I haven't been able to post in my blog for quite some time now. That's because I've been helping out on a little project for the Pranic Healing Foundation of the Philippines, which will hopefully launch within the month of August.
Anyway, last weekend I decided to relax by finally watching The Sorcerer's Apprentice. As someone interested in esoteric subjects, I couldn't help but be curious about the film's take on magic. Of course, my expectations weren't high, since it's difficult to come across some really good magic-themed movies. Still, as long as it's entertaining enough, it should at least be worth the price of a ticket.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a live-action adaptation of the 1940 Disney animated classic Fantasia. Fantasia features eight animated segments, with a classical music selection for each segment. One of these animated segments is the original Sorcerer's Apprentice in the form of Mickey Mouse. While I haven't seen the original movie, I read in one review of the live-action movie that the scene where Dave magically animates a mop to help in cleaning but soon gets out of control is a tribute to the original film where Mickey Mouse does the same.
The premise of the new Sorcerer's Apprentice is interesting enough, though during some of the magical combat scenes I was half-expecting someone to shout "Hadouken!" or "Kamehameha!" (that's Streetfighter and Dragon Ball Z terminology respectively, for you uninitiated ones). They certainly got some of the postures down pat.
Be that as it may, I found quite an interesting dialogue between Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) and his apprentice Dave (Jay Baruchel). Balthazar was explaining the concept of magic, of how it all starts in the sorcerer's mind. The discussion then turned to the difference between fire and solid matter, and the answer was vibration. Balthazar said that everything is in different states of vibration, which gives the illusion of solidity. By increasing the rate of vibration, one can produce fire. The way to do this, get this, is to clear one's mind.
To anyone who is already familiar with the esoteric, that movie lecture just touched on some fundamental esoteric concepts. Of course, there's more to it than what was shown in the movie, but the essence is obvious to anyone who knows anything about the subject. What's more is that some of these concepts of vibration are supported by quantum physics. Even this little topic will require a lot of space to expound on it, so I'll leave it for a future post.
Later on in the movie, Balthazar also tells Dave that his rubber shoes are insulating him from connecting to the energies of the ground. This is another esoteric concept that found its way into the movie. I guess whoever wrote that part of the script at least did some research on magic and alchemy.
Incidentally, during that same weekend I also got to watch The Last Airbender. As you may have figured out, I like watching movies. There were times I would carefully choose what movie to watch first in the theater, so that as soon as I come out I could catch another movie just before it starts.
In any case, although I haven't watched the cartoon, I know there are a lot of negative reviews of The Last Airbender. I'll refrain from saying anything more about the technicalities of the movie and the plot and focus instead on the whole concept of elemental control. The idea of controlling the elements is an intriguing one. After all, who hasn't thought of throwing a few fireballs or flying on air?
In case you haven't watched it yet, in the movie there are special people who have the ability to "bend" one element to their will. These people are grouped according to nation, i.e. Water Nation, Fire Nation, etc. One person, called the avatar, has the ability to control all the elements and bring balance to all nations. For some reason, the avatar is some sort of United Nations rolled up into one person. Once the avatar dies, the soul reincarnates and it is the duty of the monks of the Air Nation (the avatar always has to start as an Air bender) to discover the reincarnation. This follows Tibetan belief where after the reigning Dalai Lama passes away, a search is conducted for the reincarnation of the next Dalai Lama.
In the movie, the reincarnated avatar (still a child at this time) disappears, and this leads to war amongst the nations, instigated by the Fire Nation.
Interestingly, in some traditions of hermetic magic, it postulates that humans are made up of four basic elements: fire, air, water and earth. The fifth element, ether, pervades all. Any imbalance in the proportion of the elements is detrimental to the health of the person, manifesting either as physical, emotional or mental disturbances.
I find it interesting that all these different esoteric concepts managed to surface in a couple of movies. I suppose this is part of the effect of the coming Age of Aquarius, whereby previously hidden knowledge now becomes accessible to the masses.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
A Lesson in Generosity
When we became the victims of Typhoon Ondoy last year, we were forced to stay for a few days at my cousin's place in Fairview, Quezon City while we figured out what to do next. Unlike most of my relatives, this cousin of mine is the only one I know of who exhibited an entrepreneural bent, and was quite successful at it.
He has a clothing company he runs with his wife and their company supplies a lot of RTW (ready to wear) clothes to some big name brands. So you can say that while not extravagant, my cousin has quite a comfortable lifestyle for his family.
It was a relief to stay at their house after the devastation we went through just the previous day. Not many were as fortunate as we were. And then I found out that my cousin was not totally spared from the floods, because his factory was located in one of the areas that experienced flooding. A lot of inventory was lost and a lot of machines went under. The factory was their income-earner so needless to say, it was a big financial blow for him and his wife. And yet here they were, sheltering us, even if only for a few days.
But what really amazed me was what I saw a few days later. My cousin arrived at his house after being out shopping, and he was bringing in boxes and boxes of relief goods. Later, he and his family started segregating them into relief kits for distribution to some families affected by the flood.
To me that was really amazing. I'm sure that most, if not all, of us would like to think that we are generous people to some extent. Esoteric practitioners are even taught that we receive what we give. But how many of us would admit even to ourselves that in practice, we only give out what is from our excess? "Giving until it hurts" is fine as a concept unless one is brought into a situation that calls for it.
My cousin's generosity was really a lesson for me, one I was glad I had. This lesson has showed me that personal loss is no excuse not to help other people or not to be generous. Here was a guy who lost a lot, but could still find it within himself to give help to other people. He wasn't even an esoteric student, but he was living the teachings more faithfully than some long-time practitioners! And now I could understand why he was so blessed with prosperity. In fact, his business was able to bounce back from that loss.
Ever since that time, I have also tried to go beyond my comfort zone when it comes to giving and helping. All through life we've built around ourselves certain expectations about ourselves and other people, but I've learned that you constantly need to challenge those expectations if you want to really improve yourself. Sometimes it involves going exactly against "your nature."
I am again reminded of Mark 12:41-44, where the widow who offered all she had was considered to have given more than those who gave from their excess. Hopefully we remember to reflect on this any time we are faced with a situation that calls for giving help, especially when it's not convenient or is financially burdensome to do so.
He has a clothing company he runs with his wife and their company supplies a lot of RTW (ready to wear) clothes to some big name brands. So you can say that while not extravagant, my cousin has quite a comfortable lifestyle for his family.
It was a relief to stay at their house after the devastation we went through just the previous day. Not many were as fortunate as we were. And then I found out that my cousin was not totally spared from the floods, because his factory was located in one of the areas that experienced flooding. A lot of inventory was lost and a lot of machines went under. The factory was their income-earner so needless to say, it was a big financial blow for him and his wife. And yet here they were, sheltering us, even if only for a few days.
But what really amazed me was what I saw a few days later. My cousin arrived at his house after being out shopping, and he was bringing in boxes and boxes of relief goods. Later, he and his family started segregating them into relief kits for distribution to some families affected by the flood.
To me that was really amazing. I'm sure that most, if not all, of us would like to think that we are generous people to some extent. Esoteric practitioners are even taught that we receive what we give. But how many of us would admit even to ourselves that in practice, we only give out what is from our excess? "Giving until it hurts" is fine as a concept unless one is brought into a situation that calls for it.
My cousin's generosity was really a lesson for me, one I was glad I had. This lesson has showed me that personal loss is no excuse not to help other people or not to be generous. Here was a guy who lost a lot, but could still find it within himself to give help to other people. He wasn't even an esoteric student, but he was living the teachings more faithfully than some long-time practitioners! And now I could understand why he was so blessed with prosperity. In fact, his business was able to bounce back from that loss.
Ever since that time, I have also tried to go beyond my comfort zone when it comes to giving and helping. All through life we've built around ourselves certain expectations about ourselves and other people, but I've learned that you constantly need to challenge those expectations if you want to really improve yourself. Sometimes it involves going exactly against "your nature."
I am again reminded of Mark 12:41-44, where the widow who offered all she had was considered to have given more than those who gave from their excess. Hopefully we remember to reflect on this any time we are faced with a situation that calls for giving help, especially when it's not convenient or is financially burdensome to do so.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The Quandary of Knowing
A few weeks ago I started watching this TV series called Flash Forward, starring Joseph Fiennes and John Cho (of Harold and Kumar fame), who play FBI agents in the show. This may turn out to be a spoiler for some, but the whole premise of the series is that everyone in the world blacked out for exactly 2 minutes and 17 seconds. In those 2 minutes and 17 seconds, majority of the world's population saw themselves 6 months into the future. Anyone who didn't see anything during the blackout are destined to die before 6 months have passed, that's why they didn't see anything at all.
Seeing the future changed everything for everyone, for good or bad. Some people saw things that gave them hope and a strength to push through despite the troubles of the present. For these people, they want the future they saw to happen. Others saw things that were not so good, and so they are dreading every minute that the appointed day comes closer, and are desperately trying to prevent that particular future from happening. This is especially true for those who didn't see anything at all, and so are destined to die before the six months are up. The idea of going through each day knowing there is a looming death sentence over their heads is almost unbearable.
This highlights the inherent problems of knowing too much of the future. If the future one sees is bad, more often than not, it is the anticipation that is worse than the event itself. Imagine each day being lived in fear and anxiety of the supposed future event. Even if the future one sees is good, there is an underlying anxiety that perhaps it won't happen or that it was all a mirage.
What is further intriguing about the series is that in one of the earlier episodes, when they were interrogating a long time inmate in Germany, the inmate made a reference to 137 seconds, which is the equivalent of 2 minutes and 17 seconds. The interesting part is that he correlated it to the Hebrew letters that make up the word "Qabalah." Every letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical equivalent, and it so happens that when you add up the letters that spell "Qabalah" you get the number 137. There's someone in that show who knows a thing or two about esoteric subjects. Incidentally, the number 137 also corresponds to the God of Truth (Elohi Amen) in Isaiah 65. The number 137 in gematria can also refer to upheavals and a pushing forth.
Despite the fact that it's a TV show, one of the characters said something that is still significant for us in the everyday world. The character commented that everyone seems so focused on living for the future that people are forgetting to live in the present. Admit it or not, the future occupies our thoughts to one degree or another. From deciding what to wear tomorrow, to worrying about which course to take, who to marry or what direction our careers will take, the future captures our imagination like nothing else can.
There is nothing new about this. People have always been obsessed with the future. Since time immemorial, wise men and sages have been highly valued for their ability to foresee or predict the future. Although they often had other skills and functions, it was their ability to foretell the future that made these sages much sought after. All mythologies of various ancient cultures and peoples, and even the Bible, tell stories of oracles, prophets and seers who had a high degree of access to knowledge inaccessible to almost everyone else. They gave counsel to king and peasant alike, providing bits of information that would affect the fate of nations or the bounty of the next harvest. Like a blind man being guided across the road by someone who can see, these adepts helped people avoid pitfalls and traps that they would otherwise stumble into.
Today, people still read newspaper horoscopes and seek the advice of feng shui experts. Divinatory methods such as tarot card reading and palmistry have never really gone out of style. However, one method of foretelling the future that always catches the attention of people are those predictions made by psychics through the use of clairvoyant sight.
Clairvoyance is that ability to perceive things normally hidden from the physical senses. It is not limited to the ability to see spirits or auras, but also extends to remote viewing and reading the thought forms of people, among other things. Truly skilled and powerful clairvoyants can look into the past lives of an individual or access the Akashic Records to view scenes from far back in the past, even before recorded history. This same ability allows clairvoyants a glimpse into the future, which is imprinted in the astral realm. Before anything materializes on the physical plane, it first takes an astral form. By looking at this astral signature, future events can be detected in advance. It is like skipping forward to look at later chapters in a DVD video disc.
Clairvoyance is attributed to the so-called "third eye" which is associated with the development of the pineal gland. In Lemurian and Atlantean times, the pineal gland was highly developed, hence everyone's third eye was fully opened. As humankind sunk into lower and lower levels of spiritual consciousness, so did the pineal gland entropy into the form it takes in humans this day and age.
With its various uses, it is not surprising why clairvoyance is such a valued ability among the ancients. Even today, people are quite taken with individuals who display any psychic ability. Of course, this only holds true among people who believe in such things. Many psychics I know are usually apprehensive about displaying their abilities among people they don't know, because derision can follow if one is surrounded by unbelievers. People, even believers, also tend to look at psychics differently, but a lot of psychics want to be treated normally just like anyone else.
