Lissa’s Story

From a young age, I was deeply attuned to the world of intuition. Between the ages of 9 and 16, in the serene moments on the cusp of sleep, I encountered profound moments of presence. This was a heightened sense of connection with something greater, experienced through a comforting sense of pressure, like an embrace from the unseen. These moments were filled with introspective questions that seemed to emerge from deep within, compelling me to voice my thoughts aloud. Each experience was a journey into self-awareness, ending with a gentle release that eased me into a peaceful sleep. These formative experiences were crucial in guiding me towards a path of spiritual discovery, teaching me to see and feel the interconnectedness of all things.

At 19, I began practicing Transcendental Meditation, and by 22, I became a TM teacher. My meditation journey deepened through the teachings of Maharaji, alongside TM, leading to profound experiences. On two occasions during meditation, I felt as though I was being pulled out of the top of my head, finding myself in a realm of silence, struggling to return to my body. Similarly, twice I experienced being drawn out from my navel, each time forcefully pulling myself back. Throughout these experiences, I never questioned the nature of the 'I' being pulled from my body. Intuitively, I sensed that this 'I' was a truer expression of my essence, residing within my physical form.

In my late 30s, I embarked on a significant chapter of my spiritual journey by joining the Arica School, a mystery school founded by Oscar Ichazo. Over the course of a decade, I immersed myself in its teachings, where I was introduced to the Enneagram—a tool that has since become a cornerstone of my private practice.

Following my time with Arica, I was guided by a remarkable woman whose teachings were steeped in ritual, ceremony, meditation, and a profound process of identity unraveling. This period was marked by many expansive experiences that deepened my understanding of myself and the world around me.

It was during a period of solitude, while my husband was away on business, that the seeds for the next phase of my spiritual journey were sown. I seized this opportunity to create a personal retreat, dedicating a week entirely to introspection and meditation. One day, as I settled on the couch, poised for meditation, a thought unexpectedly emerged: 'something is dreaming you.' This notion, both intriguing and perplexing, stirred a mix of excitement and confusion within me. Although its meaning was unclear, I sensed it was a beacon, guiding me toward a deeper understanding.

A month or two later, as I prepared for meditation again, this time on my customary pillow in the bedroom, I recalled a teaching from Adyashanti: 'rest as awareness.' Embracing this intention, I closed my eyes. Within moments, my consciousness—or the essence of my being—ascended through the crown of my head, swirling into the ether. This experience mirrored the unsettling ones from my twenties, yet this time, I resolved not to succumb to fear. With a sense of surrender, I allowed myself to drift toward the void, into an expanse of absolute blackness. There, I encountered an unprecedented state of non-being: devoid of self, room, world, and awareness itself. In this boundless void, there was neither fear nor joy—only an indescribable nothingness, devoid of any experience or entity to bear witness. It was a profound absence of everything, a moment beyond words or comprehension.

After emerging from the profound void, I found myself descending back into my body, sitting in silent contemplation. My initial reaction was stark: 'Shit, this is disturbing.' This experience challenged my understanding of existence, suggesting an unsettling notion of impermanence and void.

This unsettling revelation propelled me into a spiritual quest with a more urgent, existential undertone. I sought understanding and peace through retreats led by Adyashanti, Jac O'Keefe, and Mooji, hoping to unravel the mystery of my experience. Despite their reassurances, a lingering unease remained until another pivotal moment during a retreat with Jac O'Keefe.

Finding solace in a swing located high in the mountains, I would spend break periods there, immersed in the natural beauty. On the final day, as I sat swinging, gazing out at the mountains, a transformative vision unfolded before me. The landscape, along with myself, began to disintegrate into countless particles, each emanating and bathed in brilliant light. For a moment, we existed as nothing but particles of light, enveloped in a luminous expanse, before reforming into our familiar shapes. I then returned to the retreat, carrying with me a newfound insight.

This helped, because I was shown how we are all One, and we are all light. I should also say the light was love, they were the same. 

Next, I pursued training in Past Life Regression and Life Between Life Regression through the Michael Newton Institute. My keen interest lay in the Life Between Lives (LBL) aspect, as the notion of exploring past lives didn't captivate me as much. During my initial regression session, the therapist guided me to a profoundly personal space: my experience within my mother's womb. It was there that I unexpectedly reconnected with the familiar presence of the beings who had visited me in my childhood. Overwhelmed with happiness, I found myself sobbing with joy. In that moment, I felt as though I had returned to my true family, to my spiritual home. Their presence, invisible yet palpably filled with love, enveloped me. This reunion, alongside the revelations about my existence between lives, stood out as the most impactful aspects of the session.

Not long after my regression experiences, a pivotal thought emerged: 'It's time'—a call towards true awakening. This meant dedicating myself wholeheartedly to the journey of awakening, despite not knowing exactly how to proceed or what actions to take. A few days later, during meditation, I sought guidance from the group energy that had become so familiar. Their presence was immediate, guiding me beyond the confines of my personal, separate self and into the realm of universal consciousness, boundlessness, and love.

The journey began with the realization that I was intrinsically connected to this group energy—it was a part of me. Then, I was drawn even further, beyond my physical form, to a point where the boundless itself looked back through my eyes, seeing Lissa from its perspective. In that moment, a profound understanding was communicated: I am the boundless, I am love. Lissa was born from this boundless love and is a manifestation of it. Moreover, all of creation is divine, the boundless taking form.

This realization brought an immense sense of relief and a profound release. Any lingering fears and doubts were washed away, leaving a deep-seated knowing that everything is more than okay.