I find it quite intriguing that, in a population which is largely skeptical about the presence of a higher power, society has a low-key fixation with signs from the Universe. But theological musings aside, it does seem as if many people are very open to receiving messages from the Universe to help them navigate through life – particularly when it comes to validating certain life choices. Trouble is, it's not always easy to recognise signs – plus, given the human brain's fondness for overanalying things, we can sometimes ascribe meaning in the wrong places rather than where it *actually* is.
I remember hearing the holistic nutritionist and all-round wonderful human Dr Libby Weaver talking about how the law of attraction means we attract what we focus on (a message that comes up time and time again in angel card readings). She gave the example of someone considering buying a certain type of car, let's say a blue VW Golf. Suddenly they'll start seeing blue VW Golfs everywhere, causing them to exclaim: "It's a sign!" It's not. This is simply a result of them being more aware of that model of car – a focus that attracts more VW Golfs into their atmosphere. It's an easy mistake to make. The angels do have certain signs they typically use such as feathers (read more here), but often the signs are not so prescribed.
Sometimes signs can be highly personalised and really obvious. On a trip back to my homeland, New Zealand, for the Easter long weekend recently, I was due to drive a rental car from the main airport in Auckland to a holiday home two hours away, at the same time a menacing cyclone was closing in. Predictions were dire – authorities had warned people to postpone their holiday plans and stay off the roads, many of which were likely to be shut or flooded. My boyfriend and I considered delaying our road trip until the following day, when the storm would have passed, but the owner of our holiday property insisted the area was in no danger, as the storm had by then moved eastward. We really did not want to wait a day to depart, as it meant we'd be caught in a massive amount of holiday traffic on Good Friday. Torn, I checked in with my intuition, which told me I would be fine to travel down that night.
As we hit the – eerily empty – highway out of town, I received a barrage of text messages from worried family and friends trying to convince me that we were making a risky trip and should stay in Auckland for the night. Feeling uncomfortable, I again asked my intuition; it assured me once more we would be safe. The phone messages continued, and my boyfriend, noticing my discomfort, reasoned that if conditions changed, or we encountered road closures, we could always turn back. I agreed... but I still felt afraid of the unknown.
This is the point where understanding your intuition gets really tough – sometimes fear can get in the way, masquerading as divine intervention. Fear was making me question my choice – clouding the certainty my intuition had conveyed. I asked Archangel Raphael (who is associated with travel) to surround our car in green light to keep us safe, and asked Archangel Michael to shore up my confidence. Feeling very anxious and wondering whether I'd misinterpreted my intuition, I asked the angels for a very clear sign that I could easily understand. No less than 30 seconds later – I promise I am not making this up – some very familiar guitar riffs came from the radio. It took me about five seconds to place the song, but when I did, I had to stifle a laugh. It was 'She Talks to Angels' by the Black Crowes. That, my friends, was no coincidence. Since this song came out in the 90s and hasn't exactly remained on heavy rotation, it was highly unlikely to be playing on a mainstream commercial radio station at 6pm on the Thursday before Easter. There was an added layer of meaning, too – the song spoke to me personally. I've loved it for years, mostly due to its title (and yes, I am aware it's actually about drug use not being a lightworker lol). No doubt about it – this was a very clear sign that everything would be OK.
Although I felt relief coursing through my body, I'd be lying if I said I felt completely relaxed the rest of the journey. I was still on edge as we drove on, but I absolutely knew in my bones that we had made the right choice (because even when you know this, you can still be scared!). We made it to our destination safely, with no disruption. The storm turned out to be something of a storm in a teacup, passing over an area well away from us and causing very little damage. Which, of course, the angels had known long before authorities had*.
Of course, sometimes signs are not this obvious, so it can be challenging to understand them. My advice in those situations is this: trust the feeling. If it *feels* like a sign, it most likely is. Usually signs are confirming something you already know on a deep level, and that feeling of knowingness confirms you've understood correctly. Signs are something you *feel*, not *think* – which is why you should never go looking for them, nor specify to the angels what sort of sign you'd like to receive. Try to leave your brain out of the equation.
On a related note, I'm often contacted by people who've seen what they've identified as a sign, but they don't know what the meaning is (i.e. they hadn't asked for divine assistance). In that case, the answer will always be this: it's basically a postcard from the angels. They're saying hello, we're here, we're looking after you, and everything is going to be OK – so stay positive. Which is pretty welcome on any day, right?!
*Just for the record, I don't recommend disregarding official advice...