Herein I describe in detail many events which defy the perceived boundaries and barriers of this physical existence, as well as how I arrived to the position to make such events manifest. Almost everything here is related to the metaphysical and the supernatural.
The chronicling of my began in 1994. The stories were too unbelievable for the common mind to only listen to, and thus the medium of the written word had to be conquered.
My inspiration for this was born out of Michael Crichton’s autobiography, Travels. His way of sharing the vulnerabilities and successes alike, made me understand that I alone own the responsibility to record the definitive events of my life.
It would appear that the Edgar Cayce readings concur with this concept:
…by keeping a record of self–not as a diary, but thy purposes, what you have thought, what you have desired, the good that you have done– we will find this will bring physical and mental reactions that will be in keeping with the purposes for which each soul enters a material manifestation. (830-3)
My guarantee to you, the reader, is that I tell no lies, nor exaggerations.
It is my sincere hope to inspire, educate, enlighten, and perhaps to show what is possible in what we perceive to be a material world.
So here is a chronological list of the posts by title, with a brief description for each:
Venture-ing Inward – Some of my writings first shared here were recently published in the A.R.E. membership magazine
Fourth-Dimensional Fiancee – The astral projection spirit walk which led me on a 20-year odyssey. Upon this I would choose to be judged.
A Helpful Timeline – Providing some chronological order to the major signposts along this mystical path.
This list will continue to grow, as there is more in the pipeline.
If you have read this far, then a sincere thank you!
An important editorial note: Please be aware that I intentionally put the setting to open new pages when clicking a link. This was done because each of these pages is worthy of being seen, otherwise I would not have included the link in the first place. So please open the new page, knowing that it was done with positive purpose in mind.
This is the story of the second, of the set of three, astral projection “Spirit Walks”, which I made manifest during the winter of 1987. See here for the backstory.
Unlike the third one which only took 20 years to fully reveal itself, this second one took exactly 30 years to come to fruition!
The wait has been well worth it.
February, 1987. Mercersburg Academy. Main Hall Dormitory. 3rd Floor.
As was the inspirational agent for each of the three astral projections, I had gone down the hall to get prepped… with the smoke of Shiva’s Holy Sacrament.
Once I returned to my room and got into bed, I promptly began my Chakra Meditation routine.
Suddenly, I was again floating in the stratosphere, looking down on the Earth. Unlike the previous time, when I hurried myself into the decision to fly around the world like Superman, this time I was in no particular rush.
However, the decision as to how events would transpire, was instead made for me.
From my right side, a transparent grey cloud came to surround me. This cloud then thickened and darkened, becoming like stone. Finally, I was in a dimly lit, hollowed out chamber, perhaps 5 meters wide by 10 meters long.
When all the movement stopped, there before me, sitting lotus-style with his back against one of the “walls”, was a yogi.
He appeared to be around 30 years old, was of slender body, with long, straight, dark hair, and was wearing only a pair of tan-colored short Dhoti pants.
Flanking him on either side were two white ghost-like apparitions, like stationary floating balls of mist.
Off to the right of me, there seemed to be another being, retreated into the shadows.
The yogi then began to speak.
HE PROCEEDED TO NARRATE THE PATH MY LIFE WAS GOING TO TAKE!
Curiously, in spite of seeing his mouth moving, I remember none of the words that he spoke, because they created such fast-moving imagery, which was completely captivating in and of itself.
The life he was outlining for me was a truly exciting adventure!
However, he then threw in a major plot twist, which felt like a kick in the gut. Dissatisfied as I was with this potential eventuality, I condensed it all down into this plucky response:
“So you want me to go from Indian… to Indian?!?”
By the way he bounced in his lotus pose, he seemed to appreciate the sarcasm mixed with irony in my humor.
His tone then became more passionate, raising his right hand and index finger, with a “YES! And…“, as he indicated that I would know the moment of this shift, when I would see the image of his disciple.
At that moment, the figure to my right approached me from out of the shadow, to just a bit more than an arms length away.
He looked to be in his 30’s, with long wavy hair, and a barrel shaped body. Though he mostly showed me his left side, the flawless face was graced with a supremely attractive smile, and a blissful infinity gaze. His beauty was intensified by the deep golden glow of his wide aura.
By this point, the overall experience had impressed me so much, that when I turned back to my new Guru, I gave my consent to the future he was proposing.
Our meeting soon came to a close.
The enclosed space departed in the reverse order to how it had initially formed around me.
After floating there in the stratosphere for a few moments more, I then returned to my body.
The next day I reflected upon the experience. First, to be sought out by a Guru, and then to have him foretell my future, left me feeling tremendously honored. The extremely rare nature of this experience was not lost on me.
For sure, I did take it as a compliment, as clear evidence of the high level that my Chakra Meditation practice had reached.
But quite honestly, I was not so surprised by the visit. Who else, I easily rationalized, but a 5th dimensional yogi, could understand the degree of my personal achievement? Not that I was taking this event for granted, but I figured this was simply the natural outcome of such successful practice.
For the next thirty years, this Spirit Walk would rarely cross my mind. At times it even felt like it was being hidden from me. Occasionally, I would contemplate the concept of “from Indian to Indian”, but I still had little context, so it was easily forgotten.
Besides, during these decades, it was typically the first, and occasionally the third Spirit Walks which would garner the most recall.
Winter of 2017.
This was the season when I was processing the impact which the book, Black Elk Speaks, was having on me. Finally I had some context by which I could go in deep exploration of a past-life vision, experienced in a Regression Hypnosis session twenty years prior. The vision was first shared in my post, Would-be-Heyokah. The relevant excerpt:
While I don’t remember the imagery path, I do recall arriving to a room which had multiple doors to choose from. Then I was directed to open one and walk through. Suddenly I was standing on a high mount, overlooking a vast expanse of green rolling hills, and haze filled valleys. The most fascinating sensation was that I could feel the warm wind on my exposed body. Quickly I surmised that I was an American Indian. Due to the power I felt within that body, it was clear that I had been a Medicine Man of some sort. Looking to my left, I saw a wife and our two children. We were happy together.
During this period, the first impactful recollection of my ‘going from Indian to Indian’ response had finally occurred.
But I still had no idea who was this guru of mine.
As fate would have it, in the middle of that process, I read this article by Sidney D. Kirkpatrick, in the January|February|March edition of Venture Inward.
The idea that Tara Mata was a close friend of Edgar Cayce, was an A.R.E. Member, received two personal readings, AND was the dearest disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, all continues to impress me almost to envy.
After finishing this article, I was compelled to go to the local Barnes & Noble to get my own copy of Autobiography of a Yogi.
At some point it occurred to me that the Indian to Indian transition had indeed commenced. This created an anxiety, which grew quickly the more I thought of how I had not yet reconciled the first Indian.
How could I justify moving on to the next one?
This was the impulse which pushed me to go Looking For the Ghost Dance. If the shift had really begun, then I had better find him ASAP.
And so, almost immediately after finishing Autobiography of a Yogi, I became a member of the Self-Realization Fellowship.
But I still had no idea who was this guru of mine.
A year passes… and then enter Sean Tolan.
Sean had been a student at The Solebury School, during the time when I was a member of the faculty there.
Out of the blue, he contacted me. and we exchanged a series of emails.
In one of his emails, he said that Babaji had brought us together.
Upon reading those words, suddenly I was spoken to by the familiar voice:
It was me, Babaji.
And then in a Quickening… SUDDENLY IT ALL MADE SENSE!
My Guru was the venerated Mahavatar Babaji!!!
His golden glowing disciple was Paramahansa Yogananda!
The apparitions flanking Babaji were without a doubt Lahiri Mahasaya and Sri Yukteswar!
The grey cloud which turned into a chamber was Babaji’s Cave!
For the uninitiated, the question that should be answered first is, “Who is Mahavatar Babaji?” .
The Northern Himalayan crags near Badrinarayan are still blessed by the living presence of Babaji, guru of Lahiri Mahasaya. The secluded master has retained his physical form for centuries, perhaps for millenniums. The deathless Babaji is an avatara. This Sanskrit word means “descent”; its roots are ava, “down,” and tri, “to pass.” In the Hindu scriptures, avatara signifies the descent of Divinity into flesh.
“Babaji’s spiritual state is beyond human comprehension,” Sri Yukteswar explained to me. “The dwarfed vision of men cannot pierce to his transcendental star. One attempts in vain even to picture the avatar’s attainment. It is inconceivable.”
The Upanishads have minutely classified every stage of spiritual advancement. A siddha (“perfected being”) has progressed from the state of a jivanmukta (“freed while living”) to that of a paramukta (“supremely free” — full power over death); the latter has completely escaped from the mayic thralldom and its reincarnational round. The paramukta therefore seldom returns to a physical body; if he does return, he is an avatar, a divinely appointed medium of supernal blessings on the world. An avatar is unsubject to the universal economy; his pure body, visible as a light image, is free from any debt to Nature.
In 1861, Babaji revealed himself to Lahiri Mahasaya, to whom he revealed the lost knowledge of Kriya Yoga. One of the disciples of Lahiri Mahasaya was Sri Yukteswar, who then was the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda.
The title, Mahavatar, means “Great Avatar”.
For more in depth details on Babaji, do read this!
To say that my mind was blown by this realization would be an understatement.
How honored I truly am that Babaji would believe the sixteen-year-old me worthy of such an amazing encounter!!!
