Patience Worth; Legitimate Literary Legend or Mythical Ghost?
Imagine being invited to a posh Upper East Side apartment to hear the latest writings of a new literary sensation. The energy in the room buzzing as new poetry is presented with a high degree of wit, skill, and lyricism. Now imagine if that poetry was being channeled through an ordinary housewife from St. Louis, Missouri. That is the legend of Patience Worth, a 17th century literary “spirit,” whose rise to fame catapulted both she and her channeler into overnight sensations.
Patience Worth The Sorry Tale
To understand the mystery surrounding Patience Worth, one must first know about Pearl Curran. Born in 1883, Pearl Lenore Pollard was the only child of an often unemployed railroad worker and an ambitious mother who suffered from nervous ailments.
Curran was a talkative child and an average student. She loved music and aspired to be a singer, but her family’s meager finances were stretched thin to make her dream a reality. Like her mother, Curran struggled with anxiety, to the point of dropping out of school at 13 years old. In 1908, Curran met and married John Curran and moved to St. Louis, a city exploding with opportunities.
As a lonely newlywed, unable to have children (although she and Curran adopted a child and eventually had a child of their own), Curran’s constant companion was Emily Hutchinson, a charismatic writer and devoted practitioner of spiritualism, a popular belief in communication with the dead. After Curran’s father died in 1912, her friend suggested they try to communicate with him through a Ouija board.
Curran found these first attempts at communicating with her dead father silly, however one summer evening in 1913, the first of many communications with the spirit known as Patience Worth began to come forth:
“[The board] raced to the letters M, A, N and Y. Within minutes the women had this message: ‘Many moons ago I lived. Again I come—Patience Worth my name.’
Emily Hutchison tried to take control of the communication with this spirit, but it was clear that Worth had chosen Curran as her medium. Soon, word of Curran’s new talent spread and she began to open her home to the public, supported by her husband John, who took careful notes of Worth’s communications, that were delivered rapidly and without interruption: “The pointer would fly around the board and Pearl would call out words at the rate of 1,500 or so an hour.”
Worth told Curran that she was born in Dorsetshire, England in 1649, the daughter of John and Anne Worth, a seamstress to a nobleman. She communicated that she never married and lived her entire life in the small village. Curran channeled that Worth died at the age of 30-years-old in New England, after a long sea voyage from England to America. While mostly sparse with her life’s details, Worth did reveal certain vivid memories:
“I remember a certain church,” she once dictated, “with its wee windows and its prim walls, with its sanctity and meekness, with its aloofness and chilling godliness…[a]ye, well I remember the heat that foretold the wrath of God, making the Good Man [the parson] sweat. Aye, and Heaven seemed far, far.”
Before becoming the medium through which Worth expressed herself, Pearl Curran’s life was quiet and ordinary. But after making contact with Worth and the otherworld, Curran became almost as much of a curiosity as her subject; a curiosity that expanded to psychologists, who wondered if Curran suffered from multiple personality disorder, or who attributed Worth’s writings to Curran’s own unexpressed subconscious. Despite many attempts, Curran refused to cooperate with those who wanted to study her and her “gift.”
Curran did receive a sense of retribution when in 1927 parapsychologist and founder of the Boston Society for Psychical Research, Walter Franklin Pierce published The Case of Patience Worth, a 500-page book that declared “ordinary” Pearl Curran was merely the conduit for transmitting Worth’s copious literary production.
PATIENCE WORTH’S BOOKS AND POEMS: A LITERARY MYSTERY COMES TO LIFE
As word of Curran’s medium ability grew, so did the demand to know more about the spirit who was channeling through her. In 1915, the religious editorial page editor of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat wrote a series of articles that became the book, Patience Worth: A Psychic Mystery published by Henry Holt, (also a spiritualist). The book included Worth’s poems, and resulted in turning Worth into a literary sensation. Even The New York Times took notice, writing that “Patience Worth[’s] messages out of the darkness never sink to the commonplace level, but always show high intelligence and sometimes are even tipped with the flame of genius.”
The country and the literary world were so entranced by Worth’s literary mystery that her work began to appear in print almost as quickly as Curran could channel them.
A PROLIFIC WRITER: WORTH HER WEIGHT IN POEMS
To say that Worth was a prolific writer would be an understatement, as proven hundreds of poems to a number of plays, short stories and seven novels. Her most well known novel, The Sorry Tale: A Story in the Time of Christ, was published in 1917 to wide public and critical acclaim. In addition to these works, she was much loved and often quoted for her proverbs, such as “the owl is silent, and credited with much wisdom.”
