I thought I would start a thread on the topic of 'novel methods of communication' with spirits. The source of my inspiration is a bit silly, but it works for me.

Okay, there's really no easy way to ask this question. Has anyone here ever....listened to their alphabet soup? I noticed that mine was spelling out my initials. I didn't know that was happening, and this has never happened before, nor do I even eat alphabet soup, normally. But, I just happened to have some, and I just happened to begin looking at it while it was heating up. I stirred it once. First initial. No other letters to be read there. I idly thought, hmm, an initial. I stirred it again. Second initial. No other forward letters, just a couple of backward 5's visible in the pot. I said to myself, okay, put that third initial there for me and I'll take it as a message. Stirred again. There was the last initial. Three stirs, three letters.

I had just finished a meditation session in which I could not concentrate at all, just tired. But, there's a part of me that enjoys the 'little things' -- so funny -- even while I am simultaneously asking for the 'ultimate' evidence of a 'real' and thriving spirit world.

So, go ahead, if you like. Spill the beans about those 'secret' tea leaves that you read, your whispered messages in the wind, whatever. It's all interesting.

I guess I should mention that the reason I noticed the 'letters' to begin with is that there was an important name that passed by my view recently, and I was wondering over the last day or so if it was something I was supposed to notice. I occasionally notice that names I 'see' on telephones to tell you who is calling, etc., seem to be noticeable to me, in a synchronous way, when I remember to notice.  So, there seems to be a reason for the reassurance, just simple, kind of silly verification, but it all works together, I guess. That's all I can make of it.

Ustawuz, that is beautiful. Just beautiful. If you were someone who wouldn't notice the drop of water, the heart-shaped rock wouldn't be for you, would it? And, if you didn't have the heart-shaped rock put away someplace safe, you wouldn't have had that experience, as it was, with your psychic friend, would you? And, yes, although the experiences are all 'different', they are related. It is a story, one that is too interesting to put away, no matter how late the hour may be.

Good to see you, Beau...it is comforting indeed to know they are around and reassuring us.

By the way, usetawuz, while I was at my desk at work, yesterday (after seeing your post about the two hearts) I noticed, several times during the day, what I usually forget is there. Only a few inches away. A small glass jar with two hearts in it, one large, one small, one wood, one glass. Both gifts of different sorts. And a small cigar shaped piece of metal that says "relax". I don't remember where that came from.

It made me feel better all day long, like I was seeing it again, fresh and new. The "little" things can go a long way.

And, because I'm feeling pretty good this morning, despite very little sleep for days, for various reasons, I'll tell you about a couple of other "little things" which surprised me this morning.

I have to say, this was one of the oddest ways to wake up ever. I had ear plugs in because a new neighbor listens to the tv all night and I can't sleep lately. I felt something itchy in my ear and then.........it crawled out. This tiny little beetle, right out of my right ear. It shocked me. It was very very small, long and black. But big enough. I threw it away from me because I was shocked. Then, I tried to find it, a foot or so away from me, where I felt it had landed, but I couldn't find it. I was then worried I'd step on it, or who knows. Anyway, I couldn't find it. Then, a while later, I was walking right in that same spot, and there was a much larger bug, exactly like it, or pretty close, right there.....so I caught that one and put it outside. I don't find bugs around tooooo much, but for goodness sake, what a way to wake up....

All I know is that there are some very strange things going on lately, in my world. I could make a list, and explain it all, and sound like a nutcase, or just say, there's obvious 'movement' going on, and strange signs all over the place. It's a little unsettling, but I'm hanging in there.

Ooops, almost forgot one more -- the tale of two lost kittens, yesterday, in two separate buildings, and the woman who came to do the 'rescue' looked ridiculously familiar. Anyway, this is not my style, to write really long posts like this which don't really mean too much to most folks (it's like, you have to 'be there'). These sorts of experiences are hard to 'frame' in this format, on a website, and are better described in a larger context, like in the books people read, which help people imagine what is really happening.

That's a great one, chrwe! i love that. I just tried it. I stood in the center of the room, did a little meditation moment, then went over and grabbed a book off a bottom shelf, not really thinking about it. I shut my eyes, opened the book blindly, and pointed to a place on a page, also blindly. Here's what I got:

"Ask for -- don't demand -- insight."
Christina Baldwin

Wonderful.

Absolutely, world-shakingly true.