Upcoming Talks

I will be giving two English language talks this Autumn in Europe. Details are as follows:

Iceland
Thursday 30 September 8 pm
Gnomes, elves, gods of Antiquity … myth or reality?
Radisson Blu Saga Hotel, Room Yade
V/Hagatorg I REYKJAVIK
Participation IK 500.—


Scotland
Saturday 16th October 3 pm
Gnomes, elves, nixies … a worldwide knowledge
The Town House - INVERNESS
High St, Inverness IV 1JJ
Admission £ 3.—

Hope to see you there!

Being Vegetarian, Part 1

Is animal food necessary for our health?

Vegetarianism is a diet based on plant products: vegetables, fruits, and grains. It completely excludes animal flesh, that is to say meat, processed meats, fish and seafood. But it allows animal products that do not contain flesh: eggs and dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt).
Some diets are even more restrictive: veganism and fruitarism disallow animal flesh and animal by-products. The difference between these two diets is that veganism puts the emphasis on vegetables, grains and legumes, while fruitarism stresses fresh and dried fruits along with oily seeds and grains.

The arguments put forward by vegetarians against meat consumption are numerous. They are derived from such various fields as anatomy, medicine, dietetics, ethics and economics. The main argument, however, is that meat would not be good for our health. The toxins in meat would burden the body: tissues would be attacked and organ functions hampered. Our bodies, therefore, were not really meant to digest meat correctly and especially to expel its toxins. In the long run the entire organism would fall ill.

Since good health is invaluable, these few points could be considered enough good reasons to renounce meat. However, they concern only the physical body, whereas there is more to a human being than his physical body. Man is an immaterial spirit incarnated into a physical body. This completely changes the facts of the problem. The consideration of the physical body alone gives a fragmented vision of reality. In order to have an overall view of man and adequately answer the question “should meat be eaten or not”, it is necessary to take the spirit into consideration as well as its interaction with the physical body.

The spirit and the physical body are two very different species. The former consists of spiritual substance, originating in Paradise, while the latter is made of gross matter from the earthly plane. Consequently they cannot come into contact with each other without an intermediary, which is the blood, or more precisely the radiations of the blood, thus remaining bound during the period of incarnation, as explained in the Grail Message…

Just like any other material object, the blood emits radiations. These are more etherised than the blood itself, and their consistency is closer to the densest radiations emanating from the spirit enveloped in its coverings. Together, these radiations constitute the link between the spirit and the physical body. This link is also the bridge through which information between the spirit and the body is mutually transmitted.

The blood composition determines the characteristics of this bridge of radiations. The composition, and consequently the radiations of the blood, depend on whether it is rich in certain substances or not. For instance, the blood of an anaemic person who lacks iron will radiate differently from that of another with a normal iron level. The blood composition itself depends, to a large extent, on nutritional substances provided by the diet. As with any other food, meat plays a role therein.
Meat and blood radiation

Meat is generally considered as a symbol of strength and as strength-giving. In medicine it is known to induce the body to produce blood, and in natural therapies to help the spirit to incarnate. These three outlooks perfectly supplement each other. A high meat consumption makes the body produce more blood. Therefore the blood volume increases a little in heavy meat-eaters. Because of the greater force of attraction caused by this increased blood volume, the spirit will be bound more intimately to the body. A qualitative aspect is also taken into account. The “animal energies” generated through meat give special characteristics to the blood, favouring the bond between the spirit and the animal part of the human being: the physical body.

Inversely, the blood volume decreases in people who either abstain from meat or eat very little of it. Their blood characteristics will also be less animal. As a result their spirits will be less closely linked to their bodies.

The above statements can easily be observed in daily life and will be illustrated for clarity.
A heavy meat-eater has “a lot” of blood, which makes him look congested and red. His face easily turns crimson. Being strongly anchored in his body, he is interested in everything physical. Drinking and eating are very important to him. He prefers manual and heavy labour to intellectual activity, and the mundane over speculation. He is enthusiastic, zealous, and enterprising. This can give him a harsh, rude side, even aggressive and violent. These extreme effects of meat were well known in the past. In order to prepare soldiers for battle, they were overfed with meat. This rendered them fierce in battle or in other words, eager, furious and unrelenting in combat. This same technique is still used with hunting dogs and falcons which are fed large quantities of meat in order to give them a “taste of flesh” and through this stimulate their hunting instincts.

