Astral Projection Q&A part 2

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11. How often should you project?
Once you learn how to Astral Project at will, you can project as often as you want to. But don’t forget that you have a life on the physical plane too. You need to  maintain a balance.
12. What is the real trigger to leave the body? Where it is located?
No one really knows where the real trigger to leave the body is located. But I believe that out of the seven major Energy Chakras in our spiritual body, the trigger lies in
the most active Chakra for that person. Most people report leaving through the Third-eye Charka, the Solar Plexus Chakra or the Heart Chakra
13. What can I do about my belief that I can only perceive through my physical senses?
Since our birth we have perceived everything through our physical senses. So it is very difficult to imagine that we can have other senses as well. The only way to shed that belief is to experience Astral Projection yourself. Once you are out of your body, you will realize that you can actually perceive your surrounding without the physical senses that we are so used to. Moreover, you will realize that your new set
of senses is much more enhanced and powerful.
14. While Astral Projecting are we able to use our senses? See in color, hear, feel cold or heat etc?
As mentioned in the answer to the previous question, in the astral plane, we do not use our physical senses. We can see, hear, and feel using our astral senses. I should also mention that we do not feel cold or hot in our astral body. If we do feel them, it is because our physical body is feeling hot or cold, and that feeling is  transferred to the astral body via the Silver Cord.
15. Can Astral Projection be done without being taught by some one specialized who knows what is going to happen?
Yes, Astral Projection can be done without being taught by someone. It might take you longer or you might do it the wrong way. But it can be done. There are many people who have done it alone consciously or unconsciously. But it always helps to have the right guidance.
16. What is the best time to practice Astral Projection? Day, night, or early in the
morning?
There is no best time to practice. But because of our busy lives, most people prefer to practice early in the morning or at night, before going to sleep. But if you have time, you can very well practice during the day.
17. Should I practice lying down or sitting cross-legged?
Astral Projection can be done in any position you are comfortable with. But I recommend the lying down posture, because this is the way we sleep, and it is very
natural. This position also distributes our weight throughout the body, and makes it easier for us to relax. But as I said, you can choose any position you want to. As long as you are comfortable                                   
18. I have heard of people who can Astral Project at will, like a normal daily activity. Can I do the same, whenever I command? If yes, when will I succeed?
Yes, there are many who can Astral Project at will. You can do it too. But to get to that stage, you have to project several times, get rid of your fears, get used to the astral environment, and you should have also learnt to control your thoughts.
19. Do I need to meditate first, enter a supportive state of mind to successfully Astral Project? If yes, for how long should I meditate?
For a proper, conscious out of body experience, you should be in a meditative state where your physical body is completely relaxed and your mind is completely clear of unwanted chattering. This will give you good control over your thoughts, and help you focus on Astral Projection.
20. What triggers Astral Projection? And when does it actually happen?
Your goal is to reach a stage where your physical body is completely  relaxed and your mind is completely awake. And then deepen that stage using visualization exercises. This is the magic moment where the separation of the Astral body from the physical body takes place.
21. How can I avoid being anchored to my body when I go into trance?
If you go into a deep trance, where your body is asleep and mind awake, your astral body WILL separate – either partially or fully. If it is a partial separation, you need to exercise a strong will power and visualization exercises so that you can achieve a full  separation.                                   

Astral Projection Q&A part 1

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1. What is Astral Projection?

Astral Projection or Out-of-body experience is a process through which our consciousness leaves our physical body and is free to travel anywhere, unrestricted by  our normal physical boundaries. We all unconsciously travel outside our bodies every night when we are asleep. But with the right guidance and practice, we can train ourselves to achieve this with 100% consciousness and awareness.

2. Is everyone able to do Astral Projection?

As I mentioned, everyone does Astral Traveling at night when they sleep. But since they are asleep, they are doing it unconsciously. And when they wake-up, their astral experiences get distorted and they feel they have just had a dream. But with training and guidance, almost anyone can have a conscious Astral Projection.

3. When one does Astral Traveling, what is it that "projects" out of his body?

We are made up of several bodies. The grossest and the densest body is our physical body. The next one is the etheric body or the astral body. This is much less dense compared to the physical body. So during Astral Traveling, it is the astral body that gets “projected”.   I should also mention that for each these bodies, there is a corresponding “plane”. So there is a physical plane, astral plane and so on. So during Astral Projection, the astral body is projected into the astral plane.

4. Should we be really doing Astral Projection?

When we are born on this physical plane, we all come with a specific purpose. That purpose may be different for different people. But as we grow older, we forget why we are here. So we wander aimlessly and often end up wasting our lives.
Astral Projection is one way to help us know why we are here in the first place. So I sincerely feel we all should learn this amazing art and give a positive direction to our lives.

5. How much does Astral Projection cost?

You would be surprised, but there were actually 4 people who asked me this question!
The answer is - Astral Projection doesn’t cost you anything in terms of money. It is not something that you purchase. It is an art that you learn. The only real cost  involved is your time, effort and dedication.

6. What is the best, easiest, infallible and fastest method that works for  everyone?

Everyone is different, with different personalities and beliefs. So unfortunately, there is no best and easiest method that works for everyone. There are hundreds of Astral Projection techniques available. You need to see which one suits you best.

7. What are the best visualization techniques for reaching the vibration stage quickly?

As I said earlier, there is no best technique that will help everyone to achieve the vibration stage. However, Robert Monroe’s vibration technique is the most popular since many people have reported great success with it.

8. How can I learn to project quickly without having to take herbs such as  Salvia
Divinorum?

I never recommend taking herbs or drugs to achieve Astral Projection. It is safest to practice without any external aids. Also, unfortunately, there is no “quick” way to achieve Astral Projection. You will require patience and dedication. But if you follow the right guidance, you can drastically cut down on your learning curve, and often see success in a few weeks instead of years. Also, I would recommend staying away from anyone who claims to teach you “techniques” that can help you  project “instantly”

9. How to get into a trance easily for intentional OBEs

A good way to get into a trance is to comfortably lie down at night, and watch yourself going to sleep. Try to relax your physical body, but at the same time, try not to  go to sleep. For the first few nights, you might end up sleeping. But with practice, you will learn how to control your mind and stay awake during the entire process.

10. Can Astral Projection actually be done?

Yes, Astral Projection is definitely possible, and can actually be done consciously. There are thousands and thousands of people who can do it at will.                  

Ritual Gone Wrong

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We've all had it happen. Someone has dribbled candle wax into the ceremonial cakes, or a sleeve has caught on fire because we got too close to a sacred flame. Fortunately, the universe has a sense of humor, so when ritual goes wrong, it's often just a small blip on the cosmic radar. However, every once in a while you encounter a situation in which things just don't go wrong, they go REALLY WRONG. As in, the sort of ritual where all you can focus on is which way you'll run if something explodes. Laura Patsouris over at Pantheon describes this very thing in her essay, When Ritual Goes Wrong, and touches on some really important points.

Of note, she points out that if you're leading the ritual, there is a certain degree of responsibility that comes with that role. If your ritual procedure is sloppy or half-baked, you're going to pass those bad habits on to the other people in attendance. Often, if you have people in the group who are new to Paganism in general, or who typically practice as solitaries, there's a good chance that they're going to think that what you're doing is par for the course. As a leader/HP/HPS you owe it to those in your circle to do your absolute best as the individual in charge of executing ritual.

Does this mean everything has to be perfect? No, of course not. But it does mean that there are certain standards you should try to adhere to. We owe it to the gods of our various traditions to be respectful of them, and of the sacred space, but we also owe it to ourselves.

OK, readers, I know you've got some doozies out there. Share your Worst Ritual Experience Ever in the Comments section!

What To Do in Case of Psychic Attack or of Being the Victim of Malevolent Spell

Being a relatively visible public Witch, I get plenty of requests for spells, which I politely decline to do. I tell people two things: One is that it's best to create one's own spells rather than have someone else cast them. The other is a caution against performing any magic that would interfere with the free will of another. The exception to that would be a binding of someone else, making them unable to do further harm.

If you believe someone has put a negative spell on you (usually called a hex), here are a few things you can do to protect yourself, and possibly reverse the spell.

First, purify your person. Take a shower, or better yet, soak for a while in hot water containing sea salt, bath salts, or Epsom salts. Allow the salt and water to neutralize any negativity within yourself; think of this as you soak. Let any contamination be washed away with the water spiraling down the drain, out of your house and out of your life. Drink lots of water to wash out your insides. Wash your hair, brush your teeth, put on clean clothes. You may also wish to drink mint tea or another tea that you find refreshing.

Second, purify your dwelling. Dust, sweep, vacuum, tidy up, polish. Air out the rooms. Wash the windows with a mild solution of vinegar and water. This allows purifying sunlight and moonlight to illuminate the room as well as making the glass more reflective to deflect unwanted energies.[1]

Circulate through the rooms where you live with sage or other purifying incense, making sure to fumigate everywhere -- stairways, closets, underneath stairways, basement, attic, garage if attached. If your dwelling is one that you can circumnavigate, you may wish to walk all around the outside of the building wafting this smoke.

