“She hears voices,” a friend reported to me, trying to convince me that someone she knew was crazy.
“So?” I asked. “Don’t you?”
She shrugged. “Maybe. Yeah. Sometimes.”
Why does that seem so strange to people?
Have you ever smelled the perfume of a loved one who’s dead? Do you consider that a sign of mental illness?
We have no trouble feeling comforted by scents. And many people see things like pennies, cardinals, or butterflies (even moths) and feel they’re signs from someone who has passed over.
Why is it that smells and signs reassure us, yet words freak us out?
Our dead loved ones are with us, ready to offer support, consolation, and wisdom. Sometimes it comes without our asking, but we can always request their help. Why is it that we prefer it to come in the language of signs and symbols rather than direct words?
I recently read an interesting study about the difference between those of us who wig out when we hear voices and those who don’t. People who can control when they hear voices and are able to tap into them when they decide to, don’t find the voices scary. This element of control makes all the difference.
Think of it as a radio. You’re in charge. Sure, if you’re shopping or at the dentist, there might be music you didn’t choose (how many fillings have I gotten with classic rock kicking my discomfort up a notch?). But setting firm boundaries with the voices puts you in charge.
When I have my weekly Facebook Live each Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. CT, I invite people’s ancestors in. The radio is on, so to speak. Fifteen minutes later, when I’m done, I send them on their way. Radio off. If I ask one of my ancestors for an answer to a problem I’m having, I’m open to hearing their wisdom—and that’s all I’m open to. No chit-chat, please.
Occasionally, there will be a pushy person on the other side who wants to talk now. I tell them to wait until I’m working. Just as you would if someone from your job called to annoy you at home.
So, invite your ancestors in. Ask them for whatever you need. They love you and would love to help. Be willing to hear what they have to say. And then, when you’ve gotten your answer, thank them and send them off until next time.
