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Another indication of the metaphysical fraud concerns the matter of apparel. Psychic cheaters normally wear robes and turbans and other fancy costumes to give the impression to people and their prospective clients that they are different, sacred or holy in some way. The moment we meet such psychics our gullible subconscious minds are influenced negatively unless we take the appropriate measures of protection among which is to rationalize the situation and to see through their deception. Let it be known that true modern saints or genuine metaphysicians, in general, do not wear apparel any different from the norm. They dress the way ordinary human beings dress taking into account environmental factors and culture. One of the most important principle to keep in mind is that true metaphysicians or saints would never direct attention to themselves. Their words, mannerism, and behavior are free from the taints of the false ego.
It is important to realize that most psychics, whether fraudulent or genuine, when given the chance will play upon the fears and worries of clients. They would strengthen a client’s belief that all that they fear are true and more besides, and that the only way out of their dilemma or problem is to apply the directions of the paranormal which usually involves emptying the purse. Often they would declare how negative you are or how you are so filled with negative energies and that with their “great powers” they would purify you and help you succeed in overcoming all that is counterproductive to your welfare–but with a certain reward, of course. At times they will say that you will have a potential problem in a certain bodily organ and to prevent it from manifesting they will balance the situation for you–for a fee. Although the detection of an unbalanced situation in one’s bio-energy field is a possibility, many so-called psychics dupe the public as to their ability to do this. They only cause unnecessary concern over dangers that do not exist.
Beware of those psychics that advertise the “testimonies” of their “clients,” (normally celebrities) to support their claims of power, talent or the effectiveness of their services and products. These statements often appear in print in the mass media and are mostly unwarranted.
You will also find many psychic frauds on the Internet. When requesting a psychic reading, psychics in the Net will send you a stereotype profile reading that would apply to any Tom, Dick or Harry. If one would reason it out one would come to realize that it would be impossible for any human being to cater or to devote their undivided attention to hundreds of persons requesting a psychic reading in a single day. The only resort left for these psychics is to present something applicable but spiritually meaningless to all. The daily or weekly horoscopes to be found in magazines are of these sort as well. Psychic frauds or those who are under the influence of self-deception often make bombastic claims in their advertisements but offer very little of soul-worth. Here we do not comment on the reality of psychicism, of magical forces, of subtle energies. We know that they do exist and are real to those who are able to perceive them; basically, what we are opposed to are psychics and frauds taking advantage of the ignorance of their fellow men.
Paranormals and low-caliber metaphysicians have the tendency in making their clients overly dependent upon them, their services and their products. Even spiritual teachers fall into this trap. They allow their disciples to lean too much upon them. The Master Jesus once said to his disciples that he had to leave them at a certain time, for if not, the “comforter” would not come. He meant by this that if he did not leave them, and that if his disciples depended too much upon him for their spiritual sustenance, they would not spiritually mature and that they would not acquire a higher awareness and understanding through personal effort and experience. True metaphysicians teach one not to be overly-dependent upon anything artificial and external for one’s well-being. It is wholly vital that we resort to an internal resource or be dependent upon our inner Source, our true Self–the part of God within us for our spiritual nourishment.
The object of metaphysical service is to facilitate the spiritual growth of humanity. This principle is constantly being violated, however. Unaware of spiritual values and purposes, psychics simply deliver goods that in the long run stall the evolution of man. Their services do not promote spiritual unfoldment or the manifestation of the Christ Consciousness. In this they are no different from those who implement the practices of hedonism and materialism. For instance, one of the paranormal practices is the insertion of implants to manifest charisma, charm, power, fascination, etc. Indonesian psychics call these implants, “susuk.” It is not too often realized that the power of these implants are temporary in nature notwithstanding the statements of some psychics as to the contrary. Energy by its very nature is in a constant state of flux and may be modified, changed, or transmuted. All organisms are constantly radiating energy and this influences whatever it comes into contact with, so an implant imbued with a certain force may unwittingly be transmuted or neutralized by the person who has it inserted into him. Now even-though such implants may contain and radiate power, the persons given such a force may not want to undergo the necessary character-building and metaphysical disciplines that would eventually give them what they seek and consequently, progress spiritually. For they presume that what they need already exists in them with the presence of the implant. However, it should be noted that the power derived from an artificial source is ephemeral and the total reliance upon it directs us away from the spiritual path. It makes one self-complacent and slothful. We should acquire the qualities or conditions that we seek through personal effort. Implants, talismans, and such are simply aids to help one–they are not to be totally relied upon. Their use should be rightly understood if they are to be of true worth to us. Please note here that we are not disapproving the practice of making or bearing talismans or acquiring magickal powers–in fact we present such things on our site. Our intent is to explain the right attitude to be adopted.