Light meat-eaters on the other hand are generally pale in complexion. This pallor betrays a “lack” of blood. Deprived of a strong bridge of radiations, their spirit is not as closely linked to their bodies. The connection is more or less distended and as popular saying goes, these people are “not really there”, they “float” and are in “another world”. They prefer to reflect, dream and meditate rather than to act. The lack of connection with gross matter distances them from physical activities and they particularly do not like to eat; for them, eating is more a burden than pleasure. They are generally calm, gentle, peaceful, even passive, because they lack much strength and stamina.

Who Comes into the World?, Part 2

The inequality of births

If we start out from such a “pre-existence of the soul”, then the next question to arise is how the inequality with births is to be judged. Why, for example, do some children have to suffer severe illness, but others do not? Is there no justice in life?

There is much debate on this issue, but there are only two possible conclusions to be drawn: one either concludes that indeed many “innocent children” have to undergo unjustified suffering – or one accepts that there is a hidden lawfulness, which ensures that the “child is matched with the family that is right for it”.

When we start from the assumption that the whole of Creation is borne by the love and justice of the Divine Will, then only the second answer can give us a correct foundation for further deliberations. Following this train of thought, no human being can be considered innocent when “coming into the world”, but he must be “bringing” something with him that gives rise to the circumstances of his birth. He must therefore have acquired certain strengths and weaknesses earlier on, that is, he must have sown a “seed”, which he is now “reaping” through the conditions of his birth.

‘Earlier on’ – does that mean: in some past earth life?

Memories from former lives

Today many people already believe in reincarnation, but what is often raised as an argument against repeated earth lives, is that nobody can remember a former earthly existence. This is erroneous, however. There are in fact quite a number of children who are able to talk about events in a previous life. These children are usually younger than four years old when they quite spontaneously begin to tell their parents or siblings “about before”, about their previous name, about the house where they lived, their family back then or about certain persons. Such children might talk about major events often more than once, such as a wedding, an accident or illness, because they still remain deeply moved by the experiences.

One might dismiss these testimonies as products of child fantasy, but in reality there is more to it than that. The Canadian research scientist Ian Stevenson (1918-2007) examined hundreds of these reports systematically and in great detail. He visited the localities of which the children had spoken, collated the information given by eyewitnesses and conducted frequent interviews with the children themselves. He finally came to the conclusion that these descriptions must be true. The children really could remember previous lives.

Sometimes the identification of the child with its former self is especially strong. Such children then speak with longing of past times, have the desire to return to the place of their previous life, to meet up with their parents again or want to be called by their “proper first name”.
If they are then actually taken to the place where they had spent their former life, they are able to find their way home through a maze of streets. They recognise members of their former family or neighbours and can point out structural alterations that were made to the house.

Naturally, these are exceptional cases, which presuppose that a person was reborn very soon after his death. But one cannot take that as the rule.

The actual ego of the human being

Let us begin by assuming then that every human being entering the world already carries the sum of his experiences from past earth lives within him – even where he does not consciously remember them.

This now raises the question: What actually is this human core of being, his personal ego, which now has to reap all what he has sown in a former life – in the form of health or illness, a happy or unhappy fate? What is the personal ego which the parents did not create nor produce, but in reality only accept into their circle with the newly born child?

This ego is the spirit of the human being.1 This spirit originates in another, non-material plane of Creation. It is the centre of our consciousness, from where come all the spiritual abilities such as the free will, the perception of what is good and just or the sense of beauty. We human beings are spirit; the physical brain on the other hand is only a tool, which is at our disposal for our life in the earthly world.

It is therefore quite rightly said: “I have a body!” Whereas it would be wrong to say: “I have a spirit”. We do not have a spirit, we are spirit and as such we incarnate into a body. The expression “to incarnate” – “to enter into the flesh” – expresses very accurately what takes place: the spirit enters into a body which has been prepared for it, but it, nonetheless, remains a separate entity from the body.

