KNOWLEDGE IS THE FOOD OF THE SOUL
Plato
428 BC --348 BC
You are invited to use the words you are about to read to embark upon a journey -- not in miles
--but rather within leaps of your imagination.
I am going to relate and explain my personal opinions, thoughts and conclusions during my excursion into the realm of the paranormal. At the onset it seemed I had stepped through the looking glass. But, like Alice, I was anxious to see what was in that rabbit hole into which I had tumbled. It was, to me, an often tantalizing although confusing excursion that took me 3 decades to complete.
This is by no means an attempt to convert anyone to my personal philosophy. I am not a missionary. There may be those who share my outlook and will feel a sense of recognition. Others may find this but an account of my whimsical flights of fancy.
Whichever the case, please come with me now -- as I begin with an examination of WORDS.
Words within the English language often don’t survive the passage of time without running the risk of changes in spelling in attitudes toward their literal meanings or, sometimes, the very meanings themselves.
The relatively recent metamorphoses found in the words gay, straight, grass, weed, and trip are but a few examples.
There are those who would not consider donning gay apparel, as the familiar Christmas Carol suggests, while others may find it a normal thing to do.
Grass no longer belongs exclusively on our lawns.
And there are those amongst us who plant, cultivate, tenderly care for, smoke, and even sell, weeds.
Over the course of many years, another dramatic change took place in the meaning of Magic.
This particular word came into being first in the form of "Magi" and was used in ancient times to refer to certain priests:
"Magi, whom we could call the priests of esoteric wisdom in Chaldea, India, Egypt, Persia --
" (WITCHCRAFT, THE SIXTH SENSE by Justine Glass)
From this noble beginning, the word then took on the extra letter and changed its meaning to define the supernatural powers priests possessed:
" -- the Wise Men or Zorastinian priests of Ancient Media and Persia reputed to possess supernatural powers." (WITCHCRAFT, THE SIXTH SENSE)
Then it’s meaning was stretched to include:
" -- the pretended art of producing effects beyond the natural human power by means of supernatural agencies, or through command of occult forces in nature." (THE AMERICAN COLLEGE DICTIONARY)
There was a time in our history when such powers, and the people who practiced them, were accepted and highly respected. A large number of people, who willingly involved themselves in the religion of Wicca, were the psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors (long before those terms were even known), and doctors of those eras.
They were the Witches.
Then Witchcraft and the powers it utilized fell from favor and took on the unjustified, as well as absurd, partnership with the Devil.
Then qualifying words were added and people began to think of and refer to black and/or white magic -- and black and/or white Witchcraft.
These terms are blatant misnomers.
The inappropriate and unfortunate thinking that led to the concept of white equaling good and black equaling bad or evil has caused more than its share of problems and grief -- and continues to do so.
In its original meaning magic is defined as a tool. It is a tool that can also be interpreted to mean the power of positive thinking, thus removing it from the realm of the occult. The power of prayer is often thought of as another example of positive thought.
To label the tool of magic black (bad) or white (good) is ludicrous. A knife is a tool and, in the hands of a surgeon, it can be used to save a life. The very same knife, in the hands of a criminal, can be used to take a life. We should neither place blame on, nor give unwarranted capabilities to knives.
A hammer is a tool that can be used to either build or destroy, depending solely upon a person’s use of it.
Regardless of color, a tool is a tool.
It’s far easier to say magic doesn’t exist than it is to come face to face with, and attempt to understand, this particular implement.
There are scholars who have delved into the mysteries of the paranormal and, with full knowledge that any attempt at proof undoubtedly lies outside their grasp, remain academically curious.
It is understandable that the members of this open-minded group of scientists are, as a general rule, not prone to discuss any investigations or conclusions with others, especially their peers.
Open-mindedness, even to a limited degree, should exist in all people.
We have found ways to pluck sound and pictures from the air and put them at our command with the use of a dial or a remote control. This seems a most astounding type of magic to me, because I don’t understand it.
