Messages and Miracles: Extraordinary Experiences of the Bereaved
by Louis E. LaGrand, PhD
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St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn 1999 311 pp. $11.95 Glossary
6 pp Recommended reading, bibliography
In a question and answer format, Louis LaGrand, a grief counselor and Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the State University of New York, provides a wealth of information about bereavement apparitions.
Many and varied are the ways in which the living on earth and the living in spirit dimensions can communicate. LaGrand's collection of stories is both engaging and informative.
Points the reviewer had not seen elsewhere:
The ancient Christian doctrine of communion of saints states that the living and the souls of the deceased are connected through all eternity. Some Anglican communities and all Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox communities, believe a spiritual union exists in which intercessory prayer can take place. Thus the living can pray to their deceased loved ones (who are saints if they are in heaven) to intercede to God for them... (p. 105)
Direct after death communications (ADCs) may occur as auditory, visual, tactile, dream, intuitive, olfactory and out-of-body perceptions by a living person.
Indirect ADCs may include symbolic, third-party, fourth-party, bird and animal, olfactory and dream communications. As an example, a case is described in which Gina's mother gave her an African violet as a gift, at a time when her mother was ill and not expected to live much longer. Gina had not been successful in keeping similar gifts of her mother's prized African violets alive previously, and tended this one carefully. Its flowers died, but it survived several months, and was still alive when her mother passed on. Two weeks later, blooms suddenly appeared one day -- without the prior development of the usual buds. Gina took this as a sign of her mother's communicating that all was well with her in the spirit world. (p. 69)
LaGrand answers a question, "I have had several dreams of my father since he died a year ago. How can I decide if any of them are ADCs?" with the following observations:
1. Dream Clarity. ADC dreams are most often described by dreamers as being bright and vivid, not like their usual dreams. .. The entire dream scene is alive and rich with information.
2. Specific Message. In most cases, the message or messages from the dream are specific and there is no doubt about content or meaning... Sometimes these messages are inferred by nonverbal signs or mind to mind (telepathic) communication.
3. Strong Feelings. Feelings and emotions are most important indicators of authenticity. .. It is not unusual for the dreamer to wake up and feel a previously unknown sensation of deep inner peace and freedom that lasts for a long period of time...
This is and excellent introductory book that explores and explains a helpful spectrum of spirit awareness experiences.
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