Category: Energy/Vibration


The Evil Eye and Auric Interactions

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

My family has all sorts of superstitions that I’ve always thought were crazy. At the same time, however, part of me has always wondered if maybe there is something to them. For example, my grandmother was forever blaming all sorts of problems on what she called the “evil eye.” (I could tell you lots of wild stories!) Anyway, do you think the evil eye is real? Is it possible to harm another person on some level just by looking at them?
– Effie

Dear Effie:

The evil eye is a common superstition in Arab and European countries, especially around the area of the Mediterranean. However, the understanding that ill will can be communicated via a look is universal. Let’s deal with the superstition first.

The basic idea behind the evil eye is that one person can curse another person by simply envying them. Most people believe that this harm is not intentional. It seems to arise from the idea that in drawing attention to someone’s blessing, God may realize He’s made a mistake or that things aren’t “fair” somehow, and take that blessing away.

From a metaphysical perspective, there is of course no need for us to hide our blessings for fear they will be taken away from us, and in fact, that sort of fear is counter-productive. Most of us can appreciate the psychological issues behind such superstitions, however, for we’ve all been the uncomfortable objects of envy. If someone who couldn’t have a child praised my beautiful baby, I would naturally feel sorry for her and empathize by imagining myself in her place. If we are in any way doubtful of our worthiness of such a blessing, it’s natural to think we’d better hide our good fortune lest someone take it away.

Perhaps this sort of thinking arises in childhood, when parents strive to be fair to siblings. If one sibling has something like a new toy or candy, he may be made to share it with his brothers and sisters. Also, children often find things they treasure but should not have, and when their parents find out, they take those things away. To protect their treasures, children often learn to hide them.

We must also remember that folklore arises to answer questions to which there are no other answers available. For example, babies and small children tend to get sick a lot. Back when there was no medical explanation for most illnesses, people looked to supernatural causes because they were desperate to be able to do something to save their children from harm.

There are all sorts of strange rituals, charms and so-called cures for the evil eye, which you can research elsewhere if you’re interested. I do think it’s interesting to note that these remedies reveal a basic awareness of the fact that our auras can be affected by others’ energy. When we believe we are protected, our vibration is high, and for this reason alone, using a charm or ritual could protect us. Further, charms for protection are often mirrored surfaces or look like eyes, as they are designed to reflect and return the energy in the sender’s gaze. This suggests basic understanding of karma, and how it is wiser to “turn the other cheek” than to go on the offensive. Other remedies for the evil eye involve auric cleansing techniques. For example, in some places children are smudged with smoke when they return from being in public.

As for whether or not there is any spiritual basis for these superstitions, we all know that looks can be unsettling and unnerving. While some looks obviously contain some sort of threat, most of us don’t like to be stared at, and some looks really give us the creeps. The common saying, “if looks could kill” suggests we are aware of the malevolent quality of some looks, and grateful that they can only affect us on a non-physical level.

Most women are familiar with the energetic feeling of being “checked out” or leered at by a man. One of the first auric interactions I ever witnessed clairvoyantly involved such a situation. I was picking up a friend who lived in a college co-op. She hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so I agreed to wait while she grabbed a quick meal with her housemates. I was sitting in the back of the dining room when I saw a young man enter. Her back was to him, and as I saw him look at her, I actually saw this red, murky energy flow out from his aura toward her. When it got close to her, all of a sudden she turned around and looked right at him with an angry look on her face.

This so surprised me that I lost my clairvoyant connection. Later I told her what I’d seen, and she was amazed by it. She then explained how that young man had been sexually harassing her for a while, and gave her the creeps!

This experience demonstrated how we sense when someone is looking at us: they actually send energy out to our auras. It also explained how we can sense things about people, like whether they are safe or dangerous, sincere or dishonest, and all sorts of other information. Regardless of what they may do or say, when we interact with other people, our auras are communicating on a deeper level.

We can send energy to someone by focusing on them mentally, but it’s more powerful to be able to focus on them visually as well. By focusing our gaze on someone with emotion, we can communicate all sorts of things from anger, threats or rejection to sincere interest, sexual attraction and love.

Further, when two or more people are together, natural spiritual law causes them to entrain to the vibration of the person with the strongest energy field. This person has the most “power” both in terms of life force and interpersonal dynamics. This does not mean that person is the most “enlightened.” If such a person has a very positive, warm vibration, others will find him attractive. If such a person has a negative or destructive vibration, people will naturally tend to fear him.

People with strong life force energy radiate that power in many ways, and one key way is through their eyes, which tend to be striking, penetrating or beautiful. It thus makes sense that when we are around someone of a lower vibration who has more powerful chi than we do, we will feel threatened by their energy, and try to avoid interacting with them in any way.

Please don’t let these ideas worry you, for we have been dealing with these auric interactions our whole lives with the help of our wonderful inner guidance systems. Our instincts make us aware of what is happening on an auric level, so all we need to do is listen to our intuition and act accordingly.

– Soul Arcanum

The Evil Eye and Auric Interactions

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

My family has all sorts of superstitions that I’ve always thought were crazy. At the same time, however, part of me has always wondered if maybe there is something to them. For example, my grandmother was forever blaming all sorts of problems on what she called the “evil eye.” (I could tell you lots of wild stories!) Anyway, do you think the evil eye is real? Is it possible to harm another person on some level just by looking at them?
– Effie

Dear Effie:

The evil eye is a common superstition in Arab and European countries, especially around the area of the Mediterranean. However, the understanding that ill will can be communicated via a look is universal. Let’s deal with the superstition first.

The basic idea behind the evil eye is that one person can curse another person by simply envying them. Most people believe that this harm is not intentional. It seems to arise from the idea that in drawing attention to someone’s blessing, God may realize He’s made a mistake or that things aren’t “fair” somehow, and take that blessing away.

From a metaphysical perspective, there is of course no need for us to hide our blessings for fear they will be taken away from us, and in fact, that sort of fear is counter-productive. Most of us can appreciate the psychological issues behind such superstitions, however, for we’ve all been the uncomfortable objects of envy. If someone who couldn’t have a child praised my beautiful baby, I would naturally feel sorry for her and empathize by imagining myself in her place. If we are in any way doubtful of our worthiness of such a blessing, it’s natural to think we’d better hide our good fortune lest someone take it away.

Perhaps this sort of thinking arises in childhood, when parents strive to be fair to siblings. If one sibling has something like a new toy or candy, he may be made to share it with his brothers and sisters. Also, children often find things they treasure but should not have, and when their parents find out, they take those things away. To protect their treasures, children often learn to hide them.

We must also remember that folklore arises to answer questions to which there are no other answers available. For example, babies and small children tend to get sick a lot. Back when there was no medical explanation for most illnesses, people looked to supernatural causes because they were desperate to be able to do something to save their children from harm.