Then mix salt and water and sprinkle it around the house. As with the incense, do this around the outside of the home, too, if you can. Be sure to cense and sprinkle all openings to the outside -- doors and windows, of course, but also skylights, electrical outlets, heating vents, chimneys, ventilator hoods, toilets, and sink, tub and shower drains. Also do this to mirrors.

While you're doing these things, speak the words, "With Earth and Water I purify this space," and "with Fire and Air I consecrate this space," because that's exactly what you're doing.[2]

Third, ward your space. If you're the witchy sort, trace a protective pentacle with the salt water on all doors, windows and mirrors. Rosemary grows in abundance where I live, so I like to use a sprig of it to sprinkle the salt water. Then I like to leave rosemary sprigs on all the window sills.

When you've done all these things, take a step back, be very quiet, look around, listen and note how different your space feels to you now.

You may also wish to perform these acts at other places where you spend a lot of time, such as work, if you can.

One last thing you may want to do, although it's not as easy and practical as the rest. You may wish to hang little mirrors in the windows or on the outside of the building to reflect away negativity. The mirrors aren't really necessary; they're just extra insurance, if you will. You should be fine just doing the other things I've recommended.

Now envision yourself within a bubble. Project this bubble around you and around your home. Nothing can pass through the membrane that has not been invited by you. Anything unwelcome bounces off the bubble. Build a strong image of this bubble in your mind. If you have a small object, maybe a clear quartz crystal or a piece of rosemary, that reminds you of this visualization, carry it in your pocket or keep it someplace handy. You can't be expected to hold this image in your consciousness all the time. But if you have this object, then at times when the image has faded and you feel you need to reinforce your working, take it out and look at it and touch it to reawaken your sense of your protective bubble.

As with all magic spells, you needn't stick with the formula offered here. If other ingredients call to you or other actions spring from you, trust your intuition and go with them.

These are my recommendations. For another approach, here's a Lemon UncrossingSpell (to break a curse). I have never tried this so I can offer no assurance of its efficacy.

[1] For a super-duper heavy cleansing of a home, say if you're just moving in after someone else has been living there, and if you have the time, get some dragon's blood incense and burn it on a piece of charcoal in a container left in the bathtub or shower. As soon as you light it, leave and let it fumigate the entire house. You don't want to breathe much of this stuff. Then return a few hours later and open all the windows to let out the dragon's blood fumes.

[2] Some additional things you can do to cleanse a new or dirty home: Walk throughout the rooms with noisemakers, rattles, a drum to frighten off unwanted spirits. Do this before censing and sprinkling. After censing and sprinkling, ring a little bell at the windows and mirrors.

Why Metaphysics?

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What is metaphysics, and why should we bother studying it? What benefits does it have for humanity? What is its purpose? How will its teachings help advance society? How will it assist our civilization and culture to progress? How will our lives be re-created individually and collectively with the application of metaphysical principles?

Questions abound concerning metaphysics, for people intuitively feel that it may have something precious to offer in terms of facilitating personal growth and self-empowerment. Among those spiritually inclined, it has become a "prime directive" to understanding their lives in terms of metaphysical principles and concepts such as multi-dimensional realities, the Higher Self, love, karma, reincarnation, etheric
energies, psychicism, oneness with all, cosmic beings, the ascension, etc., and some of the causes of this higher thinking and awareness is the thinning of the cosmic veil between dimensions; the increased contact with invisible forces; the influence of intense electromagnetic cosmic energies bombarding upon our planet and solar system at this time; the influx of higher spiritual beings incarnating in the physical realm; the discoveries of many ancient secrets left hidden in monumental structures and time capsules; scientific developments in hyper-space technologies,
and shifts in its paradigms, etc. All of these are occurring on a global  scale, in every nation of this planet, and it is affecting every human being. So it would seem that  humanity is awakening from its long sleep of forgetfulness and ignorance.

The Tree of Life of immortality, enlightenment, and illumination will be found hidden in the seeds of the Tree of metaphysical knowledge--using the word "metaphysics" in its most spiritual, Gnostic sense.

For thousands of years we have sought for truth, and most of the time from  the wrong persons and in the wrong places--what we received were man-made opinions and beliefs which were forced upon our minds to be accepted as the "word of God," or the way that Nature had decreed, and that there is nothing that anyone can do to change it. While in our infancy, physically and spiritually speaking, we accepted everything told to us by organized religion, elders, and
pedagogues as gospel and truth and we based our philosophy of life on the indoctrination imposed upon us and which subsequently formed our false sense of "conscience," and a poor understanding of spiritual values. This caused us great soulful sufferings and torment in succeeding years in our everyday life--an intense sense of shame, guilt, fear, and sin whenever we "violated" any so-called law of God formulated by theology; and it never occurred to us to
question the systems, the mechanisms, and their origins that brought about our morbid condition. This naturally lowered our self-esteem. Conscience is not similar to the concept of the "still, small voice." The latter is the silent voice of the Spirit, whereas conscience in part, is simply the engrams or programs imprinted upon the subconscious mind. Conscience is also partially our memory of the negative consequences of our past actions impinging upon our conscious mind
whenever we are about to act in a negative way resembling that of the past.

But to return from our digression: in past centuries we were told lies by false prophets and the ministers of religions that mediators between God and men were necessary; that theirs was the only way to God; that their race or sect were the chosen one of God; that everything that God would reveal to humanity lies in a single book; that God punishes us for sinning and perhaps in the afterlife casts us into hell; that illness, old-age, and death were a natural part of life; that one no longer receives any new revelation from God, etc. We were told to fear God, to see
everything as separated from us, to believe that we were born in sin, that  the sexual act is shameful, that we were simply mortals subjected to the whims of God for the determination of our fate, that we were inherently bad--and even more--that the world was flat! While at the same time heinous crimes against the Holy Human Spirit were being committed by those very same representatives of religions such as the crimes of persecution, torture, and murder of innocent human beings who simply were more spiritually and psychically inclined or conceived the universe from a different viewpoint--and all these atrocious acts were carried-out in the name of
Religion, Love and God. The Crusades and the Inquisition are dark chapters in the history of man.

One of the points that we wish to put forth here is that since time began  the dark, retrogressive forces have infiltrated or have tried infiltrating every institution that have sought to improve the condition of the soul, and the expression of the human spirit in our mundane lives. They have always opposed and attacked the true representatives of God and steered seekers of truth away from them. Their purpose is to stall human evolution and progression indefinitely, that human beings cringe and cower under their manipulative control, that humans be made into slaves and
automatons answering to their every whim. They work openly and subtly, physically and psychically. They make us believe that we need them--their services and wares--and we are psychologically controlled to be dependent upon them and return to them again and again for their assistance--usually for a large fee or with some loss on our part.

We will not be too specific here, we simply caution our readers to "be wary, be very, very wary!"

Treading the spiritual metaphysical path will assist one to be more discerning as to the understanding of what is True and what is false, what is Real and what is illusory. Generally speaking, a portion of humanity is now more experienced in the ways of men and the world than in bygone days, and they seek for that which will release them from all their mortal limitations and errors, from that Gorgon we  call "the human ego," from concepts that bind one to personal illusions and glamour, and from that state of human mortality.

Many of us are beginning to realize the existence of different dimensions and multifold realities. We seek ways for improving the human condition, for perfecting human expression, and the generation of a new type of Homo sapiens whose intelligence and heart matches those of the immortal gods. Human beings are basically seekers. Some of us thirst for that which we know not what. The
"curiosity instinct" impels every one of us to learn everything we can of  our environment, of ourselves, of the universe, of Nature, and of God. What fascinates and intrigues us most are the phenomena caused by forces and powers that transcends the perceptual capacity of the physical senses and the apprehension of the human mind. Humanity is intensely interested in the Intelligence that shapes human destiny--whether this "Intelligence" be considered as a being, a force, a Universal Mind, an omnipresent energy, or a collective consciousness. People are
seeking explanations to their "inexplicable" experiences in the field of  psychicism and the paranormal. Such occurrences as coincidences or "synchronicity" also baffles the mind as it begs for enlightenment. Those of elderly years wonder what lies for them in the "after-life," as the youthful ones wonder of their place in this world. A questioning being is a thinking being and it denotes, whether consciously realized or not, as a desire to seek, to know, and to be aware of Truth. The curiosity instinct mentioned above could well be the primitive stirrings of the divine will of the highest aspect of Man seeking to be aware of Its essential nature. The teachings of the Ageless Wisdom as taught in metaphysical, esoteric, occult and arcane schools are filled with principles that would help us understand ourselves and our  omniverse.

