Psychic And Spiritual Emergence

Psychic And Spiritual Emergence

I am going to ramble on here a bit, because I believe that this piece of information (which I gathered from the spiritual emergence site) is important, up to the point they begin to put their interpretation on the aspect of emergence:  so let me share this piece:

"When a person experiences a Spiritual Emergence episode the psyche opens up to a greater awareness of its potential, the Cosmos and the interconnectedness of all things. During a spiritual awakening unfamiliar psychic abilities can activate, such as, esp, out-of-body experiences, telepathy, channelling, precognition, sensing auras, awareness of spirit entities, clairvoyance, psychkinesis, remembrance of past lives, awareness of syncronisities, hands-on healing or strong instinctive intuition. Because these experiences are unfamiliar or powerfully intense, they can be so alarming or frightening that they send the person into a Spiritual Emergency or transpersonal crisis.

Considering the range of psychic abilities one can experience it is difficult to discuss all the symptoms here and now. Generally speaking, if you are experiencing a Psychic Opening, the nature of it will become obvious to you in time, once you can set aside your preconceptions of what is and is not possible. Psychic experiences that conflict with one's belief system can throw a person into profound conceptual confusion and cause them to doubt their sanity.

It certainly helps to have someone around who is clear-sighted enough to see or understand what is happening, to explain it to you or verify the validity of the experience. If this is not the case, sometimes a spirit guide or your own intuition will explain it to you. The initial experience can be very frightening, confusing and disorienting, so try not to panic. It may not be a common experience but it is quite natural."  (http://www.spiritualemergence.org.au/pages/forms-psychic.html)
It is from here, I need to take a left turn:  not everyone experiences a sense of panic, nor do they experience this "condition" as a something that is referring to making them 'crazy'.  It all depends how the person has been raised, how they approach these abilities that become part of their norm.  Nor do they need to believe that they are going crazy. However, if the person does not have good spiritual grounding (background) to deal with these experiences, they can certainly believe that something is definitely wrong, they are going insane, and or create even further fears about what is around them, how to deal with it, etc.

If a psychic emergence does happen it is then up to the person having this to find someone to help sort this out for themselves.  It is pretty crucial that they have someone with these particular skills, with training and with understanding to help them deal with what they are experiencing, help them work with what they are experiencing (develop it properly), and how to work with it.  

The folks at spiritual emergence has this correct.  I wanted to repost this in hopes that folks can understand that these experiences are NORMAL, and are to be expected as one grows spiritually (psychic is a part of this).  

Where the train in my opinion, derails, is that the emergence folks perceive  psychic experience is some how the 'boogie man'; that they imply as "psychic dangers".  It seems that the biggest danger of all is to put this ability as some kind of "other force" negative in nature, that's going to drag folks into lulling them to sleep in some kind of narcotic high...To be honest, it appears that the rest of this quote is very much grounding into "pushing away" any insight a person has into their lives, into abilities that can assist themselves and others, in a sort of negative energy thing:

If it is negative, then how is it possible that this is a natural progression towards opening up either spiritually or as part of the Kundalini process?  It wouldn't happen!  If it is so "inherently wrong" as part of the unfolding process of enlightenment, why would it exist? 

 It seems to me to be culturally determined how to look at these manifestations.  If you go to various other countries around the world, these manifestations are not considered "evil".  It is only when certain religions become introduced, that they are wrong, because it reflects an energy or understanding that the 'church/mosque or temple' fails to recognize, therefore demonize.  This even includes folks in the enlightenment tents, who want to view any extraordinary experience as "well part of the process, but don't focus on it", which is pushing your process backwards, what you don't embrace, you set apart from yourself.

What can you do?

Ego is not the devil. It's your personality that functions in this lifetime. Each lifetime has differing personalities!  When the ego is unchecked (big headed), karma has it's own way of taking care of this:  "pride cometh before a fall" (sound familiar?) This is a gentle reminder to not put yourself (the person, the personality) as better than anyone else.  What happens when you begin to open psychically, the ego wants to attach to that experience (what a good boy am I!), tries to capture the experience (which cannot be done: you can re-create it, you can tell folks about it, but don't identify). 