There are all sorts of strange rituals, charms and so-called cures for the evil eye, which you can research elsewhere if you’re interested. I do think it’s interesting to note that these remedies reveal a basic awareness of the fact that our auras can be affected by others’ energy. When we believe we are protected, our vibration is high, and for this reason alone, using a charm or ritual could protect us. Further, charms for protection are often mirrored surfaces or look like eyes, as they are designed to reflect and return the energy in the sender’s gaze. This suggests basic understanding of karma, and how it is wiser to “turn the other cheek” than to go on the offensive. Other remedies for the evil eye involve auric cleansing techniques. For example, in some places children are smudged with smoke when they return from being in public.

As for whether or not there is any spiritual basis for these superstitions, we all know that looks can be unsettling and unnerving. While some looks obviously contain some sort of threat, most of us don’t like to be stared at, and some looks really give us the creeps. The common saying, “if looks could kill” suggests we are aware of the malevolent quality of some looks, and grateful that they can only affect us on a non-physical level.

Most women are familiar with the energetic feeling of being “checked out” or leered at by a man. One of the first auric interactions I ever witnessed clairvoyantly involved such a situation. I was picking up a friend who lived in a college co-op. She hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so I agreed to wait while she grabbed a quick meal with her housemates. I was sitting in the back of the dining room when I saw a young man enter. Her back was to him, and as I saw him look at her, I actually saw this red, murky energy flow out from his aura toward her. When it got close to her, all of a sudden she turned around and looked right at him with an angry look on her face.

This so surprised me that I lost my clairvoyant connection. Later I told her what I’d seen, and she was amazed by it. She then explained how that young man had been sexually harassing her for a while, and gave her the creeps!

This experience demonstrated how we sense when someone is looking at us: they actually send energy out to our auras. It also explained how we can sense things about people, like whether they are safe or dangerous, sincere or dishonest, and all sorts of other information. Regardless of what they may do or say, when we interact with other people, our auras are communicating on a deeper level.

We can send energy to someone by focusing on them mentally, but it’s more powerful to be able to focus on them visually as well. By focusing our gaze on someone with emotion, we can communicate all sorts of things from anger, threats or rejection to sincere interest, sexual attraction and love.

Further, when two or more people are together, natural spiritual law causes them to entrain to the vibration of the person with the strongest energy field. This person has the most “power” both in terms of life force and interpersonal dynamics. This does not mean that person is the most “enlightened.” If such a person has a very positive, warm vibration, others will find him attractive. If such a person has a negative or destructive vibration, people will naturally tend to fear him.

People with strong life force energy radiate that power in many ways, and one key way is through their eyes, which tend to be striking, penetrating or beautiful. It thus makes sense that when we are around someone of a lower vibration who has more powerful chi than we do, we will feel threatened by their energy, and try to avoid interacting with them in any way.

Please don’t let these ideas worry you, for we have been dealing with these auric interactions our whole lives with the help of our wonderful inner guidance systems. Our instincts make us aware of what is happening on an auric level, so all we need to do is listen to our intuition and act accordingly.

– Soul Arcanum

Energy Work Makes him Dizzy

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

Last year I attended some energy healing lessons, during which I opened my crown chakra. A couple of months after these lessons, I began to feel dizzy all the time. My teacher had warned me that I might experience some changes in my body, but it was a terrible feeling, and I couldn’t wait to get back to normal. I still feel like something is spinning on top of my head, and sometimes my “head spins” as well. What is happening? What should I do?
– A.

Dear A.:

While I see a connection between your spiritual practices and these sensations, it would of course be wise for you to see a doctor and rule out potential physical problems.

That aside, it sounds to me like you need to get “grounded.” When we engage in spiritual practices like meditation, ritual work, spirit communication, energy healing, etc., we focus our energy and attention beyond the physical plane. This can cause us to sort of disconnect from the physical and our physical bodies. We then might say we are “out of it” or not totally “with it,” because on some level, we understand that we are not completely in our bodies.

Our minds are not located in our brains; they are non-physical, so they transcend space and time. Our minds go where we send them via our attention. If we develop a habit of focusing beyond this plane, our minds can begin to disconnect from the physical. You didn’t mention if you continued to work with this teaching or were engaged in other spiritual practices in the period following these lessons, but in any case, it sounds like this experience sparked a new surge of spiritual awakening.

I recommend you research the term kundalini and the various symptoms that can arise with kundalini awakening. Kundalini is just life force energy, of course, so despite the dire warnings you may read, it is in no way dangerous. It is powerful, however, so it demands a careful, respectful approach.

Kundalini is the force carrying us through the evolutionary journey we call life, and things like meditation and energy healing can clear the way for this evolution. Sometimes, this can be an uncomfortable or awkward process, and we may experience “growing pains” as we struggle for a foothold at a new vibration. It’s like our spirits are leading, but our hearts, minds, and/or bodies are lagging a bit behind.

For example, if someone who is engaged in spiritual practice to raise kundalini has a block in their crown chakra, they might experience something like a headache as a result of working with this energy. By contrast, someone with a very open crown chakra who is trying hard to grow spiritually may channel more energy than he is drawing in. He may feel very dizzy during and after spiritual practice because too much energy is flowing out through the crown chakra. I used to get very dizzy when I would try to meditate after a strenuous workout. While this could have been a blood pressure issue, it felt like I was just too revved up (flowing too much energy) to meditate at that time.

During a period of big spiritual awakening, I would also begin to spontaneously leave my body every time I tried to meditate. When my teacher told me this meant I needed to get more grounded, and that I was “top heavy” in terms of chakra development, I gave up my traditional meditation practice and began to focus on getting physically strong, fit and healthy. In terms of spiritual practice, I began to study and work with earthy paths like Wicca and shamanism. This led to new spiritual growth, better balance, and greater well-being. I was more “grounded” in the physical.

It only makes sense that balance would be a key issue here, since when you are dizzy, you naturally lose your balance. It may prove helpful to ask yourself in what ways you are out of balance in various aspects of your life: your physical health, emotional world, relationships, career, spiritual journey, etc.

Also, when you’re engaged in raising kundalini or awakening spiritually, low blood sugar is a common problem. In fact, people who are going through a kundalini experience often crave things like sugar, dairy and refined carbs because their energy is erratic. When they experience a surge in kundalini, they burn through energy quickly, and their blood sugar drops.

So if you’ve been fasting or eating very lightly and you’re getting dizzy, it would be prudent to make sure you’re eating frequently and eating enough. If you are uncomfortable with the dizziness, you could counter the blood sugar issues with protein in the form of nuts, soy or animal products. If, however, you want to work with this shift, you might honor your cravings. In fact, despite our Western prejudice against these foods, dairy products and sweet carbs are said to promote a high spiritual vibration.

