Chakra is a term literally meaning “circle” in the original Sanskrit language in which the concept was first established. Since then this term and its meaning has been interpreted in different fashions by a number of cultures. It may refer to a circle of people, a continuous flow of power or “Shakti” as it is referred to in the texts of the Hindu religion, or different nerve plexi within the body in accordance with western science and medicine. Several radical groups of spiritualists throughout the world have come to believe that the powers of the chakra can be called upon or “tapped” in order to accomplish great feats of physical and spiritual strength and ability.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. It will be explained how to successfully open the appropriate chakra for different purposes, but be warned, one should not attempt this unless one is familiar with how to close the chakra back up again. Someone who leaves their chakras open can fall prey to many different illnesses and disorders, as well as be attacked by spiritual parasites or vampiric entities.
Someone wishing to enhance their spiritual perception or heighten their physical senses would open two chakras; the Sahasrara at the top of the crown, and the Ajna at the center of the forehead. To open the Sahasrara you must put your hands together in front in your stomach as if praying. Fold you hands so that your left thumb is underneath your right, but leave up both your ring fingers so their tips touch and point upward. Chant or repeat the sound “eng” as far back in your throat as you can, all these chants should have a guttural and reverberant quality. Close your eyes and focus on a point of violet light at the top of the skull. As you chant see the point of violet light becoming bigger and brighter until you feel it cannot grow any further. With this done you have opened the Sahasrara chakra.
To open the Ajna chakra start by placing your hands at level with your lower chest. Press the points of your thumbs together and point them toward you. Point out your middle fingers and touch their tips together as well, but keep them pointed upward. Your other fingers should all be knuckle to knuckle at the second joint in each of the fingers. Chant or repeat the sound “ohm” or “aum” in a guttural tone of voice. Close your eyes and focus on a point of blue light originating from the center of the forehead. As you chant envision the blue light becoming brighter and growing in size until it encompasses your entire body. With this done the Ajna chakra is now open.
Both of these chakras are very closely associated with consciousness, extra sensory perception, clairvoyance, sight, sound, and touch. By opening them and sending energy to them you have boosted these qualities temporarily. The world around you should seem sharper and you should have a greater sense of mental clarity. Likewise one’s spiritual senses should be heightened as well. You should be more in tune with the flow of natural energies around you and better able to read them. Some people have been able to read them so well as to be able to predict future natural occurrences.
This process should take a person up to two hours when he/she first tries it, but a practiced mudra user can often fully open the appropriate chakras in as little time as ten minutes. Unfortunately the chakras cannot be kept open for more than a few hours at a time as it promotes a spiritual imbalance in the other chakras of the body. Other chakras may become starved of spiritual energy, damaging a person both spiritually and promoting serious physical illness. As a result of these dangers it is imperative that a person know by heart the steps to closing the chakras before he/she attempts to tap them.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Using The Chakra: Closing The Chakra
Chakra is a term literally meaning “circle” in the original Sanskrit language in which the concept was first established. Since then this term and its meaning has been interpreted in different fashions by a number of cultures. It may refer to a circle of people, a continuous flow of power or “Shakti” as it is referred to in the texts of the Hindu religion, or different nerve plexi within the body in accordance with western science and medicine.
There are seven major chakra points in the body, with an indeterminate number of minor chakra points which is still being debated. The major chakra points are positioned on a vertical plane down the midline of the body. Some are closer to the center of the body and some are nearer to the front, while others are located in the spine itself. Recently several radical spiritualist groups largely in North America have come to believe that the powers of the chakra can be called upon or “tapped” in order to accomplish great feats of physical and spiritual strength and ability.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. The chakras open and close naturally throughout a person’s daily cycle dependent on factors such as a person’s mental, physical, and spiritual state. By using the mudras one is effectively dilating one or multiple chakras to maximize energy flow. There are techniques other than the mudras which open all the chakras simultaneously in order to improve overall health, though by concentrating energy into fewer chakras one increases the strength of these particular chakras to a level much higher than could be obtained otherwise. Conversely because one is putting energy through only a few chakra, one is encouraging an imbalance in the chakras which could damage overall energy flow at a later point. This would result in weakness of the internal organs and susceptibility to various disorders and diseases as well as generalized fatigue.
This only becomes a danger if one neglects to close the chakras that have been opened after one is finished making use of the increased energy flow. They should only be opened to such an extent for a few hours at a time. Now when closing the chakras is mentioned, it is not meant that energy flow through the chakras cease, as that would be just as damaging as keeping them entirely open. What is actually meant is that the chakras be returned to a natural state. Regardless of what chakra/s has been opened, only one exercise need be completed to “close” or return them to their normal condition.
To close your chakra you must close your eyes and use your mind’s eye to visualize the white light of the Sahasrara at the crown of your skull. Place your hands over the light and cup it, carry it. Start by bringing the white light to the forehead where the Ajna shines. Cup your hands over the Ajna and press the white light against it until the Ajna flickers like the flame of a candle. Do not snuff it though, as that would be closing off your chakra entirely. Repeat this gesture for each of the other chakras, ferrying light from the Sahasrara to the Visuddha at the base of the throat, the Anahata at the center of the chest, the Manipura at the solar plexus, the Svadhisthana at the base of the spine, and the Muladhara over the genitals. If you find physical movement makes visualization difficult, then feel free to move the light around the other chakras in any way that is comfortable for you. With your chakras safely closed you are now free to go about your business without worry.
There are seven major chakra points in the body, with an indeterminate number of minor chakra points which is still being debated. The major chakra points are positioned on a vertical plane down the midline of the body. Some are closer to the center of the body and some are nearer to the front, while others are located in the spine itself. Recently several radical spiritualist groups largely in North America have come to believe that the powers of the chakra can be called upon or “tapped” in order to accomplish great feats of physical and spiritual strength and ability.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. The chakras open and close naturally throughout a person’s daily cycle dependent on factors such as a person’s mental, physical, and spiritual state. By using the mudras one is effectively dilating one or multiple chakras to maximize energy flow. There are techniques other than the mudras which open all the chakras simultaneously in order to improve overall health, though by concentrating energy into fewer chakras one increases the strength of these particular chakras to a level much higher than could be obtained otherwise. Conversely because one is putting energy through only a few chakra, one is encouraging an imbalance in the chakras which could damage overall energy flow at a later point. This would result in weakness of the internal organs and susceptibility to various disorders and diseases as well as generalized fatigue.
This only becomes a danger if one neglects to close the chakras that have been opened after one is finished making use of the increased energy flow. They should only be opened to such an extent for a few hours at a time. Now when closing the chakras is mentioned, it is not meant that energy flow through the chakras cease, as that would be just as damaging as keeping them entirely open. What is actually meant is that the chakras be returned to a natural state. Regardless of what chakra/s has been opened, only one exercise need be completed to “close” or return them to their normal condition.
To close your chakra you must close your eyes and use your mind’s eye to visualize the white light of the Sahasrara at the crown of your skull. Place your hands over the light and cup it, carry it. Start by bringing the white light to the forehead where the Ajna shines. Cup your hands over the Ajna and press the white light against it until the Ajna flickers like the flame of a candle. Do not snuff it though, as that would be closing off your chakra entirely. Repeat this gesture for each of the other chakras, ferrying light from the Sahasrara to the Visuddha at the base of the throat, the Anahata at the center of the chest, the Manipura at the solar plexus, the Svadhisthana at the base of the spine, and the Muladhara over the genitals. If you find physical movement makes visualization difficult, then feel free to move the light around the other chakras in any way that is comfortable for you. With your chakras safely closed you are now free to go about your business without worry.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Using The Chakra: Cleansing Oneself of Spiritual Parasites
The concept of energy sources in the body and their manipulation may not always be referred to as chakra. For spiritual and Shamanistic purposes the whole of the chakra is called the subtle body. The Judeo-Christian calls this same entity the immortal soul. Regardless of what we call it, it is the source of energy for all human beings. It is what makes us more than the sum of our parts and defines us as inherently different from animals.
Because of its importance mainstream belief in much of the world claims that this energy is too important to manipulate, that we cannot trust that we know what is best for ourselves. Ultimately this decision is up to the individual. However because of this schism of beliefs, many people may manipulate this flow of energies, let us refer to them as chakra for the sake of consistency though any equivalent term would work, incorrectly or poorly as a result of insufficient knowledge of the subject and/or process. For that reason it would be very wise to seek the aid of an experienced tutor or teacher before attempting to put theory about the manipulation of chakra to the test. There are three processes which must be learned and are of equal importance. The first and second are opening and closing the chakra respectively, on which there is a wealth of information. The third is cleansing oneself of spiritual parasites, which is a subject not particularly well covered in most works regarding chakra.
The majority of these parasites are mindless free-floating things that are attracted by an excess of life energy such as would bleed from a person’s chakras if left open an unused for an extended period of time. They have no consciousness, thought, or capacity for sensation, and are merely the result of random couplings of the chaotic energy that was released when all things were brought into existence. These will typically drop off when one closes his/her chakra like a leech or lamprey that has had its fill. Immediate signs of their presence are signified by persistent fatigue and difficulty thinking, like your head’s packed with cotton that slows and muffles thought and sensation. Long term effects of one or more minor parasite latching onto the chakra can include anemia, jaundice, low blood pressure, and chronic vitamin deficiency.
A more dangerous but thankfully less common parasite is actually a human soul, or a fragment of one that has either deliberately turned away from crossing over to the Other Side or gotten lost along the way. These souls have had many names throughout the ages. In China they’re called Jiang-Shi, in Japan they are known as Obake or Kitsune-Ka. Colloquially they are referred to as soul-eaters, soul vampires, psychic vampires, or spiritual vampires. They feed upon the energy from a person’s chakra to sustain their existence and to keep from fading. They are often intelligent and will move from chakra to chakra to prevent chronic symptoms making their hosts suspicious about the presence of such an entity.
All cultures have their own methods of purification. In Judeo-Christian and Islamic terms a person would need to undergo an exorcism. Hindu belief would have a host be ritually purified and cleansed with the aid of a Swami. Animist and tribal cultures would require a Shaman to find the parasite and extract it by calling on his personal spirits or nature spirits to cast the parasite out. The list of such purification processes can fill books, but they all have one common denominator. That is belief. The host must belief that the process they undergo will work, and in do doing tap into the subconscious will and power of the spirit to aid in banishing or removing the parasite. So each person must do what they know in their bones and at the bottom of their hearts to be the way to get rid of such malevolent beings.
Because of its importance mainstream belief in much of the world claims that this energy is too important to manipulate, that we cannot trust that we know what is best for ourselves. Ultimately this decision is up to the individual. However because of this schism of beliefs, many people may manipulate this flow of energies, let us refer to them as chakra for the sake of consistency though any equivalent term would work, incorrectly or poorly as a result of insufficient knowledge of the subject and/or process. For that reason it would be very wise to seek the aid of an experienced tutor or teacher before attempting to put theory about the manipulation of chakra to the test. There are three processes which must be learned and are of equal importance. The first and second are opening and closing the chakra respectively, on which there is a wealth of information. The third is cleansing oneself of spiritual parasites, which is a subject not particularly well covered in most works regarding chakra.
The majority of these parasites are mindless free-floating things that are attracted by an excess of life energy such as would bleed from a person’s chakras if left open an unused for an extended period of time. They have no consciousness, thought, or capacity for sensation, and are merely the result of random couplings of the chaotic energy that was released when all things were brought into existence. These will typically drop off when one closes his/her chakra like a leech or lamprey that has had its fill. Immediate signs of their presence are signified by persistent fatigue and difficulty thinking, like your head’s packed with cotton that slows and muffles thought and sensation. Long term effects of one or more minor parasite latching onto the chakra can include anemia, jaundice, low blood pressure, and chronic vitamin deficiency.
A more dangerous but thankfully less common parasite is actually a human soul, or a fragment of one that has either deliberately turned away from crossing over to the Other Side or gotten lost along the way. These souls have had many names throughout the ages. In China they’re called Jiang-Shi, in Japan they are known as Obake or Kitsune-Ka. Colloquially they are referred to as soul-eaters, soul vampires, psychic vampires, or spiritual vampires. They feed upon the energy from a person’s chakra to sustain their existence and to keep from fading. They are often intelligent and will move from chakra to chakra to prevent chronic symptoms making their hosts suspicious about the presence of such an entity.
All cultures have their own methods of purification. In Judeo-Christian and Islamic terms a person would need to undergo an exorcism. Hindu belief would have a host be ritually purified and cleansed with the aid of a Swami. Animist and tribal cultures would require a Shaman to find the parasite and extract it by calling on his personal spirits or nature spirits to cast the parasite out. The list of such purification processes can fill books, but they all have one common denominator. That is belief. The host must belief that the process they undergo will work, and in do doing tap into the subconscious will and power of the spirit to aid in banishing or removing the parasite. So each person must do what they know in their bones and at the bottom of their hearts to be the way to get rid of such malevolent beings.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Using Chakra for Reproductive Issues
The existence of chakras and their purpose has been well known for centuries, with one generation of scholars after another adding new ideas and new life to the concept. This great volume of works is difficult to sum up and is often divided along cultural lines, indicating which world culture made what contribution to the concept of chakras as a whole. The concept largely boils down to the suggestion that there are waypoints or nexuses within the body that govern the flow of spiritual energy. The even flow of spiritual energy ensures good physical and mental health. Up until recently there were methods to make use of the chakras for one’s own benefit, but they were passive or indirect to receive an overall benefit. Recently several radical spiritualist groups largely in North America have come to believe that the powers of the chakra can be called upon or “tapped” in order to accomplish great feats of physical and spiritual strength and ability.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. It will be explained how to successfully open the appropriate chakra for different purposes, but be warned, one should not attempt this unless one is familiar with how to close the chakra back up again. Someone who leaves their chakras open can fall prey to many different illnesses and disorders, as well as be attacked by spiritual parasites or vampiric entities. Such problems are potentially fatal.
