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If
you have read this far, you know that aether is a substance
that permeates all things in reality, a material that can
be manipulated mentally, by force of will, to various ends,
the practice of which is called mentalism. The types of
feats described in the “Sculptor's Studio” visualization
could be defined as telekinetic in nature (as in telekinesis,
the ability to move material objects using thought). But
telekinesis is only one of the many abilities at the mentalist’s
disposal.
The
Camelopard will instruct aspirants in three of the mentalist’s
most common uses of aether, namely psychisms, astral projection,
and spiritism. Introductions to each of these disciplines
are offered here, and future numbers of The Camelopard will
dissect each in detail.
Psychisms
Humans perceive the world around them with five senses:
sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Mentalists share
these senses with untrained (also called “mundane”)
humans, but whereas mundanes are limited to their human
range of sense — seeing only the things in front of
them, hearing only the sounds within earshot — mentalists
can perceive at a much greater distance, depending upon
their level of mastery. Clairvoyance (remote viewing) and
clairaudience (remote hearing) are the most common types
of remote sensing, but many mentalists develop remote senses
of taste, touch, and smell.
Conduct
this simple experiment. Sit facing across the table from
a friend. Close your eyes while your friend holds his hand
before you with any number of fingers extended. Guess how
many fingers your friend is holding up. Chances are that
you cannot correctly guess the number, because you cannot
see your friend’s hand. Try again. Still no luck? Wouldn't
it amaze both you and your friend if you could guess the
number not once, but ten consecutive times? A well-developed
sense of clairvoyance makes this feat not only possible,
but likely.
By
using aether in various ways, mentalists can perform astonishing
psychic feats. Mentalists develop their psychisms through
practice with cards and daily work with meditation and visualization.
Mental powers like extrasensory perception (ESP), telekinesis,
and mind reading all come from the aetheric plane. All the
known psychisms will be explored in detail later.
Astral
Projection
The aetheric plane is not a mere static, duplicate universe
of our own. It is an active, changing place of great possibility.
Things impossible on the material plane are commonplace
on the aetheric plane.
By
expelling and solidifying a portion of his own aether, a
mentalist creates an aetheric or “astral” body
that can move freely in this world and the Others. This
body is much like the “aetheric body” you used
in the exercise on page 18. Using an astral body, the mentalist
can travel to places that are inaccessible or dangerous
to the physical body. Who needs a spaceship when you can
travel to the moon without help from anything but your own
mind?
Astral
projection is perhaps the most dynamic use of aether. Mentalists
can use astral projection to dive to the bottom of the ocean
or to fly to the next star. Practicing astral projection
takes much work, and involves complex visualization and
yogic study, but the freedom that comes with mastery of
this study is without equal.
Other
uses of astral projection combine with psychisms, enabling
clairvoyance, telekinesis, teleportation, and other stupendous
feats. The Camelopard will guide you through each of these
practices step by step, and the editor looks forward to
printing results of any remarkable experiences you may have
with them.
Spiritism
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to talk to
the spirits of those who have died? Perhaps you have attended
a séance or used a ouija board to attempt such a
communication. What happened when you did?
Did
you know that it is possible to contact the spirits of the
dead via the aetheric plane? Mentalists tap into the realm
of the dead during individual and group séances.
This study is called spiritism, and is a highly controversial
topic among mentalists and mundanes alike.
The
beings you contact in the spirit world are made of the same
material that moves the planchette across your ouija board
or that settles your tea leaves at the bottom of your cup.
That material is aether. The belief held by many mentalists
— that as our souls, when disembodied, subsequently
inhabit the spirit world (and as these spirits may be contacted
by means of mentalism), so then our souls themselves are
constructed of aether — has caused no end of debate.
But
the disembodied spirits of the dead are not the only aetheric
beings available for conversation by means of spiritism.
Other aetherics dwell or travel on the aetheric plane as
well, be they the aetheric aspects of mentalists practicing
astral projection, or manifestations of powerful thought
and emotion that have taken on an independent, rudimentary
existence (poltergeists), or even the secret, invisible
masters that have dwelt exclusively on the aetheric plane
for all eternity, guiding and mentoring aspirants and accomplished
mentalists alike. You will learn to talk to them all.
Each
of these disciplines has a distinct set of regimens to be
followed for best results. In the future, The Camelopard
will devote individual pamphlets to psychisms, astral projection,
and spiritism.
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The Camelopard Series
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