A Wonderful Castaic Weekend
We just finished a fun, fun, fun weekend around Mary Ennis’ annual visit to Castaic, CA where the Elias phenomenon began thirteen years ago. During that time, Mary’s delivered over 2,400 sessions! Jo and I hosted this year’s session in our Community Clubhouse, which had been completely refurbished since Mary’s last visit, so the room looked great with its new furniture. Around thirty-two people attended, and there were several new folks as well.
Elias spoke for close to two and a half hours. He opened by informing us that a new wave in consciousness was ramping up, and the perception wave was finally winding down. But he teased us a bit before actually saying what belief system the new wave would emphasize by saying that those with a Vold belonging to or aligning with would have particularly intense times ahead. Also, those who are politically-focused or thought-focused would as well. Then he said that the new wave would focus on… emotions. Since sexuality and emotions are baselines of our human experience, I suspect that we’re going to see some incredible expressions in the coming years. So, strap yourselves in for the ride if you haven’t already.
Elias complimented the entire forum saying that we collectively made it through the recent perception wave in very good shape, meaning less trauma-drama than in previous waves. While the perception wave was relatively short, under two years, we should gear ourselves up, because this emotion wave is going to last a while and be an intense one (thinking of the truth wave that lasted over three years)!
Elias then queried the group to share what we had taken away from our own experiences in terms of perception. At least nine or ten people took their turns, one by one, guided by Elias’ comments and occasional elaborations. I was struck by the clever format because even though everyone didn’t have time to offer up their perspectives and experience, just listening to others stimulated my own responses and reflections from events over the past two years.
According to Elias, perception is the causal, creative element that creates 100% of our reality. So my musings went into the area of beginning to more deeply understand my multidimensional selfhood in more direct terms, which involves widening egoic awareness to understand that objective awareness alone is not 100% causal. And while beliefs are very, very important, they are really a subset of perception. So they, in turn, cannot be considered 100% creating of reality either, even though they play a key role. Still, these waves in consciousness help us, through introspection, to better know our preferences and opinions, and create what we truly desire.
After an hour or so, we had our break. As we gathered for the second half, I announced the release of Jo’s new Rose website – www.essence-of-rose.com – that will replace her In the Rose Garden blog here on NewWorldView (it will close down at the end of April). I also invited those staying over until Monday to come to our house the next day for a Rose Potluck Dinner and group session at 4 PM.
Through the entire session I was struck by how consistent Elias’ teachings remain over the years, and how well he guides the group energy. As the second half began, we continued sharing our experiences with the perception wave, and gradually moved onto other topics. While everyone came away with their own highlights, I was struck by two questions asked by Drew (Matthew in the early sessions) during this part. The first was about whether the saying “God is love” is a distortion because love is a human belief system. The second was about the nature of intent, and its relation to those who purposefully seek out a life of suffering.
Elias was careful to define the context of his words, and said that when we define love as a human feeling – a very important human feeling – it is relative to human perceptions and could be considered a distortion. Thus to equate “all of consciousness” (Elias’ term for All-That-Is) with this human expression limits a broader context in which other expressions of love also exist. This expands into a transpersonal, transcendental love in my view. While Elias didn’t use those exact words, he defined a broader context in which expressions of love, as knowing and appreciation, exist throughout all of consciousness. In that context, to say “God is love” is accurate, because it is an Absolute Truth.
I learned something very important in this exchange, because I had never been able to reconcile Elias’ Absolutes with the nondual, ever-present, always already Consciousness spoken of in all the world’s great spiritual traditions. It’s a subtle distinction, but one worth exploring. It caused me to review my Digest on Absolutes (“there are no absolutes!”), and then to update my introductory note on my Digest on the belief system of truth with the following:
Finally, we need to explore an important, yet subtle, distinction Elias implies with this concept, namely, the difference between duality and nonduality. Elias’ truths (relative) and Truths (Absolute) apply only to dualistic constructions within all of consciousness. They do not apply to the nondual, ever-present, always already shunyata or emptiness that is the Primal Cause of all be-ing. Therefore, what Elias is talking about thus far only applies to dualistic manifestations or constructions that he is familiar with. The great nondual philosophers, for example Patanjali and Nagarjuna in the East, have all shown convincingly that nondual reality can never be fully described or expressed, only experienced. According to Nagarjuna, as cited by Ken Wilber:
“It cannot be called void or not void,
“Or both or neither;
“But in order to point it out,
“It is called Void.”