Worth was so well-respected in literary circles that the Joint Committee of Literary Arts of New York recognized her as one of the country’s most extraordinary writers. But, her literary esteem was short-lived, as writing styles and readers tastes changed to voices such as Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Her follow-up novel, Hope Trueblood, received mixed reviews, with the Atlantic Monthly calling the author and her “otherworldly” followers “silly as they are dull.”
FLEETING FAME FOR WORTH AND CURRAN
By the 1920s, Curran and her husband experienced financial troubles, having not benefited from the publication of Worth’s books. John Curran died in 1922, leaving Curran with two children to support. To earn money, Curran began traveling with a gilded Ouija board, offering readings to celebrities include Ethel Barrymore and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. After two brief and unsuccessful marriages, Curran moved to Los Angeles where her finances remained meager, but she was in demand as a medium in artistic circles.
Throughout all the ups and downs of fame and celebrity, Worth remained a constant for Curran, who reportedly continued to communicate to her one week before Curran died on December 3, 1937 from pneumonia. There have never been any other recorded or verified communications from Worth after Curran’s death.
For believers in the paranormal and in communicating with the great beyond, Patience Worth represents the power of the human spirit that is not bound by death. To skeptics, Worth is nothing more than the subconscious iterations of an unlikely and ordinary person named Pearl Curran. Whatever one believes, we can agree that the power to create, connect, and communicate is universal across physical and psychic boundaries.
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5 Signs That a Deceased Loved One Is With You
Are there times when you feel that someone who has passed away is still close to you? The presence of a deceased loved one can be felt in a real way through subtle signs, emotional sensations or physical manifestations. In this article we explore how to know if the spirit of a family member is with you, what types of signs may appear, and why you shouldn’t ignore them.
Table of Contents
- Spiritual Signs That a Deceased Loved One Is Nearby
- How to Interpret Messages From the Spiritual World?
- What to Do When You Feel the Presence of a Deceased Loved One?
- When Does a Departed Soul Want to Give You a Message?
- Is It Possible to Contact a Deceased Loved One?
- Intuition as a Channel to Receive Messages From the Beyond
Spiritual Signs That a Deceased Loved One Is Nearby
Although we can no longer see or hear them as before, the emotional links with our deceased loved ones remain active at an energetic and spiritual level. It is common that their presence is manifested through signs that, if we learn to recognize them, can bring comfort and confirm that they are still close, accompanying our processes and taking care of us from another dimension.
These signs are not always obvious. That is why it is important to pay attention to the small details of everyday life, especially if you are going through an emotionally significant stage or feel that someone who has passed away needs to give you a message. Here are some of the most frequent manifestations so you can understand how to tell if a deceased loved one is with you.
- Vivid dreams and dream messages: One of the most frequent ways deceased loved ones communicate is through the dream world. These dreams are not only intensely real, but also emotionally meaningful: you can see their faces clearly, feel their energy, and remember precisely what they conveyed to you. It is not a simple evocation of memory, but a spiritual encounter that often has a clear purpose: to comfort you, to guide you, or to convey a message you need to hear.
- Interference or electrical phenomena: Spirits have the ability to interact with energy fields, so their presence is often manifested by lights that flicker, appliances that turn on by themselves, or radios that play songs with personal meaning. If something like this happens just when you think of that person, it’s probably not a coincidence.
- Aromas that evoke specific memories: Sometimes, for no apparent reason, you may perceive a smell that immediately transports you to the presence of someone who is no longer physically present. Your mother’s distinctive perfume, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee that your grandfather used to make, or the smell of flowers given to you by a loved one may appear suddenly and without logical explanation. These sensory experiences are one of the most direct and recognizable ways in which spirits make their closeness felt.
- Presence of symbols, animals or repetitive elements: Deceased loved ones often use elements loaded with meaning to send you signals. It can be butterflies, feathers, coins, songs or numbers that are repeated frequently. If these symbols appear insistently in emotional moments or when you think of that person, it is very likely that they are trying to establish a connection from the spiritual plane.
- Subtle but obvious physical sensations: Some people report feeling a gentle caress, a sudden shiver, a light pressure on the shoulder, or the distinct sensation that someone is beside them, even though no one is present. These manifestations usually occur when someone deceased needs to give you a message or simply wants to make you feel their company.
How to Interpret Messages From the Spiritual World?
Signs from the spiritual world do not always manifest themselves in a direct or obvious way. It is not a matter of looking for a literal message, but of observing how these symbols present themselves and what connection they have with your emotional and spiritual life. Each person has a different sensitivity, so it is important to develop a more conscious perception of what you feel when these signs appear.
