Map of the Course

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Instructions
Psi and Healing			Exercises					Solutions
New Age Movement				Exercises			Solutions
World Religions	Comparison				Exercises				Solutions
Holy Spirit 1		Exercises				Solutions
Holy Spirit 2					Where are you now?
Reincarnation	Earth as a Classroom				Exercises				Solutions

First things first

Prerequisite Course

What did Jesus really teach?

By some estimates, better than 40 out of every 100 people in the world believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior. Yet, even in regard to fundamental issues relating to their faith, each of the believers holds opinions that differ with everyone else’s.

So who is right? How well do you know Jesus, yourself? And how deeply do you understand what he taught? Take the quick test below to find out.

But no cheating now. Just answer truthfully according to how you really feel. First, complete the test before you look up Jesus’ answers at the end. And prepare to be surprised.

Instructions:

On the left-most blank space, type in the letter “A” if you agree with the statement and “D” if you disagree. Then scroll down twice to find the Solutions.

__ 1 We are humans and mere mortals, we cannot be a god.

__ 2 Jesus is the only son of God.

__ 3 Being only human, we cannot be perfect.

__ 4 Only Jesus can ever do the things that he has done.

__ 5 Non-believers won't be allowed to enter heaven. They must convert to Christianity before they can be saved.

__ 6 Our Church elders are the best qualified to interpret the Divine Teachings because they base their conclusions on the revelations given to the Church and their age-old traditions.

__ 7 We should censor and block all offensive programs, films, pictures, thoughts and ideas from being shown or heard so they won't corrupt or harm our young and innocent.

__ 8 Our observance of prescribed rituals and ceremonies, and the offering of acceptable sacrifices to God will guarantee our entry into heaven.

__ 9 Power, fame and fortune are the true measures of success.

__ 10 Ignorance of the law will not save us from the consequences of our bad decisions.

__ 11 First, aspire for the riches of the world. Heaven can wait.

__ 12 God will not forgive you if you do not forgive others.

__ 13 God does not want us to become victims of injustice, or suffer from wars or natural calamities, or become sick or be poor or die.

__ 14 Jesus already paid for our sins. By his stripes, we are healed. We're sure to go to heaven if we will only believe him.

__ 15 Don't get mad. Get even.

__ 16 We should befriend only those wealthy and successful people who can help us and not bother with no good bums and freeloaders or those sick and disabled do-nothings who can't repay or help us, at all.

__ 17 The voice of the people is the voice of God.

__ 18 The great men of the world are regarded as great also in heaven.

__ 19 God only knows. We humans are not allowed to know everything.

__ 20 Many are called, but only a few will respond to his call.




















Solutions

How the New Testament came to be written

Many believe because it is written in the Gospels. However, perhaps we should first better understand how the Gospels came to be written before we decide to place our total trust in them.

Jesus taught the people directly and he did reveal much more but only to his chosen disciples. In the early days, the gospel message could only be passed on to others by word of mouth. But in the retelling from one disciple to the next, understandably, so much was lost and the message splintered into many different versions that became corrupted, garbled and distorted. It was only a hundred years later that everything was put down in writing, not by those who heard it first-hand, but by monks to whom the message was entrusted by others before them. Contrary to popular belief, while Matthew and John were chosen Apostles, they themselves were not the authors of the Gospels written in their names, according to most Bible scholars.

Mark, Luke and Paul were not even included among the 12 Apostles and were not taught by Jesus, directly. Their appreciation of the stories and teachings relied heavily likewise on the testimonies of others. Further, while his true motivation and intent are beyond reproach, Paul's formulation of his own theology were to some extent influenced by his Roman upbringing and the high ideas taught him by his mentor, Gamaliel. These influences resulted in him departing in no small measure from the teachings of Jesus given to the Apostles. In fact, many modern scholars are of the opinion that the Christianity embraced by most people today is more Paul's than Christ's, since it was Paul who preached and spread the faith to the Gentiles.

The formulation of Church teachings

Centuries after, the whole of Christendom found itself in total chaos, confused as to what Jesus really taught. The ruling majority of early Church Fathers decided to hammer out a unified set of beliefs, later known as the Nicene Creed, that spelled out in explicit detail what in their considered opinion the teachings should be based on their chosen Scriptures and age-old traditions. And nearer our time, disagreements among the flock caused dissension in the ranks that resulted in the breaking away of multitudes of factions and minor sects based on their differing interpretations of the teachings. The confusion still persists, today.

But did Jesus really teach what his followers insist he did?

The Teachings of Jesus, in his own words

1 We are humans and mere mortals, we cannot be a god.

D "Isn’t it written in your Scriptures, ‘You are gods.’" (JN 10)

2 Jesus is the only son of God.

D "Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants him to do is my brother, my sister and my mother." (MT 12)

3 Being only human, we cannot be perfect.

D Jesus said, "But you are to become perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (MT 5)

4 Only Jesus can ever do the things that he has done.

D He also said, "All that I have done, you, too, can do." (JN14)

5 Non-believers won't be allowed to enter heaven. They must convert to Christianity before they can be saved.

D Jesus said, "I have other sheep which are not of this (Judaeo-Christian) fold." (JN 10)

"Don’t stop him, because those who are not against us are working with us." (LK 9)

"Whoever rejects me and does not accept my teachings will, nevertheless, be judged according to the truths I have spoken." (JN12:48)

6 Our Church elders are the best qualified to interpret the Divine Teachings because they base their conclusions on the revelations given to the Church and their age-old traditions.

D "‘These people honor Me with their words, but they really have no love in their hearts for Me. Their worship is a farce because they teach people man-made laws as if they were God’s laws!’ You have set aside God’s commands just so that you may keep your own traditions." (MK 7)

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of the law, just as Moses was before them. So you should obey and follow everything they tell you to do. It may be best for you to do what they say; only, don’t follow after their examples, because they don’t practice what they preach!" (MT23)

7 We should censor and block all offensive programs, films, pictures, thoughts and ideas from being shown or heard so they won't corrupt or harm our young and innocent.

D Christ also said, "It is not what enters our body (what we see, hear or is done to us) but what comes out of it (the things we do) that defiles us." (MT 15)

8 Our observance of prescribed rituals and ceremonies, and the offering of acceptable sacrifices to God will guarantee our entry into heaven.

D "Man must love God with all his heart, with all his mind and with all his strength; and he must love his neighbor as he loves himself. It is more important to obey these two commandments than to offer altar animals and other sacrifices to God." (MK 12)

"You hypocrites! For you tithe down to the last mint leaf in your garden but ignore the more important things — justice, mercy and faith. Yes, you should tithe, but you shouldn’t leave the more important things undone." (MT 23)

9 Power, fame and fortune are the true measures of success.

D "Don’t waste your time accumulating the fleeting treasures of this earth which can last only for a time and can be stolen, besides. But strive for the true treasures of heaven which cannot be destroyed and which cannot be stolen." (MT 6)

"For what good is it for a man to gain the whole world if, in exchange, he loses his eternal soul?" (MK 8)

"Yes, every man is a fool who is rich in the things of this world, but not in the things of heaven." (LK 12)

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God!" (MT 19)

10 Ignorance of the law will not save us from the consequences of our bad decisions.

A "Whoever rejects me and does not accept my teachings will, nevertheless, be judged according to the truths I have spoken." (JN 12)

11 First, aspire for the riches of the world. Heaven can wait.

D "But first, seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be ours, as well." (MT 6)

12 God will not forgive you if you do not forgive others.

A "If your brother commits an offense against you, inform him of his mistake; and if he should be sorry, forgive him. And even if he wrongs you seven times in one day and, each time, comes to you asking your forgiveness, you should forgive him." (LK 17)

"The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to update the accounts of his servants. In the process, one who owed him ten thousand gold coins was brought in. The servant did not have enough to pay his debt: so the king ordered that he be sold as a slave, together with his wife and children and all that he had in order to pay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before the king, ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will repay the full amount.’ The king felt sorry for him, so he forgave him the debt and let him go.

