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I came across this site: http://www.eliasforum.org/introduction.html

Elias describes himself as a nonphysically focused "energy personality essence," or what has been commonly termed a "spirit" or an "entity." However, he defines the word "essence" as an action rather than an entity. He says that he has experienced many physical lifetimes or "focuses," but is not physically manifest in this present time framework. Presently, he chooses to focus his awareness in nonphysical areas of consciousness in which he holds the intent of teaching, or more specifically, of offering information within the least amount of distortion.

'Elias' is a channeled source and builds upon the information provided in the past by 'Seth'. The Elias material is more recent than Jane Robert's Seth material but is very interesting. The whole 'Focus' concept is there and you will find that a lot of the information is similar to Robert Monroe's and Frank Kepple's findings, which is interesting since the Elias material was not widely available when Frank was around.

Elias has also divided consciousness into various 'regions' and many other concepts can also be recognised. Elias goes much further than Frank ever did, but this is to be expected as Frank chose only to write about what he had actually experienced himself and he was reluctant to go beyond that.

One point to be made here. The Elias material, like the earlier Seth material, explores the wider reality (ie the astral) from a psychological viewpoint (seeing how Jane Roberts originally trained as a psychologist). The Elias material continues this approach. Monroe and Frank of course, follow more of an engineering approach. Others again prefer a more traditional mystical approach. It really boils down to what approach resonates with you. However, if you keep this in mind then you will find much to interest you in this material, even if the psychological approach is not to your particular liking.

I have found that the Seth material has much in common with what Monroe has discovered, as Frank pointed out himself. The Elias material appears to build on that.

One interesting point that Elias makes is that he is not a 100% reliable source! Because of the distortion involved via him transmitting this information from where he is, to our region of consciousness, there is an inevitable degree of distortion, which is also coloured by the channeled receiver's mind as well as others present. For this reason, he warns people not to treat his every utterance as fact as he doesn't want to be 'responsible for starting another cult'.

Elias has tried his best to provide an extremely detailed guide but he says that ultimately it comes down to personal experience and exploration, pretty much what Monroe and Frank have said in the past. It is actually quite refreshing to hear this honesty from a channeled source!

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Did anyone see the BBC Panorama Scientology documentary on tuesday night?

This is already doing the rounds on U-tube thanks to the bit where the BBC reporter cracks up and rants and slavers like a madman!

While Scientology doesnt exactly come up smelling of roses, ie how they do appear to intimidate anyone who disagrees with them, at the same time the documentary makers didnt come up top of the class either. For a start, the doc was completely biased against scientology from the outset and continually using the term 'cult' when speaking to the scientlogy boss could only have the purpose of being confrontational.

Also, the clips of families whoese children have 'disconnected' them doesnt really say very much. Yes this was a terrible thing to happen, but this kind of thing can happen to children who adopt any new religion opposed by their parents, eg islam or evangelical christianity. It is hardly fair to talk of scientology as if it is the only religion for this kind of event to occur.

Also the interviews with so called 'cult busters' was biased as there was no questioning of these people's motives. Many so called 'cult busters' have their own agendas, many of which are made up of evangelicals and others of an even more crackpot persuasion.

I found it hilarious in a way when the reporter finally cracked up!

PS need I say that all 'accepted' religions today originally started off as 'cults'. how big does a belief system have to be before it stops being a 'cult' and starts being a 'religion'? 'Established' religions obviously try to supress new belief systems from springing up, just as their own did, as it is a threat to their dominance. They should also realise that such resistance doesnt work. These people should read their own history!

Last night as I was dreaming, I became lucid and from there I ended up going through a series of experiences in what I can only describe as something akin to Monroe's/Moen's 'recovery centres' and other rehabilitation areas in Monroe's F27 (or the upper areas of Frank's Focus 3).

In the first 'tour', I awoke in what appeared to be a hospital ward, but this particular room was a small adjoining room next to the main wards, where people receive specialist care. Everything was a pristine white but had all the kind of equipment you associate with a modern hospital ward.

I found myself lying on a reclining white seat that was somehow integrated into the wall. I remember next to me was another young guy, maybe around early to mid 20s. In front of us was a 'nurse' of some kind, she was administering assistance and talking things over with the guy next to me and answering questions about what he was doing there.

She told me that this is a hospital where people sometimes come in order to overcome traumas that occurred to them during their physical lives and perhaps after traumatic deaths. The hospital was like any other, except it healed psychological traumas rather than physical ones. It also dealt with people who were afflicted with emotional distortions like greed, selfishness, paranoia etc. these characterstics were all viewed as ailments.. emotional ailments, which the hopsital could also help with as part of its duty of care.

The guy next to me had apparently just died. It was not entirely clear what had happened, but I had the impression of a sudden accident, perhaps a car accident or similar event, and the nurse was explaining to him what had happened. The guy was chatting away quite happily to the nurse and it turns out he was Irish. He and the nurse both chatted about the fortunes of the Irish rugby team in its recent tournaments and he made a few lighted hearted remarks concerning the national team. The nurse conversed with him quite readily on this and I had the impression that this was all about putting him at ease as much as possible.

This guy was aware of what had happened, especially now that the nurse had explained the situation to him and that he had 'passed over' as it were.

However at this point I suddenly felt a wave of compassion for him. Here he was: he had crossed over suddenly but he remained grounded in what was going on, and he chatted about the things that were interest to him such as the rugby etc, but it suddenly came to me how this guy would never be able to go home, never be able to go back to his parents, his girlfriend, his friends and so on.

At this moment I saw the other side of the coin as far as physical death is concerned: the part that people never seem to mention. Everyone is aware of the loved ones left behind and how traumatic it is for us when someone dies, but what is not talked about nearly as much is the emotional loss of the 'deceased' individual himself/herself - the deceased is equally cut off from the family and loved ones that they knew.. for if it is difficult for us to communicate with them, it is equally difficult for them to communicate with us. The veil comes down.

I had the impression that for this young guy, although he knew the score regarding what had happened to him, he had not yet realized the full implications, but that he would in time.

Yes, there are other things to occupy you on the other side and other loved ones who will look after you when you cross over,and new friends, but that does not lesson the pain of leaving others behind and the pain of not being able to communicate with them and to be with them.

I had never really considered the emotional implications of physical death from this other perspective before, ie from the emotional perspective of the deceased. I had always viewed it from the perspective of those left behind as I guess that is the default perspective we have. Maybe it is obvious to some but I found it quite an insight and it opened my eyes.

I didn't stick around in the ward after this. The next thing I was talking with the nurse about people who have lived traumatic lives and she was talking about those afflicted by war. The next thing I remember, I was in a jungle like environment and all hell was breaking loose! Grenades flying everywhere, people in uniforms gunning each other down etc..

It was unbelievable.. the next thing i know i was in a military style camp site, somewhere else in the jungle and I was sitting at a table outside and i was chatting to a couple of guys there. They appeared to oversee this place and it turns out again, that it was some kind of rehabilitation center. What i had just experienced was the kind of thing these people had lived through, both in the physical and also in related belief center areas afterwards.
They had now been rescued or had made their own way here and in this camp they slowly learned how to let go of their old military lifestyle and obsession with death, which for them had become overwhelming. In this environment, they were aware of what they were doing and that they were in a process of rehabilitation. They made friends with others here and generally tired to build relationships had were on a more positive basis.

I was just settling in to this place, which seemed like a scout camp for grown ups, when I transitioned somewhere else again.


This time, i was in some kind of casino leisure complex and this place was mega rich..everything gold and silver plated etc and totally garish. It was populated full of mega rich people strutting their stuff and generally showing off how rich they were. It seems that everyone was checking out each other to see who had the best threads on. I felt like a tramp by comparison!

I walked through a cordon which sectioned off a VIP area and this was full of even richer people, if such a thing is possible. I found the whole environment surreal. Normally i would view this as some kind of belief system territory and it certainly sounds like one, but again, I felt the distinct impression that this was another kind of rehabilitation center. That is, these people were aware of their issues but they spent time here trying to overcome them. From what i could see, they weren't having much success!
I don't know how things operated there but perhaps helpers were there and continually worked on them and helped them to achieve a more balanced state of mind.

