From ancient times to modern days, human beings have shared stories of the unbelievable, the phenomenal, the unknown, the paranormal; these stories range from ghosts to aliens, other dimensions to the darkest depths of Hell. It's time to explore the supernatural...
Episode Summary
If you haven't already checked out the episode, head on over to The Lunita Podcast and give S2E2: Exploring the Supernatural a listen. Remember to subscribe to the Podcast, leave us a review if you like the show, and give us a follow on Instagram for updates and conversations with the community.
On this episode, Nina and Justin discuss what many have experienced but only few ever share, the Supernatural phenomena that reaches far beyond this physical world -- or at least our understanding of it.
Why is this Topic Important to Lunita?
We believe that through sharing OUR stories and speaking up about experiences like these in general, we can begin examining this topic through a less-stigmatized lens. These are experiences that someone may never forget, they're more common than we have been led to believe, and these experiences open us up to the discussion of the larger questions in life -- What comes after this? What is beyond death? What is on the other side of this existence?
Here at Lunita, we know that experiences of the supernatural can cause trauma, bring about ridicule, shake our spiritual beliefs to the core, and even change the course of one's entire life. That's why it's important that we as a society create a safe space for those that have experienced "the unknown" so that healing can be done, stigma can be lifted, and we can begin looking for answers to the larger questions mentioned above.
With that said, we're not going to get into our specific experiences in this blog, but if interested in hearing about some of them, please go ahead and give S2E2: Exploring the Supernatural a listen on our podcast.
What Types of Supernatural Experiences Are There?
1. Extra-Terrestrial (E.T.) / Alien Experiences
One of the more common supernatural experiences, UFO sightings, alien visitations, and even abductions have become fairly mainstream and for good reason.
**Before we continue, we want to share E.T. Report: Virgin Run, a blog post covering Justin's personal experience with a UFO and 4.5 hours of missing time 17 years ago in 2003.
First, according to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), there were 3,445 reported UFO sightings in 2018; in 2019, there was an uptick to 6,224 sightings; and from January through the end of August of 2020, there have already been 5,223 reported sightings!
Second, and this is in 2020 alone, the U.S. Department of Defense recently established the "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF)" after stating that these unidentified aerial phenomena actually DO exist, and the Pentagon has even gone as far as officially releasing footage of an encounter with a UFO.
Lastly, there have been countless experiencers that have come forward, as well as eyewitness testimony, that tell stories of alien contact, Extra-Terrestrial visitation, and even cases of outright abduction.
Now, this does not point to proof, but it's becoming more difficult to discredit the millions of people worldwide that have witnessed or experienced something that they consider "out of this world," and we should be doing our best to attempt to understand these experiences more instead of ridiculing our fellow human beings just because the narrative does not fit our beliefs or our current understanding of the world around us.
2. Psychedelic Experiences
The use of psychedelics has got to be one of the most consistent modes of bringing about a Spiritually Transformative Experience (STE), whether that be through contact with the Divine, contact with Beings from another dimension, or a renewed and concrete connection back to the living Mother that is Earth.
One thing is for sure, you will never be the same after going on a journey into the psychedelic spaces.
*NOTE: For additional information on the use of psychedelics, check out our podcast episodes and other posts on the subject:
3. Near-Death Experiences
We've all heard of "the light at the end of the tunnel," but did you know that many Near-Death stories also share a conversation with the Divine, an opportunity to stay in the afterlife or come back to the physical (even though many report that they're basically sent back here no matter what they choose), and many have the very real sensation of their souls floating outside of or above their deceased bodies?
These similar events surrounding their "deaths" makes the case for validity that much more interesting, and it reminds us that we have guardian angels or guides looking out for us during this journey of Life.
**NOTE: I want to take this opportunity to recommend one of our favorite books on this topic, Consciousness Continues: Near-Death Experiences and the Aftereffects by Heather Dominguez. She has also been creating a docu-series that accompanies the book. You can find more info at https://www.consciousnesscontinues.com/.
4. Out-of-Body Experiences (OBEs)
Out-of-Body Experiences are just that, an experience where the "soul" disconnects itself from the physical body and allows the experiencer to travel the astral realm.
Common OBE reports include seeing your sleeping, meditating, or deceased body from above, feeling the soul float out into space or above the body, or even being transported to an entirely different dimension or time. There have even been reports of meetings with beings or entities in these other realms.
5. Religious Experiences
From the story of the Burning Bush, God's warning to Noah, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and Muhammad's angelic visitation in the mountain cave, religious experiences have played a major part in the development of humanity and culture since the beginning of time.
