Robert Searle
Bio
"Robert Searle is an autodidact, and independent researcher. He is the originator of two major paradigms known as Multi-Dimensional Science, and Transfinancial Economics. He is also the originator of the Eleutherian Theory,the Universal Debating Project, and a pioneer of what maybe termed Improvised Voice Instrumental Music,and Improvised Musical Whistling.
He was born on April 30th 1961 at Upton Hospital, Slough in England. His family were middle-class. His father who lives in Selsey is a structural/civil engineer who has been involved in a number of major jobs including those at Hampton Court, and St. Georges School, Windsor.
His mother was of Huguenot ancestry. She was a part-time antique dealer, and a registered breeder of burmese cats. After she died in Oxford in 2005 his father (in his late seventies) re-married in 2008 to a former noted Russian ballet dancer by the name of Irina Ishmetov. She claims to have healing powers, and emanates from a wealthy background.
Searle was educated at the Royal Free, and at a private school in Windsor called the Tutorials. His main interests then were art, and history. He had a gift for drawing (especially "instant" portraiture), and painting. As a teenage he acted as an unofficial guide to the Curfew Tower at Windsor Castle (circa 1974-76). He also had the privilege of entering the large “secret” tunnel which the public were not allowed to see.
He was a keen photographer, and loved visiting other historical places in the UK, and abroad. Because of his interest in history he had a fascination for archaeology, and undertook practical work at the excavation site in Wraysbury near Windsor.He even wrote an article for Young Rescue about the dig at old Windsor, and the surrounding area in 1975 drawing his data from the Windsor Guildhall.
After attending the Tutorials he went onto College where he was studying french, biology,and history. He was intending to study archaeology at the University of London but decided not to.After he left College he took jobs as a clerical worker notably for Sony, and the Department of Health, and Social Security. He also later became a self-employed horticulturist (1980-96) working in the "stockbroker belt" of places like Gerrards Cross, Stoke Poges, Farnham Common,Iver, and elsewhere . One of his clients who also became a great friend was Sir Michael Shersby, former MP for Uxbridge, who died suddenly, just after Tony Blair came to power in 1997.
Robert Searle had relatives on his fathers side who were the world experts on orchids.They were Brian, and Wilma Rittershausen who were a brother, and sister "team". Searle, and they were a part of the Austrian Von Rittershausen family. The word Rittershausen means the House of the Knight, and has a coat of arms with a latin motto meaning Iron Will. Its history can be traced a long way back, and consisted of a line of powerful barons who played an important role in the Hapsburg Empire. In the early part of the 20th Century though due to the rise of the Nazis, the Rittershausens fled to England, and notably stayed in London.
Apart from being a horticulturist Robert Searle has also been a professional fundraiser (1996-2005). This involved the direct selling of charity tickets for two childrens charities, notably the Lee Sykes Centre in Sunderland before it closed down. However,he learned to hate this kind of work. He believes that there is far better way of helping charitable non-government organizations, or NGOs which is discussed in his“working paper” on Transfinancial Economics. This can be found as an entry in the P2P Foundation website which was started by Michel Bauwens who is a noted pioneer, and populariser of the importance of computers in the global networking of people, and ideas.
A Seeker After Truth.
To return to when he was a child, Searle had a number of psychic experiences which made him re-think his life, and purpose. In August 1977 serious intellectual interest was ignited (along with a “Vision” of the "Spiritual Sun") by a book entitled The Unknown Power by Guy Lyon Playfair. In around 1980, he became a member of the Society for Psychical Research, which was the earliest "scientific" society of its kind (1882).
He has been connected with other “groups.” These are of a far less scientific value such as the Theosophical Society, the Arcane School. and the College of Psychic Studies. At the age of 16, and 17 he wrote a projected book on the paranormal plus a novel concerned with post mortem existence.Unfortunately, they did not go into print.The same occured with his paper in 1977 for the Galpin Society which was concerned with reviving ancient Etruscan Music. In it he used existing data (largely iconographical). He connected it up for the first time with the poetic incantations of Italian peasants who gave clear references to Etruscan (pre-roman) gods in a book (published in 1892)by Charles Godfrey Leland borrowed from the London Library.
As an adult though he published a number of articles on eastern esoteric subjects. Four appeared in a small but scholarly journal called The Pentacle which sadly folded. His work though has appeared in Yoga Today, and its successor Yoga, and Healing for which he also divised a few competitions. Some of his artwork was also published.Essentially, he has written on Indian Mysticism.
In the 21st century he has contributed largely seminal "essays" to the influential, and largely comprehensive Kheper website dealing with the esoteric. It is run by Alan Kazlev, a Jew living in Australia.
Besides his literary endeavours, Searle has met, and in certain cases interviewed a number of gurus visiting Britain. They included such people as Ma Yogashakti, Swami Chidananda Maharaj, Ravi Shankar, Mata Amritanandamayi, Shivabala Bala Yogi, S.A.A. Ramaiah, Kehar Singh, Mataji Nirmala Devi, and the like.
Transfinancial Economics (TFE) .
Since around the turn of the 20th century Robert Searle became very interested in economics, and especially how money plays its role in society. He came across monetary reform which believes in radical changes in the banking system.
In London, he became involved with meetings of the Global Justice Movement(GJM). It is not to be confused with a Canadian based group of the same name. The GJM in the UK is "headed up" by Peter Challen, and Rodney Shakespeare, a worldwide authority on Binary Economics. These "meetings" tended to be very small but informative. All the same the GJM did, and does attract a number of high calibre people such as a successful authoress, Ellen Brown, and a well-known American Senator, Dennis Kucinich.
