Wind of the Soul » The Afterlife

Exploring the Consciousness Spectrum

John Wolfe — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:24:51 +0000

The last few weeks have been filled with a wide variety of emotions and new experiences. I would like to thank everyone who expressed their condolences and support after my uncle’s passing. Your words of comfort were well received and very much appreciated.

If you’ve been following my posts for a while or have dug into the archives at this site, you’re probably aware I also spend a lot of time working on my other site, Season of Shadows. SOS, as I like to call it, represents a celebration of my favorite time of year, Halloween/fall and it delves into the paranormal.

At first glance, this website and SOS may seem like polar opposites, but they’re really not. At both locations, I spend time exploring states of awareness along the spectrum of consciousness, whether these states are being expressed in this physical plane of existence or in paranormal terms. Primarily, my writing at Wind of the Soul is based on theoretical exploration of our conscious capabilities and doing my best to help empower others through this exploration. However, recently I’ve decided to devote the majority of my time to obtaining what I feel represents actual evidence of the power of consciousness and its capability to exist outside the physical body.

Together, my mom and I have been collecting data on the phenomenon of EVPs. EVPs, or electronic voice phenomena, appear to represent communication from individuals who have crossed over to the other side. For lack of a better description, they are messages from ghosts or spirits that are imprinted on recording devices. The evidence has been compelling to say the least. And, I would have to agree with the consensus of most paranormal enthusiasts: the messages we’ve received appear to be coming from the “afterlife” or the astral plane. If you’re interested, all of our evidence is being posted in the Paranormal Video section at SOS.

So, where does that leave my theoretical and philosophical exploration at Wind of the Soul? I would have to say, it leaves it where it’s always been; it will all stay right here and when I feel inspired to share my feelings, I will absolutely create a new entry. I’ve never wanted my writing to feel forced and I’ve always refused to be a “chucker” type blogger, meaning I won’t post or throw something up just for the sake of posting – even if it causes people to visit this site less frequently.

So, the purpose of this entry was to update everyone on my recent activities during my absence, to thank you all for your wonderful gestures of kindness and to let you know you are more than welcome to get in touch with me regarding questions you may have on any of the subjects I’ve discussed. I look forward to communicating with you, both here and hopefully at SOS.

Understanding Death through Consciously Living Life

John Wolfe — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:35:08 +0000

I just found out a recent acquaintance of mine passed away. We weren’t friends. We actually spoke only briefly a couple of times. But the fact our last conversation occurred a few days prior to her passing is what prompted me to write today’s entry. It never ceases to amaze me how our consciousness can be physically focused one minute and then “gone” the next. I suppose no matter my state of comprehension, regarding the subject of death, I will always be taken aback at that one simple realization.

Many years ago, I spent a lot of time pondering over whether or not we even survive the process of dying. After much soul searching and exploration into the subject, including my own personal experiences with astral projection, I came to the conclusion that a form of our awareness does continue on. Just what that form may consist of and if it’s indeed eternal with regards to our individual personality, I can’t say for certain.

In fact, I don’t believe anyone can ever unequivocally answer those questions from their current physical position, no matter how spiritual, psychic they are, or “who” they may be capable of channeling. Thankfully, developing a broader perspective and a deeper, more conscious understanding does not hinge on the necessity of being able to completely answer those questions. I believe our own inner knowledge may eventually negate the need to find those answers anyway, but that is something I’m still discovering.

Now, I don’t concern myself with these topics because I’m fearful of losing my identity when death washes over me. Rather, I do it because I’m intrigued with the mystery and am interested in trying to obtain some form of deeper understanding, if possible. This is why I continue to conduct my own experiments into altered states of consciousness. These states allow me to have a better appreciation for consciousness itself, as well as providing me with the ability to find new interpretations on our existence.

I believe our best method for not only trying to understand death, but to also release much of our fears associated with it, is through exploring and utilizing wider aspects of consciousness. Consciousness appears to be the only constant, whether we’re physically focused or not. If anything can provide us with some form of insight into the afterlife, it would have to be the further development of our own awareness of the here and now.

