This is the second part of an interview with Akashic record reader Akemi Gaines. Be sure to read the first part, if you haven’t already.

Hunter: Teilhard de Chardin said “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” You’ve been operating under the idea that we are a soul that incarnates into a body. The soul is who we really are, and the body is a shell for letting it experience the physical world. When the body dies, the soul lives on, possibly incarnating into another body.

Think about a lizard getting its tail cut off. It’s now in two parts. Which is the real lizard? The part with the head, of course. The lizard no longer needs that tail, so it can grow a new one. But keep in mind who’s running the show. It’s always the lizard that grows a new tail, never the tail that grows a new lizard.

If the body outgrows a soul and gets a new one, that’s like a tail growing a new lizard. If the soul is the highest level of our being, how can the body outgrow it? How can the body run the show, when it doesn’t even know what’s going on?

Akemi: Will you put away the tailless lizard, please? I see you in my mind eye holding it up to me. . . . Now put away that tail you are hiding in your left hand. Good.

I don’t think Ascension soul shift is a case where the body outgrows a soul. The 3D body is just a vehicle of the soul. Yes, the body gets a new soul, a new driver. It’s not the vehicle outgrew the soul – the soul chose to switch.

The first soul grew as far as it could so it switched with its newer version. There is nothing wrong about the first soul – in fact, it’s wonderful it has grown to that point.

But there comes a point where it can’t (or won’t) go up further. I use the analogy of elevators in tall buildings. In very tall buildings, we need to get off the elevator at midpoint and switch to another elevator to go to higher floors.

I really think this ascension is about a new way of life, a new system of existence. It’s not just about soul shifts – soul shifts are just one aspect of it. The big picture is that we are starting a new game. Instead of learning by contrasts, like poverty or abuse, we will just be. I think we may even be ending this life-death-next incarnation cycle.

Hunter: Does every person have a soul? Can anyone live without a soul? Last time I asked you about animals having souls, and you said you didn’t know. But if humans can’t live without souls, and bacteria can, then there’s some point where a species can’t evolve any further without getting a soul. Any idea where that point might be?

Akemi: Soul is the life energy that animates us, so I don’t think anyone is alive without a soul. I think some of the mysterious deaths may be related to soul issue.

When I have some spare time in the Hall of Akashic Records, I will check if a bacteria has a soul. Maybe their section is in the basement. . .

Hunter: You’ve said that a soul might choose to experience homelessness, if it thinks that’s the best way to execute its life plan. OK, sounds good for the soul, but what about the mind and body? Because the mind and body have no say in the matter, right? A soul just chooses where to incarnate, and the mind/body is forced to live with a soul that has its own agenda. Isn’t it a bit rude for a soul to make someone homeless when that’s not what they want?

Akemi: OMG . . . somehow this question is SO funny.

I think this has a lot to do with judgments our ego makes. You think homelessness is bad. Why?

Okay, okay, because you’ll be cold, dirty, hungry, and people wouldn’t like you. But what if you knew you could become rich soon? It’s kind of fun to live the rags to riches story, isn’t it? When you are rich, you have a story – you are not just another boy who inherited the daddy’s money. All the exciting, marvelous real life stories! Being homeless is only temporary, and your soul knows you’ll get out of the situation sooner or later. As you can imagine, our souls have a very long attention span – a couple of lifetimes is no problem for them.

. . . still our ego, committed to our physical survival and make judgments based on past experiences and knowledge, would say “No!”

By the way, I am not endorsing this type of learning by contrast program. On the contrary, I think we are ending this game. Even though it’s fun (kind of ), we know we’ve done enough of it.

Hunter: In Star Trek, the #1 guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets is called the Prime Directive. It says that they’re not allowed to interfere with the internal affairs of other civilizations. They can’t do anything that affects the natural development of a more primitive civilization. That means they can’t even make their presence known to people who haven’t developed spaceships yet. And they can’t interfere with a civilization’s natural course, even with good intentions (such as by ending a war). You could say that other civilizations need to be allowed free will.

People have debated whether the Prime Directive would be a good law to have in the real world, if and when we develop space flight and encounter other civilizations. Some people say that stepping in and altering the course of natural development is wrong and can have disastrous consequences. Others say it’s cruel to withhold technology, resources, and help from those who need it. And others say it depends on the situation.

Now, let’s look at how this fits into our present spirituality. On the one hand, our souls are majorly in violation of the Prime Directive. Our souls came to Earth from other galaxies and possessed these bodies in order to learn the life lessons they picked for themselves. On the other hand, spirit guides aren’t allowed to interfere with the free will of the soul, and they can only give gentle nudges. And since everything came from the source of all energy, that means that the bodies, the souls, and the spirit guides are all just God with one big case of multiple personality disorder.

This all seems pretty messed up. What’s the role of free will? Why is it wrong for souls to get too much help from spirit guides, after the soul decided to swoop in and hijack a human being?

Akemi: That last description sounds more like a possession by negative entity than a soul incarnating in a physical body . . .

I guess we can put various meanings to why the Source split part of itself to many pieces. My interpretation is that it wanted to play, or wanted to know itself in a new tangible way. Being the single presence in the whole universe, it was “bored”. . . it knew it was whole and perfect, but it wanted to know so by contrast.

So came us! We are in this big experiment, in which we believe we are separate from each other. We can act out in the way we want thanks to free will. For instance, you are allowed to think you are single, lonely, and broke, and seek love and abundance in your own unique way. Isn’t this a fun make-belief play? And whatever you do, you are always deeply loved.

Free will is absolutely necessary for this game plan to work out. We are even free to go against the Light and become darkworkers. Because if there are certain restrictions, this learning process is hindered.