Apart from this, Robert Searle used to attend the committee rooms at the Houses of Parliament where there were on occasion lectures on monetary reform. It was there that he met such people as James Robertson, and Stephen Zarlenga, the founder of the American Monetary Institute.
It was at such meetings, and talks that as a concerned citizen he was inspired to develop Transfinancial Economics, or TFE. Some of his feedback from critics about it came from the internet forum of the Global Justice Movement itself. Since August 2004 he contributed hundreds of posts to it not all ofcourse dealing with his paradigm.
Essentially, Transfinancial Economics, or TFE has been evolving on the internet from something which was relatively simplistic, and less informed to something which is more complex, and more informed. This has been a long process, and has involved a degree of intuitive awakening. However, it was discovered later on that it was very similiar to Social Credit which was founded by Clifford Douglas.
Anyway, TFE, itself believes that enough new unearned money can be created which would in time make the need for taxes, and/or indeed, fundraising in many cases unnecessary. If at all necessary inflation could be controlled directly, and electronically rather than by the indirect methods of raising interest rates, and taxation.
A futuristic, but realistic political philosophy may also be developed. It would largely be influenced by Technocracy set in the basic framework of open democracy, and universal human rights.
As for TFE, it is hoped that in a few years time a book possibly entitled Towards Super Economics, Financial Revolution, and Global Justice will be published.It should be said here that a paper was actually accepted by a scholarly journal of high standing. After signing copyright clearance forms though Searle had a dispute with the editor/publisher, and withdrew it. At the time of writing, it has been sent elsewhere. It has also attracted interest from some economists including Professor Prem Sikka, and the noted autodidact, Hazel Henderson.Finally, TFE was one of the key subjects presented at the scientific International Conference of Engineering, and Meta-Engineering in April 2010 which took place in the USA.
Multi-Dimensional Science (MDS).
Multi-Dimensional Science, or MDS (also referred to as the Multi-Dimensional Hypothesis) if true could (like TFE in economics) be seen as a major breakthrough in our understanding of psychic, and spiritual phenomena. It has also attracted some interest from a number of people including Elisabet Sahtouris, Stanley Krippner, Jean Houston, and Ron Pearson, the originator of Survival Physics.
MDS offers for the first time a methodology in which we can "objectively" understand how the non-physical spiritual, and the psychic could be proved (albeit indirectly in the main),and hence, how this could revolutionise physics, psychology, biology, psychiatry, and the like.Searle believes that ideas, and mathematics similiar to modern physics do have a huge relevance in the development of MDS even though some of the findings may be partly, or wholly ineffable.Moreover,he has suggested that some non-physical phenomena could be “accurately” described, and made “provable” by using symbolic type coding when it comes to mystical ascents into “higher worlds”. It is hoped that a book will result possibly entitled Towards Super Science; The New Psychic, and Spiritual Paradigm. This project will take longer than TFE. Those with an academic background in the sciences, and to some extent in the arts would be necessary to help forward the evolutionary development of this new “science.”. An Association for Multi-Dimensional Science (AMS) may be set up.
Searle is creating a worldwide directory/database of well-known, and more importantly little-known esoteric societies whose mystical, and psychic knowledge may prove invaluable for the theoretical dimension of MDS. This project when completed, and published will probably be the most comprehensive ever produced. Simple codes may be used to reduce the amount of information given per entry of this projected directory/database.
The Eleutherian Theory is a "spin off" from MDS. It offers a "new" esoteric philosophy concerned with "free will". He is also interested in the idea of the Universal Debating Project which is also very similiar to another evolving concept already present on the internet.
Musical Projects.
Apart from his two major projects of TFE, and MDS his other concern is Voice Instrumental Music.This is the use of the human voice as if it were a musical instrument. It is a huge subject with great potential not fully appreciated. There are many examples of it such as Tuva throat singing, the Jewish nigun, Beatboxing, the Hollywood Sound Effects Choir, and notably the A Cappella groups such as the Swingle Singers, the House Jacks, Vocal Sampling, et al. Searle hopes to undertake some pioneering contribution in this obscure area of music. He believes in the development of an avant garde theory, and practice refered to as Improvised Voice Instrumental Music.This involves the use of greater musical intelligence which can lead to the creation of impromptu, or on the spot performances of high quality music of various genres. This could be recorded. Thus, each “professional” improv concert of whatever musical style would produce new music spontaneously.
Besides Improvised Voice Instrumental Music, he is also interested in Improvised Musical Whistling.He has become well-known in his locality for the habit of whistling largely non-improvised pieces of mainly Medieval, and Renaissance Music as well ofcourse as improvised whistling.He has developed a "secret" following of people who insist that he should record his work.This may happen soon plus examples of Improvised, and Non-Improvised Voice Instrumental Music, and "normal" singing.
Furthermore, as indicated Searle is a lover of colourful, and interesting interpretations of Medieval, and Renaissance Music, or Early Music believing that it has great possibilities which are slowly being realized. As such, he has created the largest audio-visual internet collection of its kind. It is intended to essentially interest, and inspire amateurs, professional musicians, and composers. It is known simply as Searle8. Utilising the user name of "piedpiper" he has also contributed much material on the musician David Munrow(1942-1976)at an internet forum/tribute site dedicated to him, and his work.
Among other things he has been witness to "minor" historical events at Windsor notably the Great Fire at Windsor Castle in 1992. This received huge worldwide news coverage.
In 1993 he was initiated into Surat Shabd Yoga as taught by Radha Soami Satsang Beas. He also had two major spiritual awakenings from two gurus Dr. Sharma, and Sant Harjit Singh. Both traced their lineage to Baba Faqir Chand."
