FROM ELSEWHERE
Article by Author Scott Mandelker

About ET Souls, Wanderers & Star People




One day I came home from my job, and my father who loves to go to the library (even though he is still thinking about whether UFOs are real or not) left me two books on our dining room table (probably April, 1996). One book was Cosmic Voyage by Courtney Brown (about Remote Viewing) and the other was From Elsewhere: Being ET in America by Scott Mandelker. I found both books incredible and very important.

As you know from other pages in this section, I have a strong affinity with the definition of the "Wanderer" as written by George Hunt Williamson in his book, Other Tongues, Other Flesh, which was also reported in the "RA Material" channeled by Carla Rueckert. So I saw that Scott was discussing Wanderers a great deal. However, I did not agree with Scott that all ET souls were Wanderers or Walk-ins as I believe, as Brad Steiger had written in his book (with Francine Steiger) called "Star People", that there is a difference between an ET soul that has a specific planet they came from (Star Person) vs. another soul who wanderers the Universes, going from planet to planet, helping many worlds become more consciously aware. So I had to write to Scott and share my strong feelings on this distinction (I just saw in the July 1996 issue of Scott's newsletter "From Elsewhere: The ET Journal", that he added my comments into his "Reader Mailbox" section but he did not list me as the source -- how curious?). Although via our letters we did not agree per say, it was left on friendly terms.

Then the next thing I knew, I saw that Scott was going to be at the Star Knowledge UFO Conference. This is the same conference we were preparing to speak at as well about the Crystal Skulls (and to share "ET", a very old human-size smoky quartz, as presented by his caretaker/companion Joke Van Dieten), so I figured I would speak with Scott in person.

We had a few conversations and finally agreed that "ET Souls" is probably the best way to describe the souls who are here to help Mother Earth whether they are a Star Person or a Wanderer. It was good to see that in Scott's book he interviewed a number of "ET Souls", so people could see that the earth is indeed receiving additional help from many levels as we go through the on-going planetary transformation and also just to share what kind of challenges and experiences the "ET Souls" have had to endure to be physically present at this time.

So please find within this page an interview with Scott that gives you some background on his work and some of the insights he has uncovered in his quest. Scott has also agreed to work with us in the future to combine our Crystal Skull Event, featuring "ET" (which many sensitives feel has an extraterrestrial origin) with his UFO related information.

Take it away Scott ......

Illinois







FROM ELSEWHERE

An Interview with Scott Mandelker, PHD


Author Introduction:

Scott Mandelker, Ph.D. is the author of From Elsewhere: Being ET in America (Birch Lane Press, 1995), the first complete study of individuals who consciously claim to be extraterrestrial souls. He has lectured widely on spiritual growth, the global significance of UFO/ET contact, and cosmic evolution. Dr. Mandelker has a private counseling practice in San Francisco, and publishes the bi-monthly ET Journal. Scott also has over 15 years experience in Buddhist study and practice, having lived in monasteries in the U.S. and Asia.

Contact Information:

UNIVERSAL VISION
Attn: Scott Mandelker, Ph.D.
2130 Fillmore St. #201
San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: (415)567-2190 --- Fax: (415)567-2976

View 1996 Fall Teaching Schedule by Scott Mandelker







THE INTERVIEW



Q: How did you first get interested in the subject of extraterrestrials and people who say they are from other planets and dimensions?

A: Actually, it was not something I had always planned to get into, and events over the course of many years brought me closer and closer to this unusual topic. When I was young, and throughout my adolescene, I had a strong interest in science fiction, especially Star Trek and various futuristic novels, such as those of Ray Bradbury. It was a fascination, but I had no inkling that it had anything to do with UFO issues, ET contact, or the study of those who say they're from elsewhere. But these early interests definitely primed me for my later 'far journeys', and this fascination opened me up to a greater vision of the universe and what is possible.

