Spiritual Advancement

You’ve probably heard people mention “Spiritual Evolution”. But think about this:

You can go back to the 80’s and read metaphysical or occult or spiritual books. You can go back to the 40’s, and the 20’s. But go back somewhat further and something interesting happens—

In 1888, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky wrote her 2 vol. “The Secret Doctrine.” Suddenly, we’ve info about different “planes” of spiritual existence, But where did Blavatsky get this idea? And she talks about older spiritual “Races”…i.e…the Lemurians, the Atlanteans, etc…but again, where did Blavatsky get this idea and how does she know its true?

90% of everything you might read today about spiritual “evolution” goes back to Theosophy. But there is more—

The Seccret Doctrine came out in 1888. Darwin wrote The Origen of Species in 1859, twenty-nine years earlier. And NOBODY ASKS “what was written about Spirituality BEFORE Theosophy”? Answer: Spiritualism. In 1850, “the Poukeepsie Seer” Andrew Jackson Davis wrote “The Great Harmonia”. There is an Afterlife, and continuing on in some spirit world. There is no reincarnation, or different spiritual races “evolving” into a new one.

This was 9 years before before Darwin would write about evolution.

Spiritualism was wildly popular in America, especially from 1850-1880. By 1885, Davis would have been married 3 times and his influence soon faded.

Then the Secret Doctrine books would come in 1888. But Spiritualism was not dead. It would become popular in England. Also, here in America, in 1891, the Ouija Board would be invented. But today, nobody bothers to look back in history to see how or when things started. So, maybe there isnt really any “evolution” (other than being in some spiritual body after death” but there is “continuing” in an Afterlife and learning more.

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Spiritual Advancement

I like to read about Religions, Psychic development, Spirituality, etc.

When you ask someone else who is “into” those sorts of things: “Why are we here? What is our purpose?”—-you might be told: “to advance and develop, spiritually.”

This may sound good, but if you pause and think about it for a minute, that tells you almost nothing at all. So let’s go deeper and ask:

1. Exactly what—is “more spiritual”?
2. Whatever it is, it should be recognizable, so you could say you want to be more like *that*, and describe what that is.
3. How can you tell when one person is “farther along the Path” than someone who is a newbie?
4. Is your Teacher or mentor more Spiritual than you? How? Exactly what makes him or her that way?
5. Even if they are more advanced, does this mean in any way that they have further “evolved”? Far too many people take “spiritual evolution” to be some automatic given, as if all you have to do is simply be interested at all or just read 1 or 2 books and evolution is automatic….but if you believe in spiritual evolution, ask yourself: “evolving” towards …What?? How? And how would you know that it’s any “higher”? No one really seems to be able to say. So again, what is Spiritual development? How does more of it look different from less of it and how do you know you are doing it? People work out in a Gym to get physically stronger. How can you exercise in order to advance or get stronger spiritually? Comments always welcome.

The World Almanac Book of the Strange, Vol. 1

Who was Nostradamus?

What is The Crystal Skull?

Who carved the giant Heads made out of rock, on Easter Island? and how? and why?

Why have planes and ships disappeared in “The Bermuda Triangle”?

Why do we sometimes experience Deja Vu?

What is Automatic Writing?

Order the book: The World Almanac Book of the Strange, Volume 1.  This is THE most fair, level-headed, pro and con book on all of those odd and unusual things you’ve wondered about that I’ve ever seen so far.  A fascinating variety of topics covered, with reasons for, and reasons against. You decide. Definitely an interesting read.

Where did your Soul come from?

Religion. The Occult. Spirituality. And—your Soul.

So! You were born. You are alive, and you have a Soul. If you believe you have a Soul, you probably also believe it will go…..somewhere……after death.   But where it might go is not my question.

Instead, I want to know (and no one is asking about this)—WHERE was it?–before– you were born?  Where did it come from? Where was your Soul before itBut was in your baby body?   Not–who made it, but rather, where was it?  It had to come from somewhere…where? If God made it, fine. But before your Soul went into your current physical body, where was it waiting?

What is Spirituality?

What is Spirituality?

What do you feel it is?  Why?

step 1.  DEFINE EVERYTHING!
WHAT IS –being on “the Path”? The path to what? and why that?
What IS –‘Enlightenment”?
What is the 1st sign of “Awakening”? And why do you feel that is the first sign?
How is a “more spiritual” person different from a less spiritual one? And don’t hide behind “I don’t want to judge anyone”.
What does ANYONE even mean by “Spirituality” anyway? To say “spiritual, but not religious” still tells anyone asking nearly nothing. And being vague is not being profound. Or any sign of “wisdom”.

