KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

by Diane Brandon

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

"I don't want to be here again."

This is what I thought when I was born. I have never forgotten my awareness then or the perceptions I had—and I'm not the only one. There are people throughout the world who remember their thoughts at birth.

I call this the "Born Aware" phenomenon.

This phenomenon may seem strange; some people even consider it to be impossible. However, for those of us with these memories, it's not at all strange, and we didn't even consider that other people might think it was odd. After all, it's our norm.

I describe the Born Aware phenomenon in my book, Born Aware: Stories & Insights from Those Spiritually Aware Since Birth. Those of us spiritually aware since birth have always remembered what we thought at birth. We didn't need to recapture our awareness or memories after the fact through regression, hypnotherapy, or other methods.

Unusual, Yes, But Not Impossible
So, yes, it's unusual, but, as those of us with these memories know, it's far from impossible. It makes sense when we consider that our souls had awareness on the other side before we came into this lifetime. We carry into an incarnation on this planet the awareness we had then, which I call the Higher Soul Awareness. (There are exceptions to this, of course. Children who remember their last life are often still in the human persona from that last lifetime. This could be because many of them reincarnated so quickly that they didn't get into their Higher Soul Awareness on the other side. Ian Stevenson did extensive and groundbreaking research on children like this, and Erlendur Haraldsson and others have continued this research.)

Born Awares, however, came into the present life in their Higher Soul Awareness and thought and perceived accordingly, remembering these perceptions and thoughts. Some of us remember back to before birth (memories of being on the other side, of being in the womb, etc.). Our awareness at birth was quite clear and mature, not exactly what many people might expect a baby's awareness to be like.

This may prompt the question as to why everyone doesn't have these memories. And it's a great question. Some people may have awareness at birth, but amnesia then sets in. Pain can crowd out the Higher Soul Awareness and cause us to plummet into our human side. If your soul was already in your new body for the labor and delivery, you may have experienced pain during that process—and your spiritual awareness was likely obliterated and replaced by pain and a thrusting into your human side. Some Born Awares may not come into the new body (the baby's) until the birth itself and may have avoided any pain from the labor and delivery. I didn't come in until the birth had occurred, so my Higher Soul Awareness was intact. There are also instances of people being aware at birth, but not spiritually aware.

Different from Being Innately Spiritually Oriented
Because this phenomenon seems unusual and is relatively unknown, some people may mistake it for being somewhat aware or spiritually oriented, including those who have always felt spiritual in some way. However, it's a different phenomenon.

There are many people who have no birth memories and thus were not born aware, yet have always felt some sort of spiritual orientation or a hazy spiritual tug at themselves. They may not remember anything before the age of one or two, or even three. However, nonetheless they always felt a sense of "otherness" and that there was something more than this physical reality and that they didn't really belong here, even if they have no clear memory or idea of where they came from (on the other side). People like this are Innately Spiritually Oriented and they lift the level on this planet.

Their innate spiritual orientation may be a consistent pull, even though they may not have a conscious spiritual awareness until they are exposed to spiritual or religious material, which they then may absorb like a sponge. They may immediately feel a sort of kinship with such information and a strong sense of, "Yes, this is what I was feeling, but couldn't put into words." There are many, many Innately Spiritually Oriented people on this planet. They tend to be seekers and, at some point, find spiritual material that draws them like a magnet and which they subsequently seek out. They often want to be of service to others and help others and thus may work as teachers, healers, counselors, mediators, etc.

Those Innately Spiritually Oriented often have some of the attributes that Born Awares have in common, even if they don't have all of them. They are like gardeners on this planet, preparing the ground for light-filled energies and seeding more light and positive energy into it.

The Born Awares, on the other hand, have a conscious awareness from birth of spiritual matters and this remains intact for us. We were born with the mature, clear awareness of an adult, rather than an immature awareness. We not only know that this Earth is not our true home, but also feel like we're exiled, having to be here for some reason. The Born Awares among us long to be back home. I know that I didn't want to come here again. I have always longed to be back on the other side, which is my true home. This longing is so strong for us that some Born Awares as young children have contemplated suicide in order to go back home.

Advantages and Disadvantages
I hasten to add that being born aware is not all bad. Yes, we often don't like being here, and, yes, there are some definite, strong downsides (such as feeling different, feeling isolated, out of place, homesick, etc.). However, at the same time, our experience of being here is hugely enriched by our spiritual awareness. Our memories of the other side, no matter how vague or gauzy, feed us and inspire us. We tend to be naturally aware of spiritual agency in our lives, as well as spiritual purpose, along with other positive benefits. So being born aware is really a mixed bag. We're neither here nor there, with a foot in both worlds. In essence, we're like hybrids.