As I discuss in the second appendix to my book, From Elsewhere: Being ET in America, I got very heavily into Buddhist study, practice, and full-throttle monasticism while still in my early twenties. I left colleage after 2 years (at the ripe old age of 20) feeling intense alienation, disconnectedness, and the futility of the accepted mainstream paths offered by society; it seemed like the plan was to get a job, family and children, make some money, then die in ignorance. Actually, these were the classic symptoms of 'worldly revulsion', which is considered the starting point in all mystic traditions which teach the rigorous complete path of self-liberation, enligtenment through intensive meditation and higher consciousness. I fantasized being a forest monk, wearing tree bark and buring up all delusions of self and suffering through meditation practice, not surprisingly, my family was horrified!

And so I spent several years on and off as a renunciate semi-monk (not taking monastic vows, but living close to the bone), and did a lot of meditation. Besides buring up a good bit of intrapsychic suffering and confusion, it also cleared my consciousness, and gave me a lot of insight on the nature of Self, death and reality. I didn't emergy fully enlightened (I didn't go that far!), but I developed a peace, clarity, and centering that did the trick. So I felt complete enought to return to ordinary society, finish my B.A., and figure out my place in society. I was ready to make a meaningful role for myself in this Earth world, no matter how difficult.

My involement with the whole extraterrestrial question came quite subjectively; through a series of clear out-of-body experiences, lucid dreams of contact and symbolic communication -- plus meditation insights associates with reading, channeling and guidance. More than this, I also came to understand the process of inner reflection as an essential means of gaining clear information. I ended up reading a wide selection of ET-related texts, Eastern and Theosophical metaphysics, doing my own channeling (for a short time), and piecing together the many paranormal experiences and clues scattered throughout my life. From this it became abudnantly clear that I am a Wanderer, an ET soul, and that this issue would be a fine subject for my dissertation. I completed the Ph.D. in 1992, and knew this would make a fine book as well!




Q: Can you tell us what you hoped to achieve by writing the book, and how you decided to publish the dissertation?

A: Before I wrote the Ph.D. dissertation in 1992, I already knew something about the subject, and I had already been lecturing on the West Coast about metaphysics and the global meaning of ET contact. I already knew people who considered themselves Star People or Wanderers, and I already had that awareness of myself. So I was far from a neophyte, but I was, and still am, quite skeptical about many of the typical New Age groupies with stars in their hair, and the million-dollar channels who make everyone feel good while they peddle spirit dust. I was also quite aware that some people who might say they are Ets were in truth quite glamored and unreliable. Yet I was not out to prove anything, pro or con; I simply hoped to present this unusual group of people in a fair, mature, intelligent, and non-judgemental way.

I really chose this topic -- "the culture of those who claim to be of non-Earthly origins", which is the subtitle of the book -- because it felt to be the most relevant and personally significant topic available. Indeed, after years of monasticism and deep inner discovery, there were not a lot of worldly things that interested me, especially academic subjects to occupy a year of research. But I did want to explore and tell the stories of people like myself who came to realize that their profound sense of differentness, their spiritual knowing and longing, their paranormal experiences really pointed to an ET identity. The topic was personal, collective, and quite fertile ground. I also knew that there was no complete study on this phenomenon in print.

In terms of what I hoped to achieve, I wanted first of all to tell the story of extraterrestrial origins without hype and glamour; to tell individual stories, show the path that began with confused alienation and ended in clear, inner knowing. I wanted to present this subject to a larger audience and catalyze greater public awareness of the work of benevolent visitors. There is so much negativity in the media presentation of UFO and ET contact that most people are either addicted to the illusive hope of high technology or sacred that the "aliens" are coming to abduct them. In truth, there are far more positive or compassionate, wise and beneficent ETs than demonic Grays or Reptoids. I also wanted to help the millions of Wanderers, or Star People around the world wake more clearly to their own identity. For those truly from elsewhere, the process of coming to clear recognition of origins and purpose is quite important, and makes their stay on Earth far more pleasant and productive.




