by Frederick C. Sculthorp

The Earth-like Spheres

Apart from the lower, dull states there are a number of spheres of normal brightness, earth-like in a better way, where the spirits enjoy themselves, getting accustomed to the many possibilities of the spirit world. It is difficult to describe these easy-going states as they are neither backward nor advanced.

Generally speaking, all spirits keep to a habit of thought or way of living for a time as during earth life. The countryman prefers the open spaces and the townsman the built-up areas. Some towns I saw were crowded, especially where there is a shopping center as on earth.

There is also traffic on the roads but in this particular state it consisted mainly of those who were road-minded on earth. Once I found it interesting and rather funny, like other onlookers, to watch this passing show of traffic. Among the usual cars there were quite a number that were evidently the result of enthusiastic do-it-yourself builders.

As any whim can be exploited to the full without the earthly expense and trouble, there were some strange looking three and four-wheelers on the road, and all of them “went” as they were expected to do in spirit. I saw one man riding a bicycle who was dressed in Norfolk jacket and knickerbockers of about the 1906 period. He had constructed seats like outriggers on either side of his saddle, which were carrying children. I could imagine that “perpetual motion” inventors had a wonderful time here as all their ideas probably would be very successful.

I have never noticed any bodily tiredness when in spirit but certain things cause a mental weariness so that one needs a change of thought. I once went on a long motor-coach ride on a great wide motor-way. We went a great distance and when we were coming back I began to get mentally tired through watching the changing scenery. I remembered some of the places we had passed on the outward journey, and when coming back I knew how far we had to go and it seemed interminable. I believe I was taken on this trip to experience this effect on the mentality.

There are many different varieties of houses in this state. Some people like to keep to the style that they had on earth and even have unnecessary things as it is their idea of home, while others knowing the possibilities would have something entirely new. Relatives and friends who have reached this state begin to contact each other and as can be imagined there can be quite a wide circle of acquaintances.

Parties are formed which make a round of visits to the home of others, and recently I was with such a party. There were about twelve of us and it was conducted by a lady who, years ago, was a friend of my family, a motherly soul who was also fond of visiting during her earth life.

Walking on either side of me were my brother and brother-in-law who have passed over, and when we reached the first house I saw it was of the ultra-modern style with long wide windows and the upper and outer walls boarded – like a barn, as some district councilors have said. When we were inside, I decided to stay and look over the place, and the rest of the party went on.

After a while I noticed another party approaching who looked curious as they had seen me through the wide windows. When they entered one of them said, “Hello, what are you doing here?” and I replied: “I came with Ada May’s party, but they have gone on and I am looking round – but what are you doing here?”

There was a general laugh over this and some whispering among the ladies and I heard one say: “Yes, I can see the likeness”. I then sensed that they had “placed” me through their contact with my relatives, and they smiled and left the place.

It is interesting to note that in giving the name of this old friend “Ada May” I easily remembered the name Ada, but there was a slight pause before I could draw the memory of the surname to my mentality. Spirits returning to earth and communicating through a medium also have this strange loss of memory and sometimes cannot recall their own surnames, as they are also out of their natural sphere. Perhaps as part of the life force remains with the physical body during projection, so might part of the memory.

I was once taken to a place that seemed to be a combined exhibition and surplus goods store. It was housed in several large halls and had a strange assortment of things, from ship’s lamps and locomotive funnels to kitchen gadgets like food mixers etc. Many of the things were on counters which people were examining, and stacked against the walls were tall things like lamp posts and ladders.

The end hall contained a boat show and had an assortment of small sailing boats, canoes and launches. In the middle of the hall there was a show-piece, a sailing boat as big as a Thames barge, and with sails set. It had graceful lines and was without decks, and I had the impression of lightness and speed. There was a notice board in front of it describing it as a one-time smuggler’s boat and giving the sail-plan which was ingenious.

It was cutter-rigged and although the large mainsail looked conventional, it was in fact of double canvas and in the event of pursuit, could be opened like a book and boomed out with great advantage if running before the wind. Looking up at the sails I noticed that some humorist had painted the name “The Jolly Roger” on it. I have since tried to find some record of this particular ruse, but have been unsuccessful so far.

