White Owl Wisdom Past Life Journeys
Married Life with a Warrior Shaman -- the Aikido Sensei
For 33 magical years, I was married to a master martial artist and mystic, Saul Lewis Smithson. I use the word "mystic" because even though Saul was a practical, funny, down to earth person, anyone who knew him also knew that he had a mystical quality about him. For instance, he was not only an accomplished stage magician, but he also could read auras and could astral travel at will. He also could effortlessly (using ki) toss around bulky, muscular, young, virile martial arts students who were forty and fifty years his junior. As if those strong young men were made of paper mache instead of flesh and bone, their Sensei, Saul Smithson, would demonstrate the use of ki, and his students would fly across the Aikido mat in the flash of an eye. Saul would chuckle as his students shook their heads in amazement, laughing as well, for often their Sensei could achieve such a feat before even touching any one of them ... and by simply redirecting the opponent's energy field! The strength of Saul’s ki (lifeforce energy) continued well into his later years when he was in his late 70's before his passing at seventy-seven. To say that Saul and I were compatible as husband and wife is an understatement. We were truly the loves of one another's lives. Below is a summary of the many things which I learned by sharing life with my Warrior Shaman, my Aikido Sensei, Saul:
My Primary Earthly Mentor in the Healing Arts
Beginning in 1982 and throughout the 33 years of marriage to my primary mentor and beloved late husband, Saul Lewis Smithson, I learned such arts as Holistic Massage, Reflexology, Sound Therapy, and Energy Healing techniques. I learned these modalities directly from Saul.
Saul Smithson was a Judo and Aikido master, practicing the martial arts for 72 years. Saul's years of esoteric studies began at the age of five and continued throughout his young adulthood under the direct tutelage of six first-lineage, first-generational Japanese and Chinese martial arts masters. With Aikido lived as Saul's "way of life" Saul continued his own teaching of the martial arts as well as his practice and teaching of holistic modalities (applied kinesiology, holistic massage, and acupressure therapy) as passed down to him by his teachers. From his mentors, Saul also learned and practiced spiritual and esoteric modalities such as aura-reading, astral projection, Zen Meditation, hypnotherapy, handwriting analysis, and the writing of Japanese koan poetry. Saul also was a practitioner of Chinese Astrology, Feng Shui, and Oriental Brush Art. He practiced and taught all of these art forms until his passing at age 77 on February 7, 2014.
I (Dina) took my first 45-hour hands-on holistic massage class at the University of New Orleans with Saul Smithson as the instructor in 1982. That was in the days before massage was even popularly accepted as a healing modality. What I learned throughout my years with Saul cannot be sufficiently summarized in a few paragraphs. There's just no way to do it! Suffice it to say that even in Spirit his influence continues, especially with regard to my own spiritual unfolding process -- astral travels, afterlife communication, and PLSR hypnotherapy.
Additional Studies and Influential Mentors
In 1996, I attended classes at the Center for Reiki Training in Flagstaff, Arizona, under the direction of Master Reiki Instructor, Melinda DeBoer-Ayrey. I received attunement for Levels I and II Reiki certification. In addition to Reiki, I utilize a healing modality, the knowledge of which was passed on to me in 1997 by a Shamanic Practitioner of 40 years, Ms. T. D. of Flagstaff, Arizona. In the 1950's a legacy (symbolized by a sacred artifact) was given to T.D. by her own teacher, a Native American Medicine Man of Wyoming. The Medicine Man was the 7th son of a 7th son, his father a medicine man as well, who fought in the Battle of Little Big Horn against the notorious General Custer. It was this warrior who first obtained the artifact during his vision quest. At age 16, when T.D. was given the artifact during her own shamanic initiation, the Medicine Man told T.D. that 40 years into the future, she would pass the artifact down to a specified person. In 1997, during my 36th birthday celebration, T.D. showed up unexpectedly at the party. She quietly took me aside and presented me with the sacred artifact from the Native American teacher.
