Summer is here! Kindergarten is out! Many of you may not know that I am involved in early childhood education. I have just completed another, yes, wonderful year of kindergarten; but now it’s time for delights of summer: gardening, sleeping in, relaxing. As much as I enjoy being with kindergarten children all day long, by the time June rolls around, I enthusiastically embrace the summer break. With my new found down-time, I have ample opportunity for self-reflection. Feeling inspired by the joy I find in healing work, I wanted to share my experience in creative imagery as it relates to healing and spiritual growth.
When working with a client on the intuitive level within a session, imagery will accompany the healing. I’m not talking about images of clients’ past traumas or hidden secrets. What seems to be very random images will appear to me. Sometimes dolphins or bears show up. I may see the depths of the earth or the flow of water. The essence of ascended masters and archangels present themselves. I was once surprised to have fruits and popcorn show themselves to me. But what does all this mean within a healing? How can popcorn, of all things, have anything to do with my client’s healing? This is where the fun begins!
Flashback to when I first began studying at the psychic development school. One of the greatest gifts this school offered was to remind us to be in kindergarten. We were guided to be as children. This advice has proven to be most beneficial. While learning to develop our psychic awareness, it is quite easy to move into a place of judgement and self-doubt. Operating from this mentality quickly cuts off opportunity for growth. Whereas if we remain in a state of childlike wonder and exploration, we open ourselves up to new possibilities, awareness and understanding. Had I not allowed myself to be as a child, suspending my judgement for a time being, I would not have developed my intuitive awareness. By allowing that which presents itself, by acknowledging and validating that which we see, feel, hear and know, we are then able to move to the next step in awareness and growth.
One might ask, “What if nothing presents itself? What if I don’t see, hear, feel or know?” Quite often this is how it feels when we are first learning to recognize our gifts of clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and claircognizance. Once again, be as a child. Be in kindergarten. When I was just new at the psychic development school, perhaps just a few weeks into it, we were told to pair up and read our partner’s palm. “What? Do a palm reading? Are you kidding me? I don’t know how to do that. I don’t even believe in that. How can I, of all people, do a palm reading? Preposterous,” to illustrate a few of my thoughts. In the spirit of kindergarten, we were advised to present it to ourselves this way: “IF I could see a color on my partner’s hand, then what color would it be?” “IF I had a guardian angel, then what would his/her name be?” Using the “IF/THEN” took away the pressure. We were able to be as children playing, embracing “kindergarten” as a place of non-judgemental wonderment and exploration. What a wonderful environment for learning.
Let’s assume for the sake of exploration, that one has become aware of imagery during a meditation, healing or a psychic reading. Is this just our imagination? Clairvoyance means clear seeing. How are we to know if what we see is clear seeing or just imagination? Is there a distinction? I asked this exact question of my mentor, Michael Tamura. Our class was guided on a journey, resembling a guided meditation. We turned our conscious awareness to a place in which we could access our akashic records. I followed along, but afterwards, I questioned my experience. Many of my classmates had been using their spiritual tools for quite some time and had developed certainty in their clairvoyance. I was still questioning things; and so I asked, “How do I know if I was actually there in conscious awareness or if it was just my imagination?” I don’t recall whether Michael used this example or if I chose it, but in any case, the answer involves pepperoni pizza.
It was stated that it actually didn’t matter whether it was “real” or “imagined.” What matters most is our certainty within our “mock-ups,” for then the energy/information is present no matter what the actual “reality” may be. A mock-up is defined as a model or replica, used for instructional or experimental purposes. I could create a mock-up about a pepperoni pizza to be used during a soul reading for a client. I could imagine that the size of the pizza represents how grounded they are to the earth. A thick crust means they have been on the planet for a long time. A thin crust means they are new souls. I could envision within my mock-up, that the amount of pepperonis on the pizza represents how many children they have. Red pepper flakes speaks to their creative fire, etc. I could make it all up, but as long as I know what each element means to me, the information can still come through.
Back to my own healing sessions, I do not actually use a pepperoni pizza mock-up, but what about the popcorn? What if I see and feel the essence of dolphins, Jesus, a unicorn, St. Germain, faeries, or Mother Mary? Are these real or imagined? First and foremost, I make sure I am grounded and clear. I focus on where I am consciously. Am I in my ego mind, making up stories because they sound interesting; or am I grounded, open and clear to receive vibrations of information? Coming from a grounded place of clarity, I am able to respond to the various images, thoughts, essences and knowing that come into my awareness. It doesn’t really matter whether it is real or imagined. All I need to know is what these images represent to me, for then the energy, essence and information is validated and accessible. If I don’t feel and know right away the significance of the image/thought/awareness, I simply can ask questions. Does the client need to eat popcorn, NOW? What does it represent? Perhaps the popcorn symbolizes the playfulness and spontaneity in life that is available to us all?
Another of my mentors, Echo Bodine, once explained the value of asking questions to oneself while doing a psychic reading for another. In the example, a client asks, “Where will I be six months from now?” The psychic sees an image of a coffin. An inexperienced, ungrounded psychic might jump to the conclusion of death, stating to the client, “You will be dead.” Yikes! On the other hand, if one remains grounded and asks questions, more information has the chance to present itself. The experienced psychic might see the image of a coffin and ask themselves, “what does the coffin represent?” Perhaps it does mean death. “Is it death of the person?” No. Ah, it represents the death of a chapter in their lives. Oh, it’s about their current job. And so on it goes. As you can imagine by this example, there is much value in simply asking questions.
It is a journey onto itself in asking the right questions. What is the question that will give me the answer I seek? Let’s say we are feeling sad and depressed. If I ask, “why do I feel sad and depressed?,” chances are the answer will be revealed as images, thoughts and feelings about all the things causing sadness and depression. We are then still caught in this cycle of sadness. Whereas if we ask, “what will bring me joy?,” we may begin to see or feel that we need to take a walk in nature, for example. Yet, even the last question implies within it that one is currently lacking joy. What if our joy resided within and is always available to us? Perhaps the right question would be, “How may I validate and express the joy that is already within me?” Simply by asking that question, we have already acknowledged the presence of joy within, so half the “work” is done. Now we simply need to express and share it. “How may I share my inner joy with myself and others?” Hmmm… What is the right question to ask?
I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, nor do I always know how to ask the right questions, but thankfully I am reminded of kindergarten and the wonder of being as a child. Although “regular school” is out for the summer, our spiritual kindergarten is year round!
And so in the spirit of kindergarten, I welcome with grounded awareness the imagery, thoughts and knowing that creatively guide me in finding truth and healing for myself and others. The images paint an inspirational picture in my mind and some day I hope to translate them into visual arts to share with clients and beyond. In the meantime, I wish for you to find that place of wonderment and joy. Be as a child. Be in kindergarten. Be open to new insights you may find.
What a joy it is to work with people and explore how each healing session is unique. I welcome you to share in a healing experience to see what presents itself for your highest good in healing and truth. Perhaps the essence of peace and unconditional love will come forth, or compassion will encompass you as a soft pink blanket. There are endless possibilities within each healing session. Maybe we’ll all be surprised when an image of a big dark chocolate candy bar shows up. Mmmm… If that’s the case, be assured, there will be questions asked as to it’s significance and quality of healing. What does a dark chocolate candy bar mean to you? Let’s not be too quick to judge the information. Be as a child, for something of value just might be hidden with in the creamy folds of bitter sweetness!
-Amy Laederach
