I have recently visited with a couple people who are members of the church that have described a kind of deja vu. Where they would dream some event, maybe seeing somewhere they have never been, and seeing a few things clearly. However, what they have seen does not seem to be of any major import. Days, weeks, or even months later they find themselves in that place, with all the details in place.
The people I have spoke with have found that the event did not have any apparent importance as far as a point of decision, or that there was something to be done then and there. So, they have wondered what the purpose was.
My advise has been that I would be very carful to make sure you are making the right decisions in that place. That perhaps the experience could be a gift or blessing in and of itself, or perhaps you are being trained in prophecy. I think some of these things have to play out before we can see through this darkly.
Following the above discussion, I have only by chance read experiences by a number of other members who have had the same kinds of things happen to them. And, with less detail, I have had the same experience many times.
I am socially awash in LDS members so naturally the people I have spoken to about this phenomenon have been LDS. But, I have to believe this gift is not unique to church members. However, I wonder if it is found more commonly in LDS members, or perhaps in people who are pushing forward on a spiritual journey?
“As has been established, a dream has numerous bearers and chieftains, rung upon rung [levels of sanctification], so that some dreams are entirely true and some contain truth and falsehood. But the truly righteous are shown no false material at all, only truth.” (The Zohar, Daniel Matt, Vol. 3, pg. 225)
“Come and see: When a person is asleep in bed, his soul leaves and roams the world above, entering the place that she enters. Numerous bands of dazzling demons traverse the world, and they accost that soul, and they convey false information to her or things that will happen in the near future. As she awakens, the soul within him informs him what she has seen.”
“Therefore, a person who is not virtuous is shown a good dream that is not true - all in order to lead him astray from the path of truth, since he has strayed from the path of truth. For whoever comes to purify himself, they purify: whoever comes to defile himself, they defile.” (The Zohar, Daniel Matt, Vol. 3, pg. 227)
Now, do I believe that my spirit actually leaves when I sleep? I am not sure of that, but I don’t think distance is much of a factor for spirits, and as things are relative, what come to what is less of an issue in the spirit realm.
This is the issue, some portion of the gift of prophesy is working among some people, it has been going on for a long time, and it points to a spiritual, parallel existence. This knowledge can be a spiritual plum along our path, or perhaps a forerunner to greater things.
As appropriate, feel free to share your experiences.
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In the comments below ChristianZ made a very good comment that I did not want to have overlooked, so I am adding the reference he made here - Thanks ChristianZ.
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In the comments below ChristianZ made a very good comment that I did not want to have overlooked, so I am adding the reference he made here - Thanks ChristianZ.
“He [God] has caused us to forget everything we once knew before our spirits entered within this veil of flesh. For instance, it is like this: when we lie down to sleep, our minds are often as bright and active as the mind of an angel, at least they are as active as when our bodies are awake. They will range over the earth, visit distant friends, and, for aught we know, the planets, and accomplish great feats; do that which will enhance our happiness, increase to us every enjoyment of life, and prepare us for celestial glory; but when we wake in the morning, it is all gone from us; we have forgotten it. This illustration will explain in part the nature of the veil which is over the inhabitants of the earth; they have forgotten that they once knew...” Pres. Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, Page 351.
This concept seems to be understood by many, but not discussed much.
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The Zohar only speaks of the developing desire (kli) in the Upper Worlds. It does not speak of This World (perception limited to the five senses). If a dream happens when an individual is unconscious, then what is the equivalent to a desire that has transcended the limitations of the five senses and has begun to attain firsthand experiences with various degrees of the Creator’s qualities? According to Kabbalah (to whom the Zohar belongs), a desire can only begin to attain the Upper Worlds once it has sufficiently determined to Receive the enjoyment that comes from progressive manifestations of the qualities of the Creator in order to increase their ability to Bestow enjoyment upon Him in return. So again, what is the equivalent of a dream to a desire that has sufficiently determined to Receive only in order to Bestow? As one progresses “rung upon rung” there are still influences that seem to be positive and negative and also appear to be outward. There are also remembrances of This World that appear as a dream to the individual who has crossed the Machsom into the Upper Worlds. As the individual continues to strive to attain sensations of the Creator’s qualities in order to increase the similarities and to work with the Creator to overcome the differences, there are still qualities within the individual that seek to deceive and thwart the forward progression by many means. The opposition within the individual is always equal (2 Nephi 2:11). So whatever the attainment, progression, or spiritual gift may be, they can be mimicked in the negative by the same being who has experienced it. According to Kabbalah, the individual understands the seeming outside world through its previous experiences and in respect to what it already is on the inside. Thus, the outer world becomes a macro representation of what is inward. If the whole world is contained within the individual, then it is conceivable how they can roam the Upper Worlds (which they have attained so far) during states that affect them as sleep would to a dreamer. During these apparent “rests” or “stagnations” in the individual’s growth process, new obstacles are manifested in order to help them overcome their remaining lack in total adhesion with the Creator. As the individual continues to become refined, so do the obstacles. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught about this in D&C 50:24-35.
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24—25: Entering into the path of attaining light progressively until the perfect day (chasing darkness).
26: The receiver is the greatest (because he is learning to attain the greatest gift), but has to become the least and servant of all (Altruism, Bestowal). This is exactly how a Kabbalistic Group of Friends works in order to have the Creator reveal His qualities to them between their intentions and actions towards each other (1 Samuel 20:42, Matt. 18:20, D&C 6:32).
