Visionary Fiction: An Act of Love
Guest Post by Alissa Lukara
The Transformational Writers website, like the Visional Fiction Alliance, arose out of my calling to provide a place of support and exploration for writers who aim to explore the evolution of consciousness, alternative realities and write stories that make a positive difference.
I wanted to create a haven for visionary writers who were taking the deep dive into the waters of transformation by offering them one on one mentoring, a blog on transformational writing, online and local classes, and individual and group retreats.
Why? On a selfish level, I want to read more books like that.
I also believe that we as a reading public need stories that show us how people transform – stories that can literally shift a reader’s consciousness as they accompany the main character on a heart and soul-opening journey to embrace authentic power and dive into new and alternative realities and expanded states of awareness. Visionary Fiction and Memoir lets readers know that we can traverse a passage through the fire of change into a new way of being and a deepened understanding of the love and spirit at our core.
One key to the transformational experience inherent in Visionary Fiction is that while the stories seem to be about extraordinary events, what happens in these books is possible, even probable. While the fantasy genre might take us to imaginary worlds, the consciousness presented in Visionary Fiction resonates for many of us as if it could occur today.
The books may not convey traditional three-dimensional “possible.” However, in the multi-dimensional world I believe we are all being called to acknowledge and embody, the spiritual and alternative realities Visionary Fiction writers convey in their stories are as real as any 3D reality. If we’re honest, for many visionary authors, it’s about “Welcome to our world. This could – or does – happen.”
As such, Visionary Fiction and Memoir has revolutionized my life and awareness. I’d go so far as to say that the authors of these books are today’s artist-pioneers.
In the past, the pioneers may have been the authors who broke through limitations and restrictions of form and structure, societal taboos, censorship of sexuality and subject matter.
To my mind, today’s pioneers include the Visionary Fiction and Memoir authors who have the courage to break through rigid forms of consciousness, reveal the evolution possible and create awareness of the spiritual and alternative realms of existence. Like their predecessors, these new writing pioneers support readers – and themselves – to transmute limited thinking and beliefs.
Visionary novels and memoir may emerge through the filter of the author’s perspective. However, they knock on the readers’ (and their own) reality boundaries and say, “Hello, open up and see that you are light and truth and spirit that can never be extinguished. The love at your core, the oneness with everyone and everything, is the answer and has consequences that not only transform you, but also ripple out and heal the universe.”
Visionary Fiction is written from the soul, through the soul, to touch the soul. These transformational books reveal that visionary authors’ eyes can see beyond the dark. They shine a light at the end of the tunnel. They radiate a light onto a new way of being.
Some of my favorite classic visionary books include The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, books like The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman and those of Carlos Castaneda. I also love exploring new novels in this genre by authors in the Visionary Fiction Alliance, notably Jodine Turner’s Goddess of the Stars and the Sea series.
Visionary Fiction (and Memoir) takes courage to write – because these books support the consciousness revolution happening on the planet today. For the authors, they often arise out of a soul need, a conscious or unconscious calling to express yourself in a way that addresses the spirit at the root of those changes. Spirit tapped you to tell to help humanity meet and transmute the challenges of those shifts.
I was called to write a visionary memoir that I’ve been told reads like Visionary Fiction. Riding Grace: A Triumph of the Soul was my journey to discover a miraculous healing for mind, body and spirit through the impetus of a life-altering chronic illness. That quest was initiated when traditional medicine said, “We have no answers,” and I turned to alternative medicine and energy healing and opened myself to a whole new world.
I came to recognize that dealing with a life transforming event was like taking the classic hero/heroine’s journey that Joseph Campbell describes and that many visionary fiction authors incorporate in their novel’s structure. My own spiritual odyssey, like those of the main characters of visionary fiction, ripped away my old life foundation and demanded that I change, grow and evolve.
Instead of seeing myself as a victim of circumstances, I emerged as an explorer of consciousness and soul awareness, an alchemist transmuting darkness into light.
Yes, there were trials along the way. But I knew in my heart of hearts and soul of souls that this direction was where I would open to myself, my soul purpose, and my true connection to Spirit.
In that potential, Visionary Fiction and Memoir alike convey grace and healing and an experience of spirit to readers. They are to me, at their core, written and offered as an act of love.
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Alissa Lukara, the author of the poetic visionary memoir, Riding Grace: A Triumph of the Soul, is as passionate about guiding you to write your transformational stories as she is to write her own. An internationally-acclaimed writing mentor, she supports you to write, publish and market your transformational novel, memoir or nonfiction book through writing coaching, a writing blog, online and local writing classes, retreats and speaking. Find out about Transformational Writers and register for a complimentary eCourse – Write Your Book – Transform Your Life: 7 Key Steps on the Writer’s Journey at Transformational Writers, http://www.transformationalwriters.com
I love what you said here:" I’d go so far as to say that the authors of these books are today’s artist-pioneers." It certainly feels that way…with all the courage, evolutionary, forward thinking, stepping out of the box writing of our VF. Like walking through molasses sometimes, but we are surely cutting a pathway.
And, I also loved how you say VF authors see beyond the dark…transformational, transmutational writing indeed!
Alissa, you are so eloquent in your Memoirs, your poetry, as well as your non-fiction writing – I appreciate your perspective and your authorship. And a humble thank you for your kind words about my novels as well.
