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Rescue Circles Part 13 spirits present at meetings, services and circles
Remembrance, Veterans' Day and Memorial Day and similar occasions in other countries honour the memory of those who have died for their country. However we need to realise that all these servicemen and the casualties of war are still alive in the world of spirit, as communications received in rescue groups and other seances demonstrate. This is the whole point of true religion, and in particular the message from mediumship, Spiritualism, Spiritism and like philosophies and sciences. Religions founded on faith, myth and legend tend to ignore this essential FACT. Whatever happens to us here on earth, the life of the soul, in spirit, continues. So the servicemen we remember are still alive and "with us".
So when we say "lest we forget" let us extend the phrase into the sentence "lest we forget that all these heroes are still alive in spirit - there is no death."
To commemorate these people and emphasise that they live on, I'm reprinting some more examples of Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding's work at the time of WW II. I could equally include similar sessions from 9/11 and the war in Iraq, or the Gulf war, or go back to WW I or earlier, but for now, let's stay with Dowding.
Spirits are around us all the time, aren't they. And we don't BECOME a spirit when we die. We are mostly made up of spirit already, now. That is the REAl us. Lord Dowding knew this over sixty years ago, and wrote
books about it. But that was not enough for spirit.
Now Lord Dowding was reticent, not a natural public speaker, and preferred keeping out of the limelight, much preferring to sit in his study and write. However he was guided by spirit to take up platform work, speaking of his rescue work and his research into Spiritualism. He said his loved ones in spirit gave him “inspiration and access to completely original illustrations for my talks.” This ties in with what we discussing about musicians, actors and performers generally.
One of the reasons that a speaker becomes inspired and rivets the attention of the audience or congregation is that there are many spirits in
attendance, often outnumbering the actual people present. Here is Hugh Dowding’s account of one meeting at Caxton Hall, London in the Fall of 1943. After relating what he spoke of at the meeting, he lets Margaret Flavell, the clairvoyant medium describe what she saw of the spirit realm present.
“There was at first a black cloud at the back of the hall which advanced up the center aisle and was with an effort pushed back. When we relaxed, it advanced again. The wall of the hall disappeared. There were a lot of little groups of people in huddles facing inward. As Lord Dowding spoke, others came forward, but the groups ‘stayed put.’ They were
arranged round the hall like a U magnet.
The R.A.F. men were in a different dimension. When Lord Dowding spoke of the German, they cheered (Dowding had told of a soldier who had disobeyed the Nazis, refusing to bayonet a child, and was himself
killed by them). There were the usual groups of Helpers with newly-arrived spirits waiting to be woken up. As Lord Dowding went on speaking, the Cross of Light appeared, slightly above our heads. Gradually
the weaker shapes were taken into the Cross, bathing in its light. The Cross eventually consisted entirely of newly-awakened shapes: the Helpers were concentrating their power inwards towards the Cross. At the end, the rays from the Star of Light grew so strong that they filled the whole place.
Then the huddles of people were lit up, as if each person were an electric lamp, sending light up and up to other groups above them. There was a feeling of that in each group the dark forces were
being dispersed.”
Then Margaret Flavell’s guide Chang came through to say what he saw: “You are perfectly right; the groups were clearing the conditions. You will remember the labour of the dark hours in which you were engaged a little time ago – the transmuting of the hate and passion vibrations [of an earlier political meeting in the hall] into the vibrations of love. Our groups had been established in that meeting-chamber for a short space before you arrived. The dark flood was not directed against you people; it was the residue of unrestricted passion – of mass-emotion of the worst type. This particular work of cleansing the conditions is one for which I have prepared myself. (Speaking to Dowding) So it was that in the Astral world I came very close to you to protect you, as you were wide open to all the winds of heaven. There were some elements there that could have harmed not only you but those others with you.”
Next, the Egyptian guide “Z” came through to
speak: “Greetings, my brother. You are anxious to
know about the meeting and what occurred with us.
The groups were transmuting those slow, heavy, turgid
vibrations. We had a unique opportunity to draw
within those groups much of the hatred which is abroad
in your world. Each of those shining groups which you
saw had attached itself to a group in your audience,
and from each member of the physical group was thought
directed to a certain part of your globe where hatred
wars with love. So, each physical person provided the
motive power which enabled the group to draw these
heavy vibrations upward and, as they rose, as your
words turned the thoughts of all those who listened
to you in towards their own hearts and thence outwards
towards Him whom we serve, we were able to pass those
heavy vibrations to Him.
“He cleansed them and returned them with His
blessing. So from your meeting went out a great
cleansing power, which may have this very material
effect – that many who are fighting with physical
weapons will find their enemy most surprisingly
vanquished. That is only one effect. That is the
effect your own people have sent forth: for the
physical plane is most powerfully regenerated from the
physical plane.
