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Paranormal Communication Through Animal Appearances

MrRING

MrRING

Android Futureman
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I've recently come across two such stories that I think might be worth considering as part of a larger phenomenon. The general idea is the recently departed communicating to loved ones through the timely, specific appearance of a wild animal at a point of crisis for the grieving loved ones. The communication isn't the animal saying anything, or really doing anything other than appearing, but that when they show up that the person experiencing the animal knows (or just believes) that it is the loved one telling them everything is OK.

The two stories I've come across like this:

- In the famous Ghost of Flight 401 case, the wife of Don Repo saw a flock of his favorite type of birds shortly after his death coming around the house. She felt sure that Repo, an avid birdist, was giving her a sign not to worry and that he was safe on the other side of life.

- One of the cohosts of my favorite international murder and macabre podcasts, Fresh Hell, had a similar experience. Anne from Boston's husband died in a car crash, and at a very low point she was sitting in nature overcome with emotion when a fox came out and watched her for awhile, not running, and not being aggressive. She felt sure that it was a sign from her husband not to worry and that he was safe on the other side of life.

I can't relate any of these stories specifically, but I know when talking to everyday people that I've heard more than one reference animals as signs from loved ones.

A skeptic would likely say that the only thing that happened is that a animal wandered by, and everything else was wishful thinking, and it could never be replicated. But in the sense of Charles Fort, what could such stories rising up through common experience of many people say about the human condition and/or communication to humans from the dead (or other paranormal entities) who can manipulate the animal mind into maneuvering into the right spot and the right time? A simple communication that you are not alone, and that there is something more than the material world?

Aside from the spirits of loved ones, there has of course been a long tradition of indigenous religious experiences taking signs and communications from animal appearances, so I'm guessing that this must be a world-wide phenomenon that directly ties into emotionally charged states of consciousness.

Does anybody on the Good Ship Forteana Forum have other examples of animal appearance communications?
 
I think I remember reading on these boards somewhere of someone interpreting a sighting of a deer as communication from a recently-departed relative. Then there's all those stories of swarms of bees attending the funerals of beekeepers.

On a slight tangent, seeing a black butterfly is said to be an omen of an impending death in Guatemala.
 
SimonBurchell said:
I think I remember reading on these boards somewhere of someone interpreting a sighting of a deer as communication from a recently-departed relative. Then there's all those stories of swarms of bees attending the funerals of beekeepers.

On a slight tangent, seeing a black butterfly is said to be an omen of an impending death in Guatemala.
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Oh I've never heard that one before, I'm going to be on the lookout, Thank you!
 
I think, when one is grieving very deeply, it's natural to want a sign from the departed to either let you know that they are all right now or that you will be all right.

How we perceive this sign seems to vary. There's the whole 'rainbows' thing, or butterflies or even feathers, all of which have been taken to be 'signs' by various people. I think it's a natural part of the grief process, where our brains are letting us know that life continues.
 
People who are grieving are usually quiet still and quiet, ideal
MrRING said:
I've recently come across two such stories that I think might be worth considering as part of a larger phenomenon. The general idea is the recently departed communicating to loved ones through the timely, specific appearance of a wild animal at a point of crisis for the grieving loved ones. The communication isn't the animal saying anything, or really doing anything other than appearing, but that when they show up that the person experiencing the animal knows (or just believes) that it is the loved one telling them everything is OK.

The two stories I've come across like this:

- In the famous Ghost of Flight 401 case, the wife of Don Repo saw a flock of his favorite type of birds shortly after his death coming around the house. She felt sure that Repo, an avid birdist, was giving her a sign not to worry and that he was safe on the other side of life.

- One of the cohosts of my favorite international murder and macabre podcasts, Fresh Hell, had a similar experience. Anne from Boston's husband died in a car crash, and at a very low point she was sitting in nature overcome with emotion when a fox came out and watched her for awhile, not running, and not being aggressive. She felt sure that it was a sign from her husband not to worry and that he was safe on the other side of life.

I can't relate any of these stories specifically, but I know when talking to everyday people that I've heard more than one reference animals as signs from loved ones.