We can get as much guidance as we want from our spirit guides. We can ask for their assistance. But they won’t tell you what to do – you are the one to make decisions with your free will. And they won’t live your life – you are the one with physical body and therefore can take actions.

Detachment and respect to each other’s free will is the ultimate form of love. You are not a slave nor a servant nor an order-taker. Spirits might say something like, “Well, you may not like that option.” but if you insist, they respect your free choice. And you are allowed to learn by trial and error.

I agree with the Prime Directive. Criticisms such as it is cruel to leave negative situations as they are come from the critics’ judgment.

Regarding some of us being starseeds – I don’t think we are violating the Prime Directive because we have the same veil Earth souls do. For instance, you are good at technical thinking, but you don’t quite remember how to build spaceships, right, Hunter?

Why do starseeds (or star traveler souls) exist on Earth? This is a really big question. It may be just by accidents – they wanted to come to Earth so they did and somehow staying around. Or there may be a good reason to this, that starseeds are here to assist the Earth and Earth souls develop further, including this Ascension movement. Or it could be a combination of both.

Hunter: You’ve mentioned souls vibrating at higher dimensions lately. Are you talking about dimensions as in length, width, and height? How many dimensions are there? When our vibrational rate increases, what does that do for us? If I’m vibrating at a higher dimension, shouldn’t I be able to manipulate this 3 dimensional world like a baby’s toy? Turning invisible, shooting lightning bolts, and such?

Akemi: This is another thing I’m still looking into. I honestly don’t understand exactly what the higher dimensions are like, or how many dimensions there are. My Akashic Record Guides tell me there are 26 dimensions physically incarnated souls can reach, and some more. (See Akemi’s 5th comment for a correction.) But my mind, tied to the 3D world, doesn’t understand this.

I guess it may take someone who is better at math than I am . . . (wink) So at this time, I only take my Guide’s word, and use it as an indicator of where a client is in their spiritual development. I usually don’t discuss the actual number with them.

And I think we move around between the dimensions. Just because we had the Ascension soul shifts doesn’t mean we are at a higher dimension all the time – our bodies are still in 3D, and our souls move around.

By the way, higher dimensions are different from parallel worlds. Parallel worlds are – well, parallel to ours, not higher. And I don’t recommend going there.

I do think there are fun things we can do as we get used to being in the higher dimensions and learn more about it. Like developing lightbodies.

Hunter: OK, so people are starting to go through this ascension process, more and more people are joining them, and souls are vibrating at higher dimensions than you’ve ever seen before. What’s the end game? Everybody gets up to the highest dimension, so there’s nothing left to learn, so everyone returns to the source and the world ends, mission complete? Is this happening in 2012? If you don’t know, why can’t your guides tell you? Tell them it would make for a great post!

Akemi: I don’t know ^_^ I think if I learn all the things at once, my poor little brain might explode . . .

I am educating my spirit guides why a blog traffic is important . . . This is actually an essential step in working with spirit guides. Spirit guides are always oh-so-willing to help, but sometimes, they don’t remember certain aspects of our worldly life, like money or marriage. Or popularity contest. They’d go, like, “You like writing, right? And you have the vehicle to publish. Great. You even have some readers. And?”

. . . And the strange thing is I’m starting to think more and more like them. Yeah, so what? All my needs are met like a magic. I love writing. I help people with my reading and coaching. Wonderful day. Thank you, good night . . .

It’s great to live in the now.

Oh, 2012? Okay, I do have a glimpse of the future. I don’t know if they all happen in 2012. Still, my spirit guides tell me 2012 is a significant year – I think it’s a huge milestone. It may be when we reach a critical mass. It’s the beginning of the new beginning, or the New World.

Some of my ideas of the New World is:

• Close to zero diseases and sickness because the majority of health problems are self-inflicted by our mind and actually even deeper, by soul level issues
• Extreme change in economic system. The majority of economic transactions will be done either in small local community by cash (think of farmer’s market) or globally through the internet with virtual payment system. Eventually, we may even go without monetary system.
• The majority of “employments” will disappear, and most of us will be working for ourselves, doing what we love and be good at.
• Fundamental change in marital system. Marriage and traditional family will still be a choice, but only one choice of many options.
• Some of us will develop a new way of existence that transcends time and space.

While I personally don’t mind at all to just go back to the Source like you described, this may be a fun world to bring into reality, our new game.

I love your questions, Hunter – you are so good at asking critical questions. Thank you for this interview opportunity.

I intend to publish a book on ascension, so if you have any questions, please fire them up in the comments! I will be checking them to answer.

As an Akashic Record Reading specialist and spiritual coach, Akemi Gaines helps you further your spiritual development and know yourself on the soul level. She writes about ascension and empowerment of lightworkers on her blog, Yes to Me. You can get updates by subscribing to her blog.

It’s time for another exciting installment of Hunter’s Heroes. Today it’s my pleasure to be interviewing Akemi Gaines, who’s known for her unique focus on lightworkers’ empowerment. You might think that I’ve interviewed her before, but no, this is “Akemi 2.”

You see, Akemi has recently undergone an ascension soul shift. She learned her life lessons, her old soul left, and she got a brand new one. It’s like in Lord of the Rings when Gandalf the Grey fulfills his life purpose, dies, and comes back as the more powerful Gandalf the White. The same person in a way, but something is different.

It wasn’t just her either. She says a whole slew of people have experienced soul shifts recently, including me. It’s all part of this thing called light ascension.

For those of you who haven’t been exposed to this kind of stuff before, you might find it overwhelming, or at least very hard to swallow. You may want to start by reading the interview I did last September with Akemi 1 about the Akashic records, which is a gentler introduction to this brand of spirituality.

This interview on light ascension is not for the weak hearted or closed minded. This is hot off the press spiritual insight from someone who doesn’t hold back. I’m sure the reactions to this interview will be all over the place, and I’d like to hear them all.