In my opinion, that specific form of awareness is not typically developed through ordinary interactions and so called social obligations, such as going to school, to work, shopping, dining out or watching television. While we are (somewhat) active in those situations and we may even be learning something new, we are usually utilizing rudimentary levels of our conscious abilities. It’s these cursory levels scientists are referring to when they speak of human kind only using ten percent of their brain potential.

In scientific pursuits there has to be something quantifiable and measurable. Scientists can’t measure or test for the source of consciousness so they don’t give it any attention, but they can measure the manner in which the brain fires and at what capacity. Since I tend to view the brain as the link up between the body and soul, as opposed to seeing it as the source of consciousness; I believe we can take these scientific findings and apply them to that which is metaphysical. In other words, as most of us are going through the typical, average, ordinary motions of our lives, we are only tapping into and allowing a fraction (10%) of our soulful consciousness to flow.

Here’s the thing, though: despite how it may feel, there are no typical, average moments in life. It’s not the fault of the tasks we undertake or what’s happening in each second that causes us to utilize less than ninety percent of our potential. Instead, I believe it’s the way we consciously (or unconsciously) process the moments in which those events are occurring.

We have been trained and programmed to view our experiences through an extremely narrow lens. The narrower the lens is, the smaller the percentage of consciousness that’s being utilized. This has little to do with intelligence. Someone can be highly intelligent, but still employ very little of their potential for conscious expansion.

When I initially decided to write this post, I considered stating more of my opinions about what may be waiting for us once we cross over. In fact, I actually wrote two pages pertaining to my ideas regarding the after life, but I decided to erase them. When I started writing this entry for a second time, I began using the process I’m encouraging in this post.

I made a conscious decision to try and employ more than the ten percent my opinions (as seen through my narrow lens) would have afforded. My impressions and ideas about something as enigmatic as what awaits us beyond death will do very little to help you find your own answers. In striving to empower you, the reader, by speaking of methods to enhance and expand upon the way you interpret each moment of your life experience; I feel I’m utilizing a larger portion of my conscious abilities. I believe the best way to understand death is to more clearly and presently experience life, instead of barely thinking and acting from automation or rote. Blindly following other people’s interpretations of life, as well as death, is what places so many of us in primarily an “unconscious,” disconnected state throughout our lives.

So, what does an enhanced, conscious clarity of physical existence have to do with better understanding death? As we continue walking around in a daze about our role in life and who we are, we stifle our emotions and become disconnected from feeling our feelings and actions. We eventually shut down deeper modes of understanding and limit our perceptions. As our perceptions become more and more dulled, it’s natural to transfer those same limiting views over to our ideas concerning death. If we are already living a stifled form of life, there’s no way we can have a broader more aware take on the mortality of our physical vehicles. This is why the statement: “many people have died years before they’re actually buried” is so true.

To become fully aware throughout your day; seeing events and experiences through “new” eyes and finding ways to think and feel that have quite possibly never been accessed before is the most empowered form of living. I believe this in turn helps us to become more empowered in our views on death and dying.

If we have the ability to truly feel what our consciousness is (it’s definitely not automation) and what’s it’s capable of, then we will know it is impossible for something so immense to be snuffed out when we pass on. As we begin to see our unlimited potential unfold while we are seizing not only the day, but each moment of it, it becomes easier to grasp how that which flows through us will always continue on in some way and in some form.

I have written several articles contained here at Wind of the Soul which go into great detail regarding techniques for becoming more consciously aware and present. Several of these can be accessed through the links in the related posts section.

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Ineffable States of Enlightenment

John Wolfe — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:10:53 +0000

“A fly wanders back and forth through the air, then lands on the window pane. It launches itself, flies for two feet, then lands on the glass again. It continues to walk around, on the glass, never finding the exit.

