Several years ago, I had a lucid dream in which I performed a retrieval of Janet, an ex-girlfriend who had recently committed suicide.  This retrieval was very cathartic for me because I felt guilt and sadness for breaking up with her a couple of years prior.  During the retrieval dream I had absolutely no doubt that the retrieval was real.

3 years ago, my Dad died rather suddenly and my brother and I couldn't get there (Kelowna, BC)  before he passed.  Then last year he showed up in a lucid dream and we went for a long walk during which I was able to express my love for him.  During that dream I was certain the contact was genuine.

But in both cases, I later reluctantly came to the conclusion that neither dream was real; rather, both were expressions of unconscious wish fulfillment.  "Why would you do that to yourself?"  you might ask.  Actually, it wasn't a choice; my skepticism just dawned on me very gradually. 

Still, I have often asked myself why and the answer, I think, is twofold. (1)  The happy postmortem survival of my Dad and Janet is far more important to me than my deep need to be reassured about their actual current state.  So when I feel internal pressure to believe something wonderful but irrational, I automatically push back with skepticism, awaiting convincing verification. 
(2) Secondly, I have learned how convincing many lucid dreams can be because the people and events in them, though clearly fictional, behave so convincingly beyond my conscious creative input. 

I am convinced that the starting point for true wisdom is knowing clearly what you don't know and honestly acknowledging that uncomfortable uncertainty.  The spiritual belief systems of many people blur the line between certain intuitive knowledge about spiritual experiences and odd coincidences that promote wishful thinking in the interests of a more logically coherent world view.  My skepticism about many of my experiences has the effect of making my indubitable paranormal revelations all the more sacred and precious.

    Skepticism from an astrological symbolism perspective:  The symbols I most associate with skepticism are Mercury and Saturn.  Mercury symbolizes and relates to, in general, the intellectual, left brain, linear logical side of us. Our conscious minds.
   I've noticed that people with very powerful Mercury in their charts, tend to have a good amount of some kind of yellow and/or tan color.  If it's linked to a very strong Sun at the same time, usually it's more towards the rare, "golden yellow" shades, which are faster vibratory and more infused with White Light that relates to PUL.
   Mercury, all in all, relates to the more positive side of skepticism, which is the necessary grounding balance of the left brain, logic type pattern, on the receptive/receiving right brain. 
     Saturn and skepticism: Saturn relates more to the fear based aspect or level of skepticism.  Mercury desires clarity and truth for the sake of same.  These are inherently important to Mercury. 
     Saturn on the other hand, is very "socially conscious".  Saturn is very related to not only fear in general, but especially one's self image in relation to "what will others think" ego type fear/worry. 
       Let's use a more concrete example.  Say you were born with Mercury in Capricorn, closely opposed Saturn in Cancer.  Mercury in Capricorn, is already careful, methodical, cautious, deliberate, and fairly grounded.  Cancer is a Sign that tends strongly towards self protection and defensiveness, especially emotionally.   
      Saturn in Cancer, would only highlight that pattern.  But what happens when you take Capricorn Mercury + Cancer Saturn in a powerful, direct aspects, it = a mind that has a strong pattern and tendency to be VERY worried and concerned about being accurate and correct in general, and especially in relation to one's socially oriented self image. A very strong concern and attachment to being perceived as accurate or well thought of in the mental sense.
     If a more mature Soul is born with such a pattern/indication, they probably will channel it mostly constructively, and the Love they attune to and become aware of, can help over-ride some of the less positive, possible expressions.  But, chances are, they will very strongly tend towards the a mental approach of skepticism, and at times, probably too much so. 
     Here is a link talking a little more about Saturn in a more holistic way:
http://afterlife-knowledge.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1495135766 ;

    As I basically said earlier, I think faith needs to be balanced with skepticism and skepticism balanced out with faith.  Faith is more innate Love attuned and not concerned with self image, and is ready to dive in where Angels fear to tread. Faith is standing up on a cliff, looking down into the water, jumping off knowing you will be ok. Where there is a lack of self focus and consciousness, there tends to be positive faith tendencies and expression. 
     This is the faith aspect that Yeshua focused on, and for a reason.  He knew that his Piscean Age, would morph into a very intellectually polarized time period/cycle, and his messages about faith, were not just for the people around or his times, but for also for this future time of intellectual polarization.
      Astrologically, the concept of faith relates most to the Planet Jupiter.  A good counter balance to over Mercury Saturn attunement, especially if it become non constructive, is that of Jupiter.  For example, take that same Mercury in Capricorn position and instead of combining with a powerful aspect to Saturn in Cancer, you combine with a very close trine to Jupiter in Virgo. 
    This would indicate a much more balanced and positively faith informed kind of mind set and approach.  You have the natural skepticism, depth, penetration, and groundedness of Capricorn, but combined with the very expanded, positive, very intuitive, more Love/Universal Consciousness that Jupiter represents.
     Jupiter's "dark side" is that of "over doing", usually of that which is positive otherwise.  Capricorn Mercury here, would lend a necessary balance to faith filled Jupiter, and vice versa Jupiter would balance out the limiting tendencies of Capricorn Mercury.
      I tend to like to look at conditions and patterns very holistically.  Astrology might be a new language to some here, and not familiar, but it can really help one to become more conscious to that which tends to be unconscious in life, others, and/or self. Besides going within and contacting positive Guidance and meditation in general, I would say astrology is one of the most potent ways to be able to peer into the unconscious and/or shadow side of self and/or others. 
      I did full charts from age 16 to 26 or so for others. It has always amazed me, and though it's not much of a focus anymore, it's still interesting to look at things from this "multi-leveled consciousness symbolism language". It powerfully reminds me constantly, of how One everything truly is.
    Astrology is like a combo of microscope and telescope into the larger Universe of Consciousness. Course, like anything language related, your ability to perceive and interpret matters a lot in it's degree of helpfulness.

