Explorative Communications Insights
Issue #2 - June 6, 2016
We're on the verge of Summer 2016 and I hope this finds you feeling sunny yet cool. I was very thankful to be able to attend the "After Life Awareness Conference" held in St. Louis, Missouri during mid-May.
The conference brought together so many areas including the clinical and medical, hospice, science, life experience, symbolism, mediumship, and constructive ways of approaching the end of physical life for ourselves and others while here on this planet. Many clinical and hospice workers have been touched by living through people's end of physical life experience. There were also many who very recently lost loved ones so their passing was fresh in mind. There was a nice give and take of learning and sharing of knowledge and experience.
This gathering was one of the most beautiful and incredible experiences I've had in quite awhile. There was truly a warmth and enthusiasm about the people there. The topics included a wide range of clinical end-of-life care, current medical research on what happens at death, spiritual analysis incorporating mysticism, Shamanism, various religious ideals, healing, and consciousness.
Some of the memorable presenters included:
- Composer and multiple Emmy, Clio and ASCAP award winner Gary Malkin who wrote the acclaimed palliative resouirce "Graceful Passages" described the value of music near the end of life;
- Prominent Cardiologist and author Pim van Lommel, M.D. of the Netherlands presented research on medical science, DNA, NDE, and encouraged medical science to rethink some of its theories about what constitutes life, death, and consciousness because so much has been discovered. He discussed research studies done on 344 survivors of cardiac arrest. Dr van Lommel is the recipient of Dr. Bruce Greson Research Award from Int. Assoc. of Near Death studies and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Congress on Clinical and Preventive Cardiology. I personally bought his book "Consciousness Beyond Life" and very much looking forward to reading it;
- Episcopal bishop John Shelby Spong spoke about what religious doctrine does and does not say about after life. He admitted that there is a lot that it does not say. The bishop rejected Biblical literalism as well as fear-based doctrine; Attempting to make theology available to the lay person and leading the fight to allow gays and females to be priests, he teaches about love and awareness rather than fear and superstition;
- A very prominent medium, "Thomas John" randomly intuitively felt his way through to the audience and called out specific names to connect with family, friends, and loved ones, demonstrating his incredible ability to be receive information. There were questions asked and many statements made including names, descriptions, and messages. As a result, there were some astounding revelations and confirmations given, leading to many tears, amazement, and a parallel understanding between worlds;
- The efforts and organization by Terri Daniel along with many dedicated participants and volunteers clearly made this a success. The closing was beautiful with the use of flowers, instruments, a shared pine cone, and a final procession. The next one is planned for Portland, Oregon sometime around early June 2017. The link to view more about the conference and its participants is www.AfterLifeConference.com
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Shared Crossings
William Peters,MFT,M.Ed directs the "Shared Crossing Pathway Program" and its research initiative to examine the conditions contributing to the Shared Death Experience (SDE) which raises awareness about the profound experiences that are possible for the dying and their loved ones. William trained with John of God in Brazil and as a volunteer with the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco. He currently leads the Shared Crossing Program, teaching participants how to create a conscious, connected and loving end of life experience at any stage of life, and facilitates life beyond death groups in Santa Barbara, California. With 103 participants as of today, William describes the people who have come in as experiencing lower death anxiety. William described how people develop this loving sense of connection, gratitude, kindness, and have more of an appreciation of human life. There were some very amazing mystical experiences described by William that I will save for my next newsletter. One brief one involved Steve Jobs which eluded to a very insightful vision. I'm already looking forward to next time so I can share more.............................. |
|
 |
|
The Medical and Mystical
Well, here is another one that I'm going to need to bring in some more valuable, psychological, spiritual, and philosophical ideas and experiences presented next time. Jeff Black, M.D., MDiv, spoke about "Psychiatry meeting with Shamanism and it's Mystical Practices". Dr. Black works with those who struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Feeling that his medical training lacked some of the tools needed to help him to fully do his job of healing trauma and loss, he ventured toward energy medicine with indigenous healers where he found the missing tools needed to help others create the needed transformative healing desired. Dr. Black describes light and love as the beginning of everything and that "Love is the Essence of Healing". Illness and disease occur when we forget our true nature of spirit. So often, Western Medicine treats illness once it has manifested as a disease. Through Jeff's treatment as a psychiatrist, he realized that he needed to adjust his approach through a bio-psyho-social spiritual model. I will hold the remaining key points that Dr. Jeff Black has to offer for the next newsletter that I'll be producing this summer. Jeff took some real professional risks, but for the cause of the patient, and ultimately, it was beneficial for human healing. |
|
|
 |
|
Moments with Moody
One of the very special and memorable highlights for me at the After Life Conference was being able to interview Raymond Moody, M.D., known worldwide for his breakthrough research in Near Death Experience. He has written 11 books about the world beyond the physical one. Lisa Smartt, MA joined with Dr. Moody to discuss their new research into language at the end of life. Dr. Moody described how what we may perceive as "Nonsense" when we hear people who are dying quietly uttering various unintelligible words as they begin to cross the threshold from physical into non-physical life. This is a time when the brain transitions over to another form of discourse and Dr Moody describes nonsense as a good thing. So many people start seeing relatives, friends, and loved ones as they near their transition. This was truly a peak moment during my conference experience. |