 What is happening is a God/dess thing (it is part of the divine however you want to see it; male or female or neither).  It is something that you are opening to that which is already larger than you are, that is allowing you to see something greater:

This affect is not something you can "own" as something "you" do, but something that you've opened up into--learning how to use it like any other skill is not "ego" or "failing to go on with spirituality" (as read concern in the emergence blog), but part of the process of opening to all the mass energy that is God/dess around you!  

Have a teacher who can help alleviate your fears is important, having folks to guide you through this process, in understanding that it is not part of mental health ditto.  Learning to realize that you can relax about this, is paramount, because fear is far worse than spending time trying to understand or learn from this experience.

Can you get derailed into falling into "just being psychic" or "being overly dazzled by what you are seeing?"  I don't believe it.  Why?

Because if you truly are follow a path of "Thine not mine" or following a path of reaching for 'greater mind', (they are not apposed, just which way your personality is taking this life time), that stopping your development here will begin to feel stifling, and stale...We are absolutely geared to keep going!

I think that the important part is to learn why you are here in this lifetime, focus your attention on being the best person you can be, have good ethics about where you stand (what you do, who you are--stand in that), and please relax about whether or not you are on the right path: because the path is where you are!

For those of you experiencing strange things about you, find a good teacher that will assist you in a true responsible way to deal with it.  As with anything, there are always those who will try to take advantage. This can be felt as well as understood; those who try to take advantage, hurt.  They can insult you (claiming it's for your own good), Or even just be constantly 'down', as in giving rejection, etc.  The previous post on "Dying for Enlightenment"

Is the advice they are giving you, uplifting you?  Do they practice humility?  Do they give advice they themselves don't take for themselves?  Can they honestly put you on a path to understanding what you are looking for? Do you feel better when you leave the person, then when you came?  And can you put what they suggest into action that results in change in your life?

Alright.

Take a deep breath, what you are experiencing is natural. Normal.  Please stop the anxiety of what is happening to you, but find a competent guide to help you through your experience, and know, you are inside of God/ddess.

Lesson of The Broom and Other Thoughts

And really for anyone else as well!   Jessica Macbeth, creator of the Fairy Oracle, posted this and I was thinking about how my husband (Raymond, see below) and I discuss the issue of "the lesson of the broom", (though we are not wiccan, witches or of that ilk, which is another blog I will repost here later after this one, that is posted on www.croosroadstarotconsulting.com--see the next posting will follow this one!)

Raymond, the "other half" of crossroads tarot consulting

Raymond and I have discussed for the last oh, over 20 years, about this issue:  "the lesson of the broom".  If I were to add anything to the above, and I will subtext what I think needs to be addenda to this list (addenda is plural according to the 'boss' here...) would be 14.  Use that broom with abandon.

Here is my thinking about this list:

1. Knowing one's self is crucial.  Knowing that "you" are part of something greater than the body you inhabit, that the greatest being resides in your being You, not something lesser.  That the best teacher should point out that You are part of the same great mystery as nature, as the breath you breathe and beyond your ego.

2.Know your craft.  To me, this is know what you are doing! Be a master at your craft.
 If you are involved in using tarot cards, for crying out loud, know them! Study all you can to understand both meaning for you, as well as meaning of historical symbolism aspects as well as current day understanding of symbols.  If you are a psychic, you must have a teacher that will hon you in your skills and abilities, mentor you on the ethical standards of practice, and if not, find someone who will!  Learn all you can about what you do and read!  If you are a counselor/or advisor to other's, learn your trade.  Take courses you need to attend to be the best counselor/advisor you can to others.  Learn ethics and stick with them. If you are a writer, read other people's writing!  Learn about good writing from good writers.  Take time to study what makes good writers capable of making sentences enticing, and learn what a synopsis is versus a bio study. If you are an herbalist, learn not only the herbs taught in class, but find out about historical uses, herbs no longer taught by Nicholas Culpepper, Jethro Kloss, and other ancestors in your field.  Find out "why" some herbs are no longer recommended and make up your mind for yourself if the concept is valid.  Learn other aspect uses of herbs: aromatherapy, uses in spells,  why they would be used for various purposes, will help you learn aspects of past uses as well as current myths about herbs that can be both beneficial and harmful to the development of medicine of misunderstanding herbal uses.