At this point, my 'tour' came to an end and I awoke to make notes. Even then a lot of it slipped by and I have only got the general outline of things that happened, and only some of the things said in conversation; a lot of the conversations were very detailed so this lack of total recall is irritating. Very interesting experience all the same!

This morning I was lying in bed and started noticing a pressure building behind my forehead which I tend to associate with my brow chakra or energy center opening up. The pressure tends to build up further and further until it feels like something in my head is going to snap.

Usually it fades before anything happens but this time I tried pushing it to see what would happen. The pressure built up and up and next thing I knew there was a moment of disorientation and then I was feeling a sense of myself moving backwards into the 3d blackness. This was quite interesting as I have noticed in the past that I seem to find it easier to enter the 3d blackness state by moving into it backwards. I felt myself rushing backwards into the blackness with increasing momentum and over time I started to get impressions of some kind of tunnel that I was travelling through.

At this point I decided to see if I could find a way to emerge in the astral somewhere and no sooner had I thought this than a astral window seemed to open up in front of me and i emerged into a wooded environment very much like the area around my old school.

I started walking around and checking things out. Everything seemed very real. It was actually raining slightly and i was able to feel the drizzle on my face and see the droplets of rain falling off tree branches.

The weird thing was the people. I did come across a few people walking around and some of them said hello as I walked past, the problem was that the people were cartoon-like! The environment was real enough but the people were cartoon images of people.. very weird.

I know it was some kind of overlay experience that was causing me to see people in this way and I tried my best to mentally correct the image and over time the people I came across began looking more lifelike.

I passed a woman on a nearby street and asked her what year it was, as everything seemed so normal that I thought i might even be in the real time physical zone somewhere.

The woman seemed a bit confused by my question (no wonder!) but replied and said that it was 2014!

That's about it really, I spent a few minutes walking around some street areas and the nearby park area that I had originally 'landed' in, before I began to feel things wobbling and becoming indistinct, when the quality of the experience declines and I tend to return to normal waking consciousness.

The Frank Kepple Phasing Resource is now live. You can find the link from the main Astral Pulse menu or click here:

http://www.astralpulse.com/frankkepple.html

For those unfamiliar with his work, Frank is probably the top 'phasing' expert today. He has been a regular contributer to the Astral Pulse forums over the years and has provided invaluable advice to many. Frank's research has built upon the pioneering work of author Robert A Monroe (who coined the term 'phasing') and provides an update to it.

Frank's latest project has been to formulate a revised structural model to explain our astral reality and our place within it. Although Frank has since retired from on-line participation due to ill-health, I have provided a one-stop web resource which details his new model of astral reality as well as a host of related material. The information presented has been culled from his many posts on the forums over the years, and I would encourage those who are interested in his research to seek out his many contributions, where all this information and more, can be found.

Enjoy!

Regards,

Douglas Eckhart

EDIT: The page can temporarily be found here: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_permanent_astral_topics/the_frank_kepple_resourse_page_backup-t29649.0.html

The Frank Kepple Phasing Resource is now live. You can find the link from the main Astral Pulse menu or click here:

http://www.astralpulse.com/frankkepple.html

For those unfamiliar with his work, Frank is probably the top 'phasing' expert today. He has been a regular contributer to the Astral Pulse forums over the years and has provided invaluable advice to many. Frank's research has built upon the pioneering work of author Robert A Monroe (who coined the term 'phasing') and provides an update to it.

Frank's latest project has been to formulate a revised structural model to explain our astral reality and our place within it. Although Frank has since retired from on-line participation due to ill-health, I have provided a one-stop web resource which details his new model of astral reality as well as a host of related material. The information presented has been culled from his many posts on the forums over the years, and I would encourage those who are interested in his research to seek out his many contributions, where all this information and more, can be found.

Enjoy!

Regards,

Douglas Eckhart

EDIT: The page can temporarily be found here: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_permanent_astral_topics/the_frank_kepple_resourse_page_backup-t29649.0.html

The Frank Kepple Phasing Resource is now live. You can find the link from the main Astral Pulse menu or click here:

http://www.astralpulse.com/frankkepple.html

For those unfamiliar with his work, Frank is probably the top 'phasing' expert today. He has been a regular contributer to the Astral Pulse forums over the years and has provided invaluable advice to many. Frank's research has built upon the pioneering work of author Robert A Monroe (who coined the term 'phasing') and provides an update to it.

Frank's latest project has been to formulate a revised structural model to explain our astral reality and our place within it. Although Frank has since retired from on-line participation due to ill-health, I have provided a one-stop web resource which details his new model of astral reality as well as a host of related material. The information presented has been culled from his many posts on the forums over the years, and I would encourage those who are interested in his research to seek out his many contributions, where all this information and more, can be found.

Enjoy!

Regards,

Douglas Eckhart

EDIT: The page can temporarily be found here: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_permanent_astral_topics/the_frank_kepple_resourse_page_backup-t29649.0.html

The Frank Kepple Phasing Resource is now live. You can find the link from the main Astral Pulse menu or click here:

http://www.astralpulse.com/frankkepple.html

For those unfamiliar with his work, Frank is probably the top 'phasing' expert today. He has been a regular contributer to the Astral Pulse forums over the years and has provided invaluable advice to many. Frank's research has built upon the pioneering work of author Robert A Monroe (who coined the term 'phasing') and provides an update to it.

Frank's latest project has been to formulate a revised structural model to explain our astral reality and our place within it. Although Frank has since retired from on-line participation due to ill-health, I have provided a one-stop web resource which details his new model of astral reality as well as a host of related material. The information presented has been culled from his many posts on the forums over the years, and I would encourage those who are interested in his research to seek out his many contributions, where all this information and more, can be found.

Enjoy!

Regards,

Douglas Eckhart

EDIT: The page can temporarily be found here: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_permanent_astral_topics/the_frank_kepple_resourse_page_backup-t29649.0.html

The Frank Kepple Phasing Resource is now live. You can find the link from the main Astral Pulse menu or click here:

http://www.astralpulse.com/frankkepple.html

For those unfamiliar with his work, Frank is probably the top 'phasing' expert today. He has been a regular contributer to the Astral Pulse forums over the years and has provided invaluable advice to many. Frank's research has built upon the pioneering work of author Robert A Monroe (who coined the term 'phasing') and provides an update to it.

Frank's latest project has been to formulate a revised structural model to explain our astral reality and our place within it. Although Frank has since retired from on-line participation due to ill-health, I have provided a one-stop web resource which details his new model of astral reality as well as a host of related material. The information presented has been culled from his many posts on the forums over the years, and I would encourage those who are interested in his research to seek out his many contributions, where all this information and more, can be found.

Enjoy!

Regards,

Douglas Eckhart

I had an interesting trip last night, at least in terms of stunning visual scenery.

I became lucid at some point during the night. I immediately focused and willed myself to expand my  focus of awareness into F3/the astral.

I found myself on a high sea-cliff setting overlooking a wide bay. It seemed very Mediterranean or Caribbean and the sun was just settling down low in the horizon bathing everything in a wonderful golden light.

I was walking along the top of the craggy cliff into which was built/carved balconies and pillars, Greek style. The stone of the pillars and indeed the cliff itself was very light/sandy colour.

Anyway, I was walking along this veranda-like setting on the cliff, just observing this wonderful sunset effect and the golden light just bathing the cliffs and the pillars in this beautiful light. It was absolutely stunning. I don't think I've seen anything like it.

The golden sunset effect seems to be a recurring thing with me as anyone will know who has read my posts in the past, and I keep getting drawn to it for some reason.

