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I was hoping someone would have tips and techniques for inducing OBE while lucid dreaming.  I've had many lucid dreams and in them I am completely in control of my flying, walking through walls, etc... it's effortless.  But in them I think "how can I have an OBE"? and can't do anything.  There have been times when I have attempted it and began spinning up and out of control, but then I just wake up, or go back to the lucid dream.  I cannot have a fully concious OBE from this stage.  Are there any techniques that can be done WITHIN the dream that would induce and OBE without waking myself up?

I've noticed while meditating that it, well, gets boring.  The same goes for attempting OBE or breath awareness exercises, etc.  Does anyone have any tips to get past this bordom to progress further?  It's like your sitting there doing it, and all the sudden you just don't want to do it anymore, like it's studying or something.  I'm sure that if I can get past this stage there is something waiting beyond it, but it's so hard.  Is there anything that makes it more interesting while still maintaining the excercise, or do you just have to suck it up and push through?

I faced the same situation about a year ago.  It's hard to say what it is.  For me I felt somewhat frustrated after hearing so many success stories and how effortless it seemed for everyone to attain them.  ie- "tried my first OBE last night and succeeded", etc.  But it's just a fact of it all.  There are some out there that simply succeed faster then others.  I assume that the majority struggles more then they succeed.  I think maybe the best advice on the subject was given by Buddha... "Discover your own path to enlightenment with diligence".  This spiritual journey is your own undertaken by you alone.  The trials you face in it are specifically meant for you to make the experience the most productive it can be.  If you are facing a barrier it is up to you to discover within yourself how to overcome that barrier, and once you do you the reward will be much more profound then if it was achieved effortlessly.  My advice, take Buddha's, just be diligent.  There is nothing out there that states when you should be at a certain spiritual point, it's always an individual and personal journey.  Enjoy where you are and continue to move forward.

Holy moly, long post, but that's ok.  The answer is in the past.  What's gonna happen in 2005?  Well, of course new things will occur, but it's rarely a matter of "this year".  It's mostly progressive stages.  Electricity was invented in a certain year, but it was a process that may have started the year before.  Generalize and it's the same idea.  2005, still be at war, medicine and medical ideas may get better, but will basically stay the same, some buildings will fall, some will take there place, someone will be born, someone will die.... history has shown that it's only technology that has been the great change of our race.  All the fundamental aspects of humanity will remain the same, they may just take a different form.  I say live it up!  Whatever happens in 2005 will happen.  It'll be interesting (or not) to see, but it'll all just happen, and next year we'll say "what is in store for 2006"?  You'll naturally have your extremists that claim to find some verse in the bible or in Nostradamus' writings that speak of the beginning of the demon war in 2005, but it probably won't happen.  So unless a meteor or alien attack threaten the existence of mankind, I kinda think 2005 will be similar to 2004... without the nonsense of elections   .

