The author of What the Dead Have Taught Me About Living Well explains how spiritual mediums identify the presence of departed friends and family. Although some indicators may sound a little weird, as the author says, "signs from the Other Side often increase in frequency and size when they are focused on and acknowledged."
1. Dimes: Spirit can inspire coins to appear in random and unusual places as a way to get our attention—often as a message of prosperity or to encourage you to value your worth. Because coins, especially pennies, are often found lying around in the home, at the bottom of your purse, or in the subway or train station, it may be hard to distinguish between spiritual intervention and chance circumstance. So, when you find coins, pay attention to patterns that consistently reappear. Do you typically find dimes? Do you often find a penny and a nickel together? Does the date on the coin hold any meaning for you?

2. The family dog: Similar to children, animals easily pick up on the departed because they're highly sensitive creatures. When your pets look like they're watching an invisible fly move around the room; when they whimper or growl in a certain direction but at nothing in particular; when they act as if they're playing with someone, running in circles, jumping all over the place or swatting the air—they may be recognizing spirits. Sure, a lot of times animals just behave this way. But when unusual behavior is accompanied by a request for spiritual intervention, it's very possible your departed loved ones or guides have answered your call.

3. The smell of cigarettes: Have you ever noticed a strong odor or fragrance in the air around you, with no indication of where it was coming from? This could be your departed loved ones manifesting a specific scent that you associated with them in life, to let you know they are still with you. It might be a perfume, cologne, cigarette odor, the smell of certain foods, or any other distinguishable and unique scent.

4. Blown lightbulbs: It's easy for spirits to manipulate electricity and cross wires, so to speak, because both spirits and electricity are forms of energy that vibrate at a high frequency and are highly charged. Look for lights flickering in the house, lightbulbs blowing out or disturbance with television sets, radios, appliances and computers. These are all typical spirit moves, and often just their way of saying hello.

5. Toddlers: Have you ever noticed that kids can say the most insightful things—wise beyond their years—at just the right time? Young children often serve as little messengers for our departed loved ones and spirit guides. The departed connect easily with children because they live in the present moment and are much more dialed in to their intuitive senses. They feel and sense the presence of Spiritand will relay messages from beyond without judgment or question.

6. Love songs: Your departed loved ones and guides may communicate with you through a song title or lyric that reminds you of them at the exact time you are thinking about them. They may also try and provide you with clarity and guidance through a series of songs with a resounding theme or message that answers a question you have about a particular situation.

7. Last night's dream: Spirits like to communicate with us in this altered mental state because our thinking mind is turned down and our intuitive knowing is turned up. When we're visited by the departed and our guides in our dreams, we're often left with lasting impressions and insights that help direct us forward in our waking life.

8. Billboards: Sometimes the departed and your guides will use literal signs to capture your attention. These "signs"—billboards, advertisements, street names, shop signs and flyers—generally address a specific question you want an answer to. Signage is everywhere, so it's up to you to discern the difference between messages that are inspired or insignificant. This is one of the instances where you really need to trust that you will know it when you see it.

9. Formations in the sky: Rainbows are my personal sign for the Other Side, and they are a common symbol of divine love. If you ask your departed loved ones or guides for assistance and a rainbow appears shortly after that, remember that you are connected to divine love within you, as you, and that you're never alone.

Setting the intention to be open to the signs is your best strategy for noticing them. While they may feel small and easy to dismiss at first, signs from the Other Side often increase in frequency and size when they are focused on and acknowledged.

Sum It Up by Pat Summitt This adapted excerpt is printed from What the Dead Have Taught Me About Living Well, by Rebecca Rosen. Copyright © 2017 by Rebecca Rosen Enterprises. By permission of Rodale Books.