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SPIRITUALISM and Spiritism

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unknown
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« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2007, 07:27:08 pm »

Hi Bianca

I can't say that I was aware of all of this... but I personally know that healing is a gift of the spirit...
through personal experience, family stories and through the wondrous gift of the written word... which has let me dive into the accumulated knowledge and experience of centuries and beyond.

Although our modern system has downplayed the role of spirit in health, ie. the witch doctor/shaman/spiritual healer it has begun to make a comeback in the psychiatric field in a round-about way.  The work of Mesmer and the healing power of sonambulists has been overlooked for far too long.

Oh woopy do... the big cheese can't even spell sonambulist, OK it's somnambulist, thank you Mr. Webster!
« Last Edit: July 15, 2007, 11:34:58 am by unknown » Report Spam   Logged

"There exists an agent, which is natural and divine, material and spiritual, a universal plastic mediator, a common receptical of the fluid vibrations of motion and the images of forms, a fluid, and a force, which can be called the Imagination of Nature..."
Elphias Levi
Bianca
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« Reply #16 on: July 14, 2007, 07:39:28 pm »




So, Unk, you seem to understand when I tell you "I'm sending you light"?
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« Reply #17 on: July 14, 2007, 07:47:24 pm »

Hi Bianca

Yes, I am not entirely unknowning... even though my handle is unknown...lol. I think I have something of an intuitive grasp of these things... I have experienced kundalini in a limited sense and have studied meditation, yoga and tai chi... The fire in the belly is very real. I am naturely introspective and of a mellow disposition, so perhaps that makes something of a difference.

I don't remember where I read about sending light... actually I think it was passed on to me by word of mouth, but I remember the technique quite clearly. The individual draws light into their mind, focuses it into a orb, concentrates upon the individual he or she intends it for and then pushes it out to them through the third eye... through the forehead just above the eyes.
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"There exists an agent, which is natural and divine, material and spiritual, a universal plastic mediator, a common receptical of the fluid vibrations of motion and the images of forms, a fluid, and a force, which can be called the Imagination of Nature..."
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« Reply #18 on: July 14, 2007, 08:05:24 pm »





LOL, Unk, you can be so droll.....

Yes, that's just about the size of it.  A healer usually continues the "Therapy" by more or less a
method of "Remote Viewing" by visualization, especially if the subject is not in the same town or
city.  Having a picture helps......

Love and hugs,
b
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Bianca
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« Reply #19 on: July 14, 2007, 08:42:09 pm »







           F R E Q U E N T L Y   A S K E D   Q U E S T I O N S   A B O U T   S P I R I T U A L I S M





Does Spiritualism believe in God?


YES! Absolutely. Spiritualism lets you define God in your own personal way. Spiritualism does not dictate that God be a person on a throne or even a person at all. Your definition of God is personally yours, and Spiritualism recognizes that. It is certainly possible to have a religion that does not define God, because there is more to Spiritualism than just a definition of God.

If you have to have someone define God for you in concrete terms, then you won't be comfortable with this, but nevertheless, Spiritualism definitely believes in God. Spiritualist literature commonly refers to God as "the God of your understanding", or "infinite intelligence". If I haven't made it clear already, let there be no doubt - Spiritualism believes in God.



Does Spiritualism believe in Jesus?

Not the way Christians do. Spiritualism does not believe in the Jesus-as-savior concept supported by many Christian religions. However, Jesus is viewed as one of the greatest mediums that ever lived on the earth plane, and the Bible may be used as a source of inspiration for a lecture, but Spiritualism does not give either Jesus or the Bible a central role. Spiritualism does not limit itself to any particular Spiritualist or other material - it is free to draw inspiration from material found in Christian and other religions provided that there is an appropriate fit.



Does Spiritualism believe in Hell or the Devil?

No and No. This doesn't mean that you can do whatever you want to and still end up in a good place in "heaven". Natural Law has a way of taking care of the "I can do what I want - no consequences" idea that people seem to fear if there is no belief in Hell or the Devil.


http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Cyprus/5927/faq.html
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« Reply #20 on: July 14, 2007, 08:46:18 pm »






Isn't communicating with Spirits of the Devil though?

No - no more or less than communicating with anyone else. However, the Spirit people around you are based on the Law of Attraction, meaning that they are spiritually similar to you. So, if you are very mean-spirited, corrupt, and cruel, you will attract the very mean-spirited, corrupt, and cruel spirit people to you.

Becoming a medium involves a lot of responsibility and learning to reach for the highest and best in Spirit communication. Far too many people have made fun and games out of their early attempts at mediumship and then get burned one way or the other. As a result, it is very easy for some to say that it is of the Devil. Spirit communication is NOT to be toyed with, but taken seriously. Under the proper guidance, mediumship can be developed with wonderful, positive results.