“It doesn’t know that there is an opening in the window just a few feet away. You and I can see the opening because we have the big picture. If only the fly would un-limit itself, get the bigger picture, and allow itself the freedom and perspective to fly higher, it could rise above it all and be free.

“Instead, it is content to wander aimlessly. Now I tell you: You are that fly. You know the way out. But You Choose to Ignore it.” – excerpted from Lessons Out of the Body, by Robert Peterson

In my last post I discussed the concept of letting go and how I’m learning to apply it in a very specific area of my life. However, I’ve also come to realize letting go, in other areas, can lead to some of the most profound experiences of our lives. If we could learn to release our over attachment to beliefs, circumstances and ideas, we could expand our perspectives immensely. It’s this expansion of perspective that will continue to prevent us from stagnating in every experience of consciousness we encounter.

I used Robert Peterson’s quote, pertaining to the fly, to illustrate how we are always just a short distance away from entering into a brand new state of ever unfolding enlightenment. The fly quickly becomes accustomed to only seeing what’s right directly in front of it. Even though the exit exists just a few feet away, it often chooses the bondage of what’s familiar over a journey into more expansive experiences.

Are any of us really that different than the fly crawling around on a pane of glass, always missing the obvious? We gravitate towards appealing ideas and beliefs out of habit and fear; hoping for something, anything to provide salvation. Often times, our determination to make that form of salvation the only way enchains us in shackles that bind, limit and define us for the rest of our lives. Those self limiting concepts can prevent us from finding our own individual opening in the window.

There’s not one set of teachings: religious, spiritual, new age, channeled, self help, personal development, or otherwise that will ever have all of the answers. Every one of them, if you’re not aware, can eventually trap you right back on the window pane. As you’re lulled into believing you’ve finally arrived at THE one truth, you’ll continue to miss the opening that’s waiting just beyond your own limiting beliefs. Our perspective is forever expanding, if we’d only choose to see it that way.

It’s for this reason I stated there is no truth and truth is all there is, in my post Discovering the Truths of Your Existence. By this statement I meant that there’s no ultimate truth out there because your personal truth is all that exists. We each continue to define ourselves based upon this, yet we simultaneously expect the world around us to behave according to our standards of that truth. And each individual aspect of consciousness within the world is reacting to its own version.

People are quick to argue (and a lot worse) over which religion is right or which philosophy or self-help guru has the correct angle. The problem with this line of thinking is simple: none of them can ever be eternally correct. They will all have bits of truth residing within, but just as soon as we assume any one is the be all end all, we have again lost sight of the open window. And the more vehemently we cling to that idea as the only truth in life, the further away from the opening we continue to crawl; turning our back on the way out.

Our beliefs not only shape and limit our experiences in this physical plane of existence, but they may very well do the same once we shift our focus into the nonphysical. In Robert Monroe’s book Far Journeys, he spoke about how our expectations and beliefs create the locations we encounter once we pass into the nonphysical.

During his out of body journeys, on the astral plane, Monroe encountered what he called belief systems, full of souls, which were set up according to religious affiliation and denomination. These souls had already crossed over, yet they had built entire communities on the astral that resembled their physical counterparts. They would attend church along with other “earthly” activities. Some were even still waiting for Christ to meet them when they died, despite the fact they were already dead!

Monroe would do his best to try and coax them out of their belief systems. His intentions were to show that there were more amazing environments (since he had witnessed some of them) beyond their self imposed restrictive communities. The only limit to these other amazing, expansive environments was their own ability to fathom the potentials and possibilities. Some came along with him and others reluctantly stayed behind, turning their back, once again, on the opening in the window.

Obviously, I can’t write about there not being an ultimate external truth and then say for certain Monroe’s experiences were the definitive answer pertaining to the afterlife. However, I believe his experiences do provide us with another clue in our journey. We must use all of the teachings that are available to us as stepping stones towards finding our inner version of truth. And know that even this truth continues to expand and change because that’s the nature of consciousness and this entire Universe.

