Source Material

Below is a growing list of works that have catalyzed my conceptualization of the greater reality. I’ve added my own interpretation of the ‘TLDR’ for some of them. Look out for posts more extensively covering my insights and experiences related to deep-diving into these materials. Feel free to suggest other texts which you believe to be of seminal importance.
3 sources foundational to my understanding:
The Seth Material by Jane Roberts, particularly The Nature of Personal Reality (1974)
“You create your own reality.” Our belief system shapes what we perceive and conceive. Therefore, examining the implicit bias of our mental constructs allows us to reshape what is possible for us to actualize.
Came upon this in 2012, and it was my first encounter with channeled information. The Seth material was pivotal in jogging me out of my self-limiting beliefs.
Law of One: The Ra Material, Books I-V (1981)
Though the title refers to the concept that “we are all one,” the majority of the material focuses on the Choice. This is the fundamental choice made by all sentient beings at our level of existence, it is the choice between primarily being self-serving or serving the greater good. This choice brings karmic consequences and dictates the evolution of our consciousness across the span of our eternal existence. Aligning with the positive side of the Force matters, since the Universe is essentially a mirror—so you get what you give.
As I read through the volumes, I found myself having a parallel process with the reported progression of the channeling triad’s personal journeys. This led to some truly harrowing parasomnias including what some would characterize as “psychic attacks.” Ultimately, this work made me understand the importance of turning towards love at every level of one’s existence; that every choice matters, and that we can commit to being a loving force for good in the world and be blessed by this choice.
A Course in Miracles (1976)
Specifically The Message Of A Course In Miracles: A Translation of the Text in Plain Language by Elizabeth Cronkhite
IMO, the translation is a much easier read than the original’s phrasing, which is quite archaic and religious-sounding
The main message: We are all One. There is no separation between ourselves and what we call God or Higher Power. We’re in a closed system here, and there is no other. While we endeavor to connect with this truth, guidance is received through the Higher Self (referred to as the Holy Spirit), which acts as a bridge to return us to Source or unity consciousness.
Even in Cronkhite’s more modernized version, ACIM’s words and phrasing can come off as circular and seemingly paradoxical—I think, because the transmission is attempting to convey a sense of unity consciousness, and this is hampered by the constraints of human language, with its underlying binary logic. The text methodically deconstructs basically every level of mental separation we utilize to operate in our world, revealing the normal classifications of our thinking to be illusory projections. It felt akin to how a Zen koan may work, confusion freeing one from fusion with mental limitations.
A Course in Miracles was so powerful, I could only digest a paragraph at a time. It took me over a year to get through the entire translation. Afterwards, I felt transfomed through my lessened attachment and identification with the egoic sense of self.
Sources which added further nuance to my understanding:
The Convoluted Universe, Books One-Five by Dolores Cannon (2001)
Hypnotic investigator Cannon’s transcripts from countless individuals under deep trance who describe levels of reality more strange and astounding than the human imagination can conjure. Cannon’s journalistic approach balances concrete-focused inquiry with an extremely open and curious mind.
These accounts, as well as Cannon’s other material, are all a trip! Expanded my capacity for compassion towards all forms of life, and increased my psychological flexibility and intellectual humility. Cannon’s pure spirit and courageousness in exploring and reporting on some truly far out material challenged and inspired me.
Cosmic Doctrine by Dion Fortune (1949)
This is a short channeling by Fortune, a pioneering British woman who co-founded the esoteric order of ceremonial magick, the Fraternity of the Inner Light. It describes the progression of sacred geometries and elemental forces which cohered into the universe as we know it.
This text just made intuitive sense to me. Somehow, the timing was even more resonant because I came across it in the midst of learning the sacred somatic geometries of Qi Gong. Synchronistically, my first therapy office in San Francisco happened to share a hallway with the ceremonial sanctuary used by Aleister Crowley’s Temple of Thelema.
Initiation by Elizabeth Haich (1994)
Memoir as Möbius strip, this account is by one of the first westerners to study ancient yogic spiritual practices. These practices activated an expansion of Haich’s consciousness, culminating in an extended flashback into a past life as a priestess in ancient Egypt. The priestess then experiences a flash forward into her present-moment life. In this way, the story winds back around from her current and former life perspectives to meet in the middle; a truly unique telling.
The haughty narrative voice of the priestess can be a jarring at times, and there is a provocative take on sexuality versus celibacy which I did not entirely resonate with. Yet, I found the elucidation of 12 sets of fundamental opposites to be an extremely valuable tool for personal growth.
The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot (1991)
Talbot riffs on holonomic brain theory (consciousness formed by quantum effects in the brain) and the holographic principle, which posits that the universe as we know it is essentially a holographic projection of a deeper reality. Scientists in the fields of neuroscience, physics and mathematics continue to find compelling evidence for these hypotheses. Talbot relates the “holographic universe” to a diversity of unexplained phenomena that are currently classified as paranormal.
As a lifelong seeker, this was my first encounter with material that began to make sense of the perceptual mysteries I had experienced within my subjective existence from as long as I can remember (I would later understand this to be trance phenomena). Still in my twenties when I read this, the information contained so unsettled me at the time, I actually took a years-long break from my esoteric investigations.
