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Russian Foundation of Transpersonal Psychology |
International Noosphere Institute |
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Moscow
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Chapter 5 TECHNOLOGY OF CROSSING, PRACTICAL TECHNICS OF PREPARATION AND ALTERED STATE TRAVEL
The success and safety of the travel into subtle spaces is mainly defined by preliminary period, correct choice of the travel place and time. That is why the preliminary period as a rule takes much more time than the travel itself. Let us say that in Siberian shamanism the preparation for an important ritual might take several months, thus the travel itself would take only one or two days (47). The similar picture can be seen in Tibetan tradition Bon, Indian Tantra, Buddhist esoteric rituals etc. Such preparation solves few important tasks. For the first the task of navigation, getting to the needed sphere of subtle world, to the needed spirit or god. This usually does not happen straight away but after passing through some intermediate stages and trials (see the description of the Clear tent ritual). The means of navigation are the correct choice of the place and time of the travel, the forming in the start point the environment that resonates with the planned travel's destination (surrounding, clothes, magic tools), the use of appropriate associative codes, magic keys, helping spirits etc. For the second, it is purification and protection of the place of travel. This ensures the better tuning on the destination place by removing background psychoenergetic factors which drive one's attention away and create side resonance in undesirable directions, it also protects the traveler's body during the travel in ASC. This is especially important, for during the travel the vulnerability of subtle structures of human body rapidly increases and the subtle space is full of parasites and plunderers. For the third, this activates psychic energy and structures of the traveler's subtle body, tunes and focuses the energy on the task of the travel. That is also a very important task, for psychic energy is a basic tool of interaction with subtle reality which ensures the movement in the needed direction and protection from possible dangers on the way. Here psychoenergetic exercises, special mechanisms and gadgets (magic mirrors, rods, sticks, crowns, amulets, crystals etc.) are used. One can distinguish the preliminary stage that takes quite a long time and direct preparation before the very travel. Now we will examine each of these elements of the preliminary period separately.
5.1. Navigation Naturally, the system of navigation in the subtle world is based on the knowledge of its geometry and cartography, features of tunnels that connect separate subspaces. All this was described in Chapters 1 and 3, thus we will come back to the maps of concrete worlds in Chapter 6. However, this is not enough we also need means and tools of navigation, for any ship needs a steering-wheel, a rudder, a compass and many other things in order to move according to the map. Now we will concentrate on them in the more detailed way. The principle of likeness The vast majority of navigation means in the subtle world are based on the principle of likeness, one of the main principles of ancient magic traditions. Putting this in the terms of the modern language, that principle contains the idea of the associative resonance. In other words, the greater the similarity between two objects, space fields, their inner states is, the stronger the informational connection between them is. So since the very ancient times the deep connection between a human and his or her image (a sculpture, a portrait, and a photograph) has been known. It is possible to get the information concerning this person's condition and even influence him or her in spite of the huge distances through such image (33, 41, and 48). The strength of such connection depends on the degree of likeness of the image and the origin, the wideness of the associative raw connecting them, the range of psychoenergetic concentration (the psychoenergetic 'charge' of the image). In order to increase such associative raw bits of origin's skin, hair, the sperm or blood were used. It should be noticed that this principle is well known and effectively works in modern physics and electronics. Variable means of communication from radio-receivers and TV-sets to mobile phones are based on it. This is either matching of resonance frequencies of oscillatory circuit or similarity of enter and exit codes in the systems of a mobile phone kind. In any case the similarity of two distant in space objects ensures the connection between them. The subtle navigation is built in more or less the same way. Your task is to form your own condition and environment before the travel so that they would maximally alike with the place you are going to and the being you would like to meet. You should remember that the effectiveness of the principle of likeness is directly proportional with the degree of your concentration on associative images, their 'charge'. Additional strengthening of your connection with the travel's receiver can be obtained if someone from the other side is