| It's the worst experience in the world: A loved one dies | | | | phenomena during seances to prey upon others' |
| without the chance to say a final good-bye. Many of | | | | emotional vulnerability and bilk them out of lots of |
| those who endure such a loss suffer for decades | | | | money. Avoid this issue simply by never charging for |
| from unfinished emotional and spiritual business brought | | | | healing circles, instead offering them for free as a |
| about by the unresolved sorrow. | | | | community service. |
| That is what happened to a woman we will call | | | | The conductor allows the inquirer to bring a trusted |
| "Clara." For twenty years she suffered a wound that | | | | friend or relative if the inquirer so desires. The best |
| refused to heal. An elementary institute teacher, Clara | | | | size group for a healing circle is between fourand eight |
| was brought up in a small Russian Orthodox | | | | people total. As stated earlier, participants need have |
| community in Pennsylvania. Her mother and father | | | | no formal training in using the soul or psychic senses. |
| were first-generation immigrants in the days when it | | | | Make every effort to include people who've never had |
| was not safe to proclaim a Russian heritage. Clara | | | | any instruction in using their intuition (psychic/soul |
| recalls being punished as a child for telling others about | | | | senses) because they bring fewer expectations to the |
| her Russian background. | | | | session and thus often are more open to what does |
| "My mother denied her past and lived a facade," Clara | | | | come through. |
| says. | | | | Ask for Protection |
| When cancer claimed her mother's life, Clara felt she | | | | The best candidates are loving and open-minded. Don't |
| had never had the chance to say good-bye to her real | | | | make the session more difficult by using it to try to |
| mother. After five years, she turned to three years of | | | | prove something to that friend who thinks your interest |
| daily psychiatric therapy and later tried psychotherapy | | | | in this stuff means you've gone off your rocker at last. |
| again. The same thing happened both times. Traditional | | | | Skepticism is fine. Denial, however, will hamstring the |
| therapy could help her to a certain point. Past that point | | | | session by blocking the information flow. |
| it was of no further use. | | | | One important point: the less information about the soul |
| "I felt a pressure that no one could help me with," she | | | | in question and the inquirer that the conductor and |
| says. "When your problems touch on the spiritual, | | | | other participants possess the better. This helps |
| traditional doctors can't do much. I had a spiritual injury | | | | assure the inquirer that participants received their |
| that I couldn't ignore." | | | | information only from the soul in question and not from |
| Prodded by her unrelenting need, Clara was open to | | | | some other source. |
| an alternative approach. Her search for healing | | | | The inquirer always sits exactly opposite the |
| eventually led her to a healing circle through her | | | | conductor, who decides where everyone else will sit. |
| daughter, "Laura," who learned about it attending a | | | | Again, use your soul senses to get an overall |
| class at the Sattva Institute. | | | | impression of the different soul energies of the |
| When Clara found out about the possibility of | | | | participants. Then try to alternate a more masculine |
| contacting the dead, she asked for a healing circle, | | | | energy with a more feminine. This doesn't mean |
| even though Laura had some doubts. "I knew the offer | | | | always alternate men and women. Some males have |
| of a healing circle was right," Clara says. "I felt it." | | | | a very gentle energy, while some women's energy is |
| Despite her confidence, Clara was taken aback by the | | | | strong, more push than pull. The mix of the two helps |
| proceedings. "It was shocking when I realized how real | | | | balance the energy flow around the circle. |
| it was." | | | | Seat the inquirer's companion immediately to the |
| Misunderstood and Abused | | | | inquirer's left, so that this person may send loving |
| A healing circle--better known as a seance--is one of | | | | support to the inquirer. Put the participant with |
| the most misunderstood and thus inadvertently abused | | | | thestrongest energy to the conductor's left, so that this |
| of all spiritual healing practices. The very word | | | | person may strengthen the conductor during the |
| "seance" immediately brings to mind what most | | | | session. Instead of placing participants around a table, |
| consider the unreal and laughable notion of "conjuring | | | | leave the circle open and put the chairs close to each |
| up spirits." Derided by some, proscribed by others, the | | | | other. |
| healing circle tragically has degenerated into the | | | | After seating participants, ask them to join hands, their |
| seance, a casual pastime with no more apparent | | | | right palms covering the left palms of the person to |
| significance or meaning than a video game. | | | | their right. Make sure they are comfortable, as they |
| A seance begins as a lark or a joke, a way to | | | | may spend almost an hour in this position. The |
| alleviate boredom, to enliven a party gone flat or to | | | | conductor then directs all present to close their eyes |
| satisfy idle curiosity by seeing if something's "out there." | | | | and focus on their breathing. Basic biofeedback |
| Then, to the astonishment, dismay, and occasional real | | | | techniques for slowing down the breath rate are |
| terror of participants, they discover that there actually | | | | helpful and an excellent way to calm everyone down |
