"Fictional" simply means "Not of This Particular Universe."

"Actors playing parts are obviously ALIVE, as actors, but in a fictional play, for example, the characters portrayed by the actors are not alive, in your terms, in the same fashion that the actors are. In the psyche, however, and in its greater reality, the characters have their own lives – quite as real as those of the actors."

-- Seth, via Jane Roberts, 1974


"If you will practice being fictional for a while, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats."

-- Illusions, by Richard Bach, 1977

Names you'll recognize

"Sit back and listen to your characters, and they will talk to you. At some point they'll speak up and start telling you their story and where they came from. Londo, for example, never shuts up, even now." -- J. Michael Straczynski.

"The first few episodes of Heroes were channeled." -- Tim Kring

"All this time, Bella and Edward were, quite literally, voices in my head. They simply wouldn't shut up." -- Stephanie Meyer

"Asuka wasn't the most open-hearted character I've ever met...every time I tried to draw myself in closer synchronization, Asuka would never allow herself to sync with 'me'... One day, I figured out that there was a wall in Asuka's heart". -- Yuko Miyamura

Where do they come from?

More and more, quantum theory describes a state where parallel existences are not only possible, but likely. Add to that the idea that every decision by every sentient organism creates a split, a new reality, and we quickly realize that there are infinite planes of existence and infinite timelines. You exist in all of them in different forms.

Like the comic book page in a previous entry, sometimes these different planes touch, intersect and overlap. If someone with a creative mind senses one of these other planes, and taps into the "ideas" there, they can bring them over into this one. This is where "muses" come from. These people exist in other forms on other planes, just as you exist here.

Sometimes the whispers into the ears of creative people are from spirits who straddle these worlds actively and who are looking for a way to be heard. Writers and artists sometimes admit to their work being directly channeled. They admit to hearing voices, whether from a spirit who seeks representation, or from a glimpse into one of the planes touching ours.

At Comic-Con San Diego 2011, a panel with Deepak Chopra discussed "being the superhero." He meant it more as embracing your "higher self," but he did invite people to open up to their favorite ideal superhero and facing life with that spirit up front. Walk as he or she walks, talk to people as that hero would, and be the superhero.

If that hero is currently already speaking to you, or even sharing space within you, that would be an easier task than even Deepak Chopra realizes.

What's happening to me? Advice for the first time horse

If you are new to the experience of taking a spirit into yourself, to sharing your life and your body with an ethereal being, a number of unexpected or unfamiliar sensations can occur. These can be physical or mental, and are perhaps best summed up on this page discussing "Kundalini syndrome."

The first time you attempt hosting/aspecting/channeling your guide inside your physical body, the most common occurrance is probably increased breathing and heart rate. The primary reason is likely fear or apprehension on your part. It is no easy thing to allow a spirit to come into yourself, especially if you're trying to do it alone, and don't know what to expect. Movies, television and the bad experiences of uncautious mediums have told society at large that allowing this to happen is always bad. That "possession" is something to always be avoided as harmful.

But this is not so. Some world religions, such as Vodou and traditional Kemetic (Egyptian) faiths, seek out possession as a powerful confirmation of their ability to work with the spirits, and they are the "horse" that the spirit "rides" in order to communicate with the physical human realm more clearly and easily.

I would advise finding someone to help you through this process if you have never attempted it before, especially if it will be a sudden calling of a spirit into your body, not a gradual awakening of another voice that can be heard. Some spirits can be very intense and cause symptoms such as described at the link above, including a racing heart, sudden sexual urges, cranial pressure or a "big head" feeling, tingling in the hands, hot or cold sensations, and so on.

The more you do it, however, the more these sensations will settle out. They will lessen over time as your physical body and the spirit in question become more aligned. The fear will dissipate, which is the cause of several of these symptoms, and a new cooperative arrangement will be found. Some fullness, heaviness, or perhaps tingling sensations will likely remain, however, and this is a good indicator that you are not alone. A time will come that you are unsure if your primary guide is indwelling, and if that happens, simply check for that feeling of heaviness or fullness. Ask him or her to leave for a time, and compare the difference. If he or she is with you frequently, you will feel a marked emptiness when they're gone.

Practice makes perfect, and the more familiar with the situation you become, the easier it will be for you both.

But is it safe?

Is it safe to have more than one person in your head? To hear the voice of another as you go about your daily business?

In a word: Probably.

If the voice is beneficial and enhances your life, then yes. If the voice is destructive and tells you hateful and harmful things, then no.

Any type of entity can find you, both good and bad, angels and demons, so it's wise to judge them by their affect on you and your life. Don't get emotionally attached unless and until you can safely determine that they are there for your benefit.

Evil often wears a pleasing face, so don't be swayed or tempted just because your favorite television character showed up one day knocking on the door in your head. Keep your distance and determine why they are there, why they want in, and if they are there to help or to harm.

Evil will also use deceit and, once you're hooked, the tide will turn. The whisperings could start to suggest self-harm or immoral acts. If this ever happens, get rid of them at once. Seek help if you must. Your safety is paramount. Do not feel sorry for a homeless entity who seeks to harm you or others.

If you're still in doubt, examine if the voice is disrupting your day-to-day life. Does it get in the way of your normal work, school or family situation, or does it help and enhance these? Is this other spirit helping and guarding you, or demanding more and more of your energy, to the point that you are unable to function normally?

Ultimately, the choice is up to you. Choose wisely.

Where Are Your Voices From?

Why Beyond Totality?

It’s time to understand what this experience is. This blog was named “Beyond Totality” for a reason. Several, actually.

One reason is that it’s the other side of an eclipse. Or, more accurately, coming out the other side of it. The sun coming out from behind the moon. No more darkness, no more hiding. Let it shine out.

“Totality” means not just the most complete point of an eclipse, but the sum total of something. Or someone. So if a person is a single totality, then moving beyond that means... more. It’s thinking beyond just one person in one body, alone. It’s what comes next.

In order to understand what’s happening, or what’s already happened, it’s time to get beyond your own totality and work with the other life that’s traveling with you.

It’s a partnership, after all.