"Then the same man went out and met one of his fellow servants who owed him a few silver coins. He grabbed him and started choking him, demanding that he be paid. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged him, ‘Be patient with me and I will pay you back.’ But he refused; instead, he had him thrown in jail until he should pay the debt.

"When the other servants saw what had happened, they were very upset and went to the king and told him everything. So he called the servant and said to him, ‘You evil-hearted wretch! I forgave you the whole amount you owed me just because you asked me to. You should have been merciful to your fellow servant just as I had shown mercy to you.’ The king was very angry and he sent the servant to jail to be punished until he should pay back the whole amount.

"And Jesus concluded, "So shall my Father in heaven do the same to all those who refuse to forgive their brothers." (MT 18)

13 God does not want us to become victims of injustice, or suffer from wars or natural calamities, or become sick or be poor or die.

D "As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (MT 7)

"Father," he prayed, "my Father! All things are possible to You. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Even so, not what I want but what You want." (MK 14)

"Wars must come. " (MT 24)

"You will always have the poor with you." (JN 12)

14 Jesus already paid for our sins. By his stripes, we are healed. We're sure to go to heaven if we will only believe him.

D "Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do." (MT 7)

"Settle disputes with your adversary, amicably, before it is too late; otherwise, he might drag you into court and the court would hand you over to the authorities to be thrown in jail. I tell you, you won’t be released from there until you have paid the last penny." (MT 5)

"‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison and you visited me.’

"Then, the righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you anything to drink? Or a stranger and help you? Or naked and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

"And the King will tell them, ‘When you did this for the least of my brothers, you were doing it for me!’" (MT 25)

15 Don't get mad. Get even.

D "You have heard it said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But now I tell you: Don’t resist evil. But when you are slapped on one cheek, offer the other also. And if someone takes you to court to demand your shirt, let him have your coat, as well. And if anyone compels you to go a mile, go with him two miles." (MT 5)

16 We should befriend only those wealthy and successful people who can help us and not bother with no good bums and freeloaders or those sick and disabled do-nothings who can't repay or help us, at all.

D "Instead, when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind; and you will be blessed, because they won’t be able to pay you back. And you shall be rewarded when the righteous are brought back to life." (LK 14)

17 The voice of the people is the voice of God.

D Jesus turned on Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan. You are an abomination in my sight because you look at things only from the worldly point of view and not from God’s." (MT 16)

18 The great men of the world are regarded as great also in heaven.

D "As you know, the kings and great men of the earth lord it over the people. But in your case, it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be the greatest of all must be the servant of all." (MK 10)

19 God only knows. We humans are not allowed to know everything.

D "I have used proverbs to tell you these things, but the time is coming when the truth shall not be so veiled and I will speak to you plainly about the Father." (JN 16)

"If you adhere to my teaching, you will really be my disciples; and you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free." (JN 8)

"Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you cannot understand it now. When the Spirit of Holiness and Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth." (JN 16)

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (JN 14)

20 Many are called, but only a few will respond to his call.

A "Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

"I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Be as wary as serpents and harmless as doves. But be careful of men. For you will be arrested and tried and whipped in the synagogues. And you must stand trial before governors and kings for my sake. This will give you the opportunity to tell them about me. But when they arrest you, don’t worry about what you are to do or say for you will be given the right words at the proper time. For the words you will speak will not be your own; they will come from the Spirit of your Father Who will be speaking through you.

"If anyone publicly acknowledges me, I will openly acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But if anyone publicly rejects me, so will I reject him. Don’t think that I have come to bring peace to the world. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law; a man’s worst enemies shall be the members of his own household.

"Whoever loves his father or mother, son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my footsteps is not fit to be my disciple. If you cling to life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for my sake, you will save it.

"Those who welcome you are welcoming me. And when they welcome me, they are welcoming God Who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet because he is a man of God will share in his reward. And whoever welcomes good and godly men because of their godliness will share in their reward. And you can be sure that whoever gives even a drink of water to the least of my followers, because he is my follower, will certainly receive a reward." (MT 10)

Do next

1 These are Christ's thoughts, his teachings in his own words. We should listen. If however, you should favor the teachings of your Church more than these words of Jesus, then forward this email-test to your Priest or Pastor to let him know. And perhaps, you might want to stop claiming that you are Jesus' follower, because you really are not. Don't you see this, yet?

2 If you believe in Jesus more, then you should do as he asks. Openly acknowledge him to others. Pass this email on to your friends to help them resolve their own confusion.

3 If you want to take up more advanced studies, click the link below to avail of our free study courses.

The Message Made Plain

The Inner Quest study course on the Teachings of Jesus

http://message-made-plain.blogspot.com/2006/10/map-of-course.html

Why take up this study

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• The ‘THE SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM’ is the most comprehensive and complete study course available on the teachings of the Holy Spirits.

• The course provides clear answers to all your important questions about life here and hereafter.

• They compress into just a few months of study what otherwise could take many years of weekly Bible and advanced spiritual studies.

• Help and personalized guidance are available through a competent counselor-teacher by posting your query or comment at the bottom of the appropriate Blog and email-copying INNER QUEST at iq@innerquest.org.ph if you should require an earlier response.

• Exercises to monitor your progress and get you back on course are provided at the end of most of the lessons.

• There is the distinct advantage of being able to pursue your studies at your leisure, in your own time and at your own pace.

• The principles set forth in the courses have practical applications in your daily life.
  

The Secrets of the Kingdom

And after the Teachings of Jesus, just as he promised

The secrets and the "All Truth" kept hidden since the foundation of the world continue to be revealed here in most part for the first time and follow after the Basic Course. Six individually complete and comprehensive study courses grouped together into one Advanced Course.

1. Psi and Healing

A comprehensive study of the nature of psychic phenomena, their applications and the principles governing their operation. Includes scientific and religious viewpoints. A large part of the lesson deals with faith healing, what it is, how it differs from the practice of medicine, how it is effected and its implications with respect to the coming New Age.

2. The New Age Movement

A comprehensive overview of New Age phenomena and progressive teachings. Includes a thorough discussion of the influences of Eastern and Western religions and the contributions of science, politics and other popular movements. Concludes with an ordered presentation of the New Teachings of the New Age.

3. World Religions

The historical background of the major religions and a comparison study of their teachings and other features. Covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the New Teachings for the New Age which embraces all of them, together.

4. Teachings of the Holy Spirit 1

Introduction to the Holy Spirit, who he really is and what he does. Traces his reemergence in the mid-19th century to the present, from Spiritualism in the West to Spiritism in the East. Discusses scientific opposition and the limitations of science. Clarifies the Divine Teachings and proposes a Path to our further enlightenment.

5. Teachings of the Holy Spirit 2

Lists the qualifications and other necessary preparations that have to be made before a prospective student may be accepted for instruction. Includes many valuable insights and a more thorough discussion of all the important methodologies and guide rules to be followed by every accepted student.

