At the very beginning, let me point out that this article mainly deals with ideas that are speculative in their nature, on the edge of the scientific domain. Nevertheless, these concepts are still in line with numerous scientific research which, in my opinion, are not only thought-provoking but can be of great benefit to the psychological and spiritual development of mankind.

I must say that in the case of mental and health problems, a professional medical engagement of an authorized specialist/doctor is necessary, while all of the following techniques and procedures can only be added to the medical treatment. In many cases, however, these techniques will serve as a protective measure and could prevent your need for visiting the doctor.
 
Invisible Realities

Modern physics is getting increasingly closer to the conclusion that parallel universes are real. A few decades ago, this idea existed only in the domain of science fiction and pure speculation. Meanwhile, emerging unexpectedly as an outcome of several serious theoretical approaches, it has become very close to being widely accepted among physicists. For example, string theory and theory of inflation predict the existence of other universes. Also, there is an increasing number of indirect experimental indicators that the parallel universes do exist.

On the other hand, there is clear scientific evidence that this material universe is not only of gargantuan size, but that visible matter and known forms of energy are only a small part of the total matter and energy present in the cosmos. Namely, in the standard Lambda-CDM model of cosmology, the total mass-energy of the universe contains 5% ordinary matter and energy, 27% so-called dark matter and 68% of a mysterious form of energy known as dark energy.

In other words, only about 5% of the matter in the cosmos is visible and detectable, while the remaining 95% falls within these invisible forms of matter and energy. Here, the word “dark” refers to being virtually invisible and unknown to us.

No one still has an answer as to what dark matter and dark energy are, but it is clear that they exist and that they permeate this reality in an invisible and subtle way.

Furthermore, an increasingly important question in science is human consciousness, which remains a complete mystery. Some research even says that consciousness survives the death of physical body and “goes somewhere.” If this is so, is it possible that our consciousness after physical death transitions to one of the parallel universes that the string theory is talking about? Or, maybe, dark matter and dark energy answer the question of the spiritual world’s existence, which may be made up of subtle and invisible particles and fields of these unknown types of matter and energy? In any case, even the most stubborn skeptics cannot refuse these possibilities.

Personally, even though I am by nature a skeptic, I have come to the definitive conclusion that consciousness survives the death of the physical body. Moreover, I believe that consciousness is immortal and ubiquitous and that the “world beyond” does exist.
 
Invisible Beings

So, if we truly believe that consciousness is immortal and omnipresent, that there are other dimensions, parallel universes, and other levels of reality, we must admit that there is a logical possibility that there also exist innumerable conscious beings of various kinds which are present in these worlds.

Also, this material universe is probably inhabited by many types of conscious entities – not only humans and other beings from this planet, but species on other planets, in other solar systems, and different cosmic environments, too. Moreover, there must exist countless beings invisible to us that live in the physical world as well as at all other levels of existence above this one in which we operate. Of course, there are entire groups and hierarchies of these invisible beings.

Quite logically, for some types of entities we could say that they are “neutral” from our perspective, some groups are “good,” others – “bad,” while there are beings so strange that we cannot classify them into any group or even comprehend by our minds.

Of course, the idea of invisible entities that are present here, alongside us or even within us, is very disturbing. And indeed, this is real, but only partially.

Yes, there are beings that we cannot see, hear, nor do we feel their presence in any way. Yet many of them are able to see us, and even have impacts on our lives to some extent. Some of these “Invisibles” are “neutral,” some are “bad” or unpleasant, but we should know that there are many “positive” beings that help us and inspire us on our life course. We will call them here the Beings of Light.

Although all this can be disturbing to someone who faces such ideas for the first time, we need to know that, still, all is up to us. Ultimately, we are in charge.

Every person is fundamentally responsible for their own life because all these “positive” or “negative” influences are only the result of our deepest inner decisions, thoughts, habits, or emotional turmoil.
 
