I would like to start a thread hearing about people’s experiences with feeling and receiving comfort from pain, sadness, grief, etc, physically experiencing spiritual assistance.  Most of these situations happen when we are in so much pain or desperation and we’re praying, but we don’t expect anything to really physically happen. 

One experience I was thinking about today happened back before my divorce.  I was in such sorrow over it, feeling so defeated and depressed over my marital problems and knowing that I wanted to divorce my husband, and hoping that one day I would find a man who truly loves me.  I was at work alone one night in our very tiny office, so I know I was the only person there.  I remember just hanging my head down and trying not to cry, and I was asking in my head just for some comfort from these deeply sad feelings. 

I suddenly felt a pair of large, strong hands on my shoulders.  I literally physically felt the feeling and pressure of them as if someone was really pressing into the tops of my shoulders. 

It certainly got my attention!  And I knew instantly that this was a spiritual interaction.  I didn’t receive any thoughts or feelings or hear anything with it, and honestly I didn’t just instantly feel better.  I still felt completely crummy, but the fact that I became consciously aware that “someone” was actually there listening to my thoughts and showing they were there with me was such an incredible experience. 

It's experiences like this that prove to me we are never alone. 

Vicky

I agree with you on all accounts.  As I’ve grown older and had many more experiences and learning, I certainly do know the power of Love and what it can do.  It’s gotten me through many difficulties. 

Have you ever in your past experienced a "hands-on" sensation of a spirit guide, helper, loved one, or your higher self?  Anything at all like that that helped awaken you to what you know now?

I think the strongest, most eye-opening life changing experience for me of this sort was when my newborn son was taken to another hospital into surgery.  He was born with a serious birth defect and they didn't expect him to survive the surgery.  I was out of my mind with disbelief, pain, shock, and anger, and I prayed so intensely.  During his surgery as I lay in another hospital, I felt my son lying in bed with me and I held his tiny little hand the entire time.  I knew it was impossible.  I knew it didn't make any logical physical sense.  I knew it was an incredibly special gift that was given to me to make me know he was going to be ok.

Lovely to read all of your experiences Vicky and recoverer.

I had my own back in July of this year. At least I like to think someone was with me helping me through it but I've also been told it means change is on the way. Change did happen a few days later with our oldest dog passing away

Anyway back to my own experience, it was a roasting hot day. I remembered not having enough water the year before during hot weather so this time I made sure I had enough and actually drank too much water in a short space of time. This gave me some terrible side effects and an ambulance was called. I was scared stiff!

When I got to the hospital, after some waiting around in an empty A&E area, they moved me to a room called 'The Butterfly Room'. Just like a little private area with a bed and chairs in. I had to wait in there for hours for my blood results but luckily had my family with me. I expected them to tell me I could go home once they gave me the results but I found out I would be moved up on to a ward to go on an IV drip for 8hrs.

When I got up there, I found that we weren't allowed visitors until a certain time so I would be up there for half  of the day on my own! I was very anxious about the whole experience. But it wasn't until just before I was discharged over 8hrs later that my partner noticed something I hadn't even seen. Above each bed was a large whiteboard kind of thing, I think these had our names on. Now in the bottom corner there was a picture of a butterfly that had been stuck on there. Just a black and white butterfly. I looked at everyone else's boards and NONE of them had anything on them, they were all blank!

I had also thought it was unusual earlier in the day before I went to hospital as there were many more butterflies about than usual, many more around me. And once we were out of the hospital, my partner went to fetch the van as it was parked quite a distance away so I waited near the reception for him. It was just an area with a roof so provided shelter but there weren't any walls apart from what was joined on to the hospital building. Well I was waiting there for a few minutes when a butterfly floated by and came close to me before flying off again.

That day brought me an unbelievable amount of comfort as I got the impression that I wasn't alone. Now it could have all just been a coincidence but a good one at that but I was told it wasn't a comforting message from the other side but that it meant change was coming my way! But I still like to think it was something spiritual letting me know it was by my side.

Another memory is when I was at secondary school. I absolutely HATED it. When you don't have any friends and you are very shy, school is your worst nightmare. Every night when I laid in bed, I used to see a woman's face on my wall. She had wavy hair. After a while I got used to seeing her. She never moved or anything and there were no patterns in the wall that made it look like a person was there. She wasn't there all the time but just for a short while after I went to bed. I always wondered if she was there by my side letting me know everything was OK, it was very comforting. Wonder if she was my spirit guide or something!

Although there isn't always anyone there to comfort you when you need it. When I was quite young, I'm guessing around the age of 5-7, we stopped off at the graveyard on the way home from visiting relatives. My Mum and brother and I stayed in the car whilst my Dad nipped to his relative's graveyard, I think to place some flowers down. And then it hit me about dying and I got so upset I couldn't control myself although no one noticed me but I had tears in my eyes at the thought of losing my parents one day and everyone that I loved and how I would be alone and I felt so sad about it. I didn't receive any signs of comfort then or anything to make me believe that you don't really die so I wonder why I only felt this comfort when I got older?

Vicky,
You gave me my morning laugh today when you said, "Our higher selves don't do things just to entertain us...although I wish they would."  My own guide's humor lies in the sarcastic, and I never feel her smile.  She's always so busy teaching me something.  I often wonder what else she does or am I a fulltime job?  lol

My grandmother's guide showed her gardens full of beautiful purple flowers shortly before she died.  My grandmother mentioned it to my mother who was beside her bed, and then said to her, "Oh, I forgot you can't see them."

I agree with you, Vicky, that ESP talent runs in families like musical talent in some other families.  If only all offspring would take up the family business (so to speak).
Hugs to all,

Vicky,
Do you ever ask them to do something for you...like find you a parking place close to the door of wherever you're going?  I do and they are very good at it-- at least mine are. 

I went to Walmart the other day.  I asked for some place close as I was already tired.   I pulled in the lot and looked around for somewhere to park and thought I would find one right away, but I had to go around again.  Just as I was thinking my guides couldn't find one for me, one opened up as I pulled close.  I should know not to ever doubt them.  They teach me that lesson quite often.

Now that is a simple thing and fills a simple need, but it does a couple of things.  It lets me know my guides are hearing me.  They also know that I will be fatigued when I come out and appreciate the car being close.  And one other thing, they are very good to me.  All I have to do is ask, and believe they will do it, and thank them when it is done.
T'ressa

You guys got my hopes up talking about the guides, etc. I talked to the "guides" this morning before looking for a parking place, joking out loud to them about being the parking "gods" not guides, and hoped with expectation that there would be a space. There are never spaces on a Tuesday. Never. Lo and behold, I looked to my right and there it was. My space.