From this point of view the fertilising of the egg receives a quite different meaning. It is not the life of a new spirit that begins with procreation, but only the development of a child’s body, that is, the material covering into which the spirit incarnates and which it will leave again at death.
Therefore, it is not new life that is created with human reproduction, but rather a new cloak, which, in a transient world, is able to hold fast for a time something which is immortal. Spirit – that is the living human being. The body is animated by the presence of the spirit.

Who Comes into the World?, Part 1

There is somebody there!

Something is developing in the womb of the expectant mother during the nine months of pregnancy. Initially nothing is visible; the woman does not yet feel the growing body and knows only indirectly that something is going on inside her.

But this all changes when suddenly this “something” begins to move and react to various stimuli. What was hitherto merely “organic” is soon felt to be a little living being with its own personality. There is somebody there!

This impression grows stronger the closer we are to the hour of birth. A being who himself feels, perceives, reacts, wants something! Someone who will later on shape his life according to his own wishes.

With reference to the “new life” which is brought forth, every birth appears as a miracle. But there are also questions arising which must not be circumvented: Where does this being that has just “entered the world” come from? Is it a part of its parents? Have they really created it?
Of course, the parents have contributed something to enable the child to be there, but this contribution is quite clearly a material one only: egg cell, sperm and other substances have, during the gestation period, contributed to form the body of the newly born child. But the child also has its own character, its own will, and its own personality.

Do these also originate from the parents?

The answer to these questions depends on whether one regards the human being as something completely of the “flesh” or whether one recognises his essence as being non-material, that is, whether or not one attributes the psychic properties to a non-material soul, which takes possession of the body during its “earthly sojourn”.

The great religions all presuppose a non-material element in the human being. In the biblical account about the Creation it is clearly expressed that the human being was “formed from the dust of the ground”, but that this materially formed body then had “the breath of life breathed into his nostrils” (see Genesis 2, 7).

It is not just religious traditions but many observations of children also tend to confirm the “dual nature” of the human being – physical body and living soul. When, for example, a baby begins to move its hands, one has the impression that it is trying to master a new “instrument”. It is as if the living soul is consciously trying to “get a grip” on the body. The newly born also display their own pre-formed personality very clearly by their wishes or in expressions of discontent.

Our language gives expression to this intuitive knowledge that the human soul already existed before birth. When it is said that “the mother has brought her child into the world”, then this presupposes that the soul of the child does not originate from this world.

When it is likewise said that somebody is “a born poet” or that he “has a certain gift”, then this points to abilities which this person “has brought with him” into this life.

Furthermore, the well-founded assumption that the soul has existed already before birth also finds expression in the common child’s question: “Tell me, Mummy, where was my little brother before he came to us?” For a child, it is quite clear that nobody can suddenly appear out of nowhere.

The stork and science

The story of the stork who brings babies also points out in a metaphorical way that every child already existed in “a far distant world” before it came to the family.

A sober scientific observation will, on the other hand, recognise the “origin of life” in the fusion of sperm and egg. Non-material or spiritual connections remain beyond the grasp of science and are therefore not considered, since they cannot be verified using scientific methods. If we follow this reasoning to its final consequence, we are left with the premise that every child must be considered as having issued from its parents; that is, that the parents “give life” to their children. Consequently, they would be ultimately responsible for all the talents and shortcomings of their children as well. Naturally, many mothers and fathers feel very uncomfortable with this train of thought. Who, in all honesty, can claim for himself the role of “Creator”?

Many a mother struggles to “come to grips” with the way the child comes into the world through her. What exactly is her contribution to enable the little body take on form inside her? Which thoughts, words or acts have an influence upon the development of the child? It is noteworthy that the mother does indeed offer the possibility for procreation but this then proceeds on its course without her knowledge and assistance, as do the further multiplication of cells and the development of organs. The duration of the pregnancy, too, is, in normal cases, not influenced by the woman and the birth is triggered without any conscious impetus coming from her.

