Many people get premonitions, from the ordinary to the life changing. A week before the World Trade Towers were hit, I dreamed I was in one of the towers rushing about looking for an escape. There was a hole in the side and a dizzying drop below. People were rushing about trying to find a way down in the vast building. The dream was vivid, a quality I’ve come to associate with prophetic dreams.
Some premonitions are more ordinary and less emotion-infused. Yesterday morning I was making coffee when a client popped into my mind, someone I haven’t spoken to in years. This thought tells me she is thinking about me and will probably contact me, and sure enough, I get an email today. It tells me that we are receiving thoughts from people long before they actually contact us. I have to wonder if I’m sending something to them too, like healing or a warm embrace.
Everyone including you, is hardwired with the ability to sense the future. So even if you aren’t aware it, you have probably have had intuitive signals coming to you that get mixed in with your other thoughts. The more you become aware of the possibility of having premonitions, the more you will notice them happening to you.
Premonitions are part of our evolutionary advantage. Cornell professor emeritus Daryl Bem, one of the most respected social scientists of his generation, has been studying psychic ability in ordinary people for 20 years. His studies show that the average person does in fact sense the future before it happens. He noticed that men are especially adept at sensing future sexual opportunities and women at sensing future danger. He calls this capacity an evolutionary advantage that has enabled our species to survive. In other words, we might not have made it as a species these 200,000 years without men’s exceptional ability to sense reproductive advantage or women’s ability to sense danger to themselves and their young.
The Difference between true premonitions and anxiety. As security specialist Gavin DeBekker pointed out in his book, the Gift of Fear, when you are really in danger, there is a powerful knowing that fills you and directs you. Signs of resonance will arise in your nervous system, like goosebumps, hairs standing on end, or chills. You will become hyper alert, and you may feel that someone is guiding you through the danger.
The rest of the time, what you are feeling might be unnecessary worry, neurotic fears, or just plain anxiety. Anxiety is energy in your body that has nowhere to go. You’re like a horse in the starting gate. It is not necessarily psychic. More likely it’s an over reaction to something that originated in a trauma years before.
How can you increase your chance of having premonitions? Intuition happens when we are not distracted. If you want to receive those signals more, then work on quieting your mind. You do this by unplugging from the day to day stress. Go into meditation where you are focusing more on your senses. Take a walk or go for a jog or a swim. Try closing your eyes and taking a nice breath right now. Listen to the sounds around you. Feel whatever your hands are touching; feel your feet on the ground; and notice your breath going in and out. You are now listening, via your body’s senses, to the energies of consciousness around you. You now have a heightened awareness of the energies around you.
Your senses are like antenna to the world. The more you practice these moments of presence, the more intuitive you will become. I get the strongest visions when I’ve been on a meditation retreat for several days, or when I sit in meditation before bed. I use meditation to get visions of the future. But this is not the same as premonitions. Reading the future is a conscious process where you focus on a target, i.e., your country at a certain point in time.
Premonitions happen to you. You don’t just create them by meditating on the future. When I get premonitions, I try to react to them with wisdom and perspective. For that I need to be present and calm. Otherwise, I when I feel energies on the horizon, I may react to them fearfully which is not productive. In other words, if I don’t unplug and breathe, then the intuitions I get, will fly through my mind which will then take off like a runaway train.
Symbols that come in visions. Ever since I first started meditating for visions 35 years ago, I noticed that many came in symbols and metaphors. Over time I began to understand the symbols. For example, I see a cactus as a symbol for drought. Last year I was returning to Massachusetts from Europe when I noticed upon waking that I was seeing the cactus. I thought, Mass in having drought. It turned out to be true. I also see fire, rain, stock market graphs going up and down, tears (for public grieving), hearts, and square root signs for market corrections. I also have a set of symbols for reading an individual’s personal future. Carl Jung wrote about the symbols we get in Man and His Symbols. He suggested that we have universal symbols that we all get, cultural symbols particular to our culture, and personal symbols.
If you begin meditating for visions of the future, you are likely to also get a set of symbols. Notice what thoughts you get when the symbols appear, and write it down. You will learn an alphabet of consciousness.
Some people don’t see visions when they meditate on the future. Instead they hear words, or get a thought. Whatever comes into your mind, write it down!
Dreams: I know when I’m having a prophetic dream because it is particularly vivid and doesn’t seem to apply to my life. For example, in April I had a horrible dream of a woman being killed in a terrorist attack. Just the one woman, no one else. I saw her vividly on the ground, with others trying to come to her aid. It was jarring, the vision was ghastly, but I didn’t feel fear for myself. I posted it on my website and a few weeks later a British member of Parliament was viciously murdered in the street. My hope is that I unconsciously sent healing to her in her terrible moment. Perhaps others also felt the event before it happened and also sent soothing thoughts to her. But the reason for my seeing her tragedy is a mystery. We are all connected, so her pain is everyone’s pain.