In this context, nondual reality is not something to be attained or sought. It is simply the realization of the ever-present, always already opening in our awareness in which the action of consciousness occurs. It can be talked about, and pointed out, but all those are secondary, dualistic constructions. Another way to understand this simple feeling of be-ing is to inquire, “What Aspect of my awareness never changes, even as my perception changes, from waking state to dream state to deep dreamless state to waking state?” In other words, no matter what states we experience, which by definition are temporary because we cycle through them every day, what remains constant in all states is eternal, timeless, nondual Spirit: Primal Cause of all of consciousness. Therefore, this Primal Cause can never be fully realized by the words Elias uses to describe the Absolute Truths within all manifest, dualistic realities, for it can only be directly experienced. It has no beginning and no end. Thus, the ONLY Absolute Universal Truth is the ineffable, radically unqualifiable, nondual Primal Cause. Everything else, like tone, color, love, consciousness, etc. are dualistic to the core and, as such, are always secondary constructions. So it’s important to properly situate Elias’ relative truths as human belief systems and Absolute Truths as qualities in all manifest, dualistic constructions in relation to all of consciousness.
However, Elias doesn’t use the terms nondual and dual, though coincidentally Kris, channeled by Serge Grandbois, has. Rather than belabor the point, let me recommend Ken Wilber’s The Simple Feeling of Being as an accessible yet thorough overview of the nondual traditions. This is not a book with endnotes and complex intellectual theories, like his academic work, but a compilation by senior students of his “poetry,” the best means to hint at the simple essence of nondual reality. (See also my book review in the Library.)
Why has Elias chosen not to go into dual and nondual distinctions? Only time will tell. In the mean time, these thoughts were triggered by the way Elias discussed how “God is love” can mean different things in different contexts. As long as we clearly define them, we can explore these nuanced contexts from multiple perspectives.
Now, let’s return to Drew’s second question, something he’s been exploring for years, and also recently asked Rose about: how does our innate intent work? Is it possible for us to choose a lifetime of misery and suffering, and as such, would trying to alleviate or change that suffering interfere with our deepest desires for this lifetime?
Elias provided a long answer, but I was able to boil it down to a well known philosophical argument: is our universe and reality predetermined, or do we have the free will to change anything at any time? A subset of this explores the nature of probabilities, and how can we change them if our intent is to experience a life of, what many might define as, suffering.
Of course, there is no simple answer to these penetrating questions, but Elias did restate that our “pools of probabilities” exist as potentials and are not preordained (his term). In this light, Elias does not promote a deterministic view of reality, but promotes free will (doing and choosing). He stated again that we create probabilities in the moment, in the now (thinking of Seth’s “point of power”), and therefore we can indeed change our path at any time. Moreover, Elias said, “You can have it all.” While there’s many who suffer, and in reality, no one suffers 100% of their life. We may choose difficult circumstances politically, economically, relationship-wise, health-wise, etc. but in all cases, if we are choosing, we can create significant change through our ability to act in the now.
Otherwise, beliefs in a predetermined universe produce social systems like the caste system in premodern India. It used the belief system of karma to justify the poverty of the untouchable class. As a result of misdeeds in earlier lives, they are punished and must “burn off bad karma” by being reincarnated into underprivileged circumstances. Therefore, their problems didn’t need to be dealt with by the government. That’s just the way it goes! In effect, since their punishment for bad karma is predetermined, they deserve it and can be ignored. This kind of deterministic theology also occurred in the West during the Middle Ages. If you were born poor or of royal blood, it was God’s will, and that was your lot in life, and it couldn’t be changed.
So Drew was using Elias’ information to understand his own suffering from a deterministic perspective. He felt he couldn’t, or shouldn’t, do anything to change his situation. But Elias didn’t reinforce those beliefs, and gently reminded Drew, and the group who followed with compassion, that our true power lies in choice (free will), and noticing what we do and choose. If we really desire it, there is nothing stopping us from attaining our desires: good health, loving relationships, financial abundance, ending war, violence, and on and on; nothing at all. Needless to say, Elias gave us a lot to assimilate, as always.
Elias ended the session with his usual, loving encouragement to the entire group, with best wishes for our continued fulfillment in any way we desire. After the session people dispersed to various places to enjoy dinner and continued conversation. It was great to see so many old and new faces.
After cleaning up and closing the clubhouse, Jo and I went home and got some rest to prepare for the Rose Potluck Dinner and group session at our house the next day. By 4:30 PM Sunday, we had sixteen people over for our fourth Rose group session. Jo spent the hour beforehand “resting in Rose” or meditating so she’s “in state” and relaxed by session time. I greeted people, and then gave a short introduction to what’s been going on and what to expect.
Coinkidinkily, Jo had just celebrated her first anniversary of Rose coming through on the Ouija board, April 5th, on Saturday during the Elias session. Jo made a point, when sharing her experiences with the perception wave, to express her deep appreciation of Mary and Elias, for without them, she wouldn’t be doing this. And I’d like to express the same thing, not only to Mary and Elias, but Ron, Cathy, Vicki, Bobbi, Lynda, David, Gail, and many others who’ve contributed to the Elias forum over the years.