Gandhi said that you must become what it is you wish to see.  In recent years I've been doing all things possible to live a life of peace.  No conflict, no enemies, no lying or acts that will bring unnecessary stress or regret.  With that said, I will tell a short story.  Me and this girl have been getting somewhat serious with each other.  Her ex-boyfriend is not at all over her.  In fact he follows her, calls her some 50 times a day, leaves notes on her car, you name it.  The poor girl has moved on with her life and he just can't seem to do that.  The other night he called her for about the 20th time that day and I decided to talk with him.  Calmly I told him that he needed to get over her because it simply wasn't going to happen.  He needed to somehow accept the situation for what it was and find someone else that could make him happy because she has done the same.  Basically just be a man and get over it.  Because I was calm he was also calm and there was no argument or hatred in the conversation.  But about half an hour later he showed up at my house (which he found because he had followed his ex-girlfriend to it).  He began ranting about how I stole her from him and ruined the best thing he ever had... then attacked me.  The fight ensued, at his choice, and I retaliated to protect myself.  His friends then broke it up and they left.  But this only escalated things.  He didn't feel better about the situation because he got out his aggression.  Instead I went from being a stranger to his enemy and he still dwells a lot on his ex and me.  Sorry for that long tale, the relationship story is not the point I'm trying to make or get advice on.  What I'm wondering is this... is it possible to live life never having to get involved in a physically violent situation?  I'm sure many of us have been in bars or at parties where someone starts something just for the sake of it.  There are individuals out there who don't think about peace or care about being reasonable... they want to fight and will attack regardless of your view on it.  So how are these individuals dealt with in a peaceful manner, especially when words and rationality doesn't effect the situation?  I realize that it's human nature to resort to violence in many situations.  Our history back to the beginning clearly demonstrates that peace is not humanities defining attribute.  But does it have to be that way?  Is it really inevitable to have make some enemies throughout the course of life?  Can one live a life of inner peace each day and still sometimes get caught up in conflict?  Many believe that to walk away or try to avoid a fight is being weak.  I think that true weakness is losing control of rationality and reason  to give into one moment of primal rage.  I think that trying to prevent a fight from occurring is progressive, not digressive.  But can it be maintained?  I'm talking beyond even defending yourself.  If you accept defense in a fight as reason to fight then you accept that violence will be a part of your life.  I'm talking pure peace.  No violence or retaliation towards anyone, even if it's defense.  Does anyone think this is a possible goal to attain or should each of us accept that a life of inner and outer peace cannot be maintained indefinitely?

Perhaps it's just me, but does it seem as though since the recent "crash" of astral pulse, that almost everyone has just given up?  Generally speaking, there are no new posts, no new topics, no new members, and I would say that 99% of all the old members have given up on this site.  Do you think that the change that Astral Pulse has undergone has killed it?  Should someone speak to the mysterious and impossible to reach Robert Bruce?

I think it could be considered a form of meditation.  There is no set way to meditate.  It's simply focusing on the mind.  What you do with that focus, or what you focus on is up to you, it's all still meditation.

I was just wondering what everyone thinks they are.  What aspects are necessary for a working relationship.  Modern or old fashion, what are thoughts on this issue.  Is love necessary for any working relationship?  Can common goals and a common respect equal a healthy relationship.  Can a relationship based purely on physical attraction ever work, or is it necessary to stimulate each other on a mental or spiritual level?  Can a relationship work because it makes sense to be in it philosophically, even if love and growth are not in it?  Just curious what everyone thinks, and be honest.  There must be a few out there who don't believe in love.  And there are definitely those who believe in nothing but love.  I would like to hear both sides.

His magic is awsome to watch.  I once saw how the levitation was done, but the person who showed it showed kept one foot partially on the ground.  Blaine definately goes higher then his feet would allow.  Most people are amazed, but I've always found it hilarious how black people just freak.  Most people just say how amazed they are, sometimes they'll yell.  But black people scream and jump up and run around like a chicken with their head cut off... it cracks me up.  I think his street magic is better then the show of stage magic because most of the time people don't even know he's going to show them a trick, then they're astounded by what they see, which probably totally makes their day.  Pretty fun stuff.

Considering being held accountable for your own actions... I truly agree.  That is why I would be willing to face God for my actions.  In the long run one might regret the act committed, but at the time it was committed it was believed to be the right choice, and God would understand that.  Circumstances change.  As for committing an act because they believe it is good in their own eyes, even if it is not good in the eyes of others, I would say this... a great misconception in this world is that a million people are smarter than one.  I by no means make any comparison to my own decisions compared to Christs... but if Christ considered the opinions of everyone else, then He would not have gotten His message across.  He knew that His way was the right way, and if someone disagreed He did not "aim to please".  Rather, he died for what He knew was right.  Obviously those who crucified Him did not agree, but that never made him wrong.  Many people disagreed with the actions of Gandhi, but he knew he was right despite the opposition of others he still went through with his beliefs for what he believed to be in his countries favor.  After all, hindsight is 20/20.  Even though majority rules, that does not mean majority is correct.  The masses can be easily blinded by one man.  In history it has always been one man that has brought change and innovation to the world.  All that is required is to convince the lesser minds.  So good and evil is not necessarily black and white.  Hitler and his army believed they were doing good.  USA fighting in the war against them believed they were also doing good.  In hindsight everyone can make their own decision about who was right... but during, that's a different story.

maybe just being cruel ....a form of cruel disipline is evil if you have a perverse pleasure from it. ...plus it depends on what side you are on.