When we are dreaming, our intuition is not drowned out by everyday noise of people’s thoughts. When we are awake, there is a non stop ticker tape of thinking flowing through our heads, most of it is just junk we expose ourselves to in books, the Internet, and the media.
Most of the dreams we have are about our own lives. When it’s a prophetic dream about the world, it may feel different. You may feel like an observer. But this distinction is tricky since you are part of the world, and even when a dream is just about you, you can experience yourself as an observer. The best way to tell the difference is to keep a dream diary and start checking it over time for accuracy.
If you would like to explore premonitions and other forms of intuition further or discuss your own questions, try this section of our World Predictions Forum.
I worry about my dreams sometimes. I seem to have a knack for tuning into death. I dreamed I was at a funeral, but all the mourners were connected to my ex-husband’s family. I had no reason to think anything would happen, as although his father was elderly he was in great shape for a man his age. However, within the year my father-in-law went into decline and passed away. The next one was my brother-in-law, who was a couple of years younger than me, but who didn’t keep good health. In my dream I saw a funeral cortege coming towards me as I tended to the garden. it came from the direction of the area where my sister and her husband lived and I just knew this was a dream about family and that’s why they were coming towards me. After that, I started to think about cancer a lot. My eyes would be drawn to posters on the subway, like I was being told something. I tried not to pay attention, but I knew in my heart I wasn’t imagining it. Then I dreamed my sister took a ride on a sledge down a really high slope and all of the family were at the top watching her. She made it safely to the bottom and was laughing. She developed ovarian cancer not long after and I told her I thought surviving the scary ride in my dream meant she would be okay after her op. She was for a couple of years; then I dreamed she was on a zip-wire and I felt afraid. She said she was “going home” and in my dream I knew what that meant. As her illness progressed we were still hopeful of her survival, but then I dreamed her husband handed me a death certificate and it had her name on it. I woke with a start and I never did tell her about that experience. Sometimes I experience random thoughts too, like when my nephew tried to commit suicide. The evening before it happened this thought popped into my head “What would you do if there was no James”. I was so shocked I just shook it off, but little did I know we would nearly lose him. I knew that a work colleague would not be lucky with her cancer experience just a few minutes before the phone call to tell me she had passed. I could smell a funeral smell (I was raised Catholic, and it has a particular odour from the frankincense etc) in another colleague’s room and within a couple of years she was gone too. I also got that smell from complete strangers I passed who were dressed for a funeral, but were heading towards the church! On the upside, I have also dreamed about new babies in the family and my son and I can also pluck thoughts out of each other’s head, which is fun at least, but I do wonder what to do with all this stuff and I know when I mention it to anyone they just think I’m weird!
I’ve never considered myself to be a dreamer because I rarely have dreams and when I do it’s always so vivid that I feel like I’m there and can feel what’s going on around me. What I do have is deja vu and I’m talking about a lot! It’s like images will appear in my mind like a dream randomly and most times it goes away and I can’t remember it until it actually happens and I find myself saying deja vu because I’ve seen it happen before. I recently spoke with a medium and she asked was I gifted and I had no clue what she meant and she told me I could feel people’s energy and that I have some knowing of the future. I was stunned because I had never looked at it that way and had never even spoke about it before because I thought it was weird especially since it’s gotten more frequent recently. She explained it could be premonitions. I didn’t get a chance to ask her why it’s gotten more frequent or if I can possibly control them or at least how I can try to remember them instead of having instant recall. I’m so confused now and would like some clarity.
Hi,Sir
I am a. Keralite..From my childhood l am seeing a white robbed man who lives in peace serene atmosphere…l am a hyperactive person who loves reading alot…I have been preparing for my exams…Last year l got some dreams like unified world full of peace …Greenery etc..After that l am not getting proper sleep..I consulted psychologist..He said it was because of stress..Also l got an intuitions like descendents in Italy lsrael Egypt..And Jesus..What is it
I had a dream of my brother dying & it happened correctly years later, one of my sister hemoraging giving birth & of my mother’s death. All happened. Since my mum died I have visions. I saw COVID with a Chinese lady & spirits of the dead all walk past me without touching me The woman kissed a man then she disappeared. The latest is my son. He had a dream of dying at 37 in a car accident. I saw him at a dog park dressed in black jeans & long black shirt. He was looked only a few years older. He is 35. I am afraid of my son dying & I want to stop this vision from coming true. I am scared. My mum wouldn’t listen to me about the dream of her passing & it happened just like the dream.Please help. I am not crazy.??
