In my most recent blog, I finally got to the topic of multiverses, or alternate realities and I touched on the fact that there are countless in the scientific community who are supporters of the idea of the existence of multi-verses. To see how I got to this point be sure to read my first and 2nd blog on this topic - Exploration & Exploration Continued. As there is quite a bit of discussion to read before understanding how I got to this point. Ok, so there are some good theories behind the idea of multiverses, let me try to give a breakdown on some of the theories that point to such a conclusion. · Bubble universes (based on the standard model), This theory suggests that space-time may stretch out to infinity. If so, then everything in our universe must at some point repeat upon itself, and in essence create more alternate universes. · Membranes (based on string theory), This theory states the possibility that there are more than the 4 dimensions we believe we currently can perceive. Those are the three of space and one of time. This theory simply put proposes that our universe may float alongside numerous other dimensions that we simply cannot perceive. · Many-worlds hypothesis (based on a speculative form of quantum mechanics) This theory touches on the potential choice or outcome that could happen (which you do not choose) does in fact happen. So simply put, in any given situation you have two possible choices to make, whichever you may end up choosing, the other choice that you never chose still happens but is created on a new level of reality, separate but alongside to our own. This is based on the Copenhagen Interpretation - originating from the famous double slit quantum experiment Below is a short video, that probably does a better job of explaining the above 3 theories. Now if individuals a great deal smarter than I am, mostly come to this same conclusion, and there is much support from the trusted scientific community and evidence in quantum experiments to suggest it as a possibility. Then I'm going to explore the idea that there are such realities or dimensions, but how could one know for sure? We simply do not seem to have the physical ability or technological tools available to perceive or decode these signals into perceivable stimuli. Well, there may be a way, and that way could be Lucid Dreaming or OBE's. For millennia people have been talking about Astral Projection, OBE – Out of Body Experiences or Lucid Dreaming (Dream Yoga). These have been abilities individuals have taught, practiced and kept secret in some cases for a very long time. Where are these individuals going to? Projecting to? What are they experiencing, perceiving? What is OBE or astral projection? Could it be these multiverses, alternate dimensions are being explored? Is it possible that these multi-verses spoken about in current scientific theory are being and have been traveled to for millennia? Only now is it becoming a more mainstream avenue of discussion or scientific inquiry? Well, these and many more questions are what I would now like to explore, both in scientific theory and understanding as well as experiential practice (knowing). And this is important, because as mentioned in my 1st blog on this subject - What is wisdom? Wisdom is knowledge obtained through experience. One can understand something, but one can only truly know something when they have experienced it. So read this article, understand the points made in it. But only truly know what is being discussed when you choose to experience it, in practice. What is Astral Projection? A process by which an individuals human consciousness temporarily leaves the physical body and functions independently, while the physical body remains unmoving (asleep) throughout. Through this, one experiences the world from a perspective other than what one would within a physical body using the physical senses - because in essence one isn't physical anymore. Within an astral projection you retain a high level of consciousness, and can remember the experience in detail upon ones conscious return back to the body. This is similar to what some people experience in their dreams, where they become conscious (lucid / awake) within their dreams. Otherwise known as lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming as touched on above is the conscious waking within a dream experience, the ability to awaken within a dream as opposed to sleepwalk within the dream which the majority of people do today. Ask all your friends about this, you may be surprised to find that there are a few who do or have experienced a lucid dream. There does though seem to be a distinction between Lucid Dreaming and OBE's - It is stated that a lucid dream is the result of "awaking" within a subconscious projection otherwise known as a dream. Whereas an OBE is the actual shifting of the consciousness to another plane, or level of reality. And for this purpose, having started this blog on multiverses, I will focus more so on OBE's. Astral Projection, otherwise known as Out of Body Exploration or OBE for short or even lucid dreaming are phenomena or abilities that has been achieved and practiced for millennia. Egyptians called it the light body, the Tibetans called it the double body, Tibetans also practiced and still do today a form of Yoga called Dream Yoga. A study conducted by Dr Crookall at the University of Aberdeen showed that out of 488 world societies, 89% had at least some tradition regarding OBEs. Interestingly, scientist such as the likes of Stephen La Berge have studied and to an extent proven the validity of lucid dreaming. So what does mainstream science think about OBE's? Well mainstream science considers the OBE to be a type of hallucination that can be caused by various neurological and psychological factors. What is a hallucination? A hallucination is a perception in the absence of external stimulus that has qualities of real perception. Hallucinations are vivid, substantial, and located in external objective space. This does sound like the descriptions of what an OBE would be, a hallucination would then also