meditation
Psychopomp Anyone? (Part 2)
“You must free yourself. The magic is within you.”– Bruce K. Avenell
During the process of grieving the loss of someone close to us, many times the lost energy tie we have with them is what we are feeling gone. Of course, we have strong feelings for them, but also the loss of shared exchange energy is what we are feeling. Sometimes this may be an energy co-dependency break off we are responding to, and this is what we have to deal with. However, if you have been doing something to regularly replenish your own inner energy supply, such as a system of meditation, then this should serve as a buffer against such a shock on your energy system. This is another reason that both you, as a person who will eventually cross over, and this person you are grieving, should have been striving to sustain your own energy supply independently of each other.
Other negative situations can make the transition to the other side very difficult. People who were so wrapped up in their earthly possessions may not realize they have died or don’t want to accept the fact, and refuse to pass on. Or others may become disoriented and have trouble making the transition, getting lost in the astral dream worlds. Either person may remain attached to a familiar place, such as a house they once inhabited, or become negative nuisances to those left behind, actually ‘haunting’ these areas. Not letting go like this may cause one to appear as some kind of spirit, apparition, ghost or phantom. Or if a person died of a violent or quick death, they may remain in the general vicinity of the incident, not knowing what to do. Such stranded entities usually have a detrimental effect on the physical people they hang around, often attaching themselves to them. This can result in the energy being sucked right out of them, possibly causing physical, emotional, mental and spiritual problems over time. Before you become enamored with the idea that your relative or friend may still be hanging out with you from the other side, consider the possible negative consequences for both of you.
Psychopomp Anyone? (Part 1)
“When one door closes, another opens…but often, we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which is opened before us.” — Helen Keller
In one of my meditations of just under 10 years ago, a very strange thing did indeed happen. At that point I had been doing this meditation scene for over 30 years, and nothing quite like this had ever occurred before. After I had been into the meditation for only about fifteen minutes and just started to actually get somewhere, suddenly a woman was right there jutting her face in mine. Now I don’t mean physically, but at some spirit level. She presented herself in a way that it appeared she was involved with some kind of voodoo or black magic.
Immediately I was jolted back some, totally unprepared for this. But I kept my composure, as I wanted to keep the contact going, this being such a very curious thing. She was obviously quite irritated with me about something. As the contact progressed and we “discussed” this concern she had, I began to get a picture of what was happening.
Anyway, this is the story. Turns out, as she says, that she is a psychopomp. A what, you ask? Exactly. I had the same reaction. For a few moments in the early part of this contact I started to wonder if all this was the result of something I had ingested the night before and this was just a total hallucination. But I went ahead and decided to see this thing through.
Double Edged Storytelling
“As above, so below” — Hermes Trismegistus
In an odd way, it does seem there is a certain type of balance in the universe. Yet as far explaining it … well, I will leave that up to others wiser than me to figure out. However, yes I do have some observations I would like to communicate here. Like most of us, I am and do many different things; as a spiritual being, a human being, a man, a husband, a father, etc. But in my professional life I am essentially a storyteller, more specifically a filmmaker (and of course a writer). And that is where I am coming from in my observations today, here and now. I actually already started this conversation a few days ago on my other blog. For those of you who may want a little background on all this before you continue here, you should probably go there first – http://dreamsawakemovie.com/2013/01/the-path-of-story-you/ – because I don’t want to repeat myself here (so yes, it might be wise to go there first) …
From my point of view and after many years considering this, I feel the path of story is only the beginning point of a long spiritual journey for all of us, which encompasses many lifetimes of battle-tested physical existence. And yes, as that quote goes, I do think we are ‘spiritual beings having a physical experience’. So essentially, we are spiritual. And it seems, that having a physical life requires some type of physical timeline in which our life story plays out on. So, from the time we arrive as mere babes, we are trying to find our way on our life’s timeline. For we have things to do and places to go, in order that we learn the lessons we came here to learn. Over our time here our life plays out as its own unique story. Each of us unique in our being, unique in our timeline and unique in our story. So then, here you are now, beamed into the 21st century, inundated and saturated with story everywhere all around you; film, TV, radio, music, video games, internet, mobile, and who knows what next. How do you discover, or actually create, your own story in the midst of all this … intense clamoring distraction?
