Ancestral Medicine and Communicating with the Dead

As in the essay on mindfulness, the following material on the subject of the ancestors was taken off the internet from several different sites. Our reason for doing this is so the reader can see what proponents of ancestral medicine are saying rather than a critique from those of us who disavow it. And the reason we stand against it, despite its growing popularity, is that it is another practice that easily leads to being invaded by demonic spirits, which is why it takes its place in this book. 

What does ancestral medicine encourage? 

Everyone has loving and wise ancestors they can learn to invoke for support and healing. Coming into relationship with your ancestors empowers you to transform negative family patterns into blessings and encourages good health, self-esteem, clarity of purpose, and better relationships with your living relatives.

What does it mean to heal your ancestors? 

When we reconcile with ancestors who experienced different types of persecution or who enacted violence and oppression, we make repairs in our personal psyches and family histories that, in turn, mend cracks in the larger spirit of humanity. 

How can I heal my ancestors? 

Make prayers to your Ancestors and speak your desire to heal the wounds in your Family and your DNA. Burn the plant offering with this prayer. Know that you are supported by your ancestors in this endeavor and feel their love and support. Read the Release Intention and Burn it in the Fire. 

How do you start ancestral healing? 

Begin simply, by making a family tree that includes everyone up until your grandparents (or great-grandparents if you have access to that information). Then, next to each person, write down any and all traumas they endured. 93 

How do you release ancestral trauma? 

Four ways to break ancestral trauma: 

1. Acceptance of your parents as they are/were. 
2. Acknowledge unconscious loyalties to pain/addiction you might be carrying from your lineage. 
3. Everyone belongs, no matter what; each person must be given a place. 
4. Release what doesn’t belong to you; own what does. 

What is ancestral bloodline? 

Bloodline Powers: You have the power of your collective ancestors surrounding you, and the powers you gain manifest in part due to the heroic or dastardly deeds your family members have achieved before your time. You have been selected by these spirits to build upon your family’s greatness. 

How do I make my ancestors happy? 

The easiest way to venerate ancestors is simple: put a photo of the deceased beside a glass of water and a white candle and talk to them or recite their favorite prayers. You can also add food or drinks they enjoyed. There is no right or wrong way to honor those who have passed on. 

How do I connect with my ancestors spiritually? 

In addition to prayer, calling on your ancestors in meditation is likely the easiest and fastest way to feel their presence. Take time to sit in meditation for 10–30 minutes, specifically calling whichever ancestor by name you feel most connected to and ask them to talk to you! 

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Following are some remarks on two biblical passages that relate to ancestral connections, both from the Hebrew Bible, the first from the Torah, Leviticus 20:6 and 27, then from the prophets, Isaiah 8:19. 

Leviticus 20:6: 

[6] “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. (ESV) 

Our focus is on the word “necromancers.” The passages concern people who want to connect with dead people, usually ancestors, and they turn to mediums and necromancers to help with this task. Both mediums and necromancers offer to contact the dead. And the passage is clear that such were rejected by God and cut off from the people of Israel.94 

Leviticus 20:27 

[27] “A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.” (ESV) 

Now the passage speaks specifically about the medium and the necromancer. Not only those who want to connect with ancestors by means of mediums or necromancers are to cut off from the people of God but also the mediums, and this by means of execution. 

Deuteronomy 18:9–12a 

[9] “When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. [10] There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer [11] or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, [12] for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. 

Thus comes a second warning from the Torah, and again the message is the same, clearly stating, “one who inquires of the dead.” 

God’s word does not assume that the dead can actually be contacted—they are dead, and there is no available pathway to them—but there are evil spiritual entities that do impersonate the dead. 

Isaiah 8:19 

[19] And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? (ESV) 

Again, now from Isaiah who lived hundreds of years after the writing of Leviticus, comes the same message. The land of Israel had been occupied for long periods by those who practiced occult arts, and the Israelites copied them. Here now comes reality from their creator God, that His people should seek Him rather than the mediums and necromancers. 

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How do you know if you are receiving an Ancestral call? 

And for some, ancestors speak to them until it is like they are mentally disturbed. And some cannot find a job or cannot have children. The physical symptoms most commonly related to the calling, are: (severe) headache, 95 

stomachache, burning feet, back pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, palpitations and fainting. 

We question whether this, then, is something to be desired and sought! 

What is respect for the ancestors? 

The veneration of the dead, including one’s ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Some groups venerate their direct, familial ancestors. 

What is the relationship between God and ancestors? 

Together with their descendants, ancestors worship God. As mediators between God and humankind, ancestors do not possess the power to mediate salvation. Ancestors remain in contact with descendants for quite some time 

How do I pray to my ancestors? 

God, Source of all hope and love, Hear our prayers for our ancestors. May the road they walked in pursuit of peace and joy in you Mirror for us the same peace and joy we long for. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. 

How do you call ancestors? 

In addition to prayer, calling in your ancestors in meditation is likely the easiest and fastest way to feel their presence. Take time to sit in meditation for 10–30 minutes and specifically call-in whichever ancestor by name you feel most connected to and ask them to talk to you! 

What is ancestor karma? 

Ancestral karma has been described as karma, which is made up of our ancestors’ habits and beliefs, wrongdoings and right doings, and middle-of-the-road actions. 

What are the signs of having a calling? Here are 7 signs you have found your calling. 

1. Your actions match your plans. You make big plans and then you carry out the actions to match. . . . 
2. You reach a state of flow. . . . 
3. You can’t be deterred. . . . 
4. You suspect you’re onto something. . . . 
5. Your output is huge. . . . 
6. You’re happy. . . .

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1. You’re making progress. 

Your Calling Is Closely Tied to What You Enjoy 

Always be watchful for that same feeling. When you find yourself in the middle of a task, hobby, or job and notice that same satisfaction, know that you have found the point where your God-given talents align with the tasks He has laid before you. 

What does the Bible say about ancestral spirits? 

Some have used Leviticus 19:26b-32 to justify the veneration of ancestor spirits. It reads: “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD” (NIV). 

Of course, this completely misses the point of respecting one’s living elderly and also completely ignores the passages quoted earlier from Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Isaiah. 

What religion believes in ancestor worship? 

Ancestor worship and reverence to family are fundamental elements of Confucianism. Rituals to honour ancestors are extremely important and must be performed in precise ways. By carrying them out properly, an individual can receive the aid and cooperation of deceased relatives. 

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Here now is the danger. Contact with an entity who disguises itself as a dead ancestor is very deceiving. A person is convinced when he or she hears a voice that exactly fits with the ancestor. This entity also knows secret things that only the two, the voice and the person, could possibly know. However, it is no actual ancestor; it is an impersonation. How the demonic kingdom has this knowledge is quite incredible and chilling. One suspects that there are always prying demonic eyes watching us in order to gain the ammunition needed for this kind of deception. We have even experienced, during sessions of deliverance ministry, demons trying to derail its being cast out by blurting out (accurate) accusations against us, the ministers, about sins we ourselves had committed. With the collected information the demons have stored, anyone could be deceived. 

We therefore see that the further danger for the person in contact with who they think is a long-gone ancestor is being open to invasion by the very demonic spirits who are impersonating the supposed ancestor. 

Fifty-two years of experience in the pastorate has proven that grieving people may be vulnerable to this sort of deception. In particular, recovering from the death of a loved one puts one in a vulnerable frame of mind, easily manipulated 97 

by the magnet of a chance to interact with that loved one again. We have recently encountered this, when a man stated, quite seriously, that his dead wife was waiting to speak with him. Such a powerful temptation! 

There is a parable of Jesus that fits in right here. It is titled, by the editors of the English Standard Version of the Bible, as “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” It is found in Luke 16:19–31. 

[19] “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. [20] And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, [21] who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. [22] The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, [23] and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. [24] And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ [25] But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. [26] And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ [27] And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—[28] for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ [29] But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ [30] And he said, ‘No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ [31] He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” 

Lazarus is a poor man and is “carried by the angels to Abraham’s side,” or to Abraham’s bosom in some versions. “Abraham’s side” is an ancient Jewish term for heaven, or the presence of God. 

Then the rich man, who knew Lazarus, also died and was carried not to heaven but to Hades, a term used in that era by Jewish people as a very awful place full of torment and misery. (Hades would be more completely identified as hell, a place ruled over by Satan and his demons.) 

In the parable, and not necessarily to be taken literally (commentators disagree on this issue), the rich man sees Lazarus in a place of tranquility and goodness. The rich man wants Abraham to send Lazarus with a drop or two of water. Abraham’s response is the core of what we are presenting here. It is verse 26: “And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been 98 

fixed, in order that those who pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us”. 

This is only a parable, but it contains great truth. No one comes back to the planet once dead. Throughout Christian history, theologians and all Bible commentators have not maintained that there is a crossing over from heaven to hell or from hell to heaven. The destinations are fixed. 

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Ancestral Medicine 

Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing, by Daniel Foor, Ph.D., published in 2017, describes perhaps the clearest presentation of what Ancestral Medicine is. Following is a brief presentation of the core of some of his points. 

In the introduction to the three sections of the book, he speaks of spontaneous ancestor contact such as dream visits, waking visions, and synchronicities. Also, the reader may “learn to partner with wise and loving ancestors to assist the souls of any deceased family members who have not yet joined the ancestors” (p. 3). 

All of the dead then are not necessarily part of the “ancestors,” but those who are may be contacted through various shamanistic and psychic processes. He will go on in the book to explain how to contact ancestors, which he says will be healing in many ways. 

Part One: Foundations of Ancestor Work 

Chapter one, My Personal Journey with the Ancestors. 

He states on page 10, “Allow space for personal reflection as you read, and stay open to helpful dream visits or other spontaneous contact from your loving and supportive ancestors.” 

He expects the reader will be contacted, but this contact will not be with ancestors, it will be with demons who impersonate dead ancestors. Based on what we have experienced, the very idea that an ancestor may be contacted is enough for a demon to play the role and make the contact. 

Dr. Noor concludes the chapter by encouraging any attempt to connect with an ancestor. “There is nothing unusual about having a healthy, ongoing relationship with our ancestors; in fact, it’s one of the most inherently human things we could do” (p. 12). 

Chapter two, Who are the Ancestors? 

Dr. Noor states that our oldest ancestors lived more than 200,000 thousand 99 

years ago in Africa, know the entire journey of human beings, and “are custodians of our generic and cultural memory” (p. 21). 

Key to his understanding of the ancestors, he asserts that some of these are “deeply at peace, while others may still be working things through” (p. 21). 

The author states that the dead are not dead, and says that “most indigenous peoples, animists, shamans, pagans, spiritual healers, and others who intentionally relate to the dead would agree with the following four assertions: 1) Consciousness continues after death; 2) Not all of the dead are equally well; 3) The living and the dead can communicate; and 4) The living and the dead can strongly affect one another. 

He thus lays the groundwork for communicating with souls or spirits. Satan could not have expressed it better. Indeed, the reader is being groomed for talking with the dead. 

The dead are no more dead, Dr. Noor states, “than angels, gods, the spirits of plants and animals, or other unseen forces” (p. 23). But then, he says it is best when thinking about the living and the dead to think of the distinction between human souls who are currently living and souls who were previously living and with whom we can still relate. Indeed, “throughout this book I refer to ‘the ancestors’ interchangeably with ‘the dead’ (meaning all human souls not incarnate on Earth at this time)” (p. 26). 

This sets the stage for the enormous lie, the lie of the “soul.” Every one of the psychic therapies or practices depend on the concept that there is a soul trapped or living in a human body and which is the true essence of the individual. This concept of the soul is mere confusion, and the essay, “Soul Confusion” presented in this book details where and how this tragic error is derived. 

The author, Dr. Noor, writes about how the living and the dead can communicate. “Contact between the living and the dead can take many forms. Sometimes the deceased come unsolicited as visitors in our dreams. Sometimes they speak through waking visions or synchronicities, or at times when our psychological defenses are thin (e.g., near-death experiences, altered states)” (p. 27). 

Synchronicity: this concept came from Carl Jung. The term refers to two or more events that are meaningfully related but which otherwise would be unlikely to occur. 

But then, some will seek to contact the dead by means of “ancestor reverence,” which can include ancestor-focused prayer, meditation, inspired song, and creative expression; psychic and mediumship practices; some types of divination; and any other practice that facilitates communication (p. 28). 

Here is where occult practices like mediumship intersect with meditation. When one engages is various forms of the psychic occult one opens oneself up to being invaded by demonic spirits. Based on lengthy experience, the 100 

initial contact or invasion can be either frightening or stimulating, sometimes both. Something occurs, and not merely an emotional something, but something real and tangible, though it may remain mysterious for some period. 

Once the initial event occurs, contact with the dead may be initiated by the living person, or the dead ancestor may initiate the contact. Interestingly, Dr. Noor admits that “the ancestors can confer blessings of health and longevity, or they can send us to an early grave” (p. 29). Yes, the idea is that some ancestors are mature and benevolent and some the opposite. “We on Earth can also benefit the ancestors. . . . when we speak well of them and feed them through heartfelt offerings (e.g., food, drink, flowers)” (p. 29). After all, death is just the beginning of a rite of passage for the recently deceased. 

Of interest is that Dr. Noor states that ancestors are not only real, but they are also not all equally well, and they can and will communicate, even if we do not seek the contact. The ancestors can give gifts of longevity and fertility and give a person an even temperament. 

Ancestor “reverence” practitioners will sometimes encourage knowing the names of ancestors back to seven generations; thus, as many as 254 ancestors may be made known to them. But all of these ancestors may not be equipped to be “supportive” family ancestors, and such can cause “disruption and disequilibrium for the living” (p. 35). 

Yes, this so-called gifting and knowledge is not all that can be given; indeed, ancestors may open the door to physical and mental illness. 

