What To Expect In The Days Immediately After A Loss

Updated 2022.04.06

Seeing someone to Spirit is never an easy thing. Slowly or quickly, it takes time to adjust to each circumstance. When someone dies suddenly, there is often a great deal of chaos surrounding the circumstances.

Not knowing who to ask, where to go for information, or what to turn to for answers why, a single person’s death can create distress, causing a ripple effect, leaving many in the wake confused, in a haze, and unsure of what to do next.

Not to mention the confusion the deceased themselves may feel. 

This experience of death only yet intensifies when the person in question is a young, vibrant human, who has seemingly passed before their time. Or at least, before the time we and others had expected them to pass.

Before we get into what to expect, let’s talk about a few of the different perspectives when a soul transitions early -

positive perspectives on why a soul transitions swiftly on in life

From a karmic perspective, an swift death could be a blessing in disguise, souls don’t always need a long time on earth to accomplish their message.

From the deceased person's perspective, an early death can be exhilarating, confusing or intense. Some find it fascinating and amazing.

Each person is unique, the deceased can feel many feelings about this transition, for example: 

When you die, your spirit all of a sudden is no longer confined to a human body. You become the whizzing, vibrating ball of energy that you always were

– except now your energy is no longer contained by a physical body. What happens after death is that your thoughts and intentions take you to places and people in a flash, in a way that you never could when you were physical.

This shift in perspective can cause a sense of confusion, sometimes it’s a sense of shock, especially when the death was sudden, traumatic or unexpected. 

- Anna Sayce, Source: What Happens After Death?

From a spiritual perspective in the living, an early death often acts as a catalyst to awaken spiritual gifts in others still living. 

I’ve found that when souls die suddenly, it tends to be easier to sense them in the spiritual world and they tend to come through more quickly. So if you are open to afterlife communications, a sudden death can open up more communication possibilities.

A widely known fact among the medium community - that the gift to sense the departed often awakens quite quickly after someone close to that person, their family, or that friend group, dies suddenly.

Of the many reasons why for someone’s particular sudden death, this is often one of the main reasons - it opens up someone in your family to gifts they were rejecting because suddenly a relative is having all these experiences and they can be strong.

When someone passes away too soon, think about it: you will often hear that that person was the light of the community. The shining star to all whose lives they touched. A true beacon of hope and inspiration.

If this person awakened that light in others in their living life, now think of how powerful this work can become in death. 

Why some souls choose to transition suddenly

Some souls choose to sacrifice their own lives so that others may grow as part of their agreement on their own soul chart. Often this soul choice occurs unconsciously, even to the soul who has chosen this path for themselves.

There are other ways this can happen, too. 

For example, someone may agree to live this life as a villain helping to initiate darkness in others, so that it may later bring out their inner light.

Darkness experiences tend to bring out the light in others, so some mediums have found in their sessions that it’s revealed certain souls agree to play out this role on earth to initiate these unfoldings here in the physical.

I’m mentioning this here in case someone you know transitioned as a result of another’s adverse action as an alternative perspective we have seen.

In fulfilling this role, this person sacrifices their own ability to experience, give, and receive love during their lifetime.

A conscious or unconscious choice they may make, which is intended to open the ability for others to experience pure and unconditional love instead, some people see these individuals as a gift.

But regardless of the reason for the passing of this person or the soul journey of any involved.

If you are currently experiencing the immediate loss of a loved one, here's what to expect -

Expect Visitations

Expect visitations to be standard practice and of the many, often starting within the 7-10 day period following the crossing, commencing within hours at and around their time of death, lasting right up until a last rites official ceremony, if there is one.

If there isn't one or you can't attend the main event being hosted elsewhere, you can also host your own rites ceremony.

Anyway, after this time, expect visitations take a short break while the person acclimates to being a spirit now, and goes to a sort of spirit school life review which generally lasts 3-8 months. After which, they'll be back.

