Hi everyone.  I’m the moderator and admin here.  I thought I’d make a post to try to get your attention!

We have a lot of new members but no new posts, so I’d like to invite you to introduce yourself and share what brought you here.  When new members register they give a reason why they want to join, and I’ve seen some exciting reasons, like near-death experiences, OBEs, and people just curious about exploring and finding answers about the afterlife. 

So whether you’re new or have been a member here quite a while, why don’t we do some introductions to get some conversation going!  You don’t have to share your name or anything you don’t feel comfortable with.  Maybe share what brought you here, ask a question, or tell an amazing experience you’ve had. 

I’ll begin.  My name is Vicky and I was close friends with Bruce Moen.  I’ve learned a lot from him!  The first time I met Bruce it was to meet for lunch and give me a chance to ask him questions about his books because he lived not too far from me back then in 2005.  We ended up talking from noon until 10 pm because we had so much to talk about.  It was the start of a great friendship.

I’ve had many OBEs, psychic experiences, and various paranormal experiences my entire life.  My first OBE was at the age of 2 months!  I’m always still learning and exploring and open for experiencing all I can during this lifetime.  I’ve made a lot of great friends and know so many fascinating people.  Everyone has something to share or teach, I believe. 

The other day the manager at my dentist’s office saw on Facebook that I’m into ghosts and the paranormal and asked if we could get together and talk.  I was surprised to hear how many experiences she’s had as well, and she was so happy to have someone to talk to, ask questions, and get support and validation.  I think it’s important to have friends and a community to support each other, no matter what the reason, but especially for those of us who may not have someone close who believes in such strange experiences. 

Ok, who’s next? 

:)

Hi

Known here to some same as some of you are known to me.

And working beyond the edges, and beyond that.

Hi

Hi Morrighan! 

How do I get people out of the woodwork?  Lots of views but no replies. 

I used to be so shy, and being online has helped bring me out of my shell.  I've been carrying that over into my daily life, being more open to either making small talk or jumping right into deeper conversation.  Like if someone mentions their loved one just recently passed away, I take that as an opportunity to ask, "So have they visited you yet?"

No matter what their response is going to be, it's always a great conversation starter!  And a great way to find out how different kinds of people (usually those who don't know they are into this kind of thing) experience and perceive afterlife communication. 

I'm offering that up to anyone who's reading this.  Give it a try, see how it opens people up beyond just small talk.  People really do want to talk about these things but don't know who to talk with, and sometimes just need a little nudge.   

Hi, Vickie,

I'm writing because I don't want you to think it is just a big vacuum out here.  I'll give you a little history about how I came to be on this site. 

I knew about ESP almost from birth as I had parents and sibs with some kind of talent.  It was something I always wished for, but didn't think I had.  Little did I know.  It is only by looking back that I realized how very blessed I was, but my talent was very quiet and deep within.  I just thought I had more common sense and logic than most people because I knew things without being taught.  I was considered old even as a young child. 

So I studied and read everything I could get my hands on about ESP and the afterlife, especially books on how to make it work for me.

One day after marriage and a whole bunch of babies, my husband asked me to do something about a crossroads in our lives.  He asked me how I felt in my gut about it.  What should we do?  He had so much faith that I would make the right decision.  It was almost overwhelming and more than a little scary.  Over the next few years, he put more and more faith into my abilities ranging from knowing what the weather was going to be to controlling it on a certain day.  I never liked doing that and still don't...too many things can go wrong if any little detail is forgotten.  I did discover that just about anyone can work with the weather, but remember there are so many ways to mess up.  Like always remember to say thankyou. 

As I matured other talents began to show up.  I've already told the story about how I came to be a 'soul retriever' under the heading of 'Retrievals Only Forum'. I did learn I had to be open and aware of what was going on within me.  My husband had his own talents.   One of those was to stand behind me and giving me support to believe in my own talents.  I look back at all that disbelief and wonder at myself.  At the time I called it logic.  Now I know it was more fear of the unknown than anything else. :-[  I learned to trust my guides and angels even though they inform me in quiet whispers and little nudges. ;)

Thank you for the opportunity to rethink some of this once again and share it with you.

Sending hugs and love,
T'ressa

Hi T’ressa, thanks for chiming in!  I’ve known many folks from this forum, some of whom aren’t here anymore) for so many years that it’s impossible for me to remember everyone’s whole story.  That’s why it’s always nice to re-have these conversations.

So did you start having more ESP or recognizing ESP for what it was after studying and becoming familiar with it?  Did you ever try to develop your skills?  Did you notice a progression in the types and ways it worked for you?

I have a lot of ESP and my son has some and he’s more open to it than my daughter is.  If you asked her, she’d say she doesn’t have it.  Yet, she’s the “lucky” one in the family.  Things always go her way or just happen to work out and fall into place for her.  She’s great at “guessing” things.  I think she’s just not really into it (not like me).  She would never study it or read about it like I do.  But she does believe in it, and she believes that I have it.  THAT I love and appreciate. 

When Abby was 11 she wanted to go watch the fireworks that the neighbor’s behind us were setting off in their street so we walked over.  At one point I got a sudden urge to “Move!”  I got no other info than to just move.  The feeling was to just be anywhere but there.  I immediately obeyed even though Abby didn’t want us to leave our perfect watching spot.  She was kind of irked at me for making us move, even pointing out that we were the same distance from the fireworks as we were before, but I told her I got the feeling we needed to move.  Just then, someone else set off a firework from another direction.  It went haywire and didn’t deploy properly, sped across the street, stopped EXACTLY where we had been standing, and exploded.  And this was a big firework that was meant to explode high in the sky.  Abby said, “Mom, now I know why you listen to those feelings you get!  That would have exploded right on us.”  It made her a true believer. 

About the weather, how do you think you were able to control it?  (I think I’ve asked you this before, years ago).  Was it you putting out the suggestion, or making a request, or prayer? 

