Who Gets to Say What It Means?

This is continuing the story of what happened after my brother suddenly died, when I felt like I started hearing from him directly.We each interpret our experiences, whether the experiences are “otherworldly” or “everyday.” I interpreted my “otherworldly” experiences one way, and my interpretation ran afoul of someone else’s spiritual beliefs. That conversation raised a question I spent years pondering: if two people can look at the same event and come to very different conclusions, how do we determine the “right “ way to think?My answer forms the basis of my Spiritual Geography work. The person who had the experience gets to decide, as long as that interpretation is life-giving to them. That is, the interpretation brings them closer to love, joy, compassion, and understanding.I can’t prove that I have heard from my brother, nor that I’ve had experiences with him since he died. But I do know that my belief that I have brings me more peace and love, helping me both with grief and with life.Have you ever interpreted something one way and had someone else question your interpretation? How did you resolve it? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.Joni Miller, Ph.D., is a writer, researcher, spiritual coach, and speaker who uses her knowledge, education, and love of all things spiritual to help spiritual wanderers find a place they can call home, navigating by the light of Love. www.SpiritualGeography.net Get full access to Spiritual Geography at jonimiller.substack.com/subscribe