Radio and television keep the air constantly filled with signals and yet, by pushing a button or turning a dial, only the signals I choose will appear and all others in the apparent myriad will cooperate by not interfering.
Just because I have no knowledge of the inner workings of radio and television, I do not deny they exist. It’s a matter of faith; I turn them on confidant of the results.
Why should it be difficult to believe that one person can influence another with mere thoughts?
To accomplish such a goal all you have to do is get an idea or picture in your mind so strongly that you are able to communicate it to others.
This form of the tool, magic, is known as mental telepathy and it can be accomplished by mere mortals. The person receiving the "message" doesn’t need to know how, why, or who - or even believe that such magic exists.
"That a person can mentally influence not just the thoughts or dreams of other people at great distances but also their actions must be one of the oldest ‘facts of nature’ known to man." (Mental Suggestions At A Distance, Jule Eisenbud, Psychic Magazine)
If electronic hardware can do it, why not the superb computer that produces human thought which conceived, designed, built and supplied that electronic hardware do it?
Although I have no notion of the inner workings of computers, which include color, movement and sound, and are a source for answers, a source for learning and a source of entertainment, I still turn mine on and have faith that I’ll be able to successfully operate it.
GOOD LUCK CHARMS
One of the best-known good luck charms is a rabbit’s foot. Although of dubious luck to the rabbit, when a human carries this portion of its anatomy it supposedly brings very good fortune.
There is, of course, no luck, good or otherwise, inherent in a rabbit’s foot, the four leaf clover, the lucky penny, the mustard seed, or any other of a number of things on a lengthy list.
If you carry or wear what you believe is a good luck charm, whatever it may be, and you are convinced it will bring you good luck, you are dealing with and only with -- the powerful magic of positive thinking.
Positive thinking works. Good luck charms don’t.
If you strongly believe a black cat crossing your path will bring you bad luck, it probably will.
Don’t blame it on the innocent tabby; blame it on your belief.
At a time somewhere in the remote past some poor soul must have been clobbered with a bucket of paint or hot water when he or she strolled under a ladder. Walking under a ladder may be ill advised due to the possibility of something falling on your head, but this certainly isn’t an ironclad guarantee of bad luck.
Broken mirrors may prove hazardous if you’re not careful when you pick up the pieces -- but 7 years of bad luck? Of course not!
The next time you have the opportunity, walk under a ladder the most auspicious time being when no one is using it -- or coax a black cat to cross your path, or take a mirror you don’t want anymore and smash it with a hammer.
Tell yourself you’re in for some good luck and believe it.
If you feel you can’t do a convincing job of programming yourself to expect something good will happen as a direct result of any of the above actions, don’t despair. There are ways to break a bad luck omen:
" -- spells can presumably be broken by spitting, walking backward a specified number of steps (7), going around a circle three times, hitting one palm with the closed fist of the other hand, or alternately with the thumb and fist." (THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF THE PSYCHIC SCIENCES, Walter Gibson & Litzka R. Gibson)
The fear of the number 13 is bereft of all sense and rationale. But it is an apprehension firmly instilled in most of us.
It is a strange form of paranoia that can be traced back to, amongst other things, the Last Supper.
Because 12 disciples joined Jesus at the table and because Judas betrayed Him during that momentous repast, the number 13 took on a totally undeserved onus.
There can be no more than 13 witches in a traditional coven. Yet another reason to fear the number 13? Preposterous!
As most go about their daily lives they often deny the existence of that number. When going up or down stairs there are always 12 (or fewer) or 14 (or more) steps. Never 13.
In buildings we convince ourselves there is no 13 th floor. The floor above the 12 th one is the 14 th . Not so. If you go one floor above the 12 th you are on the 13 th . No matter what you choose to call it.
The 13 th floor does exist. Regardless of what you have been taught, magic does exist.
The power of positive thinking is the most important factor in working any form of magic, whether it is the greater magic involving the use of various props or tools such as candles, incantations, potions, etc., or the lesser magic all of us can and should use in our everyday lives.