More Information
A. Relevant Links to the above Biodata.
http://www.p2pfoundation.net/Transfinancial_Economics
http://p2pfoundation.net/Multi-Dimensional_Science
The following link is an essay from the kheper website in connection with the development of the Eleutherian Theory. A fuller, and more advanced presentation may appear on as entry on the p2pfoundation. The term Eleutherian Theory does not appear on the kheper site.
http://www.kheper.net/essays/A_Certain_Ethical_Problem_in_Esotericism.html
http://www.p2pfoundation.net/Improvised_Voice_Instrumental_Music
I am connected with the Global Justice Movement. http://www.globaljusticemovement.net/ I have been a regular contributor to the Global Justice Movement discussion forum from around 2004-2011.
Contributions are also made notably on the p2pfoundation discussion when time, and energy are in supply https://lists.ourproject.org/pipermail/p2p-foundation/
Another project of some importance is as follows.. http://www.p2pfoundation.net/Universal_Debating_Project
As mentioned in my biodata I came across Charles Lelands work connected with the Etruscans which I originally found in the London Library as a teenager. It now appears on the internet. http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/err/err00.htm
A copy of my old 1975 article for Young Rescue appeared on the following site which published a letter from myself . In the second part of the article the word "Wellingford" should ofcourse read Wallingford! http://www.britarch.ac.uk/yac/YA147.html
My Youtube Site maybe of interest. http://www.youtube.com/user/Searle8
A tribute site to David Munrow.
http://www.davidmunrow.org/index.htm
The posts on the discussion group concerned with the above link are by myself using the user name of piedpiper.
http://www.davidmunrow.org/forum/
My Facebook site. http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Robert-Searle/1793462140
The following is a listing of articles on my blog (Thoughts, and Visions) with a number of "relevant" articles. These "articles" may require further editing when time, and interest prevail.
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/realization-of-psychic.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/early-days.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/meeting-dr-sharma-in-london-1990.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/vision-of-spiritual-sun.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/i-present-here-what-may-be-termed.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/basic-background-of-radhasoami-faith.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/encountering-brahma-kumaris-and-raja.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/encountering-radhasoami-satsang-beas.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/religare-gurinder-and-beas-satsang.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/birth-trauma.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011_06_01_archive.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/david-harrinton-and-his-book.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/2011the-anniversary-of-tempest-by.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/psychic-encounters-of-friend.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/anatomy-of-thoughts.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/more-light-on-two-inner-awakenings.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/encounter-with-subud-brotherhood.html
B. Articles Relevant to the above Biodata, and links.
1.The "Vision" of the "Spiritual Sun".
The following experience may be of interest....it is connection with a "Vision" of the "Spiritual Sun" back on August 12th 1977.
.... It was a timeless experience. It seemed to go on, and on, and yet at the same time (so to speak!) it seemed to be just a few minutes, or so.. Whether it can be exactly called a Vision, or "waking dream" is another matter. Let us assume that it is the former. It began when I was aware of darkness all around me. I was stumbling about until I suddenly opened a door, and lo, and behold I saw a spectacle which was most esoteric in significance.... What I saw, or I presume I saw was the Sun with two outpourings of sparks whose soothing "sizzling" sound could be barely heard. This for some could be interpreted as the "I AM" presences or souls ...."descending", and "ascending". Indeed, these sparks could be what are known as nitzotzot of the Jewish Kabbalah They issued from each side of the lower portion of the Sun which could be interpreted as being the Solar Logos, God, or the Higher Self. Yet, it was partly this peaceful experience that helped to inspire me to deeply explore the world of the esoteric. It was the start of my Truth-Seeking though this had also been triggered off so to say by a certain book by the researcher Guy Lyon Playfair.. Anyway, there is also a further note to this. Shortly, after the above Vision I moved to Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire, England. I went upstairs to what was to be my private sanctum ( I was 16 at the time), and suddenly realized as I opened the door that this very same door was the one in the Vision. When it was fully ajar I saw infront of me my future desk, and chair, and the physical sun shinning its rays into the room...
PS. It should also have been said that the "Sun" did not "blind" me in a any way unlike the physical sun when perceived directly
2.The Realization of the Psychic....
Psychic Realizations, and Some Personal Experiences.
Sometimes, certain psychic realizations are had when people are in their childhood such as communicating with invisible "playmates", seeing auras, perceiving "spirit"lights, and dead people, et al. Quite often, such young persons may regard this as "normal" until they are told otherwise. As the child gets older the experiences may lessen, or usually vanish altogether in adulthood. For some though this can lead to a"career", or an intense interest in some "New Age", or psychic movement/society. Such psychic realizations can also occur in older people rather than in childhood. It might involve someone going to a healer, and later discovering that they, themselves have suddenly found the power to heal others. Certain UFO sightings along with alleged alien encounters can transform peoples lives. They feel somehow re-charged, and may even gain"temporary" psychic "powers" such as telepathy, and healing. Near-Death Experiences too, or NDEs can have a like influence on the individual. Ofcourse, this can result with certain people deceiving themselves into thinking that they do have psychic powers, and/or a special mission in life.Many ordinary folk have a story to say about some"odd" happening in their lives. Yet, such occurencies are often a one-off, and is soon forgot.
However, such experiences would have at least made it known to the person concerned that life is far stranger than it appears. In this respect, they have much worth, and can lead onto the more important issues of spiritual evolution. In other words, a stepping stone towards higher things.In the following, I (the author) have described some ofmy own personal experiences. Short remarks are included. Some of it may seem a little bizarre but it must be made abundantly clear that I have never ever taken illegal drugs, and/or psychiatric ones from a doctor. It should also be stated here that most people who may have had psychic experiences are quite often,or not in good mental health.
