When God Heals


by
 

Sharol Cannon, N.Dipl., MSW
Edited by Diane Brady Harris, BA.Mus., M.Ed.

 

 
About the Book

 This book is about healing of physical, psychological and spiritual problems by spiritual means. It also explains how problems are brought on, intensified and/or prolonged by negative spiritual means. These negative effects are from the lower spiritual forces of the universe. The healing is done with God's sanction by His angelic beings, the ministering spirits. Guidelines are given for discerning the difference between the high and low spirits, for counteracting the lower ones and for preventing their influence.

Methods are suggested by which we can serve as God's healing instruments in cooperation with His ministering spirits. Such methods can be made more specific for the needs of those to be healed by communicating with the ministering spirits, but this is not necessary for healing to occur. Guidelines are also given for developing other spiritual gifts and for discerning and screening out low spirits who would interfere.

Finally, there is a chapter on the healing which takes place through the transformation process we call "death." By this process, we can progress ever farther on our journey toward God.
  

About the Author

Sharol Cannon is retired from being a registered nurse, RN, and an MSW social worker. Her primary field of practice was in mental health and geriatrics. She has been involved in her current spiritual work since 1975. She has had many spiritual healings and has served as a healing instrument for others. When she began, she had no knowledge of these matters. Over time, she has received a number of spiritual gifts, including discernment of spirits. In this book, she shares much of what she has learned.

 
Introduction


 1. My Journey toward God


2. Basic Questions about Healing


3. Spiritual Healing of Physical Problems


4. Spiritual Healing of Psychospiritual Problems


5. Death and Dying: Healing by Transformation


6. Summary and Conclusions 

 
First, I give thanks and praise to God, who has enabled me to know Him and to learn and progress through communication with His celestial spirits.

I also give thanks to Christ, who won our freedom to progress to the heavenly realm and who sent the spirits from that realm to comfort, heal and guide us.

I offer much gratitude to the celestial spirits who have given explanation, correction and confirmation for this book, and the protection needed for the writing.

I want to acknowledge and thank the following people for their contributions:

The many people who have shared their experiences, enabling me to better understand the manifestation of the high and low spirit world.

The people who have, in addition, contributed in the following ways:

Joyce Anderson, Linda Dunn and Mary Urquidi, for their typing contributions.

Lois Demlong and James Scarborough for their help in finding references.

Ann Angus for her contributions in making copies.

Diane Harris for much encouragement, support, contribution and editing .
  
Abbreviations

 
GNT: Greber translation of the New Testament

RSV: Revised Standard Version of the Bible 

 Introduction

This book is written for at least three groups of people. One group is those who are interested in spiritual growth and spiritual healing. A second is those who want to be able to discern between that which is in harmony with God and that which is not. Third, it will interest physical health and mental health practitioners, as well as anyone else who wants more understanding of people's problems and why they are so hard to overcome. Of special relevance are problems which do not respond as expected to traditional medical treatment and which show patterns of symptoms inconsistent with the usual medical diagnoses.

Much of the information is based on my observations and experiences with the spirit world. I have spent a lifetime searching for God's truths. In formal religion I found many inconsistencies, including many in the Bible and I finally concluded there was no place on earth where I could find God's pure truth. Then I learned that God's celestial spirits, the angels, are actually here among us and are eager to communicate God's truths to us. Some people seem to believe that if spirits manifest to us, it's only in visible form, as in visions or even as physical beings. However, in 1975 I had a series of experiences which convinced me that spirits manifest in a number of ways, including through our thoughts and feelings or even by moving our bodies, as in writing and speaking. The latter is called channeling.

When spirits communicate through channeling, it is often very profound. I learned that both good and negative spirits use the same ways to communicate with us. Therefore, there is a mixture of truth and error in spirit communication as well as in formal religion. So the key to finding God's truth is to seek it from the spirits He sends and to discern the difference between levels of spirits, screening out those who give false messages. I prayed for such discernment and God granted my request, giving me exposure to spirits from many different levels and always providing reliable sources to confirm, reject, and/or clarify my conclusions.

Many of the truths I learned from celestial spirits differ to some extent from those doctrines taught in formal religions and from teachings in much of the metaphysical community. Some of the truths are not even known to most of humanity. Therefore, I suggest that readers apply criteria which I used: logic, consistency, positiveness of experience and outcome. If comparison is made with what has already been learned, I advise readers to think through any discrepancies without referring to a particular belief system but rather with an intention to find the truth. It is most important to pray for guidance. Some of the discrepancies may be only a matter of semantics. Some people, whose prior teachings disagree with the higher spirits' messages, experience conflict or fear caused by lower spirits who try to prevent them from communicating with the celestial ones. If a person persists in the exploration, the conflict or fear will pass. There is really no need to fear. The celestial spirits are eager to see us improve, so if we are trying, and especially if we pray for help, we can be sure they will help us.

The reader need not agree with the teachings I have received to benefit from the book. Much of what I write is based on my observations and experiences of problems and solutions that can be helpful regardless of what a person believes.

People often think of spiritual matters mostly in terms of good feelings and positive relationships, and may perceive this book as focusing too much on the negative. There are several reasons for this. One is that in talking about healing I start with problems for which people need healing and that, of course, involves negative aspects. Because of my experience as a nurse and social worker, especially in the psychiatric and geriatric fields, I am oriented toward finding problems and helping to solve them. Another reason for so much emphasis on the negative is that, in learning to discern, it is necessary to observe and to some extent experience the negative as well as the positive aspects in order to compare them. A third reason is that, for me at least, it's sometimes harder to describe positive experiences than negative ones. We are familiar with details of negative experiences because they are so much a part of daily life. My positive experiences involve a lot of feelings and insights which are hard to put into words, so I summarize them with terms like "blessings," "wonderful" and "joy." They are what some people call "peak experiences."

Finally, I want to be of service to God in helping those who desire to learn to communicate with His spirits. This requires discernment and at least some elimination of lower spirits from our lives. Most people have or can develop the ability to perceive the spirit world. We can learn to see, hear, feel, or even channel spirits who are at the same level as we are. For the most part, it involves learning and practicing techniques. It's harder to perceive and channel celestial spirits because they are at a higher level than we are. Their vibrations are faster, they are purer, and we need to have positive attitudes in order to communicate with them. We need to raise our vibrations and they must filter our energy and purify it. This takes time, but more time is spent in improving our attitudes, eliminating major faults and strengthening weaknesses. We must also acquire some ability to recognize and rise above the influence of lower spirits. People who put forth enough effort are able to achieve a level necessary to serve God through one or several spiritual gifts.

Even at this higher level, however, we retain enough faults and weaknesses to be inconsistent. There are times when we give in to a temptation, fall back into a bad habit, allow resentment or become emotionally invested in something that's not good for us. When we do these things, we attract negative spirits. The higher spirits can control them, but only temporarily until we consistently overcome our faults or weaknesses. So the heavenly spirits are limited as to when or whether they can communicate to or through us. They do so as much as they can, because they can be of great help both to us and many others in this way. Rather than just using what we call "inspiration" and "intuition," they can give very specific directions for protection and spiritual progress. They refer to us as their hands, feet and voices. Ordinarily they are not seen or heard, but through us they can accomplish things which, for mortals, require a physical body.

There is one more level of developing spiritual gifts. At this next level, we must have eliminated virtually all faults and weaknesses. Then God removes all negative spirits from us except for occasional times when He allows them to test us to see if we will slip under attack. They could return if we make significant slips, but by that time we would have learned much about preventing and/or coping with them. It is very difficult to achieve this level and very few reach it. It means that, with the exception of occasional attacks, we are available as instruments for God at any time. It also means that we are free of temptations and harassment by the negative spirits much of the time. This has been my goal for several years. Because of my aspirations, I have had to be trained and tested in many areas of my life. I have made many mistakes leading to many negative experiences, but I have also had many successes, joys and other rewards in working with God's heavenly spirits.

Having gone through all these lessons has given me much that I can pass on to other people. Not all the problems I discuss will apply to every reader, but some will apply to virtually everyone. Readers will need to decide for themselves what does or does not fit for them.

This book is not intended to be comprehensive. There is more I would like to include but the importance of making this information immediately available outweighs taking longer to add more. I purposely have not included a lot of medical diagnoses because I am not qualified to diagnose a problem as being spiritual vs. medical. Most of what I have included are symptoms and problems in lay terms. On the other hand, as a psychiatric social worker, certified for independent practice, I have regularly diagnosed and treated psychiatric problems. Therefore, I have discussed many of them in greater detail. To ensure confidentiality, I have used my own experiences more than those of others in describing psychospiritual problems and have omitted some major examples completely. When I have given examples of other people, I have either obtained permission or disguised the people by making the descriptions very general or, in some cases, changing the gender.

Appendix A gives steps for learning to perceive the spirit world. Appendix B lists a number of ways to discern between the celestial (higher) and negative (lower) spirits.

I have found communication with God's higher spirits very helpful and rewarding, but not everyone will want to follow this path. There are many ways to progress closer to God. Communication with His higher spirits is not necessary, but it can produce much understanding and joy.

Sharol Cannon, ND, MSW
June 2002

                                                                        Chapter One

                                      My Journey Toward God



This book begins with an explanation of how I arrived at much of the information contained in the following pages. From the time I was a child, I was interested in spiritual matters and I dedicated my life to God at age 11. My early years were in the Presbyterian Church of my parents. As I became older, I was exposed to other Protestant churches through my friends and circumstances, and I participated in some non-denominational religious activities. I was always interested in what the different churches taught. I joined several churches sequentially and eventually ended up in the Roman Catholic Church. I was searching for the true church and every time I changed to a new church I thought I had found it. Each time, however, I became disillusioned. Finally I reached the point at which I knew of nowhere else to look. I stopped going to church altogether and I questioned everything I had been taught. I wasn't even sure there was an afterlife.

Soon thereafter I saw a TV program about someone who took pictures in unoccupied rooms and sometimes when the film was developed, it would show a figure in the room. One of the pictures showed a white, semi- opaque female figure in a long dress. It convinced me that there is a life after death and it was as if I was starting over again in forming my spiritual beliefs. I knew about angels and saints from church and Biblical references, but I hadn't known much about the spirit world in our times, or what is called psychic phenomena. I read a book about the psychic investigator who took the pictures and was amazed at some of the phenomena described. (I no longer recall the name of the book nor the author.) I even had an experience of my own while in a motel room. Having just gone to bed, I felt and saw myself rise up to a sitting position. I saw the furniture in the room, including a lamp. In what seemed like a few seconds, I opened my eyes and found I was lying in bed and I realized I had been asleep. The furniture in the room was as I had seen it while in the sitting position, asleep. This was my first out-of-body experience, but I didn't quite understand it at the time.

In spite of my reading about and experiencing these spiritual phenomena, I was still somewhat skeptical. I am scientifically oriented and I wanted to find some scientific research studies regarding psychic phenomena and life after death. I found a book on psychic research but it hardly touched on life after death. (I don't remember the text or author.) This was before all the studies on near-death experiences came out.

Then a friend heard of my interest and someone she knew gave her a book for me. It was Communication With The Spirit World Of God by Johannes Greber (1932, 2000). It explained many things, including Biblical teachings, but I was skeptical about some of the information. I read that there were spirits from God's realm who come to help us, and that there is a lower spiritual world often called evil, which includes spirits in the earthly and lower realms. The book stressed that it is important to communicate with only the higher spirits.

After I read the book, someone invited me to meet with a group which was using that book as a text. I was somewhat anxious about attending, knowing that one had to be careful about the level of spirits which might manifest, but I went. It was a Christian-oriented meeting, beginning with hymns, prayer and readings from the book I had been given earlier, Communication With The Spirit World Of God and from the New Testament. Then there was a long period of meditation, followed by two or three channeled, God-oriented messages. During the meeting I began having a wonderful, spiritually uplifted feeling.

A number of years before, I had had difficulty answering a question on a psychosocial test, asking whether my life had meaning. I realized that, in spite of my professional career as a registered nurse and psychiatric social worker, there was something missing. Later, as I was thinking about this with concern, something came to my thoughts, from a place in space that seemed to be about two feet away. It indicated that I didn't have the answer then, but that I would someday.

