Learning Wise Spiritual Discernment

Part 4 of 4

This is a continuation of a four part article that helps us to acquire greater spiritual discernment so we don't fall prey to all sorts of assorted nonsense.

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Assorted Nonsense

Pearl taught that other examples of the “blind leading the blind” include so-called crystal-ball gazers, psychics, aura readers, trance mediums, and so on – most of whom usually charge a hefty sum for their “truths” which are mixed unknowingly with attractive, but “pseudo-spiritual” insights and information. Consequently, even though most of these people have good intentions, they are not dependable sources of guidance. These enthusiastic, but duped individuals have their parallel in the Bible. They are similar to the magicians, astrologers, enchanters, diviners, and other false prophets so common in Biblical texts.6 It helps to remember that it has taken humble women and men of great courage and wise spiritual discernment, deeply rooted in GOD, to be the true messengers of our Divine Mother-Father throughout the Ages.

As has been shared, Pearl cautioned us to be wary of the numerous books and workshops which teach us “how to become a channel” or which supposedly offer quick ways to get in touch with our own “spirit guide.” This is because following the so-called “advice” in most of these books is in reality a rapid way to get into deep trouble. The resulting “inner” experiences may seem benevolent in the beginning, but sooner or later the confusing or terrifying aspects will arise. And even though, over time, we will eventually discover that these various activities have actually been rapidly dissipating our “life-force,” its better not to get involved with them in the first place. These particular kinds of “seeking manifestation” are also a good way to open ourselves to a “suicide entity,” or something worse, that would love to get us to misqualify our divine life-force so that it can absorb it and become more powerful.

This does not mean that we should not visualize, or “talk,” to the Angels; our Higher Self - our I AM Presence; Sai Baba; or our Ascended Friends. It simply means that we should not try to actually “see” or “hear” them as we are doing it. If we do the latter, we are “seeking manifestation,” and are likely to get into trouble. On the other hand, if we simply “talk from our hearts” to Our Divine Parent, or the Great Ones, one day we will realize that these seemingly “one-sided,” heart-felt conversations with them, are actually a marvelous two-way form of communication. This is because Sai Baba and our Arisen Sisters and Brothers respond to our prayers and “conversations” by pouring to us their invisible, uplifting, divine radiation, which is of such a high vibratory rate that it often goes unnoticed. And the net result is that we are filled with peaceful energy which in its own way gradually inspires us to take the best course of action – all without us even realizing that we are even being helped. Naturally, this is a far superior form of communication than listening to the voices, and observing the images, one typically hears and sees after “seeking manifestations.”

Pearl also explained that we need to be careful of “giving our power away” to a rapidly growing array of products, services, or activities which offer spiritual guidance or assistance of one kind or another. These include using “tarot” or other forms of “prophetic” cards, Ouija boards, runes, pendulums, and so on. Plus, there are an amazing variety of other new products that make great promises, but which at best are a waste of time and money, and at worst open us to cunning astral forces. Going to palm readers, tarot readers, numerologists and the like, are additional forms of giving our power away. Most forms of “automatic writing” are still another way in which we can allow discarnate entities to “run us around by the nose.” Instead, Pearl taught that if we really want happiness and true wisdom we simply need to return to the free, and eminently sound practice of making calls to our Higher Self, (our Atma, I AM Presence, or whatever we prefer to call it,) and then serenely following the quiet, gentle feelings within our hearts, as we balance it with spiritual common sense. More insights on this safe, natural, no-cost, form of true divine guidance, which is easily available to all of us, will be shared in a later chapter, as well as some important ways of acquiring wise divine discernment.

Did you know that the majority

of demonic possession cases

are caused by people playing with

Ouija boards?

Demonic possession is bad news!

Where else might we find good people influencing us who are often unknowingly being misled by pseudo-spiritual teachers, practices, ideas, and products? We need to look no further than our own friends, neighbors, family members, or other people interested in “New Age” things, whose hearts are in the right place, but who have yet to develop even the beginning stages of wise discernment. For these same reasons we also have to be careful of some of the so-called “spiritual counselors.” They are generally kind and well meaning, and some of them are indeed rendering a helpful service, but many are directly or indirectly influenced by the psychic realm. Thus, whether it is from a pseudo-divine experience of their own, or whether it is from attending seminars, workshops, or readings books created by people who are victims of astral-psychic deception, some of these sincere counselors sometimes end up giving unwise advice.

Astrology

Astrology is another area of great misunderstanding. The Arisen Host and Sai Baba both say that astrology, as it is practiced today, is unreliable. They assure us that this is the case regardless of whether it is “Western astrology,” or the “Eastern jyotish astrology” that is popular in India.