For someone who wishes to lend energy to their sex drive or reproductive capabilities there are three chakras which must be opened; the Anahata, Svadhisthana, and the Muladhara. To open the Anahata place your right hand against the center of your lower chest with your thumb and forefinger touching in an “OK” sign. If you’re standing let your left hand hang at your side repeating the hand sign. If you’re sitting place your left hand atop your left knee. Repeat the sound “Yawm” or “Yom” at the back of your throat. As you chant picture a point glowing emerald green at the center of your chest above your right hand. Imagine that point of light growing and pulsing until it engulfs your entire body and fills your mind’s eye. You’ve opened the Anahata.
Tap the Svadhisthana by cupping the hands together at the waist, left under right. Press the tips of the thumbs together and chant “Vom” or “Vawm”. Visualize a spot of orange light growing brighter and brighter at the base of the spine. When you can make it no brighter simply the Svadhisthana should be open.
Tap the Muladhara by touching the tips of the thumb and index finger together. Hold each hand out to the side and repeat making the sound “Lawm”. As you chant close your eyes to envision the Muladhara as a point of red light located behind the genitals. When you are flushed and red all over, you’re ready and all the appropriate chakras are open.
This might be an acceptable practice for a couple whose love life is starting to lose some of its fire. The activation of the lower chakras also strengthens the a person’s reproductive capacity and may be an option for a couple who are having difficulty conceiving a child. This process should take a person up to two hours when he/she first tries it, but a practiced mudra user can often fully open the appropriate chakras in as little time as ten minutes. Unfortunately the chakras cannot be kept open for more than a few hours at a time as it promotes a spiritual imbalance in the other chakras of the body. Other chakras may become starved of spiritual energy, damaging a person both spiritually and promoting serious physical illness. As a result of these dangers it is imperative that a person know by heart the steps to closing the chakras before he/she attempts to tap them.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. It will be explained how to successfully open the appropriate chakra for different purposes, but be warned, one should not attempt this unless one is familiar with how to close the chakra back up again. Someone who leaves their chakras open can fall prey to many different illnesses and disorders, as well as be attacked by spiritual parasites or vampiric entities. Such problems are potentially fatal.
For someone who wishes to lend energy to their sex drive or reproductive capabilities there are three chakras which must be opened; the Anahata, Svadhisthana, and the Muladhara. To open the Anahata place your right hand against the center of your lower chest with your thumb and forefinger touching in an “OK” sign. If you’re standing let your left hand hang at your side repeating the hand sign. If you’re sitting place your left hand atop your left knee. Repeat the sound “Yawm” or “Yom” at the back of your throat. As you chant picture a point glowing emerald green at the center of your chest above your right hand. Imagine that point of light growing and pulsing until it engulfs your entire body and fills your mind’s eye. You’ve opened the Anahata.
Tap the Svadhisthana by cupping the hands together at the waist, left under right. Press the tips of the thumbs together and chant “Vom” or “Vawm”. Visualize a spot of orange light growing brighter and brighter at the base of the spine. When you can make it no brighter simply the Svadhisthana should be open.
Tap the Muladhara by touching the tips of the thumb and index finger together. Hold each hand out to the side and repeat making the sound “Lawm”. As you chant close your eyes to envision the Muladhara as a point of red light located behind the genitals. When you are flushed and red all over, you’re ready and all the appropriate chakras are open.
This might be an acceptable practice for a couple whose love life is starting to lose some of its fire. The activation of the lower chakras also strengthens the a person’s reproductive capacity and may be an option for a couple who are having difficulty conceiving a child. This process should take a person up to two hours when he/she first tries it, but a practiced mudra user can often fully open the appropriate chakras in as little time as ten minutes. Unfortunately the chakras cannot be kept open for more than a few hours at a time as it promotes a spiritual imbalance in the other chakras of the body. Other chakras may become starved of spiritual energy, damaging a person both spiritually and promoting serious physical illness. As a result of these dangers it is imperative that a person know by heart the steps to closing the chakras before he/she attempts to tap them.
Using The Chakra: Physical Empowerment
The concept of chakra has been prevalent in Hindu and Tao belief for centuries. They are generally defined as nexuses of spiritual energy throughout the body which regulate body, mind, and spirit. In the latter part of the 20th century the existence of chakras and their purpose became more familiar to the western world, though their interpretation stayed similar to that of the Hindu belief structure from which the concept was taken. Recently several radical spiritualist groups largely in North America have come to believe that the powers of the chakra can be called upon or “tapped” in order to accomplish great feats of physical and spiritual strength and ability.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. It will be explained how to successfully open the appropriate chakra for different purposes, but be warned, one should not attempt this unless one is familiar with how to close the chakra back up again. Someone who leaves their chakras open can fall prey to many different illnesses and disorders, as well as be attacked by spiritual parasites or vampiric entities.
Someone wishing to complete feats of physical strength and stamina would need to open three chakras; The Visuddha at the base of the throat, The Anahata at the center of the chest, and the Manipura in the solar plexus. To open the Visuddha place your hands level with your belly and cup the fingers of one hand with the other. The backs of your hands should be facing down. Press the tips of your thumbs together and arch them upward so it would appear that your hands were forming a circle to someone looking at you. Repeat the sound “Hawm” or “Hom” at the back of your throat. As you chant visualize a point of sky blue light at the base of your throat. Imagine it growing in size slowly until the light baths your entire body. The Vissudha is now open.
To open the Anahata place your right hand against the center of your lower chest with your thumb and forefinger touching in an “OK” sign. If you’re standing let your left hand hang at your side repeating the hand sign. If you’re sitting place your left hand atop your left knee. Repeat the sound “Yawm” or “Yom” at the back of your throat. As you chant picture a point glowing emerald green at the center of your chest above your right hand. Imagine that point of light growing and pulsing until it engulfs your entire body and fills your mind’s eye. The Anhata is now open.
To open the Manipura place your hands before your stomach and tent them so all the tips of your fingers touch and point directly forward. Fold the right thumb over the left thumb and repeat the sound “Rom” or “Rawm” in a guttural tone. Picture a glowing spot of yellow light in the solar plexus just above your hands. Envision it steadily becoming brighter and growing in size until your entire body is filled with its light. The Manipura is now open.
Having completed this you should now temporarily have greater strength and stamina. The three chakras that were opened deal primarily with blood flow, blood oxygenation, and muscle control. By opening the chakras and shunting energy to them you increase your own physical capacities. This process should take a person up to two hours when he/she first tries it, but a practiced mudra user can often fully open the appropriate chakras in as little time as ten minutes. Unfortunately the chakras cannot be kept open for more than a few hours at a time as it promotes a spiritual imbalance in the other chakras of the body. Other chakras may become starved of spiritual energy, damaging a person both spiritually and promoting serious physical illness. As a result of these dangers it is imperative that a person know by heart the steps to closing the chakras before he/she attempts to tap them.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. It will be explained how to successfully open the appropriate chakra for different purposes, but be warned, one should not attempt this unless one is familiar with how to close the chakra back up again. Someone who leaves their chakras open can fall prey to many different illnesses and disorders, as well as be attacked by spiritual parasites or vampiric entities.
Someone wishing to complete feats of physical strength and stamina would need to open three chakras; The Visuddha at the base of the throat, The Anahata at the center of the chest, and the Manipura in the solar plexus. To open the Visuddha place your hands level with your belly and cup the fingers of one hand with the other. The backs of your hands should be facing down. Press the tips of your thumbs together and arch them upward so it would appear that your hands were forming a circle to someone looking at you. Repeat the sound “Hawm” or “Hom” at the back of your throat. As you chant visualize a point of sky blue light at the base of your throat. Imagine it growing in size slowly until the light baths your entire body. The Vissudha is now open.
To open the Anahata place your right hand against the center of your lower chest with your thumb and forefinger touching in an “OK” sign. If you’re standing let your left hand hang at your side repeating the hand sign. If you’re sitting place your left hand atop your left knee. Repeat the sound “Yawm” or “Yom” at the back of your throat. As you chant picture a point glowing emerald green at the center of your chest above your right hand. Imagine that point of light growing and pulsing until it engulfs your entire body and fills your mind’s eye. The Anhata is now open.
To open the Manipura place your hands before your stomach and tent them so all the tips of your fingers touch and point directly forward. Fold the right thumb over the left thumb and repeat the sound “Rom” or “Rawm” in a guttural tone. Picture a glowing spot of yellow light in the solar plexus just above your hands. Envision it steadily becoming brighter and growing in size until your entire body is filled with its light. The Manipura is now open.
Having completed this you should now temporarily have greater strength and stamina. The three chakras that were opened deal primarily with blood flow, blood oxygenation, and muscle control. By opening the chakras and shunting energy to them you increase your own physical capacities. This process should take a person up to two hours when he/she first tries it, but a practiced mudra user can often fully open the appropriate chakras in as little time as ten minutes. Unfortunately the chakras cannot be kept open for more than a few hours at a time as it promotes a spiritual imbalance in the other chakras of the body. Other chakras may become starved of spiritual energy, damaging a person both spiritually and promoting serious physical illness. As a result of these dangers it is imperative that a person know by heart the steps to closing the chakras before he/she attempts to tap them.
Using The Chakra: Heightened Perception
Chakra is a term literally meaning “circle” in the original Sanskrit language in which the concept was first established. Since then this term and its meaning has been interpreted in different fashions by a number of cultures. It may refer to a circle of people, a continuous flow of power or “Shakti” as it is referred to in the texts of the Hindu religion, or different nerve plexi within the body in accordance with western science and medicine. Several radical groups of spiritualists throughout the world have come to believe that the powers of the chakra can be called upon or “tapped” in order to accomplish great feats of physical and spiritual strength and ability.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. It will be explained how to successfully open the appropriate chakra for different purposes, but be warned, one should not attempt this unless one is familiar with how to close the chakra back up again. Someone who leaves their chakras open can fall prey to many different illnesses and disorders, as well as be attacked by spiritual parasites or vampiric entities.
Someone wishing to enhance their spiritual perception or heighten their physical senses would open two chakras; the Sahasrara at the top of the crown, and the Ajna at the center of the forehead. To open the Sahasrara you must put your hands together in front in your stomach as if praying. Fold you hands so that your left thumb is underneath your right, but leave up both your ring fingers so their tips touch and point upward. Chant or repeat the sound “eng” as far back in your throat as you can, all these chants should have a guttural and reverberant quality. Close your eyes and focus on a point of violet light at the top of the skull. As you chant see the point of violet light becoming bigger and brighter until you feel it cannot grow any further. With this done you have opened the Sahasrara chakra.
To open the Ajna chakra start by placing your hands at level with your lower chest. Press the points of your thumbs together and point them toward you. Point out your middle fingers and touch their tips together as well, but keep them pointed upward. Your other fingers should all be knuckle to knuckle at the second joint in each of the fingers. Chant or repeat the sound “ohm” or “aum” in a guttural tone of voice. Close your eyes and focus on a point of blue light originating from the center of the forehead. As you chant envision the blue light becoming brighter and growing in size until it encompasses your entire body. With this done the Ajna chakra is now open.
Both of these chakras are very closely associated with consciousness, extra sensory perception, clairvoyance, sight, sound, and touch. By opening them and sending energy to them you have boosted these qualities temporarily. The world around you should seem sharper and you should have a greater sense of mental clarity. Likewise one’s spiritual senses should be heightened as well. You should be more in tune with the flow of natural energies around you and better able to read them. Some people have been able to read them so well as to be able to predict future natural occurrences.
This process should take a person up to two hours when he/she first tries it, but a practiced mudra user can often fully open the appropriate chakras in as little time as ten minutes. Unfortunately the chakras cannot be kept open for more than a few hours at a time as it promotes a spiritual imbalance in the other chakras of the body. Other chakras may become starved of spiritual energy, damaging a person both spiritually and promoting serious physical illness. As a result of these dangers it is imperative that a person know by heart the steps to closing the chakras before he/she attempts to tap them.
This tapping of the chakras is accomplished by focusing on the physical placement of the chakra while using a mudra. A mudra is a certain configuration of the hands or a hand gesture combined with a resonation in the throat which opens up and sends energy to a specific chakra. It will be explained how to successfully open the appropriate chakra for different purposes, but be warned, one should not attempt this unless one is familiar with how to close the chakra back up again. Someone who leaves their chakras open can fall prey to many different illnesses and disorders, as well as be attacked by spiritual parasites or vampiric entities.