Humanity as a whole, is jaded and sickened by the constant wars and conflicts; with the materialistic and hedonistic life that do not offer any permanent peace and happiness or solutions to the various problems facing us as we approach a new millenium with its tremendous supernal and mundane challenges. Many seek for a more profound meaning in life, for they see through their mundane activities as a brittle illusory facade presenting itself as reality. We often ask "why am I here?" "why do I exist?" "where will I go from here?" Our present systems of religion, philosophy, and science offer no real solution, consolation, solace or comfort to our hearts and
soul-search, instead they tend to mislead, confine, and circumscribe the soul and mind to a certain area of life; to a limited way of living and thinking; to a sense of separatism; to a dualistic judgmental attitude; to a sense of fear and helplessness; and to a state of external dependency-it especially confines man to a mortal sense of existence--and we say this not from a sense of judgment but from an  observational standpoint. Conversely, metaphysics as a repository of "New-Age" concepts, the Ageless Wisdom, divine energies, power-centers, and angelic and cosmic support, seek to liberate us from self-imposed limitations as it offers answers to questions that troubles the human soul. The soul loves freedom
for freedom is ingrained in the soul. God gave man the liberty to choose,  and this privilege should not be taken away from man by any being for it is a violation of the natural order of things. Freedom may be considered as an instinct for it is to be found in animals as well. No creature enjoys being confined in a cage. Every creature love to be free and to express the genetic joy programmed in its DNA. Nature has granted all creatures their freedom of expression but some
of us would impose our will upon Divine Will by creating cages of man-made laws and regulations that do not reflect the laws of Heaven. Man-made laws may easily be manipulated by the unscrupulous for their own heinous purposes. Crimes may be committed that are "lawful," that goes undisciplined in our courts of judgment. In the laws of our society, the innocents are often made to pay for the crimes of another. Where is the love (religion), and rationality (science), and justice (philosophy) in that?

We are writing intuitively here and our statements may be interpreted and applied in various ways. In fact, statements in our literary works may seem to lack any logical structure or sequence. They may appear to be non sequitur. Logic may appeal to the thinking mind, however it is more than conceptual reasoning that we have to develop. There are higher faculties of the soul that should be cultivated and made used of, such as intuition. The cliché "reading between the lines" may seem irrational to the scientific type and yet it is this particular mode of perception that has to be practiced as a spiritual stimulus to the Soul. There are many scholarly definitions of metaphysics and they are all valid; however, for our purpose, without explaining metaphysics in an overly-academic way, let us say that metaphysics
in its more modern connotation, deals with cosmic laws and principles, with unseen forces and powers influencing ourselves and the circumstances and conditions of our daily lives, and how we may take advantage of those laws and principles by re-directing them so as to improve our holistic lives for the better. Metaphysics teaches us how to harness and apply the cosmic power lying latent within us. In its most profound spiritual aspect metaphysics teaches us the nature of
Reality and how we and Nature relate to it. Metaphysics instructs us how to harmonize ourselves with the Divine Plan of God, and it reveals the true purpose of life.

Metaphysics, therefore, has a dual function: it helps us to improve our lives secularly now in this physical dimension, and it also prepares us for a glorious life in the higher cosmic realms. Actually, as seen from a spiritual perspective, life has no divisions: life is one, as it is continuous. There is no death only a constant change.

The application of certain metaphysical principles assists the acceleration of one's evolution and the quantum leap to a higher level of intelligence and spiritual awareness. We emphasize the word "application," for knowledge of principles or techniques alone is of no value. Knowledge of itself is not power, it is the application of knowledge that empowers one. Spiritually, it is not what we know or the psychic powers that we possess that counts, it is what we are. We know
many people possessing a little knowledge or power feel themselves highly superior to their fellow men. This is arrogance and carries the seeds of peril. The saying that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" is literally and evidently true; we can well understand how insufficient knowledge and a disregard for life may result in catastrophes. It was the cause of destruction of previous high-tech civilizations, historically unrecorded, as it is the cause of our present social, political, and ecological unrest.

To understand the above concept of incomplete knowledge, consider for instance the knowledge that we have to construct nuclear weapons--how much do we really know of the impact that it will have upon us and the universe should we choose to detonate one? We may presently believe that the effects of a nuclear blast be localized causing the exploded area to be radioactive for centuries to come. This is an obvious effect, but what about the not-so-obvious rippling, chain- reaction that it would cause in the physical and not-physical universes to the very end of our
galaxy? Basically, arrogance is an inferior attitude masking as superiority.  Inferiority or superiority complexes are both egoic expressions. The human ego often wishes the Self to appear what it is not. Even if we knew a lot, if we have read a thousand books, studied under countless Gurus, have permanent contact with a Cosmic Master, experienced a 1001 delights and terrors, meditate constantly, possess the world, or are powerful in some psychic way, it still does not give us a reason to egoically compare others with ourselves, or to judge them--by seeing others as inferior to us, by labeling them as bad, low, and vile. Many so-called spiritual teachers still do this. They criticize and condemn others without realizing that, spiritually speaking, there is no separation between others and themselves. What we see in others also lies below the conscious threshold within ourselves; what we do to others, we also do to ourselves, what we think of others, we also think of ourselves. What another is doing in the present we may well have done so ourselves in the past or perhaps will do so in the future. There is no need for judgment but a lot of need of mercy, understanding, and tolerance. Essentially, a spiritual being will not indulge in the judgment of dualistic concepts and the relativistic opposites such as good and bad, right and wrong, rich and poor, strong and weak, etc. These things are reconciled or transcended by the mage. St. Paul once said that if we owned the world and all powers and gifts of the spirit but lack
love we were nothing. This is felt by all true spiritual teachers and practitioners.
Metaphysics should not be confused with the paranormal nor with parapsychology. The paranormal and parapsychology are simply aspects of metaphysics--using the term in its broadest sense..In regards to metaphysical experiences we should keep in mind that metaphysics encompasses the two basic divisions of psychicism and mysticism, thaumaturgy and theurgy. Experiences in both fields may be  considered "metaphysical," however, a psychic experience is dissimilar to a
mystical one, and vice versa. One relates to the perception of events occurring in the lower planes or dimensions, the other to spiritual Self-awareness and the expansion of the consciousness encompassing the Whole.

As can be understood from the above, metaphysics has a transcendent value. It caters to both the physical and spiritual aspects of man. Metaphysics begins where traditional psychology leaves off, it goes where dogmatic religion is afraid to go, it extents further than mainstream science is able to reach with its laboratory equipment--although we must admit that many technological advances have been made in this direction, most of which have not yet been made available to
the general public for reasons of censure. The release of such technology would dethrone the powers that seek to enslave the world and the Dark forces are trying very hard to prevent humanity from being empowered.

One of the misconceptions regarding metaphysics is that it is unscientific and based upon superstitious ideas. This is not in our experience. Metaphysics is scientific, rational, empirical and pragmatic, or it could indeed well e "superstitious" depending on one's attitude, beliefs, and manner of approach, or how one would like it to be. This might seem as a paradox and yet it may be reconciled. We liberate our minds or impose limitations upon it by our beliefs and attitudes, and by those limitations we circumscribe our mental and spiritual growth.

Our beliefs and attitudes form our basic interpretation of Reality. If a thing is of value, because of prejudice we will not see it. We will see what we want to see, and refuse to see what we refuse to see. Metaphysics may be approached in various ways. If one has a background in mathematics, one's approach would be mathematical. If one has a psychological background one would naturally approach it from a psychological standpoint. And if one simply believes or disbelieves in
metaphysical principles then the result would be in accordance to that  mental condition. For instance, if we disbelieve that man may go to the moon we would not exert effort to putting him there. If we believe that we are doomed to failure we would never motivate ourselves to work for success. This concept relates to how we form our own personal experiences in life, our own personal reality. Intrinsically, however, personal opinions do not affect the natural laws operating in our universe. We may discount the reality of gravity, for instance, and yet the law still functions in our everyday experience. The same goes with the other natural laws like karma and
reincarnation. Belief or disbelief in them will not affect their existence and operation. Just because these laws are not mentioned by prophets and written about in Holy Scriptures do not nullify their activity. Come to think of it, many scientific natural laws are not mentioned in Holy Writ, does this prove their non-existence?

Though certain aspects of metaphysics may be considered to be speculative, as it deals with the Ultimate Reality, the First Cause, creation, and ontology or the nature of being--what interests us is the application of its principles and direction of Cosmic laws in everyday life. The worth of a science lies in its value, relevancy, and applicability in everyday living. If it is inefficient in aiding humanity to create abundance, peace, health, etc., then it is impractical and worthless. Some people have this kind of misconception concerning metaphysics, they believe that
metaphysics is impractical, too abstract, or that it violates natural law  and hence, religion; however, the opposite is true. Metaphysics and its principles work in  harmony with Cosmic laws and is extremely practical. Applied Metaphysics, as differentiated from Speculative Metaphysics, is wholly practical and essential to daily life. It empowers us with the tools and knowledge necessary to achieve a successful and fulfilled life. Though the art and science of metaphysics is still in its infancy compared to what lies ahead, there is enough teachings, techniques and systems to assist us live a fruitful, productive and creative life in accord with the Divine Will. The more we know and understand, the more wisdom we possess, the more motivated, focused and confident we are--the more chances we have of fulfilling our mission in life.