also concentrated on you. This is the aim of the widely used variable sacrifices addressed to the spirit or god you are going to meet. Such practice is very popular in different kinds of shamanism and developed religious traditions. They differ only with the nature of sacrifice. The early forms of shamanism usually use alive being (a human, an animal); mature religious traditions prefer vegetable products or pure information (the sacrifice of knowledge). Now we will examine the images used for establishment of associative raw. This is a look of the travel's place, its history, artificially created surrounding, the chosen time of the day, the day itself, the month, the year, the stage of the lunar cycle, astronomic or astrologic events (for example solar or lunar eclipse, comet's passage etc.). So the tops of hills and mountains are preferable for travels in the upper world and dark caves and canyons are suitable for travels to the lower one. The movement down the river is associated with going down to the lower world and the movement up — with going to upper world. In the same way each of the eight basic and intermediate geographic directions are is associated with one of the spaces of upper or lower world, here the connection is also built on the principle of likeness. So for example East is connected with rising Sun, spring, birth, awakening life and that is why it is associated with the upper coats of the upper world. North is winter, death, the stage of destruction that is a source of its connection with necrosphere, the world of dead, lower coats of the lower world. In the same way the surrounding of the place of the travel is formed. Here the connections of materials, their colors and shape with five primary elements and associated with them worlds are used (see Appendix 3). There also are more complicated associations between the surrounding geometry and the space of the travel's receiver. For example shamanism often creates the model of the travel's route with all its intermediate stops and final point. The world tree is presented by a pillar or a real tree, appropriate spirits are carved of wood, and the route of the movement is shown by the tensed links (33, 41, and 47). The important factor is the history of the place of the travel, things that have happened there. So the places of battles, executions, and cemeteries usually have a strong connection with necrosphere, worlds of dead and appropriate spirits. The spots where ancient temples and holly places had once been are usually connected with corresponding higher egregors. However, they carry the imprint of archetypes of their religious tradition and it is good to know of its symbols and images during the travel. Even stronger effects can occur in the places of power. The boundaries of subtle reality are usually more transparent and dissolved there which makes the crossing into subtle reality much easier. Nevertheless, these places are as a rule tuned on rather narrow class of worlds. Besides they normally have pretty long religious and mystic history that makes the associative resonance even narrower. These spots quite often were a place of conflict between antagonistic religious traditions when the ancient temples were ruined and replaced by the new ones. So many Christian temples are built in place of the destroyed pagan ones. In its turn in Jerusalem and Constantinople Muslim mosques were built in the place of the ruined Christian temples. The same takes place in India where Hindus and Buddhist temples are destroyed and replaced by Muslim mosques which is a source of serious religious-ethnic conflict. Peaceful co-existence of ancient and later religious traditions in the places of power is rather an exception than a rule. Scotland can be an example here; there I have met ancient megalithic stone circles on the territory of Christian temples, not to mention that the circles have survived on the farmers' fields (their age reaches 7 thousand years). Unfortunately, they were practically totally ruined on the territory of our country. Naturally, such history creates rather destructive subtle energies and the travel in such place may be pretty dangerous especially because the crossing into deep coats of ASC is very easy here. That is why the work in the places of power demands significant experience and good control over psychoenergetic techniques combined with the knowledge of the place's history and basic principles of connected with them religious traditions. The appearance of the traveler and his or her helpers, their clothes and behavior also belong to associative images. So for example during the travel to lower worlds metal decorative elements, bear and wolf skins prevail (materials and animals strictly connected with the lower world). During the travel to upper world wood, feathers and deer skin are used (47). Many shamans also often apply the imitation of behavior and habits of the invocated spirit or its favorite food. Another very important class of associative images is connected with archetypal symbolism. These are variable magic signs, mandalas, yantras, iconographic images, mantras, spells, prays etc. Here the principle of likeness also works but not on the external superficial level as in the earlier examples thus on the