6. Reincarnation and Karma

A comprehensive study of the principles, their implications and consequences that will enable every student to understand better the meaning of life and the purpose of his existence.

These are the much-awaited New and Advanced Teachings of the Holy Spirit which are now also made available to you.

Instructions to the Student

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To obtain the fullest benefit out of ‘SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM’, you are enjoined to follow these suggested procedures:

1. Read each lesson carefully, as well as any accompanying materials, should there be any.
   
   
2. After studying a particular lesson thoroughly, turn to the Review Exercises. While the solutions to some of the questions may not have been actually taken up in the lessons, you should be able to provide the correct answers by drawing from your own personal experiences. In addition, you may refer back to all the materials previously given. You will be able to gain much more from your studies if you first give thought to what the answers might be, writing them down on paper, before looking up the Solutions to the Exercises.
   
   
3. Compare your answers to the suggested Solutions and review your mistakes. Strive to understand precisely where you were wrong and determine not to commit the same mistakes again.
   
   
4. After validating your answers, you may email INNER QUEST, care of the Course Counselor, should you need any further clarifications regarding any aspect of the course. Your Course Counselor is there to help you. Do not hesitate to solicit his help in all matters pertaining to the course.
   
   
5. Proceed to the next new lesson. Repeat Steps 1 to 4 until you complete all the lessons.

According to your efforts, so shall be your rewards. May you find the Truth that you are seeking.

Understanding Psychic Phenomena and Healing

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	The Age of Aquarius
	The Spirit Entity
	ESP and other Spiritual Faculties
	Principles of Psychic Phenomena
	Scientific Bases and Discoveries
	The Mission of INNER QUEST
	The Miracle of Jesus
	Healers and Psychics Today
	Scouts of the New Age Movement
	The Nature of Disease
	Spiritual Healing and the Practice of Medicine
	Spirit Guidance
	Methods of Guidance
	Your Guardian Angels
	Summary

The Age of Aquarius

In the world, you shall have tribulation. This should be self-evident in the light of widespread poverty, intermittent wars and gross injustices. There is crime. There is exploitation. There is the rule of the mighty, not necessarily of the just. Everyone suffers. You and I, we have suffered. Because of a truth, this world is a world of pain and suffering. Indeed, this world is hell.

Nevertheless, people, when you ask them will disagree and they will tell you that this world is beautiful. But they say this only because they think that this world is the only world and that there is no other. But in the Kingdom of God, there are many mansions. Today, we will begin to know more of them.

Where there is darkness, there will come light. Where there is misery, there will be gladness. And as we here on this Earth have been experiencing so much suffering, so also shall we come to experience better times.

There is fast approaching a New Age in the life of this planet. It will be a Golden Age, an Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Aquarius. This new age will bring great changes. There will be peace and harmony, love and understanding among all men. With peace, there will be progress in all things. Music and arts will flourish. Alternative sources of energy will be discovered. There shall be an increased harnessing of both land and sea for greater food production.

There shall be interplanetary space travel and the exchange of trade and culture with our brothers from outer space. If you doubt this, you need only to consider the UFOs, the unidentified flying objects. You have believed when someone told you, "Where there’s smoke, there’s fire." Well, in this regard, there is so much smoke you can hardly breathe. Moreover, we here in these studies have communicated with these beings. And we know they exist.

There shall be more of psychic phenomena, the things that excite your fancy, the things that sent you here to us, including increased communication with the spirits of the departed. There shall be increased communication, likewise, with the Holy Spirit and other higher entities. On the whole, there shall be an influx of new knowledge and the old knowledge of the ancients will be made plain and made more accessible to more people everywhere.

The Spirit Entity

If you could only see people as they really are just at the level of our astral self, you would see them as swirling bands of color in varying degrees of light all around their physical bodies. This is something similar to the corona of the sun or the atmosphere surrounding the Earth. It’s something like the pictures of Earth taken from outer space. That light represents the life force that radiates outward from the physical body.

With a little practice, you too might be able to do it. In your quiet moments at home, in front of a mirror, naked preferably the better to see, look intently but indirectly with your peripheral vision around your body. After a little while, you should be aware of a thin bluish, grayish smoke all around you. That is the etheric body which connects the physical body to the astral body. And with more practice, you should begin to see the colors of your aura or astral body.

Yet, the physical, with the etheric body, and the astral are just the two outermost layers of our many bodies that are most visible to us and of which we are most aware. We have different bodies, which we use depending on which plane of being, which of the many mansions, we are manifesting in.

But for now, let us focus on that aura, that light. There resides the consciousness, the real being — the real you and me, hidden to many even as this true Spirit Self is situated still much farther within.

The Spirit is the life. The body is not the life. The body has no life of its own except that which the Spirit gives it. The physical body or any of our other bodies is only a puppet, a robot, a tool or a vehicle of the spirit being. The Spirit is what is far more important.

ESP and other Spiritual Faculties

While the physical body has the facility of sight, hearing, smell, taste and feeling, the Spirit entity which is the real being has much, much more. Instead of sight, it has clairvoyance. Instead of hearing, clairaudience. Instead of feeling or touch, it has clairsentience. Now when spirit beings desire to communicate one to another, they do not need to use their vocal cords, instead, they use the faculty of telepathy. If they want to affect matter in any way, instead of using their arms or hands, they employ psychokinesis or telekinesis.

Now think of yourself and visualize your body at the center with the life force, the auric light, your astral body, all around you. And imagine an exact replica of yourself separating from your body and floating upward as if you are seeing double... but don’t get cross-eyed. And let us say that the one that separates from the physical body brings the light with it. That one with the light is the real you, while the one left behind in your chair is the physical body, the now empty shell. Now there should be a silver cord (the stretched out etheric body) attaching from the now liberated spirit body and connecting to the physical body. That cord is the lifeline. And it is through this pulsing silver cord that the spirit being issues commands to its puppet to give it the illusion of life.

A spirit entity can disengage its astral body from the physical body if it has the ability to astral travel. It can go to any of the astral worlds by means of thought alone. It thinks of a place and it’s there, instantly. In the spirit state, thoughts are real and thoughts create. And it can, likewise, visit faraway places in any part of this world and other worlds.

Principles of Psychic Phenomena

Psychic vibrations are vibrations that are beyond the range of normal human perception. Lobsang Rampa likens all of creation to a piano key extending to infinity. Some vibrations are to the left or they are grosser while others are more refined and extend to the right of the piano key. All that humans can perceive with their physical senses can be contained in say, two octaves only of this piano key, while other vibrations like cat sight, dog smell, dog hearing, infra-red rays, radio waves and psychic vibrations are to the left and right of this very limited range of perception allotted to humans.

The very same principles that apply to radio and television apply also to ESP, extrasensory perception or psychic phenomena. In radio, intelligible sound is converted into radio waves or signals that are then broadcast over the atmosphere. These radio signals are transmitted and are intercepted by a receiver set which decodes these signals and transforms them back into the intelligible sounds that we hear through the speakers. The same goes for television, only that in this instance, a picture is transmitted along with the sound. In order to obtain clear reception, the receiver must be tuned in to a preset frequency. Psychic vibrations are very similar except that they are of a much higher frequency and in order to perceive these higher vibrations, a medium or psychic must have the ability to attune to higher than normal frequencies.

