i see dead people
there are a lot of christians in the U.S., so i generally keep to myself, but i guess i would have to say that i am an 'atheist'. and yet, i beleive in 'angels' and 'demons', ephemeral entities that i have seen with my own eyes (both on drugs and off). i also call them 'inorganic entities'. my world view (and i wouldn't expect anyone to believe anything that they havn't seen for themselves) is that each person is surrounded at all times by a multitude of these entities. I can't say that i beleive in 'god' or 'the devil' because i have never seen anything like this with my own eyes (or 'third eye' if you will). Here is some of the things that i have seen for myself... READ NO FURTHER IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN EPHEMERAL ENTITIES !! (I don't want to bore you to death, and don't want to have to listen to a bunch of whining about how the post was too long.) AM I COMPLETELY INSANE ?!?! YOU BE THE JUDGE
(Excerpt from "The Sorcerer's Garden", me)
"There is, generally speaking, more danger is being unaware of the host of entities that surrounds us than in being fully aware of their presence. Beings that you have never known in this world have your interests at heart as well. In a sorcerers world karma is instantaneous. Contemplate some hideous thought and a hideous face will shoulder in and join the entourage that previously surrounded you. These are our guardian angels, except that the bent of their character matches our own. We reap what we sow with every action or obsession. If we center ourselves and attempt to live in a zen or christ-like manner, then the entities around us will be positive and benign in nature. The entourage that surrounds us contributes to our perception of the world, at a subtle level, as being either cheerful or macabre. Persons whom we meet subconsciously sense the presence of the multitude around us and it affects their perception of us as being either honest or sly, likeable or uncharismatic. A larger entourage means that more energy is available to us and we exert a correspondingly greater influence over the thoughts and actions of others with our presence. It becomes advisable, on more levels than one, to surround yourself with happy thoughts. Free up the mind of selfishness and obsession. Let go of ego attachments and the belief that you are superior to those around you because of this reason or that. Resist compulsion and seek to de-value the items that are in your possession. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
Inorganic life is as diverse as organic life, with endless variety in size, shape, and temperament. There are several types, however, which are either more abundant or easier to observe. Following is a brief profile of the entities which are most visibly prolific in their interactions with mankind. The name given to each type of entity is only vaguely appropriate. If another culture of sentient entities were attempting to label mankind they could end up calling us Bi-pedal Flesh. In our profile they might mention that we seem to spend one third or our time engaged in seemingly purposeful activity and another third at apparent rest. These profiles must be taken in a similar vein.
Full Ephemeral Figure - It is likely that there is at least one, if not several of these, nearby. These entities tend to position themselves as organic beings would in the same surroundings. Our life is lived in a flash compared with their much lengthier existence. Thus, they tend to lean casually against a wall, stand nonchalantly or even sit on the floor rather than take a seat on furniture which will be moved innumerable times during the length of their stay. Some of these entities attach themselves, at least for a time, to a particular person and follow the drama of that persons life as it unfolds. Others are attached to a particular building or location and are apt to stay put while persons come and go around them. As with human beings, most of these entities prefer to roam freely, staying put for a while when something catches their fancy and then moving on when it seems that some other pasture might be greener. The veil that hides them from our sight is one-sided. At all times they see both their world and our own. This might be why they seem to be more patient and intelligent than the average person. They seem alert, but in a casual and relaxed manner. There are, however, exceptions. From time to time an agitated full ephemeral figure manages to gain someones attention for a moment in time, adding more fuel to campfire ghost stories. As we may shift the range of our perception in order to see them, on occasion one of these entities may bodily shift into our normal perceptual range. These entities neednt always be agitated in order to make this type of shift, but this is often the case. My first experience with this type of entity came when I was very young. I awoke in the middle of the night and crawled out of bed to go pee. I walked into the unlit bathroom and saw, plain as day, a gentleman wiping his hands on the bath towel. My heart leaped into my throat. I turned on the light and he was gone. I turned the light off and there he was again. Three dimensional as myself, though seemingly made of mist or smoke, he finished up with the hand towel and turned to look in my direction. I quickly turned the light back on and left it on.