Q: What was the most surprising or interesting finding you made during your study?

A: There was one particular finding which I found most interesting, and also most important from the standpoin of really understanding this group of people. This discovery was there there is a spectrum of maturity and understanding within this group. As expected, some of them were still confused, troubled, and uncertain about the meaning of their experiences. They were unsure about being extraterrestrials souls and thought perhaps they were fooling themselves; they were afraid of dealing with the implications of this idea. Many were in some ways struggling against themselves in this process of self-discovery.

Then there were other people who were certain about being from such and such a planet, with a particular spacy-space name, or that they were the sole representative of their federation with a mission to save the world (a curiously common idea these days). Some felt themselves the twin or physical manifestation of some spaceship commander with a grand military-type title. Others claimed to be in direct contact with Jesus Sananda, Ashtar Himself, or some particular Intergalactic Master -- a real galactic big-shot (who must have a lot of free time to spend with them). Regardless of the permutation of such a moderate to highly-grandiose ideas, what was determining was that they found all of this wow-great! stuff extremely important. Now, I will be the first to say that I believe there are extraterrestrial federations, ships and planets; that some of them do have unusual names; that humans can be in contact with such evolved beings and that individual Wanderers (ET souls) do have particular service work to do on Earth. However, it was the stress and emphasis that this second group of people placed on such externals -- name, form, title, mission, rank, and so on -- that left me questioning their intentions. Such preoccupation with these sensational detials seemed like glamour, self-deception, and a dose of ego-inflation. Yet I can also imagine that most of these people really are Wanderers or Star People -- it is just that they have become hung up on the details of such status. I do think Jesus is 'on the other side' and assisting humanity in his own way; I just don't think that making contact with some nice lady in New Mexico is a high-priority use of his considerable energies. I do know there are different titles and levels of responsibility for those extraterrestrials who work together in particular projects; I just know that if those visitors themselves have any maturity at all, that they would not make a big deal of rank and position (in fact, they probably wouldn't even mention it all -- to what end?). And I also know without a shadow of a doubt that benevolent ET races who are here to share love and wisdom are not organized in any kind of quasi-military hierarchy. If you want to find a militaristic ET structure, the only place to locate it is with those extraterrestrials who are bent on power and conquest -- in other words, those who seek to dominate and control. And one of their favorite targets are naive lightworkers.....

So I did meet a lot of people who said they were ET souls, but about whom I certainly had reservations. Glamour and self-deception can happen to anyone, ET or otherwise. Yet at the far end of this spectrum of maturity and self-understanding (which is of course subjective according to my own values) were another group of people who made no big deal at all about being from elsewhere. These were men and women who never spoke about being from such and such a planet, unless somebody directly asked them. They had no need to impress anyone with rnak or title. For all intents and purposes, they were quite ordinary, although most had impressive paranormal experiences, such as mystic, kundalini, near-death, ET-contact, and so on. They were extremely humble, mild-mannered, and open to all points of view. They had no ax to grind, no agenda to push, no religion or pet leader to glorify, and were quite easy and pleasant to be around. They were simply good, kind, balanced people. Yet they also knew themselves to be extraterrestrial souls on short loan to planet Earth.

What really marked these people as 'special' or, in my eyes, quite remarkable and admirable, was the degree of devotion they put into serving the people around them. They made no big deal about being different; they were too busy teaching, writing, healing, counseling, creating, planning and organizing activites that might be of benefit to their community. Even those who were more hermetic were truly humble, gentle and poised. Not surprisingly, some of the extraterrestrials souls on Earth felt so disconnected that they chose a life of more or less solitude -- but since they radiated such kindness and harmlessness, I'm sure they had a positive effect on the plants and animals who's company they preferred.

So I found that within the group of people who recognized themselves as cosmic visitors were individuals both clear and confused, humble and grandiose, active in service or passive in self-absorbtion. Like any other group of people, I found all types -- yet those who I considered a bit off-balance did not detract from the genuine reality of extraterrestrial incarnation. Even ET souls are not perfectly enlightened -- and even less so when they take human form!




