KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

March 20 through March 26, 2023

Happy Astrological New Year! The Sun will move into Aries on Monday and revive us on every level. As we cast off the watery vibes of Pisces, we'll be entering a cycle of creativity, inspiration, and assertive action. The next four weeks will prove fruitful and exciting as we enter a new season and year and prepare for new beginnings. To add to the fun, the Aries new Moon on Tuesday kicks off another round of potential and fresh starts. The second big event of the week is Pluto's entry into Aquarius on Thursday. The last time Pluto changed signs was in 2008, so this shift is introducing a profound karmic cycle that puts us on a path to a new paradigm! We'll begin to see new inventions and global events taking shape that lead us forward. Based on the fact that a major stellium occurs on this same day (Venus, the Moon, Jupiter, Mercury, the Sun, and Neptune all in close proximity of each other), this could be the most profound astrological event of the year, if not the decade! So fasten your seat belts! The third major shift of the week occurs when Mars moves into Cancer on Saturday. Cancer can tone down the assertive energy of Mars, as it promotes family, home, and fertility. So the focus of the next two months will have us looking within and at our immediate surroundings and relationships.

Mysticism of the Unseen, by Daniel Moler

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

What does it mean to be a mystic?

Almost every human being seeks communion with some sort of creative power in the universe, whether it is called God or Goddess, Jehovah, Allah, Great Spirit, or Brahma. Science is no different, pursuing the origin of life through the intricacies of quantum mechanics or Big Bang theory. We all have a draw toward uncovering the mystery of existence, what is often called the Great Originating Mystery.

Is this connection to the unseen reserved for only priests or priestesses, monks or nuns? Are they the select few who get to experience the source of all creation?

What if it was the destiny of every human to be able to interact with the unseen force in the universe that seems to propel all life? Further, what is the goal of such a spiritual experience and how can it be approached?

Although there is no definitive answer to these questions, our ancestors have provided direction through various modalities of mystical participation with the world around us. Known as the Mystery Traditions, these modalities have been shrouded in secrecy and symbolism for millennia. It has only been the last century or so that the disparate spiritual practices of these traditions from around the world have come to light and surfaced in the global arena. I can now observe, study, and even take part in mystical practices from a Thearavada Buddhist in Cambodia. Likewise, a Shipibo medicine woman from the Amazon can touch base with my own spiritual paradigm and worldview. Thanks to modern technology and academia, most every human being has the potential to tap into spiritual practices that had been hidden for centuries.

Now, I'm a project manager at heart. In the daytime, I am coordinating dozens of teams to implement and deliver millions of dollars' worth of product to customers who expect high quality. If I stick to a textbook-style methodology of project management, those teams will fail. In order to stay relevant and provide value, sometimes you have to throw away conventional models, pull up your sleeves, and just find out what works in reality. It seems we are now in a place in our global spiritual culture where we can now do something similar. Likewise, in these Mystery Traditions, if we can uncover the best of what works from these systems, and perfect them, then we will provide a solid framework for the coming generations who seek answers to the mysteries of life.

The first objective, then, is to empower people to become mystics in their own right, rather than making the direct connection to the spiritual realm exclusive.

This is why I have always been drawn to shamanism. Shamanism is not a religion, but moreso represents a set of spiritual practices that is alive in most all religious traditions. A shaman normally serves the community by directly engaging with Spirit (God) through various interactions with the natural world. A good example of this is found all over Christian history, including the Old Testament with Moses and Elijah, as well as post-New Testament via the early Christian Gnostics. Also, Siddhartha Gautama's direct revelation of enlightenment under the tree, which spawned Buddhist philosophy. And so on. In essence, shamanism is the root of all spiritual traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. Hence, every religion's origin is truly shamanic, because every religion started as a means of facilitating a direct relationship with God.

My own personal work and training in shamanism has encouraged a direct relationship with the unseen world. Instead of being beholden to some other person for my spiritual experience, I am now enabled to take full responsibility for my own direct mystical revelations. Shamanism does this primarily through its technique of engaging non-ordinary states of consciousness. Within that state of awareness that is not conventional, my mind can move into a space where it can then begin to receive visionary imagery and/or information that contribute to my spiritual purpose.

