Seeking spiritual contacts - the advantages of deceased persons over the still-living

As a spiritual goal and method, seeking spiritual contacts with individual people is the best strategy - and superior to the use of abstract models. 

The difference is that the division of reality into persons (into "beings") is the primary division of reality - reality actually is divided into beings; whereas any other scheme of analysis (eg by symbolism) is, ultimately, an artificial and simplified-scheme, imposed-upon real-reality.  

Much of this mortal life is about our relationships with the people familiarly-related to us, and typically around us in the material environment; and especially those whom we love. That is with "material" contacts, among people whom we know "physically". 

But our relationship with the wider world and universe; ideally include "spiritual contacts" - by which I mean relationships with those whom we know spiritually rather than physically.

(Of course there is a much wider range of possible spiritual contacts, than physically-present people.)  

Spiritual contacts can be with people who are still alive, in this mortal life; and they can also be with those who are deceased - and especially those who have died and resurrected to eternal life. 

It might be supposed that material relationships are always the best, and spiritual relationships are secondary or even optional. This ranking is probably usually true - our family, spouse, best friends are usually the most significant relationships. 

But physical relationships are not the most important for everybody, and they are not necessarily most important at all phases and stages of a human's life. 

Even for those who are most deeply engaged by physical relationships; a better, fuller, more creative and integrative life may be possible if there are important spiritual as-well-as physical relationships. 

In my own life, the most profound and enduring relationships have often been spiritual in nature; examples include JRR Tolkien (the first such), Glenn Gould, and William Arkle. 

What is interesting is that these people were alive when I first knew of them, and I even met Arkle face to face (once, very briefly - he lived in the same village as me). But in all cases; the spiritual relationships became much more important after the person had died; and I think this may be significant.

To explain: I had a more powerful sense of spiritual contact with these people after they had died, than while they were alive. 

I think it possible that spiritual contacts may be stronger and more significant than physical relationships; and spiritual relationships may be potentially stronger with the deceased, than with the still living.  

One plausible reason (i.e. plausible to me) is that the resurrected dead are wholly good, wholly loving beings in a way that is impossible during mortal life; therefore the relationship has potential to be wholly-beneficial to us (in so far as we ourselves are able to respond to this goodness, which is inevitably only-partly). 

Another reason (reciprocally related to this) is that the still-living are often more or less dominated by this-world. They may be dominated (at any particular moment) the corrupt, selfish, misguided, evil or otherwise negative aspects of their natures. 

Such factors may make spiritual contact with the living both more difficult to achieve, and less beneficial - less-Good - if it does happen. 

Furthermore, living mortals often (to a greater or lesser degree) close their minds to spiritual contact (whether consciously, compulsively, or unconsciously); such that there can be little or no spiritual contact with them. 

This mind-closing may be for good reasons as well as bad ones - e.g. a need to conserve energy and attention for what seem (and may be) important spiritual tasks, or to exclude potential spiritual subversions and other attacks. 

Nonetheless, it seems to be a fact (in my experience) that I am usually unable to feel any sense of spiritual contact with even those among the living whose works (e.g. writings) have benefitted me greatly, and therefore for whom I sometimes feel drawn to establish some kind of spiritual contact. 

However, many or most of those who have died are not resurrected Heaven-dwellers - and some are "evil spirits" or one sort or another. 

It is possible, indeed perhaps easier, to achieve spiritual contact with these than with the resurrected - and such contacts will most likely be harmful to the still-living. 

IMO this especially applies when spiritual contact is being sought for present and selfish gain - to impose one's will upon the world. This motive surely tends to attract the more mischievous, pitiful, and even demonic type of discarnate spirits - those spirits who aim to manipulate and exploit the still-living for their own benefit. 

It also may well apply when spirit contact is being sought for less obviously selfish motives such as to be taught knowledge or provided with life-guidance. 

The kind of discarnate spirits who are likely to respond to a "demand" for knowledge include include those who are foolishly conceited about their own knowledge and capabilities, and seek disciples. Those among the living who seek life-guidance from the dead, will presumably attract discarnate spirits who delusionally regard themselves as experts in what is best for other people.

(Spiritually analogous to the many professional counsellors, life coaches, "influencers", psychoanalysts, and psychotherapists in this mortal world - each convinced by his or her own superior wisdom and expertise.) 

I conclude that when it comes to developing profound and beneficial spiritual contacts, "dead" people are (usually) superior to the still-living. 

And that the main motive for such contacts should be a kind of personal love, or the sense that real and mutual friendship may be possible. 

After all; the truest physical friends in our mortal life are not those from whom we hope to get the most benefit; nor even those with whom we set-up some kind of a mutually-beneficial exchange. 

The best physical friends are those with whom we feel an affinity, and for whom we have lasting affection; and when this feeling is mutual. 

When we seek spiritual contacts much the same applies as to mortal physical life. Initially we feel drawn to the person (often for no known reason, but spontaneously, from the heart). We feel that he or she is perhaps the kind of person with whom we may have a friendship. So we strike up an acquaintance, and begin interaction. 

Friendship (whether physical or spiritual) may, or may not, develop as each discovers more about the other - and the friendship may develop but to varying degrees and depths (not every true friend is also a best friend). 

But there can be no one-sided compulsion, because all real friendship is mutual and - at root - exists for its own sake, for mutual joy.

The benefits we get from true friendship flow from its love, and the joy and creative stimulus that brings.