I mentioned that we had held 234 sessions in the first year. This was possible because Jo autotypes her “vespers,” or one on one sessions with Rose. She also holds voice sessions, which I continue to transcribe. We have over one thousand pages at this point, and have finished up to session 90, in terms of final notes and editing. We will add more material to the new website as we continue this process in the months and years ahead (we are looking for transcribers to help. If you’re interested, please contact me at helfrich@newworldview.com).
Next, I provided an overview of the phenomenon to date. The main point was that Jo progressed from the board to autotyping to voice channeling very rapidly, and continues to “airtype” as Rose “speaks” through her fingers. So I instructed folks to watch her hands during the session, because Jo often verbally translates directly from her fingers. In this light, Jo is a “conscious channel” (like Ron/Patel) as opposed to a “trance channel” (like Seth, Elias, Kris, C9, Defrene, etc.). Thus, Jo is present to varying degrees, and can actually speak as well. This takes some getting used to, because we’re not used to Jane, Mary, or Serge interacting during a session. They are dissociated in varying kinds of sleep or meditative states.
So it’s kind of fun to watch Jo react to Rose as she translates in real time, though once she gets on a roll, she speaks so quickly now that she “knows” the words before they get “airtyped.” Yet the autotyping is a key skill she will continue to use for writing books (Rose has dictated two small books already). Rose has also been training Jo to access deeper states, so I consider her more of a “light trance channel,” because she can’t just rattle off Rose if her “monkey mind” is too engaged. She knows when she has to “go deeper” and people have begun to observe how her energy and state changes during the course of a voice session.
Next, I pointed out a few of Rose’s eccentricities and what to expect, for example, her use of “tests.” She does this to stir the pot and get a reaction to bring issues, beliefs, etc. to the surface. She will make what may seem like an outrageous or illogical statement that, if taken literally, is absurd. For example, my favorite so far, “Kill the terrorists!” It can be quite challenging and takes getting used to, because she’s not really promoting murder as a solution to social problems at all. Instead, she’s using a Zen-like technique to force the rational mind and intellect to loosen up, and move into deeper intuitions and inner sensing for problem solving and inspiration.
Also, Rose makes up new words (neologisms) to help break up the linear flow of language, and entrenched beliefs and habits. For example, she uses words like treantea (explore multiple choices), sonter (breathe in essence), weany boy/girl (wean of fear, guilt, shame), feal (mergence of feel+real), and more to help widen awareness and nuance new ways of perceiving things.
Then I talked about the “nun-thing,” another one of my favorites. The Rose energy, as expressed through Joanne, represents a newly emergent feminine energy intended to rebalance social structures on a global scale dominated by patriarchal, masculine energies that have become way out of balance. This energy is tailored for this shift in consciousness, this period of transition to new worldviews to help restore the feminine side within all people to better balance.
I also addressed the question, “Is this the same Rose as Elias’ Rose?” Our answer is “yes and no.” I explained that the Rose energy must be translated through any channel, and as such, it will be colored by Aspects of the multidimensional self. For example, with there is Rose <> Tyl <> Joanne, and Rose <> Elias <> Michael <> Mary – two different expressions. Further, we have begun to get some information on Christ and the so-called nine children of Rose, but we are taking our time before going down that rabbit hole! All of which is to point out that when you engage Rose/Joanne, do not expect the exact same translation, vocal style, or definition of terms as Seth, Elias, Kris, etc. It’s like having different orchestras and conductors interpret Beethoven’s ninth symphony. There will be many similarities, but also differences, and learning to discern these takes time and intelligence.
The session began around 4:50 PM. There were several references to concepts from the Elias session that took us into some really deep waters right away, including the nature of love (knowing and appreciation), Rose’s fallibility, compassion, selfishness, shadow projections, fear, “terrorism” and bullies, and more.
We took a break at 5:45 PM. for a potluck dinner that included pasta salads, garlic bread, an almond rice dish, and plenty to wash it down with! Gail Becker was a huge help in organizing the food, and making everything yummy. She also took this picture of Jo in session. Thanks Gail!
We resumed at 7:20 PM. and went for another ninety minutes! That’s around five hours of session time including the Elias group the day before. Concepts included fun, following our bliss, learning to channel, changing self and changing the world (long interaction here), the shift in consciousness, and a finale that featured Jo’s nascent mediumship skills. We’ve documented several encounters with relatives and friends in our first year, and a participant asked about a friend named Charlie. Without skipping a beat, Rose allowed Charlie to come through, much to Jo’s surprise and laughter! She actually had to disengage and laugh out loud because Rose made the switch so fast. The exchange with Charlie included a test from Rose – information about someone named Carol, a yellow cab driver in Santa Monica. We will continue to track all of these encounters to determine their authenticity, and what’s going on in terms of the energy exchange.
Finally, the session wrapped at 8:50 PM. and we continued to talk over desert (cookies, cupcakes, and candies), coffee, and tea until 10 PM. went folks began to say their “goodbyes.” Thanks to all of you who participated in the Elias group and Rose Potluck this year, all in all, we had a wonderful weekend in Castaic!