It is interesting to note that Dr. Noor repeatedly states that there are often experiences when ancestors whose souls indwell or contact a living person may not prove to be a wholesome event. 

In our years of doing the work of “casting out of demons,” we have often seen the disruption experienced with those who have “souls” living in them or have contacted them. Our experience, and that of countless others, confirms that the presence of such ancestors is frightening to the point they are compelled to find help. 

Dr. Noor draws a distinction between “ancient ancestors” and those a person knew during their life on Earth. “No longer tethered to Earth by name or living memory, these older ancestors often appear to living people as a group or a collective energy” (p. 36). These spirits may appear as more loving and peaceful than those who departed more recently, and they may be in a state of restlessness and pain. So, it is said there is a “family lineage repair process,” whereby older and younger family ancestors can be helped (p. 40). Noor also states, “Although it’s not usually the case, it is entirely possible that such work will destabilize your life” (p. 41). 

A summary of the chapter is given on page 42: “This chapter began with 101 

the question, ‘Who are the ancestors?’ To summarize, our ancestors include both the remembered dead and those ancestors whose names are forgotten. Both our recent and our older, collective ancestors influence our identity and sense of place in the world: ideally, we will include both in our practices of ancestor reverence.” 

Ancestors is a word that has good feelings associated with it; those in our family tree that we can know and benefit from—this is the author’s premise. He does not realize, or maybe he does, that he is inviting people to become indwelt by demons and not merely by making contact. And who can resist such a generous invitation? 

Chapter three: Spontaneous Ancestral Contact 

Contact and communication with ancestors can be sought or they can happen spontaneously, Dr. Noor explains. This latter means of contact may happen all of a sudden, without warning or intent. The spirit or soul of an ancestor just shows up and makes itself known. Dr. Foor says that “either type of contact can be helpful, harmful, or both” (p. 46). 

Contact can be made by means of dreams—not that a person merely dreams about the ancestor, but that the ancestor actually shows up in a dream. To acknowledge the contact, a person might make a simple offering to the ancestor, such as a prayer, lighting a candle, or pouring out a libation when awake. If the contact is that of a “troubled dead,” someone who has not yet become an ancestor, one can “make prayers, dedicate offerings, direct positive energy, and even conduct healing rituals for the elevation of these ancestors” (p. 47). 

Dr. Noor says that it is relatively common that ancestors show up when a person is in some altered or passive state of consciousness. And if such an event unexpectedly occurs, the encounter was likely with the troubled dead. 

Here now the deception runs deep. These “ancestors” are not ancestors at all but are what are sometimes referred to as “familiar” spirits, demons who impersonate dead people and appear and sound like an actual person. It can be very deceiving and again, such contact will eventually, if not quickly, result in demon possession. 

Dr. Noor, in my opinion, is not attempting to deceive the reader but does sincerely believe in what he is relaying. My attempt to contact him and request an interview was rejected. 

Chapter Four: Ancestor Reverence and Ritual 

There are many ways, says Dr. Noor, to relate to and communicate with one’s ancestors. One way is “ancestor reverence” and may involve many different forms and rituals. He says that many religions practice and perform rituals for 102 

this including those in the animistic and shamanistic traditions, Buddhism and even Christianity. 

The word “Christianity” reminds us of the Catholic tradition of praying to saints including the Virgin Mary. Although we know as Christians that we pray alone to “Our Father, who is in heaven,” there are certainly Christian brothers and sisters who, when praying, say, “Lord Jesus hear my prayer” or “Holy Spirit hear my prayer.” Such is not concerning since our Lord is Three-in-One and One-in-Three. 

Dr. Noor believes it is right to connect with our ancestors, because “we are bonded with the ancestors as life to death, light to shadow” (p. 57). He goes on to say, “One reason for engaging the ancestors is to more fully receive their support in our everyday living. Another reason is to extend support to the troubled dead” (p. 57). He also speaks of talking with dead ancestors and states that one needs to be careful, as others who overhear such conversation might wonder what is going on. 

Rituals are the focus now, and he mentions Celtic Samhain, the Mexican Day of the Dead, and the Japanese Obon festival as illustrative of such rituals. There are many others, of course, and he discusses how to establish them. 

Surprisingly, Dr. Noor states that the “troubled dead” can be a problem to the point that a “full exorcism may be needed to untangle the spirit of the deceased from the living” (p. 58). 

He does not understand that all of the so-called ancestors, troubled or not, are demons. 

“As stated in chapter 3, the living may experience direct contact with spirits of the deceased at any time” (p. 63). And this may occur by means of meditation, trance, and by direct intuition. Meditation is a usual and common way for entering into a trance type state or by what Dr. Noor terms direct intuition. 

Meditation, in every book we read, written both by those who support mindful meditation practices and by those who know these are means to connecting with evil spirits, know it is a manner in which ancestors, meaning demons, connect with humans. 

Dr. Noor notes that it is necessary to “trigger a shift in consciousness, which allows us to hear ancestral spirits more clearly” (p. 64) and the means to create such a shift include meditation, contemplation, vision quests, fasting, retreats, even drumming and rattling, intensive song and dance, psychological and physical ordeals, and the intentional use of psychoactive substances. 

It has become popular is some Christian churches and ministries to focus on a type of worship where music dominates, meaning the praise band, with long periods of ecstatic arm waving, dancing, and closing of the eyes, and then words of prophecy (so-called) are heard. This has been present for some 103 

decades and only recently have there been some corrections. 

Part Two: Healing with Lineage and Family Ancestors 

This second part “presents a framework and exercises to support direct engagement with loving and wise ancestors for the intention of personal, family, and lineage healing” (p. 72). And this includes greeting ancestral guides and other elevated ancestors, helping troubled ancestors, and much more. 

Chapter Five: Family Research and Initiating Ancestral Healing 

Dr. Noor describes how to “directly engage the spirits of your ancestors.” By this he means that it is time to “invite and start talking to dead people and listening for their responses” (p. 79). 

One of the vital processes is to become attuned to a person’s four primary bloodlines, these being one’s grandparents, two on each side. He then describes six stages for the work of speaking and hearing from dead ancestors. This is something Dr. Noor promotes, teaches, and uses to help supposedly troubled ancestors, thus the title for his book, Ancestral Medicine. 

We must be blunt here, because Noor is promoting what is often referred to as channeling and acting as a medium and a necromancer. The Hebrew Bible, in Deuteronomy 18:9–12 speaks to these “abominable practices”: 

[9] “When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. [10] There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer [11] or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, [12] for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. (ESV) 

Note the phrase in verse 11, “inquires of the dead.” Clearly Dr. Noor ignores this, (he likely is aware of it), but he encourages and teaches others to engage in these “abominable practices. Based on nearly fifty years of dealing with people who desired to have demons cast out of them and having acquired these evil spirits by means of any number of occult practices/arts, among those listed in Deuteronomy, we agree with the biblical warning. 

The numbers of those involved in contacting the so-called dead is growing exponentially. We do not mean to imply that those who engage in occult practices like that of speaking to the dead are evil people. No, they simply have been lured into a “spiritual” practice that is demonic. The devil and his demon 104 

angels are spiritual and have powers that amaze and fool many of us. 

Chapter Six: Meeting with Ancestral Guides 

The focus here is how to “converse with bright ad elevated ancestors through practices of trance work and guided visualization” (p. 96). The guides are spirits of people who once lived on the earth and are part of a person’s actual blood ancestors. The guides are able to help their living ancestors and help any troubled dead. Dr. Noor refers to them as our “elders in spirit.” (p. 97) 

Various types of rituals are used in order to make contact with ancestral guides, the author states. “This section explores ritual structure, energetic protection, the use of nonordinary states of consciousness, ways to distinguish imagination and fantasy from authentic spirit contact.” (p. 100) On the next page we find that “During ritual, participants sometimes work with nonordinary states of consciousness or access strong emotion.” 

On page 102, Dr. Noor says, “If you intend to communicate with ancestral guides or other spirits of the dead, then you will likely need to enter into a state of awareness that is conducive to this type of dialogue.” 

Dr. Noor notes that there are a number of ways to prepare oneself to make communication with the spirits of the ancestors without using consciousness-altering substances. These include “mindful and medically safe fasting or eating lightly . . . engaging in exercise or disciplines like yoga, dance, chi gong, and martial arts.” (p. 102) He says one must “take caution” if one uses alcohol, cannabis, peyote, ayahuasca, and pyschoactive mushrooms to get into the proper state of mind for rituals. Instead, he does recommend meditation and drumming for the shifting of consciousness. The meditating is to calm and still, and the drum is for sensory stimulation. He also mentions “rattling,” the sound of the Native flute or recorder that will “support a light trance” (p. 103). 

We take note of the phrase “nonordinary states of consciousness” above. This reveals that the contacting of spirits involves an altered, passive, or shamanistic state of being. At this stage, the “therapist” enters into such a state by varying means often termed meditative or mindful states of consciousness. 

In our studies of these states of consciousness and conversing with those involved with various meditative practices, we discovered that the early stages of meditation and similar routines will most often produce pleasant and peaceful states of mind in the practitioner. There is no denying it; however, things will change over time and not for the better. This is when such a person may become fearful, disoriented, and may seek out help to deal with what turns out to be the presence of evil spirits. And it is only Jesus Christ who casts out demons. His followers, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, do this ministry today. 

Of course, Dr. Noor does not understand or perhaps is even unwilling to admit, 105 

that the spirits are not good at all. This would upset all he has committed himself to and would even cause him to wonder about the true nature of these ancestral spirits. 

Let us state once again: the ancestral ancestors are demons and not souls. In our view, one of the greatest deceptions ever to ascend from the nether region is the idea that a person has a soul inside the body, and which survives the death of the body. (See the chapter titled Soul Confusion for more on this subject.) 

Under the heading “Ways to Deepen Relationships with Ancestral Guides,” Dr. Noor states the first way is to “spend quality time with the ancestral guide” (p. 110). This is followed by, “Meet helpful spirits associated with this lineage.” And these other spirits “may include the collective spirits of animal and plants, deities, elemental powers, or spirits of place” (p. 111). He goes on to suggest that one might call upon the virgin Mary to help. 

In regard to “lineage,” those existing prior to any ancestors, this goes back to the formation of the universe and some, especially “indigenous peoples,” see themselves as being descendants of “specific powers, deities, land spirits, stars, natural forces, or exceptional and ancient human beings.” 

If one were to do so, he or she may well be rewarded with actual contact with spiritual entities. But what are these? Demons are able to assume any posture or identity, which is widely known. The worst of all outcomes is being in the presence of a demon under the control of the prime enemy of God, Satan. 

Let us assume that Dr. Noor believes what he is writing. We do not think he is making an attempt to fool people and lead them into danger of the worst imaginable kind. He believes he has made contact with the ancestors and other guides and entities, and he is thoroughly sold. 

In the interest of brevity, and because it should be clear to reader by this point in this chapter what Ancestral Medicine entails and what results, the remainder of our comments on Dr. Noor’s book will be abbreviated. 

In chapter eight, Dr. Noor writes of what is called a psychopomp, or soul guide, which is human or non-human, like a land spirit, a natural force, whose function is to “help the recently deceased reach the realm of the ancestors.” (p. 149) In other words, they deal with troubled souls. 

In chapter Nine is “Integration and Work with Living Family.” On page 176 is, “To embody, incarnate, or incorporate the ancestors literally means that they are en/in our caro (flesh) and corpus (body).” 

A rather perfect definition of being indwelt or possessed by . . . ancestors. He does not, I suppose, understand that these spirits are demons. Or does he? He makes is sound so wonderful—this “acquiring spirits/souls of dead ancestors in order to help them and allow them to help you.” Notice the terms: 106 

embodiment–this means that the ancestors are in you, and this applies also to the term possession. Then mediumship, again the same as embodiment and possession, as the medium traffics with souls or spirits within them, and spirit and soul are, by the way, one and the same thing. 

He mentions Mongolian and Siberian shamanism where the shaman actually embodies the spirits in many of their rituals. This is called ongon orood, which is having the “spirits inside the body” and “the shamanic state of having one or more shamanic helper spirits in possession of the shaman’s body” (p. 177). 

Dr. Noor also encourages the reader by saying that “almost anyone with sincere intent can embody the spirits of their ancestors” (p. 177). And this has been his experience as well. 

It could not be clearer; Dr. Noor is busy inviting others to become invaded by spirits or souls of ancestors. Apparently, he does not realize the nature of these spiritual entities. 

Over long years of ministry of dealing with those who wanted to be free of indwelling entities, meaning demons, it became clear that, at first these entities were mysterious, but over time their actual identity was discovered, and now their human “hosts” came looking to be rid of the now tormenting evil spirits. We must remember that there is only one Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit always and only glorifies and magnifies our Lord Jesus Christ. Could it be that Dr. Noor cannot face the reality of what he is caught up in? 

Our reason for setting out this brief snippet is to draw attention to the place of meditation. It seems so benign, this meditation, but it is the door opener to all of the contact with the evil spiritual world. The Scripture never even comes close to advocating or teaching this type of meditation. We recall the “Lord’s Prayer” that Jesus taught His disciples to pray; see Matthew 6:9–13. It has nothing at all to do with meditation, or sitting quietly focusing on one’s breathing, or attempting to rid the brain from thinking about anything at all. No, actual words are directed to Our Father in heaven. And the recorded prayers in Scripture, like John 17, are thoughtful and concrete, spoken by a person who is talking directly to his or her Lord. 

Part Three: Honoring Other Types of Ancestors 

The last part of Dr. Noor’s book is essentially an invitation to “reflect on your own death, practices to encourage conscious dying, preferred funerary customs, and the post-death journey, and beliefs about consciousness after death” (p. 200). 