| is someone or something "out there." | | | | and clear the mind for what's next. |
| A whole lot of someones or somethings. | | | | Once participants have relaxed, the conductor asks |
| A young woman we'll call "Tammy" found this out the | | | | them to send out love from their hearts, down their |
| hard way. Scared and bewildered, Tammy phoned | | | | right arms toward the person on their right until the love |
| one day, seeking reassurance and an explanation of | | | | flows all the way around the circle. Ask them to use |
| the chilling and bizarre event she had just experienced. | | | | their soul senses to visualize that love or feel its |
| She and a friend had decided to use a ouija board to | | | | vibration, to be aware that it is there or simply to |
| contact her late grandfather. Things went fine at first. | | | | understand that it is present. |
| The pointer, moving on its own, spelled out the | | | | It is this love, which is magnified considerably by group |
| nickname her grandfather had always called her. | | | | energy and which includes the special love of the |
| The pointer stopped abruptly. Something changed. The | | | | inquirer, that will draw the soul to the circle and help |
| pointer moved again but no longer to any purpose, as | | | | keep it there. |
| though whoever or whatever was propelling it didn't | | | | Now, conductor, you can skip almost everything else |
| recognize Tammy or her friend. It tried to spell out a | | | | written so far. But heed this at least, even if you think it |
| word that appeared to be "help" Then it spun round | | | | sounds silly and won't make any difference anyway. |
| and round in wild circles. | | | | ALWAYS ASK ALOUD FOR PROTECTION. |
| The young women, now terrified, ended the session. | | | | You may call this protection spirit guides, or guardian |
| At this point, all the tapes on top of the VCR tipped | | | | angels, or a different preferred label. Whatever you |
| over and spilled onto the floor. No one was even | | | | call them is just dandy so long as you call on them. |
| anywhere close to the tapes when they toppled over, | | | | They respect free will and cannot act on your behalf |
| Tammy reported. | | | | without a request. So please please please, conductor, |
| Just who or what Tammy and friend encountered | | | | always be sure to ask aloud for each healing circle |
| remains fodder for a debate beyond the scope of this | | | | participant's protectors to stand just outside the circle |
| article. Clinical evidence that some sort of | | | | and allow in only the soul sought by the inquirer. They'll |
| consciousness survives physical death does exist, | | | | be delighted to comply. |
| however, and has been documented in exhaustive | | | | What's the point of this exercise? For starters, it |
| detail by physicians Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Raymond | | | | eliminates completely the kind of spook bully that |
| A. Moody Jr., and Melvin Morse, among others. | | | | scared the bejeezus out of Tammy and friend. Ask |
| The Soul is Eternal Energy | | | | for protection and you and your companions can be |
| Such evidence and more strongly suggests that the | | | | about your healing mission in peace and complete |
| soul exists independently of the physical body as | | | | safety. |
| love-energy-consciousness. The only thing we leave | | | | Thought-Energy Communication |
| behind at death is the physical body. That's all. At | | | | After requesting protection, the conductor then tells the |
| physical death, the rest of self--our mental, emotional, | | | | inquirer to speak the name of the soul in question. The |
| and spiritual awareness--remains intact. | | | | inquirer verbalizes the soul's full name two times and a |
| The death of the physical body, however, does not in | | | | pet or nickname the third time. |
| and of itself endow the remaining awareness with | | | | Sometimes, the soul hesitates to enter the circle |
| wisdom or ultimate enlightenment. This assertion, | | | | precisely because there are strangers present. If that's |
| ofcourse, contravenes extremely ancient and | | | | so, the conductor should ask the inquirer to repeat the |
| well-entrenched beliefs about life after death. As a | | | | same name sequence aloud once more. Other times, |
| result of these widespread beliefs, a lot of people who | | | | the soul is so eager to enter it doesn't wait until the |
| don't consider themselves formally religious are still | | | | inquirer has finished speaking for the first time. Usually, |
| secretly convinced that a nonphysical being is bound to | | | | the soul will pass into the circle over the inquirer's right |
| be enlightened and wise. | | | | shoulder, but occasionally the entry point is different. It |
| These unstated beliefs are why so many people | | | | doesn't really matter. |
| conduct their own impromptu seances, hoping to | | | | Once the soul is in the circle, the conductor's job is to |
| contact some disincarnate master. They'll contact | | | | keep it there by sending additional love straight from |
| someone, all right. As Clara and Tammy and friends | | | | the heart. The task of participants other than the |
| found out, it's really very easy to communicate with | | | | conductor or inquirer is to verbalize what is called |
| disincarnate beings. That's precisely the problem, and it | | | | evidential material or trivia. Most souls realize they need |
| can be devastating. Curiosity-seekers who conduct | | | | to assure the inquirer of their true identity. They almost |
| seances without knowing how to protect themselves | | | | immediately begin sending highly personal and |