Many years later a friend and I were walking along the gravel back roads of the small town that I grew up in. As we reached a point in the road that was parallel to the railroad tracks, the bell started to toll and the flashing crossing arms started to lower. We both looked up simultaneously to see the full ephemeral figure of a frightened deer running along the tracks under the bright light of a full moon. A moment later a train came along in fast pursuit. We can only hope that the nocturnal flight of that night has since given way to roaming with hooved friends in greener pastures.
Floating Faces - With human-like features, for the most part, these apparitions float ear-to-ear at approximately arms length across our entire field of perception. A person is likely to have just a few full ephemeral figures nearby, if any at all, but we are surrounded at all times by more than a dozen of these other entities. Our state of mind seems to affect this type of entity even more strongly than the full figure variety. Full figures occasionally move about and shift positions, but dont often arrive at or depart from a location. Floating faces, however, seem to pop in and out of view at the speed of thought. While full figures take interest in our thoughts and actions, floating faces seem more attentive to our emotional energies. The type of emotion that we radiate is dependent upon our current mental health and emotional well being. Some of these entities bask in the presence of kindness and humility, while others feed off of hostility and perversion. Thus, our entourage is representative of our innermost self and the percentage of healthful versus macabre thoughts that we indulge in. Some of these entities lose interest rather quickly, while others stay with us through times that are both pleasant and unpleasant, cheerful and morose (though rooting for us to gravitate in one direction or the other). And so, these entities, too, might be thought of as our guardian angels. Or, for persons of a more troubled nature, the monkey on their back. Occasionally, someone that we know may seem very close at hand though actually residing a great distance from us, and appear as a floating face while interacting with you.
Eyes Alone - The eyes of all that have ever been peer down at us still. Eyes of entities that were never organic in nature look to us as well. These eyes may appear close to you and loom larger than your own or watch on from a great distance, out by the clouds or the sun. As part of us remains alert to signs of danger from the external world even as we sleep, so too, does a part of us remain dreaming even while we are awake. And so, the eyes hovering around you may belong to an entity that you would otherwise never meet or to the dreaming soul of a person that you currently know. Floating eyes at a close proximity usually indicate direct interest or interaction at a personal level. Eyes seen at the distance of clouds usually appear in large number and seem to comprise a veil across perception, as if lining the wall of the vortex that we ride in. This type of entity is more likely to appear to the neophyte sorcerer than the previous two, though full figures are the most common phenomena experienced by the average non-sorcerer. Though these entities are ever-present, our perception of them (as well as their interest in us) is usually short-lived and sporadic.
Distinguished Presence - A friend and I were visiting a local state park in the late evening hours when both of us were suddenly overcome by the sensation of a dark and foreboding presence. We fled from the location almost immediately and later discussed the entity that we had come across. The incident registered in both of us as a dual phenomena. We both sensed a cruel masculine presence detaining a fearful feminine presence. Some days later we mustered our courage and went back to the park, but the presence was gone. I later learned that just a week or two prior a group of six men and women were sitting by their campfire and drinking beer when, all at once, they looked up at each other, jumped to their feet, hopped into their vehicles and fled from the same park. Perhaps the only thing that we had to fear was fear itself. Only a couple of times in my life have I had the unpleasant experience of backing down and running from a fight. Though I regret both instances, I cant say in either case that the adversarial relationship would have been beneficial or have led to a positive outcome if I had stuck around. A distinguished presence, more generally, is a presence for which there is a measuring stick. There are identifiable personality traits that make sense in an earthly context. This presence has no physical or ephemeral form, there is nothing to see or hear. None-the-less, ideas and feelings may be communicated directly. The presence may be entirely inorganic or it may originate from a person or animal that has passed on or still exists among the living. When there is a great love between two persons or they share a blood relationship a person may feel anothers presence from a great distance and experience the other person as being very close at hand for a short duration of time.