Hi Jennifer, I happened to come across your comment. I hope it’s alright to message you? I absolutely believe you and everything you said. I hope I’m not overstepping, but in regards to the dream of your son passing, sometimes dreams can be a warning and the event can be avoided. You must cry out to God, to Jesus Christ and bring this situation to Him. I have heard of others who have averted bad situation’s they dreamt of. Pray to Him and plead with Him to spare your son and save Him. It’s not too late.
Hi Ms. Mayell,
I have dreams that I would like to understand more. I have normal dreams and then sometimes I have dreams that always seem to come to pass. For example, this past week I had a dream of a very famous basketball player completely passed out on the ground- from what appeared to be a car accident. He was surrounded by an ambulance. I kept seeing tracks running down the middle of his body like tire tracks. Not even 24 hours later my husband passes out from a previous injury from his car accident (back related). I had to call an ambulance around 3am. It was petrifying but I couldn’t help but think this dream was a premonition. More strikingly this basketball player closely resembled by husband. I have many strange experiences like this one over the years-even experiencing something through my dream that happened in real time with someone very close to me. I was able to replay the entire situation without hearing their side of the story (even the car colors).
I guess my question is, what resources would you recommend to figure out my dreams? I have read quite a few different books and I understand things spiritually but I cant seem to wrap my head around some of these dreams. I have two small children now, so I know I am far more distracted than ever, but I would like to be in a place where I understand my dreams.
Hi Alexis, thanks for reaching out and sharing. As for your dream about your husband : There is likely some information about his back problem that your psyche was telling you. First it was giving you some advanced warning and second there may be some medical clues in the dream that the doctors might not see.
I haven’t read any dream books but we do have a forum section on dreams, especially if we think the dreams are transpersonal. If you posted your questions there, someone is likely to respond, including me. Although as I said, I don’t know any dream books. But others might. http://jeannemayell.com/community/understanding-prediction-and-consciousness/dreams-need-an-interpretation-of-a-dream-maybe-try-here/paged/21/#post-25254
The key is not to see your dreams as something meant to terrify you, but to awaken you, prepare you.
Thank you kindly, I will join the forum. This is the first time Ive heard the word transpersonal, I will do some research on that! Thanks again so much
Transpersonal just means that the dream is not only about you but about the world.
Okay great thanks. I think that sometimes I just don’t understand my dreams. For instance, I dreamt about my great aunt passing away and it was actually my grandmothers best friend (who Ive known very well while growing up). The funeral details, the cause of death, and even some minor details revealed in the dream were 100% correct- just wrong person. Is that still considered transpersonal? Or would I need to look at a diff forum
Not transpersonal but very interesting dream and outcome that teaches us all about how dreams work. Perhaps your brain which interprets the dream visions that come to you was really connecting to the impact of the death on your Great Aunt who is your blood relation and perhaps was closer to you?
I’ve had occasional experiences of knowing things or knowing things that will happen. These events happen to me or just come to me when I don’t expect it – meaning I can’t just make it happen. It comes to me. The first time it happened was when I was a Teenager. I was a video arcade and a girl walked by and I had this flash of a date in my mind and I turned to ask her if her Birthday was August 8. She said ya how did you know that. I started feeling like creep at that point but she was intrigued along with her friends and so they started asking me what their Birthdays were but I wasn’t close on any of them. It was strange. I went home wondering why I got the date in my head and why I felt compelled to ask a stranger her Birthday.
The second time it happened, I was with my family and we were playing a party game where a famous person’s name is written on a piece of tape and affixed to your back so you can’t see it. You have to ask other people questions to try to figure out who it is. I was outside talking to my uncle and my aunt came up behind me and put the name on my back. I asked what that was about. She explained the game and I said already know who it is, I just couldn’t figure out her name – I just felt it. To their amazement I said ya its that famous Nurse from World War 1. My Aunt asked how I did that because she knew there was no way I could have known.
Most of the time it has to do with numbers or events. The last one I’ll share which happens more than anything else is with numbers. I was with my wife at a casino and we were playing a game where the dealer gives you two cards and then you bet accordingly(not blackjack). We had been playing for awhile maybe 30 hands or so and I had the flash in my head and as I was reaching for my cards I turned to my wife and said its a pair of 7’s. Turned them over and sure enough. Why It happened at that particular hand, I have no idea.
I’ve had around 15 experiences like this in my life. All happen within seconds. This is not something I’m guessing at – it comes to me and its always 100% correct. It just doesn’t happen that often. I wish I could use it for the lottery or something lol.
