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In this second of a three part series we’re going to cover a brief history of psychic phenomena. It should probably come as no surprise to anyone that people have been reporting psychic phenomenon since the very beginning of time all the way up to the present. What may surprise you is that these reports were widely accepted by many people including those who were quite well educated. As a matter of fact, many of the pioneers of modern science were believers in psychic phenomenon.

So when did modern psychic phenomenon come about? In order to understand this you have to go back to the beginning of the scientific revolution which was started by the British Royal Society in the 1600s. Men of real science were referred to as “natural philosophers.” Many of these natural philosophers like Isaac Newton were men who also believed in psychic phenomenon.

After the scientific revolution came what is known as the “period of enlightenment” which started in the 18th century around 1734. The first man of enlightenment was Franz Anton Mesmer who was a Viennese physician. During this period theories like “electricity” and “magnetism” were considered “invisible fluids.” Mesmer discovered another invisible fluid which he called “animal magnetism” which is supposed to be able to heal certain ailments without having to depend on the supernatural. He developed what is called Mesmerism. This induces a state of mind that today we call hypnosis. What Mesmer discovered in addition to this was that certain people had more of an affinity to be able to perform Mesmerism than others. These people were referred to as “gifted.”

The Mesmerism movement never really gained scientific acceptance and finally in 1784 The French Royal Society of Medicine and the French Academy of Sciences issued some negative reports on this movement. One researcher associated with Mesmerism, a Baron Carl Reichenbach, developed a vitalist theory to explain parapsychological phenomena. By the 1850s, though it didn’t go down without a fight, the Mesmeric movement finally came to an end but the teachings of the movement didn’t die with it. Partly because of changes in religious attitudes these teachings were repeated by others who called themselves “mediums” and started what is called the “spiritualist movement.” These people claimed to have contact with spirits of dead people. By the middle of the 19th century these mediums were found throughout Europe and in every part of society.

As psychic phenomenon began to spread, spiritualists began to break off from normal scientific society. This was quite evident in 1882 when a number of scientists left the Society For Physical Research located in London because of differences of opinion. Basically the scientists didn’t believe in psychic phenomena and the members who broke off did. This has since continued throughout history to the present day.

Today, we are more tolerant of people who claim to have psychic ability. You see them on talk shows TV and hear them with their own radio shows. As an enlightened society we no longer fear these people as they were feared years ago when many of them were persecuted and even killed. Still, many of us are still sceptical. Many of us also believe. It’s kind of like religion. We’ll never really know for sure who is right.

In the final article in this series we’ll go over some of the ways that psychics use their powers.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Psychics
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At times we say to ourselves ‘I must concentrate to finish this job’, we know there are many times and situations within our daily life where it is necessary to concentrate to complete the job in hand. But how many of us really know how to concentrate, how to shutout all the distractions around us, how to be consciously aware of the task in front of us. The psychologists suggest that a man thinks of sex once every 30 seconds, which means of course he can concentrate on little else. And it is also a fact that when we do concentrate it is quite often on a subject that is no good for us and has no lasting benefits.

Yet we all instinctively know that if we are able to concentrate completely upon a subject it would be achieved quickly and with a minimum of distraction. In fact in those rare moments when we do completely concentrate time itself seems to contract, there is also an inner sense of joy and accomplishment whenever the task is completed.

Some call concentration an Art and being so it can be learnt and practiced, although the lessons and methods are fairly easy they do require a sense of discipline, but if mastered the benefits will be apparent throughout your life. Concentration also has an aspect about which most people are unaware, that is, when in deep concentration we are also connected more closely with our subconscious. This in itself can bring much understanding into our life. Many religious and philosophical practices are designed in order to stop our conscious mind being aware of the many distractions around us while contemplating, their procedures all have the one purpose of creating a deep connection initially to the subconscious and then to the higher spiritual realms. When we can fully concentrate upon a subject or a moment in time this connection opens and becomes available to us.

Closely associated with concentration is willpower, the relationship is totally dependent without one you cannot have the other. Think of an athlete in an Olympic running final, his willpower has sustained him in his goal of reaching the final and eventually winning. But it is at that moment just before the whistle blows where he needs his full concentration, if he allows distractions then all will be lost, the other competitors and all the spectators must be blocked from his mind. There are many other situations with which I’m sure you can imagine where both willpower and concentration are needed in equal parts.

We all have abilities and talents that we rarely use to the fullest potential, we often think if I could just concentrate that little bit more I might make a success of this particular project, although this article can barely do the subject of concentration justice, the following exercises may be a starting point from which you begin a journey of self-discovery.