Someone wishing to enhance their spiritual perception or heighten their physical senses would open two chakras; the Sahasrara at the top of the crown, and the Ajna at the center of the forehead. To open the Sahasrara you must put your hands together in front in your stomach as if praying. Fold you hands so that your left thumb is underneath your right, but leave up both your ring fingers so their tips touch and point upward. Chant or repeat the sound “eng” as far back in your throat as you can, all these chants should have a guttural and reverberant quality. Close your eyes and focus on a point of violet light at the top of the skull. As you chant see the point of violet light becoming bigger and brighter until you feel it cannot grow any further. With this done you have opened the Sahasrara chakra.
To open the Ajna chakra start by placing your hands at level with your lower chest. Press the points of your thumbs together and point them toward you. Point out your middle fingers and touch their tips together as well, but keep them pointed upward. Your other fingers should all be knuckle to knuckle at the second joint in each of the fingers. Chant or repeat the sound “ohm” or “aum” in a guttural tone of voice. Close your eyes and focus on a point of blue light originating from the center of the forehead. As you chant envision the blue light becoming brighter and growing in size until it encompasses your entire body. With this done the Ajna chakra is now open.
Both of these chakras are very closely associated with consciousness, extra sensory perception, clairvoyance, sight, sound, and touch. By opening them and sending energy to them you have boosted these qualities temporarily. The world around you should seem sharper and you should have a greater sense of mental clarity. Likewise one’s spiritual senses should be heightened as well. You should be more in tune with the flow of natural energies around you and better able to read them. Some people have been able to read them so well as to be able to predict future natural occurrences.
This process should take a person up to two hours when he/she first tries it, but a practiced mudra user can often fully open the appropriate chakras in as little time as ten minutes. Unfortunately the chakras cannot be kept open for more than a few hours at a time as it promotes a spiritual imbalance in the other chakras of the body. Other chakras may become starved of spiritual energy, damaging a person both spiritually and promoting serious physical illness. As a result of these dangers it is imperative that a person know by heart the steps to closing the chakras before he/she attempts to tap them.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation also known as TM was created by 1958 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Madras, India. He claimed it was a form of deep rest he derived from teachings in one of the Hindu holy books referred to as the Vedas. This as well as many other works he’d performed throughout his long life made him a very well known and much beloved spiritual leader. Unfortunately he passed away this year and the world seems a little bit darker without him. In memory of him this short piece is presented regarding his greatest gift to humanity.
Despite its origin TM is a source of non-denominational spirituality rather than a form of religious dedication that millions of people throughout the world have discovered over the past few decades. Transcendental Meditation can be performed anywhere that you can sit comfortably and quietly for a few minutes. When beginning Transcendental Meditation one typically undergoes several group sessions of about an hour each with instructors to help you enter the right frame of mind. Unlike many forms of meditation TM does not involve concentration or contemplation and can best be described as a state of restful alertness.
TM is comprised of two twenty minute sessions each day where the practitioner sits with his/her eyes closed and recites a simple mantra. After each session one will feel a powerful sense of peace and relaxation untainted by drowsiness. Further long term benefits are myriad and extensively recorded. Studies have reported finding a positive correlation between the Transcendental Meditation technique and health-related conditions, including decreased smoking, decreased alcohol use, decreased anxiety, decreased insomnia, reduction of high blood pressure, and the reductions of high cholesterol.
Medical studies performed showed that a person during a TM session experiences a physiological relaxation response. Heart rate and respiration decreases and the body regenerates itself in the same manner as a person experiencing deep sleep. But EEG tests show an increase in brain activity, greater coherence, and an integration of brain functioning. Chemical tests show that the body of someone who regularly practices TM also is better able to regulate hormones and serotonin levels, resulting in less stress and emotional problems or disorders.
This process is patented and as a result cannot be disclosed, though many TM organizations exist throughout the world and one can easily obtain further in depth information and training in TM free of charge.
Despite its origin TM is a source of non-denominational spirituality rather than a form of religious dedication that millions of people throughout the world have discovered over the past few decades. Transcendental Meditation can be performed anywhere that you can sit comfortably and quietly for a few minutes. When beginning Transcendental Meditation one typically undergoes several group sessions of about an hour each with instructors to help you enter the right frame of mind. Unlike many forms of meditation TM does not involve concentration or contemplation and can best be described as a state of restful alertness.
TM is comprised of two twenty minute sessions each day where the practitioner sits with his/her eyes closed and recites a simple mantra. After each session one will feel a powerful sense of peace and relaxation untainted by drowsiness. Further long term benefits are myriad and extensively recorded. Studies have reported finding a positive correlation between the Transcendental Meditation technique and health-related conditions, including decreased smoking, decreased alcohol use, decreased anxiety, decreased insomnia, reduction of high blood pressure, and the reductions of high cholesterol.
Medical studies performed showed that a person during a TM session experiences a physiological relaxation response. Heart rate and respiration decreases and the body regenerates itself in the same manner as a person experiencing deep sleep. But EEG tests show an increase in brain activity, greater coherence, and an integration of brain functioning. Chemical tests show that the body of someone who regularly practices TM also is better able to regulate hormones and serotonin levels, resulting in less stress and emotional problems or disorders.
This process is patented and as a result cannot be disclosed, though many TM organizations exist throughout the world and one can easily obtain further in depth information and training in TM free of charge.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Singing Bowls
Singing Bowls are also known as Himalayan Bowls because of where they were initially invented, though they were at one time produced in the majority of the eastern Asian countries. Specifically they were used in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, India, and Nepal. Singing Bowls appear to be thin, polished bowls of an indeterminate metal. Though classified as bells they are not hung up, but are instead laid down with bottom resting on the ground.
Such Bowls were of spiritual significance to Buddhist priests while performing certain ceremonies, though they have fallen into disuse over the last few centuries. This is likely due to the fact that there are no written texts in the use of Singing Bowls. All we know is through oral recitation handed down from one priest to another. Should a priest suffer an abrupt illness or accident, there was no way for what he knew to be passed on. In such ways is vital information lost.
Singing Bowls get their name from the manner in which they are rung. Rather than being struck by a hammer or clapper, the rim of a singing bowl is rubbed with a wooden or plastic mallet. The friction creates a wonderfully resonant ringing tone. It seems as if the bowl is singing. Though they are not used much Buddhist priests anymore they have become highly prized among spiritualists as the tone these bowls create is said to be conducive to concentration and meditation. A few small studies have even proclaimed that the tones produced by Singing Bowls synchronizes the brainwaves of whoever is listening.
Singing Bowls can be anywhere from a few inches in size to larger than a full grown person. The method with which the original Singing Bowls were made is a lost art. We do know they were made of an alloy called Panchaloga which combined copper, tin, zinc, iron, silver, gold, and nickel. Modern day Singing Bowls are made in Korea, Japan, and Nepal. They owe their ringing sound to the materials with which they are made and can be purchased from certain vendors online, though they are not cheap.
It should be noted that the antique bowls are much preferred over the modern versions for several reasons. The first is that some early Singing Bowls can be traced back to the 8th century BC and are of great historical and monetary value. Inscriptions found on the inside and bottoms of the bowls can tell stories and recount histories lost to the modern day. Secondly Singing Bowls seem to develop a richer and sweeter sound as they age. Some of the oldest bowls create a sound so beautiful that people have been known to burst into tears hearing them. Finally, antique Singing Bowls are multiphonic. They produce a series of harmonic overtones by means of the complicated metallurgy that was used to make them, the particulars of which are unfortunately lost to us.
Modern day Singing Bowls only produce a single harmonic overtone similar to the way a crystal glass will hum when rubbed, though more pleasant to the ear. If one is a dedicated spiritualist than a Singing Bowl, even a new one, might be a wise investment. One can find beautiful hand made bowls at http://www.bodhisattva.com/. You’ll find they even have samples of the tone each bowl creates.
Such Bowls were of spiritual significance to Buddhist priests while performing certain ceremonies, though they have fallen into disuse over the last few centuries. This is likely due to the fact that there are no written texts in the use of Singing Bowls. All we know is through oral recitation handed down from one priest to another. Should a priest suffer an abrupt illness or accident, there was no way for what he knew to be passed on. In such ways is vital information lost.
Singing Bowls get their name from the manner in which they are rung. Rather than being struck by a hammer or clapper, the rim of a singing bowl is rubbed with a wooden or plastic mallet. The friction creates a wonderfully resonant ringing tone. It seems as if the bowl is singing. Though they are not used much Buddhist priests anymore they have become highly prized among spiritualists as the tone these bowls create is said to be conducive to concentration and meditation. A few small studies have even proclaimed that the tones produced by Singing Bowls synchronizes the brainwaves of whoever is listening.
Singing Bowls can be anywhere from a few inches in size to larger than a full grown person. The method with which the original Singing Bowls were made is a lost art. We do know they were made of an alloy called Panchaloga which combined copper, tin, zinc, iron, silver, gold, and nickel. Modern day Singing Bowls are made in Korea, Japan, and Nepal. They owe their ringing sound to the materials with which they are made and can be purchased from certain vendors online, though they are not cheap.
It should be noted that the antique bowls are much preferred over the modern versions for several reasons. The first is that some early Singing Bowls can be traced back to the 8th century BC and are of great historical and monetary value. Inscriptions found on the inside and bottoms of the bowls can tell stories and recount histories lost to the modern day. Secondly Singing Bowls seem to develop a richer and sweeter sound as they age. Some of the oldest bowls create a sound so beautiful that people have been known to burst into tears hearing them. Finally, antique Singing Bowls are multiphonic. They produce a series of harmonic overtones by means of the complicated metallurgy that was used to make them, the particulars of which are unfortunately lost to us.
Modern day Singing Bowls only produce a single harmonic overtone similar to the way a crystal glass will hum when rubbed, though more pleasant to the ear. If one is a dedicated spiritualist than a Singing Bowl, even a new one, might be a wise investment. One can find beautiful hand made bowls at http://www.bodhisattva.com/. You’ll find they even have samples of the tone each bowl creates.
Ritual Magick & Levitation
Many of the more unorthodox religions have no objection to people who attempt to perform spells and rituals which might be labeled as witchcraft. Wiccan beliefs, New Age beliefs, and an amalgamation of others that proclaim the importance and power of the human spirit have contributed to what is known as Ritual Magick. Of the various kinds of magic practiced today this is the most mysterious and controversial because it recognizes no particular spirit or deity, nor will it recognize the concepts of white or black magic. The belief is that the spell itself is simply a tool and how the tool is used is what determines the label or "good" or "evil". This Magick is characterized by its use of many esoteric ingredients, magic circles, chants, and sacrifices to augment the powers of the caster in order to successfully complete the spell. The signature spell of this discipline is the levitation spell.
Before a person goes about attempting this spell it is important that he/she realize what he/she is doing. This is not meant to be some party trick or game. This is a serious craft with very real dangers and should not be tried unless one is already experienced in working spells or is under the supervision of a more skilled witch or wizard.
Once you’ve made the decision you wish to cast this spell you should look into collecting the necessary materials. You will need: chalk or colored duct tape, lavender, vervain, dragon’s blood (herb), marigold, raisins, rosemary, ginger root, dragon’s blood oil, a crystal of your choice, seven purple candles, four white candles, one black candle, peppermint, garlic, thistles, cloves, three apple seeds, two purple cloth bags, cinnamon, lemon, verbena, hops, high john oil, and a small glass of bottled seawater.
You must fast for two whole days before beginning the spell process, which is rather long. You may drink as much water as you like but can only eat of the same herbs that you will be using in the spell. Verbena, lemon, hops, ginger root, and raisins are all safe to eat. Only gem, lemon gem, and tangerine gem are edible species of marigold, all the other kinds are poisonous. So make sure you know what kind you've got.
Put the three apple seeds into one of the purple cloth bags and then fill up the rest of the space with lavender. Tie it tightly closed and place it under the pillow of your bed. This is a protective bag that you will need whenever you go to sleep after casting the spell. By opening the third eye and drawing powers into yourself in order to levitate you make yourself a target of spiritual creatures and entities. You become a beacon to them when they would likely not even notice a regular person and non-practitioner.
Take the second bag and place within it vervain, dragon's blood, raisins, rosemary, ginger root, a few drops of high-john oil, and the crystal. Place this under your pillow beside the first bag. This bag is meant to grant you inner power and will recharge the spiritual energies that you deplete by levitating each night that you sleep on it.
Light and place seven purple candles, four white candles, and one black candle in a wide circle around yourself. It does not matter in what order they are placed or lit. This will ward off spiritual entities that might mean you harm while you are casting your spell. Inscribe a smaller circle around yourself with chalk or colored duct tape. This circle will serve to contain the energies of the spell and prevent them from dissipating as well as keeping outside influences from affecting the spell's outcome. For that reason it's very important that the circle be complete and well defined, with no breaks whatsoever. Once the circle is closed you cannot leave the circle of let anything pass through or over it, so make sure you have all your spell components with you inside the circle. Sit down cross-legged.
Repeat the following words three times: "Little seed with cap so fine, grant me strength and make it mine. Make me strong as your sturdy tree, as I will so mote it be." Meditate on these words for as long as it takes to clear your mind of all other distractions. Envision your bed. See the bags under your pillow beginning to glow and pulse with power.