But this timeline all depends on them - their life path, successfully crossing over, other factors and who they visit after that typically is determined by which souls still living need their energy the most.

For example, if a partner or parent has died unexpectedly and your child is having a hard time with it, that Spirit may spend more time lingering around the grieving one.

We see this alot in readings. Someone wants to know why their mom or husband isn’t visiting and turns out he’s with his brother or she’s with the other daughter, who is going through a rough time.

So while spirits can split their energy better as a spirit, they still may divvy out their visitation times. Meaning, if you aren’t getting signs, someone else may be and we still share the energy of those we love, even when they’re in spirit.

Check In With Friends

So if you are concerned, make sure to check in with friends, family members, and colleagues of that person to see if everything is okay or to see if they have experienced a visitation.

Visitations are positive signs that show that upward and forward trajectory movement in the soul’s growth after death is actively and positively happening, not the reverse.

If someone is being visited by the deceased, many won’t mention it unless asked, and if this is the case, it would probably be really helpful if someone reached out.

So, if you want to know if someone is experiencing a visitation, and you haven't noticed anything yet, make sure to ask around to see if someone else has. 

Find Known Sensitives In Your Group

You may want to check with known sensitives in your immediate community first and then move on to others who may be quite sensitive, too, but don't yet know it or have yet to realize it. 

This known sensitive person could be a personal or distant acquaintance of yours, or this person could be you.

Briefly check with them to see if they've seen your loved one around, have heard from the person, or if they have any messages or insights to relay. They sometimes do. 

A deceased individual, especially in the case of sudden death, will often seek counsel in a medium, psychic, or intuitive they know personally, even if only momentarily, before officially crossing over. 

Intuitive people usually won't mind you asking about this, especially if it is someone they know personally, too. And asking them could be as simple as this: 

"Hey So and So, as you know, our friend from college has just passed away tragically and unexpectedly. I know you two were friends and I just wanted to check. Have you seen them around at all? Have they been over at your place by chance?"  

The worst they can say is no. If they say yes, the best that can happen is a little peace of mind. 

Let Others Know You’re Looking For Signs

Then, let other people around you know you are looking for signs.

If you knew the person closely, you, yourself may even be in a bit of a haze for the first couple days after the crossing.

So to make sure you aren’t missing anything, make sure to let your housemates know to keep their eyes and ears perked too -

The deceased often communicate tangentially with others around you, if they believe that'll be more efficient in getting your attention during the haze time of grief.

Furthermore, people are much more compassionate than you’d expect in times of loss, and they will keep you apprised of anything unusual occurring over the next few days or so.

Know They May Stop By

Next, know that their spirit self may stop by your house unexpectedly. This is not at all unusual and quite typical for a deceased individual or pet to make the rounds within the first 7-10 days following their crossing.

The person who’s in spirit now may have questions about the afterlife process (so help if you can) or call someone who you think can help.

Just comfort them and have comfort in them being present. That's usually all that's needed, a final hug, a goodbye, and an I love you. 

If you are a parent, spouse or otherwise very close to the person that was lost, you may be too caught up in the chaos yourself to sense anything for sure, and that’s okay.

Visitations will continue long after the grief and the confusion has subsided - so in the meantime, don’t be afraid to reach out to one of your person’s friends.

Friends of the deceased usually receive visitation confirmations within hours or days after the crossing.

Who they visit and when usually has nothing to do with love or care or who is more important than whom, it really has more to do with time and using it wisely.

Meaning, they'll likely contact the first person who they think they'll have the best chance getting through to in this chaotic time.

Unfortunately, this means it is often not the most grief-stricken person themselves that gets contacted first; it is often an associate of that person that is visited, who can later share that information with the most heavily impacted person, at a later and more appropriate date. 

Be On Alert for Animal Signs

If you are looking for animal signs, pay attention to what is out of the ordinary for you. The deceased can communicate with animals much like the living can.

