When I first realized that I was sensitive to the presence of spirits, I was both intrigued and frightened. My supernatural experiences showed no signs of stopping, so I eventually decided that I had two choices: remain small and scared, or figure out how to work with these abilities. I chose the latter, and it changed my life for the better.

Practicing mediumship and spirit communication should be done with care. That said, communicating with spirits can expand your world and improve your life in unexpected and joyful ways. Here's how.

1. Talking to spirits can bring closure and healing.
Let's first talk about spirits of the dead. It is my belief that a new journey awaits all of us once we die. While spirits of the dead move on, those of us left behind face the difficult task of navigating life without them. The death of someone we love is not something we just "get over." Grief is everchanging, but we can create meaningful and joyful lives after devastating loss.

Much of my work as a professional medium and spiritual worker involves helping people process grief and loss. I was personally well-positioned for this aspect of my work thanks to an almost 20-year, prior career as a professional advocate for victims and survivors of crime. Most of my mediumship clients come to me because they want closure with a loved one who has passed. When someone has a traumatic or unexpected death, their surviving loved ones often wonder, "Are they ok?" "Do they know how much I love them?" "Are they stuck?" Even when death is expected, there can be unanswered questions and things left unsaid. Spirit communication, whether with an experienced medium or on your own, can offer a beautiful opportunity to tie up loose ends and say what you need to for your own healing.

Obviously, it can be helpful to have a skilled medium guide you through this process, but you can also do it on your own. Simply talk to your loved one. They can hear you. You can ask for signs that they are ok or that can offer answers to your questions. You may find it helpful to create a small ritual such as placing a picture of the person with a candle, glass of water, and their favorite food or drink on a table in the heart of your home or somewhere that was meaningful to you both. Envision that you are surrounded in a beautiful circle of light and state out loud that only the spirit of your deceased loved one may reach you and only if it is for your highest good. You may find it helpful to write out what you want to say ahead of time, but you can also just speak from the heart in the moment. Pay attention to your surroundings and the sensations in your body. You may find that the temperature changes or the candle may flicker strangely if you are using one. You may feel buzzing or tingling in your body or you may hear or see images in your mind. Notice what you experience and if it feels meaningful; at least entertain the possibility that your loved one is responding to your efforts.

When you have said what you need to, thank your loved one and ask that they leave. Take a breath, and on your exhale envision that the beautiful circle of light you created at the beginning falls away. End with cleansing. Take a bath or shower, or even just wash your hands or feet, while focusing on washing away any energetic gunk you may have picked up. Always follow up your cleansing by "filling up" with positive energy. Some suggestions include listening to a song that makes you happy, eating or drinking something delicious, or dancing or stretching. These actions also help bring you back into your body and the physical realm. Once you feel your spirits lift, envision that you are surrounded by a protective circle of light. Any color that comes to mind is perfect. This offers a container to protect and hold the positivity you have created.

Nothing can take away the pain of never being able to hear and hold our loved ones again, but believing that they continue to exist can help us find healing and have faith that someday we can be together again.

2. Talking to spirits can help you to be brave.
When we have faith that we somehow survive the death of our "meat suits" it can help us to stop sweating the small stuff. For me personally, my conviction that my soul will survive the death of my physical body is linked to my belief that I'm alive in this world at this time for a reason. Because I regularly communicate with my ancestors and loved ones who have died, I also have faith that I have protectors and champions on the other side. I don't want to waste the opportunity to live my life to the fullest, so I do my best to take chances, be brave, and make the world a little better.

I encourage you to consider what you think happens when we die. Do you think we go somewhere else, whether it is Heaven, Hell, or something else entirely? Do you believe that it's "lights out" for everyone? Do you believe in reincarnation? Once you've spent some time with this, weigh your worries against those beliefs. So many of us carry heavy burdens of fear, petty resentments, and unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. You may find that some of these earthly concerns don't matter that much in the big scheme of things.

I've always loved the Mary Oliver quote, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" If you believe that our souls transcend the death of our physical bodies, you may find it a little easier to embrace new opportunities and make the most of the gift of being alive.

3. Talking to spirits can inspire curiosity in all things magical and strange.
Thus far, I have only talked about spirits of the human dead. I ask you to consider what else might be out there. In my experience, believing in ghosts is something that most people are willing to at least entertain. However, once you open yourself up to the possibility that our souls exist after we die, a snowball effect of strangeness can follow. Join me on the following thought journey…

Believing that ghosts exist can inspire a lot of related questions. For example, are spirits that appear to remain earthbound stuck here, or are they able to travel between our world and whatever lies beyond? You may find yourself pondering what is actually happening within haunted spaces. Is the paranormal activity occurring within a home, for example, the result of a sentient spirit or is it like an energetic imprint that is left on the space?

Things can get even more interesting from there. Some believe that hauntings can sometimes be caused by thoughts, emotions, and energy of the living that are strong enough to manifest as supernatural activity. These are sometimes called egregores or thoughtforms. In my experience, activity can also be caused by spirits that reside in the land itself. These are commonly referred to as elementals, which is an umbrella term for beings that include trolls, elves, tomte, sprites, and more. In my practice, remedies from different magical traditions can provide relief for those who are living in these spaces, which opens a whole other avenue of strangeness. I posit that entertaining these possibilities can lead to curiosity about other strange theories such as multiple dimensions, ley lines, cryptids, aliens, and so much more.

I have noticed that many people believe in a single category of strange phenomena and roll their eyes at the rest. For me, the longer I do this work, the more questions I have. I am willing to consider it all, provided that I keep my common sense and wits about me. I encourage you to suspend disbelief and allow yourself to indulge your innate curiosity about what exists beyond our physical reality. As long as you stay grounded and continue to responsibly attend to the practical matters of your life, you will find that exploring the magical and strange makes the world so much more interesting.