On this eve of Easter, as we close out this year's holy week, it feels like the perfect time to turn the focus on the Supernatural.
Our modern culture has used quite a lot of energy to convince us in adopting the following narratives:
A: Ghosts aren't real
B: Ghosts are real, and something to be feared and we should stay away at all costs
C: Ghosts are associated with the Devil, witchcraft, and Hell
With these beliefs running through our societies it's no wonder some children prefer to sleep with a light on. What we have above are half-truths that really only put someone on the extreme of either end of a spectrum instead of a clear perspective. These statements merely evoke feelings and elicit a response or reaction based on those feelings, and the willingness of the receiver to go deeper into what those feelings even mean for them is often overlooked. For instance, people that connect to "Ghosts aren't real," presume there is nothing to be concerned about, if they can't see it, there must be no threat of danger. However, those more aligned with accepting the presence of ghosts as real are largely disempowered to know much about it beyond the fear and its associations with witchcraft, etc. While they seem like different perspectives, they basically create the same response in someone: to avoid going deeper and in a sense closing one-off to the Supernatural world we are all a part of.
Many if not all of our ancestors at one time or another had intricately woven relationships with nature, including the overlap into Supernatural practices. These co-creating relationships have everything to do with our place on this Earth at this time. Our ancestors practiced these skills and traditions with high regard and respect, as they were fully aware that their survival depended on it. In fact, it's these same traditions that modern man has worked to erode, and at some point, we must begin to wonder why?
Perhaps even more important than why such things would happen is the consequences these narratives have created in our world.
Let's look to the hyper-fixation on the term ghost versus spirit. At the end of the day, these two words mean the same thing to me. However, they both conjure up different feelings because of how I've seen them used in society. When we learn from history, we can easily see patterns where those that receive some level of status and power have often gone to abuse it. Taking this into consideration to where we find ourselves today as a civilization, it's clear to me that our natural fears of the unknown and unseen have been used against us. The ways in which many of us have grown to perceive ghosts and the supernatural world, in general, have directly impacted our relationship with Spirit or lack thereof, therefore impacting all of our relationships.
The Entertainment Industry specifically Hollywood, has done a wonderful job of making the paranormal reality of our world appear flat-out ridiculous as well as horrifying. Neither depiction really allowing the space for reverence. Which shouldn't be terribly surprising as much of humanity still is learning how to truly respect and value that which their eyes do see.
Let's look at the popularity of ghosthunting for example, which on one hand is definitely a step in a positive direction to give proof to what many have known all along, yet it is also largely based on sensationalism. We're fed all the most gruesome details of often tragic events to bring some shock and awe, (does this remind you of anything else?) The more gentle and less threatening examples of the supernatural world are often too subtle to garner much attention or interest, perhaps for some very good reasons.
It's as if one extracted just enough Truth to create various perspectives that lead one into a direction that was not meant to turn up answers. That the "good" people are over here with their thinking, and the "freaks, and weirdos" are over there in their thinking... yet what is the missing part, the part that links these opposing opinions? In this way, it is our natural and often subconscious need for acceptance that also comes into shaping our beliefs. The more we ignore our inner Spirit, the more we look to the outside world for what is acceptable.
It's not a mere coincidence that many facets of our culture, where paranormal and the natural world, go hand in hand, have largely been condemned by societies and modern civilization. Indigenous cultures, that at one time or another we have all came from, eventually being seen as "folklore/ folk tales," something to easily dismiss, instead of held as something sacred like say, the Bible. Denying the presence of ghosts, or spirits is denying the unique spark that is one's Spirit. Being so afraid of ghosts, or spirits to look any further in their significance is to also be afraid of one's natural Divinity. Ultimately these beliefs help us to shape our senses, as well as a sense of trust or lack thereof.
In Christianity specifically, there is plenty of superstition relating to the paranormal which I've found to be a huge disservice to humanity. It's as if some in these churches were using the faithful trust in God, and in Jesus against those in attendance. Eventually what was a faithful trust in God or Jesus becomes a rigid and often unrealistic set of expectations to live by, which puts a wedge further from who we naturally are, vs. what others want us to be. When religions start to dictate what is of God and what is not, without looking at it holistically we can forget why one started practicing religion in the first place, to foster a connection to Spirit and the Divine, which doesn't really get much more Supernatural, does it?
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| human nervous system |
Half of the human nervous system in our bodies is considered the
parasympathetic nervous system. The prefix
para alone can be seen to have multiple origins with multiple meanings. In Greek,
para can mean beyond, past, or by, i.e paradox as well as abnormal or defective i.e paranoia. We also see it used relating in the workplace to positions that have a supportive role, such as a paralegal or a paramedic. Additionally, we see Latin, Italian, and French origins that imply it to mean obsolete, to guard against, to shield from, etc. Clearly showing the likelihood of inevitable misunderstandings and miscommunications when using the term, paranormal. Especially in terms of, "beyond" which essentially tells us the very things we are trying to make sense of, or put words to in order to convey meaning, may not have the developed language to communicate it, and thus becomes 'unexplainable.'
Additionally, when we become aware of the parasympathetic side of our nervous system, we learn that its main function is to assist our body in rest. In our perceived 'nothingness' there is actually quite a lot occurring. Though we may not perceive it as much, or somehow possibly less significant than our sympathetic nervous system, these are two sides of the same coin. Science has shown us that for our bodies to function properly, our parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems must also be working together harmoniously.
Is it a coincidence that the sensations often felt when tales of ghosts or vampires are told, can create a response from our sympathetic nervous system? The same area of our body directly connected to our body's "fight or flight" response. Much of our culture has geared us to be locked into the response of fight or flight, which unfortunately can create imbalances in our nervous system. If we are not getting the same time for deep rest or relaxation, restoration, our sympathetic nervous system can become overactive.
There is much more to be discussed on these topics, connecting some of the seemingly unrelated pieces of the puzzle is a start to expanding our understanding. It saddens me to witness so many at this time denying their own innate spirit and wisdom of the Divine, yet I can see how it came to be this way. I feel that so many of us, particularly now at this time are longing for their Spirit to be set free, but may not be consciously aware of it. As well as the belief that the only way we can possibly set our spirit free is death, which is from my perspective, just another half Truth. Modern-day data, still contributing to ignorance and ultimately perpetuating fear of intimacy by first having us fear our intimacy with ourselves, then with those around us, and ultimately with our environment, the world from which we are not separate.
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