HOW THE WAR AFFECTS SEANCES

　"Communication is not an easy task to-day,” Silver Birch once said. “Even I, with much experience, find it very hard indeed to conquer all the intervening obstacles. The atmos-phere is thick with hatred, with cruelty, with misery, with destructive purpose, with fear, with terror, with all those aspects of consciousness which are a deterrent to our com-munication. When time and time again I emphasize that you should remain calm, exhibiting no fear and learning to keep a confident composure, it is because I know that it is good for you and helpful for us. A gathering such as this is like an oasis in the desert to a parched soul, and you little know the work you are able to do." 

　At another séance he declared, “Even now, I have not yet succeeded in establishing the same mastery over these con-ditions that I had before. This atmosphere in your world is an impediment, for there are forces at work that act as a great deterrent to all communication between the two states of life."

　Going into greater detail of why he found communication more difficult than before the war, Silver Birch said:

　"You are in the same difficulty that we are. Just now we are not registering all our consciousness, neither are you. But my difficulty is that I cannot so easily make my contact with all the sources of knowledge to which I usually tune in. It is much more difficult for me to make these connections since the war has broken out in your world. The 'cords' are more attenuated, they do not so readily register, and it is as if I am in a kind of swirling mist. But gradually we are getting over that.'

　Asked to amplify what he had said about the sitters' consciousness not registering fully, the guide declared:

　"You are all out of perspective since the war and the con-sciousness you used to register you are not registering now. You are all distorted a little because your perspective is wrongー1 do not say that unkindly—although some of you may not realize it. Even in normal times, you are subject to a constant interplay of forces on the physical, on the mental and on the spiritual planes, and now that is intensified because you are subjected to a condition which is abnormal.

　"There is a mixture of emotions constantly registering in your consciousness. In your case it is not fear, because you are not afraid. Others are. Their minds dwell on the war and war thoughts dominate their consciousness. There is per-plexity and worry and anxiety, and all those things interfere with your outlook. They affect your consciousness and that affects your perspective of life.

　"Always remember that we who associate with you from the plane of spiritual reality do not associate with you as bodies, but as minds. Your thoughts and fears, your hopes, your anxieties, your desires, your wishes and motives, your reasoning, your judgments—these to us are realities because they are of the mind. The things of matter are not so real to us, except as they become part of the problems of those whom we love.

　"Always remember that you, the real you, is a spirit and not a body. That is such a hard lesson to learn whilst you are incarnate, whilst you are in a physical world. But the real you is not material and it cannot be eternally affected by the things of matter. Though temporarily you may subdue the spirit, though temporarily you may pain or hurt the spirit, you cannot crush it; you cannot drive it out of existence. Cling to those laws of reality upon which your whole lif itself revolves, upon which the whole world itself revolves, for they are the only keys to an understanding of the riddle of existence.

　"I would be failing in my purpose if I did not constantly strive to remind you of the larger and deeper issues of life. As part of your normal activity you are confronted with the purely physical and material problems. You are engaged in physical pursuits; you are compelled to pay attention to bodily requirements and physical interests. Strength, comfort, hope, lightーthese are not to be found in matter, in the things temporal. They can only be sought and found within, where the Great Spirit has planted a seed of its own divinity.”

　But the difficulty of communication does not detract from Silver Birch's pleasure in talking to us. At the very séance when he told us of his difficulties, he also said:

　"I look forward to this meeting as the great privilege I have of communing with you after the fashion of your own world, and cementing in this way the love that draws us all together and makes us one in purpose and resolve. The work that we seek to do is not for ourselves. We desire no self-glorification, but only to spread the knowledge, the truth, the wisdom and the light, to make known the power that can teach and comfort, guide and bless, and give healing to those who need its soothing balm. We meet to awaken our own latent power, that we might become better instruments and servants of the Great Spirit. We strive to learn His laws, especially those that control the spiritual aspect of life, so that, versed in their knowledge, we can adjust our lives, obtain strength for our purpose, courage to help us when we falter, and peace within because we are increasing the bonds with the Great Spirit of all life.

　"In a world which is still, unfortunately, filled with so much darkness, where greed and selfishness and avarice dominate so many lives, we strive to reveal those eternal laws upon which, and only upon which, true happiness and true peace can be founded. Now, more than ever, when passions rise, when enmity, alas, is encouraged, when hatred begins to rear, we strive to remind the children of the Great Spirit of the eternal principles which must endure, not only in the world of spirit but even in the world of matter. For man cannot cheat the Law, the Great Spirit cannot be frustrated. One day, all accounts must be settled and divine justice is served.”