The Universe is About Experience

Excerpt from "Adventures Beyond the Body" by William Buhlman

Journal Entry, October 24, 1992

I repeat my favorite affirmation aloud for five to ten minutes: “Now I’m out of body”.

As I drift off, I intensify the affirmations in my mind. I awaken to the sensations of strong vibrations surging through my body. Immediately I focus full attention to the idea of floating to my bedroom door. Within seconds I feel myself lift and float to the door. Then, with a sense of exhilaration, I walk through the door and into the living room. As I look around, I realize that I’m in my first (densest) energy-body and have a sudden overwhelming urge to explore. Almost shouting, I verbally make a firm request, “I want so see more.” Instantly, a sensation of rapid motion draws me inward. I feel as if I’m being drawn into a vacuum, and in seconds I’m in a new environment. I’m startled and blinded by the intensity of the surrounding light. When I instinctually attempt to shield myself from the radiation, I realize that my body is without form – no arms or legs, just pure energy. I try to comprehend that I have no shape whatsoever. I seem like light without distinctive outer form. My vision is endless.

All around, pure energy emanates; there are no shapes or forms, just radiation of light. I’m drawn to what appears to be a column of pure white light. As I move closer to the light, the sheer power of its radiation is overpowering. I stop and try to adjust. The energy is so intense it feels like the outer parts of me are being burned away. My entire outer self – my thoughts, fears, and concepts – is being incinerated by the light. At first, I try to shield myself. I surround myself with thoughts only to realize that they too are being burned away by the intensity of the light. At that moment, the light enters me like a warm liquid, permeating my body and mind. My entire being is filled with light, and every part of me seems to resonate at a new frequency. I relax and enjoy the sensation of pure energy flowing through me.

Deep within, I realize something of extreme importance is before me. There is something else within the column of light. No longer afraid, I have an overpowering desire to know and understand the light. I move closer and try to peer inside. The pure energy and power are beyond words. I feel like I’m standing next to a blazing white sun that radiates waves of light. Somehow I know that I’m safe, and I slowly move forward and touch the light. An intense surge of energy flows through my entire being. I’m suddenly immersed in a ocean of pure knowledge. I’m flooded with memories of all I’ve been, all I’ve done, all that I am. Everything is now. I’m overwhelmed by the absolute simplicity of it all. For the first time, everything is clear. Everything we are and need is already here. For the first time, I recognize that we have separated ourselves from our source. How foolish we are. We focus on decaying molecular forms when the true reality is always here, patiently waiting for us to open our eyes and see. An overpowering feeling of love, a deep feeling of compassion for everything that is, permeates my being. I realize that we are all interconnected in an ocean of living light. The separateness we feel is but the dense illusion of molecular form. My awareness comes alive with the realization that my mind and its capabilities are but another temporary vehicle of expression. We exist beyond thought, beyond time, beyond linear cause and effect.

I’m overwhelmed by endless waves of pure knowledge. My mind is filled beyond its limits, and I realize that this is more than I can ever hope to remember. I scream out, “I will remember this”. Instantly I’m snapped back into my body and attempt to open my eyes.

I’m unable to move and recognize that I’m in a cataleptic state. Slowly, I can feel numbness and tingling spread through my physical body. After about a minute, I can move my fingers and toes. I lie still and review the experience with a feeling of awe. I absolutely know that the column of light was really me – not just another part of me, but the pure me, the very essence of all I am. Is it possible that we are really that incredible? Now I feel separated and alone; yet, at the same time, I feel connected to something far greater than I’ve ever imagined. My mind races with realizations, more than I can begin to comprehend.

I now recognize that we as human beings have a natural tendency to attach labels to everything we experience and to filter it according to our physical concepts and beliefs. I wonder of all shapes and forms are really our mind’s interpretation of something else – something that exists beyond all form and substance; something so pure and ethereal as to be beyond our mind’s ability to classify and interpret. It’s possible that our recognition of this is a major step forward in and of itself. Maybe the constant infighting between different religions, faiths and sects would finally come to an end if we only recognized that all religious beliefs are the physical interpretations of mortals. It’s not absolutely clear that God does not care about our personal theology. Our physical beliefs are all rooted in temporary form and substance; they are but a passing moment in time.