Anyway, after a bit, I decided to experiment with looking for a guide/helper, as this issue has been in my mind recently, especially after editing Frank's postings on the subject.
My attempts in the past have not been overly successful but apparently the thing is to be more specific: Just shouting out for help generally is not much good. However, if you express a desire to meet a guide/helper then this can do the trick. Apparently the trick is to think this desire, rather than saying it. It seems to be a more direct means of communication.

As soon as I started expressing this desire mentally, I felt a movement begin. Before I knew it I was flying along above the cliff veranda setting to an area further along. I could feel a definite pull which seemed to be guiding me so I didn't resist but just let it take me where it wanted me to go.

After a few moments I zeroed in on a small group of maybe 3 or 4 people below me. I swooped down slowly until they were in front of me. As I touched down, to my suprise they appeared to be children. Maybe 12 years old or thereabouts? or at least, that is how they appeared.

They seemed friendly enough and one of them greeted me by saying 'hello there Bob', which I found a bit strange to say the least, especially seeing how I'm called Doug, but never mind! I then explained how I was looking to be introduced to my guide, at which point they said that they couldn't really help me with that.
At this point I came round to waking physical consciousness.

All in all a very enjoyable experience: the setting was really the main treat. I wonder if anyone else has ever come across anything like this?

Also, that feeling of a pull as you are guided toward a particular location of person was very interesting too and I am not sure what is controlling that. I did express a desire to meet a guide but after that I just went with the pull. The people I met, while friendly enough, didn't seem to fit the bill, so I'm still unsure as to what was going on.

All in all, an interesting experience.

Doug

I watched it and it was pretty interesting. I know a little of the man and have skimmed his books but this documentary was pretty damning. There is no real doubt that he had turned into your typical cult leader/guru by the end, complete with sex slaves etc.

There was also not a shred of evidence for any Yaqui shamans being remotely involved in the kind of things Castaneda was talking about (i.e. conquering death and turning into pure energy etc). He appears to have culled most of his teachings from other sources and then rearranged them in a Mexican shaman style 'flavour'. Researchers did manage to track down the widow of the man who was probably the name behind 'don Juan' but she said that although Castaneda and her husband (who was a shaman) did indeed talk a lot, nothing concerning the kind of things in his books were talked about and also Castaneda would be pretty unlikely to be a shaman himself (as he later claimed) since shamans have to engage in long periods of fasting and abstinence from sex which she says Castaneda was unwilling to do as he liked his women!

Also his work is not representative of Yaqui or indeed any other Mexican shamanic practice.
Real shamanic practice is actually more concerned with more practical matters, like changing the weather for better harvests, and so on.

I suppose his hardened believers will always counter with the claim that his enemies have conspired against him to fabricate all the negative evidence, but even if you do accept this, the evidence is pretty solid that there was something fishy going on.

The wierd thing is, even if it is all made up, it is still amazing writing and many people have found genuine spiritual value in it. Mind you, if he has culled his work from countless esoteric works then maybe it is not suprising that there are some genuine spiritual truths in there.

Has anybody checked this out yet?
There does not seem to have been much press on it so far.

http://www.thesecret.tv/

I was wondering how many other people have experienced this phenomenon, where you bump into someone or a group whom you instinctively feel you recognise like some long lost friend, yet at the same time you can't for the life of you remember who they are!

This happens to me quite often.

In fact a few nights ago I had an experience where I woke up from a dream state and into a high state of lucidity. I was in some kind of urban, concrete environment. I walked down a side street but stopped when I heard the approach of footsteps coming from around the corner towards me. There were two sets of footsteps, both of which made the familiar 'clunk' sound of high heals.

Before they even came around the corner I felt I would know these two women and sure enough, when they came into sight I recognised them instantly although I don't know from where.

They greeted me and seemed keen to find out what I was doing and how I was finding life 'back there'. They also seemed amused by my clothing, which I guess must have been subconsciously copied from my everyday clothes.

Once again I was struck by the distinctive F3 characteristic of these kinds of experiences where these people act in ways you don't expect them to, and act in a fashion which sets them apart from F2 dream characters. This is something that soon becomes obvious once you have been through a few of these encounters.

Anyway, I spent the next few minutes or so trying to explain to them what I was doing and I also asked them to forgive me if I sounded a bit dumb as this is a common problem when trying to converse from a lucid state when you are not quite 100%. They thought my apologies and my efforts to communicate to be quite amusing, and after a few more seconds I felt myself slip off into dream mode once more, whereupon the experience ended.

Again last night, I became lucid and found myself at some kind of dinner party with some other women I recognised but didn't know! They seemed surprised to see me appear there but knew who I was and were curious to know how I was getting on. And once again, when I apologised for my slightly groggy state due to lucidity they thought this was pretty funny!

These two latest experiences are typical of something I have come across many times. I wonder who these people are and how do I know them? Thanks to lucidity problems, I always tend to forget to ask the obvious questions like  'HOW do I know you?', or 'where do I know you from?'.
All I know is that when you tell these people you recognise them, most likely with a rather confused look on your face, this seems to generate a certain amount of hilarity on their part!

I aim to find out in the near future!

Doug

I had a very odd lucid dream the other night.

I became lucid and found myself surrounded in white light, or perhaps a variety of lights.

I was being lectured to by a disembodied voice about how I was only one of a multitude of different versions of 'me' i.e. other 'focuses' of me in different time-lines and periods.

The voice was telling how all these other 'me's were indeed me but simply living other lives *simultaneously*, which gels with Frank's recent findings as well as the Seth books, although I haven't read the later as yet.

I was told how eventually, all these other versions of 'me' including myself will eventually come into 'full awareness' of my total self, or what is being called 'focus 4', although only when I am completely ready to do so, at my own pace.
I was given the option of trying this out temporarily myself there and then, but even in my partially lucid state, I felt too apprehensive about going that far so resisted the urge, as it is a pretty far out experience from what Frank was describing, and that may be the biggest understatement in history.

However, I do get the feeling that I will be ready to do this one day in the not to distant future and I am planning to work towards that goal.

During the experience I did feel I was becoming aware of the multitude of other 'me's out there, even if only faintly. I guess that in the complete focus 4 state, you are aware of all your myriad lives here as well as elsewhere.



Talking of multiple lives, this re-interpretation of re-incarnation, where although we do indeed have multiple lives, they are experienced at the same time rather than sequentially, is quite something to get my head round, although it is starting to make more sense.

In my view this doesn't take any value away from past life regression therapy, as I believe it is indeed possible to access all your other lives, even although they are happening simultaneously, due to the fact that the regression takes you to a point in null time, or the part of you that resides outside of space-time, where although you are still living these lives, you can still review them all from start to finish. Due to this strange effect, I still think it is possible for events in other lives to affect us in this life, particularly if it is some kind of traumatic event; for this to happen there has to be some kind of (still unknown) close connection that links your 'current' life with that other one, allowing this bleed-through to occur.

Past life regression and therapy is still valuable in my view, in order to resolve some of these issues, even if I disagree with the therapist's view on the actual mechanics of how multiple lives work in practice.

Doug

United Kingdom:

Gay marriages (under the guise of 'civil partnerships') became legal today (tuesday, 20th december), with Scotland's first sanctioned gay marriage, held in the Capital's historic Edinburgh Castle this afternoon.

Gay marriages became legal in Scotland a day earlier than the law for England, which will come into effect the following day, on wednesday, 21st.

story and video clip:

http://scotlandtoday.scottishtv.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1_1_1&newsid=9925&newsType=

Last night I became lucid and right away I did my usual routine of dismissing my dream environment and emerging into the 'astral proper'.

I found myself in a region of green hills and glades that I have come to know as 'the park' after the identical locale described by Monroe that resides in F27 (or upper Focus 3 if you follow Frank's model). According to Monroe and later, Frank, 'the park' serves as a relaxing environment for those who are recovering from the transition from physical life; it is an area that I appear to be drawn to again and again, and where I frequently bump into people I instantly recognise but have absolutely no conscious idea who they are; an all too common experience for those who have made it to F27 locales before.

