I’ve had a few “mid-slumber visitors” recently. Each time I’m awakened by a noise of some sort. I feel like I’ve been in a deep sleep, but I’m suddenly awake and my eyes are directed to the place in my room where the noise has originated. There sometimes is also a visual queue – an image of someone or something while I’m still in my dream state just prior to being startled awake.

In my first experience, which occurred some time last week, there was no vision – at least not that I can remember – but just a very distinct noise. The noise was like the creaking sound a wicker basket might make if you sat on it. I was instantly awake and my eyes were on the woven seagrass clothes hamper by the window. Of course no one was there – just the two sham-covered pillows I lay on top of it every night before climbing into bed. I considered asking “What do you want?” but was too tired. My curiosity was not as strong as my desire for sleep. I rolled over, tossed around the idea of communicating for about another 10 seconds and then fell back into a deep sleep.

The next experience, earlier this week, included a vision of…something or someone…I don’t recall the image or really have any impression of it…I just know there was an image. And then a noise shocked me awake. This time the noise wasn’t anything I could define as belonging in my bedroom, as in the creaking of the hamper. The sound this time was more like a “pop.” And this time I “felt” a presence in the room – but just for an instant. My eyes were aimed at the corner of the room – where the noise seemed to have originated – but no one was there. Once again sleep won over any urge to explore the situation.

Last evening it happened again. This time I know the image that appeared in my mind before I was jolted awake was a person. And this time, when my eyes shot open they were aimed at the foot of my bed where I got the impression of the shadow of a person just fading away. They were not standing at the foot of my bed, but sort of floating over it in a way. It was almost like they had been sitting on the end of my bed slightly turned to their left so they could watch me. When my eyes popped open they faded away. I also got the sense that this presence was male.

These sorts of experiences have happened for me before, but not in many years. In those earlier visits I always felt the presence must be my mother. In one instance I was awakened by the kind of movement your mattress makes when someone sits down on the edge of the bed. When my eyes opened I had the impression of my mother, seated there – and then it faded. Another time I awoke feeling she had been standing at the foot of my bed.

Fear is never a component of these events – just a realization that someone is out there. I’m never sure if they’re wanting to communicate a specific message or if they just want me to know they’re watching. But I never feel threatened by them.

In my recent visits, my most immediate thought after realizing what just happened is, “I’m so tired! Why did they wake me?” I suppose at some point I’ll get around to asking them that question.

What triggers these sorts of experiences? I believe that when we begin to open up and expand ourselves spiritually, we open the channels that connect us more closely to our Spirit Guides. Back when my mother was visiting I was in that zone. I spent several years there, but eventually I shut down spiritually in favor of exploring a relationship. At the time I did not know I was choosing one over the other. Intellectually I knew even then that relationship and spirituality should not be mutually exclusive options, but that is how it worked out in this case.

The individual I connected with was not spiritual or religious, but did claim to believe in God. He mostly was a lost soul with an addiction who struggled every day to keep things in balance. We connected, I suppose, because we both needed something. He needed calm and balance, which I was able to provide at the time. I needed examples of unconditional love and “love of family.” That is what he brought to me. While it was not a conscious decision, I chose at that time to move away from my spiritual practices and just “let life happen.”

After that relationship ran its course I realized I had become stagnant in my life. I have since found myself back in a place where I feel the need to connect to Source and grow in my spirituality. And so now my Guides are beginning to make their appearances on a regular basis. For the last few weeks it seems as though each night I either experience remarkable dreams or get an overnight “nudge” from one of my Guides. I try to write each dream because within it there is always a message.

I feel I have begun a new adventure in my life. I’m very interested to see how this progresses.