Given that this phenomenon is so different and unusual, why does it exist at all? Why are some people spiritually aware since birth?

Allowed to Be Born Aware
I strongly feel that those of us who have been spiritually aware since birth have been allowed to be this way—not just for our own experience, but also for what this phenomenon can show and teach others. This may be why we have been allowed to be this way (and we have indeed been allowed to be this way). What further illustrates this is that many of us born aware tend to feel that we're here on assignment.

Inherent Lessons
This phenomenon has inherent lessons for others. If you've ever doubted that there's another side or afterlife, or if you've ever felt down and worried about what might happen after you die, the Born Aware phenomenon can allow you to feel relief. I guarantee you that there's an afterlife. The other side is beautiful and so much nicer and more enjoyable than being here. There are many different things that we do on the other side, and it's all beneficial. There's beauty and love and purpose there. We don't feel down there. Instead, we feel inspired and loved and uplifted.

This is just one of lessons that the Born Aware phenomenon can teach us. One thing that most of us spiritually aware since birth tend to know is that there is purpose to everything that happens on this planet, the bad as well as the good. Most of us, born aware or not, tend to know that good things will often come out of difficult experiences. If you think of your own life and some of the difficult and painful experiences you have had, you will usually be able to see—in retrospect—some of the good that came out of those unpleasant experiences. You may have had new insights. You may have strengthened in some way. You may have gained more compassion. You may have had something new to then teach others. You learned—through experience—that good can come out of bad experiences. Being aware of universal purpose can help to take the pain out of some negative events. Those of us born aware innately know that everything has purpose. We tend to look for what the higher purpose is whenever we hear of difficult events on this planet, especially when there are mass negative events. We know implicitly that something good will come out of them in some way.

Whenever we hear of a terrible event, whether a huge earthquake or terrorism, those of us spiritually aware since birth automatically shift into our Higher Soul Awareness and look at the event from a higher spiritual perspective in order to chew on what its higher purpose is.

The Higher Soul Awareness
Which brings us back to the Higher Soul Awareness itself. It's vastly different from our human persona. It perceives from a higher perspective. It transcends our human side and is not weighed down or contaminated by the problematic aspects of our human side (our fears, our wants, our self-interests, our mindsets, our beliefs, our cultural conditioning, etc.), which can blind us from perceiving objectively. The Higher Soul Awareness takes us back to our soul's awareness on the other side (even if it's not completely intact) and allows us to view things from a higher and more expansive spiritual point of view.

The Higher Soul Awareness models objectivity, as well as a higher spiritual perspective. It's certainly one aspect of the Born Aware phenomenon that others can learn from, and it brings us many benefits. We can also learn how to groom the Higher Soul Awareness (which I share in Born Aware).

Everyone and Everything Is Connected
Another reason why some of us have been allowed to have these memories may be that we were born with the innate awareness that everyone and everything is connected. We remember this from the other side, so it's not just a cognitive awareness, but a memory. We tend less to see differences and tend, instead, to see kindred spirits. We view others and everything as connected to us. Our hearts are open to others—not just humans, but also animals and plants and nature. We love re-experiencing that beautiful oneness through an open heart connection to others while we're here. It reminds us of that soul-inspiring and delightful inter-connection we had on the other side. Having the awareness that everything and everyone are truly connected is an important insight, one that the world could benefit from. This awareness can serve as an excellent counter-balance to all the division and prejudice and condemnation we see in our world. We truly are all connected, in a loving, positive, mutually supportive way.

So why are some people Born Awares? It's not just for our own benefit. (And remember that there are downsides to being this way.) It's also the way we are supposed to be—at least in this lifetime—because there is purpose to it, not just for our own experience, but also for the lessons implicit in it for others.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2017. All rights reserved.