You know, when I was very young I called it “logic” too.  I just assumed everyone could do what I could do.  I had no idea it was special, different, or that most people didn’t believe in that sort of thing.  It wasn’t until I got older and learned from those around me to have doubt about it hampered my abilities until I started studying it as I was older.  Paying attention to it was the thing that helped it grow.  And like you, I feel the little nudges and I just trust it, listen, and go with it.  It took me years to stop questioning it and just listen!

This is fun!  Please feel free to share whatever stories you have.  I want this thread to be open to anything that comes to mind. 

:)

Hi, Vicky,

I will try to answer your questions as you asked them.
#1. I was slow to recognize ESP in myself.  And as much as I studied it, I could not send or receive thoughts at will.  Even today when I commune with my angels and guides it is still solely on the belief that they can hear and understand me.  I did try to follow the instructions I read in books...everything from deep breathing, to meditation, to shutting myself in a dark room and shutting out the world.  It just didn't work for me.

I think one of the first things I did noticed was that I could feel other spirits.  The spirits of trees came first to me, but then I grew up in a forest and was taught respect for them from my grandmother.  But...I did not realize that others couldn't do that, so it was nothing special. 

You should have seen me in the Sequoia National Park a couple of years ago.  I was in heaven with the spirits of the trees flowing through and with me.  It was being filled with pure love and joy.   I was filled to the point the tears were flowing out of me.  When my girlfriend pulled away from the trees we were between, the tree spirits drifted out of me.  I was a bit embarrassed because it was unexpected.  Thank Goodness I was with people who understood that I was connected to the spiritual because we had many encounters on that trip out West. 

The progression of the way it worked for me became more noticeable when I got into my forties.  Certain things would become known to me before they happened usually with a physical reaction in the gut I called my twinges.  Usually alerting me to danger or heartache for me or one of mine.  I learned to stay away from anyone who set that off.  I very seldom knew what it was, just that it would be bad.  I learned about a tornado and to stop before we entered a city we needed to drive through and rest for a while.  We later discovered every street and avenue we would have taken had damage from the storm.  The rest we took saved us the damage we saw in the streets.

My gifts were different than others I had read about.  I knew about certain things before they happened.  I had a very hard time believing it was real.  My husband on the other hand always believed.

#2.My children believe because they were raised with family who had gifts including grandparents.  I have one son who is a finder, but refuses to use his gift claiming that it isn't real.  Although he doesn't disbelieve me or his brother.  I find this hard to understand. My youngest son is multi-talented.  He is the one who did the readings of me while I did the retrievals that I wrote about.  Again if you care it can be found on the Retrieval Only Forum.

#3. Ah, The weather.  I don't really control it but work with it with its permission.  There is a lot of spirit in the weather.  I found out by asking a cloud to help me by shading my eyes from the sun so I could see to drive.  The cloud stayed in a position to shield my sight all the rest of the way home including going around corners.  I was ever so grateful.  That was the first time.

There is a lot of spirit in a storm and in the wind.  Being polite is important because they don't always feel us worthy to think about.  My son is one of their favorites  and some winds will follow him into his home if he doesn't respond to them.  You really don't want a wind to come into your house on its own.

As so many things do in the spirit world, intention, and requests can make a big difference.  I talk to them especially if I'm happy to see, hear, or smell them and it is pleasant.  Sometimes a wind will dip down and steal my breath for a moment.  It is like a deep sigh.  Rain can be fun to work with at times.  Ask it to let up a bit, so you can get in the house without getting soaked.  Be sure to release it once indoors and always thank it.

 You are right.  This is fun.  I so very seldom talk about these things.  If I can pass on anything to make it easier for someone else that would be so great.  I know how much of an internal struggle it was for me. It took years and years to come to terms with it all, and now it brings me so much joy and real happiness.  Thanks, Vicky, for this suggestion.  I hope others will join in.
Love to all,
T'ressa                                                                                               

You’re welcome and I hope others will join in too.  This thread can go in many directions and that’s fine.  My intent was to try to say something that gets us talking.  It’s been way too silent on this site for too long.  I’ve been intending to do some retrieval work but I’ve been so busy in my daily life that it’s hard to find quiet time to just sit down to do it. 

But we’re all here for various reasons.  I came to this site back in 2005 after having started reading Bruce’s books and wanting to find him online so I could meet him, which of course I got to do since he lives in my state back then. 

Even though I don’t do retrievals regularly and it’s not my only thing I do, I think a lot of us have so many similar metaphysical and spiritual experiences and background about how we came to know, believe, and understand the way we do. 

I’m still putting together my notes for a book about developing psychic ability.  That’s a huge umbrella term for me, and I believe everyone has natural ability.  For those who don’t think they do but wish they did, that’s who I hope my book will be good for, and even those who have had some experience but want to open it up to more. 

Oh by the way, if you or anyone else on here wants to start a new thread like in the Retrievals Forum for instance, to reshare an experience, I would appreciate the effort to get more action going here.  You know how I had to make that rule about not bringing up a thread older than 6 months old?  I had to do that to stop those “bad apples” as Bruce called them, from board-hogging.  But it’s perfectly fine to start anew with retelling an experience and starting a conversation over again.  We do have so many new members…I just wish we could get them posting.  A lot of the older members aren’t here anymore so we need to get the newbies talking.

So I want to ask you a question for my personal interest in my book…do you ever find that you can activate a specific type of psychic ability (ESP or whatever you prefer to call it) at will?  Have you ever tried?  It would be like wanting to know if you can hear another person’s thoughts or know what they are thinking about.  I’ve done that with success a few times with my kids, like I’ll get a picture in my head of what they are thinking about, or a song will just pop into my head and it’s the song that’s in my daughter’s head.  I’ve done that to her a few times now.  When it happens, when it just comes into my head suddenly, I’ll just start singing it out loud, and she always goes, “Oh mom it’s so creepy when you do that, that’s the song that’s in my head!”  (Ha ha, I LOVE that).

Or another good one is to decide to dream about a certain person or situation to gather insight into an issue or try to fix a problem on a nonphysical level.  I have done that with my mother (who’s passed now) at times when she was too difficult to talk to face to face.  Another interesting one and very weird one was I challenged my disbelief that nature had spirits.  You’re already a believer that nature does have energy and spirits.  I wasn’t several years ago.  But I put it out there, “I’d have to have my own experience with it to believe it”.  And the next morning something extremely weird happened. 