Most clairvoyants are born with the ability, with varying degrees of power. Some are limited to random flashes of precognitive dreams, while others have a fully opened third eye. But hard as it may be to believe, clairvoyance is a trained skill. With hard work and training, it is possible to develop one's clairvoyance. Of course, if you combine natural ability and training, the effects are even more astounding (the same way that natural athleticism combined with Freddie Roach's training made Manny Pacquiao into the boxer he is today).
In his book Initiation into Hermetics, Franz Bardon says that people who retain their clairvoyance into adulthood have worked at developing this ability in a previous life, and the fruits of labor show themselves in the present life as an inborn clairvoyant ability.
Clairvoyants inspire attention because they can perceive things that others simply can't. And here often lies the folly with our perception and understanding of clairvoyance. A clairvoyant is like a person with eyesight in a room full of blind men. As such, anything the clairvoyant says will be treated with the weight of authority.
But what most people don't realize is that because clairvoyance is a trained skill, there are varying degrees of proficiency. There is a world of difference between the eyesight of a person suffering from near-sightedness and that of a fighter pilot with 20-10 vision, but the blind man wouldn't understand the difference. In Master Choa's book The Origins of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga, he cautions that seeing is not the same as understanding. You can give a toddler detailed blueprints on how to build a 747 jet, but without the capacity to understand what is seen, the plans will just be a collection of lines and scribbles on a piece of blue paper. Therefore a lot of what is clairvoyantly seen will be colored by the interpretation that the clairvoyant attributes to the vision. If the interpretation is wrong, then it can cause a lot of distress for nothing.
All form of knowledge is a responsibility, for it can either build or destroy, inspire others or cause despair. For the clairvoyant, the burden of responsibility is even heavier if it involves the future. This is especially important nowadays where predictions of doom are so prevalent. Discovery Channel and History Channel have all played it up, so a lot of people are sensitive to anything that might be said about it.
To a clairvoyant who has seen the future, there are several complicating factors to deal with.
1. First factor is the accuracy of interpretation. Let's say you're riding a car, you look to the side as you pass an alley just in time to see a man punch another man in the face before the scene is taken out of view as the car speeds away. Was the guy being punched getting mugged? Was the aggressor a jilted lover getting back at the guy who got the girl? Or perhaps the guy getting punched was a mugger who had the tables turned on him by a quick-fisted victim? Some flashes of clairvoyance are like that, quick views of a scene before disappearing from view. If you take the scene out of context, then chances are you will have a mistaken interpretation of the vision.
Of course, if other psychics and clairvoyants see the same things you saw, and are interpreting them similarly, then chances are there's something to it though it's no guarantee.
2. The next factor to consider is the belief or unbelief of the audience. Getting a reputation as a nut job among people who don't believe in the paranormal can severely limit one's options and movements, especially if those people happen to be colleagues at work. On the other hand, if people do believe what one says, then get hysterical or panicked, the resulting pandemonium will certainly fall on one's head.
3. And of course, the most complicating factor of all is that the future can be changed. How can this be so? Let's say a person is diagnosed with a severe form of cancer that can kill him in 6 months. If left untreated, then the diagnosis will come true. However, if the person explores all avenues of treatment, both allopathic and homeopathic, it's possible for the cancer to go into remission and allow the person to live many more fruitful years in good health. Predictions are just like the diagnosis. They present an event with a high probability of happening, but it's not yet set in stone until it has already come to pass. Of course, if the future is changed, it does nothing for the credibility of the clairvoyant who came out with the original prediction, unless the whole principle is explained clearly and understood by the people who hear it (which often is not the case).
If you want a concrete example, it is said that 1998 was the year that a pole shift and global disasters were supposed to happen. Psychics around the world saw it. Edgar Cayce, the sleeping prophet, also predicted it. People were so sure it would happen, that according to one person I recently met, he migrated to Australia and bought property high up in a mountain. He and his wife waited for the disaster there until the appointed day passed and nothing happened.
People around the world who knew of the prediction were confused. What happened? As it turns out, the event was delayed because of the efforts of the Light Workers and the continual raising of consciousness among people in the world.
The fact that the 1998 event did not push through is a testament to the progress being made in spreading spiritual knowledge among the masses, but the flip side is that proponents of the 1998 prophecy lost credibility. Incidentally, the 1998 event is the only prediction of Edgar Cayce's that didn't come true. It's really a difficult situation, knowing the future. A clairvoyant has to discern between letting people know too little and giving away too much.
But how does this all affect the ordinary person, who doesn't have the ability to see any of this? It's easy to get caught up in all the hoopla about supposed disasters and dire predictions. But we need not be so fatalist.
The average person is to a large extent subject to the ebb and flow of astral forces that regularly push and pull on one's life stream. These forces stem from the karma that one needs to work out in this life. In order to rise above the tides, it is necessary to inject a certain amount of spirituality into one's life. I'm talking about something more than just piety, which involves diligently following the tenets of one's religion and its attendant dogma. One needs to also understand the teachings. Just as an understanding of natural laws allows scientists to come up with wonderful inventions that seem almost magical to us, so does a spiritual person use an understanding of even deeper esoteric laws to inject order into one's life, a level of control that seems incredible to the average person.
I have written several articles relating how these esoteric laws can be applied to one's life. You can read the article on taking control of one's life and the one about the Meditation on Twin Hearts. They should give an idea of how one is to start.
Although it is easier said than done, before much progress can be made, a person will also need to deal with one's fears. It's not just a fear of the unknown, but also the fear generated by knowing exactly what is to come. The fear of death tends to fall under this category, though I have heard some people say that it was not death itself they were afraid of, but any extended and agonizing pain preceding the actual death itself. For these people, they would rather that it happened quickly.
I've slowly come to realize that nothing about life, especially times of trial and hardship, will make much sense unless looked at from the point of view of soul consciousness. Therefore one must realize one's true nature, that we are all immortal souls and that our physical life constitutes only a small chapter in the journey of our existence. There is an esoteric maxim that says as a man changes clothes day by day, so does a soul change bodies from lifetime to lifetime.
Looked at in this context, physical existence is simply the sum total of all our previous choices from past lives expressed in terms of the karma we need to work out, yet at the same time it is also an opportunity for us to participate in the Divine Plan. There is really nothing to fear about the future because everything is happening according to whatever soul purpose is being followed. All the fears and anxieties are illusory thought forms that are insignificant as far as soul development is concerned. If this sounds so confusing, it really is if one is making a sudden shift from the physical and material perspective. But we all have to start from somewhere.
Kabbalistic belief teaches that whatever outside conditions one sees or are immersed in are simply reflections of the inner state of the person. Being given a hard time by others could be a reflection of one's own tendency to be harsh and unforgiving to others. If people are impatient with you, it could be a reflection of the anger and impatience you have on others as well. Therefore, by changing one's inner state, one can change the outside conditions that one finds oneself in. In essence, you define and create your own future by the choices you make each minute of every day. There is a science to this, and it's called the spiritual path. Kabbalah and yoga are just some examples of systems that guide students on this path. Don't expect any quick fixes, though. The whole process of completely liberating oneself from the cycle of rebirth often encompasses several lifetimes. However, it is still possible to witness certain improvements even in the current lifetime.
To people already on the spiritual path and have studied these concepts, we need to simply trust the teachings and continue to follow our spiritual practice. Trusting in the ancient wisdom is also a form of practicing the teachings.
Concern should not simply be on saving one's skin, but rather on finding out how one can be a better channel for the fulfillment of the Divine Plan on Earth. If one still has a part to play in the Plan here on the physical plane, then it doesn't matter where one is. Conditions will align themselves so that the person survives whatever disaster there is. On the other hand, if one's time is up, then it's up. People can die from earthquakes and flood, but they can just as easily die from slipping and falling on the bathroom floor.
Psalm 91:1-16 (Security of the One Who Trusts in the LORD) is quite appropriate for this:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the LORD, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.
For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.
“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.” (From the New American Standard Bible)
Although the self is always the start, it is not enough to stop there. One of the characteristics of Light is that of expansion, so it cannot be bottled up inside. So it is also important to share this realization and bring this Light to others. I'm not suggesting missionary work or sermonizing, because unless executed just right, they can become one of the fastest ways to close people's minds. Rather, one can simply provide opportunities for others to be a witness to the effects of change. This can be done by leading a life of example, and simply practicing right thought, speech and action towards other people.
Or, to put it succintly let me relate a story I've read in one of the Kabbalah Centre books:
A student once approached a sage who was well-versed in the spiritual doctrines and mystical arts. He asked the master to teach him all the sublime secrets of life - to explain all the magnificent mysteries of the cosmos that are hidden in all the holy books.
And he asked if all this could be done in the time that a person can remain balanced on one leg.
The great sage carefully considered this request. He smiled warmly and replied:
"Love thy neighbor as thyself. All the rest is commentary. Now go and learn."
All of this seems like such an extensive and heavy discourse to draw out from a TV show, but we also need to recognize the gems in everything we see and encounter.
Seeing the future changed everything for everyone, for good or bad. Some people saw things that gave them hope and a strength to push through despite the troubles of the present. For these people, they want the future they saw to happen. Others saw things that were not so good, and so they are dreading every minute that the appointed day comes closer, and are desperately trying to prevent that particular future from happening. This is especially true for those who didn't see anything at all, and so are destined to die before the six months are up. The idea of going through each day knowing there is a looming death sentence over their heads is almost unbearable.
This highlights the inherent problems of knowing too much of the future. If the future one sees is bad, more often than not, it is the anticipation that is worse than the event itself. Imagine each day being lived in fear and anxiety of the supposed future event. Even if the future one sees is good, there is an underlying anxiety that perhaps it won't happen or that it was all a mirage.
What is further intriguing about the series is that in one of the earlier episodes, when they were interrogating a long time inmate in Germany, the inmate made a reference to 137 seconds, which is the equivalent of 2 minutes and 17 seconds. The interesting part is that he correlated it to the Hebrew letters that make up the word "Qabalah." Every letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical equivalent, and it so happens that when you add up the letters that spell "Qabalah" you get the number 137. There's someone in that show who knows a thing or two about esoteric subjects. Incidentally, the number 137 also corresponds to the God of Truth (Elohi Amen) in Isaiah 65. The number 137 in gematria can also refer to upheavals and a pushing forth.
Despite the fact that it's a TV show, one of the characters said something that is still significant for us in the everyday world. The character commented that everyone seems so focused on living for the future that people are forgetting to live in the present. Admit it or not, the future occupies our thoughts to one degree or another. From deciding what to wear tomorrow, to worrying about which course to take, who to marry or what direction our careers will take, the future captures our imagination like nothing else can.
There is nothing new about this. People have always been obsessed with the future. Since time immemorial, wise men and sages have been highly valued for their ability to foresee or predict the future. Although they often had other skills and functions, it was their ability to foretell the future that made these sages much sought after. All mythologies of various ancient cultures and peoples, and even the Bible, tell stories of oracles, prophets and seers who had a high degree of access to knowledge inaccessible to almost everyone else. They gave counsel to king and peasant alike, providing bits of information that would affect the fate of nations or the bounty of the next harvest. Like a blind man being guided across the road by someone who can see, these adepts helped people avoid pitfalls and traps that they would otherwise stumble into.
Today, people still read newspaper horoscopes and seek the advice of feng shui experts. Divinatory methods such as tarot card reading and palmistry have never really gone out of style. However, one method of foretelling the future that always catches the attention of people are those predictions made by psychics through the use of clairvoyant sight.
Clairvoyance is that ability to perceive things normally hidden from the physical senses. It is not limited to the ability to see spirits or auras, but also extends to remote viewing and reading the thought forms of people, among other things. Truly skilled and powerful clairvoyants can look into the past lives of an individual or access the Akashic Records to view scenes from far back in the past, even before recorded history. This same ability allows clairvoyants a glimpse into the future, which is imprinted in the astral realm. Before anything materializes on the physical plane, it first takes an astral form. By looking at this astral signature, future events can be detected in advance. It is like skipping forward to look at later chapters in a DVD video disc.
Clairvoyance is attributed to the so-called "third eye" which is associated with the development of the pineal gland. In Lemurian and Atlantean times, the pineal gland was highly developed, hence everyone's third eye was fully opened. As humankind sunk into lower and lower levels of spiritual consciousness, so did the pineal gland entropy into the form it takes in humans this day and age.