What is a medium?

A medium is a person who is sensitive to the vibrations of the Spirit world in some manner. Mediums often communicate messages from people in the Spirit world to us here on the Earth plane. Although there are many forms and expressions of mediumship, mental mediumship is common. The medium is in tune with people in the Spirit world who want to communicate and they speak through the medium to the person getting the message. The medium is the message bearer.



What is a message and a reading?

A message is exactly that - a message. If you get a message from someone, it is a quick communication, as opposed to a lengthy conversation. In the same way, a medium will bring you a message from someone in the Spirit world, which usually lasts a few minutes. A reading is the same thing but longer, about 30 to 60 minutes. The content of a message or a reading is really between the people in the Spirit world and yourself - the medium is the message bearer and provides the avenue for the message to come through.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Cyprus/5927/faq.html
« Last Edit: July 14, 2007, 09:00:23 pm by Bianca2001 » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #21 on: July 14, 2007, 08:49:12 pm »






What's the difference between a medium and a psychic?


The primary difference is in how the information is obtained and where it is coming from. The medium's approach is passive. The medium gets information from the spirit people and then gives it to you. The medium is not personally involved in the process. It's like being on the telephone - when you and a friend are talking on the phone line, the actual phone wire is there to make the connection. The phone wire just passes the information through from your friend to you. In mediumship, the medium is the "phone wire" that is passing information through from the spirit people to you.

A psychic's approach is active. The psychic plays an active part in getting the information. Psychics get information by either picking it up from your vibration or they get it from themselves personally, then give it to you. Spirit people are not involved.

Mediums can get information using either mediumship or psychic ability. Psychics get information using their psychic ability only. The statement "all mediums are psychics, but not all psychics are mediums" is an accurate one. Mediums prefer to use mediumship instead of their psychic ability because mediumship can prove the continuity of life. If your aunt is in the Spirit world, and the medium tells you something only you and your aunt knew about then it proves that your aunt does indeed continue to live on in the Spirit world. Additionally, mediumship should be more accurate than psychic ability because the information is coming from the spirit people and not personally from the medium.

People who give readings or messages will generally describe themselves as either a medium (giving spiritual readings) or a psychic (giving psychic readings). Any person who is giving a reading or a message could be doing so mediumistically, psychically, or some combination of both. It is not a simple matter to tell where the reading is coming from and mediums take extra precautions to be sure that the reading is not coming from them personally. Spiritualism focuses on mediumship, but does not discount psychic ability.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Cyprus/5927/faq.html
« Last Edit: July 14, 2007, 09:00:48 pm by Bianca2001 » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #22 on: July 14, 2007, 08:52:51 pm »





How do I develop mediumship?



The best way to develop mediumship is to study and take classes. There is no single "right way" to develop mediumship, and it is not as simple as "one, two, three - now I'm a medium and can give messages and readings". Developing mediumship is a personal spiritual endeavor. Your mediumship is an expression of your spirituality. The path you are on to develop mediumship is uniquely yours, which is wonderful. Even though your path is unique, you can share with others and also learn from them. In class, you often learn as much (if not more) from your fellow students as from the teacher.

There are two aspects involved - spiritual unfoldment and mediumship development. Spiritual unfoldment involves learning about spirituality and making improvements to your spiritual life. Mediumship development primarily involves meditation. You can work on both aspects in classes.

Spiritual unfoldment and mediumship development are actually separate from each other. You could develop only one or the other, but you want to develop both. They don't always start developing at the same time. Some people start out very mediumistic and then begin spiritual unfoldment, and others begin spiritual unfoldment and then develop mediumship. The latter case is probably more common. For many people, mediumship comes as a by-product of spiritual unfoldment.

Spiritual unfoldment is important part of mediumship, because your mediumship is an expression of your spirituality. If you are not very spiritually developed, you will attract similarly undeveloped spirits around you, and the quality of your mediumship will reflect that.

Spiritual unfoldment and mediumship affect your personal spiritual life in positive ways. It takes time, usually a long time, to develop mediumship. Each person develops individually, and not everyone becomes a (message giving) medium. It is not considered a failure if you do not become a medium who gives messages and readings. The emphasis is on your spirituality, not merely turning out mediums like widgets on an assembly line.

People don't become mediums in a vacuum. "I can learn it on my own" is not recommended. Doing it on your own without any training or background frequently invites spirits of a lower vibration. Those spirits are often the ones who will lie to you, take advantage of you, play nasty games, and pretend to be whoever you want them to be (often famous figures like Jesus, Mother Mary, etc.). These negative experiences generated by a lack of education, training, and outright fear are usually what people base their arguments against mediumship on.

