door stp u cud say

Comment by Dolly on July 19, 2015 at 10:20am

we went up to visit our oldest son and his family in MA.. a very long trip... just as we finally got to the exit that got us off the VERY long highway and onto the roads leading to their house the song "Rainbow Connection" came on the car CD player... this is a song that has been a family favorite and a sign between us all of the connection between heaven and earth for us... when my husband's mother passed away this song came on my computer one day and I knew it was from her telling us she was OK and in heaven with God.. I just KNEW it... and so we took part of the money she had left us and took the guys to the beach for the first time where we let them ride the waves in the pink rafts you see in my profile picture.. we learned to play the song on our instruments and convinced the guy who was playing in the Tiki Hut down below our room to play the song and we played along.. we even played along down by the Tiki Hut with him eventually.. we told him the story of how my husband's mom 'gave' us the song after she died and how our sons loved it too because they loved the muppets.. so it sort of became our song... a family song... that bound us together in a very special way.. and now in an eternal way.. for we KNOW that Brandon sent us that song on our trip to tell us he was WITH us TOO .. and just to make SURE we knew, just as we got to the DRIVEWAY to my oldest son's house, another favorite song of our family came on the CD player.. it was "Happy Adoption Day" by John McCutcheon.. from an old album of children's songs we used to play for the guys when they were little... again we KNEW that we KNEW that we KNEW it was Brandon telling us AGAIN that he was with us on the trip... and ALWAYS would be with us wherever we went... we miss you so much sweet son... so much...

Comment by dream moon JO B on July 18, 2015 at 4:54pm

i fond a fethr on dooorstep ah again 2 day 

it wz blak gray it wz

Comment by dream moon JO B on July 10, 2015 at 4:34pm

i fond sum mre cds wot my dad liuvd dolly of 70s hts it wz happy b day 4 tomro dolly i no it wnt feal lk it it wnt bt happy bday 2 u aeny way

Comment by Dolly on July 10, 2015 at 10:13am

tomorrow is my 72nd birthday and my son Bo's 31st..its two years since Brandon died but the first birthday I had shortly after he died [a month plus a few days after] I couldn't sleep and was at the computer which was in the room that opened into Brandon's room.. as I was sitting there doing God knows what and feeling lost I suddenly heard one clear loud strum from a toy guitar ..it sounded out of Brandon's room just like so many times before when Brandon was in his bed playing with toy guitars.. BUT when I went into the room to find the source of the sound, that guitar was not there.. there were a few toy guitars there but none of them produced the riff I heard.. It gave me chills then and still does now that as I write about it... it was as if Brandon was wishing me a happy birthday from heaven or saying 'hi' at least.. nothing that I recognized as coming from heaven happened last year on my birthday though.. and I wonder if anything will happen this year.. BUT we are visiting my oldest son in MA and had just completed the long two-day trip up..just as we pulled off 495 and were headed for my son's' house at long last the song 'Rainbow Connection' started playing on the CD player [a CD we had made of songs the guys loved] This song has so much history connected with my mother in law and with our family trips to the beach..same beach where Brandon died... so it made me feel like Brandon was saying 'I'm here too!" and THEN just as we got to the drive that leads to the house the song "Adoption Day" came on... just so perfectly timed.. Brandon was the third child we adopted and this was another favorite song from my kid's childhood.. so I do feel as if my son is still around on some level of existence that isn't totally separate from our own earthly existence.. I don't know how it all works, but things like this happen too often to just be coincidence...

Comment by dream moon JO B on July 4, 2015 at 8:58am

thnx dolly

elvs jerry darsy bary wite frank lan all old 1s 

i bet yore litl boy brandn wud og of luvd thm he wud of

Comment by Dolly on July 4, 2015 at 6:15am

wow.. beautiful rainbow!! What groups did your dad listen to? on the CD's I mean?

Comment by dream moon JO B on July 2, 2015 at 4:59pm

hi

dolly i cort ths pic few wks go

ths 2 ydat dolly yday

Comment by dream moon JO B on July 2, 2015 at 4:15pm

i put fethr in my mery box of my dads thngs i do old cd of yrs ago off 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 

Comment by Dolly on July 1, 2015 at 6:27pm

what were the CD's of? feathers... nice to find feathers.. do you keep them and make them into anything? That might be a nice thing to do... a piece of jewelry, or to decorate a picture frame with your dad's picture in it or part of a dream catcher thing or part of a wind chime... it wouldn't make noise all by itself but along with other things it would look nice I think..

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