Perhaps this is the most seriously dangerous part of the book, as Dr. Noor is convinced that after death there is still life, soulish in nature, but ongoing 107 

consciousness at any rate. And this is false hope indeed. 

After our dying, the very second after our dying, one of two things happen. For those safe in the salvation of our Lord Jesus, eternity in the presence of our God in heaven begins and never ends. Those not safe in Jesus will find the beginning of an eternity in the presence of the devil and his angels, that is, the demons. 

We cannot help but say that Ancestral Medicine is as far as one can get from the truth. Sad indeed. 

Chapter Ten: Ancestors and Place 

The reader is encouraged to “safely and respectfully commune with your ancestors at a cemetery or other burial place.” (p. 207) Following then are various things to be considered in such a process. 

There are certain places on Earth that enhance and support connecting with ancestors, such as certain plants or animals, natural formations like caves, waterfalls, mountains, etc. Plus, there may be places where ancestral spirits dwell near one’s home. 

Chapter Eleven: Affinity Ancestors, Multiple Souls, and Reincarnation 

The purpose of this chapter is to “provide one framework for dealing with multiple souls, reincarnation, and past lives” (p. 229). 

Affinity—this refers to ancestors one is familiar with: family members, close friends, teachers, mentors, and cultural heroes. 

Multiple souls—here is meant the bone and body soul, the blood and breath soul, the star and ghost soul. He counsels that if one having a problem with a ghost, make sure you are not being paranoid or delusional. Dr. Noor advises, “If you do conclude that a troubled human ghost has in some way linked his or herself to you or inhabits your home, consider contacting a ghost care specialist.” (p. 242) 

Again, we say that only Jesus casts out demons. Throughout decades of deliverance ministry, which is the actual casting of demons out of people, we have seen hundreds of demons cast out of hundreds of people, the majority of whom were Christians who discovered some time after their conversion that there were demonic spirits in them, usually the result of engaging in occult-oriented practices, or visiting mediums, engaging in serious yoga and meditation, and so much more. 

Yes, there is a controversy among Christians as to whether or not Christians can have a demon. Only on rare occasions have non-Christians wanted demonic spirits cast out of them. So, the debate continues, but our experience 108 

and that of many others, is that only Christians realize their dilemma and seek to have demons cast out. We have even done this via the internet, even for those in foreign countries. 

To see more of what we have written on the subject, look for the following: Deliverance Handbook: A Guide to Casting Out Demons for Today’s Christian. It contains an important questionnaire, which can be used in a deliverance session. 

Chapter Twelve: Joining the Ancestors 

Here are some highlights from the final chapter. 

Dr. Noor now speaks of preparing for the moment of death. He advises calling on the “support from the unseen worlds (e.g., ancestors, spirit guides, deities, God/dess) and that you are able to receive this support and to enjoy their guidance for what’s to come” (p. 260). He also states that some psychics who “claim to communicate with the souls of the recently deceased report that they may face a life review or reckoning with their life on Earth before fully joining the ancestors” (p. 264). 

Some Hindu and Buddhist traditions practice cremation, as fire severs unnecessary attachments to the past and helps release the soul from the most recent incarnations. 

The souls of people have been likened to a bird more than any other creature, which flies away at the point of death. It pictures the soul escaping the “cage” of the body. In fact, “our winged relatives are common messengers for the ancestors in this world” (p. 273). 

It is understood by many spiritual traditions that there is a period of time following death when the soul is still present, and only lasts a few days up to two weeks. Those who grieve the death of a loved one or friend and are available for this sort of contact can directly engage with the spirit—soul—of the recently deceased person. And, it is advised, speak aloud to them. Some say that it takes about four hundred days before the dead graduate to the status of ancestors. And these then are available to help us in this world. 

Our author, the psychologist, has likely used the above concepts to help grieving people come to an acceptance of a loss through death. And it may work for some, for a while anyway. However, what really has occurred is the one suffering loss is now exposed to demonic spirits that impersonate the dead. The contact with the soul, or the evil spirit in actuality, opens the door to more deception and a growing level of possession. 

How the demonic spirits accomplish this is beyond our understanding, but that it occurs is beyond question, as it has been known for long centuries. There is a knowledge that the satanic kingdom has that is incredible. Evil spirits can imitate, with incredible accuracy, all that can be known about a person. We 109 

can say this, because we have observed such on many occasions in the process of casting demons out of people. We wish this were not true, but because it is reality, we must be made aware of what is under the direction of evil. 

We are reminded that Jesus casts out demons today just as He did when He was on the planet. Just recently, several demons were cast out of a person during our food pickup ministry. Our words were simply “Jesus Christ of Nazareth casts you out, you unclean spirits.” This we said two or three times, and what a difference, but there it was. Indeed, Jesus has given His followers this ministry, and they have been aiding troubled people all this time and all over the world. We say this to give those bothered by spirits, souls, entities, and other strange forces hope. 

Excerpts from Wikipedia 

Wikipedia, July 22, 2022 

What is ancestor healing? 

Ancestral healing is the process of revealing and releasing inherited wounds and traumas that have been passed down by our ancestors. Anyone researching their heritage will uncover both positive and negative issues that pass through the bloodlines from one generation to the next. 

What is ancestral work? 

Ancestral work is broad, vast, and incredibly important to any personal magical and spiritual practice. Ancestral work is part intuition, part dialogue, part deep listening. It can be research and reading based. It is engaging with the practices, food, medicines, stories, and beliefs of your cultures. Apr 15, 2021 

Can your ancestors help you? 

There are people all around us struggling through tough times. And if you find yourself battling loneliness, anxiety, or disappointment, the ancestor effect can help you. If you’re willing to reexamine the story of where you come from, you can create new emotions and promote healthy actions in hard seasons of life. Jul 23, 2017 

How do you stop the ancestral spirit from healing? 

You can’t stop the heal, but you can deal with as much damage as possible to negate the effect. The Ancestor spirit can only heal in large chunks when surrounded by spirits again, so taking down its health quickly afterwards is key. Mar 25, 2022110 

How do I connect with my ancestors spiritually? 

In addition to prayer, calling in your ancestors in meditation is likely the easiest and fastest way to feel their presence. Take time to sit in meditation for 10-30 minutes and specifically call-in whichever ancestor by name you feel most connected to and ask them to talk to you! Oct 22, 2021

Thirty-four

Own a Pickup Truck!

“Nice truck, man.” Actually his truck looked about as

bad as mine.

“Thanks. The odometer has turned over twice and

yet there has been absolutely no repair work done to

the transmission or engine. Ugly, but I love it.”

“You’ve got to be the only preacher I know who

would drive his truck to a funeral.”

         

Own a pickup truck! The reader asks, “Is this guy

serious?” Yes, I am; in fact, I would not be without

one.

If I were the president of a seminary I might

consider a requirement that no one would graduate

unless they owned a pickup truck. That comment

might seem somewhat odd, but there is a serious point

to this.

I usually have a fairly old one and I am partial to

Fords. Presently I have a newer one (only 10 years old),

but I favor an old truck I do not mind seeing it dented

up when I loan it out. There are so many times when a

pickup is needed and it is not so easy to rent or borrow

one. Own a pickup truck!

157

Own a Pickup Truch

Get a big one, not one of those little ones. Get a

big V-8 with an 8-foot bed. It does not matter how it

looks. They are fairly cheap.

I use mine primarily to help people move. Anyone

who has had to make a major move when money was

tight knows what a traumatic event moving can be.

Moving is usually a most stressful time, comparable to

any significant loss. Pastors help people through the

death of a loved one and divorce, yet moving is often

neglected. Moving may be the result of a divorce. It

may be necessitated because of an economic down

turn, loss of a job, a debilitating illness, retirement, or

some other unhappy reason.

Without exaggeration, which means I am not going

to use preacher license, I have helped several hundred

people move over the three decades of my pastoral

ministry. On top of that are the small moves, little jobs

that come up frequently (at least once a month) like

moving a couch, a refrigerator, washer or dryer, a bed,

a chest of drawers. These moves are not easily done

without a pickup truck. This very day I loaded up and

unloaded a cord of firewood. So many people are

completely stymied when it comes to a move, and what

a wonderful service it can be to help someone load up

their stuff and move it for them.

My aim is to make a move a fun event. Some of us

at Miller Avenue routinely gather together for them.

And we are pretty efficient at it. We can save somebody

hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars, simply

through the use of an old pickup truck.

It is a wonderful service. I think it is one of the

most important and significant ministries that a pastor

can possibly do in the actual ongoing life of a church.

People move. And it is such a great thing to be able to

158

For Pastors

help somebody move, help relieve them of that

pressure and anxiety.

For many years I had a 1972 Ford pickup truck. I

bought it in 1978 for $1500.00. I sold it for $500.00

recently. And that thing was worth its weight in gold.

Before that I had a 1955 Ford pickup truck and it was

an ugly beast, but it sure did a lot of good work. Now I

have a 1991 Ford 3/4-ton pickup truck, and that thing

does a ton of work.

If I were the president of a seminary I would

probably let somebody graduate if they did not own a

pickup truck. Probably!

         

  Pickup trucks may not appeal to you. You don’t really

have to have one.

  Do you have any ideas for some thing or some means

that might work as a substitute to having a pickup?

 Life Coaching

The subtitle for this chapter is “Some Safe, Some Dangerous.” Our comments will be in this font.

Life coaching has caught on big time in recent years. These “coaches” may function like a therapist, a counselor, a psychologist, a psychic medium, or a channeler. Life coaching covers a multitude of practices, and many are okay, but many others are dangerous.

Lin M. Eleoff’s book Gutsy Glorious Life Coach: How to Turn Your Life Coaching Practice into A Soulful Money-Making Business does not teach meditation and other occult practices but is directed at the “safe” life coaches. 

Then there is Jeremy Raymond’s book, The Life Coach Workbook, which is aimed at helping life coaches who do not work with spirit guides, ancestors, Reiki, Kundalini, The Third Eye, etc. but advises those who employ normal psychological means how to help others. 

And there are many other books like the two described above.

Therefore, a life coach could be a person who is trained in counseling and has a degree or two in the field. In 1965, Kent was engaged in looking for a job as a high school counselor when he changed direction and enrolled in a theological seminary in Mill Valley, California. And for ten years he operated the Marin Christian Counseling Center in San Rafael, California. He might have been described as a life coach then, but that terminology was decades away.

Some Dangerous Life Coaching

The first of what we call dangerous life coaching is published by the “Elvin Coaches,” whose book is titled Don’t Make Me Use My Life Coach Voice, published in 2020. Elvin Coaches is not the name of an author but is “a group of people who love to help and guide others towards a better life and circumstances” (p. 10).

The next three paragraphs describe how the Elvin Coaches see themselves:86 

We are part of a collective group known as Elvin Coaches. We have several members and decades of experience between all of us. We all met in Indonesia years ago, and many of us were already practicing life coaches by then. This became a huge bonding moment between us, and we have all grown as a family since then, supporting each other every step of the way. We have all personally experienced the power that all forms of coaching have, both for the client and the coach. We learn from the people we help just as much as they learn from us. 

All of us at Elvin Coaches are passionate about what we do, and we wanted to get our knowledge and experience out to the masses. This is why we began to publish books. We feel it is the best way for us to impart our knowledge to many people around the world. Whether you need the help of a Life coach or want to become one yourself, we are here to help you. We want to make you a part of our family. Once you are, you will grow exponentially as a person through our step-by-step action plans we provide and then you will be able to guide others to do the same. 

All of us at Elvin Coaches still experience the ups and downs of life. There are days when we are on top of the world, while others, we are down and out and want to hide somewhere. Getting through life is a constant battle, and none of us will ever tell you differently. We do not promise that all of your problems will go away; however, you will be equipped with better tools to handle them. After learning the techniques used in life coaching, you will look at your life in a completely different way. 

Now then, here is what the Elvin Coaches say are common misconceptions about life coaching: One, it is not counseling or therapy, though it can look like it. They do not treat mental health disorders, nor do they give medical advice. Two, it is not practicing therapy without a license. Three, it is not a hobby or a “side hustle,” but a real career and passion (p. 25). 

Life coaching is not regulated, and practitioners do not have licenses. Yes, some coaches are “slimy” but there are many fine ones. Some coaches make a lot of money, charging $300 an hour, but the authors say not to do it for money. 

However, one thing that life coaches are to do is to “make your client reliant on you” (p. 30). 

Intuition 

The Elvin Coaches state that life coaches need strong intuition, which “is the ability to understand or feel something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.” Also, “it is important to listen to our intuition, because it is trying to tell us something our conscious mind may not be aware of” (p. 33). 

In book after book on psychic healing processes, the concept of intuition comes up. It entails being in touch with energy and/or other sources of spiritual 87 

knowledge. And it is right here where this kind of life coaching merges with the demonic. What occurs is that the would-be coach becomes indwelt with supernatural spiritual powers. These coaches will admit to it and know the existence of such within them, but they do not realize they are, in fact, evil spirits. 

These powers may be referred to in several ways, some of which are ancestral spirits, guide spirits, animal spirits, elves, souls, goddesses, gods, ascended masters, and many more. From the Bible we see that there is only one Holy Spirit, who always and only points to Jesus Christ, both to who He is and what He has done, meaning His death on the cross, His resurrection, and His return at the end of the age – and to nothing else. 

Due to this reality, we are placing this chapter on life coaching in this book on psychic spiritual processes, which are powered by Satan and the host of fallen angels he controls. 

So, the life coach can tap into the divine energy inside of them. The authors say the life coach, one who is intuitive, can help a client become intuitive as well. 

And this is the main issue: by means of engaging with these life coaches, one can indeed become indwelt by demonic spirits. We agree that there is something inside this coach, but it is not divine. 

