Peter, I'm not doubting the possibilities of what you say. Where the Universe is concerned, there's no room for dogmatism and skepticism. The new theory of mirror universes seems to suggest that three souls may be a quite conservative number. However, most of us who claim to have disengaged our mental selves from the physical are not yet conscious of that third self.

Right now, it seems that man is about ready to get off his high horse and admit that he knows nothing yet as he should know. We must move slowly and not squabble as our ancestors did back at Mt. Meru.

Self-knowledge through meditation on certain sounds is a cornerstone discipline of the Shaivites of Kashmir. Once a person lets his mind straddle certain monotonous sounds, he can achieve enviable mental states. I often did this when I was a high school teacher faced with the horrors of a free after-lunch fifth period and a sixth period. Sixth period was- and probably still is- usually Hades for teachers like me who spent their working lives in hellish Los Angeles County high schools composed of low income whites, illiterate immigrants from Latin America, and other "groups" which I, as a white person, cannot yet name publicily in our fragmented America, for fear of being called "politically incorrect" and worse in this New Salem Witch Trial culture of ours. Talk about duality, you'll learn the FULL meaning of the word if you're a White who says "ouch" in cultural and ethnic clashes in this country. If you keep quiet and flash a pepsodent smile when your throat is being cut, you're non-racist. If you complain, you're a Simon Legree!

What I would do during fifth period was lean back on a sofa and concentrate only on the monotonous sound of the conversation of the other teachers condemned to sixth period. After a while, I became conscious only of my mind and not my body. It's one of the greatest sensations a person can feel! Often, I was able to go to class and spend at least part of sixth period in this glorious state of mind! I can guarantee for sure that any drug user would no longer need his drugs in such a blissful mental condition.

Gene D. Matlock