3. Learn and Grow.  Get curious about life.  Learn about things!  Don't just accept what other's say about them, find out if it is true and educate yourself and others...This leads to:

 3A.  Teach what you learn. (my add)

4.  Apply Knowledge with Wisdom.  Knowledge only becomes knowledge (as in usable information) if we apply it to practical aspects in our brain, which calls on us to think, which becomes wisdom.  Once applied in our lives (daily), can become true knowledge we live by (see lesson of the broom #14.)

5.  Achieve Balance.  I think this is hardest in this list to actually achieve.  Once balance is found in life, usually one side or the other becomes less balanced by the glance of noticing balance!  Once we think we have balance, usually by the ego's idea of balance becomes less balance (Joseph Campbell's "What a Good Boy and I"  speech), we topple out of balance.  Just try to see that work, play, eating, relaxation, spirituality, computer time, friends, and family are given as much of an equal play as you can.

6.  Keep Words in Good Order.  Like a true Dyslexic, I can't keep anything in any order, but I think they are referring to keep your talk clean, keep gossip at bay, and for heaven's sake (my add):

6a.  Talk to others as you would like other's to talk to you.
6b.  Talk about others as you would like other's to talk about you.
6c.  If you know not what you are talking about, don't boast about what you don't know.
6d.  If you blog about others, someone has pissed you off, for heaven's sake, blog with diplomacy.
6e.  Take 5 minutes to read what you have written, rewrite if too bitter, too nasty or too Pollyannaish.

7.  Keep Thoughts in Good Order.  Again, like a true Dyslexic, my thoughts don't order in any fashion, other than how they pop up, but if what you mean is keep clean thoughts, well for heaven's sake, we all are human. To control the mind is like slapping the ocean.  If you keep your words (what you speak) clean, usually thoughts that are negative in nature will begin to subside on their own, based on lack of use!

8. Celebrate Life.  Every day is a chance to find happiness. Every day (even if you deal with chronic illness and pain)  is a day to find union with our spirit, and as such celebrate with absolute abandon.  At the same time, realize that any celebration requires certain rules:

8a.  If you drink, and you drink to feel numb, less, or 'better', you might want to check yourself about this.
8b. Harm NONE.  This means any celebration should not be at the expense of others regardless of how the other person is used (in thought, word or deed, do not take advantage of anyone).

9. Attune Yourself With Nature.  Regardless if you are Wicca, witch, pagan, Buddhist, Hindu, christian, Jew or otherwise, nature is the wheel of life.  Nature goes on. Trees grow with the seasons and so do our bodies.  Honor mother nature.

9a.  Plant a tree, bush or shrub in honor of those you've loved or love.
9b. Don't take from nature without giving in return:  (this includes gardens, etc)  give.
9c. Don't Pollute.  This includes your body, your friends, and obviously the earth. Use trash cans, and recycle.

10. Breathe, Eat Correctly.  If we are part of a greater whole of something more astounding than ourselves (this person, in this life) and holy, well for heaven's sake take care of the vessel.

10a.  Eat what is correct for YOU.  Don't allow other's to tell you what is more 'spiritually' correct in your eating.  Some bodies were never intended to be vegetarians: literally their nervous system falls apart. Some bodies were never intended to be meat eaters and literally get sick when they eat anything but plant protein. Other's can take or leave any diet and that's fine.  This does not mean feed your body anything you fancy, that's going to make you sick.  And you all know what that's about, right?   Captain Crutch is not a food group.

10b. If you have asthma, no one needs to tell you what breathing correctly includes;  slowing down.

11.  Exercise the Body.  Well, this one also has an exception to it:

11a.  If exercising the body makes you ill, don't hurt yourself doing it.

12.  Meditate.  Meditation does take up volumes of books.  Meditation basic meaning refers to 'reflection'. Take time in your busy day, night and so forth to listen, reflect.  Find nature, find a good book, find a good candle that you can look at to focus your mind. And take time out to stop being "you" ego, and focus on the greater force, the You, you really are.

