Greetings,
Thanks for bringing up the Eckankar topic, Ralph and Tim.
Their paperbacks have long ago disintegrated from my collection, and I've often wondered how Eckankar compares with TMI and Bruce's methods. (I was never a member, only visited a meeting and carpooled with a friend who was.)
Especially, once they had become able to do soul travel, what did they do  'up there' ?

I took the liberty of borrowing your previous comments on Eckankar from another thread to give readers abit more background:   bets

Quote from Tim F. on Jul 21st, 2006, 1:05am:
Mike,
I don't know much about Eckankar (Paul Twitchell) Remember Eckankar? It was an O.B.E. based belief system. The one thing I remember (and really like) is that he said blues music is the highest form of etheral music! I relate to that, probably from past lives, but man! Someone in my living room right this moment is playing it live right now (Black Mattie in open G minor on the guitar) music is in my non-physical blood, blues especially. "

And then, Ralph Buskey:
  " I used to be a member of Eckankar back in 1983. As I recall, it was Darwin Gross (Paul Twitchell's temporary successor) who was a strong proponent of blues music. He even had his own band and published at least 2 albums. Paul Twitchell was more into the classical music, like Beethoven, Mozart, and Brahms. He said that any melodic music was good and spiritual, while discordant music was negative and destructive.
   I myself prefer non-discordant symphonic classical and instrumental new age, especially if nature sounds are included. Blues and other light jazz is good too.
   Paul Twitchell also taught about what sounds were associated with each plane. These are:

1. Physical          =  thunder
2. Astral              =  roar of the sea
3. Causal            =  tinkle of bells
4. Mental             =  running water
4.5 Etheric           =  buzzing of bees
5. Soul                =  single note of flute
6. Alakh Lok        =  heavy wind
7. Alaya Lok        =  deep humming
8. Hukikat Lok      =  thousand violins
9. Agam Lok        =  music of the woodwinds
10. Anami Lok       =  sound of a whirlpool
11. Sugmad World =  music of universe
12. Sugmad          =  music of God

   I later learned that Eckankar is mostly based upon the plagiarized teachings of Kirpal Singh, one of the master teachers of Sant Mat surat shabd yoga, who Paul Twitchell studied under before starting his own religion of light and sound. By the way, they both taught Soul travel, not out-of-body travel.

Ralph
end quote

its true every organization serves its purpose. I like being as independent as possible. I even dislike having a SS# but maybe I carry independence too far

I studied a bit of Ekankar long time ago and thought it was going to be my path but then it started getting so complex I couldn't follow it, like Bob said, the belief system was too intricate and I like simple thought systems the best of all.

thanks for this chart Bets from Twitchell:

1. Physical          =  thunder 
2. Astral              =  roar of the sea 
3. Causal            =  tinkle of bells 
4. Mental             =  running water 
4.5 Etheric           =  buzzing of bees 
5. Soul                =  single note of flute 
6. Alakh Lok        =  heavy wind 
7. Alaya Lok        =  deep humming 
8. Hukikat Lok      =  thousand violins 
9. Agam Lok        =  music of the woodwinds 
10. Anami Lok       =  sound of a whirlpool 
11. Sugmad World =  music of universe 
12. Sugmad          =  music of God
____

I have a question for anybody: has anybody heard any of these sounds in their dreams or obes or altered states?  I will list my associations. I'm taking a survey, thanks!
____
One time I heard a certain flute note and part of me followed it somewhere and I blinked out momentarily, but it was the most sublime joy to feel a longing to ride on the note. probably was my base note, or tone. flute sound is still my favorite ride.
______
theres no rumbling of a train sound. some of us hear this in the head chakra. heard it only once. would like to figure this one out someday.
____

heard chime sounds a lot like the tinkling of bells as listed above. it was in association with the production of this book I'm working on! lol! loved it.
_____
the deep humming is associated with astral body vibrations for me. its very pleasurable lifting off sensation. yet I remembered nothing if I had sailed forth. working on it.
_____
wind currents all the time when in transport from one level to another. I sometimes blink in and out with the currents. I don't know what alakh loc  means though, please tell me if u can.
____

ok, anybody heard sounds? felt sounds? sensed sounds? I'm still waiting to go listen to an orchestra of ethereal quality. I did hear a faint choir at 9/11 while retrieving. it hurt too much to be there...lol...I wanted to join the choir...

Hi Jean, the old time spiritualists would give your gift a name, that of clairaudience, the ability to hear sound from within one of the head chakras; we have the 3rd eye chakra in the forehead, when it's active, it spins with energy of consciousness. theres another chakra in the back of the head..I think, could be wrong, have to get my chart out and look. theres another chakra just on top of the head in close proximity. I study obe experiences, and noted in a few of my experiences I was aware of energy leaving the body through my forehead/3rd eye chakra, as my awareness shifted to this energy which projected outward from the body, my mind jumped on for a ride and thats the orb experience I've written about.

don't mean to ramble. I have clairaudience on occassion too. it is quite different than hearing the inner guiding voice we all know about. (I hope!) that occassion to hear the orchestra seems like a wonderful gift to you, that is so soothing.
sometimes it can be quite jarring to the nervous system if it is not music but just someone complaining about something they think you did do them, lol.... but although shocking, there is usually a positive side once I think about it. and if not, I soon find out the problem to solve.

one time I asked my guides to let me hear celestial music. c'mon, I said, I know you can do this for me!  that night I was all ears while I slept. I really expected it. next thing I know 2 hillbillies showed up with banjos and did me some silly backwoods song. had to laugh as they were putting me on!! it was so twangy and nasel. you had to be there! my guides work a lot with my sense of humor, so that's why I got what I got. I must say it worked!

now I suspect you have guides too, I suspect we all do, but don't find out early in life that we do unless we are an advanced or consciously developing soul. so what I predict is that now you know you are gifted in this way with the clairaudience you are aware it could happen again. now your mind is more open to the possibility, so that makes it more than a possibility, it makes it a probability that you will engage this facet of yourself again. I'm thinking about Seth, and his possibility/probability philosophy here and how we create our reality.

hugs, alysia

Going by what I read Eckankar is a cult. Buyer be aware.