I want to be clear that ascension is not a theory I came up with, and I don’t have any firsthand knowledge of it. But Akemi is always happy to answer questions, so don’t hesitate to ask.

Hunter: OK, first things first. What exactly is ascension?

Akemi: Ascension, or light ascension, means both the process Earth and its residents are going through and the possible destination, or event, in the future this process will lead to.

It’s something completely new – so I’m learning and researching as I go through my own experiences and through my Akashic Record Reading service. Please consider this interview as a progress report – I will report more on my own blog, Yes to Me, as I find out things.

When our soul’s vibration rate increases, or ascends, to a certain level of development, a new soul comes down and shifts with the old soul. I first observed this special kind of soul shift January this year. I now call it Ascension soul shift, which seems to be happening to more and more people.

Ascension soul shift brings a bunch of recognizable symptoms, such as:
• Change of food preference (many become vegetarian)
• Change in taste for clothes (many women report embracing more feminine clothes)
• Change in interests and aspirations. Also strange wanderlust.
• Change in interpersonal relationships. Basically, who or what interested you before just don’t hold your interest any longer.
• Sudden spiritual “awakening”
• Some also report physical symptoms like change in sleep patterns, ringing in the ear, or strange itching and twitching around the body.

In short, you’d feel another person is living in your body. And the change comes quite abruptly. It’s not something you planned or worked on to change.

You remember what you learned in school, work, and life in general. Your personality basically stays the same, although it may become more “raw” or pronounced. But you just feel . . . different.

Before I send some readers to shock – this is NOT a random take over of you. When I first observed Ascension soul shift, I only knew there were some kind of agreement, or arrangement, between the two souls. Recently, my Akashic Record Guide explained more into details how these souls are related, that they both come from the same Higher Self.

As I wrote in Who Am I?, the Source split part of itself to form individualized forms of itself. They traveled around, and some came to Earth. In order to incarnate in the physical body, these individualized energies split part of themselves to form souls in much the same way the Source formed them. These souls have been going through multiple lifetimes, crossing over to the other side after each incarnation and coming back when they were ready for a new challenge.

Now we’ve done enough of this. We’ve done enough of learning by contrast. So we are starting a new game plan, called Ascension. This involves increasing the vibration rate a big time, and our old souls are not quite up to the task. So our original energy body – our Higher Selves — decided to “upgrade.” It split out another soul and is sending it to us. The new soul is like the new, powered-up version of the same software.

There is also a planetary change involved here. Each person needs to achieve a level of spiritual development to ascend, but we are also receiving the benefit of Earth’s change, our mother Earth’s grace. I’m not an expert on this Earth’s shift, but the increasing number of individuals having Ascension soul shifts leads me to think this is not just a shift on the individual level, but is a change affecting us as a group.

What will all these lead to? I think something wonderful is waiting for us in the near future, the big Ascension, or the New World.

Hunter: How many people have experienced ascension soul shifts? Is it just a small percentage of the population, or something that’s taking over the world?

Akemi: My Akashic Record Reading practice is pretty small and I don’t really know how many people are having this soul shift out of the whole population. I can say, there are a lot more than I initially thought, and the number is increasing fast. I think it may be increasing like the exponential function.

Hunter: When someone gets close to ascending, should they know it? I wouldn’t have thought that I was close to ascending. I didn’t have any sense of having completed my life lessons, or that my soul was maxed out on its vibration. When our soul needs to be upgraded, are we supposed to be able to tell?

Akemi: My own Ascension soul shift came abruptly, too. I was working hard on my life lessons, thinking it would take the rest of my life.

These days, however, I am getting more experienced about this, and can tell if a client is close to their soul shift, and the approximate timing of it. Please understand I don’t predict the future – I only know the likelihood. The timing can change pretty wildly.

I think it just happens at the right time – on the conscious level, there is nothing we need to do for the upgrade. I’m more concerned if the transition gets complete after the new soul comes down. Often, the first soul gets stuck and this can cause a lot of discomfort for the new soul.

Hunter: In your line of work as an Akashic record reader, I know you must encounter lots of people who think you’re crazy. But you’ve always had a community of people on your side, because they were practitioners too.

Now with this ascension theory, even most practitioners seem to be disagreeing with you. Why is it that other Akashic record readers don’t agree with your ascension theory? What is the source of your information, and why is it more accurate than their source?

Akemi: First, I must say my understanding of why they disagree is limited – I gathered what they wrote to me in comments, etc. but that is all. Whenever there is a disagreement, the rule of thumb is to hear both sides’ stories, so you might want to interview a practitioner who opposes the idea of ascension to really understand their view. I cannot speak for them.

And I’m not attached to this ascension theory. I’m only reporting what I observe, and the idea of ascension seems to explain it well. If someone has a better way of explaining things, I’ll drop my theory like a hat any day.

Now I know the idea of soul shifts are new to most readers, but they have been known in my circle – soul shifts themselves are nothing new. There is a way to check if a person has had only one soul in this lifetime or have had multiple souls, and if the latter is the case, there are ways to find more details. I wrote about the various types of soul shifts in my article Ascension Soul Shifts Or Walk-Ins.

This year, I noticed the kind of soul shift that is very different from other kinds of soul shifts we knew. Again, in the Ascension soul shift, the new soul is related to the first soul – it has the same group of origination. And it’s a brand new soul with no physical past lives. It’s also a very advanced soul, vibrating high. And it’s happening like popcorns starting to pop – in groups. Some go through additional soul shifts after the first Ascension soul shift.

So I suggested setting a new category of soul shifts. Ascension soul shift is a term I coined out.

My understanding of their disagreement is that they don’t think it makes sense because the whole point of spiritual development is to develop our souls. One soul going through many lifetimes for refinement. I also sense there is fear about “losing” their souls’ achievements.