The Dark forces wish humanity to stagnate in its soul progression. It will not have humanity improve its spiritual status. Thus anything that stalls evolution or hinders man from treading the Spiritual Path is the work of the Fallen Ones. Psychic wares can degenerate into instruments of the Dark forces. Those who are inclined to experiment with the wares of paranormals should do so with the right understanding and perspective.
Pseudo-psychics have their confederates. They often have their minions search for gullible persons whom they may influence and manipulate. By persuasive speech henchmen of pseudo-psychics convince their prey how powerful and wise a certain paranormal (their boss) is. Various tricks are used. Information concerning a certain potential client may be acquired before hand and then conveyed to the “psychic.” When the client visits the psychic, he is astonished that the so-called seer knows everything about him.
Sleight-of-hand, hidden gizmos, and gadgets are often used in the “healing” of a patient/client of a psychic malady, or to prove the existence of the psychic’s innate powers. Since the belief in transferred, malicious etheric implants (”santet” in Indonesian) are taken for granted among the lower class, tricks and deceptions are frequently resorted to in order to convince the patient that an object had been taken out from the patient’s body; and this is supposed to be the cause of an illness. Often a healing may well take place using such quackery since a large percentage of cases of illnesses have a psychosomatic origin or are caused by abnormal thoughts and feelings, and these respond to the shaman working within the patient’s belief frame-work. Such healings are based upon the principle of suggestion.
Psychic healers may boast that a patient of theirs may have been to every kind of healer, undergone every form of therapeutics, and yet no healing took place until the individual came to them to be “healed.” Not only is their boast self-promotional in nature but their belief is a fallacy. Firstly, healing is a process conducted by Nature–no single individual does the healing. A person may have been to one doctor or healer after another without being apparently cured; however, the healing process may already have begun without the person’s knowledge and awareness. Thus, at a certain point of the healing process the person finds himself completely cured and he ignorantly attributes this to the last healer that attempted to cure him. And this “healer” arrogantly considers the healing to be the result of his or her own personal powers and prowess. Secondly, a person is not curable unless he subconsciously and consciously wants to be cured–when he is psychologically ready to release the malady. When this is released through self-determination and faith he finds himself cured, and this often occurs no matter to what healer he goes to or the form of therapy that he undergoes at that time. Thirdly, some illnesses are karmic in nature, and only when the karmic lesson is learnt or the karmic force spent and compensated will the inharmonious bodily or psychological condition disappear. Again, this may occur spontaneously at a time when the person visits a healer and without the healer actually having anything directly to do with the healing process, nor ever having acted as a catalyst of bodily harmony.
One of the negative traits of the so-called spiritual Masters who present themselves as teachers of meditation and metaphysics is that they do not offer constant guidance or availability to their students. They are here one day, and in the next they are off somewhere where it is almost impossible for one to contact or communicate with them. If one encounters a problem in one’s metaphysical practices the Guru is not available to offer assistance. This is an irresponsible act of omission on the part of the so-called Guru. In many cases this can be construed as the incompetence or inability of the Guru to provide true beneficial guidance. It can also be assumed that their motive for teaching metaphysics or branches of it in the first place was simply for its monetary returns. The true metaphysical Guru knows that spiritual teachings cannot be given in one gulp, but morsels at a time. Spiritual growth is a process and the Guru has to be constantly around to nurture the unfoldment of his students. Frauds normally take off and break communication after a few sessions with their victimized students.
Genuine Masters and Adepts as a rule, also do not offer any services of instant metaphysical development. A true Master does not perform the work that the disciple ought to be doing for himself. Self-involvement in spiritual work unfolds a divine character, and this is what the Guru wishes of his students. There is also more merit and is more honorable doing metaphysical work and exercises for oneself instead of having others do them for us. For instance, which do you think is more praiseworthy, running in a race and reaching the finish line by one’s own efforts, or to be carried there by the Master on his shoulders?
