Touched by the Extraordinary

Suppose someone told you that you could communicate with a loved one on the Other Side. What would be your reaction? You might scoff at the very notion, certain that there is no "Other Side." You might be guardedly skeptical. You might be open to the idea--wistful about it, even--but have no idea what such a communication would entail. Or maybe you'd find yourself nodding excitedly . . . because you feel you've already heard from a lost loved one.

Here's the thing: some of the world's biggest skeptics have been swayed by Susan Barbara Apollon. Don't write off post-death communications until you check out her new book, Touched by the Extraordinary: An Intuitive Psychologist Shares Insights, Lessons, and True Stories of Spirit and Love to Transform and Heal the Soul (Matters of the Soul, 2005, ISBN: 0-9754036-4-8, $19.95). In it, she states that 42 percent of Americans surveyed report moments of communication with those who have died

"My own research and that of many other respected scientists and authors points to strong evidence of a nonlocal mind, a consciousness that extends beyond the borders of time and space," says Apollon. "It is through this nonlocal mind, sometimes called the sixth sense, that we experience post-death communications and other supernatural moments. If you can tap into and develop this sixth sense, you can actually 'invite' these extraordinary visits from your lost loved ones."

Apollon's book is a compelling blend of her analysis of recent research on remarkable phenomena and stories from her own experiences and those of her patients. Besides delving into many stories of people who have been visited by the deceased, she covers other "extraordinary" topics ranging from angel encounters to near-death experiences (NDEs) to precognition to the power of prayer.

Reading these stories of ordinary people's extraordinary moments--many of which will validate your own experiences--is inspiring, indeed. But nothing compares to connecting with the extraordinary yourself.

That's why Apollon dedicates much ink to providing research-based step-by-step advice on expanding your nonlocal mind and developing the intuitive gifts that will foster such comforting and joyful encounters in your own life.

Here are a few of her insights and suggestions to get you started:

• Give yourself permission to be open to extraordinary experiences.
"As a psychologist who has sat with patients who have shared countless wondrous stories of small and large miraculous events in their lives, I have come to recognize that the ability to experience miracles is often dependent on whether or not you choose to allow for the possibility of miracles in your life," writes Apollon.

• Familiarize yourself with the ways deceased loved ones communicate.
A loved one may send a message via a dream, a vision, a scent (a favorite perfume or a whiff of cigarette smoke), a sensation (a soft breeze, a gentle touch, a sensation of a hand running through your hair), and so forth. "Deceased ones are remarkably creative!" writes Apollon. "They find unique ways to convey their presence. Some have used a feather, some a specific type of car, van, or truck. Others use a specific bird or animal, always one that is meaningful so that there will be little doubt about the source of communication. Some use electrical devices, such as answering machines. There are some who play with lights, causing them to blink and flicker, to get our attention. And there are others who use their energy to move an object or two."

• Keep a synchronicity journal.
The theme of synchronicity, the flow of "meaningful coincidences" that indicate that all life is connected, meanders through the stories like a graceful silver stream. The sheer volume of these small miracles that happen in so many lives adds up to powerful evidence of "something greater." Taking the time to notice them will hone your ability and willingness to notice communications from your lost loved ones. "I encourage you to take time to note in a journal or small notebook any happenings or events that on the surface appear to be coincidences, but which, after examining the context in which they occur, are recognized as meaningful experiences," Apollon advises. "You will be surprised at just how many of these psychic moments are occurring. The numbers, I believe, will be far greater than you may have imagined."

• Pay close attention on special occasions and holidays.
Apollon says that deceased loved ones often "visit" during birthday parties, graduations, weddings, family reunions, and other celebrations. Stories illustrating this tendency abound in her book. "'Invite' your deceased loved ones to such occasions," she suggests. "By simply expecting and believing that they will appear, you'll be more likely to receive a communication. You might even set a place at the table for your family member who has passed on, or light a special candle in his honor. Don't be surprised if your gift is acknowledged in some way . . . and you'll know it when you see it."