Here again, there is absolutely no magic in those various props or tools. They serve only to assist you in concentrating. You can focus on the candle, recite the incantation, or mix and utilize the potion. Such focusing helps to strengthen your concentration.
You use the tool or tools that work best for you, but any "magic" that produces the desired result comes directly from only you.
Yes such things do work but only if you totally and without a backward glance or thought, BELIEVE they will.
The act of concentration is often misunderstood. When you concentrate on something, you should not make it a difficult thing to do. There are those who, when told they must concentrate, will put forth such effort that their faces show strain. They squinch up their eyes and clench their teeth.
There should be none of that. It’s an unfortunate waste of energy and it just plain won’t work.
What is truly necessary for concentration is a state of relaxation and serenity.
The next time you find yourself starting out on what seems to be a bad day, instead of allowing yourself to believe your entire day is going to be a disastrous dud in which case it surely will be - convince yourself something good is about to happen. Do a good selling job on yourself and chances are very much in your favor that some good will happen during what you initially felt would be a lousy day.
Start looking for the good in your life and chances are you’ll find it. If you are determined it isn’t there, it probably isn’t.
Positive thinking is beneficial.
Negativity, in any form, is destructive. Unless you enjoy or feel comfortable wallowing in misery, it’s best you expunge any miserable thoughts from your mind. One thing is for sure; miserable thoughts cannot and will not solve any problem or problems. They get you absolutely nowhere. The one and only result is an increase in your misery.
Most people know at least one person who does such wallowing on a regular basis. These are the ones who have elected themselves informers of bad news. When apprised of any illnesses, catastrophes or tragedies among their acquaintances, they will embark on the task of telling everyone they know.
Good news seems to bore them.
My advice is, stay away from them.
The power of negative thought is most certainly physically debilitating. It can be ally of hypertension and heart attacks. Negative thoughts can also trigger arguments, and arguments sap energy.
The next time you feel yourself getting upset and primed for telling whomever it is that they’re wrong, that they should shut up or get lost stop for just a moment and listen to your heart, or put your hand on your chest and feel it. It will be beating faster than normal. Why? It has to in order to dredge up the necessary spurts of adrenaline to fuel your wrath.
The phrase, getting hot under the collar, is very apropos. Anger will drive your body’s thermostat into an uphill race.
Stop and ask yourself if it’s worth it.
Worry. If it is a case of worrying about something you have the power to control, then worrying might prompt you into an action that will bring about a change for the better. If this were the case, then your worry was worthwhile.
For example:
If Henry Ford hadn’t worried about a way to make the automobile easily accessible to the masses, we would have continued to use horses as a means of transportation until a time when someone else worried about it.
What if Jonas Salk hadn’t worried about polio?
However---
If the circumstances lie outside the realm of your control, then the worry is an absolute waste of time. What you must bear in mind when immersed in this type of apprehension is the good and bad, the ebb and flow -- the yin and yang of everyone’s life.
Without the star-crossed events that befall us all, how could we appreciate our pleasant, happy times?
The one and only answer? We couldn’t.
When this type of worry fills your thoughts remember that all we mortals endure it from time to time. If there were a way to end all worry - we would surely utilize it. There would then be no such thing in anyone’s life. If this were so, would it be beneficial? Probably not.
If you absolutely have to worry, even if you’re trying not to, don’t use the old, familiar platitude of, what will it matter a hundred years from today? Think about what it will matter to you one year
…one month or week or even tomorrow.
Hatred. Wow! What an absolutely pathetic desolate use of energy! If your dislike for a person has intensified into that uniquely human emotion, why should you invest so much depth of passion?
It has been said, surely far more than once, that there is a very small line between love and hate.
Both require strong emotion and a resulting drain on your energy.
It’s best to invest that energy into something that is worthwhile, with a great potential for enriching your life.
The opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of hate is not love.
The opposite of these strong emotions is indifference.
