After Death Communications - April 8, 2008
One evening in March, 2008, I was at a hospice facility in Tacoma, WA, singing for patients. When I had completed the music, I decided to check on the CDs and CD players in each room. Some of the rooms were locked, so I obtained the key and checked each one. When I entered one locked room, I was amazed to find that the CD player was going. I turned it off and then asked the nurse on duty how long that room had been locked. She replied that the last patient had died in that room 2 days earlier!
I mentioned the incident to one of the aides who told me of a similar experience. She had entered a locked room to find that the TV was on. She turned it off and a little later it turned back on all by itself! This happened several times. As soon as someone would leave the room, the TV would come on.
An extraordinary occurrence happened to one of the CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants.) When she arrived at work, her pager went off with the message , “Room 16.” This was the room of one of the patients that she knew quite well. After she parked her car, she saw that the patient’s husband and daughter were outside, weeping. She learned that the patient had passed just moments before. The CNA proceeded to Room 16 and assisted another CNA with final preparations. A little while later the body was removed. During this time, the CNA’s pager kept going off – “Room 16.” She would remove the message and it would appear once again. She went to the nurse’s station and observed that the pager signal was not going through the main system. It went only to her pager. Finally she returned to room 16, accompanied by the chaplain and social worker, where they prayed and talked with the patient, thanking her for the beauty of her friendship and for being such an extraordinary person. The pager finally stayed off.
Another aide mentioned that she had been attending a hospice patient in Sweden, her home country. In the middle of the night she felt as though someone were holding her toes and bending them back and forth. She arose and discovered that her patient had passed.
She told another story about the night after her stepfather had died. She was sharing a bed with her mother. In the middle of the night, she felt as though she were being pushed out of the bed. She had the clear feeling that her stepfather wanted to be with his wife one more time. She slept in another room.
What was going on? I was reminded of the story told by my doctor. He and his wife were asleep when their bedroom light came on all by itself. Jim said that it was the spirit of his sister-in-law who had just passed away a short time earlier.
About a week after these events, I attended an Interfaith Seminar on Rituals of the Dying. When I shared the incidents with a lady during the break, she said that she had read a book about such appearances called “Hello from Heaven,” by Bill and Judy Guggenheim. I was happy to find that book in the display set up by a local bookstore. The Guggenheims have collected many stories of communications by those who have passed. The stories vary in intensity, starting with a feeling of a loving, tender presence of the loved one. Later stories tell of significant aromas, bright lights, and even physical appearances of the loved ones. These events have been termed After Death Communications or ADC.
This reminded me of a family story in which my grandmother was in her room, grieving at the death of her mother. All at once she looked up to see a vision of her mother. She was young, slender, joyous, and absolutely radiating with brilliant light. After a few moments the vision faded. My grandmother rushed downstairs to tell Aunt Jenny, her mother’s sister. “You’ll never guess what I just saw!” she said. Aunt Jenny replied, “Yes, I know. I saw her too!”
Another story my grandmother told, occurred when she was trying to make miniature Christmas trees with upside-down ice cream cones, green icing, and jelly beans. She just couldn’t seem to get it right. All of a sudden it seemed as though her granddaughter, Nalani Waikiki, who had died some years previously, was telling her “Try this way, Grandma.” She followed directions and the miniature trees came out perfectly!
My mother teaches classes in deep meditation. She is well aware of the spirits of those who have passed. When my father, grandparents, and aunt and uncle died, she was able to see those family members who were present for their own memorial services. They were so happy and radiant in their new lives. She was admonished by one family member, because she was so happy to see her loved ones. The family member couldn't understand why she was smiling when everyone else was sad and weeping.
She tells this amazing story. A man who had been involved with a crime organization, was changing his life around. He had amassed quite a fortune and had planned to support several charities and other organizations. One day he boarded a commuter plane for a business appointment. One of his soon-to-be former crime associates was standing with the man’s wife as the plane took off. He was holding an instrument somewhat like a TV remote control in his pocket. When the plane was in the air, he pressed a button and the plane exploded. The wife was absolutely distraught, as you can imagine. She knew nothing of her husband’s financial arrangements and was told by his associates that he had not left any money. The spirit of the deceased contacted my Mom and her friend Peter. He told them where his financial records were located in various banks. They went to the banks and retrieved the information. They were even guided to the man’s former office at night, were told where the key was and were told where important documents were to be found. With this information, the wife was able to claim what was rightfully hers.
