FANTASY And REALITY DISTINCTION In matters of the spiritual and belief type, it is often very difficult to be sure of what fantasy is and what reality is. This difficulty can often lead the unwary astray in their pursuit of whom they are, and alternatively close another's mind off completely to the possibilities. Finding a balance in-between, of what is real and what isn't, is difficult but worth the effort in the end. Always remember, there will always be those who see your reality as a fantasy. Sometimes this is a helpful ideal, sometimes a very close minded one.
OUTRAGEOUS CLAIMS There are certain ways of putting forth your point of view to those who may be extremely skeptic of your ideals. It may be wise to use some thought in these situations to avoid unnecessary flam age or confusion. It also shows that you have thought out your spirituality well, and done the necessary soul-searching to distinguish from whatever delusion or fantasy may interfere.
Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in Munich, Germa...
Artist's explanation
Patent Affidavit, CosmopolitanHere is an example of an outrageous claim: "I am a Dragon and live in a cave, from where I hunt and can fly/breathe fire." An alternative statement would look like this: "I believe I have a draconic soul, and my astral self resembles (such and such) description." Witness the difference? While one is simply silly and unbelievable, the other is more easy for a skeptic, or even another therein to swallow and understand.
Another approach would be to explain how it is you came across these views, and an explanation of exactly what it is that makes you (insert claim). If explaining becomes tedious to you, a simple essay or written explanation about yourself posted somewhere on a website would be easier. Then the relevant link could be distributed to the questioning minds.
Whenever you make a claim so loudly and blatantly to the 'public' community, you must be prepared to defend yourself, or simply accept the flames you may receive for not providing the curious with explanations. We can't learn if we do not question, nor receive answers.
Something to remember is, YOU are making this claim, so it is YOU who need to provide the proof, whether it is literal, or an explanation of your belief, whichever is easier for you.
I am not implying that every claim must be proven or backed up, merely targeting those of you who make these outrageous claims then complain or get bitchy when someone flames you for it.
If you give the relevant and well thought out explanation and/or information and the skeptic still won't accept it, then it's up to you wither you want to say 'fine' and leave it at that, or try and help them better understand further. You can't please everyone.
DREAMS AND PAST LIFE MEMORIES This is a very dicey issue. There are many people out there that strongly believe every dream holds a special meaning to the dreamer, and an equal amount of people who hold the opposite view. There are also all those in-between, of which I am one. Dreams May sometimes holds a deep meaning, but more often than not they are pure fantasy conjured up by the mind's recapping of the day's thoughts and activities. A sort of winding down period for the mind, as the body rests.
There are people who can control their dreams and shape them into whatever they wish. Still others who 'dream walk' - i.e. moving their astral self across different dream planes. In this situation I believe one can communicate with other beings etc from different planes, such as during meditation. However, in the dream state, fantasy often plays a very big part, rather than in the meditation which is a state before deep sleep and ram (which induces the dream state).
On the whole, I consider it a very loose credibility to base anything on a single, or even multiple dreams without something else to go along side. If you have a dream you consider having a special meaning, perhaps you should try meditating on that dream and see what evolves from there.
Past life memories are similar to dreams, in that it is very difficult to distinguish what could very well be pure fantasy and day dreams or wishful thinking, from a real past life memory. Again, I'd suggest strong meditation and reflection over a long period of time before accepting any of these things as a reality.
Research on the resulting 'memory' would also be very helpful, as you may discover it actually happened. However this too is dicey, as there have been many cases of people claiming to have been Napoleon, or Hitler in a past life. And we do know, not ALL of them could have been that same person at once. Otherwise it'd stand to reason that each and every one of them would share a type of bond in THIS life and have some kind of connection and knowledge of the others. This is proven to be not so.
In the instance of claiming to have been from another plane of existence and/or world in a past life. I have to suggest going back to the section on outrageous claims. If you cannot back up this theory with anything more than a bunch of bandwagon who agrees without thinking themselves, I'd suggest seriously looking into the fantasy aspect, and doing further research.
BANDWAGONING Bandwagon occurs when a 'newbie' or someone who is just plain dimwitted cannot think for themselves and takes the easy approach of copying or idolizing another, as themselves.
An example can be found in the therein community in the case of bandwagon wares. These are people who, rather than go through the hassle of soul-searching and spiritual incite, decide it will be more fun and make them 'special' if they be something popular, cool, or follow the views and/or form of a 'popular' member of the communities.
For example, the recent 'fads' show the flow as thus: Wolves - winged wolves - 'fantasy creatures' such as dragons - a mixture of everything - claiming to be a deity (god/goddess) - the recent flow of being a mix of everything, including fee, plus coming from another world and becoming your own species.
Bandwagon wares are most noticeable when they do not or can not produce an explanation for their 'spirituality', or the remarkable way it so resembles another thermion's almost to the letter. Of course this does not mean anyone who can't explain themselves is a bandwagon.
Another example is the bandwagon insulters. People who see a 'mod' or 'admin' doing something, so feel they must do it too, in the extreme. The typical case of, "oh the popular person is doing it, so I have to." This can most readily be seen when 'Newbie's' are grilled usefully by the admin, only to be buried in insults and bandwagon by other users as a sort of 'newbie bash' game. These people are best ignored.