Mystic Makeda

As a metaphysician, I believe we are spiritual beings having a human experience, rather than human beings having a spiritual experience. There have been so many firsthand accounts of life after death that we can no longer deny it. There is more, so much more than what we see on the surface. People that have been “awakened” to the idea of their spiritual connection to the Earth and each other are called Lightworkers.

A Lightworker, as defined by Doreen Virtue in Archangels & Ascended Masters, is “A living human who feels called to help Earth and her inhabitants in a way that uses spiritual energy. For instance, a lightworker might feel called upon to engage in healing, teaching, or artistic work to help make the planet a better place.”  What Lightworkers do best is to shine their light.

So I began to wonder, if we’re all beings of light, are there also beings of the dark? Duality is also a part of life. Are these dark beings, as depicted in horror movies, big and scary, or are they just souls who have not experienced the light? There are certainly too many humans filled with hate, bigotry, violence, rage and destruction. One only has to turn on the nightly news to see country vs. country; religion vs. religion; race vs. race; politician vs. politician; man vs. woman; man vs. animal; man vs. Earth. It seems to me, the closer we get to 2012 the more the news is filled with misery, the more we move toward self-destruction.

The dark does have its place. We would not be able to fully appreciate the light if we didn’t have the dark for contrast. Again, it is the duality of life. If there was no darkness, no challenges, no issues, how would we be able to stretch beyond our self-imposed limits?

The question then becomes, what are the Lightworkers to do?   How do we counter this darkness. How do we make a difference when we are only one person? What I’ve discovered is the best way to counter the dark is to shine our light. It sounds so simple, and it is; however, we have to come from a position of love not ego. The essence of any Lightworker is our light or Universal Love.  I believe that most of us would love to impact the world in a grand way, but it’s the small steps that make a huge impact over time.  For all the people, places and things that are in the dark we need to illuminate them, steadily with love, compassion, peace, humility and joy.

It is our humanity that distinguishes the light from the dark. It is our compassion to care for our fellow human beings and the planet itself that shines our light. Peace, joy, love and goodwill can yet turn the tide. To bring in the light of Mother/Father God is to illuminate all that is. All we have to do is to walk in the light, one step at a time.

Namaste’

Makeda

Today is Mother’s Day and this is my 25th celebration of this day. Each and every Mother’s Day has been a joy, thanks to my wonderful daughter Monique. She has been a blessing and I often wonder how did I get so lucky to wind up with her. 

From the beginning I knew her name was Monique and she had to be born. I wasn’t disappointed. The little lady I envisioned with style and attitude is  exactly what I got. From the beginning she had her own sense of self. She had her own mind and was determined to have things her way, regardless of what others may think. If Monique felt right she would argue her point tirelessly. I remember at the age of 5 or 6 she would sit around the dinner table and join in on the discussions of news and current events.

Monique has always been mature for her age. We always spoke to her as an adult, so her vocabulary was always several years ahead of other children her age. We spent a lot of her formative years living with my parents, so she would serve as the “legs” for her grandparents, never complaining. My parents also served as co-parents; they loved, educated and nurtured Monique just as I did.

We all made it through her teen years without too much pain. I was diagnosed with a chronic illness when she was in the 7th grade and there were times when she had to take care of me.  I would often feel bad that she had so may adult issues to deal with and felt it unfair for her. I beat myself up for years hating the direction my life had taken. My parents had given me such an abundant life and I could not do that for my daughter. She never did without, thanks again to my parents, but there were times when finances were tight and we would not go to my parents for help. Years later she told me it helped define the person she would grow into and made her mature beyond her years. She never begrudged her life and I had to learn not to begrudge mine.

Monique lost her father at age 16 and her grandfather at 18. The loss of the two most vital men in her life caused tremendous grief, but she was able to rise above it. She learned from her pain and walked through it. After the loss of my father, my mother and I moved to Florida, leaving her in Kentucky alone. Monique went on to complete her undergraduate degree in four years from the University of Louisville, graduating in 2005.

Now on this Mother’s Day my child will celebrate her first Mother’s Day. She had a son, born February 17, 2007. My hope and prayer for her is to have as many wonderful memories as her grandmother and I have. The love of your children and grandchildren is a love like no other.   

Mothers are the backbone of our global community. They are our nurturers, care givers, teachers, fathers, role models, motivators, providers, coaches and our soft place to land. They work endlessly to give us what we need. Most of the time receiving very little back in return.