Chant the following words three times: "Strength of day strength of night, grant the power beyond my sight''. Take marigolds in hand and chant the following words: "I shape, I build the ultimate power from blooms the perfect flower''.
Remain within the circle and draw a pentagram on your forehead with the dragon's blood oil. Dust the design lightly with cinnamon. Remember a pentagram is a five pointed star that points upward, not downward. Place the glass of bottled seawater before you and take a sip. Any herbs you haven't yet used should be placed in small mounds surrounding your body. Specifically these should be the hops, clove, garlic, thistle, and peppermint.
Speak these words: "I invoke the Goddess of earth and love, She who sees all and does not fall. Hear me now and open thine eyes to see O moon of night, star of the sea. I invoke you! Open thine eyes to the world of the unseen make my senses sharp and keen. Open thine eyes to the vine, grant thee power of sight and make it mine. Grant thee the fruit if sight make me see clearer then night. Open thy eyes 3 times 3, as I will so mote it be."
Now say the prayer: "O most beautiful flower fruit of the vine splendorous of the universe, blessed mother and maiden, crone of all, immaculate goddess, assist me in my hearts desire". Then state your desire. From this point on you need not perform this ritual again to levitate. Everything up to this point need only ever be done once. To activate the levitation spell anytime you wish after the initial spell is cast you need only speak the following words. Chant these words nine times: "In the light I see, in the dark I am blind, in the world I walk, in the circle I fly". You should feel yourself become light as a feather and lift right off the ground.
Before a person goes about attempting this spell it is important that he/she realize what he/she is doing. This is not meant to be some party trick or game. This is a serious craft with very real dangers and should not be tried unless one is already experienced in working spells or is under the supervision of a more skilled witch or wizard.
Once you’ve made the decision you wish to cast this spell you should look into collecting the necessary materials. You will need: chalk or colored duct tape, lavender, vervain, dragon’s blood (herb), marigold, raisins, rosemary, ginger root, dragon’s blood oil, a crystal of your choice, seven purple candles, four white candles, one black candle, peppermint, garlic, thistles, cloves, three apple seeds, two purple cloth bags, cinnamon, lemon, verbena, hops, high john oil, and a small glass of bottled seawater.
You must fast for two whole days before beginning the spell process, which is rather long. You may drink as much water as you like but can only eat of the same herbs that you will be using in the spell. Verbena, lemon, hops, ginger root, and raisins are all safe to eat. Only gem, lemon gem, and tangerine gem are edible species of marigold, all the other kinds are poisonous. So make sure you know what kind you've got.
Put the three apple seeds into one of the purple cloth bags and then fill up the rest of the space with lavender. Tie it tightly closed and place it under the pillow of your bed. This is a protective bag that you will need whenever you go to sleep after casting the spell. By opening the third eye and drawing powers into yourself in order to levitate you make yourself a target of spiritual creatures and entities. You become a beacon to them when they would likely not even notice a regular person and non-practitioner.
Take the second bag and place within it vervain, dragon's blood, raisins, rosemary, ginger root, a few drops of high-john oil, and the crystal. Place this under your pillow beside the first bag. This bag is meant to grant you inner power and will recharge the spiritual energies that you deplete by levitating each night that you sleep on it.
Light and place seven purple candles, four white candles, and one black candle in a wide circle around yourself. It does not matter in what order they are placed or lit. This will ward off spiritual entities that might mean you harm while you are casting your spell. Inscribe a smaller circle around yourself with chalk or colored duct tape. This circle will serve to contain the energies of the spell and prevent them from dissipating as well as keeping outside influences from affecting the spell's outcome. For that reason it's very important that the circle be complete and well defined, with no breaks whatsoever. Once the circle is closed you cannot leave the circle of let anything pass through or over it, so make sure you have all your spell components with you inside the circle. Sit down cross-legged.
Repeat the following words three times: "Little seed with cap so fine, grant me strength and make it mine. Make me strong as your sturdy tree, as I will so mote it be." Meditate on these words for as long as it takes to clear your mind of all other distractions. Envision your bed. See the bags under your pillow beginning to glow and pulse with power.
Chant the following words three times: "Strength of day strength of night, grant the power beyond my sight''. Take marigolds in hand and chant the following words: "I shape, I build the ultimate power from blooms the perfect flower''.
Remain within the circle and draw a pentagram on your forehead with the dragon's blood oil. Dust the design lightly with cinnamon. Remember a pentagram is a five pointed star that points upward, not downward. Place the glass of bottled seawater before you and take a sip. Any herbs you haven't yet used should be placed in small mounds surrounding your body. Specifically these should be the hops, clove, garlic, thistle, and peppermint.
Speak these words: "I invoke the Goddess of earth and love, She who sees all and does not fall. Hear me now and open thine eyes to see O moon of night, star of the sea. I invoke you! Open thine eyes to the world of the unseen make my senses sharp and keen. Open thine eyes to the vine, grant thee power of sight and make it mine. Grant thee the fruit if sight make me see clearer then night. Open thy eyes 3 times 3, as I will so mote it be."
Now say the prayer: "O most beautiful flower fruit of the vine splendorous of the universe, blessed mother and maiden, crone of all, immaculate goddess, assist me in my hearts desire". Then state your desire. From this point on you need not perform this ritual again to levitate. Everything up to this point need only ever be done once. To activate the levitation spell anytime you wish after the initial spell is cast you need only speak the following words. Chant these words nine times: "In the light I see, in the dark I am blind, in the world I walk, in the circle I fly". You should feel yourself become light as a feather and lift right off the ground.
Making a Bottle of Protection
Today many different forms of magic are practiced openly thanks to freedom of religion existing almost worldwide. Voodoo, Yoruba, Wicca, Neo-paganism, Hermeticism, Cabalistic Magic, and Ritual Magick all exist alongside the more mainstream religions in a sense of tolerance if not acceptance. Ritual Magick is particularly interesting because, unlike most other forms or magic, it refuses to recognize the existence of any deities or Supreme Being. It also take an Existentialist point of view, saying that neither magic nor it’s user is good or evil as there is no static reference to either concept. This Magick is characterized by its use of many esoteric ingredients, magic circles, chants, and sacrifices to augment the powers of the caster in order to successfully complete the spell. One charm that many experienced ritual magick practitioners use often is called the bottle of protection. It effectively prevents the crafts of another from doing harm to the charm’s owner. Though this would only be of use to someone with enemies, this is a defensive spell and is safe to practice without more experienced supervision.
For this spell you will need several alchemical components. Go about collecting: a large bottle with cork, a mortar and pestle, four tablespoons of frankincense, four tablespoons of powdered black iron, some oak moss, four tablespoons of sea salt, one white candle, a lighter, a black ink pen, a knife, a stick or wand if you use one, a bowl you have used in other spells or one that has some significance to you, scissors, rubber gloves, a funnel, a disposable bag, and some black thread. You will also need a spell focus. This is a small item which you feel is representative of who you see yourself to be. Personally I use a piece of obsidian. I feel it best represents me; dark, sharp, and flawed.
This spell calls no spirits which means you need not draw a protective circle, so you can work your spell wherever you wish. Somewhere quiet and familiar would be best though. Put on your rubber gloves; try not to touch any of the ingredients with your bare skin or clothing. You don’t want to form a physical link with your flesh and the ingredients. Place the candle before you, whether you’re working at a table or on the floor, and light it.
Grind up the sea salt, frankincense, and oak moss in the mortar and pestle. You wouldn’t be able to grind up the iron so don’t bother. Pour all four ingredients into your bowl and stir them well with your stick or wand. Set the bowl aside.
Cut a strip of parchment small enough to fit in the bottle. Write on it in black ink the words: “I call out to the power of (name), that any harm he/she means to the writer be sent to this simple icon in stead. I ask this to be correct and for the good of all. So mote it be!” Roll your personal focus up in the parchment and tie it tightly in place with several lengths of black thread.
Slip the bundle into the bottle, then fit the funnel to the bottle’s neck and pour in the dry contents of the bowl, covering the parchment as thoroughly as possible. Fit the cork as close to flush the with bottle’s lip as you can. Trim off the protruding remnants of the cork with the knife. Turn the bottle widdershins (counterclockwise) and drip wax from the candle on the bottle’s top. Don’t stop until you’ve sealed off the entire cork.
Set the bottle aside and clean up your work space, but keep the rubber gloves on. When you’re done wash the bottle free of smudges, fingerprints, or any impressions of your clothes and skin. Place the bottle in a bag so you needn’t touch it directly. Take the bottle to a secluded spot far away from your home. Bury it with the bad deep somewhere where no animals or people might disturb it.
This bottle is effectively a decoy for all harmful magics or intentions made by the specific person. It doesn’t block the magics so much as redirect them to something which cannot be harmed. That’s why you don’t want to leave any impressions of the real you on the items that you buried, it’s like covering your trail. The spell will continue to serve its purpose as long as the bottle remains untouched, should it be opened then the powers fueling the spell are freed and the spell will stop working.
For this spell you will need several alchemical components. Go about collecting: a large bottle with cork, a mortar and pestle, four tablespoons of frankincense, four tablespoons of powdered black iron, some oak moss, four tablespoons of sea salt, one white candle, a lighter, a black ink pen, a knife, a stick or wand if you use one, a bowl you have used in other spells or one that has some significance to you, scissors, rubber gloves, a funnel, a disposable bag, and some black thread. You will also need a spell focus. This is a small item which you feel is representative of who you see yourself to be. Personally I use a piece of obsidian. I feel it best represents me; dark, sharp, and flawed.
This spell calls no spirits which means you need not draw a protective circle, so you can work your spell wherever you wish. Somewhere quiet and familiar would be best though. Put on your rubber gloves; try not to touch any of the ingredients with your bare skin or clothing. You don’t want to form a physical link with your flesh and the ingredients. Place the candle before you, whether you’re working at a table or on the floor, and light it.
Grind up the sea salt, frankincense, and oak moss in the mortar and pestle. You wouldn’t be able to grind up the iron so don’t bother. Pour all four ingredients into your bowl and stir them well with your stick or wand. Set the bowl aside.
Cut a strip of parchment small enough to fit in the bottle. Write on it in black ink the words: “I call out to the power of (name), that any harm he/she means to the writer be sent to this simple icon in stead. I ask this to be correct and for the good of all. So mote it be!” Roll your personal focus up in the parchment and tie it tightly in place with several lengths of black thread.
Slip the bundle into the bottle, then fit the funnel to the bottle’s neck and pour in the dry contents of the bowl, covering the parchment as thoroughly as possible. Fit the cork as close to flush the with bottle’s lip as you can. Trim off the protruding remnants of the cork with the knife. Turn the bottle widdershins (counterclockwise) and drip wax from the candle on the bottle’s top. Don’t stop until you’ve sealed off the entire cork.
Set the bottle aside and clean up your work space, but keep the rubber gloves on. When you’re done wash the bottle free of smudges, fingerprints, or any impressions of your clothes and skin. Place the bottle in a bag so you needn’t touch it directly. Take the bottle to a secluded spot far away from your home. Bury it with the bad deep somewhere where no animals or people might disturb it.
This bottle is effectively a decoy for all harmful magics or intentions made by the specific person. It doesn’t block the magics so much as redirect them to something which cannot be harmed. That’s why you don’t want to leave any impressions of the real you on the items that you buried, it’s like covering your trail. The spell will continue to serve its purpose as long as the bottle remains untouched, should it be opened then the powers fueling the spell are freed and the spell will stop working.
Monday, July 21, 2008
How To Open a Wiccan Circle
For a long time society as a whole had simply decided to shun anything having to do with witchcraft, as there was no way to govern it. It was a force, nothing more. A force that had been mistaken as inherently evil or wrong, when in reality any harmful effect magic may have had was the result of the spell caster’s will, not the power itself. The promise of power in magic can be seductive, and many have fallen to its siren song in the past. The Wiccan religion had to emphasize morality for this very reason. Once the Wiccan’s character has been established and the warnings of possible dangers are taken to heart, the second thing they are taught is how to break or open a magic circle. The first, obviously, is how to create the magic circle to begin with.
The circle is a bubble of protected and consecrated space in which a Wiccan or group of Wiccans can carry out a rite or magic spell without being bothered or hampered by surrounding spiritual influences. Once the intended rite or spell has been carried out, the circle must be opened up for the participant/s to exit safely. To simply walk through such a circle does no physical harm, but it lacks finesse and, in some circles, is believed to cause cumulative psychic trauma that can become debilitating over time.
To open the circle you will need an athame, a ritual knife or sword. Considering an athame was required to create or close the circle to begin with, you should have one. With the athame in hand, go to the eastern edge of the circle. Draw a pentacle in the air with your athame. To do this hold your athame forward and slightly to the right at shoulder height, bring it diagonally down to your left at hip height, then diagonally up to head height, then diagonally down to your right at hip height, then diagonally up to your left at shoulder height, then straight across to the right where your ritual blade first started. With this done hold your athame in both hands upright before you, slightly tipped forward. Speak the words loudly and clearly “Masters of the East, Masters of Air, we/I thank you for baring witness and guarding our/my Circle, and we/I ask for your blessing as you return whence you came. Love and Light”.