There is an on-going electromagnetic regeneration occurring in our solar system in our present "time-period." The present interaction and interfacing of energy fields in the part of our galaxy that our solar system is entering are causing the transformation of worlds and all beings connected to them in an evolutionary manner. Electromagnetic energies radiating from power centers in multi-dimensional universes are affecting and transforming everything in its path or
field of influence. These energies induce and impel all beings to rise in  their awareness level. They stimulate Man and Nature to form a new relationship based on trust and healthy cooperation. St Francis of Assisi was a pioneer and a model for us in this regard. This friar considered all beings--trees and animals, included--as his brothers and sisters. The transformations that are currently occurring politically and socially in the world are just a few of the physical effects of the cosmic bombardment of these energy rays. Changes will occur at every level lifting humanity to a new state of being, to a higher level of divine expression. The
transmutational process currently operating is represented by the Water Bearer-the sign of Aquarius, and the Aquarian Age. The water flowing from the vessel represents the energies flowing from the Mental, Buddhic and Atmic realms. These are just some of the higher dimensions operating above the personality level. Collectively, these three dimensions are represented by the pail held by the Water Bearer from whence these energies flow, and the Water Bearer as the Higher Christ Self within each individual.

The New Age or the Aquarian Age can be interpreted as the "second-coming" of Christ, for His sign (Aquarius) shall appear or is appearing in the sky in an astronomical sense; he "appears" in the clouds or energies of the New Age, and every eye shall "see" him—that is, feel his influence. How can we appreciate the value of metaphysics? It takes careful study and analysis with a non-prejudicial mind before a true evaluation can be made of any science or thing. Metaphysics is of
no exception. The problem is that too many people have preconceived the nature of metaphysics without having investigated the matter. Some consider it as the science of Lucifer or other such nonsense. All knowledge is essentially neutral in nature. Nothing is good or bad in itself. We attribute a thing as good or bad, right or wrong from the standpoint of our own moral standards or preference and this is constantly changing in consonance with the level of our spiritual awareness.
Metaphysical teachings help us in various ways. It teaches us the  existence of the many Cosmic laws operating in the universe and how these laws function in the world of beings. If understanding just a simple Cosmic law like karma helps one to correct misconceptions and alleviate our struggles, and relieve certain  psychological pain, can you imagine how the awareness and understanding of a dozen Cosmic laws would help improve the quality and value of one's life? It should be realized that if a person were to cry out in pain to God for an explanation to all of her problems and excruciating experiences, and that if she were confused and at a loss of knowing how to react or respond to certain situations, then it should be known that there are possible errors in that person's philosophy of life, in that person's understanding of the functions and laws of the universe, and the purpose of life, or of the person's personal mission. Since one's philosophy of life is associated with one's cultural and religious beliefs, then those beliefs should be looked into for possible false notions and dogmatic errors that do not reflect the workings of Nature.

True religion brings joy, bliss, understanding and wisdom to the heart, and is scientifically inclined. If it does not do so, and if it simply causes one to believe a thing without offering personal determination of its truth through experience,  knowledge and  understanding then it may be seen as a diversion from the true spiritual path. We state emphatically here that to be religious is not synonymous to being spiritual. A spiritual person may be religious, but a religious person  is not always spiritual. A spiritual person knows whereas a religious person simply possesses faith, which at times may be expressed blindly in the condition called fanaticism.

In metaphysics we develop power, intelligence and wisdom. Wisdom is a blend of knowledge, understanding, and experience directed by the buddhic principle of love--unconditional love. It is thinking with the heart and feeling with the mind. This distinguishes the higher metaphysical development of spirituality from the lower metaphysical unfoldment of psychicism. In a lower metaphysical development we may solely possess psychic ability or power but no wisdom and understanding to use it. We unfold in an unbalanced way. When power exceeds the wisdom to
apply it, the seeds of self-destruction is inherent and might be the  probable outcome. Advanced metaphysicians have all three aspects of divinity in full development or unfolding in a balanced and harmonious way, these three are: the aspects of love/wisdom, power/will, and intelligence/activity. The more Cosmic laws and truths we apprehend with our souls and apply in our every day lives, the more spiritual, divine, and powerful we become. The more we purify ourselves from all the
dross and toxins in our energy-structures, and the more we liberate ourselves from preconceived human mortal limitations, the more we are able to access divine energies and express our divinity, or our divine attributes. We are able to manifest our Christ Self. The term "Christ Self" should be understood as a component within the microcosm, or Man--both visible and invisible, and as the True Self functioning at a certain consciousness level beyond personality functions and expressions. In metaphysics Christ is not conceived as a historical person but rather understood from a mystical and mythical standpoint. Christ is often apprehended as a state of
awareness of man functioning at a spiritual level. This is real power: the  power derived from one's own spiritual knowing, awareness and being. Most of the so-called powers claimed by some psychics are borrowed from disembodied entities and are basically illusory and impermanent. Such temporal and borrowed powers in the end may seek to control and obsess the person using them. This is one reason that one should be aware of the dangers in psychicism before embarking upon its development. It is always safer to first develop true spirituality and
the taming of the false ego. The injunction is to first seek the kingdom  of God that all things shall be added unto us. In metaphysics we come to learn of many teachings of Cosmic laws and principles that aid us to deal with life, to master our lower self and express all that is divine in us. This is true mastery. The word Master does not mean being able to control Nature or others, it is the ability to effectively work in cooperation with Her and with our fellow man in creating harmony, peace,
and abundance in our world, in our shared reality, in our conjoined dream.  Real Masters are those who have mastered the animalistic and humanistic elements of their being and are now expressing their god-hood. Cosmic or Ascended Masters do not generally consider themselves as Masters for they realize that they themselves are in a state of learning.

Such is their humility.

APPROACHING METAPHYSICS

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Before one approaches seriously the study of metaphysics, magick, the occult, or mysticism, it is appropriate that one prepares oneself on all levels: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

It is of vital importance that the student be psychologically prepared for the reception of Cosmic truths; for without adequate preparation, without the required purity, the right attitude and the right motive, one simply deludes or sidetracks oneself from all that which is essential in occult study to those phenomena and teachings that are unessential, delusive, and misleading; to phenomena that simply strengthen one's hold in a world of illusion, glamour, pride and ego; aside from this, should one attempt occult work without due preparation one exposes oneself to certain dangers which are far-reaching. Without adequate preparation the student would abuse and misuse occult, spiritual teachings and powers.

The karmic consequences of this abuse may stall or cause stagnation in one's
spiritual evolution for countless incarnations. Basically, religion without the theological dogmas, is an appropriate basis for the study of metaphysics. Students of metaphysics are advised to deepen their religious activities by engaging in personal study of their scriptures or holy book without relying on the usual channels or interpreters for clarification. This is to preserve one's bicameral mind from
external influence and dependency on "authority figures" that may be damaging to the psyche in the long run.

Purity, sincerity, humility, and a selfless motive which seeks to serve one's fellow men are qualities to possess or develop when requesting from, or studying the teachings of a spiritual/ metaphysical teacher, or even when embarking on our own by studying books on the occult. These qualities or virtues are our safeguard. They protect us from negative forces which affect our mental and emotional stability.

One of the keys to preparation is to eliminate the false ego from our thinking and centeredness. Think from the Christ level. Think the thoughts of Jesus, Muhammad-the Prophet, Krishna, Lao Tze, or Buddha. What do you think these avatars and prophets of God think constantly of? They think of God, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. Therefore we advise each student to do likewise. Thinking abstract thoughts, divine thoughts, spiritual thoughts, and holy thoughts raises the vibrations of the physical, etheric, astral and mental bodies. This facilitates metaphysical and spiritual development so needed by the human race. It improves the quality of humanity.

One of the problems which poses as an obstacle to occult and metaphysical study is that of the crystallized mind. As a preparation, the first step that has to be undertaken by the student of metaphysics and the occult is to temporary put away all previous concepts and beliefs regarding them. There are many false beliefs and superstition concerning the occult perpetuated by ignorant individuals, by psychics of a low caliber, by secular education, and even by religion, that we have to cast all of those beliefs aside and prepare our minds to really think and use our reason and intuition.

Even if we had learnt metaphysics or branches of it previously from genuine teachers, it is still required of us to shelve them aside when we begin our apprenticeship under a new tutor.  Our minds should be open and receptive to the teachings of the higher worlds, but if our minds are closed and crystallized, we fail to register the truths concealed in occult and metaphysical teachings regarding the laws of the cosmos, the higher worlds, the principles of mind and one's psychic nature.

If the teachings of any metaphysical system or teacher (including this writer) contradict your personal notions and feelings and you have trouble accepting them, simply shelve them aside for the time being and consider them again at a later date when you have acquired more experiences and knowledge. Realize, however, that most of the time opinions and beliefs do not reflect Truth. We teach what we personally know or what others personally know. We do not proselytize or impose our words upon others against their will. We are happy to give to others the teachings of the Spiritual Masters should they be receptive and just as happy not to give should they be non-receptive. We can lead a horse to a drinking trough but we are unable to make it drink.

Granted, that information concerning the occult the tyro or neophyte often has to regard as hypothesis, or working theories, but in time the student is given methods for investigating and proving to himself the verities of metaphysical truths and the realities of the higher worlds. We seek knowledge, wisdom, and experience--not mere beliefs. For the student of Nature's mysteries, beliefs will not do. Beliefs are blatant expressions of one's ignorance, for if one knows, why is there a need for beliefs? If one should say that one believes in the existence of something, one
implies in that statement that one does not really know if that something exists.

Belief and knowledge are poles apart. In spiritual and occult training one invokes intense energies, powers and forces emanating from the spiritual worlds. These energies flow into the whole microcosm even down to the physical level. Should the physical body and its force-field vibrate at a very low level because of the presence of
impurities, toxins, and negative forces, the nervous and energy systems of the physical and etheric bodies would explode and rupture during the influx of those higher energies. This is one reason why one embarks upon the Path of Purification prior to engaging in advance occult work.

