How we 'see' angels and guides and departed friends (an explanation based on psychological research)

Synesthesia -converting spiritual impressions into images 

‘Everything we experience in the outer world is a reflection of our inner states of consciousness’

Sri Gawn Tu Fahr

We all have the innate ability to translate impressions, sensations and feelings into colours, forms and images in our minds. This is not supernatural, or the stuff of fairy-tales. Look up ‘synesthesia’ in any good encyclopedia and you will see that this concept exists, although it is usually not well known outside of metaphysical circles. Sythesthesia is defined as the ability to translate one sense mode into another, and results from the close interaction   between mental and physiological processes.  

Due to the electro-chemical nature of our nervous system, our bodies are surrounded by an envelope which is extremely sensitive, much like the electromagnetic atmosphere of the Earth. As we know, disturbances in this atmosphere, such as that caused by sun-spots, can affect the conditions on the planet. In a like manner, subtle outside influences are able to bring about sensations, sense-impressions and ‘feelings’ in our bodies, which, by means of synesthesia, can be translated into images.

I am sure that many of you have experienced a sense of danger or discomfort in the past. Imagine this feeling giving rise to impressions of ‘spikiness’, or the colour red, or a vision of thorns flashing briefly in your minds. Similarly, consider the sensation of comfort or safety spontaneously producing a brief image of a ‘safe’ colour such as blue, or even objects such as ‘bubbles’ or ‘cotton puffs’. You will see that these images can all be symbolically associated with their particular feelings, and are simply generated by our subconscious minds in response to certain inner experiences. 

The actual images we see in response to impressions and feelings are very personal, shaped by our own backgrounds, beliefs and views of the world. For example, if one was bitten by a dog as a child, we may now associate danger with a nasty-looking dog, and this image could flash into our minds when we experience a sensation or feeling of danger.

Obviously, being able to automatically translate impressions and feelings into images requires some training and our minds have to be in a very relaxed state and sensitized to pick up the subtle cues, but it is possible. With practice, this skill can be further developed to the point where sensations and feelings produce images in our minds which superimpose themselves on our normal consciousness (something like a daydream), and become more complex, even taking on the form of humanlike figures. 

This skill can explain the ability of psychics and sensitives to see guides and even angels and archangels, as they are simply translating the characteristics of the spiritual energy (impressions) into familiar images that make sense in terms of their beliefs and frameworks of thinking. In other words, the 'presence', does not necessary look like that, but we have interpreted it symbolically in terms of our own understanding. 

Jimmy Henderson is a philosopher, cognitive scientist and metaphysician and the pubished author of a number of books an articles. See 'Jimmy Henderson' on Amazon.com, Smashwords and Barnes and Noble. www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com

Handling your thoughts and emotions on a daily basis

   

Handling your thoughts and emotions on a daily basis

By Jimny Henderson (MA Psychology, FRC)

We are faced daily with situations which affect us and threaten our peace of mind. Some are of a personal nature but many relate to the nation or even the world as a whole. For example, the high cost of living, unemployment, the spiraling crime rate, corruption, as well as global issues such as wars and political upheavals. Although it is important to take note of these issues, allowing your mind to continually fill up with negative thoughts and intense emotions such as fear, rage, anger, frustration and resentment, is not helpful to your emotional wellness and self‑development.

   At this point I wish to tell you a story, actually a parable from the East, one which explains this principle quite well. There were once two monks. One was quite old and the other a novice. One day, they were walking along the road and came to the banks of a river. Here they saw a beautiful young girl waiting to cross the river. She was a little afraid as the river was quite deep. The younger monk turned his head away and tried to ignore the young girl, as he was concerned that she would be a temptation to him. However, the older monk simply gathered the young girl up on his shoulders, carried her across the river and put her down on the other side. They then continued with their journey. After a short while, the younger monk could bear it no longer and gently challenged the elder on the issue. ‘Sir, we are both bound to our vows of chastity, was it therefore not a sin to have approached and gathered up that young girl at the river?’ The older monk looked at his novice in a puzzled manner and softly remarked. ‘I left the young girl at the river.’ ‘I see you are still carrying her with you’.

   An important part of emotional wellness is being able to maintain an inner stillness, balance and control which can be usually be achieved through meditation. As in the case of the novice monk, this is not achieved by pure will-power or by avoiding life’s important challenges, but rather by consciously being able to let go of unwanted thoughts and emotions, as demonstrated by the elder monk.

Jimmy is a cognitive researcher and metaphysician who is the published author of a number of books on the power of the mind. His books are available through his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com