1. Psychic Experience or Revelation?

Although the languages of Man are highly evolved and complex, it is apparent that they are burdened with semantical digressions. How often have we heard, "The problem is lack of communication?" Regard­less of what the language is, or where on earth it is being used, the one common characteristic they all possess is that they often fail as means of communication.

One type of communication that merits investiga­tion is the psychic experience.  To do so, we must leave the semantical games of language and open our minds to new dimensions.  To do this is not easy.  Psychic experiences are suspect in most schools of thought and to the average person they are held in great suspicion, if not total disregard.  But, perhaps, these attitudes will change if we look at the psychic experience from a different perspective than that of the logic of language.

Throughout Western history partakers in the Judeo­-Christian tradition have found it within themselves to accept the biblical accounts of revelation.  Well up into the 18th century the idea of "words" and "messages" mysteriously "coming" to an individual from a source outside was accepted.  God was thought to work "in strange ways" and the idea of a man or a woman "hearing" a voice from beyond was certain­ly no harder to swallow than the whole Christian premise.  Surely, if a carpenter's son could rise from a horrible death, select individuals could be chosen to receive God‑given messages.

It appears that the nature of psychic experience and that of a revelation are one and the same.  The only difference in the two, being the subject matter.  Traditionally, "messages" from outside an indivi­dual with religious overtones have been called revel­ations and those without religious overtones have been called psychic.  This being the case, the book of REVELATIONS might be called the account of John's psychic experiences. With this in mind, I would like to pose the following questions to any­one calling himself a Christian.

Is it not time for us to open our minds to the realm of psychic experience?

2. What Happened?

I was meditating one day as has been my custom for some time. Suddenly, I realized I was entranced by an image within my mind.  It was as if I was watching a movie.  The voice on the "soundtrack" was familiar and yet it was not mine.  I was aware of my surroundings and so I knew I was not asleep.  I recognized my living room and was aware of the mem­bers of my family going about their business through­out the house.  Entranced as I was, I didn't realize at first that I had the sensation that time had stopped.  There was a sudden realization of this and then the movie again became dominant.

3. The Movie!

There was a room in which sat five blind men.  The room was either in a hospital or a home for the blind.  Along with the five men there was a man dressed in white who appeared to be a doctor.  The man in white had told the others about the beauty of the sun.  The blind men had no conception of what he meant as they had been blind from birth.  The man in white appeared to be in a very joyful mood.  He had a good reason.  As he explained it, there had been a medical break‑through and it was now possible to give the five men perfect sight for a 24 hour period.  He explained that after the 24 hours the men would again be blind.  He asked them to consider this while making their de­cisions as to whether or not they would like to see for 24 hours.  He reminded them again of the sun's beauty and told them how much he hoped they would all choose to see the sun.  I felt much of his joy and the sense of just how much he wanted the five men to see increased in me as the movie continued.  I sensed that he had lived his entire life for the sun and regarded it as the only thing really worthwhile.  He left the five men while they made their decisions.

4. Five Decisions!

The following morning four of the five men had de­cided to see.  The fifth man felt that if he saw for only 24 hours he would spend the rest of his life regretting his inability to see the beauty he had once seen.  The others chose to see and put themselves in the care of the man in white.  After the operation, each dressed eagerly, and though they could see now, they paid little attention to the things around them as they were so anxious to see the wondrous sun.  Once outside, they all sat on a wooden bench and began straining their necks upward to the overcast sky.

5. Vision?

As each looked upward I could sense what emotions they felt.  The first man looked up at the clouds and quickly looked down at the ground.  He never looked up again.  His disappointment was overwhelming as he saw the clouds and thought he was seeing the sun.  It was not beautiful nor was it warming.  The man in white had misled him!  What he saw did not meet his ex­pectations and so he sunk deep into his own self‑pity.

The second man looked up and saw the clouds.  He saw their shades of gray and white and saw how they tumbled over one another.  He wanted to see what the man in white had described.  So he thought to himself, "This is the sun," and proceeded to memorize all that he saw.  He became mesmerized by the clouds and re­mained so for the entire day.

When the third man saw the clouds he knew that they were not the sun. In no way did they measure up to the man in white's description.  He was dissatisfied and peered to the left and right in search of the sun.  Far to the right he saw rays of light spanning from the clouds to the earth.  His heart leaped for he felt he had seen the sun.  He watched these rays until darkness came.

The heart of the fourth man sank when he saw the clouds.  What a disappointment!  But he looked and saw the rays and was so moved by their beauty that he stood and began walking towards them.  "Where do they come from?" "How truly beautiful their source must be," he said to himself as he began his long journey.