Concerning the instant transference of power, or the raising of the kundalini by the Master, there are many points that the true Master would consider. Such transference is a blessing and is given only after the disciple had applied the disciplines for some time–often years, and not given by the genuine Master at the very inception of a student’s metaphysical career–especially not on a massive scale. This is an irresponsible act on the part of the Guru for not everyone is physically or etherically prepared for such an empowerment.
Many Spiritual Masters (so-called) are a disappointment. Oft times they declare, whether implicitly or explicitly, that their kundalini have been permanently raised, or that they have attained enlightenment or are in constant contact with the Ascended Masters. Should this be true one awaits glorious things coming from them–from their minds and hearts. One would expect them to be divine in their everyday expressions; original and creative in their literary works, and selfless in fulfilling their missions. Their works would be of an unsurpassed quality even surpassing the state of genius, however, as it is, their products lack originality and they produce no novel concepts or precepts that reveal heretofore hidden facets of Truth, or strive to uplift humanity even higher on the scale of evolution in a balanced manner. Most of their written works are too simplistic, they merely scratch the surface of metaphysical thought and often than not, are plagiarized versions of other authors’ works. What is pitiful is that their ego can still be clearly seen–and they are blind to this. They are so keen in criticizing others but fail to look into their own soul and correct innate faults. Those with a little knowledge are so quick in attacking others and in speaking the loudest. These undeveloped “Gurus” give all sorts of “plausible” excuses for their short-comings, for their extravagant way of life, for their creature-comfort-which only shows that they are self-centered and focused upon the personality level. Hopefully this condition would change in this new millenium.
Dogmas, false religious teachings and revelations are often taught and spread by false mystics, bigoted priests, channels and paranormals. They do this for fame and to instill fear in the masses so that the masses would turn to them for assistance–and this, of course, is designed to fill their personal bank account. Some psychics foolishly predict the future revealing dire cataclysms and catastrophes that would occur sometime in the near future. Although most are deceivers and malicious in their intent, there are a few who are sincere but mistaken as to the source of their psychic impressions. They regard the visions that they receive as coming from God or the Ascended Masters. They do not realize that most of what they psychically see are mere thoughtforms created and radiated by those who are psychologically unbalanced or who are mentally disturbed. Substantially, these thoughtforms have no real power to manifest on the physical plane or affect it unless we give them power through our constant attention and fear. Even if visions did flow from the Divine Cosmic Mind, they are often distorted by the unpurified subconscious minds of psychics so that a clear understanding of the picture is not acquired and presented. Again, even if a vision of a catastrophe from God was correctly received there is always a possibility of preventing its occurrence or decreasing the magnitude of its effects through the proper metaphysical procedures. However, those who are self-deceived are often adamant that what they “see” must occur. Below we would like to quote a few scriptural verses for your consideration. They are related to this paragraph.
For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:11)
I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. (Jeremiah 23:21)
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:16)
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! (Ezekial 13:3)
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:15)
Copyright © 2006 Luxamore
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SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER AND REMEMBER
1. Before looking for causes of your personal problems and their solutions in the metaphysical world and field, look for them in the physical realm. This also applies to phenomena that you may not understand. Instead of believing that they are supernatural in nature, first rationalize if their causes are not of a physical character.
2. Avoid systems of paranormal or metaphysical development that do not stress or lay down spiritual principles as their foundation. Those that teach metaphysics without the basic spiritual, ethical, and moral precepts are unknowingly the instruments of the Dark forces that ever seek to delay the spiritual progress of humanity.
3. Avoid metaphysical schools and teachers that offer “instant” psychic or spiritual unfoldment. These schools and teachers are not aware of the short-term and long-term adverse effects of their methodology. This is not to say that their methods do not work. What we are implying here is that there are dangers that they are ignorant of. Though they may think, feel and declare that dangers do not exist, dangers are inherent and do exist in any forced psychic growth. If you are seriously and sincerely interested in studying metaphysics, then we suggest that you find yourself a genuine teacher or school with genuine spiritual traditions, lineage, and roots. Their instructions and guidance are life-long and not limited to a short-course of study. They will teach you how to unfold spiritually and psychically naturally, and not force your growth in any way whatsoever.
