Spirituality/General: Susan Shumsky's Divine Connection

A few weeks ago, when we read "How to Hear the Voice of God" for a review, we were impressed. So much so, that we arranged an interview with Susan Shumsky, the book's author.

Several weeks back, when I reviewed Susan Shumsky's latest book, How to Hear the Voice of God, I was impressed. Although Ms. Shumsky has written and published at least four other books, and is quite well-known on the upscale side of the New Age circuit, as a lecturer and teacher, I had never before been exposed to her work.

Article Continues After Illustration

Susan Shumsky at work teaching.

Ms. Shumsky seems to aim her work at the entry level New Ager, the type of person who might still have one foot firmly rooted in traditional Christianity, while the other foot is tentatively testing the waters of expanded spiritual awareness. Indeed, How to Hear the Voice of God remains firmly rooted in ideas that would feel familiar and safe to one who is just venturing outside the spiritual realm of mainstream Christianity. In the book, the divine is called "God," and references to Jesus are sprinkled throughout.

But Ms. Shumsky also tells her readers that they can call "God" by any name with which they are comfortable. God can be called Tahuti, Krishna, Diana or by any other name that is part of the reader's pantheon. She sticks with "God" and Jesus because that's what most of her first time reader's will feel comfortable with. However, she is careful to point out that the divine doesn't favor any one spiritual system over another.

In my experience, most entry level New Age or New Thought books have little or nothing valuable to offer beyond platitudes like "God is good." Indeed, many of these books attempt to lead readers into potentially dangerous waters with no warning of a potential spiritual riptide. Thankfully, this is not so with Ms. Shumsky's book - for not only does she warn her readers of the potential dangers that might be lurking within the mystical waters, she identifies them and offers ways for the would be spiritual adventurer to protect him or herself.

In addition to How to Hear the Voice of God, Shumsky has authored Divine Revelation, Miracle Prayer, Exploring Chakras and Exploring Auras. She spent 20 years working and studing with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, of Transcendental Meditation fame, an experience that she says helped her to realize that anyone can access the divine directly. She is the founder of Divine Revelation, a method for "contacting the divine presence and listening to the inner voice," and has been featured in such publications as Cosmopolitan and GQ.

This interview was conducted via email. At the time, Ms. Shumsky was in Sedona, Arizona where she was conducting a weeklong seminar at the Arroyo Roble hotel.

AlternativeApproaches: First, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading How to Hear the Voice of God. I hate to use a cliche, but I really found it to be a breath of fresh air. It seems that with this book, you're attempting to get people started on the classical mystical journey that is said to result in union with God. I'm wondering just how successful a person can be with this from just reading a book?

Susan Shumsky: Thank you, Christine. I am glad that you enjoyed How to Hear the Voice of God. I know that people can be very successful experiencing God with this book. The book is designed to help people have a spiritual breakthrough. If they read this short book and also listen to and practice the Divine Revelation guided breakthrough meditation on the attached CD, then they can have direct contact and communication with God immediately.

My first book Divine Revelation did not include a guided meditation CD, but many people reported that they received their breakthrough by following the instructions in the book. This new book includes not only the step by step written instructions, but also the guided meditation. So it will be even more effective than my first book.

Article Continues After Illustration

Susan Shumsky on tour promoting her first book Divine Revelation.

AlternativeApproaches: It occurs to me that a very materialistic person, or a person who sees him or herself as completely "practical," might not see anything to be gained by what you offer. What do you see as the main benefit, or benefits, of holding an inner dialog with the divine?

Susan Shumsky: First of all, I will say that people who see no value in hearing the voice of God are not the people that will read the book. That said, I will say that the main benefits of holding an inner dialog with God are:

1. Getting practical advice for everyday problems and concerns.
2. Healing difficulties in a practical way in everyday life.
3. Making wise and purposeful, practical decisions in everyday life.
4. Discovering your true purpose and true desires and putting them into practical use in everyday life.
5. Enjoying greater happiness and peace.
6. Becoming more self-reliant and less dependent on others.
7. Getting practical answers to life problems within rather than depending on others for answers.
8. Gaining greater self-love and self-acceptance.
9. Attaining true freedom and self-empowerment.
10. Dwelling in divine comfort, love, and joy.
11. Putting your life on track and in divine order.
12. Discovering life's meaning in spiritual enlightenment.

AlternativeApproaches: In your book, you are very clear in your assertion that God doesn't pick and choose favorites as far as spiritual systems go, that God treats all religions equally. What about those who have no religion, those who might not even believe in God or any sort of divine intelligence? Can athiests practice the steps in your book without having their reality structures broken?