Return to the center of the circle, and then walk to the southern edge of the circle. Repeat the sign of the pentacle and say “Masters of the South, Masters of Fire, we/I thank you for baring witness and guarding our/my Circle, and we/I ask for your blessing as you return whence you came. Love and Light”.
Return to the center of the circle, and then walk to the western edge of the circle. Repeat the sign of the pentacle and say “Masters of the West, Masters of Water, we/I thank you for baring witness and guarding our/my Circle, and we/I ask for your blessing as you return whence you came. Love and Light”.
Return to the center of the circle, and then walk to the northern edge of the circle. Repeat the sign of the pentacle and say “Masters of the North, Masters of Earth, we/I thank you for baring witness and guarding our/my Circle, and we/I ask for your blessing as you return whence you came. Love and Light”.
Go to the center of the circle. With your athame in both hands, raise it up to the sky, and then touch the tip to the earth. Wrap up the athame or put it in its sheath. Raise your arms wide and say “This, my/our circle, is now open but not broken. May my/your/our heart/s be filled with the love of life and the peace of the light”.
With this done you may go as you please.
The circle is a bubble of protected and consecrated space in which a Wiccan or group of Wiccans can carry out a rite or magic spell without being bothered or hampered by surrounding spiritual influences. Once the intended rite or spell has been carried out, the circle must be opened up for the participant/s to exit safely. To simply walk through such a circle does no physical harm, but it lacks finesse and, in some circles, is believed to cause cumulative psychic trauma that can become debilitating over time.
To open the circle you will need an athame, a ritual knife or sword. Considering an athame was required to create or close the circle to begin with, you should have one. With the athame in hand, go to the eastern edge of the circle. Draw a pentacle in the air with your athame. To do this hold your athame forward and slightly to the right at shoulder height, bring it diagonally down to your left at hip height, then diagonally up to head height, then diagonally down to your right at hip height, then diagonally up to your left at shoulder height, then straight across to the right where your ritual blade first started. With this done hold your athame in both hands upright before you, slightly tipped forward. Speak the words loudly and clearly “Masters of the East, Masters of Air, we/I thank you for baring witness and guarding our/my Circle, and we/I ask for your blessing as you return whence you came. Love and Light”.
Return to the center of the circle, and then walk to the southern edge of the circle. Repeat the sign of the pentacle and say “Masters of the South, Masters of Fire, we/I thank you for baring witness and guarding our/my Circle, and we/I ask for your blessing as you return whence you came. Love and Light”.
Return to the center of the circle, and then walk to the western edge of the circle. Repeat the sign of the pentacle and say “Masters of the West, Masters of Water, we/I thank you for baring witness and guarding our/my Circle, and we/I ask for your blessing as you return whence you came. Love and Light”.
Return to the center of the circle, and then walk to the northern edge of the circle. Repeat the sign of the pentacle and say “Masters of the North, Masters of Earth, we/I thank you for baring witness and guarding our/my Circle, and we/I ask for your blessing as you return whence you came. Love and Light”.
Go to the center of the circle. With your athame in both hands, raise it up to the sky, and then touch the tip to the earth. Wrap up the athame or put it in its sheath. Raise your arms wide and say “This, my/our circle, is now open but not broken. May my/your/our heart/s be filled with the love of life and the peace of the light”.
With this done you may go as you please.
How To Break a Spell You've Cast
When we were little we were taught to believe that nothing is impossible. So we believe in monsters under the bed, mythical figures, and magic. The existence and use of magic is the epicenter of childhood imagination, allowing them to spend hours and hours in blissful daydreams and imagined scenarios. It’s funny how all the stories we are read at that age only include magic when it’s being used by the antagonist. The wicked witch, the evil stepmother, etc. As we grow up we are taught that magic is not real, and then find out the history of magic as it pertains to the Christian morals of America and Western Europe. We read about the witch hunts, the inquisition, and peasant superstitions leading to burning after burning. Now as we are grown up we are more open to the world without people directing what we hear and read. Then we find out again that magic might be real as many thousands of people across the world return to worshipping spirits of nature and the earth, working spells and charms to help others in the fashion of their misunderstood ancestors. Whether or not these spells actually worked is heatedly debated and has been since working magic was no longer punishable by law. After the war of indoctrination we go through as children it’s not surprising that no one knows what to think or believe.
For the sake of argument let us say that magic is real. Many healing charms were collected when the Wiccan religion was developed in 1953. Wicca, though still considered magic and witchcraft in the western world, is a very moral religion. They state that the nature of the universe is one of reciprocity. For that reason it is paramount that one should never use magic to do harm as it will return to the spell caster multiplied. This includes magic that does unintentional harm, and herein is the real danger. None of us can know the full scope of effects our actions will have, for that reason there is a ritual designed to break any previous spell you’ve cast. This is a very useful and beneficial ritual to know that poses no danger to the user.
You will need some angelica herb, rosemary oil, a piece of chalk or colored duct tape, a lighter, five white candles, a foot of string, benzoin incense, an incense burner, a compass, a piece of black cloth, a fire-proof plate or container, something of value to you. Typically the item of value is best if it’s jewelry, even the fake kind. It just needs to be something you like or have possessed for a long time. Be warned. You won’t be getting this back.
You should start the ritual at the same time of day and in the same spot where the original spell was cast if at all possible. Face east and use the chalk to draw a complete circle around yourself. If you can’t do this because of the surface you’re on, use the colored duct tape to lay down a circle. From this point forward do not cross the circle for any reason as it will break the ritual and you will have to start over. Put the candles out near the rim around yourself in a circle. Anoint the wicks and the candle signs with just a few drops of rosemary oil, then light then. Put the benzoin incense in an incense burner and light it.
Speak the words “I cast a spell asking (Insert type of spell here); I now ask the favor of having the spell removed. I understand to take back a spell means giving up something of my own to show my spirit is true and my intentions are good, I give this (Possession’s name). I transfer the spell into the (Possession’s name) and render the spell broken. No harm may come from the ending of this spell. No further power shall it have. This is my will. So shall it be."
Put the item and the angelica in the center of the black cloth. Lift up the four ends of the cloth to make a bag. Tie the end of the bag shut with the string. Place the bag on the fire-proof plate; pour wax from one of the candles onto the top of the bag and the knot you tied. Light the bag and let it burn down to ash. If there’s anything left that the fire wasn’t capable of burning, you must throw it away as soon as you are able.
Break the circle and clean up your ritual supplies. The spell you cast should be undone.
For the sake of argument let us say that magic is real. Many healing charms were collected when the Wiccan religion was developed in 1953. Wicca, though still considered magic and witchcraft in the western world, is a very moral religion. They state that the nature of the universe is one of reciprocity. For that reason it is paramount that one should never use magic to do harm as it will return to the spell caster multiplied. This includes magic that does unintentional harm, and herein is the real danger. None of us can know the full scope of effects our actions will have, for that reason there is a ritual designed to break any previous spell you’ve cast. This is a very useful and beneficial ritual to know that poses no danger to the user.
You will need some angelica herb, rosemary oil, a piece of chalk or colored duct tape, a lighter, five white candles, a foot of string, benzoin incense, an incense burner, a compass, a piece of black cloth, a fire-proof plate or container, something of value to you. Typically the item of value is best if it’s jewelry, even the fake kind. It just needs to be something you like or have possessed for a long time. Be warned. You won’t be getting this back.
You should start the ritual at the same time of day and in the same spot where the original spell was cast if at all possible. Face east and use the chalk to draw a complete circle around yourself. If you can’t do this because of the surface you’re on, use the colored duct tape to lay down a circle. From this point forward do not cross the circle for any reason as it will break the ritual and you will have to start over. Put the candles out near the rim around yourself in a circle. Anoint the wicks and the candle signs with just a few drops of rosemary oil, then light then. Put the benzoin incense in an incense burner and light it.
Speak the words “I cast a spell asking (Insert type of spell here); I now ask the favor of having the spell removed. I understand to take back a spell means giving up something of my own to show my spirit is true and my intentions are good, I give this (Possession’s name). I transfer the spell into the (Possession’s name) and render the spell broken. No harm may come from the ending of this spell. No further power shall it have. This is my will. So shall it be."
Put the item and the angelica in the center of the black cloth. Lift up the four ends of the cloth to make a bag. Tie the end of the bag shut with the string. Place the bag on the fire-proof plate; pour wax from one of the candles onto the top of the bag and the knot you tied. Light the bag and let it burn down to ash. If there’s anything left that the fire wasn’t capable of burning, you must throw it away as soon as you are able.
Break the circle and clean up your ritual supplies. The spell you cast should be undone.
Hermetic Magic & Truth Spell
Hermetic magic is one aspect of Hermeticism. Hermeticism is a set of philosophical and religious beliefs based on the writings of Hermes Trismegistus. It combines natural and alchemical lore with religious pantheism and moral philosophy to create a complex structured system that charts the flow of magical energies and works to redirect them. The best examples of Hermetic magic are meditation spells, otherwise known as circle spells for the complex magic circles used in compound with elemental representations. The purpose of these spells is not to have an impact on the physical world but to directly affect the spiritual world. As may be guessed from its name, meditative spells require the magician to enter a state of meditation before casting. The most common and least dangerous of these spells is the truth spell in which you can contact the mind of another and exchange information.
Before one goes about performing this spell, it is imperative that one knows the risks involved. Children should not try this, nor should the inexperienced without the aid and supervision of a practiced Hermeticist. Any action which involves the transfer and manipulation of spiritual or magical energy should not be taken lightly. This is very serious work. The cardinal rule in all magic is to do no harm. Never use this spell or any other spell for selfish or harmful purposes. This spell should not be cast on someone who is unwilling or does not wish to converse with you, the consequences of forcing your will on another being can be dire.
With these things in mind you may go about gathering the necessary materials for the spell. You will need three white candles, a piece of chalk or some colored duct tape, and matches. Then find a quiet spot with plenty of floor space to work the spell.
Stand in the center of the circle and place the first candle in front of you. Light the candle and speak the following words: “I am I, and I seek truth". Place the second candle slightly behind you and to your immediate left. Face the candle, light it and speak the following words: "I am you, and I seek the truth". Place the third candle behind you to complete the triangle inside the circle. Face the candle, light it and speak the following words: "I am we, and I seek the truth".
Sit in the center of the triangle and face the first candle. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Clear your mind of all extraneous thought. It may take minutes to enter this meditative state, it may take hours. Just take as long as you need.
Envision the person who you wish to contact sitting in front of you, looking at you over the lit candle. Envision your spirit body separating from your physical body. See it rise up to look down on you and the other person. Move your spirit body and turn it around so that you are behind the other person, looking at his/her back.
Say in your mind: "I seek the truth and nothing but the truth". Slowly move so that your spirit is in the body of the other person. Look out from his/her eyes at your physical body sitting in the circle. Sift through the other person's mind carefully. See what he/she sees, hear what he/she hears, and know what he/she knows. Converse with him or her if you wish.
Envision your spirit body leaving the body of the other person and returning to its physical shell when you have completed your task. Open your eyes and blow out the candles in reverse order. Clean up the chalk or pull up the duct tape. Think on what you've learned.
Before one goes about performing this spell, it is imperative that one knows the risks involved. Children should not try this, nor should the inexperienced without the aid and supervision of a practiced Hermeticist. Any action which involves the transfer and manipulation of spiritual or magical energy should not be taken lightly. This is very serious work. The cardinal rule in all magic is to do no harm. Never use this spell or any other spell for selfish or harmful purposes. This spell should not be cast on someone who is unwilling or does not wish to converse with you, the consequences of forcing your will on another being can be dire.
With these things in mind you may go about gathering the necessary materials for the spell. You will need three white candles, a piece of chalk or some colored duct tape, and matches. Then find a quiet spot with plenty of floor space to work the spell.
Stand in the center of the circle and place the first candle in front of you. Light the candle and speak the following words: “I am I, and I seek truth". Place the second candle slightly behind you and to your immediate left. Face the candle, light it and speak the following words: "I am you, and I seek the truth". Place the third candle behind you to complete the triangle inside the circle. Face the candle, light it and speak the following words: "I am we, and I seek the truth".
Sit in the center of the triangle and face the first candle. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Clear your mind of all extraneous thought. It may take minutes to enter this meditative state, it may take hours. Just take as long as you need.
Envision the person who you wish to contact sitting in front of you, looking at you over the lit candle. Envision your spirit body separating from your physical body. See it rise up to look down on you and the other person. Move your spirit body and turn it around so that you are behind the other person, looking at his/her back.
Say in your mind: "I seek the truth and nothing but the truth". Slowly move so that your spirit is in the body of the other person. Look out from his/her eyes at your physical body sitting in the circle. Sift through the other person's mind carefully. See what he/she sees, hear what he/she hears, and know what he/she knows. Converse with him or her if you wish.
