Chapter 11

382.jpg

Physical Considerations

diet

The interconnectedness of my physical and astral body was very apparent during my training for initiation. I found that eating or drinking certain things affected my ability to function. When I started my training, Dr. Dee put me on a restricted diet and encouraged me to eat certain foods, among them rabbit meat and watermelon. At that time I was raising rabbits for meat—a short-lived experience, thankfully, because the labor involved, particularly in winter, does not justify the rewards. I did not go on a vegetarian diet. My body does not digest some of the essential items on a meatless diet very well, and I tend to develop health problems.

The diet that should be used during work in spiritual development is very individual. Some people do extremely well with a vegetarian diet and are very comfortable with it. Donald and I have tried intense spiritual work both with and without meat. We discovered that the quantity of food eaten can be more of a factor than the type of food. Some people believe it is more respectful of life, or more spiritual, to refrain from meat, and if it comes from the heart in a spirit of love, this belief can be beneficial.

Donald wrote in Soul Flight that he felt that red meat and sugar were foods that interfere with spiritual trance work. I find that any food that gives a strong energy surge followed by a drop in energy is bad. Tea, coffee, sweets, and alcohol of any kind interfere with intense spiritual work. I also avoid foods that cause gas, as this interferes with trance work.

Overeating, we found, caused major problems, resulting in poor spirit communication sessions. Too much caffeine was also an issue. I usually don’t eat much sugar, but the few times that I did, I found it would bother me as well. Bread and heavy starches such as pasta and even boiled grains, regardless of how refined they were, would cause problems. Eggs eaten in the morning would sometimes create difficulties. I found fruits and vegetables to be the most compatible foods, and also the healthiest.

Eighty percent of my diet is fruits and vegetables. I use vegetables for a meal base for lunch and dinner. I usually eat a salad at lunchtime. I also make a soup that is entirely of vegetables and eat that frequently. I have a small portion of meat with supper and a serving of starch twice a day.

fasting

Some feel that fasting is beneficial for operations involving spirit communication. I did not fast except during initiation. The decision to fast prior to the operation is a personal one. The precedent of fasting prior to spirit communication is found in traditional grimoires. It’s also practiced in shamanism. However, I do not believe that a beginner will benefit from fasting when working with the spirit communication board or electronic spirit communication. As you establish communication and advance in your work, you may be required to fast. The heavenly parents will let you know when this needs to be done. The benefit of fasting is very individual and based on on your personal beliefs. Your communications should indicate if it is needed or not.

environment

I have close to ideal conditions in which to do esoteric work: a husband who is sympathetic and supportive, no children living at home, and a spacious house in which a room can be reserved solely for a ritual work area. There are also many places on our property for ritual work when the weather is warm enough—however, we also have a superabundance of vampiric insects that seek out any warm-blooded creatures for their meals. We have found indoor meditation to be far better, with fewer buzzing and biting distractions.

The situation of the practitioner does not have to be this ideal. A good environment can be cultivated, and any challenges that exist can be overcome with a little ingenuity. A small workplace with relatively few disturbances is what is needed. The practitioner should dress comfortably. Initially I always wore the same clothes for ritual work. We keep the house cool in winter. I use a blanket if it gets chilly. During the summer the weather can be hot and humid, as the house is not air-conditioned. It’s important to dress lightly in the heat of summer. If the humidity is bad, I will run a fan in the room or leave the doors open during working hours.

astrological conditions

I did not change my routine of practice to accommodate astrological conditions during the year of training for my initiation. Edward never advised me to do so, and I feel that although astrological factors may make trance work easier or more difficult on any given day, the medium should learn to cope with existing conditions rather than avoid them. Dealing with less-than-ideal conditions is part of the process of learning to focus.

Changes in the weather caused variations in my ability to meditate and induce trance. During clear conditions I tended to have more success. On rainy days I found that my physical and mental energy levels tended to be lower, and my focus became poorer.