Scientific Bases and Discoveries

Science is not too far behind all these, although full acceptance is not yet. According to Harold Sherman who is an author of books on psychic phenomena, certain radio technicians were experimenting with the ordinary tape recorder. And according to him, these technicians set up this tape recorder in an empty, soundproof room and allowed it to record whatever. The tape was played back subsequently and, wonder of wonders, faint sounds were registered where there should have been none at all. And when the running of the tape was slowed down to a sufficient level, the sounds turned out to be voices of people who insist, to their astonishment, that they are of the so-called dead, but that they are very much alive and well and are communicating from the other side of life. Of course, not many believed them.

Another breakthrough, however, is Kirlian photography that purportedly can capture the aura on film. The aura is the light that we described (or you saw) earlier. Another group of scientists, doctors this time, experimented on patients with terminal diseases. And they discovered that, at the point of death, the body suffers a sudden weight loss of a few grams. And they concluded that something escapes or is released by the body when it dies. And they suspect that this must be the soul... Many say that religion has not kept in step with scientific advances. But we in these studies say that science has yet to come to the level of spiritual realities. But no matter.

Still another doctor, Dr. Raymond Moody interviewed patients who were resuscitated back to life after being dead and declared clinically dead for some time. And they tell of being aware of dying and traveling to a beautiful place that some could only describe as Heaven. They tell the most fantastic stories and these are detailed in Dr. Moody’s book, ‘Life after Life.’

One last one, a psychologist, Dr. Helen Wambach conducted her own experiments and she regressed her subjects by way of hypnosis to the time during birth and even before birth. And these subjects told of insights into their own past life experiences that tend to support the teaching on reincarnation. Her book is ‘Life before Life.’

The methods that are employed by researchers, by scientists, by seekers after truth may vary but the results should always concur because truth will always reveal itself.

The Mission of INNER QUEST

Yes, we know it’s a bit hard to believe in these things. But go back a few hundred years. During those times, people believed that the Earth was flat, until a few hardy sailors who were very lucky to escape being burned at the stake proved them wrong. They sailed around, over and under the flat world; and only then did people begin to reconsider their stand. But even then, only slowly. Then they were saying, "Only birds can fly." But the Wright brothers were hard of hearing. They did not know that non-feathered flight was supposed to be impossible. And so in their ignorance, they did it anyway! Again they said, "Steel cannot float." Well now, steel ships sail continuously above and below all the seas and oceans.

There is so much that is being made available to us and to the students of INNER QUEST. But these were not given to us for our own benefit alone. Rather, this knowledge is given to us to give to all who genuinely wish to partake of this knowledge. However, our task is not to provide proofs. To one who is ready, no proof is needed while to one who is not, no proof will suffice. But anyone can obtain his own proofs, provided he is willing to work and apply himself to his studies. Neither is our task to convince or to convert you because only you can convince yourselves by way of your own individual experiences. Rather, our sole objective is simply to make this knowledge available to you and to urge you to continue with your own spiritual development.

The Miracles of Jesus

All these things are, however, not entirely new. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ demonstrated many of these faculties. He was clairvoyant. He had unerring knowledge concerning many things which he had no physical means of knowing. He was telepathically in communication with all kinds of spirits, the Devil included. He turned water into wine. He multiplied loaves and fish. Storms abated and water calmed. He even walked on water.

He made the blind to see and the deaf to hear. He healed all manner of diseases — fever, leprosy, paralysis and such. He saved many from impending death. And those who were already dead, he brought back to life.

He never did explain how he managed to do these marvelous things. But then he said, "There is so much more I want to tell you... The Holy Spirit will guide you to all the truth." He also said, "All of these things that I have done, you can do, also, and you will be able to do even more."

Healers and Psychics Today

In the Book of Joel and repeated in the Book of Acts, the Lord said, "In the last days, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men dream dreams and your young men see visions."

In this age-old tradition and following in the footsteps of the Lord, today, some psychics and healers are able to manifest these very same phenomena rendering a great service to many.

But just who are these modern-day healers and psychics? These healers and psychics are our brothers-in-spirit who have developed their psychic faculties over a series of incarnations at different times and ages in this world and other worlds aided by the science prevailing during those time periods and in those worlds.

We mentioned incarnation. Now, this is easy for you. This simply means spirit entering into flesh and being temporarily imprisoned therein. We mentioned different times and ages. Relative to the Earth phase of our existence, some of these modern-day psychics and healers come from China, during the time of the ancient temples. Some come from India, like our very own Vergel Gutierrez, Jr., and were actually gurus and spiritual masters already in their past life experiences. Others come from Ancient Egypt and you know one of these to be Edgar Cayce. Others come from the lamaseries of Tibet; one of these is Lobsang Rampa. A lot of those early Christians are here now in the Philippines. This is why Filipinos are by faith predominantly Christian and we are more inclined to seek guidance from Christian entities, including the apostles, the saints, the angels and archangels, and Jesus of course. However, in Heaven, there is no segregation. All religions are one and all paths lead home.

Scouts of the New Age Movement

These healers and psychics, mediums all, are the scouts of the New Age Movement. They are at the forefront. They take on the flak. They are ridiculed and condemned by a disbelieving world. They are banned, arrested, jailed and persecuted in like manner as the ancient prophets. However, presently, they shall have some relief because the main force will be following after them. And you will be hearing more and more of what you are hearing now.

The Nature of Disease

Now aware of our true self, our spirit self, we can begin to realize that physical diseases or ailments are only outward manifestations of spiritual deficiencies.

Spiritual deficiencies or defects are those that cause imbalance or disharmony in the spirit bodies. In the astral body, these may be black holes, dark smudges, red smears or muddy colors visible to the clairvoyant healer. They are due to selfishness, impatience, intolerance, lust for the things of the flesh and the things of the world and such other traits of unrighteousness that men on Earth possess. If we are selfish, our light fades and is dull, not at all brilliant. If we are prone to anger, there are flashes of red which wreak havoc in our entire being, which cause stresses that leave us with no peace. If we are predisposed to evil doing, we cannot be harmonious with the rest of creation. We would be as the devils with charred, burnt, rotten bodies that smell.

If we misuse or abuse something we are bound to lose it. Those referred to by Jesus who come face to face with the truth but don’t see it, hear it but don’t understand it might as well be blind and deaf. Tension, anger, nervousness, fearfulness and an unforgiving nature (a hard heart) contribute greatly to heart disease. Intolerance, inflexibility or non-adaptability causes allergies. Overindulgence is the major cause of stomach troubles. The list goes on and on.

Excessive drinking which denotes a lack of discipline causes irreparable harm to the liver while smoking destroys the lungs. Those who are likely to smother with love might suffer from asthmatic attacks and find it hard to breathe. This is, after all, what they are causing their loved ones to suffer because of their possessive and overbearing kind of love. We all will suffer the consequences of our actions.

Women who needlessly or without a justifiably good enough reason aborted their pregnancies in the past, even in their past lives, may find their uterus or other related child-bearing organs at risk. Guilty men may become sterile, unable to procreate. Those who seem to devour others because of their greed or lust for power might suffer from the debilitating effects of cancer. Some of those suffering from AIDS now may have preyed on the defenseless and the weak in times past. However, these are not the only causes. In fact, the possibilities are limitless. Those afflicted, provided they know themselves really well, will be able to divine the true spiritual causes of their ailments.

