WHILE we may be too afraid to admit it, a spooky new survey has revealed that a third of Brits believe in supernatural phenomena.
According to experts, we are constantly receiving messages from ghosts, spirits and lost souls on their way to the other side.
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Psychics say that spirits and lost souls on their way to the other side try to grab our attention by flinging open cupboard doors or wafting familiar smells our way.
Even though there is no actual scientific evidence for reincarnation or life after death, a surprising number of people are convinced that they are in contact with loved ones from beyond the grave.
The Sun’s own psychic Mystic Meg says there are plenty of ways to detect whether someone is trying to get back in touch after their death.
But these strange signs are nothing to be afraid of.
She said: “Of course, all phenomena can have real-world explanations so it's important to rule those out before jumping to any conclusions.
“And bear in mind most ‘presences' are not in any way evil, they just have something they need to communicate.”
Here are the most common signs that your home might be haunted by a ghost trying to tell you something.
Nature's way
Ghosts often choose to send us messages via the natural world, perhaps in the form of feathers floating past or visits from common garden birds.
Psychic Sally Morgan recently claimed that for those looking for a message from the spirit world, a robin is the first sign.
She said grieving people should look out for the bird as “a sign from a spirit,” adding they will “know” if it's their loved one and will “instantly think” of the person they are missing.
Spiritual teacher Amanda Tooke tells The Sun: “I don’t want to scaremonger because many people find ghosts comforting – in the same way as others believe in God and take comfort from religion.
“But if something feels like a sign to you, then it is a sign. You just have to trust in your instincts as to what is right.
“So if you believe that a robin which flies into your garden every day is actually your dead husband, then perhaps it is.
“Birds, feathers and rainbows are all common signs but all of our dead loved ones behave differently.”
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Electrical disturbances
According to psychics, spirits are also very good at causing unexplained electrical disturbances.
If household lights start flickering on and off, or dim for no discernible reason, that might be a ghost trying to tell you something.
“They can also turn the TV or radio on and off randomly,” added Amanda.
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Amanda, 68, believes that spirits and angels are often reaching out to us in ways that should not be thought of as sinister or frightening.
She says they are simply trying to reassure us that they are okay.
“A lot of people get freaked out by the idea of ghosts but to me it’s just evidence that a spirit is with us in physical ways,” said Amanda.
“Instead of being scared we should teach ourselves to work in harmony with them.”
Vanishing act
If a bunch of keys are no longer to be found where you left them, a ghost might have moved them, according to Amanda.
“If a spirit really wants your attention then things might start to go missing around the house,” she said.
“Random things disappearing and then reappearing somewhere else is quite a common way for souls to contact us.”
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Pet senses
Psychics advise paying close attention to household pets since they often pick up signals from ghosts faster than humans do.
Amanda explained: “If your pets suddenly start acting strangely, like refusing to enter a room, staring at something, barking or growling when there seems to be nothing there, then they may have sensed someone or something we cannot see.”
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Door signs
Another very common way for spirits to make contact is by randomly opening and closing doors and cupboards.
Amanda says it can be easy to miss obvious signs being sent from our loved ones – even though they are around us all the time.
“If you want to pick up on signs you need to be vigilant, slow down your life and be still, otherwise you may miss subtle things,” she added.
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Second chance
Spirits often travel around our world via second hand furniture, so if you snap up a bargain that belonged to someone else first, make sure it is cleansed.
Psychics suggest burning bunches of white sage and whirling the smoke around the furniture – in case spirits are still trapped inside.
Amanda tells us: “I once inherited a wardrobe from a relative which did not smell at all in their house but when I moved it into mine, it absolutely stank.
“I tried cleaning it and using air fresheners but nothing worked.
“Then I realised that it was a spirit trying to get my attention because a soul needed help passing over.
Many people find ghosts comforting – in the same way as others believe in God
Amanda Tooke
“When I cleansed the wardrobe by burning sage, the smell went away immediately.
“I also knew a lady who bought a piano stool from an antique shop but as soon as she got it home things started going wrong and breaking around the house.
“The stool was the problem.
“Spirits are very clever and if they need help passing over they will make sure they get our help moving into the right vicinity.
“They might be stuck because emotional issues need resolving.
“That woman wanted to keep her stool so we cleansed it in order that the spirits could move on to wherever they needed to be.”
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Heaven scent
Be aware of sudden wafts of perfume, cigarettes, cooking smells or pungent herbs like lavender.
If you find yourself picking up unusual odours – that can be pleasant or unpleasant – but with no obvious real-life source it might be a message coming through.
Some spirits prefer to send us familiar smells like perfume as a reminder, or if somebody smoked they might give you an unexpected waft of cigarette smoke.
Amanda says: “My dad was insulin dependent and he has dropped that very distinctive smell of his medication to me a couple of times since he died four years ago – my son and I both smelt it at the exact same time.
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“My daughter often gets the smell of cigarette smoke and that lets her know her nanny is around her, because she was a heavy smoker when she was alive.
“It’s just a matter of tuning into the signs and trusting them.”
In the shadows
You may sometimes notice shadowy shapes or figures appearing in your peripheral vision – but when you look again there is nothing there.
This can often happen when you glance in a mirror too.
Amanda explained: “Many people experience the strong sensation of being watched but it’s not as sinister or scary as it sounds.
“It can actually feels comforting – like your loved one is there alongside you, making you feel supported.”
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Catching a chill
Be aware of cold areas around the house, or a sudden drop in temperature.
If you notice that certain parts of a room feel rather chilly – or that one room is consistently cooler than the rest of the house – you may be hearing from a departed loved one.
The feeling that someone has brushed past you on the stairs can also be a sign.
Spooky sounds
Some spirits can be more active in the ways they choose to let us know that they are here with us.
They might make clear sounds such as footsteps or knocking.
Do you occasionally hear sounds that could be whispering voices? They may be very low, and not quite saying clear words.
Footsteps, thuds, snatches of music, laughter, or crying can all be signals coming through from the other side.
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How to pick up signs from beyond the grave
Mystic Meg says tuning in to our five senses will help detect a loved one trying to get back in touch following their death
 "Is your pet just moody or facing a mental health crisis? – Firstpost")