Uninvited Guests

Do you sometimes wonder why people have inexplicable outbursts of rage, uncontrolled fear, or eruptions of other negative emotions, which sometimes lead to horrifying situations and crime? Are the childhood traumas and the existence of various negative psychological aspects within a personality the only explanation for such phenomena?

In my opinion, they are not. There are many indications of various conscious entities that are attached to us, directly or indirectly affecting our behavior and state of consciousness.

A lot of literature describes research in this field. For example, in his excellent book “Healing Lost Souls,” William J. Baldwin depicts many cases of solving psychic problems and dysfunctional relationships by applying specific techniques for the release of so-called “attached entities.”

There is a vast range of beings and energies that can be “nested” in our aura or within our being, such as souls or energy remnants of deceased people, parts of personalities of living persons, or even the “classical” Beings of Darkness, i.e. demons. What is most interesting, sometimes the attached beings are not originating from this planet at all – they are extraterrestrial beings. But about all this in more detail later.
 
Symptoms of Attachments

It is not so easy to recognize that you have an attached entity. However, you can be pretty certain that this phenomenon has occurred if you identify the following symptoms:

• Sudden change in behavior and habits;
• Sudden occurrence of some kind of addiction, for example, of cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs;
• The onset of depression, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks or anger;
• Abrupt changes in body weight;
• Unexpected and unexplained physical or mental illnesses;
• Strange thoughts and feelings; sometimes the appearance of inner voices, nightmares, etc.

However, for all this, you should be cautious and not to make premature conclusions. You should certainly work on yourself and try using some of the Reintegration Techniques or other proven methods.
 
Souls of the Dead​
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One type of the attached entities are the souls of the dead people who, for assorted reasons, remain tied with the physical world. The term “soul” here denotes the nucleus of an individual which is practically immortal, had existed before and will exist after the individual’s incarnation. In this sense, the nucleus has normally retained almost the whole personality of the deceased person, so the term “soul of the dead” in this text actually means “the nucleus plus its personality.”

These souls stay at the physical level typically due to strong attachment to a person or place, due to complete disorientation and lack of awareness that it is no longer among the living, or for various other reasons. Nevertheless, all these souls eventually find the way to the higher levels of reality, most often with the help and guidance of the Beings of Light.

Although the number of souls of deceased people who remain at the physical plane is relatively small compared to those who find their way to other levels of reality, it still seems that there are plenty of them. For example, many such souls float around sites of mass executions, natural disasters, and other places of unexpected deaths, because they are still in total confusion, unaware that they even died.

These souls sometimes tend to be near people to whom they used to be very emotionally tied in life. In some cases, such a soul “joins” the person to whom it was bound, simply by “entering” into her energy field or joining her aura. This process is often unconscious because these souls are mostly in a dull, semi-conscious state. However, this does not prevent them from exerting influence on the behavior of the “victim,” from the very moment of attaching.

Unfortunately, this influence is usually harmful, because the hooked beings through this person try to fulfill some of their selfish desires and goals, despite the free will of the “host.”

While it is clear that we need to get rid of these entities, which can be achieved through a process of "taking to the Light," I must emphasize that a genuine and lasting relief from such impacts is achieved only when a person heals and reintegrates their own parts of the personality that attract corresponding entities. Thus, again: Ultimately, each of us is completely responsible for their own life, which is excellent news.
 
Astral Shells

Although many teachers would rightfully say that mindfulness and meditation ultimately do not have any goal, let us be honest: the basic aim of these practices is entering the state of Presence. It is a thoughtless state of mind, which we could also call Pure Consciousness or Awareness. Meditation and mindfulness practitioners aspire not only to remain in this state but to deepen and expand it as much as possible.

However, it is not an easy task, especially for beginners. This time we will focus on entering the thoughtless state. Here are a few pieces of advice on how to do this quickly and efficiently.

1, Focus on here and now.

