Carolyn Cobelo
Sacred Space: Exploring The Power of Earth's Mysteries
Carolyn Cobelo's Biography
Stay tuned for a video trailer to our newest documentary, SacredSpace, which will be premiering at festivals across the country.
My Spiritual Journey
By Carolyn Cobelo
I spent my early childhood in Bangor, Maine, a small city near the coast. I loved to draw and
ride horses, play in the wildlife sanctuary near my house; catch crabs and swim in the cold ocean waters of Hancock Point; and make
mossy homes for frogs and tadpoles. Later, I expanded into building teepees and tree houses, horseback riding, and writing short stories.
The biggest turning point in my young life was leaving behind my best friend when we moved in the middle of fourth grade from Maine
to New Hampshire.
My family belonged to the Unitarian Church, where
I learned about humanitarian service, stories of the Bible and the work of the great prophet, Jesus. There was no mention of God as
a superior being or the divinity of Jesus. I remember one Sunday I drew a bright sun with crayons and my teacher responded with a
big smile, “Yes! God is nature.” I can still see that sun in my mind’s eye. I also remember a unique feeling of familiarity and warmth,
when I played the role of Mother Mary in the Christmas pageant.
One day in my early twenties I was peacefully reading a book by Lobsang Rampa about the magic of Eastern spirituality, while my three-month-old
daughter slept on my lap. A strange hunger and a flash of recognition surged through my body, igniting a deep spiritual longing. Another
lightening bolt hit when a friend read me excerpts from Ram Dass’s book, “Be Here Now”, which had just been published. The recognition
of the truth in his words brought a flood of tears welling up from an unknown part of myself.
The next step along my spiritual path was a big one. I was studying Gestalt Therapy while finishing a master’s degree in clinical
social work. My Gestalt teacher introduced me to his guru, Swami Muktananda, in 1978. As was the custom, I knelt down in front
of the Swami, who touched me on my head with a wand of peacock feathers. When I looked up, I could see nothing but red-orange light.
A few weeks later, I dreamed of sitting on Muktananda’s lap while he breathed into my mouth. I also had a dream that my whole
body burned with red-orange energy, which I mistakenly thought was a huge orgasm. I subsequently learned that these experiences are
classic forms of a Hindu initiation called “Shaktipat”.
After studying
with Muktananda for several years, I discovered that I could transfer healing energy. I was leading one of my chronic pain patients
into a hypnotic trance by putting my hand on her shoulder. I felt heat running through my arm into her body. When she came out of
the trance, she told me that she had seen a shimmering blue light and that her pain had disappeared. Several months later I
attended the funeral in Rome. An elderly woman came up to me at the wake and told me that she saw light coming out of my fingers.
She recommended that I become a healer. As soon as I came home to New York City, I found a class in Laying on of Hands.
I studied Laying on of Hands and channeling for two years and then began to integrate this into my transpersonal psychology practice.
My first professional healing took place during another visit to Rome. I worked for an hour with a bedridden man who had severe liver
cancer. To my amazement, when I completed the healing, he got up out of bed and walked out to the hall to talk with his friends. He
died a month later but the effect of the healing was clear to all of us.
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Carolyn with Lopan, Buddhist teacher