HW9: Suicide and NDE

There are times when we feel like everything is falling apart; life seems so difficult and some people just can't take such difficulty and they feel like they only have one way out -- taking their own lives.

Just recently, I've lost a friend from suicide. She was a very loyal friend, a good student, and a very loving daughter to her parents. I remember a lot of people grieving. It was so hard for me to fight back my tears when I saw her lying in her coffin and most especially when I saw the grief and suffering of her family and other love ones from her loss.

What these suicide victims ignore and most of the time just fail to realize, their actions could drastically damage their families emotionally and that in itself is the real tragedy. It has been said a suicide dies only once, but those left behind die inside everyday trying to look for reasons why. Karmic penalties are results from hurting others, as revealed by NDEs. However, not all suicides inflict serious damage, nor do all suicides have negative consequences.

There are both very beautiful and hellish accounts of NDEs. This suggests that the act of suicide itself isn't a factor in determining the quality of the NDE.

I came across an article in the Near Death site about the connection of NDE and suicide. In the said article, Dr. George Ritchie, who miraculously returned to life after dying of pneumonia, learned about what happens to the people who commits suicide. He stated that the quality of life a person initially finds after suicide is influenced by their motive for committing it. He classifies suicide in 3 ways:

- Those who kill themselves in order to hurt someone, get revenge, or to kill themselves out of hatred for someone else. According to Ritchie, these people haunt the living by being aware of every horrible consequence their suicide had on others.

-those who, because of mental illness, confusion, terminal illness, take their own life. Ritchie states these people are allowed many opportunities from God to grow in love just as any other person would who had not committed suicide. In other words, there are negative consequences for them.

-those who kill themselves from drug, alcohol, or any other addiction. According to Ritchie, these people can become stuck in limbo, trying in vain to satisfy their addiction until eventually something frees them. This condition is often called an earthbound condition.

NDEs reveal there is no condemnation from God for our actions. The problem many suicides face after death is the difficulty of forgiving themselves for the horror they put people through by taking their own life. When you die, it is only the physical body that ceases to function, so any emotion- whether it be love, hate, guilt you had in the physical world, you'll still have it in the spiritual.

Don't ever think that every suffering just ends when you kill yourself. It's not how the world works! You're only trying to run away from yourself, and trust me when I say you can never run from yourself. If you're trpped in an abusive situation, seek for help. Do something today to help yourself. You are the one who can make it better, but only if you seek help.

For me, being able to read about the experiences of people who got back from the dead inspires me to live more and gives me courage to face the challenges that life throws at me. No matter what you believe in, these things are very helpful in teaching you to trust and love yourself. Through all the pain and sufferings, just don't give up, keep trying, hang in there, and I'm sure sooner or later you'll feel glad that you did. 

HW8: Astral intimacy: Is it possible?

Experiences in the astral plane can be either a spiritual journey or physical. For those who seek a non-spiritual journey, there is one theme that intrigues most of them -- Astral sex. It is considered as one of the most discussed topics about astral projection. When the OBE and the most craving desire of the human race meets, it builds a union above and beyond the limits of gratification.

Meeting out of body is possible when two people can project at the same time. They can interact on an energy level as energy forms and enjoy greater gratification than what is possible with entirely physical sex

They can merge completely together, and become one with each other. This enables them to make fantasies become real shared experiences. They can experience a union that is more complete than what is limited by the physical.It is completely on a pure energy level.

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke said it best in his book "Astral Projection for Psychic Empowerment", "every physical action has an astral reaction, and nearly everything sexual is accompanied by emotion, the very substance of the astral plane." 

For Robert Bruce, astral sex is a human-nature complication of consciousness while out of body. It can cause problems, and is a natural barrier of test for the development of OBE. I don't think Robert Bruce is against astral sex, he's just advising one avoid it for sexual desire can be so strong, and it could distract a person who wants to learn more about projecting. Physical sex isn't the same as astral sex. In astral sex, you are not seeking physical gratification, but more of a union of energy or what not. The desire seems similar probably because that is how we relate it to what we know of from the physical, but it's much more and beyond what is achievable here.