How do I know my reading about Ascension soul shift is accurate? Exactly the same way I gather other aspects of my reading are accurate: my clients confirm their readings. For example, there was this new client that I only knew by name, DOB, and place of birth at the time of reading. In her case, even I hesitated for a second when I started talking with her on the phone. She had four soul shifts in her life, starting in her young adulthood and the most recent one being the Ascension soul shift just a few weeks ago. But I went ahead and shared what I found, including when each shift happened and the characteristics of each soul, and she immediately screamed, “Yes! That is exactly what happened!”

Hunter: When I heard about my soul shift, it made me think about who I really am.

I have a certain perception of “me,” my consciousness, my sense of self. “Me” includes this mind and body. You’ve said that we’re really our souls, so I guess my soul is part of “me” too.

If I had known ahead of time that I was getting a new soul, what would I expect to happen to my sense of “me?”

Option 1 is that my consciousness would separate from my body, and go with my soul back to the ether. What I considered to be “me” would be out there. My mind and body would be inhabited by a different soul, and so my mind and body would no longer be “me” in any sense.

Option 2 is that my consciousness would stay with my mind and body. I’d still have all the tangible elements of “me,” but with a new soul, my identity would be fundamentally different. I’d be a new person in the same mind and body. I’d feel like Jason Bourne, having all these skills and memories but not knowing why.

But neither of these happened. My sense of self has not changed at all. I still feel like me, and there was no disruption of consciousness. I don’t feel like part of me is somewhere else, and I don’t feel like someone else is in my body.

Here’s where I’m going with this. We hear that when we die, our soul leaves our body. Our body turns to dust, but our soul lives on, so death is not the end for us. But in this soul shift, I lost my original soul and didn’t even notice. In other words, what I perceive as “me” is not connected to my soul in any way. So when my mind and body die, won’t that be the end? It doesn’t really matter if my soul lives on, if everything I know as “me” is rooted in the mind and body.

Akemi: Hmmm. . . interesting question.

Between the two options you described, I think Option 2 may describe the situation better, but not quite. I think some of us who have had Ascension soul shifts are indeed feeling like, “Okay, I have this skill and this job, but why? Why the heck do I care to come to this work every day? It doesn’t resonate with me at all. Why am I with this boyfriend / girlfriend? Why do I live here?”

But each person’s experience and perception is different. Why some of us experience it more or less dramatically is one of the many things I am studying as I do more and more reading and coaching with post Ascension soul shift clients.

From my own experience, I can say things stabilize after awhile. And again, the mental awareness continues.

By the way, this is why I write about Ascension soul shift even though I don’t know everything yet. There are people going through this process without knowing what is happening to them. You don’t need to know the word Ascension or do specific spiritual work to go through this. And these people need to know they are not having some mental disorder.

I don’t have a clear cut answer to how the sense of “Me” is formed. I’d like to say it’s the soul, and the sense of continuity is there thanks to the fact the new soul is the same kind from the same Higher Self. But I’m not sure. I also think the body and the mind play a big part of the sense of “Me” — or the big old ego.

Hunter: Just like last time, it looks like we’re running a bit long, so let’s end part 1 here. But be sure to subscribe now so you don’t miss the spiritual adventure that is part 2.

Update: Part 2 has been posted.

Akemi: In the meantime, if anyone has additional questions, please ask in the comment section, and I will do my best answering them.

As an Akashic Record Reading specialist and spiritual coach, Akemi Gaines helps you further your spiritual development and know yourself on the soul level. She writes about ascension and empowerment of lightworkers on her blog, Yes to Me. You can get updates by subscribing to her blog.

Do you have sugar cravings? Admit it, that cookie looks really good to you!

For many people, sugar cravings become a full blown addiction, taking a severe toll on their health and self-esteem. They may suffer weight gain, emotional roller coaster rides, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, tooth decay, and other issues. Not to mention the thousands of dollars they’re compulsively spending on desserts.

Akemi Gaines offers to free people from their sugar addictions, with her new ebook Stop Craving Sugar! She used to have severe sugar cravings, until she learned the practices that made her petite, emotionally stable, and able to enjoy all the foods she likes, without being driven to binge eating.

Since I’ve already written a testimonial, I get to quote myself:

“Most nutrition books just talk about the food itself. Akemi goes deeper by tying together the physiological, emotional, mental, and spiritual causes of sugar cravings. Because let’s face it, you won’t cure your cravings just by forcing yourself to stop eating sugar. You need to address the root causes, and that’s what Akemi shows you how to do.”

You hear about a lot of different diets–high carb, low carb, high protein, low protein, vegetarian, vegan, raw, etc. People will try these diets and get completely different results, so it’s hard to know what to eat. That’s why I think it’s helpful to look beyond just the food to figure out the underlying causes of sugar addiction.

This ebook is scientific enough, but still easy to read. You don’t have to be a doctor to understand what Akemi’s talking about. This is something you can really put into practice right away.

It comes with a money-back guarantee as well as a special bonus offer: a free coaching session (normally $125) from weight loss coach Angie Monko, a friend of Akemi’s.

Do you experience sugar cravings? Get back your health with Stop Craving Sugar!

This is the second part of an interview with Akashic record reader Akemi Gaines. Be sure to read the first part, if you haven’t already.

Hunter: In part 1 we went over what the Akashic records are, and what you’d gain from having a reading. Now I’m going to get into some more theoretical questions. Akemi, it’s fine to say you don’t know the answers, since the questions are probably outside your job description. But I figured I should take advantage of this chance to ask, since I don’t know anyone else like you.

First of all, why do we need to clear our own souls? Why can’t God, or the universe, or our spirit guides, do it for us? After all, they know we don’t know how to do it on our own. It doesn’t seem like a great system, if soul damage passes down from one lifetime to the next, and everyone is handicapped without even knowing it.

