Phenomenon

Every time I bring up the topic of phenomenon, I’m always surprised with how many stories people actually have to share.  They seem countless. Twenty years ago it was taboo to speak of phenomenon unless it related to the Church and miracles.  People were quick to jump to the conclusion that you were mentally ill if you spoke of anything out of the ordinary. Today more and more people bring up the subject of ghosts, magic and mystery.  More and more individuals are ok with admitting that they experienced the unexplained. 

I’ve always been surrounded by “phenomena,” so much so that as a young adult I literally believed there was something wrong with me.  Until the age of 19 years old nobody outside my immediate family setting knew that I could communicate with Spirit.  The first time I told a friend, she literally recommended that I see a psychologist.   She even approached our common friends and told them “not to enable me.”   I was a young adult then and even though it hurt to be so quickly judged and  shun, it just gave me the incentive needed to walk away from the past and find the courage to learn more about me and the skills I possessed.

“Why was phenomenon more frequent for me than it was for others,” I wondered.

After a lifetime of living, exploring and studying phenomena I’ve come to understand that the only reason why certain occurrences are unexplained in life is because our culture or social values and beliefs do not focus or explore these experiences.  Today, I consider myself an expert in particular kinds of experiences; which most people call “phenomena.”  Where it may be unexplained and misunderstood for a great number of people; for me, it’s mundane and natural reality.

I honestly believe we are responsible for 70% of the phenomena we come across in our life story.  Our thoughts and emotions combined to vital energy can be incredibly powerful.  Add collective energy to the mix and anything can be possible. For those of us who have been to hockey games or rock shows it is not difficult to imagine how impacting a collective emotion can be.  For example, I have some friends who do a Cancer Walk every year (fundraiser for cancer research).  Both these women have family members who have passed away to the disease.  Every year the event brings them to experience beautiful phenomena like being hyper alert to the presence of deceased loved ones; bring deep and intense healing between family members; and help in self-discovery through the most bizarre synchronicities.

“We don’t get to see and hear the dead the way you do,” CM said to me last year, “yet every year, through this Walk we get a glimpse of that there is indeed an After Life.”

Both CM and PM have told me that they believe their heightened emotions based on their personal story along with a collective heightened emotional experience and focus is what allows so many people to live through phenomena for a whole day.  CM who is more interested in paranormal experiences has often said to me that there’s more of a correlation between the heart and phenomenon than phenomenon and the brain.  

With learning about the Medicine Wheel for the last 25+ years, I’ve come to understand that much of what we call “unexplained” is simply “mysterious.”  In fact, with the development of science many phenomenal incidents can be theoretically explained.  Personally, it’s not because we can explain a particular phenomenal experience that it makes it less phenomenal. 

Every day we witness phenomenal natural occurrences.  I remember the first time my two-year-old son witnessed an ice storm.  He was in complete awe.

“Look mommy,” he cried out, “ice cream trees everywhere.” 

To watch a tree grow oranges or bananas is quite extraordinary.  Scientists explain storms, volcanoes, earthquakes and tidal waves; but the explanation certainly doesn’t diminish the phenomenon.  From my point of view, a phenomenon should not be defined as “something that can not be explained.”  It’s more about an overwhelming feeling of surprise:  Awe or fear.  It’s really about the unexpected or the unknown; and this experience can vary from person to person.  Age, culture, religion seems to play a role in the actual experience of phenomena.

I’ve met too many people who fear phenomenon: People who continue to be afraid of monsters under their bed.  On many occasions I’ve met with individuals who were horrified by the idea that their house could be haunted; or their deceased loved one could be unresolved (a ghost); or that demons could exist!  One lady was horrified at the thought that her son who had passed away in a car accident had actually known of his demised a week or so before it occurred.  He had written about it in a personal journal with a hint of scepticism. 

It can be scary to suddenly find ourselves living an experience we were not prepared for and yet, life is filled with “phenomena” of all kind:  Natural and cosmological.  With technology these days we can all agree that even human phenomena can be extraordinary.

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P.S. I've kept this entry quite broad and general because it would have been so easy to get lost in the vastness of it.   I often ask for suggestions when it comes to blog entries and this topic was given to me by MR (co-author of this blog).  She knows ME and my life story -- and thought it would be interesting (I guess) to discuss phenomena because it is 80% of my life (LOL).  I realize that for many people this subject matter can still be a mystery and also hugely fascinating.  I recommend that "you ask questions" in the comment section. Direct me towards areas of phenomenon that interests you and I'll be glad to write some more on this subject.
Woliwon (thank you)!