With its various uses, it is not surprising why clairvoyance is such a valued ability among the ancients. Even today, people are quite taken with individuals who display any psychic ability. Of course, this only holds true among people who believe in such things. Many psychics I know are usually apprehensive about displaying their abilities among people they don't know, because derision can follow if one is surrounded by unbelievers. People, even believers, also tend to look at psychics differently, but a lot of psychics want to be treated normally just like anyone else.
Most clairvoyants are born with the ability, with varying degrees of power. Some are limited to random flashes of precognitive dreams, while others have a fully opened third eye. But hard as it may be to believe, clairvoyance is a trained skill. With hard work and training, it is possible to develop one's clairvoyance. Of course, if you combine natural ability and training, the effects are even more astounding (the same way that natural athleticism combined with Freddie Roach's training made Manny Pacquiao into the boxer he is today).
In his book Initiation into Hermetics, Franz Bardon says that people who retain their clairvoyance into adulthood have worked at developing this ability in a previous life, and the fruits of labor show themselves in the present life as an inborn clairvoyant ability.
Clairvoyants inspire attention because they can perceive things that others simply can't. And here often lies the folly with our perception and understanding of clairvoyance. A clairvoyant is like a person with eyesight in a room full of blind men. As such, anything the clairvoyant says will be treated with the weight of authority.
But what most people don't realize is that because clairvoyance is a trained skill, there are varying degrees of proficiency. There is a world of difference between the eyesight of a person suffering from near-sightedness and that of a fighter pilot with 20-10 vision, but the blind man wouldn't understand the difference. In Master Choa's book The Origins of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga, he cautions that seeing is not the same as understanding. You can give a toddler detailed blueprints on how to build a 747 jet, but without the capacity to understand what is seen, the plans will just be a collection of lines and scribbles on a piece of blue paper. Therefore a lot of what is clairvoyantly seen will be colored by the interpretation that the clairvoyant attributes to the vision. If the interpretation is wrong, then it can cause a lot of distress for nothing.
All form of knowledge is a responsibility, for it can either build or destroy, inspire others or cause despair. For the clairvoyant, the burden of responsibility is even heavier if it involves the future. This is especially important nowadays where predictions of doom are so prevalent. Discovery Channel and History Channel have all played it up, so a lot of people are sensitive to anything that might be said about it.
To a clairvoyant who has seen the future, there are several complicating factors to deal with.
1. First factor is the accuracy of interpretation. Let's say you're riding a car, you look to the side as you pass an alley just in time to see a man punch another man in the face before the scene is taken out of view as the car speeds away. Was the guy being punched getting mugged? Was the aggressor a jilted lover getting back at the guy who got the girl? Or perhaps the guy getting punched was a mugger who had the tables turned on him by a quick-fisted victim? Some flashes of clairvoyance are like that, quick views of a scene before disappearing from view. If you take the scene out of context, then chances are you will have a mistaken interpretation of the vision.
Of course, if other psychics and clairvoyants see the same things you saw, and are interpreting them similarly, then chances are there's something to it though it's no guarantee.
2. The next factor to consider is the belief or unbelief of the audience. Getting a reputation as a nut job among people who don't believe in the paranormal can severely limit one's options and movements, especially if those people happen to be colleagues at work. On the other hand, if people do believe what one says, then get hysterical or panicked, the resulting pandemonium will certainly fall on one's head.
3. And of course, the most complicating factor of all is that the future can be changed. How can this be so? Let's say a person is diagnosed with a severe form of cancer that can kill him in 6 months. If left untreated, then the diagnosis will come true. However, if the person explores all avenues of treatment, both allopathic and homeopathic, it's possible for the cancer to go into remission and allow the person to live many more fruitful years in good health. Predictions are just like the diagnosis. They present an event with a high probability of happening, but it's not yet set in stone until it has already come to pass. Of course, if the future is changed, it does nothing for the credibility of the clairvoyant who came out with the original prediction, unless the whole principle is explained clearly and understood by the people who hear it (which often is not the case).
If you want a concrete example, it is said that 1998 was the year that a pole shift and global disasters were supposed to happen. Psychics around the world saw it. Edgar Cayce, the sleeping prophet, also predicted it. People were so sure it would happen, that according to one person I recently met, he migrated to Australia and bought property high up in a mountain. He and his wife waited for the disaster there until the appointed day passed and nothing happened.
People around the world who knew of the prediction were confused. What happened? As it turns out, the event was delayed because of the efforts of the Light Workers and the continual raising of consciousness among people in the world.
The fact that the 1998 event did not push through is a testament to the progress being made in spreading spiritual knowledge among the masses, but the flip side is that proponents of the 1998 prophecy lost credibility. Incidentally, the 1998 event is the only prediction of Edgar Cayce's that didn't come true. It's really a difficult situation, knowing the future. A clairvoyant has to discern between letting people know too little and giving away too much.
But how does this all affect the ordinary person, who doesn't have the ability to see any of this? It's easy to get caught up in all the hoopla about supposed disasters and dire predictions. But we need not be so fatalist.
The average person is to a large extent subject to the ebb and flow of astral forces that regularly push and pull on one's life stream. These forces stem from the karma that one needs to work out in this life. In order to rise above the tides, it is necessary to inject a certain amount of spirituality into one's life. I'm talking about something more than just piety, which involves diligently following the tenets of one's religion and its attendant dogma. One needs to also understand the teachings. Just as an understanding of natural laws allows scientists to come up with wonderful inventions that seem almost magical to us, so does a spiritual person use an understanding of even deeper esoteric laws to inject order into one's life, a level of control that seems incredible to the average person.
I have written several articles relating how these esoteric laws can be applied to one's life. You can read the article on taking control of one's life and the one about the Meditation on Twin Hearts. They should give an idea of how one is to start.
Although it is easier said than done, before much progress can be made, a person will also need to deal with one's fears. It's not just a fear of the unknown, but also the fear generated by knowing exactly what is to come. The fear of death tends to fall under this category, though I have heard some people say that it was not death itself they were afraid of, but any extended and agonizing pain preceding the actual death itself. For these people, they would rather that it happened quickly.
I've slowly come to realize that nothing about life, especially times of trial and hardship, will make much sense unless looked at from the point of view of soul consciousness. Therefore one must realize one's true nature, that we are all immortal souls and that our physical life constitutes only a small chapter in the journey of our existence. There is an esoteric maxim that says as a man changes clothes day by day, so does a soul change bodies from lifetime to lifetime.
Looked at in this context, physical existence is simply the sum total of all our previous choices from past lives expressed in terms of the karma we need to work out, yet at the same time it is also an opportunity for us to participate in the Divine Plan. There is really nothing to fear about the future because everything is happening according to whatever soul purpose is being followed. All the fears and anxieties are illusory thought forms that are insignificant as far as soul development is concerned. If this sounds so confusing, it really is if one is making a sudden shift from the physical and material perspective. But we all have to start from somewhere.
Kabbalistic belief teaches that whatever outside conditions one sees or are immersed in are simply reflections of the inner state of the person. Being given a hard time by others could be a reflection of one's own tendency to be harsh and unforgiving to others. If people are impatient with you, it could be a reflection of the anger and impatience you have on others as well. Therefore, by changing one's inner state, one can change the outside conditions that one finds oneself in. In essence, you define and create your own future by the choices you make each minute of every day. There is a science to this, and it's called the spiritual path. Kabbalah and yoga are just some examples of systems that guide students on this path. Don't expect any quick fixes, though. The whole process of completely liberating oneself from the cycle of rebirth often encompasses several lifetimes. However, it is still possible to witness certain improvements even in the current lifetime.
To people already on the spiritual path and have studied these concepts, we need to simply trust the teachings and continue to follow our spiritual practice. Trusting in the ancient wisdom is also a form of practicing the teachings.
Concern should not simply be on saving one's skin, but rather on finding out how one can be a better channel for the fulfillment of the Divine Plan on Earth. If one still has a part to play in the Plan here on the physical plane, then it doesn't matter where one is. Conditions will align themselves so that the person survives whatever disaster there is. On the other hand, if one's time is up, then it's up. People can die from earthquakes and flood, but they can just as easily die from slipping and falling on the bathroom floor.
Psalm 91:1-16 (Security of the One Who Trusts in the LORD) is quite appropriate for this:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the LORD, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.
For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.
“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.” (From the New American Standard Bible)
Although the self is always the start, it is not enough to stop there. One of the characteristics of Light is that of expansion, so it cannot be bottled up inside. So it is also important to share this realization and bring this Light to others. I'm not suggesting missionary work or sermonizing, because unless executed just right, they can become one of the fastest ways to close people's minds. Rather, one can simply provide opportunities for others to be a witness to the effects of change. This can be done by leading a life of example, and simply practicing right thought, speech and action towards other people.
Or, to put it succintly let me relate a story I've read in one of the Kabbalah Centre books:
A student once approached a sage who was well-versed in the spiritual doctrines and mystical arts. He asked the master to teach him all the sublime secrets of life - to explain all the magnificent mysteries of the cosmos that are hidden in all the holy books.
And he asked if all this could be done in the time that a person can remain balanced on one leg.
The great sage carefully considered this request. He smiled warmly and replied:
"Love thy neighbor as thyself. All the rest is commentary. Now go and learn."
All of this seems like such an extensive and heavy discourse to draw out from a TV show, but we also need to recognize the gems in everything we see and encounter.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Meditation on Twin Hearts Up Close
Most people nowadays are familiar with the many benefits of meditation, so it does not always sound so exotic if one encounters it somehow. All pranic healing graduates know about the Meditation on Twin Hearts, or MTH as it is commonly called, because it is taught at the Basic Pranic Healing seminar, which all pranic healers pass through. For most of the students, it is the first meditation they have ever encountered.
Although the MTH is the first meditation taught to pranic healing students, it is actually an advanced meditation technique. Why is it considered advanced? And if so, why is it even being taught to new students?
Before we answer those questions, let's take a closer look at the origins of the Meditation on Twin Hearts. A lot of what I will say comes from Master Choa's books such as Miracles Through Pranic Healing (formerly The Ancient Art and Science of Pranic Healing), Om Mani Padme Hum - The Blue Pearl in the Golden Lotus and The Origins of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga. They all mention the MTH at some point, but each book offers a different perspective each time, therefore it is helpful to refer to all of them.
According to Master Choa, the Meditation on Twin Hearts is a higher form of the Buddhist Meditation on Loving Kindness. In Buddhism, loving kindness is called metta. Metta is a state of mind that seeks to unselfishly cultivate the welfare of others. The process of achieving this state of mind is called Bhavana, which one may translate as meditation. Therefore the Meditation on Loving Kindness is called Metta Bhavana in Buddhism. You may read more about it at this website.
Metta Bhavana develops and activates the heart chakra. All positive emotions and traits such as joy, love, unselfishness, generosity and compassion are attributed to the heart. This is why in Filipino, generous and kind people are called ginintuang puso or golden-hearted. Makes you wonder if the person who coined the term was clairvoyant, because the heart chakra does exude a golden aura when you consistently practice generosity, kindness and compassion to others.
In the MTH, not only is the heart chakra activated, but the crown chakra as well. The "twin hearts" refers to the heart chakra, the center for human love or love for others, while the crown chakra is the other "heart" or center for Divine love. Before the crown chakra can be activated, the heart chakra must be activated first, because how can one experience universal love if one does not even have love for one's fellow human beings? Activating the crown chakra opens the door for spiritual illumination and cosmic consciousness. This is why the MTH is considered a higher form of the Meditation on Loving Kindness. The Meditation on Twin Hearts is in fact based on a small section of Arhatic Yoga Level Two.
Before we proceed, it is interesting to note that in the Catholic tradition, there is reference to the two hearts of Jesus. Esoteric concepts are consistent the world over, so it wouldn't be far-fetched to think that early Christianity was aware of the importance of the twin hearts. A lot of spiritual truths can be found in the Catholic religion, though many have forgotten their meaning and significance and have been reduced to following tradition by rote.
So we go back to the question, if the MTH is such an advanced technique, why is it the first meditation taught to pranic healing students? The answers encompass several levels.
1. To produce more powerful healers.
During the meditation, an intense amount of divine energy pours down upon the person. This energy not only partially activates the chakras and expands the person's aura, but also flushes out all negative thoughts, feelings and energies within the person. After the meditation, the person feels refreshed, blissful and more energetic. The person is then able to use this divine energy to become a channel of healing for others.