In the very same chapter, the coaches talk about methods used by an intuitive coach. These are hypnotherapy, crystal healing, Reiki, and chakra healing. These are said to improve energy. However, all four of these practices will result in opening a person up to demon possession. 

The Law of Attraction 

The Elvin coaches state that what a person puts out into the universe will come back to that person. This is speaking of energy, thoughts, motives, interests, loves, hates, etc. The energies come back to a person by means of vibrations, both positive and negative. This is said to be the law of attraction, and the universe cannot be fooled, as it is smarter than any human, so one must be careful to send out good vibes. “As the mind thinketh, the universe giveth” (p. 41). The life coach must work to prevent a client from thinking bad or negative thoughts. In fact, if a focus is on making money, acquiring wealth, “the universe will present more opportunities to make money” (p. 42). 

Techniques Requiring More Skill 

The following is a summary of three more advanced ways that can be incorporated into one’s coaching techniques. 

One is the emotional freedom technique (EFT), a form of acupuncture, 88 

but no actual needles are used. Instead, one’s fingertips “are used to access and stimulate the various energy points on the body” (p. 67). It reminds one of Reiki therapy, and the Elvin Coaches say it is indeed a “New Age method.” 

Second is “cognitive behavioral coaching,” which is replacing bad thoughts with good thoughts. 

A third approach is guided meditation. “Meditation is a truly powerful exercise that can help people become more mindful and less stressed, as well as reducing mental blocks” (p. 68). 

Instead of naming the authors of other books on life coaching that we consider dangerous, we will simply quote or rephrase statements from two books that demonstrate our point. 

In the first one, the author suggests communicating with one’s “inner child” by looking at a photo of yourself when you were younger and begin communicating with this inner child, even invite this inner child to have a talk with you. 

This may seem to be safe or innocuous, but such a practice can result in an evil spirit communicating with a person while pretending to be an “inner child.” 

The concept of the “Universe” comes up frequently in the dangerous versions of books on life coaching, as though there is a power, an entity, that is the all-in-all, a kind of deity that is easily accessible and able to guide and empower one’s life. 

The following quote, if taken as truth, opens the door to all manner of deception: “I believe we’re given messages all the time by our inner voice or the Universe, that reveal our purpose and attempt to direct us toward our vision.” Not only should one listen but also thank the Universe for what is revealed and say, “Thank you, Universe!” 

So then, if this is true, we will be “listening” to messages from the Universe, and voices will be heard. With this, we agree. If one believes this and waits and listens, a voice will be likely be heard. But it will be the voice of a demon. 

The word “soul” appears dozens of times in books dealing with what we consider to be dangerous life coaching. Consult our essay written years back dealing with this issue, titled “Soul Confusion.” To be brief, we are a soul—we do not have a soul. The soul is not something that has a separate existence. Before reacting too strongly, please read this essay and evaluate for yourself. 

The reason we bring this to the reader’s attention is that so many books on life coaching speak of the positive evolving of the soul, and the author of one book speaks of accepting everything that has happened to you, because it is simply for the positive evolving of the soul. 

Life coaches of the dangerous variety also urge the practice of mindfulness. 89 

While it is laudable to be fully aware and attuned to reality, this mindfulness is just the opposite—it is really mindlessness. And just what is mindfulness? There is a plethora of explanations, but it is not prayer to God, it is not listening to God speak to you, or communication from an angel of the Lord. It is said by some to be an opening up to hear from the so-called Universe. 

But there is no Universe out there that is listening and communicating. 

However, there is a presence out there that will communicate with you, and it is the counterfeit of the Spirit of God. It is the demonic kingdom with its evil demons, ruled over by the prince of hell, Satan. 

The God who created the heavens and the earth, all of matter, every planet, every star, everything that exists in what is called the universe, has communicated to us through His eternal Son, Jesus Christ, and his word, the Bible. The Creator God exists outside the universe, a universe that will one day, perhaps billions of years from now, cease to exist. It will either burn up or freeze out, and the evidence leans toward the former—utter dissolvement. 

That the demonic forces communicate with us is a sure reality, and it is real, tangible, and convincing. Demons are real. Jesus cast them out during His ministry, and Christians throughout the ages have been given his authority to do so. We have personally done so many hundreds of times. 

One book on life coaching urges meditation to help one connect with their “observer.” First the person must connect with their “inner wisdom.” Then is described a rather common form of meditation by way of emptying the mind, breathing deeply over a period of time, filling the chest with air, and with each breath, relaxing the body ever more deeply, sending the breath to the heart. Now you can take a deep breath and ask the observer to be present with you. 

And something will be with you now, something no one would want, if the identity of the observer was clearly understood. 

This observer is not defined or identified, but it is in you, a part of you, some imagined something that observes your life and does not react against you, but rather supports and encourages you. The person then invites the observer to be present with you. The last step is to “shake your shoulders, roll your head,” and begin to come back into full consciousness. 

If one does not want to connect with their observer, he or she can connect with their inner child, who will bring comfort and support. 

These are clearly paths to demonization, and yet it seems so nice. 

Interesting and good news for plant lovers: when plants are near each other they can pull energy from each other and thrive. 

One can also ask the sky a question, and an answer will appear in the form 90 

of a cloud. Indeed, nature will always respond to you, so you will know you are not alone. 

There is also a circle of flow on energy. When you give energy to help someone, energy will flow back to you. (We can understand this one in terms of human social interaction.) Other ideas put forth are 1) You can visualize a diamond in your home, 2) You can ground to the planet in order to transform, connecting up to the Source and the Unified Field of energy above, 3) You can ask Source to cleanse your home, 4) You can ask the planet to empty you out and to then fill you up with energy, 5) You can also ask Spirit to empty you out, 6) then you should ask the planet to renew you, and this by focusing on the Heart, 7) then ask the Spirit to fill you up, and finally, 8) activate the Greater Whole, and this again by focusing on the Heart. 

At one point the author of the above book states that our ancestors “and their environment influences vibrate within us.” In another place the author says that he could see a “beautiful blue energy” around the head of a horse he was riding. 

All of us then are like the proverbial genie in a bottle, and working with energy allows for this genie to be set free. To do so, one needs to say “Hello” to the genie; this is the beginning of unleashing it. Plus, one must also say hello to the “passive creative force.” When the genie is unleashed and one is in communication with it, one should utter, “Thank you Genie.” 

In conclusion, we were saddened when we first read the materials for this chapter, and now again when presenting a small fraction of it, we are saddened again. Those who wrote the books researched for this piece on life coaches are sincere people who are not intent on harming or misleading anyone. We must be, all of us, vulnerable to being deceived by the god of this world. That demonic kingdom is full of false glory and brilliance. Who among us could resist? 

******* 

Excerpts from Wikipedia 

Wikipedia, July 6, 2022 

Note: The following describes what we consider to be safe, non-spiritually threatening, and helpful. 

Life coaching is the process of helping people identify and achieve personal goals through developing skills and attitudes that lead to self-empowerment. Life coaching generally deals with issues such as procrastination, fear of failure, relationship issues, lack of confidence, work–life balance and career changes, and often occurs outside the workplace setting. Systematic academic psychological engagement with life coaching dates from the 1980s. Skeptics have criticized life coaching’s focus on self-improvement for its potential for 91 

commercializing friendships and other human relationships. 

Coaches use a range of communication skills (such as targeted restatements, listening, questioning, clarifying, etc.) to help clients shift their perspectives and thereby discover different approaches to achieve their goals. These skills can be used in almost all types of coaching. In this sense, coaching is a form of “meta-profession” that can apply to supporting clients in any human endeavor, ranging from their concerns in health, personal, professional, sport, social, family, political, spiritual dimensions, etc. There may be some overlap between certain types of coaching activities. Coaching approaches are also influenced by cultural differences. 

Thirty-three

Having A Trade

“What are you going to do now that you have

resigned?” I asked.

“Landscape work, cutting grass, sprinkler

systems—the kind of stuff I did while I was in seminary.

I got more pleasure out of caring for the church grounds

than I did pastoring the church. I’m glad I’m prepared

for something anyhow.”

         

In a telephone company’s Yellow Pages of the First

Century AD Jesus would have been listed as a

building contractor. A tekton in the Greek (see Mark

6:3), is a designation that can mean carpenter or maybe

a stone mason or builder: Jesus worked with his hands.

Probably He acquired some skills under the tutelage

of an older and experienced tekton, Joseph. (see Mark

13:55)

Paul, skilled in the working of leather as were

Priscilla and Aquila, periodically used his craft to meet

his needs so that he would not be dependent upon

others. He would, though, receive gifts from various

churches and individuals from time to time but not as

a regular habit.

154

For Pastors

At various times I have found it necessary to be

able to make a living on my own without having to be

dependent upon a church. However, I believe it is

important for pastors to be dependent on those they

minister to for their livelihood. When Jesus sent the

disciples out two by two (see Luke 10) they were

instructed to take no money with them, and they were

to stay in the house in which they first entered. From

this an important principle may be derived: ministers,

pastors particularly, are to be reliant upon the churches

in which they minister. Certainly, the “worker deserves

his wages” (Luke 10:7)

Yet I think it is important for pastors to have the

capacity to support themselves and their families

outside of the church if need be. I have seen tragic

circumstances arise when this was not the case. When

pastors, usually with families, are dismissed, forced to

resign, or must preside over the closing of a church

and no immediate ministry is available, they may have

little or no financial resource. It can be a damaging

experience, especially for children. Years spent in Bible

college and seminary do not usually result in the

acquisition of marketable skills. In short, it is not always

easy for an ex-pastor to find a job.

If I were dismissed here, or be forced to quit, I

would want to be able to provide for my family. I am

not going to reveal details here, but I have a couple of

means by which I am able to do this. Having an

assurance that God will care for us, perhaps care for us

through a job skill, is consistent with scriptural

principles.

Having a way of making a living and supporting a

family will allow pastors stand their ground with some

strength and courage in the event of a crisis. A pastor

might stay in a desperate, even dangerous situation,

155

Having a Trade

due to a fear of not being able to survive. It is not that

a pastor develops an arrogant or independent attitude:

those attitudes do not become the servant of God. The

servant is submissive to the Head of the Church, and to

the church itself. The preacher submits to the ministry;

however, it does not mean submission to a person, a

group, or a church that would attempt to exercise

ungodly power. This circumstance does come up from

time to time. It has happened to me. It may happen

again.

The kinds of trades or job skills one might engage

in are many and varied. The construction trades,

building, painting, landscaping, plumbing, electrical,

masonry, and so forth, these are skills where jobs can

usually be found. And, of course, computer skills may

prove valuable. But whatever it might be, I suggest

that pastors have the ability to perform some labor or

service that would allow them to take care of

themselves and their families if necessary.

         

  Do you have a trade or job skill that could see you

through a difficult time?

  Are there steps you might take to acquire one?

  Does my suggestion seem biblically sound or not?

 Third Eye Awakening

This material is also found in Psychic Empath: 5 Books in 1. 

Our own comments are in this font. 

The third eye is a spiritual concept associated with enlightenment and direct communication with a higher plane of existence—this is the practical definition of the “third eye” as understood by those who embrace it. 

The third eye has been a mystical concept for centuries, yet it is uncertain as to its origins. It is said that it does not involve magic but is entirely natural. The Ajna chakra is the same as the third eye, located between the eyebrows, in the pineal gland. It is part of being human, yet it is little used. And anyone can open their third eye, and this can be achieved by means of devotion, willpower, and meditation. 

Third eye power has been mostly possessed by yogis, psychics, and fortune tellers in the past, but now is open to more and more people. Indeed, the occultists and spiritual masters have called it the “seat of the soul.” “If you meditate and open your third eye then you can get insights, prior warnings of danger, and a high level of intelligence” (p. 406). And the key word is “meditate.” The third eye awakens the inner self. 

Meditation, and here it means more than mindfulness, is a movement into a passive or shamanistic state of mind. It is an opening up to outside spiritual forces or entities, which are actually demonic and evil spirits. Christian prayer is the opposite; it is mindful and conscious focus on God with the full presence of heart and mind. It is a looking to Jesus who loves us and hears our words. 

Chapter 1: What is the third eye? 

The third eye is said to be about the size of a walnut, located in the brain. The third eye is said to be “the window to our inner selves, our soul, and our connection with the energy and power of the universe” (p. 407) . To grasp this, one 79 

must think of your inner self as a ball of energy that moves or drives the body forward, the energy that connects us with the energy of the universe. 

The third eye is said to be the pineal gland, which is a small organ located at the very top of the spine as it enters the brain. From a Google search is found the following definition: “The pineal gland is a small, pea-shaped gland in the brain. Its function isn’t fully understood. Researchers do know that it produces and regulates some hormones, including melatonin. Melatonin is best known for the role it plays in regulating sleep patterns.” 

It is supposed that the pineal gland creates or causes hallucinations, and DMT or dimethyltryptamine within this gland will assist a person to move into a trance-like state along will receiving vivid imagery. 

Those who value the experience of the third eye understand that the mind and body are only temporary, while the real essence is the inner self, or spirit, or soul, which after death are joined together with the energy of the universe. 

“Our time here on earth could be made so much happier and healthier by following the guidance of our inner spirit. Getting connected with our third eye is the key to all of it” (p. 409). 

Chapter 2: How to Open Your Third Eye 

“Opening your third eye takes time and practice. While you may have an experience, such as during meditation, where you feel a huge rush of awakening, it will not be fully awakened by one experience” (p. 410). 

Meditation is a good way to open the third eye, but there are other methods that can be used. One important process is to silence your mind. And it is by means of such silences that the third eye can be opened, and other psychic abilities are realized. 

Another way to open the third eye is to practice “tuning in” and this by either feeling or hearing something coming from your intuition. It is said that “where your attention goes, energy flows” (p. 411). You must intentionally listen to your third eye and your intuition, and when this is done, they will continue speaking to you. 