Holiday Spirit(s?)
“A good conscience is a continual Christmas.” — Benjamin Franklin
Of course, it’s that time of year again, when holiday cheer springs forth in gushes between friends and family, and yes even strangers, whether real or contrived in its intent or execution. Many times this involves overindulgence in substances we may only normally use in moderation at other times of the year. I for one gave up on all that activity years ago. However, I certainly understand its use and purpose. So, is there a point here? I think so …
Mostly though, this is just an observation on my part. I have watched many people over time use, overindulge, and abuse all types of substances that are supposedly partaken of to either make them feel better, drown their sorrows, or enhance social currency. There is no judgment here, as in my early life I was known for abusing all types of substances, both legal and not. Luckily I found a better way ‘to feel better’ and ‘feel high’ or how about ‘on top of my life in a better way’ that I don’t need those types of crutches. Ah yes, maybe there is a bit of unintended judgment here?
Well no, not really, for I really think, feel, believe, that there is a better way to get ‘those things’ we are trying to get from those substances. Life messes with us, throws us around, and can beat us down. So I think we are continually reacting to that, and continually trying to get back “up.” Then naturally, we try to find the easiest available ‘things’ to get back up there. And guess what; caffeine, alcohol, drugs, etc. are right there for easy consumption. I get it, but … for me, if I can find the time I feel much better taking an alternative action. And believe me, it isn’t easy, but oh my is it so much better for me. Obviously, in the end it is the decision of each of us what we must do, day in and day out when we are faced with these situations. It can be so easy for the ‘fast food’ solution. But is it the best, or even really useful or wise?
Between Lives
“I am certain that I have been here as I am now a thousand times before, and I hope to return a thousand times.”– Goethe
Even though I have remembered parts of several lives over the years through deep meditation, I had often wondered what exactly do we do between those lives?
Well, I did have the fortunate experience in meditation a few years back to ‘remember’ something I did between this life and my last, as in something I had actually done on the other side between two lifetimes. To set this up, I need to briefly explain that this was not a normal meditation, if there is such a thing. And that where I was meditating was a very special place. Meaning that there are some places where certain spiritual harmonic devices (or configurations) have been built to enhance ‘spiritual flying’. I cannot at this time speak of them freely, as you could probably say they are in research and development, and not really accessible by the general public. No, it’s not top secret or anything, just a precautionary step to make sure people don’t hurt themselves using them. (Note: However, if you are especially curious about this I can put you in contact with the person who knows all about this and let him decide.)
Ninety Percent Solution
“RELAX! … RELAX … relax … squared. What? … you may ask. The 90% solution. Say what …?” — Me
For you meditators out there (or for those whom aspire to) I’m doing something a little different today, and just write about some helpful meditation tidbits I’ve picked up along the way.
When I meditate I practice a specific set of techniques, usually in a fairly specific order (but not always). But I have learned, usually the hard way, that technique is only 10% of the solution.
The main thing that puts a dead stop to any progress in meditation usually is Tension, with a capital T. But isn’t that one of the main reasons we mediate? To relieve tension? And be able to relax? It is a bit of a catch-22. You meditate to relax, but you may be too tense to relax into meditation.
And then consider all the tensions in our modern world. We worry about all those little everyday things that are thrust upon us. Then we worry about what else could go wrong in our future. And then we worry about all the things that could go wrong with those close to us. And then we probably worry about some of the crazy things going on in the world that could affect … well, who knows? Maybe us, possibly others, but maybe not really. For our mind tends to find things to fret about, doesn’t it? Even when there really may not be that much to fret about.
Silver Love
“To be content in bliss, without desire or insistence anywhere, this was heaven: to be together in happy stillness.” — D.H. Lawrence
I know I haven’t posted in a bit, but I just recently came down from two weeks of camping, hiking, meditating and just hanging out with nature and friends up on Mt. Shasta, one of my favorite places to go. So, as they say, I was off the grid for a while, recharging my batteries for my existence back in the lowlands of the normal physical world.
I first came up to Mt. Shasta in 1972, forty years ago. I was only twenty years young then. Of course, I’ve aged a bit since then, both in body and in spirit. However, I’d like to think I’ve traded those years for something worthwhile, like gaining a little wisdom, and learning a few lessons from the immature trials of inexperienced youth.