Some time after the meditation, the size of the aura and the chakras decrease, but remain at a level higher than before the meditation. Done regularly, the MTH allows the person to project more and more powerful healing energy, sometimes resulting in immediate or miraculous healing among patients. It is like regularly going to the gym, where one's muscles continuously develop until heavier and heavier weights can be lifted and for longer periods. The MTH does the same thing for one's chakras and energy body.
2. To cultivate peace and harmony in a person's life and relationships by balancing self-interest with love and compassion.
Among most people, the instincts for self-preservation, sex drive and tendencies to react with lower emotions are quite prevalent. One book I read even describes peoples' lives revolving around eating, sleeping (shelter), sex and defending (one's possessions or social standing). Modern technology has changed the way we experience these things, but the basic drive has not changed since the time of the cave-dweller.
The educational system has also contributed to the imbalance by over-emphasizing the concrete and abstract mind, but for the most part lagging behind or even forgetting the development of the heart (compassion, mercy, generosity, selflessness, honesty, etc.), and also the crown (spirituality and a deep reverence to the Divine). This is why one may encounter people who are very smart, cunning and intelligent but are very abrasive and insensitive to others. The problem can even be seen at the national levels with government leaders who may be intelligent, but use their minds to benefit themselves at the cost of bringing more misery and suffering to their country.
Take note that self-interest and development of the mind are not bad per se. It is when they start to rule a person's life that the problem happens. The key is to balance everything. By practicing the MTH regularly, a person is able to balance one's own drive with the consciousness of being others-oriented. Thus, spiritually balanced people who are intelligent as well as loving and compassionate are produced, who can then use their gifts for the benefit of many people.
3. As a form of world service, for the healing of Mother Earth.
Part of the MTH involves channeling the downpour of divine energy towards the Earth and all its inhabitants. This results in a wonderful healing energy that can not only be used to heal a small community or a country, but the whole world as well. And looking at the news, there is no doubt that the Earth needs a lot of healing. Centuries of abuse, ignorance and neglect are finally exacting its toll and the MTH is one of the most powerful tools to mitigate the effects of all these Earth changes.
By performing this world service, people who practice the MTH earn good karma that they can also use to improve their own lives. Meditating as a group has an exponential effect compared to meditating alone, therefore people and families are encouraged to meditate together. The healing of Mother Earth is in fact so important that the spreading and teaching of the Meditation on Twin Hearts is encouraged even among non-pranic healers (though under the guidance of a pranic healer, who is aware of all the precautions and guidelines).
To the skeptic, the first reaction to the concept of healing the Earth can be "YEAH, RIGHT!". After all, how can an individual or even several individuals influence something as massive as the world? Amazing as it may seem, there is evidence that points in this direction.
In quantum physics, it has been shown that at the subatomic level, the consciousness of the observer influences how subatomic particles move and place themselves. For some reason, Newtonian physics ends at the atomic level, and we enter a whole new reality once we go deeper beyond the atom, sort of like Alice entering the rabbit hole. This is just one example that shows how the mind can influence reality. Science subjects can be boring for most, so if you want an entertaining yet informative documentary about quantum science, I recommend that you watch What the Bleep Do We Know on You Tube. It's quite long, though, so you might want to download all the segments first before playing the whole documentary. It should be about 2 hours long.
Going up a little higher to another level, starting in the late 90's, Masaru Emoto has published several books entitled Messages from Water. The basic premise is that thoughts, feelings and music can influence the molecular structure of water, which can be seen when the water is frozen and viewed from a microscope. Water samples that were exposed to loving thoughts, feelings and beautiful music had beautiful crystalline structures, while those samples exposed to a lot of negative thoughts, feelings and music had barely any structure at all.
How about the whole world, then? Even if the mind can influence small material objects, how can it change the world? To answer this, I would like to quote directly from the book of Gregg Braden, Fractal Time: The Secret of 2012 and a New World Age, because he says it best. The following quotation is from pages 193-195 of the said book:
--Start quote--
While there is a lot that we don't know about consciousness, there is one thing that we do know for certain: it is made of energy. That energy includes magnetism. While we can explore the magnetic nature of consciousness for another hundred years and still not solve all of its mysteries, we can apply what we've learned so far to help us meet the conditions of a changing world. A growing body of evidence now suggests that Earth's magnetic field plays a powerful role in connecting us with one another, as well as the planet.
In September 2001, two geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES) orbiting the Earth detected a rise in global magnetism that forever changed the way scientists view our world and us. The GOES-8 and GOES-10 each showed a powerful spike of Earth's magnetic-field strength in the readings they broadcast every 30 minutes. It was the magnitude of the spikes and the time they occured that first called them to the scientists' attention.
From a location of about 22,300 miles above the equator, GOES-8 detected the first surge, followed by an upward trend in the readings that topped out at nearly 50 units (nanoteslas) higher than any that had been typical for the same time previously. The time was 9 A.M. eastern standard time, 15 minutes after the first plane hit the World Trade Center and about 15 minutes before the second impact.
The correlation between the events and the readings was uncanny. And it was undeniable. In light of the data, two questions had to be asked: Were the attacks on the World Trade Center and the satellite readings actually related? If so, what was the link? It's the answer to the second question that sparked the research, and the ambitious initiative, that has followed.
Subsequent studies by Princeton University and the Institute of HeartMath, an innovative nonprofit institution formed in 1991 to pioneer research and development of heart-based technologies, have found that the correlation between the GOES readings and the events of 9/11 are more than coincidences. Following the discovery that the satellites had recorded similar spikes during events of global focus in the past, such as the death of Princess Diana, the factor that seemed to connect the readings was clear: the indications pointed to the human heart.
Specifically, it's the heart-based emotion of the world's population that results from such events that seems to be influencing the magnetic fields of the earth. What makes this discovery so significant is that those fields are now linked to everything from the stability of the climate to the peace between nations.
Among the new findings are two discoveries that give new meaning to what the satellites showed us on September 11, 2001:
-- Discovery 1: It is well documented that the human heart generates the strongest magnetic field in the body, nearly 5,000 times stronger than that of the brain. This field creates a doughnut-shaped pattern that extends well beyond the physical body and has been measured at distances of five to eight feet from the physical heart. Data suggest that this field may be so large that we end up measuring it in miles; however, it's beyond the scope of the equipment used to detect such fields.
Implication: The heart's magnetic field responds to the quality of emotion that we create in our lives. Just as the intuitive link between feelings and the body seems to suggest, positive emotions increase the physical balance of hormones and heart rhythms, as well as mental clarity and productivity. Just as intuitively, studies show that negative emotions can influence as many as 1,400 biochemical changes in the body that include hormonal imbalance, heart-rhythm chaos, mental "fogginess," and poor performance.
-- Discovery 2: Certain layers of Earth's atmosphere, along with the earth itself, generate what is now being called a "symphony" of frequencies (between .01 and 300 hertz), some of which overlap the same ones created by the heart in its communication with the brain. It's this apparently ancient and almost holistic relationship between the human heart and the shield that makes life possible on Earth that has led to a beautiful theory and the project exploring it. In the words of HeartMath researchers, the relationship between the human heart and Earth's magnetic field suggests that "strong collective emotion has a measurable impact on the earth's geomagnetic field."
Implication: If we can learn the language of the heart - the same one that Earth's protective magnetic shield recognizes and responds to - then we can participate in the effects that the field has upon all life. This is where such a futuristic-sounding relationship becomes even more exciting. Changes in the magnetic fields that we access through our hearts have been associated with shifts that include the activity of the brain and nervous system, memory, and athletic performance; the ability of plants to create vital nutrients; human mortality from heart conditions; and the numbers of reported cases of depression and suicide, among others.
These two discoveries have opened the door to a new era of understanding our relationship with the earth. From the revelations the question has shifted from Is there an effect between collective emotion and the earth? to Why not? If a large enough portion of Earth's population were to focus the strongest magnetic field of the human body upon one emotion in the same period of time, it makes tremendous sense that such a focus would affect the portion of the planet that operates in the same range of frequencies as the emotions.
The relationship is clear: A change in the way we feel about ourselves and our world has the potential to affect the world itself. If the change is a positive one, then the effect of the emotions that result should be positive as well. Such a change is known to create coherence between the heart and the brain, and it now appears that the effect extends into the fields that support life on our planet. In the words of the HeartMath researchers, "Regulating emotions is the next frontier in human evolution."
--End quote--
Amazing, isn't it? If there was any scientific basis to the Meditation on Twin Hearts, this would be it. It hints at the relationship between the heart and the brain (which is connected to the crown chakra), as well as hints why the MTH is an instrument of world service, and why it is ideally done as a group.
Interestingly, the Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception has a section that discusses the different levels of the Earth. There is what is called the "reflecting ether" whereby all activities of humanity upon the Earth are reflected back upon them. If good is done, there is peace and bounty, but the cumulative results of evil would reflect as chaos and catastrophes. It's curious that Gregg Braden's description about the Earth's magnetic field is similar to what the reflecting ether does. Just goes to show that just because science may not be able to explain it, doesn't mean that the ancients didn't know what they were talking about. All too often, later on science stumbles upon a "new discovery" that happens to confirm something that has been in ancient texts for thousands of years.
Before I end this article, I want to relate one case where the MTH was able to effect change in a violent neighborhood. During one seminar, our instructor told us a story about a pranic healing center in South America (I forgot the country, but it was somewhere there). The general area where the healing center was located was notorious for being filled with criminals, drug-dealers and other dangerous people. It was like Tondo in Manila or being in The Bronx in New York. From the time the center was put up, the people at the center did the Meditation on Twin Hearts everyday, and at the end of the meditation specifically blessed the whole neighborhood. After a few months, all the criminals were gone, either captured by the police or somehow decided to move out, such that it became a normal neighborhood. The lesson is that you can bless your workplace, your home, your loved ones, even people you don't get along with. Such is the power of the MTH.
In case you are already raring to start practicing the Meditation on Twin Hearts, you should be aware of certain precautions. The following should not do the meditation:
- Persons below 16 years of age.
- Patients with severe heart ailment, hypertension, glaucoma, or kidney and liver problems.
- Pregnant women.
- Heavy smokers.
- Heavy meat eaters (particularly pork).
- Persons with excessive alcohol consumption or use of addictive and hallucinogenic drugs.
The energy from cigarettes, red meat such as pork, lots of drugs and alcohol are gross energy, while divine energy is very refined. The gross energy is clairvoyantly seen as energy congestions within the body, so once divine energy pours in, the congestions could worsen (like having a sudden inflow of high pressure water in a dirty pipe; the pipe could burst).
One should also do at least 5 minutes of physical exercise before and after the meditation, to make sure the energy channels remain clear of any energy congestion. If you will be doing this meditation for the first time, it is advisable that you visit a pranic healing center nearest you so that they can advise you better on what to do. At the very least, they can do healing on you first in order to loosen up those energy congestions, though a certain change in lifestyle will have to follow if you want to do the meditation regularly. Even better would be to attend a Basic Pranic Healing seminar so that you are given all the details.
That being said, if you would like to hear or experience the meditation, you may download a free audio stream at the US pranic healing website.
Meditate now...and change the world!
Although the MTH is the first meditation taught to pranic healing students, it is actually an advanced meditation technique. Why is it considered advanced? And if so, why is it even being taught to new students?
Before we answer those questions, let's take a closer look at the origins of the Meditation on Twin Hearts. A lot of what I will say comes from Master Choa's books such as Miracles Through Pranic Healing (formerly The Ancient Art and Science of Pranic Healing), Om Mani Padme Hum - The Blue Pearl in the Golden Lotus and The Origins of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga. They all mention the MTH at some point, but each book offers a different perspective each time, therefore it is helpful to refer to all of them.
According to Master Choa, the Meditation on Twin Hearts is a higher form of the Buddhist Meditation on Loving Kindness. In Buddhism, loving kindness is called metta. Metta is a state of mind that seeks to unselfishly cultivate the welfare of others. The process of achieving this state of mind is called Bhavana, which one may translate as meditation. Therefore the Meditation on Loving Kindness is called Metta Bhavana in Buddhism. You may read more about it at this website.
Metta Bhavana develops and activates the heart chakra. All positive emotions and traits such as joy, love, unselfishness, generosity and compassion are attributed to the heart. This is why in Filipino, generous and kind people are called ginintuang puso or golden-hearted. Makes you wonder if the person who coined the term was clairvoyant, because the heart chakra does exude a golden aura when you consistently practice generosity, kindness and compassion to others.