Spiritual Healing and the Practice of Medicine

When a healer examines a patient, he examines not only the physical deficiency, but much more so, the deficiency in the spirit because he knows that the spirit self is the real self and that all physical disorders are only material effects of some spiritual cause. The healer, if he is really knowledgeable, not only heals the body but, also and more importantly, prescribes a course of treatment relative to the correction of the spiritual defects of the patient. All healing of the physical body cannot be lasting unless there is a corresponding correction relative to the spiritual cause. If there is no such treatment of the spiritual root cause, then the ailment will recur again and again and life after life.

When a machine breaks down, you go to a mechanic or a repairman. Similarly, when the body machine breaks down, you go, this time, to a medical doctor. In the Philippines, a medical doctor has invested eight years of study, a few years internship experience and additional years of practice to become proficient at his work. He knows all the physical causes and the course of treatment to be followed to effect a cure. And, therefore, we recommend that if you have a physical complaint, you should go to a medical doctor.

However, a medical doctor is not very knowledgeable as far as the spiritual side of life is concerned. The spiritual aspects of healing are better handled by your healers by virtue of their special training along this line. And because of the accumulated experiences derived by them over many lifetimes or incarnations, they are generally more in tune with the Divine.

Spirit Guidance

All healers, whoever they may be are under the direct guidance and supervision of the Spirits of Truth or as Christians would call them, these are the Holy Spirit. It is these Spirits of Truth who see to it that those who should be healed are, in fact, healed and those who should not be healed are given appropriate guidance. Remember and this is important —- All things are given according to the needs not so much of the physical body but according to the needs of the spirit self.

Methods of Healing

Because of the vast differences in the experiences of individual healers and psychics, their techniques or styles are likewise so diverse. As far as diagnostic techniques are concerned, some avail of clairvoyance. They can sense the disharmony in the aura. They are able to see all sorts of colors or bands of colors and shades that denote clearly the actual condition of the patient. Some healers avail of telepathy. And they get in touch with the subconscious mind or higher self of the patient or the guide of the patient or their own guides who communicate to them the information they require. Other healers have an easy time of it. They just go to sleep, just like Edgar Cayce. Edgar Cayce, in company with his own guide, had access to the Akashic Records which are true and accurate records of all that has ever happened.

As far as healing styles are concerned, some prefer magnetic healing or the laying on of hands. This can be likened to recharging a dead car battery. It is simply the transfusion or transfer of recreative energy to a person who is temporarily unable to regenerate this energy himself. Some healers prefer the use of blessed or energized oil or water. Some prefer the application of herbal solutions. Others prefer to employ psychic surgery. Without benefit of anesthesia and in the absence of surgical instruments, the psychic surgeon can perform painless surgery, often with miraculous results. In many Spiritist centers, those mediums who are not as yet proficient at healing simply voluntarily relinquish control of their bodies to their Spirit guides who do the actual healing. Still others prefer to rely on the efficacy of prayer, invoking direct Spirit intervention.

Your Guardian Angels

You have heard of guardian angels. These are for real. They are our elder brothers, our friends and guides who love us and who are interested in our development. During your times of need, they can be available to help you. And if you were only more receptive, you would be able to sense their presence. They can help you a great deal if you would only be more open to their guidance. Strive to be more attuned to the Divine.

Summary

Now it’s time for us to review. There is a coming Golden Age. We are spirit beings; we are not the physical body. Psychic abilities are our natural and inherent properties and they can be further developed in order that we may come to a greater awareness of the deeper realities of life. Physical defects are only outer manifestations of some spiritual defect; such that when you go to a medical doctor, you go mainly to repair some broken down body mechanism, but when you go to a healer, you seek for a healing at the level of your true self, the spirit self. All of these phenomena shall be brought to the world under the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit or the Spirits of Truth.

A few hundred years ago, one of our ascended brothers summarized all these truths for us so simply and yet so beautifully. His name was Francis and it was he who said:

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, joy.

"O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console: to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

Lesson 1 -- Exercises

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Write whether you AGREE or you DISAGREE with the following statements and then, briefly, in a few sentences, explain why or why not (5 points per item)

1. We live only once, therefore, we should live life to the fullest.
   
   
2. All men are born equal.
   
   
3. It cannot be true if it cannot be confirmed by scientific investigation.
   
   
4. Occult practices are of the Devil.
   
   
5. We are humans with spirits or souls.
   
   
6. Ghosts are figments of the imagination.

7. Whites are superior to blacks.
   
   
8. Diseases are outward physical manifestations of character deficiencies.
   
   
9. Diseases should be totally eradicated.

10. Death is the end of life.
    
    
11. A healer can heal our bodies but only we can heal ourselves.
    
    
12. There is no life on other planets.
    
    
13. Psychic powers won’t work if used for evil purposes.
    
    
14. Even an inept healer can heal if God so wills.
    
    
15. Psychic surgery is the highest form of healing.
    
    
16. Healers and mediums are not entitled to material compensation, as God’s gifts should be given freely.
    
    
17. Healers are always in the service of God.
    
    
18. The ability to heal is a gift from God.
    
    
19. Psychic development is necessary before we can advance spiritually.
    
    
20. The physical body is just as important as the spirit self.

Lesson 1 -- Solutions

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5 points per item

1. We live only once, therefore, we should live life to the fullest.
   
   D. In pursuit of spiritual development, we live again and again in different physical bodies in order to learn and gain experiences. This is Reincarnation.
   
   
2. All men are born equal.
   
   D. All spirits were created equal. Since then however, each of us through our own efforts has attained to varying levels in the order of evolution. When we are born on earth, we bring with us the essence of all that we have already learned in our past incarnations. This explains why, even in our early years, some of us are more developed in knowledge and talents than others.
   
   
3. It cannot be true if it cannot be confirmed by scientific investigation.
   
   D. Science, as a general rule, accepts only what the five senses can perceive and those that can be perceived by the most advanced scientific instruments. However, there is so much more in nature that lie beyond the realm of the physical. These non-material vibrations are as yet undetectable by our most powerful scientific instruments and hence, cannot be accepted by science. However, the more spiritual things and higher spiritual laws exist and, in fact, take precedence over those matters and concerns that are purely physical.
   
   
4. Occult practices are of the Devil.
   
   D. Occult practices are simply put, those practices which are subject to natural laws but which laws are hidden or largely unknown. Therefore, we need only to study them to better understand their operation. Occult practices are neither good nor bad but take on such a character depending on the use to which they are applied.
   
   
5. We are humans with spirits or souls.
   
   D. We are spirit beings with a soul (causal self) which distills the essence of all that we are learning. In our journey to perfection, we make use of many different bodies (vehicles) that enable us to manifest and learn our lessons in the appropriate plane of nature. Humanity is just one of the elementary stages that we undergo in our pursuit of spiritual perfection.
   
   The soul survives death and is the temporary repository of all that we have learned and all the pending karmic consequences incurred from our past incarnations that we will have to meet and resolve in future incarnations.
   
   However, once all the lessons of the lower planes are learned or the soul is perfected, then the soul, itself, will be merged and assimilated into the spirit consciousness.
   
   
6. Ghosts are figments of the imagination.
   
   D. A ghost is a spirit entity that is no longer attached to its physical body but is now clothed, instead, in its astral body. A ghost is very real, indeed, and can be seen by those who are clairvoyant.
   
   Usually, we use the word ghost to refer to discarnate entities and earthbound spirits that are unable to immediately transition to the Spirit World because they are still very much attached to matter or because they feel the need to attend to some unfinished business.
   
   They are allowed to stay here a while longer mainly to prove the survival of the Spirit and the reality of the Spirit World. Especially, they are the most qualified to apprise us of the conditions of life immediately after death. The added insights enable us to be better prepared for the time when we ourselves will be transitioning to the Greater Reality.
   