In my book, Shamanic Qabalah: A Mystical Path to Uniting the Tree of Life & the Great Work, I offer an approach to the Mysteries through the precise symbolism found in Jewish and Hermetic Qabalah (also seen as "Kabbalah") applied with the down-to-Earth techniques of indigenous shamanism. Why I have chosen to mix Qabalah with shamanism is a question which gets asked quite a bit, but my answer is always the same: because they are the same thing, just Qabalah has a refined system that can be more readily understood in a modern context than, say, indigenous symbols and ideas.

At its heart, Qabalah is a system of Judaic mysticism and is the very basis of understanding the Old Testament. "Qabalah" is a Hebrew word that literally means, "to receive," so it is a set of concepts and ideas meant to cleanse the soul to receive the experience of Spirit. Qabalah has evolved from being entirely Jewish-centric, and over time was utilized by many religious traditions across the planet: Christianity, Islam, neo-paganism, etc. Many scholars believe Jesus himself would have been trained in Qabalah, being raised Jewish and even impressing the priests at the Temple, and many of his teachings incorporate Qabalistic concepts if one is trained to spot them. Elements of Qabalah have even been found through the spiritual practices of cultures throughout the world.

In my own training in curanderismo (Peruvian shamanism) I found many references and correlations to Qabalah. So many, in fact, that they could no longer be ignored. Both shamanism and Qabalah are systems that aim to lift the veil of illusion that pervades our senses, to tap into the unseen forces in the universe around us. With the ecstatic and naturalistic techniques offered by shamanism and the precise symbolism of Qabalah, I began opening pathways into my own consciousness that have now made me confident of my own spiritual path...I am a mystic. I have the ability and privilege to connect with the unseen spiritual powers of the universe and gain the guidance I require to continue my own evolution toward liberty and happiness.

"Initiation, the Great Work," I state in the second chapter of my book, "engages with symbols in an unconscious way—via ritual—to reach the subconscious recesses of the mind."

The Great Work is the ability to reach into the subconscious mind and, through connection with the unseen, find one's true purpose as an individual in this life. Qabalah has a rich history of symbolism that cannot be ignored to any practitioner of the mystic arts, whether it be the high ceremonial practices of occult magick or earth-based spiritualities such as Wicca. The problem has been to take these high-brow concepts and make them accessible to those who may not want to go through the rigorous tomes of the Western Mysteries. Therefore, Shamanic Qabalah attempts to integrate academic occultism with the naturalistic execution of indigenous shamanism.

As with any process, if it becomes too difficult, take a step back and go back to basics. Utilize what works for your own individual practice yet be open to new ideas. The Mystery Traditions are chock full of wisdom, but none of it matters if we can't apply it to our everyday lives. The whole goal of having a relationship with the unseen universe is to have a better relationship with the universe that is seen.

Otherwise, what is the point?

In Shamanic Qabalah, I lay the groundwork for a shamanic practice based upon Hermetic Qabalistic symbolism. The backbone for this system is the Tree of Life, a composite symbol that acts as a schema of consciousness, as well as the inner and outer universe. Some say it is a map to God. Within the Tree of Life resides roadways and destinations (referred to as paths and spheres) that designate the stages of spiritual evolution and growth. Shamanic Qabalah teaches one to engage with the Tree of Life, through a shamanic elemental methodology. Whereas the Tree of Life normally appears as an inaccessible and often high-brow concept for some, I hope to make its concepts approachable and useful to anyone willing to give it a shot.

A mystic takes charge of their own spiritual legacy. A mystic needs no authority. It is my hope and wish that Shamanic Qabalah is a guide and reference to propel individuals to that level of confidence. Mysticism is our birthright and hopefully we can all entrust one another lift each other up to provide the best tools and practices at our disposal. We are in this together. The Great Work is all about discovering and living out our individual spiritual destiny, all while supporting others on their own path.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2018. All rights reserved.