​This is the most obvious and very simple way of entering the state of Presence. You have to become aware of yourself, the surroundings, and everything that is happening in you and around you at this moment. Be here. Become aware of the present moment, enter the now. You will dive into the thoughtless state of Pure Consciousness immediately. If any thoughts, emotions, or external events distract you, just return to the here and now.

Focusing on the present moment is the essence of mindfulness practice.

2. Become aware of yourself.

Ask yourself: "Who is watching this?" or "What is watching this?" This is a variation of the practice of self-inquiry, which can ultimately lead you to spiritual liberation, but meanwhile, among many other benefits, it will always anchor you into the present moment. It is thoroughly described here.  

3. Verbal interruption.

This is the quickest way of discontinuing the stream of thoughts. Just say swiftly and decisively to yourself: “NOW!” and feel the Now, which consists of the totality of your experience at this moment, here and now, including the feeling of your body, your whole being, and auditory and visual sensing of your environment. Or, for example, say “STOP!” and become aware of stopping every activity, including your thinking process.

Feel free to use any other word or phrase that might work fine for you. For example, “ENOUGH!” “HERE AND NOW,” “SILENCE,” “STILLNESS,” “I AM,” “I EXIST,” “WHERE AM I?” “ATTENTION!” “I DON’T KNOW” …
You may speak these words out loud to yourself, or say them in your head.

4. Dissolving the Temporary I (DTI).

Being one of the basic Reintegration techniques, the DTI is certainly one of the most efficient methods for entering the state of pure consciousness. This method will not only bring you into the thoughtless state for a while, but it'll do a more useful thing - removal of your unwanted mind content (thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations).

5. Conscious breathing.[1]

There are several variations of the mindfulness of breath. In all of them, you should consciously follow the movement of air into your body and out of it, along with any sensations that the movement produces. However, you could focus on other areas of your body.

For example, you might prefer concentrating on the sensation of flowing air, moving in and out of your body in its entirety, however you feel it. Personally, I prefer this variant because it takes me more easily into a state of self-awareness. In this approach, you are trying to be fully conscious of your chest’s motions during inhaling and exhaling, of the whole volume of air going in and out from you, and of the entire feeling of its gentle contact with your inner organs—nostrils, throat, and lungs.

You may also practice breath mindfulness by focusing only on the sensations within your nostrils during inhale and exhale circles. Alternatively, you could orient your attention to the sensation of the air filling and emptying the interior of your lungs.

Try out all these approaches. Use whichever one is most suitable for you and enjoy mindfulness on many occasions—immediately after waking up, during driving, walking, working on the computer, while doing various daily errands, in the midst of emotional bursts, before sleep, or many other situations, at your will. Mindfulness of breath can bring you deep peace in every situation, help you in releasing stress and raise your overall level of consciousness.

6. Become aware of space.

The perception of space or nothingness generates deep peace and tranquility in our being. Some people even call the sensing of space the "shortcut to enlightenment."

Become aware of space (or nothingness) within you, the room you are in, in the background of everything you see. Imagine space extending from you in all directions, infinitely. Sense its vastness. This will quickly bring your mind into the so-called alpha state, in which your brain functions at a lower frequency of neural waves. It is a deeply relaxing, tranquil, and creative state of being, in which you will feel the present moment easily.

[1] Excerpt from Inner Peace, Outer Success.

​Many people have a problem of succumbing to the demands of others repeatedly and are afraid of saying no. They feel that it may hurt the other person and provoke revenge. Or, they are afraid of themselves and their own reactions in a possible conflict.

On the other hand, saying yes to others seems to be ingrained in our nature as an effective evolutionary strategy. It allowed our ancestors to support each other and jointly defend themselves from various threats. Also, a genuine yes to people and circumstances generally is a good thing, which means accepting the present moment as it is.

