The bonds of love are what connect us to the other side.
I believe that before anybody makes the journey to the other side, we have to know on a soul level that we are leaving, whether it's an accident or illness, and we prepare ourselves to a certain degree that we won't be there in the future.
Keep a journal, and learn how to see how you as an individuals sees information so you can learn your own sign language. Meditate and practice psychic self defense and surrounding yourself with prayer.
I don't look at this as a religious based thing. To me this is energy based.
My view of the afterlife is that it's made of different levels, depending on how spiritual a life we live.