Published works: Legends of the Light Bearer: The story left untold
I would like to express my gratitude toward L.M. Aldrich for this enlightening interview. I am honored to have met her and been able to support her publication of Legends. Indeed, our acquaintanceship has evolved into a friendship, spurred mainly by our contact through email. I cannot begin to explain the inspiration and understanding I have received from L.M. We have much in common, but where I can only see one side of the coin, she is bold enough to go all the way. I have made a vow to help spread her wisdom to any interested ears. So please, take to the heart what she had courageously expressed.
Ty: If Legends of the Light Bearer became a bestseller, how do you think it would be received?
L.M: With passion, both positive and negative. I don't think it's a book that many will find ho-hum. Though I am certainly not the first to challenge conventional thinking, some may see Legends as a step too far. But as a perceptive reviewer recently noted, this book should be read with the heart, not the mind.
Ty: I know that spirituality has been a great driving force in your life. Do you believe it has the potential to change the world as well? Does faith alone take us all the way or should we strive to uncover the truth about what we know nothing about?
L.M: I try not to use the word belief, because like faith and free will, belief is a risky business if you've got it all wrong. I have met people of faith who don't adhere to a particular dogma, but simply walk in goodness. They exude such kindness and tolerance, such purity and peace, you just want them to hold you. To me, that is spirituality; that is wisdom. But blind faith to a doctrine or ideology is different. It is not only unworkable in a complex society, it is dangerous, and too often engenders hate. Nazi Germany is just one example. We come into this world wondering who we are and why we're here, and then we leave it to others to tell us. That maybe one reason we have continued to make the same mistakes, throughout human history. So, if we do nothing else, if it is our only reason for being, I think we should absolutely pursue the truth, until we all find a way to walk in the world without destroying it or ourselves.
Ty: In your opinion what is the true, inherent nature of man? Are we greedy and sinful, unable to change, or can there ever be a true salvation?
L.M: Well, Legends suggests that we are all misbegotten, which would explain a lot. But I am hopeful that we are merely lost. I have experienced the paranormal since childhood, and what it has shown me is that we are not our bodies. I've heard psychics refer to their ability as a gift, but I would say that the paranormal is our birthright. It is a manifestation of who we really are—spirit. Ghosts, astral travel, precognition, bi-location and a whole host of others tell us there is something more than this physical world, something beyond the laws of nature. With bi-location, for instance, in an instant, your consciousness is transported thousands of miles, and it could be any distance, because you travel faster than the speed of light, which physics is just beginning to show is a real possibility. So, if we were created in the image of God, I would say that the image of God is spirit. Though our bodies may do stupid, awful things, inside of us our spirit is divine. And from the moment we truly understand that and begin to live it, we save ourselves. Maybe God is waiting for us to find Him.
Ty: Extraterrestrials seem to be an important aspect of your book. If indeed, intelligent alien beings exist, should this be a humbling thought, or an empowering one? How do you you believe humanity would react to the undeniable evidence that this was indeed the case?
L.M: I have no idea how humanity will react, but I would anticipate both humbled in the knowledge that there is so much more to our story than we ever imagined, and empowered by the realization that we are so much more than we ever imagined. But most of all, I hope we keep in mind that they are us. If God is spirit, and spirit gives life to all things, then we are all the same, whether we reside in human bodies or alien. So we should not, we cannot relinquish our will to them out of either fear or awe.
Ty: Do you think our government is being completely honest with its citizens? What could they possibly be hiding from us?
L.M: Of course not! They lie about everything. In all of human history, no political, religious or financial institution has ever been completely honest. They inevitably devolve into cabals, with allegiance to self-interest, sustained by conspiracies. Right now, we are again standing on a precipice, because of all the lies and abuse of power. Democracy is perhaps the most enlightened vision of all time, but democracy was not meant to be a fiefdom, and slave labor cannot keep capitalism afloat. Like Rome, history is replete with the rise and fall of great civilizations, a never-ending story with one main character: greed, whether for wealth or power. At the end of every calamity, the survivors enjoy a brief moment of hope, and a collective will to overcome and prosper. Then, predictably, a few rise to the top, and the cycle begins again. Greed is a mental illness, no different than drug addiction. The afflicted will sacrifice family, friends and country for the next fix. And when that is not enough, they want to rule the world. However, in a democracy, it is not all their fault—we the people need to pay more attention. I for one am grateful for the 99%'ers.