In the MTH, not only is the heart chakra activated, but the crown chakra as well. The "twin hearts" refers to the heart chakra, the center for human love or love for others, while the crown chakra is the other "heart" or center for Divine love. Before the crown chakra can be activated, the heart chakra must be activated first, because how can one experience universal love if one does not even have love for one's fellow human beings? Activating the crown chakra opens the door for spiritual illumination and cosmic consciousness. This is why the MTH is considered a higher form of the Meditation on Loving Kindness. The Meditation on Twin Hearts is in fact based on a small section of Arhatic Yoga Level Two.
Before we proceed, it is interesting to note that in the Catholic tradition, there is reference to the two hearts of Jesus. Esoteric concepts are consistent the world over, so it wouldn't be far-fetched to think that early Christianity was aware of the importance of the twin hearts. A lot of spiritual truths can be found in the Catholic religion, though many have forgotten their meaning and significance and have been reduced to following tradition by rote.
So we go back to the question, if the MTH is such an advanced technique, why is it the first meditation taught to pranic healing students? The answers encompass several levels.
1. To produce more powerful healers.
During the meditation, an intense amount of divine energy pours down upon the person. This energy not only partially activates the chakras and expands the person's aura, but also flushes out all negative thoughts, feelings and energies within the person. After the meditation, the person feels refreshed, blissful and more energetic. The person is then able to use this divine energy to become a channel of healing for others.
Some time after the meditation, the size of the aura and the chakras decrease, but remain at a level higher than before the meditation. Done regularly, the MTH allows the person to project more and more powerful healing energy, sometimes resulting in immediate or miraculous healing among patients. It is like regularly going to the gym, where one's muscles continuously develop until heavier and heavier weights can be lifted and for longer periods. The MTH does the same thing for one's chakras and energy body.
2. To cultivate peace and harmony in a person's life and relationships by balancing self-interest with love and compassion.
Among most people, the instincts for self-preservation, sex drive and tendencies to react with lower emotions are quite prevalent. One book I read even describes peoples' lives revolving around eating, sleeping (shelter), sex and defending (one's possessions or social standing). Modern technology has changed the way we experience these things, but the basic drive has not changed since the time of the cave-dweller.
The educational system has also contributed to the imbalance by over-emphasizing the concrete and abstract mind, but for the most part lagging behind or even forgetting the development of the heart (compassion, mercy, generosity, selflessness, honesty, etc.), and also the crown (spirituality and a deep reverence to the Divine). This is why one may encounter people who are very smart, cunning and intelligent but are very abrasive and insensitive to others. The problem can even be seen at the national levels with government leaders who may be intelligent, but use their minds to benefit themselves at the cost of bringing more misery and suffering to their country.
Take note that self-interest and development of the mind are not bad per se. It is when they start to rule a person's life that the problem happens. The key is to balance everything. By practicing the MTH regularly, a person is able to balance one's own drive with the consciousness of being others-oriented. Thus, spiritually balanced people who are intelligent as well as loving and compassionate are produced, who can then use their gifts for the benefit of many people.
3. As a form of world service, for the healing of Mother Earth.
Part of the MTH involves channeling the downpour of divine energy towards the Earth and all its inhabitants. This results in a wonderful healing energy that can not only be used to heal a small community or a country, but the whole world as well. And looking at the news, there is no doubt that the Earth needs a lot of healing. Centuries of abuse, ignorance and neglect are finally exacting its toll and the MTH is one of the most powerful tools to mitigate the effects of all these Earth changes.
By performing this world service, people who practice the MTH earn good karma that they can also use to improve their own lives. Meditating as a group has an exponential effect compared to meditating alone, therefore people and families are encouraged to meditate together. The healing of Mother Earth is in fact so important that the spreading and teaching of the Meditation on Twin Hearts is encouraged even among non-pranic healers (though under the guidance of a pranic healer, who is aware of all the precautions and guidelines).
To the skeptic, the first reaction to the concept of healing the Earth can be "YEAH, RIGHT!". After all, how can an individual or even several individuals influence something as massive as the world? Amazing as it may seem, there is evidence that points in this direction.
In quantum physics, it has been shown that at the subatomic level, the consciousness of the observer influences how subatomic particles move and place themselves. For some reason, Newtonian physics ends at the atomic level, and we enter a whole new reality once we go deeper beyond the atom, sort of like Alice entering the rabbit hole. This is just one example that shows how the mind can influence reality. Science subjects can be boring for most, so if you want an entertaining yet informative documentary about quantum science, I recommend that you watch What the Bleep Do We Know on You Tube. It's quite long, though, so you might want to download all the segments first before playing the whole documentary. It should be about 2 hours long.
Going up a little higher to another level, starting in the late 90's, Masaru Emoto has published several books entitled Messages from Water. The basic premise is that thoughts, feelings and music can influence the molecular structure of water, which can be seen when the water is frozen and viewed from a microscope. Water samples that were exposed to loving thoughts, feelings and beautiful music had beautiful crystalline structures, while those samples exposed to a lot of negative thoughts, feelings and music had barely any structure at all.
How about the whole world, then? Even if the mind can influence small material objects, how can it change the world? To answer this, I would like to quote directly from the book of Gregg Braden, Fractal Time: The Secret of 2012 and a New World Age, because he says it best. The following quotation is from pages 193-195 of the said book:
--Start quote--
While there is a lot that we don't know about consciousness, there is one thing that we do know for certain: it is made of energy. That energy includes magnetism. While we can explore the magnetic nature of consciousness for another hundred years and still not solve all of its mysteries, we can apply what we've learned so far to help us meet the conditions of a changing world. A growing body of evidence now suggests that Earth's magnetic field plays a powerful role in connecting us with one another, as well as the planet.
In September 2001, two geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES) orbiting the Earth detected a rise in global magnetism that forever changed the way scientists view our world and us. The GOES-8 and GOES-10 each showed a powerful spike of Earth's magnetic-field strength in the readings they broadcast every 30 minutes. It was the magnitude of the spikes and the time they occured that first called them to the scientists' attention.
From a location of about 22,300 miles above the equator, GOES-8 detected the first surge, followed by an upward trend in the readings that topped out at nearly 50 units (nanoteslas) higher than any that had been typical for the same time previously. The time was 9 A.M. eastern standard time, 15 minutes after the first plane hit the World Trade Center and about 15 minutes before the second impact.
The correlation between the events and the readings was uncanny. And it was undeniable. In light of the data, two questions had to be asked: Were the attacks on the World Trade Center and the satellite readings actually related? If so, what was the link? It's the answer to the second question that sparked the research, and the ambitious initiative, that has followed.
Subsequent studies by Princeton University and the Institute of HeartMath, an innovative nonprofit institution formed in 1991 to pioneer research and development of heart-based technologies, have found that the correlation between the GOES readings and the events of 9/11 are more than coincidences. Following the discovery that the satellites had recorded similar spikes during events of global focus in the past, such as the death of Princess Diana, the factor that seemed to connect the readings was clear: the indications pointed to the human heart.
Specifically, it's the heart-based emotion of the world's population that results from such events that seems to be influencing the magnetic fields of the earth. What makes this discovery so significant is that those fields are now linked to everything from the stability of the climate to the peace between nations.
Among the new findings are two discoveries that give new meaning to what the satellites showed us on September 11, 2001:
-- Discovery 1: It is well documented that the human heart generates the strongest magnetic field in the body, nearly 5,000 times stronger than that of the brain. This field creates a doughnut-shaped pattern that extends well beyond the physical body and has been measured at distances of five to eight feet from the physical heart. Data suggest that this field may be so large that we end up measuring it in miles; however, it's beyond the scope of the equipment used to detect such fields.
Implication: The heart's magnetic field responds to the quality of emotion that we create in our lives. Just as the intuitive link between feelings and the body seems to suggest, positive emotions increase the physical balance of hormones and heart rhythms, as well as mental clarity and productivity. Just as intuitively, studies show that negative emotions can influence as many as 1,400 biochemical changes in the body that include hormonal imbalance, heart-rhythm chaos, mental "fogginess," and poor performance.
-- Discovery 2: Certain layers of Earth's atmosphere, along with the earth itself, generate what is now being called a "symphony" of frequencies (between .01 and 300 hertz), some of which overlap the same ones created by the heart in its communication with the brain. It's this apparently ancient and almost holistic relationship between the human heart and the shield that makes life possible on Earth that has led to a beautiful theory and the project exploring it. In the words of HeartMath researchers, the relationship between the human heart and Earth's magnetic field suggests that "strong collective emotion has a measurable impact on the earth's geomagnetic field."
Implication: If we can learn the language of the heart - the same one that Earth's protective magnetic shield recognizes and responds to - then we can participate in the effects that the field has upon all life. This is where such a futuristic-sounding relationship becomes even more exciting. Changes in the magnetic fields that we access through our hearts have been associated with shifts that include the activity of the brain and nervous system, memory, and athletic performance; the ability of plants to create vital nutrients; human mortality from heart conditions; and the numbers of reported cases of depression and suicide, among others.
These two discoveries have opened the door to a new era of understanding our relationship with the earth. From the revelations the question has shifted from Is there an effect between collective emotion and the earth? to Why not? If a large enough portion of Earth's population were to focus the strongest magnetic field of the human body upon one emotion in the same period of time, it makes tremendous sense that such a focus would affect the portion of the planet that operates in the same range of frequencies as the emotions.
The relationship is clear: A change in the way we feel about ourselves and our world has the potential to affect the world itself. If the change is a positive one, then the effect of the emotions that result should be positive as well. Such a change is known to create coherence between the heart and the brain, and it now appears that the effect extends into the fields that support life on our planet. In the words of the HeartMath researchers, "Regulating emotions is the next frontier in human evolution."
--End quote--
Amazing, isn't it? If there was any scientific basis to the Meditation on Twin Hearts, this would be it. It hints at the relationship between the heart and the brain (which is connected to the crown chakra), as well as hints why the MTH is an instrument of world service, and why it is ideally done as a group.
Interestingly, the Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception has a section that discusses the different levels of the Earth. There is what is called the "reflecting ether" whereby all activities of humanity upon the Earth are reflected back upon them. If good is done, there is peace and bounty, but the cumulative results of evil would reflect as chaos and catastrophes. It's curious that Gregg Braden's description about the Earth's magnetic field is similar to what the reflecting ether does. Just goes to show that just because science may not be able to explain it, doesn't mean that the ancients didn't know what they were talking about. All too often, later on science stumbles upon a "new discovery" that happens to confirm something that has been in ancient texts for thousands of years.
Before I end this article, I want to relate one case where the MTH was able to effect change in a violent neighborhood. During one seminar, our instructor told us a story about a pranic healing center in South America (I forgot the country, but it was somewhere there). The general area where the healing center was located was notorious for being filled with criminals, drug-dealers and other dangerous people. It was like Tondo in Manila or being in The Bronx in New York. From the time the center was put up, the people at the center did the Meditation on Twin Hearts everyday, and at the end of the meditation specifically blessed the whole neighborhood. After a few months, all the criminals were gone, either captured by the police or somehow decided to move out, such that it became a normal neighborhood. The lesson is that you can bless your workplace, your home, your loved ones, even people you don't get along with. Such is the power of the MTH.
In case you are already raring to start practicing the Meditation on Twin Hearts, you should be aware of certain precautions. The following should not do the meditation:
- Persons below 16 years of age.
- Patients with severe heart ailment, hypertension, glaucoma, or kidney and liver problems.
- Pregnant women.
- Heavy smokers.
- Heavy meat eaters (particularly pork).
- Persons with excessive alcohol consumption or use of addictive and hallucinogenic drugs.
The energy from cigarettes, red meat such as pork, lots of drugs and alcohol are gross energy, while divine energy is very refined. The gross energy is clairvoyantly seen as energy congestions within the body, so once divine energy pours in, the congestions could worsen (like having a sudden inflow of high pressure water in a dirty pipe; the pipe could burst).
One should also do at least 5 minutes of physical exercise before and after the meditation, to make sure the energy channels remain clear of any energy congestion. If you will be doing this meditation for the first time, it is advisable that you visit a pranic healing center nearest you so that they can advise you better on what to do. At the very least, they can do healing on you first in order to loosen up those energy congestions, though a certain change in lifestyle will have to follow if you want to do the meditation regularly. Even better would be to attend a Basic Pranic Healing seminar so that you are given all the details.