However, it is my belief that my own experiences were partly the outcome of birth trauma when I nearly died from suffocation. Indeed, the horror of such an event was "relived"in 1968 as a child as I was sleeping inthe back seat of my parents car. This occured in Spain.Apart from that, I think rightly, or wrongly that when I retired the sleeping "unconcious" mind would on occassion allow normally negative "buried" memories to re-emerge in some form, or other. Yet, this could include on occassion unusual phenomena initially caused by the "re-enactment" of stiffling suffocation of the birth trauma, and its concomittant subnormal"subconcious" state of "being".This acted as a"gateway" for certain lowly "attuned" forces to interfere with my childhood. In other words, these"forces" came from a sub-plane, or "world" where such awareness exists as an interiorised, and exteriorised energy "suitable" for "beings," and "things" at that level. This may seem unorthodox to some, and as such it is not our intention here to go into the more"mainstream" ideas such as those of Freud, Jung,Adler, or indeed, "re-birthing"..and the like.This subnormal level of being below waking conciousness was a feature of many of my early experiences. It is my belief that the latter has been responsible for a small amount of mental retardation but nothing serious unlike those who for example have cerebral palsy to a grave extent.It must be clearly stated here though that many people who have had such experiences in the main are in excellent mental health be they child,or adult. This must forever be bourne in mind especially the more sceptical amongst us. Moreover, the birth experience, and its degree of trauma (usually kept at anunconcious level) is common for most people though it can ofcourse cause mild, or serious psychological problems for some.
1. Repeated Psychic "Assaults".
As a child when I was asleep I would on a few occassions become "aware" of my body at a subnormal level of conciousnes. I then experienced electricity around the back of my neck. Similiarly, the same energy could be had around the base of the heels. If I recall rightly in the book Shadow of Destiny by the controversial Alexander Cannon this was the start ofwhat might be termed attempted "possession" but in my case it was technically speaking repeated psychic"assaults". Anyway, in the darkness I would feel something on top of me, and it was grabbing my throat, and strangled me. When this appalling experience reached its climaxI lost "conciousness". Then,I would wake up in bed to my normal waking conciousness.
2. Past Lives?
The above may be a repeated repressed memory at the end of a previous life if we accept reincarnation. I believe that the following experience is an instanceof another existence.It occured at a subnormal level of "conciousness" to some extent.
I was on a stoney beach in France, and I was a soldier. Troops were near me, and one had a bazooker. I could see the cliffs, and a pill box with a rifle sticking out, but pointing downwards. For some reason or other I moved foolishly away from the troops, and became an easy target. A shot was heard,and entered my stomach. I fell backwards clutching it.Interestingly, the full pain, and suffering of the experience seemed to be blocked by the mind. Yet, I awoke from this "memory" which was like a replay of some vague grainy black, and white film. It was more of a tactile experience rather than a clear visual phenomenon. Anyway,I was still clutching my belly, and writhing about in my pyjamas! I also felt myself several times being inside, and outside the body. In other words, an out-of-the-body (or OOBE) experience of which I had a number of spontaneous occurences but again at a subnormal level of conciousness (eg.rolling in, and out of bed but not physically so!).
Strange as it may appear I discovered that the death trauma memory had in World War II ofcourse occured with other living individuals. It appears that many of those who died were reborn quickly so that they could be karmically "rewarded" by experiencing a "better" life presumably in the rich countries such as Britain,America, and Europe. Their "self-sacrifice" was not in vain.
I believe I had an experience of seeing "myself"in a past life. I must stress this is only a theory, and could be completely wrong. It occured in a lucid dream (ie.I was aware I was I "dreaming"). I was in bed as a child, and next to me I saw a man lying by me. His eyes were wide with amazement, and he fearfully tried to touch my face with his hand....whereupon I blacked out, and returned tonormal waking conciousness. What was extraordinary was his appearance. He had a wide ruddy face, and white dirty bedraggled hair. He had a fur collar band, and on his arm he had a blue (woad) design. Could this have been "me" in some far off incarnation, or was it someone, or something else?From the description he was probably an Ancient Briton even though I knew next to naught about that subject...but I did develop an intense interest in history later.Also, it should be added that I saw a strip of silver light (astral light of occultism?) along the side of his muscled frame. If I recall correctly JoanForman mentions something similiar in her bookl in connection with "time-slips".
Another instance at a rather lower level of subnormal conciousness than usual was a "visitation" of a monk whose face I dared not look at. He had a wooden bowli n which he dipped his finger to make the sign of the cross on my forehead! I did not really understand the full significance of this at the time. Could this have been "me" in a previous incarnation as a medieval monk possibly?There is much in psychic literature about reincarnation. The subject is vast.
3. The Windsor Apparition.
Ghosts have been reported all over the world. Evidence seems to suggest that most of them are probably replays of minor, or major happenings of the past.Usually, they are of a tragic nature. Strong negative emotions seem to impose themselves most easily onto the ether unlike positive uplifting ones.
My own personal experience occured in around 1968 in ahouse which had just been built in Windsor, Berkshire in England. I awoke one night, and felt an unnatural clammy coldness even though it was very still summer night. At the bottom of my bed I saw the form of a man dressed in Victorian garb (a "vagrant"). He looked perfectly solid. I froze with terror, and just stared at him.The "phantom" or whatever it was merely stood totally stationary for a short while. He was dressed in a large brown shabby overcoat that looked a bit dusty.He had a matching top-hat, and the shade of its rim covered his eyes. He seemed to have a scarf around his neck. Quite mechanically his large form turned around, and displayed a suprising array of different coloured patches on the back of his coat. At the same time,I could hear the crackle of electricity. This was a low sound but it was distinct. Slowly, but surely he moved towards the corner of the room. As he started to gently fade away into the night(quite literally!) I noted that parts of the furthest edge of his coat were vibrating furiously, and then, disappearing. Here, I stress the word "parts" as the whole form did not become a vibrating mass of energy..and then, dematerialize. This, along with the crackling of electricity as he turned plus the initial clammy coldness indicate that such phenomenon have some kind of mechanics yet to be comprehended by science.