level of the deepest essence. That is why the significance of archetypal symbolism depends on the degree of tradition's development and sophistication of practices we deal with. So for example sophisticated Indian and Tibetan yogis and Taoists do not use any external symbols or attributes at all they work with archetypal images in their mind. So for example in shamanism the sculpture of a god or spirit, that is wished to be contacted, carved in wood or bone is usually used to tune on this being. Here we deal with iconographic often anthropomorphic archetype. The same role is played by Christian icon and pray addressed to a certain saint or other sacred being. The same archetype can be expressed in more abstract geometric form. Such sacred images are very popular in Indian Tantrum tradition and are called yantras, i. e. mandalas addressed to the concrete god whose name is usually present in yantra's name. For example Ganesh yantra is addressed to Ganesh etc. Additional tuning is ensured by mantras and magic signs usually written in the space of the yantra and repeat by the adept during the travel. Such geometric yantras are believed to be a stronger tuning tool, for they appeal to the deepest archetypal essence of the god and do not turn towards one of its external manifestations. Yet, their use demands deeper esoteric preparation and is available on rather high levels of skill. That is why the same yantra is usually present in both iconographic and geometric forms. Picture 19 shows two versions of the extremely popular in India Ganesh yantra (40). This god helps to overcome daily difficulties, protects from negative beings of the subtle world. In ordinary families you will as a rule see iconographic version of the image. Yantra often combines iconographic and geometric elements and when you work with it you concentrate on those which are more available to you. Such images are common in Tibetan Tantrum Buddhism. Kalachakra mandala is probably the best known among them (45). Sri Yantra is another extremely popular mandala used in Hinduist Tantrum tradition for tuning on the worlds of past and future (see Chapter 6, Appendix 4). Certainly, the use of mandalas, yantras and mantras is not limited to the tuning. They are for example applied at the stage of the preliminary purification and are on of the basic tools of interaction with subtle world during the travels. Variable magic mirrors and accumulators already described in Chapter 4 are also often used for tuning on the travel destination point together with traditional mandalas and yantras. In fact they can be treated as a kind of mandala but with the wider spectrum of influence due to the possibility of retuning towards different receivers (yantra is normally tuned on one receiver only). Scenarios of crossing As a rule the instant crossing to the needed world and the needed god is impossible. Usually it is conducted stage by stage through a number of intermediate worlds with overcoming of many difficulties and trials. Besides the further from our reality the subtle world is, the more difficult and complicated the way to it is. Examples of such complicated subtle routes we given in the description of the Clear tent ritual, a pass of Altai shamanism. A very interesting description of the step by step crossing through intermediate worlds is given in the book of R.Zhelazny Ambers Chronic. In this case the passage between the worlds goes together with the movement in physical space and the mean of influence is visualization of small changes form the present world to the next one. Such sequential transformation creates step by step the desirable structure of reality. Two persons take part in this travel, one of them drives the car and the second one (Random) actually forms the trajectory of passage through intermediate worlds: "…I have turned left and the sidewalks which we were passing suddenly started go with sparkles… We continued going forward and I could not help surprising. What is going on after all? The sky became green and then pink… We went under the bridge and when we went out the sky became of the normal shade again but now we were from all sides surrounded by big yellow mills… I have noticed that people whom we were passing were dressed in a strange way. I could swear that we passed a rider on a horse, riding in the opposite direction, clad in grey, with his collar put up and his head down, hiding from the rain… Random still smoked and looked through the window, while the road turned away frome the share, going behind the high hill… Turn left, — he suddenly decided. What is up? — Random burst out. — I asked you not to stop. How else can we pass it by? …Another sand storm came and when it became clear we were again going along the empty and plain road. I have decided, that he really adds and takes away in seen, world, environmental us to move us more close to Amber, and that it is a unique way to get there… — What you do now? — I venture to ask. Look only! Now at us is both sky, and wood. While all goes so well, that is not trusted at all…" In spite of the fact that the given fragment is taken from the fiction literature it precisely shows basic elements of successive passage between subtle worlds typical for shamanism and magic tradition.