This image is VERY accurate. My perspective was from an approximate head higher than his own, so he would have been looking up at me as such.
His kindness, his humility, and his sincerity are the character impressions which I can now most clearly recall.
A notable detail is that this 5th dimensional cave was about 15-20 times larger than the actual grotto in the Himalayas.
And then there is the presence of Paramahansa Yogananda.
It is clear to me now why I was only shown the left side of his face. When the time came, I would be sure to recognize his ubiquitous portrait image.
But he was so much more handsome, even beautifully so, with such amazing radiance, that I have yet to find an earthly image that does him justice.
This appearance certainly has much to do with his practice of how to be a Smile Millionaire.
His 5th dimensional presence proved that he was truly successful in this pursuit.
What I interpret to be the partial presence of Lahiri Mahasaya and Sri Yukteswar is explained by how the two of them are inhabiting higher dimensional realms, with only minimal connections to the Earth plane at the moment. This aspect of their reality is discussed in fascinating detail in Chapter 43 of AoaY: The Resurrection of Sri Yukteswar.
So the question remains: what is the current standing of my interior journey from Indian to Indian?
The good news is that, by means of wonderful synchronicites, I did indeed find the location from the vision of the Native American Indian lifetime. This spot was not where I would ever have expected it to be, and the ramifications turned out to be even more significant than I ever could have imagined. That will indeed be a post worth reading!
The bad news is that my status as a Kriya-seeking sadhu faces a major challenge. As it turns out, the aspect that felt like the kick in the gut was not simply that I would have to shift my focus from the pursuit of being the Heyokah, to then become a Sadhu, but rather that I would be struck by a serious health issue. It now appears to me that, how and where Babaji ended the narration of my life path, signified how I am now facing my mortal end to this incarnation.
So with the time that I have left, I am focusing as much attention as I can on advancing with Paramahansaji’s teachings. Perhaps Babaji was offering this Kriya path as a means for me to overcome my current situation.
Despite my petitions, he has yet to make a return appearance.
To be sure, I look forward to reading Sean’s account of how Babaji entered his life, and then brought us back together. When a published version becomes available to me, I will certainly provide the link here.
It needs to be mentioned how cosmically fitting it is that the signpost of the shift would have come via an article in Venture Inward. It would be almost a year later when the account of my first Spirit Walk (the very first link provided in this post) was published in the magazine. During this period, the magazine was being edited by Sydney and Nancy Kirkpatrick. Sydney, of course, being the one who wrote the article about Tara Mata. The intertwined nature of Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E. and the SRF, both historically, and in my own experience, is just perfect.
Of all the stories I have shared, this is the one by which I would ultimately choose to be judged.
As I presented in my last post, during my junior year of high school, I made manifest a series of three astral projection spirit walks.
This is the story of the third… and most special one of all.
Winter 1987, Mercersburg Academy, Main Hall, 3rd Floor, post-lights-out.
Took a stroll down the hall. It was one of those Lord Shiva kind of nights.
Eventually found my way back to my room, and soon to bed.
As my meditation routine had become second nature, with ease I had my chakras shining bright, and their vortexes spinning off into infinity.
And then… there I was once again, poised high in the stratosphere, comfortably floating above the earth… quite pleased to be back in that now familiar fourth-dimensional space.
As I was gazing out upon the universe, contemplating how I was going to take advantage of this opportunity, I was interrupted by a presence, which approached me from behind, and asked me the following question:
Would you like to be together in this lifetime?
Instinctively I knew that the stalking presence was female.
When I turned to face her, she was a faint energetic outline, easily twice my own self-perceived size, and so transparent that I could see more of the stars, in the infinite beyond, than I could see of her.
She repeated her question, clearly wanting an answer.
So I thought about it for a moment, and willingly replied:
Yes!
Apparently my acceptance of her proposal was not deeply enough considered, because she offered me an opportunity to change my mind:
Before you agree to this you must know that I will not be born for another six months, as I am attached to my mother, and so it will be a long road before you find me, and it will not be easy. Are you sure?
As she was communicating this, faint images of a potential timeline were presented to me.
Honestly flattered by the whole experience, how could I not respond:
Yes… we will be together in this lifetime!
Suddenly she took a human body shape, and then something amazing happened… under her left arm there manifested the bright face of a young little girl.
My new fiancée then somehow changed our vantage point in the stratosphere, to where we were now somewhere over the Carolinas! She then indicated toward the southwestern region of Florida, saying:
You will travel from here, around coast of the Gulf of Mexico, down to here, where you will find me.
This was the approximate location and altitude of our vantage point, together with the route she pointed out. But 35 hours? More like 3 days.
Then she paused, only to remind me:
Remember, this will be a long, and at times, difficult journey, but we will see each other again,
At this point she revealed more of what she would look like.
My parting words were:
Ok, we’ll see each other, then.
She departed, and I returned to my body.
To put this into the proper time frame, the day of her birth came two weeks after my vision of the rain.
Spring 2003. The difficult road showed its merciful end by way of a providential re-connection with a childhood friend. He offered me the job of living in his house. Poolside… in Southwest Florida.
The next five years were sun and sand therapy… enjoyed work in the service industry… played rec league sports… made new friends… and held true to sobriety throughout.
Yet after a few years, the realization struck that my road was still not complete.
This was a time of deep soul searching, and much heartfelt prayer. My only stipulations to God were that I do something to help people, and that I learn some valuable skill.
In those moments, I had no idea how close I was to finding her.
At a restaurant where I was tending bar, I became familiar with a bunch of Mexican coworkers. One of them, a man a few years older than me, and by far the hardest working food-runner/busser in the establishment, invited me to kick the soccer ball around on a mutual day off.
When we were done, we sat down by one of the goals, and he proceeded to tell me of his life… and of his dream. He was an agronomist by trade, and wanted a greenhouse, wherein he could grow high quality tomatoes.
Throughout his discourse, I was experiencing visions from across the veil, something akin to the starry shadow-moths which occurred when I met Elanor.
It was decided before he even finished talking… it would be me to help him fulfill that dream! And it fit the criteria that I had set before God; I would be helping somebody, and I would learn a valuable skill.
He first thought I was joking, and then he thought I was crazy. So did the woman I was living with. As far as I could tell, everybody thought I was.
None of that mattered, because my mind was made up.
A month later we were on the road to Mexico.
And I still had not yet connected all of this to her.
Over a span of twenty years, there were long periods in which I completely forgot about my pledge. Several relationships came to decision moments, but because not one of them was ever her, invariably I had to Ramble On.
Arrival through her door was surreal.
Her eyes sparkled!
Faced with the seeming culmination of this epic 20-year odyssey… this quest to uphold a fourth dimensional promise… it would be some time yet before we would be together in this lifetime.
My primary mission at hand was to fulfill a man’s dream.
It took little over a year for the two of us to coalesce… and another five to bring into the world that bright little face which appeared under her left arm.
We eventually got married.
Yes… we will be together in this lifetime.
The more I reflect upon how this path of my life, up to now, has been so amazing, the more it makes me truly thankful for just how blessed I really am.
So when I saw that Venture Inward, the prodigious A.R.E. quarterly membership magazine, was petitioning for submissions of personal stories involving psychic phenomena, my choice became not whether to submit something, but rather which one should it be!?!
Out of the categories listed there, I have interesting stories for 8 of these. And yet, there are other experiences, which I have already shared in these pages, that were of other psychic phenomena not specifically listed in the above image.
So I chose to focus on the Out-of-Body-Experience (OBE) theme, by condensing a portion of How I Got Down the Rabbit Hole.
It feels a bit strange to be edited!
Here in this space I have total liberty, and I love it this way. But to have an editor takes the pressure off to create a piece worthy of the reader’s time spent.
The submitted version was edited for the readership. To be honest, I understand why they edited what they did. To be more specific, it was the reference to the sacramental use of plants, which saw the cutting room floor.
The unofficial stance of the organization seems to be that such shortcuts have no place in the current A.R.E. discourse and canon. But as drug laws change, members of the new generations, who are seeking out these keys which serve to unlock the doors of perception, will want to understand the universe into which they are venturing forth, and the Cayce Readings, in my heavily biased opinion, best provide the answers being sought.
Anyway, that sacred Soma, which Mahadeva Shiva brought down from the Himalayas as a gift to humanity, was such an inextricable aspect to the process of my personal awakening, that not only will I refuse to shy away from the subject, but rather will be outspoken in terms of best-practices, with regards to sacramental use v. hedonistic abuse.
So… here is the screenshot as proof that I was, in fact, published.
When I was nine years old, I attended a swim camp where our coach led us through a creative-visualization hypnosis exercise. He had us lie down on the floor with the lights dimmed, relax from toe to head, then visualize swimming a 100-meter race in world-record time. Guiding us through the first three laps, he had us focus on the most minute details required to win the race, and then swim the last leg on our own. For me, this final leg of the race was spent outside of my body, observing the scene from a distance. What I most remember is watching the coach, stopwatch in hand, counting off the seconds until the first swimmers reached the end of the pool.
While I never got to compete in a real world-swim-record race, the experience of leaving my body was so enjoyable that I continued to practice relaxation and visualization techniques. Eventually, after reading a book on chakra meditation, I realized that I could accomplish something more. Initial attempts to learn this technique were always confounded by my falling asleep, but with persistence, I was finally able to unite what’s called Heaven and Earth, which is the goal of the meditation. And I found myself floating in the stratosphere!
