The Eyes And Ears Of The Spirit

[Traveler]

It is my general impression that few of our culture understand spiritual things. Spiritual experiences are deemed out of the ordinary, unusual, fantastic and only associated with religion, weird or the ultra normal. I am not posting this for doctrine, nor am I attempting to convert anyone to an ideology. I am one posting for awaking of someone that may wish to do so.

It has been discovered that most of the light of our universe is outside the human sensory capability. Consider another possibility – that much of what lies behind the machinery of our universe is undetected by our five senses. The ghost in the machine seems to remain man’s continual unsolved mystery. Even in religious circles where we are taught from infancy that we all have a ghost in our physical machinery seem to be forever out of contact and lost to any regular spiritual connections.

So it is that I offer an exercise in spiritual observations and listening. There is no magic, no believe and you can see, no group to join and no school in which to enroll or teacher to give grade. All that is required is you.

Therefore, I offer a simple first exercise but I must explain that most of us are dominated and overcome by the inputs to our 5 physical sensors that we cannot connect with our very quiet spiritual sense. So the first task is to find a time and a place to minimize the physical interruptions. A quiet place that is boring. No distractions – no TV, no phone, no computer, no music, no family or friends asking questions. To begin a spiritual quest finding a quiet place is the most difficult.

Step 2. Unencumber yourself with what occupies you. Just for one hour, forget about time, work, school, family, friends, religion, obligations, hopes, dreams and devote one hour to a quiet experiment. An experiment in spiritual awakening.

Finely – now that you are alone take a deep breath and make yourself comfortable. If it helps close your eyes and now quietly become aware of yourself. The first awareness that I would suggest is to become aware of your thoughts. Let your thoughts dance through your conscientiousness but as they pass into your awareness – study them. I suggest you make an attempt to distinguish which thought are your own that you manufacture from within yourself and which thoughts seem to be forced into you from some unknown outside place.

See if you can figure out why you have the thoughts you do. Do you like your thoughts? What seems to motivate your thoughts? Something within or something without. Do you think your thoughts are valuable? If so to who? To you alone or to others? You will be looking with spiritual eyes into a spiritual mirror seeing your spiritual self. I hope you like what you see. If you like you may post of your experience or if you like send me a private message. Enjoy. When you finish I will tell you some very interesting things that you experienced. I will not tell you anything about you but we will be able to realize some interesting things about how your spiritual awareness finds expression (if you wish).

The Traveler

[Adomini22]

Good experiment. You are right about finding a solitary place to do this. That was a hard thing to do.

[pushka]

Sounds like practising meditation and mindfulness to me...I'm about to start an 8 weeks course in that, so I will feed back anything that might be relevant to this thread.

[Annabelli]

I have read this exercise before and it is usually in psychic books. It is a very dangerous exercise and has led me to places that I would not have otherwise like to have been. It does not promote religious spiritual awareness.

[Annabelli]

I have read this exercise before and it is usually in psychic books. It is a very dangerous exercise and has led me to places that I would not have otherwise like to have been. It does not promote religious spiritual awareness.

I should also add that this is a form of self hypnosis. And that is to also add without a guide or psychiatrist.

[Traveler]

Pushka and Annabelli: Thank you for your response. However, I have not suggested anything like a trance. There is no single focus, mantra or repetition, we are not practicing self hypnosis, unless thinking and studying something in detail is a form of self hypnosis. There is nothing psychic going on; nothing out of the ordinary. Just an effort to understand your own thoughts and where they come from.

I am suggesting what is known as the art of pondering and meditating on a principle. Knowing from where our thought originate is most important in pondering and meditating upon scripture and will help us determine why there seems to be so many different answers to the same questions.

Now I will ask the both of you a very important question. Why do you think – why did you come to the conclusion that I was suggesting something psychic or hypnotic? If it was something I posted – I would be very interested what sparked that thought in your understanding and convinced you that it was the central theme.

The Traveler

[Annabelli]

Traveler: Your original post is not something new and has been used in all forms. Right now it is used with Indigo Studies and Programs.

[Traveler]

Traveler: Your original post is not something new and has been used in all forms. Right now it is used with Indigo Studies and Programs.

I am well aware that the principles I suggested to "clear your mind" are not new and are used in many disciplines from public speaking and sports to playing chess, solving difficult math and physics problems and even overcoming addictions and anger management. None of which surprise me. But a hypnotic trance? Is any effort at thought management or control of one’s thoughts a form of self hypnosis in your mind?

If there is anything new that I am suggesting it is that we evaluate and study our thoughts; in particular, why or how we come about our thoughts. I believe you stated that I was “imposing” a form of self hypnosis. I guess I will not argue the point – especially if there is no interest. But you have not answered my question. And that is - Why are you thinking this is a form of self hypnosis. Where and why did you have that thought - I do not believe you were born with it or that it was always there but I could be wrong. In the end only you can answer the question - only you can discover or study your thoughts - if indeed they are your thoughts.

The Traveler

[prisonchaplain]

I'll have to come back to this string. Next week I'm teaching a class on Christian disciplines, based on Richard J. Foster's Celebration of Discipline. The book is 25 years old, and really attempts to call us back to ancient church practices.

Ironically, the first discipline is meditation. So...like I said...I'll have to revisit this, once I prepare the lesson.

[Annabelli]

Easy instructions to for powerful self-hypnosis. Tap the power of the inner mind

www.bcx.net/hypnosis/induct.htm

This site just about covers your first post.