That being said, if you would like to hear or experience the meditation, you may download a free audio stream at the US pranic healing website.
Meditate now...and change the world!
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Law of Cycles and Tithing
During the Kriyashakti seminar I attended last year, at one point the discussion turned to the topic of tithing. I remember our instructor telling us that we should tithe regularly, meaning once a month. However, he also added that tithing in advance doesn't work. For example, if one regularly tithes P100/month, tithing P1,200 all at once to represent the whole year's tithe will not work. He was speaking from experience because one time he gave an amount that was 6 months' worth of tithe, so that he wouldn't have to do it every month. After all, he was going to tithe the amount anyway, so might as well give it all in one go. For the first 2 months he was okay, but after that period, a lot of misfortune started appearing in his life again.
Since he was speaking from experience, then there is something to what he was saying. Acknowledging a fact is not the same as understanding it, though, so it did not stop me from wondering why. After all, a tenth is a tenth, so 10% of one's monthly income given every month for a whole year is still the same as 10% of the total yearly income given in one go, so why does the timing matter? I had to set that question aside for a long time before I got the glimmerings of an answer.
A possible answer begins to show itself if we look at the way karma works. Aside from the basic "good" and "bad" karma, there are many other subdivisions of karma as well. There is national karma, family karma, prosperity karma, health karma, etc. It's a very complicated subject, but suffice it to say that before incarnating, the soul is shown how one's accumulated good and bad karma from previous lives will determine the parents, the nationality, one's station in life and all other important life events of one's upcoming corporeal existence.
The soul then forgets all of this upon incarnating in a physical body, in order to allow the lessons of life to proceed unhampered by any mental burdens. Once those karmic situations come up, a person's choices will determine if one has learned the lesson and therefore revokes the karma that brought about the situation in the first place or will necessitate the repeat of a similar situation sometime in the future. Master Choa's book Achieving Oneness with the Higher Soul discusses this in more detail. Since a soul's lifeplan has been laid out before incarnation, this explains why people have deja vu. The person happens to remember part of it again as the situation is encountered.
I will not go into any more detail on this subject because, as I said, it's very complicated. But I wanted to show that the good and bad karma for one's lifestream does not manifest all at once. Different situations are spaced out along certain intervals so that the individual has the chance to make the choices and learn the appropriate lessons. How is it all managed, then?
First, let us take a look around us. What do you notice about the world around you? It's governed by cycles. Summer gives way to fall, fall gives in to winter, and as spring comes, the melting ice and snow is transformed to water and rain that nourishes the land, and the leaves that fell last autumn fertilize the soil to give it new life. The Earth spins a certain number of times a day, completes a revolution around the sun once a year, the moon circles the Earth and goes through certain lunar phases every month. Even our bodies follow cycles as well. Childhood gives way to the fires of adolescence, then the enthusiasm of adulthood, the mellowing of middle age, and the golden days of retirement, the quiescence of old age until our bodies complete their eventual return to the earth it came from.
Since everything in nature is governed by cycles, then going by the principle of "as above, so below; as below, so above" it stands to reason that the manifestation of good and bad karma follows certain cycles as well. It is like when one is watching a movie on DVD. You experience the whole movie as one continuous, seamless whole, but once you get to the menu, you find out there are different scenes divided into chapters. Just consult any competent astrologer who can forecast whether a certain time period is favorable or unfavorable for the person concerned, depending on the particular astrological cycle being entered. This is why there is the expression of "beginning a new chapter in one's life" and "closing the chapter."
There are big cycles and there are small cycles. Some of the best astrologers can predict the death date of a person, while others can determine the most fortuitous times to gamble and thus make a killing at the casino (supposedly, some of the best feng shui experts in Hong Kong do this).
However, there is an esoteric saying that while the stars may impel, they do not compel. One always has the free will to choose those courses of action that will break negative cycles and generate good ones. This is where tithing, service, inner reflection and character development come in. These are the tools that one can use to shape one's future and destiny, instead of being allowed to be thrown hither and thither by one's astrological cycles.
It is my theory that it is because of these cycles that the timing of one's tithe matters. A really big tithe, representing one year's worth of normal tithe, all given within a certain cycle will influence that cycle the most, but once the next cycle starts, there is not as much energy left over. So it is better to apportion one's tithe over the course of several cycles, to get control of each of them.
For most people, their cycles revolve around the months of the Gregorian calendar (and one's salary disbursement usually follows that cycle as well). Other, more knowledgeable people may choose to follow their astrological cycle, but unless one has access to an astrologer (or is one), this may be hard to follow. There are other esoteric cycles that even fewer people may know about. But whatever cycle one follows, the best principle would be to tithe at the beginning of the cycle, so that one is all set to control and influence the rest of the cycle.
So far, I have not yet encountered any other esoteric work that specifically discusses tithing and the law of cycles, so this is just a working theory. But by far, it is the best explanation I can come up with regarding the experience of my Kriyashakti instructor. In any case, if one regularly does tithing anyway, then it wouldn't hurt to modify the timing of one's tithe.
Since he was speaking from experience, then there is something to what he was saying. Acknowledging a fact is not the same as understanding it, though, so it did not stop me from wondering why. After all, a tenth is a tenth, so 10% of one's monthly income given every month for a whole year is still the same as 10% of the total yearly income given in one go, so why does the timing matter? I had to set that question aside for a long time before I got the glimmerings of an answer.
A possible answer begins to show itself if we look at the way karma works. Aside from the basic "good" and "bad" karma, there are many other subdivisions of karma as well. There is national karma, family karma, prosperity karma, health karma, etc. It's a very complicated subject, but suffice it to say that before incarnating, the soul is shown how one's accumulated good and bad karma from previous lives will determine the parents, the nationality, one's station in life and all other important life events of one's upcoming corporeal existence.
The soul then forgets all of this upon incarnating in a physical body, in order to allow the lessons of life to proceed unhampered by any mental burdens. Once those karmic situations come up, a person's choices will determine if one has learned the lesson and therefore revokes the karma that brought about the situation in the first place or will necessitate the repeat of a similar situation sometime in the future. Master Choa's book Achieving Oneness with the Higher Soul discusses this in more detail. Since a soul's lifeplan has been laid out before incarnation, this explains why people have deja vu. The person happens to remember part of it again as the situation is encountered.
I will not go into any more detail on this subject because, as I said, it's very complicated. But I wanted to show that the good and bad karma for one's lifestream does not manifest all at once. Different situations are spaced out along certain intervals so that the individual has the chance to make the choices and learn the appropriate lessons. How is it all managed, then?
First, let us take a look around us. What do you notice about the world around you? It's governed by cycles. Summer gives way to fall, fall gives in to winter, and as spring comes, the melting ice and snow is transformed to water and rain that nourishes the land, and the leaves that fell last autumn fertilize the soil to give it new life. The Earth spins a certain number of times a day, completes a revolution around the sun once a year, the moon circles the Earth and goes through certain lunar phases every month. Even our bodies follow cycles as well. Childhood gives way to the fires of adolescence, then the enthusiasm of adulthood, the mellowing of middle age, and the golden days of retirement, the quiescence of old age until our bodies complete their eventual return to the earth it came from.
Since everything in nature is governed by cycles, then going by the principle of "as above, so below; as below, so above" it stands to reason that the manifestation of good and bad karma follows certain cycles as well. It is like when one is watching a movie on DVD. You experience the whole movie as one continuous, seamless whole, but once you get to the menu, you find out there are different scenes divided into chapters. Just consult any competent astrologer who can forecast whether a certain time period is favorable or unfavorable for the person concerned, depending on the particular astrological cycle being entered. This is why there is the expression of "beginning a new chapter in one's life" and "closing the chapter."
There are big cycles and there are small cycles. Some of the best astrologers can predict the death date of a person, while others can determine the most fortuitous times to gamble and thus make a killing at the casino (supposedly, some of the best feng shui experts in Hong Kong do this).
However, there is an esoteric saying that while the stars may impel, they do not compel. One always has the free will to choose those courses of action that will break negative cycles and generate good ones. This is where tithing, service, inner reflection and character development come in. These are the tools that one can use to shape one's future and destiny, instead of being allowed to be thrown hither and thither by one's astrological cycles.
It is my theory that it is because of these cycles that the timing of one's tithe matters. A really big tithe, representing one year's worth of normal tithe, all given within a certain cycle will influence that cycle the most, but once the next cycle starts, there is not as much energy left over. So it is better to apportion one's tithe over the course of several cycles, to get control of each of them.
For most people, their cycles revolve around the months of the Gregorian calendar (and one's salary disbursement usually follows that cycle as well). Other, more knowledgeable people may choose to follow their astrological cycle, but unless one has access to an astrologer (or is one), this may be hard to follow. There are other esoteric cycles that even fewer people may know about. But whatever cycle one follows, the best principle would be to tithe at the beginning of the cycle, so that one is all set to control and influence the rest of the cycle.
So far, I have not yet encountered any other esoteric work that specifically discusses tithing and the law of cycles, so this is just a working theory. But by far, it is the best explanation I can come up with regarding the experience of my Kriyashakti instructor. In any case, if one regularly does tithing anyway, then it wouldn't hurt to modify the timing of one's tithe.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Exploring Kabbalah
When I attended my first Basic Pranic Healing seminar back in July 2008, I bought the book Origins of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga. It's a very interesting and eye-opening book, and every pranic healer should have a copy or have read it at least once. My interest to study and explore kabbalah was sparked after reading that book.
When I first started, my understanding of kabbalah was quite limited. I've read snippets here and there, but nothing that would qualify me as knowledgeable. All I knew then was that it came from the Jewish tradition and that it was some sort of magical system. I've read about the Golem of Prague, a story so famous that there was (or still is) a postage stamp in that city that features the golem. This only reinforced my idea that kabbalah was the "magic of the Jews." And for you Dungeons & Dragons fans out there, the word golem is a Hebrew word that essentially means "amorphous." Jewish folklore is even richer than the narratives that can be found in the Bible.
So what is this seemingly indecipherable body of knowledge? What is it that has drawn the fascination of occultists for the past several centuries? Kabbalah is hard to explain in such a short article. In truth, one must live it to really start to understand it. Even now with all the material I've read, I'm still just scratching the surface, but I will try to give as clear a picture as possible based on what I've managed to find out so far. Though I may not be the foremost expert on kabbalah, hopefully my experiences will help others have an easier time doing their own research. Although we are really luckier today because there is so much material on kabbalah and the floodgates of information about this field of study has opened up. In days of yore, kabbalists were tight-lipped about their knowledge, and frequently, anyone who released kabbalistic teachings without permission was killed. This contributed to the sparse information about it during Medieval times up until the early 20th century, and consequently led to a lot of misunderstanding about what it is.
The situation is further complicated in that other philosophies started integrating certain kabbalistic teachings. In the 15th century, there was a desire to interpret Christian doctrine even more mystically than the Christian mystics, and so the Christian Cabala was born. Then, during the 18th and 19th centuries, a lot of occult literature started to include concepts from the kabbalah such as the Tree of Life and the sephira. This is often called the Hermetic Kabbalah. One can see this particularly in the material of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Yet for all the material available on the subject, I could not find a clear way to make use of kabbalah, let alone make heads or tails out of it.
One book I read even mentioned that one needs to learn the Hebrew alphabet itself, (just the alphabet, although learning the language would help, since it would make gematria easier). This was an important suggestion, though I didn't realize it then, but more on this later. But for the meantime, this again left me scratching my head, because where was I going to find a teacher that could help navigate this morass of information? A lot of the kabbalah books I was reading presented material that was couched in metaphors, symbolisms and other stuff that could not be easily decoded or verified.
At this point, I luckily managed to purchase one of Master Choa's books, The Spiritual Essence of Man, which deals with the Tree of Life extensively and has very good material about kabbalistic teachings. The book helped lay the groundwork for a more focused search for information. In any case, when searching for information, Divine Guidance is really necessary. One will also realize that the right information or material will be made available when the time is right (which means one is able to understand and handle the information or one is entitled to it).
Like any tradition or body of knowledge, to gain a better understanding of it one must eventually go to the source. A lot can get lost in translation or misinterpretation, especially when the writer is not from the original tradition being written about. In the case of kabbalah, we are not talking about any one person as the source, but a whole culture. Moreover, there are many kabbalistic schools of thought. So I turned my search to actual Hebrew sources. Further research led me to realize that there are also two aspects to the study of kabbalah. Both are interwoven, because they use the same sources and knowledge, but the difference is in the application.
