CONNECTING WITH ANCESTORS & GUIDES #2

My personal experience has indigenous origins related to my sangoma initiation at the turn of the millennium. The first teaching my Zulu mentor stressed was;

"Many of you in the West have forgotten your ancestors - some do not even know who they are. You are unsupported in life from the spirit world, like papers blowing in the wind." P.H. Mntshali

For this reason, even if a bit strange to some, this is a very important blog.

THE SPIRITUAL REALMS

When it comes to the different realms of spirit, there are literally countless realms and realms within realms. The ones we need to pay attention to are the Astral realms, occasionally the Causal realms, and hopefully not the Lower or the Hell realms. The Celestial does not practically apply.

The Astral is the most pertinent for most of us.

The ancients would ask of you to perform good deeds, speak good words and think good thoughts in their memory.

Our Astral guides can help us but the gift in not entirely unconditional. Since they are now refined, love and have high aspirations for us they can turn away if we misbehave. If we pay them no attention they will also leave except maybe in extenuating, life-saving circumstances when they feel they have to intervene and are 'allowed' to do so in spite of the law of free will.

Karma rules!

You should wish for yourself not what you want but that what you want is for your good.

The choices are yours and there are consequences to your choices.

Consequences are neither reward nor punishment; they simply are consequences, often not immediate but always inescapable… 

Not all guides are savory. These tricksters (sometimes called 'evil ancestors') may have their own agendas, sometimes on behalf of favoring their immediate progeny at our expense. They can sometimes shape shift into a persona that resembles a guide but usually we will know they are phony. If we go with heart we will know the truth when they come with a false message. Some of these may show up in seances (best avoided) and because they have access to non-local information, may know enough to pretend to be a loved one.

Lesser vibrations emanate, some more from degree of narrow (monkey) mind. They are often viewed as needing to sort out and work through their own calling. Beware of those on either side of the veil who would make you their resolution, much less their absolution.

Mostly we will be dealing with spirits from the Astral realms - commonly our immediate blood route ancestors or others that loved us in prior incarnations that are not in fact 'foreign.' 'They want to direct us to the light and the good.

They would want us to be a repository of their instructions, teachings and their righteous and loving ways. 

Our guides, when they come to us, are in a sense ' purified', having encountered a loving tribunal of a higher order. This is not judgment day. They are shown the error of their ways and judge themselves. After this reconciliation they are released from their various prior dysfunctions.

However, once reborn we must all start anew and face again the challenges of monkey mind, shadow and ego. We do have that knowledge stored in what the Buddhists call "Store Concsciousness" or if you like Soul-ular memory - we just need to remember. Hence, the Ancestors teach; with all your strength get knowledge! (that of a spiritual nature.)

Usually our guides come with a persona that we recognize. They retain their appearance, languages, apparel and their own idiosyncrasies. They might appear as they were before, or they might be younger or older. Some of their quirks do not change. However, they are now better informed and do not want us to make the same mistakes that they made. They have knowledge that can advantage us, now especially, since they are non-local in time and space.      

In the Astral they lose free will and will need to reincarnate from the Astral. However, they can graduate to a better Karmic vibration by being a guide to the living and doing work through their free will. In this way they may earn a better next lifetime. We are are all in the ongoing cycle of Samsara; death and rebirth until our karma is respectable and we can inherit the Causal. Buddhists pray, meditate and practice loving kindness so that they can continue their practice at a higher level in the next incarnation. Better still they strive to inherit the Causal or the Pure Land of the enlightened Buddhists

The Causal Realms

Enlightened beings, perfected souls have full use of their faculties and so do not have to reincarnate although they may choose to incarnate to support and guide. 

Those in the higher Causal realms can make themselves known to those in the lower Astral realms. However those in the Astral realm cannot vibrate to a higher level at their own volition or aspiration. Those of higher vibrations can hear and respond to lesser ones in addition to seeking them out.

 

Spirits in the Causal realm do not need to reincarnate unless they choose to. They have done their karmic duties and fulfilled their destiny. The Ancestors describe it as a process of 'Becoming" because it is never finished. It even continues in the beyond. Some may choose to come back for a special mission, understanding that it is not going to be easy for them. For instance, Gandhi who suffered immeasurably but knew that this was going to happen and did it anyway.

To have a Causal guide or guides offers even more of an advantage to those on the spiritual path. Depending on one's tradition the Causal has different names; the Pure Land to Buddhists and the Garden of Eden to Kabbalah.

In the Creation story in Genesis we were kicked out of the Garden when we ate of the Tree of Knowledge and lost our innocence. There was, however, another tree in the Garden - the Tree of Life though which we can regain our rightful place. For the Yogi negotiating the Chakra hierarchy is similar.

“The sages who have died are present in this world to a greater extent than when they were alive.” The Zohar 

THE LOWER OR HELL REALMS

The hell realms are places where dysfunctional spirits exist. The Lower or Hell realms also have many varying vibrations. The worst have lost the option to reincarnate because of their unrelenting evil ways, life time after life time.  

Those that are demonic who have refused to reconcile repeatedly with their karma may no longer be redeemable. Hence, they are stuck in the lower realms without any possibility of coming out. Their cravings - for instance, 'sex, drugs and rock and roll' are exaggerated.

These spirits may come out of the lower realms and can possess a human body and be in a toxic sense 'incarnate' again. In this way they are able to experience sentient pleasures and escape from a ‘hell’ where their overwhelming desires are never fulfilled.
It is only a person that has a broken aura and a shattered ego - usually with 'soul loss' - that can be possessed. This is an unusual occurrence, but it does happen.

Exorcism is effective and the church does good work in this regard. Exorcists are reporting that they have never been busier than they are now - probably because of the current state of the planet. Others not of the Christian faith may have to seek out a powerful shaman trained in these methods. It is dangerous work and should never be done alone.