Similarly, if you want to work with this surge in energy, you could try moving with it. By practicing something like yoga, tai chi, or chi gong, you can channel and release the energy. If, however, you just want “your old self back,” you could focus on getting lots of sleep and physical rest.

To get back to “normal,” you might also try just doing normal things and hanging out with normal people. This will bring your vibration back down to a level you’re comfortable with. Spend time with people who are grounded in “ordinary reality,” who have good common sense, and are trustworthy and reliable. Do mundane things like cleaning, exercising, spending time outdoors, etc. Simply get physical: feel your body on your chair, focus on the physical world around you, and stay present to the here and now of your outer experience.

You mentioned a teacher who had told you that you might experience some physical changes. One of the greatest reasons to have a spiritual teacher is so you have someone you can consult when you don’t know what to do. Hopefully, if you contact your teacher about these sensations, he will be able to help you find your way to better balance.

There is a note of worry in your question, and I want to reassure you that your dizzy sensations do not mean that there is something “wrong.” It’s more like when you feel tired, and how that just means that you need to rest: feeling dizzy just means you need to get grounded and balanced. Fortunately, balance is natural: everything in nature eventually returns to balance, including our bodies and the rest of our beings.

– Soul Arcanum


Energy Work Makes him Dizzy

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

Last year I attended some energy healing lessons, during which I opened my crown chakra. A couple of months after these lessons, I began to feel dizzy all the time. My teacher had warned me that I might experience some changes in my body, but it was a terrible feeling, and I couldn’t wait to get back to normal. I still feel like something is spinning on top of my head, and sometimes my “head spins” as well. What is happening? What should I do?
– A.

Dear A.:

While I see a connection between your spiritual practices and these sensations, it would of course be wise for you to see a doctor and rule out potential physical problems.

That aside, it sounds to me like you need to get “grounded.” When we engage in spiritual practices like meditation, ritual work, spirit communication, energy healing, etc., we focus our energy and attention beyond the physical plane. This can cause us to sort of disconnect from the physical and our physical bodies. We then might say we are “out of it” or not totally “with it,” because on some level, we understand that we are not completely in our bodies.

Our minds are not located in our brains; they are non-physical, so they transcend space and time. Our minds go where we send them via our attention. If we develop a habit of focusing beyond this plane, our minds can begin to disconnect from the physical. You didn’t mention if you continued to work with this teaching or were engaged in other spiritual practices in the period following these lessons, but in any case, it sounds like this experience sparked a new surge of spiritual awakening.

I recommend you research the term kundalini and the various symptoms that can arise with kundalini awakening. Kundalini is just life force energy, of course, so despite the dire warnings you may read, it is in no way dangerous. It is powerful, however, so it demands a careful, respectful approach.

Kundalini is the force carrying us through the evolutionary journey we call life, and things like meditation and energy healing can clear the way for this evolution. Sometimes, this can be an uncomfortable or awkward process, and we may experience “growing pains” as we struggle for a foothold at a new vibration. It’s like our spirits are leading, but our hearts, minds, and/or bodies are lagging a bit behind.

For example, if someone who is engaged in spiritual practice to raise kundalini has a block in their crown chakra, they might experience something like a headache as a result of working with this energy. By contrast, someone with a very open crown chakra who is trying hard to grow spiritually may channel more energy than he is drawing in. He may feel very dizzy during and after spiritual practice because too much energy is flowing out through the crown chakra. I used to get very dizzy when I would try to meditate after a strenuous workout. While this could have been a blood pressure issue, it felt like I was just too revved up (flowing too much energy) to meditate at that time.

During a period of big spiritual awakening, I would also begin to spontaneously leave my body every time I tried to meditate. When my teacher told me this meant I needed to get more grounded, and that I was “top heavy” in terms of chakra development, I gave up my traditional meditation practice and began to focus on getting physically strong, fit and healthy. In terms of spiritual practice, I began to study and work with earthy paths like Wicca and shamanism. This led to new spiritual growth, better balance, and greater well-being. I was more “grounded” in the physical.

It only makes sense that balance would be a key issue here, since when you are dizzy, you naturally lose your balance. It may prove helpful to ask yourself in what ways you are out of balance in various aspects of your life: your physical health, emotional world, relationships, career, spiritual journey, etc.

Also, when you’re engaged in raising kundalini or awakening spiritually, low blood sugar is a common problem. In fact, people who are going through a kundalini experience often crave things like sugar, dairy and refined carbs because their energy is erratic. When they experience a surge in kundalini, they burn through energy quickly, and their blood sugar drops.

So if you’ve been fasting or eating very lightly and you’re getting dizzy, it would be prudent to make sure you’re eating frequently and eating enough. If you are uncomfortable with the dizziness, you could counter the blood sugar issues with protein in the form of nuts, soy or animal products. If, however, you want to work with this shift, you might honor your cravings. In fact, despite our Western prejudice against these foods, dairy products and sweet carbs are said to promote a high spiritual vibration.

Similarly, if you want to work with this surge in energy, you could try moving with it. By practicing something like yoga, tai chi, or chi gong, you can channel and release the energy. If, however, you just want “your old self back,” you could focus on getting lots of sleep and physical rest.

To get back to “normal,” you might also try just doing normal things and hanging out with normal people. This will bring your vibration back down to a level you’re comfortable with. Spend time with people who are grounded in “ordinary reality,” who have good common sense, and are trustworthy and reliable. Do mundane things like cleaning, exercising, spending time outdoors, etc. Simply get physical: feel your body on your chair, focus on the physical world around you, and stay present to the here and now of your outer experience.

You mentioned a teacher who had told you that you might experience some physical changes. One of the greatest reasons to have a spiritual teacher is so you have someone you can consult when you don’t know what to do. Hopefully, if you contact your teacher about these sensations, he will be able to help you find your way to better balance.

There is a note of worry in your question, and I want to reassure you that your dizzy sensations do not mean that there is something “wrong.” It’s more like when you feel tired, and how that just means that you need to rest: feeling dizzy just means you need to get grounded and balanced. Fortunately, balance is natural: everything in nature eventually returns to balance, including our bodies and the rest of our beings.

– Soul Arcanum


Are Some People Incapable of Having Paranormal Experiences?

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

I have always been interested in the paranormal, but in my own life I have never encountered anything abnormal. (I’m now 66 years old.) Am I just dense or not sensitive enough? Sometimes I even doubt the existence of an afterlife. As Omar Khayyum once wrote, “Strange is it not, that of all those that before us have gone, not one returns to tell us of what lies beyond?”
– Dr. A.