At the meeting referred to above, a channeled message was given, indicating that I had a problem with time (to be discussed in Chapter 4). I had very recently discussed this in a counseling session, but no one at the meeting would have known about the problem. I was told that the spirits at those meetings didn't usually do that (give a personal message, I assume) but that it was being done because of my nature. It certainly eliminated my concerns about validity. As I continued to meditate it was as though an infinite heavenly source had opened up from which I could learn. It was a glorious feeling, and I knew this was the answer I had been told of years before. I have persisted in this direct communication with the spirit world for 27 years and joyfully continue to learn new truths.

Initially I was no more sensitive to the spirit world than an average person, but after I began to understand the spirit realm, I became more aware of it and its manifestations in my life. Now I am highly sensitive to spirit beings and I perceive them with all my senses. My primary gifts are feeling and hearing, but I can also see spiritual beings and objects close at hand. The hearing is usually experienced as a thought that I do not originate. I also hear an audible voice occasionally. This can occur when I am at least partially outside of my body or when the spirit world amplifies the sound.

The information that there are a higher and a lower spirit world was to some extent a confirmation of my Christian teaching. Yet it was different in that I learned that God, who is love, loves all His children and wants them to return to Him. It is possible for lower spirits, even malicious ones, to have a change of heart, just as criminals in the flesh can reform, and God has devised a plan enabling them to do so. It may take a long time, but God has not condemned them to everlasting hell. This belief in an eternal hell is due to a mistranslation in the New Testament of the Greek word for "eon." This word means "an indefinite period of time" but it was changed to "everlasting."

There are many attitudinal levels of lower spirits just as there are many attitudinal levels of mortals on earth, from the most malevolent criminal to the most loving, spiritual person. There are also levels in heaven. (Paul, the apostle, was reportedly taken up to the third heaven [II Cor. 12:2-5 GNT]). Not all lower spirits are malevolent. Many are just like average mortals who have not elevated themselves enough to move into the heavenly spheres.

From our limited perspective, a way of understanding the relationship of the spirit world to God is to think of God as a power, an intelligence, and a personality who creates and sustains all beings, including mortals. His power (His energy) can be thought of as His aura. If this is true, then all beings consist of God's energy. In addition, He has bequeathed intelligence to each of us. We refer to this process as creation. So it can be said that we are part of God, and that all that we are is of God. However, God is more than His creation.

To use an analogy of water (Dyer, 2001), if God were an ocean, we could be drops of water. We would consist of water (God's energy) but would have gone through a process (creation) which resulted in identities as individual drops of water. Although we would be individuals, it could also be said that we are all one, many drops flowing into and from one another. Some would form clouds which would produce rain and snow, then rivers and lakes. We would all form an aquatic system.

To carry the analogy further, we can say that there was a time in history when some of the rivers and lakes wanted to form an alternate aquatic system, with different weather and rules for living in it. They wanted to replace the original system, but that would have disrupted its smooth-flowing natural laws, so they had to establish their system in a separate location, farther away from the ocean. Many followed this alternative system and over time they forgot they were formed from the ocean or had been part of a different system. Most of them lived under the illusion that their system was the only one. This separation of systems is called "dualism."

The rivers and lakes that followed the laws of the original system knew that all is one and that dualism was due only to the formation of a second system. Although most of those who followed the second system were not aware of these things, they knew that their system didn't work very well, but were limited in their knowledge and ability to correct it.

Some of the first system's clouds floated to parts of the outer system. Therefore, the rivers and lakes of the outer system could see the contrast between these clouds and those of their system. They saw their beauty, their gentle rains, their purity and the beneficial effects they have on living things. They then began to look for ways to improve their own system. They were helped more and more by the clouds of the first system until, in recent years, they are gradually seeing beyond the illusion and understand that they are all one with each other, with those of the first system and with the ocean source. More and more, they are giving up trying to do things their own inferior way. Eventually there will be no more dualism.

The original system is what we call heaven. It is more harmonious, more perfect than what we have on earth. Therefore, we think of it as higher than earthly society. I refer to all the beings of the heavenly (celestial) realm as "higher spirits" and all those below that realm as "lower spirits." Lower spirits are the inhabitants of the alternate system. This book is to help those who want to understand more about the two systems, how to discern between their inhabitants, how to live in harmony with God, and how to help others to do so.

When I first began to communicate with the higher spirits, I prayed often for discernment, the ability to tell the difference between higher and lower spirits. God granted my request. He gave me many experiences with the spirits from each level, and with the people they were influencing. I learned to perceive the spirits with all my senses, especially hearing and feeling. God, through His higher spirits, also showed me how to respond to the spirits of different levels. Therefore, most of what I write is based on what I learned from them, from my experiences and those of people I've known, rather than on religious doctrine. This doesn't mean I wasn't influenced by my prior Christian teachings. We all begin in the spiritual beliefs of our parents. The higher spirits manifest to us in ways which are consistent with our beliefs. If they seem to be inconsistent with our beliefs, we reject those manifestations as evil or give some other explanation, such as their being the result of mental illness. Therefore, it is expected that the higher spirits would present themselves to me in the Christian terms to which I was accustomed.

However, there are many of God's truths which are not known nor understood by us. Christ himself is reported to have said that there were many things he could not share when he was on earth, but that when the spirit of truth would come, he would guide "...us into all the truth...." (John 16:13 RSV). If we seek these truths, we will eventually learn things which are beyond our parochial, religious or even metaphysical teachings. Fundamentalist Christians often see truth only through study of the Bible. God does grant them greater understanding as they study, but they limit themselves, and God's revelations to them, because they limit themselves to the Bible. There is much truth in the Bible, but there is also error. For example, it contains inconsistencies in the names of the disciples and in the creation stories. And early in Church history, councils of men decided which books to include in the Bible, leaving out valuable writings such as "The Shepherd of Hermas" which did not agree with the Church's teachings of the day, or which challenged the Church's claim to be the only source of truth.

Alterations in translation were also made to match Church doctrine. For example, information about communication with the higher spirits was suppressed, limiting people to Church teachings. Those who believe in a literal translation of the Bible need to be aware that there are no original manuscripts still in existence, so we don't know for sure what was actually said or written. According to Greber in the Introduction of his translation of the New Testament, even St. Jerome, in about 370 A.D., wrote, "...the existing copies of the original documents were scattered all over the world and no two of them were alike." (GNT, p.9) We are left today with a number of translations with inconsistencies between them; so we have not one, but multiple Bibles. For a detailed explanation of the truth and error in the Bible, see Communication With The Spirit World Of God (Greber 1932, 2000).

In spite of the errors in today's Bibles, it has been revealed by the higher spirits that they still contain enough truth to be of value. Sincere seekers of the truth, whether Christian or not Christian, need and can receive guidance from the higher spirits sent by God, to know truths which would not have been understood in Biblical times but which are relevant to us today. Higher spirits can also help with correct interpretation of the Bibles, or whatever scriptures are followed by a particular religion. Therefore, I quote the Bibles at times in my writing.

Those who follow the myriad of metaphysical teachings may learn through what is called "channeling." This was called "mediumship" in the early 20th century and "prophecy" or "ecstasy" in Biblical times and the early centuries of the Church. In channeling, a person's own spirit moves outside his or her body to some extent and the communicating spirit speaks through the person's vocal apparatus. The advantage of this form of communication is that the listeners can directly hear and speak with the spirit. A person in deep trance is considered to be in a deep sleep, or unconscious, and completely leaves the body so there is no interference with the manifesting spirit. In part trance, the person's spirit is still partially in the body or so nearby that his or her own thoughts may displace those of the communicating spirit. Likewise, the report of a channeler who sees or hears a spirit may contain a mixture of the channeler's words and those of the communicating spirit, accounting for occasional error. Paul reportedly referred to interferences by the channeler in I Cor. 14:32: "...the spirits of the prophets are subject to prophets." (RSV)

Most Christians reject channeling as evil because of the semantics of our current Bibles, which warn against mediums. However, a channel is just like a telephone through which either high or low spirits can communicate. If they understood the phenomenon, they would know that the same process was used with Biblical prophets. They were called "prophets" because they channeled higher spirits, whereas the terms "mediums" and "false prophets" are passed down to us as meaning those who channeled lower spirits.The Witch of Endor, an example of a medium who usually manifested lower spirits, was used in the manifestation of the higher spirit, Samuel, to give a message to Saul (I Sam. 28:7-19 RSV). For further explanation of Biblical prophets as mediums, I refer you to Communication With The Spirit World Of God, (Greber 1932, 2000).

Because a channeler can be used by either higher or lower spirits, it is important that the listener distinguish between them. The Biblical John reportedly referred to this in I John 4:1, when he told the early Christians to test the spirits: "Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to know whether they come from God" (GNT). This verse also shows that communication with higher spirits was practiced and accepted by the early Christians.

Most Christians of today believe we don't need to communicate with spirits, even angelic ones, because we receive what we need from God as the Father, or God as the Holy Ghost. According to the higher spirits, "the Holy Ghost" or "the Holy Spirit" refer either to the Father or to the higher spirit world as a whole.

God the Father is the highest and most sacred spirit. Christ and all the spirits in heaven are high and sacred as being in harmony with God. Therefore, God and all the spirits of heaven are holy spirits. When the term "Holy Spirit" is used to mean the spirit world in general, it's like saying we're going to "the doctor." We don't mean there is only one doctor: we are referring to one of many. When used to mean that quality of God which is present in Christians and gives guidance to each of millions at any given time, the term "Holy Spirit" is a misnomer. This is due to another mistranslation of the Bibles. In the translation from the Greek, the article "the" was substituted for the article "a," so in the original Greek it was "a holy spirit" rather than "the holy spirit." This mistranslation resulted in some major errors in meaning, as shown in later paragraphs. For example, in the RSV of the Bibles, John 1:1 reads, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." The mistranslation led to the doctrine that Christ is equal to the Father, an assertion which, according to the Bibles, Christ himself denied. A correct translation would read, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God; and the Word was a god." -- (GNT) In the apostles' day, the high spirits were referred to as "gods." So the term "Holy Spirit" as reportedly used by Christ and his apostles refers to the higher spirit world in general as we would refer to the doctor or the lawyer.

This makes more sense than the idea that God as a person communicates with myriads of individuals all at the same time. We are sustained by means of His energy and His power, but He delegates involvement in our daily lives to those spirits who are closer to us and to our level of functioning. The same is true of Christ and others of the highest spirits. I am always very skeptical when a channeling spirit claims to be Christ or a very high spirit such as the Archangel Michael or the Archangel Gabriel. The archangels and other very high spirits have vast responsibilities and they, like Christ, delegate authority to the many good but lesser spirits who are more closely involved with our lives. It is not impossible that Christ or the Archangels will communicate directly with us, but it's likely to be for something unusual that will affect mankind in general. On the other hand, as messengers of God, a high spirit may deliver a message as though it is God speaking. Paul is recorded in the Bibles as using the analogy of Christians being the body of Christ. In a similar way, we are all the body, or family, of God. Those close to God may convey messages which are in general from God without thir being verbatim from God.

Another observation is that when people have visions or near-death experiences in which they see a bright being, they identify that being according to their own understanding. The highest spirits give off a bright light, and Christians who haven't had much experience with spirits often believe the being to be Christ. Some people identify it as a particular saint or even God himself. We need to be careful about conclusions regarding the level of spirit based on who it says it is or seems to be. It's better to learn several ways to discern whether it's a higher or lower spirit. Names aren't that important and many higher spirits don't even identify themselves by name.

Most Christians include the doctrine of the "Holy Spirit" as part of the doctrine of the "Holy Trinity." Christ is reported to have told his disciples to go and baptize "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matt. 28:19 RSV). Recognizing the mistranslation of "a" to "the," a more accurate translation would be "in the Father and in the Son and in the holy spirit world." (GNT). The Father is the source of all and the Son is the appointed administrator of God's creation who came to enable our return: the holy, or celestial spirits help prepare us for a higher existence. According to Greber, page 369, the only reference to the Trinity in the Bibles was added to the Vulgate translation sometime in the 15th century. It read, "...and there are three who bear witness in Heaven, the Father, the Word and the Spirit and these three are one" (I John 5:7). Even Catholic theologians considered it to be falsified, so in 1897 the Catholic Index Congregation declared it to be a necessary part of the New Testament and therefore it was to be viewed as having been inspired by the "Holy Ghost." It was left in the Catholic and King James translations, but removed at a later date. Nevertheless, the doctrine of the Trinity remains among most Christian teachings, although without Biblical support.