I was out in the yard putting food out for the squirrels when the tree beside me was rustling as if the wind were blowing, but it wasn’t windy out.  I suddenly felt like someone was right beside me looking right at me.  It was a little creepy.  I slowly turned, not expecting to see anyone because I knew there was a tree right beside me.  It was a young tree, pretty thin and small, so I knew nothing was hiding in it.  I could see that nothing was in the tree.  Then suddenly something came flying right at my face.  I felt the movement of the air but couldn’t see anything.  I ducked, and it smacked me right on the top of my head.  And what was even weirder was that the spot where it hit me was SO cold.  And this was a warm spring day!  So while I have NO idea what that was all about, I solidly believe that it was due to my challenging my disbelief about trees and nature spirits.  Something (my higher self?) heard my challenge and gave me an experience to prove it.   

Morning, Vicky,

In answer to your question, yes, at times, I can activate my psychic abilities especially if it is for someone I care deeply about.  Loved ones will come to me about something disturbing going on in their lives like an illness or operation, and want to know what to expect.  I'm very careful with this talent but have been able to keep several people from panicking for nothing.  I never knew I used that particular talent for myself all the time until I needed bypass surgery.  I knew it was going to be open heart and the surgery was going to be on a beating heart...my heart, but I had no fear at all.  I knew I would survive.  I just didn't know how much pain I would be in when I woke.  Fortunately, I have a whole bunch of friends who are Reiki Masters.  I was up and out of the hospital in three days and my daughter took me shopping...in a wheel chair, but shopping nevertheless. 8-) I needed a pair of sunglasses. ;D

If I'm searching for answers, I can ask a question and wait for the physical response in my gut.  I have to be very careful how I ask the question as it has to be a yes or no answer.  I am limited to the number of times I can ask the same question.  :(  It took many tries to learn how this one worked, and I failed quite often. :-?--not getting an answer or misreading or not understanding the answer.  For me it is a whole new language of body responses and feelings.

I don't work with another's personal thoughts, but I do with their emotions.  I feel them, so I guess that makes me an empath.  My son tells me most people are empaths if they allow themselves to be.  My children pick up on my thoughts so I guess I do send, but I never know when I'm doing it.  It's a great way to get your children to call you. ;) 

Working with spirits is a lot like working with helpers when doing a retrieval.  I just ask them with a 'please'  and at the end a 'thankyou'. 

I like dealing with the tree spirits because they are so loving and the older they are the more loving they seem to be.  Let's face it.  We can all use some extra love. :)

On that note, sending you hugs and love until next time.
T'ressa

Hi Withinn, 


I'm intrigued.  What do you mean that your education came through the back door, and that your background is beyond anything imaginable?  Why do you feel you are unable to further develop the inner due to vast changes?  That is, if you don't mind sharing.  I think "the norm" is different for many of us and in that sense we're used to being understanding that there's no expectation that others are just like our self.  


Life is all about change, and as much as I typically really hate change I find that I'm happy that I can overcome it and still focus on what's important.  My spiritual side is most important to me and it has been my anchor throughout my life.  I seem to base everything else in my life around it, which is how I prefer things to be.  But certainly in my younger years when I had less control over events and circumstances in my life, my spiritual side had to often take a backseat to all the drama going on.  I now greatly appreciate that those dynamics are flipped.

And a rather longer introduction and a few syllables to follow ....

Hello

Present to you to say Afterlife Knowledge is a singular meeting place for all who embark on these journeys. Every resource is available wherever you are on your explorations.

As to a sort of bio, perhaps best to say what I do comes naturally to me. It's something I've always known (or so it might seem) for I held very early proficiency in these areas. And in this happy to share with you what I see  :)

Morrighan

Morrighan, your natural gifts are pretty unique, at least to me.  I’ve never known anyone who does readings the way you do and I was quite surprised to experience it myself.  I didn’t know what to expect, but you sure did surprise me.  I felt that everything you saw in my field was correct and from a perspective I wasn’t expecting. 

My friend who also had a reading from you said the same thing.  He said, "It's not going to be what you think it is but you're going to love it." 

:)

Very kind words and in reply it is fair to say I make Afterlife Knowledge a daily stopping point. That I may or may not have anything to say on any visit is of consequence only insofar as what I am present to. And that Afterlife Knowledge may hold what you (any You) seek is not for me to say. The great riches hare are in those who come to share.

Respective of what kindness extended, here is something offered in return, a thought to hold if you will: imagine for a moment (for those of you who feel a resonance) what one at home with adventures beyond might hold given a clean playing board  :-X

Hi Vicky-

I'm glad you're keeping the ak forum going since Bruce's death. This forum was almost my second home for many years, notwithstanding my innate skeptical nature! That to me was a tribute to Bruce, who never forced his beliefs and welcomed honest questioning. He was the same way at the workshop, challenging us to explore while keeping an open mind as to what experiences or encounters we might have.

I'm intrigued by what Morrighan saw in your field. Any chance of elaborating? Did it resonate? I often wonder about my own field, which seems, at least lately, a bit discombobulated!

R

Hey Rondele,

Awesome to see you here again!  Yeah you have been a long-time member for sure.  I never know who still stops by since there’s seldom any chatter nowadays.  And thanks.  I’m doing my best to keep this site alive and kicking. 

Great words there about Bruce!  It was great seeing him in workshops wasn’t it?  I was always impressed how he could talk to anyone like they were old pals.  He sure had a knack for that.  He was also so good at showing people another way of looking at something.  He really knew how to make you think.

I may elaborate about my consult with Morrighan but I gotta give it some thought to be specific.  But basically, she has a way of making you see yourself (the You you identify with) from another perspective and multiple perspectives at once, so see a concept or process in your life in a way you wouldn’t have thought of.  And it’s kind of complicated.  I’m SO glad she records a consult and gives you a copy so you can go back and listen again. 