Dear Dr. A:

Your interest in the paranormal is a good starting point, but it’s not enough to evoke a paranormal experience. For that, you need sincere yearning of the heart and soul and the ability to suspend disbelief. Are you willing to potentially believe something false – at least temporarily – if it means you make a new discovery?

The most important issue to ponder here is how the law of attraction comes into play. I believe we are all creating our own realities based on the thoughts we think, the things we give our attention to, what we believe and what we expect to happen. This means that people who “believe in” the paranormal will tend to create experiences that match their beliefs and expectations. Further, their own unique spin on such beliefs will influence how they experience the paranormal.

For example, two people may believe in the paranormal, with one tending toward fear of it and the other toward wonder and fascination. The first would probably manifest frightening experiences with earthbound spirits and demons, while the second may only encounter fairies and angels.

Similarly, people who don’t believe in such matters or who never think about them would probably never have any experience with them. In fact, if they approached the paranormal with disbelief or the desire to disprove something, they would tend to manifest experiences that fulfilled their negative expectations.

I vividly remember reading about psychic experiments in which this was actually proven. In these experiments, psychic tests were administered to people who had filled out questionnaires about their views on such matters. Those who believed in psychic ability performed statistically much better than chance on the tests, while those who disbelieved in psychic matters did statistically much worse than chance on the tests – which means they were actually USING their psychic ability to perform poorly!

Regarding the quote you offered about no one returning from the afterlife to tell us what it’s like on the other side, first, we all know that is just not how life is designed. It’s a bit like asking why, if love exists, it never stands up and announces its presence in some tangible way. (If you say that you are also skeptical about the existence of love, then it’s no wonder you’ve never had a spiritual experience, my friend!)

Second, people DO return from the other side and tell us what it’s like – in fact, they do it all the time! If you study the stories of near death experiencers, you’ll discover a very convincing body of evidence, for regardless of cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, etc., there are definite patterns in these accounts of what happens when we die. Many NDE’ers were skeptics or atheists who woke up on the other side and realized that there really is a whole world beyond what we can perceive in the physical.

Of course, I don’t blame you for not believing if you haven’t had any reason to – heck, I was the same way. It’s a classic catch-22: until we have an amazing encounter with the supernatural, most of us remain closed to paranormal experiences.

Often the experience that first opens people up to such matters is a sign or visit from a departed loved one. This was the case with me: so many inexplicable things happened surrounding the death of my first love that I suddenly realized there was far more to life (and death) than I had ever considered. Even after that, however, it was not until I was pregnant with my first child that I awakened psychically. (Not much of paranormal interest happened in between).

As it would be foolish to summon an NDE or the death of a loved one in order to invite amazing experiences into our lives, spiritual practice/development is our best bet. You mentioned sensitivity, and you’re right: people who are highly sensitive tend to have lots of spiritual experiences because they are able to perceive more than the average person can. Some people seem to be born sensitive, but sensitivity can be cultivated. Getting internally quiet is one way to listen for subtle stimuli, which is why meditation is so central to spiritual development.

To begin to perceive more, we can also look at everything in a fresh way. Instead of focusing on objects, we might begin to focus on the so-called empty space around objects. Instead of listening to what someone is saying, we can begin to listen for what they are NOT saying. Instead of constantly chattering to ourselves in our own minds, we can begin to listen for our inner being (or another being) to speak to us within.

There is also a lot to be said for adopting an offbeat, creative approach to life. Not long ago, I met two very psychic friends for breakfast, and was struck by the fact that all three of us were eating with our left hands – we’re all left-handed! It’s no accident that many psychics and mystics are left-handed, for spiritual experience arises from the right brain. By thinking like a creative, offbeat leftie, you too may begin to see the world in a new way.

Besides, when we’re too scientific in our approach to the paranormal, it’s like trying to capture a rainbow in a jar. The “magic” in spiritual experiences arises from being in the right place at the right time and feeling intuitively inspired to pay attention at just the right moment. (Further, doubting the existence of the afterlife is like assuming that rainbows don’t exist because our jar is empty.)

A sense of open, childlike wonder can also be invaluable. All sorts of psychic experiments have proven that children are far better at learning psychic skills than adults, most likely because they don’t doubt they can succeed. If we can find the courage to live in a “fantasy world” where every idea that comes to us is as possible as any other, we stand a much better chance of manifesting extraordinary experiences.

Of course, going back to the law of attraction, the more we look for Spirit, the more we’ll find it. Like anyone else, I sometimes get caught up in mundane concerns, and during those times, I generally stop seeing auras and encountering spirits. Spiritual experiences come and go depending on my own focus and vibration.

Finally, try living on the edge: explore new places, new ideas, and new people. Set some big goals and take some risks. Living like this engages our survival instincts, which are intuitively-based.

Also, please note that I’m not trying to convince you or anyone else of anything, for I believe that people adopt whatever truth is best for them at that point in their lives. I just try to help folks following in my psychic footsteps to make sense of the strange things they are experiencing so they know they are neither crazy nor alone.

can tell you this: I have had so many mind-blowing experiences that I have absolutely no doubt that we continue on after death, and that there is a whole lot of magic beyond what we can see of the Universe. Like you, I once wondered and questioned, but now I know. I truly believe if you pray for amazing spiritual experiences with a sincere heart and begin to watch for signs, you too will be guided to profound new faith and understanding.

– Soul Arcanum

What Blocks a Chakra?

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

I’m always reading about how to clear “blocks” in the chakras, but what causes blocks to begin with?
– Andrew:

Dear Andrew:

Thanks for this excellent question!

Basically, blocks in our chakras/auras stem from fear. When we feel afraid, we are resistant to what is happening or what we think might happen in the future. This causes us to try to prevent it from happening, and to do that, we constrict our energy, which prevents it from flowing freely. When we make a habit of this, over time blocks develop.

As for where all this fear comes from in the first place, we must remember that life in the physical is an experience in contrast. In fact, just the drive for physical survival generates all kinds of fear. From the time we are newborn babies, we are constantly struggling to get our needs met, whether those needs are for food, physical comfort, love, etc. When our needs aren’t met, we experience fear and pain, and begin to develop all sorts of beliefs and habits designed to avoid further suffering.

Let’s say that when Alice was very small, her mother left her for some reason. Maybe her mother died, maybe she got sick and had to be hospitalized for a long time, or maybe she just ran off with the mail man. Assuming this was a really traumatic experience for Alice, and she didn’t get the help or support she needed to process this experience and heal from it, she may forevermore carry “abandonment” issues. Where is she “carrying” these issues? Most likely, they can be found right in her aura. In this case, I’d expect to find a “sore spot” or a hole in her rear heart chakra, which indicates pain or trauma in a past relationship.

