Finding a Vision Within a Book

In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, we met 19-year-old Michael, who was told by his subconscious that he will undergo a transition on December 21, 2012. This was the date that the Mayan calendar ended, and when some people thought the world might end. Michael’s subconscious explained that it picked that date to get Michael’s attention. When I saw Michael again on December 23, he was confused because he was unaware the transition had taken place while he was reading Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac.

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Michael reported that the protagonist in the book came across five paths, all of which went to the same place. Also, Michael said people were following him, but he was unsure why.

I suggested to Michael that his recollection of the five paths and followers represented his transition, rather than what was written in the book. His subconscious confirmed that those elements were not part of the book. The subconscious explained that reading the book was intended to prompt his transition.

The Role of a Leader

Michael brought his copy of Dharma Bums to his next visit with me two weeks after his transition.

“You were right!” he exclaimed. “The part about the paths was not in the book.”

He showed me the passage from the book that triggered his transition: “For a while I went on a little walk by myself, out by the shallow iced creek, and sat meditating against a stump of dirt and the huge mountain walls on both sides of our valley were silent masses. Too cold to do this more than a minute. As I came back, our orange fire casting its glow on the big rock, and Japhy kneeling and peering up at the sky…”

“Aha!” I said. “So, now you know that you actually had a vision when you experienced your transition."

Michael sat down as he considered the implications of what he was learning.

“But why did all the paths lead to the same place?” he asked. “What was that supposed to teach me?”

“It means that your intentions are pure. So, no matter which path you take, you end up where you are supposed to go. On the other hand, if your intentions were not so clear, different paths could lead to different places.” I replied. “That’s why you’re supposed to lead other people. Because you know where to go.”

“Can I veer off the right path?”

“Yes. This is why it is important for you to maintain your pure intention. That’s the key to staying on the right path, no matter what life you lead.”

Michael stayed silent with his eyes downcast for a long time. After a while, he looked up.

“Please ask your subconscious why you were just so quiet,” I said.

Michael thought for a moment. “He said that silence is therapeutic, and allows for growth, the development of wisdom, and communion. He said I needed to learn to trust myself more.”

I nodded.

“Am I supposed to lead a few or many?” he asked.

The answer came to me easily. “It’s one and the same. If you lead a few, and they each lead a few, in time it will be many. Come to think of it, through leading a few, you can end up leading the world.” I paused as I considered the implications of what I had just said.

Then it dawned on me, “In fact, if you believe in the reincarnation of souls as do Buddhists, then when you lead the world you end up touching yourself in a different life. That’s called karma!” I paused again. “That’s interesting!” I exclaimed. “I always thought that karma meant that if you do something it comes back to you in your current life, rather than in a future life.”

Takeaway

Michael’s case demonstrates the elaborate nature of some subconscious-driven revelations. Perhaps such elaboration is necessary in order to be sufficiently memorable.

Reflecting back on my thought process during our interactions, I believe that my subconscious was providing me with some of the responses I gave Michael. This may be why I was able to come up with elegant answers without much conscious thought, and felt as if I learned new ideas as a result of what I was saying.

I believe that many of us can learn to be in better touch with our subconscious throughout our lives, including for the purpose of enriching our ability to develop appropriate responses as we provide therapy.