Recognizing this extraordinary opportunity for what it was, I decided to take advantage of the moment. My thoughts went to the first Superman movie when Christopher Reeve flies around the earth fast enough to turn back time and save the life of Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane. My goal was different, however. I wanted to fly ahead of the rotation and travel into the future. Next thing I knew, I was zooming around the globe. At perhaps the 15th time around, I realized that it was far enough and that I had to go back. The return trip to the present came up a few circumnavigations short of the original number. Strangely exhausted from the experience, I chose to return to my body.
The next day it felt as if everything had changed. Suddenly, I was seeing, or knowing, around corners. I knew, for example, who was coming to the door before they arrived or knocked, or when playing baseball, I knew that the ball would be hit to me on the next pitch and where it would go, or while driving, I knew when there was a hazard up ahead.
Eventually, I developed my own remote viewing technique. Before setting off on a drive, I would send my awareness along the path to my destination. Without any doubt, this saved me from numerous speeding tickets and a few potential accidents. Imagine my surprise when, years later, I learned that techniques for remote viewing were being taught to soldiers in the U.S. Army and that experiments were or had been conducted at major universities as well as the A.R.E. Thirty years after attending that swim camp, I salute that coach and what he taught us!
Full disclosure: there was an ulterior motive behind establishing this as my takeoff point. The truth is that my Fourth-dimensional Superman-imitation was but the first, in a series of threeSpirit Walks, which happened within the span of one month, in the last few months of sixteen years of age.
The second Spirit Walk had remained mostly forgotten for these thirty years, and only recently has the unpacking process been triggered. The only aspect about this one, which I will reveal now, is that I met with a fabled group of enlightened gurus. These beings are directly related to the tradition of Chakra Meditation… the practice of which allowed me to meet with them in the first place!
But it is, was, and has been the third Spirit Walk which most determined the path my life would take, at least up to now. This is the composition currently under construction, It is an amazing story, which I hope to do justice.
Permission was given for the editors at Venture Inward to use any of the entries, here at Making Manifest, should the need arise.
Well then… imagine my surprise when I saw this:
That they would have chosen to use Kochevar’s Saloon does not surprise me in the least, as it fills a category of psychic phenomena which is very uncommon in today’s world.
To be published in the pages of Venture Inward is such a tremendous honor.
It feels like an unexpected item has been checked off from a Bucket List.
So inspired had I been, since reading Black Elk Speaks several months before, that I was moved to take my family on a pilgrimage in search of the Ghost Dance.
This is a subject which I approach with the deepest respect, and utmost reverence. Yet, it is with an even greater amount of hope, that I dare venture into this sacred topic.
Let me state this up front … it is my sincere belief that the Ghost Dance has the potential to be the key to the redemption, for not only the Native American Indian (NAI), but quite possibly the rest of this world.
The first leg of our journey took us from Carlisle, PA to Atlanta, GA, where we spent important time with dear friends. In the morning of the second day, as we were passing through Eastern Tennessee, a Coyote crossed our path. Knowing that Coyote is an important spirit animal among many NAI traditions, we both were honored to receive such a favorable sign at that early point in our unfolding adventure. As can be seen by my reaction, this appearance was so unexpected, that I could not see it for what it was without the help of my perspicacious wife.
In my “Wow!” was the moment I understood it as a sign.
From Atlanta, we traveled west to Dallas, where we paused for a couple of days. From there we knew that we were moving on to our core main objectives: to visit the Caddo Nation; see the Black Hills; and to visit the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation, where we would visit Wounded Knee, and try to locate the Republic of Lakotah (RoL).
The first important step was into the heart of Oklahoma to visit the Caddo Nation. The specific reason to visit them was born out of this Wikipedia entry, wherein it stated that the Caddo still perform the Ghost Dance. As no other nations or tribes are listed in that entry, my high hopes were precariously balanced on this questionable source. qwwwwwwait was worthy of investigation nonetheless.
As the part of Oklahoma, which we were exploring, had little in terms of lodging, we considered ourselves fortunate to find a place through Airbnb, near the town of Geary. The unique aspect which convinced us to book, was that it is a one-room schoolhouse, well isolated in the middle of fields and pastures.
In dramatic fashion, it was quickly made clear that we had entered the realm of Coyote! Barely minutes after taking the above photo, the first nearby howl served as a startling welcome greeting. As impressive as that was, it was merely a preview for what was soon to come. During the middle of the night, we were awoken by a powerful cacophony of howls, from what we estimated to be at least ten Coyotes, gathered very near to the schoolhouse. Such was the impact of that moment, that it carried over with us for the next few days. The following video, shot from the deck behind the schoolhouse, was the last time we encountered Coyote on the journey.
An honorable mention is deserved for the other Spirit Animal which we encountered here. There was a team of Prairie Falcons, flying above the fields to the left in the above photo, which through the late morning into mid-afternoon hours, were ceaselessly dive bombing for, what I presume to be, field rodents. This evoked the memory of a prophetic dream vision, from our journey the previous year, and served to tie ethereal threads together in ways which only pilgrimages can reveal.
The next day we set out for the Caddo Nation. To better educate ourselves about this people, we decided to visit the tribal museum. To get access, visitors must obtain permission from within the Administrative offices. While waiting for our guide, we struck up conversation with some of the staff members. This was the opportunity to inquire directly as to the status of the Ghost Dance among the Caddo. The answer received was that it is no longer practiced! Everybody in the room could probably hear my heart sink. In short order, however, a glimmer of hope did shine through, as one of the staff stated that there are still a few tribal members who know the songs. My faith was restored when they provided me with a solid lead.
We then were given the tour of the museum by the tribal administrator. He could sense that we were underwhelmed by the work-in-progress state of the museum, so he suggested that we continue down the road to the Kiowa Museum. While officially a member of the Caddo Nation, he considers himself culturally more of a Kiowa. So, having seen what we needed to see, and with the fact that the Kiowa Reservation was only 30 minutes away, we set off toward that unplanned destination.
Upon arrival to the Kiowa cultural center, our daughter was sound asleep in the backseat, and thus provided me the opportunity to venture in alone.
The museum consisted of one room, perhaps 15 yards x 20 yards. There were large paintings on the walls, grade-school dioramas of various tales of Saynday in the middle of the floor, and multiple glass cases full of tribal traditional artifacts.
Immediately I was drawn to the large paintings, and their captivating depictions of the Kiowa creation stories and history. The man sitting behind a desk next to the entrance, fielding phone calls and tapping away on his keyboard, eventually asked me if I had any questions about the exhibits. Thus began a conversation which lasted for an hour or so. He was a Kiowa tribal elder, and the tribal historian. He described for me the specific meanings and significance of the paintings.
Two of the paintings in particular, hanging next to each other, were those which most captured my attention. The first was the scene of a menacing storm on the Great Plains. Little did I know that 48 hours later, we would pass through a storm in western Kansas, well worthy of that painting.
*Disclaimer* At the time, I was unaware of the no-photo policy, so please, Kiowa Tribe, consider this an official apology for having taken one. This is my promise to not publish it without your consent. However, in my opinion, this policy is one of quite narrow vision. If the intention of the tribe is for the world to purchase the prints, then it should welcome the free publicity which social media can provide.
The second painting was a representation of the religious history of the Kiowa. It presents four images, or depictions, one to each corner of the canvas. Description of the images from top-left clockwise to bottom-left:
The Ghost Dance;
the arrival of Christian missionaries;
the established Church
a Native American Church ceremony.
In the context of this painting, the elder told me of their tribal history with the Ghost Dance. The sacred worship had been taught to the Kiowa by a neighboring tribe. When I asked whether the dancers had seen the ancestors, his answer was that they did not, but that they did have visions of the buffalo herds. When I proposed the idea that these Kiowa DID indeed see that promised land about which Wovoka prophesied, and Black Elk witnessed, he did not disagree with that assertion.
Then I made a bold declaration:
Not only was the Ghost Dance a de facto Christian movement, it was the quintessential American Christian movement!
In that moment I did not have the Biblical passages memorized, but upon hearing the first sentence, he knew of which I was paraphrasing.
While in the midst of doing research for my previous post, I opened my YouVersion Bible app, to read the verses from John 14. It quickly struck me how these were the key to understanding the true significance of the Ghost Dance:
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so,I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
This is my own interpretation of how to put these verses into the context of the Ghost Dance:
1 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
At that moment in history, the old ways of all the Native American Indian cultures were, quite literally, in their final days. There was great suffering, anguish, and mourning at the loss of those old ways to the colonizing force of the white European culture. Very few free tribal peoples remained, but yet even those who long ago surrendered believed in the Great Spirit, or the God of all Creation. Jesus, the Christ, the Son of Man, came to offer them a path to redemption.
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Enter the Paiute prophet, Wovoka. He was the son and grandson of recognized mystics, or Medicine Men. As a teenager, Wovoka went to work for a local rancher. It was during this time that Wovoka learned English, primarily through Bible study.
According to legend, during an eclipse of the sun, Wovoka fell into a coma, and took a Spirit Walk to a place where he met Jesus. It was during this meeting that Jesus told him that, if the NAI peoples would follow the commandment, “Love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself“, that they would be back to the land of their ancestors, before the arrival of the European culture. Then, Jesus showed Wovoka the means by which all NAIs would know that his medicine was true … a sacred dance.
