I’m so excited to review this book, but before I do, I need to disclose that I edited the manuscript. That said, I feel honored to have done so. This is a brilliant offering on so many different levels. I’ve watched it transform from a comic book to a novella into a full fledged novel that I’ve compared to Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. I’ve read that book a dozen times and hold a Masters degree in English Language and Literature, so this is no light comparison.
Mike has a special ability to write about emotions. This book ranges from the depths of despair to mystical heights, and the tenderness with which he treats his characters astounds me. Even minor figures come to life as real people grappling with paranormal events and more universal themes of love, grief and complex relationships. I would say the characters “make” the book, except so many other things stand out, too.
In addition to showing the nuanced paradox of spiritual awakening, this novel also conveys a tangible sense of place. Most of the book occurs in the Southwest, and Mike’s decades as a professional wilderness guide allow him to bring us right into that environment. As readers, we see, feel, taste, touch and hear the magical desert. We dive right into the charm and grit of a forgotten town. We experience the pulsating joy and sorrow of NDE’s, OBE’s and other difficult to explain things. I’m no stranger to strange events, and I know how tricky they are to convey. This story hits home in ways that only a fellow experiencer and researcher could bring to life.
It also goes way beyond a paranormal thriller. Yes, psychics, synchronicity and dreams play big roles, as do murky behind-the-scenes controllers. But this is also a love story, a tale of friendships lost and found, a hymn to the creative process, and a deeply healing narrative. We long to find our own Trail’s End Café, to listen to Tony’s mix-tapes and drink some of that amazing coffee.
While editing, I’ve read and re-read the entire book so many times that I’ve lost track. During all those reviews, I never once grew tired of the story, scenes or the characters. I actually miss reading it each morning and will probably begin again very soon. It’s the kind of book that rewards multiple readings, because so many subtle details reveal themselves with each new journey through its pages. I love this book, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Today’s post is, in some ways, a continuation of my Sleeping Bear Dunes and Birthday Owls post. I’ll begin with my dream journal recap of Karen’s dream. She has graciously allowed me to use her name here. You’ve already encountered her in the Two of Cups Equinox Portal post and the Queen of Wands Imbolc Portal post. If you’ve read those posts, you’ve gotten a peak into her journey, and you can see the synchronicities and joy begin to unfold in magical ways.
Fast forward to today’s dream journal recap:
6/3/2022
“Karen’s Dream of Owl and Me”
Yesterday afternoon, client Karen (whose North Node conjuncts my Venus) told me she keeps forgetting to tell me about a dream she had. She rarely recalls her dreams, and to her knowledge has never dreamed about me. In her dream, she and I stood looking at an owl. When the owl opened its beak and mouth wide, I pointed to it and said, “Look, it makes a perfect ‘o’.”
She tried to describe the symbol to me, because it was really an ‘o’ with points. I asked her to draw it and she sent me a drawing, then a photo of a Kentucky agate portal with “the right swoop if you make the sides a bit rounded.” She has her little witch/Queen of Wands portal I painted her now walking towards that portal. (It’s a slice of the Kentucky agate, and you can slightly see through it.)
I texted back, “Very cool to all of this! Especially the portal. I will have to ponder your dream. Thank you for sharing it. So basically, I pointed to the owl and said it was making a perfect O? Was it a baby owl?”
She replied, “It was not a baby owl. We were looking at an owl and it opened its mouth wide, and you made that comment. Now I’m not sure if there was any interaction or if we were just observing it.
“Now [I’m] doubting myself because it wasn’t an o as in round, but it [m]ust have been a perfect symbol. Maybe some Rune that sounds like oh?”
I told her I would ponder this because nothing jumped out at me. Awoke around 3:55 a.m. just before David’s alarm went off. I realized, “It’s a UFO. Turn the owl mouth 90 degrees and it’s a flying saucer shaped UFO. An owl with open mouth gives a message about UFO’s.”
I emailed Karen so as not to wake her up: “Turn the dream symbol on its side and it’s a UFO flying saucer. This connection is central to Mike Clelland’s research, including the book I am in.” Then I included owl and alien emojis. I’m supposed to post about this. She has also been to Suttons Bay and the owl store. Apparently, there’s a spot where people hike down and often can’t get back. Not sure what she meant since this was the end of our session.
