If you are stumbling upon this article, chances are you’re somewhat interested in spirituality. For the longest time, I was a naysayer of all this stuff. Honestly, I thought it was a giant Ponzi scheme. I mean, who sells rocks anyway? What are tarot cards? And don’t even get me started on the mediums. But everything changed for me in 2020, and spirituality seemed to fall into my lap.
As I was growing up, I always thought I was weird, and I still am — but I felt something was off or different about me. For me, I always seemed to be able to visualize images and people very easily and also hear things that were not always there. As a child, it is adorable… As an adult, people get nervous. The fear started to kick in dramatically when I had episodes of nervous breakdowns. I would hear things more vividly and clearly that no one else could hear or see. “What is wrong with me?” I wondered. “I can’t tell anyone this, I’ll be put away for a long time.” Thoughts like this swirled in my head but when I finally bit the bullet, I went to get examined by a physiatrist — many actually. First, the diagnosis was clinical depression, then bipolar disorder. As I am dealing with this, I am also struggling with coming out as a lesbian and the backlash from my family. I felt like a failure, I felt like I was broken, judged, labeled, misunderstood. It was hard for me. But then everything changed when I met my best friend, Cathleen.
Cathleen and I are a very unconventional duo. I actually met her through her daughter, with whom I am close friends with, so I have a 59-year-old best friend. But she actually saw me behind the façade I put up to keep people from truly getting in. She saw me. She looked me in the eye and told me she saw a lot in me. Beyond the persona, she saw something special in me. She told me no matter what labels anyone gives you, you are not broken, and once I step into my fuller self, I will be able to see it. She pulled up a video, and it had a married couple channeling. “Channeling” is where a person allows an energy, which can include (but isn’t limited to) deceased relatives, angels, fairies, higher self, religious figures or spirit teams, to use their human vessel as a vehicle to communicate. Ever since seeing this video, things began to click for me. I was not confident enough to verbally channel energies, so I used my phone. After meditation, I texted on my phone without looking to see what message would come through. There were many messages, but a favorite of mine was this (edited for clarity and grammar):
March 25, 2021; 1:41 p.m.
“You are more than what you think You are. Grander than my master plan. In all this, I say to you. So everything with love / Everything with lights / In context / Transform into the most essential self.
“And all I see is majesty glowing within you in your might and soul — enjoy this journey, enjoy this adventure, for more is up ahead in mountain peaks, and indiscriminately up ahead is a road to follow a path to show in all this. Do upon yourself the right thing, and the measurable circumstances will show you the way in light, and in good measure, in goodness, should you need love and protection, I am one with you and through you. I speak in love and light, all I do is show the way, the truth and light, and I am ready to prepare in all that is holy. Ask that is wise all that is needed, I will provide, do this. Is it I am finished, conclusion has drawn neat, and it is time I leave you here. Come again and show your energy in time.
“You will know its power and strength and know its full light. Adios, in heaven I go and will appear. I trust you know what was done here tonight and today.”
As I became more comfortable with my channeling abilities through text, I decided to do so verbally. Cathleen was a big fan of mine and helped me to get out of my comfort zone. So much so that she helped me to gain confidence in my abilities and channel information for others. I cover many sectors in terms of spirituality, a main one being the channeling of other’s Spirit Team. Part of what a Spirit Team is composed of is a group of energies collectively helping you on your journey through life. These teams can be angels, relatives no longer on the planet, aliens, fairies, unicorns — so many types of energetic beings can be on your team. The most important thing to note is that everyone’s team is different, sort of like a fingerprint. My experiences with channelings have been very interesting. One time, I went over to a friend’s apartment and his roommate came home. I didn’t know the roommate or anything about her, just that my friend had a roommate. We started talking about spiritual things and I asked them if I could channel for them. My friend’s channel was light and easy, but the roommate took much longer. My body came to and was confused as to why the roommate was crying. She was crying because she needed to hear those exact words, as she just went through a nasty divorce very recently and told me I also channeled Mary Magdalene, who was her favorite figure in the Bible. And through this, I encountered many that are astounded that I seem to have clear insight, and that everyone can, as well.
Cathleen and I host a podcast called “Insights with Cathleen” on Anchor.fm, Spotify and Apple Podcasts, which talks more in depth about spirituality and bridges the gap between the esoteric and the secular community. Email us topics: insightswithcathleen@gmail.com.
Cherry Kivumbi is a third-year Media & Culture major. CK962992@wcupa.edu