Word of the Prophet spread quickly among all of the NAI peoples. Many came to see for themselves, and most returned home convinced of its truth.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Among the related Plains Tribes, Lakota, Dakota, Cheyenne, et. al., there were many who had long since surrendered to the U.S. Army. Yet there were some bands which were, in spite of being under great duress, still holding out. Black Elk, the famous Heyoka and Medicine Man, was among the last of these free peoples. At first he was skeptical of the Ghost Dance, but eventually gave in to the pleas of his companions. In his first dance, Black Elk, in a similar experience to that of Wovoka, took a Spirit Walk, within which he got glimpse of that promised land. While he was confused by certain aspects of his vision, he was encouraged by what he saw. However, it was during his second dance, that the truth became clear. It is best described in Black Elk’s own words:
In the evening I made a sacred stick like that I had seen in my first vision and painted it red with the sacred paint of the Wanekia. On the top of it I tied one eagle feather, and this I carried in the dance after that, wearing the holy shirt as I had seen it. Because of my vision and the power they knew I had, I was asked to lead the dance next morning. We all stood in a straight line, facing the west, and I prayed: “Father, Great Spirit, behold me! The nation that I have is in despair. The new earth you promised you have shown me. Let my nation also behold it.” After the prayer we stood with our right hands raised to the west, and we all began to weep, and right there, as they wept, some of them fainted before the dance began. As we were dancing I had the same queer feeling I had before, as though my feet were off the earth and swinging. Kicking Bear and Good Thunder were holding my arms. Afterwhile it seemed they let go of me, and once more I floated head first, face down, with arms extended, and the spotted eagle was dancing there ahead of me again, and I could hear his shrill whistle and his scream.
I saw the ridge again, and as I neared it there was a deep, rumbling sound, and out of it there leaped a flame. But I glided right over it. There were six villages ahead of me in the beautiful land that was all clear and green in living light. Over these in turn I glided, coming down on the south side of the sixth village. And as I touched the ground, twelve men were coming towards me, and they said: “Our Father, the two-legged chief, you shall see!” Then they led me to the center of the circle where once more I saw the holy tree all full of leaves and blooming.
But that was not all I saw. Against the tree there was a man standing with arms held wide in front of him. I looked hard at him, and I could not tell what people he came from. He was not a Wasichu and he was not an Indian. His hair was long and hanging loose, and on the left side of his head he wore an eagle feather. His body was strong and good to see, and it was painted red. I tried to recognize him, but I could not make him out. He was a very fine-looking man. While I was staring hard at him, his body began to change and became very beautiful with all colors of light, and around him there was light. He spoke like singing: “My life is such that all earthly beings and growing things belong to me. Your father, the Great Spirit, has said this. You too must say this.” Then he went out like a light in a wind.
Neihardt, John G.. Black Elk Speaks: The Complete Edition (pp. 153-154). UNP – Bison Books. Kindle Edition.
The emphasis in bold is mine, done to show that Black Elk deserves to be included in this piece, which I wrote months before having read Black Elk Speaks.
4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.
Black Elk’s visit with Jesus served as the harbinger, as quickly after came the infamous event remembered as The Massacre of Wounded Knee.
The most perfect way for the Ghost Dancers to get to that promised land, was to die as innocents. But as Jesus, proved, through being crucified as the Messiah, then resurrected as the Christ, that there is no death, that there is only a return to our eternal home.
From this higher perspective, the event which happened at Wounded Knee should not be remembered as a massacre, but rather be revered as a holy martyrdom! Such a change in perception would be a tremendous evolution away from the impoverishing victim-identity, which the word “massacre” helps to perpetuate. Make no mistake about it, the events at Wounded Knee on that fateful day were a massacre. But, spiritually speaking, the choosing to elevate remembrance of that martyred flock who showed the way… and who are waiting in that promised land of the ancestors… would be a powerful redemptive act.
Let me be clear, I make no claims to being a Bible scholar. But the Book of John resonates with me for good reason.
On over one hundred occasions, people who sought guidance from the Divine Source, by means of the Edgar Cayce readings, were specifically recommended to read the Book of John 14, 15, 16, and 17. The following quote is an excellent example of why I cherish this specific recommendation:
Turn then to John 14, 15, 16, 17 and know that it is to thee He speaks, not merely to those who were physically present. For the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and without Him, the speaker there, Jesus, as ye call Him, the light – as He is in the mind and soul of individual entities – without Him, there is no way to the Father. He speaks to thee, “Ask in my name”. “Love ye one another” is His last command – pure, simple; not possessive, but love that casteth out fear, that putteth the heart, the mind, the soul at ease and not in doubt and in fear.
Edgar Cayce Reading 3684-1
After passing through Pahá Sápa, a.k.a. the Black Hills, we stayed for two nights on the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation. As we pulled up to our rented cabin, there stood a young woman, in front of our door, finishing a cigarette. When I exited the vehicle, she asked me if that was our cabin, then gave me a hug with a kiss on the cheek, saying “Welcome home“.
That was so heartwarming, all by itself.
But then as she was departing, she said “I love you” a couple of times. Each time I sincerely replied in same.
That particularly special greeting, in such an unexpected moment, impacted even my wife, as witness, to cherish the experience.
As we set out on the road the next morning, I had set our destination in the Waze app, to Porcupine, S.D., but it seemed to be the eagle in the sky above us, which was our true guide. We came to a “T” in the road, with the billboard in front of us suggesting a right turn would lead us to the Singing Horse Trading Post. From prior research, I had found a connection between Singinghorse.com and the Republic of Lakotah. So, in defiance of Waze, which was indicating a left turn, my curiosity won out. The promising lead had to be explored.
The Trading Post sits near the top of a barren, grassland hill, with a long and winding dirt road leading up to it. The place feels like a compound, with a variety of living quarters strewn about the area. Entering into the store, one finds a great collection of tribal handmade goods, as well as most all of the materials needed for their creation. While browsing the merchandise, I asked the young woman who was working there if she knew of the Republic of Lakotah. To my surprise, she had never heard of it. She explained that she had recently moved back to the Pine Ridge Reservation from Rapid City, so her knowledge base was limited. That was easily forgivable, but curious nonetheless.
While waiting outside by the car, I approached by a man who turned out to be a Swedish Finn. When I remarked that he seemed a rare find in such a place, he quickly disagreed, insisting that the locals were accustomed to random Europeans hanging on the Rez. This was when I noticed a darkening cloud in the sky. A few minutes later, a car parked next to us, with an elder NAI gentleman exiting the passenger side door. His only words to us were “It’s going to rain.” Indeed! He clearly appeared as an emissary from the Thunder Beings. The unspoken question became, “But, where?”
While my wife and I were intent upon continuing our journey, our daughter was not at all ready yet. She had no desire to leave the swing-set she had found, so getting her back into the car became an epic struggle. As we forced her into the car seat, never before had we seen such a passionate revolt from our toddler. However, in hindsight, this was more than justifiable, with the fact that our next destination was Wounded Knee.
As we arrived in Porcupine, we were confronted by a herd of horses, gathered together in the middle of the road, blocking our way. Once through that check-point, the clouds in the sky became ever more menacing. Descending down into the basin, with the infamous site in full view, the threat of rain became imminent. When we pulled up to the sign in front of the hallowed ground, our vehicle was surrounded by six or seven vendors, looking to take advantage of this last opportunity for a sale before the storm struck. As can be seen in the photo below, they had already cleared out the kiosks where they sell their crafts. We purchased several items without any barter or negotiation. This was when the heavens did finally open up. Needless to say, this shortened our visit considerably, as we did not even bother to exit the vehicle. As can also be seen in the photo, it was not just rain, but hail which fell. But what was most significant about the experience, is that this was the only place where the prophesied storm affected us! On the road back to Porcupine, the clouds broke and the sun shone bright. We were both in a state of wonderment as to how the Thunder Beings had dramatically blessed our arrival with their presence!
Philáuŋyaŋpi wakíŋyaŋ oyáte!
Once back in Porcupine, I decided to ask in the general store about how to locate the Republic of Lakotah. To my surprise, the clerk had no idea what I was talking about, that was at least until I mentioned the name of Russell Means. In yet another moment of serendipity, the late Mr. Means’ ceremonially adopted brother, or huŋká káǧa, was sitting outside in his vehicle. Still engaged in conversation when I approached him, I asked if we could talk about the RoL. After pondering my request for a few moments, he eventually consented, then instructed me to follow him to his place.
Our discussion touched on many subjects, including his outlook on the future of the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota people, his disillusionment with how the Standing Rock resistance did not evolve into a greater movement, and of the existence of the high priests of the Oceti Sakowin traditional spirituality.
My excitement, at having fulfilled this particular aspect of the pilgrimage, was tempered by the realization that the future of the RoL is hanging by a thread. The noble ideal of self-sufficiency was always going to face an uphill battle in combating the mental slavery created by more than a century of governmental subjugation. With the passing of Russell Means, this utopian vision faces a very difficult future.
There was one important aspect to the discussion with the Kiowa tribal historian which I will share. The last of the traditional Medicine Men of the Kiowa passed on in 2016. Shortly before his death, he offered this role to the elder historian, but the offer was refused. The elder historian was unwilling to face the anguish and hardship which the Medicine Man must endure. There was a fatalistic parting warning, that the only spiritual aspect which would remain, among the tribe, was prayer. It stands as a sad moment in the history of the Kiowa.
