Honoring the Living and the Dead in Crete (in 4 Parts) --- Part Four: Sitting with Spirit and Communicating Through the Veil

Here on Earth, time usually appears to be linear. Maybe, though, you too have experienced time warping... like, when in a moment of pure presence, it feels timeless.

While grieving the physical loss of my daughter Michelle, I experienced what some call magical thinking. I have envisioned various scenarios of what I could have done differently - sometimes they randomly appear in my mind, sometimes they appear over and over. It's as if, in the end, if I choose one scenario, I could have a do-over and change the final (horrific) outcome.

I’ve experienced moments when something didn’t make sense, when the experience felt like a puzzle piece to be stored for later. Later - sometimes years later - something happens - an event, a statement - and in that moment, it’s like a puzzle box above my head tips over and puzzle pieces (stored from the past) fall down and click together, forming a picture that now makes sense of the pieces. It’s as if the puzzle pieces were sent from the future, into my past, to prepare me, slowly, gently - to help me make sense of this present reality.

I have felt an unnamed energetic force pulling me into an unknown future, a knowing that something needs to happen, that I am part of making it happen, and that (though it seems to make no sense to keep pushing forward) I must keep pushing forward. Crete has been like that.

I came home from Crete wanting my new “water tribe” to form into a family, though I sensed we would not. Still, I began creating a retreat in Crete - mostly as a way to pull us back together. One by one, the tribe fell away.

Any sane person would have stopped planning the retreat. But something beyond common sense told me to “Keep going.” So, I did.

Now, there is a two-week retreat planned for October 28 – November 11 (2005… soon) in Crete, Greece. It is daunting to plan a two-week retreat in Greece by myself. It is expensive to reserve cottages and book a caterer. I am taking a huge financial risk. I am not good at marketing – I kind of hate marketing, so there are still 9 beds left to fill. And yet, a voice from the future keeps pushing me forward.  (I really do hope that voice knows what it’s talking about).

I have had voices of doubt rise-up screaming at me before. Then, as now, there was one small voice that rose above the voices of doubt, saying, “Don’t listen to them. I really do want this.” The outcome was an experience of multiple healing on different levels and transformation – the stuff of magic.  I am hoping this too will be life changing. 

Above the underlying fear, I am as excited as a Seeker about to ascend into Light!

The retreat is called Communicating Through the Veil. It’s called this because it will be held during the two weeks when a handful of traditions and cultures say that “the veil is thinnest” – when it is easiest to talk with the dead.

It is the time of Samhain, a Gaelic festival for the dead, and the Mexican holiday Dia de (los) Muertos (Day of the Dead). It is the time of Halloween (All Hallows’ Eve), a Christian-based, Celtic inspired holiday. It is the time of the Christian holidays: All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day.

During this retreat, we’ll focus on cultivating skills and strengthening confidence around talking with the dead and Spirit. 

For many of us who have survived the death of someone we did not want to part with, we long to continue to have a relationship with them. And when we can, it is good - it is SO good.

Yes, they are no longer in their body. Yes, we cannot wrap our arms around them or kiss their kissable cheeks (Michelle had very kissable cheeks). Yes, we miss physical contact. Yet, having contact in other ways – energetic or spiritual ways – is a relief. They are still here and we can still communicate with them. It is truly joyful to be able to do that.

There’s also a lot of healing that can be done with our ancestors. Before my mom died, we didn’t get along well. After she died, while I was seeing a psychic named Jacqueline (who channeled an entity called Corrin), my mom came in (at the end of our session) and said, “Don’t you want to talk with me?” She told me she had to see her parents and wanted to work things out with them – before talking with me. It was years later that she came to me (along with a large group of my deceased relatives) – as their spokesperson – to tell me they supported me. I felt a surge of indignation and said, “You didn’t support me before” to which she replied, “I am now.” That was healing for me. I think it was healing for her, too. Now, we have a good relationship.

There’s also an opportunity, when open to talking with Spirit, to ask for guidance from an ethereal form of Wisdom. I have been guided by the voice of Wisdom many times. When I have listened, the outcome (every time) has been magical.

This retreat will be something special. I sense it. And, whoever joins will create whatever happens there. I sense the truth of that.  So… if you’re feeling the pull of interest from somewhere deep within, maybe this retreat is calling you.  Maybe you are part of this amazing experience we’re about to have! 

If you’d like to know more, go to TheCompassionateRevolution.org website and open the Events page, or click here, or scan the QR code in the flyer below. (Hopefully that is working).

