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Friday, June 9, 2017

The A**hole Who Saw Angels



"The world owes every individual only an opportunity to express itself and its idea, which will find expression in the manner we treat our fellow men." Edgar Cayce

I was taken powerfully aback recently when a spiritual “friend” on Facebook (I don’t actually know her) called me out for being the root of all evil.  Or something like that.

This is a woman who lives in or near the woods and daily shares the most stunning photos that not only capture the natural beauty of the area and the love of her dogs, but whose photos also capture orbs, light beings, and etheric light and color of seemingly otherworldly origins. 

Now, being a mystic, I believe wholeheartedly in such things.  Auras, astral energy, angels, orbs…oh, it’s a long list.

I also know that light refraction is one explanation for the “magic” in her photos, but that wasn’t relevant to me.  Other dimensions exist, and you can capture them on film, not just orbs (which are spirits), but also the auras of living beings. 

Russian Semyon Kirlian, accidentally developed a technique in 1939 called Kirlian photography that captures the electro-magnetic aura of human beings and other life forms (for example, the leaf above) 


It has vast implications pertaining to the existence of etheric, electro-magnetic, and energetic aspects of the human being.  If you talk to a quantum physicist, there’s little “matter” to us anyway.  We’re mostly space.

If you photograph a hand while its owner experiences various emotional states (or listens to different music, from loud rock to soothing classical), the electro magnetic energy (the aura) behaves in vastly different ways.  It expands harmoniously in relaxation.  It recoils from discord.  If you’re angry, the energy pattern becomes jagged.  If you’re happy, it expands.   Intoxication and drugs both make the auric field appear discordant.

If you use Kirlian technology to photograph a leaf with a piece cut off, you will still see the outline of the (former) full leaf energetically, as well as the physical demarcation where the section was cut.  It shows the “ghost” portion of the cut leaf. This explains why amputees still feel sensation in their missing limbs.  There is still something energetically there, you just can’t see it with your physical eyes.  As a young Theosophist, I was taught that everything exists in the etheric realm first, and that the body is just a reflection of the energetic blueprint.  This includes the five senses.  They exist primarily on the astral plane.  The physical is just a denser representation of the higher realms.


So, this FB lady, named Gretchen, shared photos that deeply moved me.  I even wrote under one, “Where the heck do you live, the Garden of Eden?”  She never responded to any of my comments.  Her friends regularly talked about angels, fairies, and other such metaphysical fare.  Whatever you may think about the topic, many great minds have done so as well.  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the ultimate logician, was a believer, and went to Theosophical meetings in London.  Rent the movie “Fairy Tale: A True Story” which recounts the story surrounding the Cottingly fairy photographs, a historical event. 

George Bernard Shaw was also interested in Theosophy, which goes into detail about the “elemental realms,” including what we call fairies, elves and gnomes. The great mystic Edgar Cayce referenced them as well, and acknowledged that one of his clients could see them,  “Be ye not disturbed that ye see fairies and elves”.

While the Cottingly photos are patently fake, the elemental realm is decidedly not.  Many visionaries can see and communicate with this dimension.  The Findhorn community in Scotland is an example of people working in concert with the elemental realm to create an extraordinary garden with miraculous roots (look up the 1962 story).

After perusing my page, FB Gretchen finally communicated. She made the oddest comments about a humorous, Photoshop-ed image of Trump, Melania, Ivanka and the Pope at the Vatican, which you’ve probably seen.  The Pope looks as grim as death.  Trump is grinning away.  Melania and Ivanka, both dressed in black, both with black things on their heads, look like they’re dressed for a funeral.  The artist superimposed a couple of ghostly characters from various horror films.  Even without the superimposed adds, the first family already looked like the Addams Family in this official shot.  Like me, many found it funny.  But lo, this Love and Light Lady not only took issue with the image, she accused me of being sick and twisted for posting it.


“This is rude and not nice.... people who create this trash are the culprits of all the darkness in the world. Adding your own twisted images is even worse.”

It’s never been my goal to be perpetually polite, but being slammed by her in this manner baffled me.  I progressed from confusion to hurt, especially when I saw that she had un-friended me.  Me?  I’m a fan of her work, shouldn’t that endear me to her? I post a mix of spiritual, philosophical, political, humorous, environmental, human rights and animal activist stuff.  I’m all about love and light, but I don't pull any punches where corruption in government, the abuse of life, or the ruination of the environment is involved.  I work for change through activism and my writing to create a more benevolent world for people, animals, and the environment.  I’m an Aquarian.  It’s my job.

I’d posted a second version of the infamous photo, also popular with people, a cropped image of Melania from the Addams Family Vatican Album, all in black, with the message:

“DRESS FOR THE JOB YOU WANT #WIDOW"



FB Gretchen commented to me and all those who found this funny.

“From your LIMITED perspective you all think you KNOW.  But you don’t!” 

Know what?  It was funny.  What is it that she thinks she knows, and thinks she knows better?  She didn’t say.

From the way she attacked, you’d think I’m worse than Trump.  But I’m quite sure that the culprits of all the darkness in the world are not the people who share memes on Facebook. 

