KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

by Ernest Wentwhistle

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

Author Richard Webster uses the interesting literary device of cogent, timely correspondence received by a fictional character. These brief letters from his former high school history teacher contain advice appropriate to each particular crisis, and arrive just at the moment of decision. Every missive is preceded by a question or statement encapsulating the high school teacher's guidance. While these snatches of wisdom may seem self-evident, their appearance within the context of individual situations and crises causes them to stand out in bolder relief.

Eight such pieces of amiable instruction seemed particularly appropriate to my own life. They are: "What's your passion?," "Be kind to yourself," "Follow your dream," "Enjoy the journey," "Focus on the positive," "Find something to believe in," "What is your purpose?," and "Choose your thoughts."

Webster defines "passion" as one's own inner truth—that which moves or inspires you. Existence without joy is the end of living and the beginning of survival. In our success-oriented society, we are too much caught up in the scramble for survival (i.e., security), although we will never have enough material wealth to feel impenetrably secure. I sometimes feel I'm wasting my life on the merry-go-round working and bill-paying. By remembering that my passion is the real meaning of my life, I can free myself from the less significant mundane aspect of mere survival, and get on with the high purpose of fulfilling my abilities, as mediocre as they may be.

"Be kind to yourself" is probably the most difficult of Webster's commands to follow. He does not, of course, tempt us with self-indulgence. The kindness of which he speaks is compassion for our flaws and sins, which we know all too well. It is easy to judge and condemn myself, keenly aware as I am of a lifetime of error and inappropriate behavior. Objectively regarding ourselves is difficult, but it can and should be done. Think of yourself as the child you once were. Do you despise that boy or girl? Of course not. That may be the first step toward being kind to oneself; to achieve a balanced appreciation for who and what we are. Too harsh a self-judgment erodes our will to make something of ourselves in this life.

"Follow your dream" is an admonition to exercise one's passion. It is easier said than done. If your dream is to someday own a fancy car with which to impress your friends and enemies, then such a goal may be achieved through a little hard work and an untouchable savings account. On the other hand, if your ideal is world peace and your passion is to strive against war, then your dream will probably be fulfilled, not, unfortunately, by achieving such an impossibility in this harsh world, but through the fight for its realization.

It is in following one's dream that at least something of its fulfillment comes about. Such an assurance is comforting to someone like myself, who, after long years of trying to make a better society (at least from my point of view), eventually concluded that changing one's life was more effective (and more possible) than changing the world. This is apparently what Webster means when he instructs us to "Enjoy the journey." Like most of my fellow human beings, I am too focused on hoped-for end results, desire outcomes, and bottom lines. Things do not always turn out the way we anticipate, and rarely in the manner we precisely envisioned, resulting in disappointment. With our eyes on the prize we are too often led to agree with Arthur Schopenhauer, the so-called "Philosopher of Pessimism," that our individual existence is nothing more than a life-long process of disillusionment. Webster's antidote to such dead-end thinking is a kind of yogic indifference to ultimate success or the lack thereof by making the most of our passage into the future.

I find that thus relinquishing worry for a future that can be, at most, anticipated but never clearly foreseen, a calm settles over my heart, as stress and blood pressure are lowered. Moreover, I am better able to achieve my task in a calm state of mind, than distracted by fears, most of which turn out to be baseless. An up-beat assessment of one's situation is the significance of Webster's "Focus on the positive." Its opposite, negativity, is the pitfall threatening everyone in modern America's fiercely competitive society. I find that if I dwell too long and deeply on the negative qualities in myself or around me, I want to just give up. There is no hope in capitulation, but a positive attitude at least keeps us going. Where we can still fight there is at least hope.

Webster tells us to "Find something to believe in." Faith is everywhere being undermined today, both in established leaders and institutions, from priests and politicians, to churches and corporations. I believe in none of these discredited and yet-to-be-discredited persons or systems. I believe in the eternal truths of nature and the human soul. That, I find the older I become, is the faith which sustains me.

Just asking, "What is your purpose?," must give us pause to consider the core meaning of our existence. After some reflection, I believe I know the answer; namely, to find out what talents or abilities one has, however humble they may be, and apply them. In so doing, I have found an inner sense of fulfillment unattainable by any other means.