However, agreeing with all external requests would have been the perfect strategy if all people were genuine and honest. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Often burdened with heavy negative emotions, many individuals may behave egotistically and even cunningly toward us. If we are always naively open to their demands, they will inevitably hurt us. I am sure you are familiar with that feeling, unfortunately. Many times, all of us were betrayed or hurt unexpectedly, even by our close friends or relatives. Our life experience tells us that we should always be alert and cautious to avoid such unpleasant surprises.

The problem is that we habitually say no out from fear or anger. Also, we say yes frequently from fear or desire. So, the root of our reactions, whether “positive” or “negative” ones, is at least very questionable.

The underlying source of our reactions is our ego. Typically, we don’t respond. We react. That’s a big difference.

Saying No and Saying Yes

Therefore, if we want to learn how to genuinely say no to other people’s demands, we should examine the complementary action – saying yes. Those are the two opposites that are inseparable. Acceptance and denial, submission and refusal, agreement and dissent, yes and no; they are two sides of the coin. They must be taken into consideration together.

Only from the state of Pure Consciousness, we can respond genuinely to every challenge. Pure Consciousness, or Presence, will truly enable us to either accept or refuse the requests of others. On the other hand, if we are burdened by thoughts and emotions, our choices will be clouded and distorted. The genuine decisions are made only from the state of Presence, the thoughtless state of mind.
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However, even if we learn to live in the here and now, to be mindful most of the time, we still could react improperly in numerous circumstances. Some persons or occasions may easily kick us out from the state of Presence. Their actions or mere appearance could trigger our previously suppressed emotions such as anger, fear, or sorrow, so our reaction to their requirements will not be genuine. Whether that reaction is submission or refusal, it will not be authentic. In the long run, its consequences will be suffering.

​Importance of forgiveness is immense. Whenever we are stuck in the mud of anger, resentment, blame, or guilt, we deeply suffer, as well as people around us. Although these feelings are not negative per se, they are conveyors of some vital messages to our conscious being. If neglected, they will severely undermine our health and overall well-being.

To forgive means to release anger and resentment, lastingly.
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So, together with love, forgiveness is the ultimate healing tool on Earth. It liberates us directly from these unpleasant feelings, while, indirectly, it heals many diseases caused by them.

Also, it does not involve excusing or condoning the person’s actions. Forgiveness does not deny crime, atrocity, or injustice. However, it clears up our hearts and minds, making the path to justice completely smooth. It brings relief from pain and injury.

Forgiveness does not necessarily lead to reconciliation, nor we have to feel obliged to reconcile with the person we are forgiving. Nevertheless, if we truly forgive the person, some sort of reconciliation with them is likely to spontaneously occur, sooner or later.
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True forgiveness cannot be achieved from a lofty, righteous position. This implies feeling superior upon the other person, which could easily turn into disdain. And that would be very dangerous for our spiritual growth.

How to forgive?

Of course, to us ordinary mortals, forgiveness is not easy at all. The feelings that we intend to release are usually deeply rooted and most often for a long time present in our psyche. Anyway, if we want to continue with our personal development and spiritual growth, we must reintegrate these feelings with the rest of our being. Therefore, forgiveness should be done step-by-step, thoroughly, with true dedication and honesty.

“This too shall pass.” - Unknown author

Why should we work on ourselves? What is the ultimate goal of such work?

It’s simple: to achieve permanent happiness. Or at least, to become much happier than our “normal life” offers. Even if our reason is curiosity or spiritual drive for the Truth, that’s again sort of happiness.

One might say that there are so many other methods to become happy, at least for a while. You can be happy by falling in love, exercising, eating, playing football, talking with your best friend, or doing countless other things. But, the emphasis here is on “for a while.” It won’t last long enough. And when such happiness passes away, there comes its opposite – suffering of various kinds. But that’s kind of expected result. Falling in love or eating – that’s not inner work at all.

On the other hand, even the sincerest self-improvement work will bring about some amount of pain into our lives. These difficulties are often unexpected so that we can talk about the side effects of inner work.