Yeah, discombobulated…me too!

My personal and professional view (they sometimes need to align tightly) is what occurs in the course of a consult is so specific to YOU that specifics are not really the sort of thing that can be shared.

Suggested above (and this time less obliquely) is a consideration that skills shared here through the explorations Bruce gave you hold greater potential than may appear. It's all up to you, really.

Morrighan wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2019 at 7:48pm:

My personal and professional view (they sometimes need to align tightly) is what occurs in the course of a consult is so specific to YOU that specifics are not really the sort of thing that can be shared. Suggested above (and this time less obliquely) is a consideration that skills shared here through the explorations Bruce gave you hold greater potential than may appear. It's all up to you, really.

I completely agree on all accounts.  It's hard to put into words how to describe what I got from my consult with you, even to myself.  Definitely need to relisten to the recording as there is so much there to absorb.

And those who share here do have a lot more to share than one may think...yes, I agree! 

When I first went to meet Bruce it was to ask him questions and to pick his brain.  Learning how to do retrievals wasn't at the top of my list.  I was open to it but there was so much more I identified with than that.  That first day, he said he wanted me to borrow his Guidebook and CDs so I could give it a try, see what I think.  I was grateful.  Two weeks later is when I had my first genuine retrieval, following his process.  I can't even tell you how surprised I was. 

But following that, I got more out of his Guidebook than just retrievals because I found that I could apply what he taught to how psychic, clairvoyance, and OBE perception works.  THAT was a big surprise to Bruce.  And of course over the many years we were friends we talked about this kind of stuff a bunch.  It was music to my ears the day that Bruce said he had learned so much from me, things that his work could be applied to that he never would have considered.  He thought it was so neat that someone could take his work and do something so different with it, yet the same principles apply.  I was just so happy he was willing to listen, consider, and understand my "wild" ideas. 

Imagine having your favorite teacher tell you what he's learned from you?   :)

What I observe is the stories of retrievals Bruce published and many, many others shared here (and elsewhere) fire the curiosity to begin our own explorations. And, I find, these are individual journeys. None may say what you may find until you go look for yourself  8-)

Yes, that's why Bruce often said that while retrievals have their own purpose, they are also "training wheels" for further explorations of the afterlife.

Btw he also cautioned against assuming that all deceased folks need retrieving. Most do not. Also, helpers can and do offer themselves up as a spirit needing retrieving, for the purpose of a training exercise.
They can take the guise of a recently deceased friend or loved one or even someone famous to lend credibility to the process. That's not to deceive and usually done when the loved one is otherwise occupied or when the retriever is still learning the process.

So much to learn but one thing for certain- we will never learn it all. It's like those Russian stacking dolls, you pick one up only to find another one underneath.

R

Rondele, have you ever had an experience that you know of where the person you were retrieving was a Helper in disguise, and how did you become aware of that?

Hi Vicki-

As Bruce explained at the workshop, there's a lot of confusion when it comes to retrievals. We were lucky to have Laurie Monroe in the class as a guest. She gave her own take on things which was somewhat different.

Re your question, as you know helpers often take on the appearance of a loved one when we transition. Our mom might have been dead for many years and not accessible, but having "her" greet us provides great comfort. Same thing when we initiate a retrieval with someone specific in mind. Unless that person has only recently died and is somehow stuck there's really no one to "retrieve". Laurie felt that accessibility is limited time wise after death.

The confusion comes about because some people tend to think retrievals mean contact with a friend or loved one. If that's what the person was expecting or hoping for, it might happen but whether the contact was valid or not is actually impossible to know.

R

Right, now I remember what you’re talking about.  I had forgotten that Helpers can appear as someone to help get the attention of the person in need of retrieval.  Yeah, and Bruce also said that in fact a Helper can have any kind of appearance. 

When I set intention to contact someone I always only intend genuine contact as a visit.  It’s always my first assumption that people don’t generally need retrieval.  I think Bruce said it’s more common not to be in need of one. 

What do you think about aspects of self that still need retrieving after our death?  Are these aspects actually stuck, and are they in Focus 23 or where are they? 

Personally I never went along with the notion that aspects of our selves might need retrieving after death. That's strictly an opinion. I am more inclined to think that our soul remains whole and unsullied while our physical self is incarnated.

That view can be challenged, of course. It pretty much contradicts the theory that earth is a school and we are here to learn. Instead it gives credence to those who claim we are just here to have experiences and that wrongful behavior is only an illusion.

These kind of questions are above my pay grade. Way above! 🙄 I suppose we'll know after we die. But maybe not. To me speculation is interesting but it ultimately leads to blind alleys.

R

Yes, discernment is a useful skill.

Would you (general you) be able to discern (for example) a genuine St. Andrew in the course of exploration of extra-physical realms?

There is no spoon.

rondele wrote on Mar 25^th, 2019 at 1:14pm:

Personally I never went along with the notion that aspects of our selves might need retrieving after death. That's strictly an opinion. I am more inclined to think that our soul remains whole and unsullied while our physical self is incarnated.

Yeah I still have a lot of thinking to do on this subject but it sure is an interesting concept.   It's been so long since I've read his Guidebook front to back...I need to do that again.

Do you know if Aspects of Self is Bruce’s term, or is this from Monroe?

Here’s a quote from Bruce’s AFTERLIFE KNOWLEDGE GUIDEBOOK:

“The new concept, which may conflict with your beliefs, is that we can create alternate selves, called Aspects of Self. If this strains credibility, that’s okay, it’s just a concept, a way for me to teach a technique for eliminating and changing beliefs. In this concept some of the Aspects of Self we create, consciously or subconsciously, function to hold and enforce a specific belief. They appear to operate automatically, and we may have little if any awareness of their existence. These Aspects act independently to apply the effects of the belief in situations the Aspect deems appropriate. That might be a lot of concept for you to swallow in one gulp, but my experience indicates that even if actual Aspects of Self don’t exist, they are a useful way of illustrating something very real about how the effects of beliefs influence our consciousness and how to change or eliminate them.”