• Get a pet.
Animals are deeply connected to humans and to the unseen world. There have been many documented cases of dogs knowing when their epileptic owners were about to have a seizure and dolphins "diagnosing" illness or pregnancy in swimmers. In Touched by the Extraordinary, Apollon relates some heartwarming stories that reveal the wisdom, intuition, and sensitivity of animals. One tells of a patient, Elisa, whose dog Brownie "knew" of the death of her father. "[Elisa] had said her goodbyes and expressed her love to him before returning home that night," writes Apollon. "Later in the evening, while sitting with her family and Brownie, the phone rang. As she got up to answer it, Brownie, obviously sensing something not right, lifted his head, and went over to be by her side. As she received the news that her father had just died, Brownie let out a howl, reflecting what could only be interpreted as feelings of great loss and pain. Without her saying a word, Brownie intuitively had known that her dad had just died."

• Meditate and pray regularly.
Believe it or not, prayer and meditation are very similar. Both can open the door to the types of spiritual guidance discussed in Touched by the Extraordinary. As Apollon points out, when you meditate, you listen to the Divine. When you pray, you speak to the Divine. Both enable you to connect with your intuitive wisdom. If you don't know how to meditate, the author assures you that it is not difficult at all. It involves learning to breathe correctly, which in turn, leads to a response of the body called the relaxation response. This is a successful means of quieting your mind, which is part of the meditative state. "As you stay with the breath, you have a sense of quieting of your very being, of peace and tranquility, and even of beginning to connect with your intuition, otherwise known as the wisdom of your soul or consciousness," Apollon writes.

• Just ask for a visit. But do so joyfully, not anxiously.
Sometimes the easiest way to hear from your lost loved ones is to simply ask them to appear to you. Or if you feel uncomfortable with that approach, ask God to arrange a visit. Just make sure that you don't ask in a desperate, anxious, "begging" way. Do so calmly with a sense of joyful expectation. "The message should be 'I'd love to see you,' not 'Please, please, please visit me--if you don't, I'll die,'" says Apollon. "Anxiety and desperation have a strong tendency to block your ability to receive messages. Incidentally, you should always pray that way, whether you're praying for yourself or for someone else: in the moment and from a place in your heart that is filled with warmth, love, and joyful excitement about the ultimate outcome."

When you seek out and welcome such extraordinary events, says Apollon, you will begin to notice more and more of them. You will find them incredibly comforting. And hopefully, they will also inspire you to connect with your own soul and Source, to become all you can be on a spiritual level--free of fear.

"The sixth sense that allows you to communicate with lost loved ones gives you a heightened sense of awareness that enhances your life in many ways," says Apollon. "It will help you instinctively know whether you can trust someone. It will give you a sense of peace that your child is safe even when she's a thousand miles away. When an opportunity arises, you'll be able to feel whether it's the right move. Really, what all of this boils down to is what people really mean when we talk about faith--
the calm knowledge that, no matter what, we will be 'okay.' It's the best possible way to live."P>

About the Author:
For close to twenty years, Susan Apollon has worked as a psychotherapist, psychologist, and healer, treating children and adults who are traumatized, diagnosed with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses, dealing with death and dying, and those who are grieving. She brings to her patients a gentle blend of warmth, compassion, and wisdom gained from surviving her own illnesses and losses; her expertise and training as a wife, mom, teacher, psychologist, researcher, and student of energy, mind, and consciousness; and finally, her own intuitive development.

Coming from a family of physicians (father, brother, aunts and uncles, and daughter, Rebecca), Susan's intent is to heal (emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually), but at the level of the soul--and always with love and compassion. Focusing on the many blessings each of us has, she guides her patients to the recognition that we are here to live life in joy and peace (to be happy) and that the resources for this are within each of us. "Intention is everything," she often tells her patients. "With love, clear intent and choice, transformation, healing, and very often, spiritual awakening, become our reality. And when this occurs, everything feels wonderful."

Among Susan's most treasured blessings are her husband, best friend, and partner, Warren, a practicing orthodontist in Langhorne, PA, whom she has known and loved for more than forty years, and her two grown children whom she respects, honors, and adores--David, a marketing consultant, and Rebecca, a third-year resident in emergency medicine. She has been in private practice in Yardley, PA, since 1991.

About the Book:
Touched by the Extraordinary: An Intuitive Psychologist Shares Insights, Lessons, and True Stories of Spirit and Love to Transform and Heal the Soul

(Matters of the Soul, 2005, ISBN: 0-9754036-4-8, $19.95) is available at bookstores nationwide and from major online booksellers.

For more information, please visit touchedbytheextraordinary.com.