While I feel our physical environment is loaded with many excellent teachings and teachers; each one is only capable of delivering their truth that is currently stemming from their present perspective in the moment of now. Yet the next moment of now is not the same as the previous one because everything has expanded once again, due to the nature of consciousness. If the Universe, both its physical and nonphysical equivalents, continues to expand, then what are the odds that only one set of teachings, religious or otherwise, is the only universal truth out there?

I’m not suggesting we should cease broadening our horizons through exploring spiritual teachings, philosophies and religions. I’m suggesting we take those teachings for what they’re worth and remember they may have some valid application based upon our current state of awareness only. And as we continue to expand, those same teachings may eventually serve to limit us. Just imagine, since you started reading this sentence the Universe has expanded and subtly changed and it will do so again by the time you come to the period at the end of this paragraph.

The Universe does not stand still, nor does consciousness. If both were stagnant, then perhaps one set of teachings would suffice forever, but that’s not the case. As this conscious Universe continues to expand, teachings from two days ago and even two thousand years ago cannot consistently apply to the farthest reaches of our physical and nonphysical awareness, in this new, present moment of unexplored existence.

Step on the stones of those teachings that have been previously laid before you and continue stepping without hesitation. Pass easily and freely through each new opening in the window panes of your life. As you reach uncharted waters, consistently go within to allow your own present truth to shine forth, moving you beyond the next and the next; always understanding the experience will never cease to change and expand. And always knowing that is exactly how it’s meant to be.

Let go, allowing yourself to flow freely toward your ever developing, ineffable state of enlightenment. For this is not a destination of achievement; it’s a state of forever becoming.

If you’re interested in learning more about Robert Peterson, along with his spiritual insights and experiences out of the body, I highly recommend visiting his website. Both of his books can be found there, free of charge.

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Eternally Expansive Consciousness

John Wolfe — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:13:41 +0000

There’s a firmly seated idea within the human mind that death and the afterlife provide a permanent respite from active awareness. This holds just as true for believers as it does for non-believers in the survival of consciousness beyond the death transition. Whether viewed as a reward from the almighty to sit on a cloud and play a harp for eternity or as a means for taking the fast track into oblivion; death has somehow been equated with the end of our expansiveness.

This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise however, since most people shun their expansive nature during the course of their physical experience. Many assume they did their duty by playing the game of life and after they die it’s time to either turn the keys over to “whoever’s running the show” or else cease to be altogether.

The thing is- we don’t get off the hook that easy, but I have a feeling you already knew I was going to say that.

If we probe deeper into the amazingly creative energy which has the potential to fully flow through us, fueling our every experience (if we would only let it), then we find an adventurous, thrill seeking, conscious being. Most of us are so unaware of what is itching to pour through us during every second of every day that we take our lack luster view on reality along with our concepts of separation/isolation and transfer them over to the death experience as well.

Even if we feel we are going to be rewarded when we get to heaven or wherever it is we believe we are going, we still assume it all pretty much ends right there. We’ll be reunited with our loved ones and then the creator, who we believe is separate from ourselves, hands us all the answers to the mysteries of life and that’s it, we’re done.

That concept is extremely boring, lackadaisical and unimaginative. I’m not trying to belittle our reunion with loved ones and I know it sounds like I’m being judgmental here, but it’s only to illustrate a point of how limited a view we have on existence and our source of being.

Do we really think the very energy that created this entire Universe; the very energy that fuels our awareness (to whatever extent we are letting it) would end a major production, like each of our lives, on such a pathetic and limp note? Even Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Hollywood could come up with something far more entertaining than that. This adventure never ends because the Universe and our place in it never cease to expand.

I know there are theories out there that postulate our goal is to cease continuing to incarnate and to permanently rejoin the single minded source energy awareness for eternity. Yet, I can’t find anything in concepts like that which resonates with me. It’s not that I don’t feel that would be a beautiful thing, but I think those concepts short change our expansive powers, cheating us from experiencing how far we (as source) can push the boundaries and limits on our creativity.

