Ten Incredible Premonitions That Actually Came True

Premonitions of the future may seem like an area for fortune-tellers online and palm-readers at a county fair. In some cases, however, feelings regarding future events and images can be scientifically proven to be real. Experiments have been conducted in which individuals are shown images, both negative and positive, while their reactions and physiological responses are measured and recorded. The highest physiological response was toward negative images as an unconscious means of protection. Incredibly, the responses to these images are formulated seconds in advance of them actually being seen by the individual research participants. This demonstrates an unconscious awareness of the next random image to be shown. Some of the most startling and terrifying events in history have been predicted before they actually occurred. These are ten of the most dramatic such premonitions.

Premonitions are most often about bad things that may happen. This can be thought of as a warning system; however, it is often disregarded or not recognized for what it is. That was the case on October 21, 1966 in Aberfan, Wales. On that day in this small coal town, a mountain of coal collapsed, killing 116 children and 28 adults. This event was characterized by widespread premonitions in the form of dreams, a common form of precognitive thought. Due to the large number of reported premonitions regarding the collapsing coal and ensuing deaths, three different agencies were formed to research the information coming in. In total, 24 different precognitive foretellings were recorded in this particular incident.

Mark Twain was not only an iconic writer, but also a person who was in touch with his precognitive side. He once had a dream in which he saw his brother in a casket. One week later his brother was killed, and Twain was faced with the reality of his own premonition.

Twain also predicted that on his death, as on his birth, Halley's Comet would be visible. Sure enough, when he passed away on May 18, 1910, the comet was in plain view.

Adolf Hitler was said to have had a life-saving premonition, a precognitive dream during World War I. It was due to this dream that he leapt out of a trench in which he had taken shelter. Only moments later a shell hit the trench, killing everyone still in it.

George Washington is one former President of the United States said to have had premonitions. He claimed to have had an extensive vision of an angelic being foretelling the future of a young America. The vision foretold of the future of the Union and of the ways in which the United States would expand. This premonition is on record in the Library of Congress.

Abraham Lincoln was another former President said to have had a premonition of his death. His premonition came in a dream that was recorded by his biographer, Ward H. Lamon. In this dream, Lincoln saw mourners at the White House, approached them and asked who had passed. Their reply to him was that it was the president who had died. Lincoln did not heed his premonition and was assassinated only days later. It is said that his coffin was housed in the same part of the White House in which he had seen the mourners surrounding the deceased in his dream.

Union Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant was actually supposed to be in the same theatre box at the Ford theatre with Lincoln on the night of the assassination. He was also a target of John Wilkes Booth. However Julia Grant, Ulysses’ wife, is said to have awoken with uneasy feelings and a desire to return home. Her precognitive feelings seem to have saved the life of her husband as he gave in to her wishes and they left Washington that evening. He would go on to become president of the United States.

Julius Caesar is rumored to have been warned in multiple ways about his assassination during the Ides of March. For example, it is said that his wife Calpurnia had a dream the night before that he was stabbed by a friend and begged him not to go. It is also said that he was similarly warned by a friend of this possible fate. He himself felt the tumultuous state of affairs in Rome and had suspicions possibly based upon premonitions of his own, but went to his death nonetheless.

The Titanic is a treasure trove of recorded precognitive warning experiences. Many prominent individuals, such as J.P. Morgan and C. Vanderbilt, cancelled their bookings on the ship’s maiden voyage due to feelings of unease. Some passengers went through with the trip, but were cautious nonetheless. For example, Mrs. Peter C. Hanson went so far as to make burial arrangements before her trip. Later investigations would report some 50 premonitions regarding the dreadful end of the Titanic's maiden voyage.

Martin Luther King, Jr. may have also had premonitions that he would be killed, as he was in Memphis, TN on April 5, 1968. He certainly knew that his life was at risk, as previous attempts to harm him had been made. However, King seemed to be at peace with this fact. He made statements indicating that he wanted a eulogy not touting his awards, but speaking of his service to the people.

John F. Kennedy, another former United States president, was thought to have had many premonitions about his assassination on November 22, 1963. A note was found tucked amongst some papers over two and a half years before his death by his long time secretary that read, "I know that there is a God and I see a storm coming. If he has a place for me, I am ready." Regarding his journey to Dallas, Kennedy is said to have made different remarks that led those close to him to suspect he thought it would be the end of his life. Other individuals had premonitions that this trip to Dallas would end in Kennedy’s death as well. In particular, Mrs. Helen Greenwood tried desperately to get a warning out to Kennedy not to go to Dallas, as she feared it would result in his death.