Then it is good to explore one’s natural creativity; it must be remembered that the third eye is also your “mind’s eye” and is the seat of your imagination. 

Of course, you must be grounding yourself, and when this happens, you will be taken into the spiritual realm. Here you are working with your root chakra, and this is done by meditating on this chakra, which will center one into the center of the Earth. 

Exercising your third eye is also essential, and a good way to do this is by meditating on all the chakras. A way to do this is to lie down and meditate, imaging your chakras one at a time, and imagining each one becoming brighter, even glowing.80 

One may also use dream work. To do this, after dreaming write them down and interpret them on your own, or purchase a dream interpretation journal. 

Another great way to play with your third eye is to let your imagination flow, and this while in a meditative state. Also helpful is the let your intuition guide you, and this will allow you to receive mental downloads, which will be filled with information. 

Last, the final best way to exercise the third eye is to strengthen your psychic abilities. 

Much of what this has to do with is entering into the passive, shamanistic, or altered state of consciousness, and yes, we say this over and over. A common method for doing this is meditation, achieving an “open” mind, and the open mind will then be invaded by spirits, evil spirits, who disguise themselves as benign knowledge sources. There are many ways to enter a meditative state, and it can be very spiritual, very exhilarating, and very deceiving. It is a sure mechanism to demonic possession. And it may be many years before a person recognizes the true nature of what has taken root in them. 

Chapter 3: Techniques to Awaken the Third Eye Chakra 

It is recommended that a person chant “OM” in order to awaken the third eye chakra, and this process is rather complex but involves finding a quiet place to be alone, light candles, lie down on the floor, close the eyes, relax, begin deep breathing, focus on the third eye, flow with your body’s energy, begin looking for a vibration or tingling between the eyebrows, do not focus too hard, just remain vacant and let things take their course. Then focus on the vibration between the eyebrows, and let it shift to the throat, especially the larynx. Also keep the eyes closed and be aware of any light or colors between the eyebrows. This may take a number of attempts to open the third eye. And the whole key is learning how to meditate, which is to be able to stop the mind and be open to the vibrations, colors, and the movement of energy. 

The author(s) of this section go on to provide another way of awakening the third eye. These are briefly: relax the mind and the body, develop a habit of meditating, and open the intuitive part of the brain. 

Another way of describing the above is that it is a technique on how to enter into a passive, altered, or shamanistic state of consciousness. And it is here that demonic spirits are able to enter into the mind and body of the meditator. This is the connection to the occult world, where there is in fact access to power and knowledge. Indeed, it is mesmerizing and life altering. The author(s) state that using the third eye does not mean developing magical powers or becoming a psychic, which is simply false. This 81 

is exactly what happens—one enters the psychic world. And yes, there are magical powers and psychic knowledge there, the age-old trap. 

After opening the third eye, unusual experiences will follow, some of which may be pleasant but others not pleasant. Also, one can “see” through the third eye, and one can sense, see, and visually interpret the energy that is present, even energy in people around them, both good and bad energies. 

Chapter 4: Guided Day Meditations to Waken the Third Eye 

This chapter is essentially a replay of chapter 3, but here are the steps: 

Choose a location, and with an intention, do some stretching first, adopt the best position for meditating, relax, breathe, empty the mind, access the third eye, work on experiencing your third eye, maintain focus on the third eye, and “get out of the meditation slowly.” In doing so one will be more sensitive to spirits and may even see them from time to time. One will feel divine inspirations, feel great potential, and have joy and experience a healthy life once one is connected with the spirits. 

Here we see how one becomes indwelt by spirits, and these are always and nothing other than unclean or evil spirits. 

There is only one Holy Spirit, The Spirit of God, and all others are unholy spirits or demons whose head is Satan. And the Holy Spirit points only to Jesus Christ, both to who He is, the Word become flesh, and what He has done, die on the cross bearing our sin, then being raised from the dead, and ascending to heaven. 

The question is asked, p. 435, “Is it possible for anyone to activate the third eye chakra?” The answer, of course, is yes, and activating the third eye is a spiritual process and not a religious one. A person can belong to any religion and still activate the third eye, because it can be achieved by means of meditation. 

At our Miller Avenue Baptist Church, we have a Gospel Meditation printed in the bulletin every week, which is an outline of the passage that will be presented at the time of the sermon by one of the pastors. It emphasizes the main point of the Biblical passage that is the subject of the sermon. It does not involve any form of mindlessness or mindfulness. It is active mental attention to the words God has given us in His Word. 

The pineal gland, according to those who assent to such psychic topics and practices, is where the third eye is located, and which is said to be in the middle of the brain, or the Ajna chakra. This gland is said to be the “anchor of the soul” (p. 435). It is said to regulate sleep cycles, sexual maturation, and vital hormones. Trouble is, this gland becomes calcified over the years and the third eye helps to decalcify it and thus opens up the mind.82 

Chapter 6: Psychic Abilities 

The author(s) state that there is nothing supernatural about psychic abilities; they are all natural and will function properly when the chakras are strong and healthy (p. 445). 

The following are the basic psychic abilities. Clairvoyance is the most common psychic ability, and this has to do with “clear-seeing.” For example, this will help locate lost items or see different places and dimensions. Pyrokinesis is another ability, and it has to do with controlling fire. Telekinesis is the ability to move or influence objects with the mind. Micro TK has to do with the outcome of randomness or odds, like influencing coin flips, heads or tails. The Macro TK has to do with moving things with your mind, like a coin or even a television set or a car. Hydrokinesis is the ability to control water. Clairsentience is the ability to feel subtle energy or feelings. 

Divination is a very common practice and is used by dowsers and in the tarot cards. The tarot cards are a way to communicate a message that can be understood, and here one’s intuition is involved. So then, when a card is chosen, it is necessary to relax and clear the mind and allow your intuition to take over. Another form of divination is done by using a pendulum. 

Chapter 7: Psychic Awareness 

The standard definition of this is “the understanding of human consciousness and the full potential of the mind when it is applied to everyday life” (p. 454). It has to do with understanding the silent Spirit and the mind’s power that lies within a person. This gives us insight into our mind’s power. 

Chapter 8: Exercises for Awakening Your Inner Spirit 

One of these is through the guided practice referred to as yoga. Also, Tai Chi may be used to awaken the Inner Spirit. 

Chapter 9: Pineal Gland Activation and Chakras 

The pineal gland, located in the middle of the brain at the location of the Anja chakra can be activated by doing the following: First, close your eyes and focus on the center of your brain, then make contact with it. This gland is very powerful and is “the seat of the soul” (p. 460). 

Then second, one must breathe into the pineal gland and fill it with divine power. Energize, charge, and activate it, and let it know that you want to connect with it, and then you will become one with your greater self, which is the eternal light inside you. 

It is said that there are seven major chakras, which are all aligned along 83 

the centerline of the body. The first is the “root chakra,” at the base of the spine. Then the “sacral chakra” just above the root chakra. Next is the “solar plexus chakra” just above the root chakra. Then next in line is the heart chakra, next the “throat chakra.” Above this is the “third eye chakra,” and finally the “crown chakra” at the top of the skull. 

Chakras have no scientific support or proof, only a long history based on early Hindu teachings. One of the dangers of psychic ‘therapies’ is that they cannot bring real healing and are no substitute for psychological and medical science. Not only are psychic techniques false, they also open a person up to invasion by demonic spirits. 

Jesus said that “where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). Likewise, where two or more are gathered practicing psychic therapies, etc., then there is also the presence of the demonic. And it is here where so many are invaded by demonic spirits. We wish it were not so, but it is the truth. 

******* 

Excerpts from Wikipedia 

Wikipedia, accessed January 29, 2022 

The third eye (also called the mind’s eye or inner eye) is a mystical and esoteric concept of a speculative invisible eye, usually depicted as located on the forehead, which provides perception beyond ordinary sight. 

In Indian spiritual traditions, the third eye refers to the ajna (or brow) chakra. 

The third eye refers to the gate that leads to the inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness. In spirituality, the third eye often symbolizes a state of enlightenment. The third eye is often associated with religious visions, clairvoyance, the ability to observe chakras and auras, precognition, and out-of-body experiences. People who are said to have the capacity to utilize their third eyes are sometimes known as seers. 

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the third eye is said to be located around the middle of the forehead, slightly above the junction of the eyebrows, representing the enlightenment one achieves through meditation. Hindus also place a “tilaka” between the eyebrows as a representation of the third eye, which is also seen on expressions of Shiva. Buddhists regard the third eye as the “eye of consciousness”, representing the vantage point from which enlightenment beyond one’s physical sight is achieved. 84 

In Taoism and many traditional Chinese religious sects such as Chan (called Zen in Japanese), “third eye training” involves focusing attention on the point between the eyebrows with the eyes closed, and while the body is in various qigong postures. The goal of this training is to allow students to tune into the correct “vibration” of the universe and gain a solid foundation on which to reach a more advanced meditative state. Taoism teaches that the third eye, also called the mind’s eye, is situated between the two physical eyes, and expands up to the middle of the forehead when opened. Taoism asserts that the third eye is one of the main energy centers of the body located at the sixth Chakra, forming a part of the main meridian, the line separating left and right hemispheres of the body. In Taoist alchemical traditions, the third eye is the frontal part of the “Upper Dan Tien” (upper cinnabar field) and is given the evocative name “muddy pellet”.

Thirty-two

Coping with Failure

“I’m not a cry-baby or a whiner, but this is awful. I

don’t think I’m going to be able to make it. Even my

kids want me to quit. Tell me, Kent, you have been

through desperate times, how do you keep going?”

         

I wish I had the statistics on the attrition rate in the

pastoral ministry. I’ll bet it is high, maybe

staggeringly so. It’s no job for those who are afraid of

failure. Certainly “success” is not the goal, but coping

with failure is a skill to be learned.

Pastoral ministry is open ended and never ending.

I never have the sense that I have completed my work

and thereby can take my ease. Any sense of success is

a fleeting one at best. Often I have a sense of guilt

over the work left undone. At times I have even felt

overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy and failure. For

instance, I can preach two or three good sermons and

feel extremely good then follow those up with sermons

I think are awful. I have been through dozens of

sequences like that.

Worse still is the following scenario. Someone will

inform me that one of our members is in the hospital

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Coping with Failure

and has been there a whole week. I respond, “I never

knew it,” only to hear, “But I left a message on your

machine.” Somehow I did not get the message, or if I

did, I forgot. One time I knew in advance someone

was going to be operated on, I knew the date, time,

and place. Still I let it get away from me. I wanted to

pray with and be present with the individual, and, oh,

does the guilt come flooding in.

It is not pleasant to preach bad sermons. I have

preached some awful sermons, real stinkers! There

have been more than a few Sunday evenings when the

notion of quitting crossed my mind. Most pastors feel

like they want to quit once in a while.

Though this may embarrass me later, but for the

sake of others who might be like me, I do admit to

having walked out of a couple of church council

meetings saying, “I am out of here.” I have done it. I

hate to admit it, but I have done it. It occurred at times

when I was very low, after having preached four or five

poor sermons in a row and had a person or two leave

the church. I felt like I was failing in my ministry. In

one instance, I had found out that so-and-so was going

to leave the church, and one of my closest partners in

the church had attacked me in public. Suddenly there

it was: “I am out of here! I am not subjecting my family

and myself to this anymore!”

However, a pastor can not easily walk off and leave

a church. Though there may be a certain number of

people in the congregation who are against a pastor,

there are others who are supportive and appreciative.

A pastor must be careful about declarations of

resignation, let me tell you. There will be times when

a sense of inadequacy is strong and there are prolonged

streaks where nothing seems to go well—do not be

surprised or easily shaken. I do not say these things to

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For Pastors

discourage, but to encourage. Pastors who feel unique

in their experience are the most vulnerable to

discouragement and error. It is better to know how it

really is. And, we must remember that we endure all

things in order to preach the free grace of Jesus Christ.

If the pastor has a family, there will be people who

will attack it. If the pastor has a dog, the dog may be

maligned. Who knows? Once there is a “dragon” in

the congregation, the whole family is open for attack. I

am amazed at what some of “God’s people” will do to

and say about the pastor’s family.

James Chuck, forty years the pastor of the First

Chinese Baptist Church of San Francisco, tells the story

of a young seminarian’s disappointment in the progress

of his first pastorate. He found many of the people in

the church to be less than faithful. Dr. Chuck’s

response—”We’ve known about this phenomenon for

some time.”

The very people we count on will suffer a lack of

faith, often at critical junctures in the life of the church.

And when one person’s faith slips, it is not unusual for

it to turn into a kind of epidemic. What a

disappointment it can be, especially in the small church

where a little ripple makes a large wave.

It is this sort of thing, maybe more than anything

else that has caused me pain and distress. Just when it

seems we are being blessed by some growth, a key

member or two will suddenly disappear. Week after

week will go by and it begins to appear that they have

left the church. And when I reach out to them, they

avoid me. This does not go unnoticed, of course, and

people began to ask, “Where is so and so?”

My tendency is to blame myself. If only I had kept

in better contact, or, If only I could make people more

excited about coming to church, or, If only I could

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Coping with Failure

preach better, or, If only, so on and so on. Usually the

problem is more akin to a personal faith crisis on the

part of the person or some kind of family or job problem

that causes a person to want to hunker down at home

on Sunday morning. But I tend to assume the worst.

Certainly, sometimes my fears are well grounded.

This, however, is the ordinary flow of ministry; I

am never very far away from it happening to me—a

couple of weeks or more, at best. Despite every effort,

I know now that it goes with the territory.

Probably the greatest sense of guilt comes from my

seeming failure to add numbers to the church.