| often end up like Tammy and friend: frightened out of | | | | sometimes very specific information about themselves. |
| their wits. | | | | If the soul in question doesn't know what to do at this |
| Why? Because they didn't contact anyone enlightened | | | | point, participants may ask it for evidential material and |
| or wise. Instead, they had a close encounter with a | | | | explain why the inquirer needs this information. |
| disincarnate jerk, a being only too willing to play | | | | How does the soul send information? How do |
| mind-games with them. Remember, nothing dies but | | | | participants ask it questions? Simple: via |
| the physical body. If a person in a mental institution dies | | | | thought-energy. The thought-energy of the soul is |
| in a psychotic state, that condition is unfortunately not | | | | received as inner visions, vibrations, words, or an |
| going to change merely because the physical body | | | | awareness by participants' own four soul or psychic |
| has stopped functioning. Although no longer in a | | | | senses. The way to communicate with the so-called |
| physical body, that soul will still be psychotic. | | | | dead is through what we label intuition without |
| Keep in mind also that the only valid motive for | | | | understanding its full implications or its spiritual potential. |
| offering a healing circle is the desire to be of service, | | | | Trusting what they receive through their soul senses is |
| not for self-aggrandizement or to demonstrate how | | | | a real issue for most healing circle participants. There is |
| truly spiritual you are. A healing circle certainly isn't | | | | widespread ignorance about the soul senses in this |
| going to convince a skeptic that life exists after death; | | | | society, which leads to pervasive and deep-rooted |
| do not regard it as some sort of experiment. It is no | | | | lack of trust in the information that the soul senses |
| entertainment substitute when the DVDs run out, either. | | | | convey. This is why there is a need to teach people |
| Genuine Need for Healing | | | | how to function as healing circle conductors in the first |
| Instead, conduct a healing circle only when there is a | | | | place. Provided the conductor is comfortable and |
| genuine need for healing resolution between a soul | | | | confident with the process, other participants can be |
| dwelling in a physical body and one that is not--the | | | | less assured and still be very helpful. |
| latter termed "dead" due to society's very limited | | | | It is vitally important that the conductor emphasize to |
| understanding. Clara's case is typical; people usually | | | | other participants except the inquirer that they are to |
| want to reach someone who has left the physical | | | | verbalize every single piece of information they |
| world. | | | | receive. Do not edit. Again, this is where the inability to |
| Always keep in mind that while people like Clara will | | | | trust your soul senses can really hamper your efforts. |
| benefit enormously from a healing circle, there are | | | | Time after time, healing circle participants have pulled |
| many who will not. The motives of the person asking | | | | information seemingly "out of thin air" about people or |
| for a healing circle are just as important as the | | | | events that only the inquirer or the soul in question |
| motives of those conducting it. | | | | could have known. Yet they just as often hesitate to |
| Be careful when screening those who ask for healing | | | | say anything, which can be counterproductive. |
| circles. Such a person is the inquirer. Hold a healing | | | | During her session, for example, Clara was finally |
| circle only for inquirers who genuinely desire healing | | | | convinced of her mother's presence when one of the |
| resolution. A request is the first guideline. Let an inquirer | | | | participants talked about seeing a field of red poppies, |
| like Clara come to you and request a healing circle | | | | waving in the wind. Then another person mentioned a |
| after you have made it known that you are capable | | | | cross; Laura immediately said that she saw a skull. |
| of conducting one and willing to do so. | | | | "I knew it was my mother then," Clara explains. "Red |
| Next, establish that the inquirer has some sort of | | | | poppies were my mother's flower. She had them all |
| emotional tie to the departed that is reciprocated. This | | | | over the house when I was growing up. The Skull of |
| two-way link can be through kinship or riendship; it | | | | Adam forms the base of the Russian Orthodox cross. |
| doesn't matter and you don't need to know the | | | | My daughter wouldn't know that. She was brought up |
| precise nature of the relationship. The love connection | | | | Presbyterian." |
| counts above all else. The emotional bond and | | | | The point? The information the soul is sending is for |
| recognition are what draw the soul in question to the | | | | the inquirer, not the other participants. That is why it |
| healing circle participants. | | | | often seems strange to participants and they tend to |
| The preceding is obvious, thinking about it. If you were | | | | shift into their left brains to analyze it. Don't do that. |
| walking down the street and someone in the middle of | | | | Instead, speak up. The conductor will have informed |
| a group called out your name, would you respond to | | | | the inquirer before the session begins to respond to |
| the summons? You might, if you were to recognize | | | | each piece of information verbalized in one of three |
| and care about the person calling your name. If you | | | | ways: "Yes," "No," or "I don't know." |
| didn't know anyone there, most likely you would ignore | | | | Sometimes the soul in question provides information |