be something made up or created within the mind or subconscious of the individual hallucinating. Now if this were true for OBE's as well, how does one explain the following - · Near Death Experiences (NED's - also considered to be OBE's), where people near death, after an accident, or during surgery in hospital, experienced being outside of their body when having a near death experience. Such as in a hospital theater room, and perceiving events taking place in an adjoining room within the hospital. Then having the events experienced by the individual verified by witnesses present during the afore mentioned event. - For more on NDE's · The ability some have achieved of accurately perceiving items at certain locations around the globe, when out of body. Then confirming these with others when back in the physical. · There also exists an example of an OBE study conducted by Dr. Charles Tart, who was a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California. Dr Charles Tart documented the OBE experience of a young woman who was one of his research subjects. He conducted an experiment where the subject was placed in a room, with nothing but a clock, a bed, a shelf and an observation window. The subject was challenged, while strapped to numerous electrical devices, to go out of body and look at a piece of paper placed on the shelf above her bed. The shelf and piece of paper was at a significant distance that she could not see it even if she was standing up. The paper had a number written on it (the number was 25132) and she was asked to go out of body, look at the number, remember it and when she returned to her body to repeat the number she reportedly saw. The research subject was able to do so with 100% accuracy, while she was being watched with the number still well above her on the shelf.- For more on this experiment. Another example is the one that occurred to Graham Nicholls (author, artist and expert on OBE's) - “At the time I was involved in regular meetings of a small group at which we would exchange ideas and discuss different practices etc. On this night I taught my G-Technique for the first time, which is an advanced form of breathing and bodywork. After practicing this for a while I wasn’t feeling much, but then just as I thought it wasn’t working I felt overwhelmed. Moments later I was moving through some kind of natural landscape in an out-of-body state. Then the scene seemed to break and I found myself standing on the corner of Moor Street and Old Compton Street in Soho, London. Everything was tinted with a cerulean or bluish-gray effect, I recognised where I was immediately as I used to work in the area. Moments later an explosion burst out from the right-hand side of the road, around 100 metres away. I remember looking to my right and seeing a man run towards the explosion; I also remember seeing the Pollo Bar (an Italian restaurant that has since closed), which again confirmed where I was. At one point an intense wave of emotion hit me, as if coming from the people who had lost their lives in the explosion. The whole OBE was very oppressive, and as it came to an end it took quite a while to come out of the trance state I was in.” Even though many might be skeptical of this precognitive OBE, it did not take place when Graham was alone and reported after the fact — as hardline skeptics might assume. There were in fact several witnesses on the evening of the vision. One of whom, a Portuguese man named Cristovão Neto, says, “I remember thinking it was quite far-fetched, but yes, the “vision” involved an explosion in Soho”, that was on April 25th, five days before the actual bombing took place in London Soho. Lawrence Brightman, from Florida who has lived in London for many years, was another witness present on the night of the OBE. He remembers Graham stating that what he’d seen was “a bombing at a bar in Soho, and he said it was a precognition before the actual bombing happened”. These statements are intriguing and clearly support Graham’s version of events. - See more at: http://disinfo.com/2013/07/out-of-body-experiences-real-or-imagined/#sthash.bILPMNXc.dpuf If these examples, which are described as OBE's, are in fact hallucinations, then how is it possible that there are other individuals present to verify the facts and experiences described by the Out of Body explorer? I would like to point to a further query to consider, I can guess that in probably most of the cases the scientist who have determined these hallucination ideas about OBE's, are individuals who have never experienced extensive Out of Body Experiences. They are formulating an idea, a theory about an experience they have never had. Since this is a -reproduce-able experience that people can train themselves to have, I would be more interested in the ideas or theories of those scientists who have had extensive OBE's. As Tom Campbell (such an individual) says, "the proof is in the pudding. Sometimes you just need to give it a try and find out for yourself what is real and what is not. The human mind is an amazing tool, and the consciousness that inhabits it even more so." So what do you think? Are OBE's real? Are they opportunities to explore reality, alternate realities, yourself? Or are they just hallucinations? Perhaps the purpose of OBE's are an opportunity to provide you with some methods, tools or practices that you can use to find out what, and who you are, and not to take someone elses ideas or theories on the matter but to figure it out for yourself. The only way to truly know, is to self realise, to experience in practice. If you have questions, and are serious in answering them, then let the experience itself provide the evidence. In my next blog I would like to touch on the following question, · Those who claim to go out of body, what exactly are they doing? How are they achieving this? I would also look into the ideas of those scientist who are individuals who have experienced extensive OBE's. Get a scientists point of view on the matter. Then also detail how it's achieved, and give you the reader an opportunity to know for yourself.