27: Through learning proper progression through proper subjugation, the individual will learn to have all things be subject to what he is becoming. All of this change, power, and authority come through the Father and Jesus Christ.
28-30: All power and authority come from the changes one undergoes as they learn to embrace and become equivalent to the progressive qualities of God they experience. “Name of Jesus” refers to the character (qualities) of Jesus that one is growing into. Shem in Hebrew is translated as “name,” but means character. Hebrew is a language of function, not meaningless titles. Sprits (more refined) become subject also.
31-33: Instructions on how to deal lovingly with the deceiving spirits as the individual learns how to overcome them through firsthand experience.
34: The attainer of the Upper Worlds realizes that “all things (opposition included) work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). When the Zohar speaks of falsehood and truth, it is talking about the differing perspectives of the individual of the same thing. Sometimes they view things as false and deceiving, but later learn to use their experience with them to overcome their separation from God.
35: “And by giving heed and doing these things which ye have received, and which ye shall hereafter receive—and the kingdom is given you of the Father, and power to overcome all things which are not ordained of him.” The Father gives us the kingdom and the power, and allows us to feel as though we have worked to attain it in order to remove our shame from freely receiving such a gift. There is no way we could ever work and attain equality of form with Him on our own. Since “in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things” (D&C 59:21), the spiritual progressor must learn that “All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence” (Romans 14:20).
In speaking of this process, the Apostle Paul wrote:
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified (8:28-30)
Hi Michael!
Nice to see you.
Thank you for the very interesting comments.
-David
Hi David,
Sorry my comments didn't seem to directly go with the direction of your post. I also wasn't trying to contradict you or anything.
In pertaining more to your post, I often ask myself questions like, "How can it become expedient in my life for me to….?” Usually I finish these questions with things like: “truly obtain the Holy Ghost as a constant companion,” “receive the gift of ministering angels,” or “behold the face of God in the flesh and live.” I ask these questions so that I will not seek these gifts for any other reason than that they will contribute as a necessary part of my spiritual progression.
In saying this, I think it would be an appropriate question to ask myself, “How can it become expedient in my life for me to obtain greater consistency of dreams and visions from God?” In doing so, it could become a great motivation and milestone in my efforts to spiritually progress. Thanks for the post and for the encouragement David.
Read JD 1:351 near the lower right corner of the page.
Michael:
Your comments are always welcome and appreciated. You have very thoughtful comments, and a perspective that I suspect is more at home here at MormonMysticism.com than at many other sites.
My lack of prompt response should not be viewed as disinterest, but only as a demanding schedule.
Thank you,
-David
We will be having funeral services for David Littlefield on Tuesday, March 5th from 4-5 p.m. It will be at this LDS chapel: 1276 Erringer Road, Simi Valley, CA. He will later be buried in Sandy, Utah. If you know anyone that would like to know this information, please do pass it along.
More than anything, David Littlefield (1957-2013), will be remembered for his generous spirit. David was born to Marilyn and Glenn Littlefield in 1957. He had an adventurous childhood with his four siblings, full of bike rides and schemes. One of the most significant turning points of his life was choosing to go on an LDS mission to Roanoke, Virginia. While there, he learned to love and serve, and he imagined the kind of life he wanted to create for himself. When he returned, he met his sweetheart Mary Martin and pulled up to her house on a motorcycle for their very first date. They fell in love and were married in the Salt Lake City LDS temple. They went on to have four kids, and he was the best Dad anyone could ask for. He was always hilarious, always gentle, always looking for the best in his kids. He taught his children to be strong, to laugh at themselves, and to always keep an eye out for others. At birthday parties for his kids, nieces, and nephews, he would sneak out into the garage, put on a gorilla suit, and surprise the family by running off with the birthday child. During Christmas would dress up as you-know-who while all the kids, and the adults that could be persuaded, told him what they wanted. He would also show up in costume for neighbors, ward members, and families that he knew needed a little Christmas cheer that year. He would take off late at night to drop off piles of presents for families and neighbors that might not otherwise have had them. He spent a significant amount of time fixing up a group home for children and often volunteered for the overnight shift at a homeless shelter. Too many times to count, he gave money to people that were struggling even if that meant he would get further behind on his own bills. He knew many of the homeless near his work by name and would take time out of his day to talk with them and give them a meal or some financial assistance. He opened up his home to families that needed a place to stay. In at least two instances, he was able to save someone’s life. In the halls during an LDS ward meeting, he administered emergency mouth-to-mouth to a baby that had stopped breathing when no one else knew what to do. And, once in the drive through of a Jack-in-the-Box, he noticed a patio diner choking, got out of his car, did the Heimlich maneuver, and got back in line to order a burger and his large Diet Coke. David loved studying the LDS religion and would spend hours marking up articles and writing his own books. He loved sharing what he learned with others through discussions and his blog. He was always up for a lively debate and always kept a good humor even when others didn’t share his views. He served diligently in every church calling he had, and was never hesitant to visit a family, give blessings, or take someone to the hospital in the middle of the night. David worked harder than anyone we know. He often spent 14-hour days toiling over a project or trying to meet a deadline. When things got tough, he would stay positive and just work harder. He never really took a vacation or had a break in his whole adult life. But he never complained because he truly believed that he was doing it for the people that he loved. For his family, for his friends, for the ability to help those that were in need. David gave so much to everyone he encountered, always with his jolly attitude, his good natured playfulness, and his love of life. For all of us, David, thank you
http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1992710&fh_id=13647
http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/Batesville/guestbook.aspx?n=david-littlefield&pid=163462504
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