Encounters with the Unknown
Who was the mysterious woman?
By Dr. Arthur Cushman
From March 17th to the 21st, 2011, I attended the Spring Equinox and Full Moon Festival in honor of Tata Cachora. Cachora is a 97-year-old. He is regarded as a spiritual leader by many Native American groups. He is half Yaqui and half Lacondon Maya. He is the real Don Juan Mateus that Carlos Castaneda studied under. The festival was held on Juntas De Neji Kumiai (Kumeyaay) Indian Reservation near Tecate, Baja California, Mexico.
This group of Native Americans have thirteen (13) reservations in Southern California, just north of the border, and five (5) in Baja, California, Mexico. Participants from many Native American groups in the United States and Mexico attended. Only a handful of white people attended. At the end of the ceremony, as everybody was preparing to leave and say their goodbyes, I was standing with a group of people when this beautiful tall woman walked up to me. Then in a melodious voice she said in Spanish, as she looked me in the eyes, “I know who you are.” I looked back at her and said, “Who am I?” She said, “Tu eres Arturo Luminoso (Luminous or Shining Arthur). You were formally known as Arturo El Lobo Luminoso (Arthur the Shining Wolf); this is your second spirit name.” I asked her, “How do you know?” in Spanish. She replied by shrugging her shoulders, again looking me in the eyes. She was wearing a woolen cap over her head that went under her chin of red cotton with Native American designs on it. She wore a long white dress that covered her arms that went down to her ankles; below it I could see her bare feet. I could see that her skin was brown, but her face was glowing with such light that she appeared white. She had the high cheekbones and dark eyes of a Native American. I asked her name. I do not remember what she said. I then asked her, “Where are you from?” She said, “Arturo soy de La Sierra de los Tarahumara, far to the east of here.” That means the Mountains of the Tarahumara in Coahuila, Mexico. Then I asked her if that is where the Copper Canyon train goes. She smiled and said, “Yes.” I then asked her if the Tarahumara Indians are related to the Apaches. She looked at me and said with a smile on her face, “Arturo no importa.” “Arthur that does not matter. We are all one; there is no difference. You are my brother and I am your sister. You are a part of me and I am part of you. Arturo you are filled with light. You must let your light shine. There is no such thing as red men, black men, yellow men and white men. Men and women are equals. You must teach others that there is no separation; we are all one.”
Following this she smiled. She placed her hands on both of my shoulders and then touched her forehead to my forehead for about half a minute. She then took her head off, placed her right cheek against my right cheek; her left cheek against left cheek. She then kissed me softly on both cheeks and embraced me. She then looked me in the eyes for a minute or two with profound love and beauty. She glowed like nothing I have ever seen before. She then turned away and said, “Nos vemos Arturo Luminoso.” (I will see you later Shining Arthur) I was stunned by what had happened. I did not know what to think about it. The other people around me did not seem to notice what had happened. A short time later, I decided to look for her, but I could not find her. I have not seen her before.
Who was she? Was she an Angel? Was she a Master sent by the Councils of Light to help guide Earth through the changes Earth is undergoing as it enters the Age of the Divine Mother? Was she the Divine Mother herself? Was she the Virgin of Guadalupe or Tonantzin, the Aztec goddess? The Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego around 1648 at Tepeyac, Mexico, which was a shrine to the Aztec Divine Mother Tonantzin. The painting of the Virgin is believed by many of the Nahuatl (Toltec or Mexica) speakers in Mexico to be a combination of the Divine Aztec Goddess and the Christian Goddess, the Virgin Mary. She is considered to be the Great Mother Goddess who can heal the wounds of the world. In the painting, the woman has obvious Native American features and is wearing European clothes. Every year on December 12th festivals are held in her honor in which copal is burned in Catholic churches and ceremonies are held in her honor. The syncretism between Catholicism and the Toltec religion becomes apparent.
I still feel warm inside and happy just thinking about this mysterious woman that I saw. What did she see when she glanced into my eyes for such a long time? How could anyone show so much love and have so much light surrounding them? I certainly hope that I will see her again, even in my dreams. Her parting words said that we will see each other again. Why did she come to me? I am no Saint. I like all mortals have made many mistakes. Rumi describes this type of experience as the mystical merging of two souls. She has appeared to me in visions recently. She has not revealed her name to me yet.
About the Author
Arthur Cushman, M.D., is the Medical Director of the Integrative Health Community, 400 Professional Park Drive, Suite 201, Goodlettsville, TN 37072. Website
Dr. Cushman is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery (1979) and the American Board of Integrative Medicine (2010).
He is a Reiki Master (2005) and a graduate of Alberto Villoldos’ Four Winds Society Healing the Light Body School (2009).
Dr. Cushman is also an avid lifelong student of Native American archeology, anthropology and spirituality. He has written or co-authored a number of articles on Native Americans, neurosurgery, and mysticism. He can be reached at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