4. Avoid paranormals and metaphysicians that make bombastic claims and advertise themselves excessively. The genuine metaphysician does not make much use of advertisements. He or she knows that their helpfulness to the public would spread from mouth to mouth. It is just an ego-trip that makes paranormals advertise themselves glamorously. Let us reason this out: even medical doctors and psychologists who serve the public do not advertise themselves in a glamorous fashion, why then should paranormals reduce themselves below the level of other social servants? The psychological reasons are usually insecurity, a sense of inferiority, ego-centeredness, or malice.
5. Avoid teachers of psychicism that commercialize their teachings or services in an irrational and ostentatious manner. They would overcharge you for their services, and make you dependent upon them so that you would return to them again and again. The genuine metaphysician will help you to help yourself and not seemingly help you but enriching themselves financially in the process. Please recognize the difference. We do not imply here that it is wrong for the metaphysician to charge for his services. On the contrary, charging for services is an acceptable practice in any field. What should be avoided are seeking aid from paranormals making irrational and excessive demands. Paranormals or metaphysicians making strange and unethical demands should be avoided at all cost.
6. Avoid dubious characters posing as paranormals, metaphysicians, adepts, Spiritual Gurus, Masters and Teachers. Always learn as much as you can of their character, their motives and purpose before establishing a Guru-Chela (Disciple) relationship with them or seeking their help in any way.
7. Be cautious of the services, wares, and products of paranormals. Disregard any predictions that they make concerning your future. Fortune telling is a dangerous pastime when taken too seriously. Genuine metaphysicians will hardly predict someone’s future. The acceptance of one’s predicted “future” causes passivity and submission and this a true metaphysician will not allow. He will not teach or cause one to accept one’s fate but instead teach how to create one’s future. One is to be a cause of one’s well-being and happiness and not be the receiving end of some adversity caused by external forces.
The Characteristics of a Spiritual Master
We would like to point out some of the qualities of an adept or a true spiritual Master of Metaphysics. By making this list it is hoped that the metaphysical student will know a true Master when he meets one and also to discover the right goals of attainment, the characteristics that should be acquired in order to reach Mastership; however, we caution the reader not to superficially adopt these characteristics in order to misrepresent themselves as Masters.
A Master expresses beauty in everything he/she says, with every physical movement, with every glance. He is likewise deeply sensitive to beauty in all forms.
A Master never directs attention to himself. He never indulges in self-aggrandizement, self-promotion, self-centered thought, self-centeredness, etc. He is egoless.
A Master has a strong, steady gaze that penetrates the soul. They often seem to be looking into the infinite distance.
A Master has deep respect for all members of the kingdoms of Nature.
A Master’s very presence radiates power.
Unconditional love is a basic quality of a Master. A Master never judges. He is always impersonal, detached and compassionate.
A true Master is a Master of Wisdom. His understanding of life and Cosmic laws far exceeds those of the average person.
A Master though possessing some or all spiritual and psychic powers have renounced their use except for emergencies and urgencies. He, therefore, will hardly ever reveal to anyone that he has them.
A Master never commands he simply suggest, he never instills fear but awakens courage. He never makes you feel bad of yourself; on the contrary, he helps you build self-esteem.
As a rule, a Master never predicts a person’s future and he never flatters the human ego.
A Master will always lead and direct you to the ultimate goal. Though he may teach the lower laws, truths and forces applicable to the improvement of mundane life he will not place too much emphasis upon them instructing that the phenomenal world is nothing but a dream and is illusory from the absolute perspective. He will direct your attention to more important matters.
A Master seldom speaks of his past, of himself, of his background, etc., unless it is pertinent and useful as illustrations in the conveyance of spiritual teachings to others.
A Master is detached from the occurrences of mundane life and the effects of human experience. He would never feel psychological pain should he find himself in adverse conditions, neither would he feel too overjoyed in times of prosperity. He is psychologically stable and centered, and is in a constant state of bliss at all times no matter what the outer circumstance.
A Master is universal and non-sectarian in his attitudes. He sees all men as an expression of the Supreme regardless of their religious leanings, their color, race, sex, etc. Though a Master may not be religious, he is deeply spiritual.
A true Master is creatively original. Being enlightened by his own divine essence a Master would teach or even write books directly from his heart and own experience. He would never plagiarize the work of another or teach things that are outmoded. It should be realized though that most Masters do not write many books–they leave that to their disciples.
