Signs summary

During his life, the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung began to wonder if coincidences were more than just random peculiarities. He suspected that some of these events were just too meaningful to be the result of chaos. He came up with the term synchronicity, and the theory that there was a unifying force called the unus mundus, or “one world,” that provided an underlying order to our lives.

It begs the question: Have you ever had the impression that the universe is trying to tell you something? It could just be a strange number of similar occurrences, like seeing red balloons everywhere you go. Or maybe when you’re trying to get to a job interview and it seems like the world is conspiring against you. Your alarm doesn’t go off, public transportation is delayed, you show up to the wrong building … you begin to think, maybe I’m not supposed to get this job.

Well, Laura Lynne Jackson, the author of Signs, believes that all of these things could indeed be important signs. In this Blink, we’ll get into where these signs come from and how we’re all connected and stay connected even after we pass on.

Animals aren’t the only means by which the Other Side can get messages across. Electronics are also very susceptible to the energy we continue to carry with us when we cross over.

Many people Jackson has spoken to have experienced signs that range from sparks emitting from an empty electrical socket to mysterious text messages sent from disconnected phone numbers.

One particularly memorable story comes, ironically enough, from a skeptic. Michael Shermer is in fact the founder of The Skeptics Society, which investigates pseudoscientific and paranormal claims. Shermer’s skeptical mind was given its most challenging test when he was about to get married to his wife Jennifer in 2014. Leading up to the wedding, Jennifer was sad that her grandfather Walter wasn’t alive to give her away at the ceremony.

Jennifer was also sad that many of her family heirlooms had recently been lost or damaged in transportation. But one item had survived: her grandfather’s old Philips transistor radio from the 1970s. Michael spent a lot of time trying to get the radio to work, but to no avail. He finally gave up and stuck it in a drawer in their bedroom for safekeeping.

On the day of the wedding, Jennifer’s longing to see her grandfather only intensified. Feeling downhearted, the couple went up to their bedroom for a quiet moment to gather some strength. All of a sudden, they heard music playing. Soft romantic music. There was no stereo in the bedroom. Where was it coming from? The couple looked at each other. Could it be?

Jennifer opened the drawer and lo and behold the music was coming from her grandfather’s transistor radio. What’s more, the radio continued playing throughout the night but stopped the next day when the wedding was over. It has never worked since. Shermer admits, had it happened to someone else, he probably would have offered some theories to explain the occurrence. But he was there and he admits that the radio only started playing after Jennifer was expressing her loneliness. It gave her the distinct feeling that her grandfather was there with her on that important day.

Energy is a strange thing, but it’s also an undeniable part of life. It’s everywhere – and part of everything, including us.

To put it simply, the building blocks of all matter are atoms, and all atoms are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. This is why Einstein said, “Mass and energy are both but different manifestations of the same thing …” This is the fundamental meaning of his famous equation, E = mc2.

You may think of human beings as bodies with a soul. But perhaps it’s even better to think of us as souls with a body. And when that body stops functioning, all our energy doesn’t just vanish. It crosses over to the Other Side – the part of the universe that’s home to all of our spiritual energy. A place of pure light and love that connects all of us, and is the home to which we will all eventually return.

Our bodies have limitations. Our five senses can only pick up so much. So while the Other Side remains just beyond our perception, many animals can see, hear, and smell better – or at least differently – than we can. This gives them the ability to have more awareness of the Other Side.

Jackson likes to say that everyone has their Team of Light looking out for them. You’re probably familiar with the concept of guardian angels. Well, that’s essentially the same thing as the Team of Light. It might be loved ones that have crossed over who are looking out for you, or just the positive energy of the universe trying to steer you in the right direction.

This can be the reason a loved one might reach out. They don’t want you to suffer. They want you to find peace and some comfort in the knowledge that they’re still connected to you in a way. Other times, they might be trying to nudge you in the right direction.

When Susan’s husband crossed over, she was lost and heartbroken for some time. But Marc was making his presence felt. Ever since Marc had crossed, he’d made a point of showing Susan rainbows as a way of telling her that she was on the right path and that he was close by. Everywhere she turned, there were rainbows in the sky – sometimes double rainbows!

But one rainbow was artificial. It was a giant rainbow that had been built over a parking lot in Hollywood at Sony Studios where Marc had worked. Susan had no idea that the construction of the rainbow was the one thing that was holding up a memorial service for Marc. It spanned 188 feet in length. She was absolutely astonished when it was finally unveiled.

Still, there was one thing that was even more unusual about the session that Jackson had with Susan. Marc wanted Susan to move on and to be happy in another relationship – but he said it would take four and half years for that relationship to reveal itself. What’s more, it wasn’t just Marc who was making this happen. Marc was working with Don, a friend who’d crossed over many years before, and was the husband of Barbara, one of Susan’s friends.

Over three years passed before an architect friend introduced Susan to David. They soon became friends, but it took another year before the relationship became serious. Only then did Susan meet with Barbara and find out that David was actually an old friend of her husband Don. That’s when it hit her. It had been four and a half years. And from the Other Side, Marc and Don had indeed been working together to help Susan find happiness. It was extraordinary.

Jackson has dozens more stories like those of Susan and Marc, Jennifer’s grandfather, and Carla and Calder. Unfortunately, we can’t touch on them all in this Blink, but we can pass along some tips on how to raise your own energy and be more attuned to these signs.

If you’re looking for a sign from someone who’s crossed, it can be as simple as asking. Seriously. Put yourself in a quiet, peaceful place. No phones. No distractions. Ask for something unique, like a purple giraffe, or something that you know is specific to the person you’re reaching out to. Maybe they had a favorite song, or maybe they collected porcelain penguins. Make that your sign.

Finally, there are ways to raise your own energy levels, which can help to increase your feelings of interconnectedness. You probably know what positive and negative energy feels like. You know what happens when you encounter someone with negative energy. It’s like the atmosphere of the room changes. We’re all susceptible to these ups and downs, but it’s also possible to shift your energy in positive ways and keep it up.

Art is a powerful means for shifting energy. If you’re feeling down, see what happens if you visit a museum, see a play, listen to music, or watch a good movie.

Gratitude is also important. Say thanks if you receive a sign. Say thanks when your barista hands you your coffee. Spread joy. Raise the energy of those around you whenever you can. Make a list of the things you are grateful for. When you wake up in the morning, you can go about your day either focusing on what you think is wrong or focusing on the good things in your life. Make gratitude your daily habit.

Lastly, we should mention the importance of sleep. These days, it’s common to think of sleep as a necessary hassle that can get in the way of productivity. But the fact is, it’s extremely important to our well-being and our connectedness. Sleep isn’t only when we recharge our batteries, so to speak, and how we keep our energy levels up, it’s also the time when we can sync with the Other Side, and receive messages and answers.

To put it simply, positive energy is about taking care of yourself. Not neglecting your sleep. Staying active. Eating well. And helping others when you can. We all share the same energy, and when we help and inspire others, we’re doing our part to respect our interconnectedness and the special place we all have in this amazing universe.

Signs are all around us. When we cross over, we leave our bodies but our energy continues to thrive on the Other Side. Loved ones who’ve crossed over can continue to look after us and be with us on our journey. Whether you’re aware of them or not, signs from the Other Side have likely been a part of your life already. Connecting with them can be as simple as raising your awareness, shifting your energy, and appreciating the interconnectedness of the universe.