Dawn of a New Year
Firstly, I would like to bid all who read this a slightly-belated Happy New Year. 2008 is here at last, and it seems with that it’s only fair I get on with my page here and write up a new entry, this time focused primarily on some of the aspects of the astral realms and training to learn to project.
There have been countless speculations about the nature of spirit realms. Some people believe that they are arranged in order of ascending spirituality, with the higher ones having a higher rate of vibration than those closer to the material plane of existence. It is hypothesized that these high realms, or planes, are inhabited by spiritual essences from devas or higher nature spirits. Then, ascending through the planes are spirit guides, angels and archangels up to the Godhead or source of Divinity, whether this is perceived as God or the Goddess. ~ Cassandra Eason, 10 Steps to Psychic Power
Okay, so there’s a different take on ‘what’ the astral realms are, from the perspective of a woman rather than a man. The above quote pretty much expresses the accepted ‘truth’ about the nature of the astral planes, and makes sense if you think about it.
Remember that earlier in this journal I talked about the different realms and the fact that the first layer of the astral plane almost directly overlaps our physical one – therefore, it makes sense that it is on this first layer that devas and nature spirits reside, as they are the ones tasked with the care of this world.
Now I’ll hit on something I’ve been promising for a while: My favorite technique for practicing the technique of astral projection, the Tattwa Cards.
The Tattwa Cards were introduced into the West by theosophists and the magical order of the Golden Dawn at the end of the 19th and 20th centuries, and consist of five basic shapes that correspond to the four elements plus the quintessential fifth element, Spirit, or akasa.
As per Cassandra Eason’s account of how to approach this technique: The easiest way to explain this is if you think of the ascending levels in terms of the gears of a car. You are using the higher gears or spiritual part of your body to reach the higher realms. You are still in your physical body, just as you are still in the car when in top gear, but because you are operating on a higher level than you do in the everyday world you can move beyond the confines of time and space while at the same time the lower reaches of your mind are totally relaxed within your physical body.
[Side note: What is being described here is known as the mind-split effect as pertains to the subconscious, rather than the conscious. More on this later.]
In my experience, the best way to think about the movement through these realms is in terms of descending mass, beginning with the densest (earth) and ending with the least dense (spirit).
Using Tattwa Cards can help beginning projectors to form a stairway to lead them on their out-of-body travel, and can easily be made from cardstock and markers. The idea is to create geometric shapes on a 6x6 inch square background. (Note, the actual size of the card isn’t important, but I’ve found six inches is a good size just for visual purposes and wouldn’t recommend going smaller than that.
1.) Prithivi (earth) – a yellow square set on a purple background. Imagine this as a block of ice, which is solid.
2.) Apas (water) – a silver crescent (lying on its back) set on a black background. This represents the melted ice.
3.) Tejas (fire) – a red triangle on a green background. When this fire is applied to water, steam is produced.
4.) Vayu (air) – a blue circle on a red background. In this stage the steam is dispersed, leaving air in its stead.
5.) Akasa (spirit) – a black oval on a yellow background. This is the final stage, in which air is diffused into aether.
Next, attach the shapes to a cord or string with akasa at the top, than vayu, tejas, apas and prithivi at the bottom.
Now for actually making the journey: Find a comfortable sitting position or lay down with your head slightly propped up (I prefer the latter) and place your cards where they can be easily seen from your position without moving your head.
1.) Focus first on prithivi, then close your eyes so that you can see that glowing square in your mind’s vision.
2.) Open your eyes and focus next on apas, then picture that with closed eyes.
3.) Progress through the other levels, lengthening the time you spend on each until at last you have the glowing akasa in your mind. Focus on the open doorway through which only your inner spirit (or soul) is insubstantial enough to enter.
The trick to this, in my experience is to envision yourself moving through the shape before focusing on the next…and the actual idea is that through these steps you’re placing yourself into a trance state in which you will be capable of entering the astral realms. Note that this is really an advanced step, as anyone interested in learning to project should first learn to meditate and get used to entering the trance state.
A particularly determined person could probably start from this stage and progress from there, but for most learning to meditate first would be ultimately a beneficial endeavor to speed along your results.
Okay, so there’s the lecture done for the day!
So on to the update on my life I’ve been promising.
With the beginning of the 2008, I’ve had to suck it up and get a second job to fund all the crap I waste my money on, because I could potentially have some major traveling opportunities coming up this summer for my modeling, and if I want to have spending money when the time comes I need to work hard at both jobs and save up.
