Direct After-Death Communication

"Spirit" courtesy of Landscape Clipart on Pintrest (Evelyn M.)
"Spirit" courtesy of Evelyn M. of Landscape Clipart (on Pintrest)

It is possible for a spirit to communicate directly with a living person, such as a bereaved loved one. The person may sense a presence, hear a voice, or see a vision. Typically, the person feels a sense of connection and receives messages of reassurance, comfort, or resolution. Such communications are quite common. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center report, half of U.S. adults (53%) say they’ve been visited by a dead family member in a dream or some other form.

The term “after-death communication” (ADC) was introduced and popularized by Bill and Judy Guggenheim in their 1995 book Hello from Heaven!, which is featured in the Science-Based Awakening Library, below. However, this term can be misleading since it excludes spirit communication through an intermediary such as a medium, who effectively facilitates after-death communication by serving as a link between spirits and the living. I have titled this resource page Direct After-Death Communication to clarify that it excludes intermediaries.

Note:  The terms “medium” and “mediumship” have been in use since the 19th-century Spiritualism movement. For more information, see the Mediumship resource page.

Possible Elements of After-Death Communications

Manifestations of after-death communications are varied. They include one or more of the following:

  • Sensing a presence:  A distinct feeling that the deceased is nearby, even without seeing or hearing them.
  • Hearing a voice:  Hearing the voice of the deceased, either externally or within the mind.
  • Feeling a touch: Experiencing a physical sensation, such as a hug or touch, from the deceased.
  • Smelling a fragrance: Detecting a familiar scent associated with the deceased, such as their perfume or aftershave.
  • Visual experiences:  Seeing the deceased, ranging from partial to full visualizations.
  • Dreams and visitations:  Vivid and realistic dreams of the deceased that feel different from ordinary dreams.
  • Symbolic experiences:  Encountering symbols such as coins, feathers, or birds that hold personal meaning and are interpreted as messages.
  • Electronic phenomena:  Lights flickering, electronic devices acting erratically, or receiving phone calls without a clear explanation.

Some people may dismiss these experiences as imagination or coincidence; nevertheless, research suggests that ADCs are often perceived as positive and comforting for the bereaved. Studies indicate that they can reduce the fear of death, increase belief in an afterlife, and aid in the grieving process.

For more information, see Books About After-Death Communication in the Science-Based Awakening Library, below.

science-based awakening resources

After-Death Communication Resources

Video Presentations

Books about After-Death Communication

The books referenced below are a resource for you and those you love. They provide information about making contact with the spirits of departed loved ones.

Note:  Book titles are linked to amazon.com, which offers numerous book reviews.

Barrett, Sir William

Deathbed Visions: How the Dead Talk to the Dying
by Sir William Barrett, 136 pages (2011)

Botkin, Allan L., PsyD, and Hogan, Craig

Cardoso, Anabela

Glimpses of Another World: Impressions and Reflections of an EVP Operator by Anabela Cardoso, 223 pages (2021)

Note:   EVP stands for Electronic Voice Phenomena, that is, communication from spirits that can interact with the physical world through electronic devices.

Anabela Cardoso retired as a senior career diplomat to devote her life to Instrumental and Transcommunication (ITC), a method in which communication with spirits of the deceased happen via radio equipment, televisions, computers, phones, and other electronic devices. She has received thousands of communications.

Website:  Independent.Academia.edu/AnabelaCardoso3

Video:  Learning From the Voices of Instrumental Trans Communication with Anabela Cardoso

Castle, Nathan G., O.P.

Afterlife Interrupted: Helping Stuck Souls Cross Over
by Nathan G. Castle, O.P. , 199 pages (2018)

Cohen, Alan

Friends in High Places: A Breakthrough Guide to Interdimensional Communications
by Alan Cohen, 245 pages (2021)

Cohen has written over two dozen inspirational books that have been translated into over thirty languages.

Website:    AlanCohen.com

Galland, Leo, M.D.

Already Here: A Doctor Discovers the Truth about Heaven
by Leo Galland, M.D., 140 pages (2018)

The spirit of the author’s deceased son appears and shares ancient wisdom with his father.

Guggenheim, Bill and Guggenheim, Judy

Website:   BillGuggenheim.com

Haraldsson, Erlendur, Ph.D.

The Departed Among the Living: An Investigative Study of Afterlife Encounters 
by Erlendur Haraldsson, Ph.D., 264 pages (2012)

This Icelander is known worldwide for his field research.

Jackson, Laura Lynne

Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe
by Laura Lynne Jackson, 288 pages (2019)

New York Times bestselling author Jackson teaches how to recognize and interpret messages from loved ones on the Other Side.

Kagan, Annie

The Afterlife of Billy Fingers: How My Bad-Boy Brother Proved to Me There’s Life After Death by Annie Kagan, 191 pages (2013)

Billy’s ongoing after-death communications take his sister on an unprecedented journey in the wonder of life after death.

Kerr, Christopher, M.D., Ph.D.

Death Is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life’s End
by Christopher Kerr, M.D., Ph.D. with Carine Mardorossian, Ph.D., 248 pages (2020)

Dr. Kerr is a hospice doctor who draws on interviews with over 1,400 patients. He reveals that pre-death dreams and visions are extraordinary occurrences that humanize the dying process.

Moody, Raymond, M.D., with Paul Perry

Glimpses of Eternity: Sharing a Loved One’s Passage from This Life to the Next
by Moody, Raymond M.D., Ph.D., with Perry, Paul, 166 pages (2010)

Reunions: Visionary Encounters with Departed Loved Ones
by Raymond Moody, M.D. with Paul Perry, 213 pages (1993)

Osis, Karlis and Haraldsson, Erlendur, Ph.D.

At the Hour of Death: A New Look at Evidence for Life After Death
by Karlis Osis and Erlendur Haraldsson, Ph.D., 250 pages (1997) 

There are 20 editions in 13 countries. This book is mostly about apparitions.

Ragan, Lyn

Signs from Pets in the Afterlife: Identifying Messages from Pets in Heaven
by Lyn Ragan, 123 pages (2015)

Number One Amazon bestseller

Website:  LynRagan.com

Raudive, Konstantin, Ph.D

Breakthrough: An Amazing Experiment in Electronic Communication with the Dead by Konstantin Raudive, Ph.D., 391 pages (2021)

Originally published in 1971, this book describes the early experiments of Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) also called Instrumental TransCommunication (ITC).

Vaudoise, Mallorie

Honoring Your Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration
by Mallorie Vaudoise, 213 pages (2021)

Willis-Brandon, Carla, Ph.D.

Heavenly Hugs: Comfort, Support, and Hope from the Afterlife
by Carla Wills-Brandon, Ph.D., 248 pages (2013)

Dr. Wills-Brandon has published 13 books including a Publisher’s Weekly bestseller. She has collected nearly 2,000 cases of departing visions and visitations from deceased relatives and friends.