Akemi: I love this question! I’ve been waiting for someone to ask me these fundamental questions!!

To answer that, we need to step back and think why we even bother to incarnate. My understanding is that souls incarnate into the physical bodies by choice. Free will and free choice are the biggest gift God (or the Universe, whatever you call) has given us.

And the ultimate purpose for coming to this physical world is to experience it. Back when we were simply spiritual beings, there were no pains, no troubles, and no loss nor gain, no particular fun – we just were. This was wonderful, but also kind of – boring.

This physical world, on the other hand, is like an amusement park. Vivid colors, entertaining music, so many people who each have different personalities, and we have the bodies to do things, too! We can ride a roller coaster and enjoy the ups and downs. We can stuff ourselves with cotton candies!

As we experience this world, we are learning. We figure there are causes and effects. If we eat too much cotton candies and ride the roller coaster, we might get really sick. Wow, we didn’t know that when we didn’t have the bodies! It tasted good at the time, but let’s stop at two cotton candies next time . . .

Soul-level learning is just like that. For example, if you curse (and I don’t mean just using bad words, but really cursing), say, your spouse that he or she can’t do anything right, you may get a temporary sense of fake superiority, but there are consequences. Now they start thinking they really can’t do anything right (if they buy into that curse). And the curse ties the two of you together so that you get to see the effects in the following lifetime. That person may not be your spouse this time, but maybe – your parent. So you are born to a parent who doesn’t think he or she can do things right – and this sucks. Your soul finally figures cursing is not a good idea. The soul grows a step closer to Divine Love, Light, and Truth.

Whether you are consciously aware or not, your soul is doing this learning, and seeks assistance in clearing the damages as it sees fit. But this has to happen with its free will. Some other forces doing the clearing without the soul’s request does not support its learning and growing process, so they respect your initiative.

Hunter: OK, we have to seek out the soul clearing as a part of free will. But let’s go back to what you said about incarnating by choice. When we were spiritual beings, we had a wonderful existence, but being the drama queens we were, we decided to start our own version of Melrose Place, because souls just wanna have fun? Didn’t we take a considerable risk in doing this, allowing our souls to be damaged and possibly never healed, just for some cotton candy?

Also, this thing about cursing…how does that happen exactly? How do we know if we cursed someone accidentally, and how do we undo it?

Akemi: Hmm . . . so you don’t think going to the amusement park is worth the fun even with potential risk of injury?

Now when I say fun, it’s not just about the cotton candy. It involves all the experiences. If amusement park is not an example that appeals to you, how about some sports? I personally don’t get why it’s so fun to chase a ball to hit it back to the other side, but some people love it, they love getting exhausted doing it, and they swear they learn so much about themselves and others doing it. I’d say the same about life. It may not be rosy and sweet all the time, but it’s worth it. Even with some risks.

BTW how much drama you want in your life is up to you. You don’t have to be the drama king ^_^

I’m sorry if I scared you about the curse story because that is just one of many things we can screw up. I don’t think we “accidentally” curse – the curse I’m talking about is the one you actually mean it. If you are cursing, you may not know the full consequences of doing it (which is the whole point) but you really intended wrong to someone.

There are various healing modalities beside my clearing. I heard EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) works well. Or you can release and bless the person in your prayer.

Hunter: Are the Akashic records read-only, or could you screw up someone’s soul, change their past, give them negative energies, etc? If you looked up Hitler’s date and place of birth, could you locate his record, find out who has his soul now, and remove the evil?

Akemi: Hmm . . . I think there are several issues involved here.

First, accessing someone else’s Akashic records is a privilege the Akashic readers have in the Hall of Akashic Records. I retrieve and read the Akashic records with the assistance of my Akashic Record Guide. When a client places the order with their personal info, they are essentially giving me the permission to read their Akashic records.

So I don’t go around and read someone’s record who didn’t order me to do so. I don’t think it is appropriate of me to snoop around and my Guide would not help me in that. This is why I don’t do reading of celebs. It would be interesting to read the Akashic records of Barack Obama or Madonna, but no . . . not until they ask me to . . . and not Hitler’s, either . . .

You are also asking about manipulation on the Akashic records and the souls. These are two separate issues. As for changing the Akashic records, well, when we do the clearing, we ask them to delete negative info, so the answer is yes, they can be updated, but I think the Hall is well guarded so that negative manipulation won’t happen.

Manipulation on the soul is another story. There are a lot of negative souls and beings trying to get hold of you, to suck up some life energy from you, and to do other manipulations on your thinking and feeling. That is why we have the spheres of protection around us. Light is stronger than shadows.

Hunter: In part 1, you said you’d do a reading for someone we’re thinking of having a long-term relationship with, or someone we want to go into business with. Would they have to consent to the reading, or is it OK to read their record without their knowledge since the relationship will affect us?

Akemi: If you feel comfortable talking to the person to get their consent, that will be great. If not, I can do it on your behalf because they affect your life. This is totally accepted in the Hall of Akashic Records.

This is why I said I’d be happy to do reading for your family (biological or not) because they definitely influence your life. With friends and business associates, it depends, so I used the example of serious boyfriend / girlfriend or business partner. Your non-romantic but very close friends or your ex you can’t put closure in your mind are also okay. If you are unsure whether it is appropriate of you to order a reading for someone, please email me.

Hunter: Are humans special, or are we just apes who happened to evolve, rising to dominance only because the dinosaurs had been wiped out by chance? Do chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, have souls? If so, what about fish? If not, what about Neanderthals?

Akemi: I don’t really know the answer for this.

Hunter: OK, then on to the next question. I don’t know the right terminology, but what is the hierarchy of all the different planes? Like we have the physical plane that we know and love, but is there just one astral plane, or several? For that matter, are there other physical planes?