Masters do not argue. They know that no amount of argument would convince the skeptic, and to those who are true seekers no argument would be necessary. They also never proclaim or reveal their spiritual status and speak only when their words are beneficial and cause positive motion. Masters, are therefore, usually reticent.
A Master embodies most, if not all of the divine virtues.
A Master is sweet, simple, and childlike; but when they focus their attention upon the problems of humanity they are a fount of wisdom.
A Master is often unpredictable, and his ways are not always understood.
A true spiritual Master never engages or indulges in low psychic activities. A Master serves by awakening the slumbering soul within man.
Although compassionate, a Master never sympathize with the feelings of the human ego for he does not recognize imperfection, he is simply aware of the perfection of God indwelling in the divine spark within microcosmic man.
A Master has no longer any egoic desires, he no longer functions from the personality level; he has long given up his human will in favor of the expression of the Divine Will of God.
A Master never complains, he knows no suffering for he transcends it. He also knows no death for his consciousness goes way beyond the confines of time and space.
A true Master does not hasten a student’s psychic growth prematurely by any “transference” of power. He always predominately concentrates upon raising the consciousness, improving the character, the spirituality, and increasing the wisdom and the understanding of his students.
A Master never judges the outer person of others but looks into the depths of their soul for value.
A Master never makes others feel guilty or sinful in any way, however, he does lead others from darkness into Light.
Although detached, impersonal, and sometimes seemingly aloof, a Master is full of affection for his chelas (students).
A Master appreciates every small service that is offered to him and the great work of manifesting the Divine Plan.
Perhaps one of the most outstanding and admirable characteristics of Spiritual Masters is that they do not consider themselves as Masters. This is their humility. They know that they still have a considerable amount of things to master and learn; they are so much aware that they are still undergoing the learning process and are embarrassed to call themselves “Masters” or have anyone else call them that.
By explaining the above the writer of this article does not imply in any way that he’s a Spiritual Master–far from it. The road where he is standing still extends to the unseen distance. In any case, it is not for the human ego to assert. We emphasize the principle that by the fruits we shall know the tree. In truth, the human ego is nothing–God everything. In performing their divine and spiritual duties Spiritual Masters declare: “It is not I that works but the ‘Father’ within me.”
In this section we will deal with some of the phenomena relevant to our discussion on the subject of death as probed into by researchers on the paranormal. Two of the most interesting of these phenomena that have been researched into in recent years by scientists of varied disciplines and which indicates the plausibility, and perhaps proof of the survival of consciousness from the scientific angle, are the “Out-of-the-Body Experience” (OBE) and “Near Death Experience” (NDE). These two phenomena are just two of the many ways that the afterdeath state or the survival of the consciousness may be known. Other methods of the occult tradition, however, may include meditation, and spiritualism, or channeling. Psychic phenomena that indicate life after death are those of apparitions, hauntings, possessions, and reincarnation claims. In this section we will specifically discuss OBEs and NDEs and their association with the after-death state; aside from these we will also briefly look into the practice of hypnotherapy, where it is used as a tool to successfully regress patients to the pre-natal state to uncover their life experiences in the higher planes prior to birth.
These experiences of subjects describe in some detail of the nature and life in the higher dimensions, or subtle realms. The findings of hypnotherapy substantiate certain long held assertions and claims of psychics, occultists and metaphysicians concerning the nature of “death.” In addition to OBEs and NDEs, we will, therefore, consider what hypnotherapy has uncovered through the practice of regression, as the findings are surprisingly similar to the occult tradition. Parapsychological phenomena offer us a glimpse of what contemporary scientists are discovering about the nature and survival of the human psyche through the “great initiation,” as death is often called among initiates of Mystery schools. The survival of the soul through the change called death is on the verge of being openly acknowledged by scientists and scholars of academic circles. Why, there have even been scientists that declared that the soul weighs 2 grams!