Doesn't that coincide with my thought?  "plus it depends on what side you are one".  Sides I assume is the side of good, or the side of evil?  But don't you choose sides because of the why, not the what?  Does being cruel have to coincide with commiting a cruel act?  If you hang someone for a crime, does it count as cruelty?  What defines it?  Is it cruel because it is painful?  Is it cruel because it causes death?  If death occures without pain, is it cruel?  If punishment is inflicted through pain, but the individual is allowed to live, is that cruel?  I stand by my arguement... it's the why, not the what.  I don't believe actions have any merit whatsoever.  I believe it's the reason the action is taken that is the only thing that matters.  Perhaps a good example might be revenge.  Imagine a thief breaking into your house.  He does this in an attempt to quietly steal all the jewelry you possess.  In the middle of the process he wakes your family and they catch him in the act.  He then kills them all because they have seen him.  Is it wrong to kill that person, even cause him pain during his death?  There may be cruelty involved, and pleasure in causing such cruelty, but is it not justified?  Though many would say no (two wrongs don't make a right), I would have to say yes.  I would say it is justified and there is no cruelty in it.  Perhaps there may be evil intensions.  But should evil acts be rewarded with acts of kindness?  And if I knew I had to answer to God for my actions, wouldn't it be something worth answering to?  Consider the love you have for you children, husband, or wife.  If they were murdered for gold or jewels, and you killed their murderer, would you not be willing to stand accountable before God and defend your position, regardless of good or evil?  I still fully believe, it's the why, not the what, that matters.

In my opinion, it's not the what that matters, it's the why.  If you are kind to a person because you want something from them, that doesn't necissarily qualify as true kindness, does it?  If you hurt someone because you know it will keep many others safe, does that mean you are being evil?

Very common, happens to me all the time.  I can sit here right now and induce the noise.  I've found that it's helpful to use it as a concentration tool.  Focus on the noise and try to focus on nothing else.  This will do wonders in clearing your mind.

Me and a buddy of mine were walking home from the bar last night.  It was quite warm, and he is on probation and doesn't get to leave much, so he wanted to stay out later.  We walked down to a park near our houses and hung out for about an hour.  In the course of that hour, while staring into space at the stars, we witnessed the most insane UFO's.  3 of them to be exact, at different times.  It was the strangest experience I've ever known.  First, it wasn't the Sci-Fi UFO's one might expect.  They did not flash or glow in bright neon colors, and were not discs.  In fact, I got the impression they didn't plan on being seen at all, because they blended quite well with the stars.  The first one moved faster then anything I'd ever seen.  It looked as though 3 stars forming a triangle would look, but moved so fast, and changed formations around eachother like jets at an air show.  That's just the beginning, and the events aftewards still blow my mind, but they are hard to explain.  It was somewhat similar to the first with slight differences.  Without all the talk of Haley's comet or coming alien revolutions, what kinds of experiences have others had with UFO's?  If you don't believe in aliens or spaceships that's absolutely fine, just dont post it please.  I'm interested in sightings here.  Please share profound experiences.

Has anyone ever had any experiences with this organization?

I was reading a post today asking about the third eye chakra and the subject of the pineal gland came up.  It's a common mistake to assume the pineal gland is the same as the third eye chakra.  They are not located in the same place.  Third eye is at the brow, and pineal gland is at the base of the brain.  Scientists have yet to discover a definate use for the pineal gland, but many mystics assume it's the source of mystic experiences.  Though neither can be proven definitavely as of yet, I was wondering if anyone, knowing the correct location of the pineal gland, has tried to stimulate it as a chakra?