Are we at the bottom of the hierarchy? Some people say they can project into the astral plane, but I never see aliens projecting into the physical plane. Is it one-way?

Akemi: Terminology is indeed confusing. It is quite possible two individuals are using the same word to mean different things, or using two different terms to mean the same thing.

As I mentioned earlier, I think there are higher dimensions than this world we know. How many of such higher dimensions there are and how they look like, I don’t know. Some say there are up to twelve dimensions . . .

There are also astral planes. I heard there are seven positive and seven negative astrals. And we go there all the time, unconsciously, in our dreams. Conscious astral travel is yet another story.

Hunter: What does the journey of a soul look like? You’ve mentioned past lives before. If someone dies and their soul is reborn into another body, and then another body, and so on, what’s going on there? Is the soul trying to complete itself before moving on? If so, what needs to happen for the soul to be done, and where does it go next? Is there a grand scheme? Are some souls waiting at a finish line somewhere, and when they all get there, the universe will implode?

Akemi: Another great question! Let’s talk about the journey of the individual soul and our souls’ journey as a whole group.

Each soul comes to physical life with a purpose and a set of lessons it wants to take. The plan may work well, or not, and there may be unexpected events (remember we all have free will?) So when we die and cross over, we review our past lifetime and make a plan for the next. There is indeed a big plan, and we are working on it while having fun with the ups and downs of life.

Many souls are accelerating their spiritual growth now. Having the physical bodies is fun, but there are some drawbacks. So we are evolving to a new style of existence called “lightbodies.” This is why so many people are seeking spiritual assistance, like my Akashic record reading and clearing.

I’m not sure exactly what this looks like or what it takes for this process (sometimes called ascension) to happen. Personally, I think this is my last incarnation – I sure hope so. For some time, I thought I would be a spirit guide next time, but so many people seem to ignore their spirit guides that I’m starting to think working as spirit guide may not be so fun. So I’d like to ascend

Lightbodies are still individual existence. The ultimate goal of our spiritual evolution, I think, is to realize this was all about learning and we are really one with the Source. That is how it all started – the Source, being whole and perfect, wanted to experience itself as separate individuals, so the universe and all beings in it came to be. And we will go back there.

Hunter: You mentioned that people ignore their spirit guides. But how can we help that, if we can’t hear them? Are we supposed to be able to hear them? And if so, is it an actual voice, or is it something like noticing opportunities they put in our path?

Akemi: Spirit guides communicate with us in various ways. Some talk to you, and you sense words coming to you. If you are good at clairaudience, you may actually hear them. Some spirit guides show us pictures. Some touches you, and you sense someone just gave you a hug, or you get an itch. Some just puts a bunch of idea into you, like downloading a file and after that, you just know something.

The problem is most people dismiss these incoming messages. They don’t give credit to that subtle voice or the gut feelings, and go for that loud instructions from the ego.

When I do Spirit Guide Reading, my clients often start saying things like, “Oh, now I remember . . . this and this happened when I was young and I sensed someone speaking in me ‘Don’t go there!’ And it was good I didn’t because if I did, I could have been in big trouble . . .”

Communicating with your spirit guides is natural, but for many of us, it takes practice. As a starter, have some quiet time, ask a few questions to your spirit guides, and “listen” within. When you sense you are getting a message, don’t write it off as your “imagination” but trust and take action. You can start small, like what you might want to do this weekend.

Spirit guides also arrange synchronicities and other opportunities. (They really work hard!) But again, it is up to you to take notice and utilize the opportunity. If you don’t, they still work hard for you . . .

Hunter: OK Akemi, it was great having you here. Thanks for shedding so much light on Akashic record reading, and especially for putting up with my weird questions in part 2.

Akemi: Your questions are great and I enjoyed this interview very much. If someone has additional questions, please ask in the comment section, and I will do my best answering them.

As Akashic record reader and life coach, Akemi Gaines can help you improve your life and grow spiritually. She lives in Oregon, USA, but distance is not an issue for her reading. To learn more, check her website Akashic Record Reading. You might also want to subscribe to her blog, Yes to Me, to read articles like What’s The Best Thing That Can Happen?

It’s time for another edition of Hunter’s Heroes: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Souls. This time, I’m going to be taking that tagline quite literally, as I talk to Akashic record reader Akemi Gaines.

You might know Akemi from her blog Yes to Me, which is mainly about entrepreneurship and life purpose. But more and more people are becoming interested in her Akashic record reading services. Since that’s not exactly an everyday topic, I’m very glad to be able to talk to her about it.

Hunter: Hi Akemi, and thanks for joining us. To start off, I’m sure that most people have never heard of the Akashic records. Can you explain what they are?

Akemi: Hi Hunter and the wonderful readers, it’s a joy to be here today. And I’m thrilled you named this interview series “Ordinary People, Extraordinary SOULS” because that is what the Akashic records are about.

While so many people identify with their physical bodies and their thinking minds, that is not the whole picture of us. We have souls – or more accurately, we are souls having the bodies and minds.

Everything that a soul has experienced through its many lifetimes is recorded and that is called Akashic records. The word “Akashic” is derived from the Sanskrit word “akasha,” which means sky or space.

Hunter: Before we go any further, I think we have to address the issue of skepticism, since we both know what a lot of people are thinking right now.

If you hear about something for the first time and aren’t immediately on board, I don’t think that’s skepticism, that’s just normal. To me, skepticism means having an attitude of “guilty until proven innocent.” I find it more constructive to have the humility to admit that we don’t know everything, and take it from there without rushing to an uninformed judgment.

Let’s face it, we don’t live in Star Trek world, and science still has a ways to go. We laugh at people who thought the world was flat, but then we often turn around and commit the same logical fallacy. Would you have been open-minded enough to consider the possibility that the world was round, when you could plainly see that it was flat?