I had a dream that has changed my life. In the dream, it was springtime and I was outside walking about in a meadow. It was very peaceful and I could feel the breeze in my hair. Next I was with the late Pope John Paul II and a priest who was the pope's aide and a good friend of mine in the dream. I was wearing a white dress that looked like a first communion dress. Someone caught my attention. I alerted the pope and he told me to let the Dalai Lama in. I opened the large iron gate and escorted him to a small chapel. When I excused myself to let them speak, the pope said to me: Sit down, this message is for you. I sat in a rocking chair. As I was leaning forward attentively to hear what he had to say, the landscape morphed into winter. I was now in a cathedral listening to mass, wearing a winter coat and holding a book in my hand. I saw the priest and I told him I was so glad to see him because I wanted his advice and to share with him a major life decision I had made. (The decision was that I had agreed to marry my elementary school love.) However, before I could share the news, he interrupted me and said, Oh, I know what decision you have made, but you have to consider X. (Here he stated the full name of a person known to me.) I stopped and looked at him and said: X? Then all of a sudden I was flooded with memories of times I had been with this person. The priest answered, Yes, he cares a great deal for you. He told me. So I asked the priest what he had said, but the priest just insisted that I have to consider this person. He then asked me to walk with him so he could tell me more of what this person had said. As he was going to tell me, I fell in a mound of snow and couldn't get out. I then saw the priest cross the street and disappear into the night. I've continued to have more vivid dreams of the man I was told to consider. What do you think this all means?

~Anonymous

Susyn:

I believe this was more a vision than a dream. In fact, based on the spiritual leaders who were present, your keen awareness of the different seasons, and all the other details you relayed, I think you should consider this a spiritual intervention of sorts.

If we begin by considering the seasons and how they appear to play an important part in this vision, we can see why this message could be life-changing. The dream begins in spring, a time of year when physical rebirth and new life are generated. At this point, the dream is about the future and the wonderful things to come.

When the scene of the dream turns to winter, the mood definitely shifts. Winter is a time of waiting or hibernation when one sits still to ponder spiritual matters more than physical concerns. The winter coat you wear represents a type of protection. The mound that you fell into represents a baptism of sorts, with the snow and the color white representing a spiritual rebirth.

Our dreams and visions tend to deliver messages in a form that is familiar to us. Because you have a Catholic background, yours included the pope and a priest. When the Dalai Lama entered the picture, you had a trinity of religious leaders working with you. Since you trust the spiritual wisdom of these men, you're being encouraged to trust the message of the dream.

Dreams and visions have a way of shifting our awareness and presenting new ideas for us to consider. This certainly appears to be the case with this remarkable dream. You believed you had already made a life-changing decision, but then your subconscious suggested a different and perhaps better alternative. Note that the minute it was suggested that you consider X, you became open to the idea.

You didn't mention what kind of contact you currently have with either of these men. However, based on the fact that you continue to have dreams about this other person, I think you'd be wise to explore this possibility in real life. If you are not 100% committed to marrying your elementary school sweetheart, you may want to take a break from that relationship or at least postpone the wedding regardless of what is happening with X.

If it turns out that neither you nor X are interested in pursuing a relationship, the vision you had could still keep you from moving into a commitment you're not wholly sure about, and open up to new and potentially more rewarding possibilities.

*****

Oceania:

This profound dream illustrates your ambivalence about transitioning into a new chapter of life. You feel torn between the old and new, the familiar and unknown. This is perfectly natural during periods of growth and change; as excitement pushes us forward while fear pulls us back, we rarely experience perfectly smooth sailing.

You are poised between seasons. Winter symbolizes dormancy, pregnancy or preparation. It is a period of rest and renewal before new life emerges. Spring is about birth and expansion as we enter a fresh cycle of life. As the dream begins, you feel comfortable in your springtime energy. Your white dress represents a clean slate and new beginning. It is a first communion dress because youíre prepared for communication/ union with your spiritual side.

Here you're portrayed as a spiritual novice surrounded by three wise teachers. As both East and West are represented, their wisdom is well-rounded. In fact, the pope outright instructs you to let the Dalai Lama in (to your psyche). Since you have to open an iron gate to get to the Dalai Lama, his Buddhist views may be challenging for you to integrate.

You sit in a rocking chair, which is symbolic of vacillation and uncertainty. Just as you are about to receive the popeís message, you become fearful and the dream retreats back to winter, your dark and cozy safety zone. You thus close yourself off from hearing the popeís guidance on what lies ahead.

You feel vulnerable at the thought of new growth, so you insulate yourself with a warm winter coat and downsize from meeting with the pope to a local priest in order to feel more comfortable. You are about to share news about your childhood sweetheart (symbolic of looking back) when the priest interrupts and asks you to consider another option.

You want to know more but fall into a snowdrift and get stuck. Earlier in the dream, you don't hear the pope because the scene morphs into winter. This means when a spiritual message is about to be revealed, you run back to your cave to hibernate instead of emerging into the sunlight to receive guidance about your future.

You are on the verge of spiritual growth and learning to trust in the wisdom of your higher self. Imagine releasing what is familiar and embracing the unknown. If you reach out to the person the priest mentioned and see where it leads, a lesson, friendship or more will surely blossom.

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.