NDEs
Although NDEs are laboriously researched into in modern times, this phenomenon was known centuries ago by savants such as Henry Cornelius Agrippa, and even scholars of the ancient Greek period. Agrippa remarks in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy that Plato was well familiar with the subject of NDEs and even recorded one such NDE case in his work, “The Republic,” where he relates the story of a certain individual named Phereus of Pamphilia who was slained in battle and laid with the dead for several days in a comatose state until he returned to tell the tale of his wanderings in the netherworld. The phenomenon of NDEs is likewise no stranger to Eastern cultures. Tibetans, for instance, are well familiar with this psychological anomaly. They call such a person who returns from the threshold of death, “Delog.” Tibetan delogs relate experiences remarkably similar to their western counterparts eventhough coloured by their cultural framework.
NDEs were probably first brought to the attention to the scientific community and society in general by medical doctors and nurses. There are literally hundreds of cases on medical record where dying patients were clinically pronounced “dead,” only to revive moments later in a spontaneous manner or resuscitated with the aid of medical instruments. Clinical death is where the consciousness, reflexes, respiration and cardiac activities are suspended; it differs from biological death where the organism begins to deteriorate gradually on the cellular level. This activity of dissolution is, however, counterbalanced with a form of nourishment to certain parts of the body, and this accounts for the phenomena of the growth of hair and nails found on those who were long dead and buried but exhumed for certain reasons.
Delogs of both eastern and western cultures, testify of their visions and encounters with beings, and experiences of certain conditions or events that their soul was going through in the transition state as it left the physical body before being redrawn into physical consciousness. In NDEs, the transition in progress is always somehow interrupted for one reason or another enforcing the soul’s return to the physical world. Although some scientists are skeptical as to the nature of these experiences, these “deathbed” visions, labelling them as “hallucinations,” there are others who are convinced that delogs do in fact relate actual events occurring in different dimensional spheres. Skeptics, nevertheless, are adamant in attributing NDEs to various physical causes such as mental illnesses, anoxia, brain fever, stress, chemical or hormonal imbalance, temporal lobe seizures, drugs, anesthetics, etc. Such skeptics even attribute consciousness or the awareness-principle to chemical action and reaction in the brain. Notwithstanding these assertions of skeptics, however, it should be acknowledged that hallucinations through drugs do indicate a similarity in imagery as that of the bardo; and in a sense, certain things seen in the afterdeath state are indeed hallucinations. From the occult point of view, drugs, like the process of transition, trigger the release of subconscious images and project them onto the screen of consciousness. The images in both cases are hallucinations, but the experiences are genuine. In both cases the survival of consciousness is not disproved. Skeptics are not able to prove the annihilation of consciousness through the great change. When the matter is investigated with any seriousness though, skeptics are often instead faced with indications pointing to the possibility and plausibility of the immortality of the awareness-principle. Concerning the nature of deathbed visions, Ian Currie, paranormal researcher and author of “You Cannot Die” comments:
“Our efforts to `explain’ deathbed experiences by finding normal, ordinary causes for them have ended in complete failure. They cannot be explained by the medical condition of the dying person nor by the state of his mind, nor by his religion or cultural background . . . the only remaining possibility is that they are genuine psychic experiences” (1995:175)
The majority of NDEs share common elements. A common characteristic of the experiences of delogs, for instance, is their sense of soul-transition as something joyful and idyllic. Resuscitated subjects claim that the dying process is a blissful or a beautiful experience. Some report of even strongly fighting the urge to return to the physical form because of the strong attachment to the dying experience. There are other common characteristics of NDE that researchers have found to be impressive such as a sense of peace, painlessness and weightlessness; a sense of being discarnated and dead but alive in a euphoric sense; a perception of oneself being surrounded by deceased friends and relatives, or a spiritual being of light waiting to receive or greet the soul; a tunnel experience where one sees a white brilliance at the distance; a life-review and a sense of ascending towards the heavens; a sense of mental lucidity; a heightened psychic awareness where one perceives grieving friends and relatives; a sense of being conveyed by a guide or a current of energy to one’s soul destination in the subtle spheres; visions of beautiful landscapes and sounds of heavenly music, etc.
Paranormal researchers have been very impressed by the fact that NDEs cause a very profound transformational effect on the psyche of those who undergo the experience. They have found that the moral quality of delogs improve dramatically by transitional experiences. A reverence for life, among other spiritual qualities, was one of the characteristical expressions of transformed subjects. Psychic abilities are often developed as a result of NDEs. This alchemical transformation of the psyche through a NDE is very much akin to the psychological transformation that occurs to astronauts as they orbit above the earth in outer space.
