A Beginners Guide to the Astral Realm

One of the hallmarks of the psychedelic/New Age community (and really religion and spirituality in general, to a degree) is the idea of communication with other forms of life in other realms of existence. After nearly 15 years in this arena, here is my breakdown of need-to-know info for the dabbler or acolyte.

Of course this isn't a hard-and-fast deal, and I can already feel the comments section heating up, soon to boil over with people eager to tell me why I am wrong ^_~. I am perfectly willing to admit I am not the font of knowledge on the subject, and welcome your opinions. All I ask is that you keep them civil and focused on the facts and not the individuals. Ad hominem is bad, m'kay? =)

However, in spite of the high degree of subjectivity on this topic, there are a few rules I have found that have held fast, especially for those who are new to the territory (and are still damn good advice, no matter how advanced you think you are).

We will take it as given for the purposes of this essay that such beings do exist, in some manner or another. Many would argue that assertion -- and with good reason -- but I have had enough experiences which suggest to me that they are out there in some form, and have even had what I believe to be limited communication with a few. So this essay is definitely aimed towards those who believe this, and not so much towards the skeptics, as I will not be addressing evidence of their existence so much as how best to navigate a world in which they do exist.

Across every spiritual and religious tradition of which I am aware, there is some talk of these beings, as either helpers or hunters of humanity and life in general. And my own experience, and what I have learned from the experience of others, definitely seems to coincide with this -- there are some that want to help us, and some that want to hurt us. And some that don't really care about 'us' at all, but only about themselves.

So can we tell the difference? And how? This is the crucial question for those newly come to this strange territory. And the answer, unfortunately, is complicated.

As Terrance McKenna pointed out, form in the astral is not concrete as we know it. It is highly affected by expectation and the lens of culture. Two persons might go to the exact same place, and meet the exact same entities, in the astral -- but return with completely differing descriptions of what they saw. One might claim they saw little green men living in crystal fields, while another saw beautiful nymphs bathing in a clear stream (just for example), still others might interpret this as an encounter with extraterrestrials. Who's right? Who's wrong? None of them and all of them.

There is a belief that in the astral all things appear as they truly are, that deception is impossible. I have found this to be categorically false. Simply because something appears beautiful and true does not make it so, even on the astral. Perhaps at some point one reaches a level where this is the case; I would be very, very hesitant about ever declaring myself to be at that level. The belief that one cannot be deceived is very dangerous.

Really, ironically, something that 'reveals' itself to you, in any way or form, on the astral is immediately suspect. All of the highest and purest powers rarely if ever do so, desiring to help you and yet for you to believe their help was your own doing. They want nothing from you, including recognition for their aid. And when they do reveal themselves, it is an internal event -- a Truth and Beauty that seems to pulse from within, not without; for they are closest to that True Essence Within, the Eternal One-Without-a-Second. The Great All, That which is No Thing because It is Everything.

Whatever you want to call it (or not call it).

So, immediately upon something 'manifesting' or 'revealing' itself as any sort of individual, and especially external, force or entity, you know you aren't dealing with the Highest. Doesn't automatically mean it is bad, but caution is called for.

Indeed, the more individual the entity attempts to make itself -- name, history, etc -- the more suspect it is. And even more suspect if it seems to want you to tell the world about it. Again, the Highest eschew individual recognition of their own deeds, as THE HIGHEST is not just individual but ALL. The closer you are to That, the less you identify with your own individual existence exclusively, as the benefit of anything in existence is your own benefit. There is no need for 'me' to be recognized.

Anything -- human or otherwise -- that has a 'me' it wants to be recognized cannot be trusted, to the degree that it wants its 'me' to get credit. I.e. The more selfish an individual appears to be, the less you can believe what it says. This holds just as true 'out there' as it does here in the more 'mundane' world.

Remember that Jesus told his disciples not to tell people he was the Son of God, wanting his message of love to stand on it's own as he knew very well it could, being Truth. He had no need for any recognition for himself during his lifetime (though he certainly apparently received some).

By that same token, the more an entity of any sort attempts to play up your own individuality and specialness, whether because it chose you to be its representative or to be the first it reveals itself to, or expounds your own uniqueness, the less you can trust it. Beware the blowing of smoke up your ass. I know it feels good, but 100% of the time it is being done to manipulate you.

The real fact of the matter is that we have little to learn from these entities, anyway -- even those that wish a truly symbiotic relationship. I have not once in my life learned or heard anything from these entities that I could not have (or had not already) learned myself by simply Being Here Now, and paying a bit of honest attention to life and the world.

At some point in our existence, it is likely that we will indeed exist constantly in the same realm as these entities. We cannot and should not simply ignore them completely -- they are also our brothers and sisters in life and existence, and should be offered the same love and respect as any creature.

However, I believe that this level of co-existence will happen naturally, in its own time as we reach the accumulated wisdom/energy level necessary to sustain it. Seeking out these entities prematurely in a bid to speed one's own spiritual progress is akin to Luke leaving Degobah before his training is completed thinking he is ready to take on Vader, to use the parlance of our times. Or Anakin going with Darth Sidious in his anger and impatience.

Quoth the immortal Yoda, "[The Dark Side is] Quicker, easier, more seductive."

Impatience is a barrier. True wisdom comes with experience, and experience comes only with time. To take the easier, faster path to enlightenment is to never actually get there. Or, as Herman Hesse says in his masterpiece Siddhartha:

"There is, oh my friend, just one knowledge, this is everywhere, this is Atman, this is within me and within you and within every creature. And so I'm starting to believe that this knowledge has no worser enemy than the desire to know it, than learning."

And, later, as Siddhartha speaks to the Buddha himself:

"[Your wisdom] has come to you in the course of your own search, on your own path, through thoughts, through meditation, through realizations, through enlightenment. It has not come to you by means of teachings! And -- thus is my thought, oh exalted one -- nobody will obtain salvation by means of teachings! You will not be able to convey and say to anybody, oh venerable one, in words and through teaching what has happened to you in the hour of enlightenment! The teachings of the enlightened Buddha contain much, it teaches many to live righteously, to avoid evil. But there is one thing which these so clear, these so venerable teachings to not contain: they do not contain the mystery of what the exalted one has experienced for himself...."

And this is the crux of the problem with seeking Truth from the external sources, however impressive they may be to behold in their realm, and however 'spiritual' the source appears.

The Truth reveals itself from within, and Enlightenment comes through experience.

There is no shortcut, and pain is a part of the adventure. Anyone -- or anything -- who says otherwise is selling something.

Be Here Now. Practice meditation to increase your faculties of concentration and focus and intent. This is the foundation upon which all else is based. These are the skills with which you will be able to navigate these realms -- and the 'Real World' too -- with confidence. Don't worry about astral entities and their supposed Truths -- there is nothing they can tell you that you won't learn for yourself, and learn better, by looking within and trusting That which you find there.

It takes time. We don't live in an '80s movie where a montage will suddenly transform you over the course of a few scenes where you appear to work really hard.

Have patience, and trust yourself. It is a journey you are setting upon, enjoy it all the way, every day.

Namaste. =)