13. Honor The Goddess and the God.  Remember where you come from.  If you follow Jesus, this would be the time to do that, if you follow Buddha, this would again be the place for surrendering to your Guru.

14.  Lesson of the Broom.  Keep your house reasonable, your hygiene reasonable, realize that while you do the dishes you are celebrating life.   That while you are cleaning the kitty litter, you are cleaning the temple of your God, while you are cleaning your toilet, you are keeping your life, your mind and your body (all temples) clean for goodness to come in and goodness into your life.

Here are the 10 Commandments According to the Native Thought:

And Now

The Universality of the Golden Rule in the World Religions

Christianity	All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.        Matthew 7:1
Confucianism	Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state.        Analects 12:2
Buddhism	Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.        Udana-Varga 5,1
Hinduism	This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.        Mahabharata 5,1517
Islam	No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.        Sunnah
Judaism	What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.        Talmud, Shabbat 3id
Taoism	Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.       Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien
Zoroastrianism	That nature alone is good which refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for itself.        Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5

Adapted from "The Christopher Newsletter"



It is interesting how many faiths, how many indigenous cultures know to, help others as you would help yourself, believe in the basic tenants of loving the land and treating it well, and do good unto yourself as well.

Well, What Faith Are You?

What's In A Faith? Posted by Reverend Mary Miller on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 Under: Spirituality A little more about us, our passion... I spent a great deal of time really trying to iron out what we believe.  Why?  Perhaps it's middle age angst, but mostly it's because I didn't want to disillusion either my readers, or myself in where we stand spiritually.  It may seem trivial to some, but to many may be something they find they are struggling with themselves, or even to just help clarify any ambiguousness of who we are, what we serve, and why. I have found over the years that clarity of faith can be a tough thing. In our years on this Earth, we accumulate many things, and some of them are our carpet bag of wisdom we live by, how we meld them together to create who we are. For one, it truly takes a gift to "only be a 'x'".  This refers I guess to folks that go to church on Sunday, they have been going since they were in diapers, it's their faith and they are content with this. I have seen this with monks, who with their love of Buddha have a single focus towards their faith, without added material from other places. I have never had a single path that was the only wisdom or focus.  Even as a child, I found that the closest I could find, was my love of nature, that always seemed to literally throw me into a vibratory union withSpirit. The same could be said of music;  I literally have found music touches me to my very core, and literally can get lost for hours in it, either due to lyrics or sound alone. In journeying, and Dream work, I found there is a union between ecstatic state, a state found by the Sufis in spinning, by Buddhist in Mediation (which I do partake), Hindus in Chanting (same partake), and in Samadhi (a state of complete union of self and spirit/god), which I found I can go into with music/nature, and spent a glorious week in this state uninterrupted. So are we shamans?  No.  While I can claim a genetic trace to this faith:  my grandfather was from Vardo, Norway; a Saami link in my life, I do not use journey work or soul retrieval as method of working with clients. This path is probably the closest to what I am. I believe in nature, I talk to nature; rocks, giving back--either in tobacco or something, in exchange.  I believe in prayer and drumming.  Are we Wiccan?  No.  We certainly believe in both Female/Male as Mother Nature, we do not do circle work, asking for God/dess to appear in a ritual.  We do believe in the land cycle of equinoxes, and the cycle of living close to the land.  We do not conjure, nor do cast spells. Are we Christian? No.  We respect the work Jesus did, we believe in the mystic or "gnostic" idea of Jesus, that "look under a rock, and you will find me.." refers to the fact that Christ nature (anointed one)  is within us, around us, through us, and is us. Are we Hindu?  No.  I have studied this faith for years, agree with many tenants of this faith, but do not have a guru nor feel that this faith is my only link to God/Oneness. Are we Buddhist?  No. As that Buddhist have a very strict path, requiring vegetarianism, (which we aren't), recitation of the 4 nobile truths, and so forth.  I do meditate, which crosses paths, I do believe in the AUM mantra, and I have tibetan prayer flags hanging outside.  I revere the Dali Lama, and believe in reincarnation. Are we New Age?  No.  While many philosophies we certainly believe in, many within new age does not fit our path.  We very much believe in Tarot, Channeling, in Alchemy, in Quantum Physics, in reincarnation, meditation, the power of stones, herbs, chanting, but not in all aspects of New Age.  For one, (I will do a separate post on this), I don't believe 'that we alone create our experience or world'.  Why?  I don't subscribe to the lack of compassion that I have found with this taking in consideration critical thinking. If we alone were responsible (soley) for our world, I have only one name to mention: Hitler.  Why would folks believe that we would be so spiritually bereft we would 'create' catastrophic killing on such a massive level. That is just one example. I will agree we make our sadness/happiness (how we respond to the world/lessons we learn), but certainly not all the situations we are given, as mentioned above.  What we choose to do about the situations we face, certainly is our responsibility, and I believe when we know better, we do better.  No judgement, no shame. I have Buddhas around my house reminding me of our divine source, and angels, knowing that i certainly do channel, and have instructed by spirit to keep that door open.  I believe we are spirits having human experience (CS Lewis quote), learning and growing. I truly thank my fellow spiritual/life partner Raymond, for exploring this journey with me.  We spent a night really going over, what are we?  What do we believe?  In order to get a better grasp on our own spiritual journey and focus.  I think this is a darn good idea.  Often we sway in the wind with what we read, what we hear other's believe, without ever taking an inventory of what exactly do we focus our spiritual development on, what differing paths do we follow and how they interweave in our lives. I hope you take some time to reflect, that this brings you peace and joy into you All Peace to you.

