Alternate Worlds
There are times when I pause and wonder. Why is it that we have to put forth such an effort to connect with the many realms of awareness that exist all around us?
Throughout our entire existence as a species, there have been countless tales of encounters with elves and dryads, and faeries and such. And yet many times these tales revolve around happenstance. I sometimes wonder why it is more by chance then design that we mingle with our other-world cousins.
Granted there are some who come and go at will to these alternate realms. But such folks are in the minority.
Could it be that we have done something to make our presence in general, undesirable to other- world species?
Many times those who follow the path of the shaman can be found traversing back and forth if one knows where to look for them. And yet by their very nature they are often standoffish when it comes to sharing knowledge of such journeys with members of their own species. Could they know something that the rest of humankind does not? Have they seen or been exposed to a hidden truth that defines their desire to stand separate from others of their kind?
Sometimes there will be those who discover the freedom of astral travel. But way too often their experiences are one dimensional. They follow the same path over and over onto the spiritual highway and back while being completely unaware of the many side roads that they could be exploring. Thus they often experience but a drop of the vast ocean of astral territory that awaits them.
What is it about us as humans that inhibit our ability to throw the astral door wide open?
Life is not limited to just our earthly realm.
Rather life, whether we are aware of it or not offers so many possibilities when it comes to alternate realms.
Are we capable as a species of dealing with such a vast awareness?
Perhaps we are akin to the child who fears the dark or a burst of lightening and so we pretend it just isn’t so. And yet though we hide within the ignorance of our minds, reality still carries on all about us.
Compared to otherworldly species we may be viewed as just children who have not come of age as of yet. And therefore are not of much interest to those who live in such otherworldly realms.
Have you ever thought about where it is that your spirit guide resides? Or where is it that faeries go when they are not playing their pranks on unsuspecting victims or stealing human babies? And for that matter why would they want to leave a changeling in exchange for a human child? Some say it is to thin their white blood with that of human red blood in order to sneak into heaven.
Or what about the realm where the Gods live and thrive?
And isn’t there a realm where our spirits which were once earthbound by the physical shell, return to when they are set free? Must we shed the experience of being human, or at least the human shell to experience that place where we originally came from?
Do you even believe that there are alternate realms? Some folks do in fact journey through their mundane lives with such blinders on. Preferring to keep their eyes mentally and emotionally closed for fear that they may see or encounter something that they don’t comprehend.
Let’s face it; at one time folks insisted that the world was flat in order to maintain their comfort zone. And yet there were fascinating folks and experiences waiting just over the horizon. Ignorance of such folks did not make them non-existent, it only curtailed the experiences of those who denied or ignored their presence. Otherworldly realms are pretty much the same way. Each world is just teeming with unique experiences and species of various existences just waiting for that hardy spiritual soul to come visiting. Of course if you are one of those sage folks who have been able to experience such travel then you are probably sitting back and nodding your head with understanding and the knowledge of personal experiences. After all how does one explain such travels to the uninitiated?
And yet isn’t this considered to be one of the primary tenets of paganism? Is it not our responsibility and indeed our expressed desire to attain such knowledge, and thus to accept that there are in fact alternate realities and to have the insatiable curiosity to seek out those frontiers of our existence here on Mother Earth? And yet much of the conversation in the pagan community centers around questions of alternate realms, not from a position of experiences shared but rather from a bystander’s ignorance of what may be and what is assumed to be. What will it take to turn the tables of inexperience and lack of knowledge and for more folks to actually learn and thus develop the ability to engage alternate realms? Paganism is about spiritual growth and opening up the doors to the Great mysteries. With so much knowledge waiting just beyond our fingertips, one would think that a sincere and concentrated effort would be directed towards such endeavors. To be pagan in name only is to ignore such exciting opportunities that would allow us to grow that much more. And perhaps the knowledge gained from experiences such as engaging alternate realms could very well serve our community in a positive way.
As it is, we live in a very negative environment, where positive acts are more by concerted effort then any behavioral normality. Perhaps by traveling outside the maddening influences of our world and limited awareness, we can gain an insight as to how things could be in the human progression. Could you imagine a world without hate or avarice or anger or wars and so forth? Perhaps by traveling to an alternate world one can actually experience such an existence. And as we all know, experience in some cases leads to wisdom which leads to a positive example of how things can and perhaps should be. And so as a pagan, are you ready to take the leap into the unknown and to expand your horizon? Is not traveling to alternate realms a pagan birthright?
Are you exercising your rights? If not, why not?