Someone who carried a block or energy issue from a childhood experience like this might cope by deciding that they don’t really need anyone else anyway, and choose never to become dependent on another person. They may believe that people can’t be trusted, or if they internalized their wound and blamed themselves, keep others at a distance because they believe they are intrinsically unlovable or unworthy of having someone they can really lean on.

Entire books have been written about chakra/energy healing, but with a bit of thought and imagination, you can work out for yourself the infinite number of experiences that could cause someone to constrict their energy flow and develop a habit that leads to blocks or stuck energy in their aura. Further, it’s easy to imagine what may be happening in our auras based on what we’re experiencing. For example, if we feel like we just “can’t think straight,” odds are good that the state of our sixth chakra will reflect our confusion. If we are having trouble swallowing, there may be something in our life experience that we are having a hard time accepting. If we feel powerless or unmotivated, our solar plexus chakra will probably look dull, dim, blocked or unbalanced.

We must also remember that the appearance of the chakras is just one more symptom, not the ultimate problem. If a healer notes a block in a chakra, it doesn’t mean that the chakra is the cause of whatever may ail us, but rather that there is a problem of some nature (physical, emotional, mental or spiritual) that needs to be healed and cleared.

Because we naturally repress conscious awareness of our own personal issues, I think it’s helpful to compare the aura of the human body to the energetic life of a relationship. Bring to mind a very close, intense, personal relationship you have with someone like a lover or a best friend. (Using a lover or spouse is ideal, because romantic relationships tend to stir up all sorts of fears, and thus challenge many deep-seated emotional habits and issues.)

If you are at all a reflective person (and if you are reading this, you are!), you can see how when you are open and loving and honest in that relationship, the energy flows freely between you, but whenever you close yourself off, lash out in anger or fear, or lie in order to avoid something, the energy constricts or stops flowing. Then there are walls between you and a sense of emotional distance that is hard to bridge.

The more you make a habit of finding the courage to be open and honest, the closer you two will be. The more you react from fear based on old emotional habits, the more tension and emotional distance there will be in the relationship, and the less healthy and fulfilling it will feel.

In order to clear the blocks to balance and intimacy in the relationship, those issues you are stuck on must be healed, and a new and better approach to them must be adopted. This is done by opening up about how you really feel. This first step toward new awareness and understanding is what you need in order to consciously create positive change.

The healing process is the same with our bodies. Where we have repressed, denied, avoided or resisted anything, we will remain pinched off or in unhealthy relationship to that issue until we bring it up, consciously face it, and choose to adopt a new belief, attitude or approach.

Since it is wise to work with the law of attraction, let’s shift from focusing on what blocks chakras to what creates health, balance, and flow.

As what we don’t want is to be blocked, it’s easy to figure out that what we do want is to be “open.” When we don’t view anything or anyone as being apart from us or against, but rather as a part of us, then we are open. When we really think about the word “open,” for that matter, it’s easy to see that when we are open to something, someone, or some experience, we are not resistant to it. Being figuratively open means our auras are literally open and receptive.

The ultimate in being open is to be at one with everything we encounter. One who is fully open identifies with ALL. She recognizes that she creates her own reality, and the world she observes around her is thus “her” world. This leads to natural acceptance, openness and trust. To keep our chakras (and thus all of our beings) flowing smoothly, we must keep our minds open, our hearts open, our spirits open, and our arms open to life and every being we encounter.

This does not mean we lack discernment or discrimination, try to hug Grizzly bears, or literally say yes to everything or everyone who crosses our path. On a higher spiritual level, however, we are neither saying “yes” or “no” but rather something more like, “This is interesting.”

Being open means that we trust that everything happens for a good reason; we know that every experience comes to bless us in some way, even if it is just to teach us; and we remember that nothing can victimize us or oppress us, because we are constantly creating our personal realities based on what we give our attention to and how we decide to interpret our experiences.

We could also say that one who is fully open lives in the world but not of it. By this, I mean he is aware that there is a greater reality, and he derives his sense of ultimate identity and security from that greater reality. He still engages in life and plays at manifesting his dreams here, but he does so lightly, for he knows that he doesn’t truly need anything beyond that which can never be taken away from him – his own innate divinity.

A simple way to determine how open you are is to examine how you feel. If you’re feeling anything negative like tired, ill, depressed, anxious, stressed, pessimistic, angry, jealous, etc., then you are closing off from something because you fear it and want to resist or avoid it. If you’re feeling energized and healthy, happy, cheerful, alert, hopeful, etc., you’re open, my friend.

– Soul Arcanum

Can Sending Energy Healing Make Things Worse?

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

I was recently in a very good place energetically: I was centered in love and light, and I sent this energy out to a dear ex-girlfriend and my sister. They came into my consciousness at the time, and I wanted to share this light with them. I envisioned them safe within a protective sheath of white light. It felt like the right thing to do. Shortly afterwards, my ex pulled a muscle in her back and had to take two painful weeks off from work, and my sister fell off her horse and broke her collarbone and eight ribs, forcing her to take an extended leave from work. It should be noted that both are workaholics and spend a lot of time giving to others. Were these blessings in disguise, since they both needed the rest that they were not giving themselves, or was it “wrong” of me to send them light and well wishes? Is it possible for energy healing to make things worse?
– Brian

Dear Brian:

When approached with the right spirit, energy healing should never make things worse for anyone involved, and I feel that your approach here was perfect. We might call what you did simply “praying” for these women, or sending them love. Since you were centered in a very high vibration and were wise enough to simply visualize them in a state of well-being, I don’t see how you could have gone wrong.

You did not spend a lot of time worrying about them and whatever problems you believe they have, and you did not take on the role of fixer and try to mentally push them into taking actions you believe they should take, or becoming more as you believe they should be. These approaches tend to cause problems, where your approach should only have beneficial effects.

Here’s what I think happened in this situation:

You were in a very high vibration when you had the impulse to send these women loving energy. Your high vibration created heightened awareness, which allowed you to sense what was happening with them at a metaphysical level. As our experiences begin at a spiritual level and filter down into the physical dimension, the crises these women experienced shortly after you sent them energy were already brewing. Thus you didn’t cause these events to happen – you anticipated them.

This is a very common thing to experience when your vibration is soaring. It’s why psychics alter their state of consciousness in order to predict the future: from that “high” perspective, we become aware of so much that can’t be seen from the “ground level” of ordinary consciousness.

As with so many spiritual matters, we must be open to paradox, so instead of an either/or answer, more than one possibility may be true. Most likely, you both anticipated these problems, AND influenced the circumstances surrounding them via your energetic attention.

Being in a high vibration will empower us to achieve all sorts of spiritual aims, from predicting the future to helping others heal. So it’s possible that in addition to anticipating what was going to happen, you affected these women with your healing energy. Though on the surface these calamities may seem negative, it’s easy to see (especially in this particular situation) how these injuries may affect greater healing in the long run.

