Awakened Woman
- Aug 10, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 2, 2021
The Enlightened Female Mystic

Photographer unknown
Do we really think a woman can’t be a mystical master without initiation by a guru or spiritual teacher?
Who said that? I mean really?
Who made that rule or wrote that script?
Because it’s simply not true
One of the most enlightened women on the planet, Sri Sri Anandamayi Maa, reached full enlightenment without initiation by any teacher.
And there are many ancient scriptures now freely accessible, containing all the spiritual knowledge we ever needed for full enlightenment. It’s all there.
Just ready for the reading.
If any spiritual teacher says their way is the only way, walk away, is what I say. Because it’s a blatant lie and manipulation to hold a student to them.
Connect to the Source – Stimulate/Synchronize with the Source - Taos Winds Spirit Music
The myth goes, that we need to, nay — must — have the initiation or sacred transmission from an ‘enlightened’ guru, as the only way to reach our own spiritual liberation.
Many spiritual schools state unequivocally that there’s no other way than their way, and it’s not possible to reach enlightenment without direct transmission.
This is blatant spiritual intimidation, and merely an attempt to mislead people.
And to blind them to the truth and assure the continuation of their own wealth, fame and notoriety.
We are being presented with a global epidemic of the deeply abusive corruption within many spiritual schools now being very publicly unveiled, with scandals of sexual attacks and rape, theft, and terrorist level intimidation revealed.
All levels of violation of the student are seen with gross physical, emotional, psychic and spiritual violence of their basic human rights.
Spiritual schools are counting on the continuing surge of followers from both east and west, desperate for liberation from emotional suffering, and freedom into the blissful nirvana of enlightenment.
But we’re seeing the rise of corruption in spiritual schools and teachers so endemic it’s mind-blowing.
And just what enlightenment actually IS, is a big unknown to many.
They must exist — the good teachers — of course they do.
But not all ‘spiritual teachers’
are as they appear
Some may hold a few bright gems that light our path for a time.

Photographer unknown
But many are actually predators simply seeking sex, our money, and our light and life energy for a feed.
Please don’t be a Vampire’s snack. I cover this further in Sex and the Guru and other articles (see below).
We can spend our life recovering from the imposition of our ‘guru’ or ‘spiritual teacher’s’ disastrous life issues alongside or enmeshed within our own.
We can spend the rest of our life trying to understand why we allowed the teacher’s own unresolved and definitely unenlightened messy life to entangle us within their charismatic yet dodgy stories.
We can go through an entire lifetime recovering or hiding from their sexual advances, and the following attacks on our life and reputation. From their lies, slander and other forms of terrorism tactics.
As both they and their thug followers attempt to either sweep the elephant in the middle of the room under the carpet, or literally destroy and bury their ‘mistake’.
No. I’m obviously not trying to make a positive advertisement for the guru/student process here. I’m being deadly honest about the reality of what goes on out there. This is a warning and a very real one.
And yes, I really AM trying to show you another way.
For the seeker, there’s most definitely not just one way to reach our highest realisation and full awakening. There are many. Choose the road that resonates, the path that uplifts your heart, the way that seems the brightest — perhaps that’s the path for you.

Sri Anandamayi Ma
Do we need a guide on this road?
Perhaps and perhaps not.
Can we reach this place through our own intensive spiritual journey, even through the roughest and harshest terrain?
Yes, yes, and most assuredly yes, we can.
Our journey to enlightenment does not include a highway with a healing bypass.
Or, sadly, a trauma bypass for the self-realised. None of that. No. We really do need to walk back through our own history and release those painful, excruciating and heavy old stories to truly lighten our soul.
Reminiscent of the ancient Toltec shamanic healing tradition of recapitulation — a process of remembering, re-experiencing (in the mind’s eye) and releasing body and soul memories.
Accessing and reviewing our Akashic records from many lifetimes can also bring powerful healing and closure in ways we cannot begin to imagine, through releasing emotions around where we’ve been and might be going, and a thorough understanding of the soul contracts we made.
And did not make.
When we realise there are Soul Contracts we didn't make, but were either forced on us, or we were tricked or coerced into signing without full, or even any, understanding of the ramifications or consequences, we can begin the crucial process of release from those false contracts.
Heart and soul are freed
of past traumas
Awakening our magical ability to create a completely new and higher outcome.

Photographer unknown
And look, I myself have experienced an initiation or ten —both spiritual and shamanic.
But I don’t consider those as times of personal enlightenment - which I've also experienced. What I did learn was not only of the corrupt Vampire nature of most 'spiritual teachers' on this planet these days, but I also connected with the sovereignty of my own inner light.
This was most clearly where I came to.
And now let it be known that the precursor to enlightenment is not always via the rocky road of the shamanic Path of the Heart.
In fact, as shamanic initiations do, I was led to my own metaphorical death. Many times.
That old alchemical death prior to rebirth of the soul.
I can almost laugh about it all now, excruciating as it was each and every time. With lots of painful old karma to release, it seems, but an unexpected outcome of great insight and clarity.
It’s truly the victory of our soul over the ego’s battle for domination.

Photo Jakayla Toney
And it was always written
we should win!
This cleansing of ego enables us to become ‘Hollow Bones,’ as Native American tradition names it — allowing us to become a clear channel for Source energy in our healing medicine work — as though a hollow bamboo tube.
The road to spiritual liberation is a continuous process of letting go and holding only onto that which helps us on this path.
Being enlightened
So then we ask - what is enlightenment?

Photographer unknown
Do we stop chopping wood and carrying water after we reach it? Does it always stay? Can it leave and then return?
Does it take daily practice to maintain or once arrived does it stay forever?
Can torture and torment affect the enlightened? Or do we simply rise above the terrible pain and suffering?
Is it an opening to awareness of the shock of life on earth as abysmally hellish filled with the unbearable suffering of almost all sentient beings, including ourself?
Is it a rising above this?
Is it an incredible sense of golden energy permeating our entire being and bliss beyond comprehension — a sense of undying and eternal connection with God and GodSelf?
Or a deeply grounded awareness of the true nature of reality? In all realms?
Both yes and no are our simultaneous answers to all these questions.

We understand clearly the advertised religious myth of inner demons, and see the very real external demons roaming the world, capitalizing these days on New Age confusion doctrines. We see through the Trigger (New Age) myth of everything being a reflection of ourself. That all the evil we see in the world is really within us. These are lies.
And these are all fear tools of the religious or spiritual elite to foster dependence on the religious or spiritual teacher by the acolyte.
And watch out for the forgiveness bypass (forcing forgiveness on someone when they’re still in trauma), but see the very real need for compassion.
A global compassion that encompasses all.
This is what real love is.
And Enlightenment is the very real ability to see reality as it truly is.

When integrity returns to spiritual schools and gurus, perhaps we can raise the international cry that ‘all is well, it’s safe again’! If this is the path you feel you need to go down. But for now — a word from the wise — it’s truly not recommended.
We can feed our soul daily
With not just crumbs from the table, but the full spiritual feast. How do we do this? Through maintaining our own spiritual practice and direct connection to Source - to God.
And through ensuring we’re not falling under the influence of any other being - spiritual teacher, vampire, or dark sorcerer fashionably clothed in the robes of the mystic or the ascetic.
Staying sovereign in our own right.
And remaining firm in our calling, calm and courageous.
It’s here we find our inner strength with our personality intact, staying centred in the Light.
Go well and Namasté, my sister.
Let’s meet in that place.

Artist/Photographer unknown
Copyright 2019/2021 © Julie Von Nonveiller Cairnes. All rights reserved.
This article was first published in MEDIUM on May 16, 2019
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