Bruce Moen. Afterlife Knowledge Guidebook: A Manual for the Art of Retrieval and Afterlife Exploration (Kindle Locations 1705-1706). Hampton Roads Publishing. Kindle Edition.

I agree with you that I don’t believe our soul is not whole.  I think of the aspects concept as having to do with identity and beliefs, not soul, for the purpose of survival, learning, growth, and healing.  I do like the concept of retrieving Aspects of Self from our present lifetime because I think it’s such a therapeutic thing to do just for self-improvement in your present life.  That’s mostly how I use that concept.  I would have loved to learn more about this subject from Bruce.

So on that note I looked for and found my notes from our “Self-Exploration, Discovery and Healing” workshop and had forgotten about one of the exercises we did.  So glad I took notes.  I’m going to share my experience in the Book Club Pages in the Afterlife Knowledge Guidebook section if anyone wants to read it.

:)

Morrighan wrote on Mar 25^th, 2019 at 1:41pm:

Would you (general you) be able to discern (for example) a genuine St. Andrew in the course of exploration of extra-physical realms?

I'm not sure!  I always say, I'll have to have my own experience in order to decide what I think.  (That usually sparks an interesting experience even if I still don't end up with a definite answer!)

Vicky wrote on Mar 30^th, 2019 at 7:58pm:

Morrighan wrote on Mar 25th, 2019 at 1:41pm: Would you (general you) be able to discern (for example) a genuine St. Andrew in the course of exploration of extra-physical realms? I'm not sure!  I always say, I'll have to have my own experience in order to decide what I think.  (That usually sparks an interesting experience even if I still don't end up with a definite answer!)

"I'll know when it happens" feels just about right.

Removing any overlay of expectations allows for the possibility of a personal interaction with (for example) St. Andrew where

he just goes by Andy; lives all that not far away and shops in the same market as you; and has hobbies and interests here same as you or I.

Same as entertaining the thought that Joan of Arc works as a ride operator in a carnival that travels the American Midwest.

Just two examples presented as possibilities  :) I've no personal need to talk to Joan of Arc, whatever she is doing now and have not the slightest idea what she's up to. Just haven't bothered to look because, like her, I have other things to do.

Personally, I find it a very good idea for starters to take close stock of encounters with others right here in the physical. Just because my human body sees another human body does not mean anything about who's in there driving.  ::)

I agree, I do take a “look inside” of people I’m close with or who I closely interact with.  It’s not enough to think or assume that the person is only who you see and hear that’s physically in front of you.  They are much more than they appear to be, whether it’s “good” or “bad”. 

I always feel (and am always reminded) that our physical daily experience is just one layer of what’s actually going on, that there’s also an inner layer.  So the outer (the physical) is a framework in which to work and operate.  The inner (the energy) is the heart of the matter and what’s really important. 

For example, I don’t like small talk in general.  But some amount of small talk is necessary to open up a conversation, open the door, and get involved.  Then it’s up to you to really get at the real stuff. 

Relationships are the same way.  We are first attracted to something physical, and we may think it’s all about physical chemistry.  But then things get real at some point, meaning we come to a closer connection emotionally and intellectually.  And we usually can see that what really attracted us wasn’t just physical, but that the physical played a guiding hand, a disguise, to open the door. 

Vicky,
I really liked this response especially the last paragraph.  It so nicely describes the development of relationships.   :)  I'll have to remember this one for some of my younger clients.

Baroness wrote on Mar 31^st, 2019 at 12:28pm:

Vicky, I really liked this response especially the last paragraph.  It so nicely describes the development of relationships.   :)  I'll have to remember this one for some of my younger clients. Thanks!  What kinds of clients do you have if you don't mind my asking?

Good Morning, Vicky,

I'm a healer.... a Reiki Master, Herbalist, Seva practitioner, and Hypnotist....  I'm also a soul retriever but don't advertise that.  The most unusual about all this is it happened late in life after being a wife, mother, artist, shop owner, writer. 

Now a  different kind of life.  I'm living a very full one.  [smiley=happy.gif]

Baroness wrote on Apr 1^st, 2019 at 11:29am:

Good Morning, Vicky, I'm a healer.... a Reiki Master, Herbalist, Seva practitioner, and Hypnotist....  I'm also a soul retriever but don't advertise that.  The most unusual about all this is it happened late in life after being a wife, mother, artist, shop owner, writer.  Now a  different kind of life.  I'm living a very full one.  [smiley=happy.gif]

Oh that's right, I remember you mentioned being a Reiki Master  :).  I have my level II so far.

The healing aspects of a retrieval feel like an area open for further exploration. As healers, how do you feel a retrieval plays out in your own journeys of personal healing?

Morrighan wrote on Apr 1^st, 2019 at 8:49pm:

The healing aspects of a retrieval feel like an area open for further exploration. As healers, how do you feel a retrieval plays out in your own journeys of personal healing?

Great question! 

I admit I haven’t done a ton of retrievals, but the ones I have done I’ve noticed a theme in them.  My perspective of interaction is always so close that I feel what they are feeling and/or I feel my own emotional reactions so strongly because of the connection to this person. 

Does that happen with everyone else? 

So for me, that emotional connection is unexpected and I guess it tells me a lot about myself.  I end up feeling things I wouldn’t have known or experienced any other way.  It’s like feeling what it’s like to be someone else for a few moments, and it really affects you.  I think the proper term is empathy.  I feel so much empathy and caring.  I’d say there’s gotta be a lot of personal growth in that.  And with growth there’s healing, even if we aren’t aware of what’s being healed.  Not to mention the feeling of PUL is incredible.  It’s an incredible feeling to feel and to give and automatically has a profound effect on you.   

I think we’re all “wounded” in many ways just by being here experiencing life with all it’s ups and downs, but we all just get over it and move on, basically turning our backs on the wounded parts of us because we grow up.  I can remember lots of little things from my childhood that hurt me deeply and made me so very sad, that never got fixed.  The only thing that happened is that I grew up and stopped feeling those feelings.  As an adult I don’t still feel that way but I can remember what that feeling feels like.  I can remember how it made me feel.  And I feel empathy remembering that.  So I guess I’d say that feeling empathy and love for others has to have some good effect on the parts of me that need love, empathy, and healing.  Maybe even just as a way of enlarging my capacity to love and empathize. 