Saynday was going along … and he offered an opportunity.
From the dark cloud potentially emanates the brightest of all rays of light. Here appears an opportunity to disprove those parting words of the last Medicine Man. Using the aforementioned painting of the religious movements as the blueprint, the spiritual journey of the tribe can be brought full circle. What a beautiful turn of events it would be were the Kiowa to organize a revival of Ghost Dance movement. Such a bold action would serve as both personal redemption, for having allowed a defining tribal tradition pass away, and to bring forth an unprecedented amount of attention, in these modern times, to the Kiowa tribe, and the issues concerning the Native American Indian in general.
What then might be required? First and foremost, the people would have to desire, deep in their hearts, for such a revival. Without that, my writing here is but the beginning and end of a wondrous fantasy of what might have been. Perhaps the members of the Native American Church would have an important role to play. Perhaps the administrator of the Caddo could assist in bringing those few tribal members who still know the songs, to anchor the dances. Perhaps it could be open to people, of all races and cultures, who seek that gift handed down from Jesus, the Christ. If a non-tribal person were able to catch a glimpse of that divine paradise, then would that not have been by the will of the Father… of the Great Spirit… of God?
Please forgive me for having taken the liberty to speak for the non-NAI peoples of the world. This petition, this request, this plea, has been written with the full awareness of the profound waters into which I have plunged.
The dark era of American history, that one in which the Ghost Dance was prohibited and persecuted, is now long passed. While the temptation might be for such a revival to be organized as a long coming act of defiance, especially in the smouldering wake of Standing Rock, such intention would only detract from the loving spirit in which the Dance was given. The fight against the hegemony of government should not only take place on the material and mental levels, but also on the spiritual plane. Maintaining the practice in the shadows only serves the power of the darkness which instituted the prohibition in the first place.
Setting aside how the Son of Man selflessly offered himself up for sacrifice on the cross… bringing this movement out into the light for the world to see, could possibly be the greatest act of collectiveredemption in the history of humankind. This Dance was, after all, given to the Prophet Wovoka by that same Son of Man… the Creator of this World!
But it will take one group, one nation, one tribe, to boldly step forward and show the way.
This authentic Ghost Shirt is on display at the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center in Chamberlain, S.D.
Perhaps the most thrilling aspect of experiencing a spiritual Quickening, is how synchronicities start coming fast and furious. Dots suddenly connect, long-ago events come full circle, and deeper meaning reveals itself.
The Universe never gives one more than what one can handle.
First find thyself.
Edgar Cayce Reading 3054-4
Recently I revealed myself as a Rainbringer to somebody who was, not only present for, but smack dab in the middle of one of my rain manifestations.
This person later said that their only reference to such an ability came from the story of Black Elk. Knowing next to nothing about the reference, I began doing the necessary research.
Barely an hour later, I had bought the Kindle version of one of the most important books on American Indian spiritual tradition, Black Elk Speaks.
Heȟáka Sápa, or Black Elk, was a great Heyoka and Wičháša Wakȟáŋ, a Thunder Dreamer and Medicine Man, of the Oglala Lakota. He lived from 1863 to 1950, thus born early enough to live free in the last seasons of the old way, and to have been a participant in such historical events as The Battle of the Little Bighorn, the Ghost Dance, and the subsequent martyrdom at Wounded Knee.
From an early age, Black Elk heard voices talking to him from the sky, but he feared them, and tried to ignore them. At the age of nine years old, he fell deathly ill, spending nearly two weeks in coma. It was during this state that he had his first encounter with the Wakinyan, the Thunder Beings.
After recovering from the illness, his parents and tribe knew that he had changed, but for eight years Black Elk kept his vision a secret. Eventually the pressure from the Spirit World became too great for him to hold off any longer, and he finally told his tale to an elder medicine man. After a sacred ceremony, he was ready to embrace his role as a Heyoka.
So, what is a Heyoka?
The following is Black Elk’s own description:
Only those who have had visions of the thunder beings of the west can act as heyokas. They have sacred power and they share some of this with all the people, but they do it through funny actions. When a vision comes from the thunder beings of the West, it comes with terror like a thunder storm; but when the storm of vision has passed, the world is greener and happier; for wherever the truth of vision comes upon the world, it is like a rain. The world, you see, is happier after the terror of the storm.
Wambli Sina Win, a fierce advocate for Native American Indian peoples and traditions, adds stories of worthy Heyokas to the historical record:
As I honor the memory of some of these Heyoka, Thunder Dreamers, I recall one such holy man, the grandfather of Eugene Eagle Elk (a recently departed medicine man), who walked above the earth. It is said that he traveled great distances in short periods of time, arriving at his destination ahead of horseback riders and cars. Eugene Eagle Elk, recalled seeing his Grandfather walking off into the distance and disappearing on foot while traveling unnatural speeds. Other heroes with the vision from the West, were Pete Catches, Sr., who could handle hot coals with his bare hands and predict the future. Can you imagine glowing hot stones in the midst of a sweat lodge, heated by spiritual power alone? Chief Frank Fools Crow could do this. Each of these men had their own unique spiritual gifts. Not all had the calling to be healers and no two were exactly alike, although they shared the vision from the West, the Wakinyan (Thunder Beings).
I also remember two holy men in their last years who had problems with their earthly eyesight. One was the Sicangu, Frank Arrow Sight and the other, the Oglala, George Plenty Wolf. Even though both were considered blind, they could see far into the hidden past of a man’s soul spiritually and mysteriously in order to heal his physical and psychological problems.
In my own experience, I feel as if I have only scratched the surface of the abilities of which these holy men were masters.
Admittedly, there is a critical aspect involved here which I envy just a little. These great Heyokas had equally great mentors, and were cultivated in a cultural setting which reveres such men. As a perpetual autodidact, this path I have forged has been mostly of my own design, with trial and error application of concepts found, for the most part, only in print.
The following quoted information about the Heyoka was selectively scraped out of this Wikipedia entry:
The Heyókȟa is thought of as being backwards-forwards, upside-down, or contrary in nature. This manifests by their doing things backwards or unconventionally — riding a horse backwards, wearing clothes inside-out, or speaking in a backwards language … His satire presents important questions by fooling around. They ask difficult questions, and say things others are too afraid to say … Heyókȟa have the power to heal emotional pain; such power comes from the experience of shame — they sing of shameful events in their lives … Heyókȟa is also a spirit of thunder and lightning. He is said to use the wind as sticks to beat the drum of thunder. His emotions are portrayed opposite the norm; he laughs when he is sad and cries when he is happy
These descriptions bear such a strong resemblance to my own character and abilities. It is no surprise that this all began about the time I experienced the first few Spirit Walks into the stratosphere.
Wakinyan, Thunderbeings – The creators of all grass, living in the west the Thunderbirds are winged bird-like creatures and patrons of cleanliness. They are known to have the voice of thunder and the glance of lightning. They are the enforcers of divine law. They offer protection to humans from Waziya. The Thunderbeings are eternally at war with the Unktehi, the monstrous forces of evil. Thunderbirds rule the heyoka.
The fact that I read Black Elk Speaks mere days after reading the three Books of Enoch is significant. What became clear very quickly were the unmistakable similarities between stories in how the Wakinyan and Angels serve and protect humans from the Unktehi and Watchers.
As told in the First Book of Enoch, the Watchers were sent to Earth to aid in the protection of humans. Eventually, these Watchers were convinced by their leader Semjaza (Satan) to give in to lust and mate with human women. The resulting offspring are known to history as the Nephilim. The Watchers also taught humans the arts of war, cosmetics, esoterica, and astrology.
The Second Book of Enoch describes the seven heavens, and the Third Book of Enoch tells of the un-fallen Watchers.
The following excerpt comes from the Third Book of Enoch, Ch. XIV, paragraph 4:
These are the names of the rulers of the world:
Gabriel, the angel of the fire, Baradiel, the angel of the hail, Ruchiel who is appointed over the wind, Baraqiel who is appointed over the lightnings, Za’amiel who is appointed over the vehemence, Ziqiel who is appointed over the sparks, Zi’iel who is appointed over the commotion, Za’aphiel who is appointed over the storm-wind, Ra’amiel who is appointed over the thunders, Ratashiel who is appointed over the earthquake, Shalgiel who is appointed over the snow, Matariel who is appointed over the rain, Shimshiel who is appointed over the day, Lailiel who is appointed over the night, Galgalliel who is appointed over the globe of the sun, ‘Ophanniel who is appointed over the globe of the moon, Kokbiel who is appointed over the planets, Rahatiel who is appointed over the constellations.
Please forgive me any American Indian Mythology purists who may be reading, but this sure looks like a comprehensive list of Thunder Beings!
This is perhaps a good point to remind the reader how I came to the Book(s) of Enoch, in the first place.
As I have described in detail here, ‘Baraqiel who is appointed over the lightnings’, visited me in a vision. This experience was a relatively short time ago, so I am still processing the relationship to moments which I have already shared in these pages, as well as many others which remain unwritten.
For example, with my history as a Rainbringer, I can confidently state that ‘Matariel who is appointed over the rain‘ has played a giant role in my life.
The enlightened reader would have noticed the first name on the list of the Rulers of the World: the Archangel Gabriel.
Typically in western tradition, he is known as a messenger, or announcing herald. In the Bible, it was Gabriel who informed Mary and Joseph of their roles in the coming birth of the Messiah. He also appeared separately to Daniel and Zechariah.
