The Creation
Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox |
Do Ancestors Connect To Us After Death?
A Story From Nancy Abrams By Matthew Fox 2/26/2026 |
All religions deal in some way with life after death. I dedicate a chapter to this in my book, One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing From Global Faith Traditions. |
Indigenous religions often speak of the ancestors and deliberately call them in when they pray. Christianity talks of the “communion of saints.” But here I ask the question about individuals we know and love—do they actually communicate with us after they pass
on? |
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Allow me to share a personal story from Nancy Abrams, wife of Joel Primack, the renowned astrophysicist with whom she wrote two books. Her third book is solo, A God That Could Be Real.* Nancy had the courage and hutzpah to share the following story at the Celebration of Life service that I wrote about in a recent DM. She came to our monthly Order of the Sacred Earth
meeting this past Tuesday (all are invited, we meet on line the last Tuesday of each month), where she shared the story again. I asked her afterwards if I might share it on the DM and this was her reply: I think you should
definitely show the three galaxies to people! They’re such a challenge to our sense of reality. I’ll attach the photo and what I said about them at the end of the eulogy. And so, with Nancy’s permission, I share her story here from her eulogy at her husband’s memorial
service. |
Dust configured in the image of three galaxies, appearing on Nancy Abrams’ washing machine. Image by Nancy Abrams, used with permission. | We are all hard-headed scientists here but let me tell you what happened a few days ago. I walked into the laundry room with a basket of dirty clothes and stopped short when I saw the washing machine. This was the washing machine (see photo at left). Dust had formed into three galaxies in different stages of formation. Joel was a world expert on galaxy formation. I had not been in this room for days, no one else had been in the house, and the only window was shut. |
What could have caused this? I could not imagine. One scientist-friend suggested the spin cycle could have caused it. I ran a load of laundry on the same cycle to see if the spin cycle moved dust on the lid of the machine. It did not. The galaxies were exactly
the same. After several more loads, the galaxies have not changed at all. This experiment in my mind rules out the theory that the spin cycle created them, so I have no explanation. I sent the photo to my daughter, and she reminded me that one of Joel’s favorite sayings was a line from Sherlock
Holmes: “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” So – to all you scientists out there: I am absolutely open to a convincing theory of what caused this. But I will say, if ever there were a message from Joel,
this would be it. And just in time for his memorial so he could also reach out to you. |
The great irony is that when he was alive, Joel would have been the last person to believe a message was possible. But if it is possible, Joel would quickly figure out how to do it. I told Nancy, “I love your commentary and your challenge to
scientists |
“Reach out and you’ll touch me | Make effort to speak to me | Call out and you’ll hear me | Be happy for me.” Afro Celt Sound System, “Release,” sung by Sinéad O’Connor. [Official Video] Real World
Records |
about it too…. I like your feistiness in taking on what can be uncurious and frozen thinking even among scientists. Theologians don’t have a monopoly on dogmatic beliefs, it seems….” Is talk of the “ancestors” and the “communion of saints” based on actual experiences like that of Nancy
Abrams? |
Queries for Contemplation Have you had communication from others after they passed? If so, what form of
communication did it take? What did it mean for you? For others? |
Responses are welcomed. To add your comment, or read other comments and enter into dialogue, please click HERE to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field. Books and More by Matthew and Friends! Be sure to check out Matthew's new store at MatthewFox.org, now offering books, recorded courses old and new, and special events... and don't miss our growing collection of books endorsed by Matthew on Bookshop.org! CREATION SPIRITUALITY CONVERSATIONS |
Matthew Fox offers a keynote at the Unity Earth Symposium V on The Future of
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![Afro Celt Sound System - Release (feat. Sinéad O'Connor) [Official Video]](https://hostedimages-cdn.aweber-static.com/MTkxMzQ4Mw==/original/ea0cbb19017244ac886b164d87f8aee8.png)
