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    • Mysteries of the Aura: A Timeless Practice Can Change Your Life

      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/471909

      Mysteries of the Aura: A Timeless Practice Can Change Your Life, by Jean-Louis de Biasi

      (Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

      I belong to a family of teachers, farmers, clergymen, and nuns; spiritual and educational pursuits have always been central in my life. I know that I didn't descend into this physical body randomly, and I have always felt this safe balance between the physical and spiritual worlds. I was lucky to be initiated into respectable traditions and to receive full authority in famous traditions. Today, I am using this unique heritage to reveal hidden realities and help everyone improve their hidden abilities.

      The aura has fascinated me for a very long time. I was raised in a Catholic family, and I can recall countless representations of the Holy Family and saints surrounded by golden halos. The clergy teaching us these stories stated that it was a mark of holiness—nothing more, nothing less. That explanation was enough for me at that time. Strangely, I didn’t challenge this assertion.

      When I was about ten years old, I started to hear stories about this strange light. I discovered some magazines about the existence of these bodies of light. And I began to find meaning in the colors I saw from time to time when I watched people through squinted eyes. I remember even seeing a strange pulsating light surrounding one of my cats while he was sleeping. I always felt it was a natural perception.

      My knowledge of auras began with these spontaneous experiences and continued as an adolescent when I created a parapsychology group; the purpose of this group was to explore our inner abilities and these hidden realities. I started to explore the different levels of the aura (which I present in Mysteries of the Aura). A few years later, I discovered the work of famous theosophists and Eastern traditions. They confirmed what I was exploring, even if some details were explained differently.

      Mysteries of the Aura is based on my experiences and my explorations. Instead of being a compilation, it is a progressive method that you can use to unlock this wonderful ability that everyone possesses. I strongly believe that teaching must be based on techniques. It is quite easy and important to give you a theoretical and cultural presentation of the aura, which you will find in the book. However, I consider it essential to also give you the keys to see for yourself and use this ability. What could be the point to simply explain how the world is to a blind person if I know how to give him the sight? Of course, it takes time and persistence, but it works. Mastering this ability goes well beyond the simple aura reading and can change your life and afterlife.

      All over the world, various representations reveal some aspects of these bodies of light. For this article, I chose a few examples from different spiritual traditions. Once you've read it, I invite you to start your practice with an exercise accessible to all levels.

      As I already mentioned, in the Christian tradition, a halo of light surrounds the heads of the Holy Family and the saints. Sometimes Mary or Jesus is placed in the center of a radiant mandorla. With this representation (below), eight angels with musical instruments surround the aura to symbolically represent the high level of spirituality. Music also indicates the presence of vibrations that are not visible to the naked eye. Additionally, the number eight is one of the highest spiritual planes of the hermetic tradition. It is interesting to know that this original sculpture was painted with bright colors.

      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/471909
      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/471909

      Another representation comes from the Italian Renaissance (below), which shows various strata of light around the head of the angel. Anyone who explores these zones of the aura can validate the accuracy of this painting. It is important to remember that they are not just an expression of art. This part of the body is often represented as it is the location of one of the brightest chakras (wheel of energy) of our spiritual body.

      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/471909
      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/458966

      Another instance from the Christian Gospel is the Pentecost, the artwork depicting which show the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in an assembly with the apostles. The symbolic depiction uses the image of a flame placed above the head. Putting the theological interpretation aside, this symbolic representation is very well illustrated on this 16th century tapestry.

      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/219368
      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/458966

      It is fascinating to compare the latter with images of the Eastern tradition. In the Buddhist tradition, statues of the Master Buddha are often represented with a halo surrounding his head, the third eye visible, and a flame above the head. This statue from the 16th century is indicative of these representations. In several other examples, his hair is twisted into a bun. This artistic convention is more than that, as it symbolizes this flame of energy.

      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/219368
      Image via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/72301

      When I was 18, I travelled to Egypt for the first time, and had the experience of seeing the amazing artifacts found in Tutankhamun's tomb. Several chapels surround the sarcophagus that holds the mummy of the king. The reliefs that are the most important for this topic can be found on the outer panels of the second funeral chapel, with several scenes coming from the Book of the Dead. On one of them, we can see three rays coming from the sun and entering the forehead of the first figure. There are four other figures which represent mummies. Each one has a star at the top of the head. Each star is linked by these three rays of light.

      Farther on the same panel, the three rays of light are vertical, going from the top of a five-pointed star and the sun, down to the feet. Following the scenes, we find goddesses inhaling the three rays of light and spreading the same light from their hands onto the head of a snake. The five-pointed star and the sun are represented here in their low bellies.