Even if there’s currently no scientific evidence of the Akashic records (and I don’t know, maybe there is), it would be unscientific to declare that they don’t exist. There was no evidence of lucid dreaming either for thousands of years, until someone finally figured out how to prove it. Of course, that doesn’t mean that everything is automatically true, but I’m just saying that we don’t need to reach a verdict today.

Akemi, do you have anything to add to this?

Akemi: Wow, Hunter, that is exactly how I’d address the point.

Physically we live in the three dimensional world. If there are higher dimensions, the beings in the higher dimension have no problem understanding and accessing the lower dimensions, but the other way around is very difficult. We may observe the signs here and there, but understanding what it is like in the higher dimension is extremely challenging. But it doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

Hunter: Why would somebody want to have their Akashic record read? What kinds of things could they gain from that knowledge?

Akemi: There are so much benefit . . . how many words am I allowed to use here?

Basically, if someone feels they are bumping their head against invisible wall, please consider the possibility that there IS an invisible wall blocking their growth. In other words, if someone has the good intention for personal development and still find themselves doing the same old things over and over, or just can’t let go of their negative feelings, there is a good reason.

The condition of the soul affects us mentally, emotionally, and even physically. So it can cause all kinds of problems – from sleep problem or persistent anxiety to toxic relationships and obsessive behaviors.

It also helps our spiritual development tremendously, so if someone is serious about it, it is well worth it.

My reading is clearing-oriented. By that I mean I check the past events as they relate to the current blocks my clients are facing.

It may be entertaining to learn that you were a general of Napoleon or you were killed in a witch trial, but then, so what? I don’t see much value in learning this kind of info so I don’t go in there, unless it has something to do with the energetic restrictions the client is facing NOW. If it has indeed caused the invisible block, then I gather enough info to understand what happened so that we know what we are clearing.

Hunter: Actually, I would definitely find it worthwhile to know a little about our past lives, even if that knowledge doesn’t help us beyond entertainment value. So even though the focus of the reading should be on clearing the current blocks, if I was Attila the Hun I’d like to know it!

Moving on, how do you go about reading the Akashic records? Do you do it in a dream, in a trance, by astral projection, etc? Do you see the records, feel them, hear them, etc? And using only the person’s current name, name at birth, birth date, and place of birth, how can you locate a specific record? Is it more like looking through the index at the back of a book, or more like a Google search?

Akemi: I go into the Hall of Akashic Records, where all the Akashic records are stored – energetically. So I’ll be in a slightly modified condition, but it’s nothing like you call “trance.” I can pick up the phone and carry a conversation just fine (not that I want to do so while I’m doing the reading, though).

I need to give credit to my Akashic Record Guide (or Akashic Record Keeper) here. I ask for the specific record with the identification info, and boom, he brings it in. Thank you!

I’ve had no problem locating the record just with these info, so I guess it is enough. In terms of how I read it – it’s a combination of sensing, seeing, hearing, with lots and lots of probing questioning.

Hunter: Questioning? You mean you’re not just passively reading the record, but it actually listens to you to know what information to give you?

Akemi: Yes, and that is the challenging part. The Akashic records hold everything – all events, thoughts, feelings, in detail . . . It will totally crash my poor little brain if I try to read them all, or even close to it. So I need to carefully choose and craft my questions to know specific points in the records, which goes back to the discussion that I focus on the issues that are causing problems to my clients now, and just enough information to understand what happened.

Hunter: What is it that gives you personally the ability to read the Akashic records? Are you special somehow, or did you just learn how to do it? Did you learn from a person, a book, or what? Is it theoretically possible for anyone to learn how to do it?

Akemi: I had my own reading and was so impressed that I decided to learn how to do it myself.

Let’s see if I can explain the ability issue with analogy. I think everyone can cook. At least, everyone can cook to feed themselves with something warm. Maybe they can cook well to feed their family and friends. And some seem to have the gift to just know how to season a dish wonderfully. Some go ahead and cook professionally. But then, some insist they can’t even boil an egg.

Psychic ability is like that. I think everyone has the ability to cook, with open-mind and some practice, but not everyone will. Some have higher aptitude and can do some favor for the loved ones quite naturally. To cook for many others, it takes training and experience, better aptitude, and most importantly, the passion for it. Reading the Akashic records is one special area of psychic practice.

Hunter: When you do readings, I’m sure some people approach it as a test to see how accurate you are, but I wasn’t thinking of my reading as a test.

Looking back on it now, I see that my reading contained (1) some parts that seemed very accurate, but which were related to things you already knew about me, (2) some parts that seemed very accurate, related to things you didn’t know about me, (3) some parts that I couldn’t confirm, but only because my memory isn’t good enough, and (4) many parts that I couldn’t confirm, because they relate to things we can’t see.

If I had a reading from someone else, how consistent would it be with the reading I got from you? While some readers out there are bound to just be pretending, if two people are able to accurately read the Akashic records, they should give basically the same information for the same person, right?

Akemi: Well, most of my clients are people that I know only by their names until I actually set up the phone session, and they confirm the accuracy of my reading. If you’d like to “test” me, you can order the reading for someone I don’t know, like your mother . . . (Don’t worry, Hunter, I know you didn’t say that in a bad way).

I’d be happy to do reading for my clients’ family members, close friends, and anyone who has or will have significant influence on my clients’ life, like the person you are seriously thinking of having a long-term relationship with or the person you want to go into business with.

I agree with you that two Akashic readers should be able to give you basically the same reading. Have I verified it yet? Not really, and I guess I’m not responsible for other readers. I’ve had just one client who already had her Akashic record read before by another, and I read basically the same (and some more, actually).