Physical Ephemeral - These entities are fond of habituating statuary, dolls, pictures, and the knots present in wood paneling. Cognizant of the fact that these items draw our interest and focus our attention, they take up residence therein. Each time that our attention is drawn to the eyes of a favorite stuffed tiger, for example, the entity is able to bask in the glow or our attention. This is harmless to us, for the most part, as we constantly pour energy out of our eyes as light from the sun or heat from a flame. Related to this group, if not one-in-the-same, is the physical ephemeral entity which seems to actually bend or arrange the physical formation that it inhabits. Rather than being just a spot on the wall, the wall itself may seem to shift and bulge outward at times with features that may appear quite human. I find this group of entities particularly interesting for their ability to not only bridge the gap of perception which separates physical from ephemeral but because they can influence to a degree the shape and nature of the material world or, at least, our perception of it.
Dark Spots These entities are just as they sound. They are the ameobas of the ephemeral world. They may flit around a room much as the white reflection caused by the face of a wristwatch being struck by sunlight. Ranging in size from approximately a golf ball to a softball, they seem to glide along walls in an unpredictable manner. Their movement, however, leaves no doubt as to a sort of sentience. They arent shadow so much as a miniature void which is creating an absence of light.
DREAMING ENTITIES
All of the entities previously profiled, with the exception of physical ephemeral, may be encountered in a dream. Due to their inherent nature, however, some types are more commonplace on the dreaming plane than others. Full ephemeral figures, for example, are generally drawn more strongly toward the physical material world than the world of dreams. Floating Faces, on the other hand, are equally attracted to the emotions we emanate as individuals regardless of whether we are dreaming or awake. It is quite common to encounter them in either realm. Due to the shift of perception that takes place, the hazy veil and semi-conscious state that exists between dreaming and awake may be the best vantage from which to observe them.
Our range of awareness is much more fluid in the world of dreams, and so, the number and type of entities that we may encounter is significantly greater while we are dreaming than that which is available to us while we are awake. The contextual information which helps us to make sense of the physical world is no longer binding when we are asleep and adream. Differences between the following entities and ourselves make it very unlikely that you will ever encounter them while you are awake.
Other Dreamers - Most of the persons that you encounter in your dreams will be figments of your own imagination. They arent completely illusory, however, as each is a very real manifestation of a different aspect of your innermost self. They may represent your fears, your hopes, your darkest sub-conscious perversions or your most sagacious potential. As we sleep, it is quite common to don an assortment of masks and become unrecognizable to ourselves. This self-involved puppet theatre gives credence to the idea that each individual person is actually a community of selves. After this realization, while awake you may come to experience the sensation that those around you, yourself included, are simply different faces of the same god. Though this is a metaphysical possibility in an organic world, the same sensation in a dream should remind you of the fact that the conversation that you are having is with yourself. Not everything that you experience ine your dreams is entirely fantastical. Barriers that exist while we are awake begin to crumble as we lose consciousness. Whether dreaming or awake, we exude an electromagnetic pulse, an unending signature which reports every aspect of our being. When the walls are down, through sleep or sorcery, the energies of two persons may encounter one another in a manner which leaves distance nothing to measure. In our dreams we are often drawn to persons that we have already met in the physical world. We may also encounter persons that we have never before met while awake. It can be disheartening to know that some of the persons that we have just met we may never meet again. Have you ever fallen in love in a dream? Unfortunately, if you are like most persons, you wouldnt remember it if you had. We lock away our dreams from our conscious self, though now and again they may surface or we find a way to keep them fresh and available to conscious recall. It happens on occasion that two persons share the same dream, awake, and together are able to corroborate the details of that singular event. For the most part, however, if you are skilled or lucky enough to remember a dream in which you encountered another dreamer, it is likely that that person will forget.