We could apply concentration to each task that we performed during the day, this in itself would be beneficial, we would begin to experience an inner calm in the increasing chaotic world around us. Yet where the power of concentration can really help is when we apply it to a particular project or aspect in our life, a goal or desire that we wish to manifest. Thoughts have power, we know that when people experience fear, anxiety or worry, the body can react, hair can turn gray, hearts can stop. In equal measure thoughts of happiness and joy can light up our life. So the power of concentration can best be used on goals and desires that enhance our lives, using concentration in such a way allows us to create our own reality we take control of our life.

There are many ways in which you can use of the power of concentration here are but a few:-

The breaking of bad habits

Business projects especially if you are self employed

Moral characteristics you may wish to strengthen or create

The acquisition of wealth

A new Romantic partner or strengthening your existing relationship.

While performing the following exercises you should have steady, deep breathing, but do not exert yourself. During meditation deep breathing helps the mind to remain still and calm. In fact a good exercise is simply to concentrate on your inhale and exhaling, while doing so you let any thoughts that arise from your mind just drift on by, do not think about them just let them go.

Exercise One.

Take a simple thought for example health, think of yourself in full health, think of that warm glow, the relaxed feeling you have when you’re feeling healthy. Try to maintain this thought for as long as possible, don’t let other thoughts intrude, concentrate completely upon yourself. This is a good exercise to start with as it is not to specific, as it will allow only thoughts and images about yourself to intrude upon your mental process.

Exercise Two.

Hold your arm out in front of you at shoulder height. Raise your hand slightly so you can see your fingernails, concentrate upon your fingernails trying to keep your arms steady for at least one minute. Each time you perform this exercise try to extend the concentration time a little longer until performing the exercise for up to five minutes. Do this exercise with both arms.

Exercise Three.

Take a glass of water and hold it in front of you, fix your attention upon the top of the glass. Try to keep your arm as steady as possible concentrate upon the ripples your aim is to see no ripples, no movement within the water at all.

Exercise Four.

This exercise can be performed by either standing or sitting. Take a piece of plain paper and draw a visible dot in the center, place the paper on the wall in front of you and concentrate upon the dot. When you are relaxed imagine the air that you are breathing in is coming from the dot and the air you are exhaling is going into the dot. Start performing this exercise for at least five minutes and increase up to at least 20 minutes.

Exercise Five.

There is no time limit set upon this particular exercise, but if practiced on a regular basis can open your mind to its inner potential. Take a clock, one you can hear the ticking, your aim is not to concentrate upon the ticks, but upon the spaces between the ticks. As you gain experience with this exercise you may well notice that the ticks begin to dissolve in your mind and the time between the ticks becomes extended. But the longer you can perform this exercise and the deeper you can concentrate while doing it, your perception of time begins to disappear, the exercise is completed in no time at all.

It is only after an extensive use of these exercises that we begin to appreciate the benefits of concentration, like learning to ride a bike once we have mastered the Art it is something that never leaves us.

Gerard Bulger is an IT Consultant who has been studying the work at home Internet business market for several years, he also writes on self-help and the esoteric sciences. He is a sponsor for the Internet Mentoring system Empowerism and can be found at http://www.empowerism101.com and http://www.ok101.com

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Nature holds bountiful undiscovered-as-yet secrets for humanity. Normally, we seek to unveil them through scientific means–through our laboratory equipment, processes and methodologies; however, the conventional, material methods of probing into Nature’s treasure storehouse may only take us to a certain point beyond which it is difficult for three-dimensional instruments to record, and the physical senses and mind to follow and apprehend. And yet, humanity unconsciously feel that it is possible to wrest from benign Nature her many hidden arcana or esoteric laws and principles. Could it be that we are investigating the more subtle aspects of Nature through the wrong approach, through the wrong channels and processes? Could it be that we are being misled by our senses in regards to our perception and conception of time, space, and matter and that paradigm shifts from the old Corpernican, Newtonian and Einsteinian models are required in order to break through scientific humps? There are many brave scientists who are working out this problem to the ridicule of their more orthodox colleagues.

In order for Man and the Universe to be understood as well as all the phenomena that occurs therein, it is necessary to consider the so-called “abstract” and “occult” principles that was once in the domain of Religion and Philosophy–and this should be conducted in a scientific, systematic, rational and metaphysical manner. If Science is to discover the Ultimate Truth, it must not neglect its investigations into the subtle realms. By claiming that these realms or soul-phenomena do not exist for they cannot be perceived by the objective senses or monitored by instruments is prejudicial and scientifically irrational, as there are many things such as electromagnetic energies, certain gases, cosmic rays, etc. that we are unable to directly perceive and was once undetectable by instruments. By restricting its probing and search for the Ultimate First Cause solely on the physical plane Science does itself an injustice, for life here and physical phenomena are simply a fragment of a whole. Our senses only perceive a limited range of phenomena in the energy-spectrum. Scientific devices may only extend our range of perception a little further and aid us to record a little bit more. What is beyond our perception vibrates in astronomical frequencies. What we are unable to detect physically may well exist beyond the range of our senses. The investigation of Nature’s more subtle aspects is not beyond the line of reason or scientific analyses if several principles are taken into consideration :

1) The higher realities must be investigated through the higher faculties of the soul, through a higher consciousness or through an altered state of awareness.

