This happened about three years ago. I was studying Reiki and advanced energy medicine at the time. My instructor had told me to meditate on my upper chakras, so I was meditating on the eighth. My eyes were shut, I was in a comfortable position holding
my 8th chakra, and I was well-grounded - or so I thought. Suddenly, everything got very quiet and then a rushing sound filled my ears. My eyes were closed but I could actually see
my skin pinging off into air like popcorn popping around without the lid on. It was if my eyes were wide open because everything was absolutely crystal clear. Then my sight started to darken. I was able to ask my husband if I was still sitting on the couch, and he said that I was. After my skin stopped flying about in mid-air, I re-materialized in a room where a large group of men were seated in a circle. It reminded me of the Roman Senate, for they were all dressed in togas and had close-cropped beards. I was standing in the middle of this circle, staring down at a large beautiful crystal (my 8th chakra). I remember one man kept asking What does the crystal say? Look at the crystal and tell us what it says!
The crystal was the last thing I wanted to look at. Then I found myself back in my own living room on the couch, still holding
my 8th chakra. My body was intact, and my husband was still playing chess. I told him what happened and he said You're crazy.
Nothing like this has happened since. I'm not sure if I crossed through a portal, entered an alternate reality, or experienced a past life. I was not afraid of the men, nor did I feel threatened. I recall feeling more afraid of not getting back to my couch. I told a friend about this, and she gave me an earful about playing
with my 8th chakra. Her guides told her that those men were evil. My instructor just shrugged. What is your take on this? I was born 10/23/57. Thanks!
Astrea:
Many people might not be familiar with the Eighth Chakra,
as most systems of thought only refer to the main seven. The Eighth Chakra is often referred to as our aura: that which surrounds all the other chakras and always surrounds us. Expanded or contracted, it's always present.
Most of us have an aura that extends two to five feet from our bodies. A very healthy aura can extend nine feet or more, encompassing all others who come within that space and surrounding them with our own Light.
You might think of this as a strong energy field that reflects every thought and every feeling you have. Energy that comes from the body and the soul fills the aura and affects you and all those around you.
Meditation can retract or extend our auras; it's up to each individual to decide if we wish to share our energy or not. One of the strongest actions we can take to expand our aura and communication with others here (and in other dimensions) is to correct our posture. Standing up straight, sitting up straight, avoiding certain hyper-extended or fatigue positions
- all have effects on the aura.
A confident practitioner of Reiki, Transcendental Meditation or any of the other concentrated meditation skills will tell you that his or her body language does a lot in terms of energetic communication.
I find it very revealing that you were told by your instructor to concentrate on your upper auras, and with a rebellious Spirit, you sought something totally different and had an experience all your own.
This would never have happened if you had behaved yourself and done what you were told. Strong individuals often go against direct instructions. Einstein, Copeland and Ballanchine come to mind, so you're in great company. You go, girl!
Meditation has long been the doorway to other times, places and dimensions. Depending on the goal of the person meditating, other worlds may open and close in order to teach that person the lessons that he or she is seeking to learn.
It is often the case that we see, hear or feel things during meditation that are fantastic or beautiful, scary or sad, enlightening or confusing. The nature of meditation gives us opportunities we would never gain without this practice.
Of course meditation can open up new avenues of thought and new dimensions of experience: that's a big part of what meditation is all about!
*****
Susyn:
It's important to have a basic understanding of the 8th chakra, such as where it is and what part of the soul it addresses. Once you do, the visions you describe will make more sense.
Most teachings on the chakras address the first seven chakras, which are all contained in the human body. When you are ready to transcend the human body to connect with Spirit in more profound ways, the additional four chakra centers (8 through 12) come into play.
The 8th chakra is located a few feet above the head, and is the energy center that connects us to the world outside ourselves. It is also the center that gives us the ability to astral project or move back and forth between our physical form and our pure soul forms.
The experience you describe of your skin pinging off is a powerful visual of the soul breaking free and casting off the physical body to clear a path for your spiritual being to emerge.
The 8th chakra may also contain past life karma we need to resolve in addition to patterns we may be trying to rid ourselves of. This would explain why you found yourself standing before what appeared to be a senate or group of judges who asked you to interpret the visions in the crystal.
Because the visions we experience via this chakra are all directly related to ourselves, and since this was your first experience with it, it's understandable that you would be reticent to peer into the crystal. As you continue to explore your 8th chakra, you'll find yourself more open to exploring the images you see, and will become more comfortable with whatever happens.
People who have no experience in the realm of metaphysics will be quick to tell you that you are crazy or that what you have seen is evil. If you encounter a malefic entity in this process, you'll know it, so I wouldn't take comments like that to heart.
Most likely, your instructor kept silent about this to allow you to seek and form your own opinions. This is an ideal way to approach things when in the midst of an awakening. Everyone's experiences of the 8th chakra will be unique since it's the vessel containing past life karma and old issues we're releasing.
I encourage you to continue your work in this realm. Maintain close contact with your instructor and others who have gone before you to make sure you have the guidance you need to remain safe as you grow through your spiritual practices.
Astrea:
Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.
Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!
While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!
I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!
As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.
I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.
You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!
Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.
A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.
You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.