5.2. Ensuring of the travel's safety There is no necessity to speak of the importance of ensuring the safety of the altered state traveling. It is well known since the very ancient times that the body of a person staying in ASC is especially vulnerable and needs additional protection. Besides the quality of navigation, the possibility of getting in the needed subtle space strongly depends on how well the place of travel is purified and protected. The first condition of safety insuring is the good choice of the place of travel itself. As it was already mentioned the choice of the place is directed by the principle of likeness, its similarity with the point of the final destination. However, another not less important factor is safety, protection of this place. Certainly, we first of all mean psychoenergetic safety and protection. There should be no destructive or undesirable streams of vital energy, unfriendly or aggressive spirits, subtle channels connecting this place with dangerous worlds (for example necrosphere, worlds of hungry spirits, hells and others). It is worth to remember that psychoenergetic profile of the place is quite individual and the place good for one person can be absolutely forbidden for another. A wonderful key for solving all these matters is given by Chinese and Tibetan traditions of Feng Shui. Obviously, modern environment imposes the need of some modernization that allows to take into account the influence of variable technogenic factors from artificial landscape elements (electricity lines, underground cables, different constructions) to daily and electronic equipment (TV-sets, computers and others). All this is the strongest psychoenergetic and informational factor that's ignoring makes valueless any Feng Shui methods. After the choice of the suitable place the Feng Shui methods can be used for additional correction of its psychoenergetics in order to ensure appropriate streams of vital energy during the travel. It should be stressed that such correction is also strictly individual and is done for the concrete person. All the matters of the choice and energetical correction of the place of the travel are examined in the more detailed way in Appendix 3. As a rule even the most optimal place needs purification it is especially important if the exit is conducted in the space of the modern city. The arsenal of tools used for the purification is rather wide from ancient and traditional ones as the flame of a candle, aromas, mantras, prays etc. to modern psychotronic mechanisms and gadgets. All those tools and mechanisms, variable practical methods are also described in Appendix 5. Basic ideas on which purifying methods are based consist of the use of variable influences destructive for unfriendly subtle beings which create undesirable for them psychoenergetic environment, the use of some absorbents of negative energies, bait-entrapments, subtle 'repellents'. When the new place is chosen the purification should be as full as possible and conducted more than once until the moment you feel that the [place is safe enough (a kind of general cleaning). After every purification the psychoenergetic protection should be done to prevent negative energies and beings from coming back. Feng Shui and other traditions have a wide arsenal of means fulfilling this task (see Appendices 3, 5). After that one can take care of correction, tuning and activation of the energies of the place of travel according to Feng Shui methods. All these preliminary rituals should not be done right before the travel, the energy needs two or three days to get quiet and stabilize. Before the very travel small purifying rituals can be done they serve purification and protection of the place and purification of the subtle body of the person preparing for the travel. This task can be fulfilled by aromas, wormwood or juniper smoke, mantras, magic signs and mandalas. Several such methods tested by the author can be given as examples. The IM sign The IM sign from Kunta-yoga effectively works for purification and protection of the place of the travel. Its color is golden-yellow on the smoky background (picture 20a). It is drawn with the help of the 'energetic knife' mudra and is projected in four main geographic directions (if the travel takes place outdoors) or on four walls of the house. In this mudra the index finger is straight and the middle one is slightly bent, so their joints on the level of the first phalanx touch each other, the rest of the fingers is maximally relaxed. The sequence of the hand movements during the drawing of the IM sign is shown on the picture 20a. The movement starts from bottom to top and then goes according to arrows. Simoultaneously with the movement the mantra starts (it is long, durable I which is more or less the same loud all the time and slowly fading