What is the inner work in the first place? It is a broad and fuzzy term. Many teachers and practitioners differ significantly on its meaning; however, I will describe it as conscious effort invested into achieving an ultimate spiritual goal or psychological development, on a regular basis.

True inner work must be comprehensive. It should include investing efforts toward spiritual liberation, developing love and presence, fulfilling and harmonizing goals, doing psychological work, and adhering to ethical standards. Otherwise, the achieved happiness won’t last much. Or all achievements will be accompanied by a lot of suffering.

However, even when you think you have covered all these areas with your work, you will still suffer from time to time. That’s inevitable until you reach the final liberation, or Nirvana as Buddhists call it.
 
Difficulties of Meditation

Some of the approaches mentioned above are in fact paths to Pure Consciousness, or Presence – meditation sittings, mindfulness, self-inquiry…and they all are inevitably accompanied by many unpleasant side-effects.

Whether you are trying to experience Truth through the process of self-inquiry or to empty your mind and live in the here and now through some form of meditation and mindfulness, you will unavoidably encounter many difficulties along that way. You will be uncovering a lot of previously suppressed emotions, long-forgotten decisions, deep-rooted beliefs, traumatic childhood experiences, fears, resentment, or other hidden mind contents. Even if you are simply trying to wake up pure love in your heart, you will also meet various unpleasant reactions from within.
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During the meditation and mindfulness work your mind and body purify progressively. But there is a problem. As more and more layers of the subconscious mind are being removed, old, deeper structures that were mentioned above, emerge inevitably. As you are digging ever deeper into the microcosm of your psyche, any of these can be exposed to the light of your consciousness and triggered off unexpectedly.

These unconscious structures can appear in diverse ways. They might manifest within your mind or physical body, so you could, for example, become depressed, anxious, over-reactive, or even physically ill. But if you are very stable mentally and fit physically, these long-suppressed subconscious contents will instead emerge in the outside world. You may experience all kinds of troubles, such as sudden accidents, serious disputes with your loved ones, or even attacks by total strangers.

It’s like the stillness within is telling us: OK, you are able to remain calm during your meditation sittings, when you walk, or during your chores. But are you able to maintain your stillness in this situation?

Or: OK, you can feel deep love of these people in those circumstances. But is your love really that well-founded? Can you love this person in this situation?

And you get the challenge to deal with. Only when you become able to deal with them appropriately, such people and circumstances will not appear in your life anymore.
 
Difficulties of Goal Achievement Work

Generally speaking, work on goals is even trickier than meditation or mindfulness. For a goal or intention to be fully accomplished, it must be:
1) Determined,
2) Without much resistance from your other goals and various parts of your personality, and
3) To be “immersed” into the state of Presence or Pure Consciousness before its manifestation.

Therefore, you have to be very careful during any goal achievement work. Almost every goal carries with it a cluster of various desires, negative beliefs, emotions, and decisions, that are in fact obstacles to the goal’s manifestation. Also, there is always some amount of misalignment or disharmony with other important goals that you want to achieve or with many other parts of your personality. This conflict will produce friction and pain.

To attain the goal, most of these subconscious obstacles and all disharmonious tendencies must be removed peacefully, for example through some form of the Reintegration process.
 
Difficulties of Psychological Work

This is also a wide area. Psychoanalysis, Transpersonal psychology, Personality psychology, Transaction Analysis, NLP, Reintegration System, etc. – all have quite different approaches, but demand a lot of work anyway. Typically, these types of inner work are not about Pure Consciousness, nor achieving goals. They direct you toward the transformation or integration of various parts of your psyche. Still, they may also trigger numerous disturbing side-effects.

During such work, some aspects of personality are changing, realigning, or reconfiguring. There will be a lot of friction among them until a new mutual equilibrium is established. That friction unavoidably generates suffering, which can be expressed in many ways, too.
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Any kind of unexpected physical or emotional troubles may appear. All sorts of unpleasant experiences may arise in your external reality, in forms of aggressive people, sad events, dangerous accidents or anything else.