Good morning!  Today’s reading is taken from Suzanne Giesemann’s book, Making the Afterlife Connection…The Journey from Doubt to Knowing that Death is not the End.  Suzanne is a well-known evidential medium with numerous books and YouTube presentations that can help you on your own journey with mediumship.  Here is a direct quote from her book: 

“Until you realize that your loved ones who have passed are doing their best to let you know they’re still around, you may miss the signs they send.  A scent that arises with no discernable cause… a butterfly in December… lights that flicker for no known reason… these are some of the many ways those in spirit can manipulate the energy of our world to say hello and send their love. 

When something catches your attention in such a way that you momentarily stop and focus on it, I call this a snag.  You might miss these tiny catches and give them no further thought unless you set a clear intention to notice when the signs truly come from across the veil.   

If you would like to honor your loved ones’ efforts and celebrate your ongoing connection, sit quietly and take a relaxing breath.  Close your eyes, move your awareness to your heart, and radiate loving energy to your entire soul family and your team of guides.  Now, state your intention as clearly and precisely as possible.   

For example, you might say, “I set the intention from this moment on to notice all signs from across the veil and to honor your efforts.  Thank you for maintaining contact with me in wondrous ways.” 

It doesn’t matter whether you state your words aloud, silently, or write them.  When you use this process to clearly set any intention, you are harnessing your co-creative superpower and working directly with Spirit to manifest your desires.” 

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Good morning, everyone!  Here we are, it’s Sunday morning and as Spiritualists, we are gathered here to connect with the highest and best spirit guides, helpers and angels.  We are also here to connect with those we love who have crossed the veil and are just around the corner, out of sight.  Sometimes we feel their presence, sometimes we get signs and have a deep knowing in our hearts that they sent us that sign.  Sometimes they visit us in dreams.  Sometimes somebody says something to us, and it is as though our loved one is speaking through that person.  And we are so grateful when someone can give us a message with evidence of their continued survival. 

 As Spiritualists, we believe our spirits are eternal and continue to exist even after leaving our physical bodies.   And we are excited about the afterlife promised to us, that there is eternal progress open to every soul!  We develop relationships with our guides and master teachers, many of whom lived earthly lives before beginning their journeys “on the other side, across the veil”, journeys including eternal progress and continued learning! 

When I was preparing for this talk, I stopped by the Munroe Library and found this book of Suzanne Geisemann’s on the shelf.  I have followed her over the past few years, and I’ve been inspired by her.  She, like many other mediums, decided to pursue mediumship after the sudden and tragic death of a loved one, her stepdaughter.  I decided to study and deepen my mediumship practice after the death of my oldest son 10 years ago.  Occasionally I receive images or messages which have meaning for those around me.  But I still have further to go with this journey.  So, this talk is not just for you but for me as well. 

Here are four things that we can do to cultivate our connections with loved ones who are in spirit.  Number 1 – meditate.  If you don’t want to have contact with them, don’t meditate.  It’s as simple as that.    

What does meditation look like?  As Radleigh Valentine said in Compendium of Magical Things, “Most of us who try meditation take something immensely simple and make it extremely hard.  The trouble we create for ourselves is by thinking it has to be a certain way, and if we don’t get it right, then we’re just not built for this, and we quit… To succeed at meditation, you must stop judging yourself and just keep trying.”   

I say, “Be curious and just start, find your own way to meditate.  If something isn’t working, try a different way.  Try sounds of nature, sitting in a hot bath with a lit candle, listen to Gregorian chants, do guided meditations.  There are so many options!”  I also say “be consistent, try to meditate at the same time.  Our guides and loved ones on the other side start to expect this time and are more likely to show up.” 

My personal meditation practice has evolved over the years.  Although I still have a long way to go and sometimes lack discipline, at times I am amazed at who pops in during my meditations.   

Some of you know that at the end of December, I went with two friends for an overnight to the old convent in Elie which was converted to a bed and breakfast.  During my meditation the day before, who else but Mother Theresa of Calcutta popped into my mind’s eye.  She was warm, smiling and breathing, not saying anything to me.  She stuck around for a couple minutes before leaving.  I was surprised by this sudden visit and noted the very alive quality of her presence.  

When my friends and I arrived at the Convent the next day, we toured around the old building.  The original chapel on the second floor was again being used as a chapel, and we spent considerable time looking around here.  Then, as we were leaving the chapel to check out a private suite on the same floor, I noticed a large, framed display of photographs featuring, strap yourselves in now, Mother Theresa of Calcutta!   Well, this couldn’t just be a coincidence! 