vibrating M). When the sign is drawn it is put on the wall with a smooth movement of hand. First the sign is drawn and sent forward (in the room in the door direction), then to the left, to the right and backward). This sign can be projected on one's own body; the vertical axis goes from the solar plexus to the top of the head and horizontal one along the shoulders. In this case the sign is visualized as the unity it is important to make it flat as if put on the front surface of the body. Such visualization with simultaneous reading of the mantra plays protective role and also balances and harmonizes the system of chakras. The fractal version of the IM sign presented on the picture 20b is even more effective. The Algiz rune The Algiz rune or 'an elk' is a good protective sign (its number is 15 in traditional Futhark alphabet). In this case the protection has a passive character, although it's maintaining needs certain amount of vital energy. The Algiz rune can be visualized as the whole image or be drawn with the help of the 'energetic knife' mudra which is a psychotronic generator (the rune is presented on picture 21; the arrows show the sequence of movement during the drawing). Protective mirror During the travel in ASC it is very difficult to travel in subtle spaces and at the same time ensure the protection of the place of the travel. Still, the body of the person staying in ASC becomes a kind of desirable bait for variable parasitizing subtle beings and needs effective protection. This is especially important in places connected with an ancient esoteric tradition. In this respect the use of the magic mirror with the accumulator that is able to work autonomously for a rather long time appears to be very effective. This task can be fulfilled by the concave mirror with the simple accumulator or, if the situation is particularly dangerous, with the universal one. The mirror should be charged with magnetic fluid modulated with the wish of absorption of all undesirable influences. The charge is locked and programmed to go out as long as protection is needed. The mirror's position should enable its radiance to envelop the whole place of the travel. When the travel is over you should clean the mirror by charging it with the ball of Akasha fluid right over the magnetic fluid that is already there. It is locked and then programmed to immediately disperse over the universe away form the settlements. The magnetic fluid together with the negative energies absorbed by it is taken by Akasha fluid and removed from the mirror (more details on the work with the magic mirror can be found in Appendix 5). Preliminary inner purification The inner purification can be conducted with the help of the following method of the practice of inner flame common in Tibetan Buddhism (49). This purifying practice of 9 exhales is done in the following way: The initial position. Take one of the meditative positions, press the tip of the thumb of your left hand across the base of the fourth finger and then make a fist. Put the fist on the right side of the chest so that the arm is more or less on the stomach height. The arm is slightly turned down so that the back side of the fist is on the level of the right elbow. Then in the same way make the fist of the right hand straightening the index finger. Close your left nostril with the back side of the index finger. Make a smooth and deep inhale through the right nostril visualizing that inspiring strength of all Buddhas and Boddhisatvas enters the right nostril as the radiant white light that is absorbed by undestroible wind and consciousness in the center of the heart wheel (chakra). Keep this inhale as long as possible. Close with the right index finger the right nostril and exhale unclean winds (dirtied energies) through the left nostril with three equal consequent exhales. At the same time visualize all your unclean winds especially of the left side as ink-black smoke. Slowly and smoothly inhale through the left nostril. Visualize radiant white light entering the left nostril and bringing the inspiring strength of Buddhas and Boddhisatvas that is absorbed by the undestroiable wind and drops in the heart chakra. Keep the pause as long as you feel comfortable. Close the left nostril and exhale with three exhales. Visualize that unclean winds especially of the right side disappear. Change the position putting the right hand over the left one on the level of the pubis with thumbs' tips slightly touching each other. Make a smooth slow inhale with the same visualization. Then exhale through both nostrils with three exhales. After that imagine that all your channels, winds and drops have become controllable and harmonic. This full cycle can be repeated as many times as you wish, especially when you feel tired or some thoughts drive your attention away.