Paul reportedly wrote about various spiritual gifts and instructed the Corinthians on how to use these gifts at their services. The group which I joined also had people with various gifts, including deep and part trance channelers and those who could see, hear and/or feel the spirits. We also were instructed to test the spirits. The higher spirits always welcomed this testing, but the lower spirits who were allowed to manifest either didn't know how to pass the tests or they would try to avoid answering. Sometimes they would give devious answers, sometimes they would get angry, and sometimes they would just leave. I eventually learned a number of ways to accurately discern between the spirits. (See Appendix B for a list of discernment methods.)

One of the most enlightening things I learned from the Greber text, from the messages in the group and from my personal experiences with the spirits was the role of Christ. In the beginning God (the ocean in my analogy) manifested Himself, creating many individual spirits (drops of water). It was explained that Christ was the first and only being whose spirit (soul) and spiritual body were created directly by God and, therefore, Christ was "the only begotten Son." Christ was the highest and most sacred of the created spirits. The other spirits (souls) were created directly by God, but their spirit bodies were created through Christ and his female partner.

There were six archangels created through Christ and each was given charge over a particular "department" of heaven. Christ is what we would call "the Administrator," and is referred to as "Lord" or "King" in the Bibles. He reportedly referred to himself as a king over a "'kingdom not of this world,'" when talking to Pilate (John 18:36-37 RSV). Paul reportedly referred to him as "Lord," an English translation for "ruler" or "governor" (Ephes.1:3,17 and I Cor. 15:27, 28, 31 RSV). Some of the archangels, and their roles, included Lucifer, the light-bearer; Michael, head of the army; Gabriel, the messenger and Rafael, the teacher.

The archangel, Lucifer, was the one who initiated the movement to form a different system with its own rules. He and his followers rebelled against Christ and the government God had established. God, therefore, sent them to the outer part of creation where they could form their own kingdom. As explained earlier, they found their system didn't function very well. Lucifer, their leader, was authoritarian and oppressive, especially to the weak, and the inhabitants competed and fought with each other. Their waters became polluted, there were problems with growth and reproduction, deserts were formed and there were terrible storms. They were no longer able to remember their previous existence in their former system and many of them became hopeless, seeing no way to escape their condition.

God still loved them and wanted them to return to him. He wanted even the leaders, his children, to return if they would change their attitudes. Under God's direction, Christ sent envoys to show them how to improve and make a life less harsh, but Lucifer would not let his subjects return to the original system. So Christ himself went to the alternate system and, like Moses, told the people about his kingdom and planned to persuade Lucifer to let them go. Lucifer and his loyalists killed Christ, as they had killed many of his envoys. However, since Christ had remained faithful to God to the end, God sent Michael's legions to accompany Christ throughout the lower spheres of existence. There they fought Lucifer and his loyalists until they gave in and agreed to let those who wanted to return to the original system to do so. Lucifer now could no longer keep anyone by force, but Christ allowed him to continue to use deception to try to keep his subjects.

Lucifer's followers had allowed themselves to be deceived by him and they needed to correct this weakness in order to return. Many did correct it during Christ's visit, following him back to the original system where they gradually re-learned to function in the higher realms of existence. Christ's incarnation and victory were a gift to mankind - a gift of grace - but the progress upward must be earned by the effort and works of re-learning.

Christ had indeed sacrificed himself, not in recompense for the sins of mankind, but to win their freedom from the despot, Lucifer. I had previously been taught that only those who accepted Christ in this life could go to heaven and that others would suffer in hell forever. I now learned from the celestial spirits that God in his love would not condemn anyone to eternal suffering. As indicated earlier, this widespread belief in eternal damnation is due to mistranslation and misinterpretation of the Bibles.

Instead, God wants all his children to return to him and be happy. In his wonderful plan of salvation, those of the alternate system will return as they compare their system with what they know of the original one and have a change of heart. They then need to re-learn how to function in God's original, more perfect system. Eventually, the outer (lower) spheres will be emptied until the despot, Lucifer, will have no subjects and even he will be forced to admit that his system didn't work. As his attitude changes, he too, like the prodigal son, will begin the process or returning and re-learning until he is fit to re-enter the system God ordained under Christ. This will be the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy, "For God has put all things in subjection under his (Christ's) feet" (I Cor. 15:27 RSV). See Greber's text for further explanation.

We indeed have to accept Christ as Lord and renounce the leader of the alternate system if we want to live in the system over which Christ is Lord. We affirm that when we pray in Christ's name. However, there are many paths to Christ and God's system. Since God allows the leaders of the alternate system to use deception to keep their subjects from leaving, those leaders make sure there is error as well as truth in every spiritual belief system. A mixture of error and truth makes it easier to mislead people. God, knowing that we are almost constantly exposed to error, views belief systems as only the outer garment, acquired from whatever we are exposed to in life. It is the inner person, the heart, the attitude, that God looks at in judging when a person is ready to be promoted to a higher level. This is why love is so important, why Christ reportedly said of the woman who anointed him with oil that her sins were forgiven, "for she loved much" (Luke 7:47 RSV). If we accept and follow the principles of Christ's kingdom, we are accepting Christ, consciously or unconsciously, whether or not we know his name. Christ reportedly said, "as you did it to one of the least of these, my brethren, you did it to me" (Matt. 25:40 RSV).

The process of re-learning takes a long time. We know this from the difficulties we all have in making changes in our lives, and trying to improve ourselves. Due to our gift of free will, God leaves it to us whether and how fast we want to change. He has provided for us to live as many lifetimes in a physical body as necessary for us to improve. The physical body interferes with remembering past lifetimes, so we can get a fresh start and not have to deal with guilt or hopelessness from the past. We can be born into new circumstances and, from a new perspective, work on characteristics we need to change. There are also spirits from the heavenly kingdom who incarnate, as did Christ, in order to live among us and help us find the way back to God. In spite of living in physical bodies, some people have glimpses of past lives. There is quite a lot of evidence of this for those who want to look for it.

After I had been in the spiritual group for awhile, I began to learn about spiritual healing. Like many people, I had had physical problems much of my life, but I was able to function well in spite of them. When I was six years old I had rheumatic fever, whooping cough and measles all in one year. I was not bedridden, but I missed one year of school. I also had weak ankles and fell frequently. I went into nurses' training, where I had problems of dizziness, developed an ulcer, and discovered I had a congenital spinal deformity for which I wore a brace. Later, in college, I developed allergies and migraine-like headaches.

In our group, I learned about the nature of energy, transfer of energy from one person to another, and how energy is used by the spirit world. As a nurse, I was interested in health and healing aspects of energy. The higher spirits showed us techniques for working with them in facilitating the supply of energy. As we applied these techniques, I, as well as others, began to experience healing of our bodies. I also learned that healing involves more than technique. Attitude and the effort to improve ourselves are of great importance. I further learned how the lower spirits interfere with our health.

I had become a social worker and was working in the psychiatric field, so I was also interested in mental health. I learned a lot about how both the higher and lower spirits influence our mental and emotional health and our social relationships. I gradually learned to work with the higher spirits in psycho-social healing for myself and others. A number of these healing experiences are described in later chapters.

Eventually I learned that we attract spirits to ourselves who are like us. If we have health problems, we attract spirits that have similar problems. This is at least partially due to our thoughts about our problems. The spirits are attracted to our thoughts, our attitudes and our actions. If we are angry or depressed, we attract spirits who are angry or depressed. If we want to be more in harmony with God, we attract higher spirits to help us to be so. The spirits around us intensify our characteristics. They also have minds of their own and once they are with us they influence us in other ways. As an example, if we are critical persons, we may attract critical spirits who give us even more critical thoughts and feelings and also may bring, for instance, allergic reactions or obsessive- compulsive tendencies.

We may ask how a spirit can produce physical symptoms and how they relate to our thoughts and feelings. I will explain it in more detail in a later chapter, but a brief answer is that it is by affecting our electro-magnetic fields, which in turn affects our bodies. They can also condense ethereal substances, which can affect our physical bodies. The same is true of spiritual healing. The higher spirits use one or both of the processes to promote the healing, or they simply remove lower spirits who are producing problems.

Many people are afraid to communicate with spirits, whether because they think only evil spirits communicate with us, or because they don't know how to discern between the spirits and are afraid of opening themselves to evil influence. Most people don't realize we have spirits around us all the time, some higher and some lower. These spirits influence our thoughts, words and actions even though we are not aware of them. Since we are unaware of them, we attribute their influence to something else. For example, we think of lower spirit influence as a medical problem or nervousness or a bad temper. We interpret higher spirit influence as having a good idea or a good day or good luck. Communication with good spirits helps us understand what is actually happening. There is no need to fear. God's higher spirits protect us when we communicate with them, just as they do when we are not communicating with them, as long as we sincerely seek harmony with God and try to use discernment.

On the other hand, it is not necessary to consciously communicate with the spirit world to progress into the heavenly realm. I find communication helpful in my own spiritual growth and understanding, and in helping others, but some people prefer other means of growth. Communicating with God's higher spirits takes effort but the rewards are wonderful and I thank God often for the privilege. However, love, harmony with God, and helping others are more important than the communication.

Finally, there is always more to learn on this journey toward God. I hope that some of what I have learned will be of use to you as you journey.

                                   Chapter Two
Basic Questions Regarding Spiritual Healing

What is spiritual healing?

The term "spiritual healing" as used here means improvement which can be observed in physical, mental and/or emotional well-being and which is not attributable to purely human intervention, but to a higher power, to a person's own spirit or to laws commonly considered spiritual.

Is spiritual healing really effective?

There is an abundance of evidence regarding the effectiveness of spiritual healing, examples of which will be given in this book. Evidence includes that which is fully documented in the literature as well as many undocumented personal experiences. The indications are sometimes discounted by those who blindly reject them. On the other hand, there are those who blindly accept any claim to spiritual healing without evidence or reasoning. Those most likely to recognize genuine spiritual healing are the honest truth seekers.

Is spiritual healing really spiritual or just psychological?

It is both. Our bodies are influenced by our spirits. The more perfect our spirits, the more perfect our bodies. The level of our spiritual perfection is based in general on our attitudes, thoughts and actions. So positive attitudes, thoughts and actions directly improve our spirits and indirectly improve our bodies. This is true even with genetic defects. Negative attitudes, thoughts and actions produce and/or maintain flaws and attract lower spirits. In this sense, healing can be considered to be psychological. The mind, however, is spirit, so the spirit is the source of psychological changes and serves as a template for the body as well. People with positive attitudes often are healthier and heal more readily than the average person. Many people, however, show little or no evidence of physical healing in spite of appearing to be positive. Something more is needed, and spiritual intervention often produces the desired result, including complete healing of illnesses such as cancer and of injuries, such as broken bones.

A spiritual intervention without a positive attitude is not likely to be effective. This is true of other forms of intervention as well, such as use of medication. We need to be open to (have faith in) whatever method is being used to assist our healing for that method to work well. Without faith that a doctor is using an effective treatment, and without hope of improvement, a patient may resist treatment, fail to improve, or revert back to an illness after temporary improvement.

Does medical science provide the answers for healing?

Medical science has contributed much, but there are situations which are beyond the scope of medical science. There are persons who may do very well from a medical perspective but who die unexpectedly. There are also those who are not expected to live but who unexpectedly recover. There are many documented cases of persons for whom it was said nothing more could be done medically, who subsequently recovered through spiritual means.

Scientific instruments are not sufficiently refined to detect and/or assist with some problems which can be detected and eliminated through spiritual means, nor are they able to track some of the processes of spiritual healing. For example, Kirlian photography and measurement of weak electromagnetic fields are relatively recent developments in detecting phenomena which has been perceived for centuries through clairvoyance (spiritual sight) and clairsentience (spiritual feeling). Nevertheless, I don't advocate withholding medical treatment. God is able to use many methods of healing.

Is spiritual healing a natural, understandable phenomenon or is it a miraculous, divine mystery?

It is self-evident that there is order with cause and effect throughout the universe. This implies some form of governing laws. We refer to these laws as natural laws and we only partially understand them. That which we do not understand, we tend to reject, or we consider to be divine mystery. Laws of electricity, for example, would have been incomprehensible to people of Biblical times, so they would have considered electrical phenomena miraculous. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that phenomena we do not understand are inconsistent with the laws of nature. Phenomena which we now consider to be "supernatural" may well be seen as "natural" in ten, twenty or fifty years. However, the existence of natural laws does not imply that there is no Higher Power involved.