Fell back asleep, and I got more downloads for my July 2022 Forecast. The precision of highly charged astrology transits hitting the US in July is insane. No wonder I have such a feeling of massive shift. From start to finish — it’s not just the Mars-Uranus-North Node conjunction. That’s like the fireworks finale to a month of fireworks — literal and figurative.
END of dream journal.
…
After writing up the dream, I asked Karen: “Can I post about this without using your name, and if so, may I include the photos and your texted description of the dream? If not, no worries on either account. I just got the sense I was supposed to document this on my blog for some reason.”
She replied: “Sure. You can do anything you want. I don’t even care if you mention my name if you feel led to. And very cool connection you made which reminded me that I saw either a really futuristic plane or a UFO last week. It was black and looked sort of like a fan shaped shield and I saw the top of it like it was going straight up. Then it went forward and was so thin it disappeared. I hear you… planes don’t do that. But I do live near an air force base. I’m going to look into that some more and see if I can find a picture.”
The exact moment her reply came through, I emailed her two images, with the following message:
I’m imagining the outline of this, including the beak:
To which I replied, “I was just emailing Mike Clelland about this when your message came through ‘That’s the mouth!'”
Our morning continued with interwoven synchronicities. Mike’s in a different timezone, so he hasn’t yet flown into the swirling vortex — at least not by email. 🙂
Here are the images Karen texted me last night as a follow-up to our phone conversation:
She and I went back and forth about how much of her name to include, and she added about the possible UFO event: “What I saw might have been the stealth bomber. But it’s still an anomaly because it’s not stationed here.”
me: “Lots of anomalies these days!”
Karen: “So true.”
I went about the rest of my morning, tending the garden, riding the exercise bike. Then I received another email from her with a subject line “FYI.” She sent it from her iPhone: “Just passed a car the license plate said area 51B.”
me: “LOL, I better write this post soon or it will keep growing!”
“Hidden Experience: collected writings from ten years of blogging 2009-2019,” by Mike Clelland, shares “the strange challenges of otherworldly contact, where confronting the darkest unknowns can ultimately lead to transformation.” The supposed theme of this book is a question about UFO abduction, but really, the question could be any huge, foundation-shattering and life-altering realization triggered by dreams, confusing events, and truly uncanny coincidences.
As the posts and years go by, Mike wrestles with existential crises, clinical depression, and deep inner healing. We follow the development of close soul friendships, as well as the loss of friends through death. We see how Mike’s public grappling with personal trauma and the Big Questions opens doors for others to share their stories, too. And we see how some relationships break rather than expand into larger implications. These are universal human experiences on the path of self discovery — told in an intimate, vulnerable way, often in real time.
Full disclosure: I know Mike Clelland, because he spent years interviewing me for a chapter in his “Stories from the Messengers” book and more recently for “The Unseen” podcast. Although I know Mike and consider his work a sacred path, I do not follow his blog. I check in once in awhile, but for me much of this material was new. It doesn’t read in chronological blog order. Rather, he thematically collates the posts and includes comments and updates from across the years. He also shares his own 2019 take on earlier experiences, revealing how the meanings of synchronicities, relationships and mysterious events can unfold and change across time.
The time looping and spiral journey nature of this book also models a process for embracing the “little things” that connect us to the Great Mystery, and to each other. By sharing so many of his own specific memories, details, timestamps, and experiences, Mike taps into the universal. Though true, the book kind of reads like an epistolary novel. My favorite parts are the hypnosis transcripts, his eulogies, and especially the passages about his friendship with the late Mac Tonnies. A tension between mind and heart runs throughout, yet despite the struggle, his heart keeps shining.
The Introduction begins with Joseph Campbell’s quote: “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” In the Conclusion, Mike says, “Recently, someone asked me how my life has changed because of these experiences. I thought for a moment and said, ‘I now live in a magical universe.’ I meant that, I see reality as something much richer and more mysterious than I could have ever conceived.” The final page of the book echoes a vivid dream of Mike’s from 2012, posted on his 50th birthday. In all bold letters, it says: “Follow your heart.”