This is how the healing process works. When we get stuck in a pattern that isn’t really working for us and we fail to recognize that and change that pattern, we’ll eventually manifest experiences that shake up those unhealthy habits and routines. The more conscious we are of what is happening on all levels of our being, the gentler our healing journey tends to be. When we resist facing our issues and changing, however, it often takes some sort of crisis to wake us up.

Energy healing is one way to be proactive about this process, in that it gets blocks and stagnant energies moving. By sending these women healing energy, you could have awakened some dormant issues that were ripe for release. The important thing to note is that these issues would need to be balanced eventually, and in the mean time, without attention they would tend to get worse.

Further, it can come as quite a shock to people that the healing process itself can be painful, and that issues often seem to worsen before they get better. It’s sort of like cleaning out a very messy closet, and just as we tend to put off overwhelming chores, most of us will avoid facing and healing our messy inner issues until the situation is desperate.

Things can look okay on the surface, but every time we open that closet door, we may get hit with something falling off the shelf. Eventually, we have to drag everything out of that closet, which will make it look like an even bigger disaster than we had before. As we sort things out, get rid of what we don’t want, and put everything we do want in better order, things will begin to improve. Eventually, we’ll have a closet situation that feels good and works for us.

We can see this on a physical level with the symptoms people feel when they’re “detoxing.” As the body releases the toxins that have been quietly lurking in the background and perhaps creating a mild sense of malaise, suddenly all sorts of uncomfortable and even painful symptoms can arise. Once these have been processed and released, however, they feel better than before.

The most important thing to consider when sending energy healing is the quality of your own intentions and energy. So long as you are coming from love and faith (which means you are free of fear that something bad might happen, and fully expect positive results), then all should be fine. Your loving energy may or may not seem to have an effect on the recipient, but I can assure you that at least at some level, it will bless them and help them in some way. Further, by sending others love, you will bless yourself in more ways than you could ever know.

We do need to respect where other people are with their issues, of course, and trust that everyone is manifesting just what they need in order to learn whatever they need to learn. We should never presume that we know what is best for them or try to change their circumstances based on our own beliefs. Sending them love, however, is completely innocuous; it’s the safest, wisest, kindest thing you could do, and as spiritual practices go, nothing could be simpler.

There are all sorts of complicated methods and teachings about energy healing out there, and for the most part, they are making this endeavor far more complicated than it has to be. This is a simple, innate, intuitive act; there are no hard and fast rules about the “right way” to go about it. Just get into that groovy vibration, visualize perfection flowing throughout every corner of the universe, and hold the people you care about in your heart with loving kindness. Smile upon them with your spirit and wish them well. It’s that simple.

As for your own role here, I would add this experience to my mental file of evidence that all this far out spiritual stuff is actually REAL. Synchronicity is the calling card of Spirit. These women may not have known you were sending them energy or even been conscious of their issues and their need for healing. You, however, have been touched by what happened. The fact that you became aware of these “accidents” and recognized the synchronicity at play suggests that Spirit is trying to reassure you that your energy healing experiences are real.

Since both these women were workaholics, and they both wound up having to take time off work, I think your story is a wonderful example of how we can all trust the natural healing process to lead us back into balance one way or another.

– Soul Arcanum


Is It Harder to Communicate with the Spirits of Suicides?

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

Last September my husband took his own life. I am spiritually evolved in many ways, but have questioned my beliefs about death since the day he died. I have been able to communicate with souls that have passed over for family members here, such as my husband’s grandfather, but I’m not sure if I’ve been able to reach my husband because I wonder if I want so badly to have him with me that I’m imagining things. What do you think? Also, how does suicide affect spirit communication? I’m unsure what I believe anymore. Thank you very much for your time. Namaste!
– Chelle

Dear Chelle:

My heart goes out to you. I can only imagine how hard it must be to heal from a loss of this nature. Before I explore general ideas, I want to tell you that I feel that your husband is trying hard to connect with you, and it is only your own pain and doubt that is keeping these experiences from being more real and fulfilling for you.

As I’ve explained a number of times, having a strong desire to connect with a certain spirit is very powerful, but if we pressure ourselves to produce, it may just hinder us. This is why I may bring through great evidence from spirits for strangers, but will have a harder time bringing through loved ones for people I know. When I feel I “must” succeed, I know I tend to stretch for evidential details more, which causes me to question everything I perceive more stringently. I also expect more of myself and my own loved ones in Spirit than I do of strangers, and this bogs the whole spirit communication process down.

It can be very confusing, disappointing, and even disillusioning to receive clear, evidential communication from a casual acquaintance in Spirit, and not be able to connect with your own spouse, parent or child. In such cases, however, we are almost always the source of whatever is preventing successful interaction. Our vibration may be too low due to grief, we may be too invested in making a connection, or we may doubt everything we perceive both because messages from those we were very close to tend to be more subtle, and because we know we are prone to wishful thinking.

While most people who are grieving tend to see even the smallest coincidences as signs from a loved one in Spirit, lots of us go too far the other way, and refuse to accept as valid anything less than a full blown miracle. We must remember that EVERYTHING we experience in life is ultimately a result of “wishful thinking,” and trust the power of our desire as much as we do the discernment of our intellects.

In light of all of this, I encourage you to trust that the experiences you’re having are real and valid. By trusting them, you will be able to cultivate clearer, more validating experiences with your husband, who probably just wants you to understand why he did what he did and forgive him.

As for suicides in general, and how this act may affect spirit communication, it all depends on that person’s motivation for taking their own life, for that will greatly affect where they end up on the other side. If you think about it, there are what we might call “degrees” of suicide.

For example, it seems to me that a soldier who throws himself on a grenade to save his comrades is way ahead of your average American couch potato, who is slowly killing himself with junk food, inactivity and cigarettes. The first man is demonstrating great reverence for the gift of life by sacrificing himself in order that a number of others may go on living, while the second man is demonstrating a profound lack of appreciation for his physical existence. Given all the “suicide” possibilities we might imagine in between, it’s easy to see how each individual’s motivations would greatly affect what happens when they get to the afterlife.

Further, when we cross over, how we have lived will be far more important than how we have died. A person’s general nature will greatly affect their ability to reach through from Spirit, regardless of how they passed. Someone who was highly conscious, intelligent, sane, positive, grateful, kind and spiritual in life will tend to be easy to communicate with on the other side. It’s like we each carry our own torch into the afterlife in the form of our spirits. If we are radiant with light, we can see far and are empowered to do much more than if we are stumbling through darkness.

People who were unconscious, ignorant, insane, negative, ungrateful, selfish, and cynical or disbelieving while alive will be much harder to communicate with when they cross into Spirit, as they will be in dark, murky territory. If their lights are very dim, they can’t see to do much. Some even reincarnate without regaining consciousness in the afterlife.