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As an adventurer I take great pleasure in seeing and experiencing new things. In experiencing these new situations I am exposed to varying alternatives, ideas and beliefs which all in some way alter my own ideas or perception of the world, of life or reality. It seems that things are not all set in stone, the way I was told things ARE or SHOULD BE , there appears to be more to the story than I was told. As Morpheus so aptly put it "This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill -- the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill -- you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes". Well I'd like to do just that, and offer you an opportunity to take the red pill and explore and investigate the various theories and ideas on consciousness and reality with me. What I believe to be the next landscape of human exploration. First though I would like to touch on some points to consider before diving straight into the topic at hand, all connected points may I add. As a youngster I was told about the people who lived across the ocean, who lived in far off lands and was shown how they looked and what they believed. I thought I knew and understood them, until of course I lived with them, amongst them and experienced their culture their beliefs and way of life. Living in Thailand not just in another English speaking country with similar culture, and ideals but a country where the culture, beliefs and overall way of life is so very different. Was certainly what one would term "a Culture Shock" as I was exposed to a completely different perspective on so many things. This experience lead me to my first realisation, a realisation on perspective. My point of view was determined by my conditioned beliefs and ideas. Yes yes, I know what you are saying, I know this, everybody knows this. But I challenge you that to know something and to experience something are two very different things. While I knew this too, I never truly understood it, until I was submerged in a completely different point of view. Where I was overwhelmed by a sea of people who lived so differently to how I did that at first it was completely baffling. My second reaction was "How can people live like this?". In the image on the right, is the man actually larger than the woman? No, we know this trick (But should you not, feel free to enlighten yourself - Click here or here). But from this point of view or perspective he certainly appears to be. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that we are always told how things are, but we never choose to question it. We assume everything we are told and taught is correct and true for all. What if you were taught that the man in the image was in fact larger than the woman, unless you were fortunate enough to actually be there and realise that was not the case. You would believe it, and your whole perspective would cement on this idea and belief. Or what if you weren't told anything at all, and you had only your current view to make a determination on what you were seeing. In order to truly expand your understanding or your perspective you need to be willing to question everything you have been told or taught. In order to be an explorer for effective growth you need to be an open minded skeptic. Open minded enough to listen to any and all theories and concepts without making a judgement on the matter until the next step, Then be skeptical enough to research or test the idea (through experience), and see how it feels or works for you. For interest sake, what is wisdom? Wisdom is knowledge obtained through experience. By exploring, you challenge yourself to experience change, change that we as human beings so very much deplore. But something that is a guaranteed constant in everyone's life. Whether it is loosing a job, an unplanned pregnancy, an economic crisis, a tornado ripping through your house or the death of a loved one. An alternative point of view to your own, that challenges your deeply set beliefs which effects and changes your emotional state. The possible examples of change are countless. If there is one guarantee in life, it's that things are going to change . The more we cling on to wanting things to stay the same the more we suffer. The Dalai Lama put it best, when he said - "Suffering is resistance to change". So explore, challenge your unflinching point of view, challenge your fixed desire for consistency and become more fluid and flowing. Become like water, not resisting what is, but flowing around it and not allowing it to stunt its forward progress. In the proceeding blog I will touch on the idea of lucid dreaming and out of body exploration. I hope to investigate the ideas and discuss them as an explorer attempting to discover the benefits or results of the practices for myself. If this is a new concept for you I hope to fully detail the practice, it's effects and potential benefits. If this is an idea that you are totally against, then I ask only that you be the open minded skeptic and consider what I will discuss and test it to see how it works for you. And if this should be a topic you are familiar with, I encourage you to read on and hopefully find some new gems of inspiration. So challenge your perceptions or point of view, and welcome change as the precursor to evolution and growth. Remember the one guaranteed resistance to any growth is fear. Fear of change, fear of uncertainty or fear of loss, the list goes on. All negative experiences can be narrowed down to fear, and the choices we make in relation to our submission to the fear we feel. Replace any feelings of fear with a desire to learn, to explore and to grow. A love for truth, discovery and eventual peace of mind and soul. In the next blog I will begin my investigation into the ideas of lucid dreaming and out of body exploration. Watch this space. Ok, so I received the following link or message in a number of various ways today. http://www.social-consciousness.com/2013/09/12-little-known-laws-of-karma-that-will-change-your-life.html First, my girlfriend shared it with me and asked me to read it because she thought it was a good post, then I also saw it on the side of a random website I visited while surfing the web. Then out of the blue, later in the evening I checked my mail and received an e-mail from a friend who rarely if ever communicates with me via e-mail. And low and behold it was an e-mail sharing exactly the