~Jodine Turner
Thank you so much for your kind words. Alissa
Hi Alissa, what a beautifully written post. Virtually every word you have written here reflects very much how I too feel about VF, especially the line: "extraordinary events, what happens in these books is possible, even probable". Thanks so much for your guest post. I'll be checking out your website soon.
Thank you for your acknowledgement. And enjoy exploring Transformational Writers.
Thank you, Alissa, for your post that gets to the very heart of what we are all trying to do with VF.
"Visionary Fiction is written from the soul, through the soul, to touch the soul. These transformational books reveal that visionary authors’ eyes can see beyond the dark. They shine a light at the end of the tunnel. They radiate a light onto a new way of being."
Good writing is a skill that can be used to present all sorts of content. Good writing from, through, and for the soul is a sacred mission, not always successful in the marketplace, but transformative for the writer and his/her circle. Your fostering of the Visionary memoir provides another means, in addition to Visionary Fiction, for people to explore and share mystical experiences, which I believe every human being has, that have too long been classified as "occult" as in "hidden." They are only hidden because they have not been told.
A few years ago I stumbled on IANDS (International Association for Near Death Experiences) and began attending their local lectures. I was surprised, especially here in "conservative" Arizona, to see that hundreds of people showed up monthly to hear folks like Eben Alexander (The Proof of Heaven) tell their "improbable" NDE stories. And the NDE is only one vehicle that humans use to cross over and return with vital information about "soul life." People are thirsty for credible news from the other side. I foresee a time, especially as materialism implodes, where Visionary literature will be a highly treasured commodity on this planet.
Yes, I love your perspective here. And love that with all that's been offered on this site that I know have a name for my type of memoir, visionary. The more we write our fictional and personal stories of these types of events, the sooner we'll reach that tipping point.
I also agree that we are thirsty for news from the other side. I for one love reading about NDEs and so appreciated Eben Alexander's story and his mission to bring his experience to the forefront. A few months back, there was also a great hour long show on NDEs on CNN with Anita Moorjani, Mary Neale and one more person.
Step by step. It starts with each of us who value it and spread the word.
Excellent post Alissa. I also relate to the hero’s journey as it was so eloquently described by Joseph Campbell. And yes, Visionary fiction and memoirs are an act of love at their core because they’re produced from our core.
Exactly! Thanks for your insight, Eleni.
I resonate with this. We are the trail blazers so to speak and yes it is not easy to speak your truth for fear of someone looking at you and telling you, you are full of shit. LOL…I have come to terms with that long ago and the need to express my truth overrides my fear today. But this is a journey of self-discovery for ourselves, and we could not have written the words we write today, yesterday.
Thanks for sharing that Denice. It is so important to share our truth, regardless of fear. Each time we do it, it is like building a muscle that lets us do it again. And find those new words day after day. Happy trailblazing.
Denice,
So true when you said "we could not have written the words we write today, yesterday." I felt that truth reverberate down in the depth of my cells.
~Jodine Turner
Thank you, Alissa, for connecting to the mission of VF. Two things you said intrigue me, in terms of defining this genre fluidly. You make a distinction between VF and fantasy by saying that visionary fiction is about things that are possible, whereas fantasy are about things that are imaginary. In my book, 1001, recalling past lives is certainly possible. As Vic pointed out, these possible things can be widespread: I've attended workshops by Dr Brain Weiss, pioneer in past life regression, where there were 1000 people in light trance getting images of past lives.
However, my series has a healthy dose of fantasy and sci-fi, when the characters recall past lives in imaginary worlds. So I do believe that VF can embrace hybrid literary forms and still preserve the vision of a transcendent literature.
So the second thing that struck me was that you include memoir in visionary writing; it's not fiction, but given the extraordinary events in a life, it does blur the boundary with visionary fiction. I would have a very similar experience reading your book, Castaneda, or Mists of Avalon, vis a vis a transcendent reading experience, where you get those chills of recognition of a world of expanded consciousness. I think it's interesting that along with the expansiveness of VF comes an expansiveness of genre.
Thanks for your insights and thoughtfulness. Okay, I stand corrected on your fantasy novel. I love that you have past lives in your fantasy novel. I so didn't mean to imply that nothing that happens in a fantasy novel could be seen as possible. I had many past life experiences on my own healing journey that were key. What I love is that we are all opening up that sense of what's possible and eliminating the barrier that says "this is real" and the rest is fantasy.
And who knew? Until I started to consider all this, I never realized my memoir was "visionary" in that mode, but it was so much more than simply "spiritual memoir" or transformational, that it hit me that visionary was much more apt.
Happy creating and blurring boundaries.
Thanks for following your call and creating more support for writers of Visionary Fiction. I agree that Mists of Avalon is VF, along with so many other works that we don't always think of that way.
Thanks for your kind words and comment, Theresa.
Thank you Alissa for a thought-provoking post about transformational/visionary writers/writing. It's great to have you on board. I started to take notes on all the passages in your post that I agreed with and quickly filled a whole page. My favorites: "artist pioneers," "transmute limited thinking/beliefs," "support the consciousness revolution happening on the planet today." I commend you for providing "a place of support and exploration for writers who aim to explore the evolution of consciousness, alternative realities and write stories that make a positive difference."
Thanks so much for your generous comments about the article and my website, Margaret. I'm so glad you could relate to so much in the post. Happy writing, Alissa