Daniel: That strange coincidence you experienced last week? The one you dismissed as random? Our book today argues you were fundamentally wrong. It wasn't random at all. It was a message, and you just missed the call. Sophia: Whoa, okay, that’s a bold opening. You’re telling me that when I saw three people in a row wearing the exact same obscure band t-shirt, that wasn't just a weird statistical blip? The universe was trying to tell me to listen to more indie rock? Daniel: According to our author, it very well could have been. That's the entire, mind-bending premise of the book we’re diving into today: Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe by Laura Lynne Jackson. Sophia: Laura Lynne Jackson. I’ve heard that name. She’s a pretty prominent figure in this space, and her work tends to be widely acclaimed but also gets some polarizing reviews, right? People either seem to be all-in or very skeptical. Daniel: Exactly. And what's fascinating is that Jackson isn't just some guru on a mountain. For nearly twenty years, she was a high school English teacher, living a conventional suburban life, all while being a certified research medium for scientific organizations like the Windbridge Institute, which studies consciousness and the afterlife. Sophia: Hold on. A research medium and a high school English teacher. That is quite the combo. It’s like having a double life. One foot in the world of verifiable facts and grammar, the other in the unseen. Daniel: It gives her this very grounded, yet extraordinary, perspective. She’s not just telling mystical stories; she’s trying to build a bridge between intuition and our everyday reality. Sophia: Okay, I'm intrigued. So what exactly is this 'secret language' she’s talking about? Is it like Morse code with birds and butterflies?

Daniel: It’s a bit more personal than that. The core idea is that we are never alone. Jackson posits that each of us has what she calls a "Team of Light"—this includes loved ones who have passed on, spirit guides, and a universal energy of love, or God, if you will. This team is constantly trying to send us messages of support and guidance. Sophia: A ‘Team of Light.’ I like the sound of that. It’s a lot more comforting than thinking you’re just rattling around the universe by yourself. But what form do these messages take? How do they get through the noise of daily life? Daniel: They get through in the form of signs. These can be default signs—like seeing repeating numbers, finding coins, or encounters with specific animals like dragonflies or cardinals. But more often, they are intensely personal. The book is filled with these incredible, hair-raising stories. There's one about a woman named Marie that just floors me every time. Sophia: Okay, give me the story. I want to feel the full effect. Daniel: Marie is in a hospital waiting room. Her husband, Pete, has just been wheeled into emergency heart surgery. She is, as you can imagine, beside herself with fear and anxiety. She feels completely alone, so she starts praying—to God, to the universe, and specifically to her son, Kerry, who had passed away. She begs him, "Kerry, please, just give me a sign that your dad is going to be okay." Sophia: Oh, that's heartbreaking. The desperation in a moment like that must be immense. Daniel: Totally. A little while later, a nurse comes by and kindly offers her a cup of coffee. Marie is grateful for the small kindness. She pulls a five-dollar bill from her wallet to pay for it. The nurse goes, gets the coffee, and comes back with her change—a few one-dollar bills. As Marie takes them, her eyes fall on one of the bills. And there, written in clear capital letters right over George Washington's face, is the name 'KERRY'. Sophia: Wow. Okay. That's... specific. That's not a feather or a random coin. That's a name. Her son's name. Daniel: Exactly. In that moment, all her fear just dissolves. She knows. She knows Pete is going to be fine. And sure enough, two hours later, the surgeon comes out and tells her the operation was a complete success. But as Jackson writes, Marie already knew. Kerry had told her. Sophia: That’s a powerful story. It gives me chills. But my logical brain, the one that’s always playing devil’s advocate, has to ask: how does the book address the idea of confirmation bias or apophenia? You know, our brain's incredible ability to find patterns in random noise, especially when we're desperately looking for them. Daniel: That's the million-dollar question, and the book doesn't shy away from it. Jackson acknowledges that scientists, like Dr. Bernard Beitman who is actually trying to establish a formal field of 'Coincidence Studies,' are debating this very thing. Is it random, or is it meaningful? Jackson's perspective, which is a core theme, is that it ultimately comes down to a choice of belief. Sophia: A leap of faith, essentially. Daniel: Yes, but it's a functional leap of faith. She argues that when you choose to believe in the meaning, you open a channel. The signs often become more frequent and clearer. She shares another quick story about a client grieving her father. During a reading, Jackson got the message "cereal in the car." The woman was baffled. It meant nothing to her. Sophia: Cereal in the car? That sounds completely random. Daniel: It does. But later that day, the woman suddenly remembered. When she was a little girl, as a special treat, her dad would sometimes let her eat a bowl of cereal in the car on the way to school. It was their secret, special thing. That incredibly specific, seemingly nonsensical phrase was a direct, private message from her dad that no one else could have known. It brought her immense comfort. Sophia: Okay, that's much harder to dismiss as just a coincidence. The specificity is the key. It’s not just seeing a heart shape in the clouds; it’s something tied to a unique, personal memory. Daniel: Precisely. It’s a personalized language. And that leads to the next major idea in the book. You don't just have to wait for these signs to appear out of the blue.

