let me just clarify a few things which many people do not understand.
the astral world is a reflection of the physical. we are here in the physical, because some unbelievably wise being created this world, and enabled us to come to this place to work through our ultimate path. previous to this - the earlier generation of beings - did not have this gift. they could only come down to the astral plane, to work through their ultimate journey.
we have been the recipients of this incredible gift - physical life. i should say i am talking vast time scales here.
the real leverage we possess on our progress, is indisputably and definitely the physical world. that is where we are at now, and that is the source of our true chance. let me make that clear - it took me a long time to realise this. i was reluctant for so long, plus i did not comprehend the incredible tool physical life is. i mean i did not really see how to fully use it in this ultimate journey.
we, as mystics, through luck, work in earlier times, or effort here now, have discovered the astral world - that is the dream world, the feeling world, the world of imagination - the world of pictures and emotion.
once we discover this world, and then gain control of our dreams to some extent, we come to a fascinating realisation.
i said, the astral world is the reflection of the physical world. that is true for almost everyone, and for almost all our dreams - they are reflections of the body.
but it is not entirely true. we also eventually come to a realisation that the physical world is a reflection of the astral. we see that events in astral manifest in the physical. and then we see a great opportunity - we can influence our physical world by changing our astral events.
but first we have to have the power to change the events in astral - very few have this ability, and very few are willing to go to the trouble to set this up.
a shaman is one who works in astral. who has the power to change events in astral, and thus create an influence back to the physical. the greater the power, the greater the success. but only up to a point. there are deep karmic rivers of fate that no shaman can change - it is always a case of attempt, skill, and observation. we jump for joy when it works, and go back to the drawing boards when it doesn't. but any shaman worth her salt, knows there are things no one can change.
and why should we? after all, the events that come our way in the physical are precisely our chance at evolution -- why make the road go around a vital opportunity, just because it is painful - let me clarify, we are NOT HERE TO ENJOY!
despite what every idiot keeps saying around us these days.
now, after we have explored this avenue for influence - let me digress, in my time, i was ecstatic at this idea, and practiced it in many ways: that i could affect my physical world, but more my ultimate journey, by my incredible skill at diverting and creating events in astral - we come to a new understanding. i will try to explain this.
as a shaman, i have two ways to affect another's journey.
i can go into the astral world, and set up the 'symbology'. the power of that symbology - perceived in picture/feeling form - will permeate into a person's physical world, and thus their path and life events. but the influence is not straight forward, as there are so many influences competing for manifestation.
or i can take a person through a physical experience which pins that person where they need pinning most. then that person will have an astral dream (and recall, if they are that aware) of someone or something doing something to them in a most dramatic way.
you see, in one version, the first act is in astral, with the result sifting into their physical, and via the innate power of the physical, into their evolutionary path. the second is to act first in the physical, which ricochets to their astral and back to their physical - etc, and thus into their evolutionary path.
i became disenchanted with the first method - acting in the astral first. not that i don't do it, not that it doesn't have power, but i observed it's influence was minimal to my wishes. perhaps it's influence holds more power over a vaster time scale - can't say. i am always an observer of my behaviour.
so i took to the second method - esp in my own case - directing my own evolution. now although i have had far superior results for myself, that has not always been the case with others i have tried to influence in this way. but still superior to the astral-first method. i believe now, a more comprehensive method is better - one that involves understanding and conscious willingness, as well as physical experience. but that is for another topic.
many on this mystic side of the Path, have very powerful astral experiences. some of these come from physical contacts, but also many are from pure astral contacts. never would i diminish their value or significance. they are precious experiences, and should always be awarded the utmost respect, in order to gain the fruits of their influence on us in a deep level.
however, personally, i have tired of them. why? first because i have had so many myself, and not seen a lot of 'transformation' resulting. but more because i am always seeking the most effective transformations i can possible achieve for myself and those who accompany me.
thus i have opted for putting myself 'through the ringer' physically, in the most exhausting way possible. i still seek to improve this technique, but in my observation, it is far superior to astral-first based methods.
when we are gifted an astral transformative experience from a high quality shaman, we should hold it to our breast and value it to the limit. but as a shaman myself, i have shifted. as an aspirant myself, i have also shifted - from dream oriented techniques to physical arrangements which i set up and then enter with completeness. that is my trick.
my latest job has been another example of this - i divert the maximum energy and attention to one task, to the point of exhaustion and near crack-up. but i do it with no look-back, no resentment, no RESISTANCE! i seek it to transform me.
but you can't just do a job well, it is far more complex that that. and the best physical tasks are far more exotic and mind altering. we have to be pushed physically to the brink on every level. only when we have great stamina for TOLERATION, can we submit ourselves to such hair-raising edifices.
this also then applies to physical spiritual journeys. we can go to places of power, and sync our souls - this for me is one of my most enjoyable pastimes. but this is really an astral-first approach also. we synch our astral body to the place, and suck in the power. why is this not so effective in my schema?
because if you have ever travelled, you will find the most transformative experience is rarely at the power place. invariable, if you are watching with awareness, it will be in the most mundane place - on the street, in the toilet etc - almost always in the most banal circumstances, which, damn it, are never so glamorous. so we don't like to elevate them, or talk about them. we much prefer to speak of the fantastic.
Spirit will always hit you when your guard is down, when you are least prepared. and almost always in the most unglamorous circumstances. like being sick in the gutter, and hoping no one groovy will see you.
Real transformations come from hard yakka, and longsuffering. not the sacred ceremony, i am sorry to tell you, and not the shining white knight we all wish others to see us as, esp those we want attention from, like lovers.
Michael Maher 2008