What I’m speaking of has tentacles which reach far beyond physical incarnations. I’m talking about the potential for billions of other forms of existences to spring forth which haven’t been thought into being yet within the mind of consciousness. Each time we move into, out of, and between life experiences, the Universe (physical and non-physical) is our oyster.

We have no desire to stay stationary for long and we certainly aren’t going to nod off into non-existence. Likewise, we would not be happy sitting idle without exercising our constant unquenchable desire to create, whether we’re sculpting other dimensional existences from non-physical or finger painting again in kindergarten- creation is creation is expansive experience, and we exist to do just that.

If that were not the case then human beings never would have evolved beyond a few single celled organisms within the primordial ooze. We never would have had the potential to think and bring those thoughts to physical fruition through the amazing journey of the creative process. We never would have had the ability to procreate other human beings through the expansive creative process of the sexual experience. All signs point to the fact we are here to create and to let source energy vicariously experience our creations through these physical vehicles. And when we return fully into non-physical awareness we will continue to masterfully create as the expansive cycle continues.

The physical plane of existence is just one of our many stops along the way. We may incarnate in this environment for as long as we choose, or move beyond it after just a few lifetimes. I don’t believe there is an ultimate state of nirvana, aside from the journey and the experience itself.

At some point, in some far off distant version of reality, we may evolve beyond using the physical plane; however we will never reach a point of culmination where we fail to extend our creative minds. There’s always another realm, another potential of thought and another amazingly expansive creative process to experience. So is the mind of god/source/all that is.

If we are creative expansive beings, why don’t we come with a built in program reminding us of such as soon as we hit the ground in the Earth environment? Because we are creative beings, we have free will, but it’s up to us to find our power. No one can show us that fully except for ourselves. To be externally shown that would defeat the purpose of our having the ability to create as we choose. We must take the journey through the creative process (creating elements we like and dislike) to understand how much power we have and to better understand what we would rather experience. If we don’t know what a negative feeling feels like (within our physical self), then how could we ever understand our potential for incredible joy?

Let’s say we did come with a built in program that told us how to create our life from day one. That would be similar to someone taking an art class to become an excellent oil painter, but their instructor insists on painting their paintings for them or tells them they can only paint whatever the instructor dictates, forever.

Our physical bodies represent the painter and source is the instructor that helps guide us when we allow it to. We’re given a blank canvass when we enter into this “class” to work with as we choose. We can either listen to the instructor for the entire length of the class or not, it’s up to us. However, we may eventually realize that when we do listen our paintings develop much quicker than when we try to go it “alone.”

They become even more pleasing and beautiful as we continue to interact with the instructor and become one with its guidance. The instructor will never dictate what we are to paint, but it will give us indications and techniques, as we go along, for how to create paintings which are more pleasing to us.

Now, let’s take another extreme example, one we would have to work with if we believe in destiny. Let’s say our life was already created for us and we had no input or bearing on it one way or the other. We just came forth and lived it. That takes us right back to my example of dying, going into the afterlife, and then resting in the corner somewhere for eternity.
Source flows through us to enjoy our creative expansive experiences. We make the decisions and we create as we go. Source doesn’t sit back and phone this all in; it comes along for the ride and is thrilled by it.

We are our bodies, but we are also the source energy which fuels these vehicles. If our entire life was pre-destined it would totally stifle and defeat the creative purpose of our source energy as well as the ability of our physical selves to enjoy the sensory input of our creations.

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Making the Death Transition

John Wolfe — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:37:04 +0000

Since the time we were old enough to comprehend our surroundings and identify with our parents/ caregivers/ elders we have been warned against death and lectured on the many circumstances we must avoid, if we are to stave off the big “D”- and I don’t mean divorce or Dallas. It’s definitely ingrained in our physiology to prevent our biological vehicles from succumbing to death, but I believe our fear of this inevitable event is far more compounded by nurture than by nature.