Someone recently said to me, “Kent, how come the

church is getting smaller?” I had to spend a lengthy

period of time explaining, and before it was over we

began to see that, in fact, the church was growing a

little after all. However, it was a very unpleasant time.

It took forty-five minutes to present the reason for the

tact I was taking. Afterwards, tired and frustrated, my

feelings got the better of me and I felt low for several

days. It is at times such as this when I have to be clear

about whom I am serving and why.

Pastors are tempted to quit as I spoke of earlier,

and sometimes they actually do quit.

A pastor may be forced to resign. Pastors may realize

the church ministry is hazardous to their health, even

potentially deadly. If so, it may be time to get out. I

have seen a number of ministers literally lose their

health, their sanity, and almost lose their relationship

with God because of what they experienced in a local

church. It is not the end of the world to resign from a

church, but I would do it very carefully, not suddenly.

If necessary, take a week or two off. If that will not do

it, take a short sabbatical (if possible). Find an

experienced pastor to talk to; consult with someone

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For Pastors

from the denomination (if there is one). If leaving is

the only choice, so be it. But do it in such a manner

that a new pastor will not be sabotaged and the church

family will not be damaged. Strive for dignity and

calmness so that there is a fitting closure. Neither one

pastor nor one church does the kingdom of God make.

Yet, each pastor is precious in God’s sight and each

church belongs to the King.

Pastors who survive and flourish will learn to deal

with the temptation to succumb to guilt and a sense of

personal inadequacy. Ultimately our survival and health

are based upon our relationship with Jesus. He is our

righteousness, He is our strength, and we need not be

superstar pastors to earn His love and acceptance.

Never give up!

         

  How do you react to failure?

  Have you ever been an unfaithful church member?

  Can you imagine a legitimate reason to resign from

a church?

  Have you ever done so?

 Kundalini Awakening

The introduction to this section of Psychic Empath states, “Kundalini awakening journeys are life changing. Once you start, you will never look at life the same” (p. 113). The energy of Kundalini is very powerful, the author states, and the “energy is pure, addicting, empowering, and so full of love and joy that it truly is unlike anything you have ever experienced before” (p. 113).

Again, our own comments will be shown in this font.

Only parts of this section apply to the central focus of this book, which is the use of Kundalini to bring enlightenment or therapeutic help to others. Kundalini awakening may or may not be used as Reiki or Akashic Records are—that is, in treating other people as a counselor would. However, understanding and/or being acquainted with the concepts behind Kundalini may be of value.

In chapter 1: Kundalini Basics, we find that Kundalini is also known as “goddess power” or “serpent power.” At the base chakra, in the lower part of the spine, there is said to be an energy that is unparalleled and is pictured as a coiled serpent. The goal of the awakening is to uncoil the serpent and have it ascend upward to the six other higher chakras until it reaches the apex, the crown chakra in the head. It is supposed that this will lead to a higher spiritual level. And the author’s recommendation is, “If you want to go deeper into spirituality, if you want to be able to harness psychic powers, then this is the one for you” (p. 113). The term “psychic powers” is key here and is the reason for including this material on Kundalini in this book.

Kundalini and Prana

A distinction is drawn between Kundalini and prana, though the terms are related. Prana is said to be an energy, a pervading energy, and is said to exist in all humans. However, when the dormant Kundalini, that serpent energy at the bottom chakra, is awakened, a “strong rush of prana surges through the body” (p. 114). And Kundalini can be awakened by drawing prana into the area where Kundalini resides, which is the at the base of the spine.70 

Prana is the term used in India for this energy—it is chi in china, pneuma in Greece, and mana in ancient Polynesia. These all refer to spiritual energy. The point is to awaken the energy, and Kundalini is one of these techniques used to do this. 

The Kundalini awakening is said to be connected to various health benefits, in that it promotes good health, regulates and corrects blood pressure, relieves stress, and can fight and even cure cancer and diabetes, plus other diseases. It is also said to relieve stomach and liver problems and helps relieve kidney stones and gallstones. Also, it is supposed to give clarity of thought and increase focus, attention, and mental power (p. 117). 

Paramhansa Yogananda referred to prana as the “life-power” and said it is an inconspicuous or astral body made up of prana that underlies the physical” (p. 134) and also that prana is used to allude to the breath. Through or by means of breath control with deep breathing, prana is said to stream up in the inconspicuous spine related to the inward breath, and down with the exhalation” (p. 134). 

Breathing then is a central focus of the meditation process that is necessary to awaken Kundalini. 

Awakening Kundalini: the word “Kundalini” means serpent 

Throughout this section, various practices are described on how to awaken the Kundalini, but they all center on types of meditation, especially those focused on breathing techniques. And it is expected that anyone wishing to awaken their Kundalini will engage in long hours of meditation. “The best way to awaken the Kundalini is by doing meditation” (p. 118). 

At this point, a statement is required to the effect that the process of unleashing the Kundalini is little more than opening the door to the indwelling of demonic spirits—yes we are saying it again. People who seek this awakening are innocently opening themselves up to this tragic and dark event. Those who have been involved in this practice and then turn to Jesus as Savior and Lord have had these demonic spirits cast out of them. 

According to the authors of Psychic Empath, “at the moment of the awakening of the Kundalini, you can expect for a powerful rush of energy through your body” (p. 119). This occurs as the Kundalini energy is released, and the serpentine power shoots up through the other chakras. That which prevents the serpent power from being released is referred to as a blockage, and the solution is to make sure there is a free flow of energy through the energy channel meridians. Besides that, one must make sure the chakras are “cleansed and aligned.”71 

One way of clearing the chakras is to manage stress levels, which is achieved by means of proper meditation. It is said that “meditation is strongly related to mystical experiences and Kundalini syndromes” (p. 120). This meditation is said to be more effective than yoga or prayer. 

It is said that mystical experiences occur when meditating upon a deity, a guru, a holy man or woman, or a sacred concept. Mantras can also be used, and one that is often used is “ong namo guru dev namo,” which means “I bow to the divine within” (p. 121). 

Here it is, in deep states of meditation and reciting the mantra above over and over, that a passive or shamanistic or altered state of consciousness is achieved, which in turn is the means by which demonic spirits are able to enter the meditator. Every single one of the practices in Psychic Empath resort to the same practices—various forms of meditation. 

Prayer is said to not be as effective as meditation, and that “Catholics or Christians may experience the descent of the Holy spirit—it is similar to the Kundalini but in a form that their belief systems are already predisposed to accept” (p. 121). 

Our opinion is that the above is at best a misstatement, whether intentionally misleading or born of ignorance. Christian and Catholic prayers are alert and conscious statements of praise and worship, along with requests, that are directed to the God who hears our prayers. In researching for this book, we have found numbers of statements similar to that presented in the previous paragraph. There are, however, forms of prayer, often called Contemplative Prayer, that are practiced by some Christians, which can be more meditative than actual praying, and we avoid this sort of spirituality. 

Moving Kundalini energy up 

The goal is to move the Kundalini energy up from the bottom chakra to the higher chakras. “Interestingly, waking the stored Kundalini energy can be done not only by stirring it and forcing it to shoot up from below, but it can also be coaxed upward by drawing it from above. To do this, you must make your higher chakras magnetic” (p. 125). And this can be done by meditation upon saints, mystics, deities, and other spiritual entities. 

This process is dependent, however, on cleansing and strengthening the body so that the Kundalini energy can move upward. But when it does move upward, there may be serious side effects such as a sense one is “falling apart” or experiencing “intense bouts of chaos and stress.” This may result in experiencing “massive life changes as a result of this falling apart” (p. 127). 

Part of the “falling apart” may include physical symptoms like shaking, visual disturbances, inability to relax, feeling major rushes of energy, near-death 72 

experiences—these often accompany being awakened. 

In addition, emotional symptoms are very common in Kundalini awakenings such as anxiety, despair, and depression. Also, there can be elation, joy, and overwhelming peace. Plus, there is the experience of massive influxes of energies. 

Our experience in dealing with people over the decades is that these symptoms or experiences are the result of being indwelt by spiritual entities, and here we mean demons, which is a powerful spiritual event. Instead of being “awakened,” a person is now under the power and influence of evil spirits. 

Yoga, the various aspects of it as identified by Yogananda, are Prana Vayu, Apana Vayu, Udana Vayu, Samana Vayu, and Vyana Vayu, and this all has to do with moving air, the breath in the body. This is controlling prana. Indeed, prana “rides on the breath.” When we breath in, we take in prana, and when we exhale, we are clearing channels. A significant part of the body are the chakras, and in yoga the moving of the air impacts the chakras. It is said that the sense of well-being comes when the breath frees the chakras. So much then depends on the yoga breathing processes. 

Our experience with those who are dedicated to the breathing exercises, the yoga of breathing, is that the meditation processes result in a passive or altered state of consciousness, if not at first, then, over time, when a practitioner achieves deep states of mindlessness, curiously called mindfulness. Into the vacuum come the demonic spirits, which entry can be dramatic, even exhilarating. It seems very much like a spiritual achievement, a state of enlightenment, but it is far from that. 

The Attainment of Psychic Abilities 

Here now we come to the reason this piece on Kundalini is included. The so-called process of awakening the Kundalini leads to only one reality— the development of psychic abilities, and these abilities are used in what we call psychic therapy, which is incredibly popular in our culture and is the chief reason for the presentation of this book. The following paragraph, all quotes from Psychic Empath, is the essential reason for the tremendous growth of those who practice psychic therapies of one kind or another, including the types of life coaching that use psychic abilities such as those found in the use of the Akashic Records and Reiki. 

“Psychic abilities are said to be supernatural powers. . . . If only people could take more time to meditate, then you will see that psychic abilities are supposed to be very common. In fact, regular practice of even the basic breathing meditation can help you awaken your latent psychic abilities. . . . The more 73 

that you meditate, the more that you will realize the psychic abilities that you possess” (p. 153). 

And there are different psychic abilities. There are the “clair” abilities. One of which is clairaudience, which means clear hearing, or that what is heard is right. “It is also worth noting that messages from the spiritual world are often received through this psychic ability. . . . You might think of it as messages from your guardian angel. . . . The more that you do meditation, the more that you will be able to notice this ‘voice’ in your head” (p. 154–155). 

Another psychic ability is claircognizance, also known as clear knowing. This is different from clairaudience, however. Here no voice is heard; instead, the person simply knows what is true. 

Clairvoyance has to do with clear seeing, which may be the seeing of symbols, dreams, visions, images, and colors and may be seen with either the physical or the mind’s eyes. It is also possible to gain access to your own soul and even the soul of every person within the universe, whether past, present, or future. These are not daydreams, imaginations, or wishful thinking. 

Clairsentience means clear sensing, which lets one feel the future, past, or present of a person and also their emotional states and energy. 

Aura reading is a psychic gift that allows one to see a light present around a person, which alerts one to their spiritual state. 

Channeling is a psychic gift that allows one to enter a trance and let another spirit speak through you. “It’s sort of like demonic or angelic possession, but it’s voluntary. The person who acts as the channel will almost always be fully willing to let the spirit talk through him or her” (p. 183). 

Automatic writing is a psychic gift that involves channeling. This gift enables the writer to be able to channel one’s higher self, guides, angels, guardians, and write down what is heard (p. 183). 

Examples of automatic writing that many are acquainted with are The Book of Mormon, The Course in Miracles, the Jesus Calling series, and to some degree, the Qur’an. 

Another psychic ability is telekinesis. This is the ability to move objects using only the power of the mind, of which there are two aspects, macrokinesis and microkinesis. The “macro” refers to large objects, and “micro” to small objects. And for these, deep meditation is required. 

Then there is pyrokinesis, which allows a person to control fire. For instance, a candle is to be lighted, then the flame is to be focused on until a person is at one with the flame. Under this condition, the flame, via visualization, can be moved. 

Divination, which is the seeking of knowledge about the future by using supernatural means. “It is an attempt to get insight about a situation or question by using standardized, occult rituals or processes” (p. 175).74 

The use of Tarot cards is a means of doing so, and also the use of pendulums. The author(s) state a pendulum can be found in any occult shop. 

Psi Healing is another healing technique using prana. The author(s) suggest, “You could find a school for pranic or Reiki healing and take classes” (p. 177). 

Mediumship, which is said to be highly coveted for those seeking psychic ability. It is the contacting of dead people, and Kundalini awakening can help get attain this psychic gift. 

Premonition is a psychic ability of being able to see into the future. 

Psychometry is a psychic ability that connects with facts about an object, thing, animal, place, or person by means of touching it. 

Retrocognition is the psychic ability of being able to see into the past. 

Telepathy is the psychic ability to communicate with another person without actually speaking verbally to him or her, by means of thought, emotion, or vibration. 

Astral Travel is something that is growing in popularity and is essentially travelling to other places when you are asleep. Some however, are said to travel into the underworld, the outer world, the present world, the past, the present, the future, anywhere at all while being in a passive or altered state of consciousness. One can even visit magical planes and celestial spheres. 

Floating, refers to leaving your physical body and which then seems like one is floating. This happens when one feels he or she is in his or her astral body. 

Third Eye refers to the ajna chakra, which is located between the eyebrows. This chakra is the seat of intuition and is the key to the power of clairvoyance. The third eye must be open and the two bodies, the physical and the astral body, are separated. 

Psychic Awareness 

The more one practices and develops meditation techniques, the more one will be in touch with psychic senses; it is a process of becoming aware of these psychic senses. “You can rest for sure that you will develop several psychic senses/ abilities if you religiously practice the techniques in this book” (p. 159). 

The key to success here is to become aware of the presence of energy. It is noted that from the word “psychic” comes from the word psi, which means energy. 

