Is the metaphysical approach for you? Many people have complained that these essays are too complex and that they quickly become lost. I admit to being obsessive about making sure my reader understands what I am saying (in the event that they do understand the essays). With that in mind, please read my comments here before getting very far into this essay.
Etheric Studies is the study of mind-body duality, survival of personality (mind), trans-etheric communication mediumship, EVP, ITC), the nature of the greater reality (Source, purpose, cosmology) and the etheric-to-physical interface (the “trans-” being across this interface). It is felt that many of these concepts are empirically knowable. What may not be knowable in the short term is the nature of what the first cause or Source is that is responsible for the existence of reality. Most of what is referred to here as the greater reality must be a matter of speculation … for now. Even so, some speculation makes more sense in light of current understanding. This section will attempt to provide a metaphysical framework based on what is being learned, the “revealed knowledge” that seems to be supportable and the “therefore” implications.
It is important to note that, although virtually all of this section is concerned with what religions are generally concerned with, this is not about religion. You are not being asked to believe anything.
To understand Etheric Studies one must first understand the ideas presented by the Trans-survival Hypothesis. What is a personality and how does it compare to what a person is? If we survive physical death, where do we survive? What happens next? This section includes articles evolving out of the Trans-survival Hypothesis which are intended to address these questions.
Why articles about concepts are on two websites
The study of things paranormal has been an evolving experience for me. I came into the study of transcommunication with many years studying metaphysical concepts, but from a more traditional points of view. This section began from that perspective.
When Lisa and I assumed leadership of the ATransC, we avoided very much conceptualizing beyond what was necessary to discuss Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), and the more inclusive Instrumental TransCommunication (ITC). However, as we learned more, we saw the need to address all forms of these phenomena in order to address any one form. EVP makes more sense when it is considered with mediumship and how people experience EVP makes more sense when human psychology is considered. Transcommunication in general only makes sense when the cosmology of etheric personality is considered. Without a working theory, there can only be conceptual chaos.
We eventually began speculating about the “So what” of these phenomena. That is, what are the implications of survived personality to you? Should you change the way you think about your lifetime? Are you your body or is your body just a self-sufficient partner in this lifetime? If your awareness continues after physical death, what does that mean to you while in this lifetime?
Consolidation
The ATransC has always been a public outreach and research organization. At the same time, this website has always been focused on the theory and paranormalist culture. It also hosted a lot of my personal opinion, thus serving to partition my opinion from ATransC.
As the Theory section of the ATransC website grew and I began to develop the Implicit Cosmology, it became evident that too much of it could be seen as “The world according to Tom.” Having so much personal influence is likely to discourage participation from the public in the more important EVP and ITC work. For these reasons, the theory articles have been moved to this website and will be maintained here.
Please update your links as you use the pages. Meanwhile, a URL forwarder will be set up for each of the old pages.