This time, I saw a group of people coming over the hill towards me. As they got closer I saw that it was a large party of children, ranging from the very young to early teens.. they seemed to be in good spirits and were being accompanied by an adult, a middle-aged female. As the children started to pass me, I said hello and some of them smiled and nodded in my direction. I even shook the hands of some of them as they passed.
As the woman approached I realised I knew her very well and she knew me, even although I couldnt remember her at all (once again I thought!).
Right away I felt I just had to embrace her and in doing so I felt a real influx of warm emotional energy; at the same time I felt this woman had a certain authority about her, coming with experience perhaps.

I thought I better tell her that I had come here from the physical world, but she replied that of course, she already knew me and where I had come from. Then she said that I had better make sure I go back as I 'had work to do'. I have no idea what she meant by this. She then left to catch up with the party of children but before she left she introduced me to another adult whom I had not noticed before. I did not recognise this other woman but the middle aged woman nodded to say she realised this.

I was then left alone with this other young woman. She seemed quite downcast and was looked 'physically' ill; ie she was very gaunt, wasted looking. I asked her who she was and she told me her name although I can't remember it now. She said that she used to live in 'California' or 'Philidelphia'; I can't recall which exactly, and that she had suffered from a severe eating disorder, perhaps anorexia or bulimia. Privately, I wondered if she had indeed 'died' from this and was still recovering from the experience.
I put my arms around her and hugged her for a while; the next thing I remember was waking up the next morning.

I have spent the rest of the day thinking about this experience, it was quite moving and extremely vivid and lucid.

Doug

Some extra info on Samhain/Halloween:

The Irish pronounciation is 'SOW-en'. In Scottish Gaelic it is pronounced 'SAV-en'.

Now called Halloween, the festival has always been, and continues to be, a very popular festival in Ireland and Scotland, where it goes way back, originating in the Celtic new year.

Irish and Scottish immigrants took the festival with them when they went to the US, and changed to using pumpkins as they were much easier to hollow out than the old practice of using turnips and cabbages.

Up until recently here in Scotland, people were still using turnips but now the american takeover of halloween has resulted in pumpkins becoming the main choice here too, although many die-hards (including myself) still adhere to the turnip lantern even if it is damn hard work!

The spooky lantern is used to scare off evil spirits who may be abroad on this night.

large fires were lit in local neighbourhoods on this night, and continue to be. This practice was to see in the celtic new year and the transition from summer to winter; sacrifices may be thrown on the fire, including a manikin, called the 'Guy'. In recent centuries, in Britain, this old practice was usurped by the november 5th bonfire celebration which reflects an attempt to blow up the houses of parliament in london. However, it should be obvious to most people that this is just a thin disguise to excuse the continued practice of a much older festival.

However the practice of having the fire on november 5th instead of october 31st is now common practice in Scotland, although this is fine as it actually serves to extend the Halloween/Samhain festival.

Halloween is now becoming increasingly popular in England, although mainly through the adoption of the vulgarised American version, which is sadly also threatening the traditional Irish and Scottish practices.

For example, in Scotland up until recently people did not 'trick or treat'.
Rather the practice, called 'guising', involved children dressing up and going round doors and performing songs in the hope of getting some money. There was no implied threat involved. However, due to the influence of the Americanised version, many children have stopped the traditional practices of singing songs and now simply 'trick or treat', which is nothing short of blackmail!

There is a greater move to preserve the more traditional practices these days however, but it remains to be seen if it will be possible to turn the tide!

However you celebrate it, Happy Halloween everyone!

Doug

Two nights ago, I awoke to a strange sensation, it was not the usual vibes I am used to but a strange feeling of disconnection. At the same time as this was occuring i was getting the very distinct impression that I was being given the choice to either end my current life experience or to continue; the choice was mine, if I chose to leave it I could transition at once, a decision which would be permanent (ie physical death) or I could continue with this life experience. In that moment, that's all my entire life seemed to equate to: a life experience trip.

Almost right away I thought, 'hey! of course I want to carry on with it, it may be crud sometimes but I want to see it through to the end, and also great things happen in it which make it all worthwhile'.

Right away, I got some kind of feedback that this was acceptable but that some 'upgrade' work would have to be undertaken as there were a few 'errors'  or glitches in my 'makeup' that needed to be dealt with.
I was told that this upgrading process might result in a little disorientation.

After a few moments I did feel a bit unsettled and dizzy for a few minutes then I fell asleep.
I woke the next day and didnt notice any particular change in my 'makeup' or any fixed 'glitches', but maybe they are subtle things I know nothing about.

How's that for weird?
Of course maybe its all just a pure fantasy concocted by my mind as a response to some unusual vibes I haven't come across before. After all, it is common for people who experience vibes for the first time to think they are dying. However I am not a vibe first timer so I dont see how that explanation works. But the sensation I woke up with was different, although I cant really explain  it.

Oh well, I'm still here lol!

Doug

ok so if you didnt know who Monroe is then I guess you wouldnt be reading this.

For those who do:

Last night I woke up to feel the vibes and settled down to some astral work. Soon, I became aware of a tunnel I was travelling down and at the end of it I perceived an older guy whom I suddenly got the info was Monroe. Funny as I hadnt even thought about him for ages.

Unfortunatly as soon as I realised it was him my shock woke me up.

Doug

Sky News: Tuesday September 6, 03:28 PM
 
A group of female hurricane survivors were told to show their breasts if they wanted to be rescued, a British holidaymaker has revealed. Ged Scott watched as American rescuers turned their boat around and sped off when the the women refused.

The account was just another example of the horror stories emerging from the hurricane disaster zone.

Mr Scott, 36, of Liverpool, United Kingdom, was with his wife and seven-year-old daughter in the Ramada Hotel when the flood waters started rising.

"At one Advertisement point, there were a load of girls on the roof of the hotel saying 'Can you help us?' and the policemen said 'Show us what you've got' and made signs for them to lift their T-shirts," he told the Liverpool Evening Echo.

"When the girls refused, they said `Fine' and motored off down the road in their boat."

At one point he had to wade through filthy water to barricade the hotel doors against looters.

He said the experience made him want to vomit.

Mr Scott also slated the rescue operation, saying police were more interested in taking snapshots of the devastation rather than rescuing the victims.

"I could not have a lower opinion of the authorities, from the police officers on the street right up to George Bush," he said.

"I couldn't describe how bad the authorities were. Just little things like taking photographs of us, as we are standing on the roof waving for help, for their own little snapshot albums"

He added: "The American people saved us. I wish I could say the same for the American authorities."

Mike Brocken, of Chester, said he feared his wife Christine and 18-year-old daughter Stephanie would be raped when they went into the Louisiana Superdome.

The family were also racially abused by other refugees in the stadium.

Mr Brocken, a BBC Radio Merseyside presenter and music lecturer, told the station: "We were going to go inside the Superdome.

"I approached two members of the National Guard and they said to stay outside because they knew it was hell in there.

"One female office basically said under no circumstances take the women in there, because she knew what it was like.

"We were so frightened and we stayed alongside the National Guard for some kind of protection.

"It was at that stage that they started to take us under their wing and eventually managed to get us into the basketball stadium."

He added: "Everyone talks about the National Guard in rather derogatory ways historically, but I've got to say that, but for them, and one man in particular, I may well have lost my family."

Sky News

Over the past week or so I have been experimenting with traditional 'scrying' techniques as an alternative route to reach focus states equated to the astral world.

I became interested when I came across a few magical/new age sites which gave instructions and examples of scrying. Right away I saw how traditional 'scrying' is in fact another method of phasing but using an object to bring about the required mental state.


For those of you who don't know what 'scrying' is, basically it is using things like crystal balls, bowls of water, mirrors and other things which when concentrated on, reveal images and moving scenes either from the future or other locations or whatever else the viewer desires. The quality of these effects varies depending on the skill of the scryer, just as normal 'phasing' does.