Persons that have passed on dont necessarily let that little inconvenience stop them from further dreaming, though a slight shift in there magnetic signature will likely leave no doubt as to their now incorporeal nature. The bonds that tie one soul to another may be strong enough to find (in dreaming) sanctuary beyond the hazy grasp of death. Many animals, especially mammals, dream quite regularly. Taken together, dont be surprised if you discover yourself sharing a dream with a beloved pet which has recently passed on.
Shape Shifters - These are entities whose apparent form isnt actually tied to any organic (physically related) construct. Any shape they appear to possess is illusory as their true form is simply an energetic configuration. The form that they choose isnt necessarily a predisposition, but rather, suits their current purpose. While dreaming, most of us habitually envision ourselves as human-shaped. Shape shifters may do the same, even taking the appearance of persons that we know by coming into alignment with our expectations. They may also observe unobtrusively in the guise of an inanimate object such as a street lamp, a book, or a clock on the wall. While entities encountered in the waking world communicate indirectly with ideas, feelings or gestures - dream entities may also communicate with the spoken word. Very few have anything of interest to say, as most are simply attracted to the energy that we radiate. The legendary succubus is a shape shifter of sorts. This entity basks in the emotionally charged aspects of interaction. They elicit our involvement by entertaining our interests in procreation and horizontal athletics. They may fixate our attention to such a degree that upon awakening we find ourselves unable to move for a short duration of time. Dreams involving copulation take on a whole different flavor when the dreamer realizes that their partner may be more than appearances would suggest. Though shape shifters are quite pervasive, more often than not the individuals that you encounter in your dreams will be other dreamers or fantastical persons created by your own overactive imagination. Easily distinguished from a true shape shifter, there is a somewhat similar dreaming creature that I will temporarily dub a grimalkin. These ephemeral creatures do have a true form which is humanoid in nature and are only partly successful in taking on the appearance of something else for any duration without noticeable distortion.
Overt Presence - While the entity dubbed distinguished presence (normally encountered in the waking world) lends itself easily to personification, the typically dream related overt presence is more difficult to describe. Its existence is so far removed from our ordinary range of perception that aside from a very atypical dream, you will likely never encounter one at all. If one of these entities takes a passing interest in you, it will be a dream that you can not forget. Some dreams have such a strong sense of realism that they are unaffected by the veil which keeps most ordinary dreams from our conscious recall. Once, a long time female companion and I were sleeping next to each other each dreaming our own dreams. The sudden appearance of one of these entities awakened us both to the same dream - a dream in which we sensed both it and each other. We both experienced a sense of its vastness. I could tell that its power was greater than my own, yet I was unafraid and confident in my ability to find calm and strength in the center of my being. My companion knew fear in the face of this entity and that fear was magnified until she was certain that something terrible must come to pass. Then, as suddenly as it came, it was gone, and we both awoke. "Night Terrors", as described by a recent textbook on child psychology, provides evidence for the impact of the overt presence. (Kalat) Psychologists distinguish between nightmares and night terrors in the following manner; a nightmare is an unpleasant dream, but a dream none-the-less, while a night terror creates a sudden arousal from sleep accompanied by extreme panic. Night terror almost always occurs during sleep stage three or four, not during REM sleep. Fairly common in young children, frequency tends to decline with age. Children have very fluid awareness. They have not yet developed a shield to protect against the energies that surround and bombard us. This combination may leave them vulnerable on unfamiliar ground. As adults, we have learned to erect mental barriers and to avoid conscious recall of this territory altogether. When we sleep without dreams, we are not far from death. It is not uncommon for us to stop breathing for up to ten seconds while we are asleep. Then we remember not to die, not to let go completely. At this juncture, even the dreaming body comes apart at the seams. Disintegration of the ego and the individual self means a necessary break in memory. In this way, several times each night we die and are reborn to self and consciousness. It isnt difficult to imagine why a child encountering an incorporeal, impersonal and predatory entity which hovers near to this field of perception would come straight awake, remember little, and be quite terrified."