A skeptic would likely say that the only thing that happened is that a animal wandered by, and everything else was wishful thinking, and it could never be replicated. But in the sense of Charles Fort, what could such stories rising up through common experience of many people say about the human condition and/or communication to humans from the dead (or other paranormal entities) who can manipulate the animal mind into maneuvering into the right spot and the right time? A simple communication that you are not alone, and that there is something more than the material world?

Aside from the spirits of loved ones, there has of course been a long tradition of indigenous religious experiences taking signs and communications from animal appearances, so I'm guessing that this must be a world-wide phenomenon that directly ties into emotionally charged states of consciousness.

Does anybody on the Good Ship Forteana Forum have other examples of animal appearance communications?
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Are foxes more aggressive in the US?

“One of the cohosts of my favorite international murder and macabre podcasts, Fresh Hell, had a similar experience. Anne from Boston's husband died in a car crash, and at a very low point she was sitting in nature overcome with emotion when a fox came out and watched her for awhile, not running, and not being aggressive. She felt sure that it was a sign from her husband not to worry and that he was safe on the other side of life.”

A British fox would watch you intently but never become aggressive
 
Paul_Exeter said:
Are foxes more aggressive in the US?

A British fox would watch you intently but never become aggressive
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Most wild animals get away from humans. The ones that come up or observe humans are usually aggressive or rabid, as a rule of thumb. I've only encountered wild deer, possum, coyote, and squirrels, and they all get out of dodge when they encounter a human.
 
catseye said:
I think, when one is grieving very deeply, it's natural to want a sign from the departed to either let you know that they are all right now or that you will be all right.

How we perceive this sign seems to vary. There's the whole 'rainbows' thing, or butterflies or even feathers, all of which have been taken to be 'signs' by various people. I think it's a natural part of the grief process, where our brains are letting us know that life continues.
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That might be part of what makes this interesting.

To somebody - a believer, somebody grieving, somebody with spiritual aspirations - they may see a communication. They might be primed to intuit what is evident in the grand mysterious universe in the appearance of an animal at the right time and place.

To somebody else - a skeptic, a disbeliever in anything that isn't scientifically verifiable - an animal appearance is nothing but another another life form without meaning beyond the scope of their natural life cycle.

The same event from two different perspectives, two quantums that are the same in pure fact yet completely different in a cosmic atomic weight. And maybe by exploring this issue we can get a grasp of a larger truth about our universe, be it a sense in how the dead or non-human entities communicate to us, or how the mind connects to profound solace that could be utilized therapeutically with people experiencing both grief and depression.
 
I think noticing another animal and feeling that you also are part of nature is quite a comforting thing even while you are in the midst of grief. It doesn’t have to be a messenger, or be sent by anybody.
 
Two examples that I'm happy to admit could be wishful thinking mixed with coincidence were just after my Mum died.

I'd turned up for a work shift at a Subway store. This was during lock down but we'd been allowed to stay open although the public didn't seem to have realised this so we rarely got customers. On the day in question, the car park was abandoned, covered in snow and as I walked in, a cheerful co worker I was relieving said " .... and there's a robin that keeps trying to come inside so don't cook it!" then she went home ..

This robin did indeed turn up and my co worker was right. It just stood at the glass doors looking in while other birds were foraging for food. I felt a bit sorry for it and as anyone who's been to a Subway will know, we have a big salad bar so I grabbed a small handful of sweetcorn and tossed it out the front door to the robin. The robin completely ignored it and was just looking at me .. it didn't fly away out of fear either although it would occasionally fly off then return and stand there looking through the glass seemingly at me.

Another robin joined it eventually and happily ate the sweetcorn, I was wondering if the first one was sick. I went out for a smoke later, the place was still completely empty and I was out round the back of the building then I noticed the robin again just standing there looking at me unafraid. Wishful thinking or something paranormal happened but I felt emotional warmth for some reason. I hadn't been thinking about my Mum during that shift but I said "I love you Mum.". As soon as I'd said that, the robin flew off.

The second coincidence was a butterfly landing right next to the vicar as he was talking about her in our church during her funeral. I nudged my Dad ..

