Simple Secrets of the Dream Level
April 18, 1964
My Dearest One:
I am not certain if we are covering ground in these letters too fast or if the subjects are too many or too intricate in nature for the little space I am giving them.
Nevertheless, you must remember that what I have to give out about the teachings of Eckankar is so broad, vast, and deep that you will not get the full impact of it for at least a year after you've read it. I am not saying you can't grasp it, but for the inside knowledge to seep down into the consciousness and be understood, it sometimes takes a longer period than we would normally believe.
If you remember in one of the letters that Roy Davis wrote, he vaguely hinted at the dream level and how certain persons operated in it. The dream level is actually a trance condition in which the dreamer can function at his own discrimination — and under his own will, imagination, and thought power! It is simple, if you learn the trick. And this trick is not hard to learn.
Remember now that while in this state, you will unknowingly start functioning on various planes. Sometimes you will be on the lower Astral Plane, where certain entities are encountered who are not pleasant; however, if you are during your encounter with these spirits, remember that both the Living ECK Master and I are watching over you; also remember to use the protective words which the Living ECK Master gave you for self protection.
Now I point out that while you read a lot and hear a lot of occult talk going on around you, it is seldom that anyone can get down to the bare necessities, such as telling you how to do certain techniques like getting out of the body. I have given you techniques in other letters and repeat them for your benefit. You can project out of the body by simply: (1) concentrating on the thought before going to sleep, (2) before dropping off to sleep, imagining yourself in a certain situation or having a certain experience, (3) lying in bed with your eyes half-closed and your thoughts upon a person, and (4) having a knowingness that you will experience the projection just before sleep. These are very simple, but all occult secrets are simple. Yes, i forgot that if, before sleep, you should whisper in your imagination the thought that you wish to be out of the body in the dream state — and be aware of it — it will come true!
Now with that out of the way, this dream level of consciousness is a real world — not an illusion, as one thinks in the outer life. When you talk with most persons about such things, they usually think you're weird or crazy and are ready to have you committed to a mental institution. Now this dream level is a state in which you function to reach those areas that you desire in the invisible world. If you wish to visit deceased friends, you can. Or if you wish to sit at the feet of the Vairagi ECK Masters and absorb wisdom, this can also be done. It is up to you to go, see, and do what you wish. In this body, you are free — free to visit other planets and worlds, the invisible worlds, or any location on this plane.
One interesting phenomenon of this state is that, while wearing the invisible cloak of the Nuri Sarup, you cannot be seen with physical eyes, nor does anyone know you're around except in two ways: by feeling or touch. Sometimes a disembodied entity can manifest to one person only, sometimes to all people in the same vicinity. But feeling or touch are really the most common phenomena. The touch is most apt to be noticed, but the feeling that something unusual is around is also common. You are aware when an animal feels anger or fear, seeing something that you or I cannot see, but we can certainly feel it. You've been in the position of feeling something that either creates warmth or terror. It is not an illusion either, as you well know!
While it is an interesting fact that the dream state is means of getting out of the body, getting out via the awakened state is greater. I will cover this subject in a future letter. It is a real phenomenon which Christ and other saviors were capable of. But you will find that the dream state is a much easier way of getting out of the body than via the conscious method.
Many trances for projection are done through physical means. For example, there is the whirling dervish trance which was created by Shamus-i-Tabriz. This is a certain type of dance done by the Sufis, who call it the Dance of God. They will dance until they enter a trance and project out of the body to experience what you can experience during your sleep. The American Indians did the same in many of their dances, including the war dance and others. So many of the primitives knew about this trance state of projection and how to control it.
In his early youth, Ramakrishna had the same experience as Yogananda; he would induce trance by working himself up to that state in worship of the Mother Kali. But he lost this ability of projection because he believed the cosmic consciousness state was the greater glory. As a result he died at thirty-three from a cancer in the throat. I've never heard of him appearing to any of his people in his other body — it's possible, but i haven't come across these records yet.
I digress from the subject for a moment. The matriarchal society — a matriarch is a woman who rules a family, group, or state; a mother who is head and ruler of her family and of its descendants — follows the cosmic consciousness theory. India is always described as Mother India, and her religions are of this nature. America is certainly going this way too, but China has never let women rule in any part of its private or national life. This is an interesting study, for when the feminine principle predominates over the masculine in a society, the troubles which arise are certainly different than those of a masculine society. You will find that a woman wants to include the whole under her wing and control the brood, whether it is a church, group, family, or state. She wants to control with the conscious mind, through reason: but on the other hand, she is deeply affected by the occult, which somehow doesn't work in this case — she must either be a user of the commonsense theory or of the occult. The two won't mix successfully.
I'm not getting down to brass tacks about the teachings of Eckankar as I wished to do. I seem to be skimming the surface too much, too broadly, and at no depth. Maybe I will get into depth before these letters are finished.
More later,
Paul