I responded,  “With all due respect, Gretchen, neither creating this image (I did not) nor sharing it (I find it funny) is the cause of evil. It is mirroring a political situation many people find greatly disturbing. I am also disappointed you saw fit to un-friend me as a result of my posting this. As a spiritual person, I'm surprised you can't see past something you don't agree with.  I am political as well as spiritual, both human and divine.” 

In response to her reprimand, someone commented, “People identify strongly with their political affiliations.” 

Was it conceivable that Ms. Love and Light was a Trump supporter?  That possibility blew my mind. Her profile says she “Attended college at The Universe. I’m a Traveler of Space and Experience. My Imagination is my Vehicle, Love is my Fuel (heart emoji) Focus on only the moment.  All is well.”

“All is well” until someone posts an image of Trump at the Vatican.

How many unbalanced people hide behind church titles, hearts emojis, and angel photos?

It later occurred to me that I’d had bad experiences with every Gretchen I’d ever known. I have to remind myself that “retch” is right there in the middle of the word.

I said, “This was a funny post which found resonance with others. I was shocked that a "spiritual" person reacted so strongly to it, and was so judgmental of me, which 
frankly, is unspiritual. Freedom of speech is what this country is about. I can only account for my intentions in sharing, not for other's interpretations of what I think, or what I think is funny.”

I can’t share a joke about the president without being called “the culprit of all the darkness in the world?”  Not having a sense of humor is a sin right there.  A famous dead guy (I don’t recall who, but he was a spiritual leader while physically alive) communicating through a medium once remarked that people who are truly spiritual have a great sense of humor.  If you can’t laugh, it’s not going on for you.  

“The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco was about the threat of levity to the Church.  Happy people can’t be controlled, unlike fearful people cowering with shame and guilt who are easily swayed. Elvis, dancing, and rock and roll were all considered evil by some back in the 1950s. Joy is sacred and laughter is liberating.  Angels fly because they take themselves so lightly.

I started to feel like Salieri in Amadeus.   If Gretch is really just a judgmental (Trump supporter?!) how is she able to photographically capture such ethereal beauty?  This was a huge disconnect for me.  It wasn’t so much jealousy, as Salieri was of Mozart’s talent in the film, it was confusion that someone who seemed so “well connected” to the higher realms could be so unkind in the lower. In my book, the more spiritually mature you are the more kind, wise and understanding you are also.  If one is evolved, one has a broader, more compassionate view of those who are not as far along.

One of my FB friends (and someone I actually know in real life) is a professional photographer who also happens to have “out there” spiritual beliefs.  He’s a stickler about stuff.  He commented previously about one of her shots, “I’d like to see what this photo looks like without a flash.”  I thought he was being a stick in the mud.  Can’t you just enjoy a beautiful shot of orbs?  So what if the flash is the reason the orb was captured digitally?  Can’t it be both?  A photo of orbs captured via use of a flash?  How did Kirlian perfect his technique?

After her attack on me, he made a similar comment about another of her shots, allegedly of her dog’s “aura”.  Since I was now reassessing my opinion of her, I looked at her “magic” photos with new eyes.  The photo in question was of her white dog with a blurry white glow on top.  Not all around the dog.  Just on top.  Now mind you, her other, brown dog, was right there next to the white one.  No aura.  How come?  Was this just a blurry action shot captured with flash, where movement created a ghostly glow around the top of the white dog?  Did she use trick photography to make it look like she’s capturing spiritual magic, when, in fact, she was capturing natural magic through the manipulations produced by a camera?  

Since it was impossible for me to fathom that someone who was truly spiritual could attack me so vigorously, I had to consider whether she was, in fact, actually spiritual.  It’s like coming to terms with the fact that your pedophile priest is perhaps not truly a man of god.  For many, the betrayal is the bigger issue.  Claiming to be one thing and being so the opposite creates a massive disconnect.

I can’t reconcile the intensely beautiful, otherworldly energies captured via her lens with her inability to understand human nature even an iota.  If you truly know the love of god it must inevitably extend to all of creation. 

This incident sparked a downward spiral for me.  I started questioning whether I was a jerk, if sharing snide comments about Trump made me bad, or unspiritual. Was I adding to the discord on the planet by being snarky? After all, I did judge him.  I also think it’s terrific that he’s president, for he’s bringing about the entropy needed to rebuild our government and our country from the bottom up.  (see my piece “Donald Trump Is The New Pearl Harbor”). 


I make no bones about believing in a deep state, a corrupt oligarchy, and a shadow government that has been controlling this planet for millennia.  Conspiracy theory stuff.  I know that focusing on the darkness can be dangerous, and it can be counter productive if people become ensconced in anger and bitterness, contributing to the negativity on this planet.

Despite my confusion and hurt, instead of devolving into hatred, I decided to do some soul searching instead. Remember Darth Vader’s line (roughly), “Hate me, Luke.  Come to the Dark Side.”  When we hate, we become as bad as the thing we wish to change.  Hatred is understandable at times, but to sustain it is deadly.  The energy needs to be transmuted into something useful.  The same with anger, which is simply an indication that something is off and needs to be fixed.  It can be a terrific call to action.  But to sustain a state of unresolved anger is extremely unhealthy.  To me, this whole episode with Retchin' Gretchen was a call to do some (more) soul searching. 