It has been said that we cannot conceive of a clock as perfectly geared as our universe without assuming that there is a master clockmaker (Greber 1932, 2000). Many refer to this master clockmaker as "God." If God is the source of these laws they could be called "divine laws." Spiritual healing, then, is based on natural (divine) laws. It is considered miraculous or mysterious only to the extent that we do not understand the laws.

Since there are natural laws we do not understand, revelation is needed, in addition to science and reasoning, to help with our understanding. This applies to other forms of spiritual phenomena as well as to spiritual healing. Christ's sending of "spirits of truth" (John 16:13 GNT), has enabled us to be guided through the centuries according to changes in our understanding of physical, psychological and social phenomena. He did not leave us to be dependent upon writings as our only source of truth because writings which are based on past understandings are subject to human error in copying and translation.

There are various kinds of spiritual revelations in terms of means, accuracy and reliability of source and content. Revelation's accuracy and reliability regarding its source can be discerned in a number of ways, such as its consistency with natural laws and its being informative, versus general information already known, or its sounding technical but without much real meaning. Accurate revelation can help us ask the right questions, understand how phenomena came about and interpret the outcomes.

Who does spiritual healing?

Revelation and our own reasoning have shown that the divine laws include laws of life and death. The beginning of life, the time of death, and to some extent the nature of the death are beyond human control. Even persons who try to take their own lives are sometimes prevented. Revelations have also shown that there are laws regarding the nature and course of one's life.

If God is the source of laws regarding life and death, laws for the maintenance and dissolution of the physical body must be attributed to him also. God is ultimately responsible for all healing, including physical, psychological and spiritual healing. Such healing has been reported by many people.

Responsibility implies authority and means for carrying it out. God, the ultimate authority approves spiritual healing. He also provides the power by which it can be accomplished, in accordance with his laws. "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength" (Isa. 40:29 RSV). God's authorization and healing power are granted or withheld based on our faith, lessons to be learned, timing and purpose to be fulfilled. These are all shown in the Biblical story of a blind man whom Christ healed. We see this in Christ's explanation that the man was born blind "...that the works of God might be made manifest in him" (John 9:1 RSV). There is the implication that the man was born blind at the time of Christ's life so he could be healed by Christ and in this way bring others to God. This man's faith was shown in his obedience to Christ's instruction. The understanding that physical problems can mean a need for lessons to be learned is shown in the disciples' question of who had sinned to cause the man's blindness.

God usually allows the healing process to take place naturally for those who follow his laws. Our bodies are designed to heal themselves. There are times, however, when additional intervention is needed. Health- care practitioners apply laws known on earth, but sometimes human knowledge is not enough.

God has delegated the administration of his kingdom to Christ (I Cor. 15:27, 28 RSV). One branch of Christ's administrative function is the application of God's healing laws. This application is delegated to ministering spirits, also referred to as angels. An example given in the Bibles is the angels who ministered to Christ after his temptation in the wilderness. Such ministering spirits include those celestial spirits who are specialists in chemistry and earthly physicians who have died and progressed into the heavenly realm. They are then assigned to help mortals here on earth. I call them all "higher spirits" because they are all from levels beyond the earth, which we call "heaven."

An example of a physician who became a ministering spirit in heaven is the husband of one of my friends. People in our group periodically reported his being present in situations requiring healing. I personally have had many healings over the years and am aware that an uncle who was a physician is with me and contributes to the maintenance of my health.

At times, God, through Christ, authorizes the ministering spirits to use mortals as instruments of healing both by guiding us and by physically manifesting through us. We serve as instruments in healing ourselves as well as others.

Energy can be transferred through laying on hands or through other forms of close proximity between people, such as hugging. Energy can also be directed by the mind. An example is cancer patients using visualization of white corpuscles eating cancer cells. In my own healing I have found benefit in visualizing unhealthy tissue (such as with a sore throat) being removed and layers of healthy tissue replacing it. I have also directed healing energy from one part of my body to another by concentrating on the direction of the flow. For instance, I have mentally directed energy through my hand to a sprained ankle.

Mortals can also be used as instruments for spiritual, or "psychic," surgery. This has been done and documented in the Philippines, Mexico and Brazil. A friend of mine also indicates it's being done in the United States. If this intervention is done with God's authorization, the patient's skin may be opened with an ordinary knife, or even with energy directed through a psychic surgeon's hands. No anesthesia or sterilization is used, but the patient feels no pain and there is no infection.

Mortals are also often used for communications in spiritual healing. They may be directed by higher spirits to communicate that a healing is being done or has been done for someone. The mortals may also be directed to give advice which is communicated from a higher source. There are several examples of the giving of advice. One is the information given by Edgar Cayce regarding health problems. A second example is that some counselors receive inspiration, a feeling and/or a visual image which is of assistance to one who needs counseling. A third example is the exorcism or deliverance of a person influenced by spirits of a lower or "evil" nature. An exorcist or deliverer may be helped by a higher spirit to remove such a spirit from a person. In the process, there may be communications to the lower spirits, to the person being delivered and/or to other persons present.

Another way in which mortals can serve as instruments in healing is that practitioners of either traditional or nontraditional medical treatment may be guided by the ministering spirits. I was in the hospital after an auto accident and had a surgical repair of my diaphragm. One night about 10 p.m., I was having muscle spasms in my back. I asked for a muscle relaxant but the nurse told me there was no physician's order for it. I knew nursing staff did not like to call a doctor at night unless there were a serious problem, but about 10 minutes later the nurse returned with a muscle relaxant. She reported that when she had gone back to the nurses' station, my doctor called about another patient and she asked about my request at the same time. This is but one example of many that people have during their lives in which events, persons and timing all fit together perfectly in response to a need.

Other considerations.

Spiritual healing should not be used in all cases. The possibility of spiritual healing should be approached by both the healing instruments and the potential recipients with prayer, faith in God's power and a sincere desire that God's will be done. Guidance will then be given in some way as to whether, when and how to proceed. 


Spiritual healing may not be instantaneous. God expects some effort on our part. This may involve, for example, allowing some of our natural healing processes to work, or overcoming habits which may have contributed to the problem in the first place. Examples of such habits are smoking, overeating, eating too much junk food and/or use of certain drugs. Also, some types of healing may take more time, e.g., elimination of toxins.

The improvement from spiritual healing may not be permanent. The conditions which contributed to the original problem may contribute to its return, such as lifestyle, attitude, habits, stress and strain. Persistent effort, however, will eventually enable one to overcome the problem. In my observation and experience, it has taken three to six months of demonstrating a change of habits before a permanent healing can be given. In the process of changing our habits, we gain spiritually.

Chapter Three
 

Spiritual Healing of the Physical Body
 

The Need for More Energy by All or Part of the Body


The Production of Energy.

Inadequate energy often manifests itself as fatigue and/or weakness. Energy is produced in the body by electrical stimulation through the nervous system and by breakdown of chemicals.

Electrical stimulation can come from our own spirits or from outside sources. The body is said to have its own generators, such as the nodes which stimulate the heart beat. However, the generation actually comes from our own spirits and stops when the spirit leaves the body in death. The heartbeat often stops during near-death experiences, but brain waves continue from the spirit through a spiritual cord which remains attached to the body. This cord can be seen by clairvoyants and is referred to in the Bibles as the silver cord (Eccl. 12:6). It breaks at death and all electrical activity in the body ceases.

Lack of enough electrical stimulation can be from insufficient current or damage to the nervous system. When our spirits are not supplying enough current, as could occur with negative emotions such as depression or feeling overwhelmed by pain and suffering, our bodies feel depleted of energy. If the nervous system is damaged, it does not carry the current, or an adequate supply of it, to parts of our bodies. It is like a damaged wire that does not provide an electrical current, or enough of it, to supply energy to our homes. In some forms of nervous system damage, messages sent by the mind through the brain are unable to reach or impart activity to a limb or organ of the body. Damage can be brought about by injury and/or by lower spirits.

Breakdown of chemicals results from the body's conversion of food, water and air into minute subatomic particles (matter) which become substances the body needs. Those which the body does not need are released via secretions, exhalation, elimination, and radiation through the skin and mucous membranes. The subatomic particles radiated through the skin, together with the electrical current we produce, form the electromagnetic energy field sometimes called the aura (or halo). Radiations from the earth and from living beings on the earth also contribute and, in some cases, detract from our electromagnetic fields.

There are two forms of chemical substance: physical and spiritual (ethereal). Spirits, including our own spirits, consist of this ethereal matter. Our bodies consist of much denser matter. It's similar to steam as compared to ice and water. Our spirit senses are hindered by our dense bodies, so we are unable to see spiritual matter. However, when our spirits separate at least to some degree from our bodies, we can perceive the spiritual realm. People who have had near-death experiences often report having seen spirit beings when their own spirits were out of their bodies. Persons who have had amputations report having seen their spirit limbs when they were out of their physical bodies, because these limbs remain even though the physical limb is gone. Clairvoyants have some degree of separation between their spirits and their bodies which enables them to see the spirit realm as well. The same is true of many people when they are first going to sleep or first waking up.

Our spirits radiate spiritual matter (substance) and our bodies radiate physical matter. Our auras, the electromagnetic fields, consist of both kinds of matter. Therefore, even though spirits are not affected by physical substance (such as a wall), they can be affected by and influence the spiritual matter in our auras. Since our physical matter is bound to our spiritual substance, the spirits can manipulate (affect) the combined substances. They even can dissolve the solid matter of our bodies, modify it and apply or reintroduce it back into our bodies to promote healing. They also can use it to form visual images. When lower spirits have access to the combined substances of our electromagnetic fields, they can use it to bring about harm, such as symptoms of physical illness.

Most of us mortals can vaguely perceive spirit beings, especially in our thoughts and our physical and emotional feelings. However, we usually interpret what we perceive as our own thoughts and feelings. Some people have naturally greater sensitivity through the electromagnetic field than others, but the sensitivity can be developed by most, or all.

The first time I became aware that negative spirits can produce physical symptoms was when an allergy-producing spirit was removed from me. I had had nasal allergies for years and took medication for them. One day I was baking bread for a spiritual project and was experiencing allergy symptoms, in spite of taking medication. It was especially difficult to prepare the dough, and I became frustrated and upset. Finally I decided I was not going to let it prevent me from doing the project. I just ignored the allergy symptoms as much as I could, and focused on the bread-making. Later I was told by the higher spirits that a spirit who produced the symptoms had been removed. This was apparently in response to my determination and rising above the negative thoughts and feelings. I was free from allergies for several years and no longer needed medication.

Insufficient supply of chemical substance comes from an inadequate amount reaching the body cells, or from excessive loss. We may have an insufficient supply when there is an inadequate amount of food, water and/or air. Food is the fuel. Water is needed to store the energy in our cells, and air provides the oxygen to release the energy into our tissues. Climbers become more fatigued, for example, in high altitudes where there is a low level of oxygen. People often become fatigued in polluted air.

Another cause of insufficient supply of chemical substance is imbalance, disruption or deterioration of the vital processes. These factors can be brought about by drugs, disease, injury, and even position or immobility of the body. The blood can be contaminated by certain drugs or disease so the body does not receive the pure substance it needs, causing a chemical imbalance, and possible deterioration. Even excessive amounts of substances which are ordinarily beneficial can cause imbalance and be considered toxic. Sitting and/or lying in one position for long periods of time cause pooling of the blood so there is an imbalance in the supply of nutrients to various parts of the body. Inadequate movement reduces both electrical stimulation and circulation causing weakness and reduced functioning.


A cause of excessive loss of chemical substance is overexertion. Another is loss through systems of elimination such as kidneys, or perspiration. A common example is that of persons who lose fluids and minerals through perspiration in summer heat. They often must drink fluids with minerals added to replace the loss. Another example of loss through elimination is of persons who take diuretics to help eliminate excessive fluid in the body through the kidneys. They often lose too much potassium in the process and must replace it with a supplement.

Chemical substance can be lost through close contact with persons who have an insufficient supply, such as the sick or some elderly persons. This loss occurs usually with prolonged contact, but at times it can occur very quickly. Substance flows from the person who has more into the person who has less, as when a mother holds a sick child close to her. Her energy flows into the sick child resulting in the child's feeling better and becoming calm.