Is humanity holding onto something that isn't really there?  Throughout our history we have cleaved to the spiritual.  But in the beginning spirituality quickly gave way to religion.  And as humanity has progressed our ideas and dogmas of religion have progressed with it.  But in all actuality the history of our religiousness has been a footstool of politics and a means of governing.  It has been the rise and fall of kings, the beginning and end of wars, the rebelious and justification of heirarchy.  I do not doubt there is something, spiritual, about our species.  Our conciousness, our understanding along with confusion, our unrelenting progression of knowledge, and our desire for that knowledge shows that we are far beyond simply going through the motions of living itself.  
  We are not a mere evolution of creatures who's understanding of life was to hunt and mate.  We are, with no real knowledge of why, so much more.  But are we hurting ourselves by holding onto this?  Hope can never be a bad thing, but hope is within us all regardless of spiritual or religious belief.  There are few things considered human that do not reside in each human.  Though I wonder if we are squandering our potential by relying on the metaphysical and not the infinite possibilites that we alone have brought to ourselves.  
  Each success in life has been the work of ourselves.  Did God teach us electricity, or did we discover it?  Did God get us to the moon, or did we accomplish the impossible by our sheer will to do so?  You get the point.  Is the truth being replaced by faith?  By hope or belief?  Is it out there for us to discover in time without the help of God, as we have always done?  In the entire scheme of things, is it not simply eachother that we have?  I'm not talking about the aftelife or heaven or hell.  Despite belief or religion, we quite frankly cannot know such things untill that time visits us all.  And when we do know, we don't come back and share it with the living.  It is and always will remain a mystery in this life.  Should we not accept that?  
  It is our search for knowledge that leads us to ask the questions about such things.  Should it not be our current level of knowledge that leads us to know that in this life, we cannot know?  We should forget such trivialities.  We should not depend on God to fix our world.  If the history of religion teaches us anything it is that in a few instances He has destroyed it.  Ask for His help if it brings you comfort, but why expect it?  If I stand on a mountain top and curse the almighty God, does He strike me down?  Regardless of your belief, I do not think that you would say yes.  What does this teach us?  We should embrace this time.  
  We are far superior to ourselves then we have ever been.  At no point in time since the very creation of our world has a species accomplished even 1% of what we can accomplish now.  We are moving beyond the help of God.  We are discovering the mysteries of the physical and spiritual without His direct help.  His assistance, just as the mythological Greek Gods of old, is dieing out.  He is being replaced with real understanding.  Logic, ideas, lack of fear, and curiosity instead of dread of the unknown are our new religions.  Are we Gods children, or are we Gods predecessors?  Consider where we are going, and let go of the hope in God.  Believe what you will.  Believe He is listening, believe He cares, believe He understands... I do.  But do not believe that He rules this place.  We are beyond His reach here, and our future is not in His hands, but in ours!

I'm not really sure where this post would belong, but since this happened in my sleep I suppose I'll stick it in the dream section.  It's a little lengthy, but would appreciate responses.  I had the strangest experience of my life last night as I slept.  Recently I've been trying a new technique of OBE (never had an OBE before), and it has been causing me to have numerous lucid dreams.  But here's what occured last night...

In my dream I was very tired and wanted to sleep.  I layed down on a couch and as I began to get drousy I was looking at a painting.  There were some cartoonish faces in the picture and they were all smiling.  For some reason I felt I wanted them to frown, THEN THEY DID, and it shocked me.  But as they frowned I felt incredible disorientation and spun out of my body.  I then became quite lucid.  I kept spinning (my feet being the center of gravity) and spun out of my house.  I looked at the moon, and desperately wanted to stop spinning, so tried to go towards it.  I did so at a rate that frightened me, and said out loud "back to my body".  However, rather then coming back to my physical body, I returned to my dream body and found myself once again in front of the painting.  A few moments later I awoke and couldn't figure out if it was an OBE or not.  I slept again, and in my next dream I became lucid.  So I created a paiting on the wall, made the faces go from a smile to a frown, and it happened again.  I was lucid and aware and flying out of body in the dream realm.  On returning to my body, it was again within the dream and not within my real body lying in bed.  I wouldn't think it was an OBE, except for the lucidity I had when OOB in the dream.  I would think it was a lucid dream, except in both instances (and one more after that) I didn't merely become lucid, but seperated myself from my dream body.  Has anyone heard of such a thing?  How should I classify this?  It wasn't a real time OBE in which I was aware of leaving my physical body, but the events that took place were far different then a lucid dream (as I'm quite use to those).  Could this be a different phenomenon?

