Spiritual Alchemy: Scrying, Spirit Communication, and Alchemical Wisdom - Jenny Tyson 2016
Opening the Heart and Prayer
Practical Applications
My heart—
pure eternal love.
Though layered deep
in mire, resides inner fire,
waiting to be free once more.
JENNY TYSON
Edward’s treatment of the spiritual or energy body was, to my knowledge, unique. While the seven energy centers, or chakras, described in Kundalini yoga may exist in accordance with Eastern belief, they were not used for the work I did with Edward. Instead, the body was divided by Edward into three main centers, and until the initiation ritual, these were all that were used. The only time seven centers were acknowledged in the course of my training was during the initiation ascensions.
There are no breaks between the three centers per se, but when we worked with the head center toward the end of the training, I noticed a fair bit of resistance at the base of the skull. The head seems to be the most difficult area to work with, and the lower regions do not appear to be particularly useful in the initial stages of work.
The first and main center of working is called the heart. It extends roughly from the throat to about three inches below the navel.
OPENING THE HEART
The initial exercises involved learning to open the heart. The exercise took me several months to master. It required a moderately deep trance with no distraction. The opening appeared to have relative size—by that I mean that it could be large or small, and at times I was asked to open different areas of the center more than others. The sensation of opening may be likened to parting a curtain.
It requires attention to maintain the opening. Often I would (and still do) feel a pleasant sensation of warmth when it was done properly. Initially, however, the sensation was of burning, intense heat, which was noticeable at times but not actually painful. The sensation of the heart opening felt like a physical sensation. I even had to look at my chest occasionally to see if anything was happening, it felt so visceral.
After I learned to open my heart and maintain the opening for a few minutes, then the homunculus was placed inside to help me go further within. Eventually, as I gained skill, I was able to open up enough for Edward to also go inside. Unlike most mediums, I did not lose consciousness during this state. Sharing the space in my heart center with Edward was a comforting and natural experience.
Once you are in a moderately relaxed state, focus your attention on the interior of your chest behind the sternum on the level of your nipples. As you exhale, picture and feel at the point between your nipples as if the sternum is opening in a vertical slot, like a curtain parting in the middle. If you need to use your hands to help you visualize this opening, then do so.
The motion of your hands is just like when Superman strips open his outer clothes to reveal the S beneath on his superhero suit, but the motion of opening your chest is done very slowly. Bring your hands together at the level of your nipples so that the backs of your fingers touch, and imagine digging your fingertips into your body, all the way to your spine. Then slowly draw your hands apart and visualize your chest opening. After sufficient practice, the hand movements will become unnecessary and the opening of your heart may be accomplished using only your imagination.
Inhale again, and as you slowly exhale, allow the opening to grow a little bit deeper into your spiritual body. Inhale again and go a little bit deeper. Think of nothing else but that the opening in your chest is growing larger and deeper. As you progress and are able to maintain an unwavering focus and attention, you will begin to actually feel on the physical level the sensation of opening, which is accompanied by a sense of warmth.
As you open your heart, go deeper into the trance and focus your mind below the opening. Open deeper and longer as you go down. If the focus of your mind wavers even for a second, the opening will close up and you will have to start over again. Once you feel your heart opening and can hold it open for an extended period of time, you can begin to practice scrying.
As I became more skilled at opening my heart, I gradually went deeper. The heart actually deepens past one’s body. If I felt resistance, I moved my focus up or down slightly along my sternum, and this usually overcame it. Once I was proficient at this initial stage, Edward would put in the homunculus to help me deepen the trance and open further until I learned to do this for myself.
When my heart had been opened adequately to allow another human spirit to gain access, we started working on the lower region. The direction of the opening and deepening of this area, starting in the heart, is downward toward the tailbone at about a 45-degree angle as you lie in a reclining position. You must open through and past your body below your tailbone.
I would inhale gently and slowly, and with each exhalation attempt to go further in that direction, opening and going deeper. As this progressed I noticed some unusual sensations. My legs would start to feel numb and heavy. I noticed a vibration as well soon after the numbness set in on the legs.