The end of the hall was open and there was a slope going down to a river, and I saw several boats being tried out. Back in the hall, I was in a corner looking at some small boat fittings when the light suddenly went dim. I was particularly interested in something and forgetting where I was, I put my hand in my pocket for a box of matches, when everything became light again. This dimness was the waning of spirit power as seconds later I was drawn back to the physical body.

With My Wife

In one of my early projections, I went for a long country walk with my wife. It was a happy occasion for both of us, and quite earth-like, for we went a considerable distance. Then later, the earthly thought came to me that it would be nice to have a cup of tea, but I did not mention it to my wife. Soon, I saw that she was directing our steps to a tea-garden, a large arbor covered in with roses.

As we entered it, I noticed (inquisitive me!) that the roses were also blooming under the arbor and remembered that they did not bloom like this under the rose-arch in my garden on earth. Sitting down at a table, I noticed that there was another couple nearby. We waited a bit and then suddenly, as if clairvoyantly, I saw a cup of tea before my eyes. This quickly went and at once I felt refreshed.

The illusion was perfect, my taste and feeling were exactly as if I had indeed drained a cup. At this time I thought that I had found out the way that nourishment was taken in spirit. But I was wrong. It was simply my spirit helpers’ way of satisfying my desire of tea, and so completing my “day out” with my wife.

Although my spirit body is sensitive to the thoughts and vibrations of a plane, there are some things that do not register. I once tasted some mayonnaise, but to me it had no more flavor than chalk and water, and when walking with my daughter, we passed a drinking fountain and I went over to have a look at it. Beside it there was a glass containing cubes of ice and when I touched these, there was no coolness whatever. Probably one has to belong to a sphere to experience all the sensations of it.

I have not seen ordinary food eaten in this particular state, but the earthly habit of a chat over a cup of tea is still popular, it is a mental relaxation and I had one with my wife.

Once I suddenly became conscious out of the body and found that I was walking with my wife. We had two children with us, both about three years of age and being cared for by my wife. We were just leaving an exhibition which appeared to be something like the “Ideal Home Exhibition” we have in London, and looking regretfully back I saw that it looked bright and interesting, and felt sorry that I had missed it all.

I have mentioned earlier that my spirit helpers do not always know what experiences are retained in my earthly consciousness, and it appears that this subtle wavelength may or may not be in action at the time. In this particular experience, I believe my wife had thought that I had seen the whole of the exhibition, and it appears that the finer spirit body can carry on quite normally, whether the earthly consciousness is there or not.

Sensing my wife’s intentions, I knew that we were making for some tea-rooms, so I asked her, “Couldn’t we have tea inside?” and she replied: “They would be much too crowded.” However, we entered the tea-rooms and were seated at a table when I noticed that one of our children had seated herself next to a tiny child on the next table. This tiny child began to get very playful, as some will when there is a table to bang with their hands, and was striking out in all directions. I thought it best that our child sat next to me.

I had no sooner thought this when the child at once got up and sat with me. I was surprised and certainly it seemed to be the result of telepathic thought! This would greatly simplify child-teaching as their minds would be plastic and receptive.

When we left the tea-rooms my wife took me to a house where there was a fine tapestry on the wall of a room. I felt its texture which was like silk and my wife remarked: “This is rather special, he had some difficulty in getting it”. I did not sense what the difficulty was, and as the owner was looking on, I did not like to ask.

On the sideboard there were some vases of beautiful flowers which had delicate tints of pink and blue. I did not recognize them but they looked like daffodils partly split open and the centers were tipped with gold and glittered as if they were actually of that metal.

Not long after I started astral projection and meeting my wife in spirit, we were once walking through a park. Some little way ahead of us there were two women also walking and I began to realize that they were talking about us. Then one finished the conversation saying: “Oh yes, she is looking after her husband and two children on earth”. These women did not know that to talk and think about a person in spirit also sends a telepathic message to that person.

As mentioned above, it is difficult, when out of the body, to recall place names and proper names. I have a daughter living in Gloucester and I often go by road from London to visit her. When once talking to my wife in the spirit world we paused to watch a man go by in a small carriage pulled by four tiny ponies. I turned to my wife and was going to say: “It would take me a long time to go to Gloucester like that”, when I could not remember the name “Gloucester”. Quickly I visualized a spot on the map of the west of England, hoping that this would help me to recall the name. But it was not necessary as my wife had received everything I wanted to convey and our talk continued normally.

A conversation in spirit is a wonderful thing. The interplay of minds can exchange a wealth of meaning that no choice of words can give. It is natural and automatic and it is only later that one realizes how few words are actually spoken. To say one thing and mean another in spirit would need some clever mental gymnastics.

Once when becoming conscious in spirit, I found myself sitting on a chair in the midst of a party, and seated in front of me was a pretty little child of about three years of age. As I was talking to the child I suddenly felt a pair of arms placed around my neck from behind. At once I knew it was my wife and also the kind of dress she was wearing. When I turned, I found that my “sensing” was correct. The dress was not an expected thought of mine, as I have seen her in spirit in other dresses.

My House And Shop In Spirit

At the beginning of these accounts of travels to the spirit world, I stated that my intention was to bring back a true picture of life in the next world as seen by one still living on earth. As my description had to include so many and different states of existence, we can now see how some of the information given by returning spirits is also varied. This makes it difficult for those on earth who are trying to compose a mental picture of spirit life.

During my twenty years of spirit travel I have at times been amazed at this variety. I have seldom been to the same place twice, and each emits a different vibration which the sensitive spirit body at once notices.

The only places I have visited regularly are those that concerned me personally, such as my house, garden or shop in spirit, and the surrounding district. The sensitivity of the spirit body is a very wonderful thing and seems to act like a natural “feeler”. When entering my house in spirit it at once picks up my personal vibration which impregnates the place. This is not visual recognition, as I have sometimes been projected to a room in my spirit house and before realizing my whereabouts, I have at once known it to be my place.

This impregnation of the owner’s personality on a house in spirit is, I believe, the reason why my cats are sometimes there as it is also “home” to them. The cats do not seem to alter much. They take things quite calmly, still self-contained and sometimes rather aloof and keep me “in my place”.

When I was a boy of about ten years of age, I had a guinea-pig and I am afraid I had quite forgotten it until recently, when in my house in spirit I heard a squeaking and found it walking over the books in a corner in the room. Those who have owned guinea-pigs will be interested to know that it has now stopped eating. It has “progressed”!

The particular state in which my shop is situated in spirit, is what I will call for the present purpose and comparing it with a town in this country, as “normal”. It is peopled by those who have not long been in spirit; as to how long, I am not prepared to say, as progress differs. They have found their feet and are settled for the time being. It is a pleasant existence, as the earthly worries of living and getting a living are past. This is the reason for many of the cheerful messages received from those in this state.

My shop in spirit is not a replica of the one on earth as it is different and larger, but it contains the same sort of goods, such as books, stationery and greeting cards. At times there would be two or three young lady assistants and these I know as spirit acquaintances, but I did not know them on earth. No money is given for goods and one is glad to give a service.

On the other hand, the customers would give a service in their own particular sphere of interest, and so it is a case of helping one another. Once I idly glanced at the periodicals in my shop in spirit and noticed that one was called “The Popular”. When I was back in the physical body I remembered that this was published on earth about 1926. It was a boy’s book, so apparently some of the books are etheric replicas of those once on earth.

My shop in spirit is also an open-house for visitors, and some months ago when out of the body at night, I was there and showing visitors into the back rooms. As they were passing me I sensed that they were past relatives whom I did not know on earth. I was not taking particular notice of them and as one man passed with his face turned away, I suddenly sensed the personality of my father.

Excitedly I said: “Why, hello Dad, I didn’t recognize you at first”. He laughed, and I saw that he was in his progressed form with fine features and the same height as myself (he was shorter on earth). Previously, when meeting me in spirit he generally assumed a more earthly appearance, but this time he apparently tested me and tried to get by, but my sensitive spirit body had detected the ruse.

As a rest or a little respite from the lower states, my guides, knowing my fondness for the country scene, often took me to a natural pool in a forest in spirit. I was at first taken there in the dream state and I followed a long winding path through wooded country until reaching a depression in the forest where there was a pool fed by a spring.

When I was taken there in the conscious state I knew every twist and turn of this path and what to expect next. I was often taken to this pretty place and it appeared to be seasonal, as sometimes the rushes bordering the pool would be tall and at other times quite short, and other marginal plants in their prime.