“On the Astral plane, as those great waves
returned in blessing, many who were held by the
shackles of sorrow, of ignorance, of desire, found
their shackles drop from them, and they were free to
move out of the greyness into the Light.
“On the other planes the effect was
correspondingly powerful, but to transmit to you in
words the work we do here would be impossible. You
could not understand.
“I can tell you that, for a moment, while you
were addressing the assembly, The Master Himself
[The Great Spirit Himself – as your knowledge or
beliefs understand the term] inclined His face towards
you because the hearts of the people were with one
accord turned towards Him. In that moment His
blessing fell, rich and free, on every one assembled
there. Many were conscious of that moment and
recognized it. To others it was but a momentary flash
of great peace – a momentary understanding of
something normally beyond their ken. But to every
soul or entity represented there, there was given an
added status, a fuller realization of the mighty
purpose of the Creation, a spur to further endeavour,
through the personality, to fulfil its mission.
“I have given you much of the inner side of my
real work, which is to endeavour so to make Him felt
among men, that for very necessity love must replace
hatred, and the brotherhood of all peoples become a
living reality – for come it shall sooner or later.”
Lord Dowding comments: “Perhaps this sample of what is said at our meetings, and of the unseen events which are simultaneously occurring, will suffice for my purpose of showing how the great Plan is unfolding. I am sometimes a little sad that my own eyes are holden [see no further]; I would give much to see these lovely and soul-stirring sights. But
perhaps things are just as well as they are. My business is to tell the people the things which are given to me to say, and I fear that my attention would be sadly distracted if I were able to see the
wonderful events which are in progress while I am speaking.”
And so a top-ranking serviceman who had
represented his country all round the world for over
40 years devoted a further 30 years serving the cause
of Spiritualism. It would be appropriate to add a
little more of what Dowding had to say at Caxton Hall
about a previous meeting in the Kingway Hall earlier
that fall, to which Reginald Foort the famous
organist had traveled in order to contribute some
music, as it shows how the spirit powers were always
present in his work. The organist’s music contributed
additional energy to the meeting.
He told his Caxton Hall audience: “I am going to
tell you how your Spirit, while you are yet on earth,
returns to God who gave it, and blends with His
Spirit, and helps to do His work. I am going to take
you behind the scenes at previous meetings and tell
you of some of the unseen effects which have been
brought about by God and His Ministers with the
assistance of the audiences and the speakers, but
without our knowledge. Some of these accounts come
from seers still in the earth body [our mediums], and
some come from members of the discarnate audiences,
which, I can assure you, greatly outnumber those who
have secured admission by normal methods.
“It is a curious fact, but the earthly vibrations
of people like you and me are necessary to complete
the full quota of radiation which is required by God’s
Agents when they are working on the earth or among
those inhabiting the lower planes close to the earth.
I am too ignorant to be able to tell you why this
should be so, but I know it to be a fact, and a joyful
fact, because it permits us to participate in the work
of God’s Angels while we are yet on earth.
“The outstanding point which I tried to make in
my address [to the Kingway Hall audience] was the need
which the spirits of the dead had for our loving
thoughts and prayers. And not only the happy of our
own dead, but the unhappy spirits, and the spirits of
our enemies. Little did I know, as I spoke, how much
we earth-dwellers could do and were doing. Among the
messages which I read out was one from a German boy
whose soul had rebelled against the cruelties and
crimes which he was ordered to perpetrate, and who had
been shot by his comrades in consequence of his
revolt.” [He had turned up at one of Dowding’s rescue
circles, and Dowding read out his notes about his
appearance and what he had written through the medium,
a Mrs. Hill].
After telling his story, the German soldier had
said “The child I had been told to kill or wound was
killed by another when I refused, and she bore witness
for me that I had done one good thing; I had refused
to kill her, and in doing so I had lost my own life.
This came as a tiny light in the darkness through
which I struggled, and then some of my own family long
since dead were able to come to me, but they were
horrified by the blood through which I had waded and
only came near enough to see me. There seemed to be
no hope. If I climbed towards the Light it only
illuminated the loathsomeness of the ME that had
survived. I could only gain peace by working in the
minds of my old comrades to overcome their brutal
tendencies and the task is almost beyond my power.
[The spirit helpers] are allowing me the opportunity
to gather power of this type on the Earth plane, so
that I can influence these others who are still with
you. I am grateful. You can never know how much we
suffer or how vastly we expiate our sins through
suffering of intense bitterness. Franz von
Eitelmann.”
Mrs. Hill’s guide, her father in spirit, Colonel Gascoigne, commented: “Poor fellow, I let him write
because we can only influence the Germans through the
Germans and that can best be done through their own
Dead.”