I have to admit too that on very rare occassions I sometimes saw the static outline of figures. Whether this was purely a trick of the mind is impossible to say with certainty. They seemed to be aborted materializations. In one instance of a similiar phenomenon, I saw the shadow silhouette of a profile of a mans face at the bottom of my bedroom door. It could have come from the light outside but there was no one there! Moreover, it was totally still for a very longtime, and seemingly inexplicable.Ofcourse, none of this compares with the materialized phantom I saw so many moons ago...Morever, this "phantom" was not some replay from the past but rather an "astral shell" I witnessed. In other words, there was no intelligent life in it as we would understand it.
There is a strange footnote to this spectral materialization. I experienced the same clammycoldness (acting as a warning?) twice just before I saw two fatal road accidents. The most horrendous of which was the one up in the mountains of the Pyrennees in Spain. In my parents car I saw a huge lorry which was about to tip over the edge of a cliff. A vehicle had rammed into it, and a man in a white shirt hung out of it covered in blood. A priest was present presumably giving the last rites. A woman who was pinned into the back seat next to the dead man was understandably hysterical. A man in a suit lay on the road but no obvious trace of blood but I knew he was dead. After I saw all that I stuck my head out of my parents car, and vomited. No child, or adult should have to see something like that.
4. A Psychic "Lightning Bolt".
This experience such as it can be called is perhaps the most fantastical (1979). It commenced in a lucid dream in which I was aware of being next to a Church in Windsor. I saw in the seeming darkness around me a harp which was making discordant sounds due to "wind"(like an Aeolian harp). Then, I looked up, and could hear the peels of thunder, and lightning. Suddenly, I realized that that I had become the target for it. The ligtning bolt struck me, and I awoke in bed. I was lying on my side, and noticed a flame-like aura along my body. The bedroom was half lit up by the orange"lightning-flash".In seconds, it, and the aura (which did not surround my body but just the side of it!) disappeared leaving me astonished.What on earth was all this about? I believe that someone, or something was wanting to help me to experience certain future trials, and tribulations. In other words, it was a sudden transmission of healing energy to enable, and empower me to face seriousproblems. The orange aura is indicative of a force emanating from my vital (or health) body.I have to confess that on rare occassions in my early childhood I sometimes experienced energy quickly shoot through my "physical" body. On occassions, I would jolt up in the air. Apparently, this may be caused by the astral body returning to the physical body rather quickly!
5. Psychic Healing.
It is claimed that everyone is able to develop psychic healing if they wish. I recall once taking a friend tothe house of a famous medium on the Isle ofWight(1979). I remember the whole room was saturated with energy, and as I concentrated my mind on theThird Eye the power also centred itself "there!"However, I, myself had a healing which came quiteunbidden. I was seated with two Sikh friends whobelonged to Eckankar which drew its inspiration mainly from Surat Shabd Yoga but mixed it up with other techniques. I was in a very relaxed state of mind, and I felt myself going into a light waking trance. At the same time, I, and my companions were listening to a tape by the controversial Paul Twitchell who was talking about healing, and being healed! I also became aware of what might best be termed very subtle energies going through me in a most gentle manner.After a short while I came out of this trance, and I looked at one of my Sikh friends who thereupon said"You should say thank you." Clearly, he knew what had happened.
Though not related to healing I also had an experienceof the Eck Master Darwin Gross. I recall seeing a photo of him printed in a book produced by Eckankar.As I concentrated on it I could full distinct vibrations! Whether this was a trick of the mind, or not is an open question.
6.Synchronicity.
Many people have experienced synchronicity, ormeaningful coincidences. I have two interestingexamples though I have had many others of a less"extraordinary" nature. Odd as it may seem they wereboth connected with where I was living(1977-1990)which was Stoke Poges, a very posh areajust outside Slough. In around 1989 I was making enquiries about possiblyinterviewing Ma Yogashakti a female guru for Yoga, and Healing magazine (which was later published withphotographic material). My contact was with someonewho worked at the School of Oriental, and AfricanStudies at the University of London. She supplied me with much useful information, and asked me where I lived. I said Stoke Poges, and she claimed she used to live in Chesham which was fairly nearby. However, it also transpired that she actually had relatives at the Orchard (built in the Edwardian age) which was thehouse I was living in with mater, and pater!Apparently, as a child she used to stay (or possibly lived there on, and off if my memory serves me well!) there, and as proof of these claims she did some photocopies of old photographs from her family albums. This showed theOrchard as it was in the early part of the 20thCentury. If I recall rightly, she made the claim that this big house was also originally the place for high ranking military people from British India to stay temporarily when on leave.The other "meaningful" coincidence involved a telephone conversation from someone from a metaphysical society based in Hastings. He claimed he could hear inner psychic sounds at a distance, and they reminded him of the poem by Thomas Grey known as the Elegy. I was amazed by this because he did not know that I was calling from Stoke Poges which was the place where itwas actually written! Indeed, there is an actual monument to the Elegy near to the Church where ThomasGrey is buried.