To all the mothers, may Mother Father God comfort you, protect you, and kept you for all your days. Thank You!

Namaste

I began my spiritual journey over 30 years ago. From my first memories I felt ugly, stupid and insignificant. As a child I didn’t understand why. The contradiction was that I was intelligent, cute and loved. I came from two college educated parents who loved my younger brother, Brian and I, as well as our extended family. There was plenty of love, nurturing and support. My mother came from a total of 12 siblings, and she, my father, and two of the older siblings helped to raise her younger brother and sisters when their mother died at a young age. So my younger uncle and aunts were more like my brother and sisters. We had big holidays with my parents, travelled on family vacations, and were exposed to much of what the “good life” had to offer. In many way we were over-indulged, yet were taught that we were fortunate, and everyone didn’t have the opportunities we had. Dad was a community activist and both parents made sure we didn’t forget how blessed we were. Yet, I still felt insignificant.

I wanted to die at an early age and just couldn’t understand why God would make me stay where I didn’t want to be. I was just taking up space and would wallow in feelings of uselessness, hopelessness and sadness.  My parents did all they could for me, but they didn’t know just how bad it was for me. I learned how to mask my feelings and put on that “good little girl” mask. My parents were attentive, yet I hated myself. I was always sad and believed my parents only loved me because they “had” to. Suicide was often on my mine. I would be another 25 years before I would be able to understand the root cause of my “why”.

The suicidal feelings continued until I was introduced to Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism at the age  of 21. This form of Buddhism came from Japan to the U.S. when the Japanese war brides came to this country. When I was introduced, the majority of members were Japanese ladies, who had the courage to propagate a foreign philosophy in a land where they were considered the “enemy” and had only broken English in which to communicate, but communicate they did.

From the first time I sat down in front of an alter and looked upon a “Gohonzon”, I never looked back. I knew I was home. (The Gohonzon is a mandala or object of worship, but I’ll explain the Gohonzon later, so stay tuned.) As I knelt on the floor, the incense burning, a bell ringing, and the chanting of many voices coming together to make one sound was music to my ears, “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” . Everyone else was either on the floor kneeling with me, or sitting in chairs, rubbing their prayer beads together. I felt a soothing balm on my wounded heart. “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo”.  The house seems to vibrate and I felt as if I would just levitate off the floor. “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” is loosely translated as; to devote oneself to the mystic law of cause and effect through sounds and vibrations in the universe.

Buddhism touched me in a way that nothing else had.  Although my Dad was a devote Baptist and Sunday school teacher, my mother a Methodist, Christianity just didn’t feel right to me. As a child I had a relationship with “God”, but had a hard time believing the Christianity they were selling. Later I understood it just wasn’t my truth.  As I began to chant, set up my own alter and began to attend meetings, I began to see that there was a purpose for me, I had to be alive, and I had a mission. My life had purpose! There was a reason for me to continue to take up space on this earth.

I didn’t become instantly beautiful, or smart, or well adjusted, but the picture being reflected back to me was no longer some grotesque unlovable monster. Chanting was like polishing a tarnished mirror. The more I did, the better I was able to see life without a distorted view. Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism saved my life.

Over the course of those thirty years I’ve faced many of life’s major challenges. I developed chronic debilitating diseases (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia) at the age of 40. I lost my husband at 43, lost my father at 45, relocated to Florida, found my passion and began living a life worth having. None of these challenges were easy, but what I was to learn over time is that if I hadn’t had these experiences, survived them, I ultimately wouldn’t be able to teach others how to survive these same challenges. Did I say it wasn’t easy? But I came through it and so can you.

I began my business a few years ago called “Mystic Journeys”.  I realized that life is but one long journey with many roads, twists and turns along the way. We have the opportunity to embrace this life or we can go kicking and screaming. So I decided that I would look at my life as one great adventure after another. As “Mystic Journeys” I offer Spiritual Counseling, Intuitive Reading, Life Coaching and Reiki Healing. I had to walk through all of my challenges to lead the way for others. I have become a strong, loving, compassionate, spiritual and wise woman (if I say so myself).  I’m not done yet, but I like the woman I am. I look forward to the future and can’t wait to see what else life has in store for me. Some times all we have to do is show up, shine our light and prepare for a wild ride. Together we will find what avenues to take so all of us can prepare for the next leg of our mystic journey.

Peace & blessings,

Makeda