tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33800434910058468422024-03-13T07:59:08.442-05:00Patently ParanormalDiscussion of paranormal topics and the occasional musing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-53016236524457380442013-05-06T21:49:00.000-05:002013-05-06T21:49:38.339-05:00Consensual Reality and Psychokinetic Safeguards<br />
The notion of consensual reality is popular in some metaphysical and philosophical circles. The basic idea is that reality is the product of the consensus of the minds experiencing it. Inertia and gravity are things that most people will agree about the existence of. If you put something down it will stay there until something moves it. Gravity constantly pulls things down. These are pretty basic truths. The question that consensual reality brings up is "Do gravity and inertia work because we believe they do?" An even deeper question is "Are gravity and inertia so inescapable simply because we believe they are?"<br />
<br />
I'm not trying to touch too deeply on consensual reality but it brings me around to psychokinesis and other paranormal events that could be the product of psychokinetic processes. Are psychokinetic feats so difficult because we've been conditioned all our lives to believe that they should be? Does the consensus have anything to do with this? I bring all of this up because in my own PK experiments with moving objects I've noticed that once I make a little progress in making something move it suddenly gains a mind of its own and fights me. Pinwheels that will rotate one way suddenly decide to do the opposite of what I will them to do when I decide I want them to spin clockwise instead of counterclockwise. They will just stop dead or wobble or move in little half-rotations back and forth like they can't decide what to do.<br />
<br />
Psychokinesis is no easy feat but manifesting small effects is not as difficult as one would think. I feel that this may be because one eventually thinks it's not that difficult. You come up with a neat visualization or get really psyched up and you make it budge a little. That little budge makes you believe enough until you're making the pinwheel do rotations. Eventually you can make it move under glass and that erases all the doubts that it could just be a draft or the heat of your hands. Then the question becomes "Where do I go from here?" and it usually leads to trying to move bigger stuff that has more inertia and more friction acting on it. This is where I usually hit my roadblock and get bored.<br />
<br />
Back to consensual reality. Is the shared believe that heavy things should be hard to move what stops us from being able to do it? Can we overcome this sort of passive shared belief with an active personal one? That seems to be the mechanism at work with PK acting on a pinwheel. It is an act of sheer will in the face of everything we've been taught to believe about reality that takes us over that first hurdle. Perhaps that pinwheel enters our personal sphere of reality enough for us to be able to manipulate it free of the constraints of the consensus. Maybe our continued attention, intention, and interest pulls that pinwheel into our sway and away from the collective sway of other minds saying it should sit still no matter how hard we stare at it. Could we overcome bigger obstacles with more time and effort? If you kept pushing this notion of personal reality could you eventually do more?<br />
<br />
Maybe impressive psychokinesis is hard on purpose. Maybe consensual reality is a safeguard for all reality. I mentioned earlier that even after I succeed in making the pinwheel move, at a certain point it rebels against me. It moves but with a seeming mind of its own. Maybe it's trying to get back into that consensual equilibrium. If our minds are so powerful that they contribute to the rules of reality then maybe reality needs a safeguard. If everyone could manipulate matter however they wanted with just their thoughts then imagine what kind of chaos there would be. Or what if just thinking something caused it to happen with no intent on your part? You have a fleeting image of someone being pushed down the stairs and then they go tumbling. What if you didn't want that to happen but it did anyway just because you thought it? Do you see how distressing that could be? We would have to have supreme control of our thoughts and impulses.<br />
<br />
Maybe this is why it's so hard to use psychokinesis. Perhaps this is why it's necessary to build extreme intent to perform PK. If just thinking something caused it to happen we would all be in a lot of trouble. Consensual reality could be helping keep us all safe in this way by building and enforcing the rule that things just don't happen because you think them. This is a good thing.<br />
<br />
It seems the key to psychokinetic ability is riding that line between personal intent and consensual safeguard. We can only push on that barrier for so long until it seems to push back. Maybe this is how uncontrolled psychokinetic activity happens, things that are often blamed on poltergeists? It's just a thought. All of this is just conjecture. I've been thinking on it deeply enough lately that I thought I would share it. Hopefully I've been clear enough that this makes some amount of sense.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-59520103997778786042013-03-17T19:46:00.000-05:002013-05-06T21:51:57.450-05:00Medicine and MysticismI think that eventually anyone that is involved in any kind of mystical or spiritual practice (or anyone that is alive) is going to be faced with a medical condition for which they will be faced with a choice. That choice will be: Do I take an accepted modern treatment for this condition or do I use an alternative treatment? The severity of the condition will obviously play into the decision but ones own principles and beliefs are going to figure in the decision. Do you believe that Big Pharma is solely out to get your money and feed you a treatment with no intent on curing you? Do you feel that alternative treatments are little more than placebos? Are you willing to try anything as long as it works?<br />
