Growing up, I never actively searched for signs from the beyond. However, after my grandmother passed away shortly after Christmas, I began to notice something inexplicable.

Before her passing, my grandmother had a fondness for finding heads-up pennies. She would always say, “Find a penny, pick it up, and all day long you’ll have good luck.”

Following her death, these heads-up pennies began to appear in the most unexpected places, particularly during times when I needed reassurance the most.

It wasn’t just the sight of the pennies; there was also an overwhelming sense that my grandmother was near, providing comfort and reminding me that she still played a significant role in my life.

Back then, I didn’t label it as a ‘sign.’ It simply made me feel a little less alone.

The holiday season often stirs up a mix of emotions about loved ones who have passed. Even with my experience as a medium and all that I understand, I still find myself grieving for those no longer with us in the physical world.

What reminds me of their presence are the signs. You see, signs aren’t just glimmers of hope of an eternal afterlife. They are a validation of continued life and a language our loved ones use to communicate with us.

I’ve learned that many people sense and feel their loved ones’ presence, and that there is no shortage of signs they send.

Travis is a certified medium with nearly a million followers on social media

A heads-up penny always reminds him that his granny is not far away

Travis with his granny and little sister – his granny now sends him signs from ‘the other side’

For context, I’m a medium who has given thousands of readings for people all around the world. I’ve read for celebrities, been featured in mainstream media, do live demonstrations across the country, have nearly a million followers on social media, and am a certified medium with the Forever Family Foundation.

I share this not to convince anyone that what I do is real, but as testament to the countless ways our departed loved ones communicate with us – and there is no shortage of incredible ways these signs show up.

One of the biggest misconceptions about signs is that they must be big, dramatic, burning bush-style signals. And they can be, but most of the time, they are subtle nudges.

And sometimes, while we may have in our mind how the sign may show up, they can appear to us in ways that surprise and delight us. The significance is entirely up to you. 

Our loved one’s energy is still conscious, still growing and expanding, and they have the whole palette of the universe to use to communicate with us. Here are some of the most common signs our loved ones will send to us and how you can recognize this magnificent form of communication.

Butterflies

In a very literal sense, butterflies are a symbol of transformation, so it’s logical our loved ones on the other side would use these creatures to share their own story of transformation.

Physical death isn’t an ending, rather a doorway to a new form. Much like the caterpillar gives up its physical body to be transmuted into the butterfly, the same goes for the transformation we will all inevitably go through.

Butterflies are a symbol of transformation, so it’s logical our loved ones on the other side would use them to connect with us

One client communicated with her son through the image of cardinals

I was reading for a client whose mother had departed some years ago and, a few days before our session, a butterfly had landed on her hand as she was sitting on a bench.

She instantly felt in her heart that it was her mom coming to say ‘hello.’

Birds

Cultures throughout history have believed that our avian friends deliver messages from the spirit world.

From hummingbirds to hawks and everything in between, these winged creatures bring peace and reassurance to those who see their presence as a sign from loved ones.

And while the physical bird can be a sign, we can also see other forms as confirmation of communication.

At a show in Los Angeles, I was delivering messages to a mother in the audience whose son had passed tragically. He showed me a literal flood of cardinals in my mind’s eye, and I shared the sign with the mom.

Her connection to cardinals was through figurines and statues. She has dozens of them in her yard and home, and whenever she sees them, she connects them to her son.

Deer

Much like spirit, deer are known for their gentleness, their sensitivity, their attunement.

Spirit doesn’t shout, it nudges gently, reminding us of our own divine connection.

Deer are known for their sensitivity and attunement – and they remind us of our own divine connection

With the signs, sometimes we don’t always recognize them. And while I believe spirit will generally nudge us, sometimes that nudge can be a light shaking.

One afternoon, while channeling messages from a woman’s departed father, she mentioned that she was having difficulty noticing signs from her dad. I told her I saw a deer head right in my face, and what came next I will never forget.

She shared that deer had begun showing up more in her yard, something she could easily dismiss as a coincidence. (Nothing is a coincidence.)

What she couldn’t dismiss happened two days before our session: one of the deer gently walked up to her car and pressed its head right up to the window. Quite literally, a deer head right in her face.

We both laughed, and I said: ‘Well, there’s your sign.’

Numbers and timing

My personal favorite of the multitude of signs is numbers and synchronicity. 

Angel numbers, or repeating numbers like 444, 333, 1111, or any sequence of numbers significant to you can be a sign of a supernatural presence. 

I often see 414, which I connect to a previous address.

These numbers will appear to remind us that we are right where we are supposed to be. They can also be loving winks from our departed loved ones, reminding us that, no matter what we’re going through, everything is always working out. 

While numerology assigns specific meanings to numbers, I like to think of them more broadly as reminders of connection and peace.

Sometimes I go on what I call a ‘sign walk.’ This is a spiritual practice where I am open and ready to receive signs from the spirit world.

Recently in New York City, after a live show, I was having a conversation with my departed granny while I admired the holiday decorations that adorned the streets.

While enjoying the holiday lights in Manhattan, Travis was having a conversation with his dead granny

Angel numbers can be a sign of a supernatural presence

I think about granny at Christmas the most, and there was no shortage of angel numbers on license plates on my walk. 

In my mind, I was reflecting on how beautiful it was to communicate with her, and to have the privilege of delivering messages to those who miss their loved ones, offering them the comfort and assurance that they are much closer than they think. 

As I was wrapped in the appreciation and love for this work, I felt the gentle nudge to look down at the sidewalk. And, of course, a heads-up penny was right in front of my feet.

The signs are all around us. All we have to do is be open, and we will see them. 

If you are unsure whether a sign is truly a sign, accepting even the possibility is a fabulous first step towards allowing more of them into your life. 

And while I don’t recommend using them as a tool to control your life (you do have free will), they can be a wonderful reminder of your own divine connection to those in spirit who are not truly gone, and who are sending you love every step of your journey.

Travis Holp is a medium and spiritual guide and the author of the new book Are You There, Spirit? It’s Me, Travis