KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

by Bill Apablasa

There is a time for departure even when there's no certain place to go. - Tennessee Williams

Time to Hit the Road

When was the last time you just got up and left? Your feet twitched and the road called? Not on vacation, or a day at the beach or trip to the spa, but a head out the door for an aimless stroll to nowhere?

It's called wandering, moving without a fixed course, allowing mood and curiosity to be your guide. Depending on your personality, that may or may not sound like kryptonite. It's certainly not easy for me.

Truth is, most of us aren't wired to wander or, more accurately, we've forgotten how. We've been so conditioned by teachers, parents and bosses, so manipulated by schedules and deadlines and have-tos, that we no longer have the time or the space between our heads to go anywhere unless the destination is clearly marked on the map, with something practical waiting for us at the end, like a paycheck or a cold Corona.

Doing nothing we get, but going nowhere is for college dropouts or meth addicts. We may wander, but for only as long as it takes for our GPS to kick back in. For most of us, wandering is what you do when you're waiting for real life to start.

And I get it. Who has time to wander when there's chicken to stir-fry, kids to pick up, MBAs to be earned, clients to meet, dogs to be cleaned up after? Life keeps us busy.

Of course, life also keeps us in the same room.

And therein lies the great challenge of our lives. How do we live in a world, but not be of it? How do we pay the mortgage, take out the trash and still find time to expand our awareness?

If you have the answer, call me. We should do lunch. I know I don't have the answer. But I do know the balance of my life will hinge on how well I try.

I know that if we truly seek reinvention, if we truly seek to escape the one room we're living in, there is a call for us to transcend life itself, or life as we think we know it. We need to zig while the rest of the world zags. Emerson had it right. Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

It's not an easy lesson, but once learned, it has the capacity to change our lives forever. That said, let's cultivate a spirit of wander.

We can start with a commitment. At least once this week, pledge to leave the house with no objective and nowhere to go. Spend at least three to four hours on the road, six is better, and all day ideal. No itinerary. No final destination. It's called wandering - spontaneous travel without map or purpose. I know it's tough.

How Do I Get Started?

Step out of the house, turn left or right, then keep walking. That's it. Grab a bus, take a train, get off when you feel like it. But, don't rely on public transportation entirely. And definitely don't use a car. The problem with roads is that they're clearly mapped, with neatly defined on and off ramps. We follow them automatically. They drop us off in the same expected places. Wandering takes us where we don't expect to go. It surprises us.

What Should I Take With Me?

You should have money, as well as ID and a cell phone. Practicing safe travel is always advised. You should leave behind your schedules, to-do lists, newspapers, books and all reminders of your everyday life. And while you're shutting down, turn off the Wi-Fi, close up the email, put the phone on vibrate. You're off the grid, my friend. Life will still be waiting for you when you get back.

Where Will I Go?

Does it matter?

What If I'm Too Busy?

News flash! You're not too busy, too valuable, too expendable or too anything, or at least that's what my wife is always telling me. Most likely, nobody will even know you're gone. And face it: we can always clear our schedule for what's important. We do it for American Idol all the time. And beers with our friends. Facebook. The opening of Hunger Games.

I realize most of us are stretched and pulled in ten different directions. We have spouses and significant others, bosses and clients, parents and children, in-laws, friends, co-workers and pets. Everybody wants a piece of us. We're too busy for a shower and a glass of wine, let alone for a walk about town.

But, here's the question: when will you make time for yourself if not now? And when I say time, I don't mean time to go shopping or clean the gutters on the roof. I mean time to be alone, to question, to observe, to experiment, to see the world in ways you've never seen before?

No one's asking you to abandon your family and hop into a box car of a moving train. It's a stroll around the city. Give up a couple of TV shows this week; get up early to finish a project ahead of schedule; find a sitter; work evenings. Do whatever you can to free up the time for an afternoon of wander. If you can only go for an hour, go for an hour.

What matters is that you start, that you send an immediate FYI to yourself and the universe that your journey on this planet is as important as anything else you do in life. It sends a message that you are ready to travel where there is no path.

It sends a message that you are ready for The Other 999 Rooms.

Wandering teaches us that without the pressure of ambition or purpose or destination, we can stop trying, relax, and let go. We can slow down, pay attention, and walk with eyes wide open.

We can slip through life with the knowingness that something wonderful could always be around the next corner - your next best friend, your new spouse, a child who needs help, a stranger who might make you laugh, or think, or believe, or act.

Wandering teaches us that what is most valuable is often unscripted...and that in every moment there exists the possibility for new awareness.

Enjoy the trip. We'll see you when you get back.