<br />
Once you've settled on what you're going to do you're faced with another question: What does this mean for my beliefs and practice? Likely if you chose an alternative treatment you aren't going to have to wrestle with many moral of philosophical issues but if you went the conventional medicine route and depending on your spiritual or mystical leanings, you may have to reconcile some things in your belief system.<br />
<br />
Any of us involved with altered states of consciousness or those of us that deal with things that aren't really there already know the "rational" explanations for these experiences. They're a product of the brain misfiring, chemical reactions, tricks of the light, etc. When you go throwing pharmaceuticals into the mix things get even trickier. You may begin to doubt your experiences even more, even if you haven't already. If your path focuses on energetic or natural healing you may even feel like you're betraying everything you believe in by taking a pill regardless of what you experience. There are a lot of things to consider here.<br />
<br />
I mention all of this because I've been wrestling with many of these questions myself over the last several weeks. I've never been a fan of pharmaceuticals but I've also never had a reason (or need) to use them in the long term. When you have a condition that affects your life in such a way that you're willing to do just about anything for relief, even compromise your beliefs and principles, it starts a ripple that crashes through the core of who you are. I guess writing this is one of the ways that I'm coping with how I'm having to change my belief system. I'm giving evidence based medicine and pharmaceuticals a chance to do what they're supposed to do even though I don't have a lot of faith in them.<br />
<br />
I don't think that the medications I've been using have hindered my ability to be mystical or spiritual but they haven't really been helping my condition either. The side effects have just made it harder to concentrate alongside the condition the medication is supposed to treat. I'm taking a hiatus from mystical endeavors to give the medication an unbiased and uncontaminated chance to work. I don't want any false positives. I have plans to attempt to treat my condition with alternative methods but I'm giving conventional methods their shot first. I'm not keen on taking drugs with lots of side effects that have an unknown mechanism of action but I'm not a neurologist so I'm providing as much optimism as I can muster on that front.<br />
<br />
In the coming weeks I'll try to get back into the groove of things but until this grand experiment is over I can't say when it will be. I have lots of ideas floating around but I can't really test anything at this point and my condition makes it hard to concentrate on anything too mystical, let alone practice it. Thanks for bearing with me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-47356304246229759332013-02-24T21:40:00.001-06:002013-02-24T21:43:38.269-06:00Hiatus at an end.I haven't been very active with this blog or with the paranormal in general for a long while. Short of keeping up with weird news I haven't been doing much at all in regards to the supernatural. Daily modern life and some health issues sidelined my interests for a while and I apologize to all of the people that may have been sad to see me stop updating so much.<br />
<br />
I would like to point out that you're going to notice fewer ads on this blog now. The only ones remaining should be the ones that Google may or may not impose because they own the service. I've closed my AdSense account and because of this there won't be so many ads on the page anymore. I won't be making any money at all off of this blog anymore; not that I made much money in the first place. The reason I bring this up is so you as the audience can know that I'm not in this for the money. I started out with the aim of writing about things I found interesting while maybe getting a few cents here or there for my effort but it was never exactly profitable (I've always had a day job so to speak). Being as unprofitable as it was I decided that there don't need to be that many ads imposed on the readers and I don't need the headache of trying to manage ads.<br />
<br />
This said, I do intend to get back into blogging about all the weird stuff that I find interesting. I don't really have much to share to that effect this time around and I most likely will not be posting everyday as was the convention years ago, but I do want to get back in the swing of posting frequently. I also want to produce higher quality content with perhaps more personal experiences or insights into subjects.<br />
<br />
So since we all didn't perish in the apocalypse I hope all of my readers will stick with me and maybe some new people will start reading too.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-3355755627788534972012-06-24T18:46:00.002-05:002012-06-24T18:46:41.420-05:00Just a few thoughts.I've been taking a bit of an hiatus from posting here because I feel like I've said just about everything there is to say at this time. A lot of times there is a subject or a news piece that I discuss but I rarely have anything to add to that particular item. In many ways when it comes to the paranormal and the occult, it really has all been said before. It seems to be the nature of the esoteric, however, that all things eventually come full circle again.<br />
<br />