Genuine mediums always reach for the highest vibration and have good relationships with their Spirit guides and teachers. To develop such relationships you will need guidance, and plenty of it. Classes are the best way to learn. Classes are generally discussion based. Again, you learn as much from the other students as you do from the teacher (if not more). To learn about what vibration is, you should read Spiritualist Basics.*
                                                                          *http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Cyprus/5927/faq.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Cyprus/5927/faq.html
« Last Edit: July 14, 2007, 09:03:58 pm by Bianca2001 » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #23 on: July 14, 2007, 08:55:28 pm »







What about the Ouija board, Tarot cards, Astrology and the like?



Spiritualism as a religion generally does not endorse or believe in the Ouija board, Tarot cards, or Astrology as valid methods of mediumship. Spiritualist mediums do not use these methods.

My personal opinion is somewhat different. I believe that the Ouija board is the most misused item there is relating to Spirit communication. My belief is that nearly anything can be used as a method of mediumship if used in a sincere and honest way. This would explain why some people use Tarot cards, Astrology, etc. I think that a medium can use the method that works for them, whatever that method may be. If that happens to be the Ouija board, so be it. My past experience with the Ouija board (long before I became involved in Spiritualism) has been quite positive, and my theory is that you could get valid information this way if you took it seriously and worked with it.

My belief is that the "magic" is not so much in the method used but more in the person using it. If the spirits find that they have to use the cards or whatever in order to communicate with you, then they will use them. The limitation is at your end, not theirs. As you develop spiritually, these limitations tend recede into the background.

Personally, just because the religion of Spiritualism does not endorse or use these methods, I don't look down on them or on people who use them. It does not invalidate those methods either. I just think that you should put the weight of your faith in yourself and your Spirit guides and teachers - the method(s) used are distinctly secondary.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Cyprus/5927/faq.html
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« Reply #24 on: July 14, 2007, 08:57:53 pm »







Does Spiritualism believe in reincarnation?



Spiritualism as a religion, especially in the United States used to be anti-reincarnation but has recently made an official change to a more neutral position. It is a mixed issue, primarily because people have received conflicting answers and experiences from Spirit relating to reincarnation. Since Spiritualism as a religion used to be anti-reincarnation, I would say that Spiritualism doesn't believe in it. No one has measured it though. Many Spiritualists believe in reincarnation, but no one is running around taking surveys to find out if it is a majority. Believing in reincarnation is not a conflict with Spiritualism, at least not as I see it. The basis of Spiritualism is spirit communication, which says nothing about whether you or the spirit you are communicating with have been reincarnated in the past, present, or will be in the future.

Why would people get conflicting answers from Spirit about reincarnation? I would say that part of the problem could be that the spirit people around you are there based on the law of attraction. Since "like attracts like", Spirit people around you are similar to you. So if you don't believe in reincarnation, you may attract those who also don't believe in it. Naturally, it's not as arbitrary as it may sound, but it may apply.

I would also say that not everyone in the Spirit World has studied or learned enough about reincarnation to say whether it is true or not. It may sound unusual to think of spirit people as having beliefs and that they do not "know everything", but remember that they are people - just like you. When your body dies and you go to the Spirit World, you are still the same person you were on the Earth plane, and that includes your beliefs in God and reincarnation and all the other aspects of your personality.

I think the problem people have with reincarnation is that they think you are recycled endlessly like just so much waste paper, and you have to start out as some type of lower form of life and incarnate upwards from there. I don't buy into that, but my personal belief is that reincarnation does exist. I believe that a person's soul is an entity which has many aspects to it. Those aspects are individual incarnations. I prefer to think of an individual incarnation as an aspect, and the soul as the greater aspect. Individual incarnations are related to the soul in the same way flower petals are to the flower - all connected and integral. You as an individual on the earth plane are one incarnation that is part of your soul, which has multiple (and likely concurrent) incarnations. Some of your incarnations may even be on the earth plane at the same time you are. Incarnations aren't limited to the earth plane - there is the Spirit World and many other worlds an aspect could incarnate on.

A soul chooses an incarnation in order to learn something. While an incarnation may not consciously have all the knowledge of its greater aspect, it does have some access to that knowledge. When an incarnation expires, the knowledge is not lost because it is part of the greater whole, which continues. The physical form that a particular incarnation takes is secondary to the learning that is to occur.

It is a real change of reference to think this way. All your life you have been going along thinking you are a complete individual entity. I suppose that if you asked a flower petal what it thought of itself you would get the same thing. Then you learn that you are an aspect of something larger. It does not diminish my individuality to think of myself this way.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Cyprus/5927/faq.html
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« Reply #25 on: July 14, 2007, 09:18:58 pm »

Oh by the way Bianca... I am a taoist, just to clarify things.

Also in relation to your last post... reincarnation is the only logical way for a God who upholds justice to exist.