In the First Book of Enoch there are several references to him: “Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim.” (1 Enoch 20:7); “and the third, who is set over all the powers, is Gabriel” (Enoch 40:9)
So when first reading ‘Gabriel, the angel of the fire‘, I tried to reconcile this with the traditional understanding of his duties and domains.
But then I remembered the pilgrimage-tour around the Mayan lands, that my then-girlfriend-now-wife and I embarked on, in September-October of 2012. Upon our arrival to Antigua, Guatemala, the Volcán de Fuego awoke in dramatic fashion.
See that eruption in the background?
For those that have not done the translation yet: Volcán de Fuego = Volcano of FIRE!
Then there is the video, shot moments before that photo, in which Alejandro, my Guatemalan friend, refers to me as “El Brujo from Mexico”:
To top this story off, my then-girlfriend-now-wife had a dream vision of an erupting volcano approximately three weeks beforehand!
*Point of clarification: While I am not from Mexico, I was living in the State of Veracruz in that time period. We did visit from Mexico, which makes his statement technically semi-accurate!
… gnothi seauton …
In keeping with the standard of the Heyoka being “backwards-forwards, upside-down, or contrary in nature“, there are a couple of pertinent examples from my life which stand out.
Black Elk first saw the Thunder Beings at the age of nine years old, and from there developed his wondrous abilities. Similarly, my spiritual path was set at nine years of age, albeit under vastly different circumstances. All of my abilities were learned and developed well beforeBarachiel – Angel of the Lightnings (Wakĥáŋgli Wakíŋyaŋ Oyate?) – came to me in that profound vision.
The town, which I am proud to claim as my childhood home, is Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The town is re-known for a variety of reasons, among which is as the location of the (in)famous Indian Industrial School. This was the flagship boarding school where thousands of American Indian children were attempted to be civilized into the ways of the American society. In spite of the role which the school played in terms of cultural genocide, the townspeople were always proud to have the students there, as they had wholly bought in to the progressive social engineering plan. This pride found its peak when the football team, led by the legendary Jim Thorpe, transformed the game of American football into what it is today. The school receives a mention in Black Elk Speaks, because his son, Benjamin Black Elk, spent some time at the school, and was thus able to act as translator between Black Elk and John Neihardt.
How fitting my own parallel, then, that I was sent away from Carlisle to an elitist boarding school, so as to be indoctrinated into bourgeois society. However, the most significant irony, was that during one of the several Spirit Walks which I experienced during the winter of ’87, the choice was made to follow a path which resembles what is known as the RedRoad … the spiritual path.
… Nosce te Ipsum …
Twenty years ago I subjected myself to a past-life regression hypnosis. It was during my time as a student at the Cayce/Reilly School of Massotherapy. On a spontaneous whim, one of my housemates brought home a how-to book on the subject from the venerable A.R.E. Library. Somehow I was granted the honor of being the first in line. With an audience of housemates and fellow classmates, I stretched out on the floor, opening myself to this new experience. Not only was this my first regression hypnosis, it was my housemate’s first attempt as a hypnotist!
While I don’t remember the imagery path, I do recall arriving to a room which had multiple doors to choose from. Then I was directed to open one and walk through. Suddenly I was standing on a high mount, overlooking a vast expanse of green rolling hills, and haze filled valleys. The most fascinating sensation was that I could feel the warm wind on my exposed body. Quickly I surmised that I was an American Indian. Due to the power I felt within that body, it was clear that I had been a Medicine Man of some sort. Looking to my left, I saw a wife and our two children. We were happy together. Satisfied with my experience, and not wanting to be selfish with the spotlight, I brought the session to a close.
The images and sensations from that experience have always remained with me. But it was not such a powerful vision that would have inspired me to stroll onto any reservation expecting to be recognized as one of them. And besides, I have no idea where the true setting of the vision was. Perhaps it was in the Appalachians, the Black Hills, the Ozarks, or maybe somewhere in the Rocky Mountains … I just don’t know, yet.
But the idea, that I would have lived such a lifetime, did make sense to me. By my mid-twenties, the quantity and quality of the extraordinary experiences which I had already amassed, had me asking such questions as, “How could it be possible?”, and “Why me?” This regression hypnosis provided me some welcome clarity.
… KNOW THYSELF!
Up to this point in my pilgrimage in search of God, or my sadhana, this one word in the Lakota language, which draws together such a variety of characteristics, best encapsulates that person who seems to be me.
Most everything that I have detailed here, in Making Manifest, has been an exercise in self-exploration. This is a pursuit which is mocked derisively by so many in this progressive Western culture wherein I chose to incarnate. The societal pressure to conform … to be university inculcated, accumulating debt, consuming stuff, going through the motions as a cog-in-the-machine … all of which is so taken for granted as how the world is, that the rejection of this materialist group-think is almost heretical.
This next quote heartens and inspires me. It validates, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the last thirty years of my life:
Man looketh on the outward appearance, and most of the ideas for the making for success are based upon either the answering to the lusts of the eye or to the lusts of the flesh. Yet the Lord’s judgment is upon they that seek after the spirit, who are indeed true, sincere seekers after Him. And from these He will withhold no good thing. Thus may the entity grow in grace, in knowledge, in understanding… Search and ye shall find, knock and it will be opened unto you. For the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.
Edgar Cayce Reading 2072-10
With all of the parallels to these aspects which define the Heyoka, this is truly the first time that I have found a term, a label, a single word, which encapsulates all of the experiences which nearest define me. But I am fully aware that it would be terribly self-serving, and a case of egregious cultural appropriation, to use this title without conferral through a traditional Lakota ceremony.
Were I of the Lakota, such a visit from one of the Wakinyan Oyate would have established my role and title for all to see.
Until that day I’m just a pilgrim in search of redemption.
As this is an ascendant aspect of who I am, the time has come for a detailed background on my sources and modality training. Also included are some personal experiences from along the way.
The first step down this path occurred in 1993, with my autodidact study of Qigong. As I detailed in this post, I taught myself how to willfully harness the elemental forces, with dramatic effect. But I was also taught a painful lesson in humility in the use of such forces. The very first concept one must learn to perform is that the Yi, Intention of Mind, controls the Qi, Universal Energy. When blending this concept with movement and emotion, great power is the result. In the early days of my study, there were several occasions in which I improvised using Qigong to aid friends who were suffering from headaches.
My next step, in Fall ’96 – Spring ’97, was to study massage therapy at the Cayce/Reilly School of Massage. One of our courses was in the modality of Therapeutic Touch. As opposed to my Qigong, which is focuses on the cultivation of one’s vital energy, to then project it outwards, TT seemed to me to be more about the sensing and interpretation of the energy field of the client or patient. This was a personal shift from intrusive to passive energy transfer, and it took me a few years to reconcile the difference.
This video features my former instructor, and Cayce Remedies expert, Elaine Hruska:
After my massage practice came to a blessed end, my advancement in energy healing was put on hold for nearly a decade. That all changed when I read the book, The Energy Cure, by Dr. William F. Bengston. There were several aspects to his work which were inspiring to me. His approach is from that of a spiritual agnostic. In his academic experiments, he would seek out participants who did not believe in the credibility of energy healing. When these skeptics ended up curing cancers in lab rats, which were previously believed to be incurable, it was made clear that belief had little to do with the transfer of energy from one biological form to another. Bengston does acknowledge, however, that focused intention, as well as the raising of one’s kundalini, can help effectuate faster and longer lasting healing. However, he emphasizes the need to get the ego out of the way. In order to achieve both the raising of kundalini and ego avoidance, he offers the technique he calls “Cycling”. It is a rather ingenious method for activating and engaging both the heart and mind in the process.
One principle which Bengston promotes is that of non-locality, or distance healing. This was not a foreign concept for me. At the age of sixteen, I first taught myself the non-local technique, known as Remote Viewing. However, to then employ the non-local mind in the healing of another body, is taking the technique to a much higher level.
This next story is an example of how the Universe always provides the opportunity to prove oneself. When I received notice that a dear friend was in the hospital with “terminal” cancer, I was inspired to put these skills to work. With the permission of one of her daughters, over the course of a handful of sessions, I entered her energetic body, found the tumors, cupped them in my hands, and compressed them into nothingness.
The reason I previously mentioned the idea of non-locality, is that she was in a hospital in Philadelphia, PA, while I was sitting in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico!
It would be more than two years later, that I would have the opportunity to sit down face to face with this dear friend. She told me how the doctors had informed her, if she did not have a certain procedure, that she would live only a few days more. Stubbornly rejecting their recommendation, her bold response to them was, “I’m not dying anytime soon.” Two days later, when the tests revealed that the tumors were no longer present, her doctors used the word miracle. It was then that I told her my side of the story. She is still alive, as of this writing, nearly four years later.
The next step I would take, or perhaps more of a giant leap, was thanks to Hands of Light, by Barbara Ann Brennan. Her seven layered energetic field of the human body helped to create a bridge between my earliest explorations of Chakra Meditation, from thirty years ago, to my evolving practice of today. The most important aspect for me, that which has has lifted my personal vibration higher, simply by acknowledging the presence, has been the Golden Egg. This is what she calls the Ketheric Template, or the outer boundary of our auric field.
Ketheric Template – extends 2-1/2 – 3-1/2 feet from the body. Composed of fine threads of golden-silver light structuring a template for the inner energy bodies. Overall shape like an egg.