A good way to interpret these messages is to pay attention to what is going on inside you at the moment you perceive the sign. Does it generate peace, excitement, nostalgia or clarity? The emotional charge that accompanies a signal can be as relevant as the event itself. It’s not just about what you see or hear, but what that experience awakens internally, and how it relates to your personal process.
It is also important to note repetition. When a signal occurs more than once, in different contexts, it is probably not a coincidence. Sometimes messages are not immediately understood, but reveal themselves over time. Keeping an open attitude, without forcing interpretations, allows you to connect more authentically with what the spiritual world is trying to show you.
What to Do When You Feel the Presence of a Deceased Loved One?
Feeling the presence of a deceased loved one is a real and meaningful experience that can generate different emotions, from peace and comfort to bewilderment or uncertainty. Far from being something that should frighten you, it is a manifestation of the bond that continues to exist beyond the physical plane. Acknowledging that closeness with openness and calmness allows the experience to integrate naturally into your life, without fear or confusion.
You can speak out loud or in your mind, express what you feel, thank them for their closeness or simply send thoughts of love. You don’t need to do complex rituals: a sincere gesture of emotional connection already creates a bridge between your energy and theirs. This inner communication is as valid as any other form of spiritual contact.
It is also helpful to keep a record of these moments. Writing down what you felt, when it happened, if there were any physical or emotional signs, can help you identify patterns and better understand the purpose of the presence. Over time, these experiences can become a valuable guide for your personal and spiritual process.
When Does a Departed Soul Want to Give You a Message?
There are specific times when deceased loved ones try to communicate more clearly. This often occurs when you are going through a major change, facing a major decision or in need of emotional support. In such cases, the signals may intensify and become more obvious, as if something is insisting on getting your attention.
It can also happen that the message arrives shortly after the death, when the emotional bond is still very active. In that period, it is common to receive unexpected dreams, symbols or emotions that bring a sense of direct connection. The message is not always verbal or specific; sometimes it is simply the certainty that they are well, that they are still present or that they are accompanying you on your journey.
It is important not to force the message to be received. Although many people wonder how to know if a deceased person wants to tell you something, the answer does not always come immediately. Maintaining a receptive attitude, but without anxiety, is the best way to facilitate communication. If the message needs to get through, it will do so at the right time and in the clearest way for you.
Is It Possible to Contact a Deceased Loved One?
There are different ways to contact a deceased loved one. Some people manage to establish this type of connection spontaneously, through dreams, signs or sensations that arise at specific moments. In other cases, they resort to more structured practices such as deep meditation, intuitive writing or symbolic rituals that favor the energetic link with the spiritual plane.
One of the best known ways to contact deceased persons is mediumship. Mediums are people with the ability to perceive subtle energies and act as a channel of communication between this plane and the spiritual world. Through specific sessions, they can transmit messages, emotions or images from loved ones who are no longer physically present, providing guidance or comfort to those who consult them.
There are also other tools such as the use of oracle cards, working with pendulums or connecting with spiritual guides who act as intermediaries. Although each experience is unique, the key element is always emotional openness and the sincere intention to establish that contact. It is not about forcing communication, but allowing it to occur naturally and respectfully.
In the series Channeling: A Bridge to the Beyond, available on Gaia, various experts and channelers explore how it is possible to connect with unseen dimensions and receive messages from higher consciousness. Through real experiences, quantum theories and spiritual practices, this series offers an in-depth look at methods for contacting the beyond and better understanding the link between worlds.
Intuition as a Channel to Receive Messages From the Beyond
Intuition is one of the most powerful tools for perceiving messages from the spiritual world. It is that inner knowledge that arises without logical reasoning, but with a clear and profound certainty. Many times, when a deceased loved one tries to communicate, intuition is the first to pick up that signal: a sudden idea, a phrase that comes to mind or an unexplained physical sensation.
Learning to trust this subtle perception is fundamental to strengthen the link with the spiritual plane. Intuition does not need concrete proof to be valid, because it manifests as an inner truth that is simply known. Often, the most intuitive people perceive signs even before they materialize physically, proving that communication with the beyond is not always visible, but perceptible.
Cultivating intuition is a process that can be developed with practice and mindfulness. Meditation, inner silence, connecting with nature and recording personal experiences are effective ways to strengthen this channel. The more you learn to listen to your inner voice, the easier it will be to recognize when a message is coming from your own mind and when it is coming from another dimension.