|
 |
|
Dual Compatibility
One of the special experiences of the weekend was being able to hear the thoughts of United Church of Christ Minister Janine Baryza-Ly. Janine has worked as a professional medium since 2000 and is uniquely qualified to help release traditional fear-based ideas of the afterlife. Janine looks beyond the literal interpretations and concepts of heaven and hell, seeing life after life in a spiritual framework that encourages people to navigate through grief with more pace and acceptance. She basically believes in Christ's love while also making use of her mediumship qualities. |
|
 |
|
Surfing With the Wave
Karen Wyatt, M.D., Hospice Physician and author of "What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying" shared her views of what Baby Boomers need to know about end of life care focusing on the needs of Boomers and their parents. She described the term "surfing" as about "surrendering to the wave" and letting the wave carry us to where it wants to go. There were many lessons shared and discussed with the final one being "Impermanence exists in every living thing. Everything dies......the only way to experience learning, growing, and transcending is to live on this planet. The broken pieces is what makes us beautiful. They fill in as gold. We cannot interfere with the dying process since everything dies. Knowing impermanence makes life precious and helps us remember to live." |
|
|
|
|
|
Astrological Keys
Election Firestorm
There are a lot of people who are wondering about the direction of the coming U.S. General Election building this year during 2016. I think we are seeing a degree of polarization and extremes that we have not seen in a very long time. It's very important that astrologers separate their astrological research and forecasts from their personal opinions. Donald Trump has a very prominent Sun conjunct Uranus in Gemini, an aspect that a very fiery person I once worked for had. With so many planets in Gemini, he is going to change his mind a lot and he will "always be right" when he does because it will be natural for him. Trump's Mercury square Neptune will continue to bring illusion to his statements and communications so that the result will be unclear and many will either not understand or feel eluded or deceived. Yet, Trump will perceive it as just part of his thinking. With Leo Rising and Mars in his 1st house in Leo, his showmanship, directorship, and fiery passion will be prominent. Donald Trump has some very favorable, strong astrological aspects that will not only keep him in the running, but possibly bring him on as the next President of the United States of America. It is not a done deal yet, but it's very possible if not likely.. At the same time, in my view as an astrologer, it's not only about aspects on Election Day or Inauguration Day, but as part of the whole picture through time. It's still early yet.
In terms of current aspects for Donald Trump including the secondary progressed and solar return charts for beginning on his birth date June 14, 2016, and transits for the election period of November 2016 and January 2017, things are looking pretty bright for Donald Trump. I may analyze more details for each candidate later and share them with you.
What is my feeling? Well, personally, I think we are headed to some revolutionary types of directions on a social and financial level whoever is elected. However, if Donald Trump gets into the White House, the revolution(s) will be more extreme. There are favorable aspects during the election period and around Inauguration day in terms of the Trump transits and USA natal chart combinations, however, much tougher aspects arrive later during the spring - summer of 2017 and things will get more challenging. I believe he has some positive qualities such as telling it like it is along with possessing charm, warmth, and magnetism. However, I am wary of his insulting and often perceived bigoted behavior that puts people down, talks of women in terms of physical appearance, makes fun of how another candidate eats and how a disabled news reporter acts, seems to attract violence where he goes, and plans on building a wall to be paid for by a neighboring nation that could make us appear as selfish and demanding. As rich as he is, finances and tax reporting seems speculative. There is a lowness about some of these types of natures that may begin jokingly and have some special qualities, but may potentially end up becoming quite negative and even disastrous for people.
A Little About Now
The first week of June 2016 felt especially major. We just experienced a New Moon that became part of a grand square in the mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Sun and Venus have been closely conjunct at 14 Gemini. Neptune is now at 12 degrees of Pisces. Saturn has backed up to 12 degrees of Sagittarius. Jupiter,is now moving in forward motion again at 14 degrees Virgo. Mars, Saturn, and Pluto are currently retrograde so that is two less Rx. planets than we saw earlier this spring. I look for positive ways to take advantage of the retrograde motion relating to each of the planets as it happens. Neptune turns retrograde June 13th and Saturn in Sag. and Neptune in Pisces will be exactly square again on June 18th-19th, making for an especially interesting time for those with mutable sign points between 10-15 degrees. In my opinion, it continues to be a wild and eventual time and we continue to experience the very long term effects of the Uranus-Pluto square of the past several years. If you'd like to learn more about your specific situation(s) going on these days, feel free to contact me. |
|
A Final Note of Invitation
Please remember that I will consider submissions of brief segments of relative interest and / or links for future issues of "Explorative Communications Insight" newsletters, There is an infinite amount of material out there of interest! Feel free to forward this newsletter if you think someone you know may value from it. To obtain individual reports and arrange for consultations, you're welcome to contact me. Happy Summer 2016!
Peace and Inspiration,
Joseph Kaminski
San Francisco, California
E-mail: unammuth_jfk@sbcglobal.net |
|
|
|