6. Journey to the Rays!

As he moved off towards the rays, I decided to fol­low.  He was enthralled by the beauty he approached as the clouds drifted and changed the color and shape of the rays.  As he walked, the thought struck me that he had no idea what he was going to see.  He was so en­tranced by the rays that he did not seem to take no­tice of the long hill he had started to climb. Soon, the hill had become a mountain.  We both climbed.  He in the lead and I, unknown to him, following.  After climb­ing for a long while, clouds began to surround us.  First, thin mist and then a dense fog.  Then, quick ‑ all of a sudden ‑ the glorious beauty of the sun was before us.  He slowly sat and stared.  To my amazement, I was a­ble to look directly at the sun and not become blind­ed.  A perfect sphere that shimmered with the brilliance of the noon day's sun.  I knew that he and I were experiencing the same thing.  We both felt the sun's growing warmth.  The sun seemed to be there only to warm us, and we seemed to be there for no other reason than to feel its warmth.  I soon lost all awareness of him and was engulfed by the warmth and beauty of the sun.  It never changed its position in the sky; it never set.  After a long time, he arose and began to descend the hill as if he knew inwardly that before long he would lose his sight.  Reluctantly, I followed and watched him join the others on the bench.

7. The Loss of Sight!

As the day darkened, the sight of the four men dim­inished and was gone. All five sat around a table within the building.  The four spoke of what they had seen.  The man in white stood off from them and listened, as they tried to describe to each other and to the man who had refused to see.  There was quaint­ness to their description and yet it was sorrowful.  I felt a deep sense of compassion for them in their faltering efforts to tell and retell what they saw.  I felt at one with the fifth man.  We had shared the same vision; we understood!

As the conversation continued it became obvious that the first man was blinded by his own ego.  He refused to listen to the others.  Lost in his own vanity he could not conceive that what they said was real.  He was unable to even conceive that the man in white had told the truth.  The four men continued to describe while the first laughed at the contradictions in their observations.  He knew what he knew and nobody could ever convince him otherwise, certainly not four men who all claimed to have seen the same thing but described it differently.

The second man, however, is perhaps worse off than the first.  Though he saw the clouds, he is immensely saddened by the experience and is lost in his own self­-pity.  He is ridden by the wish that he had never seen.  He listens to the first man's laughter with envy.  In his despair he only knows that what he saw was not worth the memory: not worth the loss of original darkness.

In the heart of the third man there is doubt.  He knows that his memory of clouds and movement do not match the words of the man in white and yet how can he ad­mit that what he saw was not the sun.  Slowly he becomes despondent.

And the fourth man, whose mind worked quick and allowed him to see the rays, has become didactic.  Try as he will, he cannot convince the others or himself that what he saw was the sun.  He is discontented and yet continues to force his vision on the others.  He knows only unrest.

The fifth man closes his eyes.  He has listened to the others and knows that only he has seen what the man in white described.  Deep in his heart he has the sun's warmth and vision.  He knows that he will never be able to give to the others what he has seen and felt.

Off to the side the man in white looked on with a slight smile, Mona Lisa.  He looked intently at the fifth man and conveyed in his eyes deep compassion and love.  He seemed to say that he no longer need be concerned about him but only the other four.

8. What Did It Mean?

Slowly the living room came into focus.  I was in the house and the movie had faded.  I got up and walked a­round the house.  The story I had just "seen" stayed with me.  Was I sleeping?  No!  I knew I had not been dreaming.  For days I could not understand what the meaning of the story was or what I was supposed to get from it.  I prayed.  I meditated.  All the while aware that I had always wanted to improve my life and that sure­ly this "movie" had something to do with that desire.  I remembered that before one could improve one's life one's self must first be improved.  As the days went by, I was more and more troubled by the story.  It was a riddle which I couldn't come to understand.

9. A week later!

About a week later I was meditating as usual when another image began to form.  Visually it was the same "movie" as before but the voice was that of the man in white.  His voice was to give meaning to the parable.  It came as a gift to me.  If you have already received it, I feel glad.  If not, then here is what I have come to under­stand.

10. The Parable!

Everything was the same as before except there was no conversation and the action happened faster.  This was at the start.  But as the movie progressed I heard a voice speak directly to me.  "The blind men represent all men.  For all men are born into the world blind.  As the story has unraveled all types of men have been shown.  The man in white represents my Son.  He was sent by me in order to give all men a chance to see.  The sun He tried to describe is My Word.  Love of My Word keeps any man warm.  I have spoken to you in parable form so you would know that it was My Word you were hearing.  You have wondered about the meaning of the parable.  You have questioned.  You have asked because you have wanted to know what the Bible means.  You have wanted to know if it was My Word.  You have wondered when others have called the Bible 'The Word'. Most people do not understand the Bible.  Most do not really believe in it, even if they claim to.  You have questioned and sought the answers.  Now I will explain."

