Community Center Class: Psionics for the Headblind Herd [Monday Evening]

[icecoldfrost]

"Today," Emma said, once everyone who was coming had trailed in, "We will be discussing the place from whence many psionic abilites draw power; the astral plane."

"Academically speaking, the astral plane, also called the astral world or the psychic plane, is a plane of existence postulated by classical - particularly neo-Platonic - medieval and esoteric philosophies and mystery-oriented religions. It is the world of the planetary spheres, crossed by the soul in its astral body on the way to being born and after death, and generally said to be populated by angels, spirits or other immaterial beings. In the late 19th and early 20th century the term was popularised by Theosophy and neo-Rosicrucianism. The Barzakh, olam mithal or intermediate world in Islam and the "World of Yetzirah" in Lurianic Qabala are related concepts."

"In my world, the the astral plane is a metaphorical level of existence with ties to the physical world which only psychic entities, or those with magical abilities, can visit. Some say it is an alternate universe in an equivalent space to our own, where all matter is composed of ectoplasm. On the astral plane, the life energies and consciousnesses of other beings are discernible to adepts. Powerful psychics and sorcerers can manipulate the astral plane to their wishes, while those not yet well-versed in the workings of the place can find themselves trapped for eternity." Cheerful, Emma. Not.

"The trick to remember with the astral plane is that your mind defines your reality. It manifests itself differently to everyone, and every single one of you has a connection to it by having a consciousness. Should you ever find yourself there, remember that; your mind defines your reality. If you believe something is true, it will be true, and like Dorothy, you can wish your way home if your will is great enough."

Comments

Sign-In

[icecoldfrost]

As your inner-self!

Re: Sign-In

[furnaceface]

Jono Starsmore

Re: Sign-In

[suitably_heroic]

Atton Rand

During the Lecture

[icecoldfrost]

Take notes, pass notes, try to hide from the teacher!

Re: During the Lecture

[suitably_heroic]

Pfft. Atton was attending a class willingly on a Monday night.

No note-passing. Just leaning back in that chair pretending like he wasn't paying as much attention as he was.

Discussion: The Astral Plane

[icecoldfrost]

How do you imagine the astral plane? Do you believe such a thing a exists in your world?

Re: Discussion: The Astral Plane

[furnaceface]

//I really don't have to imagine it,// Jono noted. He was in a fairly good mood tonight, after class that morning. //I've seen it. Still, I could stand to become better acquainted with traversing it. But then, I could stand to become better acquainted with doing a lot of things without turning my brain to soup, granted.//

At least he admitted it.

Re: Discussion: The Astral Plane

[suitably_heroic]

"The Force is a little like it, I guess," Atton said conversationally, wiggling his fingers a bit in a 'eh, sorta' sense. "And yet a lot not. More of a 'hey, we're kind of here on the ground but there's life buzzing everywhere' kind of thing."

Beat.

"With shades of all-guiding creepy energy deity stuff going around, but I tend to side-eye that part."

Re: Discussion: The Astral Plane

[vdistinctive]

"There ain't any real evidence for it in my world," Eliot said. "'Course there's plenty of folks who'd say the same about aliens in my world. Dunno about what it'd look like for me. Maybe . . . a giant garden or somethin'."

Re: Discussion: The Astral Plane

[sharp_as_knives]

"The world I come from only has the academic definition of it." Hannibal pursed his lips in thought. "We have no true psychics or magic, so whether it exists as a universal construct, I couldn't say. But individuals certainly have their own mental spaces and can affect them."

Re: Discussion: The Astral Plane

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"I thought the astral plane was when you floated away?"

Re: Discussion: The Astral Plane

[nuclear_snide]

"Very changeable where I come from," Bob noted. "It has a tendency to take on various traits from those in it, whether they want it to or not. Not very many are all that skilled at redirecting it."

Activity: Take a peek.

[icecoldfrost]

"For those that are interested," Emma offered, "I am more than happy to show you what the astral plane looks like from my end."

She gestured for anyone interested to come up to her desk. "Clasp hands," Emma ordered. "And the people on the end take my hands and shut your eyes."

She waited for people to comply and then reached out with her mind to gather up her students and then gave them a little telepathic nudge to pop them in to her mind and her aspect of the astral plane.

When everyone opened their eyes, they'd find themselves standing in a starfield. Above, behind, and under them, as if they were standing on a clear glass floor.

"I've taken you past my outer defenses; Welcome to how I see the world."

[go wild! interact, ask questions!]

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[furnaceface]

Jono had been here before, as he had said earlier. That wasn't going to stop him from looking around appreciatively.

Emma's unique view of the world was one hell of a sight to behold. It deserved a bit of appreciation, really.

Of course, on the inside like this, his own projection of his Self was a little different, as well. So, yes, some of his attention was on trying to keep his own manifestation from shifting around quite as haphazard as it generally did. For the most part, he managed to just look himself-but-whole. Occasionally a flicker of flame would pass by his lips, or his skin would tint grey, or, for just a bare glimmer of a moment, one might be able to swear that he'd been carved wide open with nothing left inside beyond a hollow chest.

For the most part, though? Whole.

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[sharp_as_knives]

Now, if Jono could make his reality reflect this more... Hannibal smiled and put a hand on Jono's back in approval.

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[suitably_heroic]

"Yeah, I'm just going to bow out," Atton muttered, as he leaned back further in his chair and watched the whole hand-claspy thing going on over there.

He didn't like people being in his head - or vice-versa.

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[icecoldfrost]

"What, you don't trust me, Mr. Rand?" Emma said, putting her hand to her heart. "I'm flattered."

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[vdistinctive]

Eliot felt more than a little silly following Emma's instructions, but he wasn't about to give up the chance for some intel. He let out a low whistle when he saw the star field. "Not a bad spot to have in your head all the time."

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[icecoldfrost]

"The view is magnificent indeed," she agreed, looking up at the ever-expanding sky. "To give you a bit of perspective, we are currently looking at the sentient minds within a hundred mile radius, plus a few that I generally keep passive tabs on."

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Beautiful," Hannibal murmured, looking around. And, extrapolating from what he'd seen of Jono's version, "Each of these stars is a person? Do you organize them into constellations, or do they organize themselves?" It was fascinating.

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[icecoldfrost]

"For the most part, they organize themselves, although I can re-sort or rearrange them at will," Emma replied. "Each color, shape, brightness... that is determined by the individual themselves, and not imposed by me."

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"Whoooooooooooooa." Excuse Parker while she stares upward, kind of dizzy. Then she tried to be back in her body.

Yup, there it was. Solid.

Oooooo, stars again!

Re: Activity: Take a peek.

[nuclear_snide]

"And for those that can't?" Bob wiggled his fingers at Emma's head. "D'you mind if I come in just a bit more literally?"

Talk to Emma

[icecoldfrost]

She's around, before and after class.

OOC

[icecoldfrost]

Ded of CON, and at the first day of summer camp. Pings may be slow.