Psychics and Skeptics

[Akashic_Librarian]

Ok Erin this is really a sort of fear of mine, but I could do with a bit of guidance with this one. I am a sort of knife-edge person when it comes to psychic phenomenon. On one side I see you and Steve, and your astral projection and psychic protection and I think...why would they lie? And then on the other side I have Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens telling me that it's ridiculous to believe these things.

How do you overcome this. Do I have to pick a side? Can I have that down to earth groundedness(sp?) that Atheists and Brights have, whilst still maintaining a psychical side, I have never personally had any psychic experience and I honestly don't know HOW to even begin to learn to have one, what would you suggest, having made that sort of decision in your life already?

[Erin Pavlina]

My personal opinion is that you should believe only what you can experience directly. That said, it's important to research, study, and listen to other people's expereinces so you can expand your options. In other words, other people's experiences leave clues for you to follow.

What you don't want to do is pick a side without having personal experience, and thus close yourself off to other possibilities.

like if you say, "I don't believe psychic phenomenon is real," you'll stop seeing any evidence of it anytime ever again.

if you say, "I believe psychic phenomenon is real even though I haven't experienced any" then you will probably begin experiencing some, and in some cases you'll attribute perfectly natural phenomenon to paranormal stuff. That would be a mistake.

But discerning fact from fiction is going to come down to your own experiences. My feeling is that it's importnat to be open to the experiences.

Simply say, "I don't know... yet. But I'm open so we'll see what happens."

Then experiment. Learn from others who have had the experiences and see if you can duplicate them. If you can't duplicate it for yourself you may conclude it's not possible or you may conclude that you simply haven't figured it out yet. But keep following the clues and keep experimenting for yourself.

Remember also that Steve and I are not religious. We are spiritual, but we don't subscribe to a set, ritualistic, organized religion. We really believe in personal expereince as a guide. But you've still got to keep an open mind. So we're very down to earth and grounded while also believing in psychic phenomenon, mainly because we've experienced too much of it to deny it's existence.

[Akashic_Librarian]

Thanks Erin, but I still don't know how to have psychic experiences, does it start with just believing and expecting, then what? I don't know...

[Erin Pavlina]

What sort of experiences would you like to have? Astral projection, premonitions, telekinesis, past life recall, etc?

[Akashic_Librarian]

Astral Projection is my biggest wish

[Erin Pavlina]

How far along are you? Have you read the books, done the exercises, etc?

[Akashic_Librarian]

I have read Robert Bruces Astral Dynamics and Energy Work and I also own his Mastering Astral Projection book, and I have tried but to no avail! I can't seem to get a response, I don't even know what that response is supposed to be.

[Mato Kinze]

How long have you been trying?

[Akashic_Librarian]

About a year now, on and off.

[Mato Kinze]

That may seem like a long time, but if you're not a natural at it, then it could take much longer still.

For me, personally, I never get the whole "vibrational" sensation thing or a lot of the other indicators most people talk about. When I Journey, I simply am wherever I intend to be or wherever my Guides decide I need to be. Only if I'm travelling over great distances do I even feel a sense of movement. I once travelled to my sister on the other side of the world and it happened in less than a blink, but there was still some sense of "movement". The longest Journey I ever took had me travelling at such a rate that galaxies were streaking past me like they show on Star Trek or Star Wars. That one lasted about 45 seconds before I got where I needed to be.

That being the case, I can't really describe to you what you should be looking for. In truth, you may have already succeeded and just not realized it. I have a friend who had been Journeying for years but didn't think she could because her experience wasn't what everyone elses' was. It took a talented Shaman to witness her spirit leave her body and tell her about it before she would believe and trust that she was actually Journeying.

Keep trying, but always be open to the idea that you ARE APing and allow yourself to trust what you experience.

[Gayathri]

Originally Posted by Mato Kinze

In truth, you may have already succeeded and just not realized it. I have a friend who had been Journeying for years but didn't think she could because her experience wasn't what everyone elses' was. It took a talented Shaman to witness her spirit leave her body and tell her about it before she would believe and trust that she was actually Journeying.

Just a quick question on this. If she didn't know she was APing, then what did she feel it was? Day dreaming/imagination? How can you tell when you are not just imagining and are actually doing it? In other words, how do we draw the line? Thank you for bringing this up and for taking the time to read and (possibly) answer this question.

[Mato Kinze]

Originally Posted by Gayathri

Just a quick question on this. If she didn't know she was APing, then what did she feel it was? Day dreaming/imagination? How can you tell when you are not just imagining and are actually doing it? In other words, how do we draw the line? Thank you for bringing this up and for taking the time to read and (possibly) answer this question.