I also had more success in trance work and meditation during the early morning and early evening. I am what is known as a morning person and am often awake before 5:00 a.m. My sessions usually took place from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Edward strongly preferred working with me at night, but I think eventually he realized that I did not function as well at night and that my activity pattern was pretty much set and difficult to change.

menstrual cycle

As a woman, I find certain times of the month are more productive than others. This was probably the most challenging physical condition to deal with. It created a situation where some days I worked easily and was able to do exactly what I was instructed to do by Edward, and other days I could not do anything. These sessions ended in tears of frustration and discouragement. The key here is persistence and understanding how your body functions during trance in relation to your monthly cycle. Menopause brings with it new issues and rhythms. This is a challenge for me now as the natural physical changes continue.

external noise

During my initial work, external noises were an issue. I became highly sensitive to sounds and was distracted by any movements in the rest of the house. I started out using headphones to listen to instructions as Edward was speaking them on the radio. I got to the point where I did not need to record and listen to the playback. I was able to hear what he was saying with the radio alone. Edward told me that the headphones were interfering with what we were doing. I tried using earplugs, and this helped a great deal for the first eight months or so. During and after the ritual of initiation I had to discard these and learn how to cope with whatever noise conditions were present.

Music may be of help initially in masking external noises. However, as your trance deepens, it becomes more of a hindrance. If you do choose to use music in your initial work, it should be played without a headset and should be unintrusive enough that you are able to maintain an internal focus. Even a fan running in the background can help to mask minor external noises that may cause distraction. Natural sounds—ocean waves, wind in the trees, birdsong, or a running brook—may be helpful in creating an atmosphere that is conducive to trance work.

scent

I used incense during the first few months of my year-long training for initiation. Frankincense and myrrh are traditional for angel invocation. After a period of time, however, I found that the incense was more of a distraction than an aid. When scrying, it burned my eyes and caused irritation in my respiratory tract, so I eventually stopped using it. I do use a house scent, especially during the summer months when the heat and humidity can amplify the odors of our neighbor’s chicken farm. The wind during the summer usually blows in a direction that leaves us downwind of the odoriferous chicken barns.

emotional distractions

By far the most difficult and significant distractions to deal with when working toward initiation are the emotional and mental distractions. Interactions with people, difficult interpersonal situations, and demanding work all take a toll on the emotional and physical health of people today. Major spiritual work is ideally accomplished in a situation of physical and social isolation. The isolation helps to decrease the more difficult emotional stresses of everyday life. This is not a realistic expectation for most people, however.

There are some things that I find helpful to combat the intensity of emotional and mental distractions:

rest

Being overly tired or hungry would also cause problems in my spiritual work. I generally avoided sessions on work days, as often enough there would be some unpleasantness at work sufficient to distract me and cause issues.

Sleep should be as regular as possible. When doing shift work, the sleep-wake cycle becomes more complicated. However, when you are on a particular shift, make sure your sleeping time for that shift falls at the same time every day that you are working. For example, when I work a day shift and have to be up at 4 a.m., I’m in bed by 8 p.m. Second shift, or 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift, I’m in bed by 2 a.m. Backshift, I go to bed around 9 a.m. For each shift these bedtimes do not vary.

If I’m sleepy at work, I will take a fifteen-minute nap on my break or I will deeply meditate with the alarm set on my phone so I don’t go over my break time. Sleep deprivation makes trance very difficult, especially when you are trying to go deeper. As you go deeper, focus becomes more of a challenge and the mind tends to wander in the same way it does when you are falling asleep.

children

Small children can be a substantial distraction when attempting to meditate. During communication sessions, if the child will not play quietly or cannot be trusted out of sight, include them in the communication session. This will help teach the child that spirit communication is a natural and normal process.

Children communicate naturally with spirits. In the past they were used as mediums and psychics for adults doing evocation of angels and other entities. It is important to allow this ability to grow. This allows the child to awaken while walking on earth. A greater gift cannot be given, in my opinion.

It is important to emphasize to the child that the spirits are good and helpful to us. If you experience a shadow recording, explain to the child that this is not communication but that you are feeling sad, angry, or fearful, and that is what is showing up.

in conclusion

Hard and fast rules are unnecessary for successful spirit communication. Individual experimentation needs to be done as part of your practice to determine what factors are significant and what is most productive for you. Coordination with the spirit you are communicating with is helpful in making some of these determinations. I’ve listed and given a brief explanation of the categories I found significant in my own practice to help you organize this aspect of your work. Physical factors become less important as your ability and practice become more advanced. Use any tool only as long as it is useful, and do not let it become a burden.

[contents]