The accounts of deathbed visions of NDEs very much parallel the visions of psychics and mystics. Incidentally, psychics who were witnessed to deathbed events, confirm the statements of the dying who were undergoing an NDE or a real transition, of the presence of discarnate beings waiting to fetch or greet them on the Otherside. Sometimes discarnate beings in the presence of the dying are seen by ordinary individuals as well. When more than one individual perceives the same thing at the same given moment, it can hardly be called a hallucination, especially when animals also react to such apparitions. Such psychic visions capture the attention and fascination of the dying and weary soul to the point where the attachments to earthly ties are forgotten and the desire for release augmented. In the same work as the above, Ian Currie sums up the core phenomena of deathbed visions that are universal to NDEs-visions that goes beyond one’s cultural background or religious beliefs:
“1) Most of the apparitions seen by the dying were `other-worldly’-dead close relatives and religious figures.
“2) Most of them were there `to take the dying away to another existence.’
“3) Most of the dying were eager to accept the invitation and `go’-by dying.
“4) Most landscapes visions were of `otherworldly’ scenery of such compelling beauty that the dying did not wish to remain in this world.
“5) Medically-inexplicable mood elevation occurred in some patients shortly before death.” (1995:175)
OBEs
Like NDEs, the phenomenon of Out-of-Body-Experiences was also widely known to ancient mystics and psychics; but unlike NDEs, OBEs, commonly called astral projection in the occult tradition, is an innate ability of the soul to voluntary project its subtle form and consciousness–and this occult ability may be unfolded with the aid of psychic exercises and occult procedures; or induced through the use of certain hallucinogenic herbs or mushrooms. OBEs may occur spontaneously, or enforced in some cases–as through accidents or anesthetics; but usually it is a voluntary practice in the occult arts.
Astral projection may be said to be the externalization or exteriorization of the consciousness from the physical form. In OBEs one feels and perceives oneself aware and functioning in a subtle, or astral body. In most cases, the astral senses perceive the physical form to be lying dormant and asleep as it emerges from the physical body. Usually though, this step is bypassed and the consciousness finds itself in another world, time, or place where physical laws do not apply. According to occultists, the quality or evolutionary status of the human soul and mind, as well as its willful expression may determine the nature of the astral form, and this very principle is being discovered by paranormal researchers. Although normally appearing as a counterpart of the physical form, the astral body is plastic-like, and may appear in any form imagined–and this quality is often taken advantage of by practicing occultists. Creative thought energy is a force that is often utilized by occultists to mould the astral form. Lycantrophy, or the so-called superstition of the metamorphosis of a human physical form into a werewolf is probably an occult practice based on the mind exerting its creative force upon the protean quality of the astral form within a certain mental matrix. It is reasonable to regard the shape-shifting of shamanism, of lycantrophy, to be of the astral form rather than the physical. In the Tibetan Tradition, one of the six realms is the world of animals. This refers to a locality within the lower astral realms where carnal and animalistic souls congregate or “incarnate.” Such souls with animal characteristics and traits assume animal forms as mentioned elsewhere in this work.
The transformable or unstable form of the astral body that occurs in OBEs is reflected in the statement of Filipo Liverziani in his book “Life, Death & Consciousness,” who along the lines of parapsychology, wrote concerning the OBE experience that:
“The projector may thus become aware of having the form of a small cloud, a wad of cotton or a luminous ball floating in space, just as he may see himself as possessing a very clearly defined human form that closely resembles that of his physical body.” (1991:33)
There are often cases in OBE phenomena where both astral and physical bodies are seen at the same time–although at different places. Technically, this is called bilocation. This phenomenon occurs when intentionally or unintentionally the vibrations of the astral form are lowered or densified with etheric substance, thus making it visible to physical perception momentarily–only to disappear at an unannounced moment. OBE subjects under such circumstances are often mistaken for “ghosts,” by Man and animals. In fact, a high percentage of ghost sightings of the so-called dead, are in fact sightings of the astral form of living human beings. As a side-interest, we may presume that, therefore, there are three kinds of apparitions: that of the dead, the living and the dying–the dying person, like the normal living individual, may spontaneously or unintentionally astral project to close relatives and friends. Apparitions of the dead and of the living share many common characteristics and abilities. This is stated emphatically by Ian Currie:
“Both the living and the dead have appeared as apparitions, been responsible for hauntings, communicated through mediums, appeared in death-bed visions, provided post-mortem accounts, spoken of a reincarnational past, and possessed the bodies of the living . . .” (1995:141)
From what we have stated so far, we may surmise that the trained mind may affect the astral form in various ways–it may affect the form of the astral, its density or frequency, and its locomotion. The astral form is described in parapsychological literature as being able to appear in three varying densities: as “invisible-permeable,” where it is invisible to physical perception, and physical objects offer no resistance as to its movement; as “transparent-semi-permeable,” where it appears as a haze to physical sight and somewhat subjected to physical laws; and “solid-appearance–impermeable to matter,” where it appears and behaves like a regular physical form and completely subjected to the laws of three-dimensionality. It should also be noted that the mind, when occultly trained and working through the astral form–and by manipulating etheric energies–may cause such psychic phenomena as the teleportation or the movement of objects. This is probably one of the many causes of the poltergeist phenomenon which is actually an unconscious manipulation of energy done by human subjects.
