Essays

The Principle of Agreement
as it Applies to Spirit Communications
By Tom Butler

Thank you for allowing me this time to discuss some of the concepts I have been working with in my studies. I need to remind you that what I will present is very much a part of main-stream metaphysics, but that it includes a few specific interpretations that are a part of reality according to Butler. For the scientifically minded amongst you, this is part of a larger hypothesis: a model, if you will. Please feel free to disagree with me. It is for me to bring these concepts to you and it is for you to test them before allowing them into your worldview.

The reason I have chosen this particular set of concepts is that they lead to an understanding of how we can improve our communication with spirit. It concerns how we receive information from beyond the veil. You see, there appears to be an inviolate requirement for a physical counterpart for any higher plane capability before that capability may be expressed on the Physical Plane. I can put this in more direct terms by saying that there must be something here that can represent whatever it is that you want to bring across from the other side. That is the theory. I believe the more you understand how this requirement applies to your life, the better you will be able to communicate across the veil.

First a few fundamental concepts. I will begin by pointing out that all the theories in metaphysics are based on the assumption that Infinite Intelligence, which we personify as God, exists; that God emanates energy into reality; that this energy behaves according to God's Divine Intention, which is expressed in the principles of Natural Law; and, that all components of reality have been formed through the operation of Natural Law on this energy. Everything is energy which emanates from Divine Creation.

Every single component of reality is this energy, which through differentiation, has been given specific characteristics and then has been organized into coherent systems of energy. These components of reality include ideas, attitudes, feelings, even our Soul. One of the most important things for you to remember about this energy is that there is little difference between what we call a solid object such as a chair, and an attitude such as optimism. Both are energy which we, as Self, have organized into coherent systems as objects of reality.

I refer to this energy as etheric energy, however, you may be more familiar with it as spiritual energy. One of the important characteristics of spiritual energy is that it has vibration. When it is emanated by Infinite Intelligence, it is believed to have a very high rate of vibration. As it is differentiated by intelligence, such as ourselves, it is lowered in vibration. The planes of existence are imagined by intelligence not unlike ourselves. Thus our Physical Plane exists at a much lower rate of vibration than what is often referred to as the God Plane. Again, we do not know the details, but it is believed that there are many planes of existence, each with a unique characteristic vibration.

The Principles of Natural Law governs the operation of this energy, and therefore, all of reality. This includes you, Soul, Spirit and spiritual energy. The Principle that most directly applies to communications across the veil is the Principle of Agreement. This states that components of reality are limited in their association with other components by their vibration. In other words, components of reality on one plane or rate of vibration cannot exist in another plane without assuming the characteristic vibration of the other plane. If moving to a coarser vibration, the component need not give up its initial vibration, but must cloak itself in the new vibration. If moving to a finer vibration, the component must discard the courser vibration. You may recognize this as a part of the explanation for birth and death of our physical bodies as we come and go from this plane.

Perhaps I should stop for a moment so that you can catch your breath. These concepts are not as hard to understand as they are for me to explain. However, they are important enough for us to struggle through, for without the foundation they provide, you are left with little information for understanding what you can do to improve your spirit communications. For instance, how many times have you been told to "Relax and listen to Spirit" by those to whom spirit communications seems to come naturally. As if that is really all they do! In truth, there are some very specific things you can do to open communications, most important of which, is to provide the physical vehicle for the spiritual energy of the message to exist on this side.

The Principle of Agreement offers a few hints that may help you learn how to provide such a vehicle. For instance, we know from metaphysic that each of us receive spiritual energy, differentiate that energy according to our intentions and pass it into our environment. This movement of energy across the threshold between levels is possible because we exist on many levels of vibration. The specifics of this will distract me from my subject, so I will summarize the concept by saying that many metaphysicians believe your Soul, which resides at a higher vibration, has projected you as an aspect of itself, into the Physical Plane. Obeying the Principle of Agreement, you have assumed a number of bodies along the way. For instance, you may be familiar with the idea that you have an astral and a causal body. These bodies are connected by what we call spiritual centers or chakras, which permit the flow of spiritual energy amongst your bodies. Thus you have a vehicle with which you may channel energy into this plane that complies with the Principle of Agreement.

You are always emanating energy, however, you can increase the flow of energy and give it specific purpose by strengthening the links between these chakras. You can do this in a number of ways. First and foremost, by gaining understanding about the world around you. A measure of how well you do this is what I refer to as spiritual maturity. In practical terms, gains in spiritual maturity are accomplished by understanding and learning to operate Natural Law. Remember I said that everything is energy? Well, learning to understand and operate Natural Law is like body building, but instead of building physical muscle, you can build spiritual muscle by expanding that sphere of energy that is your Self.

Meditation helps, but it is your intention to understand that will prove to be most important for you. What you are really doing is creating a stronger physical vehicle for energy to come into this world. This energy cannot enter into the Physical Plane unless it is differentiated into an appropriate vibration. You accomplish this through your understanding of Natural Law and your focused intention: also, by drawing Spirit to you so that it may operate the energy in the formation of whatever you intend. Remember though, you are the source of energy that Spirit must use.