If all goes well, I hope to begin searching for a small house near the end of this year. My apartment is lovely, but I confess it would be far more enjoyable to have a house of my own, where my cats have room to chase each other and play until the wee hours of the morning without driving me insane in the process!
As for the other aspect of my life, Sephiroth has come around on the matter of me running this journal again.
On seeing that trolls weren’t, in fact, constantly assaulting me, he decided that maybe this was a good move to make after all, and I have his support on the efforts I’m making here. All I can say is that it’s about damned time. I like to think I know what I’m doing most of the time, and recently I’ve just been having these moments where it’s like, ‘You know, Seph, sometimes I go the entire day without your input.’
At any rate, I have a conference I’m supposed to be at in two hours, so it seems I’ll have to wrap this up for now.
So Sephiroth and I wish everyone a Happy New Year and I hope you all enjoyed the holiday season. If anyone has any questions on any matter, please leave them in a comment and I’ll gladly answer them when I get home today.
Until next time!
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(Anonymous)
2008-01-06 17:36
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From what I could read on your DA page, there have been some who had questioned your explanation of Sephiroth's name origin. You mentioned the book of Moses as a source. Could you detaliate on this and also on your research of the name? (M-chan) (Reply to this) (Thread) |
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(Anonymous)
2008-01-07 04:23
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Shame, shame. XD Picking up the book would probably be some interesting research. (M-chan) (Reply to this) (Thread) |
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(Anonymous)
2008-01-08 22:06
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Pasted from deviantART because I want a real fucking answer and not a redirect. Also ignoring does not make them multiply, if anything they'll lose interest.
"By trying to explain HOW you've met the real Sephiroth and all that jazz, you're making yourself look crazier and quite frankly paranoid. If you've really fallen in love with Sephiroth on the astral plane than why do you continue to prove it to us ignorant fools? Isn't it enough that you're in love with the man of your dreams? The main reason people think you're a whacked out attention whore is because you act like one. You make all these posts professing your love but flame anyone else who claims to be in a relationship with Sephiroth. These looooooong posts detailing how Sephiroth IS NOT a video game character and IS in love with you look like crazy babble to the rest of us. For god sakes, you're making the rabid fangirls look good. Ignore it, you can go have hot sex on the astral plane and everyone else can browse an internet with one less psychopath."(Reply to this) (Thread) |
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 sephirothslave
2008-01-09 00:29
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See? Now that you've been moved to the appropriate location I'll humor you.
There are a lot of things I should do, and ignoring you people is one of them. Many have argued that if I had an ounce of common sense at all, I would close down all my accounts on the different pages I frequent and hope to disappear into obscurity...but I have trouble with that (even though I consciously know that smarter thing to do) because if I try to disappear I discredit myself and my claims.
Most people would have back peddled and renounced what they said and begged big, mean, nasty ED to go away...but my personality type doesn't back down. Period. I'm an Aquarian-Dragon - the combination of which dictates that I'm not going to back off when I'm not wrong.
Should I? Yes.
Will I? No.
Having Sephiroth with me is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and that very fact is why I continue to talk to people like you and attempt to rationally explain myself. I'm fucking sick of the ten-billion trolls contantly bugging me (in the wrong place) and feel that by calling me insane/lying they're indirectly attacking Sephiroth by questioning his existence...which in turn pisses me off.
At the moment I have a 2 out of 3 conversion rate in convincing people I talk to individually (who come to me thinking I'm a raving lunatic) that I'm not, in fact, insane.
This whole mess in in attempt to get everyone to back off. And no, the trolls don't lose interest if I ignore them...they start having a free-for-all flame party - I tried ignoring them for years, and in that time period I acquired an ED page, about twelve stalkers who regularly send me death threats, multiple forums in which I am mocked, and countless other little things that make me - as a proud Aquarian-Dragon - get rather annoyed.
If it were just about me, though, I would probably not be bothering with this. But since my infamy comes from the relationship I share with Sephiroth...I feel practically obligated to take you people on.
So I do.
Let's see here...oh yes, the other thing I was forgetting: I don't flame people. Flaming, in essence is started without deliberate provocation on the part of the victim. For example, you flamed me when you showed up on DA. If I lose my temper with anyone, they started the argument.
By my nature I will go out of my way to finish a fight that has been started by someone else.
