In recent times, when the metaphorical conceptions of ancient times were confused and misappropriated, people associated the underworld to “hell,” a physical, often fiery, place underneath the earth where people only went after they physically died. Some considered this a place set aside to punish sinners and that there was an alternative sky realm, called heaven, for the non-sinning or sinner repentants. ”Saving Their Seats in Hell” was a successful congressional campaign slogan in 2012 that implied those who were against the candidate were already marked for an afterlife of unholy retribution. Other belief systems simply considered the underworld (or otherworld) more as the final destination for all after physical death, a place filled with spirits and gods, and less of a place of torment. The closest to accurate use of the term underworld was when it was used to describe criminal communities — implying the going ons beneath the surface, like a black market held in an abandoned building. In that respect, people accepted that while they may not be privy to all the going ons in the criminal underworld, it was in fact quite real.
Much of the past confusion around the underworld can be linked to what we call “linear thinking” and reality versus fantasy. For numerous centuries, the majority of societies considered it logical to construct a reality based on step-by-step thinking, evidence-based conclusions, etc. This primitive belief system was further supported by the concept that the “real” was limited to what we could see, hear, feel, taste, touch when people believed there were only five senses. As shocking as we may find this today, when we know of at least 50 senses, it wasn’t that long ago when something as basic and encompassing as “intuition” was dismissed as “new age.” Early education focused on teaching techniques that categorized information picked up by our senses into black and white divisions such as “true or false,” “fact or myth” and “real or fantasy.” Children and adults who dared challenge the finieval mindset were medicated, institutionalized, ostracized and beaten. We should not judge too harshly on those who followed the finieval beliefs, following one’s personal truth almost guaranteed being labeled as mentally ill or delusional. At best, one could pursue a growing awareness via artistic creation or a professional field such as psychotherapy and psychiatry, where one could twist and conform truths into slightly mishappen boxes and call it science. In most cases, psychic awareness was a lonely and brutal life. We should not be so smug to be so sure that we would have conducted ourselves any differently.
As we now take for granted, the underworld is not a physical place that we can “touch” the same way we can touch our toes, it is a real place everyone delves into on a daily basis, whether we’re aware or not. This unified greater awareness has increased our evolution at an unprecedented rate, it has offered humanity access to wisdom never before available. Some have embraced and honored this opportunity, some have chosen to gleam what is available but not wade too deep and some, as it has always been, are reckless. They put themselves in great danger for nothing more than cheap thrills and bragging rights. The bulk of my business, psychic retrieval, comes from rescuing these psychic tourists and underworld thrill seekers.
