Trusting Spirit Signs Without Overthinking Them

How the Reticular Activating System Helps You Notice

Have you ever asked the Universe for a sign and then saw repeating numbers, a specific animal, or heard a song that touched your soul?

Moments like these can feel like a gentle nudge from beyond - a message from a loved one, a spirit guide, or even your higher self.

If you're doubting the signs, you may just be overthinking.

But then... doubt creeps in.

"What if I'm just imagining things?"

"What if my brain is just looking for patterns?"

This is where many people get stuck - right at the intersection of intuition and logic.

Let's talk about what's really happening and how you can use discernment without shutting down your connection to spirit.

What Is the Reticular Activating System (RAS)?

The Reticular Activating System is a bundle of nerves in your brainstem that acts like a filter. It helps you focus on what's important while tuning out the rest.

For example:

• You buy a red car and suddenly see red cars everywhere.

• You think of someone and then get a message or call from them.

Your brain is wired to find patterns and validate what you're focusing on. It's not "making things up" - it's just helping you notice what matches your current thoughts or intentions.

But here's the key:

Just because your brain is involved doesn't mean your spirit isn't.

How Do Spirit Signs Work Then?

Spirit guides and loved ones often use subtle, symbolic communication.

Spirit Guides communicate in a multitude of ways such as with animals, repeating numbers, symbols, and even through your dreams.

They work with your mind and environment to help deliver their messages.

This means they may influence what the RAS highlights.

They don't override your free will or hijack your mind - they simply enhance your awareness.

So yes, it might be a coincidence.

And yes, it might also be divine timing.

It's not either/or. It can be both.

My Personal Experience with Spirit Signs

When I found a tumor on my face, I naturally panicked. I scheduled an appointment with an ENT, and the day before, I asked my Spirit Guides and my Dad (who has passed) to send me signs that everything would be okay.

My Dad has sent me butterflies for years. On the drive to the appointment - an hour away - I saw a butterfly on a car. Then a real one fluttered right in front of us as we walked into the building. And when we sat down in the exam room? There was a picture of a butterfly on the wall, right above my head (my husband was the one who pointed it out!).

Yellow butterflies are the sign my dad sends me from the other side.

The night before, during a meditation, I received images that symbolically showed me what turned out to be an MRI - something I was nervous about due to claustrophobia. I also felt tingling on the side of my face where the tumor was located.

At the appointment, the doctor explained that there was a risk the tumor could be wrapped around a facial nerve, which might cause complications after surgery.

But I believe my Spirit Team stepped in energetically, helping to untangle the nerve and reduce that risk. In the end, the tumor was non-cancerous and removed successfully - with zero nerve damage. The surgeon even called it a small miracle.

How to Use Discernment

(Without Letting Ego Get in the Way)

It's healthy to question what you're receiving. But if you analyze every single detail, you risk blocking the message altogether.

Keep a Signs Journal to identify patterns of signs that you see and how you feel before, during, and after.

Here's how to balance logic and intuition:

• Pause and ask: "How did this make me feel?" Spirit signs often carry a sense of peace, love, or knowing.

  
  

• Look at the whole picture: Rather than focusing on isolated symbols, notice how the signs fit together. Do they align with what you asked for? Do they repeat across different forms - visuals, sensations, inner knowing?

  
  

• Check your energy: If you're grasping for signs or constantly in fear, ego may be at play. If you're open and calm, you're more likely to receive clear guidance.

  
  

• Keep a signs journal: Writing things down helps you spot patterns over time. It also builds trust with your intuition.

Don't Let Overthinking Steal the Magic

Trust Your the Spirit Signs Without Overthinking

The logical part of your brain is powerful - it helps you stay grounded and make decisions. But when it tries to control every experience, it shuts down wonder, faith, and connection.

Some things aren't meant to be explained.

They're meant to be felt.

When you soften your focus and allow signs to come without forcing them, you open yourself up to beautiful insights - the kind that logic can't always grasp.

Final Thoughts

Is it your brain or is it an actual sign? Can you trust the signs from spirit without overthinking? The Reticular Activating System may be part of the picture, but so is your soul.

Spirit speaks through emotion, energy, synchronicity, and symbolism.

Allow yourself to be open and ready to receive the signs your Spirit Guides are sending you.

Your job isn't to decide what's "real" or not - it's to listen, stay open, and trust your heart to know the difference.

You are not alone.

You are being guided.

And the signs are all around you - if you're willing to see them.

Want to learn more about Signs? Check out my Resources page to grab your copy of one of my favorite books "Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe" by Laura Lynne Jackson