5.3. The travel After the choice of the suitable place and conduction of the preliminary rituals the most appropriate time for a given travel comes, the process of the travel itself begins. However, it is preceded by the short preliminary period. The preliminary period First the place and subtle energies of the traveler are energetically cleaned which has already been mentioned in the previous subchapter. Psychoenergetic activation and tuning of the subtle body systems on the specific work in subtle reality Then the psychoenergetic activation of the traveler is conducted it prepares the systems of the subtle body for functioning in altered states of consciousness. The main task of this stage is to balance and activate vital energies, chakras and acupuncture channels, to tune them on the specific work in subtle reality. In our daily life our subtle body is inseparably linked with the physic one in ASC it starts functioning as a relatively autonomous structure. Furthermore, its role in our interaction with the environment significantly grows; the structures of the subtle body become the new perception organs, replacing the sight, ear and smell we are used to. Thus modified streams of vital energies work as effectors, replacing our limbs. The most important thing is the change of the nature of interaction with the environment; all objects lose their normal clear boundaries, their lines become dissolved and imprecise, reminding clouds. The sight perception and touch are replaced by mutual penetration, interferential and transformation of forms. It is understandable that the restructuring which takes place in all systems of our subtle body is very complicated. Naturally, its main part happens automatically, our task is only to help its normal development and slightly correct it. Besides it is very important to clean our energetic from the load of daily problems, present difficulties — all that deforms and uselessly spend our vital forces. Otherwise we will find ourselves carrying lots of 'weights' during the travel, they will hold us back, make acting more difficult and provoke negative situations. The establishment of the protected space and its linking to the coordinate net The next very important stage of the preliminary period is the establishment of the protected space and linking to it the coordinate net. It allows moving in the needed direction of the subtle reality. In order to create the protected space the methods presented in subchapter 'Ensuring of safety of the travel (mantras, signs, mandalas and yantras)' can be used. Perhaps, the most common one is building of the magic circle. It simultaneously plays the protective role and creates the coordinate net, linked to the cardinal geographic directions. The magic circle The described method unifies the experience of Indian Tantrum and Celtic traditions (30, 50).The principle of building of the magic circle is based on work with archetypes of two polar energies being a fundament of the world creation — the male one (Shiva, yang) and female (Shakti, yin). The male energy symbolizes the principle of the pure knowledge, spiritual aspect of the world, it is presented by the tree of the world, the endless axis (lingam) connecting all levels of reality, all subtle universes. Its analogy in our body is Sushumna — the subtle channel running more or less in the middle of our spin. The root of the tree of the world is Muladhara chakra, its crown is Sahasrara. Correspondingly the female energy is more strictly connected with matter and is the energy of time. As we remember according to ancient philosophy the time is cyclic that is why the archetype of the female energy is a circle (ring, spiral), linked to the basic stages of the time cycle. They are presented by four seasons and correspondingly four geographic directions. Spring is the beginning, rising Sun, East. Summer is the period of maximum activity, blooming, and south. Autumn is the time of harvest gathering, summarizing, wisdom, and west. And finally winter is the end of the time cycle, death, north. However, it is worth to remember that ancient tradition treats death not as the irreversible end, the lost fight for life but as passage, transformation, preparation for the next development cycle. That is why this stage rather corresponds with the image of the station — a slight sadness of the fare-well and a joy of looking forward for something new and unknown. Correspondingly, according to the analogy principle, each of these cardinal directions is connected with one of the levels of subtle reality (East and South are related to upper worlds, West and North — to lower ones), that is used for navigation. Protective functions of the time energy are connected with the fact that it is, on the one hand, symbolizes the archetype of maternity and, on the other hand, presents the most destructive strength of our universe. Really it is impossible to imagine anything material that would be able to resist the passing time. Thus the simultaneous visualization of the male and female energies is necessary for these polar factors to get stability. When they are separated they are quickly exhausted and disperse in space. When you build the magic circle you identify your body with the whole universe and visualize the male and female energies at the same time inside it and in the surrounding universe. This happens in the following way: you sit facing east or lay down in the same direction (if you use the laying position you should sit mentally). Then you start to imagine the male element as the endless axis connecting all levels of our universe, at this moment you can often feel warmth or heat in your spin. Then you build the circle of the female energy of time. You concentrate on East in front of you imagining spring and beginning. Then move your attention to the right, on South, visualizing the archetype of summer. After that you go behind, West and autumn and, finally, move to the left