Psychic
Psychic phase
What does the world want of us?
I’ve said elsewhere that our gods and goddesses are imaginary; in a real sense which does seem to be supported by (shudder) modern physics, the universe is something of a grand illusion, and the only way we can approach it is through the limited tunnel provided by our senses.
Beyond the universe – the tao – is void, unknowable, something beyond the distinction of existing and non-existing. That is not god in any of the senses in which we humans form religious beliefs. Our gods are right here in the illusion with us.
Look how spiritual I am
There was a time when enlightenment doctrines were secret, and only revealed after an acolyte had been through a period of teaching and initiation.
Undoubtedly some of this was just so teachers and high priests could milk the situation for every bit of authority and power they could extract. But there is also something to be said for not letting it all hang out.
Why?
Well, first, and perhaps most perniciously, there’s a sort of spiritual competitiveness around today, which is particularly noticeable in New Age circles. A lot of spiritual practice seems to be around making it clear to others that the devotee is very “spiritual” (a contradiction in terms), or “spiritually evolved” (an even bigger contradiction in terms), or has had his or her “consciousness raised” (I didn’t realise they’d dropped it). Continue reading
Why is there a Psychic Phase?
A lot of enlightenment literature says that the ego is just something you should “put down”, as though this was an easy act of will. I think this is unduly harsh and also unduly simplistic.
Certainly the ego will be gradually transcended, dissolved and eventually laid aside. And for some of us there may be a flash of blinding light, a conversion experience, which will precipitate this. Continue reading
A Day in the Life of the Soul
Reincarnation, past life regressions and investigations into karma-generating events are still very popular in spiritual circles. Are they necessary? Let’s think about it. We could argue that one human lifetime is rather like a day in the life of the soul, with dawn being the human birth and evening being the human death. This is far from being a new analogy (and has inspired poetry of variable quality over the years).
The argument continues that, just as our past influences the present, so our past lives influence our present lives; and this becomes a justification for focusing on this very intriguing and seductive makyo, or red herring.
When Love Fails
We believe, against all evidence to the contrary, in the promises of romantic love. We believe, credulously, naively and endearingly, that someone, somewhere is meant for us, that when we meet that someone we will at last be complete, that the empty holes in the fabric of ourselves will be filled, knitted together, made whole by this one special other.
We are almost always wrong. Continue reading