      The last representation on the wall of this chapel that I want to mention is the oldest representation of the ouroboros. One is wrapped around the legs of the mummy and the other around the head. A circle in the middle of the mummy contains the image of a bird, representing the "ba" (the "soul"). As for the serpent, it is linked to the cosmic energy of life.

      The Hindu and Eastern yoga traditions have similar representations of the aura, of the channels of energy called nadis, and the chakras. (An extensive explanation of these bodies of energy can be found in Mysteries of the Aura.) However, I want to bring your attention to the chakra of the head, the one at the base of the spine, and the three main nadis connecting them while crossing the five other chakras. The main pathway following the vertical axis of the spine is called Sushumna Nadi. Two others important nadis are intertwined with Sushumna, called Ida and Pingala. One starts from the left nostril (Ida) and the other one from the right nostril (Pingala). Some descriptions show these two nadis spiraling around the center axis and crossing each other on the chakras. Others show the three channels as vertical and parallel. This is the one we will use in today's practice. Being able to see the aura will give you the opportunity to observe these channels of energy and the circulation of the latter. Working with this energy is important and uses various techniques. Among them are breathing techniques called pranayama, which are associated with visualizations and movements (Asanas).

      As you can see, all these representations depict the same reality, even if the artistic style is different, and in all these spiritual traditions (whether from the East or the West), they are more than simple images. They are symbols that also describe a specific spiritual process. Wise men and priests were able to directly see the bodies of light and their connection to the cosmic energy. Using symbolic representations was a way to give us essential keys to activate our own energy.

      Following the gradual exercises provided in Mysteries of the Aura will help you in this exploration and the energy work you will perform. However, I want to invite you to experiment right now with a simple way to feel your aura and activate energy centers. You can extend and deepen this exercise with a recording I prepared for you .

      This practice is structured in three parts: relaxation and breathing, perception of your aura, and activation of your energy centers.

      Part One
      For this first practice, I recommend that you be seated. Your back should be straight and your spine vertical. Your hips and shoulders should be well balanced. Your feet must be flat on the floor, legs parallel.

      Close your eyes and breathe normally. Observe your breathing, the movement of your chest, the air flowing in and out. Be aware of your physical body. While observing your breathing, scan each part of your body. This simple process should start a state of relaxation and peace.

      Continue this observation for a few minutes, but don't exceed 5 minutes. From time to time, come back to the awareness of your physical body and your breathing before moving to the next step.

      Part Two
      You'll begin to feel a light vibration around the surface of your skin. When you get this feeling, extend your breath, keeping the same rhythm.

      You may perceive that a subtle part of you is expanding, changing size and shape. Follow this perception without exceeding 5 minutes.

      Then, imagine you are at the center of an ovoid made of light. Let the color manifest to you in a spontaneous way. As you will see, a single color, sometimes two, will appear in your mind. This is not an astral vision per se, as you haven't yet followed the gradual training. Nevertheless, this is a true manifestation of the current main color of your aura. Focus on this color for a few seconds as a simple pleasure, avoiding any interpretation. Use your breath to make this color brighter and slightly larger.

      Part Three
      Move your awareness to your lower belly and to a center located four or five inches below the surface of your skin.

      Imagine a golden sphere pulsating and a five-pointed star at the center of it. Take the time to see and feel the presence of this sphere of energy. If you already practice creative visualization, you can add the presence of the ouroboros at the surface of the sphere.

      After a few minutes of focusing on these perceptions, inhale, and exhale. During the exhalation visualize three parallel channels of energy rising from this center up to the center of your head. Inhale moving again your focus on your low belly. Repeat this sequence three times. The second and the third times will help you to draw more energy in the channels you created the first time.

      Place your focus at the center of your head, more precisely the pineal gland. Think about this center for a few minutes. Feel the energy flowing. Then build a sphere of bright golden light around your head. After a few breaths, keep the light and dissolve the edges of the sphere, revealing the light shining as a bright halo.

      Just above the surface of your head, visualize the manifestation of a flame, similar to the flame of an altar candle, burning without any movement or sound. This is a pure concentrated flame of energy shining on a different level of vibration.

      Progressively open your consciousness to encompass a larger zone around your body. As you continue to breathe regularly and deeply while staying in your state of relaxation, feel the shining rays of light. You may progressively combine this brightness with the first main color you previously felt intensifying its brightness.

      Without exceeding five minutes, keep this perception while continuing to breath. Then come back to the movement of your chest and the movement of the air entering and leaving your lungs. Progressively, come back to your physical body and open your eyes. Remember to take some notes about your experience.