The people who have spent a large portion of their lives trying to prevent us from losing ours, have had good intentions, yet they are approaching the subject from the premise that death is a horrible experience and that it must be the opposite of life- i.e. life’s good, death’s bad. This would be analogous to stating that birth is in direct opposition to life.

Birth and death are only processes that occur within the life structure. Neither one is a true beginning or end- they are both merely ways in which we make our transition into and out of this physical environment, symbols of starting anew and finishing the old, but not literal translations in terms of our consciousness.

I prefer to look at birth and death as similar processes, only viewed from different angles. Birth into the physical environment is seen as a joyous event which celebrates the giving of life, however we rarely think about where the consciousness of this new being has come from, prior to its entry into the physical plane.

At some point during the nine month period known as pregnancy, it (the baby’s consciousness) has made a transition from some other location- hence; it has “died away” from another plane of consciousness and is being born into our environment. This is similar to when we die in the physical environment. At the exact moment of our physical death we are again being “born” into a different plane of consciousness.

So, if both of these processes share similarities, then what actually happens during the shifting of focus and transitioning away from the physical?

I believe you take a journey within, further into consciousness itself, into the very core of consciousness that is responsible for your awareness- your higher self. When you reconnect to your higher self, you come to an understanding of how unlimited your potential is and you know it instantly. Your physically focused existence has provided the potential for expansion of conscious energy. When you cross over and become immediately aware that the all encompassing presence of consciousness is your own presence, you are then able to fully bask in its expansion.

It’s an orgasmic experience of journeying deeper into the inner mind and not ever coming close to exiting out the other side. The vastness and proportions are only overshadowed by your unlimited ability to love and to be. There is no desire to find an end, because you are constantly only aware of your current state- no need to look to past regrets or future worries, you’re so present in the moment that all other moments cease to exist.

It’s a rush of exhilaration, knowledge, understanding, grace and the warmth of being home. It’s the most sublime feeling of being surrounded by a presence which knows every intimate detail of who you are. You find no need to protect those details because you realize it’s you that knows all of your information. As you joyously flash through the blissful abyss, without hindrance of time or space, you notice a shift in awareness. Instantly you find yourself being pushed back through the birth canal and reentering, once again, into the physical landscape.

While I can’t be one hundred percent certain this is what occurs after we pass on, I can say that I’ve experienced environments during the out of body state which mimic a scenario somewhat similar to the one described above. I also have heard accounts from others who add to its credibility, describing the afterlife as a journey into layers of the inner consciousness, free from judgment and condemnation. One thing’s for certain about the death experience- there’s no finality. Sure you will lose your physical body, but your flesh and bones have never truly been your identity anyway.

Just for argument’s sake, let’s say that our consciousness ceases to exist after we pass on- at least in any recognizable form with which we can identify. What would that mean for most? They no longer have access to the memories from their past life experience? They no longer can dwell upon the should of, could of, would of? They no longer can ponder their future and worry about tomorrow?

Those things are not what life is/was about anyway. While they might seem important, life is more about staying present, in the moment, and experiencing and appreciating each one of those moments. It’s about finding ways to make the present as amazing as possible, for yourself and anyone else interested in sharing it with you, all for the wonderful experience. If I retained my consciousness, after death, for the sole purpose of dwelling in the past, pondering what could have been, hashing regrets, and fearing my fate, then I’d much rather not survive the process at all.

But because I believe we do survive the process, I feel that each one of us has amazing potential and opportunity, both in life and death. The opportunity to realize how powerful we truly are and what we can accomplish when we embrace that power. Life gives us choices and options in every moment.

How we choose to feel and react in those moments is up to each one of us, on an individual basis. No one else has the power to control how we feel. When we embrace our joy and power, we are tapping into a creative energy that lies at the heart of the Universe. If we have the option to choose those types of feelings and experiences in life, then why would those possibilities be stifled by death?

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