What makes me wonder is that why would anyone want astral sex when they can make love in the real world? Probably, astral sex fills up the missing element of the physical love making in a way that this process lets you connect with your partner to a much deeper spiritual and emotional level. Moreover, the love making takes place between two astral bodies therefore they are not bound to follow the guidelines in the physical world.

If it's between a couple in real life, astral sex has the ability to energize and induce a dull and boring sex life with intensity and joy. It helps couples create a greater level of intimacy for each other which in turn, also enhance them as individuals.

HW3: Bridging the Yin and the Yang: Science and Spirituality

The thought that has been lying in my head struck me as I was reading an online article about the existence at the viewpoint of a mystic and a scientist. Does science provide the basis for the existence of every single thing in this world? If so, where does that leave spirituality?

For the most part, I am very much into spiritual things as it captured my interest and I don't have a doubt in my mind that God is the bedrock of existence. Science, as I see it, is created by God himself.
When these two things meet, nothing is probably more interesting than this!

In the documentary I've watched entitled, Quantum Activist (2009),  Dr. Amit Goswami often speaks of something called 'quantum nonlocality'. This term simply means that events and connections can happen outside of space and time as we know it.

The following experiment were explained by Goswami in the said documentary:

• Two meditators were put in separate rooms by a team of scientists. These of course weren't just regular rooms but Faraday Cages -- soundproofed and shielded from all forms of electro-magnetic radiation, which means all the forms of energy and magnetism that exist in “regular” space time as we know it are blocked

• Each meditator was instructed to go into a neutral meditative state while having their brainwaves monitored. Meditator A is shown a screen with an image on it, and she is told to look at it while intending to connect to the other meditator, while Meditator B remains neutral in state

• As Meditator A looks at the image, her brainwaves shift. As she intends to connect to Meditator B, who isn’t focusing on doing anything but a neutral meditation, Meditator B’s brainwaves start to match Meditator A’s brainwaves. Remember, all normal EM radiation is completely blocked by the Faraday Cage. Goswami’s claim is this connection that was created from one meditator to another was happening outside of space/time as we know it, which Goswami says is quantum nonlocality.

When I witnessed these events, it truly amazed me. It’s really interesting that their brain waves were able to match albeit the 'electro-magnetic radiation' blocking. I am still trying to fully understand what this quantum nonlocality exactly is. It's apparent that something beyond scientific comprehension was happening here.

In my point of view, science is useful and powerful, so is spirituality on so many deeper levels. It seems that there are enlightened ones in the past who already know about the connection of consciousness and reality, who tried to push the boundaries of mainstream science.

So what do you think of Science and Spirituality? Do you think they are compatible?

HW2: Religion and Near Death Experiences

I do believe in the afterlife, and I am aware that other people don't and that's fine. Even before my research has shown me that the near-death experience is not some kind of anomaly, I've always believed that when I die, it's not yet the end of me - that there's something waiting for me on the other side. One of the major factors that contributed to my belief on the afterlife is my religion. Growing up in a Catholic household and having studied in a Catholic school all the way to high school, I learned about God, and other stuff such as the concept of the afterlife, heaven and hell, purgatory, etc. I gained a deeper understanding with the concept of the afterlife as time went by and as I listened to other religious organizations' point of view.

As I was surfing online, I've found a comprehensive survey of NDE studies titled “The Near Death Experience” by Glenn Roberts and John Owen. They observed that the specifics of NDEs often correspond to a person’s particular religious beliefs:

•  In NDEs, the American Indians' dominant imagery is of moccasins, snakes, eagles, bows, and arrows. 

•  Asian Indians have NDEs in which they are characteristically sent back to live because of a seeming bureaucratic mistake having been made in the after-life, and many encounter Yamraj, the Hindu king of the dead, and the Yamdoots, his messengers.

• In one large and systematic cross-cultural study of Americans and Asian Indians who had NDEs, 140 people reported seeing religious figures; “where these figures were specifically identified, they were always named according to a person’s religious beliefs; no Hindu reported seeing Jesus, and no Christian reported seeing a Hindu deity.”

In other words, a person’s previously held religious beliefs pattern the nature of the NDE, which supports the view of many authors that, while the central features the NDE are universally present due to pan-human biological and neural systems, the mental images and interpretation is determined by the cultural beliefs and expectations of the individual.