In fact, animals, birds, and many insects can see far more along the visible light spectrum than we humans can, so they can be excellent indicators of a presence that we could otherwise not see. They can also act as messengers for The Spirit World.

So, if something very unusual has occurred after the death of your person, chances are, it is a true visitation.

Most importantly, though, for signs, don't rule anything out. Even if other people think you're being dramatic, they may thank you later.

Your awareness of the signs will help them become more aware for the next time they get a visitation themselves, a visitation they may have otherwise missed, if not for your persistence.

So pay attention to any and all extra suspicious activity after the immediate death of a loved one, as it all could be a potential sign or a message from your person.

So, what do the signs mean?

Usually, the message they are trying to get through, especially in the first days after their crossing:

• It could be a simple message of awareness, such as: Hey, I'm still around and okay! 

• It could be to share of a reflection, disbelief, or an emotional release about their death, such as: Wow, isn't this fun? I'm a spirit now and you can see me. Wow. Nuts. I can't believe it. Wild. Okay, gotta go! 

• They could need your help. Settling something from Earth or getting a message to someone else.

• They could be letting you know they love you and asking you not to be mad. Some deceased get concerned others will be mad at them for dying early.

If you get a sign in the early days after a crossing, it is a beautiful sign that they're getting along peacefully. 

It means that this person is actively going through the stages of crossing and on their way, making the rounds to see everyone before they officially depart for The Spirit World.

If you don’t get a sign, usually what is happening is this person is processing their change and shifting into their new state of being, and typically the visitations will happen later.

Soon after they settle into their new life in The Spirit World, their ability to communicate in the unique way that spirits use will improve. Meaning, you'll be hearing from them again real soon and likely throughout your life after that. 

Many of our early deceased are bright lights who eventually transition on to become spiritual guides to the living in their afterlife, before moving onto their next incarnation with everyone together. 

What can you do to expedite a visitation?

• Settle your emotions using essential oils, meditation or whatever way works for you, to increase your ability to go within and connect.

• Spend some time alone, this is when Spirits like to visit most.

• Crystals such as rose quartz and angelite next to the bed can increase peaceful dreaming, which can speed up a dream visitation.

If you haven’t experienced a visitation yet, not to worry. Their process may be different and they will likely be visiting you following the grief window after their life review.

Many people are quiet about what they see and hear because they fear stepping on other people’s toes, speaking out of place, or seeming odd.

When the truth is, most people experience a visitation after the sudden loss of a loved one - and sometimes - at many miles away.

The visit of your most recently transitioned may be short and sweet, and while many of the experiences you'll notice after someone’s death can be fleeting, more often than not, the ability to sense the otherworld that comes following a death - does and will stick around.

Then it’s up to you what you do with it after that.

To recap, here’s what to expect when a soul passes suddenly

• Visitations are quite common during the 7-10 days immediately following a death. Then they break until after they're done completing their life review, at which point, they'll often be back.

• To know if a visitation has occurred, you are looking for voices, sensations, mists, the movement of odd objects, unusual noises in the home, specifically poignant dreams.

• Learn the 10 Most Common Signs from Loved Ones. If you haven't experienced one yet, don't worry. Ask around to see if others have. Then give yourself some time to cool down and rest. One will come when it's time and because you've spent some time gathering what others have already experienced in the meantime, you'll be more prepared to pick it up when it finally does happen.

• If you have experienced one, you are not likely to be the only one who has. Don't be afraid to talk about your experiences, compare them openly with others, and initiate a conversation about it. Quite frankly, it's really not all that out of the ordinary.

Welcome you to the wild, and fun world of spirit communication -

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Other Articles You May Enjoy:

• Sensing the Deceased: The 5 Most Common Ways to Feel a Spirit

• Spiritual Meaning Of The Early Death Of A Loved One

• The 4 Languages of Spirit: How Does Spirit Best Communicate with You?

• What To Expect When A Loved One Transitions To The Otherside