Reflections on Erica’s Story
When we read this powerful account, we realise that Erica’s NDE is not a single, unique event within her life. Rather it is part of a whole life trajectory.
Even though Erica has a close connection to Realm-2 as a child, she becomes fixated on Realm-1. In Erica’s case, this takes the form of an obsession with her physical body. Her physical body is actually an active participant in this obsession because of the pain created by the endometriosis condition from a very young age. Like many of us, Erica’s narrative is about being loved and admired by others. She abandons her love of journalism in order to marry and becomes a nurse instead. She abuses her body through the weight loss medications she craves. For some, this life path may have lead inevitably to death, but for Erica it leads to a transcendent spiritual experience.
Erica’s path continues, but her perspective has been moved abruptly from Realm-1 to Realm-2. Now everything she has experienced and trained for previously comes together. From being a victim, she becomes a healer. From experiencing herself as powerless, she becomes an empowerer. Her nursing credentials blend into public work for Nursing organisations including palliative care and veterans. Her training as TV journalist is put to work in public speaking.
In ancient times, an important area of spiritual life was initiation. This was a ceremony, a ritual, which transformed the individual through an experience. In the initiation experience, the candidate saw and communicated with the god. The ancient Mystery cults vanished long ago, but the need for transformation remains.
In our era the gift of crossing the abyss often comes through a Near Death Experience. The initiation chamber has become the operating theatre. The hierophant and the priests are the surgeon and the assisting doctors and nurses. The individual returns from the experience of spirit with the task of transforming their life through their knowledge.
The Path to Pentecost, John Rawson
We will discover more about the Near Death Experience as a process of initiation next time.
I have had that experience in the operating theatre. I wrote to Mario, and told him I felt I was going into the Initiation Chamber. The astral, soul and part of the etheric are are suddenly ejected from the body when receiving the general anaesthetic. It is a violent experience, yet when I awoke properly back in my bed, there was an angel standing at the foot of my bed, assuring me everything was under the control of the spiritual worlds. That part was amazing ? ? love ❤️ Melody x