I would work with the lower region for a period, and when the vibration started I returned to the heart to deepen more there. I always deepened on the exhale, but I later learned to work without using breathing as a crutch. One of the goals of this technique was to learn to use my mental focus alone, without involving muscle tension or breathing in the process of opening and deepening.
The result of involving the body in the process was always tension. I’m just now mastering that part of it. It’s very natural to use breathing as a tool to help the deepening of the meditative state, yet in the long run the focus must be totally off the body. Controlled breathing is a good learning tool, but it is one that has to be discarded eventually.
The initial meditation and trance sessions involved my learning to relax. I found during this process that the muscles of my head, neck, and shoulders tended to be tense. To counter this, instead of starting the relaxation exercise at the feet, I started at the worst point of tension, which was usually my shoulders, relaxing that area and working up the neck. I then would work with the jaw and face and go over my upper body a couple of times to make it relaxed. After that, I would check to make sure my lower body was still relaxed.
Sharing Space and Spiritual Unity
After I had learned to open adequately, I learned to share space with another spirit, starting with the homunculus. This was a necessary skill to learn for initiation, when I had to allow the Cosmic Father and Universe to enter my personal space. The intensity of the heart opening exercise was gradually increased as the year progressed. I learned to relax and allow the intrusion of a spirit without fear, and eventually I came to enjoy the closeness of another being. For the most part it was David Blackburne who worked with me on these exercises.
The opening had to be maintained for the entire time the spirit was present, which initially I found nearly impossible. The homunculus was unable to stand the heat of my soul with the heart closed and would burn up. This happened a number of times. I was very worried at first that this would also happen to one of my teachers, but then I found out that I cannot fry another human spirit. Even so, the loss of focus could have caused conflict and created issues that might have interfered with my progress at that time.
The entire purpose of initiation is to be one with the Cosmic Father and Universe. Sharing your spiritual space is a skill that is also required for more advanced work after awakening. If you are working with the Cosmic Father and Universe, they will at some point teach this to you.
Unity of the Spirit vs. Astral Sex
Unity of spirit is different from astral sex. Divine unity has a role in initiation. Intimacy with the Cosmic Father and Universe play an important part in spiritual development. It is a skill that can be a little intimidating at first. It is also something that is very pleasurable. The subjective sensation is one of merging into the Cosmic Father and Universe. The immersion has a predominate feeling of love. It feels warm and safe, and as you yield to the union more completely, the sense of their love and presence grows stronger. This is the true goal of accepting initiation.
By contrast, astral sex is an attempt to replicate the human sexual act in an astral environment. This can be done with varying degrees of success by merging with another spirit and focusing on the physical sensations of the body during sex. The focus creates a simulation of the sexual experience in the astral.
Sometimes physical sexual arousal occurs while you are opening to the Cosmic Father or Universe. If this sensation happens, it should be calmly accepted and the focus gently redirected to your heart. This is a little difficult at first, but understand that the fullness of unity cannot occur when your focus is between your legs.
There are two tendencies when an arousal sensation is felt. The first is to emotionally withdraw and break the contact. The second is to focus on the physical sensation and not on the heart. If you are focused on the arousal sensation, your progress will stall, and you will also lose contact as your focus reverts back to your physical body. The focus needs to be held on the heart. It is a little difficult when you feel arousal to redirect that focus to the heart, but it is essential that you work with your focus until you are able to do so.
The Cosmic Father and Universe both are completely understanding about this and will work patiently with you until you are able to relax, open, and focus properly. I was very uncomfortable with the sensations at first. Give it some time and practice, and you will learn to feel comfortable with this experience. As you do, the arousal will become less noticeable and intrusive. The true pleasure of the experience is the feeling of love, peace, and unity that is centered in the heart.
PRAYER
Prayer is often ritualized and formula-based in groups with belief systems large enough to have an organized and structured ceremony; we call them religions. I would like to introduce what I call the heart-to-heart prayer, which I find to be very effective and meaningful.