Hence, as a Christian, I might see Jesus or an angel; whereas, a Muslim who has a near death experience might see Muhammad; a Buddhist may see Siddhartha; a Hindu may see Krishna or Vishnu; a Lakota might see Wakan Tanka, and so on. What this pattern suggests is that NDEs are a matter of consciousness and not metaphysics.

Do Animals Astral Project?

Ever since I was a kid, I discovered animals have a sixth sense which gives them the ability to detect certain natural or spiritual phenomena. I am not the type of kid who goes to bed early unless I am asked or even compelled to. Every night, I hear dogs barking and howling. I knew they were seeing something that appears invisible to me. There was even a time when a next-door neighbor of us was terminally ill and their pet dog just won't stop howling for weeks. I really think it's amazing how these pet animals sense stuff.

So I began to wonder, can our pets astral project too? Our pets already sense spirits. Astral travel is knowingly performed through humans controlling the location and scenery in the astral plane. Nevertheless, pets have lucid dreams as well as nightmares. Are pets able to astral travel? 

I've seen dogs lightly barking while having a dream. You can suggest they're having a nightmare. What about an animal taking part in astral travel? Are pets intelligent enough to astral travel?  Most pet owners will identify their pets as intelligent animals. But, are their pets intelligent enough to knowingly astral travel to another astral world beyond this physical world? In my opinion, there is no way to know whether a dog or a cat can astral travel to another dimension. However, if pets can sense spirits that are around the house since their hearing senses are much more advanced than human hearing senses, there's a possibility that a pet can astral travel as a means to escape an abusive household, or sadness since they (dogs)have the same brain structures that produce emotions in humans.  

According to Richard Webster, his astral travel books are mostly written to convey astral travel through the human experience. There is no recollection of  past experiments monitoring or detailing pets who astral travel. How would humans know if their pets astral projected? Honestly, I believe pets can astral travel. They probably have astral projected many times without knowingly understanding the experience.

I've read something from Robert Bruce's book, Astral Dynamics about this matter. In his experience, animals project regularly, especially pets. He has frequently observed pets and other animals roaming the real-time zone. He has also observed his own pets exiting their bodies, which he described as a really fascinating sight.  Animals are rarely seen projecting in higher levels of the astral planes, he frequently encounter them in lower regions accompanying their human friends.

Conducting experiments on pets who astral travel make for some great research. Comparing animal and human brain waves can determine whether astral travel is possible in the animal world. As advanced as our scientists are in the present time, they really don't have the answer on the astral plane, death, and the afterlife. Since animals have minds they're able to control and Astral projection requires a strong, clear mind to experience uncontrollable and controllable events, I believe animals can Astral Project. Dogs, gorillas and monkeys are the most intelligent among the animal species. I believe dogs can astral project into an astral world. They might not understand astral projection, but they can probably control their mind in the astral plane.

Since we, humans, are the only ones who are capable of language that can express the richness of spiritual experience, it is unlikely we will ever know with certainty what an animal subjectively experiences.  Regardless of this restraint, it is still acceptable to conclude that since the most primitive areas of the human brain happen to be spiritual, then we can expect that animals are also capable of spiritual experiences. 

When Astral Projection Goes Mainstream

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Astral Projection gets proven by science? Mainstream science dismisses astral projection out of hand as being impossible because it breaks the law of physics. It is considered to be a product of imagination, dreams, or hallucinations. For this reason, many people are still skeptical about it.  In Astral projection's defense, the laws of physics doesn't apply in the astral world either. In the astral world, people can fly, walk through walls, or even teleport.  

How is reality defined anyway? Reality is defined by Bob Towbridge of Helium as that which is present to the senses, that which is measurable, that which is universally agreed upon. Or, in some sciences, reality is that whose effect can be seen. He also stated that science believes that it can fully understand reality with the scientific method. It believes in objectivity. Science is limited to the natural and physical world, and so is the process of verification. Can one dispose the idea since we simply lack equipment to control/monitor something when it occurs? 

Physical tools are designed for the physical reality. What do we need for the non-physical reality? Well, probably it's a non-physical tool also known as an 'educated' mind.  