2) That which is not perceived through the objective senses does not imply its non-existence, even to a psychic’s failure of perception, for they may simply be “out-of-range.”

3) That the diversity and inconsistency of recorded paranormal phenomena do not indicate its non-validity as it may well be that the nature of the higher worlds reflect the influential instability or fluctuations of the investigator’s mind, thoughts, and feelings.

4) That the mind moulds reality, whether physical or non-physical out of the energies of its internal and ambient environment.

5) That Cosmic or natural laws with possible mathematical formulation apply in the subtle realms as they apply here in the physical.

6) That the linear time-space continuum may not apply in the higher dimensions as they do here.

7) That the mind is not the sole faculty of knowing.

That some metaphysical phenomena goes way beyond our earthly concepts and the apprehension of the mind and is difficult to explain using conventional language.

9) That metaphysical phenomena are repeatable even in controlled laboratory conditions should all the natural laws factors, and variables involved in the phenomena’s manifestation be taken into account.

Science is aware that the physical world as we perceive it is an illusion and yet our senses delude us by informing us that it is real with the “power to affect us in some way.” If this is considered to be a criterion of “reality” then the “imaginary” worlds too are real for they likewise affect us in some manner, as psychologists would undoubtedly concur. Of metaphysical interest, one vital question emerges: is the existence of these other so-called imaginary worlds, these other “realities,” part of the “Gupta Vidya,” or the secret teachings that spiritual preceptors sought to convey to humanity?

Gautama Buddha once referred to the amount of teachings that he revealed to the world by comparing them with the few leaves of a tree that he had clasped in his hand. The bountiful leaves that he pointed out, still clinging to the boughs of the tree constituted that which was yet undisclosed to humanity. Several centuries later, almost at the end of his exoteric ministry, the Master Jesus said to his disciples that he had further teachings to convey to them but they were unprepared as yet for their reception. Why? What were these advanced precepts? These secret doctrines, if ever existed, are unrecorded in the New Testament. They would have been verbal–oral teachings for the selected few. Are these oral teachings still in existence or are they “lost”? Are they perhaps preserved in the consciousness of the Magi, the wise men of every ancient culture? Are they carefully guarded in certain temples and underground vaults hidden from prying eyes? Are they so spiritually scientific in nature that men unprepared with the proper moral, intellectual, and rational basis were not able to fully grasp their principles and significance? It takes a great mind to know another; it also takes a great mind to understand the great principles and laws of Nature. In the early days of recorded history only the few had attained to the desired level of understanding and were prepared to develop the greatness necessary to grasp Nature’s hidden laws and principles.

How does one attain greatness, how does one become great enough to apprehend the “higher” teachings that the spiritually enlightened have to offer? We have always been advised by spiritual teachers to walk with God; to tread the strait and narrow way or the ancient path; challenged to go where angels dread; or to go where no man (mortal) has gone before, and yet, most of us feel not up to the task. The one thing that prevents us from doing so is fear–fear that has been instilled in us by superstition, religious dogma, propaganda, and other false teachings.

What is the nature of these occult principles and doctrines that the spiritual teachers throughout the ages wished to convey to humanity but had to withhold for the lack of “preparation” on the part of man? Were these secret teachings eventually given out to select persons who subsequently became the spiritual pioneers and leaders, reformers, and prophets of future generations?

Life is a mystery, however, the more we partake of the higher spiritual consciousness the more we come to understand this “mystery of mysteries.” This is the unveiling of the secrets of the Egyptian goddess Isis who declared truthfully that no mortal shall ever unveil her. Isis, as the personification of Nature, was right: no man has ever or will ever unveil her to behold her naked beauty. Only when the mortal mind–which is representative of man–is displaced in favor of the immortal God-mind will we ever come to be aware and understand All That Is, all that Isis, the Divine Mother represents. Is this concept strange? The Bible states that no man shall see God and live. Indeed, the spiritual Masters tell us that no man shall see God and live–as men. The perception of God entails embodying all that God is, all of His virtues, attributes, and consciousness. To truly understand a thing we must become that thing. This is the Law of Empathy or Identification. This is what separates saints and prophets from the Cosmic gods and men-made-perfect. Saints may lead a pure and holy life; but by separating themselves from their fellow men by secluding themselves and maintaining a consciousness of duality, they do not advance to a higher spiritual status. In order for their consciousness to be raised to a higher evolutionary level, it is necessary for them to transcend all dualistic opposites, illusions and errors in mortal thinking. This we personally call Divine thinking. How shall this transition from manhood to godhood be accomplished? Spiritual teachers have always been present on Earth to direct and help uplift humanity to a higher level of consciousness and awareness. Teachers but point the way. It is up to the aspirant or disciple to tread the Path that leads to enlightenment and illumination.