Interestingly, Talbot said this of Jane Roberts’ Seth material, “To my great surprise — and slight annoyance — I found that Seth eloquently and lucidly articulated a view of reality that I had arrived at only after great effort and an extensive study of both paranormal phenomena and quantum physics."
The Book of Secret Wisdom by Zinovia Dushkova (2001)
Theosophist Dushkova channeled this text, closely associated with the Tibetan “Book of Dyzan.” It describes a hidden history and possible future within humankind’s consciousness evolution, emphasizing cosmic cycles, the interconnectedness of all things, the driving force of love, and the power of the individual.
Journey of Souls, Life Between Lives and other books by Michael Newton (1994)
Testimonials of individuals under hypnosis who recount their “lives between lives,” i.e. periods when one’s disembodied consciousness experiences non-physical realms. Describes life review processes including meeting with a council, the meaning of different soul colors, and the choosing of new lives.
Similar to famous past lives MD Brian Weiss, psychologist Newton was a spiritually agnostic clinician minding his own business conducting hypnotherapy exclusively to treat common mental disturbances. Then one of his patients began to spontaneously relate metaphysical information. Yes indeed, even when you aren’t looking for it, the truth will find you!
Newton utilizes a quasi-interrogation style that is sometimes off-putting. Quirks aside, the information is thought-provoking, systematic and consistent across innumerable patient testimonials.
More readings which I recommend:
An Unlikely Prophet: A Metaphysical Memoir by the Legendary Writer of Superman and Batman [and also A Gathering of Selves: The Spiritual Journey of the Legendary Writer of Superman and Batman] by Alvin Schwartz
Combining my childhood love for comic books with my lifelong metaphysical seeking, discovering this memoir was such a gift! The author describes his experience interacting with a Tibetan tulpa, a materialized being created through intense concentration and spiritual practice. Surprised that these two memoirs are not available as ebooks. But those who know, know—e.g., Neil Gaiman writes about this book in an essay about Superman for Wired magazine.
After finishing the second book, I feel asleep with a deep sense of knowing that the paranormal phenomena I have been studying for years is real, that I have nothing to fear, and that I am ready. I then had an incredibly vivid dream encounter in which an alien entity visited my house. With him was a delegation from the Galactic Federation welcoming party—like an individualized “first contact.” Within the delegation were a variety of beings, including humans from an indigenous tribe. We then went to assist a group who looked akin to Amish folks raising a house. We encircled their efforts, floating from above. I asked someone, “What do we look like to them?” They answered, “Angels.”
Messages from Michael by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
As an experiment, I engaged ChatGPT in a conversation about esoteric seeking, particularly of channeled texts. In addition to the sources I had been previously familiar with, the Michael material was also mentioned.
Wouldn’t you know—in the late ‘70s San Francisco Bay Area, a group of friends from all walks of life engaged with the Ouija board as a lark and discovered communication with a collective called Michael. Henceforth, they recorded a detailed exposition of the various aspects and levels of soul development. I believe the term, “old soul,” likely comes from this material.
Though I didn’t feel the need to dive too deeply into the soul personality system described, being able to type myself along the various parameters did directly lead to inspiration for starting this blog.
The Golden Lake: Wisdom from the Stars for Life on Earth by Lyssa Royal-Holt
Among other things, this book helped make sense of my personal opacity regarding—and lack of real resonance around the further pursuit of—information related to “past” lives.
The Era of the True Creator: A Guide to Ascending Beyond Dramatic Paradigms into Pure Form Consciousness by Allison Holley
A cogent articulation of our current transition out of the polarity of egoic personality and its constant need for drama. As a storyteller myself, I think about the underlying basis of virtually all current media: that a story must have conflict, antagonists and a winner in order for it to not be “boring” or “pointless.” Holley states that she received the entirety of this book as a download during a ceremony in the Amazon.
The Divine Design: The Untold History of Earth’s and Humanity’s Evolution in Consciousness by Lorie Ladd
More intriguing potential pieces of the puzzle here…
Nascent Influence:
Sex, Drugs and Magick: A Journey Beyond Limits by Robert Anton Wilson
Picked up in a head shop in my early twenties—the title got me! This book came to me during a period when my seeking had contracted into a purely hedonic quest, as was typical for an LA undergrad partyer. The beginning glimpses of another way, it foretold my own experiences with my future in San Francisco. And of course, Wilson’s own wild and varied life made him feel very much like a kindred soul.
From the book description on the Amazon page: “sex and drugs together can lead to more extraordinary and paranormal trans-ego experiences than either sex or drugs alone. This is an ancient Tantric “secret” and the present book was, as far as I know, the first ever published in America to discuss it explicitly.”
Current Reading:
The Arcturian Anthology and other works by Tom Kenyon
Still digesting these materials. So far, has infused me with action-oriented energy—such as getting this blog off the ground.
Other Media:
While I primarily digest information through reading, I know many folks like watching videos. Interviews with Extra Dimensionals, a docu-series by Rueben Langdon, is an excellent resource. Both my sister and I spontaneously shifted into trance states with information downloads and other extra normal experiences as we watched these interviews.