Observing only within the experience of a retrieval, I see how a healer may choose to explore new territory.

Within my personal experience, this means the work becomes reflexive.

Yeah I can see that.  I haven't done a retrieval in a long time.  I've changed a lot since I've done one.  I've had a lot of experiences and experience in many things.  I'm sure my new natural instincts and inclinations would play a role in any retrieval I do now.  Just as I think about the Reiki training and principles and apply them in all kinds of things in daily life, I'm sure the same intuitive thinking would happen during nonphysical experiences as well.  And would work the same. 

And in the "spirit" of things (ha ha) a couple of words about the most recent retrieval experience.

To preference, this is a rough account of events that take place not long ago. The individual we worked with was in transition out of her physical presence.

I observe most do not need this sort of assistance in their transition. She, on the other hand, required a 100 percent clean transition so she could continue the work she held in place here.

Certain that is a 17 hour day for me on the day of her transition. And much longer for the others who are there at this time.

It is probably three more weeks following her physical transition of additional work. There are days when work begins when the first communication of the morning wakes me before dawn. There are nights I'm awakened at 1 or 3 to pick up where we left off. Then back to sleep for a couple more hours so we can begin again ....

The completion of her transition work occurs months later in a completely unrelated bit of work. It's just one of those things. I notice something and say: you remember you were looking for this? and 30 minutes later we're all smiles.

And to the question - it appears to me the greater part of the sort of work that sometimes leads to situations as I describe - is the strengthening of reflexive clarity. And a sense of humor helps!

Of course the events in my most previous post in this thread are extra-ordinary. "Ordinary" retrievals take seconds.

Just completed one of those "ordinary" retrievals. Wasn't looking to do one; had no intention of; simply saw what needed done and did it. And all in the course of what is, objectively, very ordinary reality.

While such a thing may sound interesting (I suppose, on some level, not really into some search and rescue squad stuff), it also brings with it a certain set of responsibilities.

And does well to be mindful of those responsibilities too.

I can’t imagine the level of work you do and yes it does sound interesting!  Assistance at the time of dying is something I understand, even if the person never physically asked for it.  I see it as a kind gesture and if it’s unwanted then so be it, but I think the offer will usually be greatly appreciated and accepted. 

My ex-husband remarried within a couple years after our divorce.  His wife passed away last June (2018).  I was so touched that I got to be there with both of them when she died.  It was in the hospital; sepsis after surgery. 

She was not a friendly person and she didn’t like me.  He said she wasn’t good at being sociable and didn’t like many people.  I never took it personally. 

But since I was in the room when they took her off life support, and knowing what I know, there was no way that I wasn’t going to communicate with her nonphysically!  This was an awesome opportunity for me, and I figured if she didn’t want it or didn’t want to talk to me, then she didn’t have to.  But I offered.  And it was truly amazing and wonderful what happened.

I nonphysically was sending her PUL.  I was asking her how she was doing, imagining the white light, just doing any communicating I could think of in the moment to bring her peace and comfort and sending all the PUL I could muster.  I had to try not to be physically smiling, that’s how lovely this feeling was. 

I could feel her responding with love in return and I had no doubt that this was real, not “just my imagination”.  I could feel she was actually excited to be leaving, to be dying, and I assumed it was because she could see what was on the other side, but I don’t know anything about what she was experiencing.

Then I felt her saying to me, asking me to tell her husband (my ex) to please let her go.  That she was only holding on for him, because he was crying so badly and he was begging her to come back.  She wanted him to know it was her time to go, but she wanted him to be ok with it.

My ex is definitely not a believer in the afterlife, or soul, or spirit or any such thing.  I had no idea how he was going to react or respond.  He knows my history, experiences, and beliefs, so I was just hoping he understood what I was about to tell him.  The only thing that comes close to this was the time when we were married and one of our cats who had died came back to visit.  That’s another story…but my ex was finally a believer when he himself witnessed our ghost cat...at least a believer that the cat had come back to visit even though he didn’t understand how.  I was hoping he would believe in this experience now too.

I said, “She needs you to let her know she can move on now, that it’s ok for her to go.  She’s holding on for you.  You need to tell her.”

To my complete surprise he quickly said, “Oh of course.  Of course it’s ok.”  And he said to her, “You can go baby, it’s ok.  I love you so much.  I don’t want you to go, I want you to come back to me so we can be together longer, but if you need to go it’s ok, you can go sweetie.” 

It was so hard, and it made him cry so much harder.  And a few moments later the life support machine made its alarm letting us know she was gone.  It was truly, truly amazing. 

Vicky, I can't help but wonder what kind of experience you might have had if you were at Bruce's bedside when he passed.

Do you know if Pharon has had any contact?

R

rondele wrote on Apr 5^th, 2019 at 12:54pm:

Vicky, I can't help but wonder what kind of experience you might have had if you were at Bruce's bedside when he passed. Do you know if Pharon has had any contact? R

Thank you for asking!  I WISHED I could have been there when he passed but it wasn’t really feasible and also his wife and close friends were by his side literally around the clock for those five days so that someone was always by his side.  I would have felt very intrusive if I had just flown in or asked if I could be there too. 

Of course I put myself there nonphysically in spirit anyway, and I was sending Bruce PUL and my thoughts, etc.  What I felt from Bruce at that time was that he was already “gone” doing things on the other side because he was eager to move on.  I think for him it was of no consequence how long it took his body to die because he had already moved his awareness over.  Knowing Bruce though, I do feel he was “checking in” on the physical situation only because his loved ones were there. 

Yes Pharon has told me she has had lots of contact with him.  She has lots of things like, when she’s having to figure out how to do something or how to handle something, she feels his presence guiding her and thoughts popping into her head of what to do, and she says it just makes it so much easier.  Like, “Well that was easy, thanks Bruce!”   

