The weather here in beautiful Southern Florida is a distraction as is my search for housing, a job and attending to my elderly parents. My deepest and sincere apologies for sending this off so late. My thoughts on Lilian’s recent production cannot be separated from, nor can it occur without my recalling my first encounter(s) with Lilian. She arrived at my office on 4th Avenue in Olympia as I imagined her, although in truth I had no idea who she was nor did I know that she even existed.
I knew her essence and spirit through her daughter, Michelle. Michelle like her mother is a kind, wise, fierce and gentle woman for whom family, children and legacy are sacred. I was a newly minted lawyer working to establish myself in practice and Michelle chose me (an honor) to protect and defend what was most valuable to her. The universe conspired to give Michelle the outcome she and her family needed. I’m not sure if Lilian’s visit was before, during or after my work and partnership with Michelle.
In retrospect, I see that I was called to this family and to Michelle and Lilian. Called by whom? I would venture to say by Lilian, whose matter of fact appearance at my office left me bewildered. I felt off balance during our meeting. I remember she came with a German gentleman, whose name I can no longer recall. She introduced me to him, as though she and I had had a long and familiar relationship—but we had not. I had just met Lilian, I thought. Lilian was and is the manifestation of my own family consciousness a living embodiment of the Santeras, Orishas and Espiritistas who were and are my aunts, cousins, mother and a few brothers. She was family in a way that I could not then comprehend but I accepted. So, when Lilian the mother of all, the sister of all, the one who sees and know came to me, I welcomed her. Wary though I was, I let my guard down and I listened. Lilian’s world, her stories, her history were a fusion of myth, legend and transformative truth.
I do not pretend to know who Lilian is, but I can tell you that for me the not knowing is one the beautiful parts of her essence. How can you know everything? How can you know yourself unless you are fully enlightened? How do you fully know another? How can you love that which you cannot fully comprehend, hold or embrace? I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I do know and understand instinct. Instinct is that self- trust, a gut level trust in our response and reaction to the universe and its inhabitants. In its purest form, instinct cares not about race, class, gender, politics or religion. It is not based on bias or pre-judgment. It is the knowledge that for good or ill what we sense and like, love, fear or loathe is grounded in ancient and primordial truth. So, trust, instinct and respect are what brought Lilian into my life.
After years of traveling in the same orbit and at times in parallel universes, I reach back and forward to Lilian. This is as it should be, because Lilian traverses both of these realms, looking, learning, interpreting and trusting—her instincts.
Reading Lilian’s newsletters, watching her shows and following her predictions are a constant re-introduction to a singular person and a singular world view. Ancient magic, cosmic knowledge, earthly grounding is present in all she touches. I am honored to have had this opportunity to write this introduction. To all who are new to this phenomenon, welcome and to those who have traveled with Lilian, buckle up.
Lina Beckford
Riviera Beach, FL
December 12, 2017
Psygeria 