On three separate occasions, I have heard my name yelled out by a disembodied voice while I was sleeping. The first time this happened, I heard my departed mother yell Yolanda! and it woke me up. The second time, I heard my dad yell my name in his Spanish accent, but no one was home but me. This also startled me and woke me up. The third time, I heard my boyfriend yell my name and a door slam shut. I awoke to again find I was home alone. Do you know what this could be? It scares me because the voices sound so real, and I feel crazy because there is no one home and no reasonable explanation for this.

Yolanda

Susyn:

Based on the details in your question, I assume that your mother resides in the spirit world while your father and boyfriend are still living. Spirits will often speak to us through our dreams or awaken us from deep sleep. That is not unusual. To hear your boyfriend and father do the same suggests that they were either astral projecting to you in their sleep, or that different spirits or guides mimicked their voices to get your attention.

I am of the belief that when you hear something three times from different sources, there is an important message trying to get through to you. To have your mother, father and boyfriend awaken you by calling your name in the middle of the night, only to discover no one there, tells me that someone is trying to get your attention for a very specific reason.

You hear nothing but your name, which is just enough to get your attention. When this sort of phenomenon occurs, we don't know what to make of it, which sends us on a quest to figure out what is happening and why. This kind of wake-up call can be particularly disconcerting because we have to figure out what someone is trying to say to us on our own. That these are the three people you are closest to suggests that the message someone is trying to get through to you is very important.

In my experience, there is always a reason behind the phenomenon you describe, especially when it keeps recurring. I recommend you stop and ask yourself if there is anything you are doing or not doing that might cause your loved ones concern or worry. You can ask your father and boyfriend directly if this is the case, though I wouldn't assume that they would remember coming to you in spirit form or speaking your name.

Whether you are facing a life-changing situation, have gotten off track somehow, or need to be alerted to an impending problem, the messages will continue until you determine what they mean, after which these voices should stop. Sometimes the reason is obvious, while at other times, no matter how hard we try, we just can't seem to get the message.

While it's most likely that you're being alerted to important guidance, it's possible that your loved ones are just thinking of you and checking in with you. If you can't determine why this keeps happening on your own, you may want to meet with a psychic who can speak to your mother directly and ask your spirit guides what you're supposed to be getting from all of this so you can quickly clarify the message involved and start taking action on it.

*****

Oceania:

While it's possible that your mother's spirit and the higher selves of your father and boyfriend were calling your name to get your attention, it's also possible that these calls originated from your unconscious mind during a dream state. It's easy to wake up from a dream because our brains are nearly awake at that point in the sleep cycle.

As the three most significant people in your life are calling you to wake up, I think you are wise to pay attention. You might be picking up cues from them when you're awake that you're overlooking because you're busy, and only realize that they have something important to tell you when you're quietly resting.

To receive guidance from your inner wisdom or your loved ones, you must schedule time in your daily or weekly routine to be present in the moment and fully aware of your body, thoughts and feelings. Activities that support introspection include meditation, yoga stretches, journaling and artwork. Begin right now. Stop reading and take three slow, deep, relaxing breaths. Next, close your eyes and picture yourself in a safe and peaceful place. Envision your ideal self standing before you. What qualities does she have? Identify three baby steps that would move you closer to becoming her.

Another helpful exercise is to imagine that you ARE your mom, dad and boyfriend, one at a time. Imagine you are your mother and that you are sitting in a chair across from yourself. As your mother, what would you like to tell yourself? Don't think about it; just speak whatever comes to you as it comes. Of course, it is also possible that you have unresolved issues with these three individuals. Think back to when your mother was alive. What did you need most from her? What do you need most from your father and boyfriend? Share something genuine and heartfelt with each of these three.

It is also possible that these sleep intruders represent parts of YOU, each trying to deliver a message to your conscious mind. The Mother part of you is the nurturer, self-protector, and boundary-setter. Name one thing you could do to better preserve and nurture your authentic self. The Father part is your encourager, empowerer, and inner coach. In what way could you go for it, take a risk, exercise courage and discipline? The Partner part is your companion, ally and advocate. Is there a situation in your life where you need to stand up for yourself and be more assertive?

Please don't be afraid when you receive these wake-up calls, for they are opportunities to stretch, learn and grow!

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.