“Hidden Experience” is about the spiritual journey and continuing to find the courage to walk it — one step or quantum leap at a time. Highly recommended!
The comments are all very supportive and excited, until September 7, when reader William C says:
Michael, forgive me, but I cannot believe you take all these New Age practitioners seriously and give them a public forum. Lyme disease is a horrible disease. To equate it to some sort of spiritual awakening is almost obscene. But hey, I was trounced on Whitley’s forum for not being a New Ager, since I guess that is a prerequisite around here. Really sad.
Something led me to pop over to the interview page today, and I happened to see the comment. I felt it important to reply there, and also to share the exchange here, for clarity:
I’m sorry you feel that way, William. I can assure you that I in no way trivialize the horrible experiences of my Lyme clients. I nursed my (then) husband through Chronic Lyme, and I also survived my own infection with Lyme. It IS a brutal, existentially crushing disease, and I do not take that lightly.
The emails I receive from people who’ve read my writings on Lyme disease, as well as comments from clients with advanced, Chronic Lyme, share a sense of relief, a “clicking in,” profound gratitude, and a feeling of finding the blessings and especially the Meaning within the trauma. It’s like Victor Frankl’s ability to survive his concentration camp experience by finding meaning.
Those I know who have completed the “initiation” for lack of a better term, are living deeper, more joyful and meaningful lives than they ever imagined they could prior to Lyme. That in no way invalidates the journey or the scars they acquired along the way, but those soul wounds also triggered much deeper healing and inner peace.
I realize how from a superficial look, other people would consider me a New Ager, but I am actually NOT a proponent of New Age fluffy luv-n-lite. I find it toxic, disabling and disempowering, but I’ve learned not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Some tools and concepts, taken much deeper, can heal in profound and loving ways. “Know thyself” is powerful advice and balm, and sometimes it helps to have someone reflect that self back to you. I consider this sacred work, and I wish you well.
Peace,
Laura
UPDATE 9/9/19 Comment Bump Up from the comments to this post on my blog:
I define “New Age” as diluted and distorted Mystery Teachings that people swallow because of the “truth signature” while not discerning that there may be poison and lies tagging along for the ride. At its worst, luv-n-lite callously victim-shames and/or spiritually bypasses opportunities for real growth. True Love and True Light nurture and heal, whereas New Age platitudes act more like a sugar rush and/or superfoods laced with toxic heavy metals. Not a fan!
I’m so excited that Mike Clelland has this entire interview posted online! (Originally, it was only going to be the first half for everyone and then the second half for members of the Unknown Country website. It does have some sponsorship ads, which you can fast forward over. I’m just happy for Mike making it available to more people.)
I loved this conversation! Between this interview, his research for my chapter in his book, Stories from the Messengers, our email exchanges, and some other phone conversations, Mike has a way of getting information out of normally very private me.
The interview begins with a story I’ve told many times — how I got into doing Medical Intuitive readings — but then we go places I don’t normally talk about in a public way. We cover some of my experiences with owls, precognitive dreams, and even a very rarely told UFO/lightning strike story.
Then we get into Reiki, astrology and life path topics, both mine and Mike’s. He happens to be living his life path, which includes doing these very deep sorts of interviews. I always enjoy interacting with Mike, but every single time, I have to laugh afterwards: “I told him what?!” This interview is no exception. It has things in it that I had literally thought, “If I ever share this, it will be in thirty years.” Haha, joke’s on me: that Mike Clelland knows how to get the information out of me!
Anyway, here’s the interview. It’s pretty wild, but I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
David and I had one of the loveliest Thanksgiving Weekends we’ve enjoyed together, just the two of us because David was on call Thursday. He did not, however, get called and so we made our own mostly gluten-free, entirely vegan feast, took a luxurious nap, watched a movie and puttered around the house.
In addition to the yummies below, I made gf vegan pumpkin pie (cashew based). The stuffing below is topped with a fermented celery “dressing” we began right after this previous post about Pickle Pipes. We had our doubts, but the celery did, indeed, end up delicious. The live, fermented food made digesting this big meal a breeze. (Recipe from “Fermented Vegetables,” by Christopher Shockey and Kirsten K. Shockey. The faux turkey was from Gardein and the only gluten containing part of our dinner.)