"The Bible is like the clouds that overcast the sky and vision of the five blind men.  The man in white is Jesus Christ.  He was sent to perform the greatest of all mira­cles.  That is, to give 'sight' to all men.  For all were blind to Me until He came.  He has offered sight to all men but some have simply refused it.  Thus was the case of the man who refused to even see for 24 hours.  He is the first man, one who never opened a Bible.  The other four represent the rest of mankind.  They are all different."

"The second man looked up to the clouds and was displeased.  He is like those who page through the Bible and find nothing and then dismiss it as worthless.  They depend on others for a definition.  It is these people that expect quick answers (a golden key) and become despondent in a hurry.  Of course, it wasn't the Bible that caused their unhappiness.  No, the source was in them.  They were impatient and lacked true desire. They need­ed quick answers and couldn't sustain themselves dur­ing any time of waiting."

"The third man, you will remember, stared at the clouds.  He represents those that memorize the Bible.  These people learn the verses of the Bible and hold up those words to others as a way of finding fault in them.  They use those words to make themselves look good.  They are insecure in themselves and use the Bible as a means to make themselves look better.  But they are weak and dependent.  They cannot take the speck out of another's eye because of the plank in their own.”

"The fourth man had a different experience.  His mind was a little more open than either of the first two.  Be­cause of this he saw more of My meaning.  The rays that he saw, meant this; There are many people in the world who had the experience of the fourth man.  They are some of the ministers, priests and other 'holy' men throughout the world.  They have seen and felt some of My Word and are inclined to tell others about it."

"The fifth man, like the fourth, saw the beauty of the rays.  His mind was open.  But unlike the fourth, he knew that the rays must come from somewhere and he had the courage to follow them.  He rose up and climbed the mountain.  He passed the clouds (which is the Bible to you) and came to feel the true joy of My Word.  Few people on earth have every really known the joy of My Word.  They like the fifth man, feel My joy for the rest of their lives.  It is deep within them forever.  Coming down from the mountain did not sadden the fifth man.  He had My joy within him and he knew he must return to those who have not opened their minds and hearts. But he will be of great value to them for he shall speak My Word.  And he will inspire others to know My Word.  And they in turn, will reach others. And so it will go, until all of mankind has heard My Word and lives with My peace and joy."

"The men around the table, and all of mankind, are free.  They have their freedom because I gave it to them.  They could not think and be as they are if they were not free.  They are also blind because of their freedom.  They misuse their freedom and cause themselves pain and de­pression.  They harm each other as well as themselves.  But how can it be otherwise?  They must be free for I created them free.  Their freedom is inherent in their very being.  I have never wanted it otherwise for I love My creation.”

"It is through mankind that I am constantly creating many new and wonderful things.  Many things change; some even vanish.  But man persists.  He is My most beautiful creation.  But I wonder, when will he ever learn of his own magnificence?  There is so much conflict and foolish pride.  There is the man who refuses to even see.  He is the atheist.  He is a fool in his own sense of self‑righteousness.  And the other three, they all think they know what is what..  They are all defensive and yet only the fifth man knows."

"He knows he is finite and that I am infinite.  Most men never come to know the real importance of that understanding.  They cannot conceive of the infinite.  Those that can understand get the import in bits and pieces.  It takes time."

"The fifth man and the man in white, My Son, have a bond of love that will abide forever.  The man in white need not concern Himself with those who love Him.  For it is true, 'He that accepts Me accepts Him who sent Me.'  That you will remember comes from the Bible.  And that is what the parable I gave you is all about.  He who loves My son and Me will abide in Love forever."

11. Retrospect

When I came out of this meditation I had a strong sense of gratification. It had not been a dream.  I had been conscious.  Yet I felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from me.  I now understood the parable!  I also understood my place among the five men.

I knew now what the Word of God was.  I was no longer bothered by any language or semantical confus­ion.  Through the parable God has answered my prayers.  Like never before.  How many prayers had I, and have others, made without ever really listening for the ans­wer.  Looking everywhere for it but where it is to be found.  Deep within ourselves.

God is not dead.  He is alive within every human being.  We need only to listen.  We need to be patient for we are all very poor listeners.  Christ said, 'The king­dom of God is within you.'  And 'Know ye not that you are the Temple of the living God!'  God lives with­in us, if we only still ourselves and listen.

12. Psychic Experience Or Revelation!

The ending is as the beginning.  What I had experi­enced was a revelation.  But I believe it was also a psy­chic experience.  They are one and the same.  The revel­ations of the Bible were the psychic experiences of its characters.  Doubt of this truth is the child of semantics; nothing more.   ESP and all other so‑called 'occult' traits are God‑given.  They should be regarded as such.  Those who have such traits should have our blessings.  For these traits can be used for the good of mankind.  We should not condemn them just because we don't understand them. The Word comes to us in many ways.  We must love and respect ourselves and others.  All else will follow when you have the love of God in your heart.