Theos-Talk Archives (April 2006 Message tt00231)

Cass, I'm not sure that my visions would be very interesting. Visions 
themselves are less important than the insights they point to, and the 
insights are always around some personal context. Here is an example: 
Saturday, we had our monthly half day meditation retreat.  We rotate 
leaders, who often come from very different traditions.  This time, our 
leader is a Hindu, but is very eclectic and experimental in his 
approach. So, in preparation for the second round of sitting meditation, 
he randomly passed out some cards. Each card had printed on it a Zen 
Koan. Each card was different. We each read our koan to ourselves and 
took it into meditation.  Mine was about "essence" and used water as a 
metaphor and also mentioned the milk of a cow and the poison of a 
snake.  If you have studied koans (though I have not, but others in the 
group did), you will recognize it. For this sitting, I sat with eyes 
open and was immediately translated into a wonderful estuary setting 
with a waterfall. I could vividly see the setting and was sitting near 
the fall.  I could hear the sound of the water falling, feel the cool 
moisture laden air and smell the subtle oder typical to such a setting.  
A part of me thought "well, this is nice, I think I will stay here (in 
this vision) for awhile and see what I might learn."  The vision 
eventually faded away on its own. I had no sense of time, so it could 
have lasted for 20 seconds or 20 minutes.  I did not recognize the 
waterfall, though it is one I would love to visit in real time-space--if 
it exists at all. So, there was nothing surrealistic about the vision. 
No voices, no talking animals, nothing at all unnatural.  Just a 
wonderful relaxing environment. What was important to me about the 
vision was an understanding it brought me about "essence" mentioned in 
the koan.  Sadly, there is nothing I can say to describe that 
understanding which would make any sense. It is nothing that can be 
effectively put into words. 
While I personally don't feel that the details of people's visions etc. 
are of much general interest, I do think that a discussion on the nature 
of visions in general, and how different cultures have produced and used 
them,  might be much more interesting.  That would also include 
discussions on the difference between spiritual and psychic visions, 
hallucinations and imagination.  Perhaps others would also like to join 
in on this. 
I hope this helps.
Best
Jerry




Cass Silva wrote:

> Hello Jerry
>  I know what you are saying, I am very interested in your astral experiences, are you able to share them.  I can give you my private email. Actually it is cassilva48@optusnet.com.au
>  Cass
>
> Jerry Hejka-Ekins <jjhe@charter.net> wrote:
>  Dear Cass,
>
> If you or someone else wants to pick up the string, I will be happy to 
> continue a dialogue. Responding is one thing, but I can't afford the 
> time I would need to compose essays.
>
> Best
> Jerry 
>
>
>
> Cass Silva wrote:
>
>  
> > Jerry,
> > Please don't stop, you are providing us all with a University degree in classical and ancient cultures. Not to mention your spiritual encounters. Why is it that those who have experience and knowledge of entities on the Astral Plane are adverse to sharing it? I am so curious about it and would love a further explanation of what HPB said in regard to the existence of forms other than our own.
> > Cass
> >
> >    
>