| the call and continue on your way, probably at a little | | | | that the inquirer isn't sure of or simply doesn't know but |
| faster clip than before. This is precisely why adoring | | | | can check out later with family or friends. |
| fans are more likely to contact a deceased Elvis | | | | The second part of a healing circle consists simply of |
| Presley impersonator rather than the soul that once | | | | giving the inquirer and the soul the chance to talk to |
| dwelled in the body of the king of rock and roll. There's | | | | each other, assisted by the other session articipants. |
| no emotional draw to them on the part of Elvis, even if | | | | This phase is always very emotional, if for no other |
| the fans worshipped their idol from afar. | | | | reason than the inquirer finally has some evidence that |
| After an inquirer asks for a healing circle, and after you | | | | a loved one thought dead and lost forever is, in fact, |
| have established a two-way emotional connection | | | | still living and very much found. The evidence is |
| between the inquirer and the departed, use your | | | | provided partly through the trivia, which is necessary to |
| Intuition. This is another way of saying your psychic | | | | satisfy the left brain. |
| abilities or four soul senses. Those soul senses can be | | | | The heart, however, is much more open to messages |
| invaluable in helping your left brain decide whether or | | | | from the soul. As the second half progresses, inquirers |
| not this inquirer is seeking a healing circle out of a | | | | on their own often begin to pick up thoughts and |
| genuine desire for healing resolution. | | | | especially feelings from the loved one in the circle. |
| Preparing for the Session | | | | The joy of such a reunion is impossible to comprehend |
| Remember, just because someone has asked for a | | | | except through direct experience. Resolution replaces |
| healing circle does not obligate you to conduct one. | | | | anguish. Tears flow freely from relief, not grief. The |
| Check into the inquirer's motives carefully. You not only | | | | healing spreads from the inquirer and the soul to every |
| have the right to feel comfortable with the inquirer, you | | | | member of the circle. |
| actually need to establish some sort of rapport to help | | | | Lives Transformed |
| ensure the success of the session. Do not force a | | | | Through a healing circle, Clara finally made peace with |
| session down the throat of a person whose fear level | | | | her mother--20 years after her mother's physical body |
| is too high. If you do, you probably won't get very far | | | | died. Following her session, Clara found that other |
| because that inquirer will be in a state of heavy denial. | | | | areas of her life also were healed. She felt more at |
| Next, choose a place to conduct the session. The | | | | ease with herself and less compelled to be with other |
| stereotypical seance is held at night, in a small, closed | | | | people just to avoid being by herself. |
| room that has little or no light and plenty of dark | | | | Equally important to her was that she now had some |
| corners to hide the special effects apparatus. You | | | | terms for the psychic abilities that were always so |
| know: the faked floating horns, thumping tables, and | | | | natural to her and her parents."It was a tremendous |
| disembodied moaning and groaning. It is possible, | | | | eye-opener to realize the reality of life after death and |
| however, to conduct a healing circle at high noon in the | | | | that other people felt this way," Clara says. |
| middle of a field--if that is what will make the inquirer | | | | Ironically, it was an unorthodox healing circle that |
| most comfortable. | | | | reconciled Clara to the Russian Orthodox Church, |
| It's probably easiest to locate the session in the living | | | | which she rejoined. "The church is not open to this |
| room of a house. During the session, keep the curtains | | | | subject, but I'm in a whole different space." |
| open. If the session is at night, the lights remain on but | | | | Now, when Clara makes the sign of the cross and |
| not glaringly bright. | | | | follows other rituals, she's aware of a much deeper, |
| Arrange enough chairs in a small circle to | | | | spiritual dimension to them. The ceremonies now hold a |
| accommodate all participants. Put a box of tissues on | | | | rich and very personal meaning for her. The rites are |
| the floor in the middle of the circle. They are always in | | | | no longer just empty motions, done by rote and |
| demand after (and many times during) a session to | | | | handed down as someone else's truth. |
| mop up those healing tears. | | | | It's possible to rig up a floating horn or an "ethereal" |
| The person who issues instructions and keeps the | | | | voice in the dark. Indeed, the left brain can be |
| healing circle on track is called the conductor. The | | | | manipulated into believing a lot of things, but the heart |
| conductor invites the remaining participants, who should | | | | and soul cannot. No one can fake the feelings--the |
| show up out of love and a desire to be of service to | | | | profound and powerful sense of relief and release that |
| others, not to be paid for their time. | | | | surrounds and embraces the inquirer, the soul, and the |
| Let's face it: among the general public, the seance has | | | | other participants during a properly conducted healing |
| a terrible reputation. Some people erroneously regard a | | | | circle. |
| healing circle as a form of devil worship, which it most | | | | It's the kind of healing that transforms lives forever. |
| emphatically is not. A lot of people have faked | | | | |