Her belief in her inability to Journey caused her to not allow herself to acknowledge that which she experienced in a separated state. In some ways it was like dream recall. Once she allowed herself to believe that she had the ability to Journey, she began to recall the experiences of those that she had taken. It was quite a shock to her.

[Brutha]

Do I have to pick a side?

No. You have total freedom about your decision to pick a side or to stay neutral.
There is no reason that picking a side is necessarly better than not picking a side.

Just because society tell you that you have to pick a side doesn't mean that you have to.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Dannyboy1

What do you make of that?

It was your personal experience, not Akashic Librarian's. Therefore I guess it doesn't help him with his issue.

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

I have read Robert Bruces Astral Dynamics and Energy Work and I also own his Mastering Astral Projection book, and I have tried but to no avail! I can't seem to get a response, I don't even know what that response is supposed to be.

Akashic, I honestly feel that this Out of Body Experiences: Keywords: OOBE, Astral Projection is a better book on the subject. Check it out. Btw, its also FREE.

[Akashic_Librarian]

Hmm I still don't feel like its right...

Is there something preliminary before that I need to do? Like how do you raise your vibrations and does it make you more psychic when you do that?

[mercuryrising]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

Ok Erin this is really a sort of fear of mine, but I could do with a bit of guidance with this one. I am a sort of knife-edge person when it comes to psychic phenomenon. On one side I see you and Steve, and your astral projection and psychic protection and I think...why would they lie? And then on the other side I have Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens telling me that it's ridiculous to believe these things.

How do you overcome this. Do I have to pick a side? Can I have that down to earth groundedness(sp?) that Atheists and Brights have, whilst still maintaining a psychical side, I have never personally had any psychic experience and I honestly don't know HOW to even begin to learn to have one, what would you suggest, having made that sort of decision in your life already?

I know you aren't asking me... hope you don't mind me adding my two cents.

My suggestion would be to learn to use your imagination. Or better yet, cultivate your imagination since you already know how to use it.

I'm not saying that all psychic powers are "make believe", but that this is a way you can explain it to the rational side of yourself.

[Akashic_Librarian]

Good idea merc, only problem is at some point you do something that isn't imaginary and you have to face that hurdle, but good idea to kick start the whole thing.

[Dive Bomb]

Brainwave entrainment helped me alot, especially going into the theta stage. I think that is what triggered my paranormal awareness. I would look into binaural beats that can put your brain in the theta stage (I believe it's between 4-7hz).

[mercuryrising]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

Good idea merc, only problem is at some point you do something that isn't imaginary and you have to face that hurdle, but good idea to kick start the whole thing.

Akashic,

I've been reading this book "On Becoming An Alchemist"... I think you might dig it. The book goes into developing psychic abilities and the author is very down to earth. She's a good writer.

[Akashic_Librarian]

Hmm it SOUNDS ok on Amazon, but I am a little skeptical of it, because you see I don't much believe in Alchemy, can the techniques be extrapolated, altered without buying into the Alchemical theory, or is part and parcel so to speak?

Plus its £10, about $21, is it worth that?

[mercuryrising]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

Hmm it SOUNDS ok on Amazon, but I am a little skeptical of it, because you see I don't much believe in Alchemy, can the techniques be extrapolated, altered without buying into the Alchemical theory, or is part and parcel so to speak?

Plus its £10, about $21, is it worth that?

It doesn't require you to believe in any hocus-pocus. The techniques I guess could be divorced from the theory, but I think once you see how she defines alchemy it may not be something you find necessary. And she questions and critiques in large doses what we call alchemy. She's quite reasonable (a hard quality to find in this area of knowledge). Here is a quote:

Say you've just spilled red wine on a white silk shirt. You dab helplessly at the stain, certain the shirt is ruined. Then your hostess pours white wine over the red wine. Abracadabra, the stain disappears. "Like magic," you might be tempted to say. You don't really mean that this feat defies the laws of nature. You assume there's some reason for it that a chemist could explain. What makes it seem magical is that the solution is at once so unexpected (getting rid of a wine stain by spilling more wine) and so effective. The magic lies not in defying the laws of nature, but in knowing them and applying them to such remarkble effect. This is what alchemical magic really is like. The alchemist can achieve extraordinary results from ordinary actions because he or she understands, better than the average person, how the world works.

Whether it is worth the money is a relative thing I suppose. You could always browse through it at a bookstore or library.

[Akashic_Librarian]

ahh thank you, I bought it anyway though haha its on its way estimated at about 27th - 28th

[mercuryrising]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

ahh thank you, I bought it anyway though haha its on its way estimated at about 27th - 28th

If you feel I've done you wrong I'll send you the $21.