In every religion there is an oral tradition–secret doctrines given out to a few. These were called “esoteric teachings.” The few were privileged to receive these wisdom teachings because their mental, spiritual capacity and level, and their morality far exceeded those of the average person and were spiritualized enough to comprehend and be receptive to abstract verities. The privileged few, having duly prepared themselves spiritually, had eliminated many of the egoistic tendencies that would have caused them to misuse and abuse sacred knowledge. These secret teachings empowers one. They give tremendous powers over the forces of Nature; this was the reason for the careful guardianship by the forces of Light over them. This is sometimes portrayed in classical myths as dragons protecting gemstones or other treasures in their lair. In esoteric teachings dragons often represent wise, enlightened men. In Hindu tradition, these men were the Nagas who lived in their caves of meditation and rock temples. They were called dragons or serpents for their innate energy coiled at the base of their spine, otherwise known as kundalini, was permanently raised and wed to its higher counterpart in the crown chakra. This counterpart is the dove, the Holy Ghost. The serpent is Shakti while the dove is Shiva. About two thousand years ago the Master Jesus admonished us to be as wise as the serpent and harmless as the dove. Esoterically, he was telling us to stimulate kundalini to ascend and the dove of love, purity and the Christ-Consciousness to descend. When kundalini meets her mate she must crown him with the jewel that she ought to carry with her. Those who are familiar with esoteric and occult concepts will understand what all of the above signifies. In ancient Egypt the pharaohs wore head-dresses or crowns with the serpent, the sacred “Uraeus” protruding from the area of the Ajna chakra, the etheric energy-center located between the eyebrows. In those days it was a prerequisite for candidates to ruler-ship to be spiritually enlightened before ascending the throne; the candidates had to undergo spiritual training that would prepare them for their exalted task; however, this practice was later neglected and it subsequently caused the degeneration and corruption not only of the Egyptian rulers but the priesthood as well.

In bygone days, sacred knowledge concerning Man, Nature, the Universe and God were taught in those institutions called the Mystery Schools. In these temples of knowledge and wisdom the candidates were initiated into the Ancient Wisdom that existed long before the foundation of this world. Before such occult teachings were taught the candidates had to undergo certain tests and trials to prove their worthiness. When these tests were successfully completed and certain trials overcome the candidates were initiated into the sacred Mysteries of Life. They were taught how to acquire the gnosis, or sacred knowledge through personal soul-experience. The control of the forces within man was also taught to the novices by the Kheri-Hebs, the hierophants, or Masters. These accomplished beings instructed the novices how the subtle body of man may be exteriorized to experience the higher dimensions. Many methods were used to accomplish this by the Wise Ones such as the careful use of certain hallucinogens, hypnosis, acoustics, concentration, mesmerism, meditation, etc. The King’s chamber of the Great Pyramid was particularly used as a portal of initiation into higher worlds. The immortality of man and reincarnation were basic principles taught in the sacred teachings of the Mystery Schools.

In the early days of our unrecorded history, the creator gods, the Elohim, the Lords of Mind and the Lords of Flame, walked with man in everyday life and nurtured the divine spark within him. The Spiritual Elders gave teachings to their disciples and they eventually became the rulers of civilizations and the leaders of humanity. These enlightened rulers were the God-kings and Priest-kings still talked about by students of occultism. They inaugurated our fabled Golden Ages. What we would like to mention here in passing is that some of these spiritual beings are back in physical incarnation in our present era spreading metaphysical teachings and a higher spiritual pragmatic code of life.

The higher laws and operations of Nature may be investigated through the utilization of one’s soul-faculties. These inner senses of the soul must first be awakened and unfolded to a certain degree of efficiency before they may be safely applied. Metaphysics teaches man the way to personal development, to spiritual advancement, and occult unfoldment. Metaphysics as a whole, is the modern repository of the ancient and ageless secret teachings. Its more sacred doctrines belong in the field of esotericism.

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Luxamore

Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.

http://www.indotalisman.com/

http://www.bezoarmustikapearls.com/

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