What is Spiritualism?

In a nutshell, Spiritualism is the belief (or to Spiritualists, the knowledge) that individual consciousness survives the death of the physical body and, under certain circumstances, is able to communicate with those who remain physically alive.

Although often credited to Emanuel Swedenborg, Spiritualism took off in 1848 when sisters Kate and Margaret Fox of Hydesville New York began to experience rappings that were attributed to the Spirit of a murdered peddler. Though debate continues as to the authenticity of the Fox sisters' phenomena, the momentum started by their "experiences" created a worldwide movement that continues to this day. (more…)

Reunions - Visionary Encounters With Departed Loved Ones

Dr Raymond Moody is the scientist who not only brought knowledge of the near-death experience to the masses, he also made a respectable discipline of research into the topic. In Reunions - Visionary Encounters With Departed Loved Ones, Moody brings the scientific method to the ancient, but much derided, practice of mirror gazing.

Reunions begins with the long history of mirror gazing, describing how many cultures have used looking into reflective surfaces to invoke altered states of consciousness. In its time it has gone from widespread acceptance, through condemnation as evil sorcery, to the rationalist ridicule.

Moody goes on to describe how he built a modern-day psychomanteum (apparition chamber) in his old gristmill in Alabama and how he prepared participants for their sittings. It seems that proximity to nature, stimulation through decor and art, and being somehow disconnected from the contemporary world (eg hiding all timepieces) are all positive factors in promoting apparitions. Relaxation and an attitude of not really trying also help facilitate visions.

Moody found that a surprisingly high proportion (more than 50%) of participants have some kind of experience at their first sitting and gives some remarkable accounts of what they reported. Rather than just seeing visions within the speculum (mirror), some participants reported apparitions leaving the mirror to be physically with them, others reported actually entering the mirror themselves. Particularly amazing is that some participants, including Moody himself, reported being visited by life-like apparitions some time after leaving the chamber.

Are the "apparitions" genuinely the spirits of departed loved ones, or are they merely creations of the subconscious minds of the percipients. The book does not pass judgment on this, but the observers' strength of certainty they were real suggests the former. The author has confirmed that participants have reported being given information by the apparitions that they did not previously know and that was later verified to be correct. The couple of accounts of shared visions are particularly interesting as these indicate that the observers were seeing something independent of their own individual minds.

The Spiritual view is that we are all essentially Spirit, temporarily encased in flesh. By altering our level of consciousness, disengaging with physical reality and going deeper within ourselves we draw closer to our Spiritual essence and hence to its connection to the Spiritual realm.

For my own part I must admit to being slightly, inexplicably, afraid to try the techniques described. Though I do admit that shortly after my father's passing I was just gazing aimlessly at my reflection in a glass-fronted piece of furniture when my appearance seemed to take on that of my father's. Of course the family resemblance may offer an explanation...

Also by Raymond Moody:
Life After Life
The Light Beyond

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Have You Been Here Before?

The concept of reincarnaton is an ancient one, dating back long before the time of Christ.

Basically, reincarnation is the view that living entities consist of two parts, a physical body, and a non-physical "soul". The body functions for a finite time, during which it is closely allied to the soul, but when it ceases to function (ie physical death) the soul is released to some day be born again in a new body.

Belief in reincarnation is most common within Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism.

Reinarnation is currently rejected by much of Christianity. One can only surmise this is because it is perceived as a threat to the power of the Church. The Bible is certainly in accord with the idea, eg "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 'Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?'" (John 9:1-2)

Many people at some time in their lives experience a sense of deja vu, ie of having been somewhere before that they're actually visiting for the first time.

There have been some remarkable accounts of reincarnation providing a substantial body of evidence for the truth of the phenomenon, eg see Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation by Ian Stevenson for some of the very best.

Past-life regression is a hypntic technique that is said to help people remember previous lives. EG see Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss , Living Your Past Lives: The Psychology of Past-Life Regression by Karl Schlotterbeck.

So, is reicarnation real? I believe it is, but not for everyone.

Spiritually we are all part of a single unity which, for want of a better name, might be called "God". We individuate, or break of from the one-ness in order to experience and interact with other (parts of God). One of the arenas in which we gain that experience is the physical universe, and within that, planet Earth.

Some parts of God never choose to incarnate here - it's to tough a choice. For others, once is enough. But some do choose to return - sometimes many times over - in order to complete unfinished lessons, undertake new learning, or to assist others along their journey.

We each belong to a "soul group", a part of God that individuated, and then indivduated furthe into the members of a soul group. Often sould group members choose to incarnate together, and to interact while here, each playing a different role to facilitate the learning process. That part is not always a "positive" one in earthly terms. Our fellow soul group members may turn out to be the school bully who gives us a horrible time, but only afterwards may we realize how much we learned from the difficulties experienced.

Reincarnation may explain some aspects of our lives such as recurring themes which for all our efforts we seem unable to escape. In our instinctive (unrationalized) thoughts and feelings and in our dreams we may find clues to our previous lives, and perhaps our true purpose in being here.

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You Have Been Here Before: Reincarnation - A Review

You Have Been Here Before: Reincarnation by Seiyu Kiriyama is a fascinating book examining reincarnation from a Buddhist perspective.

Kiriyama is founder of the Agon Shu Buddhist Association, a prolific author, and a clairvoyant able to review the past lives of those who consult him.

Reincarnation is the idea that one soul lives many lives in different bodies and different circumstances. It has long been accepted in the East and is becoming increasingly widespread in the West. Where this book differs from most account of reincarnation is that it uses it as a possible explanation for many of the seemingly inexplicable difficulties faced in the here and now.

The book consists of four distinct parts.

The first part presents some fascinating accounts of those who have come to Kiriyama for assistance and been helped by his assessment of their past lives. Often they are troubled by the spirits of ancestors who passed in difficult circumstances and who are helped by Kiriyama releasing them from their discontent.

The second part discusses the reasons for reincarnation, using further fascinating case studies. The bottom line, in keeping with the Buddhist tradition, is that we continue to reincarnate until we are able to shed our earthly baggage.

The third part is somewhat tangential in presenting a lengthy discussion of the mind-body problem under the heading of “what” it is that reincarnates.

The final part begins with the remarkable description of a boy who reincarnated in the early 19th century with the ability to recall details of his previous existing inaccurate and verifiable detail. It goes on to a somewhat depressing view of the afterworld drawn from the Tibetan Book of The Dead which describes numerous departed souls in despair or falling into an abyss as a result of their failings. Some of their number attempt to return to their former existence but find only torment in their disembodied state forcing them to seek other bodies to enter. On a brighter note it does mention that some more advanced souls may reincarnate several more times to complete their journey to Buddha-hood.

In contrast to the more conventional Western view of life as experience the Buddhist approach places greater emphasis upon judgment and punishment for things done wrong. I believe that both approaches meet with those souls that feel they have unfinished business and choose to reincarnate in order to complete it. But this is not necessarily the only, or even the main driver, for reincarnation.

For those interested in reincarnation this book offers an unconventional approach that provides valuable food for thought. For those trying to understand their current circumstances it might provide insight. As with all such material it should be subjected to one’s own inner judgment, but it definitely offers some useful pointers along one’s unique development.

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