Such experiences are common especially in case of those concerned with the search for Truth. They appearto clearly show that the universe at some level is interconnected into a Whole, and that we, ourselves ofcourse are a part of It. Indeed, they also suggestthat there is something guiding our lives.In the world of the psychic, and infact, the spiritual there are various "guides" of one sort, or another. I remember a long time ago waking up, and just recalled in a "dream" a mist which seemed to be flattened in part so that strange writing magically appeared by itself. The script may have been Hebrew but it is not possible to say for certain. I heard a voice from the right of me saying that bad actions are good because they could lead to good ones, or words to that effect! In other words, learning via experience which we all do. This may have been some kind of contact with a guide of some degree, or possibly a trick of the mind.However, this experience seemed real enough, and happened very quickly as I got the impression that I was not meant to be conciously aware of it.
7. Psychic "Vision?"
I once attended a meeting concerned with Sant Mat, and Surat Shabd Yoga. One of the participants so to speakwas seatted near me in the gloom of the room. I noticed what appeared to be a "cloud" (a form of ectoplasm?).In it I was able to discern what appeared to be a horrificcar crash. I later asked the person about it, and he was shocked especially when I gave him the colours of the two vehicles involved. He had somewhile ago just survived a horrific crash in which the vehicles were horribly mangled. He still suffered from the pains of this appalling experience.............
The above experiences in this essay are just examples which appear to suggest that there is something more to life. Yet, no doubt, there are many who may read this who may have had more interesting, and extraordinary happenings. Such material appears in internet forums, specialist magazines, and/or goes into biographies, and autobiographies of mediums, and other "psychic" notables such as Derek Acorah, and UriGeller. It is hard to see how sceptics continue to pooh pooh such annecdotal evidence, and its commonality when it should be clear to anyone that"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy...." to use the classic Shakespearean line.
The Two Inner Awakenings; A Personal Account..
Meeting Dr Sharma in London 1990.
Back in summer 1990 I met up with Dr Sharma also referred to as Manav Dayal a teacher of "Shabd Yoga" in the Faqir Chand tradition. I came across him via a contact who claimed that it might be best to meet him at Heathrow Airport which was not far from where I lived at the time (ie Slough). This I did, and went to the correct arrival point for passengers. I had a sign with his name on it. The only pic I had of him was as a younger man, and it was not a particularly good reproduction. Anyway, I waited awhile as the passengers left the plane, and then I saw an Asian go towards a portly elderly man from the crowd of onlookers. He put a garland around the new arrival to Britain. This I knew to be a traditional gesture of respect to someone of importance, and I rightly guessed that it was Dr. Sharma being honoured. The Asian devotee though seemed taken aback by this....Anyway, I talked briefly to Dr. Sharma, and for whatever reasons he mentioned something about psychic odours. Personally, I found this an odd subject compared with the high brow thinking of "Shabd Yoga", and Sant Mat. Indeed, I have to confess that I found Sharma to be somehow eccentric in manner.
After that, I drove down to Hammersmith, London to a certain address to meet him again for an interview I was doing for the magazine Yoga and Healing Dr. Sharma was staying with some devotees, and I hardly got any questions out as he seemed to be intent in giving a long rambling intellectual discourse on Hindu mysticism. This was recorded ofcourse but unfortunately the tape was later lost. Anyway, he referred to Sant Mat as Sat Mat ,or the Path of Truth, and regarded Beas Satsang as ".....being like an empire." He may well have got these two points from his own master Faqir Chand, and simply repeated them to me. He also gave the old traditional interpretation of the word Radha, and reversed it by repeating it as "Dhara, Dhara, Dhara,"......meaning spiritual current! At some point during the interview (or should I say discourse from Dr Sharma!) I thought I heard him say the following......"I do know not who is saying this. Some current is flowing through me.." or words to that effect. Again, I must stress the word "thought" of him saying this as I do not fully recall whether this actually appeared on the tape, or not! Maybe a trick of the mind........After all this, I had an informal chat with him. At one point, he left the room, and thereupon re-appeared, and said "I am your Satguru!" Later, we had a wonderful vegetarian lunch.
When I left to return to Slough in my car I had an extraordinary experience. I became aware of a power flowing through me. It was controlling me in the most NATURAL, and SPONTANEOUS manner. There was no fear of any sort involved. It was as if something truly wonderful had been re-discovered from ages past. This energy was incredibly subtle in a way that is difficult to describe. It was a super-tactile experience. No sounds, or lights, or anything similiar was had. It was a PROCESS of AWAKENING from the dream-like creation of the physical universe. Though I used the word "natural" just now in capitals it was somehow more than "natural". This experience went on for a long while. The following day after my encounter with Dr. Sharma I rang him about it. He commented to his suprise "......that it was happening already " (spontaneous initiation). However, I felt that this subtle energy seemed to be trying to "control" me too much, and I managed to break away from it. I would have loved the intensity of that experience to have continued but the problem was that I did not really take Dr. Sharma very seriously, and did not regard him as my real Satguru. Yet, as Jashan Vaswani once informed me that "THE REAL SATGURU IS WITHIN YOU" Oddly enough, this was what Faqir Chand claimed...that the physical master only acts as a catalyst for psycho-spiritual experiences. This was something I did not appreciate at the time.
Sadly, Dr. Sharma passed on several years ago, but the teachings continue through various lines of "masters".
Postscript. I should also said that at the interview Dr Sharma claimed that the Sound Om could be heard not just in the lower realm but also in the higher ones. A Sant Mat purist might well interpret this as indicative that his "version" of Shabd Yoga did not lead beyond the planes of Kal, and Maya. Morever, it is not seen as the highest spiritual meditation, but seen as being one of many.