Prayer is traditionally one of the most important tools in spirit communication, regardless of the belief system being employed. Instruction books on spirit communication almost always include ritualized or spontaneous prayer as part of the invocation or evocation. In spiritual development it is the cornerstone of all the techniques used.
Grimoires are books that give instruction about communicating with certain groups of spirits. They were written centuries ago when religion dominated daily life. Most are based on Roman Catholic liturgy and ritual. The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage is a grimoire that instructs the aspirant in how to contact their holy guardian angel. Most of the ritual involves prayer. The Key of Solomon contains good examples of ritualized prayers used in magic.
Folk magic, including Celtic, Scandinavian, and American, is full of ritualized prayers to create specific effects in the lives of those who use them. Church liturgy is a good example of ritualized group prayer. Group prayer has to be coordinated. Rituals, liturgy, and litanies are good ways of doing this. The popularity of prayer worldwide is a testimony to its effectiveness in connecting with the Divine in a unique way.
For the purpose of spiritual development, I use prayer as a foundation to all my spiritual work. I pray several times over the day. The clairaudient ability makes this interaction totally different than it used to be. Before I developed clairaudience, I would use both spontaneous verbal prayer and litanies. This changed after the clairaudience developed. The ability to hear the Cosmic Father’s response to my prayer now makes it more like a conversation. It is more of a heart-to-heart communication. I do occasionally talk about needs and ask for advice and wisdom concerning personal situations, but mostly it is a heartfelt communion. It’s this latter type of prayer that I want to write about here, since it is the most effective and meaningful method I have ever learned.
Heart-to-Heart Prayer
The object of heart-to-heart prayer is to make as close a connection with the Cosmic Father and Universe as possible. It’s a type of meditation, but it is a focused meditation. It is a two-way interaction. Openness to the Cosmic Father and Universe is important. They open their hearts to you, and you to them. Your ability to perceive them depends on your openness to receiving what they have to give.
When I pray, I sit in a quiet place. Often I go right to trance afterwards. I usually am in the recliner that I use for trance work. I also practice heart-to-heart prayer when I’m praying with a group of people and cannot go into trance.
The Cosmic Father and Universe have distinct roles when I do the heart-to-heart prayer. Universe guides me through opening and revealing anything that is in the way. I quiet my mind and merge with Universe in spirit. If there is any obstacle, I can feel it and prevent it from being a distraction. Identifying the obstacle is called “illuminating” by Universe. After the obstacle has been dissolved, I open to communion with the Cosmic Father.
I clear my mind and focus on the Cosmic Father. I take a deep breath and open both my heart and my mind to him and draw close to him through this opening. It is natural to mentally reach out to find him. However, the ideal state is not one of active searching but one of passive reception, quietness, and openness.
What is really happening here is that the Cosmic Father is not changing anything; instead, it is my perception that is changing. I change my perceptive focus from the physical to spirit and to him. As I do that and open to his presence, I perceive us being drawn closer together. When I feel him close to me, then I open deeper. This is always guided by Universe and the Cosmic Father. If I try to do this on my own, it is not effective. The interaction is dependent on letting go of control and opening the heart.
Sometimes I have trouble connecting and need to repeat the procedure. Usually if there is a problem, it means my mind is distracted with something that is causing an emotion that interferes with my connection. I have to deliberately turn away from awareness of the physical and from the problem that is distracting me and turn toward the Cosmic Father. My attitude during prayer is one of listening rather than rattling off a list of requests or reciting a formula. If something has me worried, I will share this with the Cosmic Father. He helps me with the emotion and reassures me of his love and concern.
A NEVER-ENDING JOURNEY
This process of inner exploration will take many lifetimes to complete. Contact with the cosmic parents and personal initiation, although they are important spiritual achievements and carry with them great benefits, are only milestones on this endless road of discovery. The cosmic parents are always there to help you with whatever you are interested in doing. All spiritual and psychic abilities can be attained through them. Working at going deeper within your heart will put you in tune with the cosmic parents and enable you to get specialized help for your particular needs and wants.