Best of all perhaps, "Choose your thoughts" means that we are masters of our own mind. Under psychic attack as we all our during waking hours by skillful advertising and propaganda, it is important to know that we are sovereign at least over those things we may choose to embrace or disregard. Change the channel! Better yet, turn off the box! In a culture where individual human beings are feeling increasingly powerless, they still have final rights over their own thought processes. Like them, I cannot escape a growing feeling of being imposed upon by officials of various hierarchies who presume to tell me how I should think. The simple realization that at least in the realm of thought we are still masters is a dimension of liberty in a world of shrinking freedoms.

Webster's Success Secrets are the simple but eternally powerful truths which must remain secrets no longer.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2003. All rights reserved.

I always have this vague feeling of next time. Even when I'm in a situation that is unique and couldn't possibly have a next time, I still sense it there. For example, let's say I am afraid of driving down a certain hill in icy conditions. I think to myself, I could get into a serious accident and die, but then think, Well, if that happens, next time I'll know better. Could my feeling of next time be a sign that on some level, I'm aware that I will have other lives in the future, and have had other lives in the past? If so, can we find out about future lives as well as past lives?

Desi

Astrea:

Many people experience deja vu - the feeling of having been somewhere before - but a surprising number also experience what you're feeling: the sense that next time they'll do better, make a better choice, or change their decisions for a better outcome. Most people who feel this way describe it as a comforting feeling, like they'll get more than one chance to do something right.

Knowing that you're going to get another whack at something CAN be very comforting. It can also make you sound nuts when you try to it explain it to others. I believe most metaphysicians would agree that you ARE getting messages about the future. Without a doubt, you are receiving information from your past lives too, and sometimes it can be confusing to sort out which is which. Once you accept this is happening, however, you'll be able to feel the difference.

If you want to know about both past and future happenings, you can try to figure this out on your own, though there are quite a few scientific studies taking place in several major universities all over the world that may intrigue you.

If you seek scientific help or validation, it's best to approach what WILL be instead of what HAS been, for I've found that the scientific community is a lot more likely to go for the future than the past. Past lives are so complex and difficult to understand, and many scientists don't believe in them. Predicting the future seems to be where their interest lies, and there are well-known people who are trying to get to the root of this phenomenal talent you possess.

Start keeping records of when and where these feelings come to you. Documentation can be very helpful to you in your own research, but if you want to work with someone doing research in this field, lots of documentation will be downright essential.

It's surprisingly easy to find these people! I read a wonderful article about a researcher (Bierman) in Amsterdam who has done extensive testing of individuals with abilities similar to yours. Nobel Prize winner Professor Brian Josephson at Cambridge University has also discovered compelling evidence that information is coming to people like you from the future, and not only THEIR future, but the big picture future too.

I think you should write to both of them about your experiences, for what you feel and know could help lots of other people who are experiencing the same thing.

*****

Susyn:

Past and future lives are always fascinating to explore. There is still much to be learned about how to access past life information, what lessons we have already learned, and what we can expect to experience in the future. We are lucky to live in a time of greater awareness about our souls and their journeys through the centuries.

Your sense of next time does suggest that you carry awareness about the future and the past, both in terms of this lifetime and other lives. This is one way the mind helps us embrace the metaphysical truth that our spirits have no beginning and no end. It also explains the experience of deja vu or feeling a strong sense of familiarity when encountering a seemingly new place or person.

The theory of time travel is also based on the idea that one's spirit is able to transcend the laws of space/time to move into the past as well as the future. Scientists are exploring these theories by studying time warps and black holes as they learn more about the universe we live in.

You are probably experiencing a surge in your own psychic abilities now that you are considering the possibility of future lives. This is the next level of awareness, and indicates a greater understanding of how limitless our abilities really are.

It also speaks to your understanding that we bring certain lessons into our lives based on past life experiences, and often get a second chance to rethink or readdress them later down the road. To have the thought cross your mind that you might die, only to be followed by the matter of fact notion that you will know better next time, affirms your trust in the process of reincarnation and the opportunities we all have in the future.

You might find an astrological reading interesting. Your natal chart can reveal past lives, the lessons you have brought in with you in this current lifetime, and how you perished in your last incarnation. On the off chance that you met your demise last lifetime while driving on an icy road, it could be that this time is your next time.

People with psychic abilities are known for their capacity to see into the future with incredible accuracy. They also possess gifts for uncovering and affirming past lives. If you would like some guidance as you explore both your past and future lives, or your future in this lifetime, I recommend you consult a reputable psychic or astrologer.

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.