Strange things have been happening while I sleep the last few weeks.  In the beginning as I drifted to sleep I would concentrate specifically I staying concious.  Though I would fall asleep anyways, I would have amazing lucid dreams... sometimes 3 or 4 in a night.  I wanted to see if I could change these into OBE's.  I am familiar with energy work and it has brought some level of success in the past, so as I drift to sleep now I stimulate my chakras.  But this has been causing me to have the worst nightmares of my life.  I never used to have nightmares much at all, but since the energy work and chakra stimulation has been introduced they have been horrific, ie- plane crashes with my entire family and baby brother in which I am the only survivor, watching my dogs head get bit off by an even bigger dog, etc.  The past couple of days I've stopped all energy work and concentration methods in order to try to simply get a good nights rest.  But the nightmares continue.  Has anything like this happened to anyone before?  Does anyone have any ideas on something I can do to have pleasant dreams?

In the past couple of weeks I have been having more lucid dreams then I ever had in my life.  Sometimes up to 3 or 4 in a single night.  At first it was a random event.  But the randomness has given way to understanding, and the realization that lucid dreaming is incredibly easy.  Unfortunately however, it's only incredibly easy if you've had a few in your day and know what it's all about.  Usually in the morning, early morning, while still tired but after a good nights rest, they are quite easy to bring on.  This is because it takes so little time to fall asleep again, but you are awake just enough to rationalize the sleep occurance.  You know when you start to sleep and and thoughts drift into your mind?  Eventually these thoughts become pictures that you can see while almost asleep but not yet fully.  It's hard to explain, but it's at this stage that you lose conciousness and the images become dreams and you sleep.  Well, when you recognize that this is happening, if you can manage not to wake yourself up, try conciously just walking into the scenerio that the image is conveying.  Tada, you are now fully aware inside the dream world.  I think however that a common misconception about lucid dreaming is that you are fully concious within them.  That is to say that it's just like being fully awake, only in the dream world.  This just isn't true.  Though you are aware you are dreaming and now able to take control over the things you do, it doesn't necissarily mean that you have a rational thought process going on.  For instance... last night in my lucid dream I actually fell asleep a few times, within the dream itself.  I would wake up in the dream and (while still dreaming) think it was the real world.  Then I would fall asleep in my dream, and begin lucid dreaming.  But there were times when I couldn't tell if I was asleep or awake and would have to ask people.  The dream world is far from the real world, and even in lucid dreams when strange and unexplainable things happen they are simply accepted with no question.  Basically I guess I'm saying that though lucid dreams are incredibly fun and exciting, and can possibly lead to an OBE (hasn't happened for me) don't expect you're mind to be equal to waking state conciousness.  Knowing it or not, you are still in a dream world.  But it is a WHOLE world.  Do what you want with it, change what you want in it, have a blast with it.  Oh and one last thing.  Always continue to look at your hands.  When you look at your hands in a lucid dream they melt away, and this will once again bring on that strong acknowledgement that you are in a dream.  Even when a lucid dream is realized it's still easily possible to drift back into normal unconcious dream, so it's important to keep reassuring yourself (by watching your hands melt away) that you are lucid dreaming.  Have fun!!!! []