Many strange news items appear everyday all over the web that one might ostensibly label paranormal or just plain strange. The items that are genuinely interesting and unexplainable are typically the ones that we never hear about again. This seems to be the way of things with anything worth exploring in this particular field. We can muse and discuss all we like, but it doesn't get us any closer to why we've decided to take up this mantle.<br />
<br />
In light of all of this I've recently decided to take some time to write privately, experiment, and just read and study. I think that eventually every occultist needs to take the time to go back to the drawing board and decide where they want to go from there. I've grown tired of reiterating what's been done before. I want to head to places that haven't seen the light of observation in a long time, or to places newly found. I always have to have something new to stimulate my mind so I keep searching. I suspect it's the same with all true seekers. It's the hunger for discovery.<br />
<br />
There is no overall point to this post. I'm mostly thinking in text for all to read. Maybe it will inspire the reader to examine their own stance and perhaps go after something new. If you don't hear from me for a while take heart that I haven't forgotten about this blog. I'm just off working on other things with the eventual goal of reporting something here that might be truly interesting. My thanks to those of you that still check out this blog from time to time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-75494259192625478512012-05-10T21:03:00.000-05:002012-05-10T21:03:20.885-05:00A lot of lessons.<a href="http://www.dailygrail.com/Guest-Articles/2012/5/Hungry-Ghosts">Hungry Ghosts</a><br />
<br />
There are a lot of lessons in that piece for occultists and paranormal enthusiasts, both green and seasoned.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-73097608034259544812012-04-09T21:29:00.000-05:002012-04-09T21:29:49.827-05:00On HiatusI'll be taking a break from this blog for a while to focus on other pursuits. Hopefully I'll be back with a lot more to discuss. Feel free to leave comments or send me an email in the interim.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-56503075518567103292012-04-01T13:29:00.000-05:002012-04-01T13:29:50.213-05:00Bugarach is still under siege by New Agers.I <a href="http://patentlyparanormal.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-agers-converge-on-french-village.html">posted about this over a year ago </a>but it's making the rounds again with a few updates on the situation.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/321960">Doomsday 2012: Thousands queue for UFO rescue at Pic de Bugarach</a><br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hippies-head-for-noahs-ark-queue-here-for-rescue-aboard-alien-spaceship-7584492.html">Hippies head for Noah’s Ark: Queue here for rescue aboard alien spaceship</a><br />
<br />
I can admire the conviction of these people. They believe something so much that they aren't content to just talk about it or preach it; they're actually out there doing what they believe they should be doing. Regardless of how I differ from them in my beliefs I can respect them for theirs.<br />
<br />
I am a little concerned about what might happen if what they're expecting doesn't happen though. At the same time I don't understand the enmity toward these people that's expressed in the comments on these articles. Can the whole thing be seen as amusing? Sure. However, some of those comments go beyond expressing amusement and seem to express some kind of hatred towards these "hippies." Or maybe it's jealousy of how completely devoted they are to something greater than themselves.<br />
<br />
Maybe we really do need a new spiritual age.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-727442003677868432012-03-26T20:59:00.000-05:002012-03-26T20:59:21.579-05:00Astral Projection Project UpdateI mentioned a few weeks ago that I was undertaking a <a href="http://patentlyparanormal.blogspot.com/2012/01/astral-projection-personal-project.html">personal project</a> to achieve astral projection. To update you on that endeavor I thought I would make a quick post. So far I have not been successful in consciously leaving my body.<br />
<br />
The main issue, in my opinion, has been attaining the right level of relaxation without falling asleep. Maintaining mental awareness is just as necessary as bodily relaxation and I think I typically have too much of a sleep deficit to easily attain this delicate state. I do occasionally experience the vibrations that are characteristic of projection attempts but I have yet to make a successful conscious separation. In years past, even at the height of my practicing, I always had trouble actually getting out even when I reached the vibrational state. For now I'm just trying to get to and hold the vibrations. I'll work on separation when I come to it.<br />
<br />
I hope that by practicing relaxation and getting a little more sleep I'll be able to up my chances of finally getting out on purpose. I'll keep you updated.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-15160479887368033622012-03-18T14:14:00.000-05:002012-03-18T14:14:35.653-05:00Update on the New Phoenix Lights and a New Devil's HoleMy last post was on <a href="http://patentlyparanormal.blogspot.com/2012/03/new-phoenix-lights.html">a mysterious light over Phoenix</a> in the background of a news report. Now it seems that a utility company is coming forward with an explanation.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.openminds.tv/flash-of-light-in-phoenix-identified-901/">Flash of light in Phoenix identified?</a><br />
<br />
I think it's a convenient explanation but probably what actually happened.<br />
<br />
On to something a little more interesting though, there may be a new <a href="http://patentlyparanormal.blogspot.com/2011/08/devils-hole-and-story-of-mel-waters.html">Devil's Hole</a> as made popular by Mel Waters. This one was discovered in Austria and despite the news story trying to downplay it or trivialize it I do find it interesting.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/buried-spacecraft-found-austria-_n_1341622.html">Buried UFO? Metallic Object Found In Hole By Franz Knoglinger In Austria</a><br />