Bill Apablasa is a writer, social experimenter, nomadic homebody and creator of theother999rooms.com, where he writes about reinventing your life...one room at a time.

My best friend is gifted in a psychic way, and sending telepathic messages between us is becoming easier and more frequent. Also, there are times when I am able to send her energy when she needs it, but only when she needs it. Until I met Sandy, I had not experienced anything close to this. Does having someone with her gifts enhance what I always had, or is she just sharing her own gift with me through our close connection? I have had three others with similar gifts come into my life recently, and I am starting to believe that this is not a coincidence. I'm wondering how and why this is happening. Thanks!

Kymmy

Susyn:

We are all blessed with psychic abilities, though we may only discover this truth when we come into contact with someone who is developing similar gifts. It's the same with all sorts of other talents, of course: until we are exposed to a particular endeavor, we may never know we have a knack for it.

Such is the case with your best friend. I feel that her abilities have simply made you more aware of your own psychic potential. Together, you are encouraging each other to refine and enhance your gifts. Once you open that door, it's like you've opened Pandora's box: all sorts of interesting things start coming up. The telepathy you practice with Sandy is just the beginning; now that you're on a roll, you'll continue to have all sorts of interesting psychic experiences.

When we begin our journey of awakening and start to use our spiritual powers, we naturally attract others on a similar path. This explains why three other people with similar gifts have recently entered your life. The new energy and awareness that you are sending out is like a beacon that has naturally attracted them to you.

This is a very exciting time for you! I encourage you to dive wholeheartedly into the world of metaphysics and explore the endless ways you might use your new gifts. Exploring different methods of divination, including astrology, tarot, energy healing and clairvoyance, will reveal more about your unique strengths and what you might do with them in the future.

You mention that you are able to send energy to your best friend when she needs it, but only when she needs it. This is important because, as your talents grow, you will have to practice setting boundaries not only with the energy you send out to others but also the energy you take in. We can become like psychic sponges that pick up the feelings and thoughts of others, which can be quite overwhelming. You will begin to notice this when you are in crowds of people, so it's important to surround yourself with spiritual protection. In this way, you will be able to determine when someone needs your help or if you are merely a witness to what they are experiencing.

Now that you know you can peer into the hearts and minds of others, you may be tempted to engage in some psychic snooping. Don't do it! It is vital that you always use your gifts with the utmost integrity. If you keep this in mind, your powers will increase; if you abuse them, the consequences can be dire.

If you have not already done so, you might develop a regular practice of meditation to stay in tune with Spirit, strengthen the psychic protection around you, and advance your gifts.

*****

Oceania:

The Law of Attraction is at work here: where attention goes, energy flows! Sandy awakened your interest in the topic of psychic abilities and began stirring your own psychic potential. As you began to notice, think about and utilize your newfound intuition, you likely attracted more friends with these gifts, as you will continue to do as long as you are exploring this aspect of yourself.

You may have heard the fable about an old man telling his grandson there are battling wolves inside our minds, one representing fear and the other courage. The boy asks, Which wolf wins? to which the old man replies, The one you feed.

It reminds me of this spoof on a zoo sign: Do Not Feed the Fears! As physical exercise strengthens our muscles, conscious thought strengthens the neural pathways in our minds. Any new behavior requires conscious effort before becoming a personal habit or skill. (Remember learning how to drive?) The more you pay attention to your psychic impressions, the stronger your gifts will become.

While psychic abilities are not given to us by others, a friend can serve as a catalyst that activates our own innate potential. For example, we may not realize we enjoy tennis until a friend introduces us to the sport and plays with us regularly. We may not know we can sing in harmony until a friend shows us how, or realize we love hiking until a pal instigates some outings and shows us the local trails.

I never would've guessed I'd become obsessed with vegan cooking until a neighbor dragged me to the local farmer's market and then demonstrated some healthy, creative food preparation techniques. Now I'm a junkie for organic, sustainable produce. (I'm crunching on pea sprouts and broiling eggplants as we speak.) When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. You were ripe and ready to explore your intuitive potential, and in your case, several teachers appeared!

Now that your psychic potential has been activated, you can continue studying on your own. I recommend you choose a tarot deck of your liking, preferably one with rich, symbolic imagery like Voyager, and spend a full day with each card. Set it near you while you sleep, meditate upon it during the day, and then say aloud or write down your associations with the card.

The point is not to memorize the traditional meaning of the card but rather to notice what it triggers in you. Whatever you perceive and interpret will be a reflection of your own truth. This exercise will help you further trust in the constant flow of non-verbal, non-rational information and wisdom that is ever available to us all.

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.