Part 1. Introduction
This series serves as a summary of what the author has personally learned to be true about the reality that exists beyond our five physical senses and our 'normal' everyday experiences. It is about a range of spiritual truths that revolve around ourselves. It will explore at least some of the possible answers to a variety of questions covering a wide range of topics including: Who are we? Where did we come from? How did we get from there to here? Why am I here now? And, Where am I going in the future? The author does not pretend to possess all of the answers to these or many other of life's most significant questions. He acknowledges that he himself is still seeking to find additional answers to these questions. For it is only by following the path of continuously seeking a fuller and deeper understanding beyond that which is already possessed can one encounter the possibility of the attainment of true wisdom.
Summary
Below is a brief summary of each of the individual articles that will appear in the rest of this series:
2. The Nature of the Multiverse. In this article, we will encounter not only what may well be the most complex topic in this series, but also what some might view as the most controversial. Here we will examine the four Realms (Spiritual, Ethereal, Astral and Physical) and each of the three planes within each of those Realms. The general characteristics of what is being manifested within each Plane as well as the key concepts and lessons that each Plane has to teach will also be discussed.
3. Path of a Spiritual Being. Having examined the structure of the Multiverse in the prior article, we can now follow, in general, the path of a Spiritual Being. Each Being starts its journey as a creative spark emanating from the Cosmic All on the Cosmic Plane. It spirals downward, manifesting on successively lower levels of each of the planes, until it reaches the Lower Physical Plane. We will examine how this descent adds an increasing number of layers of complexity, concurrent with a corresponding decrease in the level of overall effective power or vitality, as the Being descends. We will then follow the Being's path as it spirals back upward, gaining knowledge, wisdom and spiritual maturity, until it again exists in true unity on the Cosmic Plane.
4. The Nature of Space and Time. This article will describe the temporal nature of the Physical and Astral Realms. Temporal can be broadly defined as an environment that is, at least in part, governed by both space and time. In general, space is the framework into which matter and energy are embedded and which defines their observed location within the environment. Time is a means by which observed changes in the environment can be sensed, recorded, and evaluated. To paraphrase an old adage -- Space and time are nature's way of keeping everything from happening in the same place at once. Although widely regarded as being illusionary, space and time are very real components of both the Physical and Astral Realms. Existing within their temporal environment is the bedrock upon which the lessons of both realms are presented to and learned by all evolving Spiritual Beings.
5. Involution of the Human Spirit. This article will bring together information from prior articles to expand upon the downward half of the spiral journey for those Spiritual Beings who specifically choose to incarnate as human beings as part of their path to spiritual growth. The twin processes of involution and devolution will be evaluated together with the reasons why both are specifically essential to the ultimate evolution of the spirit.
6. The Nature of Free Will and Karma. This article will focus on four concepts: Destiny, Free Will, Karma, and Fate; and how they interact in one's life. Destiny describes what one is supposed to achieve or become as an outcome of a particular lifetime. Free will is the right to choose for ourselves. Karma is the result of the consequences arising from those free will choices. Fate is the ultimate actual outcomes after accounting for karma. Some current and past life examples will be shared that illustrate the interplay of these four dynamics.
7. Evolution of the Human Spirit. In article 5, we followed the path by which the individual human spirit attained full manifestation in the Physical Realm. Then, in article 6, we examined the process that spirit uses to gain information about and knowledge of itself. In this article we will examine how that spirit uses the understanding gained in the course of a multitude of incarnations, engages in a further process of spiritual refinement and wisdom, and concludes their upward spiral journey back 'home' to the Cosmic Plane as a fully mature Spiritual Being and, ultimately, back into integration with the Cosmic All.
8. Understanding Our Own Spirit Path. Having passed through the Veil of Forgetfulness on our entry into incarnation, we may well forget the myriad of details about our temporal past. But, at the least, we are usually born fully aware of who and what we are, knowing that "We are Spiritual Beings having a physical experience." Beyond early childhood, many retain a memory of this fact and some also maintain at least a grasp on knowing parts of the truths that underlie it. On the other hand, many of us have to be re-introduced to the concepts behinds this now familiar adage. This article will discuss some of the means, methods and tools that are available for doing so.
9. Case Studies and Conclusions. This series concludes with the examination of additional past life examples which will trace the course and outcomes of a sequence of lifetimes for a few individuals. The purpose of this examination is to provide evidence that supports and ties together all of the various concepts addressed within the series. The author will then attempt, from his own perspective, to provide general answers to the questions posed at the beginning of the introduction to this series; and then end by answering the even bigger question -- What does it all mean?
Some Important Concepts
There are certain words or phrases which will be used to convey some important concepts in this series. The definitions for these words may not precisely match what is found in a dictionary. Therefore, for the sake of clarity and mutual understanding, the author feels the need to define them in the manner in which he will be using them.
Consciousness refers to an individual's ability to experience their unique thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations, and environment.
Discernment is the ability to clearly, accurately and intelligently understand people, things, or situations.
Perception is the process by which people translate information that has arrived through one or more of their senses into a mental view of the world around them. The outcome of perception is awareness.
Awareness is having knowledge or understanding of something that was arrived at through one's cognitive discernment.
Intuition is the ability to know or understand something without the need for conscious reasoning or cognitive proof.
Empathy is defined as the ability to identify with and understand someone else's thoughts, feelings, emotions or situation.
Knowing is the state in which one possesses information, knowledge or understanding that was arrived at through intuition or empathy.
Divine Truth, or Truth with a capital T, is an emanation from the Mind of God, the Creator; it is, therefore, eternal and accurate for all Beings throughout the Multiverse. Divine Truth is revealed to us through dreams, visions and other forms of Divine Revelation. No one but God is capable of fully grasping all of the aspects and nuances of Divine Truth.
In its lesser form, truth, with a small t, emerges from the mind of a Being based upon the limited knowledge and perceptions of that Being. Small-t truth is limited in both time and scope. That is, what is true today may not be true tomorrow and what is true for one may not be true for another. Further, its accuracy is determined by the understanding and wisdom of the Being who holds and expresses it. Small-t truth also has another factor that many overlook - truth can often be relative. Bear in mind that one's objective experience of something may well be factual. However, their personal subjective experience of that thing may lead them into misunderstanding. They may fail to realize that their perception may not be the totality of the truth about that thing. To understand the relevence and significance of this, one need simply contemplate the consequences of observing a 'fact' and mistaking it to be a 'truth.' So what then is truth? Truth, with a small t, can be defined as a statement or idea that an individual perceives and currently accepts as being a personally valid and accurate fact.
Some Concluding Introductory Comments
As they read through this series, the reader may notice that the author is extremely fond of adages, including some that have become cliché. The author has come to understand that adages are a form of 'folk wisdom' that can be used to summarize sometimes important life lessons. Their inclusion is intended to serve as such.
The author makes no claim of special dispensation from the Creator to expound upon His Divine Truth, nor does he embrace a sense of holding a higher level or wider breadth of knowledge or wisdom regarding truth. The author simply claims a right, some may say an obligation, to share the facts and the truth as he understands them regarding the nature of the Multiverse as he has observed it based upon his direct personal experience. The author has studied the realities of those realms for nearly 50 years in this lifetime and over the course of many, many prior lifetimes. In his current incarnation, for reasons he can not himself explain, he was born retaining extensive personal memories of many human lifetimes, going into the far distant past. He has traversed the entire spectrum of human society; the roles he has lived have ranged from king and queen, priest and priestess, to serf, peasant, and slave. He has had lifetimes that did not survive birth and others that extended well into highly advanced age.
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