To be fair, I’m going to say the accuracy level of my reading has some room for improvement. The other day, for example, I read that my client experienced significant sense of loss when she was about seven, and I figured someone in her family died then. I thought it was her father. Upon our phone session, she confirmed the loss, but it was her grandfather who was, according to her, “like my father.” We could still address the issue this event caused and I think my finding was good and accurate, but yes, it can be improved further.

Hunter: Part of your service is customized homework to clear any blockages, damage, negative energies, and so forth, to get their soul in tip-top shape. How common is it for a soul to have problems, and should someone feel bad if their soul isn’t in mint condition?

Akemi: All my clients have soul level issues, more or less, so don’t worry about it. In other words, the true reason a client is coming to me is because they sense their soul-level issues. They may not be consciously aware of this, but deep inside, they know.

If it were me, I’d feel bad ignoring that inner feeling and not taking care of the issues.

Falling and straining your ankle is not bad – not taking care of the injury may be.

Now, I don’t want to disappoint you, Hunter, but . . . the Akashic Record Reading you had (I also call it the comprehensive profile reading) addresses the major, most harmful damages on your soul. It is very comprehensive, and maybe you are fine just with that reading and clearing, but it doesn’t cover everything. For people who may find additional issues, I offer Life Situation Reading as follow-up service.

But believe me, what you got in your first reading is plenty. If I put more things in it, I might send my clients into healing crisis.

Hunter: I definitely wouldn’t make your Akashic Record Reading any more comprehensive. Like most people, I hadn’t ever really thought about my soul before, and I was almost overwhelmed by how much information you gave me. It was a LOT to take in all at once, and a great value for the money. For anyone considering getting a reading from you, I would definitely pay the extra fee for the written summary. It’s way too much information to write down, especially when you’re in shock, and you don’t want to pay for the reading and then not have a written record.

After getting my reading and doing my 21-day homework, I’ve noticed that I feel much less stressed than before. In March, I started trying to go for 21 consecutive days without complaining, but it was very rare for me to even make it a week. I had my reading on July 15th, finished my homework on August 9th, and finished my 21 consecutive days of being complaint free on August 25th.

But also, I had some shakeups in my life at the same time, so it’s really hard to determine cause and effect. Anyway, how often do your clients report noticing changes soon after the reading, and what kinds of changes?

Akemi: Hunter, you are lucky you experienced the changes in a mild, gradual way ^_^ Some clients report big changes . . . and while the Spirit will never give anyone more than they can handle, huge changes are tough, you know.

In fact, I just received the testimonial from home business marketer Naomi Dunford, who reported me one of the most dramatic changes I’ve heard so far. It’s on the landing page of my Akashic Record Reading site, please scroll down all the way to read it.

Because time is non-linear on the spiritual plane, it can happen really fast, like immediately after ordering the reading, even before I talk with the client. The Spirit knows you have commitment and will do the clearing, and rewards you back well.

Many clients report feeling light and happy. They start seeing the opportunities and possibilities they previously didn’t notice. They are more in control of their lives, literally. Some see improvement in their physical health. (I just mentioned some clients report improvement in their health. I didn’t say I can cure illness – please consider this as my disclaimer. I’m an Akashic record reader, not a health care professional of any kind. If I may add, YOU have within you the ability to heal yourself of many of your ailments.)

Hunter: Well, this interview is getting really long, so we’d better split it into two parts. Let’s end part 1 with one last question: does this have anything to do with quantum physics?

Akemi: Oh, God, the question about quantum physics! I’ve seen so many people, from well-known Law of Attraction teachers to anyone who happened to mumble those words chastised! Do I have to volunteer to join the rank?

I just have no idea about quantum physics, really. Or physics in general, for that matter.

Hunter: Well, we’ve covered the basics of the Akashic records here in part 1. In part 2, I’ll grill Akemi with the really tough questions about what it all means. Don’t miss the exciting conclusion – subscribe now!

Update: Part 2 has been posted.

Akemi: In the meantime, if someone has additional questions, please ask in the comment section, and I will do my best answering them.

As Akashic record reader and life coach, Akemi Gaines can help you improve your life and grow spiritually. She lives in Oregon, USA, but distance is not an issue for her reading. To learn more, check her website Akashic Record Reading. You might also want to subscribe to her blog, Yes to Me, to read articles like True Life Purpose Goes Beyond The Illusion Of Self.

Photo by Hamed Masoumi

In a post about gratitude and independence, Akemi Gaines talks about a few things, including a conversation she had with her inner child that was too adorable not to link to. Akemi and her inner child were in a grocery store after receiving $400 of dream money. In part, their conversation went like this:

Her inner child: Hey, I want that big flat of strawberries!
Her adult self: Amm . . . this dream money is for something nice, not about getting groceries.
Her inner child: But I want to eat all those strawberries! Lots and lots of them. I don’t want dinner, I want to eat all the berries.
Her adult self: Well . . .
Her inner child: You only get me that small tub from time to time. I want lots of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries . . .
Her adult self: You are right. . . well, maybe we can split the $400 and get some berries . . .

And Jerry Seinfeld’s inner child showed itself to be alive and well when he said this:

But I have to say I enjoy adulthood. I enjoy the fact that now, if I want a cookie, I have a cookie. Okay? I have three cookies or four cookies or eleven cookies if I want. What was the big deal with the cookies? “Not before dinner.” “Not too many.” “You’ve had enough.” “Not now.” Well, now I’m a grown-up, give me the cookies! Many times I will intentionally ruin my entire appetite. Beyond recognition. Then I call my mother up right after it to tell her. “Hello Mom? I just ruined my entire appetite…cookies.”

When was the last time you indulged your inner child? Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to ruin your appetite, run in the halls, color outside the lines, or something of that sort. Then tell us what you did!