Loss of energy is a very common symptom of lower spirit influence. The more a spirit is in harmony with God, the more he or she shares in God's power. Therefore, the higher spirits have more energy than the lower ones. This energy is seen as light by those who see the spirit realm. People in near-death experiences describe the light and heavenly beings as "bright" or "brilliant." In contrast, the lowest spirits appear black due to their low energy (light). Between the extremes are many shades of gray. These are the shades of most human-level spirits, including our own. The term "shade" is even used at times to mean a spirit. Because lower spirits are so lacking in energy, when they are in close proximity to us they take chemical substances from our electromagnetic fields, and may even dissolve and extract it from our bodies. The lower the spirits, the more they take. This may occur simply by osmosis, or they may take it intentionally. Either way we feel depleted, often for no reason we can identify.

Since the higher spirits purify our chemical substance and return it, a person who channels higher spirits feels better and more invigorated than he/she did before the channeling. Since the lower spirits consist of a lower quality of substance and do not return what they take from us, a person who channels lower spirits usually feels tired and depleted after channeling. He/she can generate more energy with rest, but over time he/she feels more and more depleted. This is one of several reasons we should not channel, or even communicate with lower spirits.

Kirlian photography is done with an electronic camera which shows the field of energy around people, plants, animals, and objects. It can also show the radiation and interaction of energy between two people. It shows the flow from the one who is strong and energetic into the one who has less energy until there is a balance between them. We must be cautious about losing too much energy to others. Persons involved in doing spiritual healing should always do so with the highest motives and pray for guidance before offering healing. It may not be God's will that a person be healed. He or she might, for example, have lessons to learn through the infirmity, or the timing might not be right. It may need to occur in conjunction with other events. A person who attempts healing without God's sanction risks having his/her own energy depleted without its being replenished by God.

Persons working in the health field and similar services, however, receive added protection and replenishment of their energy from God through the ministering spirits because of the nature of their work.

Spiritual Means of Healing Inadequate Energy. >
Means of healing inadequate energy spiritually include increasing electrical stimulation plus decreasing loss, and increasing supply of chemical substance.

Increase of electrical stimulation can be accomplished in several ways. One way, of course, is by applying electrical current through electrodes. Science is just beginning to use this with paralyzed persons. This can also be accomplished to some extent by will-power. Persons in great danger, such as in a fire, can sometimes use will-power to overcome their paralysis sufficiently to use their limbs, at least temporarily. Persons who are told they will never walk again sometimes learn to walk through determination and hard work in therapy.

Another way to increase electrical stimulation is by imagining it. A friend of mine was told by a physical therapist to imagine a current going through a joint after its replacement, to stimulate the healing. The joint did heal quickly.

Electrical current may also be applied by the higher spirits. People sometimes report an electrical sensation going through their bodies. This can be felt as tingling or sparks. When I use my hand or hands to transfer energy to an injured area, I sometimes feel a current of energy enter the back of my hand, increasing the amount and strength of the energy transferred. The extra current is supplied by the higher spirits.

A few years ago, I had been having a rapid heartbeat and one night, during my meditation, I felt an urge to place my hand over my heart in a certain position with my fingers spread in a certain way. I felt a tingling in them, and I later noticed I was no longer having a rapid pulse. It has remained steady at about 80 beats per minute since then. (Note that the healing process in examples used here is not necessarily limited to the category being discussed. For example, I'm sure that the above healing involved more than electrical stimulation, but the example is used here because electrical stimulation was such a major part of the healing.)

Electrical stimulation can also be applied by the spirit world without the use of our hands. An example is the healing of one of my ribs, which was done by the higher spirits. It felt like a tingling sensation moving across the two ends of the bone. The overall healing process is described later in this chapter.

Lower spirits can also use electrical current. They produce discomfort, compared to the comfortable, energizing effect of higher spirits. Lower spirits' electrical influence becomes most apparent to me with nasal allergies, which they are again allowed to stimulate at times for two main purposes. First they use them to cause discomfort and, more importantly, the allergic reactions serve as feedback to let me know I need to improve in some specific area to be more in harmony with God. Usually the lower spirits just use substances like pollens. However, I have sometimes felt an irritating sensation, as if it is applied to a small nerve in my nose, and which immediately produces nasal drainage.

Decreasing loss and increasing supply of chemical substances can be accomplished by improvements in attitude, diet, exercise, environment, and by participation in only those spirtual activities which are in harmony with God.

Excessive loss can occur by participation in "healings" and/or by channeling not approved by God. Without God's sanction, a person opens himself or herself to lower spirits who drain his/her energy and don't return it. With God's sanction, higher spirits protect the person and return energy in a more purified state than before. Therefore, it's important to pray and listen for guidance before participating in spiritual activities.

Loss also occurs with excessive dieting and/or other ways of depriving the body of needed nutrients, such as excessive drinking of alcohol and/or eating of junk food. Use of certain drugs also can interfere with nutrition and attract lower spirits. A healthy diet contributes toward good health and attracts the help of the higher spirits when needed.

Air pollution can also interfere with the body's supply of chemical substances. Loss is often very gradual. Oxygen is important in the breakdown of chemicals for energy. It is given in medical practice to people who aren't getting enough oxygen from the air. An average person can increase his/her oxygen by cracking a window open in the home or in the car.

Plenty of fresh water is important for the body to eliminate waste and toxins, to utilize nutrients, and to store energy in our cells. A bowl of fresh water in the room is used by the higher spirits to collect pollutants from the air, especially during meditation.

I want to note that there are several techniques that are taught as methods of spiritual healing. I have found that the higher spirits can work through most of them, but they do not limit themselves to any one of them. It's not the technique, but the spirits involved with the healing, that is important. I have had many healings which the spirits have brought about without any technique being used by mortals. The most important thing on our part is a positive attitude, including faith and belief. However, we can contribute even further with techniques.

An example of healing without a technique is the healing of my wrists. Since childhood, I had never been able to as much as squeeze the water out of a wash cloth with one hand without experiencing sharp pain in my wrist. A few years ago, I suddenly noticed while doing it that there was no more pain.

Lesser-known means of increasing substance is by building it ourselves within our bodies and by transferring dissolved substance directly into our bodies. A general technique which I use for building energy within the body is the forming of a circle with my hands while concentrating and breathing deeply. This can be done alone or with others. Forming of a circle creates a closed circuit for the flow of energy. It is especially helpful when the palms are held together. If I am alone, I can clasp my own hands so that a circle is formed with my arms and body. This helps contain the energy within my body, rather than its being dissipated into the air. Since most people are right-handed, the energy flows naturally from left to right. It also flows down due to gravity, so it helps to put the right palm down and the left palm up.

Deep breathing supplies oxygen to help break down the chemicals in our bodies. We can increase the energy even further by concentrating and visualizing its going around the circle. People often feel a pulsating in their palms, and sometimes heat or coolness. The pulsation becomes stronger as the energy builds. After ten or fifteen minutes, the pulse weakens and the palms cool. At this point the spirits are collecting the energy to use it for healing and/or other purposes, such as our protection and guidance. A sensation of tingling or sparking is sometimes felt with the flow of energy, or it may be a sign the spirits have finished gathering it.

Transfer of dissolved substance directly into or within our bodies can be done by one or several of four methods. The spirit world can be involved with any of them.

The first method is transfer from one person to another. All healthy persons give off dissolved substance which we call energy, the aura or an electromagnetic field. It can be transferred by osmosis from the person with the most energy to the one with less by "laying-on-of-hands," or some other form of touching. The amount transferred can be increased by relaxed concentration or by willing its movement. An example of this kind of transfer occurred when I was in the hospital after an auto accident. I had a ruptured diaphragm and a collapsed lung, which were repaired through chest surgery. The next day I was visited by a spiritually-sensitive couple who were friends of mine. As they entered the room, the husband indicated I had very little energy. He held my hand on one side and his wife's on the other. I could feel a strong flow of energy move up my right arm into my chest and down my left arm, then spread through my abdominal area and finally down my legs. His wife began to feel depleted and had to sit down while her energy was rebuilding. I felt much better and was able to visit with them afterward.

A second means of transferring dissolved substance is transfer from one part of the body to another. The body does this naturally, as when white blood cells travel to an injury where it can fight infection. We can help release energy from strong muscles such as the thighs and buttocks by tightening, then releasing them. Stretching is an overall form of this. The spirit world can then gather the released energy to enhance the area that needs it. We also can facilitate the transfer by placing one or both palms over the area in need. Another method is to place one hand on the area of release and the other on the area of destination. This forms a circuit for the flow of energy.

The third spirtual method by which dissolved substance can be introduced directly into the body is by its transfer from plants, gems, precious metals and fabrics. People often feel better when walking or camping in the forest. There are undoubtedly other factors involved, such as fresh air or mental diversion from daily activities, as well as energy being contributed by the trees and natural landscape.

A friend of mine was hiking in the desert and became exhausted. He reported having instinctively curled himself around an acacia bush. He went to sleep and awakened refreshed. (Acacia is one of the purest sources of energy among plants.)

It is well-known that in certain geographical areas, where the earth is rich in minerals and without excessive contamination, increased energy can be felt. These areas are sometimes called "vortexes."

The fourth spiritual method by which dissolved substance can be introduced directly into the body is by its being given from the higher spirits. Substances are dissolved and gathered by the spirits from sources such as food, plants and precious minerals, and/or from other mortals, then given to a person in need and recondensed in that person's body. We can provide these sources for the spirits to use by laying them out on a table. The early Israelites were directed to provide some of these sources for the temple. They should be as pure as possible. Sources such as frankincense are mentioned in the Bibles (Ex.30:23-25 and 34-36 RSV). These energy sources should be laid out only at times when they will be used, e.g., for meditation or a healing service when protection is provided by the higher spirits. The lower spirits like to use them too and will steal the energy from these sources if they are available when unprotected. The lower spirits can also use impure substances because their own energy is impure.

An example of dissolved substance being introduced into the body by the spirits is of a friend of mine who was terminally ill and lived for weeks without food. Another example is the one mentioned earlier when my friends visited me and provided energy after chest surgery. The husband reported to me later what had happened to him about the time of my accident. He was working across town, perhaps 30 or 40 miles away, when he suddenly felt such a drain of energy that he lay down on the floor of his office. His energy was taken by the higher spirits to sustain me. Because it was taken by the higher spirits, purified energy was returned to him.

Need for Removal of Harmful Substances from the Body


Types of Substances.

Substances which may need to be removed from the body include toxins, tumors, and diseased and dead tissue. These can result from intake of substances such as bacteria, viruses, and chemicals such as pesticides. They also can be from imbalance and/or blockages in our bodies. They can occur as a natural part of living and/or from lower spirits.

Means of Removing Harmful Substances.

Spiritual means of removal include purposeful imaging, "psychic surgery" and dissolving and extraction of substances. There is also evidence that spiritual lasers are sometimes used. Clairvoyants have reported seeing a green light during "psychic surgeries." (The color green is often associated with healing.)

Purposeful imaging is recognized by many in cancer treatment. Persons with cancer can improve their condition by visualizing their white corpuscles or chemotherapy drugs destroying the cancer cells. In the original research on imaging, patients were taught to imagine their white blood cells as Pac Men (from the video game) eating the cancer cells. The technique of imaging can be used in other ways as well. For instance, I have sometimes imaged diseased or dead tissue moving out of an area and being removed by the ministering spirits as dissolved substance. This is a good method to use with sinus infections and sore throats.

Psychic surgery has been investigated and documented in the Philippines, Brazil and Mexico. The psychic surgeon may use an instrument such as a jackknife, or maybe just his or her hand to open the skin, take out a tumor, diseased or dead tissue, or make repairs, and close the skin by a stroke of his or her hand. If the ministering spirits are working through the surgeon with God's approval, there are no pain, infection or scar, even though no special sanitation is used. If not done with the higher spirits, there are bad results such as infection and pain. Some people believe that if there are ever any bad results it means all psychic surgery, or all such surgeries by a particular surgeon are of evil, or fraudulent. This is not accurate. It is a matter of discerning the spirits involved, based on God's authorization in particular cases. There may be instances in which the person seeking healing has a negative attitude, such as not believing, or trying to disprove the phenomenon. In these cases the higher spirits withdraw and lower spirits take their place. It is important to ask for God's guidance before offering or seeking psychic surgery, or any other kind of spiritual healing. It is also possible, but not probable, that a healer may admit a lower spirit on occasion, due to temporary lowering of his concentration or attitude, but the vast majority of time does the healing in harmony with God. However, if this happens very often, he will lose his gift. The same is true of channelers. Some of these healers or channelers then resort to fraud to conceal the loss of their gifts.