Envision your spirit body leaving the body of the other person and returning to its physical shell when you have completed your task. Open your eyes and blow out the candles in reverse order. Clean up the chalk or pull up the duct tape. Think on what you've learned.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Exsilium Liquidus Potion
The Wiccan religion that was developed in 1953 streamlined and combined many different Neo-Paganism sects by compiling a set series of “laws” of magic. It should be stated that these laws merely explained how the flow and movement of magical energy works. Wicca is a religion which does not forbid it’s practitioners from any magical act, there fore there are no real laws of magic, valuing free will over compliance. It is instead reliant on a strong sense of morality to be instilled in members of any coven and the presence of experienced spiritual guides in the form of coven leaders. While you can find spells to do harm in the Wiccan religion if you look hard enough, for every one dangerous spell there are half a dozen beneficial ones. There are many spells of protection as well as spells for the exorcism of evil spirits, giving experienced practitioners the opportunity to safeguard their own souls. One potion in particular is noted for its power and effectiveness in banishing harmful spirits and exorcising the possessed. It goes by the name exsilium liquidus and instructions on how to make and use it are to follow.
Before you begin it should be stated that there is a very real danger involved whenever magic is used in an offensive rather than defensive capacity. Such spells and potions are reliant on the inner strength or willpower of the user, and should not be trifled with unless one is a very experienced Wiccan. Even then the possibility for lasting harm to the mind, body, and spirit still exists. This is no game.
Start by collecting all the necessary materials and ingredients. You will need one piece of mandrake root, a lighter, a stove top, a small piece of peony root, salt, frankincense, powdered black iron, a white bird’s feather (dove is best), five white candles, a lighter, a bottle, a bottle of holy water, a pot or cauldron (A metal pot you’ve already used for other spells is best), powdered silver (if you can afford it), a bottle of spring water, a wooden spoon or wand if you have one, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh basil, fresh sage, and an athame. An athame is a ritual knife. If you don’t have one then use an old kitchen knife that has been held and used for many years, but make sure not to use it for cooking after this. Don’t worry, it’s not meant for hurting anyone; you just need to chop up all the ingredients before putting them into your pot.
Place the pot on the stove top and pour in equal measures of holy water and spring water. This represents the power of both nature and heaven. Array the candles in a five-pointed star pattern around the pot and light them. Put in the mandrake root and peony root. These both contain a great deal of magical energy and are effective wards against demonic entities. Put in the powdered iron and dove feather, which are both anathema to the Fae. Pour in a tablespoon of salt and the powdered silver, both are said to be effective against magical or demonic constructs given physical form. The frankincense was used Hebrew burial rituals as a ward against any spirits who would desecrate the body of the dead. Before that it was used by the Babylonians and Sumerians for a similar purpose. Put in as much frankincense as you’ve got. The sage, thyme, rosemary, and basil are effective deterrents against nature spirits such as bogarts, huldre, nyads, redcaps, etc. who might mean you harm.
Put the mixture on medium heat and stir it clockwise with the wand. Continue to repeat the following phrase until the pot boils: “I bless you now, by the power of light to destroy evil, to erase his might! Beatus cum potentia bonus!” The last part is pronounced “Bee-awt-us Coom Poe-ten-shee-a Bawn-us”. After the pot has boiled, pour the contents into a bottle. Any container will do, but something which you’ve used in this fashion before is better.
To use this to clear your house and safeguard it from spirits, first open up all the windows and doors to give the spirits plenty of exits. Then sprinkle the potion on all the baseboards of the house, calling loudly “Be gone!” as you do so.
To be rid of a manifested spirit or demon, cast the water directly on the demon and proclaim “Demon be gone, be nevermore. Creature of evil and of bane, I cast you out to eternal flame. Angels bless this spell of mine; banish evil through space and time!” The demon should disintegrate and its essence will be sent back to its birthplace.
The many properties of this potion make it effective in dealing with most any spirit you face, but this should not be your only plan of attack. Knowledge is you best ally. Learn as much about the creature you face first. Also do not imbibe the potion; many of the contents are poisonous if ingested.
Before you begin it should be stated that there is a very real danger involved whenever magic is used in an offensive rather than defensive capacity. Such spells and potions are reliant on the inner strength or willpower of the user, and should not be trifled with unless one is a very experienced Wiccan. Even then the possibility for lasting harm to the mind, body, and spirit still exists. This is no game.
Start by collecting all the necessary materials and ingredients. You will need one piece of mandrake root, a lighter, a stove top, a small piece of peony root, salt, frankincense, powdered black iron, a white bird’s feather (dove is best), five white candles, a lighter, a bottle, a bottle of holy water, a pot or cauldron (A metal pot you’ve already used for other spells is best), powdered silver (if you can afford it), a bottle of spring water, a wooden spoon or wand if you have one, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh basil, fresh sage, and an athame. An athame is a ritual knife. If you don’t have one then use an old kitchen knife that has been held and used for many years, but make sure not to use it for cooking after this. Don’t worry, it’s not meant for hurting anyone; you just need to chop up all the ingredients before putting them into your pot.
Place the pot on the stove top and pour in equal measures of holy water and spring water. This represents the power of both nature and heaven. Array the candles in a five-pointed star pattern around the pot and light them. Put in the mandrake root and peony root. These both contain a great deal of magical energy and are effective wards against demonic entities. Put in the powdered iron and dove feather, which are both anathema to the Fae. Pour in a tablespoon of salt and the powdered silver, both are said to be effective against magical or demonic constructs given physical form. The frankincense was used Hebrew burial rituals as a ward against any spirits who would desecrate the body of the dead. Before that it was used by the Babylonians and Sumerians for a similar purpose. Put in as much frankincense as you’ve got. The sage, thyme, rosemary, and basil are effective deterrents against nature spirits such as bogarts, huldre, nyads, redcaps, etc. who might mean you harm.
Put the mixture on medium heat and stir it clockwise with the wand. Continue to repeat the following phrase until the pot boils: “I bless you now, by the power of light to destroy evil, to erase his might! Beatus cum potentia bonus!” The last part is pronounced “Bee-awt-us Coom Poe-ten-shee-a Bawn-us”. After the pot has boiled, pour the contents into a bottle. Any container will do, but something which you’ve used in this fashion before is better.
To use this to clear your house and safeguard it from spirits, first open up all the windows and doors to give the spirits plenty of exits. Then sprinkle the potion on all the baseboards of the house, calling loudly “Be gone!” as you do so.
To be rid of a manifested spirit or demon, cast the water directly on the demon and proclaim “Demon be gone, be nevermore. Creature of evil and of bane, I cast you out to eternal flame. Angels bless this spell of mine; banish evil through space and time!” The demon should disintegrate and its essence will be sent back to its birthplace.
The many properties of this potion make it effective in dealing with most any spirit you face, but this should not be your only plan of attack. Knowledge is you best ally. Learn as much about the creature you face first. Also do not imbibe the potion; many of the contents are poisonous if ingested.
Electronic Voice Phenomenon
Electronic Voice Phenomenon is also known as EVP. It is an occurrence where images or sound will appear on recording media with no explanation as to how it got there. A few movies have been made about the subject where the main character opens up a window to the Other Side to look for glimpses of a deceased loved one. There are always horrific consequences for this when the main character finds that when you look through a window you make yourself just as visible to the less benign denizens of the Other Side. It makes for a gripping story but surely that’s all it is right, a story? Wrong. In reality this phenomenon is surprisingly more common than we think.
With the prevalence of digital voice recorders it was a statistical certainty that someone would notice sounds in the background that had not been there at the time of recording. It’s so common in fact that we are likely to have seen or heard dozens of such examples without realizing it. When listening to a recording on tape, mp3, or CD a voice might be so soft as to be unnoticeable against all the noise. But this phenomenon is not limited to the auditory. Your television has probably been home to EVPs. One very common example is when looking at your television you might see shadow images of people or faces behind the program that’s playing. It’s easy to rationalize this as another channel bleeding through to the channel you’re watching. Do a quick check of the other channels, its very rare to find that anything matching the phantom shapes is playing. To see this for yourself just pop in an old VHS tape and pay particular attention to the sections that are black at the start or ending of a scene. VHS tapes are rewritable and are based solely on magnetism; as such they register EVPs more often than DVDs.
Popular belief is that our electronic recording equipment is catching sounds and images from spirits or the dead in places that were familiar to them in life. Several suggestions as to just how this is possible have been presented, the most credible of which states that the presence of spirits, according to paranormal psychology, are associated with particularly strong and active electro-magnetic fields. All current audiovisual recording devices are easily influenced by electro-magnetic fields. It is postulated that such spirits are able to deliberately use their surrounding electromagnetic fields to imprint their presence on these recording devices.
If you’re worried about the consequences of EVP like you see in the movies, don’t be. There are many organizations that pursue the recording and research of EVP diligently and there have been no threats nor accidents amongst any of them. That is not to say that you won’t find a spirits message to be spoken in cryptic or disturbing phrases. In these cases it often helps to know the history of the site where you’re making your recordings. Often the spirits will refer to specific occurrences which had great meaning to them while they yet lived.
The basic method to recording your own EVP involve simply running a tape recorder and having a source of white noise in the background with no other outside noise. When the tape is finished recording simply play it back and listen very closely. As the voices one might hear using this method are difficult to discern this isn’t always very effective. A better method is to use a blank VHS tape and record it while tuned to a channel that has no reception. When it’s finished taping, play back the tape. Human beings’ brains are designed to pay particular attention to visual stimuli. As they say “Seeing is believing”.
With the prevalence of digital voice recorders it was a statistical certainty that someone would notice sounds in the background that had not been there at the time of recording. It’s so common in fact that we are likely to have seen or heard dozens of such examples without realizing it. When listening to a recording on tape, mp3, or CD a voice might be so soft as to be unnoticeable against all the noise. But this phenomenon is not limited to the auditory. Your television has probably been home to EVPs. One very common example is when looking at your television you might see shadow images of people or faces behind the program that’s playing. It’s easy to rationalize this as another channel bleeding through to the channel you’re watching. Do a quick check of the other channels, its very rare to find that anything matching the phantom shapes is playing. To see this for yourself just pop in an old VHS tape and pay particular attention to the sections that are black at the start or ending of a scene. VHS tapes are rewritable and are based solely on magnetism; as such they register EVPs more often than DVDs.
Popular belief is that our electronic recording equipment is catching sounds and images from spirits or the dead in places that were familiar to them in life. Several suggestions as to just how this is possible have been presented, the most credible of which states that the presence of spirits, according to paranormal psychology, are associated with particularly strong and active electro-magnetic fields. All current audiovisual recording devices are easily influenced by electro-magnetic fields. It is postulated that such spirits are able to deliberately use their surrounding electromagnetic fields to imprint their presence on these recording devices.
If you’re worried about the consequences of EVP like you see in the movies, don’t be. There are many organizations that pursue the recording and research of EVP diligently and there have been no threats nor accidents amongst any of them. That is not to say that you won’t find a spirits message to be spoken in cryptic or disturbing phrases. In these cases it often helps to know the history of the site where you’re making your recordings. Often the spirits will refer to specific occurrences which had great meaning to them while they yet lived.
The basic method to recording your own EVP involve simply running a tape recorder and having a source of white noise in the background with no other outside noise. When the tape is finished recording simply play it back and listen very closely. As the voices one might hear using this method are difficult to discern this isn’t always very effective. A better method is to use a blank VHS tape and record it while tuned to a channel that has no reception. When it’s finished taping, play back the tape. Human beings’ brains are designed to pay particular attention to visual stimuli. As they say “Seeing is believing”.
Charms & Animism
Charms and fetishes are possibly one of the oldest aspects of spiritualism there is. The ancient Egyptians would wear jewelry depicting the Scarab symbol of immortality for long life, even slaves and yeomen wore clothes with or drew on their skin signs of various animals to take on the properties of the animal. Netsilick Eskimo tribesmen still wear fetishes of caribou antler to grant them speed in the hunt. Leather straps made from seal skin to give them endurance against the cold are popular too.
This is all based in the concept of animism. An ancient belief that says all things, both living and inanimate, have their own spiritual counterpart. Tribes of hunters and gatherers across the world would perform rituals after successfully hunting an animal to do honor to the spirit of the animal. This was to ensure that the tribesmen would be given the animals’ strength when they ate its flesh and protection when they wore its hide. Failing to give such homage was taboo for it meant that one might anger the animals’ spirits who would prevent the animal from being reborn. Hunter and gatherer peoples feared the animals they depended on for life would go away and never return, refusing to let themselves be hunted. Agrarian societies would often make ritual sacrifices to the sun and rain so their crops would grow.
An offshoot to this idea is that to wear fetishes made from the actual animal or charms representing the animal may entice the animal’s controlling spirit into residing there. A person who has been graced by the spirit of an animal may be granted the strengths of the animal. These strengths may help the wearer to survive and provide for his family.
Remember animism also recognizes the presence of spirits in non-living things as well. Chinese alchemy and medicine paid homage to the elements; earth, wind, air, and fire. Native Americans did the same thing in song and dance forms. It was all for the purpose of recognizing and paying respects to the powers around them. We’re not that different today.
Some people may scoff at the idea. That’s somewhat hypocritical given the number of charms and fetishes people wear in everyday life. A man who wears a crucifix is in effect calling for the aid of a spiritual power. Lance Armstrong wristbands are a cultural phenomenon. Men, women, and children wear them. Each is inscribed with a different quality such as; strength, wisdom, compassion, love, etc. This is merely a more complex form of animism in which one calls directly to a concept that may have been too abstract for ancient tribesmen to comprehend, though the purpose is exactly the same.