   
7. Whites are superior to blacks.
   
   D. Spiritual attainment does not depend on the color of one’s skin. Character is the true basis of spirituality and superiority.
   
   
8. Diseases are outward physical manifestations of character deficiencies.
   
   A. Spiritual defects or character deficiencies lie at the root of all physical disorders. They are due to ignorance and underdevelopment and manifest outward in the physical body in the form of diseases and ailments. By studying our own particular ailments, we should be able to discover our faults and weaknesses.
   
   
9. Diseases should be totally eradicated.
   
   D. Our spiritual deficiencies should be eradicated or our character should be reformed and refined. However, diseases serve a very useful purpose by awakening us to our deficiencies in character. Without them, it may be very much harder for us to realize our faults. Diseases have very great instructional value and are very necessary for those of us still here on Earth, and so should and cannot be totally eradicated.
   
   
10. Death is the end of life.
    
    D. At death, we cast aside our gross physical body and we transition into a far greater reality. Life then continues in the Spirit World. It is, in fact, a resumption of the true life, a return to our true home.
    
    
11. A healer can heal our bodies but only we can heal ourselves.
    
    A. To effect a complete healing, the root causes at the spiritual level must also be addressed. Otherwise, even if the healer is able to heal the body, the ailment will recur over and over again. Regarding the spiritual, everything must come as a result of our own efforts and strivings. In the final analysis, only we can heal ourselves.
    
    
12. There is no life on other planets.
    
    D. According to clairvoyants and astral travelers, there is life on other planets but not necessarily in the form to which we are accustomed. In fact, we were previous occupants and students and, in the future, we will be continuing with our development in these other worlds.
    
    
13. Psychic powers won’t work if used for evil purposes.
    
    D. The law operates whether used for good or bad. However, if we sow evil, then evil will return to us. We reap what we sow.
    
    
14. Even an inept healer can heal if God so wills.
    
    A. Nothing is impossible to God. He makes do with what is available, even an inexperienced and bumbling medium-healer. In fact, God can heal even without any physical counterpart healer.
    
    
15. Psychic surgery is the highest form of healing.
    
    D. All methods of healing are equal in value. What is important is that the patient gets healed.
    
    
16. Healers and mediums are not entitled to material compensation, as God’s gifts should be given freely.
    
    D. Mediums and healers attained to their level of proficiency only after continuous development in past incarnations. Therefore, their skills are definitely not freely gotten gifts. In addition, they render a valuable service for which they are entitled to fair compensation. Moreover, the time that a medium or a healer spends in pursuit of a normal occupation is time wasted, because such should have been best utilized in the development of his mediumship or in the service of those in need.
    
    Jesus agrees and so he instructed his disciples to freely accept the hospitality of the people in return for their spiritual services. He told them, "Those you help should feed and care for you. A laborer is worthy of his hire."
    
    
17. Healers are always in the service of God.
    
    D. They are if they serve with God or service to their fellowmen foremost in their minds and hearts, but not if they are merely into healing to serve their own selfish material interests or if they put their own interests first above that of their patients.
    
    
18. The ability to heal is a gift from God.
    
    D. The ability to heal, like any other skill is the result of development even in past lives and, therefore, it is not a gift and neither is it freely gotten.
    
    
19. Psychic development is necessary before we can advance spiritually.
    
    D. Spiritual development relates to character development and does not depend on the possession of psychic faculties. These two are distinct and separate and their development may proceed independently from one another.
    
    
20. The physical body is just as important as the spirit self.
    
    D. The spirit is what is important. The physical body is expendable and disposable. Once it has served its purpose, it is discarded like any used clothing, and is replaced with another that is new and more appropriate when we next reincarnate.

The New Age Movement

..

	The Renaissance Experience
	A Spiritual Renaissance
	Opposition is a Healthy Thing
	Rationale behind the New Age Movement
	The Progressive Teachings of the New Age Movement and their Attendant Phenomena
	…Hindu-Buddhist Influences
	…Traditional Christian Influences
	…Other Supportive Influences
	…New Spiritual Teachings
	Conclusions

In recent times, the world has witnessed the influx of seemingly new concepts and teachings, that many regard as part of the New Age Movement. As is the case with any new knowledge, disagreements and controversies have arisen.

The advocates of religion have branded these concerned groups demonic, if not fanatic. Scientists are quick to denounce certain of these phenomena as fraudulent and mere magician’s tricks. Many in the West question Eastern-influenced teachings because they appear to oppose their own long-held beliefs. All are suspicious and cautious, not really knowing what to think of all these new-fangled ideas and teachings.

The Renaissance Experience

What is happening today has happened before. Beginning some time during the 14th century, emerging from its Dark Ages, the Old World experienced a revival of ancient culture, the brilliance of the Greek and the Roman accompanied by a general enlightenment of all, now known as the Renaissance.

It was the time of Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy,’ Petrarch’s poetry and high ideas, Boccaccio’s ‘Decameron,’ and the poet-scholar Erasmus’ writings; their work inciting renewed interest in literature. Through them and other Renaissance writers, new and revolutionary ideas enabled mankind to rise from darkness into the Light. With the invention of printing at about 1450, the dissemination of these intellectual riches was facilitated to a high degree.

Together with this awakening of the human intellect came a great appreciation for the fine arts. New insights, new styles and new processes accompanied the rise of new ideas and interpretations of grace, harmony and beauty. The arts of painting, sculpture and architecture rivaled the grandeur of ancient times. The full flowering of Renaissance art came with the genius of Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

Still later into the Renaissance period, there were the writings of Cervantes and Shakespeare; the invention of the opera as a musical form, the invention of the compass and gunpowder, the discoveries of Copernicus and Galileo, the voyages of Columbus and Magellan and the beginnings of the banking system and insurance underwriting — an explosion in light and new information.

All these did not come easily. Of course, there was opposition, even persecution. Certainly, there were difficulties experienced by these great innovators and discoverers. Ask any man who espouses a new or revolutionary idea.

A Spiritual Renaissance

Today, we are at the initial stages of an even greater Renaissance, a spiritual regeneration. The main focus of the New Age Movement being an expansion in consciousness and spiritual enlightenment, its effects are bound to be far reaching, all-pervading and profound.

The old truths and even the Occult teachings are now being aired out in the open allowing everyone the opportunity to study them more in depth. Where before, we could only speculate at best, based on incomplete and false information, now, all things are clarified and made plain for all to judge. However, as in the first Renaissance, there will continue to be fear of the unknown, fear of new knowledge, general distrust, unbelief, opposition and persecution.

Opposition Is a Healthy Thing

To oppose a new idea is healthy and even necessary. We need to ferret out mistakes and weed out false concepts before we can arrive at the correct conclusions. But in so doing, we need not be confrontational or antagonistic. And we should be open even to new teachings should our studies provide adequate confirmation of the facts. After all, we will be the ones to benefit from all these. In fact, there is no other way to progress.

Rationale behind the New Age Movement

According to the Occult teachings, periodically, every 2,000 years or more, a World Leader and Teacher comes to continue our divine instruction. Every new age then brings new learning and very great changes. It is thus prophesied that at the beginning of this New Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Aquarius, Christ will come again.

In teaching new things, there are certain recommended steps to be taken, rules to be followed. We start where the student is presently situated, hence the reintroduction of the old Eastern teachings and the Christian revival movements.