Q: So why are these extraterrestrial souls incarnating on Earth, and what does this have to do with UFO Phenomena? I mean, these ideas are pretty far from documented reports of sightings with hard evidence that we have about alien contact.

A: Although there are different ET races from all points of the infinite universe, their intentions boil down to a distinct polarity; love and kindness, or separation and control. Whether the ET looks like a reptile, a Nordic, a ball of light, or Yodo the swamp guru, their motives and goals can be dscribed as either benevolence or domination. I don't agree with the current ideas of abduction specialists who say we can have no idea of the intentions of these visitors, or that cosmic morality is not black and white since they 'are so different from us'. Actually, I don't really think the extraterrestial races are so different -- they are far older, and like anyone who is older, they know themselves better. The good one are reall good, and the bad ones are really bad. I feel pretty confident that is not a simplification at all, but really is the way things are ...

So regarding abduction-type, if there was terror and panic; then those ET's are 'neative,' and care not one whit for your feelings and your personal development. Let us not fool ourselves; friends, elders, and teachers who want to help us and seek our spiritual growth do not traumatize us. This is not the way people are helped to grow. Such a statement seems the most elementary ethical self-reflection, but many abduction experts seem to support people who gloss over the pain, helplessness and suffering by vague rationalizations. Simpy put, those who love us do not harm. I think we can expect the same from our galactic neighbors.

So -- almost all of the Wanderers come form those benevolent races who do indeed love, cherish, and deeply care for humanity. Such marked tenderness is all but forgotten in the public feeding frenzy around supposed alien abductions, government cover-ups, and skeptic debates. I and many others who had had "positive ET contact" know first-hand this genuine tenderness; it is not fantasy wishful-thinking in the least. Likewise, the people I interviewed all came to the conclusion that they too are here to help, to lend a hand, to offer kindness, warmth and support to those around them. In this way, they actually felt that they were serving the transformation of Earth itself, which in an esoteric way, had directly called forth to the universe for this special boost of love and light, provided by ET souls in the flesh.

All the Wanderers and Star People understand that they decided to be here, that they've been on this planet for one or many lifetimes, that after death they will probably return home to their root civilization or home planet, and that this is a special time in human history. They were all optimistic about the future of this planet, although many were keenly aware of human distortions, suffering, and the social structures of cotrol and domination that make spiritual growth difficult. Nevertheless, they are almost all actively engaged in some forms of service.




Q: My final question: where is this all going? Most directly: is this whole issue of extraterrestrials souls in the flesh leading towards some great event?

A: As many other UFO researchers believe, I think we are looking at an official government disclosure of genuine ET contact evidence in the next few years, or possibly sooner. Beyond that, I think there will be increasingly public and large-scale UFO sightings in the next decade, with greater influence by both negative and benevolent visitors from beyond. And as this happens, many more people will tune into the spiritual dimensions of what's happening to the planet, and will seek more information on the meaning, the significance, the purpose of the ET presence and what the personal relevance is.

I imagine more people will wake up to ackowledge and validate for themselves their own cosmic roots, and find that they are part of the celestial family which has had close relations with Earth for a long time. Eventually, I think ordinary citizens will realize we are not alone, we are spiritual beings (not only body and mind), and that help is available if we only ask for it with sincerity. At the point people will search for more insight on what this whole thing about Walk-ins, Wanderers, and Star People is all about -- and more will be able to accept these ideas.

In the long-run, I am certain that ideas of soul transfer and interplanetary will become widely accepted. Earth humanity will ultimately take its place in the community of planets and galactic races. What began with a minority of people claiming to be from elsewhere will end, in my opinion, with wholesale public acceptance of the reality of our cosmic neighbors, and a focused collective desire to make contact for mutual upliftment. Today's dream is often tomorrow's reality. I have no doubt we'll see a lot of these changes in our own lifetime ....





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