So It is Solstice....

To find Magic, We Are Open To Magic

How many rainbows do you see?  And how many do you see daily?

Magic comes in unexpected spaces and times.  To find evidence of this magic requires that we are not so caught up in our head, in our daily grind, things going right, things going wrong to actually miss them.  Like a blue imp tonight in Hawaiian shorts, hanging out on a tree over by a night florescent light, sunning himself with red sun glasses, holding a three way sunning reflector.  Many would say I am out of my mind, but then again, if this is so, so be it--at least I have company, because my husband laughed when he saw it also at the same time: shared insanity.

You don't need drugs to see and feel things, (unless you just want to) because the folly of the other worlds are there for us, if we allow ourselves time, being out of our heads to see and feel what is already around us: see the orbs coming off the crystal and around it?  I blew it up so you can....Thanks Michelle UluOla, from WI for this picture, she has so many more of orbs that prove that something is indeed out there she can find with her camera.

If we take the time to know more about the Elements around us, take time to watch mother nature's surprises, we find that there is more to life Horatio, that anyone has ever dreamt of, just by being willing to watch sit and wait.

Nature is wonderful, because it exacts nothing from us: it does not ask to give, but gives of itself. It does ask us to be intelligent when we interact, or pay the consequences!  It does ask us to take time and watch, but then if we do, it gives us a thousand-fold in return.  It does not boast nor brag, it does not compete with us, but allows us to give and take as we are willing.   

So what does this have to do with the Solstice?   Did you know we are at the balance time of the year, where the sun and moon are in equal places with each other?  Where twilight becomes a time in and of itself (metaphorically speaking, if you wish), both prior to the sun rising as well as sun setting.  The best time to converse with the wee folk, which do exist, we only cease to see them, because we are trained out of it; children see all, until we tell them they are stupid, dumb, making things up, etc.

Well, more of a Pillsbury Doughboy than an imp, but he's got glasses!

So time to stop a few minutes re arrange your time for just a little bit.  Go outside and stand near the garden, look sideways to the garden right or left, with your eyes gazed ahead, you may see some movement....be patient. Now I know folks say these things don't exist except in children's books, but we say that about anything woo-woo don't we? We try to live in a grown up world, with work, responsibilities, hard heart, hard head, and certainly WALLS...walls to protect us from being hurt, from other's, from ourselves.  Children on the other hand are willing to let anything that is considered 'work' by us, be something to play at.  To enjoy and explore.  No walls.  But a willingness to be silly, joyful, playful, soft hearted, and soft headed (play takes all their concentration, but is open to experience!)

making paper cookies

Of course there is a balance between being child-like and not willing to learn from experience.  Being childlike is an art, that takes the willingness to be open in the moment to joy, to sharing with those you love, to planting a tree spontaneously, because nature needs us to give now more than receive.  To open our mind to all possibilities that allows all things to come back to us; monsters under the bed, ghosts in the shadows, imps playing in trees, gnomes puffing on pipes in the garden, fairies playing amongst our flowers, trees and with our children.