towards North and winter (the end of the cycle, the image of station). You end up building the circle in East again in the beginning of the next time cycle. Do not forget that the circle is built in the direction of the clock hands movement if to look at it from above. Then you simultaneously imagine the endless axis of the male energy and the ring of the female one, their polarity and unity. Successful building of the circle needs possibly wide use of associative raw during the visualization which includes imagination of visual, auditory, tactile and other modules. The brighter the formed image is the better the energy works. ASC entrance As we have already mentioned not once the travel in subtle reality takes place in altered states of consciousness (ASC). The psychics of an experienced practitioner normally enter ASC automatically. Yet, sometimes special methods might be needed they make this process easier which is especially important for beginners. This task can be fulfilled by very different methods from breathing and psychoenergetic exercises, hallucinatory substances to variable electronic mechanisms, computers and systems of virtual reality etc. We have spoken of some of them in the previous chapter, the more detailed description can be found in Appendix 5. The travel in ASC The travel in ASC normally starts with crossing into one of the subtle worlds. The crossing After the magic circle or another protective space is built one should concentrate on archetypes of the travel final destination point. trajectory of movement and primary space from which the crossing into subtle reality starts. The level of concentration and maximal use of appropriate associative images is very important here. At this stage variable helpful means that make easier the exit from the physic body, the opening of the diaphragm and passing through the subtle tunnel can be used. The Bird sign for leaving the body The Bird sign from Kunta-yoga can be an example it helps to exit the body. It is presented on picture 22. The sign is applied in the laying position with one's arms stretched out to the sides. The upper circle is projected in Sahasrara, 'the wings' — on arms, lower ends reach Manipura. The concentration on the sign should be kept until the feeling of flight, lightness and sky-blue shades appear. These feelings last until one realizes that the subtle body has moved beyond the physic one. The sign can also be fixed in Hrit chakra (a bit lower than Anahata) also until the feeling of leaving the body appears. The door (diaphragm) opening In order to open the door (diaphragm) and go through the tunnel one can use special mantras, magic signs, mandalas, visualizations or make quite complicated passes and rituals. Yet, all this strongly depends on the concrete world which one goes to that is why now we will not concentrate on this matter in the more detailed way. The travel The next stages of the travel that start after the crossing into one of the subtle worlds are defined by your route, the spheres of reality you get to, beings you meet etc., in other words, by concrete specific features of the travel. Perhaps, only hints and mechanisms used at these stages are common. Hints and tools necessary during the travel During the travel you might need psychoenergetic hints and tools ensuring safe and effective interaction with the subtle world and its dwellers. In fact the shaman's garment, his attributes (tambourine, crown, stick etc.) serve this aim. They can be very roughly divided into following groups:
The description of such hints useful during subtle wanderings can be found in Appendix 5. Return The return is an important stage of the travel. In fact problems with coming back to one's own body and exit from ASC hardly ever appear. However, this cannot be said of travels with the use of hallucinatory substances. In these cases the return may present a separate and very serious problem. Terrense Mackena describes the case of his own brother who had used the liana (ayahuaska) and mushrooms broth for the altered state travel and had stacked between our and subtle realities for nearly two weeks. Certainly, others treated such state as a had form of schizophrenia (37). Basic problems of return are connected with obeying safety rules and ensuring quick recovering, well-being and high vital tonus.
5.4. Approximate scenario of the travel into subtle reality So the approximate scenario of the travel into subtle reality will look in the following way (hints and methods suitable for each point is described in previous paragraphs and Appendix 5): 1. Preceding stage (the choice and preparation of the place of the travel) 2. The travel 2.1. Preoperational stage (before the very travel)
2.2. Travel in ASC
2.3. Return
Naturally, the real altered state travel as a rule contains only some of the enumerated above stages. In the case of simpler and safer travels this scenario is minimized. In more complicated cases preparation takes longer time. Obviously, enumerated above scenarios should not be treated as strict algorithms. One should remember that shamanism and more complicated esoteric practices are first of all an art where situational and not typical solutions are the first sign of the good skill. However, this skill does not come at once and practical mastering of the given methods of travel can be a good lesson. Nevertheless, while you use them try to feel your concrete situation and flexibly react on the changes of circumstances and variable surprises. Later form your own travel scenarios adapted to your mental life and energetic, remembering of the basic principles of preparation and organization of the subtle travel. And the most important thing: do everything step by step and very carefully, do not let the idea of omnipotence and pride to get a hold on you they are one of the worst temptations on the way of spiritual growth.
© Evgueny Faydysh. 1999. |
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