All of this shows that the idea that we human beings are giving life to our children is incorrect. We can make a birth possible, we can fashion good earthly and spiritual prerequisites, but the coming to earth of a human being, the incarnation, proceeds on a course, which to the greatest extent, cannot be influenced by our will.

The human soul has existed already before its birth, but through a pregnancy it has been given the opportunity to attach itself to a physical body and thereby to “animate” it.

The Influence of the Blood on our State of Being, Part 2

The effects of heavy metals and additives

Certain substances that alter our blood composition and our state of being come from air and water pollution. These are heavy metals, such as lead, just to name one among many. Others belong to food additives.

Besides the long term physical symptoms of lead poisoning, it also brings on depression, alters the memory and the ability to concentrate, causes nightmares and provokes hallucinations. A person whose blood contains too much lead is prone to false perceptions, that is to say, he sees and hears things that do not exist. The lead levels, along with the levels of other toxic metals is generally much higher in delinquents. It goes without saying that lead can not be held responsible for the reprehensible acts committed by prisoners. Lead does not turn one into a criminal but, by altering the composition of the blood, it does contribute to clouding our perceptions and judgement.

Around the middle of the last century, a new and unusual behaviour started showing up in some young people. These children are hyperactive. They are unable to sit still, they are continually moving about and touching everything. Their ability to concentrate is very weak and they are easily distracted. They are not able to follow through with anything, often changing their activities without finishing any of them. They are not only a concern for their surroundings but also for themselves because they are incapable of integrating. This unhealthy state of hyperactivity is due to a food additive: phosphate, and would disappear if the phosphate was removed from the child’s diet.

New therapeutic possibilities

The knowledge of this unrecognized connection that the blood plays between the body and spirit opens the door to new therapeutic possibilities and allows a completely different orientation of treatment towards the problems concerning psychic balance. These treatments react on the spirit by means of the blood resulting in the spirit having an unaltered perception of reality.

Disturbances, depression or distress can all be treated by supplying the blood with the elements it needs and by eliminating those that are in excess.

There are many ways to alter the composition of the blood. We can remedy deficiencies through diets that are adapted to the needs of the person being treated, as well as by using food supplements containing the necessary vitamins and minerals needed for recovery. When it is a question of cleansing the blood, we can use toxins draining methods and we can neutralize and eliminate toxic metals with the help of specific trace elements. Of course, these methods do not alter the spirit per say, but help it to transform itself. They render its state in a way that better enables it to control its different states of being towards development in life.

The Influence of the Blood on our State of Being, Part 1

Hypoglycaemia and distress

When our blood sugar level is normal the spirit feels "good in its skin", we are energetic, dynamic and engaging. But whenever the glycaemia drops, the person feels exhausted and unwell. Not only is his energy gone, but also his view of the world is altered. His recent rose coloured world becomes grey or even quite black. A person in this state of hypoglycaemia becomes anxious and is afraid of all kinds of things that are not perceived as frightful by others. Simple questions become serious problems to resolve, if not mountains to climb.

And then, just as suddenly as his outlook became darkened, very rapidly- by balancing his glycaemia – his perception of the world will be just as beautiful and simple as before.

Another well-known situation that alters a person’s state of being by modifying the composition of the blood, is the one prompted by the consumption of alcohol. When someone drinks too much and becomes drunk we say, «he is not in his right mind». But not being in one’s right mind simply means to perceive and to act differently than usual, or in other words; with a different awareness of reality. This awareness is again slowly altered as the level of blood alcohol decreases, therefore when the blood composition returns to normal.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the blood

The nutritional discoveries show us daily how the presence or absence of a vitamin or a mineral alone can influence our outlook on the world.

A study made with volunteers who were fed a balanced diet but that was completely deprived of vitamin B1 showed that at the end of three months, all of the volunteers had become irritable, depressed, and worried that something terrible was going to happen to them. Some of them even felt that life was no longer worth living and contemplated suicide.

The experience ended after six months without informing the volunteers of the outcome in order to avoid the placebo effect with the reintroduction of vitamin B1. Within a few days the volunteers returned to being joyful and clear headed. They were friendly, cooperative and full of initiative.

