The Man Whose Silver Cord was Loosed

Death by Astral Projection

“Remember your Creator before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." —Ecclesiastes 12:6

An old friend reached out unexpectedly with supportive comments regarding my memoir, Expose the Darkness: Lost and Found. For anonymity, he will be called “Jared.” His gesture surprised me; I hadn’t spoken to him in years and had no prior knowledge of his spiritual beliefs. Jared mentioned the necessity of increasing societal awareness of such a dark reality—that is—the real danger of meddling in the spiritual realm. Yet beneath his encouraging statements were sadness, pain and grief. Often the recognition of any necessity is born of emotions like these. Why? Because tragedy begets awareness. Workplace safety laws came about following a massive factory fire that killed and injured many. Metal detectors came onto the scene with the rise of mass shootings. Drug and alcohol treatment programs were developed in response to countless lives lost. Yet what happens when tragedy strikes in the realm of the spirit—a place invisible to the physical eye and immeasurable by scientific methods? It is overlooked, misunderstood, kept in silence, and often ignored entirely, leaving victims feeling helpless and alone. Would death be enough to finally listen? To initiate the kind of change that saves lives? Jared shared with me a tragic story about the death of his close friend; a young life lost in an insatiable pursuit of the spiritual realm. Allow me to share this story with you, and let this be a call to action. 

I know what it feels like to leave the physical body behind; to dive into the spirit realm without it. Whew! A dangerous game I played before I gave my life to Jesus. A dangerous game, indeed. The first time I practiced astral projection, I was overcome with a rush of victorious energy. Words would fail to describe the surge of {demonic} power I felt. For days I replayed in my mind what it felt like to navigate the spirit realm with nothing but the innermost essence of me. Oh, what an indescribable high that comes with learning to fly! But soon the high dies down, leaving a terrible hunger for more. For some time, I became obsessed with New Age practices and dream magic, always seeking to explore the spirit realm more deeply. I wanted to spend as much time “there” as possible. Coming back into body, though familiar, felt so very cold and limiting; a harsh reminder of my imperfect human nature. As stated by author Shirley MacLaine, "I was glad to be back, but knew that I would want to go out again" (Brown, 1997). Eventually I grew convinced that my very body was a burden, keeping me from reaching my highest potential. Because why would I want to be here when I could spend my time there? 

Creepy, right? Yet “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Jared’s friend asked the very same question. Dreamspace was my doorway to access realms unseen. Jared’s friend, however, practiced astral projection by way of high and hallucinogen. Jared told me that his friend would intentionally encounter the spiritual realm on his “trips.” He began telling Jared of these “other places” he would visit, as he sought to “connect the dots” and find hidden “connections” with “god.” He would ingest shrooms nearly every day, relentlessly seeking deeper spiritual knowledge and ability. Soon he began to ponder why he spends any time here when he could spend all of his time there. Eventually, he told Jared about his desire to end his life “here,” saying, “Physical death is not really dying—it is only a small part of who I am.” Eventually, he took his own life, severing the silver cord that connects spirit and body. Jared misses his friend, dearly. And my heart is tremendously heavy for his loss. Let us pray for them both. 

Seeing oneself from an external perspective is an unforgettable experience. Trust me. After seeing my body from the outside, I was forced to ask some important questions: “How can I exist in two places at once?” “Who is she if I am me?” and finally, “What would happen if the connection between ‘us’ was severed?” Many who have had out-of-body experiences have perceived a thin, silver cord connecting the body and spirit (Brown, 1997). In my pursuit of the spirit realm, I was unaware of the demonic powers that lured me farther and farther away from my physical body as I went deeper and deeper into the abyss. I had no understanding of their goal—that they would tempt me to pursue curious elements of the unknown away from my body, so that maybe, just maybe, I would decide to stay there for good. To sever the silver cord and choose physical death, permanently removed from God’s gift of life.

Ecclesiastes 12:6 — “Remember your Creator before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it."

Glory to God in the highest, who has saved me from demonic practices like astral projection and has instead instilled in me a passion to boldly proclaim the truth. Lord, I am your willing vessel; my spirit resides with my body in harmonious union that I may tell spiritual truths in a physical world.

Astral projection is a dangerous, demonic practice which has resulted in a death FAR too close to home. We must end the silence. It is time to expose the darkness. 

John 10:10 — “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I {Jesus} have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

References

Brown, R. (1987). Prepare For War. Whitaker House.