And one of those lessons involves a simple but powerful lesson called love. At the retreat on Mt. Shasta this year that theme kept popping its inquiring head around at me, like saying ‘okay, are you really comprehending how this silver love thing works?’ Uh, well, I thought so. But hey, maybe not? Well anyway, while I’m at it, let me explain a little about this silver love thing. And no, it doesn’t mean love between senior citizens, something that has been bantered about some.
Rocket Man
“And I think its gonna be a long, long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I’m not the man they think I am at home.
Oh no, no, no, I’m a rocket man.
Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone …”
“Rocket Man”, Elton John
Do you remember when you were little, and you thought for the very first time you knew what you wanted to be when you grew up? I actually remember that day very clearly, for it was when one of my very first dreams took root. Which makes remembering when John Glenn orbited the Earth for the first time special, not only because it was around my 10th birthday but because it was about that dream.
In the early 1960’s I remember reading about the new space program in our little Weekly Readers in elementary school. And I became mesmerized with it. So I started reading everything I could find about it. Anything I guess an elementary school kid could understand. But I couldn’t get enough of it. When I got a book about what it took to be an astronaut, I was hooked. I wanted to go in space. One way or another I was going. I had to, or else… I just never realized it would be without my physical body.
A Matter of Altitude
“May your spirit soar throughout the vast cathedral of your being.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The last month or so, I have down in the dumps a bit. Not really down in a depressed way, but just not at my normal foundation of “up-ness.” For the most part, meditating provides me with a lift, but lately not quite enough to what my level of ‘normal’ is. I haven’t really let it concern me too much but after almost a month of it, which is usually a long funk for me, I have been wondering what was up. Most of the time I try to go through a checklist of any issue or problem that comes up.
I first try to decipher if it’s something that’s going on inside of me. If I don’t get any clues there, I start searching outside myself. If not much comes up there, I have to ponder deeper. I did all those things, but nothing significant presented itself. Only minor, seemingly insignificant things came up. So now, I was at a bit of a loss. I just decided to keep up with my normal day to day routine and hoped I would pull myself out of it somehow. Nothing gave, so I gave up on my normal routine for a few days and wound up doing very little for awhile. That just made me tired and drained, and then I felt worse. Something needed to happen. Ask and ye shall receive, as they say. Or someone did, I think in the Bible.
Belief vs. Experience
“A man is accepted into a church for what he believes and he is turned out for what he knows.” – Samuel Clemens
Is there an amicable meeting ground between one person’s religious beliefs and another’s spiritual experiences? Or are these worlds and the people who inhabit them just too different, too much in conflict? I know this is a tall order, but I would like to explore that a bit here. Now right off I want to make it clear, this is not going to do an anti-religion diatribe here. That wouldn’t be fair, because it’s too easy, offering the target rich environment that they do. Obviously, that doesn’t mean I won’t take religion to task. No, I am trying to communicate what I think I might understand here. Ha, isn’t that how it always is? We think we know more that we do, but then we probably know more than we realize. Is that a paradox? Is that what I’m diving into? And maybe the questions I ask here are some evidence of a paradox in operation?
Anyway, here is my personal conundrum. Every once in a while I get asked about the religion I practice. Actually, and I want to state this emphatically, I do not practice any religion, any philosophy, or any belief system, at all. Does that make me an atheist, or a malcontent? Of course not. I just don’t adhere to the doctrine and dogma fed to the masses via the ‘recognized religions’ of the world. I know there are much larger forces and beings at work in the Cosmos than little ol’ me. Then the next question comes, but what about the spirituality that you sometimes talk about? My answer usually doesn’t soothe them, because it falls outside the normal parameters of religious belief. I answer that I base my spirituality on my own personal experiences. Uh, oh. Most just nod politely, not quite knowing how to take that. A few, I wish I could see their thought bubbles, because I’m sure they are priceless. A small percentage do engage with me beyond that, but don’t usually follow me too far. Such nonsense seems to be beyond the horizon of many. But I am not perturbed, insulted, or even concerned with all of that. It is the norm and I accept that. However, over the years I have seen more movement in my direction in this, so I am hopeful.