Get specific! What does the guru mean by it? What do *you* mean by it? and why that?

…..and….if all of the above is too “hard core” or “exhausting” for you, then you are either “faking it” or still haven’t “evolved” enough.
What is Spirituality?—“spirituality is just a too-politically-correct word for wimps who wont take a stand on anything and don’t know what the hell they believe. But they think it sounds “cool” anyway”. What do you believe? Why does it makes sense to you?
NO APOLOGIES for defining things!

And then there is spiritual “development”. What is that? How would you know you have developed and are “further along the Path” than you were before?

Name 3 bad spiritual paths. What makes the path you are following now, better?
Do you have ANY idea -at all- of 4 or 5 of the popular beliefs/paths that people have followed as “alternative spirituality” over the last 150 years? Name them. Who was the founder? What did they teach? Again, how is what you are doing now, better?
Do you believe there are “paths” that are a waste of time (and don’t just pick on Christianity. Dare to critique another “alternative spirituality belief-system”).
I really want to know. And no, I’m not an Atheist or Materialist.

Some thoughts on Spiritualism & Spirituality

I had fun researching and reading about what I’ll call “History of Alternative Spirituality/Occult.

Here’s some thoughts on Spiritualism.  The “Big-Daddy” of Modern Spiritualism would be, in my opinion, Andrew Jackson Davis. He wrote: The Principles of Nature (1847) and The Great Harmonia (1850). He died in January of 1910.

In 1875,  we got Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and the founding of Theosophy (the Theosophical Society). This was less Spiritualistic and more Occult than Spiritualism. By 1885, Andrew Jackson Davis would have been married 3 times and had all of them end. His popularity very likely diminished after that. In 1888, Blavatsky would write The Secret Doctrine.  A massive 2 vol. set that few would read completely. She had already written another 2 vol. set earlier called: Isis Unveiled (in 1877 ?).

Even though Davis’s popularity faded, many people were still interested in Spiritualism. Why rely on Davis? People wanted to communicate with the dead on their own. Then we got “the Ouija Board” (in 1891?)

But Science and Materialism were marching on, and we also had Robert G. Ingersoll “The Great Agnostic’ and his writings from about 1872 to 1899. In 1902, after Davis’s 3 marriages, Frank Podmore would write “Modern Spiritualism”. I believe this was a critque.  Then, 1914-1918, we had World War 1.

By the 1920’s, there were all sorts of beliefs one could get into: Spiritualism, Theosophy, “The Mind-Cure Movement” (as William James called it), Psychology, Christianity, Mysticism and more. Spiritualsim would still be popular in England. Arthur Conan Doyle would turn to Spiritualism, and Arthur Finlay would write the book “On the Edge of the Etheric”. Then, in America, we would have the Great Depression and also World War 2 and alot of people were likely too busy for alot of reading.

That’s my opinion, from reading and researching. I wasn’t there but I think that’s close to how things went.  If you want still more info, a good book on this kind of stuff is “Occult America” by Mitch Horowitz. Amazon.com should carry it.

Monthly April Horoscope from Astrologyzone.com

Check it out. Monthly April Horoscope from Susan Miller and Astrologyzone.com

Click your sign and also pgs, 2, 3, etc. Free is a good price.  https://www.astrologyzone.com/horoscopes/

Automatic Writing. “Message from Clara”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyk7EYBTJ9M  Before The Twilight Zone, there was another TV show called “One Step Beyond”. It was a bit creepier and dealt more with the Paranormal and Unexplained. This episode is “Message From Clara”. Can you explain this?  Thanks, YouTube.  PS—i post about a variety of topics. Enjoy!

#Occult #Paranormal #TV

Samantha Valens Questions Witchcraft and “Finding Your Truth”

Samantha Valens has made several Youtube videos on Witchcraft. But last time I checked, she now has less faith in it and is now more of an “Atheist Witch”. She also has a video about “Why I Left Wicca” on Youtube. This one is about “Finding Your Truth”. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojbYkoSyZWs

The Occult

The Occult. There, I said it. Does it sound a bit creepy?

The word Occult means “hidden”.  Not generally known to the public.

Today when we hear occult, we often think of Magic or ESP.  I don’t follow or practice the Occult much. But I want to know about it. What is it? What is the appeal? What good is it? Why study it at all? Luckily, there is the late Dion Fortune and her book: Sane Occultism.

The book is like a big sister or mentor showing you the way. Like having a conversation with her. She’s informative and explains it all quite well. A good read.

You are still free to practice, not practice, believe it or not believe it. But now you have a better understanding of how it works and what its about. That was the idea. And that’s enough.