We are then brought back to the basics from which we can continue to build. We take on the simple things first before we can advance to the more complex. Once our foundational knowledge is already sufficiently sound, then we can undergo a slow methodical upgrading in the instruction. In this upgrading, new ideas and teachings become more easily acceptable when accompanied by related developments in science and elsewhere. In attaining to its objectives, the New Age Movement is following this very same procedure.

The Progressive Teachings of the New Age Movement and their Attendant Phenomena

Hindu-Buddhist Influences

1. Proliferation of Many Gurus
   
   Different gurus teach various aspects of the old Hindu teachings. Krishnamurti focuses on awareness of the deeper realities of life. The Maharishi teaches Transcendental Meditation or TM, the regular practice of which will bring enlightenment and wellbeing. Prabhupada and Jagad Guru expound on the intellectual teachings and espouse devotional service to the Lord as the way to salvation. Sai Baba puts to practice the teaching on love and devotional service, and urges his disciples to do the same.
   
   
2. Meditation
   
   The gurus teach that through meditation, we will be able to obtain insights relating to the true nature of reality. More, we can have the actual experience to verify the propositions. At the same time, we will be able to arrive at a clear course of action towards the attainment of our objectives, spiritual and otherwise.
   
   
3. Yoga
   
   Physical yoga exercises, the proper choice of food and dieting provide for a more efficient and responsive physical body. We can then be much more effective in whatever work we set out to do. Other yoga practices relate to observances and practices which if done correctly and religiously should bring discipline and other great spiritual benefits.
   
   
4. Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, the Summit Lighthouse, the Theosophical Society and Lobsang Rampa
   
   In line with the work of the Great White Brotherhood, the adepts and spiritual masters overseeing divine instruction on Earth, certain individuals or groups are periodically commissioned to provide continuing instruction to the people in the world relating to different aspects or levels of the Occult teachings.
   
   Begun centuries earlier and so cannot be considered as part of the New Age Movement, Freemasonry nonetheless is a forerunner and their members continue to build positive thought forms and are active in community service. The Rosicrucians are involved in the development of their inner spiritual faculties. The Summit Lighthouse publishes books and conducts teachings that present the Eastern teachings in a context that Christians should find easier to accept.
   
   Through Madame Blavatsky, the Great White Brotherhood, which includes advanced beings of all races and creeds, reintroduces the Ancient Wisdom and clarifies the Divine Plan. She details many of the technical aspects of the teachings relating to Cosmogony, all about the cosmos, and Anthropogenesis, the development of the human race, in the ‘Secret Doctrine,’ the guidebook of the Theosophists. For the men of Aquarius, the Ancient Wisdom of Theosophy is destined to become the motherload of technical knowledge and information concerning the Spiritual and the Divine to which all later revelations and all new upgradings must relate.
   
   The dissertations of the Lama Lobsang Rampa are to this date the more authoritative resources in this series. Thoroughly versed in the philosophy of the East and with his spiritual faculties so very highly developed, he elucidates on the practical aspects of the teachings in a way that only those who really know can ever do.
   
   
5. Reincarnation and Karma
   
   Much deeper insights and clearer, more rational explanations are now made available to everyone. The Hindus believe in Transmigration which teaches that the spirit entity returns in a form, animal or human, which is determined by the desires and attitudes of the spirit, itself, at the time of its death. Buddhism, however, confines reincarnation to the human form. Theosophy teaches that souls develop progressively upward. Evolved group souls of plants move on to become the group souls of animals. After animal evolution, the group souls become individualized as humans. For special purposes, Avatars on special missions in our world may transmigrate to another human body, but always with the permission and willing participation of the previous occupant. Metempsychosis relates to our transferring from our old body to another body more suited to the plane or planet that we are moving to.
   
   Karma is the corollary law that governs the causes and effects that manifest in every life. It is likewise God's provisioning of the very conditions, circumstances and situations that we will encounter in our life, the lessons that will enable every spirit entity to learn and develop itself.
   
   
6. Oneness, the God within, Pantheism
   
   There is the principle of oneness of all creation. God is within us. God is a part of us and we, a part of God. We are One. Three stages or levels of the same basic teaching. Awareness of these truths comes slowly. Initially, we are self-conscious, selfish individual entities. Then we begin to regard ourselves as only a part of a larger unit, the family. Then going farther into this important principle by succeeding stages, we become a nation, a whole world, a Universe, the Cosmos, the whole of creation and, finally, a god at-one with God.

Traditional Christian Influences

1. Catholic Involvements
   
   During the last few decades, certain needs of the faithful were not satisfactorily addressed. The flock required additional and more personalized instruction that the members of the clergy were hard pressed to provide. Many lay people wanted to more actively involve themselves in religious activities. As a consequence, some programs were initiated to meet the need.
   
   The Cursillo, a mini-course in Catholic doctrine, became a popular movement in the 60s and 70s. The rollista’s style of lecturing was very entertaining and contrasted favorably against the then morose, sedate and unexciting sermons delivered by the priests. Songs were deeply moving and the lyrics were catchy. Close camaraderie was fostered. However, after a surge of spirituality, the emotional appeal of the movement waned and many went back to their old error-filled ways.
   
   Other movements took over. Charismatic groups sprouted and they provided the needed continuing instruction. Physical ailments and other equally pressing problems were now prayed over and the intercession and help of the Holy Spirit were invoked. Such cures and solutions obtained added greatly to the popularity of the movement. Later, the Life in the Spirit seminars replaced the Cursillo. And to address the problems of married couples, the Marriage Encounter program was initiated and now continues to attract a large following.
   
   The Family Rosary Crusade came about as a result of Mary’s plea for the conversion of people’s hearts. Fueled by interest in the continuing Marian apparitions, many have directed their thoughts and prayers toward world peace and understanding among people of all nations. At the same time, they are reminded that a Greater World beyond earth waits for everyone.
   
   
2. Protestant Revivals
   
   Many evangelists formed their own groups which promote Biblical teachings and some are able to effect miraculous healings with the help of the Holy Spirit. Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, Benny Hinn, Rex Humbard and the fallen Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart are only a few of these. Many are responding to the Lord’s commission to his disciples to preach his message to all nations. Many now swear to being "Born Again" and to having a personal relationship with the Lord.
   
   
3. Catholic and Protestant In-fighting
   
   In the unfolding of the gospel messages to more people, to many for the first time, the same issues and questions that actually caused the separation of the church are again brought back to the attention of the people. Disagreements and discussions relating to indulgences, the reverence for Mary and the worship of representative images and pictures, to name a few, enable us to more intelligently evaluate these issues.

Other Supportive Influences

1. In Politics
   
   Cory’s People Power toppled a world class dictator, and inspired similar peaceful mass movements all around the globe. The cold war ended with the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, the fall of Communism in Russia and the weakening of Communist power in China. A concerted world action was mounted against Iraq and Yugoslavia, where Christian NATO forces found themselves fighting against Christian Serbs, putting their lives at risk to protect ethnic Albanian Muslims preempting the possibility of another holocaust and the spread of an even greater conflict in all of Europe. These are some the most momentous events in recent years. And many equate them to the triumph of good over evil and the victory of God over the Godless.
   
   
2. In Science
   
   We are now at the beginning of the Space Age. We have gone to the moon, walked its surface and come back. Soon, we will be meeting our alien brothers face to face. We are in the Age of Computers and the Internet, which has revolutionized our information processing systems. We are also in the Age of Electronics and Satellite Communications providing for the instant exchange of information worldwide.
   
