Comforting Thoughts About Jess's New Journeys

Jess and Jen building cairns together.

I came across this article today and found it a nice summary of the information provided by Michael Newton, Ph. D., in his books Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls, both of which I read and enjoyed years ago.  http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/the-journey-of-souls-101-where-our-soul-goes/ (Unfortunately, the article could use some editing, but it's a nice round-up nonetheless.)

I first encountered this information when I lived in Southern California, in a culture which tends to foster open-mindedness and personal experimentation. It wasn't enough for me to just read about these types of experiences, I wanted to find out as much as I could first-hand, so I spent some time practicing meditation and "graduated" to guided past-life regression, then went on to experience several past-life regressions on my own.

I've posted a bit about what I learned, including the discovery of carryover interests and talents, an understanding of past/current relationships and events, and developed clarity about various skills, interests, and habits of my current lifetime. Past-life regression is a very natural process, one which also carries the capability to heal by defusing carryover emotions (fear of fire, water, heights, pain in the body from past-life wounds, etc.).

One of the most helpful things about having done this personal research is the ability to apply its concepts to the recent passing of my beautiful daughter, Jessica, who left this world at the tender age of 26, in January of this year.

Instead of finding myself stuck in the "finality" of death as we are generally taught - in the misery of abandonment and loss, I am able to think of her new journeys with a much more expanded perspective. So, with that in mind, I'd like to share some of the thoughts that bring comfort, even as the human part of myself struggles with her absence - the spiritual part celebrates her ongoing existence, of which I am certain.

Comforting Thoughts About Jess's New Journeys

• If I could choose a place for my daughter to live, it would be exactly where she is now, surrounded by love, access to learning and mentorship without cost, with a complete absence of danger, a place I can visit and a place to which I belong.
• I honor my spiritual commitments - knowing we chose the larger events of our lives together coming in, I can remind myself as I do some of the hardest things a mother ever might have to do that I am honoring our agreement. I am working with her, for her, on what we agreed upon.
• I can release the need for questioning every facet of what happened during her sickness and subsequent surrender.
• I can release the need to place blame on anyone for the circumstances surrounding her passing.
• I am profoundly thankful for and appreciative of the grace with which she navigated through the leaving part of her time here.
• I realize that she's not a child, but a whole, grown-up, eternal, and infinite spirit/soul, and can relate to her in this new capacity, which allows me to release what can be an overwhelming parental sense of needing to protect.
• I can respect her decisions without judgment or the need to usurp them. 
• When I am grieving, I can use my awareness to recognize the human part of myself and its yearnings as well as the spiritual part of myself and its abiding comforts.
• I have a solid understanding that there is no "past, present, or future" except here in this Earthly plane of existence, so I know that this particular relationship with my daughter "is, and always will be." 
• I hold no regrets about common expectations of a young person's "future," and what they "did not have a chance to experience," because I know that she has as many opportunities as she desires to experience whatever she desires; it is already happening in the eternal now, and some of these experiences include me.
• I know that she has less limitation and more abilities in her new form, so I can ask for and feel her love when I need to.
• I know that she is cleansed of the emotional turmoil that accompanied some of her Earthly experiences.
• I can celebrate the love she widely shared while she was here.
• I can profoundly admire the courage with which she approached and navigated the challenges she experienced while she was here.
• I can celebrate our togetherness as well as our independence and interdependence.

Jess - Self-portrait happy dancin'

I still have to work with my Earthly self to create balance in my emotional self. The Earthly part of myself cries and misses her, and I have to work hard to care enough to stay and work on my own journeys. It is challenging here, but there are many joys to focus and work on, and the bottom line is that not only do I need to honor the commitment we made together when she was born, I have to also honor the commitments I made alone and with others when I was born. 

So I carry on, with spiritual joy and human sadness, along with a profound sense of wonder at the magnificence of life in all its forms.