There really is gold at the end of the rainbow, and it is a powerful force.
Soon after reading The Reconnection, by Dr Eric Pearl, I attended a workshop for the rapidly evolving modality called, Arcturian Healing Light. The techniques employed are a blend of Qigong theory, Pranic Healing, Vortex Healing, Applied Quantum Theory, with the added force of aid from the Arcturians.
Admittedly, this last part may beg the question, “Who exactly are these Arcturians?” The Edgar Cayce Readings describe them as such:
For Arcturus is that junction between the spheres of activity as related to cosmic force, and is that about which this particular environ or sphere of activity rotates, or is a relative source of activity.
Edgar Cayce Reading 263-15
For the entity has attained to that realm even of Arcturus, or that center from which there may be the entrance into other realms of consciousness.
Edgar Cayce Reading 2823-1
Arcturus is that which may be called the center of this universe, through which individuals pass and at which period there comes the choice of the individual as to whether it is to return to complete there – that is, in this planetary system, our sun, the earth sun and its planetary system – or to pass on to others.
Edgar Cayce Reading 5749-14
And we find that the experience of the entity before that, as Uhjltd, was from
even without the sphere of thine own orb; for the entity came from those centers
about which thine own solar system moves – in Arcturus.
41. For there had come from those activities, in Uhjltd, the knowledge of the
oneness, and of those forces and powers that would set as it were the
universality of its relationships, through its unity of purpose in all spheres of
human experience;
Edgar Cayce Reading 5755-1
So, in essence, Arcturus is the center of our universe, is the portal to other universes, and is in attunement with the Oneness of Creation.
During the Arcturian Healing Light training, I experienced several moments of high level energy transference. One especially powerful instance in particular, was when I was the conduit and my training partner the receiver. We were sitting a few feet away, eyes closed and facing each other. As I was focused on the Lower Dan Tien connection between us, suddenly a pink-violet plasma-like bolt of energy shot out from my hands, directly to her sacrococcygeal area, then continued up her spine to her cervical vertebrae to the level of her chin. In no moment was I in control of this, instead I was just an observer, a channel. When finished, my partner, who could also see the plasma bolt, was a bit shocked by the experience, describing it as having been “zipped up”.
The AHL modality, mostly through resonance, has been an important factor in raising the frequency of my personal vibration. It seems that, once the conscious connection is made to the Arcturian source, the influence is always available, and easily accessed, when called upon.
If one is interested in receiving energy treatments from me, just leave a comment at the bottom of the page, or send a request to makingmanifest@protonmail.com. Please include as much information as you feel comfortable with, just to make it easier for me to locate the body when connecting from the Astral space between us. This I offer free of charge.
For the past year my wife has been experimenting with the practice of Lucid Dreaming. This is when a person becomes consciously aware in the middle of a sleeping dream state. Since setting out on this quest, she has had modest success, though she would classify herself as an Advanced Beginner.
However, what follows is an experience which may raise her rank considerably.
This is an account of one of her lucid dream experiences:
I entered a restaurant with my husband and his father … it was empty … I kept walking through to get to a backyard. My husband and his father disappeared. There was a big party with lots of people and music … I started dancing with somebody … I was all happy and laughing … then I saw my husband on the second floor of a building by the end of the yard , he was on a terrace with more people.
I looked up to the sky … it was night time with tons of stars … four spaceships were hovering above me … the bottom of the crafts was dark gold , I saw other ships moving super fast while leaving trails or streaks of light as they flew off. This is when I became lucid. I did the reality check several times and my finger never went through my hand … I knew that I was dreaming, but I thought the only way to prove it would be by flying through the air … but I saw those huge ships again, and decided against it. I think I was a little bit scared, and I used the reality check as an excuse to not fly near the craft. I woke up.
First, a couple of points of explanation before moving on.
Since she has begun this active pursuit of Lucid Dreaming, the images of extraterrestrial craft have been a a recurring theme, and is one which typically triggers her lucidity. However, she has yet to meet with any of the beings from these craft.
The technique of the Reality Check is one which lucid dreamers use to prove that they are in the midst of a dream … that they are in fact, lucid. There are variations on the theme. The technique my wife uses is to try to push the index finger of her right hand through the palm of her left hand. One must practice during waking hours in order to have a baseline from which to compare.
The next morning, over breakfast, she recounted her dream. Imagine our surprise when I began to describe my own dream:
I entered a restaurant with three other gentlemen … it was empty except for the four waiters who all looked similar to each other. The waiters seemed surprised to see us. The color of the interior was yellow/beige … and I felt like I was at an Eastern European resort in the Carpathian Mountains. One of the waiters directed the four of us to sit in a booth, and we had a conversation, the contents of which I not remember. Next we were out on the terrace saying good bye to each other. This was when I realized that they were three Star People (E.T.s, aliens, etc,). All three were men … two from one race, and one from another. The two of the same race were blond, short and stocky, looking like twins … suddenly these two teleported into their ships … one craft for each of them which were hovering nearby … a distant light portal then opened, and in a blink they flew through it and were gone. The third of the Star People was still standing there with me on the terrace … now getting a good look at him I could see that he was Vulcan, as he looked just like Zachary Quinto as Spock! He smiled knowingly and nodded, then teleported to his craft. It hovered for a few seconds, allowing me to get a good impression of the shape of the craft, then it zipped off through a distant light portal as the others had done. I thought to myself how cool that was, then I woke up.
A few points of explanation before moving on:
Why the Carpathian Mountains specifically? Not sure, but I knew that was the region. While I have yet to visit there, it is high on my list of future destinations. Especially to go here!
Why do I call them Star People, and not aliens or E.T.’s? Recently I have been doing research into Lakota and Hopi myth and creation stories, and this seems to be the way they refer to beings from other worlds. When I woke up from the dream, this was the way I thought of them, so I am sticking with it!
The Vulcan aspect could be a reference to the fact that I recently learned about an aspect of my Astrological Birth Chart, which shows that my Mid-Heaven planet is Pluto. The Edgar Cayce Readings specifically mention Vulcan seven times, but reading [826-8] is very specific:
(Q) Is there a planet anciently known as Lilith or Vulcan?
(A) Pluto and Vulcan are one and the same. No Lilith. Lilith is a personality.
But more on that subject is coming in a future post!
My wife and I clearly shared some very specific dream imagery. What I find to be most impressive is how she was watching the scene from the lower patio area, while I was upstairs meeting with the Star People. The position of the ships in her dream matched the perspective I saw in mine, as well as the way that they flew away. The drawings we made of these craft were very similar, adjusting for vantage point.
Another minor detail, though one which lends even greater credibility to our shared experience, is that we both saw an empty restaurant.
One major point in favor of my wife’s experience in comparison to my own … was that her dream state was lucid, while mine was only vivid.
So what does this all mean? Did the Star People really meet with me on a 4th dimensional level? Was it a vision of the future? Or was this experience only symbolic of our shared spiritual awakening?
Perhaps it is a blend of all three of these possibilities.
My wife and I are definitely in a period of intense spiritual investigation and growth, and the fact that we had this shared dreamscape is solid proof of this. The symbols from our dreams could lend themselves toward that explanation.
Maybe they did come to visit with me. Such an activity in the 4th dimension would be possible.
Or maybe this was a vision of a future meeting. That could be the reason why the Reality Check done by my wife had failed.
If it is indeed a vision of the future, then I definitely want to find my way to the Carpathian Mountains in order to allow this meeting to come to pass!
Regardless of what the true meaning of this experience is, I will continue working to make myself worthy of such a high honor.
A few months ago I had an unexpected session with the world re-known therapist, Gregg Unterberger, M.Ed, LPC.
The logical question to that statement would be, “How could a therapy session be unexpected”?
Well… my wife read Mr. Unterberger’s book, The Quickening, Leaping Ahead On Your Spiritual Journey, and liked it very much. The day after she finished it, a flyer arrived in the mail, advertising a one-day conference in Pittsburgh, featuring that very same world-famous therapist and author. She insisted that I sign her up.
Yes, dear.
So in the lead up to the day of the conference, I read The Quickening, as well.
And I, too, liked it very much.
The book weaves together his path to the cutting-edge techniques which he uses, and the stories of his patients who have experienced profound healing as a result.The range of options which Gregg can choose from, or the tools in his skill set, was impressive. But this should be expected from somebody who has studied Hypnotic Regression Therapy from Brian Weiss, MD, Induced After-Death Communication from Dr. Allan Botkin, Brainspotting from Dr. David Grand, and Transpersonal Training from Dr. Stanislav Grof.
However, what separates Gregg from the rest, is in how he has used these powerful techniques in a spiritually focused application. It goes as such: the patient is directed to focus on the most spiritual, or mystical, moment or experience of one’s life, which he then guides the patient through that memory, with the goal to enhancing and deepening the scope and understanding of the experience. In essence, Gregg has the patient relive the moment, but in greater detail.
So when Gregg informed the conference participants that he would be staying in the area for a few days more, to offer personal therapy sessions, my loving and thoughtful wife signed me up.
That then posed, for me, a difficult decision. Do I use this precious time to confront a personal stumbling-block, or do I relive a profound spiritual experience?
Ultimately the practical and pragmatic choice won out. This life challenge just had to be overcome. It was time to get back on the wagon.
Since the moment I finished Gregg’s book, I had been debating over which spiritual experience I would choose to relive. My wife and I even had various discussions on the matter.