Justin, faith can be quite wise, and not as blind as some people might think.

Recoverer 2 wrote on May 18^th, 2017 at 9:05pm:


  Indeed.  As mentioned, I (and many other astrologer students) associate Jupiter the most with that kind of positive faith.  Cayce's guidance linked Jupiter to the next most expanded consciousness state/dimension in our little system of dimensions, second only to the Sun which is the fastest vibratory/most expanded. 

     Some excerpts relating to Jupiter, for those who came in with experiences in the non physical dimension(s) that Jupiter symbolizes:

   "In Jupiter we find the great ennobling influences, the broadmindedness, the ability to consider others, the universal consciousnesses that are part of the entity's unfoldment."  2890-2

  "Jupiter has made for not only the high ennobling influence but the tendency for relationships that deal with large numbers of peoples." 189-3

"In the influences seen in Jupiter, makes for that in the entity's experience of gaining a lesson from every experience, and with the application of will may the the entity use such experience as a stepping-stone for development of self, as related to the making of self in a closer relationship to the fellow man, thus fulfilling that of divine force or power..."  99-6

  Anyways, these are just a few examples.  Cayce's guidance often of linked Jupiter to themes, patterns, and tendencies of spiritual strength, Universal Consciousness, and ennobling tendencies. It's the bigness, the openness of heart which leads to faith.  And in that sense, the Sun is also linked to great faith, spiritual strength and lack of fear as well.

   

  It's kind of like that old saying, "to err is human..."  I might add that also "to be human is to be deluded to some extent, on some level, in some area." 
      There is no such thing as perfect perception if we're connected to a human body, and not fully connected to PUL and Source.  This recent situation showed me that perception can be a tricksy thing (especially in interaction with others).
       My very first impression before any, was that this person had been here before, which is why I asked them that early on.  Then because they told me they hadn't and because of what they were talking about skepticism, importance of lack of belief, etc, continually, and in the way they interacting, like they thought themselves wiser, more aware than me and others, led me to think it might be T.C.
    Before I meditated, I had a dream about the situation and the dream symbol figure, ended up surprising me by their distortion/lack of clarity in their vibe/essence and manner.   But having bought into a belief that someone led me down in a deceptive way, kept me from viewing them and the situation completely accurately. 
    The dream guidance was completely true, I just misinterpreted it based on preconceptions and believing another human. 
    Does this mean that from now on, I shouldn't trust my dream guidance because I garbled things a bit? No, I don't think so.  I think more than anything, I just need to focus on opening to Love more, and not be trusting of fellow humans.  It actually reinforced my previous view of trusting dreams more than meditation sought info, because the latter are easier to distort/garble. 
    When it comes to being human and perception, it's like the old saying, "you win some, you lose some".  Part of the trick is to be ok with "losing" being wrong sometimes. It's the human body ego side of us that HAS to be right at all costs. (and feels pangs when it's not.  I felt some of that briefly, to be honest.)
    I just came up with a saying, "He who never goes out on a limb, never falls, but rarely does he ever get to the top of the tree."  Parable for the topic. Ok, really going on a ALK vacay now. 

Recoverer 2 wrote on May 19^th, 2017 at 2:11pm:


Why would it be delusional to conclude that? Is it reasonable to assume that I was the first person ever to be deluded about such things, or that I will be the last? Please explain your logic.

Dude:

Just as holocaust victims know more about the holocaust than people who believe the conspiracy theories that state that the holocaust never happened, the people who go through certain experiences know them better than you, a person who didn't have their experiences.

The fact of how you believe you are able to judge other people's experience better than them, shows that you have yet to develop discrimination.

You're showing about as much discrimination now, as when you came on this forum and said that the holocaust was a hoax.


I Am Dude wrote on May 19^th, 2017 at 4:18pm: