- The Beginner Soul - (people placed under deep hypnosis)

[Nightfable]

THERE are two types of beginner souls: souls who are truly young in terms of
exposure to an existence out of the spirit world, and souls who have been
reincarnating on Earth for a long period of relative time, but still remain immature.
I find beginner souls of both types in Levels I and II.

I believe almost three-quarters of all souls who inhabit human bodies on Earth
today are still in the early stages of development. I know this is a grossly
discouraging statement because it means most of our human population is operating
at the lower end of their training. On the other hand, when I consider a world
population beset by so much negative cross-cultural misunderstanding and violence,
I am not inclined to change my opinion about the high percentage of lower level
souls on Earth. However, I do think each century brings improvement of awareness
in all humans.

Over a number of years, I have maintained a statistical count of client soul levels in
my case files. Undoubtedly, the figures are weighted to some extent at the lower
levels because these subjects were not selected at random. My cases could be overrepresented
by souls at the lower levels of development because they are the very
people who require assistance in life and might come to me seeking information.
For those who are curious, the percentages by soul level of all my cases are as
follows: Level I, 42%; Level II, 31%; Level III, 17%; Level IV, 9%; and Level V,
1%. Projecting these figures into a world population of five billion souls would be
unreliable, using my small sample. Nevertheless, I see the Possibility we may have
only a few hundred thousand people on Earth at Level V.

My subjects state that souls end their incarnations on Earth when they reach full
maturity. What is significant about the high percentage of souls in the early stages
of development is our rapidly multiplying population and the urgency babies have
for available souls. We are increasing by 260,000 children per day. This human
necessity for souls means they must normally be drawn from a spiritual pool of less
advanced entities who require more incarnations to progress and are, therefore,
more available to return to another life.

I am sensitive to the feelings of clients whom I know to be in the early stages of
development. I cannot count the number of times a new client has come into my
office and said, "I know I am an old soul, but I seem to have problems coping with
life." We all want to be advanced souls because most people hate to be considered a
beginner in anything. Every case is unique. There are many variables within each
soul's character, individual development rate, and the qualities of the guides
assigned to them. I see my task as offering interpretations of what subjects report to
me about the progression of their souls.

I have had many cases where a client has been incarnating for up to 30,000 years on
Earth and is still in the lower levels of I and II. The reverse is also true with a few
people, although rapid acceleration in spiritual development is uncommon. As with
any educational model, students find certain lessons more difficult than others. One
of my clients has not been able to conquer envy for 850 years in numerous lives, but
she did not have too much trouble overcoming bigotry by the end of this same
period. Another has spent nearly 1700 years off-and-on seeking some sort of
authoritative power over others. However, he has gained compassion.

The next case represents an absolute beginner soul. This novice shows no evidence
of having a spiritual group assignment as yet, because she has lived too few past
lives. In her first life she was killed in 1260 AD in Northern Syria by a Mongol
invasion. Her name was Shabez, and her settlement was sacked, resulting in a
terrible massacre of the inhabitants when she was five years old.

Case 20

Dr. N: Shabez, now that you have died and returned to the spirit world, tell me what
you feel?

S: (shouts) Cheated! That life was so cruel! I couldn't stay. I was only a little girl
unable to help anybody. What a mistake!

Dr. N: Who made this mistake?

S: (in a conspiratorial tone) My leader. I trusted his judgment, but he was wrong to
send me into that cruel life to be killed before my life got started.

Dr. N: But you did agree to come into the body of Shabez?

S: (upset) I didn't know Earth would be such an awful place full of terror-I wasn't
given all the facts-the whole stupid life was a mistake and my leader is responsible.

Dr. N: Didn't you learn anything from this life?

S: (pause) I started to learn to love ... yes, that was wonderful ... my brother ...
parents ... but it was so short ...

Dr. N: Did anything good come out of this life?

S: My brother Ahmed... to be with him ...

Dr. N: Is Ahmed in your present life?

S: (suddenly my subject rises out of her chair) I can't believe it! Ahmed is my
husband Bill-the same person-how can ...?

Dr. N: (after calming subject, I explain the process of soul transference to a new
body and then continue) Do you see Ahmed on your return to the spirit world after
dying as Shabez?

S: Yes, our leader brings us together here ... where we stay.

Dr. N: Does Ahmed emit the same energy color as yourself or are there differences?

S: (pause) We ... are all white.

Dr. N: Describe what you do here.

S: While our leader comes and goes, Ahmed and I... just work together.

Dr. N: Doing what?

S: We search out what we think about ourselves-our experience on Earth. I'm still
sore about us being killed so soon ... but there was
happiness ... walking in the sun ... breathing the air of Earth ... love.

Dr. N: Go back further to the time before you and Ahmed had your life together,
perhaps when you were alone. What was it like being created?

S: (disturbed) I don't know... I was just here .. with thought.

Dr. N: Do you remember during your own creation when you first began to think as
an intelligent being?

S: I realized ... I existed ... but I didn't know myself as myself until I was moved into
this quiet place alone with Ahmed.

Dr. N: Are you saying your individual identity came more into focus when you
began interacting with another soul entity besides your guide?

S: Yes, with Ahmed.

Dr. N: Keep to the time before Ahmed. What was it like for you then?

S: Warm ... nurturing ... my mind opening .. she was with me then.

Dr. N: She? I thought your leader displayed a male gender to you?

S: I don't mean him... someone was around me with the presence of a ... mother and
father ... mostly mother

Dr. N: What presence?

S: I don't know ... a soft light ... changing features... I can't grasp it ... loving
messages ... encouragement

Dr. N: This was at the time of your creation as a soul?

S: Yes ... it's all hazy ... there were others ... helpers ... when I was born.

Dr. N: What else can you tell me about the place of your creation?

S: (long pause) Others ... love me ... in a nursery... then we left and I was with
Ahmed and our leader.

Dr. N: Who actually created you and Ahmed?

S: The One.

I have learned there seems to be a kind of spirit world maternity ward for newborn
souls. One client told me, "This place is where infantile light is arranged in a
honeycomb fashion as unhatched eggs, ready to be used." In Chapter Four, on
displaced souls, we saw how damaged souls can be "remodeled ." My conjecture is
these creation centers described by Shabez have the same function. In the next
chapter, Case 22 will explain more about spiritual areas of ego creation where raw,
undefined energy can be manipulated into a genesis of Self.

Case 20 has some obvious traits of the immature soul. The subject is a sixty-sevenyear-
old woman who has had a lifetime of getting into disastrous ruts. She does not
demonstrate a generosity of spirit toward others, nor does she take much personal
responsibility for her actions. This client came to me searching for answers as to
why life had "cheated me out of happiness." In our session we learned Ahmed was
her first husband, Bill. She left him long ago for another man, whom she also
divorced, because of her inability to bond with people. She does not feel close to any
of her children.

The beginner soul may live a number of lives in a state of confusion and
ineffectiveness, influenced by an Earth curriculum which is different from the
coherence and supportive harmony of the spirit world. Less developed souls are
inclined to surrender their will to the controlling aspects of human society, with a
socio-economic structure which causes a large proportion of people to be
subordinate to others. The inexperienced soul tends to be stifled by a lack of
independent thinking. They also lean towards being self-centered and don't easily
accept others for who they are.

It is not my intention to paint a totally bleak portrait of souls who comprise so much
of our world population-if my estimates of the high numbers of this category of soul
are accurate. Lower level souls are also able to lead lives which have many positive
elements. Otherwise, no one would advance. No stigma should be attached to these
souls, since every soul was once a beginner.

If we become angry, resentful, and confused by our life situations, this does not
necessarily mean we possess an underdeveloped spirit. Soul development is a
complex matter where we all progress by degrees in a variety of areas in an uneven
manner. The important thing is to recognize our faults, avoid self-denial, and have
the courage and self-sufficiency to make constant adjustments in our lives.

One of the clear indications that souls are coming out of novice status is when they
leave their spiritual existence of relative isolation. They are removed from small
family cocoons with other novices and placed in a larger group of beginner souls. At
this stage they are less dependent upon close supervision and special nurturing from
their guides.

For the younger souls, the first realization that they are part of a substantial group
of spirits like themselves is a source of delight. Generally, I find this important
spiritual event has occurred by the end of a fifth life on Earth, regardless of the
relative length of time the novice soul was in semi-isolation. Some of the entities of
these new spiritual groups are the souls of relatives and friends with whom the
young soul was associated in their few past lives on Earth. What is especially
significant about the formation of a new cluster group is that other peer group
members are also newer souls who find themselves together for the first time.

In Chapter Seven on placement, we saw how a soul group appeared when Case 16
rejoined them, and the manner in which life experiences were studied through
pictorial scenes, as reported by this subject. Case 21 will offer a more detailed
account of spiritual group dynamics and how members impact on each other. The
capacity of souls to learn certain lessons may be stronger or weaker between one
another depending upon inclination, motivation, and prior incarnation experience.
Cluster groups are carefully designed to give peer support through a sensitivity of
identity traits between all members. This cohesiveness is far beyond what we know
on Earth.

Although the next case is presented from the perspective of one group member, his
superconscious mind provides an objectivity into the process of what goes on in
groups. My subject will describe a grandiose, male-oriented spiritual group. The
raucous entities of this group are linked by exhibitionism which could be labeled
narcissistic. The common approaches these souls use in finding personal value is one
indication why they are working together.

The extravagant behavior modes of these souls is offset, to some extent, by their
spiritual prescience. Since the complete truth is known by all group members about
each other in a telepathic world, humor is indispensible. Some readers may find it
hard to accept that souls do joke with each other about their failings, but humor is
the basis upon which self-deception and hypocrisy are exposed.

Ego defenses are so well understood by everyone in spiritual groups that evidence of
a mastery of oneself among peers is a strong incentive for change. Spiritual
"therapy" occurs because of honest peer feedback, mutual trust, and the desire to
advance with others over eons of time. Souls can

hurt, and they need caring entities around them. The curative power of spiritual
group interaction is quite remarkable.

Soul members network by the use of criticism and acclaim as each strives toward
common goals. Some of the best help I am able to give my clients comes from
information I receive about their soul group. Spiritual groups are a primary means
of soul instruction. Learning appears to come as much from one's peers as from the
skill of guides who monitor these groups.

In the case which follows, my client has finished reliving his last past life as a Dutch
artist living in Amsterdam. He died of pneumonia at a young age in 1841, about the
time he was gaining recognition for his painting. We have just rejoined his spiritual
group when my subject bursts out laughing.

Case 21

Dr. N: Why are you laughing?

S: I'm back with my friends and they are giving me a hard time.

Dr. N: Why?

S: Because I'm wearing my fancy buckled shoes and the bright
green velvet jacket-with yellow piping down the sides-I'm flashing them my big
floppy painter's hat.

Dr. N: They are kidding you about projecting yourself wearing
these clothes?

S: You know it! I was so vain about clothes and I cut a really fine figure as an artist
in Amsterdam cafe society. I enjoyed this role and
played it well. I don't want it to end.

Dr. N: What happens next?

S: My old friends are around me and we are talking about the foolishness of life. We
rib each other about how dramatic it all is down there on Earth and how seriously
we all take our lives.

Dr. N: You and your friends don't think it is important to take life on Earth
seriously?

S: Look, Earth is one big stage play-we all know that.

Dr. N: And your group is united in this feeling?

S: Sure, we see ourselves as actors in a gigantic stage production.

Dr. N: How many entities are in your particular cluster group in the spirit world?

S: (pause) Well, we work with ... some others ... but there are five of us who are
close.

Dr. N: By what name do they call you?

S: L ... Lemm-no that's not right-it's Allum ... that's me.

Dr. N: All right, Allum, tell me about your close friends.

S: (laughs) Norcross ... he is the funniest ... at least he is the most boisterous.

Dr. N: Is Norcross the leader of your group?

S: No, he is just the loudest. We are all equal here, but we have our differences.
Norcross is blunt and opinionated.

Dr. N: Really, then how would you characterize his Earth behavior?

S: Oh, as being rather unscrupulous-but not dangerous.

Dr. N: Who is the quietest and most unassuming member of your group?

S: (quizzical) How did you guess-it's Vilo.

Dr. N: Does this attribute make Vilo the least effective contributing member of your
group?

S: Where did you get that idea? Vilo comes up with some interesting thoughts about
the rest of us.

Dr. N: Give me an example.

S: In my life in Holland-the old Dutch couple who adopted me after my parents
died-they had a beautiful garden. Vilo reminds me of my debt to them-that the
garden triggered my painting-to see life as an artist ... and what I didn't do with my
talent.

Dr. N: Does Vilo convey any other thoughts to you about this?

S: (sadly) That I should have done less drinking and strutting around and painted
more. That my art was ... reaching the point of touching people ... (subject pulls his
shoulders back) but I wasn't going to stay cooped up painting all the time!

Dr. N: Do you have respect for Vilo's opinions?

S: (with a deep sigh) Yes, we know he is our conscience.

Dr. N: So, what do you say to him?

S: I say, "Innkeeper, mind your own business-you were having fun, too."

Dr. N: Vilo was an innkeeper?

S: Yes, in Holland. Engaged in a business for profit, I might add.

Dr. N: Do you feel this was wrong of Vilo?

S: (contrite) No ... not really ... we all know he took losses to help those poor people
on the road who needed food and shelter. His life was beneficial to others.

Dr. N: I would guess telepathic communication makes it hard to sustain your
arguments when the complete truth is known by everyone?

S: Yes, we all know Vilo is progressing-damn!

Dr. N: Does it bother you that Vilo may be advancing faster than the rest of you?

S: Yes ... we have had such fun ... (subject then recalls an earlier life with Vilo where
they traveled together as brothers in India)

Dr. N: What will happen to Vilo?

S: He is going to leave us soon-we all know that-to have associations with the others
who have also gone.

Dr. N: How many souls have left your original group, Allum?

S: (A long pause, and then ruefully) Oh ... a couple have moved on ... we will
eventually catch up to them ... but not for a while. They haven't disappeared-we just
don't see their energy as much.

Dr. N: Name the others of your immediate group for me besides Vilo and Norcross.

S: (brightening) Dubri and Trinian-now those two know how to
have a good time!

Dr. N: What is the most obvious identifying characteristic of your group?

S: (with relish) Adventure! Excitement! We have some real pioneer types around
here. (subject rushes on happily) Dubri just came off a wild life as a sea captain.
Norcross was a free-wheeling trading merchant. We live life to its fullest because we
are talented at taking what life has to offer.

Dr. N: I'm hearing a lot of self-gratification here, Allum.

S: (defensively) And what's wrong with that? Our group is not made up of
shrinking violets, you know!

Dr. N: What's the story on Trinian's last life?

S: (reacts boisterously) He was a Bishop! Can you believe it? What hypocrisy.

Dr. N: In what way?

S: What self-deception! Norcross, Dubri, and I tell Trinian his choice to be a
churchman had nothing to do with goodness, charity, or spirituality.

Dr. N: And what does Trinian's soul mentally project to you in self-defense?

S: He tells us he gave solace to many people.

Dr. N: What do you, Norcross and Dubri, tell him in response?

S: That he is going soft. Norcross tells him he wanted money or otherwise he would
have been a simple priest. Ha-that's telling him-and I'm saying the same thing. You
can guess what Dubri thinks about all this!

Dr. N: No, tell me.

S: Humph-that Trinian picked a large city with a rich cathedral-spilling a ton of
money into Trinian's fat pockets.

Dr. N: And what do you tell Trinian yourself?

S: Oh, I'm attracted to the fancy robes he wore-bright red-the finest of cloth-his
Bishop's ring which he loved-and all the gold and silver around. I also mention his
desire to bask in adulation from his flock. Trinian can hide nothing from us-he
wanted an easy, cushy life where he was well-fed.

Dr. N: Does he try to explain his motivations for choosing this life?

S: Yes, but Norcross reproaches him. He confronts Trinian on seducing a young girl
in the vestry. (jovially) Yes, it actually happened! ... So much for providing solace to
parishioners. We know Trinian for who he really is-an outright rogue!

Dr. N: Does Trinian offer any excuses to the group for his conduct?

S: (subject becomes quieter) Oh, the usual. He got carried away with the girl's need
for him-she had no family-he was lonely in his choice of a celibate church life. He
says he was trying to get away from the customary lives we all choose by going into
the church-that he fell in love with the girl.

Dr. N: And how do you, Norcross and Dubri, feel about Trinian now?

S: (severely) We think he is trying to follow Vilo (as an advancing soul), but he
failed. His pious intentions just didn't work for him.

Dr. N: Allum, you sound rather cynical about Trinian's attempts to improve himself
and make changes. Tell me honestly, how do you feel about Trinian?

S: Oh, we are just teasing him ... after all...

Dr. N: Your amusement sounds as if you are scornful over what may have been
Trinian's good intentions.

S: (sadly) You're right ... and we all know that ... but, you see ... Norcross, Dubri,
and I... well, we don't want to lose him from the group, too...

Dr. N: What does Vilo say about Trinian?

S: He defends Trinian's original good intentions and tells him that he fell into a trap
of self-gratification during this life in the church. Trinian wants too much
admiration and attention.

Dr. N: Forgive me for passing judgment on your group, Allum, but it seems to me
this is something you all want, except perhaps Vilo?

S: Hey, Vilo can be pretty smug. Let me tell you, his problem is conceit and Dubri
tells him that in no uncertain terms.

Dr. N: And does Vilo deny it?

S: No, he doesn't ... he says at least he is working on it.

Dr. N: Who among you is the most sensitive to criticism?

S: (pause) Oh, I guess it would be Norcross, but it's hard for all of us to accept our
faults.

Dr. N: Level with me, Allum. Does it bother the members of your soul group when
things can't be hidden from the others-when all your shortcomings in a past life are
revealed?

S: (pause) We are sensitive about it-but not morbid. There is great understanding
here among us. I wanted to give artistic pleasure to people and grow through the
meaning of art. So, what did I do? I ran around the Amsterdam canals a lot at night
and got caught up in the fun and games. My original purpose was pushed aside.

Dr. N: If you admit all this to the group, what kind of feedback do you get? For
example, how do you and Norcross regard each other?

S: Norcross often points out I hate to take responsibility for myself and others. With
Norcross it's wealth ... he loves power ... but we are both selfish ... except that I am
more vain. Neither of us gets many gold stars.

Dr. N: How does Dubri fit into your group with his faults?

S: He enjoys controlling others by leadership. He is a natural leader, more than the
rest of us. He was a sea captain-a pirate-one tough individual. You wouldn't want to
cross him.

Dr. N: Was he cruel?

S: No, just hard. He was respected as a captain. Dubri was merciless against his
opponents in sea battles, but he took care of his own men.

Dr. N: You have told me that Vilo assisted people who were in need on the road, but
you haven't said much about the positive side of your lives. Is anyone in your group
given any gold stars for unselfish acts?

S: (intently) There is something else about Dubri ...

Dr. N: What is that?

S: He did one outstanding thing. Once, during heavy seas, a sailor fell off the mast
into the ocean and was drowning. Dubri tied a line
around his waist and dove off the deck. He risked his life and saved a shipmate.

Dr. N: When this incident is discussed in your group, how do you all respond to
Dubri?

S: We praise him for what he did with admiration in our minds. We came to the
same conclusion that none of us could match this single act of courage in our last
lives.

Dr. N: I see. Yet, Vilo's life at the inn, feeding and housing people who could not pay
him, may represent acts of unselfishness for a longer term and therefore is more
praiseworthy?

S: Granted, and we give him that. (laughs) He gets more gold stars than Dubri.

Dr. N: Do you get any strokes from the group for your last life?

S: (pause) I had to scramble for patrons to survive as a painter, but I was good to
people ... it wasn't much ... I enjoyed giving pleasure. My group recognizes I had a
good heart.

Every one of my clients has special attachments to their soul group, regardless of
character makeup. People tend to think of souls in the free state as being without
human deficiencies. Actually, I think there are many similarities between groups of
souls close to each other and human family systems. For instance, I see Norcross as
the rebellious scapegoat for this group of souls, while he and Allum are the
inventory takers for everyone's shortcomings. Allum said Norcross is usually the
first to openly scrutinize any rationalizations or self-serving justifications of past life
failures offered by the other members. He appears to have the least self-doubt and
emotional investment over standards of conduct. This may define his own
insecurity, because Norcross is probably fighting the hardest to keep up with the
advancing group.

I suspect Allum himself could be the group's mascot (often the youngest child in
human families), with all his clowning around, preening, and making light of serious
issues. Some souls in spiritual groups do seem to me to be more fragile and
protected than other group members. Vilo's conduct demonstrates he is the current
hero (or eldest family member), with his drive for excellence. I have the impression
from Allum that Vilo is the least defiant of the group, partly because he has the best
record of achievement
in recent past lives. Just as in human family systems, the roles of spiritual group
members can be switched around, but I was told Vilo's kinetic energy is turning
pink, signaling his growth into Level II.

I attach human labels on ethereal spirits because, after all, souls who come to Earth
do show themselves through human characteristics. However, I don't see hatred,
suspicion, and disrespect in soul groups. In a climate of compassion, there are no
power struggles for control among these peer groups whose members are unable to
manipulate each other or keep secrets. Souls distrust themselves, not each other. I
do see fortitude, desire, and the will to keep trying in their new physical lives. In an
effort to confirm some of my observations about the social dynamics among
spiritual group members in this case, I ask Allum a few more questions.

Dr. N: Allum, do you believe your criticism of each other is always constructive?

S: Sure, there is no real hostility. We have fun at each other's expense-I admit thatbut
it's just a form of ... acknowledgement of who we really are, and where we
should be going.

Dr. N: Is any member of your soul group ever made to feel shame or guilt about a
past life?

S: Those are ... human weapons... and too narrow for what we feel.

Dr. N: Well, let me approach your feelings as a soul in another way. Do you feel
safer getting feedback from one of your group members more than another?

S: No, I don't. We all respect each other immensely. The greatest criticism comes
from within ourselves.

Dr. N: Do you have any regrets for your conduct in any past life?

S: (long pause) Yes ... I feel sorry if I have hurt someone ... and then have everyone
here know all about my mistakes. But we learn.

Dr. N: And what do you do about this knowledge?

S: Talk among ourselves... and try to make amends the next time.

Dr. N: From what you told me earlier, I had the idea that you, Nor-cross, and Dubri
might be releasing some pent-up feelings over your own shortcomings by dumping
on each other.

S: (thoughtfully) We make cynical remarks, but it's not like being human anymore.
Without our bodies we take criticism a little differently. We see each other for who
we are without resentment or jealousy.

Dr. N: I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I just wondered if all this
flamboyance exhibited by your group might indicate underlying feelings of
unworthiness?

S: Oh, that's something else again. Yes, we do get discouraged as souls, and feel
unworthy about our abilities ... to meet the confidence placed in us to improve.

Dr. N: So, while you have self-doubts about yourselves, it's okay to make cynical
remarks about each other's motivations?

S: Of course, but we want to be recognized by one another for being sincere in
working on our individual programs. Sometimes self-pride gets in the way and we
use each other to move past this.

In the next passage of dialogue, I introduce another spiritual phenomenon relating
to group healing. I have heard a number of variations about this activity which are
supported by the interpretations of Case 21.

Dr. N: Now Allum, as long as we are discussing how your group members relate to
each other, I want you to describe the spiritual energy by which you all are assisted
in this process.

S: (hesitant) I'm not sure I can tell you ...

Dr. N: Think carefully. Isn't there another means by which your group is brought
into harmony with each other with intelligent energy?

S: (long pause) Ah ... you mean from the cones?

Dr. N: (the word "cone" is new to me, but I know I'm on the right track) Yes, the
cones. Explain what you know about them relative to your group.

S: (slowly) Well, the cones do assist us.

Dr. N: Please continue, and tell me what the cone does. I think I have heard about
this before, but I want your version.

S: It's shaped to go around us, you know.

Dr. N: Shaped in what way? Try to be more explicit.

S: It is cylindrical-very bright-it is above and all around us. The cone is small at the
top and wide at the bottom, so it fits over all of us-like getting under a great white
cap-we can float under the cone in order to use it.

Dr. N: Are you sure this isn't the shower of healing you experienced right after your
return to the spirit world?

S: Oh no, that was more individual purification-to repair Earth damage. I thought
you knew ...

Dr. N: I do. I want you to explain how the cone is different from the shower of
healing.

S: The top funnels energy down as a waterfall in a spreading circle around all of us
and allows us to really concentrate on our mental sameness as a group.

Dr. N: And what do you feel when you are under the cone?

S: We can feel all our thoughts being expanded ... then drawn up ... and returned
back ... with more knowledge added.

Dr. N: Does this intelligent energy help your unity as a group in terms of more
focused thinking?

S: Yes, it does.

Dr. N: (deliberately confrontational) To be frank with you, Allum, I wonder if this
cone is brainwashing your original thoughts? After all, the arguments and
disagreements between you and the others of your group are what make you
individuals.

S: (laughs) We aren't brainwashed! Don't you know anything about the afterlife? It
gives us more collective insight to work together.

Dr. N: Is the cone always available?

S: It is there when we need it.

Dr. N: Who operates the cone?

S: Those who watch over us.

Dr. N: Your guide?

S:(bursts out laughing) Shato? I think he is too busy traveling around on his circuit.

Dr. N: What do you mean?

S: We think of him as a circus master-a stage manager-of our group.

Dr. N: Does Shato take an active part in your group deliberations?

S: (shakes head) Not really-guides are above a lot of this stuff. We are left on our
own quite a bit, and that's fine.

Dr. N: Do you think there is one specific reason for the absences of Shato?

S: (pause) Oh, he probably gets bored with our lack of progress. He loves to show
off as the master of ceremonies though.

Dr. N: In what way?

S: (chuckling) Oh, to suddenly appear in front of us during one of our heated
debates-throwing off blue sparks-looking like a wizard who is an all-powerful
moderator!

Dr. N: A wizard?

S: (still laughing) Shato appears in long, sapphire-blue robes with a tall, pointed hat.
With his flowing white beard he looks simply great, and we do admire him.

Dr. N: I get the picture of a spiritual Merlin.

S: An Oriental Merlin, if you will. Very inscrutable sometimes. He loves making a
grand entrance in full costume, especially when we are about to choose another life.
He knows how much we appreciate his act.

Dr. N: With all this stage management, I am curious if Shato has much emotional
connection to your group as a serious guide.

S: (scoffing at me) Listen, he knows we are a wild bunch, and he plays to that as a
non-conformist himself-but he is also very wise.

Dr. N: Is Shato indulgent with your group? He doesn't seem to limit your
extravagance very much.

S: Shato gets results from us because he is not heavy-handed or preachy. That
wouldn't sit well with our people. We respect him.

Dr. N: Do you see Shato as a consultant who comes only once in a while to observe,
or as an active supervisor?

S: He will pop in unannounced to set up a problem for our discussions. Then he
leaves, coming back later to listen to how we might solve certain things ...

Dr. N: Give me an example of a major problem with your group.

S: (pause) Shato knows we identify too much as actors playing parts on Earth. He
hits ... on superficiality. He is trying to get us to cast
ourselves from the inside out, rather than the reverse.

Dr. N: So Shato's instruction is serious, but he knows you all like to have fun along
the way?

S: Yeah, that's why Shato is with us, I think. He knows we waste opportunities. He
assists us in interpreting the predicaments we get
into in order to get the best out of us.

Dr. N: From what you have told me, I have the impression that your spiritual group
is run as a kind of workshop directed by your guide.

S: Yes, he builds up our morale and keeps us going.

Unlike educational classrooms or therapy groups on Earth, I have learned teachercounselors
in the spirit world are not confined as group activity leaders on a
continuous basis. Although Shato and his students are a colorful family of souls,
there is much here that is typical of all cluster groups. A guide's leadership is more
parental than dictatorial. In this case, Shato is a directive counselor while not being
possessive, nor does he pose a threat to the group. There is warm acceptance of
these young souls by this empathic guide, who seems to cater to their masculine
inclinations. I will close this case with a few final questions about the group as a
spiritual unit.

Dr. N: Why is your group so male-oriented on Earth?

S: Earth is an action planet which rewards physical exertion. We are inclined to
male roles so we can grab hold and mold events ... to dominate our surroundings ...
to be recognized.

Dr. N: Women are also influential in society. How can your group hope to progress
without more experience in female roles?

S: We know this, but we have such a fierce desire to be independent. In fact, we
often expend too much energy for too little return, but the female aspects don't
interest us as much right now.

Dr. N: If you have no female counterparts in your immediate group, where do you
go for those entities to complement your lives on Earth?

S: Nearby there are some who relate better to female roles. I get along with Joseyshe
has been with me in some of my lives-Trinian is attached to Nyala-and there are
others

Dr. N: Allum, I would like to end our conversation about your spiritual associations
by asking you what you know about the origin of your group.

S: (long pause) I ... can't tell you ... we just came together at one time.

Dr. N: Well, someone had to bring those of you with the same attributes together.
Do you think it was God?

S: (puzzled) No, below the source ... the higher ones ...

Dr. N: Shato, or other guides like him?

S: No, higher, I think... the planners... I don't know any more.

Dr. N: A while back you told me some of your old friends were reducing their active
participation in your group due to their development. Do you ever get new
members?

S: Never.

Dr. N: Is this because a new member might have trouble assimilating with the rest
of you?

S: (laughs) We aren't that bad! It's just we are too closely connected by thought for
an outsider, and they would not have shared our past experiences.

Dr. N: During your discussions about these past lives together, does your group
believe it contributes to the betterment of human society?

S: (pause) We want our presence in a community to challenge conventions-to
question basic assumptions. I think we bring nerve into our physical lives-and
laughter, too ...

Dr. N: And when your spiritual group has finished discussing what is necessary to
further your aims, do you look forward to a new life?