I realised that what seems to be happening when a skilled practitioner gazes into the crystal ball is that they bring on what we call an 'overlay' experience where a sequence from one area of awareness mixes with another due to expanded consciousness. The overlay is perceived within the scrying device itself, or at least that is how it is perceived by the practitioner.
However, I noted with interest that many scryers report how the scenes can often *expand beyond the confines of the crystal to take up your entire field of vision* i.e. you enter the scene directly, which is of course what we refer to as the phasing process.

The classic idea that a skilled practitioner can view other scenes from physical reality via a crystal ball or other device, or can perceive scenes from potential future reality ('fortune telling' basically) is quite consistent with phasing and expanded awareness. Future scenes for example are probably scenes generated within what we call F2 of reality  but the accuracy of them, i.e. how close they are to predicting the likely outcome of present events, is really down to the skill and ability of the practitioner and their ability to perceive that aspect of wider reality.

I thought that perhaps people might want to try scrying as an alternative method for phasing; it is after all tried and tested down through the centuries. The Elizabethan astrologer and occultist Dr John Dee used a piece of black mirror as well as crystals; the Greeks and Romans used crystals, mirrors and bowls of water.

Use whatever you feel comfortable with. I have discovered a ready made 'crystal ball' which is actually the top of a brandy decanter!

Scryers advise a darkened room, perhaps only candle lit, as you don't really want any reflections in the glass to distract you.
You should practice gazing *through* the crystal rather than at it, interestingly, just as when you are attempting to phase by looking *through* images behind your closed eyelids, rather than *at them*.

Eventually you will notice the darkness begin to part, perhaps with a pinprick of light becoming visable and expanding to form images. The crystal may also become cloudy, clearing to reveal images.

As you become more adept you may find that the scenes expand beyond the confines of the device, which in effect means you have phased directly. Otherwise you can continue to view scenes within the crystal much in the same way as you can view scenes in an 'astral window' during the standard phasing process.

I have only just begun practicing this method myself over the past couple of days. The first day nothing happened but during the next day's session I did indeed notice the crystal becoming cloudy and a light began to form. However my excitement broke my concentration and that was that.

Scryers do say not to expect results right away but I was surprised at how easily I was able to get results. I want to continue this practice to see if I can achieve a full phasing result from it. I certainly find it easier than standard internal phasing methods. Perhaps others who are feeling stuck using the standard method might want to give the scrying method a go too.

It would be interesting if anyone else gets good results from this alternative phasing method.

All for now,
Doug

A fantastic turn out in Edinburgh yesterday for the great 'Make poverty History' march, ahead of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles. 100,000 people were expected to take part, but in the event, both organisers and police estimated that over 200,000 people marched, making it one of the biggest political demonstrations ever held in Scotland.

Marchers were encouraged to wear white and as they snaked their way around the streets of the Scottish Capital, they all linked hands at approx. 3pm to form a white band which could be seen from the air, the white band being a symbol of the 'Make Poverty History' movement.

Police and participants spoke of a 'carnival atmosphere' and there was no trouble apart from an isolated scuffle between a few anarchists and police which was quickly contained.

While 200,000 people is impressive, Bob Geldof has stated that this is only a taster. He wants upwards of one million plus to arrive in the city this coming Wednesday for the 'Great March' to Gleneagles, forty miles to the north of Edinburgh; Wednesday marks the official start of the summit.

Doug

I was just wondering how many people out there have had similar success as me with using Tarot cards?

I am not normally one to be a sucker for a lot of new age stuff, but I have found that Tarot DOES work very well as an oracle. When I say 'oracle', i mean that in its modern sense as a means to connect with your intuition to provide guidance in making decisions about your life. The Tarot is highly symbolic, utilising dream-like metaphoric symbols and images and the cards have a variety of meanings which, when combined in a spread, prove to be very illuminating.

btw I don't subscribe to the idea of cards telling you that you will win the lottery next week or whatever. It is these kinds of 'predictions' which serve to discredit tarot cards and other oracles like runes etc. Proper oracles really tell you more about the *present* than the future and help you choose the best possible course of action given the possible scenarios..they provide the likely outcomes of taking a specific course of action and then leave you to make the decision.

There is nothing 'magical' about this. The tarot, like all proper oracles, is about providing an easy way to get in touch with your intuition, which is pretty much swamped by external stimuli for the most part in today's world.

Despite my initial sceptical view of them in the past, i have now grown to find them very useful, enjoyable and enlightning.

I was wondering about what other people think of them? esp. those who were sceptical as to their worth beforehand.

Doug

Last night I had an extraordinary experience which is unlike anything I've experienced so far.

I became lucid during the night and found myself wandering over some landscape or other. The sun was out.

Now, I'm guessing this was probably some generated dreamscape/F2 zone and just walked around enjoying it. Then my attention was drawn up to the sun above me.
Now the sun started to take on a different aspect. The light emitting from it took on that golden light I have come to associate with F27/F3 or 'the park'. A wonderful light that radiates a feeling of love or what Frank would call 'subjective energy'. Although Moen's description of 'unconditional love' seems an equally good description in my view as that is precisely the emotional effect that pure subjective energy has on you. The term 'subjective energy' while being more factually correct in terms of identifying the energy, falls short of describing the effect that it has upon you, a crucial factor imv.

Anyway, I suddenly felt drawn to this light and started flying upwards and towards it. I tried sending 'positive vibes' or sense of love towards it and immediately the light returned this but magnified 10 fold.

I then slowed down in my approach to this wonderful golden light so I reached out and grabbed hold of the rays of light emanating from the light. I then found that with this contact established, the light was able to pull me towards it more effectively.

While much of this pull towards the light appears to have been due to my desire to approach it, I also got the definite sense that the light itself was sentient in some way, it was intelligent. I don't know if the light represented some being/person or a group of people or a more abstract energy, but it definatly appeared to want me to approach it and was attempting to help me do so.

The light grew until it virtually enveloped me and I increasingly felt myself lose contact with my old lucid environment and with my physical body (which before I was still dimly aware of.)

At this point fear kicked in. I started to fear about being absorbed by this golden light, despite the feeling of warmth emanating from it, that perhaps I might somewhere lose myself within it, or lose my individuality somehow. I don't know. It was just a generic fear of the unknown. Anyway, the onset of this fear became manifest immediately as I became aware of an enormous struggle going on, with the light trying to pull me towards itself and my physical body, far away, trying to pull me back to itself.. I was some where in the middle! (Actually I was much closer to the light at this point). I guess this was a manifestation of the struggle in my own mind about the whole experience.

In the end my fears won out and the light let me go. I shot back to physical; unfortunately I didn't focus 100% on physical because when I returned I was half out of my body, with me sticking sideways out of the bed at an odd angle. It took me a few seconds to realign myself properly!

This was an amazing experience and it confuses me as I have never come across anything like it so far. I have been somewhat aware of this light in the past, that I have felt that the 'sunlight' above me was often hiding more than at at first appeared, but I never took it further. This is the first time I have been pulled towards it and it has shown itself to be much more than at first appears.

Perhaps it was all a dreamscape/f2 experience but there is something about the energy emitted from the light that makes it far more significant than that. It seems to radiate unconditional love/pure subjective energy; I don't know if it is abstract energy or whether it is actually a being/individual or group of individuals whom I cannot perceive at this time. I'm not sure. The thing is, I HAVE met members of my 'astral family' in more familiar surroundings in 'the park' in F27 and they appeared far more 'human'. This light however, I don't know what to make of it! It radiated the same energy as they do, but far stronger.

Anyone had any similar experiences or can lesson my fears the next time I find myself being 'drawn into the light'?

Doug

Last night I was enjoying the audio delights of listening to music while in the 'Focus 12' state; that state of 3d blackness some people are familiar with. Not everyone knows about the properties of the 3d blackness state so i thought I would point out that you don't just have to float in a peaceful black abyss, although that is also nice sometimes.