Dissolving and extraction of substance is being used in the medical field. Examples are the dissolving of gallstones or kidney stones into liquid by the use of ultrasound. The substance is then excreted through the elimination system.

In spiritual healing, the substance is dissolved into an ethereal state and removed by the ministering spirits. The most obvious example of removal through spiritual healing is the disappearance of tumors. There are many well-documented examples of this. Several years ago I found a small lump in my breast. Then I discovered over time it was getting smaller and it eventually disappeared. This type of "spontaneous disappearance" was not unusual for me and has occurred with a number of physical problems without use of any special healing technique. It can be assisted, however, by laying-on-of-hands, avoidance of substances which would aggravate the problem, use of substances which help maintain health, by healthful activities and, most importantly, elimination of negative attitudes and behavior.

Need for Addition of Specific Substances to the Body


Types of Substances.

Substances which may be needed by the body include biochemicals, drugs and healthy tissue. This category is different from that of substances needed for energy in general. The substances in this category are used as remedies for particular disorders.

Means of Healing.

Means of adding needed substances include purposeful imaging and transfer of substances according to particular needs of the body.

Purposeful imaging can be used, for example, to help form new tissue. The specific concentration enables the higher spirits to intervene and produce the healing. I indicated earlier how I have assisted in removal of harmful substances from my sore throat by placing my hand over my throat and visualizing the bacteria and sore tissue being pushed to the surface and removed. I have also assisted in the addition of needed substance by visualizing new, healthy tissue being formed in its place. This method has been quite effective for me.

Addition of specific substances from other physical sources is frequently used by both mortals and the spirit world. These sources may, for example, be vitamins, minerals, enzymes, or medicinal substances such as anesthetics or antibiotics. They are derived from plants, animals, other humans, food, minerals, and medicines. Mortals often use these in the form of drugs and herbs. The spirit world often advises us in the use of substances we need. It may be through medical doctors, herbalists, other health practitioners, or through mass media. Those who can consciously receive messages from the spirit world may be guided in that way to use substances specific to their needs.

The higher spirits often provide substances directly in a dissolved state. They may dissolve and extract them from other humans or objects in the environment and introduce them into our bodies through the skin. They may purify or otherwise prepare the substances for us in the process. When we use the technique of laying-on-of-hands, the healer and/or the person to be healed may feel heat in the area of the hands, then coolness. The heat is caused by the spirits' dissolving the substance to be extracted and the coolness is their applying cold to condense it back into a liquid, solid, or semi-solid state such as in new tissue. This process is a form of de-materialization and re-materialization.

Lower spirits can use this process, too. I sometimes perceive their introducing a foul odor or even a taste in response to my use of excessive seasoning. For example, I sometimes feel a gaseous, moldy-tasting substance enter my mouth when I'm eating. It is there for a bite or two, then it dissipates and the food tastes fine after that. Sometimes there is a sour or bitter taste: then it goes back to normal and vice versa. (Higher spirits can improve the taste of food.) I can also feel lower spirits introducing gas into my abdomen at times, making me feel bloated.

In addition to bringing about unpleasant experiences, the lower spirits also contribute to health problems. They often set up the problems in the first place and bring about relapses. They sometimes do it just as an attack, but often it is in response to our own poor health practices. God allows it that we may learn to seek a higher level of health. The lower spirits also can lead us to extremes regarding health practices, such as undergoing unnecessary or excessively expensive procedures, and erroneous or even fradulent treatments.

Returning to the subject of healing, if a substance is inhaled, or passes from one body to another by osmosis, it may be transported within the body to the area or areas where it's needed. This may be through a natural process only, or effected by the ministering spirits. I have been able to get rid of a headache, for example, by inhaling myrrh. Sometimes, if oils or perhaps fruits, are lying on a table a distance away from us, the spirits can bring the different scents to different people in the room. It may be to demonstrate that they transfer the substances, to encourage persons to use a particular substance or to show that different substances are being used for healing.

 
As indicated earlier, if a substance has been extracted from a living source by the good spirits, the source from which it was drawn is replenished with substance in a more purified state. This leaves the donor feeling energized. If substance (or energy) is drawn by lower spirits, the donor feels depleted. This may occur immediately and/or over time.

Several members of a meditation group I was in saw examples of dissolution and extraction of specific liquid substances. We had added water to powders such as frankincense and myrrh and place the resulting "teas" on a table. At the end of one meeting, some of the bowls were partially empty and some were not.

Another example is of a friend who went into meditation with a bowl of oil nearby. At the end of the meditation the bowl was empty, except for a ring around the top where the oil had been.

A third example is one in which I placed three full or nearly-full bottles of frankincense oil on a table before a meditation meeting. After the meeting one bottle was only about a quarter full. Another bottle was about two-thirds full, and the third bottle was still completely full.

An instance of a specific substance being dissolved then inhaled is an account given by a friend. She reports that during a meditation with one other person, the air of the room was filled with the odor of asafoetida (a substance with a sulfur-like odor). It had been prepared as a tea. At times during the meditation the odor was very strong to her, but the other person didn't smell it at all. After the meditation they noticed that almost all the asafoetida was gone. There were only about one-and-a-half teaspoonfuls which remained in the bottom of the dish. My friend held the dish close to her face and began breathing deeply. Her eyelids closed and she experienced it as a wonderful odor. After about ten minutes she opened her eyes and saw that all of the asafoetida was gone, except for a thin film of gummy matter. She had been having intermittent inflammation of her eyes for some weeks and now she was guided to dip her finger into the dish, then touch her eyelids. After a moment they began to sting. She asked whether she should wash it off or put something on to counteract it but was guided to leave it alone. About fifteen minutes later the stinging was gone and, as she recalls, the inflammation was gone too and did not return.

According to the dictionary, asafoetida is used in medicine as an anti-spasmodic. My friend had been trying to overcome a phobia, and she was given an understanding that one of the effects of asafoetida was to impart courage and dispel fear. One of the physiological symptoms of fear is tension, tightening of the muscles. She did overcome her phobia, and the asafoetida would have helped prevent the muscle-tightening which accompanies fear.

I want to point out that sometimes healing is instantaneous and permanent. At other times it takes place gradually and it may or may not be permanent. We are expected to do our part, and we need to maintain good mental and physical health practices or a problem will return. Christ is reported to have told a man he healed, "Sin no more that nothing worse befall you" (John 5:14 RSV). (In other words, don't bring on the problem again.) Doing our part may also mean giving our bodies time to contribute to a healing, like utilizing the minerals we take to help fill in a bone. We may also need to do our part by going to health practitioners. God can work in this way as well. He often provides healing both through a mortal practitioner and directly through the higher spirits.

I discovered from a bone density screening test that I had osteoporosis and I was given prescribed medication. Each time I have a follow-up test for bone density, the report indicates that I have improved more than would be expected for the medication I'm taking.

Another example of spiritual healing done in conjunction with a health practitioner is the healing of a tooth abscess. I had been having a toothache for several days and it was becoming more intense. One night it was so painful I couldn't sleep. I prayed and put my hand over my jaw to increase the energy to it. I then felt a bubbly sensation enter my jaw and move across it. As it moved, the pain disappeared with it and I was able to fall asleep. In the morning my jaw was swollen across the whole side of my face, but I felt no pain. I was guided to go to the dentist, and he referred me to an oral surgeon who indicated that it was the worst abscess he had ever seen. He started me on antibiotics, which usually take three days to show their effects unless they are given in a very large dose. Within twenty-four hours the swelling was almost gone and the pain did not recur. I then had a root canal done.

I recently had another tooth abscess healed without any intervention by a practitioner. X rays showed a small abscess. I decided to have the tooth pulled and the dentist told me I could wait a little while. I had also been having some problems with my gums and the higher spirits were guiding me in caring for them. They indicated they would do some healing but that I would have to do my part. I followed their guidance for proper care and returned to the dentist about two months later. The dental hygienist told me my gums were much better and X rays showed no abscess.

An example of healing over time is that of a friend with a crushed bone in her wrist. This had been shown in X rays and she reported that her hand and wrist were very painful. She had been told that the crushed bone, the navicular, does not heal in 85% of such breaks. She was given several healing sessions with laying-on-of-hands and sending of energy from several inches away. Each session her wrist showed improvement. In a few weeks there were no more symptoms and X rays showed the crushed area was filled in with bone.

I recently had a similar healing over time with arthritis in four of my fingers and one thumb. It began with a thumb injury and developed over one-and-a-half years. I had a partial healing during a group meditation, but I continued to strain it and the arthritis returned. Recently, during three successive private meditations, I was guided to clasp my hands together for about 45 minutes each session. The pain and stiffness decreased and after the third session my thumb was virtually normal and my fingers were partially healed. The only time I feel soreness in my thumb now is when I strain it.

There are many possible reasons for the particular process, and permanent or temporary spiritual healing, for any individual. God, through His higher spirits, helps us in the ways which are best for us spiritually, as well as physically, so we need to seek and follow our guidance as well as we can. This may mean following general guidelines provided to us through health education and/or through spiritual guidance specifically for us.

The Need for Structural Corrections in the Body

Structural problems include spinal curvature, joint erosion, fractures, and some forms of damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments and/or blood vessels. All of these problems can be healed by dissolving and removing damaged tissues, and by introducing and building new tissue into the body. There are examples of whole bodies being dissolved (dematerialized) and re-materialized in another location (Greber pp. 239-240 and Acts 8:39-40). This, however, is rarely done.

Body parts can also be removed and new tissue formed in its place. Some of the previous examples illustrate this process. I periodically have pain in my knee joints which develops with strain. I was advised by the higher spirits to walk, rather than to jog, because jogging was injuring one of my knee joints. One or the other of my knee joints has been healed to the point of removing the pain on several occasions. I have to do my part, however, by avoiding strain as much as possible.

I have had a lifelong curvature of the spine and the higher spirits told me that if I would do a certain exercise regularly, they would tighten the muscles, enabling at least some straightening of the curve. They also reminded me several times to improve my posture. I did the exercise fairly faithfully but I have been negligent about improving my posture. I still have the curve, but over several years it has improved some.

An elderly friend developed a dementia and became more and more feeble. Her neck muscles became so weak that she was unable to lift her head. Her chin lay constantly on her chest when she was sitting or standing, so it was hard for her to see ahead and she appeared to be very uncomfortable. The doctor reportedly indicated nothing could be done to correct her condition. A few weeks later when I visited her, her head was up and she was moving it normally. I asked the higher spirits about it and they indicated they had tightened the neck muscles. She had been a very positive, spiritual person.

Another example of structural healing was the realignment of my fractured rib bone. (See the last example in this chapter.) With this healing the spirits moved my body in such a way as to manipulate the ends of the bones until they were lined up.

Although the higher spirits can heal structural problems, they may guide us to go to the doctor. I was told of a man who asked for healing of a dental problem. It was explained to him that he should go to a dentist because so much physical substance would be required for the ministering spirits to heal it that they would rather have a dentist repair the tooth. This is because the spirits have to draw on substances from earthly sources to heal us and the amount of substance needed to condense to the hardness of a tooth could better be used for other things. In such a case it would be more efficient for us to use the dental resources we have available and for the spirits just to guide the dentist in his treatment. The same would be true of physicians and medical facilities.

 

Chapter Four

Spiritual Healing of Psychological-Spiritual Problems

Definition and Identification of "Psychological" and "Spiritual"


The term "psychological" refers to the mind and its effects on a person, on his or her emotions and behavior. Those who treat or counsel regarding psychological problems include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and members of several professions called "therapists," or "counselors." In this chapter, I use the generic term "counselor" to refer to all of these professionals. The spirit is the non-material, immortal part of oneself. We cannot clearly separate the psychological from the spiritual. The mind is usually associated with the physical brain. However, the thinking brain is of the spirit, not the body. In near-death experience, the person is temporarily outside of his/her body. It is the person as a spirit which is experiencing, thinking and acting. The body is just lying there, often with few, if any, signs of life. When in the body, the spirit must work through the body. Therefore, the mind of a person's spirit activates a person's physical brain. However, the mind may be limited by damage or deterioration of the physical brain.