As I said earlier to you, I don't know if you remember, but I believe in a universe that is like the ones the most ancient manuscripts we know of describe, the vedic texts. The idea of a cyclic universe to me is the only kind that makes sense, I believe that the reason man tries to make his universe have a begining and an end is because that is what he experiences in his own life. That he is projecting his own experience onto the universe as a whole.

Am I basing my beliefs purely on instinct or ancient philosophies? No -- it can also be found in some basic postulates of science... ie matter cannot be created or destroyed only changed from one form into another.


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"There exists an agent, which is natural and divine, material and spiritual, a universal plastic mediator, a common receptical of the fluid vibrations of motion and the images of forms, a fluid, and a force, which can be called the Imagination of Nature..."
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unknown
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« Reply #26 on: July 14, 2007, 09:33:04 pm »

By the way, Bianca, I am overjoyed that you have turned to this particular subject.
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"There exists an agent, which is natural and divine, material and spiritual, a universal plastic mediator, a common receptical of the fluid vibrations of motion and the images of forms, a fluid, and a force, which can be called the Imagination of Nature..."
Elphias Levi
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« Reply #27 on: July 14, 2007, 09:53:56 pm »



Unk,

We almost posted at the same time.........

You know, your last post gives me more of what I feel about you.  You are very special to me, you do
know that, don't you?......Reincarnation, again......I am pleased that you're glad I posted this subject.

So many people are so ignorant of others' beliefs, especially at this place and time (of constant Xian
brainwashing, badgering and their "moral values"!)

We are as far removed from Occultism as day and night.  But ignorant people are like that.

BTW, were you aware that the majority of Spiritualists' Spirit Guides are Native Americans?
And that Southwest tribes draw "mandalas" with coloured sands just as the Buddhists do?  There was
a Summit years ago of the Lamas and Shamans and it was just beautiful.  Even spiritually we are ONE,
but the greedy and materialists 'knock themselves out' to keep us separate and at each others' throat.

P I T Y
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« Reply #28 on: July 14, 2007, 10:12:10 pm »

Hi Bianca

The sand mandalas are quite beautiful...


Well I don't know... but I have been told that with my chart it is most likely that I spent many lives here in the americas... I am far to ignorant of astrological principles to understand how this is determined... I think it has something to do with me being a Taurus and our connection to the earth. Anyways I have always had a close relationship with the natural world... I am not comfortable in cities and I find the woods peaceful and energizing... In fact. I think it could be in some way my destiny to remind mankind of his connection to the natural world and how any artificial world he creates will never satisfy...

PS: If my ego was any bigger, I would need crane to lift my fat-head.... lol

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"There exists an agent, which is natural and divine, material and spiritual, a universal plastic mediator, a common receptical of the fluid vibrations of motion and the images of forms, a fluid, and a force, which can be called the Imagination of Nature..."
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« Reply #29 on: July 15, 2007, 06:57:49 am »





Origins

Modern Spiritualism first appeared in the 1840s in the Burned-Over District of upstate New York where earlier religious movements such as Millerism (Seventh Day Adventists) and Mormonism had emerged during the Second Great Awakening. It was an environment in which many people felt that direct communication with God or angels was possible, and in which many people felt uncomfortable with notions that God would behave harshly — for example, that God would condemn unbaptized infants to an eternity in Hell.[1]


Swedenborg and Mesmer

In this environment the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) and the teachings of Franz Mesmer (1734-1815) provided an example for those seeking direct personal knowledge of the afterlife. Swedenborg, who claimed to communicate with spirits while in trance states, described in his voluminous writings the structure of the spirit world. Two features of his view particularly resonated with the early spiritualists: first, that there is not a single hell and a single heaven, but rather a series of spheres through which a spirit progresses as it develops; second, that spirits mediate between God and humans, so that human direct contact with the divine is through the spirits of deceased humans.[1]

Mesmer did not contribute religious beliefs, but he contributed a technique, later known as hypnotism, that could induce trances and cause subjects to report contact with spiritual beings. There was a great deal of showmanship in Mesmerism, and the practitioners who lectured in mid-19th century America sought to entertain audiences as well as demonstrate a method for personal contact with the divine.[1]



One can see the excitement experienced by onlookers as the Mesmerist induces a trance. By Swedish painter Richard Bergh, 1887.Perhaps the best known of those who combined Swedenborg and Mesmer in a peculiarly American synthesis is Andrew Jackson Davis who called his system the Harmonial Philosophy. Davis was a practicing hypnotist, faith healer and clairvoyant from Poughkeepsie, New York. His 1847 book The Principles of Nature, Her Divine Revelations, and a Voice to Mankind,[2] dictated to a friend while in trance, eventually became the nearest thing to a canonical work in a Spiritualist movement whose extreme individualism precluded the development of a single coherent worldview.[3]
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