Next time, just imagine a nice piece of music... absolutely anything you want, classical music or whatever. You will notice that very quickly it goes from just a thought to a reality! You will start to hear it all around you.. focus more and the music increases in quality and clarity until it is booming all around you in glorious dolby 50000000000000000.1 surround sound... forget your hi-fi.. in fact forget even the Albert Hall.. here music sounds even better than its does rendered in the physical world, don't ask me how I can tell, just experience it for yourself.
As i said, it doesnt just have to be classical music either.. the duke box is only as large as your imagination! Last night I thought of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.... Now THAT was something worth hearing!

This time I modified it with a visual. I tried to imagine somewhere where this music might come from and an 'astral window' appeared in front of me that seemed to show some kind of bar/club area with a band on stage, I was viewing from the vantage point of the audiance but I wasnt actually 'in ' the scene, ie i hadnt actually 'phased' into it.. i was just observing from the window of my Focus 12 state. Event so the quality of the image never fails to amaze me.. forget your plasma screen tvs too. This has led me to come up with another idea.. if you can remember your favourite film well enough then you can play it in this state and enjoy it with audio and picture quality even better than the original picture! I might try that... also eventialy I might think what the hell and jump into the scene and take part myself!

Ok some might accuses me of mundane use of the greater reality.. but as well as exploring it on a wider level, I don't see any harm in a bit of useless fun now and again..  thats right.. fun... its not illegal you know!

Doug  

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy chocolate-egg munching Easter!

Have a great weekend!  

For those interested in the pagan origins of Easter (the anglo-saxon goddess 'Eostre'), then check my post in the World Religions section:
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18171

Regards,
Doug

How many people know that most of what we associate with the Easter celebrations is actually pagan? (much like halloween and christmas).

The name has two main origins. The 8th century anglo-saxon monk Bede says the name, and the festival comes from the anglo-saxon/germanic fertility goddess 'Eostre' or 'Ostra' who was celebrated at the Spring Equinox to celebrate the growth of spring and fertility.

Many of our Easter customs formed part of the festivities attributed to Eostre. including the 'March Hare' or rabbits, ancient symbols of fertility (later to become the 'easter bunny' in the US), 'hot cross buns', coming from the tradition of baking cakes and buns to honour coming fertility and abundance of Eostre. And painting eggs with bright colours, as eggs were ancient symbols of rebirth, fertility and the coming spring. The painting of them with bright colours celebrated the anticipation of the new colours of spring and the flowering plants. These were given to people as gifts or used in games, such as rolling or hiding the eggs.

However, besided the anglo-saxon origin, the Equinox festival and variations of it were celebrated throughout the ancient world and go back much further than the anglo-saxon goddess 'Eostre', who was but the latest incarnation.

In fact, all these traditions got back further to the ancient near-east such as at Babylon, and the spring rites of the goddess Ishtar (whose name was pronounced 'easter' as we say it!).

She was born in a giant cosmic egg which fell into the Euphrates, therby signalling the coming of Spring. Again, rabbits, baked buns and painted eggs formed  a large part of the festivities.
Later with the cult of the Great Mother, an eastern goddess who became popular in Rome from the 2nd century BC, she had a male consort called Attis, who was born of a virgin and represented vegetation. He was symbolically killed during the equinox festival, on what we call 'black Friday' and ressurected three days later, representing the renewal of Spring... sound familiar?

The reason these pagan festivals survive in Christian guise is due to the fact that these pagan festivities were far too popular to ban so the early christian leaders, in a stroke of genius, decided that instead of banning them, the answer was to incorporate them! That way people could carry on with celebrating their ancient rites but the christian leaders could incorporate them into the christian message and alter their meaning so as to have christian significance. eg the egg rolling becomes the stone being rolled away from the tomb of christ and so on.

However, although this makes perfect sense in my opinon, and i dont know why pagan festivals cannot be reinterpreted to convey christian meanings, some churches in the US have started a campaign to remove all the fun stuff in easter, ie the bunnies and eggs and even to ditch the name 'Easter'.. they dont like the Eostre/Ishtar origin; They want to call it 'Ressurection Day' instead...

A bit extreme in my opinion!
Anyway, as I am not Christian and therefore enjoy the ancent pagan origins, I am quite happy to celebrate the coming of Spring with eggs and easter bunnies... the celebration of the coming Spring means a lot more to me personally than any grafted on christian message. Each to their own!

Doug

PS I wonder what the anglo-saxon goddess would have thought about *chocolate* eggs though!.... I don't think she'd mind, after all, most women love chocolate!

Be kind to your enemies... be generous to he that has wronged you
Mesopotamian inscription 3rd Millenium BC. Iraq.



This issue might seem absurdly obvious to some, but it remains the case that there is a widespread myth, spread by fundamentalists (and esp. hollywood epics of the 1950/60s!) that true morality and ethics only began with Judeo-Christianity and that before that, people had no sense of morality and ethics and pagan culture was basically one of immorality full-stop. Of course, this is not true. as Anyone familiar with the greek philosophers will know, with Plato going on to become extremely important in the theology and ethics of christianity.

And for those who subscribe to the idea that before christianity 'life was cheap', they might like to read the following article by Cicero, the great Roman Statesman of the mid 1st century BC, an adherrant of the Stoic school of philosophy. It will be clear from the outset, that he *values human life*  and basic human fellowship. In the real world of course, life was often 'cheap' (political events, crime etc) but then life continued to be 'cheap' throughout the following christian period and up to the present day, but just because this is the reality does not mean that it was accepted as an ideal. Pagan ethics was very concerned with finding a way for humans to live together in harmony

Despite what religonists would say, the same basic moral principles are found in all human societies, even if they are not articulated in any kind of advanced theory. That you should be 'kind to your neighbour' and not dump on him was long an accepted maxim amongst all levels of society, as without an innate sense of this virtue, settled civic society is impossible. It goes without saying that not everyone adheres to these ideas all the time, but they are a dominating facet of any settled society, otherwise there could BE no settled society. Of course, the pagan elite, being educated, wished to find sophisticated, articulated ways to express and explore the basic human virtues, and find an ideal way of cultivating them, hense the pagan ethical systems.

Anyway, Here's Cicero's excellent article about the value of human life and the ideal of helping out your neighbour:

------------------------------------------------------------
(Translated from the Latin)
CICERO:
HOW TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS:

Sometimes expediency and right (as we understand the terms) will appear to clash. In order to avoid mistaken decisions when this happens, we must establish some rule to guide us in making such comparisons and to prevent us from deserting our obligations. That rule will be in accordance with the teaching and system of the Stoics; they are my models in this work - for the New Academy (to which I belong) gives us wide latitude to support any theory which has probability on its side. But to return to my rule.

Well, then, to take something away from someone else - that one man should profit by another's loss - is more unnatural than death, or destitution, or pain, or any other physical or external blow. To begin with, it strikes at the roots of human society and fellowship. For if we each of us propose to rob or injure one another for our personal gain, then we are clearly going to demolish what is more completely natural than anything else in the world: the link that unites every human being with every other. Just imagine if each of our limbs had its own consciousness and decided it would do better if it appropriated the nearest limb's strength! Of course the whole body would inevitably collapse and die. In precisely the same way, if every one of us seizes and appropriates other people's property, the human community, the brotherhood of mankind, collapses. It is natural enough for a man to prefer earning a living for himself rather than for someone else - granted; but what nature forbids is that we should increase our means, property and resources by plundering others.

Indeed this idea - that one must not injure anybody else for one's own advantage - is not only natural law, an internationally valid principle; it is also incorporated in the statutes which individual communities have framed for their national purposes. The whole point and intention of those statutes is that one citizen shall live safely with another: anyone who attempts to undermine that association is punished with fines, imprisonment, exile, or death.

The same conclusion follows even more forcibly from the rational principle in nature, the law that governs gods and men alike. Whoever obeys it - and everyone who wants to live according to nature's laws must obey it - will never be guilty of coveting another man's goods or appropriating for himself what he has taken from someone else. For great-heartedness and loftiness of soul, and courtesy, and justice, and generosity, are far more natural than self-indulgence, or wealth, or even life itself. But to despise this latter category of things, to attach no importance to them in comparison with the common good, really does need a great and lofty heart.