I haven't asked her in a while.  I'll send her an email and check up with her and ask  :)

Rondele, have you had any contact with Bruce?

I only joined this website about a week or so ago. So my story....

I think it most likely started when I was a young child and my Nan used to give me stories of her experiences. Her favourite one was what she called an 'omen'. One night she was at home alone and someone knocked on the front door. She went to answer but no one was there. Then there was knocking on the back door and again, no one was there. This continued a few times and in the end she said something like 'it's OK, you can come in now' and the knocking stopped. She guessed what it was about and was right, her Mum had just died.

That wasn't the only experience she used to tell me about. After her husband passed away (my Grandad died before I was born) she said that whenever she was about to receive an important message from someone, her husband would appear at the foot of her bed. She used to see girls in victorian dress skipping in her bedroom also so as you can imagine, hearing all this when you're a child, can certainly get your imagination going. So I think her stories was what sparked my curiosity in the paranormal.

I did have a few experiences that couldn't be explained as a child but I did the foolish thing of saving them in to my hotmail account and then didn't access it for a year so my account was deemed inactive and I lost everything  :'( :'( :'( (still not got over that!!)

But one thing I do remember was when I was a young teenager. I was inside a old hotel with my parents during a christening after-party and when me and my Mum got up to nip to the toilet which was in a different room and up a flight of stairs, I had a creepy experience. The whole time up the stairs I felt like I was being watched. My Mum put it down to the high ceilings but I couldn't shake that feeling and then as we were walking up the stairs, a cold draft rushed past us. I can't remember if my Mum felt it or not but I knew someone or something invisible had just moved past us and then I suppose it all just blossomed from there. Many years later when we finally got the internet, I looked online and sure enough, that hotel is supposedly haunted! I wish I could have gone back!

It was mainly during my twenties when I had the most interest and this gave me the most experiences, probably because I had such a big interest in it then. Then it fizzled out for a while and things didn't really happen until I decided to read up about it again and a few things happened. But now for about the last year I have really gotten in to it all again and been reading more about it than ever but still not got all of those experiences back like I did in my twenties although maybe things are just happening in different ways.

Baroness - I am curious about your tree spirits. I was curious if you have energy when you go in to wooded areas? I seem to have loads of energy when I visit wooded areas despite lacking in energy most of the time. I also have a huge love for woodlands and forests, nature and wildlife!

I've also had a few coincidences when it comes to wild birds so I think there is definitely some spirit in nature!

No one I personally know offline has as much interest in the paranormal as I do so I'm glad this and other websites exist.

I forgot to add that the GHOST film certainly made me wonder when younger if that's what happened.

Mystical,

That’s too bad you lost your online journal.  I have my main email account but I have a secondary email through a different account as a backup.  And I save stuff to my computer as well as print stuff off.  As you can tell, I’ve lost stuff too so now I’m overly protective of it.

I know that I had way more experiences happen when I was younger too.  My theory is that our higher selves set experiences into our path when we need them, and as we grow and broaden our beliefs we need less and less put in front of us because we are more aware at this point. 

I think most everyone I talk to in person who has these kinds of experiences also has family members experiencing stuff too, whether they are really into this stuff or not.  It definitely seems to run in families!

Hello, mystical1707,

You asked about the energy of trees.  I'm not really sure how to answer your question.  I feel trees.  I feel their emotions.  It is like talking with them but closer.  Is it an exchange of energy?  Maybe.  Is it a joining of energy?  Maybe.  I just know what they need or want or what they want to give me.  Trying to express what it is or how it works is beyond me.  But when they share their love with me, it is what heaven must be  like.  I am so grateful they are willing to do it.
 
I have grown because of them.  I have learned we can experience a bit of heaven here.  It is all about unconditional love.  I'm able to give it because I've known it.  Not only the trees but so many people as well. 

I hope this answers you in some way.

That's funny, this is the first time I saw this thread. A lot of info about me would be tedious to read, so I'll just say this.

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Sign: Taurus
Age": 61
Likes: Love, God, everyone else, honesty,baseball and the music of Pat Metheny Group and Al Di Meola.
Dislikes: Dishonesty, people and beings pretending to be someone they aren't, ACIM, CWG, fake gurus, things that interfere with the spiritual evolution of mankind, and when I spill food on one of my favorite shirts.

Albert

Hi again!  I used to post here almost as many years as Rondele.  Today I felt prompted to lurk and noticed Rondele's NDE post.  I actually visited him in his summer cottage in Canada several years ago, but we have lost touch and I hope to renew our contact through the AK board.  I will be a good boy this time and may well start a new thread or 2 to try to kickstart participation.

Don

Well shut the front door! 😂 An old friend from the distant past. I hope you stick around, there's a few things that have been nagging at me and a fresh perspective would be good.

If you have a chance take a listen to the podcast or check out Peter Panagore on the net including Amazon reviews on his book. After his NDE he went to Yale Divinity school. His life reminds me of Howard S. but he didn't have Storm's hellish experience.

I'm most interested in his life review. Raises some intriguing questions.

R

Don (Berserk):

I thought you don't believe in reincarnation.

Berserk2 wrote on Nov 11^th, 2019 at 1:06am:

I will be a good boy this time and may well start a new thread or 2 to try to kickstart participation. Don

Wow Don, I never thought I'd see you here again, especially since I banned you.  I see you bypassed that by re-utilizing a previous member name.  I didn't realize you had multiple accounts here when you were banned...as all of them should have been banned at that time.

No one is allowed to have multiple memberships here. You have three. You're going to need to choose one and stick with it. You may delete the two you don't want to use. The one you choose must have a current registered email address before you can post. Contact me to let me know which account you want to use on these forums.