Sophia: Wait, so you're saying we can go from just being passive listeners to actively participating? It sounds like you're suggesting we can... place an order with the universe? Daniel: That's a great way to put it! Jackson argues that we can co-create a language with our Team of Light. It’s a two-way street. They are sending signs, but they get really excited when we decide to engage and establish our own symbols. Sophia: So it’s like setting up a secret code with a friend. "If you agree, leave a flower on the windowsill." That kind of thing? Daniel: Exactly that. And she tells her own story to illustrate this, which is both funny and profound. After her first book was published, she was invited to give a huge speech at a corporate event in California. A former U.S. president was also speaking. She felt immense pressure to deliver a powerful message. Sophia: I can imagine. That’s a high-stakes situation. Daniel: After the speech, she felt drained and uncertain. Did she do a good job? Did she honor the message she was meant to share? So, she has a quiet moment and puts a request out to her Team of Light. She says, "Okay, I need a sign. A clear sign that I did my part. Show me an orange. Just a single orange." Sophia: An orange. Why an orange? Daniel: It was just a random, specific thing that popped into her head. She figured it was unlikely enough to be a clear sign if it appeared. So after the event, everyone is ushered outside for lunch. She walks out, turns a corner, and just stops dead in her tracks. The entire outdoor luncheon area is decorated with thousands upon thousands of oranges. They're in huge glass vases on every table, piled in pyramids, lining the walkways. It was an ocean of oranges. Sophia: No way. Not one orange, but thousands. That’s the universe having a sense of humor. It’s like, "You wanted a sign? Here. Have ALL the signs." Daniel: That's exactly how she took it! A huge, loving, and slightly comical "message received." From that experience, she says four truths were reinforced for her. One: when you ask for signs, the universe speaks back. Two: we are so incredibly loved and supported. Three: our journeys are all interconnected. And four: we are a member of this team, and our role matters. Sophia: This is where it gets really interesting for me, but also where I think some people might feel it's a bit... 'woo-woo.' How does she say you actually do this? Is there a cosmic 1-800 number we're supposed to call? What are the practical steps to create your own sign? Daniel: The book actually has a chapter on this, "How to Co-Create Your Own Language." It’s very practical. The first step is to find some quiet time, to get centered. The second is to ask for a specific sign from a specific loved one or your 'team.' Be clear. "Dad, please show me a yellow butterfly this week as a sign you're with me." Sophia: So specificity is important again. Not just "show me a sign," but "show me this sign." Daniel: Crucial. The third step is the hardest for most people: let it go and be receptive. Don't go hunting for it obsessively. Trust that it will appear in its own time. The fourth step is simple but vital: when you receive the sign, say thank you. Acknowledge the communication. It strengthens the connection. Sophia: And the fifth? Daniel: Share your story. Jackson believes that when we share these experiences, we raise the energy for everyone. We give other people permission to believe in their own connections and to start noticing the signs in their own lives. It builds a collective web of light.

Sophia: It's fascinating. Whether you come at this from a place of firm belief in the afterlife, or from a more psychological perspective, the outcome seems remarkably similar. Daniel: How do you mean? Sophia: Well, whether you believe these are literal messages from the 'Other Side' or a powerful psychological tool for focusing your intuition and priming your brain to notice meaningful connections... the end result is a feeling of guidance, comfort, and less fear in the world. It makes life feel less random and more meaningful. Daniel: Exactly. I think that's Jackson's ultimate point, and it's what resonates in so many of the positive reader reviews. The goal isn't necessarily to provide empirical proof of the afterlife that will satisfy a hardened skeptic. The goal is to show that living as if we are constantly supported and connected fundamentally changes our experience of life for the better. Sophia: It shifts us from a path of anxiety and isolation to one of hope and connection. That seems to be the core message of the whole book, especially in the sections about navigating grief and dark times. Daniel: It is. It’s about choosing a lens of love and connection through which to see the world. And once you put those glasses on, according to Jackson, you start to see that the world has been trying to connect with you all along. Sophia: It really leaves you wondering, doesn't it? What signs have we all been missing, just because we wrote them off as nothing? It makes me want to pay a little more attention. Daniel: Me too. And we'd love to hear your thoughts. If you've had an experience like this, a coincidence that felt like something more, share it with us on our socials. We're always curious to hear these stories. Sophia: Absolutely. It’s a conversation worth having. Daniel: This is Aibrary, signing off.