Alright...that's it for now. Read the journal, consider what I have to say, and if you have more questions just post them.(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
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(Anonymous)
2008-01-14 14:22
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Being an Aquarian-Dragon doesn't give you an excuse to be obstinate. Of course, my being an Aquarian-Dragon doesn't give me an excuse to be unabashedly curious and ask people nosey questions, but I'm about to do it anyway!
I'm generally content to live and let live. I have some some socially unnacceptable quirks, too. Like assuming everyone of a certain Zodiac sign should act a certain way. :-/ Honestly, who doesn't have some quirks? But why the "I'm stubborn and proud and BAD-ASSSSSSS" attitude? Is that REALLY how you are? Because its obnoxious. Sephiroth would kill you. Or worse, ignore you completely. My thinking is that your demeanor is may be a defensive maneuver. Its one thing to persecute someone for having different beliefs, but somehow I don't feel too bad about being rankled by the whole "bad-ass bitch" act, particularly when its coming from someone who.....doesn't really seem to be all that bad-ass.
Since you say you're A-ok with your internet life being so public, I assume its ok to ask. WHY? I mean, is anyone actually afraid of you? I'm not saying you SHOULD back down, especially not if you truly believe yourself to be right. That would be very un-Aquarian indeed. But your attitude is rather inflammatory. So, tell me this: do you MAYBE enjoy the celebrity and conflict just a teensy bit? Is it, as I stated earlier, a defensive thing? Are you just immature? Or is that really how you are in every day life?
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sephirothslave
2008-01-14 15:49
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There's a very good book out there called The New Chinese Astrology, by Suzanne White, in which she combined the eastern and western zodiac to further classify groups for those who do follow the zodiacs. And Aquarian-Dragons are stubborn and proud. *shrug* Do I necessarilly like that classification? Well, who wants to seem stubborn and arrogant? Is it accurate? Well...yes. I have flaws, and I'm well aware of it.
As for my personality: Generally I have two demeanors, and depending on how I'm approached...you'll either get someone who is generally friendly, happy to answer questions and interested in getting to know the other person...OR...if someone approaches me with the 'you crazy bitch' attitude, they'll recieve my crazy bitch attitude.
So in answer to your question: The person you met on DA falls into the latter category because proud person that I am, I didn't appreciate your attitude and so leapt straight from where I would normally start (in trying to explain myself) to bitch-mode, which I'll confess I occasionally go into without valid reason. I lose my temper just like everyone else.
Let's see here...yes, there are people who qualify as being afraid of me. This is most often in my dojo - where I recently transfered after moving from Virginia. There are people who won't fight me, period, because when I fight I'm aiming to literally knock them out. Because I have had times in my life when I've felt threatened, if I'm in a sparring situation, the other person just became my guinea pig for KO techniques. I didn't give myself the 'bad ass bitch' title - that was given to me by a couple of black belts in my dojo, only partially out of affection.
Your questions are a little complex, but I'll do my best: I'm friendly if approached in a friendly manner, I'm loyal to my friends and family, and acquaintences say I'm a nice person. On the other hand, I won't generally make an effort to start a conversation or engage someone.
I figure either they'll come to me or I'll focus on something important.
In my most recent creative writing class we did an exercise where the professor pointed at a person around the room and we had to give two words to describe their personality even though we hadn't talked to them yet. I was described as 'cold and forbidding.' I suppose it could be defensive. I started getting the 'you stupid fucking bitch, I hope you die' comments when I was in sixth grade, so is it any wonder I'm a little on the defensive side.
I'm not given to trust easily (another of my flaws) and don't talk much IRL.
So yes, this is pretty much how I am, yes, it's partially a defensive technique, no, I don't consider it an act of immaturity so much as a survival tactic, and I'm indifferent about the internet celebrity I've acquired. If I really had a problem with it I could go about whining about how unfair it is that I have an ED page and doing everything in my power to get it removed...such as threatening to call a lawyer (someone tried that, as I understand). O.o;; I realized, though, that ED was actually sending people to me who were genuinely interested in what I had to say and has thus enabled me to clarify myself.
I could have continued on happily anonymous if no one had noticed the old journal on this account...but someone did, and the shit started coming fast. I could run off, but my personality won't let me do that when I'm not wrong/insane/lying.