If the mind is of the spirit, then both "spiritual" and "psychological" refer to the functioning of the spirit. How, then, do we differentiate between the spiritual and the psychological? In many ways we don't. With both we use similar goals of growth toward our highest potential. We use many of the same concepts and terminology with both. Such concepts and their terms include "awareness," "insight," "life perspective," "philosophy of life," "consciousness," "subconscious memories" and "intuition."

Many of the same methods for attaining personal growth and healing are used with both perspectives, methods such as dream analysis, insight-oriented therapy, art, music, meditation, hypnosis and use of certain medications/drugs.

In addition to similarities between the two orientations, there is much overlapping. Persons who are working on a psychological problem, for example, may use goals, methods and/or terminology more commonly used for spiritual growth. They may learn to control anger or addiction through participation in a spiritual retreat or in a charismatic group.

It should be pointed out that though there are many similarities between the two perspectives, there is much variation within each of them. Therefore, the above similarities may not apply entirely to one or the other orientation.

In spite of the similarities and overlapping of what is seen as psychological and as spiritual, some differentiation is commonly made by the subject matter. The term "psychology" has traditionally been used in reference to earthly matters, whereas the spiritual perspective is commonly seen as going beyond psychology, having a higher, more expansive focus. It usually includes one's relationship to a supreme being and other beings in the higher realms and it often includes prayer. It is seen as a higher level of focus, based on a hierarchy of needs and attention to meeting those needs. The most basic level of need is physical. The second level is psychological (sometimes called "psychosocial"). This psychological level goes beyond the physical to the mental and emotional areas of need and includes social needs. The third level is spiritual. It is a reaching beyond ourselves and our relationships to more immaterial, creative, supernatural matters and often involves help from a higher power. My own understanding and experience over the years have led me to conclude that virtually the only difference between psychological and spiritual phenomena is the level of focus.

If we acknowledge that it is the spirit which thinks and understands, rather than our physical brain, the mind is simply one aspect of our spirit. Emotions are physical sensations in response to the mind and, if we acknowledge that the spirit is a template for the body, then emotions as well as thoughts come from the spirit. Our words and actions are simply manifestations of our spirit through the body. If we interpret our experiences in terms of earthly, material and social matters, without awareness of what is beyond our senses, we call it physical, psychological and/or social. Yet the phenomena are all on one continuum. It is only our awareness and understanding or interpretation that is different.

As we live our lives, we evolve from focus on physical survival to self-knowledge and to spiritual awareness. There are some exceptions to this sequence but, in general, it is all one growth process with each step building on previous ones and letting go of matters which don't fit any longer. It is a gradual process of maturing which occurs through many lifetimes. It does not stop here on earth, but continues as we move to higher realms. As we progress, we run into obstacles and diversions. As we overcome these obstacles and return from the diversions, we become stronger and more harmonious within ourselves, with creation and with God. This process is stimulated by an inner drive to know ourselves, to understand others and to explore that which is beyond our perceptual experiences. As we explore, we gain new ideas of what we could be, have and do. An innate desire for more of what we perceive as good propels us to higher realms.

That which we call psychology contributes to self-understanding and improvement and to greater harmony with others. We refer to these improvements as personal, psychological or psychosocial growth. As we explore that which is beyond our physical senses, we become more aware of a spiritual realm and our relationship to it. We call improvement in relation to this realm "spirtual growth." The spiritual realm, however, is involved in all degrees of our progress, including physical and psychological. Therefore, I refer to that which is beyond our basic physical needs as the psychospiritual area.

The Spirit Realm

There is much misconception and disagreement about the spirit realm. This is due largely to speculation and opinion on the part of mankind, and to false information introduced by the lower spirits. My understanding is that the spiritual realm includes four classifications of beings. These are 1) that Being whom most people see as supreme and whom we call God; 2) spirit beings who are part of God's original system (which we call "heaven") and never become a part of the alternative system; 3) spirits who become part of the alternative system and have progressed (returned) to the original system; 4) spirits who become part of the alternative system and have not returned to the original one. Our own spirits could be from any of the last three categories.

Spirits in the heavenly realm (the original system) can all be called angels or archangels (supervisors), whether or not they participated in the alternative system. Other terms can also be used such as "angelic spirits," "celestial spirits," "good spirits" or "higher spirits" (from higher than earth or other terrestrial realms). They have many specialties as mortals do. Designations known to us can be categorized according to what we might call occupations. These are "cherubim" (celestial chemists), "herald angels" (messengers), "seraphim" (teachers) and "guardian angels" (soldiers). They also have character specialists such as "spirits of peace," spirits of joy" and "spirits of courage." They can all fill in for each other to some extent. They can all communicate directly with us but, as I indicated earlier, the highest of them ordinarily wouldn't, except for something major affecting humanity. They do, however, communicate as supervisors through the spirits who are involved in our lives.

Lower spirits also have many specialties, such as chemistry, false teaching or war. They also have specialties of character such as hate, doubt, helplessness, discouragement, and hopelessness. There is a great range of levels among spirits based on their attitudes and behavior and resulting rates of vibration. The range is similar to what we see among mortals. Some are pretty good, almost to the point of being able to function at a celestial level. Some are what we would consider malevolent or evil. There is a great variety of beings between these two extremes. They have the same faults and weaknesses as well as good characteristics and strengths as we see in the majority of humanity. Those who are not considered "evil" are sometimes called "earth-bound" or "elemental" spirits. There is much variety of knowledge and belief among them. Some may be very knowledgeable about science or behavior and know very little about, or have a false view of, spiritual matters. Some may be so committed to the religious doctrine they learned as a mortal, they won't open up to new learning which they could receive when they pass into the spirit world. This prevents them from learning new, wonderful truths of God which were not available to them as mortals. They may try to prevent us, as well, from exploring new truths when they are near us. Often they are not malicious, but think they are helping us, like mortals who try to coerce us into believing what they believe. Persons who are influenced by these spirits often have a negative feeling of fear when they explore other perspectives. They may say "I don't know what it is - there's just something that prevents me." They usually assume it's something psychological.

We may wonder why spirits don't change or see the possibility for an expanded view when they enter the spirit world. Many of them do, but some spirits are at too low of a level due to attitudes which are not harmonious with the celestial realm. They may not be malicious. They may just be too timid, dependent, or lacking in initiative to reach out for anything beyond the lifestyle and understanding they already have. This prevents them from seeking anything better. Some may be too materialistic or they may be holding onto resentment. In such cases their electromagnetic fields retain at least some of the density (lower vibrations) of the earth, and they are not able to perceive the celestial beings who are ready to guide them. Therefore, they remain focused on earthly matters. It's like an airplane propellor which we can see when it is still, but as it moves faster it becomes invisible to us. Some of these lower spirits do not even know they've left the body. As we know from descriptions of near-death experiences, the person's spirit body usually looks and feels the same to him/her as when he or she was in the physical body. It takes a positive attitude to produce a high enough vibration for those at the earth level to see the higher beautiful beings.

As the spirits improve in their attitudes and behavior, they eventually progress into the celestial levels where they can be free from all the negative influences on earth. Some may choose to continue living on earth, even after they have progressed higher so they can help mortals and other spirits who are still here. This is often true of our relatives. Those who have progressed upward, however, enjoy a relatively better life, free of negative influences, even though they are living in this lower level. They also continue to learn, eliminating error taught to them on earth and gaining knowledge beyond what is known on earth.

Because lower spirits are focused on earthly matters more than heavenly matters, we can help them by explaining the process of progression and directing their focus upward. I have done this many times for whoever is in the vicinity and at times for specific spirits. I worked in nursing homes for a number of years. There was one patient who was disliked by most of the staff because of her complaining and they were sometimes rude to her. I always tried to be especially kind and respectful to her. One day she died very suddenly and a few days later she was brought to me by higher spirits for instruction. I was told she was very sad and hadn't wanted to die. I explained the plane propellor analogy and told her to reach upward with her mind and to look for a bright light. (This is usually the first way in which they see the higher beings, just like those who describe near-death experiences.) I then guided her to reach out with her hand when she saw the light and told her that she would be guided from there.

Spirits who seek help in this way go through a wonderful transformation of great joy when they follow this process. When manifesting through a mortal they change, for example, from crying or expressing how lost or cold they feel, to their voices brightening and saying something like, "Oh, I feel a warmth!" and, joyfully, "I see a light!" Then they leave and sometimes send a message back or return later to thank the person or persons who helped them.

The attitudes of some lower spirits are moderately malicious, either because of their personalities and level of spiritual harmony or because they are following directions of spirits who exert power and authority over them. All of these spirits either do not know how to progress to a better state or do not want to make the effort. For instance, some have been alcoholics and are attracted to people who drink. They like the fumes of the alcohol and, in some cases, they can more readily influence persons who are drinking. They wait for a person to pass out so they can enter and control the body.

Some of these moderately malicious spirits just want what they want when they want it, and convey these characteristics to mortals with whom they are in close proximity. Some are rebellious and are attracted to and intensify, for example, rebelliousness in adolescents. Some harbor resentment toward a mortal they had known when on earth: they therefore may try to disrupt the life of that mortal when they can.

Some of the mildly malicious spirits are followers and get involved with malicious, power-oriented spirits and follow their directions. One lower spirit, whom I'll call Tommy, manifested through a mortal who had had a severe headache. A celestial spirit manifested through another channeler and told Tommy he would have to leave. Tommy started to cry and indicated he had been told to stare intently at the mortal. Apparently this was connected to the headache. He was then advised by the higher spirit on how to turn his life to a more positive direction. (When the lower spirits follow this advice it frees them from the influence of the power-oriented spirits who are directing them. They receive more protection, advice and support from the higher spirits, enabling their progression to a higher state.) After receiving the advice, Tommy left and the person through whom he had been manifesting returned to full consciousness. The headache was gone and the person reported feeling fine.

The most malicious spirits produce the most intense physical and/or psychological symptoms. They are attracted to those who open up to them, who knowingly or unknowingly welcome their thoughts and actions. They often influence such people to exhibit violence, psychological abuse and major deception. These mortals receive little protection unless they try to improve. Even if they reform, they have to fight these spirits until they consistently prove they have risen above the spirits in thoughts, words and actions. This is why there is so much recidivism in our prisons and psychiatric hospitals. The mortal improves under some conditions, but is unable to consistently resist the spirits who are still there. However, the more a person rises in his/her efforts to reform, the more protection, guidance and healing is given by the higher spirits.

The malicious spirits are threatened by our progress and they try hard to prevent it. They know that as people improve, they will move into the heavenly realm and that over time the population of the lower (alternative) realm will be depleted, so they do everything they can to prevent it. Those who help others progress become particular targets. They are taken on as a challenge by these opposing forces. The more the lower ones are successful in preventing such a person from accomplishing his/her purpose, the more it increases their standing in the lower system. They use methods like delay, distraction, harassment, diversion, guilt, doubt, physical attack, and damage to the person's reputation. Therefore, a spiritual leader must try harder and do better than the average person and stay closer to God, the wonderful source of all that is needed.

Such spiritual leaders tend not to talk about their opposition. This is probably, in part, because they do not want to be falsely judged for attracting it because of their faults. However, they also do not want to give the lower spirits that much attention. They want, instead, to focus on the great manifestations of God.

I do not want to give the lower ones that much attention either. They are not as important as they think they are. However, they hide so much behind the scenes that I want to reveal them, to let people know about them. It can be helpful to people to understand why it's so hard to resolve and heal some of their problems, and why some seemingly normal people commit crimes. Understanding the influence of the lower spirit world can help us know how to prevent it.

The lower spirits usually do not want to be revealed, to be exposed by the light. They are angry about my writing this book, for instance, and other spiritual activities in which I share what I've learned. They openly told me they would oppose my writing. In spite of their causing delays, interfering, and physically attacking me, the higher spirits provided enough time, protection and healing for me to carry on with the activities. It's all worth it to me to be able to participate with the wonderful, loving, intelligent celestial spirits and to experience the joy I receive in seeing others benefit as I have.