Thus, Sai Baba cautions:

Do not ascribe evil to any day or star.7

He also explains that it is best to:

Take things as and when they come. Do not try to peep too far into the future with the help of astrologers. They are mostly wrong, and the data you supply them [is] mostly unreliable.8

The Great Ones recommend that instead of following the advice of an astrologer, that we should make our calls to our own Higher Self, our I AM Presence, and then follow our hearts. It is not only much more reliable, it is also infinitely safer. And in the process, through trial and error, we will gradually acquire greater and greater spiritual discernment for ourselves. It is helpful to remember that when we give our power away to well-meaning, but misinformed and misguided astrologers, we can lose a lot more than just our money.

In general, Pearly told us:

No one, but no one, can prophesy for you, or guide you as well as you can guide yourself.9

We just need to learn to follow our hearts.

"Clairvoyance"

Another area of confusion involves so-called “clairvoyance” and “clairaudience.” The word “clair” comes from the French and means “clear.” Unfortunately, clarity is often the last thing we see with those who claim to have these abilities. It is not to say that on occasion, people can not receive genuine divine visions or inner voices – we can. It is just that the authentic experiences are much more rare than one would think with all the claims being made in “New Age” circles. Thus, we need to use careful discernment in separating the true experiences from the false. As you may recall, this is because there are numerous, convincing ways that the astral-psychic realm can give us the impression that we are “seeing” with our “inner vision” (clairvoyance) or “hearing” with our “inner hearing” (clairaudience), when we are actually being fooled by slick psychic counterfeits of these divine activities.

Maya

The Goddess of Wisdom says that learning to separate truth from untruth is one of the first steps on the spiritual path. And in order to do this of course, we must learn to distinguish between the real and the unreal. The more we learn about the charades of the psychic-astral realm the more we begin to understand an extremely important spiritual lesson. That which has seemed so “real” to us for so many centuries, including all the discord and imperfection we have created for ourselves is ultimately “unreal” and thus will pass away. And that which we thought was “unreal” such as miracles, angels, love, innocence, joy, and Light, we are now discovering is a happy and eternal reality. In India, in the Hindu faith, all that seems real, but yet is unreal is referred to as “maya.” Thus, all the illusions and temptations of this world with all of its impermanence, including the various hoaxes fostered by the psychic realm are “maya.” Sai Baba says:

What is it that you have to give up? The delusion under which what is unreal is considered real, and what is real is treated as unreal. People consider that they are in the grip of Maya and that they are caught up in misery. Misery has no limbs to hold you. It is you who are hugging misery. This is due to your ignorance. When you get rid of this ignorance you will experience bliss.10

The Joy of Simplicity

So now that we know that many of the so-called ‘’new age” activities are in reality unreliable, pseudo-spiritual shams, what do we do? Simplify! Our Elder Sisters and Brothers and Sai Baba both stress how important it is to simplify our unnecessarily complex lives. And as can be seen from the various subjects outlined in this chapter, there is perhaps no place more appropriate to begin introducing simplicity back into our lives than in the arena of “new age” spirituality. By simplifying our lives, we increase our inner peace, contentment, happiness, and free time. And with the additional free time, we can begin applying the genuine, time tested, safe, no cost, spiritual practices recommended by Sai Baba and the real Arisen Host. Then, as our inner peace expands, we will gradually become more sensitive to the gentle feelings within our hearts which help us to discern the true from the false - the real from the unreal. Another advantage to simplifying our overly complex lives, is that we can get by on a lot less money. Therefore we can spend less time earning money, and more time loving our children and parents; helping neighbors; blissfully singing devotional songs to our Divine Mother-Father; serenely studying and applying reliable spiritual teachings; building bridges of love and understanding between previously opposed factions and groups in society; and of course experiencing the self-confidence and joy which comes from selflessly serving in our communities.

The Real New Age

Pearl assured us that we really are coming into a New Age of Peace, Truth, and Love on our planet. We just need to be aware of the difference between true “New Age” activities, and “pseudo”-ones. And then joyfully put the genuine ones into practice. Some of Pearl’s insights as to how we can continue to melt away our ignorance while further expanding our spiritual discernment will be addressed in a later chapter. It was truly a great blessing to live with Pearl and learn these essential truths.

Pearls of Wisdom

· Do not try to have out-of-body experiences.

· Focus our attention on our upper chakras, rather than our lower ones.

· Avoid the “trap” of grief, self-condemnation, guilt, and shame.

· Be unconcerned about attaining special powers.

· Never do anything that would allow a discarnate human being to possess one’s body.

· Do not try to “hear” inner voices or “see” with one’s inner vision.

· Learn to follow one’s heart and common sense instead of astrology, runes, pendulums, Ouija boards, “Tarot,” or other forms of “prophetic” cards.

· Do not give your power away to palm readers, tarot readers, numerologists, crystal-ball gazers, psychics, aura readers, and trance mediums.

· Never do anything that interferes with the freewill of another.

· Be unconcerned as to who we may or may not have been in former lives.

· Simplify our lives as much as possible.

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This is the end of this 4 Part Article on "Acquiring Wise Discernment".

I hope it was helpful and a blessing to you. - Bill Gaum

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