It is interesting to note how perception through astral senses differ from the physical. Unlike the five senses of the physical body, the astral senses are reported to be diffused throughout the astral form. Subjects of OBEs declare that they were able to see in all directions at once, that they possessed a 340-degree vision. Objects in the physical world are not perceived in the same way as through physical sight, though. Through astral eyes, earthly objects are said to appear “transparent.” According to reports, the magnetic emanations of objects are more easily seen than the physical forms themselves; and as for astral forms in general, objects in the astral world were discovered by adepts of astral projection to be “mental constructs” at the personal and collective level.
Among occult adepts living in the physical plane, as well as discarnates of the subtle spheres, the astral condition is often utilized as a media of contact between dimensions. In the astral form one is free of certain limitations or restrictions where time and space are concerned. This very fundamental law of the higher worlds is an important tool utilized by highly evolved entities to promptly attend and assist incarnated souls (or even discarnate ones) in aligning and harmonizing themselves with what may be called soul-destiny in conformity with the Divine Plan. These guides are sometimes called guardian angels or invisible helpers. These invisible helpers, whether from the physical plane or higher worlds, function as protectors, guides, and as the inner voice of incarnated souls. Hunches and intuitive impressions are often derived from these beings. They also provide strength and courage to souls who are in need of moral support.
These guardian spirits, as stated above, do not always come from higher spheres. Some of these entities are ordinary human beings with the occult ability to astral project. More often than not, they are highly evolved with much soul experience and are able to minister and offer counsel to suffering or wayward souls, or even to fulfill certain prayers addressed to the Great One. In the case of possessions or hauntings it is normally the exorcist who acts on the physical plane as counselor to the lost, confused, or “earth-bound” soul. It should be noted that not all souls may accept the proffered help by invisible guides or exorcists. In the case of possessions, such entities are forcefully ejected from the hold that they have on their victims. Generally, invisible helpers only assist and guide souls who request such help. This very principle is recognized by Liverziani who comments in his aforementioned book:
“In the spiritual world of the other dimensions it is not possible to help somebody who does not want to be helped. Help is made effective only by the fact that those who stand in need become aware of this and therefore ask for help, accept it, and collaborate with those who give it.” (1991:132)
It will be helpful here to enumerate the various points of experiences as reported by OBE subjects. According to paranormal investigators, subjects of OBEs, and collaborated by subjects of NDEs declare the following sensations and discoveries pertaining to the astral body and world:
1) A feeling of being very much alive and more mentally lucid than while being brain/body bound.
2) A feeling of euphoria, of peace profound and joy, with full possession of mental faculties.
3) A feeling of possessing a novel body with a protean quality, alterable with the use of the will–with the use of thought and desire; and that it may be densified so as to be physically visible.
4) Discovery that locomotion is driven through the use of the will.
5) Discovery that the astral body may be subtle enough to pass through physical objects and that it may be densified where interaction with the physical environment may be effected or desired.
6) Discovery that the astral form and awareness may influence the psychosomatic principles of sentient beings, as in the phenomena of psychic healing and possession.
7) Discovery that the psychic senses are heightened or enhanced; and that the consciousness functioning in full awareness in the astral world, activities in the astral realms may be engaged in. Discovery that the astral or mental environment may be personally “created.”
