Babaji, “The Deathless Saint.”
“Om Namah Shivayah…”
Back in the late 90’s/early aughts I took up quite a study of Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self-Realization and related eastern spiritual teachings. This led to becoming initiated into Kriya Yoga by Paramahansa Prajnanananda of the Kriya Yoga lineage. I kept up this practice for a while. I got a lot out of it. As it often goes with specific spiritual practices, I eventually organically moved on. Yet, the essence of the teachings and all I learned remains indelibly imprinted upon me.
Babaji, pictured above, was/is consider the penultimate Avatar, or Mahavatar. Known secretly by Kriya Yogis for centuries, details of the life and birth of the deathless Babaji were not made public until the late 1940’s, when Yogananda was permitted to release a few details of Babaji’s incredible incarnation. Later, he included a chapter about Babaji in his magnus opus, “Autobiography of a Yogi.”
Why do I post this image and offer this background? I’ll tie it together a little later, but I posted recently here about an experience I had in therapy with someone that, along with one prior experience that occurred after a session with someone else, marks a new development in my unfolding personal and therapeutic spiritual odyssey. A “concrescence” (See: Terence McKenna) between my own intuitive development and my therapy work, outside the box as it has been already.
mediumistic interlude
In this recent aforementioned session, I’m working with an individual who suffered a profoundly tragic loss of a loved one. (Permission granted to share about this minus identifying information, of course). This rather gifted individual has been receiving support, encouragement and information from beyond the veil from this loved one since shortly after the passing. While on the topic of the loved one, and after making mention of a healer/medium/reiki master who my client turned me onto that I did a reading/healing session with myself recently, and who interpreted to me that the deceased loved one ‘liked me’ and ostensibly supported the client’s work with me, something very interesting happened.
As we’re talking, in my minds eye, I suddenly see the word “licorice.” As in, the candy. It came through like an intrusion honestly, two or three times. First I thought this must just be a momentarily meandering mind producing a random thought/image. Mind you, I have no affinity whatsoever for licorice. Red or Black!
Then I remember thinking that the way it came though was exactly the way names and other info have come through in my post-DNOTS/Spiritual Emergence/Opening to Channel meditations, a process I’ve described on my about page.
In terms of checking/verifying intuitive information, typically, all I have to do is think of a question, pose an inquiry, or ask for clarification in my mind and my head responds with muscle-test/kinesiological movements on auto—up for ‘yes,’ left or right for ‘no.’ This is the mechanism that started as traditional muscle-testing but melded into a kind of claircognizance/clairsentience that I utilize heavily in the Energy Psychology-based healing and alignment approach I call Subconscious Heal and Release®.
In any case, here I got a clear ‘no’ to the thought that my mind just made up the word licorice. Asking if this was the loved one transmitting the word, it was a clear ‘yes.’ The next obvious question of course was “Am I to share this with my client?” I get a ‘yes.’ Of course. Oy vey!
“This might sound strange but…”
After struggling as minute with my ego/protector parts that wouldn’t want me to be “wrong,” or have the impression be meaningless or too vague, I went on faith and verbalized what came to me to my client. Suffice to say, it landed. Licorice was a favorite of the deceased. But…the impression also had more significance to the client that was difficult to capture or express. Just a sense that there was something more about it. We marveled at the event itself and noted our shared experience that it was a validation of the deceased’s active presence- both in the clients life, and apparently, our work together.
For many, this might be confirmation enough of the everlasting or eternality of the soul (something I’ve been long convinced) and of that those who “cross over” are always with us in some way, and will sometimes let us know it in whatever way they can.
This I feel to be true beyond any shadow.
“youre not going to believe this…”
The plot thickens.
My client calls me the next day to tell me that while meditating that morning after our session, the presence of the deceased came in with a specific message. Specific, though still open to interpretation. The loved one validated the licorice communication, but with an added emphasis— an imploring even— that it was more about “specialness.” This ‘specialness’ word was reiterate over and over my client emphasized, though there was a lack of certainty as to who or what was being deemed special. The Licorice? Me? This ability? Our working relationship? Something else entirely, or all this and more?
