Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Sacred Sex~
I took his hand leading him over to the inside of the circle. I sprinkled the birdseed on the ground, an offering to the goddess. All was ready for me to set the circle.
Last Rights ~ Available in ebook, print and audio
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Where Did My Body Go? Accounts of Out-of-Body Experiences
Science Says~
Reports of out-of-body experiences (OBEs) can vary. Some consist of little more than a fleeting feeling that the body and mind have come loose, while others recount tales of floating far from the person's physical body and traveling to otherworldly realms. Either way, OBEs have fascinated humans for centuries, entering folklore, spiritual beliefs, and mythology.
Science defines this as a dissociative episode, which is a sensation of your consciousness leaving your body. Even though these episodes can be very frightening they usually don't last very long.
According to surveys, around 10% of the population has experienced an OBE at least once in their lifetime.
People typically experience their sense of self inside their physical body and view the world around them from this vantage point. During an OBE people report a feeling of being outside their bodies or looking at their own body from another perspective.
Common feelings that were reported during an episode may include:
- The feeling of floating outside the body
- An altered perception of the world
- A feeling as though one is looking down from themselves from above
- A sense that what is happening is very real
A Variety of factors may that may possibly trigger an OBE:
- Sleep disturbances, including Sleep Paralysis
- Physical effort following extreme exertion
- Near-death experiences
- Drugs
- Sensory deprivation or overload
- Strong G-forces (experienced by pilots and astronauts)
Recollections of two of my own OBE experiences:
Considering science has speculated the cause of these terrifying occurrences, I wanted to share two of my own episodes here that have remained cemented in my brain to this very day.
I can still see and feel my first episode that began in my early teens. Of all places, it had to happen at school in the classroom! I was a freshman and in an English class. I remember a feeling of floating and felt my body moving to the very back of the classroom where I reached the wall. And that was where I caught sight of myself sitting at my desk! I felt weak—nauseous as I scanned around the class watching the teacher and students carry on with the lesson but in slow motion. I tried to shake myself out of this but to no avail. And then as if a cord was pulling me, I shot back into my body—yes, the girl who was sitting at her desk.
I guess the pallor of my skin was noticeable as my teacher walked over to my desk to see if I was okay. Of course, I wasn't! She'd given me a pass to see the school nurse. I remember walking into her office and the first statement that came out of her mouth was,
"You look like you've seen a ghost!"
Well, perhaps I did—my spiritual self or whatever. At my age, I didn't really know what the hell had happened. I had no fever or physical signs of any malady. She'd instructed me to lie down on a cot and she called my mother who happened to work at the school as a secretary.
Long story short, my mother took me to our family doctor who had arranged an appointment with a specialist. This was just the beginning of a long journey of seeing other specialists who diagnosed me with a nervous condition and anxiety. I was put on Xanax as well. We need to remember this was back in the late sixties and most doctors, if not all had never even acknowledged an OBE or knew what it was.
The following months had me still dealing with episodes while the Xanax did nothing but make me sleepy. There was no internet and nowhere to search for information on what was happening. Most of my encounters happened at home or close to it. Too bad my spiritual body couldn't have gone further—perhaps to some nice tropical island.
Another episode I'd encountered was while I was at home cleaning with my mother. I felt it coming on with that usual tugging sensation and then everything just seemed to freeze. I couldn't feel my spirit leave my body or see it but things once again moved in slow motion—it was as if time stood still. I tried to shake it off by going about my activities. I was not paralyzed this time. All appeared normal except I felt as though I was not in the real world. It wore off shortly and I was able to talk to my mother about it. I was blessed to have an open-minded mother who did believe this was real and told me I had a 'gift'. That was surely one gift I had not wished for and wondered just what purpose it would serve?
I am now sixty-eight years old and can still recall almost all of those episodes to this day. I haven't had one since my early twenties. After speaking to others about it and doing research I now understand this condition. If only there were the resources back then we have now. With several psychologists, support groups, scientists, and paranormal experts, those who do have OBEs, can get help. I also now know that this condition is also linked to other paranormal experiences I've had during my lifetime.