Susan Shumsky: I emphathize fully with an atheist or agnostic. The reason that people do not believe in God is that they have never experienced God directly. It makes sense that people would not believe in something that they have never experienced firsthand. My guru used to use an analogy to explain this:

Imagine that I showed you a strawberry. I might say, “See this strawberry. How lovely it is with its bright red color, its graceful bulbous shape that comes to a point, and the tiny yellow spots all over it. See the beautiful bright green leaves and stem. This strawberry is so luscious and succulent. It tastes a bit tart and also deliciously sweet, juicy, and sugary.”

I could continue to describe the strawberry for a long time, revealing its attributes. Perhaps I could give several lectures about the virtues of the strawberry. Or I could write books describing strawberries in great detail. From my elaborate description, you might begin to understand what a strawberry is, at least intellectually.

However, until I actually hand you the strawberry, and you take a bite of the strawberry and eat it, you will never really know what a strawberry is. Similarly, you will never know what the presence of God feels like or what the voice of God sounds like until you experience it directly.

So, if people are open-minded enough to read How to Hear the Voice of God and to use the CD to have a guided meditation, then they might change their mind about whether God exists, because they just might experience God directly. However, if people have decided with finality that God does not exist, then, even if they read the book, their reality structures will not be broken. They will claim that they experienced nothing, and they will continue to embrace an atheist philosophy.

AlternativeApproaches: Although you don't really mention any esoteric teachings by name, I couldn't help but notice that your approach seems to be firmly rooted in the Kabbalah. Am I right in assuming that this is intentional and not some weird mystical synchronicity? If I am correct, how did you come about your knowledge of the Kabbalah? If not, how do you account for the fact that so much of what your write about matches the Kabbalah so exactly?

Susan Shumsky: I have never studied Kabbalah. But the same truth lies in every ancient system of wisdom. That is because the truth is the truth.

AlternativeApproaches: You write in great detail about your experiences in the Transcendental Meditation organization. How do you feel about TM as a "stand alone" spiritual system? Do you think that TM can be easily incorporated into other spiritual practices?

Susan Shumsky: TM is an excellent form of meditation, and it helps people experience Satchitananda - absolute bliss consciousness, otherwise known as transcendental consciousness, satori, nirvana, or the void. The Transcendental Meditation organization does not want its followers to use other spiritual practices. They are very strict about that.

AlternativeApproaches: One of the things that really impressed me about How to Hear the Voice of God was the amount of space you devoted to dealing with the dangers and pitfalls of the mystical experience. Most of the entry level New Age books I've read completely ignore these issues. Indeed, many even encourage readers to do dangerous things, like astral travel and unprotected psychic readings. In your experience, have people been put-off by these very valid warnings? Do they heed them and take them seriously?

Susan Shumsky: I spent many years teaching a workshop called "Becoming Spiritually Street-Smart." It was very popular in the many expos, New Thought churches, conferences, and other venues where I taught it. However, some people got very mad when I taught that class. Some even walked out. That is because their New Age sacred cows were slaughtered in that class. However, most people were very happy and grateful, because finally they understood the spiritual experiences they had been having for years.

AlternativeApproaches: As a practitioner of Ceremonial Magick, I've been trained to use ritual tools for protection against some of the dangers that you mention in your book whenever I'm trying to connect with what you call the "spiritual world." In Hermetics, these rituals, or something like them, are considered absolutely essential. In Tibetan Buddhism, these protective rituals seem to be circumvented by the use of the visualization of the Yidam deity - which seems to open up a direct link to the spiritual world, bypassing the lower planes. How would you say that a person is protected when using your method?

Susan Shumsky: My methods of self-protection and healing are all done through the power of prayer and affirmation. It is a well-known fact that words have power, and we use that power to manifest healing and protection. These field-proven methods are extremely effective, and they have been successfully used by tens of thousands of people.

AlternativeApproaches: This may or may not be an answerable question: What is the ultimate goal of the spiritual journey?

Susan Shumsky: Coming back home to God/Goddess, to that place of joy, peace, love, and fulfillment within you, and realizing who you really are.

AlternativeApproaches: Other than buy one of your books or take one of your workshops, what would you suggest that a person who is just getting interested in developing a spiritual connection do?

Susan Shumsky: Ask, and it shall be given you. Ask for healing, ask for wisdom, ask for inspiration, ask for God to come to you and speak to you. All you need to do is ASK.

AlternativeApproaches: Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions for us.

©Copyright 2008 by AlternativeApproaches.com