As we continue on in death much as we were in life, two of the most rewarding and powerful traits we can cultivate are a strong, positive belief in Spirit and knowledge of spiritual principles. The more we focus upon and center our lives on higher spiritual values, the lighter and freer we’ll be in the spirit realm.

Now, when most of us hear the word suicide, we don’t think of military heroes or couch potatoes, of course: we think of someone who was of sound body and mind who became depressed and lost hope of ever turning their lives around. As these people were in mental and emotional hell while living, they tend to continue to be in mental and emotional hell when they cross over. Contrary to some religious teachings, this suffering is not a punishment, but arises from natural spiritual law. It is no more imposed upon them than the hell they created for themselves while alive.

These sorts of spirits tend to be as hard to get through to in the afterlife as they were when they were living, at least until they attain a higher state of mind. Such spirits often become earthbound, and continue to wander in the inner darkness and confusion that led them to take their lives in the first place. The lessons they were supposed to learn while living are still on their metaphorical “to-do” lists, but they have no clear way to complete those tasks, and thus we might say they have “unfinished business.” They do not remain like this forever, of course. When they realize how precious life is, they begin to “see the light.”

It takes a lot of focus and energy for any spirit to communicate inter-dimensionally. While it does happen, someone who couldn’t summon the will to live is unlikely to pull that sort of personal power together. Sometimes, however, suicides are shocked to find they still exist, and realize that killing themselves just made things worse. They may then want nothing more than to tell us they are sorry and urge us not to follow in their footsteps. When they witness how much pain they’ve caused those they love, they may be overwhelmed with remorse, and go to great lengths to seek forgiveness. As we pray for them and send them love, we bathe them in light, which can help them quickly rise in vibration and understanding, and move on to higher planes.

Again, I feel that your husband is not lost on the other side, but is definitely trying to reach you. Keep praying for him and visualize him being flooded by divine light. It will help him to heal, which will empower him to connect with you in a more fulfilling way. I know it’s hard and you have your own healing to work through, but try to have compassion for how much he must have been suffering to take his own life, and offer him your forgiveness if you can.

I’m sending you prayers for love and healing, my friend.

– Soul Arcanum


Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

My husband and I have found a house we would like to buy. It’s a foreclosure so it’s listed for a great price. The atmosphere, however, is really yucky. I know that new carpet and fresh paint would make it look much better, but I’m worried about its energy. It feels like the people who lived there were NOT very nice, and just walking in leaves me feeling sort of “dirty.” Do you have any advice for creating a positive psychic atmosphere?
– Beth

Dear Beth:

Buildings absorb the energy of the people who live in them and the events that happen there. I believe that everyone can sense energy in the atmosphere of a place. For example, we associate places that are dark, dirty, and decrepit with a creepy feeling, and these are the very conditions that negative astral entities find most attractive.

Physical objects also absorb the energy of the people who own them, wear them or use them. The more something is worn or used, the more energy it absorbs. Some materials are more “porous” than others, and some “hold a charge” better than others. For example, metal holds a charge very well. This is why psychics can hold a piece of jewelry and tell you about the person who owned it. Wedding bands, watches and other items that are worn daily are ideal for psychometry work.

Moving into a house that has absorbed the energy of people who were very different from you in vibration will naturally make you feel uneasy. Since the house is a foreclosure, the former residents were no doubt really stressed when they left. If they fought a lot or suffered a great deal (as with people who die in a space after a long illness), you may actually pick up the emotions they left behind and begin to feel like you’re “not yourself,” especially if you’re not conscious of what is happening.

Your awareness of how this house feels is a blessing. Feeling “dirty” is indeed a reflection that you’ve picked something up from the atmosphere. Just as driving down a dusty road will leave our cars covered with film, when we move through a space where lots of old energy has settled, we’ll stir it up, and if we’re not careful, it will get all over us.

The good news is that whether you do anything or not, if you buy this house and move in, it will immediately start to release its old charge and absorb your vibration. Just cleaning the house physically will go a long way. You mentioned painting and re-carpeting, which are great ideas. Getting rid of the old carpet would release stale energy, and painting would not only freshen things up, it would allow you to mark your territory with your personal color choices.

The more chi you get moving, the faster the house will shift in vibration. Again, comparing old energy to dust, imagine what would happen if you moved in, plopped your stuff down, and didn’t do another thing: you’d be living with all that old dust for a long time. If instead you come in and start cleaning, opening the windows, running fans and washing down walls, you’ll stir up that old energy and clear it out of there.

Because you don’t like the energy of the house now, I recommend you get rid of everything the previous owners left behind. If they left any furniture or other objects, sell, donate or recycle them. If you can afford new window treatments, get rid of those too. Replace anything cosmetic that you don’t like such as paint, wallpaper, etc. This will go a long way in shifting the atmosphere toward your own vibration.

Since the existing climate there is so uncomfortable for you, I recommend you start your clearing work on a psychic level. Physical intangibles such as sounds, smells, smoke, light, thoughts/prayers, etc., have a strong impact on the astral, so these will be your key tools in this endeavor.

First, open all the blinds to let as much light into the house as possible. You might also leave spiritual music playing in the house all the time, whether you’re there or not. Then smudge the house of negative energy with sage. (Light a sage bundle and blow out the flame, and then walk through the house, sweeping the fragrant sage smoke over every wall, door, window, nook and cranny. As you do this, imagine that any astral residue is being burned off, and in your wake, everything is clean and shiny.)

If you’re Catholic and this doesn’t feel right to you, you can do the same thing with holy water. Get some from your priest and sprinkle it as you go, or better yet, have your priest over to bless the house. I’ve also heard that burning orange peels is especially effective for clearing out the energy of former residents.

Plants are also great for creating fresh, positive energy. Just as plants transmute carbon dioxide into oxygen, they can transform negative energy into positive. Anything vital and beautiful will contribute to a positive atmosphere. Continuously running water is another great way to get chi flowing and keep it moving; this is why fountains create such a fresh, soothing vibe.

You can also use crystals to magnify your efforts. If you want to create a peaceful feeling, for example, you might put a big amethyst geode on a windowsill, or if you want to brighten the atmosphere, hang a crystal in the window to refract sunlight. Some people even bury quartz crystals in the corners of their property to create a “force field” designed to keep their good energy in, and anything not in harmony with their energy “out.”

A housewarming is another great idea, but make sure you only invite people who embody the mood you want in your house. Enlist a friend or minister to lead your guests in a prayer to fill your new home with great energy. Here’s a house blessing I wrote just for you. I recommend you print it out and hang it up wherever it feels appropriate – perhaps on the back of your front door. Please note that while the combined energy of your friends and loved ones is powerful, you should also call upon a higher power to bless your house, whether that higher power is Jesus or nature spirits or some other force of love and light.