Sorry if this isn't well put together, but it's something that I have been pondering today and just thought I'd try to get some insight from others.  It's also quite long, so if you don't feel like reading I understand and also appologize.  
  I've noticed a regular occurance in my life, and that is that when I've stumbled onto a possibly profound idea or thought about "the meaning of it all" there often follows a period of doubt.  That is, there will be times in which I am absolutely convinced at the existence of God for years, and then one day I'll wake up full of doubts that have foundation to them.  In the beginning I often felt guilt or remourse for the sudden loss of my faith and understanding.  And yet, regardless of anything that I try to willingly impose, there always lingers the desire to question.  So I wonder, is it within our grasp to attain the answers that we seek, or are we perhaps here specifically to question?  
  Some things I've studied sort of point to this... in my own mind at least.  Take war for example.  Humanity speaks of peace as an idea, or even an ideal, and yet it's an impossible feat to attain.  Where does this notion of peace come from?  Nowhere in the history of humanity has there been world peace, it goes against our very nature.  Even just causes are fought through war.  People often wage war for genuinly good purposes.  After all, someone has to fight against tyrants.  But many still hold to the belief that war is purely bad and peace is purely good.  Even now war is being fought to provide freedom for humanity itself, but it's viewed by many as wholly evil.  Are there any answers to be found in this?  Is this even avoidable?  Do we desire to avoid it?  
  In the past few hundred years our race has taken giant leaps and bounds towards both creation and destruction.  Our understanding of our universe has grown to the point that we are now aware of microscopic worlds, astounding enhancements in medicine, and a knowledge in warfare that could undoubtledly destroy our entire planet.  But what have we come to understand in regards to our own existence from all this?  If there is a God, why has He led us to such lengths, and in such a short period of time?  What occured within our minds that propelled us to understand so much in such a relatively short period of time?  Do we even care?  If there is no God, why has our species above all others evolved to profoundly?  These questions absolutely exist, but they provide no real answers.    
  In all actuality we are the only species on this planet that is even capable to pondering such things.  Personal belief and experiences that "can't" be understood unless you have felt them yourself are the reasons that the faithful give us.  But what benefit does that have on the rest of us?  How does that give the faithless a sense of hope?  Can any of us say we know God is real because we have witnessed Him?  If so, can that person convince others that what has been witnessed was real without them having to witness it themselves?  Have prophets or oracles merely convinced themselves of something that didn't really occur because of their underlying deep beliefs?  How many of you out there truly believe in God and have never witnessed a miracle nor His divine presence?  I can think of a few in my life that would qualify.  Faith is just a word.  A word that describes a belief in something that has no foundation for belief.  A "feeling".  A hope.  Classify it as you wish.  How does it benefit the whole?  
  What if there is an afterlife, but no God?  How much would that belief change the world?  What if there is a God, and once you see Him in the next life He laughs and destroys you?  How would that change the world?  What if all aethists really do burn in hell while believers in God are glorified?  What if we all really do stop existing apon death.  These are the questions that have plagued us since the beginning.  Whether you believe in another life after this world or believe in nothing at all, at some point in our lives we all ponder the question.  The question is always the same, it's the answer that varies from person to person.  
  What if we are not meant to learn the answers here or now?  If there is a spirit world, why have we forgotten it?  What if we're not suppose to remember?  What if part of this "growth" process is knowing what it's like to be faithless and godless?  Isn't it possible that the next stage in our spiritual evolution is to forsake our spirituality?  How else would you know what that is like?  How would God know what it's like to lose faith in Him, unless He's lost faith in something before?  How could He understand the heartache humanity can feel, unless He too has somehow felt it?  This doubt and questioning that indeed drives us all to seek... what if it's absolutely necissary?  If there is an eternity, then why would it be hard to believe that a part of maturing in eternity is to lose all understanding of it?  
  I guess I could go on like this forever.  After all people have written entire novels on this very subject.  But that just supports my thoughts even more.  That humanity is not meant to grasp an idea and hold to it untill their dying day.  We are profound because we always push the boundaries.  We are never satisfied with where we are, always wanting more.  We do not accept our limits and our beliefs but push them and test them as far as we can concieve of to see if they hold up or break.  Our very existence and evolution has been based on our fundamental desire to question, to know more than we know.  To understand what we thought we couldn't understand.  Spirituality, God, mortality, peace and war, should all be questioned.  No one can say if we will ever find the answers we seek.  But when we question what we know, who knows what answers we will find that we weren't even looking for?  And what could you fear from this?  Would you fear that God will punish you for doubting?  If it's the Christian God you believe in, then there is nothing at all to fear from Him, for He is pure love and forgiveness.  If it is another God that would in fact punish you for your doubts, would you not rather rebell against such a diety anyways?  There is no harm nor evil nor fear that should be felt in this way of thinking.  It's simply starting a path to release ourselves from ignorance.  Whatever you believe... whatever you have complete faith in... whatever you feel or touch or see as real... question it!