The Master's Advice
In days gone by, when a student approached a spiritual or occult master for instructions, the master would say "empty your cup." The master illustrates the purpose of this by pouring fresh tea into a cup already filled to the brim with the liquid. The tea would naturally overflow. "Likewise," the master would say, "will the teachings I fill your mind be rejected by all of your previous thoughts and false
beliefs. Therefore, empty your cup." Which means, in other words, "empty your mind of previous ideas and conceptions." Most people are disinclined to accepting new ideas. They dislike change, and yet we must change towards a positive direction if we are to progress. There is a senseless fear and laziness in most people in operating their brain faculties such as using their mind to reason. Our
minds must be open and flexible, yet putting all new ideas to the test where possible before accepting them. We must strive to see the logic and rationality in concepts, if any, that are new to us. In other words, we must think! It would not hurt to be critical in a positive and constructive sense of novel ideas or even religious ideas if we believe that our criticism is valid. Although the mind is limited, it
has its purpose and we should not shirk from using it.

It is an important requirement for the occult student not to form any false ideas concerning himself and lower his self-esteem. He should not limit his mind and divine expression by saying "I can't do this," "I can't do that." One never knows what one can do until one tries. This applies to all branches of learning and study. Often we hear people say "nobody's perfect," and they use this as an excuse not to improve their morality, their character, their minds or even their social standing. If one approaches the study of metaphysics and the occult in this manner, one is bound to fail. Metaphysics is hard work, and those who are not interested in work should leave metaphysics alone. Metaphysical truths awaken a person from self-complacency and the slumber of mortal errors. The student of metaphysics
should be prepared for this and not rebel when it occurs. When you come to the point where you can think of nothing but metaphysics in your everyday activities, you shall succeed in being a metaphysician. Metaphysics has to be incorporated into one's life 24 hours a day.

Studying the occult and metaphysics requires great perseverance, endurance, patience, and fortitude. It even requires a certain degree of intelligence. Note that we do not say education or intellect, for the educated mind and intellect at times can be more of a hindrance than an asset. Unless our mind is receptive and open to modify previous findings or concepts expounded by science or religion which
from the point of view of metaphysics are erroneous, one would simply fail in metaphysical study and the probing of Nature's higher laws. The intellect, as the result of education is simply the building blocks that we accumulate, whereas intelligence is the conscious directive power that builds an edifice out of those blocks. Being educated implies gathering data and information that may or may
not be true or even relevant to one's life. We should seek the sort of knowledge that is applicable to our everyday lives with its countless challenges and problems.

Overcoming human problems is mastership. Intelligence is a necessary attribute to comprehending metaphysical principles. You need not be concerned of any lack of intelligence, however, for metaphysical practices itself raises one's I.Q., E.Q., and S.Q. Some occultists, metaphysicians, and mystics have declared that it is much easier acquiring an academic degree than getting fruitful results from occult study. This is indeed true, for occult study requires unfolding the inner senses to register higher vibrations and the various phenomena of the higher dimensions, and this takes much time and energy for practice and training. The purpose of metaphysical study is to make each and every one torchbearers of Truth. Work for Truth, live in
Truth, promote Truth and it is guaranteed that you will evolve into God's Light.

However, seek no reward. Metaphysical development requires time, patience, perseverance and great concentration--the type of concentration not normally possessed by the average person. This training of psychic and metaphysical faculties may take a whole life time for its perfect functioning and control. We should
not be daunted by this, however. The Master Jesus said, "In patience possess ye your soul," and this each student of metaphysics must be conscientious of. The student must have patience and possess his or her soul and not allow the Dark forces to possess it. In metaphysics we learn to direct our lower self, if we do not do this, negative beings will. It is expedient that the student remove religious and any form of prejudice from his mind and heart.

At times teachers of metaphysics may refer to the text of one religion in preference to another to illustrate or substantiate certain metaphysical concepts. This they do, not because of their personal background and not because of any animosity toward the other religions, but because of convenience sake. We know that the essence of all religions is Truth itself. Metaphysicians, therefore, teach and refer to the Truth in all religions whenever possible.

This brings up another subject to mind:
fanaticism. Fanaticism is not to be tolerated, not in metaphysics, not in religion, not in any human endeavor whatsoever. Fanaticism simply indicates a blind belief in principles and opinions, most of which may be dubious as to their validity. Fanaticism is separatism, narrow-minded and destructive, and should be avoided. It breaks up unity by creating divisions and schisms. It is the very antithesis
of the spiritual precept: "unity in diversity." The motto of the Dark forces will always be "divide and conquer."

Man is a microcosm of the macrocosm. In religious terms, man is a reflection of God, for he/she was made in God's image. Since God is perfect, man likewise, in a spiritual sense, is perfect. Man carries the seeds of perfection within him. He only needs to unfold this divine seed of perfection lying dormant within him. When this is done all things become possible to man. In order to nurture these divine seeds, one must overcome inertia and work with the evolutionary forces of Nature.

The Motive of Study
One of the first few things that a student of metaphysic has to do is to introspect and analyze as to the motive for approaching metaphysical study. Why does one want to study metaphysics, its branches, and its various arts such as magick, mysticism, esotericism, psychometry, dowsing, or telepathy? For what reason? For what motive? Is it simply to gain advantage over another, for power over others? Or
is it simply to acquire name and fame or the riches that it will produce? Approaching metaphysics with such motives would retard one's spiritual growth and is not condoned by any spiritual teacher of worth. A true and noble motive would be to serve God and humanity in spiritualizing this physical world, in manifesting Heaven on Earth, where Truth, Justice, Righteousness, Love, Peace and Goodwill between men prevails. Should your motive be negative, you are advised to transform it
now. Do not deceive yourself as to your motive. Another thing that we must not do, is to steal the secrets of heaven or gain entry into it by force, meaning that we should not force our occult growth by engaging in dubious exercises obtained through sources with no real integrity or authority to transmitting them and hoping for an instant development with their application. Should occult abilities be "instantly" procured, it would not be permanent and would result in adverse effects in most cases. We all know the low quality of plants cultivated in greenhouses as compared to the cultivation done underneath Nature's roof. It is the same with metaphysical growth. Heaven is not willing to release her secrets to the profane, and if by
chance any of us acquire her secrets and apply them without the proper motive and purity, we unknowingly curse ourselves. The scriptures say that God is not mocked. This is a symbolic way of saying that the Law of Karma is operative and no one is able to avoid its influence.

The student should be aware that there are false Gurus in the metaphysical field. Every student should be wary and cautious in accepting what they have to teach, for though what they teach be sweet to the mouth, their effects may be bitter to the stomach. These Gurus have no sense of responsibility, and they control and manipulate the minds of their followers for their own nefarious reasons. They create
a morbid dependency on the part of the student. Without the adequate and correct preparation through the Path of Purification, although one may unfold in a psychic manner, if accepted and trained by a "Guru," one would limit one's psychic
development and stagnate in one's spiritual evolution. The higher occult and mystical abilities requires that one be spiritually developed, and this cannot be attained without the necessary purification of the microcosm.

Spiritual Masters of the occult and metaphysics are wary and watchful of students with impure motives. It is not unusual for Spiritual Masters to reject applicants for study or to put them through certain tests, or to give them some advise and told to return at a later date, perhaps a week, or a year later. Just because a student is anxious to study the occult does not imply that he is ready for it or that he should be accepted by a Spiritual Master or Adept. Acceptance by a Spiritual Master and the
initiations that he has to offer requires sincerity of motive and more besides. The false Guru may perhaps accept such a student for personal reasons--for fame, name, glory or wealth. The true Guru, however, never consider these things as criteria for accepting students, although he may work in  strange ways that sometimes seem amoral or irrational in order to test candidates. An occult axiom
states that, "When the student is ready, the master appears." The advise here is to make oneself ready through proper preparation and not sit and wait and twiddle one's thumbs. The master in this axiom may refer to a spiritual being, one's personal spiritual guide or guardian, or even to a metaphysical school.

It should be known that the metaphysical path is a strenuous one requiring every minute of the day. One does not engage in metaphysics at certain spare moments available. One must make time for the study and practice of metaphysics. Reduce unnecessary socializing and reduce watching TV and movies to a bare minimum; preferable not at all wasting time on them. This may result in some conflict between your friends and relatives as you settle-in to your new metaphysical routine, but
consider this: what is more important, their egoistic and personal gratification and demands or your study of Truth with its eternal worth and its spiritual application in the affairs of men? It is up to you to decide; however, if results are not forthcoming from your practice because of your lack of application, you have no one to blame but yourself. One piece of advice: you may drop-out from metaphysical study but never drop-out from life, for it may be that your real metaphysical teacher and lesson is life itself. Accept whatever life brings and learn from it; otherwise, seek to change it using your God-given creative powers.