Empathy 

Another key to psychic awareness is to develop empathy, which is to allow one to sense human emotions and feelings. “And empathy is developed by doing the exercises in this book” (p. 160).75 

For example, when meeting with a person, “visualize a chord that connects your heart chakra to the heart chakra of the other person. Keep a clear and open mind” (p. 160–161). It is therefore vital to develop the capacity of the heart chakra, and this is done by charging your heart chakra with energy and this is done via visualization. Let the heart chakra be energized until it is shining brightly in your mind’s eye. Do this several times a day” (p. 161). 

How then does one develop psychic abilities? The core of it is to focus on your breath, which is necessary to be able to cleanse and charge oneself. Then inhale and visualize positive energy coming into your body. Then exhale and feel the negative energies going out of the body. Make sure to meditate every day. And an object one encounters—hold it, feel it, and then allow your intuition to tell you the history of the object. This is known as psychometry. One must develop one’s intuition and pay attention to what it tells you. Another key is to work on one’s intuition and make sure your third eye is open. 

If this sounds fantastical, impossible, or crazy, you are right. What it actually does is create in a person who practices it a passive, altered, or shamanistic state of mind. Over a period of time, those who follow these techniques will become out of step with reality, detached and outside that which is normal. It can also take on the appearance of mental illness. The fact is that it is an invitation to be invaded by demonic spirits, which can be exhilarating at first but later becomes an awful burden. And here we recognize that only Jesus Christ casts out demons. 

If you or someone you know has tried these techniques and report that they actually work, that psychic knowledge of the past and of what is happening in other people’s lives has proved to be true, please be aware that the demons have been in this world since at least before human kind and that they are constantly observing humans and their activities, sometimes for the sole purpose of telling those they indwell these “secrets” and thus enabling their hosts to attain a supernatural knowledge otherwise unavailable. That certainly ensures that the demons are allowed to remain within the human and not be cast into hell, which is what happens to them during deliverance ministry. In fact, we have experienced firsthand while doing that ministry that the demons will threaten their human hosts with the loss of these powers, should they be sent away. The follower of Jesus is willing to give up these unclean powers, but the non-believer is usually not, regardless of the trouble and even torture the demons inflict. 

Chapter 8 explains How to Awaken Kundalini: 

Step one is to focus on your breath, then reject negativity, keep a good posture, access the “central channel,” use visualization, activate your interests, cut out 76 

distractions, and this by refining your diet, moving your body, being a watcher, finding your tribe, getting a mentor, chant, chant, chant, enable your interests, go with the flow, make affirmations, listen to music for relaxation, and finally think of unplugging from the internet every now and then. 

******* 

Excerpts from Wikipedia 

Wikipedia on Kundalini. Gathered January 10, 2022 

In Hinduism, Kundalini is a form of divine feminine energy (or Shakti) believed to be located at the base of the spine, in the muladhara. It is an important concept in Śhaiva Tantra, where it is believed to be a force or power associated with the divine feminine or the formless aspect of the Goddess. This energy in the body, when cultivated and awakened through tantric practice, is believed to lead to spiritual liberation. Kuṇḍalinī is associated with Parvati or Adi Parashakti, the supreme being in Shaktism; and with the goddesses Bhairavi and Kubjika. The term, along with practices associated with it, was adopted into Hatha yoga in the 9th century. It has since then been adopted into other forms of Hinduism as well as modern spirituality and new age thought. 

Kuṇḍalinī awakenings are said to occur by a variety of methods. Many systems of yoga focus on awakening Kuṇḍalinī through meditation; pranayama breathing; the practice of asana and chanting of mantras. Kundalini Yoga is influenced by Shaktism and Tantra schools of Hinduism. It derives its name from its focus upon the awakening of kundalini energy through regular practice of Mantra, Tantra, Yantra, Asanas or Meditation. The Kuṇḍalinī experience is frequently reported to be a distinct feeling of electric current running along the spine. 

Kundalini awakening 

The experience of Kundalini awakening can happen when one is either prepared or unprepared. 

According to Hindu tradition, in order to be able to integrate this spiritual energy, a period of careful purification and strengthening of the body and nervous system is usually required beforehand. Yoga and Tantra propose that Kundalini can be awakened by a guru (teacher), but body and spirit must be prepared by yogic austerities, such as pranayama, or breath control, physical exercises, visualization, and chanting. The student is advised to follow the path 77 

in an open-hearted manner. 

Traditionally, people visited ashrams in India to awaken their dormant kundalini energy with regular meditation, mantra chanting, spiritual studies and physical asana practice such as kundalini yoga.

Thirty-one

Recognition and Rewards

“You did not mention me in your newsletter. I did as

much as anyone else.”

No question, I had inadvertently left his name out.

I apologized and righted the slight during the

announcements the very next Sunday morning. But

he was not there to hear it. In fact, I have not seen him

since.

         

There is something in my flesh that loves to be

noticed and admired. I want to be appreciated,

talked about, lifted up, and applauded. How I enjoy

recognition. The flesh cries out for it, yet, God’s glory

will not be shared. So many of us have fallen so very

far when we were so very well known.

The gospel preacher, as anyone else, must face the

desire (need even) to be noticed and recognized. Some

will say these are normal needs and perfectly

acceptable. In any case, a great deal of energy goes

into recognizing people’s efforts and contributions.

What recognition does the servant deserve? We are

called to be servants of Jesus; Paul referred to himself

as “a slave of Jesus.” It is biblically legitimate to refer

145

Recognition and Rewards

to all Christians as “slaves of Christ.” (see Ephesians

6:6) What kind of recognition is due the slave?

There were some religious people of Jesus’ day

who liked to be noticed. They wore special garments

that marked them as religious people. They made long

prayers in public, and Jesus said, “They have received

their reward in full” (Matthew 6:5). Not much of a

reward, is it? —to be honored by people for appearance

and performance. Preachers of the gospel must not

relish dressing in religious garments and esteeming the

“salutations in the market place”.

Praise and adulation sought from people seem so

unbecoming the gospel minister. I do not see in

Scripture that we are called to seek attention and

recognition. Paul said that apostles had “become the

scum of the earth, the refuse of the world” (1

Corinthians 4:13). Paul may well have had a need for

recognition but he saw it for what it was—something

inconsistent with servant-hood. Pastors, as well as

apostles, may have the same view of themselves. The

call to be a slave of Jesus is the highest of callings and

is its own reward.

People can be manipulated because of their desire

for attention and recognition. At Miller Avenue I

attempt to avoid using recognition processes in such

ways. However, people will be recognized in the

normal course of things without intentional promotion.

Service done in the name of Jesus and for His glory

may, in fact, be recognized. We know this by looking

at the history of the Church. Many faithful men and

women are yet recognized for their service to Christ,

long after their death. Certainly this is the exception

rather than the rule. Most Christians live out their

entire lives in obscurity. Many Christians have labored

long years in mission fields with little outward results.

146

For Pastors

Their names are lost to us today and more than likely

lost to the generation that immediately followed them.

In most instances heroes of the faith (from a heavenly

point of view) were unknown during their own time

and perhaps were even despised or ignored, but they

continued to labor. I doubt these served Jesus in order

to obtain recognition or attention. The Christian worker

takes on the “easy” yoke of Jesus for the sake of Jesus

Himself and for His glory. Striving for recognition and

earthly reward is vain and in vain.

People’s need for recognition may become a

problem in the church. When a system of rewarding

service is in place, people may become confused about

why they are engaging in ministry. This may seem to

be a harsh analysis. I must admit that it has not always

been true, in my own personal experience, that

recognition processes become problematic.

The “reward and punishment” process is a

powerful one. When people are rewarded and

recognized for the time and/or money they give they

may come to depend on that. If the reward system fails

somehow, this person may feel punished. To be quite

clear, I have found some workers in the church will

“pick up their marbles and go home” if they do not

receive what they consider to be sufficient reward.

When someone begins to serve in the church I wonder

if they will continue if they are unrecognized for it.

So many of the ministries of the church are not

public. Few of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as they are

expressed, are public in their application. The ministry

of administration, helps, mercy, these and others are

largely behind- the-scene ministries where there may

be no public recognition at all. The person whose

service is done to honor God is the kind of person a

pastor appreciates working with. To make the point

147

Recognition and Rewards

one more time, people who have a constant need for

attention and recognition are people to beware of,

because they will never receive enough. It must be

enough that we are counted worthy to share in the

ministry of Jesus simply for the privilege of being able

to honor our Lord with our lives.

For a few years I was not in ministry, and I found

that to serve the Lord was the one thing that I loved to

do above all things. To be able to preach the gospel, to

teach the Scripture, to serve other Christians—these

are the precious things. And whether we are recognized

is not essential. If attention and recognition come, so

be it, if it does not come, then with that we need to be

content.

         

  Do you know what it is to be “slighted?”

  How well do you like attention and recognition?

  Do you feel I went too far in depreciating

recognition?

 Akashic Records

In this chapter we review How to Read the Akashic Records: Accessing the Archive of the Soul and its Journey ¹ 

1 Linda Howe and Juliette Looye, How to Read the Akashic Records: Accessing the Archive of the Soul and Its Journey, (Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 2009, 2010). 

The author is Linda Howe with Juliette Looye. This book was recommended to us by a woman who makes her living by helping clients learn how to access the Akashic² 

2 “Akasha” is a Sanskrit word and means primary substance, that out of which all things are formed . . . it is the first stage of the crystallization of spirit. Records. She views her work as spiritual therapy. 

Our comments will be noted in this font. 

Here is the introduction to Linda Howe’s website that deals with the Records: 

The Akashic Record is a dimension of consciousness that contains a vibrational record of every soul and its journey. It is completely available everywhere. Location and time do not affect the Record. Human beings have been interacting consciously and unconsciously with this body of energies throughout history. These interactions have been both deliberate and accidental. Referred to in virtually every major traditional religion as the Book of Life and the Book of God’s Remembrance, this body of wisdom has been an ever-present source of spiritual support for people including those in our Western Judeo-Christian tradition. 

The Record is an experiential body of wisdom, insight, guidance, and healing information. This collective of spiritual consciousness is best revealed through a spiritual means. It is not a body of thought that can be linked with the mind through mental discipline (like visualization), although thought is included with the Record, as is emotion. The access of the Record can not be achieved through emotional or sensational means, though for many, the experience of the unconditional love of the Record 63 

can be very emotional. Essentially, the most efficient and effective means to spiritual consciousness is through spiritual action. 

For centuries, the Akashic Record has been the exclusive domain of mystics, scholars, and saints. Rightfully so. Infinite power and wisdom are available in the Record, and they have been entrusted to those well-prepared for the responsibility of deep knowing. In the U.S., it was through the work of Edgar Cayce in the early to mid-twentieth century (“The Sleeping Prophet”), that Akashic Records readings became a familiar practice in the movement of consciousness development. Today, the Records are no longer the exclusive domain of saints, scholars, and mystics. The collective consciousness of humanity has been growing, evolving, and maturing. 

In this time of great change, the availability of the Record is shifting. The light of the Spirit is pouring into human consciousness at an unprecedented rate. This light infusion is causing radical upheaval in all areas of life for the purpose of bringing us into the highest possible alignment with the Divine Reality. One of the great tools for the development of our consciousness is the Akashic Record. 

It all began when Linda Howe, at age twenty-eight, attended a Renaissance fair where a tarot reader looked at her cards. This experience gave her a desire to bring others the kind of help that came to her by means of tarot. Indeed, she writes, “I wanted to be a professional tarot card reader” (p. xxii). 

At a later point, she then began taking classes in shamanism at the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. She turned from the tarot to offering shamanic healings. This was followed by a desire to access both knowledge and power that could be simply and easily acquired. This led her to the Akashic Records. Soon she felt a significant “shift” and realized that this was where she needed to be. 

Linda connected with a woman, Mary Parker, who had received a “sacred prayer,” which served as an “access code” to the Records. This “prayer code” was something she recited and which then enabled her to enter into, experience, and exit the Records. This was the pathway for Linda to become certified to teach the Akashic Records by means of using the sacred prayer. At a later date, Linda received her own sacred prayer directly from the Records, and it is found in several places in her book. 

In her classes, where she teaches others how to enter into the Records, she uses a “meditation” in order to “facilitate this shift in consciousness” (p. xii). “The Pillar of Light” meditation is similar to a number of exercises designed to open oneself up to a shamanistic state of consciousness and involves properly sitting in a chair, mind clearing, breathing techniques, and so on, all to achieve a new consciousness or reach a spiritual plane. 

Chapter One is titled “An Introduction to the Akashic Records.” Linda begins 64 

by describing what the Akashic Records are. She writes, “The Akashic Records are a dimension of consciousness that contains a vibrational record of every soul and its journey. This vibrational body of consciousness exists everywhere in its entirety and is always completely available and in all places. As such, the Records are an experiential body of knowledge that contains everything that every soul has ever thought, said, and done over the course of its existence, as well as all its future possibilities” (p. 3). 

Indeed, the Records is a collection of all that a “soul” has experienced in past lives via reincarnation and even includes what will happen in future existences or lives. It is by working through this special and sacred knowledge that a soul is able to be healed from damage experienced in both former and present living experiences. 

In the process of accessing or opening the Akashic Records, a person moves from a “state of ordinary human consciousness to a state of Divine universal consciousness in which we recognize our Oneness with the Divine at all levels. This state of consciousness allows us to perceive the impressions and vibrations of the Records” (p. 4). 

In footnote #2, Akasha is described as the so-called primary substance, which Linda describes as “energy in its first and earliest state—before it has been directed by our individual thoughts and affected by our emotions in this lifetime” (p. 5). She then quotes passages from the Bible to support her theory. The first is from Psalm 56:8–9 where is found the phrase “your record.” The second is Psalm 40:7–8, “in the volume of the book” supposedly is a reference to the Records. Then Hebrews 10:7 and the phrase, “what is written of me in the volume of “The Book.” Fourth is from Psalm 139:16: “all were recorded in your book.” Last is “the book in which men’s actions, good and bad, are recorded, the Book of Life” from Revelation 20:1–2. Her last effort is a quote from “The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ.” 