After reviewing my list, I decided that it would have to be the time that an Angel descended from Heaven to grace me with a visit.
In July of 2015, I attended a three-day training course, to be a volunteer for The Twilight Brigade. This noble organization serves as a Hospice within the Veterans Administration hospitals. For the uninitiated, Hospice is the organization which assists people during the final days of life.
The course lessons were constructed to prepare one for many potential scenarios which can, and do, arise when dealing with end of life situations. We participated in exercises designed to foment such high concepts as compassion and love, as well as how to confront more difficult issues, such as intimacy, fear, and anger.
Our final step was a guided meditation, in which we were directed to have a meeting with Death! During this meeting, we were supposed to ask Death if Death had anything tell us. Well, I have participated in many guided meditations in my life, but quite honestly, I had never even contemplated the idea of a pow-wow parlay with the Grim Reaper! Well… aside from this:
Beginning as any correct hypnosis session should, we were guided into a deep state of relaxation through focused breathing. Next, we were told to visit our happy place. For me, that means the beach at 113th St., in the town of Stone Harbor, New Jersey. However, the moment I arrived there, I was immediately teleported to a beach on the Hatteras Island National Seashore, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Suddenly I was standing alone on the beach, facing the Atlantic Ocean. The cloud ceiling overhead was low enough, that to throw a ball into the air might reach it. Then, out of the clouds there began to materialize, maybe 25 meters out over the water in front of me, what I immediately recognized to be an Angel!
During the materialization, I noticed that the particles had a digital characteristic to them, with my closest approximation being the construction of a CGI animation. Once in complete form, the Angel floated down to stand on the beach in front of me.
So there I was, face-to-face with a cobalt-blue Angel! He was shorter than me by at least a foot, which surprised me. He appeared to have freckles and a receding hairline, and displayed a compassionate, yet knowing smirk. There was another aspect about him, which actually made me comment to him within the vision… “You look like (my high school classmate) Chris Kelaher!”
Slowly he moved closer to me, until I was engulfed in the cloak of his blue energy embrace. It was like being in a mini dome of blue light. At some point I put my head on his shoulder, and I lost conscious awareness for the rest of the vision.
My final memory from the experience was that he repeated his name five times, yelling it quite loud in fact, to help wake me out of my sleep within the hypnotic state. The next sound I heard was the voice guiding the group session back to consciousness.
Immediately, my focus was on what the angelic visit could mean. It took only moments for that knowing to arrive: I had been taken to Hatteras Island because there had been a life, of which I aided in its conception, but was prevented from being brought into this world. What’s more, I had not been informed of this creation of life until months after its termination.
The course leader then directed us to create a drawing which best represented our experience with having met Death. This is my drawing:
This hasty drawing was done with the few crayons available to me, and through growing tears in my eyes. That is me on the right, and my offspring, that never was, above me.
It was not until the next day that I remembered that this Angel had told me his name… five times. He wanted me to know who he was!
However, that special feeling of being honored by an angelic visit, quickly turned to embarrassment, as I realized that I could only recall the first and last syllables of the name: “Ba” and “El”. In my memory, the two or three syllables in between were barely above mumbled gibberish.
During the first year after that experience, there was much contemplation and reflection, and a seemingly one-way dialogue with him was established. The fact that I could not remember the rest of his name felt like an embarrassment, or even an insult. Yet, the course of the dialogues turned into lighthearted joking around, with me calling him by a variety of permutations of what the name could be. He seemed to laugh with me.
Which now brings me back to my boy, the esteemed Gregg Unterberger. In choosing to focus on the stumbling-block of my alcoholism, rather than my angelic visitation, I was unexpectedly rewarded for this decision.
On our drive home from Pittsburgh, a small voice told me to do some Googling on angels… especially those whose name begins with “Ba”!
So what did I find?
It turns out that my cobalt blue friend was not some lowly cherubim, but rather the Archangel Barachiel!
Variations on this name include Barakiel, Baraqiel, Baraquijal, Buraqil, Barakel, Barkayal, Pachriel, Varachiel, and even Zarachiel!
There are a few sources on the internet which contain interesting features and aspects about Barachiel. Not surprisingly, a solid overview is found on Wikipedia.
The first historical mention of Barachiel is found in Chapter 6 of The Book of Enoch.
He was one of the Watchers, or of the Fallen Angels, who fathered the Nephilim with the Daughters of Men, and then aided in the demoralization of humankind.
CHAPTER VI.
1. And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. 2. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: ‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’ 3. And Semjâzâ, who was their leader, said unto them: ‘I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.’ 4. And they all answered him and said: ‘Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.’ 5. Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. 6. And they were in all two hundred; who descended ⌈in the days⌉ of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. 7. And these are the names of their leaders: Sêmîazâz, their leader, Arâkîba, Râmêêl, Kôkabîêl, Tâmîêl, Râmîêl, Dânêl, Êzêqêêl, Barâqîjâl, Asâêl, Armârôs, Batârêl, Anânêl, Zaqîêl, Samsâpêêl, Satarêl, Tûrêl, Jômjâêl, Sariêl. 8. These are their chiefs of tens.
Then in Chapter 8, Barachiel is mentioned as the one who taught the secrets of astrology.
Then somewhere between the fall of the Watchers, and Enoch becoming the Metatron, Barachiel seems to have found redemption. As it relates to my own life experience, I say, how fitting!
The Third Book of Enoch. describes Barachiel as being the Angel of Lightening. From my own experience, this would definitely explain the manner from which he materialized from out of the clouds. His CGI-like digital manifestation might resemble that of a lightening bolt, but done in super-slow motion!
Barachiel apparently translates to Blessing of God. He is designated as one of the “angelic princes”, seen as the head of all Guardian Angels, with 496,000 angels under his direct command. This number seems arbitrary to me, but what the bleep do I know?
Within the realm of Christianity, Barachiel is one of the recognized Archangels by the Eastern Orthodox Church, and by some traditions within the Catholic Church.
This borrowed image soundly resonates with my personal experience. For example, he manifested in the color cobalt-blue, which incidentally has been my favorite color for much of my life; he manifested over water; and my astrological sign just happens to be Piscis!
The differences, quite minor in comparison, are that he had no wings, and his hair was very short in length.
Barachiel is also known as the Angel of Luck, and as having a great sense of humor. Throughout my mostly one-sided conversations with him, I certainly have laughed a lot!
Since that lone October 2016 session with Gregg, not only have I not had a drink of alcohol, but my desire for one is almost nil. For this, I am so deeply grateful.
However, if I live to see the year 2038, perhaps I will have a drink or two in celebration!
Though, what I am even more grateful for, is that an Archangel blessed me with a visit!
Those of you who have seen the movie, Heaven is For Real, you will already have part of the story.
*Spoiler alert!*
The child prodigy, Akiane Kramarik, painted the face which Colin Burpo confirmed as the man which he claims to have met in heaven.
Before watching the movie, I knew nothing of Kramarik and Burpo. It seems that she had already done several rounds on daytime TV, but as I am not a fan of Oprah, it was off my radar.
However, the moment I saw the portraits done by Kramarik, it was clear to me how they resemble the description provided, nearly seventy years before, in the Edgar Cayce readings:
4. The Master’s hair is ‘most red, inclined to be curly in portions, yet not feminine or weak – STRONG, with heavy piercing eyes that are blue or steel-gray.
Edgar Cayce Reading [5749-1]
Yet there is another source which ties it all together quite fantastically.
The following first hand report was lifted from the Report section of [5749-1]:
Few people are aware, that there is in existence today, in the Archives in Rome, a description of Christ. It is contained in a report written nearly two thousand years ago, by a Roman, Publius Lentulus, to his Emperor, Tiberias. It reads: “There has appeared in Palestine a man who is still living and whose power is extraordinary. He has the title given him of Great Prophet, his disciples call him ‘Son of God’. He raises the dead and heals all sorts of diseases. “He is a tall, well proportioned man, and there is an air of severity in his countenance which at once attracts the love and reverence of those who see him. His hair is the colour of new wine from the roots to the ears, and thence to the shoulders it is curled and falls down to the lowest part of them. Upon the forehead, it parts in two after the manner of Nazarenes. “His forehead is flat and fair, his face without blemish or defect, and adorned with a graceful expression. His nose and mouth are very well proportioned, his beard is thick and the colour of his hair. His eyes are grey and extremely lively. “In his reproofs, he is terrible, but in his exhortations and instructions, amiable and courteous. There is something wonderfully charming in this face with a mixture of gravity. He is never seen to laugh, but has been observed to weep. He is very straight in stature, his hands large and spreading, his arms are very beautiful. “He talks little, but with a great quality and is the handsomest man in the world.”
Quite effusive praise from the Roman. What an awesome experience it would have been to witness the Messiah at such distances, to be able to make such detailed assessments in praise.
So, perhaps at this point the question is being asked, “Why is it important to know the face of Jesus?”.
As he’ll be returning soon, it can only be positive to recognize him when he gets here!
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Acts 1:11 KJV
For, He shall come as ye have seen Him go, in the BODY He occupied in Galilee.
Edgar Cayce Reading [5749-4]
Ever since seeing the works of Kramarik, I have used this face as an ideal in meditation and prayer.
This alone has brought me closer to Spirit, and the Creative Forces of the Universe.
So I suggest that you scroll back up for a long, detailed look.