I’ve learned not to share with just anyone as you get very mixed responses from people. I only share with certain people I trust that are open minded.
When I was around 8-9 I had found this coin in what looked to be a make up container that was round and brass, when I unscrewed it and opened it I found an odd coin, and I dumped it into my hand after looking at it and was startled by what I seen instantly afterwards. As soon as the coin touched my hand a commercial jet flew over me so low that the force from the engines pushed me down on to my rear, and was gone within a flash. I was standing between two trailer houses and lived in the country where therer were no planes and in the bfe, the plane was so low in my vision that it couldnt have been more than 30 ft above the house and to have enough force to push me down, still to this day I have no clue where that coin came from or where it even went because as time went on and nobody believed my story I forgot about the coin and quit carrying it around. Moral of the story I am 28 about to be 29 and 9/11 happened around the same time that happened, I still have visions of stuff that happens and can’t explain it so I write them off as imagination though I know imagination can’t physically push you down like that vision did.
Stunned by your story. Thank you.
Hi AC.
My experiences have been similar to yours in that something just registers in my brain and then something related to the the topic happens. The time lapse between it first registering, and the event actually happening varies from almost instantly to up to a week later but, on average, it’s usually a few days later. I’ve had over 100 instances when I have had this happen to me, so I know that it’s not something I’ve imagined.
The first time I experienced a premonition was when I was 18 years old. I was walking into the local hospital, were my mother was extremely unwellI, when the winning numbers for the next state lottery draw came into my head my head. Naturally I didn’t take any notice of it at the time because I didn’t know what it was all about, but those numbers came up.
Another time it happened, it was about 7:45am, and I was on my way to work when, all of a sudden I got a premonition of a car crash. I obviously took extra care for the rest of the journey because I thought that maybe I was going to have a crash, but luckily I got to work safely. However, about 30 minutes later my Accountant came into my office with a shocked look on her face and said that at 7:45 am, as she was on her way to work, she had narrowly avoided being involved in a massive car accident. I have no idea of how, or why, I got this particular premonition but I did.
I have had so many of these premonitions over the years that my family now actually change their behaviour if I tell them that I got a premonition relating to something that they were planning to do. Having said that though, I don’t always get it right, but I have become much better at identifying which premonitions are going to occur.
I obviously don’t know your experiences have been of late, but I have had at least 5 premonitions which have actually occurred within the last week alone. They’re not major events however, and are typically the kind where I get a premonition that a specific person is going to email me soon, and they do, or, I’m about to phone someone about something and they phoned me.
I have no idea why the incidences of these premonitions has increased of late, but I have noticed that they often tend to occur when there is major stress In the environment. I would be interested to know if you, or anyone else, has noticed this with their premonitions?
I am a natural psychic medium. For about 2 years I have had premonitions about things happening. For example I had a premonition that my son was going to drown in a pool on Sunday and the premonition happened on Saturday.
Thank God nothing happened to my son but later Sunday night, I turned on the news, and the 1st story that popped up was a young child that drowned in a pool on Sunday.
The next weekend I had a horrible feeling that I was going to die and leave my little boy. This happened one day and the next day, my grown daughter told me that her friend had passed and left behind a young daughter. They were very close, just like my young son and I are.
Both incidents happened to people I did not know yet I felt their situation as if it was my own.
I brushed it off because it didn’t happen to me again until 2 yrs later, yesterday I had this horrible feeling I was going to be beaten badly. I sent out txt messages to both of my older daughters and explained the premonition I had.
Today I woke up feeling a lot less stressed like my premonition wasn’t going to happen?
Then later today my oldest daughter called me telling me how she just saw a post on Facebook from a local news channel about a girl in a near by town that was beaten by her boyfriend. She had gone through what I feared I was going to face.
Every single incident happened to strangers and ended up on the news.
I had no ties to these people.
What in the world is going on? What am I feeling complete strangers futures as my own?
I know there is an answer out there… I’m hoping someone knows what this is.
Sounds like you are an empath who picks up o violence against people and/or disturbing accidents. Violence is one of the most likely future events for humans to sense out there. That is because sensing future violence is a Darwinian attribute that has helped our species to survive. Although to be fair, both incidents you cited involve very common incidents — a random beating of a girl by her boyfriend happens every day. In fact, 24 people are raped, beaten or stalked by someone every minute in the U.S. Child drownings in pools are the number one cause of child deaths in the U.S., and on average one child drowns every day in America. The fact that you have these dreams likely means you are an empath who picks up on violence in the collective, of which there is plenty to pick up on. We are not separate from people. We are all part of each other. Empaths feel this more than people who are less sensitive.