KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

by Paige Pagnucco

The look is instantly recognizable: a slight bit of disarray, a slouched shoulder, and a frantic eye searching for a remedy.

Recently, my son and I were returning home from our first mother-son trip since the twins were born. We couldn't have had a better time. We had arrived at the airport on time and were headed to security with our backpacks. I was gloating because traveling with one child was light-years easier than with three. We were floating along without a care in the world when suddenly a woman just ahead of us caught my attention.

Here eyes were the giveaway - red, swollen, and still teary. I had noticed her earlier, sitting in the terminal next to a man and a baby in a stroller. But here she was in front of us now, without the man. And the baby was fussing. There were bags everywhere - diaper bag, clothing bag, bottles in a bag - all attached to her or the stroller in awkward ways. Her eyes met mine, and I froze. She needed me.

Are you okay? I asked quietly as I put my hand on her shoulder. She looked at me in disbelief. Then relief.

What can I do? She looked baffled. I sprang into action, directing my son to start grabbing bags. You get your baby, and we'll get the rest, I ordered. We functioned as if we were a NASCAR pit crew. We unfolded the stroller and had her back together in no time.

My spirits sank, though, as I watched a female security agent approach and ask to check her bags. The agent began to rifle through her things. Oh, my poor new friend. Could she bear it? My uncertainty quickly receded when I heard the agent say, Oh, honey, let me help you get organized. I knew that I had handed her off to another compassionate mother, and my job was done. I went to her to say good-bye and reassure her that she'd be fine now. She was still tearful, but her smile said enough. We turned and walked away.

As we headed to our gate, my son asked why we had helped her. My answer was simple. We helped her because she needed it. We did it because it is right to recycle the goodness that we receive in our own lives. Whether he understood did not matter to me. What was important was that I felt privileged to have the opportunity to pass the goodness on.

It is sometimes hard to describe, even to myself, what being a mother means, but I'd like to think that it includes the capacity to act unselfishly in an instant. I walk just a little bit straighter now, as if there is starch in my backbone, even with diaper bags on my back and a young one on my hip. It is as if that day in the airport, I reclaimed my own dignity as a woman and mother, knowing that I can make a significant difference to other people in very ordinary ways.

The above is an excerpt from the book Spot of Grace, copyright 2008 by Dawna Markova. It is printed here with permission of the publisher, New World Library, 1-800-972-6657 ext. 50. Inspirational speaker and writer Dawna Markova, Ph.D., is internationally known for her ground breaking work in helping people learn with passion and live with purpose. She is the author of numerous books, including the bestsellers Random Acts of Kindness and I Will Not Die an Unlived Life. A long-term cancer survivor (she was told she had six months to live almost thirty years ago), Dawna has appeared on numerous television programs, and is a frequent guest on National Public Radio and New Dimensions. She offers seminars and workshops and speaks at business and educational conferences internationally. Her website can be found at www.dawnamarkova.com.

I have a rich dream life and usually have an out of body experience a couple of times each week. The other morning, I was in the familiar state just prior to leaving my body when I felt something like an astral hand caressing my leg. Since it felt amazingly good, I let it keep going. It caressed higher and higher until it was at my groin. Though it still felt great, I decided I had better find out who it was. I reached my astral hand down and grabbed it by the wrist. As I did this, I popped out of my body and found myself holding this disembodied hand. It was green and looked like the hand of an alien, which totally shocked me. It was like the rest of its body was invisible or in another dimension, like it had reached only its hand through to this world. It wanted me to release it but I wouldn't. I took off in the astral to find someone who could tell me what this being might be, but before I could find someone, I wound up back in my body, which broke my hold on its wrist. I am hoping you can tell me what happened and if this is something I should be concerned about. Thanks!

Olivia

Susyn:

Thank you for sharing your experience. While I'm sure it was very strange for you, it seem you maintained control over the situation at all times, which is one of the most important skills to master in astral projection. Many people can't control where or when they astral project or whom they encounter while out of the body. Your reactions are evidence of your considerable knowledge and experience in this arena.

Often when people have encounters like this, they are overcome with panic and a need to free themselves from the situation. If they are new to this practice, they will probably let fear take over. This gives astral entities power over them. The fact that you were able to take and keep hold of the hand and then seek out someone to tell you what it might be also speaks to your ability to manage your projections. By remaining brave and confident, you were able to maintain control.

Some believe that aliens can dislodge or release parts of their bodies and then rapidly regrow new ones. I don't think the hand was reaching through to you from another dimension; more likely, when this entity found himself caught by you and could not free himself, he simply detached the limb to make his getaway. If this was indeed an alien, he will probably not return, as aliens are extremely leery of being discovered or trapped in any manner. Whether this was an alien or a spirit, it's not likely to bother you again now that it knows you are not passive or easily frightened.

If you feel threatened by what happened or have this experience again, I recommend practicing a protection ritual before you go out on your weekly astral journeys. Burning sage incense before bed and keeping a bowl or jar of salt near your bedside can help keep negative energies away. You may also want to sleep with a protective stone such as turquoise or malachite around your neck.

As you continue to build your skills in this area, you may encounter a variety of spirits or other beings, which in your case should prove quite interesting. Based on the fact that you are fearless, they won't be able to control you. Because of this, you should feel free to explore other dimensions without being harmed.

You may also want to keep a journal of your astral journeys so you can see how much you evolve over time, and determine any changes you want to make or particular experiences you'd like to set in motion.

*****

Mata:

You are so bold and brave! I'm sure it's your fearlessness that has empowered you to have these fascinating experiences. Please don't let this encounter shake you; it was strange but if you think about it, everything worked out fine in the end.

I have had experiences similar to what you describe in terms of having orgasmic feelings while in the mind awake/body asleep state. I have also felt beings touching me when in this state, and heard many stories of a similar nature from other people. I have even heard of people encountering a green being like the one you describe, so this may be a type of astral wildlife.

For some reason, being in the mind awake/body asleep state seems to attract astral entities. Of course, it could be that they also try to feed on our energy when we're unconscious, and that we're only aware of this happening when we're vibrationally in harmony with the astral but conscious. If it's true that being in this state of mind attracts these entities, it may be because their goal is to ellicit strong emotions in us so they can feed off that energy. (This would be hard to do when we're unconscious.)

While the tactic of many lower astrals is to incite fear, some focus on arousing feelings of lust. The whole point is to get us emotionally worked up, for this creates lots of energy for them to feed on. As for whether this is something you should be concerned about, I don't think the entity you grabbed was any more threatening than someone who might grope you in a single's bar. Most of the time, all you need to send creepy creatures packing is a strong rebuff.

I don't think you need to be concerned, for it certainly sounds like you know how to handle yourself! I love imagining this entity's surprise when you grabbed it and wouldn't let go. The way to handle this sort of situation is to do just what you did: if you're prepared to boldly take charge, you should be able to handle anyone you encounter whether you're traveling in or out of your body.

You may be interested in noting that it is our own essence that determines what we attract. People who are anxious or fearful tend to attract frightening entities, while people who are sexually frustrated and have an excess of sexual energy tend to attract the sort of experience you describe. It therefore follows that one way to prevent such experiences in the future is to cultivate a fulfilling sex life.

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.