[Gaia]

See if you can figure out why you have the thoughts you do. Do you like your thoughts? What seems to motivate your thoughts?

GAIA:

Hello Traveler --

These are excellent questions.

I'm reminded of the scripture, "OUt of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." (Matthew 12:24); I think that's true of the mind "thinking", too :)

Blessings -

~Gaia

I have read this exercise before and it is usually in psychic books. It is a very dangerous exercise and has led me to places that I would not have otherwise like to have been. It does not promote religious spiritual awareness.

GAIA:

Hello Anabelli --

Sorry you had such a negative experience.

I guess i'd like to ask you, what do you consider to be "religious spiritual awareness", and how would that manifest?

Blessings --

~Gaia

[sixpacktr]

I'll have to come back to this string. Next week I'm teaching a class on Christian disciplines, based on Richard J. Foster's Celebration of Discipline. The book is 25 years old, and really attempts to call us back to ancient church practices.

Ironically, the first discipline is meditation. So...like I said...I'll have to revisit this, once I prepare the lesson.

We are taught to ponder the scriptures as we read them, and to me that is like meditation, i.e., think upon them, try to grasp the meaning, listen to the spirit tell us the intent of the verse, liken it to us.

'Speed reading' the scriptures really doesn't help you grow, IMO...

[prisonchaplain]

Six, I agree with you 100%. My understanding of the OT "meditate on my word" commands, is that it primarily meant thinking about how to obey God. My commentary suggests that Jewish prayer/meditation was almost never completely silent.

I'm not against being silent to hear God's voice. However, simpleton that I am, I rather like the idea that meditate mostly means to think about.

[Gwen]

even if self hypnosis was being discussed; what is wrong with that?

i think pondering your thoughts, where they come from, and why is a wonderful thing to do and can be done in many ways or settings. i find the celestial room to be a great place for it. i go and do an endowment session first if i can (honestly cause the two hours are so uneventful that it clears my head of all the mess i'm stressed over; that is the hardest part for me). durring that 2 hours i try to sift through the things that are cluttering my thoughts and pick out the things that i need to deal with the most, the answers i need the most. ok so i admit it i do very little listening to the session. after i get to the celestial room i sit until everyone has left. while i'm waiting for ppl to leave i love to look at all the colors in the room, particularly in the stained glass and the chandileres (?sp). i find it peacfull. once everyone leaves i close my eyes and start to ponder. i ask questions, i analize recent choices, what kinds of choices i have to make in the near future, the things that i sifted through in the endowment session. i've sat there for well over an hour before. it's wonderful. i've gotten so many answers before. it's a great spiritual recentering. i truely leave with my burden lifted, understanding something more about myself and my life.

i'm not sure i understand the following comment though.

When you finish I will tell you some very interesting things that you experienced. I will not tell you anything about you but we will be able to realize some interesting things about how your spiritual awareness finds expression (if you wish).

The Traveler

[prisonchaplain]

By way of information, most of the religious criticisms of meditation equate it with New Age or Eastern Mysticism, and suggest that it leaves one's mind open to demonic influence. This concern is most often raised in association with forms of contemplation that encourage an emptying of the mind, and a ceasing of all conscious thought.

Personally, I see a potential for danger. Our desire ought not to be emptiness (a Buddhist construct), but rather to be filled with God's Spirit and direction.

[Traveler]

I find the discussions quite interesting but I am also concerned that many fear demonic influences in confronting their thoughts. I will not argue that point – assuming you know yourself better than I do. I read the links to self hypnosis and though the first step is to relax, I believe there is an error in understanding – I really do not believe that someone is only capable of relaxing by entering a hypnotic state nor do I believe that by relaxing and avoiding physical stimulus one is practicing self hypnosis. I do not care that anyone should try something they do not wish to try.

I wonder what some do if they are left to ponder their thoughts in quiet reverence. I am quite surprised that the criticism of looking inward or seeing with a spiritual eye is opposed mostly by those of religious persuasion. I am grateful to those that recognize that fasting and prayer are conducive to divine and holy spirits and not demonic influences. I really wonder how some hear the “still small voice” of G-d amidst the thunder of modern noise. Do you understand what the word “Carnal” means? How can you know the true G-d if you do not worship him in “spirit” rather than by that which is carnal?

I would suggest that demonic influences are more likely found in the un-relaxed and many voices on the internet, at movies, on TV, some kinds of music and even in public and private schools. But my intent is not to argue the point – only suggest becoming acquainted with one’s heart and mind. (I am not suggesting open brain or open heart surgery in order to see and feel you heart and mind)

I will say this much – I first become acquainted with my thoughts when I fasted in the wilderness for over a month. Part of this time (over a week) I spent without encountering another human or even any indirect way of receiving any other human thoughts other than my own. For those that have tried what I have asked – I promised I would reveal something about your thoughts.

However, I now regret bringing up this subject so I now will speak lest directly knowing that those that have eyes will see and those that have ears will hear. When you listened to you thoughts – how were your thoughts different or the same as the language you speak?

For those of you that are sure meditating and “clearing” your thoughts from the cares of the world leave you susceptible to evil influences consider some of the suggestions of Christ from Matt Chapter 6:

Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.

And why take ye thought for raiment?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Take no thought for the morrow.

Or as the scriptures say in another place. “Be still and see the salvation of the L-rd”

The Traveler