Skip to main content

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.

***
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)!

Comments

Rose said…
I love stories and it seems to me that phenomena make the best stories.... I grew up wanting stories to be real, took me a while to remember they are.
Lili said…

I love connecting with those who share and accept phenomena.
Woliwon!
WampumBlueRaven said…
Just this evening, AR, my husband discovered throughout military documentation that his grand-father on his mother not only fought in for the Republic of Ireland, but was imprisioned because he continued to fight to free Northern Ireland.

He died when AR was not even born- a few years ago I a woke up in the night, to see a man at the end of the bed (classic I know but that what it was), he was not reoccupied with me but Alan. And I looked again moving my head up -and got parts of the story. But couldn't connect all the dots.

Now this is rare.
And I did think twice before telling him, we had been living together for maybe a 1 years or so at this point. And I had never experience this from his family side, nor had we really talk about this sort of thing. But I toke a chance and simply describe what I saw and the information I did have.

I described the man physically, knew it was his grand-father or great grand father (but not from which side of the family) and that might have fought for Ireland freedom.

In a nutshell at first naturally AR was skeptical trying to understand how I knew this. Answer I couldn't provide.Back in Ireland- AR went through the photo album even me scanned photos.

We did find him, but it toke nearly 4 years to confirm the information provided and get the whole story-but this is difficult to express to someone else, the fear of judgement and alot of the time at first I don't feel either prepared for the phenomenon or skeptical myself.

But one thing it provide I think is faith as well, and it gets easier and easier to dive into a phenomemon.
MaryRose said…
Thanks for the blog Lisa, I always wondered why I am experiencing less phenomena in the past few years. Is it because I have become too scientific (mental), is it something to do with the environment. I wonder if I began to judge my emotions and shut them down... it seems they are opening up again and I am feeling more wonderment lately.

I used to see Spirit often in my daily life, signs and messages from my guide... in the form of clouds, birds and acutal persons. I miss these events.

I like what you said about collective emotions heightening our experiences of phenomena, and that we create it through our attitudes... I will have to look at this some more. Today, I found myself feeling emotional and saw a sign that said, "Live life fully"

I think I got bored and tired and needed to renew my sense of awe. I will keep working on it... or playing with it...lol.
Lisa F. Tardiff said…
You know how I love feedback….. Thank you for your comments. I believe that if we gave 20 mins a day to sit still and just be receptive we'd be impressed with the phenomena surrounding us. It's great to have you reading my blog entries and feeling pulled to many of the topics explored here. Please share your stories with me. Who knows they may end up on the page!!!

LISA

Popular posts from this blog

Drums and Rattles.

Lately I’ve received a few e-mails and letters from people asking questions about drums and rattles. I don’t think I’ve written a blog on this topic yet. JB wrote in his e-mail: “I often read that Drums are connected to Shamanism and often the tool of choice for Shamans. How do Shamans use drums differently than anyone else who’s in Shamanism?” I thought it was a great question. For starters, one of the reasons why a drum is an interesting tool in Shamanism is because it can mimic a heartbeat and induce a state of trance. A rapid heartbeat can trigger nervousness, excitement and even aggression. A very slow heartbeat can help in relaxation, sleep and dreaming. Every rhythm can inspire an emotion and can bring about the memory of a past experience or a parallel reality. In Shamanic circles the drum can be instrumental in healing, teaching, ceremony or ritual, expansion of consciousness as well as dreaming and journeying. Almost a decade ago I participated in a Mohawk namin

Authentic Shamanism

I brought up the topic of “authentic Shamanism” at one of my classes / circles this week. I’ve noticed especially in the last three to four years that when people speak to me about Shamanism, they often make a distinction between what they are doing and what “is out there.”  These days if you are not into Ayahuasca you are not authentically into Shamanism.  So what is “Shamanism” if it changes its appearance every decade?  Is it about altered states of consciousness through hallucinogens? Is it about ceremonies and rituals; or about soul retrieval, dreaming and healing?  Since Shamanism isn’t a Religion and doesn’t have set doctrines, then how can you anyone be clear on what makes it “authentic?” When I brought up the question this week, I received a few interesting comments.   Many of the individuals in our circles have struggled with addictions and it’s because of the Medicine Wheel teachings that their lives are full and healthy again.   The idea of defining Shamanism as a j

The Seven Clans

Wow! I can’t believe that in the last three years, I haven’t written a single blog on the topic of “the seven clans” of the Medicine Wheel. For the last two months our Montreal circle has been exploring the subject. I think it’s the first time in fifteen years that I ask my students to go out into the World and experience the clans first hand. “Look at people and see which clan they can belong to; or look at behaviors and attitudes and try to connect them to one of the Clans.” We often speak of the clans as the seven faces of Creator. In Christianity or Judaism God can be angry, impatient, judgmental and destructive; but he can also be merciful, compassionate, forgiving and loving. The Medicine Wheel may not personalize Creator in the same way many Religions do, yet in many ways it accomplishes the same end result where we can see ourselves as children of divinity. Often in non-traditional circles the seven clans are understood as archetypes. Each clan holds particular att