Millions of people around the world have reported Extraordinary Experiences (EEs) in mourning the death of their loved ones. These experiences are not associated with a psychic. Rather they are spontaneous in nature and appear to originate from an external source. They include visions, synchronicities, hearing the deceased, feeling the presence of the loved one, dreams of visitation, and various symbolic signs, to name a few.

These events have been occurring since the dawn of history and seem to be a normal phenomenon that brings great comfort and understanding to the bereaved. Because they cannot be proven or disproved, little is done to show how they can be used or accepted as a gift to share and discuss. They serve the spirit by making the recipient consider where these things come from and who controls them.

Here’s what to do if you’re lucky enough to have the experience or are supporting someone who shares an experience with you.

1. Rule out the obvious. It’s good to be skeptical, especially if you’ve never had an EE before and wonder if it’s just wishful thinking. Ask yourself if this is the kind of thing your loved one would do, and decide if you have intuitive certainty about the experience. Most important of all, did it bring you peace or feelings that love was being given? If you answer yes, thank your Higher Power and use it to deal with your loss.

2. As soon as possible, write the entire experience. Start with where you were and what you were doing when the event occurred. Then, from start to finish, he goes into detail and gives a full description. Be sure to include the feelings that were evoked and how you interpret the message conveyed by the experience.

3. Keep a copy of your writing in a safe place where it can be passed down as part of your family history. Your EE can be a wonderful legacy to give to the next generation where it will be read and speculated upon as a source of love. Put it with other important documents with a note about its importance and meaning to you.

4. Share it with your family or close friends. As you do so, be prepared that there will be some who will disagree with your view of its meaning. Don’t let that bother you. In fact, it is to be expected. You and only you are the sole judge of your experience. You know how he felt, the timing, what he was saying, and the implications. Hold on to your belief.

5. Use it to teach your children the fact that love never dies. EE provides comfort and the universal message: “I’m okay and you can be okay too.” It is a gift of love to face the transition you must face. When it comes to a child, make it clear that the deceased loves him very much. That is why the child was given the experience.

6. When you have a bad day, take out your copy of the experience and read it focusing on its meaning and the love it represents. You can leave a written copy of your experience in a drawer of your nightstand to be read at any time. Use it as an inspiration and a reminder that your loved one knows what you are going through and wants to see you persist in adjusting to your loss.

7. Create a personal symbol that characterizes the experience that you can place prominently in your home, car, or purse. This symbol can be a special possession that you own or that belonged to your loved one. It can be a drawing, an emblem or an image that sends a particular message to you when you see it. Use it as a reminder that you are forever loved, as motivation to reach a particular goal, or to highlight any beliefs you want to keep prominent in your mindset.

Learn all you can about Extraordinary Experiences. Much has been written about them, and there is much to study and learn. Taking this action will not only heighten your awareness, but you will also educate yourself on one of the many mysteries of our universe that is meant to be used as the gift it was meant to be. You will leave with vitality and insight into a whole new phase of life.