by Hollister Rand
“Is he happy?” the mother of a young man in spirit asked me. As I waited for her son, Jason, to answer, an indescribable sense of peace filled me. I felt in harmony with everything (and heard beautiful music in the distance). The feeling of love was almost overwhelming. “Your son isn’t happy,” I said, and her eyes widened with alarm. I quickly added, “He has something even better. He has peace.”
This concluded nearly an hour of speaking with Jason. The death he described from an accidental overdose at a party had left behind many questions which tortured his parents. Who had supplied the drugs? Had he still been alive when his body was hidden? Did he die alone and afraid?
Fortunately, Jason set his parents’ minds at ease by making it clear that their horrible imaginings did not match his experience. Despite an unexpected and abrupt change from physical life to the afterlife, Jason had peace while dying and afterwards.
These days I’ve been thinking about change and transition and how the spirits can help us all during this time. The pandemic has brought death on a heartbreaking scale and disrupted life at a world war level. Now, perhaps more than ever, accessing the peace of the spirits when things in life are changing (whether we want them to or not) and we’re in transition (whether we’re ready for it or not) can be extremely helpful.
I’ve listened to the spirits for more than twenty-five years now. They are the change/transition experts. Following is a summary of thematic refrains for dealing with change and a four-step process to heal and grow during transitional times.
Live in the Eternal Present Moment: Life on earth seems to be a series of events, one happening after the other. The spirits hold a contrasting point of view which is that everything that has been, is and will be, exists at the same time!! In other words, spirits live in the eternal present moment. In the afterlife, there is no need to revisit the past or fast forward to the future because the place of change is in the now. If we adopt this spiritual perspective, we can affect everything in our lives (past and future included) by thoughts and choices made now.
Make Space for Spirit Inspiration: When things are changing there is a natural tendency to retreat, hold on tight or run faster to keep up. The spirits, however, offer a different option. When a daughter in spirit asked her father why she hadn’t felt him guiding her, he responded with “Listen.” In the midst of the “busyness” of daily life or a cluttered mind filled with endless “to do” lists, there isn’t room for the spirits to inspire us with solutions beyond the limited scope of our earthly vision. By getting quiet for even a minute a day, we give the spirits the opportunity to answer the questions our hearts are asking and guide us to a place of safety and security in connection.
Express Gratitude for Your Entourage: “Your father is standing directly behind you,” I told a lovely lady at a recent spirit circle. “He’s backing you up in a way that he could not while living on the earth plane. You’ve always had to be the responsible one, taking care of everyone, right? ” As she acknowledged this to be the case, her father’s message continued with support for a recent decision she had made to step away from a family situation which had become unbearably toxic. The fact that her father was backing her up allowed her to release any concerns about an unbalanced sense of responsibility.
This daughter who had been disappointed by her father in life was grateful for the message that he is her ally now. This gratitude will help her to feel her father’s presence in the days ahead.
During times of challenging decisions, practicing and expressing gratitude can dispel anxiety, reduce stress, build confidence and encourage beneficial choices. In the process, you may even discover that unlikely allies are helping you on your way.
Imagine a Positive Outcome: Research has revealed that our brains have a natural negative bias. In an evolutionary sense, this has been useful for the survival of the species. However, if this tendency is unchecked, aimless thoughts will lead toward fear. Therefore, during transitional times, it can be helpful to think like a spirit. The spirits live in a world of consciousness not limited by a physical brain and have no fear of loss. (After all, they’ve already survived the greatest transition we all face and have lived to tell about it!) During times of change, if we consciously imagine a positive outcome, it is an invitation for a more expansive and spiritual viewpoint to influence the trajectory of our lives.
Our lives are in transition even when it isn’t discernible. Some changes are sudden; some transitions seem to go on and on and on. But almost always, these shifts include loss of some kind – – loss of a job, a home or a loved one. However, by adopting and practicing the simple strategies shared here, it is possible not only to survive change, but make peace with it.
For more information about Hollister Rand please see hollisterrand.com