Vicky

Hi everyone
My name is Melissa, I just joined after trying for weeks, but I guess the time wasn't right till now.
I need some advice from others who use Bob and Bruces technique of phasing OoB...I learnt how to achieve this in July and had a very intense 5 months in lessons with my spirit guides and having a chakra healing and then over night it just stopped. My guides told me I needed to quit smoking, which took me a few weeks but I managed it and now it seems I cant balance the hemispheres of my brain or something. Its like Im blocked from doing anything.
Has anyone else experienced this? Does it pass, or am I doing something wrong? Im beginning to feel a little desperate and sad about it. After feeling so connected to the other side and then nothing. Its like I'm being punished, or there is something I have to do that Im not realising. Please help. Any advice or suggestion is welcome.
Thank you in advance
Melissa :-/

Hi Melissa! 

Just for clarification for others reading, I responded to this same post that you used to start a new thread with.  I'm glad you did that because your topic and questions deserve their own thread. 

Thanks so much for joining the forum.  I look forward to hearing any experiences you would like to share with us!   :)

Vicky

Hi Vicky,

Thanks for keeping things going.

I only heard about Bruce a little over 2 years ago, so I never had the oportunity to take any of his seminars. After reading his books, I got as far as one retrieval, which was mostly in the pretend category, and then for some reason I dropped it.
I am a retired PhD engineer and am definitely an atheistic skeptic (lower case 's') but am a seeker. (I can't abide Skeptics; they only  belong to another religion: Scientism.) So far, to me, PUL, while a nice concept, is just another woowoo term. I also do not visualize.
One thing I have kept up with is Core Shamanism. Michael Harner is another good teacher who died before I could experience him on the physical plane. For some reason shamanic drumming has more effect on me than hemi-sync.
As far as I know, I have had no psychic experiences. The one exception is that I think I have had Protection, or I would not have survived into my late 80's. For example, I have known when an approaching car would pull into my lane, and I moved to the shoulder. I also have sensed scammers when others did not. Other than that, I don't read people.
After beginning to re-read Bruce and Robert Peterson, I am beginning to realize that I need to exercise and develop my imagination. I can imagine engineering solutions to physical plane problems, but that's it.
I noticed that there was a sub-thread about whether there are soul parts. According to the shamanic world view, traumas can get parts of the soul stuck. Shamans perform soul retrievals to rectify that. One can argue about whether what a shaman retrieves is part of the "soul," but shamanism has been around for millennia and is effective.

Herb

HerbHornist wrote on Dec 31^st, 2019 at 7:00pm:

Hi Vicky, Thanks for keeping things going.

Hi Herb.  Thanks for saying  :)


Glad to see you’re still around here on the forum. 

Have you listened to anything by Byron Metcalf?  If you like shamanic drumming type of stuff, I bet you’ll like something of his.  Check out his stuff on the TMI site shop. 

I’ve always been a little interested in shamanism but I have to admit I really don’t know much about it.  But what you describe about souls getting stuck from traumas and retrieving them sounds just like what Bruce teaches about.  (I know I should say “taught”, past tense.  I can’t help still talking about Bruce in the present tense.  I think it just helps me keep him close.

You say you’ve not had any psychic experiences but describe what I’d call intuition.  I honestly do believe that we all have it naturally to some degree, even those who don’t recognize it or aren’t interested in it.  And even for those like me who have it already developed, it does still require some maintenance and practice in order to strengthen and develop it. 

Hi Vicky,

Yes, I have downloaded tracks by Byron Metcalf. Bruce's experience with his past life warrior who was killed with a spear is an example of a stuck soul part. One can argue about whether that is then a separate part of the soul. Let's not.

Ah, but how does one develop and practice intuition? I will review The exercises in the Guidebook. Also Robert Peterson in his book _Answers Within_ has some good exercises to develop the imagination. That's how he learned to hear his Guides, or whatever those thoughts/voices are.

Herb

Hi Herb
I read your introduction the other day and just happened to be flicking through Karen Swains youtube channel and found this:

How to develop your Intuitive and Psychic Abilities Lori Williams.

This is the bio:
Intuitive specialist Lori Williams teaches Controlled Remote Viewing, CRV, a form of psychic abilities we can all develop. Today we discuss the many ways we can use our intuitive and psychic abilities.  We are all psychic, we just need instruction on how to use and develop these abilities...

Lori Williams has been teaching people about how to navigate their intuitive and psychic abilities for many years, wither her husband Jim williams they now live in a remote part of Texas in a fully sustainable EarthShip House.

After a lifetime of unbidden, vivid precognitive and unexplained paranormal experiences, Lori began seeking a way to control these spontaneous bursts of intuition. In her search, Lori was fortunate to meet a man who had been part of a top-secret military program, of psychic spies.   That man was Lyn Buchanan, author of The Seventh Sense.  Lyn spent the next several years teaching and mentoring Lori with the vision of having someone well-trained to whom he could pass the torch once he retired.  Since they met in 1996, Lori has been researching, practicing and studying the science of Controlled Remote Viewing (CRV).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTvVPS9wCO4

I haven't listened to it as yet but thought I'd pass it on anyway.

Regards
Melissa

Yes, thanks Melissa. In fact, I have met and talked with Joe McMoneagle, who did a lot of remote viewing for the government. What a character! I have tried remote viewing in as close as I get to a trance state. My problem is that I don't visualize, and remote viewing is primarily visual. Many who visualize don't realize what what being visualization blind is. It's called aphantasia.

Herb

HerbHornist wrote on Jan 7^th, 2020 at 11:46am:

Yes, thanks Melissa. In fact, I have met and talked with Joe McMoneagle, who did a lot of remote viewing for the government. What a character! I have tried remote viewing in as close as I get to a trance state. My problem is that I don't visualize, and remote viewing is primarily visual. Many who visualize don't realize what what being visualization blind is. It's called aphantasia. Herb

I'm on the opposite end of that spectrum.  And yeah, it's completely hard for me to understand what it's like to not visualize.

Joe has some great video interviews out there on YouTube.  I really like hearing him share stories and experiences. 

Im the same as you Vicky
Im extremely visual and often the visuals are confusing and seem to have no relevance till later.

Herb this is the second time I have heard the term 'aphantasia' within a week. So I only looked it up a few days ago. The other person was related to his having Asperger's. I'd imagine that OBE's would still be beneficial because there is so much information shared telepathically. Is that the case?