In the same way, it is more truly natural to model oneself on Hercules and undergo the most terrible labours and troubles to help and save all the nations of the earth than (however superior you are in looks or strength) to live a secluded, untroubled life with plenty of money and pleasures. Mankind was grateful to Hercules for his services, and popular belief gave him a place among the gods.

So the finest and noblest characters prefer a life of dedication to a life of self-indulgence: and one may go further, and conclude that such men conform with nature (for that is just what they do) and will therefore do no harm to their fellow-men.

In conclusion: a man who wrongs another for his own benefit either imagines, presumably, that he is not doing anything unnatural, or he does not agree that death, destitution, pain, the loss of children, relations, friends, are less deplorable than doing wrong to another person. But if he sees nothing unnatural in wronging a fellow-being, how can you argue with him? - he is taking away from man all that makes him man. If, however, he concedes tbat this ought to be avoided, but regards death, destitution, and pain as even more undesirable, he is mistaken in believing that any damage, either to his person or to his property, is worse than a moral failure.

So everyone ought to have the same purpose: to make the interest of each the same as the interest of all. For if men grab for themselves, it will mean the complete collapse of human society.

And if Nature prescribes (as she does) that every human being must help every other human being, whoever he is, just precisely because they are all human beings, then - by the same authority - all men have identical interests. Having identical interests means that we are all subject to one and the same Law of Nature: and, that being so, the very least that such a law must enjoin is that we may not wrong one another. The hypothesis of that proposition is true; so the conclusion is true also. People are not talking sense if they claim (as they sometimes do) that they do not intend to rob their parents or brothers for their own gain, but that robbing their other compatriots is a different matter. That is the same as denying any common interest with their fellow-countrymen, or any consequent legal or social obligations. And such a denial shatters the whole fabric of national life.

Latin Literature, An Anthology, London, 1989, 34-36.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Doug

PS btw I'm not criticising christian ethics, they are also provide very good guidelines to conducting your life well; I was just wanted to provide an example of an equally valid, in my view, pagan ethical system, that was already alive and well beforehand.

All fans of the UK sci-fi series DOCTOR WHO: the show is officially the longest running sci-fi series in the world, running since 1963!

As fans will know, the show is returning at long last on Saturday, 26th March! Check it out here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/

Whovians: post your comments!

Doug

For those in the UK, tonight at 9pm on BBC1 is the second part of a 2 part docu-drama about what might happen if the Supervolcano underneath Yellowstone national park erupts. Nothing much actually happended last night on part 1, the action is all tonight.. check it out if you have time. The docu-drama is a joint production between the BBC and the Discovery Channel so US viewers may get to see it themselves in due course.

Ok so it might not blow for another 100,000 years (if at all), but on the otherhand it could happen tomorrow!

Doug

What are 'ghosts'? Why is this a subject for 'astral consciousness' I hear you ask?

Well, I have seen some weird s**t myself in the past and my ex-girlfriend saw her own fully fledged classic ghost a couple of years ago too, so I have little doubt that the phenomenon is real, but what is causing it?

Bruce Moen has a very good idea, which is neatly tied up with his retrieval knowledge (extract taken from his website):

Ghosts are real. The following is condensed from my second book, Voyage Beyond Doubt

"Several times a year I get calls from someone concerned about a ghostly presence they're aware of, usually in their home. Some callers are frantic, worried the ghost might do them harm. Others are more concerned for the welfare of a ghost. There are some simple things anyone can do to permanently move a ghost out of their house. Before getting to them, let's cover some basics and hopefully clear up a few misconceptions.

First, the most important thing to know is that ghosts are just human beings not living in physical bodies. These are people just like you and me. Like people everywhere, ghosts can be friendly, scary, smart, stupid and everything in between, but they're just people.

Second, at its most basic, the reason you can be aware of a ghost is because its attention is focused at the level of physical world reality. There can be many reasons why ghosts do this. They may be unaware they're dead and staying close to familiar surroundings or people. They may be aware of their death, but confused about what they're supposed to do. Some ghosts may have a message they want to give someone still living in the physical world. There are lots of reasons why a ghost's attention may be focused at the level of physical world reality, but that focus of attention is what brings them to your awareness and keeps them here.

Third, you have nothing to fear from a ghost. Despite what Hollywood horror films would have us believe, such a person is not a threat to you. Projecting your own fear onto a ghost can certainly appear to give evidence to the contrary. Too many people I work with bought into Hollywood's fear-inducing images, and are scared out of their wits, thus adding to their problem.

Fourth, there are Helpers living in the nonphysical world who will gladly assist you in your attempt to move a ghost along. All you have to do is ask. Often the Helper is someone actively trying to assist the ghost, but unable to reach him. Sometimes there's a Helper waiting to move a specific ghost. The Afterlife abounds with Helpers willing to volunteer their assistance wherever such an opportunity presents itself."

So again, yes, ghosts are real. They're just human beings stuck in Focus 23 close enough to physical world reality that some of us are able to perceive them.

Bruce Moen


Do you agree with his theory?

I think it fits the bill, at least for some cases, what do others think?

Douglas
______________________

Since starting 'phasing' work (to coin monroe's term) over the past couple of years, i have found that the same technique allows me to access the rtz just as easily as it does other astral enviroments. It used to be thought that phasing only allowed access to non physical enviroments while traditional obe techniques had to be used to access the rtz.

However, i found at an early stage that using phasing techniques I used to end up n the rtz zone just as often as i would in some 'focus whatever' enviroment. Granted its not always easy to tell the difference since many enviroments are so similar to rtz enviroments, however there have undoubtably been times when i have been in the rtz.. either near my house or in it, or flying down my highstreet and so on. So there does not appear to be any distinction in my opinion.. phasing allows standard rtz access just as easily as to the astral enviroment.. the only thing you have to watch for is reality fluctuations.. as RB points out, a little distortion does no harm, indeed I often make use of it, for example by making it daylight, when it is dark outside, so I can see better. However if reality fluctuation get out of control you will fade out of the rtz alltogether and emerge somewhere in the astral proper, which happens to me a lot.

The reason i am recomending this to those who are interested in travel to the rtz, is that i find a lot of the standard obe techniques are very difficult, what with raising energy etc etc.. with phasing there is no issue with this.. you simply step into the enviroment... your 'body' is created for you automatically! you dont even notice, although sometimes in the rtz i have noticed that i dont have any body at all, i am just pure consciousness (although i must still have some form of energy 'interface'.)

This has led me to wonder if there is any difference between the rtz and any other level of consciousnes. There must be some difference because in any other astral enviroment i can interact with it, but if you phase to the rtz you are in 'ghost' mode and unable to interact with the physical, in fact the moment you notice that you can interact with it, is usually the first sign that you've dropped out of the physical and into the astral proper.

This also makes me wonder whats going on with the 'astral body' idea. now i think we've established that the concept of all these bodies inside each other, like a russian doll, is wrong.. the body is just a receiver for consciousness.. but when you are phasing in the rtz your awareness IS away from your own physical body.. now for your awareness to function and be able to move around and perceive the rtz it it needs something to do this with.. (this is what our bodies are for usually), so i still think the concept of the 'energy body' is correct, at least for the rtz as your awareness needs some kind of temporary interface with which to move around the rtz *without* a physical body.. I would guess that as soon as your awareness re-focuses on your physical body again OR you drift off into the astral enviroment, then this energy body dissapates.
The standard obe techniques are all about generating this temporary shell, which can be very difficult, however like i say, if you get good at phasing this whole process can be done for you automatically, without you even thinking about it!

Doug

I have been reading with interest the discussions about subjective vs objective reality and what we usually term the astral.

However, I am still not completely sure I understand the implications of this. If it is the case that all of our astral experiences are 'objective interpretations' of subjective reality, does it then follow that if we try to minimise our expectations as much as possible so as not to create scenarios, then we may experience the genuine 'astral' enviroment itself ie an underlying subjective reality which is not distorted by our own expectations? Thats what i alsways assumed before, when exploring and i have previously thought when visiting areas like monroes focus 27 etc that these places appeared to exist independently of me.. ie I came to them with an air of curiosity but nothing more so i felt I was seeing the place as the residents saw it.