      This practice gives you a glimpse of several exercises you can find in my book. You should know that seeing aura is an art, but it can also be deceiving. Fortunately, there are simple ways to avoid delusions (various methods for that are explained in the book). Seeing the aura opens to a fascinating exploration of who you are, even unveiling hidden parts of yourself. Moving forward in your apprenticeship, you will become an actor and able to work on your bodies of energy. You will even be ready to help others who asked for your support. Eventually, this gradual process increases your state of consciousness and opens to you a spiritual path of freedom!

      Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2023. All rights reserved.

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    • Double Vision: Did She Fly With Dying Mother-in-Law?

      My mother-in-law was dying of cancer. Three days before she passed, she came to me in my dream and took me by the hand. I took it and felt as if I was flying with her. She was happy, fun and her old self. We both laughed as she took me to her nursing home and told me to go into her third drawer and get something important, that it would be under the snacks. She laughed about scaring the nurses. She took me by the hand and we flew home. I woke up in my bed it seemed so real. I told my husband. He went and looked in her drawer and under snacks there was a pure gold cross. My mother-in law was on her death bed with cancer when this happened, and she could not talk. This dream felt totally real, and she seemed completely happy. Do you think it's possible that what I experienced was real?

      Colette

      Susyn:

      What you shared with your mother-in-law was an incredible gift. It not only speaks to the special bond between you, it also affirms that she was able to reach out to your soul before she passed over.

      Given the fact that your husband did discover something important in the very location your mother-in-law described (the gold cross located in the third drawer under some snacks), I would say that your experience could not have been more real. The cross represents the strong values and beliefs she held about spirituality. The number three represents the trinity as well as the bond between her, your husband and yourself. The cross, hidden under some snacks, suggests that we should always look beyond the obvious to find the value and truth in life.

      I suspect that what actually happened between you and your mother-in-law was an out-of-body experience rather than a dream. Your description of how she took your hand and the two of you actually flew off together strongly suggests this is the case. Because your mother-in-law was on her death bed and could not speak, her spirit chose astral projection to connect with you.

      When we have a near-death or death and revival episode, it opens a channel to the spirit world. This is something few people ever get to experience; it is extraordinarily profound. Your mother-in-law knew that you were the person she could connect with on a soul level. Because of this and the fact that the two of you were very close, she reached out to your spirit to deliver this very special message.

      When a person dies, their spirit becomes free of the physical limits of life. They immediately take on their true personality. Near death, your mother-in-law showed herself to you as young, vibrant and healthy. She was able to speak and her sense of humor returned. Her joke about scaring the nurses exemplifies the fun-loving person you had always known. This is something we can all look forward to when we cross over.

      Now that your mother-in-law has passed over and left the physical pain of her illness behind, you should be able to communicate with her often based on the close spiritual bond the two of you share. Given on your experience, I believe she trusts you to look after her son and other members of her family, and will be quick to visit your dreams if she needs to get important information to them. If you need her help, meditating with the gold cross she revealed to you should call her in an instant.

      *****

      Oceania:

      Perhaps your mother-in-law was already detaching from her physical form and your souls really did fly together. She was not the self you knew recently - the one suffering in a body succumbing to cancer - but rather her bold and lighthearted old self.

      The other explanation is that you were able to see past her physical limitations and experience her joyful essence during a dream that was more about wish fulfillment than reality. Our unconscious minds absorb far more information than our conscious minds are aware of, so it's very possible that you once heard or saw something that let you know she kept a treasure beneath the snacks in her drawer even though that information never reached your conscious mind. Information stored unconsciously often bobs to the surface during dreams, meditations and waking flashes of insight and intuition.

      I noticed the number three recurring in your story. Your memorable dream took place three days before your mother-in-law passed, her third drawer was featured, and you mentioned dying three times. As I discussed recently, the number three in Tarot represents good mother energy, which is loving, nurturing, protective and fierce! Perhaps your mother-in-law was a mother figure to you; given her loss, it would be wise to explore and embrace good mother energy at this time, both from yourself and others, so do indulge in some pampering!

      I loved the symbolism of the pure gold cross hiding beneath the snacks. Our earthly life (represented by the snacks) provides fleeting pleasures, while spirituality, wisdom and love (represented by the gold cross) are ever present underneath or behind the scenes of everyday life.

      While a cross can be a grim reminder of crucifixion - a means of torturous execution that was in practice for hundreds of years before and after the time of Jesus Christ - I prefer to view it as a symbol of a human being, because the cross resembles a person standing with their arms outstretched. The horizontal bar of the cross can represent our earthly life in which we can reach out and connect with others, while the vertical bar can be seen as a link between heaven and earth and a symbol of our connection with Spirit.

      When we witness a loved one aging and dying, it can be a stark reminder of our own mortality. Your mother-in-law's passing may have profoundly impacted you in this way. Given that it was so full of love and laughter, your dream may have been an expression of a newfound desire to live freely, fully and authentically!

      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.

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