A friend who is a nun, said that she once lived in a building that had housed an orphanage. In the middle of the night she awoke, because it seemed as though someone were sitting on the foot of her bed. She moved her legs and went back to sleep. The next day she asked if anyone knew about the history of that room. No one did. The sensation was repeated several times a week and she finally got used to it. What was amazing was that when she moved to a different facility, the sensation continued. She even felt it on her trip to Ireland. It is still present for her.
I mentioned the incident to one of the aides who told me of a similar experience. She had entered a locked room to find that the TV was on. She turned it off and a little later it turned back on all by itself! This happened several times. As soon as someone would leave the room, the TV would come on.
An extraordinary occurrence happened to one of the CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants.) When she arrived at work, her pager went off with the message , “Room 16.” This was the room of one of the patients that she knew quite well. After she parked her car, she saw that the patient’s husband and daughter were outside, weeping. She learned that the patient had passed just moments before. The CNA proceeded to Room 16 and assisted another CNA with final preparations. A little while later the body was removed. During this time, the CNA’s pager kept going off – “Room 16.” She would remove the message and it would appear once again. She went to the nurse’s station and observed that the pager signal was not going through the main system. It went only to her pager. Finally she returned to room 16, accompanied by the chaplain and social worker, where they prayed and talked with the patient, thanking her for the beauty of her friendship and for being such an extraordinary person. The pager finally stayed off.
Another aide mentioned that she had been attending a hospice patient in Sweden, her home country. In the middle of the night she felt as though someone were holding her toes and bending them back and forth. She arose and discovered that her patient had passed.
She told another story about the night after her stepfather had died. She was sharing a bed with her mother. In the middle of the night, she felt as though she were being pushed out of the bed. She had the clear feeling that her stepfather wanted to be with his wife one more time. She slept in another room.
What was going on? I was reminded of the story told by my doctor. He and his wife were asleep when their bedroom light came on all by itself. Jim said that it was the spirit of his sister-in-law who had just passed away a short time earlier.
About a week after these events, I attended an Interfaith Seminar on Rituals of the Dying. When I shared the incidents with a lady during the break, she said that she had read a book about such appearances called “Hello from Heaven,” by Bill and Judy Guggenheim. I was happy to find that book in the display set up by a local bookstore. The Guggenheims have collected many stories of communications by those who have passed. The stories vary in intensity, starting with a feeling of a loving, tender presence of the loved one. Later stories tell of significant aromas, bright lights, and even physical appearances of the loved ones. These events have been termed After Death Communications or ADC.
This reminded me of a family story in which my grandmother was in her room, grieving at the death of her mother. All at once she looked up to see a vision of her mother. She was young, slender, joyous, and absolutely radiating with brilliant light. After a few moments the vision faded. My grandmother rushed downstairs to tell Aunt Jenny, her mother’s sister. “You’ll never guess what I just saw!” she said. Aunt Jenny replied, “Yes, I know. I saw her too!”
Another story my grandmother told, occurred when she was trying to make miniature Christmas trees with upside-down ice cream cones, green icing, and jelly beans. She just couldn’t seem to get it right. All of a sudden it seemed as though her granddaughter, Nalani Waikiki, who had died some years previously, was telling her “Try this way, Grandma.” She followed directions and the miniature trees came out perfectly!
My mother teaches classes in deep meditation. She is well aware of the spirits of those who have passed. When my father, grandparents, and aunt and uncle died, she was able to see those family members who were present for their own memorial services. They were so happy and radiant in their new lives. She was admonished by one family member, because she was so happy to see her loved ones. The family member couldn't understand why she was smiling when everyone else was sad and weeping.
She tells this amazing story. A man who had been involved with a crime organization, was changing his life around. He had amassed quite a fortune and had planned to support several charities and other organizations. One day he boarded a commuter plane for a business appointment. One of his soon-to-be former crime associates was standing with the man’s wife as the plane took off. He was holding an instrument somewhat like a TV remote control in his pocket. When the plane was in the air, he pressed a button and the plane exploded. The wife was absolutely distraught, as you can imagine. She knew nothing of her husband’s financial arrangements and was told by his associates that he had not left any money. The spirit of the deceased contacted my Mom and her friend Peter. He told them where his financial records were located in various banks. They went to the banks and retrieved the information. They were even guided to the man’s former office at night, were told where the key was and were told where important documents were to be found. With this information, the wife was able to claim what was rightfully hers.
A friend who is a nun, said that she once lived in a building that had housed an orphanage. In the middle of the night she awoke, because it seemed as though someone were sitting on the foot of her bed. She moved her legs and went back to sleep. The next day she asked if anyone knew about the history of that room. No one did. The sensation was repeated several times a week and she finally got used to it. What was amazing was that when she moved to a different facility, the sensation continued. She even felt it on her trip to Ireland. It is still present for her.