What really matters is experience, spiritual experience. It appears that the purpose of the entire universe is experience – firsthand, gut-wrenching, personal experience. Nothing can replace it. It’s now clear that personal experience is the road to wisdom that we all share.

Excerpt from "Adventures Beyond the Body" by William Buhlman Copyright 1996
HarperSanFrancisco

One Foot in Atlantis

One Foot Planted Firmly on the Ground...And One Foot in Atlantis

This quest is emerging as my primary soul purpose in the latter part of my own life.

What does it mean to have one foot in Atlantis?

Atlantis is a metaphor for a civilization that has matured and shifted to a higher energetic level. I believe that the legends are true, and a literal Atlantis did exist before it was destroyed 10,000 or more years ago.

Atlantis was not perfect. Living at a higher energetic level allows for many wonderful advancements and accomplishments, but the more powerful states of existence are vulnerable to abuse by the residual Jungian "shadow" part of our minds.

Atlantis was an experiment, and it succeeded on many levels, but ultimately failed.

Quite likely, the cycle has repeated before. Civilizations rise and fall. Ours is not the only one to have achieved moderate technical advancement, and ours is still quite void of spiritual knowledge and wisdom. The imbalance between technical ability and spiritual wisdom threatens to destroy us.

According researchers such as Dolores Cannon, the spiritual masters in charge of our part of the cosmos have decided to attempt an intervention that could prevent our premature self-destruction. Many call this intervention "The Shift".

Much could be written and expounded on regarding the expected impacts of The Shift on society and government. My treatment of it focuses on the personal level.

The premise goes something like this:

Souls incarnate into physical bodies for a variety of reasons, but primarily to experience things and to learn certain lessons that are generally unavailable in the higher dimensional state from whence we come. This adventure is usually carried out without much awareness by our conscious ego-based minds. Without ever realizing why we are here, most of us achieve our soul's purpose and learn our lessons, and then return to spirit. Once we review and process the physical experience, our souls are ready to incarnate again, to repeat the lessons we have failed, or to take on new ones. This model has operated for many thousands of years.

Suffering has been a constant companion for those souls brave enough to chart a journey on Earth. Some suffering can be part of the soul's planned experience, but much is due to our ignorance and obstinate intransigence toward working our soul's program or learning out lessons.

As reported by NDE experiencers, suffering is replaced by bliss as soon as the soul arrives back in its home domain. This shows that suffering is not a normal state of existence, except when cut off from our innate knowledge and power. Intuitively sensing this, many try to "check out" early, either directly via suicide, or indirectly through a prolonged period of poor self care.

The new thought is, why wait until death to experience bliss and a heavenly state of love and need fulfillment. Perhaps the new paradigm is to start bringing more of Heaven to Earth.

In my previous essays on The Fully Actualized Life, the possibility was raised of streaming in enough divine power and love to dramatically change our circumstances on Earth. This is what it's all about.

Also, I had previously noted that this is not meant to be "The Secret" on steroids. Narrow focus on "prosperity" (however that may be defined) is not the topic at hand. What we are talking about here is taking into account all of the lessons and agenda that the soul brought into incarnation, but infusing enough power and knowledge to push back the perceived boundary of limitations as held by the ego mind. Most suffering and deterioration of health are unnecessary, so we can discard them. This can only aid the soul in achieving its purpose. We are not talking about trying to live forever or banishing all problems, but as long as we are here, we are determined to live fully with a robust life force.

In subsequent articles, I will outline the beginnings of a methodical protocol. There are several preliminary steps that must be taken. This involves a full review of our soul's contract and lessons for this life, and a self inventory that reveals the cause of most of our problems. Nothing happens without cause and reason. Life seems mysterious only when we lack the knowledge and tools for understanding it.

In essence, the material universe is but a construction of vibrating energy. Nothing is fixed or truly solid, thus anything can be changed. And it turns out that someone is already directing our physical existence by manipulating the energy that defines our form and substance. That someone would be ourselves, on a subconscious level. Most methods of self-improvement are based on somehow implanting new thought into the subconscious mind, or releasing unwanted negative thought. One Foot In Atlantis is about taking that to a higher, more comprehensive level. It's about becoming who we really are. It's about seeing how far back we can push the limitations. It's about asking the soul what it really wants, and then stepping back and letting it do its thing.