<br />
Only time will tell what's at the bottom of that hole.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-17592664570970711692012-03-11T22:26:00.000-05:002012-03-11T22:26:42.263-05:00The New Phoenix LightsIn 1997 there were strange lights over Phoenix, Arizona. Now there is another mystery lighting up the night sky.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/10/flashing-phoenix-lights-a_n_1336382.html">Flashing Phoenix Lights A Mystery</a><br />
<br />
This phenomenon, while different in appearance from the original Phoenix Lights, is no less mysterious or interesting. I cant wait to see if anyone figures this one out. Anyone have any ideas?<br />
<br />
Here's more on the 1997 event above Phoenix: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Lights">Phoenix Lights</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-65017251833429028742012-03-04T20:47:00.000-06:002012-03-04T20:47:21.976-06:00Two Ways of Looking at the WorldIt occurred to me that there are essentially two fundamental ways of looking at the world around us. There is the perspective that everything is connected and there is the perspective that everything is separate and distinct. It's my feeling that this is the primary issue that science and occultism differ on that gives rise to so many other disagreements.<br />
<br />
In all schools of occultism everything is predicated on a fundamental connection between all pieces of the universe. How can the stars and planets influence earthly events or gemstones and plants add their virtues to a spell? Everything is connected by virtue of being a part of the same creation. This same connection is what allows the magician to draw power from the Akasha or command a spirit in the name of a deity. This connection is necessary to everything considered to be magical. The whys tend to be more important than the hows in this way of thinking.<br />
<br />
The scientific method is all about separating and isolating things to observe how they work on their own and then combining these observations to predict how things will work together. It focuses on the obvious causality of objects bumping into each other and an action causing an equal and opposite reaction. This way of gaining knowledge assumes no inherent connection between all existence in the way that the occult sciences do and focuses entirely on a "strings and pulleys" modality. It excels at finding the hows but does little to answer the whys.<br />
<br />
So which is superior? Neither in my opinion. Each has it's positives and negatives. The connected view asserts a deep connection between all things but very rarely goes so far as to flesh out the specific rules of these connections or interactions. A "good enough" attitude carries far and as long as something works there's not a lot of reason to question or explain it. The separate view is pretty good at discerning the physical virtues of a given thing on its own but neglects that in Nature everything is constantly interacting with everything else. Nothing exists in a perfect vacuum. Because of this the scientific understanding is not necessarily true to life and the very nature of the scientific method excludes it from being able to observe things on a more holistic level, without isolation.<br />
<br />
This being the case, I can see potential value in a synthesis of these two approaches. Applying occult philosophy to scientific exploration and applying the scientific method to metaphysical operations would only serve to broaden our horizons and expand our understanding. Isn't that what it's all really about anyway? I am not naive enough to expect this idea to be taken seriously by mainstream academia though. I offer it as inspiration to fellow occultists and magicians who are looking for a way to refine and develop their art. Take a cue from science and explore and record. Try something new and document it. Actually, I find it easy to take occult inspiration from scientific knowledge of a given process or substance.<br />
<br />
Those of a scientific mind may still be able to appreciate the fact that everything is made of the same stuff (matter and energy) and did ultimately come from the same place (the beginning of the universe). It's truly profound regardless of one's paradigm and I think it captures the feeling of awe that drives both scientists and occultists.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-8467007797272528472012-02-26T21:35:00.000-06:002012-02-26T21:35:18.724-06:00Lake Music of Yellowstone Park<a href="http://www.yellowstonegate.com/2012/02/no-explanation-for-mysterious-lake-music-reported-by-many-yellowstone-visitors/">No explanation for mysterious ‘lake music’ reported by many Yellowstone visitors</a><br />
<br />
This is the first I've ever heard of this phenomenon but I find it pretty interesting. It would seem to fall into the category of Forteana labeled brontides. Given the recent media buzz concerning mysterious trumpet sounds coming out of nowhere I'm wondering if anyone else will see similarities with this "lake music." Mysterious and unexplained sounds seem to be coming to the forefront as of late and I can't wait to see if more will be reported.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-50740518024209263532012-02-19T21:55:00.000-06:002012-02-19T21:55:24.916-06:00The Power of StonesRecently I've been reading more into the esoteric or magical properties of gems, stones, and crystals. I had a cursory knowledge of this area of magic before but had never taken much interest in it as far as actual practice though. That has changed recently and I picked up a few specimens at a recent metaphysical fair to get me started.<br />
<br />