In the meantime, while waiting for the retreat, we've had two one-day gatherings, and there's a plan to have two more.

The first gathering was called Sitting with Spirit. My housemate Chelsea and I had planned to offer it together. I sent out an informational flyer with "location TBD." One day, I sensed this is the day to find and secure the location and drove toward West Brattleboro. I found myself parked at a place I had never been, knocking on someone's door who I didn't know. Come to find out, Alyssa had heard of our gathering, had felt an internal "YES," and had thought about reaching out to offer us her place. The first Sitting with Spirit happened there.

At the gathering, Chelsea did individual mediumship readings with participants, while I offered a Releasing Ceremony. Chelsea had been experiencing deceased people coming to her, wanting to talk with their living people. She had asked me if I’d like to help offer a gathering so the deceased could get their living to the gathering so Chelsea could help them communicate. Chelsea is super shy and cautious. She is also the real deal (as they say). Also, just to be transparent, she has been told (by Spirit) that she can not take money for Spirit work - so, when people want to pay her, she donates the proceeds to an animal rescue facility. Chelsea loves dogs. She has two. Chelsea also loves to cook vegan food and... we had a delectable feast at the first Sitting with Spirit gathering.

I am always happy to offer Releasing Ceremonies. They are also the real deal. At the end of the first Sitting with Spirit Releasing Ceremony, I absolutely love what a couple of participants shared with me. Between them, they said, “I’ve done ceremonies similar to this before. At the others, though, I didn't feel a change. I felt it during this one – the release, the change. And..." (wait for it... here's my favorite part)..."I feel different now. The land feels different.” I love that so much.

I didn't take any pictures of our first Sitting with Spirit gathering, though everyone there was a powerhouse and I wish I had. Instead, (though it's not quite as fun as a picture of empowered women) I can share with you this follow up flyer I sent to registrants...

The second offer was a workshop I facilitated at the Psychosynthesis Summit that happened recently in Garrison, New York. I was honored to be chosen as a workshop presenter.

I did remember to ask for a photo of our group, near the end - after we'd burned our papers, outside, in the rain. (It was glorious). Emily took the picture (since she was the only one with a phone on her). Everyone here gave their permission for me to use this picture in my "whatever" (blog, website, marketing). I'm glad you get to see this truly amazing group of people.

"The Dark Night of the Soul" is a term Roberto Assagioli used to describe the descending transpersonal (portal of sorts) that we go through when there is deep hardship. The transpersonal qualities connect the individual with the larger sense of Self (experiencing a visceral understanding that I am part of something more than my personal self – I am part of the human species, Nature, Spirit, the cosmos and beyond).

I only had 90 minutes to deliver an experience of Grief as Sacred Teacher. I did not fully deliver what I had hoped to deliver. There were things I didn't have time for, things I wished I'd done. We did not, for example have a sacred sharing circle, or even break out dyads for sharing our experiences. We did not have a replenishing exercise - to fill the hole of loss (that people were most likely feeling) with a transpersonal quality. I did not close the circle of grief - so that people could safely move back into the non-grieving world. I did not close the 4 Directions.

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking of what I had not done. I got out of bed, walked down two flights of stairs in my PJ t-shirt and bare feet, and released the Spirits from the 4 Directions, Above, and Below from the room we'd been in.

Even though important parts were missing, I was told from different participants that “It was powerful,” “It moved things in me,” and “I feel changed.” I'm so glad.

The third offer will be another Sitting with Spirit day gathering in Brattleboro. We'll have 5 hours - enough time to fit in all the important parts. That feels important to me.

Sitting with Spirit #2 will be held 12-5 PM on Saturday August 9. This offer will be facilitated by me – no Chelsea. We will dive more deeply into the Releasing Ceremony. We’ll also be writing with our deceased loved ones and ancestors (for connection and healing), and the future Compassionate Council (for advice), and there will be lots of time for sacred circle sharing.

If you live close enough to make a day trip or want to visit Brattleboro, Vermont that weekend, please join. I'd love to share this with you.  For more information and to register, go to TheCompassionateRevolution.org website and open the Events page, or click here, or scan the QR code in the flyer below (again, hopefully you can do that here).

Chelsea said she’d like to offer another medium reading the first weekend of September. That'll be the 4th offer before the retreat. If you’d like to know about Sitting with Spirit #3, please send me your email address... to Ami@TLCcoaching.org or click here. I'll send you an email invite when it's ready!

I hope to see you at one of these events.

Big LOVE...