It really is alright to let "work" go for a minute, to let down those walls we hold dear to protect us, and let us see the wonders that exists in our own world; and just maybe, just maybe, we might find happiness as well.

Happy Solstice!

See anything here????
<3 love for the day, Mary

Spirit and Spirit light

Spirit and Spirit Light

I want to talk to you about spirit and spirit light.  After having seen spirits (literally) in motels, homes where fathers or family members have passed, help pass those needed passing on, I have this clearly "under my belt"....I can say for certain that people's energy do stay in this world, often as "memory tapes", or even as non ascended spirits who stay with loved ones:  my cousin Cyndy was not a believer in this until this picture was taken shortly after her mother had died, at the grave site of her brother "Butchy" who passed when he was three years old.  Cyndy certainly now believes.

The sun was behind the clouds behind the photographer (not in front), the rays came up from the grave of my cousin Butch and his mother, Maryann (2009) I can verify the picture and the person who took it, time of day...these rays should not have been there, and no flash was used.

People assume that all "ghosts" are shaped like people, but really this only happens rarely. Mostly, folks appear as energy fields, sometimes outlines, and if in full 'garb' show up as they were in their past life (to fully convince those whom they appear) for a very limited time (it takes much energy by the spirit to appear as fully human).  Most of what we see as "ghosts" are stuck energy fields that are recorded for us to remember folks by...This is often seen at public places where 'fully formed ghosts appear on a regular basis (like battlefields, or the regular appearance of Marilyn Monroe, etc). 

Energy field "ghosts" (taped memory of ghosts), seem to keep showing themselves exactly the same to everyone, saying the same thing, or appearing in the same place each time.  The sequence never varies.  It is this sequence that helps conclude that it is a "taped memory" of a person who was here, what they said or did, and repeats itself over and over again. This is much like a video type or a cassette tape (or DVD burned image) that has no 'spirit' behind it, but just the shell of an energy of a person, repeats itself over again.

Captured Spirit and light, 2012

Why do I need to blog about this?  Folks consider all energy spirits need to be exercised, sent to the light, or send beyond.  While many do need to reunite with family members (and move on) many of them become spirits who assist us in the continuation of our lives, become 'angels' as it were, helping us to avoid danger, keeping our spirit levels high (see blues, a blog I will discuss in the near future), allowing us to move beyond our grief of their passing, and help us here.  Some spirits are adamant to stay because they loved a house, have yet to understand their family has passed, or protect the area in which they've died, but did not bury well.  Others HAVE passed, remain the tapes of who they were, just to 'prove' that spirits do continue, to remind us of what wrongs we have done (this would be in the case of the ghost riders of the Civil War), and do not need to pass on. 

  While others legitimately need to be passed on:  they don't get they have died, are in pain over their passing and are causing pain to those who live in their homes, etc.  In this case, a true psychic (medium or channeler)  needs to be contacted, have them review this case (they can know the difference).  Often I (and my husband as well) will walk into a 'haunted' situation and easily can case it out fast:  what it is, why it exists, and what to do.   

We can advice others how to deal with it with the least amount of trauma.  Often though the biggest 'trauma' is getting others to realize this energy exists and that is not about "making something out of nothing".  On the other side, we often can neutralize something (other's feeling or believing something is harmful, when it isn't) into nothing. Not everything that appears to go bump is a entity, and in the same case, some times things that go bump are things that need to be recognized.

To Die for Enlightenment

To Die for Enlightenment

I want to talk today about the death of a spiritual seeker. I have no happy title for this, because, in frank, loosing a seeker is not something to reward a group, a guru or a spiritual ideology.  He died looking for enlightenment in the Arizona desert, living off the land with his girlfriend at the insistence of a "Roshi" named Roach.