My opinion on the power of stones is that they are a way to trigger things within us as well as ways for us to focus on particular energies. I'm not sure if stones have any intrinsic power unrelated to what we give to them but I don't doubt that they have power within the context of magic and mysticism. I've actually acquired a couple of stones specifically to help me out with <a href="http://patentlyparanormal.blogspot.com/2012/01/astral-projection-personal-project.html">my astral projection project</a>.<br />
<br />
Stones aren't anything new in magic but the New Age movement has brought the use of crystals and semi-precious stones more into the mainstream. As with just about anything New Age there seems to be quite a bit of conflicting information concerning individual stones. One source will attribute certain properties and another source will attribute different ones. Most of the time these properties are fairly similar or at least related and I've not come across too many outright contradictions between sources. That said, I use what sources tell me as guidelines. I realize that a particular stone may not behave the same for different people so I trust my gut. As cheesy as it may sound I think the best approach is to let the stone tell me what it can do rather than other people.<br />
<br />
Even if one doesn't use stones in their own practice they may wish to look into the folklore associated with specific stones as it's rather fascinating. For anyone studying mysticism or esoterica the folklore surrounding stones can be informative of how a certain culture saw the world around them and the stones they pulled from the earth. It provides a window into our ancestors' minds in a way. For the student that actively engages in magic, folklore can provide ideas and inspiration.<br />
<br />
Something worth mentioning for the person that may be interested in getting started with stones is that most stones are not very expensive. The most expensive piece I purchased recently was a tumbled celestite for $3.50. Prices can be much lower for raw stones such as the small amethyst point I bought for 75 cents a few months ago. Naturally, the higher the quality or value of the specimen the more it's going to cost, but getting started with a few basic stones with lots of ascribed attributes can be done for $10 or less depending on what specific stones you're looking for.<br />
<br />
If anyone has any tips or tricks related to stone, gem, or crystal magic then feel free to share in the comments below. Here is a link to a site that I've found has some associations and correspondences for some stones I've found missing in the books I have that discuss the subject:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.psychic-revelation.com/reference/a_d/crystals/crystal_properties_uses.html">Psychic Revelation - Crystal Properties & Uses</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-77366832851729810232012-02-14T21:22:00.000-06:002012-02-14T21:22:03.967-06:00UFOs, Aliens, and the ParanormalI've blogged extensively about the connections between the UFO phenomenon and folkloric accounts of fairies and spirits. I've also written a little bit about some government conspiracy theories. Now, taking a turn toward unifying all of this strangeness, I present this article that I very much enjoyed reading:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.newdawnmagazine.com/articles/behind-the-mask-aliens-or-cosmic-jokers">Behind the Mask: Aliens or Cosmic Jokers?</a><br />
<br />
Hopefully you'll all find it as intriguing and interesting as I did. All of this talk of the Nine is new to me which just goes to show that no matter how much you think you've heard of, there's always something else out there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-2270291189474028802012-02-06T22:01:00.000-06:002012-02-06T22:01:27.890-06:00Contradiction and Duality in EsotericaAnyone that has delved into the occult or other forms of esoterica has probably noticed that there is a lot of contradiction going on in. Not necessarily in the sense of saying one thing and then saying another but more along the lines of taking two sides of a duality and combining them. It recently occurred to me that this is done for a very good reason.<br />
<br />
As humans we tend to see the world in pairs of opposites: hot and cold, wet and dry, light and dark, good and evil. The list goes on and on. In truth, reality is a continuum of these assorted extremes but that doesn't stop us from categorizing things by what they are opposed to. This is just how we make sense of our world. This said, how can we understand the true nature of the world, the continuum, without combining these opposites in some way?<br />
<br />
At the boundary where opposites meet, or even in that gradient between them, we find beautiful contradiction and dynamic interplay. This brings us to phrases like "the Middle Way" and to concepts like the androgynous Mercury that is a mixture of male and female. As Terence said, "Moderation in all things." I think this applies to belief systems and ideas as well. Perhaps we can only understand the extremes by seeing how they interact with one another. To know cold one has to know warmth.<br />
<br />
I think that there is another, more important reason for expressing esoteric ideas in contradictions and riddles though. I think this is because some ideas or concepts can only be expressed by contradiction. Contradiction forces us to think outside of our typical day-to-day categorization. It frees our minds of the chains of physicality for a moment to consider the impossible, the higher realms of mind and spirit. Contradictions such as "cold fire" force us into a non-linear state of mind which is conducive to spiritual exploration and allows us to gain an inkling of the infinite.<br />
<br />