While pondering one of my favorite subjects... meditation... I was struck with a profound revelation, so to speak.  This is not meant to be argumentative.  I have something to express about this subject.  Take what you wish, and leave the rest, in the end it's still your choice.  But it's correct for me, and as I'm no one special I assume someone out there will also feel what I'm saying.  There are two very profound yet distinct forms of meditation.

1)  Meditation of the mind.  They say that a mind is a terrible thing to waste.  Within it lies all our experiences and lessons that we have ever learned about ourselves.  Every aspect of life that has degraded us and also lifted us up, it's all stored in the same place.  In this form of meditation one must fully relax (as is a necissary quality that meditation must have) and ponder.  Think about the things that bother you.  Think about the things in your life that you wish could change.  Think about the things that you don't understand.  The point is, think!  As you continue to ponder on the aspects of your personal life you will find that answers regarding such will flow into you effortlessly.  Regrets will become lessons and put behind you.  Questions will become answers and applied to you.  Concerns will become peace as you take control of them.  This is the form in which you do not supress your thoughts but graciously accept them and let them guide themselves to their own answers.

2)  The mind is relentless.  It is always going and pulling ideas to the surface by it's own will.  As you complete one task, another arises.  In this form of meditation you attempt to calm the mind.  Release yourself from thought and bask in nothingness.  It is in this stage that spiritual emotions arise and, almost like a drug, you are able to feel things that at present go against yourself.  For example, on a bad day you can calm the mind and feel at peace.  When angry you can feel happiness, etc.  In this state of meditation you fully recognize the error of your human ways and understand that your emotions are not an untamed beast, but an aspect of yourself that is also within your full control.  You see that peace is not a state of mind, but a choice.  You welcome all emotions as an aspect of growth and understanding.  It is also in this state, when the mind is tamed, that visions and spiritual experiences occur.  Once a calming of the mind occurs the soul is naturally able to move outside the self and show you your absolute role in terms of the whole picture.

Why is all this important?  Because they are both a part of us.  One cannot be spiritual without coming to terms with reality and the life that you currently live, which includes all of it's joys and sorrows.  Likewise one cannot be spiritual without learning to look beyond this life to something greater outside of our senses and finite experiences.  When the two are applied you find your purpose!

Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense.  Anyone ever heard about it?  It's a government agency that was supposedly disbanded in 1974 but claims are being made that it still exists.  Not much is known about it, highly classified mumbo jumbo, but I saw an interesting thing on television about it with secret interviews from people claiming to have worked for it.  They have been suspected of kidnapping people with paranormal abilities and using them for warfare, one of which is a demon known as "hellboy".  We've all seen the cheesy preview for that new movie coming out, but I never knew what it was based on untill today.  I found it very intriguing!

Anyone ever read this... all the way through?  I'd like to hear some input on what is in my opinion one of the most profound works to date.  This book has some real answers!

I read Robert Bruce's "Catch Basket Concept" and he mentioned Kundalini (I think that's right).  When I tried to look this up I couldn't find anything that teaches how to do it.  It's "said" that it can be dangerous to raise your kundalini if you do not have a teacher to guide you.  But heck, I live in America, and highly doubt I will find a "guru" of sorts to teach me.  I just want to learn what it's all about and some techniques for doing it.  I accept all the risks.  Anyone out there familiar with this that is willing to share your kundalini raising techniques with me?