Yet still in the first chapter, Linda explains that the “Akashic Records are governed and protected by a group of nonphysical Light Beings called the Lords of the Records.” These “beings ensure the safety and integrity of the Records. They determine not only who can access the Records but what information they can receive. The Lords of the Records work with the Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones—who serve as the interface between the Akashic and earthly realms by ‘downloading’ to the Masters, Teachers, and Loved ones the information that they will relay during each Akashic reading” (p. 6). 

It is explained that the Lords of the Records and the Akashic Masters are nonphysical beings, but some of the Teachers and all of the Loved Ones have previously existed as humans on earth. 

No one will ever see the Lords of the Records nor the Teachers and Loved Ones as they existed in human form, but it is possible to experience their 65 

“energetic presence.” However, “the Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones prefer to remain anonymous so that we will learn to rely on the energy of the Records rather than on specific identities in the Records” (p. 7). 

A basic and core understanding of the Akashic Records is the doctrine of reincarnation and that all “souls” are eternal. Also, it is understood that the Records “hold the archive of each soul as it has existed from lifetime to lifetime as different human beings on the earth plane while evolving throughout time and space” (p. 7 and 8). 

Linda tries to ‘de-religionize’ the Records, teaching that any religion or spirituality may make use of them. We have also found that this concept is embraced even by those sitting in the pews of Christian churches. Those who identify with Hinduism, Buddhism, and any and all occult-oriented spiritualities may indeed incorporate the Records into their thinking and experience without much sense of contradiction. However, no biblically oriented Christian would ever do so, except under a cloud of confusion and deception. 

Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) gave out daily Akashic Records readings, more than fourteen thousand of them, which are yet accessible. Besides Cayce, others engaged in occult-oriented spiritualities also intersected with the Records. Now, the Records are seeing a revival across America. 

Linda Howe subscribes to the “Pathway Prayer Process” as a means of access to the Akashic Records. “While some people use prayers to access the Records, others gain access through hypnosis. Still others have been able to tap into the Records by using the symbols of the healing practice known as Reiki” (p. 12). Also, some are able to do so by means of various meditation practices and other forms of consciousness development. 

We would agree, based upon our own experience, that these people are accessing “something.” But what is that something? Almost any form of meditation that moves a person into what may be known as a shamanistic or altered state of consciousness may be wide open to demonic deception. There is a spiritual presence and power in the occult world, and in practices like the Records and Reiki, but it is not holy; rather, it is devilish, which may not be apparent for a long period of time. 

How can we speak in this very dogmatic manner? The answer is simply that, over the years, we and many others, have cast demons out of those who have engaged in such practices, despite how very sincere and dedicated they may have been. Entering into the so-called “meditative” state actually opens up a means whereby demonic spirits enter in, and these disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Yes, there is the element of power and knowledge, the cornerstones of the devilish kingdom, 66 

but the end is worse than imaginable. 

Linda, on page 14, notes that there are not many books written about the Akashic Records, and she states that her book is one of the first of its kind. 

Today channeling of various sorts, psychic therapy, maneuvering energy, tarot card reading, astrology, etc., are growing in popularity. In fact, there are multitudes of people who make a living applying these esoteric forms of healing. These people have learned how to “channel” the energies they encounter “to move through our bodies, hearts, and minds” (p. 15). Those in Linda’s field “channel energy and information directly from the Akasha, not from entities or personalities from other dimensions,” which she believes is a far better and safer mechanism. 

Linda’s book is designed to use the Pathway Prayer Process to ”Access the Heart of the Akashic Records.” This is the primary reason for the writing of her book. She then asks the reader, “Why use a prayer to access the Akashic Records?” Her answer is, “Since they exist within the realm of spirit, they are considered a ‘spiritual’ entity, so this particular domain of consciousness is best accessed and achieved through the spiritual action of prayer” (p. 17). 

Perhaps it is here where some are lured into using the Records, since it appears to be religious, with an emphasis on prayer and meditation. That old enemy, that lying serpent, that master of disguise, has made good use of the Akashic Records. 

From our personal perspective, we can see why occult/spiritual practices are growing in popularity. For several decades past and perhaps many decades to come, there has been a downturn in Christianity of all forms— Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, and other. During such periods, something always comes along to feed the spiritual need, since we are all made in the image of God and are at our core hungry for what is authentically holy and spiritual. Eagerly waiting is a clever substitute, unhappily a demonic one. Of course, atheism satisfies some, especially if it can be linked with charitable causes. We would be atheists ourselves, if we were not Christians, but atheism does not fill the need for most of us. 

On page 31, Linda Howe explains the core dynamic behind engaging with the Akashic Records: “The first thing that will happen while you’re accessing your Records is that while you speak the Opening Prayer, you’ll shift out of your ordinary human consciousness and into the Divine universal consciousness.” 

This is exactly what happens to a person who carefully attends to the Pathway Prayer Process. 

And just what is the “Divine universal consciousness?” It is direct contact with the demonic kingdom ruled over by Satan itself. It is very spiritual, 67 

having direct contact with evil spirits, who will not usually be experienced as evil, and which are not in some other worldly realm, but are actually resident within that person. It is called “demon possession.” This is clear from the Scripture, has been so understood by Christians of all stripes down through the ages, and is widely known today. 

Does Linda Howe know what we are talking about? Yes, she does, as evidenced on page 32 in her strict denial of this possibility. She writes, “At this point, you may be wondering if any ‘negative’ energy or ‘dark’ entities can enter your consciousness or attach to you while you’re in the Akashic Records. My answer to you is no–unequivocally, unmistakably no.” 

Shamans, in their trance state, believe they leave the body and travel to the lower or upper word to do their work, perhaps retrieving a “soul” from the lower world and transporting it to the upper world, usually for a fee. But they have gone nowhere—it is all in their minds. It is the same with the Divine universal consciousness—it is all in the mind. Yes, a person entering this consciousness by means of the Pathway Prayer Process will “see” things in their mind’s eye. Linda writes, “You may see colors, auras, or energy fields, images, symbols, or shapes or ‘streaming video’ of a particular event” (p. 34). 

Such things may be seen but they are demonic illusions intended to convince the person so possessed to think something far different. And these events, as we have found so many times, are sufficient for evil spirits to capture their prey. 

Supposedly, by means of the Pathway Prayer Process, one may read his or her own Akashic Record or the Records of other people. There is a caveat, however, as Linda makes clear: “When opening another person’s Records, you must have his or her consent” (p. 66). And this is possible, says Linda, by following directives explained on page 48, which has nothing to do with contacting that person in real time. 

Then, even more remarkably, one can read the Records of animals or pets, as Linda assures those who have had strong attachments to deceased pets. Not only that, but the Records of public monuments, buildings, parks, cities, towns, or areas of land can be read. And more, also the Records of a company or a department within a company can be read. For those who use their craft for others, as counselors or chancellors, etc., they may obtain a patient’s or client’s Records as well. 

It is even possible to heal your own past lives in the Akashic Records, since the Records have a record of all our lifetimes, a search may be made to discover how things went badly in previous lives, and these traumas can then he healed. But this can only be done with the “permission of the Lords of the Records who then allow the Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones to share information that we are ready to hear” (p. 135). 68 

At the conclusion of her book, Linda lays out what she calls the “Absolutes,” which are “absolutely true of absolutely every soul, absolutely all of the time.” They are: 1) There’s always more than meets the (human) eye; 2) We are all One; 3) Everything and everyone is Divine; 4) Everyone is always in active pursuit of peace; 5) Reincarnation is not about “good” and “bad” lifetimes, and 6) Karma is not about reward and punishment. 

In closing out this piece on the Akashi Records, we want to make clear that we have found practitioners, professional or not, who have committed to the use of the Records, to be sincere and loving people, who mostly desire to help others and heal themselves from whatever trauma they are experiencing. We are friends with some of them who make their living using the Records. Our prayer for them is that the Holy Spirit of God will open their eyes and that they be freed from the enemy’s grasp. 

******* 

Excerpt from Wikipedia 

Wikipedia December 21, 2021 

In the religion of theosophy and the philosophical school called anthroposophy, the Akashic records are a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, or future in terms of all entities and life forms, not just human. They are believed by theosophists to be encoded in a non-physical plane of existence known as the mental plane. There are anecdotal accounts, but there is no scientific evidence for the existence of the Akashic records. 

Thirty

On Helping Others

“Hello pastor, my children and I are at the Fireside

Motel and we are stuck. We’re trying to get to my

parent’s home in Portland and the car won’t work. We

haven’t eaten in two days and we’re out of money. Can

you help?”

“Kent, I need about $400 to pay the rent. I’ll be

glad to do some work around the church if I can have

the money.”

“Pastor, my neighbors are out of work and their

kids need food money. Do we have a benevolence

fund?”

Every pastor is familiar with requests like those

above. For the small church pastor, especially, these

are some of the most agonizing of all situations.

         

The subject of this chapter is how giving might be

a blessing and a ministry, not a curse. Here are a

few ideas on helping others.

Miller Avenue Baptist Church is located on Miller

Avenue in Mill Valley, one of the main streets of our

town (about 13,000 people). It is a busy street and I

keep the front door open. I open it up in the morning

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and I close it in the evening. Anyone may come in and

pray and read the Bible. There is a small table in the

foyer with a rack that is generally filled with free

literature along with some Bibles.

Our building is small. My office can easily be seen

from the foyer; it has the word “Pastor” over the door.

The result is people will occasionally knock on my

office door hoping to receive some kind of assistance.

In times past we had a pastor’s or benevolence fund.

We put $50.00 a month into it. By the end of the first

week, generally, the fund was exhausted. If the church

committed $500.00 a month to a benevolence fund,

the money would be gone in a very short time.

Let me illustrate why I feel a benevolence fund is

problematic. The given: $50 (or whatever) to give out

each month. A person asks for some help because they

are in desperate trouble. The $50 is now gone. The

treasurer will not replenish the fund until the first part

of the coming month. Then another person comes in,

someone in the church for instance, and now the pastor

has to report that the money is gone. What suspicions

or feelings of rejection might be generated in the mind

of that member of the church family?

Our church council gives me permission to give

up to $100.00 away without their approval if there is a

genuine need. (I recently exceeded that amount and

got into some trouble.) But I do not like to have such

authority. It is so difficult to determine the authenticity

of a situation since there usually is no time or reliable

means to make inquiries. And certainly, there is no way

to run all of the requests for money though the church

council. If the council investigated all the requests for

benevolence, there would be little if any time left for

other matters.

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My solution is to only give my money away. I

generally have a five or ten-dollar bill, or maybe even

a twenty-dollar bill, in my desk that I can give. It is

very hard for me to give tithes and offerings to people

who could just as easily be telling me a story. But I will

give a little of my money away.

And I give it away; I do not make a loan. Giving a

loan, particularly to somebody in the church, is a first

class mistake! People, now in debt, have a cloud and a

burden hanging over them. Additionally, people who

get themselves into financial trouble often have that

need exist for quite some time—it is rarely a onetime

fix.

It has been my unhappy experience that a debtor

will leave the church with nothing more than a note

saying they will pay the money back as quickly as

possible. I’ve had that happen enough that I learned

not to loan money. When money is handed out to meet

a need, it should be a gift, whether the money is given

to a person in the church or to a stranger who knocks

on the door.

I don’t mind giving away a five or ten-dollar bill.

And I’ve heard everything: transmission broken down,

engine blown up, electricity turned off, no food in the

house, operation desperately needed, severe toothache,

on and on. My money is not going to make much of a

difference in such a case. I do have a list of

organizations, public and private, that may be able to

provide additional assistance. But I do not make a

judgement on the worthiness of the need. Even when

I think I am being taken, I will often hand over a fivedollar

bill.

Sometimes I must simply say to a person in need,

“I wish I could help”. And I mean those words; I wish

I could fix the world and make all the pain and suffering

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go away. I am doing little more than taking note of the

person’s need and expressing the desire that if I could

I would do something to alleviate the problem.

I set aside roughly $50.00 a month of my own

money that I use for either offerings (giving to people

who ask for it) or I will buy things so I don’t have to go

to the treasurer all the time. Very few people know I

do this, but it has served me well for 15 years.

My favorite way of helping others is to do practical

things. Later I suggest that pastors have a pickup truck;

indeed, one of my specialties is moving and hauling

things with my truck. Sometimes a seemingly small

thing can be a great blessing. I recall a person who

needed to take dozens of plastic bags full of garbage

and other debris to the dump. The job, completed in

an hour, turned out to be a great time of fellowship.

Experienced pastors understand the “ministry of

presence”. Being there, only being present, is

sometimes the entire ministry that is needed, or

wanted. In my earlier years I was a persistent advice

giver. Now my aim is to avoid giving advice even when

it is asked for. All my supposed wisdom and profound

insight may serve only to get in the way and obscure

issues. My concern is to listen and reflect back what I

hear. Pastors are not therapists or social workers though

we dabble in both; it is better to be a loving and caring

friend who can lift needs up to the throne of God in

heartfelt prayer.

We will not be able to fill every need. The reality

is we may not be able to help even in desperate

situations. After we have done all we can we may yet

feel like we’ve failed. Hardly a week goes by but I am

confronted with a sense of inadequacy in the face of

human need. I can’t sell the building nor move

everyone into the parsonage. I am learning to face my

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limitations and, at the same time, not succumb to guilt

or despair. We will always have the poor and hurting

with us, and we will do our best for them, as we are

able.

         

It is probably clear that I am far from an expert when it

comes to human need.

  Do you have ideas on how to strengthen this chapter,

perhaps some ideas on dealing with a sense of failure

and inadequacy when we have no resources?