Contradictions aren't always used to obfuscate information in esoteric texts. Sometimes that's the only way to actually convey the teachings. Some things cannot be expressed in words and sometimes the best we can do is guide the mind to that truth with something that ostensibly doesn't make much sense. It's not necessarily about reserving information for the chosen ones that can decipher the text; it's also about using that language to guide seekers to the state of mind necessary to really grasp what's being conveyed. Keep this in mind the next time you're reading through an old grimoire or religious text. You may begin to see things in a new light.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-71351719247090214992012-01-29T17:52:00.000-06:002012-01-29T17:52:47.437-06:00Astral Projection - A Personal ProjectAstral projection is a subject that seems like a no-brainer for someone like me to be interested in. For me, the interesting part is how hard it's been for me to get much experience at all with this phenomenon. Most other mystical or esoteric phenomena I've made an effort to accomplish came comparatively easy with a little focused intent and study, but astral projection is one of those things that is almost infuriating in how hard it is for me to do it.<br />
<br />
I've read book after book, tried the standard techniques, tried to develop my own theory and methods, and yet I've had very limited success. Part of my problem is that I seem to only ever have time or desire to try it out after I lie down to go to sleep for the night which is a huge no-no for conscious astral projection. To date the best I've ever been able to accomplish are some lucid dreams and some false awakenings and even those were entirely by accident. Typically what happens is I lie in a trance, experience vibrations and sensations of motion, maybe feel my limbs floating about, but I just never seem to be able to make it completely out of my body.<br />
<br />
Instead of giving up like some people might, I'm actually going to pick astral projection back up after many months of disinterest. This is actually the project I mentioned in my last post regarding getting back into doing stuff. My thinking is that if I continually study astral projection, make an effort to practice some standard techniques, and get my mind right as to how I think it works then maybe I'll get lucky one of these times and go zooming out amongst the cosmos.<br />
<br />
So the first part of my project is a formal statement of intent here. Maybe with it written for all to see I'll have a little more motivation to get it right this time. This will also be a way for me to eventually give some kind of progress report or at least relay what I've learned. Anyone that has any advice or experiences is more than welcome to share them below in the comments. Wish me luck.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-47266819882629332192012-01-23T22:41:00.000-06:002012-01-23T22:41:25.079-06:00The Tepaphone - Black Magic Meets TechnologyI learned of the tepaphone while reading a novel that mentioned it in passing but it was one of those things that I forgot about for years until I reread the book a few months ago. Curious about the word, I decided to look it up online and what do you know? The tepaphone is a real (and perhaps very dangerous) piece of occult lore.<br />
<br />
The tepaphone is essentially a black magic psychotronic death ray. Using magic to hurt people is probably as old as magic but leave it to the Germans to build a machine to optimize the whole ordeal. Conceived of by a secret German occult order, the tepaphone is supposedly a combination of wire coils and lenses used to project some kind of energy onto a target that would harm them greatly. Now, when I hear about this my mind goes spinning, dreaming up explanations for how this type of device works from an occult perspective (and I do have a few ideas) but without actually seeing one I'm not sure I can know for sure.<br />
<br />
Having taken a professional interest in optics as of late I find it fascinating that lenses are at work in this device. I wonder what effect they produce while also considering the symbolic power of something that can bend the path of light or even split it into its constituent parts. I guess I'm mostly interested in the possibility of combining something from my mundane life with something from my magical life to get a powerful effect at the end. I wouldn't think this type of device would be limited solely to hurting people either, if it were modified.<br />
<br />
I don't know if I'll ever build a tepaphone of my own but it has definitely sparked my imagination to maybe try some new things when it comes to magic (or even psychotronics/radionics). If my surmising of the principles behind the tepaphone is correct then I'd think one wouldn't need to salvage an old magic lantern to build a rough replica to experiment with. It could be as simple as a consecrated flame and a way to creatively direct some intention.<br />
<br />
The articles below will more than whet the appetite of any interested occultist. Credit to the respective authors for inspiring this post and my explorations into this area of the mystical.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://josephmax.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/tepaphone-the-magickal-death-ray/">Tepaphone – The Magickal Death Ray</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/offbeat/machine.html">STRANGE MACHINES</a><br />
<a href="http://www.charlescosimano.com/tepaphone.html">Oh Tepaphone, Oh Tepaphone</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-761896857780546912012-01-15T15:55:00.000-06:002012-01-15T15:55:33.789-06:00Doing StuffA problem that I encounter a lot in paranormal or occult groups is a that there is a lot of discussing and philosophizing but not a lot of practice. Granted, it's difficult to do any sort of group practice when the group is hosted on a message board or chat server. However, I feel it's important to guard against <a href="http://patentlyparanormal.blogspot.com/2011/06/armchair-occultism.html">armchair occultism</a> which is too easy to fall into. Day-to-day life tends to get in the way of metaphysical efforts but recognizing this is the first step in doing something about it.<br />