On the other hand, if you're asking me if our government is being honest with us about ET's, of course not! For me there are only two possibilities, neither of which is very comforting. If the technology is ours, it would mean that at least since the 40s, our military, or a secret branch of our military, has had enough wealth, power and autonomy to work outside all branches of government, including the Executive branch, except for perhaps Truman and Bush Senior. But to what end? The technology was futuristic, even in the 40s, and what they have now is mindboggling. The only other possibility is aliens, although I don't happen to think they are extraterrestrial. If both possibilities are true, which I have a hunch they are, then why the truth remains hidden should be of paramount concern to all of us.
Ty: Is humanity becoming closer to God, or are we a doomed society that is deviating away from our spiritual force? Is their hope?
L.M: We cannot be apart from God, if we are a part of God. We can deny, we can ignore, we can chose not to care, but one day, we will be forced to face the truth. People who have a near-death experience are forever changed, because they actually experience who we really are. And when they try to describe the experience, they use only one word: love. When you are standing in the light, you realize that every cell, every molecule in your spiritual body is made of this purity, this clarity, this loving energy that provides structure to consciousness, and at the same time, is connected to everything there is. The feeling of belonging and acceptance is indescribable—the peace of it, the infinity of it, the absoluteness of it. You are part of everything and everyone, and it is all love. It is not a love directed at you. It is not a love you give. You are the love. You are the love. There is a feeling of promise, as though this experience is just a glimpse of things to come, and you understand with every fiber of your being that if there is a purpose to our time on earth, it is to bring that love into this world.
I have had a similar experience, and I was not dead or dying, I was merely praying. I prayed for one thing, understanding, and then I remained silent, and waited. I don't recall if it took days or weeks, but one night it simply happened: the tunnel, the light, and with it, understanding. Have you ever had a bubble of joy, a moment of such intense delight, you felt that every single thing was exactly as it should be? Well, that is what it feels like, but it is a bubble of joy you do not have to covet, because you know it is eternally yours; it is your natural state of being, forever. All I can say is: the human word, love, cannot contain the magnitude of meaning that comes from this experience, and if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.
There are also those who find themselves in hell, but it appears to be self-imposed, when they realize how far they've strayed, not from God, but from the perfection of who they really are. The contrast is so intense that even the most insignificant sin seems a chasm. It is painful to realize that you have sacrificed so much for so little. It also appears that your stay in hell is up to you. Forgiving yourself must come first, and that is not as easy at might sound.
In the Gnostic Scriptures, Jesus says that God is in you and all around you—God is everything there is. When we strip away these physical shells, we are standing in the kingdom of heaven. When you think of it that way, it is difficult not to see us here on earth as children, fighting over toys and who's the boss of me. It would be comical if it didn't produce so much suffering. There is now enough wealth and technology to ensure a comfortable life for everyone, and yet versions of commercials I saw as a child are still running: starving babies sitting in the hot Sahara sand. And there is the ever-present threat of a nuclear holocaust. But to answer your question, there is always hope, because even if we destroy ourselves, again, for better or worse, we are everlasting. I just wish we would try harder to get it right this time. Earth is a miracle, our existence on it is a miracle, and yet we treat both like yesterday's trash. Heaven may be our natural state of being, but I do not think there is a hell, only shame and sorrow for abusing such a gift.
----
If you enjoyed this illuminating interview, you may be interested in my review of Legends of the Light Bearer. If so, you can find it here.
Crisp, Ty (2012) Interview with L.M. Aldrich