A third separate coincidence, nothing to do with my Mum this time, was when I recently became the Godfather of a friend's new born Son. This was at St Mary's in Overstrand, a Catholic ceremony so I'd had to smarten up, read vows and anoint the boy's head in front of everyone. When we all sat back down then stood up again to sing the hymn 'All Things Bright And Beautiful', I spotted a dozy wasp crawling up the microphone stand in front of the baby so I flicked it onto the floor. I was sat next to his Mum so told her "There you go. That's only the first time I've saved him. I'm on it mate!" .. she smiled and whispered " .. and at the same time as the hymn we're all singing!" ..

edit: going back to my experience with the robin, it was only afterwards I told someone how I'd felt and they told me about the folklore involving robins being connected to visitations from the dead .. either way, it cheered me up.

https://www.higgypop.com/news/is-a-robin-a-visit-from-the-dead/
 
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MrRING said:
The same event from two different perspectives, two quantums that are the same in pure fact yet completely different in a cosmic atomic weight. And maybe by exploring this issue we can get a grasp of a larger truth about our universe, be it a sense in how the dead or non-human entities communicate to us, or how the mind connects to profound solace that could be utilized therapeutically with people experiencing both grief and depression.
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The problem with this is that everyone grieves differently. Trying to find a way to 'connect' with the grieving is like trying to juggle sand, because it is such an intensely personal experience. Although the presence of an animal does seem to help in cases of grief and depression, it may just be the physical comfort of having something close that you can talk to and stroke without worrying about it being bored or fed up with your constant circular talk and need for physical contact.
maximus otter said:
May l suggest a Google using the search string “UK fox attack*” ?

Attacks by foxes are rare, but not unknown, even on sleeping - therefore passive - humans.

maximus otter
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I don't think there are any cases of foxes attacking anyone who is alert and moving about. Yes, they will assess a sleeping or inert person for edibility in the same way as they will try a pizza box or pheasant corpse, but they do tend to retreat pretty quickly when the body in question leaps up. Rats will do the same.
 
catseye said:
The problem with this is that everyone grieves differently. Trying to find a way to 'connect' with the grieving is like trying to juggle sand, because it is such an intensely personal experience. Although the presence of an animal does seem to help in cases of grief and depression, it may just be the physical comfort of having something close that you can talk to and stroke without worrying about it being bored or fed up with your constant circular talk and need for physical contact.
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That might make sense with pets, but to interact with wild nature in odd ways at particular times, where it is just their presense in sight, is very different from being able to cuddle fur babies. You might can talk to it, but in the thusfar seen reports conversation isn't a major part of the makeup of the incidents, and touching definately isn't except in the case of the butterfly landing.
 
@Swifty I hasn't heard of the robin thing before. And thanks for sharing your many stories, very interesting stuff and exactly the sort of thing that would be hard to quantify, yet the experience in your life was undoubtedly memorable.
 
MrRING said:
That might make sense with pets, but to interact with wild nature in odd ways at particular times, where it is just their presense in sight, is very different from being able to cuddle fur babies. You might can talk to it, but in the thusfar seen reports conversation isn't a major part of the makeup of the incidents, and touching definately isn't except in the case of the butterfly landing.
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If the presence is just a creature there in your sight, you aren't really interacting with it though, are you? It's just - there.
 
catseye said:
If the presence is just a creature there in your sight, you aren't really interacting with it though, are you? It's just - there.
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Not entirely true... as an example, about an hour ago I startled a deer in a local copse. The deer ran a couple of paces, then stopped to observe me. Likewise, I stood and watched the deer. I think this counts as some level of interaction since we were both responding to each other's presence.
 
SimonBurchell said:
Not entirely true... as an example, about an hour ago I startled a deer in a local copse. The deer ran a couple of paces, then stopped to observe me. Likewise, I stood and watched the deer. I think this counts as some level of interaction since we were both responding to each other's presence.
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I think we'd have to draw up a definition of 'interaction' really. I wouldn't class your encounter as interaction, more as two creatures just looking at one another,. But I guess we all have a different view of what we call interaction!
 
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