Charm bracelets, lucky rabbits’ feet, lucky jewelry, lucky shoes, lucky underwear, the list goes on and on. They all attempt to attract good luck. Again this is an entreaty to the spirits of non-living matter to smile on them and aid them however they are able. If anything, modern human beings are greater proponents of animism than our ancient forebears were. So don’t feel embarrassed or silly for wearing a charm bracelet, ring, necklace, or keeping a good luck fetish in your pocket. We all do it to some extent, and as people still subject to the whims of nature and change, we need all the help we can get.
This is all based in the concept of animism. An ancient belief that says all things, both living and inanimate, have their own spiritual counterpart. Tribes of hunters and gatherers across the world would perform rituals after successfully hunting an animal to do honor to the spirit of the animal. This was to ensure that the tribesmen would be given the animals’ strength when they ate its flesh and protection when they wore its hide. Failing to give such homage was taboo for it meant that one might anger the animals’ spirits who would prevent the animal from being reborn. Hunter and gatherer peoples feared the animals they depended on for life would go away and never return, refusing to let themselves be hunted. Agrarian societies would often make ritual sacrifices to the sun and rain so their crops would grow.
An offshoot to this idea is that to wear fetishes made from the actual animal or charms representing the animal may entice the animal’s controlling spirit into residing there. A person who has been graced by the spirit of an animal may be granted the strengths of the animal. These strengths may help the wearer to survive and provide for his family.
Remember animism also recognizes the presence of spirits in non-living things as well. Chinese alchemy and medicine paid homage to the elements; earth, wind, air, and fire. Native Americans did the same thing in song and dance forms. It was all for the purpose of recognizing and paying respects to the powers around them. We’re not that different today.
Some people may scoff at the idea. That’s somewhat hypocritical given the number of charms and fetishes people wear in everyday life. A man who wears a crucifix is in effect calling for the aid of a spiritual power. Lance Armstrong wristbands are a cultural phenomenon. Men, women, and children wear them. Each is inscribed with a different quality such as; strength, wisdom, compassion, love, etc. This is merely a more complex form of animism in which one calls directly to a concept that may have been too abstract for ancient tribesmen to comprehend, though the purpose is exactly the same.
Charm bracelets, lucky rabbits’ feet, lucky jewelry, lucky shoes, lucky underwear, the list goes on and on. They all attempt to attract good luck. Again this is an entreaty to the spirits of non-living matter to smile on them and aid them however they are able. If anything, modern human beings are greater proponents of animism than our ancient forebears were. So don’t feel embarrassed or silly for wearing a charm bracelet, ring, necklace, or keeping a good luck fetish in your pocket. We all do it to some extent, and as people still subject to the whims of nature and change, we need all the help we can get.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Chakra According to Western Beliefs
Chakra is a term literally meaning “circle” in the original Sanskrit language in which the concept was first established. Since then this term and its meaning has been interpreted in different fashions by a number of cultures. It may refer to a circle of people, a continuous flow of power or “Shakti” as it is referred to in the texts of the Hindu religion, or different nerve plexi within the body in accordance with western science and medicine.
The concept of chakra was brought to the attention of the western world through several translated and heavily interpreted documents in the late 1690s. The two most influential of these works are: Theosophia Practice by Johann Georg Gichtel, and Serpent Power by Sir John Woodroffe. These books brought concepts primarily from the Hindustani (Modern Day India) understanding of chakra, coloring the western world’s perspective on the subject ever since. Diagrams in these works represented the chakra points as lotus flowers located at different points in the body, where each specific chakra was denoted by how many petals a lotus had.
They also had a significant influence on the creation of Theosophy, which is a system of religious and philosophical doctrine that states there is a specific way in which mankind may advance closer to perfection. The radical part about Theosophy states that each religion in the world holds a portion of the answer, and only by embracing, analyzing, and understanding all these religions will we ever find the whole answer.
The understanding of the chakra in the western world mirrored that of the Hindu understanding until the very early 1900s. There are seven major chakra points in the body, though western belief never attributed them separate names. It was posited that each chakra corresponded to a specific organ in the body. Unlike Eastern beliefs, these were not all major organs, but specifically belonged to the endocrine system. Here the passage of spiritual energy through the chakra paralleled with the interaction of endocrinological glands.
The first chakra is symbolized as a lotus with a thousand petals. It equates to the pituitary gland and the thalamus, which are thought to have a key role in our consciousness and also secrete hormones to regulate the rest of the endocrine system.
The second chakra is the pineal gland in the brain, which is symbolized as a lotus with two petals. This gland reacts to the presence of light and secretes melatonin which regulates sleep and waking.
The third chakra is the thyroid gland in the throat, appearing as a lotus with sixteen petals. This gland produces thyroid hormone which regulates human maturation and growth.
The fourth gland is the thymus located in the chest, which produces T cells which are responsible for fending off bacterial and viral pathogens. It is denoted by a twelve petaled lotus.
The fifth gland is the pancreas near the solar plexus. This is symbolized by a lotus with ten petals and plays a very important role in digestion and converting food to chemical energy.
The sixth gland takes the form of the testicles or ovaries. They produce chemicals important to the reproductive cycle and can be the source of dramatic mood swings. They are denoted by a lotus with six petals.
The seventh and last gland is the adrenal medulla, also known as the adrenal glands which are located atop the kidneys. The adrenals release adrenaline and other chemicals associated with the fight-or-flight reflex. They are symbolized by a four petaled lotus
Oddly enough the endocrine system is involved entirely with the release and regulation of mood altering hormones. So the belief that our humanity and emotions comes from our chakra may not be as incorrect or outdated as many people think.
The concept of chakra was brought to the attention of the western world through several translated and heavily interpreted documents in the late 1690s. The two most influential of these works are: Theosophia Practice by Johann Georg Gichtel, and Serpent Power by Sir John Woodroffe. These books brought concepts primarily from the Hindustani (Modern Day India) understanding of chakra, coloring the western world’s perspective on the subject ever since. Diagrams in these works represented the chakra points as lotus flowers located at different points in the body, where each specific chakra was denoted by how many petals a lotus had.
They also had a significant influence on the creation of Theosophy, which is a system of religious and philosophical doctrine that states there is a specific way in which mankind may advance closer to perfection. The radical part about Theosophy states that each religion in the world holds a portion of the answer, and only by embracing, analyzing, and understanding all these religions will we ever find the whole answer.
The understanding of the chakra in the western world mirrored that of the Hindu understanding until the very early 1900s. There are seven major chakra points in the body, though western belief never attributed them separate names. It was posited that each chakra corresponded to a specific organ in the body. Unlike Eastern beliefs, these were not all major organs, but specifically belonged to the endocrine system. Here the passage of spiritual energy through the chakra paralleled with the interaction of endocrinological glands.
The first chakra is symbolized as a lotus with a thousand petals. It equates to the pituitary gland and the thalamus, which are thought to have a key role in our consciousness and also secrete hormones to regulate the rest of the endocrine system.
The second chakra is the pineal gland in the brain, which is symbolized as a lotus with two petals. This gland reacts to the presence of light and secretes melatonin which regulates sleep and waking.
The third chakra is the thyroid gland in the throat, appearing as a lotus with sixteen petals. This gland produces thyroid hormone which regulates human maturation and growth.
The fourth gland is the thymus located in the chest, which produces T cells which are responsible for fending off bacterial and viral pathogens. It is denoted by a twelve petaled lotus.
The fifth gland is the pancreas near the solar plexus. This is symbolized by a lotus with ten petals and plays a very important role in digestion and converting food to chemical energy.
The sixth gland takes the form of the testicles or ovaries. They produce chemicals important to the reproductive cycle and can be the source of dramatic mood swings. They are denoted by a lotus with six petals.
The seventh and last gland is the adrenal medulla, also known as the adrenal glands which are located atop the kidneys. The adrenals release adrenaline and other chemicals associated with the fight-or-flight reflex. They are symbolized by a four petaled lotus
Oddly enough the endocrine system is involved entirely with the release and regulation of mood altering hormones. So the belief that our humanity and emotions comes from our chakra may not be as incorrect or outdated as many people think.
Chakra According To Tao Beliefs
Chakra is a term literally meaning “circle” in the original Sanskrit language in which the concept was first established. Since then this term and its meaning has been interpreted in different fashions by a number of cultures. It may refer to a circle of people, a continuous flow of power or “Shakti” as it is referred to in the texts of the Hindu religion, or different nerve plexi within the body in accordance with western science and medicine.
In Eastern and particularly Chinese beliefs, the chakra are waypoints for spiritual energy known as Qi. Pronounced as “Chee”, this energy circulates through the body in a cycle called the microcosmic orbit. In this circuit, Qi flows down through the front torso channel called the Conception Vessel Meridian to pool in the Dantian. This is roughly translated as the “elixir field” and refers to the physical center of gravity in the human body located in the abdomen directly below and behind the navel. Because it is the center of gravity it is by extension the center of the spiritual body. This is also associated with the source of what could only be referred to as our humanity. All the qualities that we associate with being human come from here. For all these reasons the Dantian is considered the seat of the soul and holds a great deal of spiritual and religious importance to many eastern cultures. For instance, Japanese ritual suicide, called Seppuku, involves driving a knife deep into this part of the abdomen and slashing it open. Westerners would wonder why a person would choose such a slow and painful way to do, but to them it is seen as the most effective way to end the life and set the soul free by destroying the Dantian.
From the Dantian, Qi travels back up to the top of the skull via the Governor Vessel Meridian at the back of the spine. At the crown of the skull the Qi then flows downward through the chakras eventually returning to the Dantian to repeat the process.
Unlike Hindu belief, Qi energy does not enter the body or leave it. It is an inherent life force within all living things. The blockage or poor flow of this energy is the cause of a great many ailments according to traditional Chinese medicine.
Also according to Chinese medicine the chakra are personified as the major organs within the body rather than being separate from the anatomy on a metaphysical plane of existence. So if one chakra point or another is believed to be ailing, the physician will prescribe herbal remedies, baths, or acupuncture to strengthen the corresponding internal organ. Acupuncture itself is based in blocking or altering the minor Qi pathways running under the skin through the judicious use of needles.
There are also other ways to influence the Qi. Taoism is an amalgamation of eastern religious beliefs and concepts that predates Buddhism. Though it has lost prevalence in the east to unified Buddhism, it still governs a number of taboos and mores among eastern society. It might be equated with western superstition. Scientifically they are not proven, yet a person is rarely able to make him/herself deliberately break such rules. A large part of Taoism is related to the governing and control of the Qi. From Taoism comes the art of Qigong. Pronounced “Chee-Kung” this term means “cosmic breath” and is a form of meditation which focuses on respiration and the flow of Qi throughout the body. One passes their awareness through the two meridians running up and down the spine connecting to the different chakra points. By doing so one enhances and governs the flow of Qi in the body. Experienced practitioners of Qigong are said to have extremely enhanced mental and physical faculties thanks to their ability to manage the Qi flow. Also very skilled martial artists are said to be able to harness their Qi to some extent. In their case this is often inadvertent. Yet a very dedicated martial artist may attain the ability through extensive physical training, purification of the body thanks to a strict diet and complete abstinence, and unswerving all-consuming mental focus.
In Eastern and particularly Chinese beliefs, the chakra are waypoints for spiritual energy known as Qi. Pronounced as “Chee”, this energy circulates through the body in a cycle called the microcosmic orbit. In this circuit, Qi flows down through the front torso channel called the Conception Vessel Meridian to pool in the Dantian. This is roughly translated as the “elixir field” and refers to the physical center of gravity in the human body located in the abdomen directly below and behind the navel. Because it is the center of gravity it is by extension the center of the spiritual body. This is also associated with the source of what could only be referred to as our humanity. All the qualities that we associate with being human come from here. For all these reasons the Dantian is considered the seat of the soul and holds a great deal of spiritual and religious importance to many eastern cultures. For instance, Japanese ritual suicide, called Seppuku, involves driving a knife deep into this part of the abdomen and slashing it open. Westerners would wonder why a person would choose such a slow and painful way to do, but to them it is seen as the most effective way to end the life and set the soul free by destroying the Dantian.
From the Dantian, Qi travels back up to the top of the skull via the Governor Vessel Meridian at the back of the spine. At the crown of the skull the Qi then flows downward through the chakras eventually returning to the Dantian to repeat the process.
Unlike Hindu belief, Qi energy does not enter the body or leave it. It is an inherent life force within all living things. The blockage or poor flow of this energy is the cause of a great many ailments according to traditional Chinese medicine.
Also according to Chinese medicine the chakra are personified as the major organs within the body rather than being separate from the anatomy on a metaphysical plane of existence. So if one chakra point or another is believed to be ailing, the physician will prescribe herbal remedies, baths, or acupuncture to strengthen the corresponding internal organ. Acupuncture itself is based in blocking or altering the minor Qi pathways running under the skin through the judicious use of needles.
