Editor's Note: James Van Praagh is once again one of our most popular speakers at this year's World Summit. Join now for FREE to listen as he shares his knowledge of energy colors and spirit guides, explaining that spirit guides come in many forms: family guides, career guides, joy guides, and even light beings and angels. The Summit is going on now until May 26th, 2016.

I’ve been blessed with the ability to receive messages from the Spirit world – as a spiritual medium, I serve as a conduit between the living and those who have passed over. When someone close to you dies, those left behind often struggle with sadness, guilt and unanswered questions. The process of mediumship can help the living and the dead find comfort and closure through the spiritual connection, so that both can heal.

Through mediumship, I help heal the living, not only by sharing messages from the deceased, but by providing evidence that death, as most of us view it, is an illusion. Small, sometimes mundane details provide comfort and reassurance to those left behind that their loved one is safe, happy and that their presence will be felt long after the reading is over.

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Over 30 plus years spent holding mediumship workshops and demonstrations, I’ve discovered that certain messages are particularly healing – not only for the individuals they are directed toward, but for the entire audience:

1. I Am OK

Often our last memories of someone involve watching them struggle with illness, pain and fear.  Again and again, when I bring through a message that the deceased has “come home” and is no longer suffering, I can feel the energy of the entire audience lift.  I recently let a grieving mother know that her son – who had died in an accident, was with his grandfather in heaven.  I know that being able to picture two people who she loved, reunited, went a long way toward mending her broken heart.

2. Don’t Feel Guilty

Often, particularly when a child dies, or when someone commits suicide, those left behind are weighed down with guilt. When a spirit comes through they can lift this guilt and allow the survivors to recover. I remember a mother and father who had lost a child in a freak accident involving a handgun. Both parents were so stricken with guilt and regret that they could barely look at each other – until their son came through and assured them that he wanted them to move on and be happy, and most importantly to support each other.

3. Please Be Happy

Those who have passed into the light are in a place full of love and happiness, reunited with friends and loved ones. One of the most common things they tell me is that they want the people they left behind on earth to be as happy as they are. Because they are at a vibration of love and compassion, they don’t experience the earthly feelings of resentment and jealousy. Again and again I channel messages telling a spouse, a child or a friend on earth to take that trip, find love again, and to let go of grief and guilt so they can enjoy their time on earth.

4. I Am Still Here

I recently let a grieving wife know that her deceased husband had followed her progress as she renovated the kitchen in the house they had shared. He loved the new look! She was comforted by the show of support, and the entire audience felt closer to Spirit – knowing that their loved ones were never far away.

When grieving the loss of a loved one, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that, although they are not participating in your day to day lives as they once were, they are still very much “there.”  As a medium, I help people to heal by proving that while the person who has passed may not be able to join you for coffee, their Spirit will be there to provide love, support and comfort for the rest of your life.