<br />
Lately I've found myself invested in mundane concerns with not a lot of time to devote to occultism. When I do find time I usually spend it on the computer or in front of the television. Recognizing this, I'm going to make more of an effort to actually do something in the realm of the paranormal and occult. This may start as just reading another book for inspiration but I have a project in mind and a goal I want to work toward. I'm sure that I'm not the only occultist that has had this happen to them. I think that taking a break from occult or spiritual projects is sometimes necessary in order to rest and gain some perspective.<br />
<br />
Now I'm ready to pick it back up again. Ready to do more rather than just talk about doing more. Hopefully this can serve as some inspiration to my fellow occultists out there that are tired of just learning stuff and now want to do stuff. Thanks to the people that have stressed doing stuff in the past and tried to get all of us lazy occultists motivated again. You know who you are. So what are you waiting for? Go do something.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-23734308627460811162012-01-08T22:11:00.000-06:002012-01-08T22:11:04.962-06:002012 Scenarios Debunked<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/01/pictures/120103-end-of-world-maya-calendar-apocalypse-nasa-new-year/">2012 Pictures: 6 Maya Apocalypse Myths Debunked</a><br />
<br />
This is something to think about for anyone feeling on edge this year. This debunking says nothing of unforeseen supernatural influences but it does give a little more insight into the date and the theories that are getting passed around. There are, of course, many more individual theories of apocalypse as well as theories of transformation.<br />
<br />
I don't worry about it too much. Whatever is coming, if anything, is totally beyond my control. An event of this magnitude is on a scale so large that my worry and fear will do absolutely nothing to thwart it. As such I don't worry about it. I just go on with my life. If this really is the last year then I'm going to live it how I want, not cowering in fear of something I have no control over. Live life to the fullest whether the world ends tonight, tomorrow, in December, or never.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-6487349260289256092012-01-04T14:14:00.000-06:002012-01-04T14:14:39.080-06:00A New Year of Weird StuffThe New Year is upon us and it should be an interesting one. The culmination of this 2012 business along with the usual paranormal news should keep seekers of the strange busy. Stephen Wagner over at the Paranormal Phenomena section of About.com has compiled a recap of 2011's paranormal news stories and events, some of which I shared here over the course of the year.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://paranormal.about.com/od/paranormalbasics/a/2011-paranormal-activity.htm">Top Paranormal Events of 2011</a><br />
<br />
Reading through the list made me realize how many strange things actually occur that see some kind of news exposure. Speaking of strange things and news exposure, there's already been a strange event similar to one that happened a year ago: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080859/Dead-blackbirds-Beebe-Sign-apocalypse-thousands-die-New-Years-Eve.html">another New Years bird die-off in Arkansas.</a><br />
<br />
What a way to start off the year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-41174351852879905542011-12-18T21:04:00.000-06:002011-12-18T21:04:57.677-06:00Falling Fruit and More Spontaneous Human Combustion<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8956076/Apples-fall-from-the-sky-over-Coventry.html">Apples fall from the sky over Coventry</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/gothenburg-man-station-fire-sweden-2011-11">Mysterious Man Bursts Into Flames At Swedish Train Station</a><br />
<br />
Just a couple of weird news stories for you this week. As the Holiday Season ramps up I'll have less time to work on this blog so it may be 2012 before I can post an update. I wish you all good will into the new year and hopefully 2012 will bring good fortune for us all!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-47391862813751458662011-12-11T21:42:00.000-06:002011-12-11T21:42:12.328-06:00Ghost Hunting AppsI recently downloaded a "ghost detector" application for my Android phone. I had previously heard of these apps and didn't really think much of them but I downloaded one of the many free ones out of curiosity. After looking into how they work and playing with this one for a little while I've decided that it's probably not a reliable tool for paranormal investigation but it is something to get you thinking and hopefully doing.<br />
<br />
The particular app that I downloaded has three features. One is a "ghost radar" that uses an algorithm to process faint sensory data and then tells you where spirits may be around you on a classic radar screen, the ghosts represented as white dots. I've noticed that this feature seems to really love background noise and that seems to be the main way it establishes where spirits may be from my observations. I can't say for certain that it doesn't detect ghosts, just that it seems like it would give a lot of false positives.<br />
<br />
This app also has an EMF detector. It utilizes the phone's built-in magnetometer to detect fluctuations in the electromagnetic field around the phone. This functions as a basic metal detector as well as a gauge of EMF levels (and indeed metal detector apps also detect changes in EMF). This may be the coolest part of the whole app in my opinion but I found the readout to be really basic. It will only tell you on an arbitrary scale of one to ten how high the activity is. I much prefer a metal detector app I have that gives you the readout in microteslas with a graph of activity over time. That said, the ghost detector app got me interested in experimenting with EMF and paranormal phenomena.<br />