There are also other ways to influence the Qi. Taoism is an amalgamation of eastern religious beliefs and concepts that predates Buddhism. Though it has lost prevalence in the east to unified Buddhism, it still governs a number of taboos and mores among eastern society. It might be equated with western superstition. Scientifically they are not proven, yet a person is rarely able to make him/herself deliberately break such rules. A large part of Taoism is related to the governing and control of the Qi. From Taoism comes the art of Qigong. Pronounced “Chee-Kung” this term means “cosmic breath” and is a form of meditation which focuses on respiration and the flow of Qi throughout the body. One passes their awareness through the two meridians running up and down the spine connecting to the different chakra points. By doing so one enhances and governs the flow of Qi in the body. Experienced practitioners of Qigong are said to have extremely enhanced mental and physical faculties thanks to their ability to manage the Qi flow. Also very skilled martial artists are said to be able to harness their Qi to some extent. In their case this is often inadvertent. Yet a very dedicated martial artist may attain the ability through extensive physical training, purification of the body thanks to a strict diet and complete abstinence, and unswerving all-consuming mental focus.
Chakra According to Hindu Beliefs
Chakra is a term literally meaning “circle” in the original Sanskrit language in which the concept was first established. Since then this term and its meaning has been interpreted in different fashions by a number of cultures. It may refer to a circle of people, a continuous flow of power or “Shakti” as it is referred to in the texts of the Hindu religion, or different nerve plexi within the body in accordance with western science and medicine.
There are seven major chakra points in the body, with an indeterminate number of minor chakra points which is still being debated. The major chakra points are positioned on a vertical plane down the midline of the body. Some are closer to the center of the body and some are nearer to the front, while others are located in the spine itself.
According to Hindu literature these chakra are nexus points of energy or emanations sent from Brahman, who is the Over-God in a sense, though this is a bit simplistic. Perhaps it would be better to think of Brahman as the sum of the Hindu pantheon as a whole. It is believed that this Shakti passes through the third eye on the forehead to lodge in the Sahasrara chakra in the crown of the head. As the Shakti passes down from one chakra point to another it enervates the body and soul, becoming a less spiritual and more physical thing as it does so. This concrete or solid Shakti is then stored in the Muladhara chakra in the base of the spine.
It is believed that this energy at the base of the spine, which is called Kundalini, accumulates from one incarnation to the next and grants its possessor a great deal of power should it be unlocked. From this belief springs the Tantric and Kundalini forms of yoga. By perfecting the forms taught in this series of exercises one may attain a greater consciousness thanks to the blessing of Brahman as well as to unleash the Kundalini coiled and dormant at the base of the spine since the beginning of time. When this happens the Kundalini passes back up through the chakra in reverse order until union with God is achieved when it reaches the Sahasrara.
It is interesting that as one looks from the top chakra point to the next we realize that they are associated with various aspects of human existence, starting with the abstract and traveling to the less subtle and more concrete parts of our being. It is as if our very nature is a result of God’s constant emanation passing through us. It is doubtful that the “gift” of humanity as it is given by Brahman is overlooked by practitioners of the Hindu faith.
As it has already been mentioned, the Sahasrara chakra corresponds to consciousness and morality, not an inherent knowledge, but one attained through logical thought. The Ajna is slightly lower and closer to the front of the head. This chakra is the source of our sense of time, and awareness of the presence of light, be it divine, natural, or manmade. One could easily associate these with the acquisition of and the subconscious processing of sensory input. The Vishuddha is the chakra in the throat and is the source of our ability to communicate with each other. As we all know communication is the only way in which we as a race can work together toward any common goal. The Anahata is the chakra located at the heart. As one could imagine the Anahata is where emotion stems from. Our feelings of love, compassion, and well-being are thanks to the Shakti traveling through this chakra.
The Manipura is located in the solar plexus. It is here that instinctual or reactive emotion translates to more complex emotion. It is also here that the food we eat and digest is miraculously converted into energy which sustains or lives. The Swadhisthana is the sacral chakra which is located in the sex organs. Base emotion such as anger, fear, hatred and others originate from this chakra. Also lust, sexuality, and the desire to procreate come from here. If they didn’t I imagine people would try to remove this chakra point and save themselves a lot of trouble.
The final chakra point, as has already been stated, is the Muladhara. It is from here that our base instincts rise. The Muladhara is most concerned with keeping us alive. The need to survive; the constant desire or want for something, the fight or flight reflex. Whether they are pleasant is debatable, but they are absolutely necessary for our individual survival. Even for someone not of the Hindu faith, the more one thinks about the chakras, the more sense it begins to make.
There are seven major chakra points in the body, with an indeterminate number of minor chakra points which is still being debated. The major chakra points are positioned on a vertical plane down the midline of the body. Some are closer to the center of the body and some are nearer to the front, while others are located in the spine itself.
According to Hindu literature these chakra are nexus points of energy or emanations sent from Brahman, who is the Over-God in a sense, though this is a bit simplistic. Perhaps it would be better to think of Brahman as the sum of the Hindu pantheon as a whole. It is believed that this Shakti passes through the third eye on the forehead to lodge in the Sahasrara chakra in the crown of the head. As the Shakti passes down from one chakra point to another it enervates the body and soul, becoming a less spiritual and more physical thing as it does so. This concrete or solid Shakti is then stored in the Muladhara chakra in the base of the spine.
It is believed that this energy at the base of the spine, which is called Kundalini, accumulates from one incarnation to the next and grants its possessor a great deal of power should it be unlocked. From this belief springs the Tantric and Kundalini forms of yoga. By perfecting the forms taught in this series of exercises one may attain a greater consciousness thanks to the blessing of Brahman as well as to unleash the Kundalini coiled and dormant at the base of the spine since the beginning of time. When this happens the Kundalini passes back up through the chakra in reverse order until union with God is achieved when it reaches the Sahasrara.
It is interesting that as one looks from the top chakra point to the next we realize that they are associated with various aspects of human existence, starting with the abstract and traveling to the less subtle and more concrete parts of our being. It is as if our very nature is a result of God’s constant emanation passing through us. It is doubtful that the “gift” of humanity as it is given by Brahman is overlooked by practitioners of the Hindu faith.
As it has already been mentioned, the Sahasrara chakra corresponds to consciousness and morality, not an inherent knowledge, but one attained through logical thought. The Ajna is slightly lower and closer to the front of the head. This chakra is the source of our sense of time, and awareness of the presence of light, be it divine, natural, or manmade. One could easily associate these with the acquisition of and the subconscious processing of sensory input. The Vishuddha is the chakra in the throat and is the source of our ability to communicate with each other. As we all know communication is the only way in which we as a race can work together toward any common goal. The Anahata is the chakra located at the heart. As one could imagine the Anahata is where emotion stems from. Our feelings of love, compassion, and well-being are thanks to the Shakti traveling through this chakra.
The Manipura is located in the solar plexus. It is here that instinctual or reactive emotion translates to more complex emotion. It is also here that the food we eat and digest is miraculously converted into energy which sustains or lives. The Swadhisthana is the sacral chakra which is located in the sex organs. Base emotion such as anger, fear, hatred and others originate from this chakra. Also lust, sexuality, and the desire to procreate come from here. If they didn’t I imagine people would try to remove this chakra point and save themselves a lot of trouble.
The final chakra point, as has already been stated, is the Muladhara. It is from here that our base instincts rise. The Muladhara is most concerned with keeping us alive. The need to survive; the constant desire or want for something, the fight or flight reflex. Whether they are pleasant is debatable, but they are absolutely necessary for our individual survival. Even for someone not of the Hindu faith, the more one thinks about the chakras, the more sense it begins to make.
Monday, July 7, 2008
A Tourist's Guide To Sebastian, Florida
In the little town of Sebastian, along the eastern coast of Florida, we live imbalanced existences. The nature of our trades and daily lives are bipolar, running from one extreme to the other without ever finding a natural equilibrium. From busy to bored and back again.
During the summer the town of Sebastian’s population is cut to roughly one quarter of its normal amount during the cool balmy winters. Life for the locals slows to a crawl. Business dries up and the hardy “townies” as they are called look for any spare work they can get. They cinch their belts a bit tighter, waiting out the sticky baking summer heat calm in the knowledge that these times will pass just as they always do.
Things speed up in late September as front runners from the north descend upon the town to escape the cold, snowy northlands. The town’s population quickly swells. Store fronts that had boarded up for the summer are quickly aired out and made ready for new custom. The many tourist locations are cleaned and fully staffed as the torrent of “snowbirds” arrives once again. What was once a barren and boring wasteland devoid of entertainment metamorphoses into a happy, thriving, and vibrant place to live and play.
Captain Hiram’s Inn and Restaurant is popular among tourists looking for good seafood, cold drinks, and live entertainment. They’re located right on the Sebastian inlet leading directly out into the ocean and host music of a Caribbean flavor nightly. Their free docks and sandbar means they are frequented by yachts and sail-boating fun-lovers constantly.
Just down the road is the Mel Fisher Museum. Inside a gigantic and detailed collection belonging to one of the most successful treasure hunters in American history can be found. Mel Fisher was a skilled diver enamored with the allure and mystique around many of the ships carrying valuable cargo that sank centuries ago off the Florida coastline. The silver, gold, ivory, and jewels he pulled from the depths time after time made him a very wealthy man. After his death the majority of his collection was put on display at the Museum he had constructed just for that purpose several years earlier. Charter boats are also available to take tourists to the sites of many of these shipwrecks as well.
Sebastian was primarily a fishing town when it was first founded. Unfortunately many of the regulations regarding inland and river fishing have shrunk the commercial fishing industry in the area to a fraction of its former glory. But touring fishing enthusiasts can capitalize on this by hiring out a fishing boat for the day, complete with guides who’ve been plying the waters of the Sebastian River for generations. Our fishing grounds are world class and draw avid sportsmen from around the world regularly.
Eco-friendly tourists are amazed by the McKee Botanical Gardens. There, tourists will see many rare and endangered species of plant and wildlife. This is a sub-tropical garden and nature walk through many acres of cypress swamp that have been preserved completely untouched by man for hundreds of years. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
For tourists more interested in history, they can admire the life-sized bronze statue of Paul Kroegel. Nearby plaques will explain his life story focusing on the fact that he was the first warden of Pelican Island, a nearby island which became one of the first Wildlife National Refuges in the country. The statue is on the coast overlooking the island and guided tours of the area are available.
Please keep in mind that this is just a few of the many site of this old and historically rich town that keeps bringing back eager tourists and vacationers year after year. To list them all would require a novel, many of which are available to those who inquire online or at the Sebastian Chamber of Commerce.
During the summer the town of Sebastian’s population is cut to roughly one quarter of its normal amount during the cool balmy winters. Life for the locals slows to a crawl. Business dries up and the hardy “townies” as they are called look for any spare work they can get. They cinch their belts a bit tighter, waiting out the sticky baking summer heat calm in the knowledge that these times will pass just as they always do.
Things speed up in late September as front runners from the north descend upon the town to escape the cold, snowy northlands. The town’s population quickly swells. Store fronts that had boarded up for the summer are quickly aired out and made ready for new custom. The many tourist locations are cleaned and fully staffed as the torrent of “snowbirds” arrives once again. What was once a barren and boring wasteland devoid of entertainment metamorphoses into a happy, thriving, and vibrant place to live and play.
Captain Hiram’s Inn and Restaurant is popular among tourists looking for good seafood, cold drinks, and live entertainment. They’re located right on the Sebastian inlet leading directly out into the ocean and host music of a Caribbean flavor nightly. Their free docks and sandbar means they are frequented by yachts and sail-boating fun-lovers constantly.
Just down the road is the Mel Fisher Museum. Inside a gigantic and detailed collection belonging to one of the most successful treasure hunters in American history can be found. Mel Fisher was a skilled diver enamored with the allure and mystique around many of the ships carrying valuable cargo that sank centuries ago off the Florida coastline. The silver, gold, ivory, and jewels he pulled from the depths time after time made him a very wealthy man. After his death the majority of his collection was put on display at the Museum he had constructed just for that purpose several years earlier. Charter boats are also available to take tourists to the sites of many of these shipwrecks as well.
Sebastian was primarily a fishing town when it was first founded. Unfortunately many of the regulations regarding inland and river fishing have shrunk the commercial fishing industry in the area to a fraction of its former glory. But touring fishing enthusiasts can capitalize on this by hiring out a fishing boat for the day, complete with guides who’ve been plying the waters of the Sebastian River for generations. Our fishing grounds are world class and draw avid sportsmen from around the world regularly.
Eco-friendly tourists are amazed by the McKee Botanical Gardens. There, tourists will see many rare and endangered species of plant and wildlife. This is a sub-tropical garden and nature walk through many acres of cypress swamp that have been preserved completely untouched by man for hundreds of years. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
For tourists more interested in history, they can admire the life-sized bronze statue of Paul Kroegel. Nearby plaques will explain his life story focusing on the fact that he was the first warden of Pelican Island, a nearby island which became one of the first Wildlife National Refuges in the country. The statue is on the coast overlooking the island and guided tours of the area are available.
Please keep in mind that this is just a few of the many site of this old and historically rich town that keeps bringing back eager tourists and vacationers year after year. To list them all would require a novel, many of which are available to those who inquire online or at the Sebastian Chamber of Commerce.
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