This is not the first time this has happened to well meaning individuals looking for ultimate happiness and spiritual oneness, and sadly I'd bet the house, car and my bank account, this won't be the last person to find transcendence in passing from this world before finding unity of body-spirit-mind.


After spending years in an ashram, dedicating myself to reading, practicing and finding all I can spiritually about Truth, I've found that many use the words, and few actually achieve they are discussing. When actual conversation happens, often it is wordless, leading to an ecstatic state, with or without a teacher, but definitely leaves an indelible mark on the aspirant.


In "Brother Sun, Sister Moon", (1972) a movie about St Francis of Assisi, the back story to this clip is that Francis has denounced his family, his wealth, and standing in Assisi, after returning sick from the Crusades. Prior to war, he was very much into gambling, women, wealth and pleasures of life.  In an epiphany, due to near death experience, he receives a voice from God to change. He is at church one Sunday and sees Christ's eyes open on a closed eye Jesus on the cross, giving his vision:  "Francis rebuild my church, can't you see it's in dis-repair." Later seeing San Damiano, he determines to physically fix the church. (Please realize that the exact words that were in the vision were more or less what was said, as St Francis never wrote down these words).

Here is the clip to explain St Francis's comment to his soon to be disciple, St Bernard. 


Sadly, there is more truth to the statement. Oftentimes I hear folks huff and puff spiritually with complicated answers to things (we) teach.  I find that the more complicated or over simplistic the answer, the less they really have experienced (or sometimes know). In reality, no one really knows until they've achieved a certain state (I think of the comment from the Bible; "for him (he) who has ears, let him hear."), you just "know" the answer.


  I think of folks like Ananda-Mayi ma, (see picture below), her ecstasy in samadhi is rather obvious, at least to me;

for the followers of "Ma", her ability to go into a state of complete oneness transcended all words. Yet for herself, she never knew of a time when she felt apart from the divine.  She was there, she embodied what she knew.

In interviews she constantly stated that, "she did "nothing" that would bring her to this state, but the state came to her."

For Francis of Assisi's transformation (by going to youtube you can click to see the full movie), again was not something he actively looked for, in fact with the abuse given to him by his family, previous 'so called' friends, as well as the possibility of being burned at the stake for a heretic, his conversion was directed by spirit, not by man.

What's my point?   I think that the drive to be connected to the divine comes from within, from spirit.  Whether or not we experience the state experienced by Saints (I am capitalizing on purpose) in our lives really is outside of our control (having a sense of 'oneness' oftentimes referred to in Hindu and Buddhist terms as samadhi ). It is an active state that comes and goes of its own will. 

When it is not present, often people experience a sense of separateness that is often referred to as "dark night of the soul" that includes doubt of God's existence, regret and extreme depression (Mother Theresa discussed this late in her life) seems to go hand in hand with the level of oneness achieved.  This is not stating that Bipolar condition is the bounce of these two states, because balance of life, having clear thought can differentiate the state, but leaves me wondering sometimes of teachers who put their students at risk.

The teacher should be there to help guide the student who has had this experience or quick glimpse of oneness. The glimpse is valid of its own accord, teacher or no. The point of the teacher it seems from my experience, (entered an ecstatic state for 10 days) should be to teach the student how to balance what they've seen with terra firma (life right here and now) to deal with loss when they experience that state, and teach good skills that balances the two.

When teacher is greedy, controlling and in search of fame, the student will most definitely suffer, as this poor couple found out in Arizona.  I know his wife/girl friend will take a longtime to recover (not to mention other members of his family) from this so called renunciation that was instructed by his teacher; dehydration is certainly not part of any spiritual path that I know of.

I sincerely hope that his family, wife and friends find a resolved peace for his passing. It is sad that he needed to go from this Earth so early, and perhaps in a needless way.

Secondary Site to Crossroads Tarot Consulting

Welcome to the SECondary (yes on purpose) Site to Crossroads Tarot Consulting!

This bloodspot is a place to talk serious passion about tarot, psychic skills, and issues of being in the business of psychic work:  what we've seen, what we've done, and discussions to help make 'woo-woo' normal.