Celtic Workshop #11 "Walking between the Worlds" and "Journeys on the Wheel" We met on Tuesday evening because the online Bealtaine Ritual was on Monday. The topics of discussion were Out of Body Experiences (OOBE), Astral Travel and Inner Journeys. An example of a "pathworking" on Fionn's Wheel was given. Tonight's workshop discusses Astral Travel and Inner Journeying. Tonight's topics are: Out of Body Experiences Astral Travel Example Inner Journey on Fionn's Wheel Tonight we talk briefly about the subject of Out of Body Experiences (OOBE). This experience is the means by which one can effect or achieve Magick. It is central to the methods behind the Magickal Law: "As Above, So Below". A complete workshop will be offered here soon by another, so I touch briefly on these techniques tonight. Three excellent books on these subjects are: Astral Projection by Denning and Phillips. Journeys Out of the Body by Robert A. Monroe. Traveling With Power by Ken Eagle Feather. I will present the results of an Inner Journey later, using Fionn's Wheel as a guide to the Astral Archtypes within each of us. The basic techniques of OOBE are these: "disassociation" and "release". Another word for "disassociation" is "meditating". Meditating allows us to break free from the conditioning forced upon our thoughts by the ever so mundane, so-called "normal" world. It places our mind into a rhythm that allows it to "vibrate" in resonance to other realities (some might say other dimensions or even other worlds). I achieve this state by going through a process of literally forcing myself to "relax". I relax my extremities first, then my legs, arms, trunk, head, breathing, heart and lastly, my mind. The body is calmed by physically lifting, then releasing a body part and "feeling" the waves of relaxation flow inward and up the body. This is done in succession until only the mind is active. Once totally within the mind, relaxation of thought must occur. I achieve mental quietness by visualizing a totally "Black" void into which all thoughts, feelings and flickers of thoughts and feelings are fed. This process continues until all is "black". I float before a sea of Darkness. I see nothing, I feel nothing , I am nothing. Once this state is achieved, one may proceed to "travel" or have an OOBE. Leaving the Body To leave the body requires an additional two steps: an increase in the vibratory rate of the Spirit and a "pushing" out of the body. I am lucky that I seem to have discovered these techniques while experimenting on my own. The proper level of Spiritual vibration or "ecstasy" is achieved by further relaxation and through belief or "Will". I totally believe that my Spirit can leave my body and do anything. This focused and concentrated belief through Will is the essense of all Magick. It is absolutely necessary to achieve results. Some might call this process "faith". It is the stuffby which mountains are moved and with which entire worlds and even universes are created. It is also the basis of Love and it is through Love that most of us discover the Power that we all have to create and perform Magick. Everyone from Ahura Mazda to Jesus to Crowley says the same thing about this process. Love is Power. It is the fundamental requirement for creative Work. Let us soar upon the wings of eagles and fly on the wings of doves into the Astral. I "key" the process of leaving my body to seeing in every direction at the same time. This is impossible for me to visualize or to consider in my "normal" existence while contained within the physical shell of my skull and the confines of my body. The "Darkness" I have achieved by relaxation of the mind is seen as a balloon. I see only one side of it. As my Magick squeezes this balloon, it expands toward me and through me until I am surrounded by the Darkness. While this process of transformation and metamorphesis occurs, I maintain constant contact with all aspects of the Darkness that I encounter when the passage is complete, I see the inside and the outside of the Dark Bubble. I see in two directions! This is one step. I take as many steps as are necessary, piling belief upon work and work upon belief until no direction is unseen. I see myself from without and myself from within. I float and I create. I "travel" and I do anything I can conceive. My existence is a "waking dream". I am the master of Reality. I am a new creation! This is the essence of OOBE. Where one goes from here is for a more advanced workshop. I trust the New Age forum OOBE Workshop will be just such an experience for all of us. I plan to be a part of it and I trust you will all join me there. A Journey Through the Veil at Bealtaine In the spirit of this Bealtaine season and to Honor the Mother of Summer and the Lord of the Greenwood, I took out a copy of Fionn's Wheel to use as a focus for my reflections and musings. I found a quiet spot with no distractions and I gazed upon the Magickal Oghams of the Wheel. I sought guidance about the world around us and clarity as to my purpose. As I gazed upon the symbols, a mist began to form and I slowly began to journey. The veil between the worlds is thinnest on the spindle of the Wheel this night. What follows is the story of my journey upon the pathways of the Wheel: (A voice within my mind spoke to me.) "Tonight is a night of Magick. Come with me into the rath ..enter the home of the Sidhe. Let us walk the moonways and take the path of the journey within:" The Mists of Draiocht and gather in whorls and spirals. The air is filled with mystery. A strange call sounds... can you hear it? ...shivers and silvers.. bells? ... or ... harp strings and laughter? We are called...called are we....called... we must go....we must go...we must go... Wrapped in wraiths of shimmering silver.. flowing, ever flowing from without.. time is not here...reality dissolves... consciousness journeys within. Into the night i must go...on spirit wings, leaving this world behind!! I must go! Billowing fog and music calls to me! I have no legs...the mist rises! ... I ride the waves...no arms..none! The Power flows within always within..... within...always......always.......... within......I float I float I float.. Only me in the silence and the drums... Only me...the spirit me survives! And my heart lives on in echoes! It calls to