I believe that opening one's heart to divine levels of being is primary, techniques are secondary.
I do not believe that God is a dictator like being who demands worship, but I do believe he is the source of everything, and has figured out a way so Souls can reach the most wonderful way of existence possible, if they choose it. Just as I feel gratitude towards my biological parents for making my existence in this world possible and being good parents, I feel gratitude towards God for making my existence as a Soul possible, and for providing me with the possibility of a wonderful way of existence.
Morrighan, sometimes you make statements about how you are beyond needing a teacher, and about how you have found out about techniques and other things that are beyond what others have found. So in some ways, you present yourself as if you are some sort of master. Yet, you don't seem to understand something as basic as having humble feelings towards a being such as God, that makes your existence possible. Therefore, I am concerned that some people might be misled by you. So I started this thread to express a way of viewing things that differs from the approach you sometimes represent.
This subject reminds me of how some Eastern gurus present themselves. They state that everything is just pure awareness, manifested existence is just an illusion, they know themselves as pure awareness, so they are supposedly beyond everything, even God, who according to their way of thinking is a part of Maya, the illusion of manifested existence.
The fact of the matter is that if God hadn't created their souls in the first place, it would not be possible for them to make the claim that they are beyond everything, including God. Their way of thinking shows how confused people can become if they don't consider the entire picture in an accurate way. When they dismiss all of manifested existence as nothing but illusion, without their acknowledging it they also dismiss their own uniqueness, yet they seek to receive admiration from their followers as if they are a specific individual. This is the sort of thing that takes place when a person is more interested in standing out as some sort of (supposed) spiritual superstar, than they are in serving that from which they come.
Perhaps God has purposely set things up so we have the freewill to choose him. We will be able to exercise our free will in a way that is truly beneficial, when we have the wisdom to do so. Such wisdom includes understanding that God is a wonderful friend who has made our existence possible, and our souls will be truly fulfilled only after we rejoin him. When we play the game of being a Soul that supposedly doesn't need the help of others, not even God, we don't ourselves a favor, or the people we influence to move down the same path.
Morrighan wrote on Jul 8th, 2017 at 12:56pm:Recoverer 2 wrote on Jul 8th, 2017 at 12:26pm:I have found that spiritual growth is more about being open to God's presence, than about being able to see targets. I'd rather experience divine love, peace and wisdom, than view a target.
Is a forum for afterlife knowledge an optimal space for these intended experiences? Much of what is discussed here concerns contact with individuals who are no longer embodied, and techniques to do so.