More on the issue of 'constructs'.. The concept of belief constructs can lead some people to think.. 'nothing is real its all a belief construct' or some such.. This problem comes about in the academic disipline of social anthropology too, where we analyse 'social constructs' and where it becomes apparant through comparing societies that all societies have their own unique social structures and values of 'right and wrong' etc.. so all features of society are made up of 'social constructs'.

The thing to remember though, as my anthropology tutor once pointed out..  is that just because something is a social construct (or a belief construct for that matter) that doesnt mean its not real.

It is real, all social constucts or belief constructs for that matter ARE real for the people who create them and they serve a valid purpose in allowing them to perceive the world..
Just because people *made* somethnig doesnt mean its not real or valid.

If it is the case that the physical world is a belief constuct it still means it is quite real for those who live in it.. indeed it is so powerful that in my opinion no-one born into it can possiblly reject its basic elemental features as they are too deeply ingrained from birth.
For example, Frank says that things like nutrition eating etc are belief constructs ie we believe that we need to eat in order to survive therefore we do.
This is correct i think, but I can guarantee that you will find no individual on earth, including you Frank, who could possible stop eating and live off  'sunlight' for example, and still hope to survive. You wouldnt because deep down the core belief structure that you eat to live cannot be removed. I think even if you did manage to convince yourself on a conscious level that you could live off sunlight for example, you would still starve to death because your unconsious mind is still unconvinced and always will be for your duration within physical reality.

The material world is probably the most persuasive belief constructs and for us is therefore VERY real.
I guess my main point is that the phrase 'its just a belief system' is getting banded about here quite often without stopting to realise the implications of the statement and also there seems to be slightly negative attitude about this phrase, as if because something is a 'belief system', it is not as good as 'greater reality': on the contrary, any 'belief' system' is a supreme act of creation, which we all have as part of our essential nature.. it is the very thing that allows for creation itself... it should be given its due respect.

Doug

Don't konw if that made any sense whatsoever haha! but make of it what you will... you are the creator!  

I have been having this problem for a while now.. everytime I am in the middle of an experience and I come across writing in any form, whether it be on a page or say a name on a shop front, I just can't read it.. in fact the more i stare at it the less sense it makes!

At first I thought maybe it was because I constructed a belief that I couldnt read writing in the astral, therefore this is why I can't, but I'm not so sure about this as the first few times this happened I had no clear ideas about it at all, in fact I didnt even bother thinking about it, it was only after a while i became aware of the fact that I could never interprete writing and when i thought back I realised this had always been the case.

more recently i have been activly trying my hardest to read shop front signs and so on but no matter no hard I force it the more i stare the less comprehensible it gets.. the funny thing is when i glance at it for the first time I can *almost* read it, but not quite, but its down hill from there.

last night i had what appeared to be a rtz experience where I was flying down my local high street and there where several recognisible shop  front signs there but I found mysefl unable to interprete them, the writing actually shifts under my gaze.

I wonder if it is because the act of interpreting writing involves certain higher awareness functions which are perhaps not switched on via my main means of astral experience, which is coming from an initial dream state.. is it the case that if you engage from a fully awake (c1) state and you have 100% of your faculties then you can read things no problem?

Doug

Some people may be interested to read that the 1st century ce Roman encyclopaedist Pliny the Elder discusses OBE accounts in his Natural History:

'... Among other examples we find that Hermotimus of Clazomenae used to leave his body and wander about, reporting many things from afar that only an observer on the spot could know; meanwhile his body was only half alive. This continued until some enemies, called the Cantharidae, burnt his body and took away the sheath, as it were, from his soul when it returned.
The soul of Aristaeus, also, was seen at Proconnesus flying out of his mouth in the form of a raven; this subsequently gave rise to the invention of many stories.'

Pliny: Natural history : Zoology : Man 174.


Just goes to show there's nothing new under the sun!

Douglas

Last night's experience i found more significant than usual as i actually felt the process of my awareness expanding in some detail.. upon focusing on this I was able to get fleeting glimpses of what I felt were 'other aspects of me' in different situations, some of which they looked quite similar to me, and in others were they looked quite different physically.
It was as if i was able to expand my awareness into theirs for a fleeting moment, but it was only that... i didnt have any time to explore these areas, it was more like a quick sample..

Anyway the next thing was. i pushed my awereness wider and then i started getting fleeting glimpses of other people although i cant remember any physical features about them, but they had names associated with them... the 'labels' attatched to them appeared to be Frank, Selski and Telos! I briefly conversed with them but i dont think there was any definate contact on their part.. it was more like I caught a glimpse of them and recognised them via their names on this forum.. odd especially since i hadnt been thinking about them at all (sorry guys hehe)..

After that I appeared in the RTZ and conducted a quick flyover of my surounding area... something i seem to engage in at random these days.

Doug

Happy Burns Night for all you Scots and anyone else who has a few drams on the 25th!

For everyone else who does'nt know what I'm talking about, I'll just say:  'Fair fa' your honest sonsie face,
Great Chieftain o' the puddin race...'  

hehe

Doug.

I had quite a wide range of experiences last night... once again i woke up (ie went lucid) again but this time my awareness was about 95%..about the highest yet, allthough still not the full 100% which makes a BIG difference!

I was able to control my enviroment to a much greater degree this time... eg it was too dark outside so I made the sun come out and so on.. even although i seemed to be in the RTZ i tend to focus away from it slightly so I can modify certain features... you have to be careful doing that however, in case you fade out of it completly.

This happened.. my awareness dropped and the next thing I appeared on a hill somewhere and hey...another one of those guys I seem to know but cant remember from where turned up!

As i tried to remember where I knew him from I noticed his face changing.. he turned into one of my mates, Brian, so i said 'hey Brian', and the guy smiled.. but i felt this wasnt him as I figured out that what was going on was that since I was mentally going through a list of who this person might be, my perception of his face was changing to match... so now any liklihood of me seeing his 'actual' face was lost... the way he appeared the first time i saw him was the most accurate since i didnt have any expectations at that point.. only afterwards.. so a handy lesson there about allowing your perception to colour your experiences.


Anyway, this guy obviously realised i started having problems because right away he produced a bag of sweets and offered me one, which i thought was a really bizarre act.. i took one and he seemed happy but then a thought entered my mind about pervs who offer sweets to kids.. right away his demeaner altered and he turned really sleezy! (i know, my warped mind!)
at this point i ended the experience as I realised my control was out the window.

It was only afterwards that i remembered that a common tactic when coming across confused individuals in the 'astral', is to offer them sweets, a drink or whatever, in order to establish some kind of friendly dialogue..
however i never thought that this tactic would end up being used on me!!

Anyway.. it appears that the tactic backfired on this occasions due to my awareness level.. once again, waking up from dream level awareness shows its limitations!

Doug

Hi:

I don't really do much in the way of energy work (although i wake up with vibes now and again), but I did stumble on an interesting sensation:

What I do is concentrate on the length of my spine and imagine energy coursing up it, from the base up to the back of my head..
When i do this i start to feel a ticking sensation that develops into a wave that goes up my spine.. it is a tickling sensation that comes in waves and the sensation makes me laugh... literely!!! I find this great fun!
At the same time i feel the beginnings of a kind of pressure around the top of my head (the crown chakra?).

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar to this or knows what is going on.. also what would happen next if I went further with it.

Cheers,
Douglas

Just doing the rounds to encourage everyone to give what they can to the
Asia quake appeal.. dosent matter how much or how little.. I donated online
via the OXFAM website but if you dont have a card you could even go along to
your local oxfam shop, or any other charity involved with the flood relief
operation.

The OXFAM Asia disaster donation site can be reached by going to
www.oxfam.org


Cheers,
Douglas