3. Meeting Sant Harjit Singh in Southall.
In January 2007 I made contact with Sant Harjit Singh. He is one of the recognized successors of Faqir Chand. Before actually visiting him in Southall I viewed his website, and on occassions listened to his music, or rather extracts of it to be more precise. It definitely carried a highly subtle energy, and helped to create a devotional "atmosphere" in me (ie. a heightening of conciousness). What occured was a PROCESS largely identical to that experienced after visiting Dr. Sharma back in 1990. This could be suggestive that both teachers reached the same "highest", or "ultimate" level of superconciousness usually indicative of "God-Realization" though ofcourse there are an infinity of different planes. The key features of the PROCESS OF AWAKENING are as follows.
i) An awareness that ones own inner lower self was being slowly transmuted into something else in the most NATURAL, and SPONTANEOUS manner. In other words, I was "dying" to gradually be reborn into a higher state of being......
ii) An awareness of being surrounded by the unseen energies of higher conciousness especially in the evening.
iii) An awareness at times of being "possessed" in the most NATURAL, and SPONTANEOUS fashion by these extremely subtle "forces" without any sense of fear at all. Yet, there was something akin to awe by the growing onset of these experiences, and at times an overwhelming sense of gratitude. This was ones feeble response to the awakening process.
iv) An ability to spontaneously control, and dissolve any improper thoughts entering the mind.
v) A greater ability as never before to actually calm the mind without any mental chatter . In other words, I often became one-pointed with the repetition of the Five Holy Names in a wonderfully NATURAL way. I suspect the unseen energies were stilling my mind oftentimes to perform "real" meditation.
The above is all GRACE without which any kind of spiritual practice is virtually impossible. Infact, I am coming to the conclusion that a true Master of any degree should be able to successfully transmit such experienes irrespective of the evolution of the disciple. However, I suspect that it depends on ones sincerity for it to happen rather upon the amount of purity an individual soul may, or may not have.
Anyway, I met Sant Harjit Singh at his Southall home. Just before that, and earlier on at home in Slough I was acutely aware of energies of higher coniousness. When I arrived at Harjits home positive vibrations were virtually palpable, and inspiring. As I entered the front room I shook hands with him. He was dressed in orange, and wore a homemade turban if I recall correctly.
I explained I had some experiences before meeting him. I claimed that the higher conciousness which was trying to "posses" me in the most SUBTLE, NATURAL, AND SPONTANEOUS fashion was influencing my behaviour for the good. Submission to it was proving beneficial.
I mentioned being suddenly awoken in the bed when I felt a transmission of energy shoot right though me. This caused my body to jerk. Harjit claimed that this was do with the (spiritual) heart though I did fully understand what he meant by this.. I mentioned my contact with a certain Sound though this may well have been a trick of the mind.
Though I asked only few questions Harjit two, or three times asked "Can I go now?" as he was wanting to do some meditation upstairs. Admitedly, he did have some doubt about the genuiness of my experiences. He also seemed to regard Dr. Sharma, the chief successor of Faqir Chand a little questionable too. This was evident in the way he spoke. Like many devotees of the latter Master the former was not liked particularly. However, Sharma did visit Harjit Singh on a certain occassion.
One thing that did clearly tanspire in the meeting was this. Harjit Singh clearly revealed that there was no set sequence of planes as indicated in the Radhaswami literature. Indeed, such things were merely mental projections nothing more.
Harjit Singh understandably wanted his exact address secret. The reason was that he wanted to make sure that whoever visited him was "genuine" in their desire for spiritual progress rather than someone who was merely interested in intellectual "games".
WITHOUT GRACE FROM ABOVE, AND BEYOND, SPIRITUAL PROGRESS IS IMPOSSIBLE. CONCENTRATING ONES THOUGHTS ON A GENUINE TEACHER CAN WAKE UP THE SOUL. THE PROCESS OF AWAKENING IS SPONTANEOUS, AND NATURAL. IT BECOMES THE POWERFUL INFLUENCE IN TRYING TO CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOUR. YET, IF THIS IS TO BE A PERMANENT PHENOMENON REGULAR MEDITATION IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL..............
PS. Sometime before I met Harjit, and had the above experience a woman unknown to me use to say to me in the high street in Slough that "You will be reborn." At one point, I followed her into the mall, and asked for an explanation. It turned out that she was a Peruvian, and a spiritist. She believed to in reincarnation, and even suggested that I might have been her husband in one of her previous lives. What her strange statement of "You will be reborn" was probably a kind of prediction in which I would be reborn in the spiritual sense via my encounter with Harjit Singh.
Significantly, a link to my awakening process appeared on a yahoo forum. This was the forum connected with Harjit Singh which seemed to validate the genuiness of my experience. Morever, Mushin Schilling on his blog seemed to regard it as such as it was probably like those of his group which had a kind of an "awakening".
4.Religare, Gurinder, and Beas Satsang, Part Two.
The Bloggers comments on the previous two articles by Brian Hines................
Sometime after my initiation into the Radhasoami Satsang Beas, or RSSB someone claiming to be an English teacher who worked in Spain came out with a claim. He revealed that Gurinder (shortly before Charan passed on) had done some kind of business "mistake," but Beas Satsang sent a message claiming that he was a Perfect Master. Hence, he could do no wrong. The English teacher then asked me what sort of power we were dealing with? This was somewhat disturbing at the time as I did have some doubts about Gurinder which unfortunately are now bourne out by the revelations at Brian Hines Blog.
Another red flag was raised when I was with some friends at a home Satsang in which there was mention about the construction for a run-way of sorts at Haynes Park so that Gurinder could land his aircraft! However, this came to nothing....probably due to the bureaucratic local planning authorities!! Admitedly, I did not think much of this...and everyone seemed to regard it as amusing. But is a "run-way" a best way of using money....probably money which originated from the Satsang itself...?
The question which I am concerned here is this. Does it all matter? In one sense, it does as revealed in Brian Hines two articles. But it must be remembered that the physical Master like many incarnations in India is seen as the physical manifestation of God. What I present here are three ways of looking at this subject with an open mind. Admitedly, I am a bit of a Radhasoami apologist because I feel there is more than meets the eye ....