The first aspect is what is called Kabbalah iyunit, or "contemplative Kabbalah". Here, the aspirant seeks to know God and explain the nature of existence through intellectual study and meditation. In this way, kabbalah is the esoteric counterpart of the Judaic religion. Aside from the Torah, kabbalists also count the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation), said to be written by Abraham, and the Sefer Ha-Zohar (Book of Splendor) as major references. Because of the heavy emphasis on scripture and the use of the Hebrew alphabet (the Alef Bet), most if not all kabbalists were also rabbis.
The idea of an esoteric tradition behind an established religion is not confined to Judaism. In the Islamic tradition, we have the Sufis, where we have the whirling dervishes. A lot of Sufis are also imams (clerics). With the Christian tradition, we have the Gnostics.
The second aspect to the study of kabbalah is the Kabbalah ma'asit or "practical Kabbalah." It is this aspect of kabbalah that is usually referred to among the books and stories of magic written outside the context of traditional Hebrew belief. Anything that directly affects the material plane is usually categorized under the practical kabbalah. The making of a golem or crafting of amulets and charms for varying purposes (very popular in Jewish culture) are examples of this. It is this aspect that has mostly gained the notice of occultists.
In the hermetic tradition, the kabbalah usually takes the form of ceremonial magic. It typically involves elaborate preparations in terms of incese and other occult material. The only exception would be Franz Bardon's system, in his book The Key to the True Quabbalah, which is closer to the Hebrew method. In the Hebrew tradition, practical kabbalah is effected through the use of the many different Names of God. This is why practical kabbalists were called Ba'al Shem Tov (Masters of the Good Name). Practical kabbalists also use the Hebrew alphabet and gematria in their work. Why the emphasis on the Hebrew alphabet? According to the Sefer Yetzirah, the Lord used the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order to create the universe. Therefore anyone who mastered the use of these letters had a very powerful key to influencing reality.
How come then that not everyone who knows the Hebrew language can do works of wonder? Well, there is a special way to using the letters and the Names of God that activates the energies locked within them. But the key to this is not easily found, and is a very closely guarded secret among kabbalists, and that's the dilemma that faces a lot of would-be practitioners.
Furthermore, there were heavy injunctions against using the Names of God "in vain," meaning for base reasons. Also, the divine energies being emitted by the letters and the Names was so strong that only a tzadik (righteous person) with a pure purpose could safely use them. There seems to be a basis on this because I have heard stories about people who attempted to use the kabbalah who went insane. This has not deterred people from pursuing this path, though.
In Jewish society, practical kabbalists were often called upon to perform exorcisms, do healing, or create amulets or talismans of protection for the home or person. It is strikingly similar to the duties an arbularyo (medicine man) would do in a typical Philippine community. For all that, the status of the practical kabbalist was quite controversial, because the rabbis were divided on whether it was allowable or not. It is further confusing in that some aspects of practical kabbalah were considered acceptable (such as crafting amulets) while others were considered taboo (such as uttering the Names of God in a kabbalistic manner). Some kabbalistic schools of thought even believe that until the Temple stands again, no one should use the practical kabbalah.
Usually, it depends on the particular community what is considered acceptable to them or not, although many took advantage of the the amulets and charms, with the rabbis who publicly denounce them just turning a blind eye to the practice (if not making use of it themselves). In actuality, it most likely wasn't a matter of one practicing contemplative kabbalah or practical kabbalah but rather to what extent one is incorporating either aspect into one's practice.
If you want to get a better idea of the role that practical kabbalah played in Jewish society, I would suggest you read Jewish Magic and Superstition by Joshua Trachtenberg. It's available for free online at the Sacred Texts website. You may also visit this website about practical kabbalah.
As I gained more ground in studying kabbalah, my research received a boost when I started reading the different books from the Kabbalah Centre. "Wait," you may ask. "The same organization that Ashton Kutcher and Madonna are members of?" Yes, it's the same one. But don't let the names of all those celebrities who are members throw you off. The Kabbalah Centre offers a lot of gems about kabbalah, and they de-mystified it such that even a total beginner can get a grasp of it. The Kabbalah Centre was founded in the early 1920s in order to spread the teachings of kabbalah to the world, and we are all the better for it.
So, how did the material from the Kabbalah Centre contribute to my understanding of kabbalah? One clue is in the word itself. Although "kabbalah" is one of the most often used transliterations, it is more accurately spelled as "Qabalah" or QBLH and the meaning is "to receive." Most attribute "receiving" to the fact that kabbalah was primarily an oral tradition, therefore one would receive the teachings directly from teacher to student. But once you read the different books, there is another level of meaning to it.
Let us ask the question, what does it mean to receive? According to the law of polarity, there is both a negative and a positive polarity. The Light of the Creator is the positive polarity that always flows and imparts. We, residing in vessels, are in the negative polarity and in the mode of receiving (take note that positive and negative in esoteric usage does not always refer to "good" or "bad"). It is this Light passing from the Creator and through our souls that gives life to our bodies.
Now, in kabbalistic belief, there are two ways that people are using this Light. One is the Desire to Receive for Oneself Alone, which results in darkness, pain and a heavy karmic debt, while the other is the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, which results in a lot of Light in one's life, eventually leading to a completion of one's tikkun (correction).
It works this way due to the law of flow. One cannot keep on inhaling without exhaling, and one cannot keep eating without ever defecating. This is why the Desire to Receive for Oneself Alone remains in the negative state and causes all manner of pain and suffering, not only for oneself, but also the world. When one gets into the consciousness of the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, one has just transformed the negative state back into positive and one is in tune with Creation. We have the free will to choose our actions and have to deal with either the consequences or rewards of our choices. Until one has totally transformed into the consciousness of Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, one constantly has to work at one's tikkun, through several lifetimes if necessary (yes, reincarnation is part of kabbalistic belief; it's called Gilgul Neshamot or Reincarnation of Souls). The concept of tikkun, as used in kabbalah, is similar to the concept that we incarnate in this physical plane in order to work off our negative karma.
The study of kabbalah then is a study of how to achieve harmony with Creation, which is not limited to harmony with nature, but with all of Creation, which includes our fellow human beings. The knowledge of kabbalah gives one the tools to understand how everything works (in both the physical and non-physical realms), thus the enlightened individual gains the keys to positively influence Creation, as is our destiny as co-Creators. Yehuda Berg in his books describes kabbalah as Technology for the Soul, and it's a very apt description. Looked at in this light, kabbalah is simply a way of life and a spiritual path not unlike the practices of yoga, Buddhism and other esoteric disciplines.
So in its essence, kabbalah is very similar in its purpose as Arhatic Yoga, which is why I found it easy to cross-reference the two disciplines. Studying kabbalah has certainly enriched my spiritual life, and made me appreciate the value of Arhatic Yoga even more. In the end, kabbalah is more than just a magical system, but literally a path to God.
Even so, kabbalah has still managed to subtly exert its influence in ordinary things that we take for granted. For instance, I already mentioned how the word golem has found its way into the D&D system. Also, in Star Trek remember that Vulcan hand sign that Spock makes when he says, "Live long and prosper"? Make that hand sign on both your hands, then put your hands side by side. That's a kabbalistic blessing position! Gene Roddenberry must have known something about kabbalah. The atbash, a form of letter substitution, was an early form of cryptography and certainly had an influence in the development of that discipline.
However way one looks at it, kabbalah is definitely a field worth studying, and it's a good complement to whatever spiritual path one is following.
When I first started, my understanding of kabbalah was quite limited. I've read snippets here and there, but nothing that would qualify me as knowledgeable. All I knew then was that it came from the Jewish tradition and that it was some sort of magical system. I've read about the Golem of Prague, a story so famous that there was (or still is) a postage stamp in that city that features the golem. This only reinforced my idea that kabbalah was the "magic of the Jews." And for you Dungeons & Dragons fans out there, the word golem is a Hebrew word that essentially means "amorphous." Jewish folklore is even richer than the narratives that can be found in the Bible.
So what is this seemingly indecipherable body of knowledge? What is it that has drawn the fascination of occultists for the past several centuries? Kabbalah is hard to explain in such a short article. In truth, one must live it to really start to understand it. Even now with all the material I've read, I'm still just scratching the surface, but I will try to give as clear a picture as possible based on what I've managed to find out so far. Though I may not be the foremost expert on kabbalah, hopefully my experiences will help others have an easier time doing their own research. Although we are really luckier today because there is so much material on kabbalah and the floodgates of information about this field of study has opened up. In days of yore, kabbalists were tight-lipped about their knowledge, and frequently, anyone who released kabbalistic teachings without permission was killed. This contributed to the sparse information about it during Medieval times up until the early 20th century, and consequently led to a lot of misunderstanding about what it is.
The situation is further complicated in that other philosophies started integrating certain kabbalistic teachings. In the 15th century, there was a desire to interpret Christian doctrine even more mystically than the Christian mystics, and so the Christian Cabala was born. Then, during the 18th and 19th centuries, a lot of occult literature started to include concepts from the kabbalah such as the Tree of Life and the sephira. This is often called the Hermetic Kabbalah. One can see this particularly in the material of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Yet for all the material available on the subject, I could not find a clear way to make use of kabbalah, let alone make heads or tails out of it.
One book I read even mentioned that one needs to learn the Hebrew alphabet itself, (just the alphabet, although learning the language would help, since it would make gematria easier). This was an important suggestion, though I didn't realize it then, but more on this later. But for the meantime, this again left me scratching my head, because where was I going to find a teacher that could help navigate this morass of information? A lot of the kabbalah books I was reading presented material that was couched in metaphors, symbolisms and other stuff that could not be easily decoded or verified.
At this point, I luckily managed to purchase one of Master Choa's books, The Spiritual Essence of Man, which deals with the Tree of Life extensively and has very good material about kabbalistic teachings. The book helped lay the groundwork for a more focused search for information. In any case, when searching for information, Divine Guidance is really necessary. One will also realize that the right information or material will be made available when the time is right (which means one is able to understand and handle the information or one is entitled to it).
Like any tradition or body of knowledge, to gain a better understanding of it one must eventually go to the source. A lot can get lost in translation or misinterpretation, especially when the writer is not from the original tradition being written about. In the case of kabbalah, we are not talking about any one person as the source, but a whole culture. Moreover, there are many kabbalistic schools of thought. So I turned my search to actual Hebrew sources. Further research led me to realize that there are also two aspects to the study of kabbalah. Both are interwoven, because they use the same sources and knowledge, but the difference is in the application.
The first aspect is what is called Kabbalah iyunit, or "contemplative Kabbalah". Here, the aspirant seeks to know God and explain the nature of existence through intellectual study and meditation. In this way, kabbalah is the esoteric counterpart of the Judaic religion. Aside from the Torah, kabbalists also count the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation), said to be written by Abraham, and the Sefer Ha-Zohar (Book of Splendor) as major references. Because of the heavy emphasis on scripture and the use of the Hebrew alphabet (the Alef Bet), most if not all kabbalists were also rabbis.
The idea of an esoteric tradition behind an established religion is not confined to Judaism. In the Islamic tradition, we have the Sufis, where we have the whirling dervishes. A lot of Sufis are also imams (clerics). With the Christian tradition, we have the Gnostics.
The second aspect to the study of kabbalah is the Kabbalah ma'asit or "practical Kabbalah." It is this aspect of kabbalah that is usually referred to among the books and stories of magic written outside the context of traditional Hebrew belief. Anything that directly affects the material plane is usually categorized under the practical kabbalah. The making of a golem or crafting of amulets and charms for varying purposes (very popular in Jewish culture) are examples of this. It is this aspect that has mostly gained the notice of occultists.
In the hermetic tradition, the kabbalah usually takes the form of ceremonial magic. It typically involves elaborate preparations in terms of incese and other occult material. The only exception would be Franz Bardon's system, in his book The Key to the True Quabbalah, which is closer to the Hebrew method. In the Hebrew tradition, practical kabbalah is effected through the use of the many different Names of God. This is why practical kabbalists were called Ba'al Shem Tov (Masters of the Good Name). Practical kabbalists also use the Hebrew alphabet and gematria in their work. Why the emphasis on the Hebrew alphabet? According to the Sefer Yetzirah, the Lord used the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order to create the universe. Therefore anyone who mastered the use of these letters had a very powerful key to influencing reality.