   
3. In the Environment
   
   Our attention is now riveted to the problems of the environment. To preserve the ecological balance and the food chain, we can no longer continue to dump our wastes anywhere we please. Certain committed groups now promote wildlife conservation to save endangered species from extinction. In order to save our lungs and our lives, we need to resolve the problem of pollution. We need to plant more trees to prevent erosion and killer floods. The nations need to cooperate in order to effectively address the inter-related problems of acid rain, global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer protecting us from the harmful rays of the sun.
   
   We are all travelers occupying a single spaceship, the planet earth. If we harm any part of our world, we ultimately harm ourselves. Our awareness of this truth will provide us the means to better understand the teaching on Oneness.
   
   
4. Popular Movements
   
   Pro-lifers battle the Pro-choicers out in the streets, in front of abortion clinics, in church pulpits, on radio, television and in print media; all the better for us to decide on the merits of their case. The Gay Rights Movement is a part of the continuing fight for the rights of the oppressed minority and the underprivileged. It follows after the war on slavery and equal rights for blacks. The ascendance of women to positions of equal power comes after Golda Meier, Margaret Thatcher, Cory Aquino, Hillary Clinton and Indira Gandhi, proving that one’s sex is neither a handicap nor a hindrance.
   
   
5. Unidentified Flying Objects and Alien Beings
   
   We will continue to be bombarded with news and stories concerning UFOs. However, our confusion will dissipate when, as prophesied, these expectedly friendly alien beings make their formal appearance. Eventually, we will be able to interact with these highly advanced beings to our greater benefit. They are very much a part of the coming new age.

New Spiritual Teachings

1. The Power of Thought
   
   Before anything else was, there was thought. And everything came about as a consequence of thought. Thought creates. This is the principle behind all the positive thinking that certain groups teach — those groups that practice visualization techniques and those that decree into being by the power of their imagination. Two of them are the Science of Mind and Silva Mind Control. But the faithful are also firm believers and practitioners. When we pray, believing that we have already received what we ask for, it is this same principle that comes into play. However, instead of wisely utilizing their newfound ability to further the goal of spiritual development, many use it to obtain material objectives and things.
   
   
2. Psychic Phenomena
   
   In recognition of these widely experienced occurrences, the science of Parapsychology was born. And now, psychical research is well respected and conducted with the support of governments, the scientific community and the academe.
   
   The assistance of psychics has been much sought after in the investigation of gruesome crimes. The prophecies of Nostradamus have been very well scrutinized even by governments with a view to gaining political advantage; and where there were unfavorable overtones, the prophecies were downplayed and discredited.
   
   Uri Geller once was the toast of society when his telekinetic powers became publicized. There have been countless instances of telepathic communication even among ordinary men and women. And there are many accounts of out-of-body-experiences and astral traveling by those who have experienced these themselves. While some have attained to their psychic experiences through drug-induced methods.
   
   By whatever means attained, these experiences provide incontrovertible proofs and are the magical windows from which we can look and know the nature of the True Reality, the World that lies beyond Earth.
   
   
3. Healing Arts
   
   Many new alternative methods of healing are also gaining acceptance. New health foods, fine crystals, herbs and even pyramids are being availed of. The holistic healing method considers not just the physical condition but also the patient’s spiritual, mental and emotional wellbeing. Edgar Cayce even prescribed certain poisons to be used as medicine and he reveals the direct relationship between our diseases and ailments and the mistakes we have committed in our past incarnations.
   
   
4. Proofs of Survival of the Spirit Consciousness and the Existence of the Spirit World
   
   Researches have been done on patients who died and were declared clinically dead, but who were later resuscitated back to life. One such researcher was Dr. Raymond Moody. His book ‘Life after Life’ was, to many in the West, an eye-opener. But he was not alone.
   
   At the risk of losing her career, Shirley MacLaine boldly announced the availability of communication with the Other-World through channeling. Spirit guides are now being contacted everyday, even with the lights turned on. Arthur Ford sends his messages through Ruth Montgomery by automatic typing. Seth speaks on the technical aspects of spiritual reality to the scientists. Nature spirits, dwarves and elves continue their playful encounters with humans.
   
   
5. Reincarnation and Karma
   
   In 325, Emperor Constantine after being converted to the Faith called the first ecumenical council at Nicaea to settle questions of doctrine. This resulted in the adoption of the Nicene Creed, which later became the basis of all church doctrine from that day forward.
   
   It was here that certain books were selected for inclusion in the "Authorized" Bible while others were banned and discredited. It was here, also, that the teachings on Reincarnation and Karma were disauthorized. All references to such principles were then expunged from the sacred books and these teachings were henceforth suppressed and regarded as heretic.
   
   However, in the Bible itself even now, there are still veiled allusions to the Doctrine of Reincarnation which have survived the rewriting of the Scriptures. They can be seen in the references to Elijah returning in the flesh as John the Baptist and to Jesus, himself, before he became Jesus. In addition, there are the comments of Jesus’ disciples regarding the reasons why a man came to be born blind. And Karma is only the sowing and reaping mentioned by St. Paul. There are other passages that are just as elucidating to the earnest seeker.
   
   What Jesus himself taught, his so-called followers just a few hundred years after his death denied. Deciding that they know better than their Lord, the church leaders voted to drop reincarnation and karma from the catechetical teachings. However, the Truth will not be denied for long.
   
   More recently, these teachings have been reinstituted into Scripture through their inclusion in the ‘Aquarian Gospel’ by Levi. Moreover, the Edgar Cayce files are replete with illustrative life readings. Arthur Ford contributes some interesting insights relating to prominent personalities who have only recently departed. Lobsang Rampa, the Tibetan Lama, ably provides the rationale behind these principles. For the scientific-minded, Dr. Ian Stevenson through his 2,000 researched cases, Dr. Helen Wambach through her experiments in hypnotic regressions and many others have presented their own evidences in support of reincarnation. The books are in our stores.
   
   
6. Spiritism, Guidance by the Holy Spirit
   
   As foretold by Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit or the Spirits of Truth are now extending their divine guidance and instruction to everyone. Their objective is to facilitate our enlightenment and further our spiritual development.
   
   In this school, instruction is not only based on the second-hand information or hearsay evidence contained in the Bible and other revered writings. Instead, each student is afforded the special opportunity to prove the theoretical teachings by drawing from his own personal experiences.
   
   Those who are so inclined are aided in the development of their spiritual faculties. Those who prefer to serve in other ways are similarly assisted. Although Spiritism is not for everyone, those who genuinely aspire to get to heaven should seriously consider attending this school.

Conclusions

From East to West, the unfolding continues. The whole world must be prepared for the coming of the Age of Revelation.

Today, in place of the confusion, there is the beginning of learning. From the various books on positive thinking to personal psychic experiences and travels to worlds beyond: from UFO sightings to ‘Life after Life’s’ "Beings of Light;" from the evangelists’ prayers for healing and the 700 Club’s words of knowledge to the bare-handed operations of psychic surgeons; from the teachings of the gurus and the Ancient Wisdom of Theosophy to the dissertations of Lobsang Rampa; from the speaking in tongues and the Marian apparitions and messages to communication with Spirit guides and Holy Spirits, the Truth is on the march.

We have had enough of half-truths, false allegations and blind teachings. Today, we can begin to see the True Light. Through our own personal experiences, we can learn and understand far more than ever before. We only need to open up our hearts and minds. We only need to let the Light shine in.