If Astral Projection could be proven by mainstream science and practiced by the masses with the help of the most technologically-advanced devices known to man, what would the world be like then? The thing about science and technology is that, it can be both a gift and a curse. It depends on how we utilize it. The thing about humans is that they to tend be irresponsible and abusive. We either use something for welfare or warfare. Look at what people with the worst intentions produced - weapons for mass destruction!

Here is the list of the things that could happen when astral projection gets proven and monitored, courtesy of Anne Moss of Astral Voyage in her article Astral Projection: to prove, or not to prove?

1. A global economic collapse will emerge

Since time and space can be transcended in the astral, imagine what would happen to the financial markets, lottery, elections and sporting events. This would possibly be exploited for personal gain.The possibilities seem almost infinite. There would be groups, particularly the government, large businesses, and organized special interest groups that would make every measure to prevent this, even with terminal action. 

2) Religious beliefs

Although astral projection is known and accepted in many Eastern cultures, it’s still a new concept in the west. Part of the reason is the diversity of religion. It is not encouraged in other religions, especially by 'Christianity' because they believe it's an occult practice. Imagine what would happen if people begin to discover a lot more than what their religions are teaching them. 

3) A different way of living

Passion for life would cease to exist. People will take their physical bodies for granted and no longer struggle to survive since we are already disconnected from the physical reality. What people should realize is that, we are here on earth for a purpose. Spiritual growth cannot be attained without learning from experiences and mistakes. 

However, we can't deny that Astral Projection can have this profoundly powerful impact on people's lives. We don't have to suffer from physical sickness since it can be detected in the aura even before it manifests in the physical. We'd be able to travel the world without dealing with the expenses since travel experiences is within our reach. 
Do we really need any more proof? Probably the best way is to explore it yourself to get personal proof on this.

Astral Horror/Thriller: Movies for the Halloween Mood

With Halloween slowly creeping around the corner, it gives us a little time to get into the mood. If you feel like you're too old for trick or treat, why not sit back, relax, and get spooked by watching a horror or thriller movie with astral themes? We do not hear much about astral horror and thriller movies. According to Astral Projection - movie website, "Astral horror involves movie themes related to astral projection, time travel, astral worlds, and anything conveying spiritual beings outside of the physical world."    

If you're interested to watch astral horror or astral thriller movies, you might want to check these movies out:

A Nightmare on Elm Street 

According to the Astral Writer, In A Nightmare on Elm Street, the dream plane represents the astral plane. In the 1984 film of A Nightmare on Elm Street, the main female character, Nancy, induces an out of body experience to move about the dream world. The astral world is where the astral villain, Freddy Krueger, resides. He seeks revenge on the children of the parents that set him on fire. The characters have little power in the astral world other than realizing their state of being in the dream world - lucid dreaming. Once reality of the dream world is realized, the characters are vulnerable to Freddie's powers.  

Psychic Killer (1975)

This film is rare and hard to find. I've never seen it myself, but from what I've read from a review by Neil Messenger in DVD Cult, it's probably worth watching to satiate my curiosity. 

Gabriel Powers of DVD Active described Arnold Masters, the psychic killer, as a gentle recluse who is confined to an asylum because of being convicted for a murder he didn't commit. Not long after his conviction, his mother died of neglect which led him to devote his life to master the art of astral projection and use it to seek revenge to the people who testified against him.

Insidious (2010)

Insidious made a pretty big noise in Hollywood. The film revolves around a family who struggles to uncover the cause of their son's coma. Three months later, they brought him home and disturbing things begin to occur. The family moved to another house, yet the haunting events didn't stop. That's when they realized that what they're dealing with is beyond human comprehension.

 The Astral Writer explained Insidious and Astral Projection best in his article 'Explanation on astral projection in Insidious movie'. He mentioned that Astral projection is executed in the third act, toward the end of the Insidious movie. The movie focuses on the Astral Hell of the subplanes, which is described as "the most undesired and evil subplanes". Insidious portrays Astral Projection as an act with dangerous vile consequences. 

Always keep in mind that these movies are just for entertainment. If you are interested in learning about Astral Projection techniques, don't let these movies mislead you. If you get scared easily, I suggest you to wait until after you've had your first out of body experience, before checking out these movies. If you intend to go to the Astral plane tonight, don't bother watching any horror movie before you sleep.