From: not@home.com   
      
   Time to pump it up again.   
      
   It has been a few years I've not had a stable internet connection.  I've   
   also been out of touch with myself quite a bit.  But my ability to maintain   
   a "somewhat" balanced introspection has returned and I'm anxious to begin   
   discussing the subject again.  I hope some of the oldies and some insightful   
   newbies begin posting here.  It would be nice to return to on-topic/focused   
   posts.   
      
   Fear not the skeptic sword.  Such a brittle blade can slice an ego to shreds   
   but will shatter to pieces when struck upon the solid truth of other levels   
   of consciousness.   
      
   There was a time when this group was organized.  We were happy travellers in   
   a rarely explored frontier.  The skeptics came in and demanded proof of   
   psychic abilities.  This disrupted the group in a big way because most of us   
   allowed our egos to interfere with our ability to focus.  Interestingly,   
   that is exactly why OBE is so difficult for many to achieve in the first   
   place.  The ego has to be set aside and the individual must maintain a   
   calm-detatched focus in order to maintain the state.   
      
   Replace "desire" with "curiosity"...  Replace "urgency" with "patience".   
   Replace "frustration" with "experience" - the experience of what works and   
   what doesn't...   
      
   Understand that claims of any psychic ability will probably be challenged -   
   usually in a rude manner.  If you feel it is "intensely rude" - then your   
   ego is probably getting in the way and you allowed the skeptic blade to hit   
   a bone.  Always remember this - a skeptic is a hunter/gatherer - a   
   scavenger.  They are never the gardener that grows and nurtures the real   
   internal fruit of truth.   
      
   Since this group died because the demands for circus acts became so strong,   
   I suggest we take on a different attitude.  The "out-of-body" experience   
   should be defined as "an experience wherein the individual knows they are at   
   a level of awareness in which they can discipline their movements in a realm   
   of consciousness that is unrelated to the physical body".  While the   
   experience may feel intense and may at times produce information that can be   
   usefull in the physical, it is rarely a true portrayal of the physical.  But   
   that fact, IN NO WAY, implies that the experience holds no personal value.   
   So don't get sidetracked by some fool who expects you to find something in   
   his/her underwear drawer.  Such a demand is childish and ignorant.  If you   
   fall into that trap, then you have lost your grip on what OBE is really all   
   about.   
      
   OBE is about self exploration.  The term "Out-Of-Body" is actually   
   misleading.  What is happening is a change in perspective.  "Leaving Body   
   Behind" is how I would describe it.  These experiences can be incredible.   
   It is a method of self exploration and, since our lives are all basically in   
   parallel with each other, can be comparative in nature.  In other words,   
   this experience can be shared with others who have had similar experiences.   
   Common experiences are considered "archetypes".  They include, but are not   
   limited to, things like faeries, demons, deities and angels, celestial   
   music, cities of light, light beings, beautiful parks, and, um...   
   decadence...  We can compare, learn from each other, and gradually evolve as   
   a species.   
      
   At any rate, I suggest you take it all in stride instead of trying to prove   
   anything to someone who is too shallow to venture into this arena on their   
   own.   
      
   On a personal note, and this is only my opinion, I believe it is the only   
   way to really get an understanding of what life is all about.  The more   
   successful you become in this effort, the more control you have over your   
   self.  The more balanced control you have of your self, the less conflict   
   you have in your life.  It is a lot of work, but the rewards are well worth   
   it.   
      
   ....pffffft....  somebody is probably gonna come along and demand that I   
   prove my above statements...  What's to prove?  Everyone, even the skeptic,   
   knows people are capable of making a shift in consciousness.  Everyone, even   
   the skeptic, knows that there is a certain sequence of psycho-physical   
   events that happen during that shift.  Educated skeptics know about   
   archetypes.  So, it comes down to the debate of psychic abilities and life   
   after death.  Well, skeptics claim they have no soul - Ok, I believe them.   
   Their opinion doesn't count for anything.  They are basically harmless to   
   those of us who know our individual essence is a permanent, unique,   
   perspective of the common counsciousness.  A unique and indestructable point   
   of view in reality.   
      
   So.... All that said, let's rebuild this group!!!!   
      
   Bart   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)