RECENTLY I was given a book. I admittedly tend to literally judge books by their covers, and the cover of Soul Sessions: A Story of Love and Awakening, with its dark and subtle artwork, is one I would have walked right past in the bookstore…and that would have been a shame. I would have missed out on a book that drops some seriously profound truth bombs and overflows with my favorite topics: life after death, synchronicity, reincarnation and fate versus freewill.
When it comes to such subjects, I typically prefer non-fiction (I can already hear you non-believers laughing at my use of ‘non-fiction’ in this context and it’s okay. I still love you) due to how wildly farfetched most fictitious accounts are, but considering the author’s history, I felt he was slightly more qualified to write on such esoteric matters.
The author, Carson Gage, was run over by a speeding car at the tender age of seven. Ever since then he has been on a quest, plumbing the depths of the human experience looking for answers to THE questions. Yeah – you know the ones…the heavy hitters like “Who am I,” “Why am I here,” “What happens when I die?” (I told you they were THE questions.) And I have to say, in reading Soul Sessions, I found much of what he espoused resonated with me – both from personal experiences I have had as an intuitive medium and reiki master as well as what my heart simply knows to be true.
I must confess that the first few pages were frustrating. The dialogue had an unnatural rhythm to it that rubbed me the wrong way, but as I read on, curled up in bed with Mischa sleeping soundly by my side, I found myself being drawn in, not so much by the characters but by the truths that came spilling from the pages.
Nick Dalton is a successful investment banker (and womanizer) in Chicago suffering from profound depression stemming from an acute existential crisis and is a far cry from likeable throughout much of the book (which I suppose is the point). Katrina DuMont, Nick’s very open-minded new psychiatrist who introduces him to a less conventional approach of treatment using past-life regression, comes across as cold and clinical despite her extensive knowledge and insights on such an enigmatic topic as the human soul.
But to Katrina’s credit, she helps Nick recover some of his former lives…and in the process he discovers the sources of his discontent, one of which is the absence of his soul mate throughout the ages. Thus begins a series of experiences that permanently alters his very essence and answers some of the greatest questions man can ask of The Universe…and himself.
In several passages Nick, while undergoing regression, speaks of how we are all connected through an energetic field, a web of energy and higher consciousness that unites every living thing on earth. I had come across this concept while learning about Hinduism and felt it deep in my bones to be true. It wasn’t until I began my journey to becoming a Reiki master over ten years ago that I actually experienced this oneness firsthand.
I had moments, fleeting mini-epiphanies (as many of us do) where I would suddenly be in awe, spontaneously struck by the sensation that we are all connected and would be overcome for a few moments by the beauty of it all (like looking up at the sunset and suddenly being so taken by its magnificence that you get lost, everything drops away, times slows down and for a few moments you feel the gentle hum of everything around you and you just feel it; you just know we’re all connected. It’s good stuff). My entire life I’ve been able to know things I shouldn’t know, hear things I shouldn’t hear and had communications with the other side.
But being connected? To everything? Experiencing it? Consciously stepping into it? That seemed impossible.
THE UNITY OF LIFE
When I went deeper into my Reiki training I found, much to my surprise, that I (along with anyone else who chooses to learn) could adjust my focus and tune in to that gentle hum; the vibration of oneness and I could find with minimal effort a specific person’s energy, whether I had met them or not. I could see details of their features, short vignettes of their lives, their hobbies, their passions, their struggles…and I could help them using that same energy.
That which had been impossible to me 24 hours earlier was suddenly reality. I know it sounds crazy. I thought so too…until I experienced it.
I confess I sometimes lose sight of this knowledge…especially after the hardships of the past several years. It’s easy to feel detached, separate and alone when going through a traumatic experience. Soul Sessions reminded me to be mindful and step into those moments of unity with greater frequency. It reinforced what I know to be true deep in bones.
Thank you, Carson Gage, for reminding me of what it means to be human and for having the bravery to explore the mysteries of life, love and death with Soul Sessions.
Okay, ladies and gents. Now it’s your turn to share. Do you believe in reincarnation? Soul mates? Life after death? I shared one of my stories and I’d love to hear yours. Feel free to share your experiences, beliefs and insights in the comments below. And take some time to be in the moment today…maybe you’ll feel that gentle hum.
Kisses & Chaos,
Alli Woods Frederick
IMAGES :: © ALLI WOODS FREDERICK ::
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