Oh yes, IMPORTANT NOTE: The Sephiroth I speak of as my archangel and husband isn't the videogame character. Please read at least the first entry of this journal, and that should be cleared up. I'm a fan of the character, of course, but the two are virtually unrelated. (And yes, the character would kill me...and you...and everyone else. It's part of that whole psychotic mass murderer thing.)(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
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(Anonymous)
2008-01-16 15:53
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I never posted on your DA page. (Although I have seen it) Sorry, guess I should have clarified that I'm a different "anonymous". The post you just replied to is the only communication I've ever had with you. I did, however, initially find out about you on ED. And I am genuinely interested in the things you claim. Yeah, they sound crazy to me, and I strongly suspect that's the conclusion that I'll come to, but I'm willing to acknowledge that I may be wrong about that. I can't say I've conducted a very thorough investigation if I haven't heard your side of your own story.
I feel sorry for you, Summoner Yuna, and anyone else who has an ED page. People are mean. Worse, some people aren't even funny while they're being mean. Although, I guess its made obvious from the fact that I spend time on ED that I'm not above a private laugh at someone else's expense. I don't fell that that's the same as openly attacking someone, though.
Anyhow, if you are well aware of your faults, why FLAUNT them as if they were virtues? That's what put me off a bit initially, I suppose. Maybe one of my flaws is a tendency to be a bit too judgemental.
I was already aware that your Sephiroth is not the FF7 Sephiroth. I just made the comment because he would indeed probably kill you, and me....and everyone else, like you said. But particularly those of us who use his image in a way he didn't particularly like, hm? And those of us that would instantly start humping his leg or something. That would be me.
May I email you?(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
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sephirothslave
2008-01-17 13:19
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Oh dear, it seems I've gotten confused yet again. XD I owe you an apology then, because I was treating you as the person who posted the first entry on DA...and since I was already growing sick of them, I was fairly harsh in what I was saying here. My apologies, I didn't realize you weren't the same peson.
Astral projection is a complex topic, and one that requires a holy hell of a lot of reading before you'll have any clue what's going on. The best book is the one I repeatedly reference here, Astral Dynamics by Robert Bruce...though I'll caution that by saying that it's one nasty read if you don't have field experience. I already was projecting when I read it, and it was tough for me! As in - imagine the most complex, intricate, difficult book you ever had to read for english classes or whatever, then multiply that by about a hundred...and you have Astral Dynamics.
At any rate...ED is interesting to me. By reading quite a few of the pages on the site I've had a few revelations about it. 1.) Only about 65% of the individuals who have pages deserve them. People like Summoner Yuna have a couple of problems that make them targets: Such as throwing a royal temper tantrum everytime anyone says something to her that she percieves as insulting, even if it wasn't meant to be so in the first place. Knowing that this reaction is up for grabs, ED flocks over to harass her. They're a lot like schoolyard bullies. o.o; If you give them the reaction they want, you encourage them.
On the opposite spectrum, I think I've figured out why I can't get them to come to this website. I've been trying to get them to come over, but instead they lurk around my DA page and bluntly refuse to go where they belong. The reason I've concluded is that they don't know how to handle this. At first I got flustered and bitchy (realized that didn't work so well) and now I have a page to rationally explain myself...one that I restarted specifically for ED and its readers, and now they don't know what to do. (I have a feeling I'm the first person willing to discuss my personality and beliefs with them.)
Anyway...short rant, I'll wrap it up.
You're more than welcome to e-mail me. My address is:
Sephirothslave@katayoku.net
and I hope to hear from you soon.(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
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ladybow
2008-01-09 16:54
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Well, despite this comment clearly being written with skin-deep knowledge of Julia, and regurgitated reasoning, I'll respond to it.
Hey, if I had something this big happen to me, I think I'd be chronicling it in a journal too, for myself and anybody that might give it a chance. She wants attention? Well sure. She wrote it for others to read and understand, but I think it's pretty damn obvious she's not doing it so that others can give her asspats. The most she can hope to achieve is a little less retardation on the internet from judgemental pricks on the mainly teenaged sites she frequents. Me, I'm the same way. I can't stand when people have the wrong idea based on peer-instilled bullshit, and despite the battle being one lenghty shitload, she's going for it because it's all she can do, and one person at a time is worth it to her. I think what people fail to realize is besides this claim, she has a seemingly normal life, and if she wants to stay on the internet, can you blame her?
I think it's very brave that she's putting it all in the open for others to analyze. She doesn't want to be alone.
If none of it interests you, you don't have to read it. When it comes right down to it, she most definitely doesn't need to post anything about herself and share it with strangers. But I think she also chooses to because, surprisingly, there are a lot of them that admire her courage, and like to read about what she has stumbled upon, rather it be true or false. It's beyond whatever people like you think of her actions. I really appreciate her persistance. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread) |
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