The Contemplation of Life and Death
Perhaps one of the things that a novice of metaphysics is told to do at the very outset by a true metaphysical or spiritual teacher is to contemplate the meaning of death and the opportunity that life offers. This dual theme is a healthy, sane, and balanced contemplation that when analyzed individually tends to produce an unhealthy pessimistic or overly hopeful attitude. How does one begin this contemplation? By reflecting on the following: first of all realize that we are all heading toward physical death, This might seem discouraging nevertheless is a true statement that cannot be contradicted. With every second, with every breath that we take we approach closer to our grave. Nature guarantees us nothing in life but our coming demise. This is her promise. We do not know when we will leave the physical body permanently. It may be the next hour, today or tomorrow, but leave it we shall. From these musings questions would arise: "What then is the meaning of life?" What is the purpose of life?" Shall we say as the materialists would say, "let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die"? What sort of a philosophy is that when our query remains unanswered? It would be preferable to say "let us study the purpose and meaning of life for we know not when we will pass away and God's purpose for us here may not be carried-out if we spend our time on frivolous matters." Contemplating further, we will realize one major thing, and that life here is an opportunity. Opportunity for what? An opportunity to grow, to become, and to be.

Heraclitus, the philosopher of ancient Greece said that everything is becoming. This is the Law of Change. From our metaphysical point of view, we understand that he was referring to the Law of Evolution. If we think about it we will realize that we are unable to take anything material with us to the higher worlds when we pass on. We are unable to take along with us our house, our money, our possessions, our titles, etc. What we do take along are things that are immaterial--our knowledge, our memories, our karma, our habits, our character, our spiritual and psychic development, our aspirations and desires. We can see from this that our purpose in this world, in this physical plane is in connection with those immaterial things mentioned above, and if--and metaphysics declare it to be so--evolution
is a law of Nature, a Cosmic law, then our true purpose is to evolve, to improve and to purify those immaterial things. Our greatest opportunity in this world is the correct use of time. Use this gift of God searching for Truth and not wasting it on non-essentials.

Perhaps after being a little pessimistic about reflecting death just awhile ago we may now be cheerful and be optimistic about life and to carry-out the main purpose of physical existence instead of wasting our precious time, energy and resources on immoderate and excessive entertainment: too much watching TV, too much sex, the taking of drugs, and indulgence in other material devices invented and designed by the Dark forces to sidetrack and make us forget our divine heritage, purpose of being and our mission here on Earth. This is the nature of evil: it diverts us from
experiencing our true soul-purpose and need. Anything that distracts us from improving our soul nature, our character, our morals, or acquiring metaphysical knowledge of Cosmic laws and truths, is to be considered as an evil mechanism and an intruder to our microcosmic system. These evil intruders sometimes work in such a subtle manner at times that even disciples of metaphysics are sometimes caught off-guard.

The Pure Life
A metaphysical life entails living a life of purity. Even before approaching a Master for
apprenticeship, a pure, spiritual, constructive life should be lived as best as one is able to. The degree of purity within us can be seen and felt by the Spiritual Masters and Adepts of metaphysics and the occult. They know our spiritual state and status by the colors and the luminosity of our aura, by our facial expression, by the quality of the emanations of our eyes, and by the way we think, speak and act.
By the above we do not imply that one has to be a saint in order to be a worthy student of the occult or metaphysics. What we are saying is that purity is a necessary quality to possess and to develop when one becomes a serious student of the occult. It is an indispensable quality for it prepares our psycho-biological system, our nervous systems to withstand intense energies that we invoke from the
higher worlds through our occult and metaphysical studies. We often hear of people going insane because of their involvement with the occult or metaphysics. This is because of their lack of purity. Their nervous systems were not able to sustain the spiritual vibrations coursing through them. When this occurs, as mentioned before, the nervous system ruptures, certain brain cells and nerve centers are destroyed, and the etheric webs protecting the student from overexposure to impressions of higher frequencies coming from the other dimensions, are shattered. One is then unable to shift focus from one reality to another but is opened to both. This causes too much strain. Insanity is the sad result. Spiritual energy invoked through mystical practices also evokes the undesirable elements lying within us. If these elements are not cleared by a process of purification, they would cause us trouble. This is not to say that metaphysics or the occult is an unsafe study. There is danger in  everything. One simply needs the right information and common sense, and take precautionary measures when delving into any study, especially metaphysics and the occult.

Purification is a multi-level process. It should occur on all levels of the microcosm. For instance, our physical body, our blood-stream, our energy-structures, our emotions, our minds, our aura, and chakras, all need to undergo purification. The Path of Purification is a basic step in any system of occult, metaphysical, and spiritual study. To neglect this essential step is to open-up ourselves to spiritual dangers. Any Guru neglecting the Path of Purification in his or her metaphysical system is a false teacher working against the evolutionary tide and spiritual current. It is not beyond the means of any average person to become pure and holy. The difficulty is that people do not see purity or holiness for what it is. They have many erroneous concepts regarding it. For instance, some of us believe that to be holy one has to seclude oneself from society, be celibate, or wear white robes or
even tattered clothing. They believe that to be holy one must dress oneself in some special way or wear a certain hairstyle or do strange things, or act a little mad. These are all fallacies. We should all  strive for holiness by being what we truly are, and not be what we think ourselves to be. In the name of Light, Life and Love, we appeal to all students to be pure and holy.

A Balanced Approach Towards Metaphysics
In metaphysics or in the occult, the student is requested to take a balanced approach. There are three factors that students have to consider:
1) Knowledge of metaphysical laws, principles, and cosmic truths.
2) Unfoldment of spiritual and psychic senses, faculties, and abilities.
3) Acceleration of one's spiritual development, of one's soul evolution.
The pursuit of these three together in a harmonious way is necessary in
developing a well-rounded attainment. When one is over-emphasized and the
others compromised as to their importance, then trouble results for the
metaphysical student. For instance, too much knowledge without spiritual
abilities and a spiritual development results in a poor instrument, one ineffective
in the service of men, and one filled with pride and vanity. Psychic abilities
without knowledge and a degree of spiritual advancement causes similar
symptoms as the above--pride and vanity, together with a poor understanding of
what one registers through the psychic centers. Though one be "spiritual,"
without metaphysical knowledge and understanding one is often deluded and
misled by psychic forces. One falls into the trap of glamour and illusion.
To be spiritually developed without adequate knowledge and psychic ability results in one's ineffectiveness in serving humanity. We can see from this that the problem facing the metaphysical
student is the correct pursuit and development of those three factors simultaneously. The unfoldment of these three factors causes that Divine Spark (Spirit), the Soul-Flame within us to grow in strength and magnitude. This Spark is threefold. There is a will-power aspect (blue), a love-wisdom aspect (pink) and an intelligence-understanding aspect (yellow). This divine flame, metaphysically, has its location within our physical heart and is about 2 cm in size. It is representative of the Higher Soul within the microcosm which is likewise threefold in nature. Esoteric students of Theosophy, for instance, call these components of the threefold Soul, atma, buddhi, and manas.

Too often metaphysical, occult, or so-called spiritual Gurus teach on the basis of a single approach. This does much harm to the student and to society in the long run, or in the very least, it does no lasting good. Advanced teachers, or true Spiritual Masters would synthesize the above three factors. Their approach as a synthesis of those triune factors, would be practical, instructive, and informative. Let us look again at those three factors. What do we mean by occult and metaphysical knowledge?

By such knowledge we mean of the following :
Knowledge concerning, the origin of Spirit-Man; the origin of human beings; the origin of the solar system; civilizations of unrecorded history; the real history of man; man's purpose of being; the progression and the transmission of the ageless teachings throughout the centuries; the origin of religion; the Mystery Schools; the occult anatomy of man; man's latent powers and faculties; the secret teachings and oral tradition of the prophets; the nature and laws governing the higher worlds and man; the application of Cosmic laws; the hidden laws of this three-dimensional world; the principles of counseling and healing; the nature of man, etc.
Now what do we mean by the unfoldment of psychic and spiritual abilities? What are they? Here are just a few: the ability to register spiritual impulses emanating from the Soul, the Spirit, the Spiritual Hierarchy, one's spiritual group, and Master; telepathy; the ability to direct the elements and forces of Nature; spiritual vision; etheric vision; the ability to function consciously in the higher worlds; the
ability to attune with the Divine Cosmic Mind; the ability to know the past, present and future; the ability to heal body, mind and soul; the power to create; etc.
And lastly, what do we mean by spiritual development? We means expanding one's consciousness; opening up the intuitive channels; the transcendence of the false ego; the expression of one's divinity; oneness with Nature, God and one's fellow men; the purification of one's thoughts, words, and actions; the realization and awareness of one's true identity, and the unfoldment of all spiritual virtues
and attitudes such as sacrifice, renunciation, detachment, steadfastness, endurance, strength, self-control, patience, magnanimity, purity, heroism, truthfulness, generosity, compassion, understanding, love, affection, serenity, faithfulness, altruism, tolerance, reason, devotion, adaptability, sincerity,
joy, discernment between the real and the unreal, service, balance, beauty, harmony, creativity, confidence, perception, reverence, sympathy, punctuality, love, tenderness, gratitude, gentleness, harmlessness, inclusiveness, desirelessness, forgiveness, trust, self-discipline, etc. 