On Saturday, we decided to check out the W.K. Kellogg Estate, also known as “Eagle Heights.” Located on Gull Lake, this summer estate of Will Keith Kellogg features a Christmas crafts bazaar each year. We had no idea what to expect, but we like touring old manors. David thought it might transition us from Thanksgiving to the Christmas Season, and it sure did! This manor has so much history. With warm and informative volunteers, gorgeous decorations, 1,600-foot shoreline, crafts, Bird Sanctuary and the manor itself, we felt like we walked into a simpler time and place.
The entire back side of the house overlooks Gull Lake. Every rear window offers expansive views of trees, gardens and water. Continue reading →
In an email today, I let Mike Clelland know some recent developments in the bizarre dream-painting-bleedthrough-fiction-becoming-real “glitch” I’ve been trying to fix for many years, since it has radically inhibited what I can or cannot write about as fiction, lest that exact conflict, character or plot development appear in my “real” life. It got so over the top that I stopped writing fiction in November 2009. When I restarted in November 2017, the effect continued, dismantling key portions and people of “real world” “reality” once again. I stopped writing that novel, but the plot kept nagging and whenever I gave it the least research or attention, boom! High strangeness in real time.
I have been determined to find a solution to this glitch, because I know I need to write my novels, but I cannot risk writing them until I learn to manage this “gift.” I told Mike how powerful I’ve found the work of Robert Moss, whom I learned about through layers upon layers of synchronicities in my recent Sidhe class. Mike, of course, had a multi-layered owl synchronicity involving dreams and Robert Moss. For me, the presence of an owl synchronicity gives the added “ding, ding, ding” confirmation I would have expected with such a major realization. It’s like the Universe saying, “Happy Birthday, Laura, hoot, hoot, you’re on the right track.”
Mike’s post includes this very worthwhile and for me, even more hilariously synchronous video:
In December 2015, I wrote about how I “devoured” Mike Clelland’s book, “The Messengers: Owls, Synchronicity and the UFO Abductee.” Well, the long-awaited companion volume just became available! As of this writing, “Stories from the Messengers: Owls, UFO’s and a Deeper Reality” is available on Kindle only, but the paperback will get listed very soon. (UPDATE: you can find the paperback here.)
The first “Messengers” book stands out as a turning point in my life, Continue reading →
First of all, yes, it’s snowy and cold, and I love it! We’re having so much fun in this winter wonderland.
Yes, I’m writing. I returned to the nonfiction book about healing Lyme disease, since my foray into fiction and an avalanche of synchronicities revealed a different, more engaging way to write this book. No idea when I’ll finish, but it’s going well. My fiction and fiction research continue, too.
I’ve also done final, final edits on my chapter in Mike Clelland‘s upcoming book, “Stories from the Messengers.” I’m making my way through a review copy, and so far, so fascinating. 🙂 I’ll write a full review once he releases the official version of the book.
David and I continue to settle in, exploring, creating and refining the new as we move into Imbolc season at the end of January. Just a quick reminder for anyone interested in the 8-Day Wheel of the Year Special: tomorrow (Monday, January 15th) marks the last day to sign up for that year of eight focused sessions and Reiki Healing Attunements.
So many beautiful and synchronous events continue to unfold here, and I feel such gratitude to witness and experience the shifts. Wishing you and yours a magical week!
My February 2010 entry, “Goodbye Sonoma County, Goodbye California,” has haunted me for nearly eight years. David and I decided to get married in December 2016 in preparation for purchasing a house in Michigan and relocating from Goshen, Indiana. Ever since then, memories of my sudden departure from California have tumbled across consciousness at least several times per week. From needing to retrieve Sonoma County divorce records — to a two-week stint on Instagram that felt like an assault of photos from places I worked so hard to leave — to discerning and executing our own exit plan from Goshen, the late 2009-early 2010 time period in Sonoma County kept bursting through.
Although David and I met as friends in Chicago, unbeknownst to me at the time, our story actually began in Sonoma County and Napa. Synchronicities Continue reading →
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