So, being a very curious person, I immediately tootled downstairs to look for our hosts at the Convent, Linda and Jean.  Jean was outside, but Linda told me that when Mother Theresa visited Manitoba in 1982, Jean’s dad had been her official chauffeur to her events.  Mother Theresa’s right-hand nun who accompanied her, Sister Penelope, had a sibling in Brandon who was married to Jean’s dad’s brother.  The framed display of photographs outside the chapel door belonged to Jean’s dad before his death and came to the Convent and Jean afterwards.  Mother Theresa of Calcutta remained connected with this family even in spirit! 

Suggestion Number 2- ask for signs and /or be open to seeing them.  I talk often to my oldest son who is in spirit, and I’ve had some remarkable experiences over the years.  A few weeks ago, I was going through some items deciding what I should move on to a thrift store.  My son had a framed picture of Jesus in his bedroom which had moved with us to our new home one year ago.  Our son had found this picture on the windshield of his car in the student parking lot at his high school. I don’t believe he ever found out who left it there…truly a mysterious occurrence!    

I put his picture of Jesus in the donation box, but it just didn’t feel right there.  It seemed to be almost glowing and exuding powerful energy that caught my attention.  Finally, I took it out of the box and looked at it more closely.  I noticed that the top part of the picture back was not clipped into place, and I slid it up and out of the frame.  Lo and behold, I found $195 between the picture and the back of the frame.  I took this as a gift from my son in spirit and I still have the Jesus picture! 

Suggestion Number 3 – ask them for help with tasks they were good at during their physical life.    

Back in 2019, I was looking for a new-to-me car, a Honda Civic with standard transmission to replace my 2004 which was getting very close to the end.  My oldest son was very mechanical and good at buying and selling vehicles.  So, I asked him for help.  Shortly after, I found a Kijiji ad for a 2012 Honda Civic with a heading note of 630,000 kilometers; there was no photo.  I thought “that mileage can’t be right” so I clicked open the ad to look more closely.  Sure enough, the body of the ad stated 63,000 kilometers…what a difference one zero can make!  I immediately phoned my husband and asked him to check the vehicle for me.  It checked out well and we bought it for just under $10,000!  I thanked my oldest son for his help and I still drive that trusty Honda Civic!   

Suggestion Number 4- be part of a group of people who share your beliefs that life continues after death and that communications also continue.  Many times, I have received messages from friends and Spiritualist community members that have confirmed for me that communication does continue after the deaths of those we love.   

Back a couple years ago, a friend from this church community brought in a Detroit Red Wings baseball cap she had noticed at the side of the highway while she was driving to church.  She knew it was for me; her heart told her that.  The symbol of the Detroit Red Wings is the sports car tire with two wings… my oldest son loved sportscars, so the symbol was fitting.  My husband immediately adopted that hat and continues to treasure it, wearing it often.   

A couple months ago, when I was driving home on Chief Peguis, I was following a van that had a Detroit Red Wings sticker in the back window.  Finding this unusual for Winnipeg, I mentioned this to my husband.  He reminded me that he had been a Red Wings fan when he was a child and had a similar sticker on his bedroom window.   

I have no doubt our son was communicating with us.  He enlisted this dear friend from church to provide the hat for his dad then provided another loving “just popping by sign” with the Red Wings sticker in the van window! 

In her book, Suzanne Geismann said, “The more you open to the presence of loved ones in spirit, guides, and angels, the more you notice moments of what I call “set-ups” from Spirit.  Contemplate times when you were led to take an action that resulted in a wondrous result that benefitted you and others.  Review the chain of events that had to take place for the outcome you experienced.  Can you see invisible hands pulling strings? 

When you understand that all share one Mind, you realize that the thoughts that occur to you are not necessarily your own.  Those in spirit often merge with your mind as a way of guiding you.  Such help can be as ordinary as the idea of taking a different route home, resulting in a meaningful encounter with someone in need.  Notice these setups and send gratitude.”  Thanks, Suzanne, for this wisdom. 

While our Sunday morning gatherings here allow us the opportunity to develop relationships with like-minded people, Heather and Glenn also host a Thursday evening group over the fall and winter months.  This group allows us to deepen relationships with each other and grow our own abilities to be clear channels for spirit communications into this dimension.  Mediumship is challenging and as we learn, it is easy to be discouraged or doubtful.  However, in a world that can be hard to navigate while grieving the passing of someone we love, a spirit message can give us hope and light for our journey. 

I was not sure what I would speak to you about today.  I asked my guides to help me and waited for an answer.  Then on the Wednesday before last service, I had an evening at home alone with my dog, and I just started typing until I finished.  Once again I thank my guides for helping me. 

I am very grateful to be part of this community.  I thank Heather, Glenn and all of you for what I have learned here.  The teachings I’ve received along with messages and experiences I’ve had, comfort my heart and soul, give me the strength to go forward and to find meaning in my life.  Thank you for choosing to be here today and part of this, my story.