You are living now in the world of spirit

The coronavirus pandemic continues to prevail around the world today, on top of other ongoing disasters—civil conflicts, racial persecution, slaughter, war, territorial conflicts, poverty, dogmatic hegemonism—our world is overflown with diverse variety of disastrous tragedy. And how about in our own country (Japan)? Although Japan may be one of the more affluent nations, we see murders (including murders within families), suicides, sexual assaults, poverty, ugly struggles for power, on daily basis. From abuse and bullying to war, our world is teeming with disaster and sorrow, produced by materialism, money worshipping and selfishness. Have we, as human race, really advanced at all? I cannot help wonder.

“Why do you think you have wars? Why do you think you have misery? Why do you think you have great sorrow in your world? Because those who are blinded by matter and can only see through its limitations do not see that behind the things of matter there is a unifying spirit of the Great Spirit. Because they seek to make differences, they have chaos, they have disaster, they have bankruptcy.
I have told you before, it is we whom you call the ‘savage’ Indians that have been brought back, as part of the Law of the Great Spirit, to try to teach you the laws that your civilization has forgotten. You have sought to build your lives on the systems of your own material world. You have sought to become educated and cultured and have tried to build up a civilization away from the laws of the Great Spirit.
Because of that, your world has fallen. It is in ruins, just as much in ruins as is the civilization of the olden days. Because we love you, because that love which comes from the Great Spirit flows through all of us, we come back to you to try to help you to pick up the pieces and build them on the structure of eternal things, the laws of the Great Spirit.”
(p.23-24 Teachings of Silver Birch)

“Our message always is that you are living now in the world of spirit, that the world of matter is but one reflection of an eternal life.
If only those who know would be faithful to the knowledge, how much more could we accomplish? If only those who have listened to the voice of the spirit and those who have witnessed the operation of spiritual laws in the phenomena that links together the two worlds of life would forget Self and rise to the highest heights that they could scale, we could achieve a great deal.”
(p.26 Teachings of Silver Birch)

Our bodies are double-structured, consisting of physical body and spirit body, so we are equipped with the ability to connect with the spirit world any time, by switching the vibrations from physical to spiritual.
However, we need correct spiritual knowledge as a prerequisite. The knowledge will protect ourselves from harmful contacts and possessions by undeveloped spirits; and needless to say, we are asked to do our best to raise ourselves (soul) higher, by forgetting selfish desires.

It is not only during sleep that we (our spirit body) can go to the spirit world. In the case of visits during sleep, we forget most, if not all, of what we see and experience there, once we wake up. It is said that the conscious mind field is way too small to accommodate the memories from the spirit world, thus they inevitably remain at the subconscious field. But our focus here, is attuning ourselves to the spirit world while we are awake, rather than visits during sleep. As Silver Birch promised us, we wish to receive higher wisdom and enlightenment from the spirit world, in the form of guidance and inspirations. He says these processes are natural operation of the spirit power, and that there is no limit to the amount we can receive.
“You are living now in the world of spirit.” In order to actively draw out the spirit power from within and without, we must keep reminding ourselves of this message from Silver Birch. Because even spiritualists with knowledge and understanding of the truth hold unconscious illusion, thinking that the invisible world of spirits is another world, which we enter for the first time after death. We have the knowledge, but our spiritual eyes are blurred and clouded by overwhelming realness and vividness of the material world, perceived through the physical senses.

“No limits can be set to the Great Infinite Spirit, to the wisdom, to the inspiration, to the truth that can be showered upon your world. There are no restrictions to the mighty power of spirit waiting to fill your world, when your instruments (mediums) can provide the right channels for us to use.”
(p.27 Teachings of Silver Birch)

To connect with the spirit world, we must prepare the “right channels,” through which spirit power and inspirations can descend. We need to condition ourselves so we are in tune with the operation of the providence. Fear and anxiety should be removed as much as possible from our minds, and maintain calm and tranquil (unified mind).
Raise ourselves (soul) to the highest possible state, by discarding selfish desires.
Live faithfully to the spiritual truth. Strive to purify and elevate the mind, to allow the Great Spirit within us would manifest itself as much as possible. Specifically, adhere to way of life of “spirit is king, body is servant,” practice altruistic love, and active faith in the providence (applying the providence toward difficulties and trials). “The right channels” are built this way.
As a child (divided soul) of the Great Spirit, we all have a storehouse for spirit power, and spiritual nature called divinity (spirituality) within ourselves. This is why we can, through inspiration, acquire immortal wisdom and eternally valid (from physical world to spirit world) truths of the spirit. In other words, we are able to respond to (and catch) the delicate vibrations from evolved spirits, because of our spiritual nature, which functions as transmitter and receiver for spirit power.
Being on earth (physical world), while at the same time holding strong connection and awareness of the spirit world. We too can live this way, by viewing physical life through the “spiritual eye,” and maintaining close contacts with the spirit guides from the spirit world, hence communicating with them, and receiving their guidance on daily basis. Then we continue treading the path of spiritual growth through life on earth, aiming for higher state, hand-in-hand with the spirit guides.

“The power of the spirit—which inspired those in days gone by, which gave them vision and courage, enthusiasm and desire to serve—is available today if the children of matter will learn to look for it in the operation of those laws (providence) which are at their disposal.”
(p.34 Teachings of Silver Birch)

Manifestation of God is the providence, spirit power and benevolence; and the providence is maintained and governed by spirit power. When in operation, this power of spirit is delivered to us as wisdom, enlightenment, salvation, consolation, encouragement, empowerment, courage and inspiration.
Learn the providence, be faithful to the knowledge. Live life of “active faith,” by practicing the knowledge wherever we can. Then, spirit power starts to flow in at various scenes and situations of everyday life. By turning to the spiritual providence, we come to realize that events of life, which we previously considered as merely “accidental” and “by chance” (including unpleasant events), were actually trials and training opportunities, provided for us by the spirit world. This realization brings us enlightenment, wisdom and great encouragement, fills us with positive energy and courage, and moves us forward toward spiritual growth.
I believe this explains how, even starting today, we can draw out and use the spirit power from within and without. Once again, the important key is willingness to practice the providence with “active faith.”

“Your world does not realize that each individual contains within his own being the power to conquer every disease, to master every difficulty. He possesses a reservoir of strength from which he can draw in moments of weakness. The kingdom of heaven is within. How little is that understood!
The way to contact that higher self is by living one’s life in accordance with the laws of the Great Spirit. But how many do it?”
(p.49 Teachings of Silver Birch)

Reference
Teachings of Silver Birch—edited by Austen, A. W. edition 2010. The Spiritual Truth Press 15 Broom Hall, Oxshott, Surrey KT22 OJZ. First published in 1938.