It's important to not judge those who have lower spirits manifesting to or through them. We don't know what they may have gone through in trying to control the influence of these spirits. They may have tried many times, like a recovering alcoholic, and they may be extending the length of their periods without the spirits' influence. Some very good persons fall in a moment of weakness, like the Apostle Peter, when he denied Christ. God may allow such a temptation so a person can learn from it and become spiritually stronger. Most people have a variety of spirits around them, reflecting various characteristics, and may experience or manifest a malicious spirit only occasionally, if at all.

Sometimes a malicious spirit attack is not even because of a person's lower tendencies or weaknesses, but only because of potential weakness. Examples of this are in the stories of Job and of Christ. Both are reported to have been tested by Lucifer, based on the possibility that they would not remain faithful to God without as much, or without any, of God's protection. Job is described as being faithful, and God allowed Lucifer to take away his possessions and his family. He was then attacked physically with sores all over his body. Job showed a few weaknesses under this attack but he never turned away from God. God then compensated him for his losses by giving him more than he had had before.

Christ had great spiritual gifts, so there was the potential that he might use them for the wrong purpose. Therefore he was tempted in these areas by Lucifer, based on the possibility that he might show a weakness and use his gifts to satisfy his own desires at Lucifer's behest. He had divine protection, so there was the potential that he might take the risk of trying to prove his power, without authorization from God. And so he was tempted in this area. His mission was to free those in the lower system (the alternative kingdom) who wanted to return to God and His kingdom. Consequently there was the potential try to exert his power in a manner used by the lower spheres, freeing people from the oppressive Roman government to establish his kingdom visibly on earth. Because of this he was tested on the possibility he might show this weakness and thereby not complete his mission.

Later, having shown he did not have these weaknesses, he is quoted as saying "...the ruler of this world...cannot find anything in me that pertains to him" (John 14:30 GNT). Lucifer was unable to find anything by which he could prove that Christ was following him rather than God, so Lucifer resorted to threats, inducement of fear and physical attack. Thus it is with all who truly lead people to God. Although God allows lower spirits to influence people, He limits them. If we seek His help, He assists us through His celestial spirits to rise higher until we reach a point in each area of our lives of being consistently in harmony with Him. He then removes the lower spirit affecting that area or, if that spirit is allowed to stay for other reasons, He prevents him/her and all other spirits from attacking in that area. There may be occasional testing or raising of the standards, but as long as we remain in harmony with God, we remain free. Theoretically it is possible to attain freedom in all areas of our lives. God periodically gives temporary total freedom in reponse to our efforts and partial successes.

In some American Indian designs, such as those in weaving and on pottery, one finds some break in the pattern. I was told by a Navajo friend that this is to let the evil spirit out. My experience is that this is symbolic of God's allowing a way out of negative influences in our lives. As we seek something better, God provides a way. As we take advantage of this, we find what we want and experience great peace, joy and love. This may occur once or many times in a lifetime and/or it may occur after physical death.

People ask, "If these spirits exist and influence us in these ways, why doesn't the majority of people in some way perceive them? Are we not just manifesting personality problems, relationship conflicts and/or mental illness? Is not this belief in spirits just going backward to the days of attributing mental illness to demon possession?"

I've already indicated that spirits are hard to recognize because our bodies are dense and theirs are too ethereal for us to perceive. Also, some spirits are around or with us all our lives, and because we are not taught much, if anything about them, we assume all the thoughts and feelings we have are a normal part of our lives. Since we attract spirits similar to ourselves in most instances, we don't have a way to compare ourselves to them except when they intensify their activity.

In the early 1900's there was a scientific revolution in which science began to be seen as the answer to human questions and the solution to most human problems. Scientific discoveries enabled major medical cures and preventions. Mental health professions developed in a scientific mode like everything else. There was also a move toward more humane treatment of those manifesting mental and behavioral problems. These problems began to be seen as illness, a respectable term implying the affected person was not to blame. Approaches such as religion were seen as not objective and were discarded by many. Spiritualism became popular, but was rejected by many professionals because there was often fraud or manifestations of lower spirits. These lower spirits usually dealt with purely mundane subjects and focused on demonstrations of phenomena without guiding people toward God. They also couldn't be trusted. The low spirits who were not malicious didn't know enough of God's higher truths to help people progress very much. Some of their messages were very general with "feel good" themes. Some presented themselves as knowledgeable but gave information already available on earth. Some of the spirits were maliciously deceptive, claiming to be whomever hearers wanted them to be. The deceptive ones also misled people by mixing false information with truth. There were some mediums who manifested God's higher spirits at least part of the time, but without knowledge in discernment the majority of people either accepted everything as good or rejected all spiritualism as fraudulent or evil. (The same is true today with channeling.) Mental health professionals were like everyone else in that a few recognized the influence of spirits on their patients/clients. Most rejected the possibility of such influence and didn't want to be seen as someone who accepted it. Therefore, although there were some good scientific studies of mediums, including spirits manifesting as solid physical beings, the health and mental health communities did not and do not explore them. They developed their own theories and traditons without looking at other perspectives. However mental health professionals did develop increasing knowledge and skill in helping people to grow psychologically and socially. God works through those counselors who are in harmony with Him, regardless of their beliefs.

As psychological theories were developed, society's view of people with psychological and behavioral problems changed from believing they were possessed to seeing them as mentally ill. This view has been further reinforced by discoveries of differences in body chemistry (especially of the brain) in mental illness. As I have indicated, the spirits can also influence our minds and our bodies, including our body chemistry. Changes in our chemistry can also have an effect on the extent to which spirits can influence us. This is evident in drug and alcohol abuse in which a person is opened up to spirits, and in use of anti-psychotic medication which seems to make it harder for spirits to influence a person.

The change of belief in spirit-possession to belief in mental illness is promoted by the malicious spirits. As long as they are not revealed they can exert their power and influence over people and promote their cause without being opposed. They make it look as if their influence has some other cause, then they sit back and let mortals handle the consequences. This is true in crime and war as well as in mental illness and ordinary human relationships. I feel so sorry when juries convict someone who has tried to live a good life but in a moment of weakness has been overcome by the influence of a malicious spirit. People say there is evidence the person knew what he was doing. They don't realize that a spirit can plan and converse through a person as well as carry out a crime, leading authorities to believe the person was in control of his thoughts and actions. If the spirits' influence is reduced through psychiatric treatment or removed through spiritual means, the person's attitude, words and actions are often quite different.

If the spirit returns, the person returns to his bad behavior.

The question arises that if the person is really innocent, why was such a spirit able to influence him in the first place. This is a good question, because the higher spirits usually protect a good person from this extreme influence. It's hard to know why the influence is allowed in each particular case because we can't know what's in another person's heart. Someone who is unknowingly mediumistic may have opened himself through the influence of "bad" friends, through preoccupation with crime on TV or by use of a ouiji board without realizing the need for protection. A person may not have done any such things in this lifetime, but may have been involved with malicious spirits or falsely judged someone in a previous lifetime. So God allows the person to go through the experience to learn from it and continue to progress. There are, of course, some who routinely live a life in cooperation with malicious spirits. They have many lessons to learn and God will only intervene for them as they seek improvement.

As society develops more understanding of the spirit world, however, such a person will become less vulnerable and society will become less judgmental, responding much differently to those who may not be totally innocent, but are nevertheless victimized by malicous spirits. We will learn how to help them in conjunction with the higher spirits under God.

Raising Our Thoughts and Desires.

Having prayed for help, we have already used one form of raising our thoughts and desires. Other forms include an attitude of thankfulness and praise and turning our awareness toward the attributes of God, such as His love, His fairness, His wisdom and His greatness. We can also seek to move toward love and harmony and to be aware of God's involvement in our lives. All these forms raise the vibrations of our spirits, help us to rise above the influence of lower spirits, and bring us closer to God, enabling us to have a greater share in His blessings.

Sometimes it's difficult to raise our thoughts when we're absorbed with mundane matters such as daily activities or with lower thoughts and feelings. There are several methods which can help us. First, it's important to stay aware of our thoughts, feelings and actions, and of God's involvement in our lives as much as possible. It's also important to rise higher the moment we notice ourselves to be at a low level. If, for example, we find ourselves thinking and/or feeling fear, resentment, self-pity or preoccupation with things that are excessive and/or not good for us, we need to raise our thoughts and desires. Preoccupations might be about food, drugs, shopping or relationships, among others. We can be involved with all these things in harmony with God, but if we focus on them to the point of forgetting about God, we lower our vibrations and attract lower spirits.

Obsessions and Compulsions. Obsessions are thoughts we cannot get out of our minds. Compulsions are urges to take action, which are so strong that resisting them causes distress. The person experiences fear that if she doesn't take action, something bad will happen. Raising our thoughts is especially helpful with these problems.

All or most of us have had music in our minds which we can't get rid of. This could be from a non-malicious lower spirit who is herself obsessively singing, or it could be from a malicious spirit who is harassing us. They harass to get our attention or to retaliate for something good we have done. They repeat thoughts, visual images or music over and over. They try to upset us by giving us unacceptable thoughts such as foul language. They also give us discrediting or ridiculing thoughts about people whom we love and/or respct. These could be family members, friends, or anyone we have no reason to dislike. Interestingly, I value racial diversity and one spirit periodically inserts racial slurs into my mind. I wonder how much racial prejudice comes from spirits behind the scenes who are prejudicial or use these thoughts to create conflict. It may take many years for spirits from past generations to progress enough to no longer stimulate prejudice in a mortal society. Nevertheless, as we become aware of, counteract and rise above these spirits, we can improve our society and maybe help the spirits progress. The higher spirits don't discuss other people's faults except occasionally to clarify a problem and if they do so, it's done discreetly.

The higher spirits may repeat two or three times if it's an important message, like for safety, to answer a question or to confirm. Even then, they usually give the answer in different forms or by different means each time.

Another type of obsession is about food and craving for a particular kind of food. Sometimes we crave because our bodies need a type of food, but if the lower spirits are prompting it, the craving is more intense and is often continuous until we give in. The higher spirits do not use craving, but give us information, encouragement, or caution. They may prompt someone else to give us something which will help us or perhaps a treat which will not harm us. Healing of food obsessions/compulsions can be complicated, especially because we have to eat. I will discuss it in detail later.

Obsessive thoughts can be about anything. The longer we pay attention to them, the more we have them, and they may become compulsive. We may feel, for example, as if we just have to buy a particular item which we want but which we don't need. Fear of physical attack can lead to obsessive thoughts about doors being locked and a compulsion to check and double-check locks. Fear of germs can lead to repeated hand washing. We often have obsessive thoughts and feelings about other people. We may feel an irresistible attraction, intense anger or repeated thoughts of hurt towards others.

Healing of obsessions and compulsions involves thought stopping, raising our thoughts, briefly assessing the reality and responding according to need. With obsessive music in our minds, for example, we can assess whether it's uplifting and whether it repeats over and over. The higher spirits might bring a song to mind to give us a message, to raise our thoughts toward God or to prompt someone to start singing a song, as in a group. The lower spirits might bring music to mind to get our attention, to harass us or to bring us to a lower level with the type of music or the words. The obsession occurs and is identified by the constant repeating and our inability to get it out of our minds. The lower spirits frequently use repetition. It's part of their pattern of going to extremes. They also repeat what we have said or done to copy us. Part of this is to mock us and higher spirits. They also try to copy the higher spirits as closely as they can in the hope of deceiving us into thinking their messages are from God. If we become complacent and lax in our discernment, they lead us away from God. If we try to discern with prayer and keep checking with the higher spirits, they will reveal or confirm that the messages are from imposters.

We can interrupt obsessive music by raising our thoughts. I find it effective, for example, to sing a spiritual song or listen to good music on the radio, a tape or CD. If we truly raise our thoughts and desires, the higher spirits remove those lower spirits and their music.

Healing of obsessions and compulsions in relationships can be complicated. Tom was a divorced man who missed being married. He met a woman with whom he enjoyed companionship. As they spent more time together, she invited him to come close and when he did she would push him away. They would plan something together, then she wouldn't show up. If he backed off, she would initiate an activity. She was very critical and would blame him for anything that went wrong in the relationship. He was a spiritual person but she would not accept his beliefs and interfered in his spiritual practices. She would plan something which would prevent him from attending church, or the spirits around her would prompt an activity like a trip and then set up problems which would keep him from getting back in time for church. He became more and more preoccupied with the relationship, feeling both attraction and hurt, and looking for ways he could change her to eliminate the problems. The lower spirits obsessed him with thoughts, visual images and feelings, harassing him whenever he tried to back away
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