Dead Carl Wickland - 30 Years Among the Dead

The spiritual world and the physical world are constantly intermingling; the spiritual plane is not a vague intangibility but is real and natural, a vast zone of refined substance, of activity and progress, and life there is a continuation of life in the physical world. On the physical plane of expression the soul obtains knowledge through experience and contact with objective things, and intelligence finds itself by manifesting through physical organs; in the spiritual plane progression of the individual continues, the mind unfolding along lines of reason, through spontaneity of service, the attainment and appreciation of high ideals and an ever broadening conception of life's purpose.

The change called “death,” - the word is a misnomer - universally regarded with gloomy fear, occurs so naturally and simply that the greater number, after passing out of the physical are not aware that the transition has been made, and having no knowledge of a spiritual life they are totally unconscious of having passed into another state of being. Deprived of their physical sense organs, they are shut out from the physical light, and lacking, a mental perception of the high purpose of existence, these individuals are spiritually blind and find themselves in a twilight condition - the “outer darkness” mentioned in the Bible - and linger in the realm known as the Earth Sphere.

Death does not make a saint of a sinner, nor a sage of a fool. The mentality is the same as before and individuals carry with them their old desires, habits, dogmas, faulty teachings, indifference or disbelief in a future life. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Prov. 23:7.

Assuming spirit forms which are the result of their thought life on earth, millions remain for a time in the earth sphere, and often in the environment of their earth lives, still held by their habits or interests. “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” Matt. 6:21.

Those who have progressed to the higher spirit world ever endeavor to enlighten these earthbound spirits, but the latter, due to preconceptions concerning the hereafter, labor under the delusion that the departed are “dead,” or are “ghosts,” and often refuse to recognize their friends or to realize their own condition.

Many are in a state of heavy sleep, others are lost or confused; troubled minds may be haunted by fear of the strange darkness, those conscience stricken suffer in anguish or remorse for their, earth conduct; some, impelled by selfish or evil inclinations, seek an outlet for their tendencies, remaining in this condition until these destructive desires are outgrown, when the soul cries out for understanding and light, and progressed spirits are able to reach them and aid them.

Lacking physical bodies through which to carry out earthly propensities many discarnate intelligences are attracted to the magnetic light which emanates from mortals, and, consciously or unconsciously, attach themselves to these magnetic auras, finding an avenue of expression through influencing, obsessing or possessing human beings. Such obtruding spirits influence susceptible sensitives with their thoughts, impart their own emotions to them, weaken their will power and often control their actions, producing great distress, mental confusion and suffering.

These earthbound spirits are the supposed “devils” of all ages; “devils” of human origin, by-products of human selfishness, false teachings and ignorance, thrust blindly into a spirit existence and held there in a bondage of ignorance.

The influence of these discarnate entities is the cause of many of the inexplicable and obscure events of earth life and of a large part of the world's misery. Purity of life and motive, or high intellectuality, do not necessarily offer protection from obsession; recognition and knowledge of these problems are the only safeguards.

The physical conditions permitting this impingement are varied; such encroachment is often due to a natural and predisposed susceptibility, a depleted nervous system, or sudden shock. Physical derangements are conducive to obsession, for when the vital forces are lowered less resistance is offered and intruding spirits are allowed easy access, although often neither mortal nor spirit is conscious of the presence of the other.

This encroachment alters the characteristics of the sensitive, resulting in a seemingly changed personality, sometimes simulating multiple or dissociated personalities, and frequently causes apparent insanity, varying in degree from a simple mental aberration to, and including, all types of dementia, hysteria, epilepsy, melancholia, shell shock, kleptomania, idiocy, religious and suicidal mania, as well as amnesia, psychic invalidism, dipsomania, immorality, functional bestiality, atrocities, and other forms of criminality.

Humanity is surrounded by the thought influence of millions of discarnate beings, who have not yet arrived at a full realization of life's higher purposes. A recognition of this fact accounts for a great portion of unbidden thoughts, emotions, strange forebodings, gloomy moods, irritabilities, unreasonable impulses, irrational outbursts of temper, uncontrollable infatuations and countless other mental vagaries.

The records of spirit obsession and possession extend from remotest antiquity to modern times. Dr. Tyler, the noted English Anthropologist, in his “Primitive Culture,” says: “It is not too much to assert that the doctrine of demoniacal possession is kept up, substantially the same theory to account for substantially the same facts, by half the human race, who thus stand as consistent representatives of their forefathers back in the primitive antiquity.”

In Muller's “Urreligionen” we find: “The general belief of the barbaric world today is that such attacks as epilepsy, hysteria, delirium, idiocy and madness are caused by some demon gaining control of the body.”

Homer referred repeatedly to demons and said: “A sick man pining away is one upon whom an evil spirit has gazed.” Plato held that demons obsessed mortals. Socrates speaks directly of demons influencing the possessed (insane). Plutarch wrote: “Certain tyrannical demons require for their enjoyment some soul still incarnate; being unable to satisfy their passions in any other way, incite to sedition, lust, wars of conquest, and thus get what they lust for.” Josephus says: “Demons are the spirits of wicked men.” Obsessing or possessing spirits are frequently mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments. In I Samuel 16:23, we read: “David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”

So common was the belief in spirits and spirit obsession in the time of the apostles that the ability to cast out evil spirits was considered one of the most important signs of genuine discipleship, and it must be admitted that a considerable portion of the work accredited to Jesus was the casting out of demons.

A few quotations from the New Testament will suffice. “Jesus gave his twelve disciples power against unclean spirits, to cast them out.” Matt. 10:1. “'Jesus preached . . . and cast out devils.” Mark 1:39. “A certain mad which had devils long time . . . Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man . . . He that was possessed of the devils was healed.” Luke 8:27, 29, 36. “Vexed with unclean spirits.” Luke 6:18.

“The evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:12.

“Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit ... And he asked his father: How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child ... Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou deaf and dumb spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.” Mark 9:17, 21, 25-27. (Similar occurrences are not at all uncommon in psycho-pathological research.)