<br />
The third and final feature the app offers is an "EVP" mode which appears to show you random words based on some mysterious algorithm. I think it's supposed to function like a K2 meter but I'm not sure. I'm thinking that it just processes subtle auditory data and then churns out something but I don't really know. I've not played around with this feature very much.<br />
<br />
All of this from an app that didn't cost me a thing. Keeping this in mind I would encourage anyone interested to try one of these free ghost detecting apps out if they have the interest. Aside from the novelty factor it's got me wondering about what would happen if an EMF detector was set up during an evocation, or the "ghost radar" for that matter. I also wonder if the EMF detector could be influenced by psychic phenomena such as psychokinesis or could be used to test the claims of SLIders. I mostly just want to see if there really is any correlation between EMF disturbances and the paranormal.<br />
<br />
Feel free to comment about your own experiences with these types of apps and how you feel about them in general. I'm thinking that some of the apps that cost money probably have more features of better quality but the free ones are all I'm willing to work with at the moment. Happy hunting!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-65697981277675545112011-12-04T13:59:00.000-06:002011-12-04T13:59:44.291-06:00Has the Voynich Manuscript finally been cracked?<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/12/02/prophet-god-claims-solved-mystery-voynich-manuscript/">Mysterious Manuscript's Code Has Been Cracked, 'Prophet of God' Claims</a><br />
<br />
I find the Voynich Manuscript to be fascinating. It sends the imagination running wild with possibilities of what it says and who wrote it. Now a self-proclaimed "Prophet of God" claims to have deciphered the manuscript. If you don't really know what the Voynich Manuscript is then take a look at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voynich_manuscript">this article on Wikipedia</a>.<br />
<br />
I have this hope that the Voynich Manuscript contains arcane knowledge from the distant past but I acknowledge that is wishful thinking. Without being able to read the manuscript it appears to be a book on herbalism. However, it seems that most of the plants that are illustrated do not match known species. This leads me to think that maybe the book has a deeper, more intuitive meaning. The "prophet" claiming to have deciphered the text seems to have a similar idea, claiming that the language is a channeled language.<br />
<br />
The ultimate test for this translation will probably be whether the information can be corroborated in some way. It would be especially interesting if an eventual computerized translation ended up saying the same thing as this translation by a "Prophet of God". My own views on the Voynich Manuscript as of this time are that the book may be some kind of allegory pointing toward deeper occult truths. I have no real evidence to support this view, only the knowledge that the plants shown don't seem to match known species of plants and the language used (if a language at all) has withstood all attempts to decipher it in any objective kind of way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-88394501765390243122011-11-25T19:57:00.000-06:002011-11-25T19:57:30.885-06:00More evidence for a 2012 apocalypse?<a href="http://www.newser.com/story/134059/2nd-mayan-tablet-points-to-2012-apocalypse.html">2nd Mayan Tablet Linked to 2012 Apocalypse</a><br />
<br />
I don't think that there will be a literal end to the world on December 21st, 2012. I think that the Maya were probably using metaphor to describe the cycles of time as they saw them. The cycles of nature are evident all around us and were more important to our ancestors than they are to us now. The imagery of large-scale destruction followed by rebirth shows how seriously our ancestors took the cycles that govern our existence as well as how closely they were paying attention to the world around them.<br />
<br />
I can only hope that we enter some kind of golden age at the end of next year. However, Nature teaches us that destruction and creation are two sides of the same coin and one begets the other.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380043491005846842.post-38816092409652955452011-11-19T20:27:00.000-06:002011-11-19T20:27:14.961-06:00Scientific Mediumship and Weird Stuff in the Desert<a href="http://noetic.org/noetic/issue-sixteen-november/can-mediums-really-talk-to-the-dead/">Can Mediums Really Talk to the Dead?</a><br />
<br />
This is a transcript published in the Noetic Now Journal that discusses the scientific efforts to determine whether mediums can really talk to the dead. I found it very interesting, especially the part about certifying that the mediums tested have actual ability. This is definitely something to keep an eye on in my opinion.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5859081/why-is-china-building-these-gigantic-structures-in-the-middle-of-the-desert">Why Is China Building These Gigantic Structures In the Middle of the Desert?</a><br />
<br />
I'm not even sure what to say about this particular story of strange structures in the Chinese desert. There seem to be as many theories as there are strange designs cut into the sand. Theories range from targeting grids for weapons to a device like the HAARP array in Alaska. I think that it's probably something mundane relating to satellites but the designs are very eerie indeed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0