Making A Connection

by Maria Montano

Is there a collection of all information that exists on a higher level, outside of material reality? Some place in universal space where all knowledge is known, possibly remembered, and stored? If so, is it possible to obtain such knowledge, and more importantly, are we able to access it?

The Reverend Beth Green arranged to conduct a Psychic Awareness Seminar. We were instructed to bring a photo of someone important to us.

I walked into the large class-type room and was calmed by the gentle, serene music. The Reverend was seated at the oblong table, a white-linen cloth draping its top. She sat at the head of the room, facing several smaller tables with chairs. Dressed in an ankle-length dark green dress, her hair was a radiant shade of white. As she welcomed her guests, her voice resonated soft and tender.

I noticed a basket on the table where the others had apparently placed their photos and I added my own. I joined the other participants as we introduced ourselves and got acquainted. When all attendees were present, the Reverend invited us to make ourselves comfortable at one of the tables of choice. We found seats and placed our notepads down. We quieted and waited for the Reverend to begin.

"I am delighted to be here today with all of you. Today you will remember how to become One with each other, and with the universe as a whole. I say 'remember' because I am only here to guide you to a place we have all been to before. We will be entering what is known as the collective unconscious. Think of it as an endless pool of shared knowledge, accessible to all of us. Quite naturally, this will feel like familiar territory." My goodness, I thought, that sounds so . . . right!

The basket containing our photos was passed around the room. We were told to choose one photo, but not the one we brought. "Look at it closely, she said. Study it."

After some time, she told us to place the photo near our notepads, where we would record our findings. The Reverend motioned, and the music began: Harps, flutes, gentle instruments laced with the sounds of nature. The lights were dimmed and she lead us into a guided meditation:

"You are very much aware of your surroundings and you will be in control at all times. You will now make yourselves comfortable, and begin to feel very relaxed. Concentrate on the sound of my voice as I guide you into a deeper state of relaxation. I will count slowly and you will go down deep; deeper and deepest as I reach the count of three.

One: You are now very relaxed. Your breathing is deep and easy. Two: You are drifting much deeper now; feeling weightless, very relaxed. And three: You are now there. You are completely relaxed. Your mind has cleared the chatter and you will be open to anything that comes to you. Here we will access the information we have come for."

Reverend Beth continued to guide us. "You are walking up to the home of the person in your photo. What does it look like? . . . Seek the person in your photo. Do you see he or she there?" Step by step, we listened to her and followed her lead. As we experienced and explored, we recorded our findings in our notebooks.

Clearly, I saw the home of the person in my picture. There was a huge swing set in the backyard. I walked toward it and noticed the perfectly manicured lawn surrounding it. Tall green hedges lined the back of the property. There was an eerie silence in this yard -- a definite feeling of sadness. I walked toward the back door of the house. The door was ajar and I saw the kitchen area. A shiny green frog on the windowsill . . . And there it was again, that same sadness! Then very subtly, almost like background music, I heard I song I know. I wondered if I was drifting from the meditation. Did it have anything to do with this? I let it go and continued on. I looked for the little girl in my photo. She was not in the house. Nobody was home.

Again, the Reverend's voice: "Where are you now?" As I listened to the Reverend, I looked about and realized, I was somewhere else! There was a woman here, dressed in a white uniform. She was a nurse, and I was in a hospital! People were gathered and most of them were sad or crying. Although the little girl had been there, I sensed that she no longer was. And I was still hearing that song in the background!

Nearing the end of our meditation, the Reverend proceeded to a close: "At the count of three you will become fully awake and aware . . . ." Slowly, the lights were turned brighter.

My notes were sloppy, but I managed to record my findings. I was anxious to reveal them and curious about what the others got. Just how accurate were we? I held up the photo I had chosen and a woman raised her hand. I remembered almost everything, but used my notes to be sure. I told this woman what I saw.

As I finished my last sentence, the woman began to cry. The little girl was her daughter. The house I described was their own. The backyard was manicured, and landscaped with tall, green bushes at the back of the yard. A huge swing set was positioned near the back door. The green frog in the kitchen was a ceramic soap dish made by the little girl. The hospital was the last place the girl had visited before passing away there.

As the woman began to regain her composure, I was curious about the song I kept hearing within my meditation. Bravely, I mentioned it to her. "It was a song by Melanie, called 'I Got a Brand New Pair of Roller Skates'," I said.

To my surprise, the woman got emotional once again. "That was my daughter's favorite song. She would always sing it, especially while playing on her swings."

I needed no further proof. There was no doubt in my mind, there was definitely a collective unconscious.

--Maria Montano