These seasons did not agree with our calendar, nor was there any winter, and I went there so many times and knew every clump of trees, glade and clearing in my woodland walk so well that I regarded it as “my” pool.

My wife and I were walking along the bank of a river where was a line of moored boats. As we were passing one of them my wife quietly remarked: “There is your boat”. “Mine?” I queried. “Oh yes” she said. It was a serviceable-looking motor cabin cruiser, not new, but could be described as one owner, carefully used, etc. As I was going to inspect it, I was drawn back to the physical body. I am still waiting for the opportunity to inspect my boat.

With My Daughter

I have a daughter in spirit who passed over in 1950 and on one occasion I had been projected and was walking with her through a lovely meadow. It was quite a pastoral scene, with sheep here and there and clumps of flowers. When my daughter stopped to pick one, I noticed that they were clover but not the usual red or white variety. Each bloom had rings of different colors from top to bottom. They were soft pastel shades, giving a beautiful rainbow effect and when near them I felt a certain happiness which could not have been entirely due to my pleasure in seeing them.

In one part of the field I saw a sheep that was squatting down with head up and its eyes wide open in a sightless stare. It seemed to be enveloped in a watery haze, and was completely shorn. Surrounding it on the grass was a ring of white substance and outside this was a circle of sheep, also squatting, who looked very contented and serene.

I sensed that this central sheep was a new arrival in spirit, and that the surrounding sheep were induced by higher minds to be there as some comfort when it became conscious. I felt something sad about it – something about its treatment before passing. I did not want to know more.

My daughter had a rather wide love for animals and now seems to be enjoying it to the full. I was once with a medium friend who was relaying a conversation from my daughter.

One passage that mystified us both was: “Dad had seen me with the porcine”.

I asked for an explanation but the medium said: “She won’t say, she laughs it off”, and so I had to look “porcine” up in the dictionary. It was quite right, I had met her in spirit once and found that she had made friends with a little pig, which was trotting happily by her side.

It is nice to know that animals can reach a state of peace and happiness, and it also gives pleasure to see their response to a little sincere affection. This is mutual and, as I have tried to explain before, what affection is given out is returned many times in spirit. Those who are inconsiderate to animals may spend quite a time after passing over in a “self-inspection”, as the spirit body and its aura retain all the incidents of earth life. Self-disgust can be very real and delays progress.

Some time after her passing, my daughter told me that she had been visiting many of the countries on earth and had sometimes been appalled by the sad and awful conditions under which some had to live, and said: “I would not like a dog to live like it”. Later referring to this, my spirit teacher said: “She has now more compassion in her heart for people; why? Because she has seen for herself so much cruelty meted out to humans and dumb creatures, and having seen, her compassion is great and deep. Link up this compassion with the Great Soul and Master who once walked the earth and filled his heart with compassion. Brother, only those who have experienced can have true compassion. Your daughter has been much concerned, and has learnt her lesson well.”

The word “progress” has been used a good deal and it might give the impression of people swotting hard to pass an examination. This is not so. In the pleasant state of the spirit I have just mentioned, progress would consist in seeing new wonders and finding personal powers that came as a pleasant surprise like unexpected presents or gifts.

My daughter, after passing over, told me that she had to use paints and brushes in the usual way when painting a picture, but later learnt to project the colors direct on to the canvas by thought. More recently she has been with a group where colored rays are used on children. Although there is no pain with the spirit body, some defects appear to be carried over at first, as they are held by the mentality by force of habit, and the correct ray has an effective power to correct them.

Museums

Arrival in a bright sphere has a much better effect on the spirit body than a lower plane. There is more tranquility and people are more leisurely. Thoughts are pleasant and often in unison, as I often picked up the thoughts that were with groups, such as “sightseeing” and “holiday-making”. There was no illusion and they were beginning to taste the sweets of spirit in expectation of new wonders and interests.

I was taken to a holiday resort in one of these states where people were sitting on a fine sandy beach and a band was playing. Others were surf-bathing, and out at sea there were sailing boats. All interests seem to be catered for on this plane by the advanced spirits in charge and people were able to see things that perhaps they had no opportunity of seeing on earth.