So far we have used the words occult, metaphysics, and spirituality interchangeably. At this time this suits our purpose, but we have to realize that these terms are not synonymous and each have a specific definition of their own. To these terms we may include mysticism, magick, parapsychology, parapsychic science, and esotericism as each having a definite meaning and yet still connected with
metaphysics in general. In the course of one's metaphysical study one would gradually come to realize the fundamental difference. Humility and Fearlessness
So far, we have already dealt at some length with the qualities that the candidate of metaphysical studies has to possess, such as purity and an open mind. Other important qualities are those of humility and fearlessness.

Humility is the quality of acknowledging the greatness of God as expressing throughout Nature. It is the realization that no matter what one attains or what one becomes there is always room for further growth. Thus, one never view oneself as representing a final attainment such as being the smartest kid in school, for one knows that there are still others much more smarter than oneself. There is
always room for improvement. We should not just look down before us, look upwards as well and see that there are others far above us. Reaching one peak allows us to see a higher summit. There is pride in thinking of being wise or in being stupid. There is also pride in thinking of being rich or in being poor. The writer has often heard people lamenting on how poor they are, and they enjoy saying this and proving it. They would take quite a lot of trouble to prove that they are poor and
that none are in as much a need as themselves. This is pride expressing itself, for they fail to see that they possess many of God's precious gifts to them, such as their senses to register impressions, their minds to think, their will to act, and their hands and feet to carry-out their desire; in short, all that is required to manifesting prosperity. Such people are ungrateful beings. In this they show their lack of
humility.

When approaching an Occult Master in an egoistic manner, he would most certainly reprimand us verbally . . . or in silence. Such applicants for the teachings are quickly shown the exit. Demanding to be taught indicates one's unreadiness for occultism and metaphysics. Instead of requesting from the Guru the higher teachings, one should come to realize that one still requires the lower teachings and
disciplines from the many challenges that life has to offer and instruct us. All of these challenges are simply for the purpose of taming the human ego. The ego when unbridled, is an unfit vessel for metaphysical and spiritual teachings. Where the ego strives, there humility dies. Fear is one of the obstacles to metaphysical understanding and awareness. Approaching and advancing on the occult path entails facing many enemies and frightening phenomena, the worst of
these is our own lower self with its many subconscious projections which in occult circles is called the Dweller on the Threshold. If we wish to pursue occult studies, fearlessness is a paramount virtue to possess, for in truth nothing can hurt us unless we give it the power to do so. One of the maxims of the Great White Brotherhood is to know, to dare, to do, and to be silent. Make this maxim a part of
yourself.

In the maxim above the student is advised to be silent. It is disrespectful to the teacher and to the Cosmic to reveal secret and esoteric matters to those unprepared for it. Be ever watchful of your mouth, for as the Master Jesus said: "Do not cast pearls before swines." Silence is a protective quality. It protects the person who keeps silent on sacred matters as well as others who may be inclined to misuse the information. Assume silence when you should be silent and only speak when others are not courageous enough to defend Truth. Silence is golden at the right place and at the right time, and on sacred matters. Students will progress more rapidly should silence be a part of their being. Do not draw attention to yourself. Do not speak of your occult experiences to those unsympathetic to metaphysics, for this would simply provide them with offensive weapons.
In metaphysics too often than not, one may encounter contradictions. These contradictions may just be apparent and not real. Truth is like a cut diamond with its many facets. Keep in mind that what is relatively true is synonymous to being relatively false. However, in cases of contradictions, adopt that which seems more logical to you.

This is an important article and the student is advised to consider it wisely. It is hoped that the student be sincere and apply these teachings that he or she may acquire the virtues that we have referred to. In the days of Atlantis, men misused and abused occult and metaphysical teachings. This was one of the direct reasons why the continent submerged and leaving very few traces as to its geographical
location, its place in the memory of men, or in our history books. Many civilizations ended drastically because of the misuse and exploitation of knowledge for selfish ends. People mistakenly believe that the ends justify the means. This is false. The means determines the end. Let us not repeat our ancient mistakes, as it interrupts the evolutionary process and cause the holy ones to weep.

Toe-Tapping Travels – Sharing Astral Projection With Friends

Have you got friends or family wondering what this astral projecting interest of yours is all about?

Do you ?nd it tough to explain in a simple, accessible way?

Well here’s a little site that may work well – especially for your peeps who like to keep a beat.

Ethical Spells for Others

Learn Spells the Easy Way! Click HERE!

Dear GreyWolf,

I have a dilemma.  I’m out as a witch to my friends, and most of them have asked me to do spells for them.  Last night, I got two requests.  The first came from a friend who’s mom has pneumonia and may have cancer. She’s very worried, and she wanted to know what all she could do, and what I could do.  I gave her some practical advice, told her to pray and to get as many people as she could to pray, and I told her that my husband and I would so a healing spell for her mother, if she got her mother’s permission, which she did.  Her mother is also in the hospital, so she’s under medical care.

The second request is the one I have the problem with.  Another friend had asked me a while back to do a spell to keep her ex from terrorizing her and her son.  I told her to first go to the police, tell them what was going on, and get an order of protection.  I told her that if she followed through and showed that she was really serious, then I would do a spell of protection for her.  She’s in a very sick relationship with this guy, and I really don’t want her blaming me if he ever leaves her for good.  Last night, she said she didn’t want me to do a spell of protection anymore. She wants me to do a spell that makes him treat her better.  I have some qualms about any spell that “makes” someone do anything.  It gets worse though; then as we were doing some other things, she says under her breath, “It’s a sin, you know.”  I said, “If you think it’s a sin, why would you want me to do a spell for you in the first place?”  Then she said, “Oh, it’s not a sin.”  I’ve pretty much made up my mind on the whole business of doing any spells for her, but I don’t know how to tell her without losing a friend.  She’s not very bright, so no conversation we’ve ever had has gone smoothly.  I have to repeat myself all the time and backtrack on everything to make myself clear to her, and even then, I’m not sure I’m getting through half the time.  Anything I did tell her would have to be broken down into its simplest elements.  Any advice you give me would be well appreciated.

Blessed Be,
Spider

Dear Spider,

I really appreciate your high ethical value. It is a sign of competency and strong professional standards that you want to talk through a dilemma. Doctors and counselors do it all the time. The professionalism comes in knowing when to ask questions, not in always knowing the answers–so I applaud you!

In the first situation, I would do the same thing you did. Any time I’m doing a spell, I want to get everyone’s permission, and you absolutely had permission to do a healing spell. Studies show that prayer actually works, and I know from personal experience that magic, spells, lighting a candle, and raising energy do too. By not limiting your healing to magic, you are helping the spell to work even better–that is, getting medical care is what she needs too.

As for your other friend, well…I feel sorry for her. It’s like someone asks for your help, and then yells at you for doing it wrong. She wants spells done for her, but she believes it is a sin? She doesn’t need magic, she needs a priest, in whatever religion she feels most comfortable. Your magic is not going to work on someone who doesn’t want it to work or who thinks it is wrong–and I don’t care how good a spellcaster you are! The deeply held beliefs about sin are difficult to get rid of, even for new converts to Paganism, and if she’s not converting and doesn’t plan to address these ideas, she won’t get out of them with your help.

Sometimes, ethically, we have to just say no.

This will be hard for you–you’re gifted and people come to you for help. But we can’t learn lessons for other people. You know she’s in a bad relationship, and even if you try and help–no matter how wrong it is–if she doesn’t want it, it won’t work. Ask any Alcoholic working on recovery–she must help herself first. Likely, she’ll have to hit rock bottom, or find some deeply rooted boundary where going back to her terrible relationship is no longer an option.

But, can you have some sympathy for her? She’d rather be abused than be alone, and she’s living with some serious fear. In scary situations, adrenalin tells us to fight or fight…and also freeze. Even though she knows the way out is just like you said, calling the police and getting a protection order, etc, she still doesn’t see the way out. The question for you is this: can you honor her inner divinity to believe that she can solve her own problems?

Being blunt with people by being direct and addressing problems head on actually honors the inherent divinity in another. It means you believe that they don’t have to be coddled or protected, but can handle things if they just have enough information. By asking her to go to the police, you have done your ethical duty and are not required to do more. (Unless you are a mandatory reporter such as a teacher or counselor, and then it depends on your state requirements, so find out what you are required to report. For example, in my state, I’m required to report child abuse but not adult or elder abuse, and I’m required to report suicidal or intent to harm another. But in a pastoral counseling capacity, I am not required to report anything under most circumstances–KNOW YOUR RULES!). Anything after that, magically, is like throwing your energy down a bottomless pit, or running into a brick wall.

If you did a spell for her, and it worked, she’ll blame you. If you do a spell for her and it doesn’t work, she’ll blame you. Because she has to learn her own lessons. She has to take responsibility for herself and her child. By asking you to do it for her is a way of being passive and she is not learning a lesson. It sounds like, for you, she’s hard to talk to, so it may take her a little longer to learn what she needs to do. I guarantee you that many many people both more and less intelligent than her have figured out what they needed to do in her exact situation. And it doesn’t matter how many times somebody told them what they needed to do–they must choose their own path. You want her to change and have the tools to make it happen, but she has to want to. She has to use the tools for herself. And frankly, some people are not ready to change. But if we, as helpers, hold others to the highest standard they are capable of meeting, they will eventually meet it, and may even thank you for it.