How come then that not everyone who knows the Hebrew language can do works of wonder? Well, there is a special way to using the letters and the Names of God that activates the energies locked within them. But the key to this is not easily found, and is a very closely guarded secret among kabbalists, and that's the dilemma that faces a lot of would-be practitioners.
Furthermore, there were heavy injunctions against using the Names of God "in vain," meaning for base reasons. Also, the divine energies being emitted by the letters and the Names was so strong that only a tzadik (righteous person) with a pure purpose could safely use them. There seems to be a basis on this because I have heard stories about people who attempted to use the kabbalah who went insane. This has not deterred people from pursuing this path, though.
In Jewish society, practical kabbalists were often called upon to perform exorcisms, do healing, or create amulets or talismans of protection for the home or person. It is strikingly similar to the duties an arbularyo (medicine man) would do in a typical Philippine community. For all that, the status of the practical kabbalist was quite controversial, because the rabbis were divided on whether it was allowable or not. It is further confusing in that some aspects of practical kabbalah were considered acceptable (such as crafting amulets) while others were considered taboo (such as uttering the Names of God in a kabbalistic manner). Some kabbalistic schools of thought even believe that until the Temple stands again, no one should use the practical kabbalah.
Usually, it depends on the particular community what is considered acceptable to them or not, although many took advantage of the the amulets and charms, with the rabbis who publicly denounce them just turning a blind eye to the practice (if not making use of it themselves). In actuality, it most likely wasn't a matter of one practicing contemplative kabbalah or practical kabbalah but rather to what extent one is incorporating either aspect into one's practice.
If you want to get a better idea of the role that practical kabbalah played in Jewish society, I would suggest you read Jewish Magic and Superstition by Joshua Trachtenberg. It's available for free online at the Sacred Texts website. You may also visit this website about practical kabbalah.
As I gained more ground in studying kabbalah, my research received a boost when I started reading the different books from the Kabbalah Centre. "Wait," you may ask. "The same organization that Ashton Kutcher and Madonna are members of?" Yes, it's the same one. But don't let the names of all those celebrities who are members throw you off. The Kabbalah Centre offers a lot of gems about kabbalah, and they de-mystified it such that even a total beginner can get a grasp of it. The Kabbalah Centre was founded in the early 1920s in order to spread the teachings of kabbalah to the world, and we are all the better for it.
So, how did the material from the Kabbalah Centre contribute to my understanding of kabbalah? One clue is in the word itself. Although "kabbalah" is one of the most often used transliterations, it is more accurately spelled as "Qabalah" or QBLH and the meaning is "to receive." Most attribute "receiving" to the fact that kabbalah was primarily an oral tradition, therefore one would receive the teachings directly from teacher to student. But once you read the different books, there is another level of meaning to it.
Let us ask the question, what does it mean to receive? According to the law of polarity, there is both a negative and a positive polarity. The Light of the Creator is the positive polarity that always flows and imparts. We, residing in vessels, are in the negative polarity and in the mode of receiving (take note that positive and negative in esoteric usage does not always refer to "good" or "bad"). It is this Light passing from the Creator and through our souls that gives life to our bodies.
Now, in kabbalistic belief, there are two ways that people are using this Light. One is the Desire to Receive for Oneself Alone, which results in darkness, pain and a heavy karmic debt, while the other is the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, which results in a lot of Light in one's life, eventually leading to a completion of one's tikkun (correction).
It works this way due to the law of flow. One cannot keep on inhaling without exhaling, and one cannot keep eating without ever defecating. This is why the Desire to Receive for Oneself Alone remains in the negative state and causes all manner of pain and suffering, not only for oneself, but also the world. When one gets into the consciousness of the Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, one has just transformed the negative state back into positive and one is in tune with Creation. We have the free will to choose our actions and have to deal with either the consequences or rewards of our choices. Until one has totally transformed into the consciousness of Desire to Receive for the Sake of Imparting, one constantly has to work at one's tikkun, through several lifetimes if necessary (yes, reincarnation is part of kabbalistic belief; it's called Gilgul Neshamot or Reincarnation of Souls). The concept of tikkun, as used in kabbalah, is similar to the concept that we incarnate in this physical plane in order to work off our negative karma.
The study of kabbalah then is a study of how to achieve harmony with Creation, which is not limited to harmony with nature, but with all of Creation, which includes our fellow human beings. The knowledge of kabbalah gives one the tools to understand how everything works (in both the physical and non-physical realms), thus the enlightened individual gains the keys to positively influence Creation, as is our destiny as co-Creators. Yehuda Berg in his books describes kabbalah as Technology for the Soul, and it's a very apt description. Looked at in this light, kabbalah is simply a way of life and a spiritual path not unlike the practices of yoga, Buddhism and other esoteric disciplines.
So in its essence, kabbalah is very similar in its purpose as Arhatic Yoga, which is why I found it easy to cross-reference the two disciplines. Studying kabbalah has certainly enriched my spiritual life, and made me appreciate the value of Arhatic Yoga even more. In the end, kabbalah is more than just a magical system, but literally a path to God.
Even so, kabbalah has still managed to subtly exert its influence in ordinary things that we take for granted. For instance, I already mentioned how the word golem has found its way into the D&D system. Also, in Star Trek remember that Vulcan hand sign that Spock makes when he says, "Live long and prosper"? Make that hand sign on both your hands, then put your hands side by side. That's a kabbalistic blessing position! Gene Roddenberry must have known something about kabbalah. The atbash, a form of letter substitution, was an early form of cryptography and certainly had an influence in the development of that discipline.
However way one looks at it, kabbalah is definitely a field worth studying, and it's a good complement to whatever spiritual path one is following.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Messages of Light: A Visit to the Bukid Kabataan Center
Note: This article also appears at the official Facebook page of the Pranic Healing Philippines Organizing Team.
Last Sunday (April 18), I went with a few pranic healers to the Bukid Kabataan Center in Trece Martires City in Cavite, a province to the south and southwest of Metro Manila. It was formerly run by Caritas, but was eventually turned over to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Our visit was facilitated by Sister Mary John, one of the nuns of the Good Shepherd congregation and an active member of the pranic healing community.
The center gives shelter to street children and gives them basic education (up to Grade 6) along with other therapeutic activities. Through the efforts of the center's directress, Sister Lilia (who is also a pranic healer, by the way), the center also houses an organic farm that makes the center self-sustaining in terms of food and provides income to the neighboring farmers.
The basic agenda of our visit was to do a pranic healing orientation for the children, employees and other lay people in the community, do blessings for the farm, and provide free healing for the attendees. After a short snack break and some brief introductions, the orientation started. We were happy to see that some of the attendees who had experienced or studied pranic healing before but were not able to practice it brought guests to the orientation, and later on experienced the healing energy. Since majority of the attendees were not so good with English, the facilitator had to speak in Filipino. Not quite as easy a feat as one might think, since we were more used to expressing ourselves in English. In any case, everyone was attentive and receptive, including the children.
Following a short explanation, we also did the Meditation on Twin Hearts, and after a very informative question and answer followed by the blessings, we broke for a sumptuous lunch prepared by the sisters. After a short rest after lunch, it was time for the healing. Our facilitator explained what we were going to do and after everyone was ready, the mass healing began. When the mass healing was done, individual patients approached us for more specific healing concerns.
It was quite revealing, because some of the kids who asked for healing had many issues before they were brought to the center and although they did not express it, their anger could still be felt, so much so that Sister Mary John had to rest after a while because she was getting overwhelmed with the repressed emotions being radiated. Some of the children staying at the center used to be street children, while some of the other children were either abandoned or abused which is why they were brought to the center for sheltering (the center works closely with the DSWD on this). But it was still heartening that the kids were inspired to ask for healing.
Despite the long day, we didn't feel that tired at all. It was also a different experience for me, because it was the first time I was part of an orientation group. It's also a different feeling when you are doing healing on someone who so desperately needs it and wants it. In the end, I was glad that I was able to find a venue of expression for concrete service.
As we were heading back to Manila, we were all discussing about how it would be nice if all pranic healing graduates were given the chance to practice their healing skills on people other than family or friends. It would hone their skills and also give them confidence in what they learned. I think the graduates who forgot what they studied did so simply because they did not get an opportunity to use these skills repeatedly. So the hope is that all this will change if "medical missions" can be regularly scheduled with heavy participation from the graduates. It should be on a weekend so that even career people have a chance to participate. After all, the pranic healing community is not only formed from the employees of the Foundation or a small group of healers, but all the people who have been touched by Master Choa's teachings.
When I got home, I remembered what Master Choa was talking about in one of his books. As a person progresses on the spiritual path, more is expected of that person. Meaning, one does not stop to admire one's big chakras, rather they should be used to be of service to others. As Master Choa put it, of what use is a supertanker if it doesn't carry any cargo?
Remembering the happy faces of the kids and the other attendees, it certainly makes it worthwhile to give of oneself and realize the value of service. I used to view this type of service with some trepidation, because of the uncertainty of reception and the doubts about my ability to deliver. But if our experience at the Bukid Kabataan Center is any indication, it's a portent of better things to come, and I look forward to doing all of this again, this time along with other graduates.
Last Sunday (April 18), I went with a few pranic healers to the Bukid Kabataan Center in Trece Martires City in Cavite, a province to the south and southwest of Metro Manila. It was formerly run by Caritas, but was eventually turned over to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Our visit was facilitated by Sister Mary John, one of the nuns of the Good Shepherd congregation and an active member of the pranic healing community.
The center gives shelter to street children and gives them basic education (up to Grade 6) along with other therapeutic activities. Through the efforts of the center's directress, Sister Lilia (who is also a pranic healer, by the way), the center also houses an organic farm that makes the center self-sustaining in terms of food and provides income to the neighboring farmers.
The basic agenda of our visit was to do a pranic healing orientation for the children, employees and other lay people in the community, do blessings for the farm, and provide free healing for the attendees. After a short snack break and some brief introductions, the orientation started. We were happy to see that some of the attendees who had experienced or studied pranic healing before but were not able to practice it brought guests to the orientation, and later on experienced the healing energy. Since majority of the attendees were not so good with English, the facilitator had to speak in Filipino. Not quite as easy a feat as one might think, since we were more used to expressing ourselves in English. In any case, everyone was attentive and receptive, including the children.
Following a short explanation, we also did the Meditation on Twin Hearts, and after a very informative question and answer followed by the blessings, we broke for a sumptuous lunch prepared by the sisters. After a short rest after lunch, it was time for the healing. Our facilitator explained what we were going to do and after everyone was ready, the mass healing began. When the mass healing was done, individual patients approached us for more specific healing concerns.
It was quite revealing, because some of the kids who asked for healing had many issues before they were brought to the center and although they did not express it, their anger could still be felt, so much so that Sister Mary John had to rest after a while because she was getting overwhelmed with the repressed emotions being radiated. Some of the children staying at the center used to be street children, while some of the other children were either abandoned or abused which is why they were brought to the center for sheltering (the center works closely with the DSWD on this). But it was still heartening that the kids were inspired to ask for healing.
Despite the long day, we didn't feel that tired at all. It was also a different experience for me, because it was the first time I was part of an orientation group. It's also a different feeling when you are doing healing on someone who so desperately needs it and wants it. In the end, I was glad that I was able to find a venue of expression for concrete service.
As we were heading back to Manila, we were all discussing about how it would be nice if all pranic healing graduates were given the chance to practice their healing skills on people other than family or friends. It would hone their skills and also give them confidence in what they learned. I think the graduates who forgot what they studied did so simply because they did not get an opportunity to use these skills repeatedly. So the hope is that all this will change if "medical missions" can be regularly scheduled with heavy participation from the graduates. It should be on a weekend so that even career people have a chance to participate. After all, the pranic healing community is not only formed from the employees of the Foundation or a small group of healers, but all the people who have been touched by Master Choa's teachings.
When I got home, I remembered what Master Choa was talking about in one of his books. As a person progresses on the spiritual path, more is expected of that person. Meaning, one does not stop to admire one's big chakras, rather they should be used to be of service to others. As Master Choa put it, of what use is a supertanker if it doesn't carry any cargo?
Remembering the happy faces of the kids and the other attendees, it certainly makes it worthwhile to give of oneself and realize the value of service. I used to view this type of service with some trepidation, because of the uncertainty of reception and the doubts about my ability to deliver. But if our experience at the Bukid Kabataan Center is any indication, it's a portent of better things to come, and I look forward to doing all of this again, this time along with other graduates.
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