Being an Empath and Sensitive does explain why I was susceptible to these encounters. I am now able to write characters who are high Empaths and able to relate in real-time what it feels like.
If there's anyone out there who is reading this and has experienced OBEs and would like to talk about it, I'm here to listen. Unless one has dealt with this, it's hard to imagine what it feels like. You are not alone.
Sourced Information:
Saturday, January 15, 2022
When the Spirits are Your Travel Guides
Madonna Shrine in Pacentro, Italy
Most of the time we purposely plan our trips, vacations, or holidays, but once we reach our destination we may find there are unexpected locations that pique our interest either by means of a travel website, recommendations from the locals, or searching for places of interest via the internet. Whatever means you choose, there are certain places that seem to call out to us for various reasons; some of those may be linked to places our ancestors had lived, a connection with a past life, a passion for a certain locale, or environmental energies that trigger the frequencies that pull us to that site.
Having dealt with many paranormal occurrences my entire life I would have to say that the latter had to be responsible for two locations that had definitely tugged at my own frequencies. Let’s just say I believe the Spirits were acting as my travel guides at that time. While visiting the medieval village of Pacentro, Italy where my mother’s family hails from, I happen to come across an out-of-the-way shrine to the Madonna while hiking up a hill with my husband one early morning. I noticed the shrine and immediately knew I had to check this out. There was a statue of our Lady mounted into the hill with a small waterfall that spilled out into a small ravine below. There were scores of wildflowers that dotted the area. My husband had instructed me to take off my shoes and socks and walk on the grounds and into the ravine. “Get some good grounding,” he’d said. His advice had led me to experience a most enchanting and unusual one at that. I felt tingles all the way up to my knees as my feet hit the water. Down below, the water sparkled like a thousand tiny diamonds had been spewn about. Stepping out of the water and onto the grounds that surrounded the shrine I now experienced tingles traveling throughout my entire body. I got down on my hands and knees and prayed to our Lady. I knew I was on Sacred Ground for sure. The odd tingling sensations abated after leaving the site, but this experience was one that would not be forgotten. I do believe my family had frequented this shrine so many years ago.
Make it Unforgettable!
I wanted to make this unforgettable so I added this location in one of my fiction books, Beloved Sacrifice. As a writer, I know this is one way to make it unforgettable while paying homage to such a spiritual place.
Banks Bridge in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
On one of my more recent travels to Ohio to visit my husband's family, I noticed a covered bridge as we were passing through Lawrence County in Pennsylvania. Having a passion for covered bridges I immediately took note of this place and knew I had to pay a visit in the near future before leaving Ohio. The Neshannock Creek runs under the historic Banks Bridge. Legend has it that several homes are haunted in the surrounding area and the bridge itself is a real portal. Well, I was not aware of any of these details at the time of my visit. It was just the looks of the bridge that called out to me.
A few days later my husband was able to take me back to the bridge where I felt another deep connection here as well. It wasn’t so much the bridge that pulled me in, but the creek itself that seemed to tug at my gut. I felt a presence here or should I say several. Walking down by the water I listened as the current seemed to pick up and the colors of the water seemed a bit brighter. Taking off my shoes I was most anxious to feel the earth under my feet as well as get a bit wet in the creek. It was chilly but I didn’t seem to mind due to the vibrations I was getting from the water. It was a sense of calm that washed over me. Once again I knew I had to mention this place in another one of my upcoming novels, Last Rites.
So, I guess I had to thank the Spirits for not only allowing me to visit these intriguing locations but offer inspiration for a great locale in my books.
Happy Travels to everyone. May your heart lead you to great destinations and may the Spirits be willing to leave you with a little inspiration.
Lorraine Carey
Friday, January 7, 2022
Sneak Peek
Sneak peek from book 1 of the
Women of the Willow Wood Trilogy
Available in eBook, Print, and audiobook