“Assasination is the extreme form of censorship” George Bernard Shaw

Those who judge, cast aspersions, and attempt to control others live in fear. Terrorism, extremism, evangelicalism, censorship are all fear-based behaviors that attempt to wipe out that which contradicts the holders’ beliefs.

Laughter, on the other hand, doesn’t censor. It can defuse volatile situations, and help relieve stress and tension. 

“Those empowered by truth never express themselves through boastful or holier than thou attitudes… always allow your words to flow on an energy of unconditional love rather than stiffly judging, refusing to do something, or be with certain people out of a misguided sense of superiority… Self righteousness easily creeps into the thinking of those who believe themselves to be more spiritually aware than others.  Those new to truth are especially susceptible to self righteousness and must realize that everyone is exactly where they are supposed to be.” The Oneness of All  http://www.onenessofall.com/newest.html The Arcturian Group, channeled 5/21/17 by Marilyn Raffaele.


As I plumbed my depths I realized later why, in part, this incident ticked me off so much. It brought back childhood memories of being utterly misunderstood by people I trusted. My 5th grade class was on a school trip in New York City.  There was an empty Tic Tac container in front of me on the sidewalk, and I kicked it twice (a little soccer practice) as I continued walking with the group before finally crushing it with my shoe.  Mrs. Kagan screamed, “VALERIE!  What’s wrong with you? You know better than that!”  Better than what?  I’m not allowed to kick a piece of plastic?

I didn’t understand. I was just having fun. Similarly, my mother took me to see Paul Newman’s comedy Slap Shot (the dollar entrance fee was her excuse to go) then got furious at me for liking it. There was cursing and rough ice hockey antics which is precisely what made it so fantastic. I like mayhem. 


My mom was disappointed in me for listening to Cheech and Chong’s comedy sketch “Sister Mary Elephant” over and over, and appalled that I liked Animal House, which I dragged her and my sister to because I loved it so much the first time (I still do).  They thought it was atrocious and that I was a philistine.  


Pondering the school trip episode decades later, it dawned on me that Mrs. Kagan may have thought that I tossed the Tic Tac container, then kicked and crushed it. But she should have asked me if I littered, not assume that I did and then accuse me of shameful behavior.  I’ve never littered. I even pick up plastic trash on the street and in parks. But not all of it, for god’s sake.  I’m not a sanitation truck.

Other incidents came to mind from my youth where I was minding my own business, having a good time when someone read me the riot act. An old man in the swimming pool of the YWHA yelled at me for veering outside of my lane when I was in high school. There were three of us in the Olympic sized pool. “You’re a menace!”  he squawked.

My mom lost it one day when she found crumbs on the kitchen counter after asking me to clean it.  I did clean it.  I just didn’t get all the crumbs. I understand now the level of stress she was under as a widow with two kids and don’t hold her outbursts against her (she died many years ago). However, at the time, I had the wherewithal to give her a reality check as she screamed at me.  “Mom.  I get A’s in school.  I don’t drink, do drugs, or have sex.  I’m a good kid.  Other parents would be grateful to have me.”  She got a grip, apologized, and hugged me.  But I was terrorized on many occasions by her fury, an outcome of her personal frustrations. Which is why it’s so important for me to understand, analyze, and heal my own issues.  As I’m doing with you now here as witness, hopefully to inspire you to do the same.  Be able to explain yourself to yourself at all times.  Become your own best expert.

After all the dust settled, I realized that this journey was about me, not "the angel lady."  Her sentiments speak to her character, not mine. Now that I’ve processed my thoughts, beliefs and feelings regarding the situation I can accept FB Gretch from afar, as I do with many people who are not easy to love up close.  It’s hard to forgive someone if they keep irritating you.  So, why keep such people around?  There are plenty of good, kind loving people, both grounded and inspired, who even have a sense of humor.  Life is too short to take it so seriously.

I concluded that my posts were not contributing to planetary discord.  As long as there is politics, there will be political humor.  Was my intention to foment discord and divisiveness by posting the images?  No more than dancing is a sin.  Once I came to terms with who I am (a fabulous person) I was able to let her judgment and rejection of me, and her beautiful photographs (camera flash and all) go.  Is the woman who sees angels an asshole?  I wouldn’t know.  I don’t know her.  I’m just an agitator who appreciates alliteration.

© 2017 Valerie Gilbert, All Rights Reserved 

Valerie is the author of RAVING VIOLET, MEMORIES, DREAMS AND DEFLECTIONS, SWAMI SOUP and BRILLIANCE BREWING: A Meditation On Change. The books are available in print, e-book, and audio, narrated by the author.

Valerie leads psychic development/guided meditation/past life regression/personal growth workshops in New York City, and privately.  A healer, psychic, medium, and channel, you may book private sessions through her website.

For more information on Valerie's full line-up: 


http://valeriegilbert.weebly.com