Discussion post I submitted for my Atlantic University TP5015 Course – December 6, 2019
I began the exercise but Annie decided to get in the act and had her own ideas on how this play would go. She reminded me that my topic of spirit guides and synchronicities means I must learn to let go and give up control if I want to learn. I keep seeking guidance from the spirit world but on my timeframe and requirements. Annie’s telling me that’s not the way it works.
She’s also reminding me to let go of the process. The format of the proposal and the deadlines. It will come together. Just get out of the way and go with it.
As I tore up the paper and the magazine pages, I noticed that the rips were very symmetrical in the beginning. They were rectangle and square in shape, and I thought about how this is my left brain trying to take over. I’m still caught in a process-oriented mindset when it comes to my research project. Yet, the topic itself is esoteric and doesn’t come in straight lines.
So I focused more intently on ripping sideways and in different directions to create curves. I ripped several to get a good choice of non-linear pieces to glue onto my white paper. The first piece I chose was the head of an eagle that came from a magazine. I put him on top as a reminder to keep my eye focused up where the action is for my research project, not down on the ground. I then noticed that most of the pieces were pointing upwards, so I knew I was on the right track.
Exercise #3
Since my topic involves spirit guides and synchronicities, and there aren’t any specific journals or articles that combine these two in any significant manner, I chose two separate writings on each for the exercise. The first was a spirit guide article from James Van Praagh’s website titled, A Guide to Your (Spirit) Guides. He describes himself as a psychic medium, author & master teacher.
As I pursued the article, the keywords and phrases that jumped out at me were as follows:
• Happiness
• Authentic life
• Guide & protect
• Communicating
• Open yourself up
• Have faith
• Stay connected
• Higher self
• Wisdom
• God
• Messenger
• Blessings
For synchronicities, I wanted to find an article that specifically included Carl Jung’s understanding of the concept. I found one on Dimension 11:11 titled, Synchronicities – A Spiritual Article. Words and phrases that jumped out include:
• A pattern that can’t be explained
• Evidence of archetypes
• Collective unconscious
• Governing dynamic that underlay the whole of human experience and history
• Coincidences
• Causally related
• “Incoincident”
• Manifestation of parallel events
• Occam’s razor
• Simultaneous discovery
• Ideas which occurred in dreams
The final step of the exercise is to free-write using the descriptions above tying it to a similar situation in your own life. So here’s my unedited free writing:
The phrase that stuck out to me the most on both lists is “open yourself up.” I’ve been very active in my spiritual journey the past couple of years and recently I’ve felt a sense of frustration creep in. In some ways I’m doing all the exercises required, I’m meditating, doing tarot cards, attending conferences, and much more.
Yet as I sat in last night’s psychic circle and watched those around me connect easily to guides and animals who have cross-over in spirit, I had a bit of a pity party. Why is it not happening for me?! Sure, I’m intuitive and get occasional flashes of information but I can’t see people’s deceased animals sitting at people’s feet the way the way others can.
And speaking of synchronicities, our leader Sharon said these exact words to me: “you need to open up.” She caught me literally sitting in the circle with my arms folded and tucked tightly against my chest. She also stressed to me patience and perseverance and that it will happen. A decade ago she was selling real estate and pursuing a professional career, and as she said, now she’s sitting in a spiritualist church leading a psychic circle.
So my takeaway regarding my research project is that while it’s important for people to consider a broader audience, what we’ve learned through this course is that the most important audience is ourselves. It begins and ends with us, and if we’re not growing or “opening up” as a result of the research process, it’s not effective.
References
Anderson, R. & Braud, W. (2011), Transforming self and others through research: Transpersonal research methods and skills for the human sciences and humanities, University of New York Press: Albany, NY
Dimension 11:11 (n.d.), “Synchronicity – a spiritual article,” Retrieved from https://www.dimension1111.com/synchronicity-carl-jung.html
James Van Praagh (n.d.), “A guide to your (spirit) guides,” Retrieved from https://www.vanpraagh.com/a-guide-to-your-spirit-guides/