A clairvoyant medium present at this meeting made
the following notes about the spirits present: “ The
hall is full of Air Force boys, Soldiers and Sailors.
A little to one side is an isolated group of shadowy
shapes. A little above the Boys (Airmen) are Guides
and Helpers, and above them the Shining Bright Ones,
reaching up and out as far as I can see. The hall is
filled with a soft light. When Lord Dowding began to
speak all turned to listen. Everyone was quiet. A
great hush. People in the audience gradually became
one with the larger Audience. One continuous Spiral
of people, right up into the Light.
“Then a soft rosy glow began to filter through,
and as Lord Dowding read out the German boy’s story,
the lad came and stood beside him. He was very
anxious. He kept looking round at the people, and as
he began to realize that there was no Hatred, he
straightened up. When Lord Dowding finished reading
his story and the clapping began, he looked round with
a face so illumined it was a joy to see, and sprang up
with one leap to join the Air Force boys, who welcomed
him with open arms. At the same moment the rosy light
flooded the whole place, strong and bright… The
isolated group of dim figures was lit up and it was
seen that they too were Germans. They moved forward a
little way towards the others. As Lord Dowding spoke
of St. George, the beautiful Cross of Light [of
forgiveness] appeared; and right in its center was the
group of Germans. Then they began to move forward one
at a time to mingle with the others and became part of
the great host.
“During the (organ) music it was very beautiful.
The musical vibration went out in colours, in
geometrical designs – each a different colour and
shape. As they rose upwards they expanded in size but
kept their shape. All intermingled in the most
fascinating designs. Groups of (spirit) children
picked up the coloured shapes and passed them on from
one to another through the whole vast assembly.
Everyone was moving in rhythm with the colours:
wonderful to watch.
The culmination came when everyone began to sing
“Land of Hope and Glory.” The human voices addle
little sparks of different shapes and colours to
those there already. They were sharper and more
brittle-looking. The whole thing swelled in volume
and everybody moved in rhythm until they were all part
of the great Cross, so that it was vibrating with
every colour, the deep Rose Glow in its center. It
was indescribably beautiful. As the last chord of
music struck, the Star of Light shone out at an
immense distance and the light streamed from it like a
shower of glittering rain and obliterated everything.
We were all in it then.”
Now, Colonel Gascoigne, Mrs. Hill guide, also
attended the meeting, but NOT the medium, who was at
home in her residence over 100 miles away. Here is
what Gascoigne wrote later, through his daughter, Mrs. Hill’s hand:
“We were able to assist with the music; it was a great
help. There was a party of spirits turning the mind of
the musician towards the atmosphere that he could
create for us; and he responded superbly. Music was
the foundation of our success. In other words he
built the spiritual meeting-hall. The mighty chords
raised pillars of amazing beauty, and the recurring
symphonies formed the arches and wove into being a
great cathedral of colour, sound and spirit form.
Through the help of this musical medium our power was
greatly increased, and we were able to assemble the
men who were to form a bridge-head by which the
Germans could return to life (in spirit), and Light
was able to reach their souls and overthrow the evil
of the black forces.”
In his book “Lychgate” Lord Dowding had much
more to say and to quote, from spirit communications
showing how there are often thousands of spirits
around at large meetings, and that there are always
SOME present at our meetings, even if a circle
consists of only two people. He said: “I have
already told you enough to show you how much you can
do to further the loving work of the Great Ones on
earth and on the adjoining spheres.”
I expect many of readers and members on this site have had
similar experiences attending meetings, services and
circles. Briefly, sharing a few of mine, I have
sung in Cathedral choirs, during which there have been
great moments of intense power, for example during the
Installation of an Archbishop, or Ordination of
Ministers. At one point I could scarcely prevent
myself from weeping out loud, the love felt was so
powerful. At a group psychotherapy workshop I was
assisting at, I noticed a great many large colorful
but grotesque-shaped entities feeding off the energy
of the participants – something quite different from
the church or cathedral service. During a healing, I
saw the future life ahead (the course of THIS
lifetime) of the young person being healed, gradually
transfiguring into old age, wrinkling and shrinking.
She was healed and would live long. At a home visit
with a Catholic priest present, I somehow got into a
vortex of energy with him, going back in time to an
Inquisition, torture and much strife. At other times,
meeting people, or taking leave of them, our energies
totally merged, or sometimes it’s just at one chakra
level, if you see what I mean.…and the feeling of this
concerning that person is still with me. Shaking hands
with a well-known singer, I felt great healing energy
and time stood still. Total connection. Such
moments are never lost.
What have YOU seen, heard or felt? These are the questions that Alister Hardy asked as he started making his collection of religious experiences, after first having read in 1916 of Raymond Lodge's religious experience in the World Beyond, when it was mentioned in Oliver Lodge's book "Raymond."
Richard R.
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