6. Experiences involving Spirits / Ghosts / Mediums
Many people have claimed to bear witness to hauntings, ghost sightings, spirit visitations, and more. Countless movies, shows, and books on the topic show just how much of a part of our culture these experiences are, yet we rarely talk of them seriously.
These visitations are typically attributed to some "unfinished business" or a message that needs to be delivered from beyond the grave, so if you find yourself in a ghostly experience, consider reaching out to a medium, someone who can make a connection between the physical and the spirit worlds.
We personally recommend The Solace Sisters. Be sure to use code LUNITA10 at checkout for 10% off their services.
7. Entities (Negative / Positive)
When we talk about entities, we're talking about demonic possessions, angelic visitations, spirit animals, spirit guides, deceased relatives, the shadow man, etc.
In our personal experience, entities tend to show themselves when we're going through challenging times in our lives. The type of entity that shows itself can vary, but we at Lunita think it's closely related to your current mindset or state of life -- drinking too much or not caring for your mental health? Negative entity... Preparing for a transition in life and need a little extra guidance or encouragement? Positive entity...
How can We Begin Feeling More Comfortable with or in These Spaces and Experiences?
1. Professionals ARE Out There
Yes, there are professionals that you can speak with regarding the supernatural, and no, they're not all a scam (although there are scammers just like in any field, so be careful and do your research).
Again, one of our favorite professionals in the spiritual field are The Solace Sisters; they were kind enough to provide Lunita listeners with a 10% discount at checkout if you use code: LUNITA10.
The Solace Sisters are spiritual mediums, psychics, and healers, and we can personally attest to their gifts, and we highly recommend them as a starting point on your journey through the supernatural.
2. Join Online Communities
It's not every day that you come across someone willing to open up or talk to you about spiritual experiences; it's actually more likely that you'll be given an awkward look and considered "crazy," but that doesn't mean you can't talk about your experiences!
Online communities exist, and they're filled with tons of amazing people willing to listen, share, and even offer advice if wanted.
An AMAZING community of people that I've recently joined and highly recommend is The American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences (ACISTE). This group covers almost any Spiritually Transformative Experience you can think of, and I cannot thank them enough for the help they've given me in making sense of some of my more profound and transformative experiences.
We also recommend Reddit. Yes, Reddit is a fantastic place to meet like-minded individuals and share stories of the supernatural. Some subs we recommend include:
Just to name a few!
3. Be Respectful of these Experiences, and Accept them as Reality
It is important to understand that the spiritual world is something far more powerful than ours. There are still many unknowns when it coms to examining this world, and it is crucial that when speaking about these experiences, we remain respectuful and gracious.
Although some of these experiences may not be our own, we should always treat someone else's lived experiences with decency and honor them as real. Be kind when someone is sharing a story of theirs with you, as you would want the same courtesy in return if the tables were flipped.
4. Do NOT F*** around with Ouija Boards!
We have all seen The Craft (and if you haven't check out 11 Films to Watch this Halloween Season now). Scenes with ouija boards have become iconic in horror films, yet we want to be super clear, ouija boards are not a game! We do NOT recommend bringing one into your home or using one at any cost, no matter how dope that scene was in the movie.
When engaging in ouija boards, we are essentially asking that a portal between our world and the unliving be opened. The problem for us mortals is that there is no clear cut way to determine who or what will come through that portal, and more importantaly, how to close said portal once you have had your fun.
The spirit world is no joke and we do not recommend you take it as such.
The Wrap-Up
Millions, if not billions (or even trillions!), of people around the world have experienced the supernatural; it's something that is ingrained in our human psyches, our myths, our folklore, and will continue to be a topic of discussion well beyond our final breaths.
It's our hope that sharing our experiences and opening the floor for others to share theirs will bring about new discussions on the meaning of life, the purpose of existence, the possibility of other realms and beings existing in them, and of course, open up more meaningful, more progressive, more productive, and less fearful discussions on death and the transition that comes with it.
Lastly, down below, you can find a list of resources mentioned in the episode and that we have found helpful and informative. Thank you for reading, remember to subscribe to the show if you haven't already, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to get updates on what is new at Lunita.
Resources
The American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences (ACISTE) -- An unbelievably helpful resource and comunity with tons of people willing to listen, share, and offer advice. Thank you, ACISTE, for all your help in my personal journey.
ACISTE Forum -- The conversational corner of ACISTE.
The Solace Sisters -- Use Code LUNITA10 at checkout for a 10% discount on services.
Consciousness Continues - A Book and Docu-Series on Near-Death Experiences as told by the experiencers themselves.
Invasion on Chestnut Ridge - A documentary covering weird and supernatural happenings in Southwestern Pennsylvania (literally minutes from where Lunita co-creator, Justin, grew up)