Such is the nature of after-death communication / spirit communication, rare that it ever seems to be without some ambiguity or room for personal interpretation. Is that our own faulty receiving as humans, a glitch in the veil to veil transmission process, or by design so as to not overly influence our thoughts, feelings or action/impede upon free will? I don’t know. In any case, we once again marveled at the continuity of this happening, and left it there.
a bit about my personal process
As you may already know if you follow me here or elsewhere, I’ve been in a spiritual emergence/shamanic initiation/apparent opening (training) to become some sort of channel, or something like this, for some time now. At least since the onset of direct connection and communion with various masters, saints, sages, spirits and cosmic/galactic consciousness energies while in the thick of the darkness that touched down for me like a tornado a few years ago. This is what kicked me right out of the box I never really fit into.
All things in their time, right?
In short, each day for over two years now that I sit and meditate, I’m greeted by a decidedly other presence. In these sits, I’m often aware of a visceral energy shift, a peaceful, loving presence, and I either receive a non-conscious transmission of teaching/lesson, or an attunement, clearing, purification, energetic awakening, transfer or energy, or who knows what else. And on and on it goes. I can usually receive a mental impression of who or what is my host or guide for the day, and in the case of downloads or teachings, a basic description of what’s being imparted on a superconscious level, or so it would seem. It’s usually something quite beautiful, mystical, spiritual, magical, and sometimes off the charts quantum, mysterious and esoteric A.F.
enter babaji
On the morning I began this blog post, during my a.m. prayer and check-in, I quickly received that none other than (the consciousness of) Babaji was with me. That doesn’t always mean that that’s who will be interacting with me when I do my formal sit, but that was the case today. The sit itself was nothing unusual, except that I kept seeing his likeness in my minds eye, which doesn’t often happen.
At the end of the sit, about an hour & 10 mins this day, as I felt it winding down, I very clearly perceived Babaji’s face and penetrating gaze in my minds eye. Followed by a clear impression of the words “You are so special.” I first ask if my mind/ego made this up. My heads cocks to the left and right, indicating “no.” I ask, did you, the consciousness of Babaji, just transmit the words “you are so special?” My head pops up, indicating “yes.” I then immediately think of the message my client received about specialness from the loved one, and ask if this is an echo, a confirmation of this as the other part of the licorice impression from my client’s loved one. My head again lifts up to indicate “yes.”
Now, before you go branding me an egomanic, believe me, while I have a healthy ego like everyone, and appreciate confirmation that what’s happening with and through me is real, is and will ultimately be more and more in-service of my fellow man, I have no desire to be seen or idealized as special in any way. Certainly not as a result of all this. Because truly, there’s nothing special about it. Interesting in the way it all came on for me, yes, but not special. Millions of people have experienced what I’m experiencing. And there only seem to be more so in this the Aquarian age and ostensible leveling up to “5D.” And so, once I received this extra-level confirmation, I immediately surrendered in total to the Divine any and all hidden ego involvement that may want to attach anything not useful or helpful to this message.
What’s important here, from my perspective, is the cross validation, a kind of evidentiary thumbs up as to what occurred, for those inclined to perceive it as such. I am. As is my client, who felt enormous benefit from this happening. While I question everything, maintain healthy skepticism and practice radical spiritual discernment, I have no good reason not to trust and have faith in what I receive and perceive since this all began, difficult as it is to “rationally” explain or fully understand. And if such mediumistic interjections are to continue to occur, in or around my therapy work, I’m glad to continue incorporating this for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. In fact, I expect such occurrences will only come about when this criteria is met.
support for extraordinary experience (see)
Have YOU had, or are you in the process of dealing with something non-ordinary? Had a near-death experience? A psychic opening? A precognition that’s spooked you? Are you an empath struggling with energetic boundaries? Opening to mediumship or spiritually awakening? My Spiritual Support specialty might be just what the doctor ordered. Know that you and whatever it is you have seen, felt, perceived, or gone through will be met with an open mind and heart, as well as 20+ yrs of clinical experience to help us understand what’s what!
If you’re otherwise looking for a spiritually-minded Nashville Therapist or a Therapist in Franklin, visit Therapy Outside the Box for more information about my services, or email me at chris@therapyoutsidethebox.com or call me directly at 615.430.2778.
Some services also available virtually the world over via Telehealth/Secure Video.
Peace, Love, and There Is No Death,
Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP
Franklin, TN