The blessing:

Mother/Father/God, bless this house and all who live here. Fill this dwelling with an ambience of peace, prosperity, health, happiness, harmony and love. Let this space shine with divine light and beauty and provide a warm, comfortable haven from the world. May only beings that are kind-hearted and well-intentioned enter here. May nature’s spirits feel welcome and live with us as friends. May all who enter here receive what they need, and feel richly blessed with their heart’s desires.

From Christianity and Judaism to Native American traditions, all cultures have practiced some form of ritual designed to protect and bless a dwelling and its inhabitants. At a deep intuitive level, we know that creating a healthy, positive atmosphere will promote mental and emotional well-being, just as creating a clean physical environment will promote physical health and well-being.

So whether we’re moving into a new space or not, when we’ve been feeling irritable, tired, frustrated, etc., clearing the atmosphere can help us shift into a lighter, brighter personal vibration. With this in mind, I recommend that everyone cleanse the atmosphere of their home regularly, or at least whenever they feel the need for a spiritual boost.

– Soul Arcanum


Yoga and Psychic Ability

Copyright Soul Arcanum LLC. All rights reserved. :)
 

Dear Soul Arcanum:

I have always associated yoga with spirituality, and I am keenly interested in developing my psychic abilities, so recently I took my first yoga class. While I really liked it, I was surprised to find it basically just a gentle form of exercise. Do you think yoga can enhance our spiritual paths and help us develop psychically?
– Kelly

Dear Kelly:

When I speak here of yoga, I am not referring to the physical practices designed to increase strength and flexibility that most Westerners associate with the term. Yoga is far more than this. Traditionally, yoga (which means “yoke”) is a spiritual discipline designed to lead aspirants to unite their individual soul with God or the Universal soul.

This is achieved through the study and practice of moral and ethical principles, spiritual teachings, meditation, and special bodily and breathing exercises. Where its focus is physical, it aims to purify and transform the body into a vehicle ripe for enlightenment. It also aims to improve our physical health and well-being; after all, it’s hard to focus on spiritual growth when our bodies are causing us pain or discomfort.

Many of the yoga classes available in the United States have been stripped of their more spiritual elements. Yoga has many branches, however, and some are far more spiritually focused than others.

In the yogic tradition, psychic powers are known as “siddhis,” which literally means “perfections.” Accomplished yogis have been known to not only develop telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and mediumship abilities, but also amazing gifts such as the ability to levitate, bilocate, instantly heal others and materialize physical objects.

As a rule, however, one does not practice yoga in order to develop siddhis; instead, they are viewed as natural “by-products” of general spiritual development. I agree that focusing primarily on spiritual development is wise, for a strong spiritual foundation ensures a safe, sane, positive experience with psychic phenomena.

Further, yoga is a discipline, and discipline is essential to a strong spiritual foundation. If someone has the desire and discipline to practice yoga on a regular basis, then they must be sincere in their desire for spiritual development. People who explore psychic matters who are mentally or emotionally unstable, morally weak, or lacking in character and discipline may have “paranormal” experiences of an unattractive nature, or even experience mental breakdown. Practices like yoga thus ensure a natural and healthy psychic progression, and also offer the immeasurable benefit of a wise teacher.

Many yogis are warned not to get caught up in siddhis because they may just distract them from their higher spiritual aims or ensnare their egos. Others believe that siddhis are blessings that allow us to better know and understand the nature of the divine. Certainly the development of psychic powers generally indicates a higher spiritual vibration, which is at least a sign that one is making spiritual progress.

Though initially I was as enthralled with psychic phenomena as anyone, over time I have come to see that the development of psychic abilities is not an ultimate spiritual goal. While such phenomena may enchant us for a while, in time we will evolve beyond this fascination; we’ll eventually lose interest in such matters and the desire to use the psychic abilities we’ve attained.

The ultimate goal of a yogi is liberation from the cycle of rebirth via enlightenment. Essential to this process is the integration of body, mind and spirit. This is where yoga can be a very special tool for spiritual growth. Unlike practices that focus entirely on our so-called “inner worlds,” yoga incorporates the body as an important aspect of our beings. By opening our chakras, balancing our prana, and raising kundalini, we can both support the spiritual progress we attain through other methods and initiate greater awakening.

A key element of yoga is the practice of focus or concentration. In this way, it is a form of active meditation. Further, as a physical discipline it is so much more than most other forms of sport and exercise, for in addition to what we might call “striving,” it emphasizes to an equal degree surrender or letting go. In this way it mirrors the experience of life itself, which is a practice in learning how to simultaneously create what we desire and accept all as it is.

As I mentioned above, there are many different types of yoga and I don’t have space to go into them here, but if your aim is the development of psychic abilities, then kundalini yoga would be of particular interest to you. Kundalini yoga’s main focus is the raising of kundalini and the opening of the higher chakra centers. Kundalini is a powerful reserve of life force energy that sleeps at the base of our spines, in our root chakras. By awakening kundalini, we expand our awareness and begin to tap more of our spiritual potential.

We each have a habit of viewing life through one of our chakras more than the others; this is the chakra that is dominant for us at that time. Ordinary consciousness is generally perception of reality from one of the lower chakra centers. As we open and move our awareness into the higher chakras, we view life through a more spiritual lens. We also tend to have mystical experiences and gain new spiritual abilities.

Our chakras correspond to our glandular system, and by working on the body (glands) and the spirit (chakras) at the same time, we can harmonize and integrate the two. This leads to higher awareness and the wisdom and freedom to choose from that enhanced perspective. It also generally leads to the blossoming of psychic abilities.

Kundalini is a very powerful force and it must be respected. Many people have awakened kundalini unintentionally through drug use, physical accidents, and casual dabbling in esoteric practices, and had very negative experiences. In order for kundalini to rise through us with ease, our inner energetic channels must be open and clear. If we awaken kundalini before the body is prepared for this level of intense energy, we may have a very uncomfortable experience physically, emotionally, and/or mentally.

Rest assured, however, that we are all flowing a degree of kundalini all the time. This is the force that keeps us “alive.” We are all also evolving spiritually, and the more we evolve, the more kundalini we tap into. Our aim should be a gradual, gentle awakening, one that we are prepared to handle. Yoga is a valuable tool in this regard.

There are some great kundalini yoga DVDs you can start with at home. I recommend DVDs by Ravi Singh/Ana Brett and Gurmukh. There are a number of them available at amazon.com. If you find this practice as enriching as I did, however, then I highly recommend you find a local class that feels right to you, because having a teacher is a great blessing, and you will meet some of the most amazing people on this path.

– Soul Arcanum