me across the void as I journey. Hear the beat of my heart's drum... hear the beat of life's blood... my thoughts are a rhythm... a drumming, a rhythm of life and thought across the shimmering moonways.... come within .....within.. Feel the energy in waves as it comes ... in waves and we float.. we float as the waves... the waves...the waves... come to us ..... we are...not we are not...we are not..we are not! Not! It comes!! The darkness comes! Darkness. The Point of Light One point of light...one point of life!! Only that ...only that...and the drum... the drum as we journey...mists of silver... we are mist and we float to the light.. the Silver wheel turns on mists of... mists of...silver and light...a moth... drawn...the light beckons..to the wheel... swirling in light and darkness.... how can this be? Where can we be? How? How? The Wheel turns and we turn as we spiral.... spirals of life within... within.... no drumming...the silence is all... Nothing and ALL!! We are!! Nothing. The journey begins: The Hallway of Music (Who is it that speaks?) "Come to me my children...come within! It is time... your time..our time... all of time...and no time...We are here! We are! We rejoice! Rejoice!!" "Let us laugh and play the old songs!! Let us sing and discover!! Dance the dance and travel!" (How can this be?) The colors are every color!! Multicolored hues and rays abound!! They are many and they are one !!! They are one and they are many! The colors! The colors are all one! The signs of mystery...abound... the Mystery is in the signs ... The signs of Mystery! All is Pefect ...all is Beauty...and... I choose the first sign. ...."Huath" Purity! < I have been remade!> The Endless Sea The doorway is open yet the door itself is closed! Pass within with me: The Oaken Door of the Greenwood < I pass through the Oaken timbers of the door itself! I step into a vast room... the Great Hall of the God...the Grove!! It is the Green Man...It is He!! The forest is alive and sings the song! He sits in Giagantic Majesty...humanlike in shape upon a living throne of evergreen and Holly!! His flaming eyes gaze upon a burning bush!!> (Hear the words of the God:) "Come sit at my fire!!! Look within and SEE!! SEE!! SEE yourselves!!! See them all! Your lives and your deaths!! See your travels! See your loves!!! I am HE! I am Lord of the Greenwood!! I am life reborn from the womb of the Mother and You are a seed...you are a forest!! You are remade!! Be One!! Be a part of the All!! Live with me and my children!! We are life...your life and the forest... all souls in the green song. We are verdent...green upon green... upon green... Let us wed the Bride and be ONE as we are always... you and I! We wed the Land!!" < I am a vine of flowers blooming upon a canvas of green...painted against a sky filled with grey...green birds all flocking together...as one bird... a giant creature of the Air... and I soar through the beams and boughs of the Holly King's Hall and into the Sky!> Join me upon the wings of Air: The Flight of the Starling A lush green earth spreads in fields below me as I soar upon the winds. I journey through and above a garden. Many blooms...many flowers...many scents. The air is filled with sounds and scent and I see Forever across the World of the Living even unto the Hill in the Center. The Center of all things. A great stone temple arises within a grove of hazel and is framed against a golden light. White and grey stones surround a crystal well that sparkles within the mote of the always seeing eye! The Crystal Light shines forth! It guides me to the spring!! The Waters of Life!! The Wellspring of Knowledge!! Crystal twinkles of light play music upon my mind's eye and cascade in fountains of joy! The Song of the Ages of Man and Woman .... so Many and so Right...the temple is filled by the Song and the Dance ...step and sing! Brothers and Sisters! Are we all here? What is this place? Am I here? Are you here? We are within... I am AWARE. The Fountain and the Field < I approach the fountain within the temple. The roof is open to the sky and many birds can be seen...yet only two are with me.. and they stand within the waters. One is the white Crane from the Dead Sea.. I am speared upon the point of his eye. I am pierced!! I am lifted to a ledge of stone that surrounds the inner temple...Here ther are many artifacts. The spoils of war...the fruits of labor...the ancient Magicks and Alchemies!! Tools of Magick!! Tools!!! > "Choose wisely.... do not waste this spin upon the spindle of life!! Now is the time of change!! One choice only can you have!! Choose wisely.... or be gone!" This is the answer that appeared: The Fruit of the Tree I ask,"What is this Tree that grows within this Sacred Place oh small brown one? What is this Tree and why am I here? Guide me! Let your Spirit show me the way!" "Take...eat...SEE...and know life!!! Here are the five points of Eternity!!! Here are the seeds of Life itself!! Eat only if you are wise! Live only if you are pure! Endure only if you are strong and return to choose wisely once again!! Now is the time of the Five Pointed Star!! You must become a Star child and grow!!! Be a Point of Light in the Darkness!! Be the Darkness and the Light!" < I reach up and take the fruit. I split it into two halves...one more pink than green ... the other more green than pink. Within are the star shaped seed chambers of life. The Star is born!!! I bite into the Quert, the fruit of Life!! I am BECOME!> The World Beckoned to me once more: The Light in the Darkness The point of light recedes rapidly into the night, a shooting star across the skies. I am alone once more looking at the wheel, wondering about myself...Who am I? What does this mean? What awaits me? What awaits us all? We are alone and the Wheel turns. Once more I gaze upon Fionn's wheel... and know my journeys continue....It's knowledge is my shield. I am a sword and the fires of summer beckon to us all. Such is the nature of an Inner Journey. I continue to see this journey and to reflect upon its meanings to me and to who I am. I recommend that each of you also undertake such journeys for yourselves. Go within to your Inner Guide and travel the Wheel. Journey the pathways of Fionn to Wisdom and Knowledge. Beannacht libh! That was my experience in an Inner Journey.