We can’t always do the spells that other people want. Sometimes it is not ethical or in the client’s best interest. I often won’t because I don’t want to get involved in their drama spiral, or I don’t want to reward bad behavior with attention. Magically, if you feel you must do something, you can always do a spell for general wellness and gentle spiritual growth. I’ll do something relatively passive, like light a healing candle in their name. The magic will go where it is needed. You feel good because you’ve done something, which will return to you three-fold, theoretically, and you won’t lose any sleep thinking you’re tied up in an ethical dilemma with a person you really don’t want much to do with.

As a counselor, if I had a client like the one you are talking about, I would do either one of two things: 1) refer her to another clinician, since she is not getting what she thinks she wants with me and we are making no headway. It is not ethical for me to continue taking money from someone who is not getting anything out of services after a reasonable amount of time, if another clinician might be able to do more. 2) close her file, and give her the option to return when she commits to therapy. The Witch and the Counselor are essentially in the same business, we just use different tools to help clients create change. Closing a client file, or refering out to another does not make you a failure in any way. It proves that you are holding their needs above your own. Not every spell will work for every body, nor every therapist for every client.

And now, I honor you enough to know that, with enough information, you’ll be able to figure out the best course of action for you. If I had a client like that, she’d be pushing all my buttons. Good luck!

So whats my sign now?

A few months ago The Huffington Post stated that with the additon of the 13th sign Ophiuchus, the chart has changed. So, now what you thought you were, you are no longer. Apparently I’m a Taurus when I’ve lived my whole life believing I was a Taurus. To add insult to injury, this isn’t new, its been changed since about 130 B.C.

Now is this new system correct? I think thats debatable and its up to you to decide. I have always fit the exact representation of a Taurus. Everything from my body frame to my humanitarian ways. I feel I am still an taurian and will address myself as such.

So, just incase you were wondering what you are now, this is the “new” chart:

 

Capricorn: Jan. 20 - Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16 - March 11
Pisces: March 11- April 18
Aries: April 18 - May 13
Taurus: May 13 - June 21
Gemini: June 21 - July 20
Cancer: July 20 - Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10 - Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16 - Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30 - Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23 - Nov. 29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 - Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17 - Jan. 20

I wouldn’t lose too much sleep over it.

 

Do I want to live forever?

Do I want to live forever?


When I was a child I desperately wanted to live forever. I think most kids did. It was one of those fantasy things.


Today my thoughts have changed quite a bit. I now believe that once I pass beyond the veil in death that I will eventually come back to live again through reincarnation. This, in a way, is living forever. One of the biggest draw back from actually living forever is that everyone you care about will pass beyond and leave you. Yea you will make new friends and lovers but they too will pass beyond and leave you to move in an endless cycle. Oh sure it would be interesting to experience the advances, turmoil, wars, times of peace, and other things, I don't believe that would make the endless cycle of loss easier.


Today we are infatuated with the concept of eternal life in the form of vampires in such movies as the Twilight Saga and TV shows like True Blood and Vampire Diaries. Yes they live 'forever' but they must also suffer with living forever.


For me I look forward to seeing The Summerland, to enjoy a rest before returning and living again.  That being said I expect to live well into my 90's.  Gods willing.


Blessed Be.

Rituals and Ceremonies -- Cleansing a space.

Do you have all of your SUPPLIES?

In most Pagan traditions it is very important to purify or cleanse a space prior to beginning any sort of ritual. Although there are a different ways of doing this, how you do it will depend on the tradition you follow as well as what you feel comfortable with.

Usually, when ritually purifying an area, most do it deosil and spiraling inwards to the center. There are times when moving in a widdershins direction is appropriate, most notably for Banishing Ritual.


These methods are some examples of common ways to cleanse a space for ritual.

Smudging

Smudging uses smoke, which will carry negative energy away from the area. Traditionally White Sage is used, however, other dried herbs can be added, such as Cilantro, Cedar, Lavender and Mugwort. The herbs are bound with string into a bundle, which is commonly referred to as a “stick”.

When lighting the bundle, try to make it flame for a moment if possible, then blow the flame out. This will leave you with a smoldering, smoking herb bundle. Once you have achieved the smoldering bundle stage it is time to smudge the house.

Now you don’t take the bundle and rub it on the walls and other things in the room, which would make a mess and probably ruin a few things and maybe even start a nice fire. What you do is this. Hold the smoldering bundle in one hand or in a heatproof object, like a shell. With either a fan or your free hand you waft the smoke to the edges of the room, making sure to get it into the corners.

When you have finished smudging you can either snuff out the smoldering end of the bundle by setting it into some sand or by crushing the end. An alternative method is to douse it under a bit of water, making sure to let it dry completely before attempting to use it again.

Sweeping
By long tradition, the broom is associated with cleaning and purification. The broom can be either a special one used solely for ritual cleansing or even your household broom. Use a broom or besom going around the edges of the space, with your intent being to sweep negativity away as you go. Here's a good idea. Start and finish near a door--that way, negative energy is swept outside, rather quite literally.

Asperging
Asperging is the sprinkling with a liquid in order to effect spiritual and magical cleansing. Most people will associate Asperging with the Catholic Church, however the practice is also widely used by pagans for cleansing prior to rituals.

It can be accomplished in many ways. The simplest of these is to have a premixed liquid of your choice and bundle of fresh herbs that you can dip into the water. Then you take the herbs, dip them in the liquid and with a quick flick you throw the liquid off the herb and into area or onto the object to be cleansed. You don’t want or need to have a lot of liquid being thrown though. Just small droplets are perfect. Herbs that are prefect to use are Sage, Lavender, Vervain, Hyssop, Pine, Rue and Rosemary.

Another option that can be used quite effectively to cleanse a space is the use of incense. This can be either in cone form, stick, or powder and charcoal. The incense should be for working with cleaning, purification and even protection if you want to add that bit into the cleansing.

During your cleansing and purification of your space you can also include a little chant to augment the process. There are many to be found on the Internet as well as in books. You might even have one in mind already, in that case write it down so you will remember it for the next time you want to cleanse a room.

In addition to the above, I also ensure that the space is physically cleaned as well. I try to use a non-toxic homemade cleanser to do this. How you physically clean is of course up to you.

I would be remiss if I didn’t do a shameless plug for our online store where we carry many items that are perfect for what I have just talked about. Stop by Grove of the Ancients Pagan Marketplace today and order cleansing supplies.

Blessed Be!

View the original article here

What makes you a Pagan?

And don't just say "Because I'm not Christian".... I would like to see you fully explore how your beliefs fit with those typical of other Pagans. What is it about you and your life that made you associate with the label of "Pagan"?

I was raised Lutheran. I attended church every Sunday with my family. I also remember attending Sunday school and I even went through Confirmation. Through all this I never really felt the connection to the Christian faith. I have read the bible, not cover to cover but how many actually have? The whole doctrine seemed a bunch of bull, to me at least. Now that was many years ago; I don’t doubt that there is an undeniable energy in the Christian faith. I have experienced it first hand by sitting with my family again at the church I grew up with, but I still am not Christian. Oops, I said it didn’t I?

Why do I call myself Pagan? I have thought about this before but I have never written about it. I think that I was destined to follow this path. That would explain my aversion to Christianity. I always liked the thought of magick even before I knew what it was. I flirted with an eastern religion while I was in high school but never kept with it. I think because I didn’t completely understand it and no one was around to explain it. I know that if I had found the trail head of my current path back then I would have been traveling it a lot longer than I have been.

I didn’t think of myself as Pagan at first. When I started down my path a few years ago I was working with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and his online school, The Grey School. I labeled myself as a wizard. I worked on my studies and surrounded myself with all the trappings of what I thought it meant to be a wizard. I didn’t realize that some of these items were also associated with being Pagan. I bought the candles, athame, chalice, and other stuff. A conversation with a person at a spiritual retreat had me questioning exactly what path I was on and what it meant to me. After that retreat and experiencing the rituals there and talking to other people I realized that the label I had chosen, wizard, was not correct and that Pagan was more appropriate.

I began to explore what it is to be Pagan. I related to many of the aspects. I believed in the existence in multiple gods. I believed that we are all connected to nature and that we should respect it and honor it. I believe in the power of the Moon on us and her aspects.

After my first retreat and the revelations that came from it, I returned to the retreat and became involved in guiding young men through the coming of age ritual offered. This allowed me to explore my beliefs even further and realize that while I enjoyed being solitary for a time I needed something more and sought out a local coven. While working with the people in the coven I found my patron deities. Lady Hecate made herself known to me and I continue to honor her. Lord Cernunnos/Herne has made himself known to me but I believe he has always been with me in some sense since I have always loved all out of doors activities. I also have an affinity for herbs and their uses. I have sewn two robes, one white and one black. I have acquired a couple staffs, one given me by the forest the other found me at a local flea market. I have setup my sacred space and consecrated it with ritual. I try to live my life as a Pagan. I even take the title of Witch now and practice the craft of the witch. I celebrate the Sabbats and the Esbats. I welcome the Faeries in to my house and leave them gifts.

I am Pagan, I am Witch, and I am happy.

Blessed Be!