Magnesium is also a very educational example. A slight magnesium deficiency causes irritability, nervousness, sensitivity to noise, over excitement and anxiousness. A greater deficiency can be even more disturbing, so much so in fact, that the subject is disorientated, incredibly agitated, boisterous, aggressive and subject to hallucinations. This irritable and violent behaviour will quickly disappear as soon as the organism is supplied with the missing magnesium needed to re-establish a normal blood radiation.

Celebrity Cult, Part 2

Two sides of the coin
Just as the power of a thought-centre can help a human being to success, and if need be turn him into a big star, it can also cause him problems. The thought-centres nourished by thousands or millions of admirers can exert considerable pressure on the star and may influence him in a way that is not very constructive.

If the “image” of a star is formed naturally in the course of his career, then the picture the public has of him is more likely to correspond to his true personal characteristics. He will then feel the power of the thought-centre as useful, since it supports his efforts and broadens his potential.

Where a “star image” is, however, artificially created, the one concerned will in time feel it as something foreign, with which he cannot fully identify. He may feel restricted by this image, as if pressed into an ill-fitting mould, from which he will have a great deal of trouble freeing himself. The incessant inflow of new energies, produced by the admirers of the artificial “ideal”, holds him under the pressure of this form and forces him to adjust to the pre-formed image. Thus there are stars who have suffered their whole life under a certain enforced role. And many have a problem to remain themselves, and not be crushed by the ideal they are supposed to embody. In this way it can happen that a star can change from a person manipulating the masses to one manipulated by them.

The influences of thought-centres, as they develop with the celebrity cult, can also affect the admirers, who do remain connected with the centres. They often lose a part of their personal independence and freedom of choice under the influence of certain perceptions. Sometimes this influence is so large that the celebrity is finally imitated: The admirers dress like him or her and do their hair the same, adopt the same attitudes, use the same language, show similar preferences, and so on. Through this wrong identification they lose a part of their individuality. They stop developing their own personality and copy an imaginary pre-formed “image” that is subject to laws and rules imposed by others.

Why do we seek idols?

The meaning of his existence lies for each human in developing his spiritual abilities, becoming conscious of himself, and finally returning fully conscious to Paradise, his spiritual origin. For us it is therefore a matter of progressing from an unconscious to a conscious state. In this we are subject to the Law that the less conscious always imitates the expression of enhanced, higher consciousness. This serves us as a model and helps us through awakening slumbering abilities to become more self-conscious.

However, the principle of emulation has justification in the development of the human spirits only at the beginning. In becoming increasingly conscious we must decide by our free will the form we will give our own development. Each individual developing his abilities in his own way enriches mankind, whose wealth results from the diverse contributions by each member of the community.

What takes place on the scale of the development of mankind reappears on the small scale of individual human life. The child - which as yet is not in charge of its free will - possesses the imitation instinct in order to develop. Taking the parents or others in its surroundings as model, it learns and makes progress. At the end of youth, however, imitating should stop. Equipped with free will, the young adult can decide for himself what direction and which goals he wishes to attain. He can of course still be motivated by the examples of others, but he should not be content with simply imitating these uncritically.

This fact also shows the natural limitations to the adulation of stars: An “absolute fan” no longer lives his own life. In an extreme case, the highs and lows in the life of the idol become more important than the actual developments in his own life.

It is quite legitimate to value a personality for what he offers in his activity, and it is in the nature of the human being to look for useful examples that can stimulate his own conscious development. However, it is always a mistake to turn another human being into a “demi-god”. This can block not only the “fan”, but — by way of the power of the thought-centre — also the “star” in his personal development. The enthusiasm of the masses is always accompanied by a loss of individuality.

In addition, the worship of the “gods” of the stage, screen and sport and so on is also in principle out of place, as soon as a human being strives for something higher and more perfect. For the only perfect goal for our inner orientation can only be He, of Whom the first Commandment reminds us: “I am the Lord, thy God! Thou shalt have no other Gods but Me!”