T.D. also related to me that her teacher whom she had known when he was alive in this world -- was also my teacher now -- and that he was available to me for guidance and protection anytime that I requested it from him. In other words, T.D.'s mentor who had initiated her as a shaman when she was sixteen also became my mentor from the Spirit World as a spirit guide. But long before this day of revelation, seven years earlier, I had met the Medicine Man on my own during an out of body experience (referenced earlier). Of course, at the time, I had no idea that he was T.D. 's teacher. Nevertheless, T. D’s attendance at my birthday party and the gift which she offered me (the artifact) were elements of verification and confirmation to me about the significance of the OBE meeting with this guide seven years before I had met T.D. and before she gifted me the artifact or told me the name of the guide, her teacher. The aforementioned Native American shaman (my Spirit Guide) transitioned to the Spirit World on the night of October 31, 1994, at the age of 94. He remains an inspiration to my work today, and he is my primary spirit guide, especially in the fulfillment of my dharma in the healing arts - Past Life Soul Regression Hypnotherapy, Energy Enhancement (Reiki) and Mediumship Development.
Past Life and Afterlife Studies
In 2016 --- at the prompting of my spirit guide S.W.H. H (mentioned above), I enrolled in PLSR hypnotherapy classes taught by Dr. Linda Backman at the Ravenheart Center in Boulder, Colorado. Through my studies with the Center, I became a Certified Past Life Soul Regression Hypnotherapist.
In addition to experience with the above-mentioned disciplines and mentors, I practiced yoga. During years of practice, starting with Hatha Yoga and later Kundalini Yoga, my feel for the Enhancement of LifeForce Energy known as "chi," "ki," or "prana” intensified. After Saul's passing in 2014, messages from the Spirit World have increased with intensity and in frequency, and in 2016 I became a member of the Afterlife Education and Research Institute www.afterlifeinstitute.org. Becoming a member of the Institute is a great way for me to stay informed about scientific breakthroughs in the field of afterlife communication, a field that is my passion. Through the Afterlife Education and Research Institute, I took a course under the direction of Dr. R. Craig Hogan. I had already started communicating and "hearing" my departed husband, Saul, just hours after he passed, but with Dr. Hogan's course I learned to hone my awakened mediumistic skills so that I can more readily communicate with Saul and other departed relatives ... anytime I wish. The course is free, and I encourage anyone who wishes to learn how to easily communicate with a departed loved one to investigate Dr. Hogan's site. Previous mediumistic skills and experience are not necessary to take the course.
In 2016 while in search of an existing mediumship development circle in my area --- and to no avail in that search -- I learned of a wonderful organization based out of the U.K., SNUi (Spiritualists National Union International). I became a member of SNUi and have joined in some of their informal mediumship development circles. These are online development circles. The organization also offers an intensive formal training program for those who wish to become certified under the organization's tutelage. As of yet, I have not partaken of the formal program. Simply attending the bi-weekly spiritualist services and randomly joining an informal online development circle has been fun and rewarding. Anyone interested in SNUi, please check out www.snui.org.
For me, the exploration of various modalities in the healing and spiritual arts is an on-going unfolding process of learning, growing, and experiencing the many layers of multi-dimensional existence. Since Saul's passing in February of 2014, my ability to clearly connect with him and others in the Spirit Realm has deepened immensely. Saul was my earthly protector in life, and now that he has transitioned to spirit, he remains my guardian angel in heaven! He and my Native American guide are the strongest allies in the work which I perform in the field of health, inspirational writing, and consciousness expansion.
Thank you for taking the time to learn a bit about who I am and what motivates me in this fascinating field of Past Life Soul Regression Hypnotherapy. I value and treasure each experience that I am called upon to facilitate for a PLSR client. My heart is happy to be there with you on your sacred quest.
Love, Peace, and Joy,
Dina