same message as can be seen in the link above. Co-incidence? Or divine intervention? Synchronicity? The universe, God, my guides or angels - whatever you wish to name it - trying to get a message to me and making it pretty clear by ensuring I see the message via a number of avenues? Now normally I would think nothing of this, but of late I have been trying to be more aware of synchronicity (a term coined by Carl Jung) or synchronistic moments. What is synchronicity? The term synchronicity is coined by Jung to express a concept that belongs to him. It is about acausal connection of two or more psycho-physic phenomena. Which basically means, the possible connection between an incident where a psychological, emotional feeling or realisation is reemphasised in a physical experience or manifestation of some kind. This concept was inspired by a patient. Her exaggerate rationalism (animus inflation) was holding her back from assimilating unconscious materials. One night, the patient dreamt a golden scarab - cetonia aurata (gold green beetle) . The next day, during the psychotherapy session, a real insect this time, hit against the Jung's cabinet window. Jung caught it and discovered surprisingly that it was a golden scarab; a very rare presence for that climate. So, the idea is all about coincidence: in this case, between the scarab dreamt by the patient and its appearance in reality, in the psychotherapy cabinet. - from carl-jung.net Essentially, Jung believed that many experiences that we label as coincidence due to chance in terms of causality, suggested the manifestation of parallel events or circumstances in terms of meaning, reflecting this governing dynamic. He believed there was some meaning between both events, and that they were not merely co-incidence. Is it just a coincidence, what happened to me? Or is there a presence of some kind trying to help us along, feed us clues to where we need to or want to truly be, or at least where we need to be moving towards. I think that Mr Jung was onto something, and I think there may have been some message in the repeated revelation of the message both mailed and messaged to me. I have been asking what I need to do of late, was my question answered? So what was the message? Essentially about Karma, and the numerous karmic laws, a description of what it is and how one can make use of the understanding of it to make positive changes in ones life. Basically - Karma - you get what you give. You give out hatred, violence and negativity, well then you are sure to get that back in return. If I think about it, this simple "law" if you will, is spread or at least mentioned in one way or another in all religious texts. Catholicism - "you sow what you reap", or " do unto others, as you would have them do unto you". Karma is also obviously part of the many eastern religions - Karma is part of Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies. Gandhi put it best for me - "Be what you want to see in the world". Without me having to run through each of the laws and discuss them. My intention for writing this blog, I guess was to make mention of the synchronicity I experienced, of the need to see and read, and more importantly perhaps apply the ideals within the message into my life. And having read the entire article, and being wholeheartedly committed to the ideals stated within, I guess the message is clear. I have NOT been as mindful of these "laws". I prefer to call them ideals, I need to be more mindful of these ideals, and practice them everyday in every moment. On a final note, when I arrived back home after having completed this blog, I found the following bug lying in front of my home. Coincidence? Synchronicity? You decide? I know what I think..... What a fascinating TED talk, have a look and then see my comments below. What a fascinating talk by Rupert Sheldrake, on how he perceives Science to be quite delusional when you break down the essential Dogma of Science. Having watched the entire TED talk, by Mr Sheldrake, I must say that he certainly raises a lot of very interesting questions.
The reason I say "he perceives", obviously because I want to make it clear that they are his theories, ideas and perceptions. To say they are the truth, would be as idiotic as to as that Science is truth. But I must say, that alot of what he talks about and discusses rings truthfully "for me", and certainly resonates with me. Is something i would like to delve into further, and explore more. Leading me to my next questions, Rupert Sheldrake suggests that perhaps everything is evolving and changing, even the speed of light, or gravity. Why not? Do the answers to everything always need to be fixed? Perhaps that is just it, everything, including us is continuously evolving. When we try to pinpoint it, and say what it is, we miss out on the nature of it - that it is ever evolving. I almost think that we live in a world, where to change is to suffer. But that's not the case, at least not for me. Yes, it certainly is harder, why? Well, because I was raised to believe that change is bad, and constant unchanging effects, daily occurrences, ideals or beliefs are what what keeps us / me comfortable. I guess that is true, because by not challenging my beliefs and ideas, I cannot evolve I cannot change into something better, something greater. Because I'm willing to say, "Wait, maybe I'm wrong, I could learn something from this new idea. Let me look into it, and see how it works for me." Maybe just maybe, we need to embrace change, we need to embrace evolving ideas, poke and prod them, apply them to our own lives and see how they affect us. And through this willingness to embrace, rather than repel and push away we may find we grow so much faster than we ever believed possible. I have certainly, shifted off the scientific aspect of the discussion and swerved wholly into a more philosophical road. But then, that is what I do enjoy exploring and reflecting on. Anyways, I may add to this post at a later date, when I have allowed the ideas to marinate longer. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject, as continued discussion and debate is what |
AuthorMy name is Yuri, and I am just a regular Joe who loves travel and adventure. I love to explore love, life and everything else and share that with you. I love weird and wonderful things, which will always be present in any of my writings or blog posts. Categories
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