KEY CLAIM I.
Whether Gurinder is perfect, or not probably does not matter as the following extract reveals, and is believed to have been said by Sawan Singh..
“....If the Guru himself has not reached Satlok, but his Guru is perfect or, like Swami Ji Maharaj, has come straight from Anami(the Nameles Region, the highest of all), he will take his disciples up to the stage he has attained himself, and beyond that his Guru, or his Gurus Guru, or Swami Ji Maharaj Himself will take them. There should be no worry about this.”
Ref With the Three Masters, by Munshi Ram page 68, 2001 edition.
But the question is this? Why should an "imperfect" Master exist? The answer maybe that the Mauj (or Divine Will) of God wants to "wind up" RSSB for reasons best known to Itself. Indeed, the whole organization has become absurdly big, and "bloated". It does need to radically reduce its size. Ideally, Gurinder should step down from his position of Master, and possibly have set up a number of "Satgurus" who would be elected by advanced Satsangis. Such spiritual elections have already notably happened in Dayalbagh. However, this is unlikely to happen unless there is a serious power struggle at the top....
Furthermore, many people have complained that nothing is experienced in meditation after many years of practice. What is required is a database on which to draw upon made up of anonymous Satsangis who could give attempted descriptions of their experiences. This could act as an encouragement.
KEY CLAIM II.
In RSSB the the physical Satguru is meant to be omnisicient....but there is plenty of evidence on the contrary though a disciple would simply regard this as as test of faith, and/or come out with some kind of rationalization......
........Just after Maharaj Charan Singh former head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas died in 1990 a book appeared on him, and his discourses entitled Treasure Beyond Measure. In it he discussed his own experiences about the utter suprise that he was appointed Sant Satguru in 1951 by the previous deceased incumbent Maharaj Jagat Singh Ji. He regarded the whole matter as a cruel trick of fate. To a Satsangi, or devotee this shows his utter humility! He was pretending that he was not a real Master!!However, what perhaps was Maharaj Charan Singh really saying without giving the game away? He was arguably indicating to those "in the know" that he was telling the truth pure, and simple as far as he could understand it at the time.
To understand what follows it is best to examine a mystic called Faqir Chand. He, like Maharaj Charan Singh was regarded as a much respected teacher of shabd yoga. But Chand claimed that though he was regarded as the physical manifestation of God he was not omniscient. He did not know anything about the miracles that his devotees expressed to him in which his Radiant Form would appear in the outer, or inner worlds of matter, or spirit. He found this same unawareness with other masters of the shabd yoga tradition, and this is borne out by evidence. He concluded that it was the BELIEF AND FAITH of the devotees which generated the phenomena of inner visions, and miracles due to their devotional love for him. However, this did not imply necessarily that they were merely hallucinations but in many perhaps most cases that it was their Higher Self (ie ones Personal God) which appeared in a Radiant Form that looked like him! Thus, Maharaj Charan Singh may be indicating the "truth" indirectly of the above phenomenon. It should be added that for the Chandian Effect to be genuine in the guru world one, or more of a line of Masters should be bona fide in the spiritual sense.
Gurinder Singh though has on one, or more occassion indicated in his Satsang that he (using the "I" in context to his discourse) is aware of his devotees wherever they are! If correct, he has tried to suggest indirectly that he is omniscient which runs counter to the claims of Faqir Chand.
Yet, in a letter to a devotee I used to know he claimed that she could continue with her Bhajan (attempts at trying to listen to the Sound Current in this context) but admitted that she did not even do it! This she found puzzling! There may well be some other similiar evidence...This would be no surprise.
A rather odd thing occured in connection with myself. This is not a meditation experience per se but happened quite naturally, and spontaneously as I was walking. An image of Gurinder Singh appeared in the area of my Third Eye in a "circle" shape. He was dressed with his turban, and a white suit....the one which I wore at initiation back in 1993! The image changed but with the same suit. Perhaps this "mind trick" was suggesting in a crude manner that the Master was myself which is rediculous! However, my present Lower Self entangled in mind, and matter is ofcourse NOT the same as my pure Higher Self which is what Chand was really on about. But it was an odd "mind trick".
However, I do believe rightly, or wrongly that "God-Realised" Masters exist who are to a high degree "omniscient". Yet, most are probably not. Moreover, I suspect that if Gurinder,(or should I say Babaji?) and those like him are indeed as such it may well be that this process of unfoldment (ie.a degree of "omniscience") may be "gardually" developed either before, or after their mastership. This is a big subject, and appears to have something to do with the mechanics of higher conciousness.
KEY CLAIM III.
Depending on ones sensitivity when I have attended Satsang at Southall there is an intense concentration of the subtle energies of higher conciousness. This awareness I believe has been increased after my experiences with Sant Harjit Singh. What is significant is that this "sea" of higher energies does NOT come from the Satsangis alone. In other words, it may well have a divine source, or sources. I recall feeling this Power descending from the ceiling of the Satsang Hall in most a gentle, and spontaneous manner. Sometimes ofcourse one can see a white glow in some of the Satsangis themselves which is extremely subtle.
When I leave the Southall Satsang this higher energy of conciousness can be experienced in the wonderful park nearby. I also recall Sant Harjit Singhs energy not only in his house but also outside...and beyond ofcourse. This is a matter of personal experience, and I cannot prove it unfortunately...
Ofcourse, critics would say that the above is experienced in places like football matches, and pop music festivals...when the atmosphere becomes electric!! However, what I experience (along with many others) is something far more than this. It is A POWER unlike anything of this world...
In other words, RSSB is still a living faith par excellence....................