Practical applications of this concept are everywhere you look. For instance, spiritual energy is required for the creation of the life circumstances you desire. The image you hold of what you desire exists at a much higher vibration than the Physical Plane, so before it can enter into this lower vibration, you must provide a physical vehicle. If your vision is a new house, you must build the house or find some other way to bring the image down, perhaps by working for money and trading that money for the house. You can see from this that your image is more apt to be translated into physical reality if it conforms to Natural Law in such areas as the Principles of Cause and Effect, and the Principles of Attraction.

During an energy circle, it is very import that there is an abundance of spiritual energy for our non physical friends to use to manifest phenomena in this world. And that is the key to successful spirit communications. Most participants of an energy circle operate as batteries to provide this energy. The same goes for healing. All of you who remain at your seats to meditate during the healing portion of the church service, are providing energy that is essential for Spirit to facilitate healing of those on whom the healers have focused their intention. Yes, you may feel energy flow from the healer's hands, but the healer is simply the focus for the energy which fills the room. Spirit operates the energy and the healer's intention to heal has attracted Spirit, but it is the energy brought into the physical vibration by all of you that must be present for Spirit to use.

The Principle of Agreement also influences who you are able to communicate with on the other side. While you may have a presence in each of the higher levels, the link between your aware Self and these higher levels may be tenuous. If the entity you wish to communicate with has moved on to a level in which you are not strongly linked, you may not be able to establish contact.

I like the analogy of the ham radio operator. It is not uncommon for a radio signal to bounce off of the various levels of atmosphere, making it possible for a receiver to pick up a station thousands of miles away while it is unable to pick up one that is just across the state. Similarly, if the radio receiver is not tuned to the right frequency, then communications cannot occur. It is the radio receiver that enables the signal to come to the operator. If the operator does not have a radio, if it is not properly tuned or if it is not able to establish a link to the intended transmitter, there can be no communication.

In the same way, you must develop your physical body as a spirit communications device. You as Self, naturally have this capability, what I am talking about now is that physical vehicle you use to extend your Self's capabilities into the Physical Plane. Your physical body must be tuned to the right frequency range to allow communicate with entities beyond the veil. However, even when you are capable and properly tuned, sometimes you need to be in the right time and place to communicate with a specific entity.

Okay, so how can you learn to apply these concepts? From my experience, I would say that you are all here today because you have already come to understand much of what I have told you. What I hope to contribute to your clear understanding is that nothing can enter into this plane without physical help. Knowledge of this can be a powerful tool in your spiritual growth. I realize that how I am telling you this all works must seem quite different from what we can see from physical world perspective, however, if you get into the habit of looking at your world from the perspective of a higher plane, I believe you will begin to see what I mean.

Everything is first an idea, and then it becomes physical reality. The idea is of a higher plane. By itself, it has no physical reality. Before it can become physical, in effect, before it can enter into the Physical Plane, physical effort must be exerted to wrap the idea in a physical body. When it comes to physical objects, such as a table, the idea of a specific table resides in the mind of the carpenter until he has formed the wood into the embodiment of his idea. The carpenter manages this transformation through a long process of design, planning and actual work, all of which combine to differentiate spiritual energy into the stuff that Spirit needs to form the table.

The truth of my words is in the perspective. Remember, everything is spiritual energy.

Similar to the table, before spirit impressions can be manifest in the physical as a discernible message, they must be embodied by the medium. Instead of building an object, the medium must build a system of information. Perhaps this is better compared to vision. Your Self could not see into the Physical Plane if your body were blind. Now I understand that your Self may be able to sense the physical world, but it would not be able to bring information about what it has sensed to your physical awareness without a body with healthy eyes. That is the point. A blind person's Self is not blind, but the impressions that Self collects cannot be brought into the physical because the vehicle--Self's physical body--will not support vision. Similarly, Self requires the ability to sense and translate spiritual messages into physical terms. Like eyes, we all appear to have physical faculties to support this located somewhere in our brain. The capability is generally dormant, though. Perhaps because we do not as a culture, teach our children how to develop such capabilities.

Your body was born with eyes, but it took time for you, as an infant, to learn to understand what your eyes were showing you: in effect, it took time to develop the link between your physical eyes and your awareness. In the same way, you may begin today to develop your mediumship, but it will take time to develop. You can build these capabilities by first learning where that quiet place is in your awareness: that place you find for meditation. Develop the path between your alert, active Self and that quiet place so that you may go there in an instant. Then learn to sense the presence of spiritual energy. Practice healing, both as a sender and as a receiver. Recognize the subtleties of this energy and know that it is real.

Remember to listen. If you believe that you sense something near you, perhaps a change in the atmosphere or the movement of energy, then assume that an entity has come close. Stop whatever you are doing for a moment and greet the entity as you would greet an old friend. Behave as if the entity was near and you are able to sense its presence.

Behaving "As If" is your most powerful tool. Behave as if you are a medium and you will be a medium. In effect, you are looking to flex a muscle that you have never used before. It will take practice before the link between your mind and that new muscle can be established. But once it has, you will be well on your way toward developing a physical vehicle of yourself to allow information to enter into this world. Above all, do not be afraid to voice what you sense. Be patient. The veil is there to help you gain spiritual maturity. Pulling it aside is no trivial matter because doing so shows that you have reached the level of maturity at which you are ready to look beyond the Physical Plane.

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