S: (zestfully) Oh yeah! Every time I leave for a new role on Earth, I say goodbye
with, "See you all back here A.D. (after death):'

This case is an example of like-minded souls with ego-inflating needs who support
and validate each other's feelings and attitudes. Herein lies the key to understanding
the formation of soul groups. I have learned that many spiritual clusters have subgroups
made up of entities whose identities are linked by similar issues blocking
their advancement. Even so, these souls do have differences in strengths and
weaknesses. Each group member contributes their best attributes toward advancing
the goals of others in the family.

I do not want to leave the impression from Case 21 that the few remaining souls in
this inner circle of close friends represent the behavior traits of everyone in the
original cluster. When a primary group of, say fifteen or twenty souls is formed,
there are marked similarities in talent and interests. But a support group is also
designed to have differences in disposition, feelings, and reactions. Typically, my
subjects report a male-female oriented mixture of one or more of the following
character types in their groups: 1) Courageous, resilient, a tenacious survivor. 2)
Gentle, quiet, devoted, and rather innocent. 3) Fun-loving, humorous, a jokester and
risk-taker. 4) Serious, dependable, cautious. 5) Flamboyant, enthusiastic, frank. 6)
Patient, steady, perceptive. 7) Thoughtful, calculating, determined. 8) Innovative,
resourceful, adaptable. These differences give a group balance. However, if an
entire group displays a strong tendency toward flamboyance or daring, the most
cautious member would appear less so to another group of souls.

There is no question that the souls in Case 21 are in for a long development period.
Yet they do contribute to the vitality of earth. Subsequent questioning of this subject
revealed the paths of these souls continue to cross in the twentieth century. For
instance, Allum is a graphic designer and part-time professional guitar player
involved with Josey, who is a singer. The fact that the closely-knit souls in this case
were so male-oriented in their physical lives does hot take away from their ability to
associate with young souls with predominantly female preferences. Cluster groups
are gender-mixed. As I have mentioned, truly advanced souls have balanced gender
preferences in their physical life choices.

The desire for expression of self-identity is an important motivating factor for souls
choosing to come to Earth to learn practical lessons. Sometimes a reason for
discomfort with the lower level soul is the discrepancy in perception of Self in their
free soul state, compared to how they act in human bodies. Souls can get confused
with who they are in life. Case 21 did not seem to exhibit any conflict in this area,
but I question the rate of growth achieved by Allum in recent past lives. However,
the basic experience of living a life may compensate, to some extent, for the lack of
insight gained from that life.

Our shortcomings and moral conflicts are recognized as faults far more in the spirit
world than on Earth. We have seen how the nuances of decision-making are
dissected and analyzed in spiritual groups. Cluster members have worked together
for such a long time in earth years that entities become accountable to each other
and the group as a whole. This fosters a great sense of belonging in all spiritual
groups, and can give the appearance of thought barriers between clusters, especially
with souls in the lower levels. Nevertheless, while rejection and loneliness is part of
every soul's life in human form, in the spirit world our individual ego-identity is
constantly enhanced by warm peer group socialization.

The social structure of soul groups is not the same as groups of people on Earth.
Although there is some evidence of paired friendships, I don't hear about cliques,
stars of attraction, or isolated souls within clusters. I am told souls do spend time
alone in the silence of personal reflection when attached to a group. Souls are
intimate entities in their family relationships on Earth and engagement in group
community life in the spirit world. And yet, souls do learn much from solitude.

I understand from my white-light subjects that souls at the beginning levels are
frequently separated from their groups to individually work on simple energy
projects. One rather young soul recalled being alone in an enclosure trying to put
together "a moving puzzle" of dissembled geometric shapes of cylinders, spheres,
cubes, and squares with self-produced energy. It was described as being "multidimensional,
colorful, and holographic" in nature. He said, "We have to learn to
intensify our energy to bring the diffused and jumbled into focus to give it some
kind of basic shape." Another subject added, "These tests give the Watchers
information about our imagination, creativity, and ingenuity, and they offer us
encouragement rather than being judgmental."

Souls on all levels engage in another all important activity when they are alone.
They are expected to spend time mentally concentrating on helping those on Earth
(or other physical worlds) whom they have known and cared about. From what I
can gather, they go to a space some call the place of projection. Here they enter an
"interdimensional field of floating, silvery-blue energy," and project outward to a
geographical area of their choosing. I am told this is a mental exercise in "holding
and releasing positive vibrational energy to create a territory." This means souls
ride on their thought waves to specific people, buildings, or a given area of land in
an attempt to comfort or effect change.

~Taken from Michael Newton's book 'Journey of Souls'

[RL]

that was a very interesting read!