There were many museums and exhibitions and these particularly interested me. There were no glass cases and everything was open, because there is no decay or dust and things could be handled.

One hall I entered contained all kinds of tools, instruments and machinery. Many of the tools, gauges and things which I did not understand, were laid out in their cloth-lined cases and seemed to be something special in their class, and I noticed many men inspecting them. In the middle of the hall were larger machines like presses, pumps and generators.

In one museum which showed the progress of inventions I was interested in an old phonograph record, a wax cylinder which had been cut down its length to show the depth of the sound track. As I handled it I was surprised to find that I could sense its subject. It was a humorous monologue about a dog that ran off with its master’s false teeth and seemed to have been made in a period when false teeth, or the mention of them, would easily cause laughter.

This automatic psychometry by the spirit body of a spirit object is strange and I understand that many objects in spirit are in some way the etheric counterparts of earthly objects and thus carry the same vibrations and impressions.

One particular room had on show different types of radio apparatus. There is plenty of humor in spirit, and I noticed that one wireless set had the notice “remote control”. It was a Heath Robinson affair with a crude wooden pulley with a much knotted driving-band of string passing out of the window.

I was once taken to a small library in spirit the very atmosphere of which induced a feeling of ease and quiet study. There was a thick carpet and four or five deep armchairs, and the cases contained beautifully bound books. When I approached these volumes I felt a strong emanation of their contents which was “spirit truth” and I would have liked to handle them but as two people were reading, I quietly withdrew.

Model-makers seem to keep their interests and would no doubt find their work much easier than on earth, after learning to manipulate the “mind stuff”. In one man’s workshop I was shown a miniature fair with swings, roundabouts, etc., all working. It just covered the palm of my hand.

I saw some boys playing with boats of all kinds on a pond. They were very fine models, perfectly to scale, with all the small details that model-makers try to reproduce. One boat looked strange to me. As I stepped forward to inspect it I walked into the water, and the thought crossed my mind that I had ruined my trousers. Looking at the boat, I sensed “medieval”, then stepping back to the bank, I was surprised to find that my boots and “turn-ups” were perfectly dry. I meant to examine spirit water more closely but always forgot. I think the feeling of “wetness” in spirit is an expected thought. The dryness of spirit water has its advantages as I once saw some young men who, returning from a trip on a river in their sailing dinghies, simply stepped into the water which was waist-deep to maneuver their boat to the bank.

My spirit helpers, knowing my earth interests and hobbies, often took me to see the same things in spirit. Once, after looking at the autumn crocus in my garden on earth, I was on my next projection taken to a park in spirit and “landed” near a clump of these flowers. These were fine specimens, about eighteen inches to two feet high. There were many varieties of plant life. In one section of this park I saw the strange-looking ferns and palms of the pre-ice age, and mounted as a show piece beside the path was the long neck and head of a Diplodocus, which was made to weave and roar in a realistic manner. A small child was standing by and looking up quite interested but not in the least alarmed. Fear, which is a low vibration, could not occur in this state.

Mother’s Visit

After the passing of a distant relative, I was taken to the house that had been prepared for her in spirit. In one of the rooms I met my father and as we were talking he said: “Look” and pointed to the wall. I thought he was referring to the wallpaper, then I noticed the outline of a figure. It grew into the form of my mother.

She was looking tense and serious through the concentration necessary to make herself visible to us on this wavelength. When she was fully formed, she smiled and stepped forward and greeted us. She looked very young – between 20 and 25 years of age, although she passed over at the age of 74, and I sensed that she was now in a higher plane, and had to manifest in this way.

I was shown over the house and later on saw my mother again in one of the rooms. She was bright and happy and said it was time for her to go. Then, laying down on a couch, she said “Goodbye”, as I sat by her head and watched her disappear. I did not feel at all sad at her going as her ability to contact me seemed so easy and natural.

During a later projection, as I was watching some children playing in a field, my mother came to me again. She had more of an earthly appearance this time and she told me that the relative mentioned was very worried over her house on earth. I knew that she was very attached to the house she had to leave behind and later, on earth, when I made inquiries, I learnt that her sons were selling it, as they did not wish to keep it on.

Excerpt from Excursions To The Spirit World

See Part I here.

See Part III here.