Flashing Forward

In February, I commented on the TV series, "Flash Forward." Relative to seeing positive future moments, I reiterated my particular purpose in doing so for my clients and added that "the tricky part is convincing clients that the only (and most expedient) way that they'll arrive in that future moment—is by living fully in the present, where the Source can find us, and assist."

The TV series began with a mysterious event having caused nearly everyone on the planet to simultaneously lose consciousness for 137 seconds, during which people saw what appeared to be visions of their lives approximately six months in the future—a global “flashforward”. It ends with everyone's future moment taking place as they've seen, only in each case those moments unfolded under entirely different circumstances than anticipated. So true—and I can't emphasize to clients enough—"Your future will always unfold quite differently from your expectations! Always!

My favorite example of this took place several years ago. My client had gone through a devastating divorce, and through the process her two children had been alienated from her. She minimized the pain that this was causing her, not having seen her children in months. After discussing her challenges in the present and encouraging her to open up to the pain to allow for necessary healing and transformation, I described to her this probably, positive future moment:

"You're in a room where there's this beam across the ceiling...and there's something having to do with butterflies. You're feeling peaceful, in reflective moment, thinking back on your life. You're feeling grateful for the guidance and the healing you've received that has expanded you and brought you to a greater, deeper understanding of yourself—and of life."

I didn't hear from this client for several years. She eventually called to schedule another session, reporting that a year or two following her consultation she had developed breast cancer. She began chemotherapy and joined a cancer support group where she was was encouraged to address the pain she'd experienced during her divorce, as well as the heartache from having had her children turn against her. Happily, she was now in remission.

During the course of her cancer therapy, my client had become a Buddhist and meditated regularly at a center in Manhattan. It was there that she'd recently found herself sitting in the meditation room, feeling thankful for the challenges in her life that had brought her to a better place. She looked up at the ceiling, where she happened to see a long wooden beam that ran across the ceiling. She notices that butterflies were stamped along the entire length of the beam. It was to this very moment that I had "flashed forward" and describe in her first consult, years before.

This season of Flash Forward ended with a line from an actor who played Joseph Fiennes' FBI partner. He's standing by a scientist who's trying to shut down the accelerator and stop a second flash forward. He says, "When this is over and things are back to normal, all we have is the present. The other replies, "Welcome to the Future!"