by Phyllis V. Schlemmer

Before I knew who Tom was, Tom was already a part of my life.

Since my earliest memories I have seen angels, spirits and strange looking creatures, later on I realized that they were beings from other dimensions, and humanoid entities. I played with spirit native American children and watched as native Americans tried to defend themselves or plotted against the white man. For me they were as real as my brother.

I was raised in an area of Pennsylvania which had experienced many Indian battles, and many of the towns were named after them. My mother was quite ill after I was born, so I was raised by my father's parents. I adored both of them. Much older than my Grandmother, my grandfather was a tall robust man, whom I called Popop; they had nine children, most of whom were still at home. My father was the eldest. It was the time of the Great Depression and the family grew all their own potatoes, corn and vegetables, and Bessie our cow gave us milk which my Grandmother turned into cheese and butter. With all this and the wonderful home-made bread she baked daily, we were quite well provided for compared with many people.

I was the first grandchild and I was loved, joyful and cheery. My grandmother would take me with her everywhere she went. She was the local midwife, and when she was called out and no-one was around to look after me, she would pick me up, wrap me in the large grey shawl she always wore, and off we would go to deliver babies. She would also take me with her when it came time to pick the vegetables; that was when she taught me about nature spirits. One of my jobs was to pick the potato bugs off the potatoes and the nature spirits helped me with this. They also helped me when I went looking for mushrooms which could be found in the local cemetery.

I would see many people in the cemetery, some trying to talk to visitors, who did not respond. Once I asked my grandmother why they were crying and why no one paid attention to them. She told me that they did not know they were dead. Sometimes they would loom up in front of me as if to play a game, and I would go chasing after them or hide behind tombstones. They seemed so happy that at last someone was paying attention to them. My grandmother would explain to me who they were, why they were there and how their families kept them Earth bound. She also explained that although I could see them, they were not so solid as I was. But I would try to hold their hands and sometimes I succeeded.

When I was around five years of age, my grandfather became very ill. My Aunts told me that he was going to die and go to heaven to be with God. I recently had a kitten that died, we placed it in a shoe box and buried it in the garden. I was very disturbed about this dying and going to God. For me, it meant being all stiff, placed in a box and put into the ground. That night as I was saying my prayers, I asked God not to let Popop get all stiff and die. I then began to pray that I would not die. I asked God to please tell me I would not die, that Popop would not die, and I would do whatever he wanted, but please not to let us die. Suddenly I heard a voice saying "Hush child, hush, you will never die, I promise you". I looked round. No one was in the room with me and the voice seemed to come from the ceiling. I said again "Promise me God that Popop will not die, I will be a very good girl". Again the voice said "Hush child, hush, your Popop will not die, I promise you. " I had such a wonderful feeling of peace, space and light. It was as if I was filled with such joy. God was my friend; He gave me his word that neither I nor my grandfather would die. I told my grandmother about it and she just smiled and said, "Yes, child". After my grandfather did pass on, I insisted he was not dead, because I saw he was well and happy, standing alongside this very big doll that looked like him lying on the bed. When they took the doll out of the house later, he and I were playing hopscotch outside. I asked him if he wanted to go with the doll. He said no, so we continued to skip and play. I was so happy he was no longer ill.

Both my grandmothers were sensitives and recognised that I also had this ability. The two of them were involved in my training, for each had unique abilities. My father's mother taught me about the little people and life after death. She was born in Ireland, had a wonderful spirit, loved to sing and I never heard her say a negative word about anyone; she was the least judgmental person I ever met.

My mother's mother was born in Italy and she was a medium. Her family was known for their healing abilities. She read the oils, was very good with psychometry, found missing people and communicated with spirits. She was very strict and taught me to be responsible and to develop my own abilities. Both grandmothers were very strong on ethics and discipline which they instilled in me. With this background, it was inevitable that some day I would open a school to teach metaphysics, which I did in 1969. I had been told by my Italian grandmother, who came from a family of kabbalists, that one was not ready to teach until the age of forty.

I opened my school in Orlando, Florida on my fortieth birthday and began to teach a select group of seventeen potential mediums and psychics. I would go into deep trance, and the class was taught by one of my spirit mentors called Dr. Fiske. I had created a special windowless room for this class with a microphone hung from the ceiling. Outside the door was a tape recorder which was turned on by one of the students using a remote control after I had reached a deep trance state.

One Monday evening several months after the group started, another entity came in to talk to the group after Dr. Fiske had finished. When class ended and we were all sitting and eating, the students told me about this wonderful being who had come in. They liked him very much, he was very gentle, loving and softspoken. He spoke of universal things, he was completely opposite to Dr. Fiske who was strong on discipline, spoke in a loud voice, and was very authoritarian. I suggested we listen to the tape. Dr. Fiske spoke first, but after he said goodbye the tape was blank, and it continued blank for about twenty minutes before we heard me coming out of the trance. This went on for several weeks. Finally I told my group they should ask him who he was and why they could not record him. Up to this time they had never asked him questions, but just let him speak. So the next Monday evening one of the students said: "May we ask you questions?" He replied, "Yes". They asked him what his name was. He said, "My name is Tom". When they asked him why they could not record him, he replied, "You did not ask permission, is it not correct to ask if you wish to record someone?" They agreed and asked his permission.

From that time on Tom's voice was always recorded. I channelled Tom for approximately four years before he was identified in 1974 as one of the Nine, their spokesman.

I believe I am one of the few deep trance mediums still around. Many mediums find it difficult to give up complete control, which is necessary for this kind of work. I am able to surrender myself completely and let Tom and the Nine take over. I have not channelled any other entities since Tom first came, with the exception of a few occasions on which Dr. Fiske came to alert the sitters to help bring me out of trance because my physical body was in distress. Tom and I have had a deep relationship for the last twenty-two years. Strangely he always refers to me as 'Our Being' and never uses my name. Since my experience of the voice that said "Hush, child, Hush". I have always had a strong internal knowing of the existence of God - the one and only God, for which I have felt very grateful.

Tom and the Nine have not detracted from that; they have reinforced and enhanced it. I feel so very, very fortunate and appreciative that I have had the opportunity to know Tom, and through him the Nine. I do hope you will find them as helpful on your journey through life as I have found them in mine.

by John Whitmore

Channelling, sometimes known as mediumship, is neither a new nor an uncommon occurrence. Phyllis Schlemmer is not comfortable with either the term 'channeller' or 'medium' because of the general impression that these words convey to the vast majority of people and more importantly, she feels that for her at least, they do not describe the process correctly. Phyllis considers herself to be a transmitter - as indeed does Tom, who says so, further on in this chapter. This point having been made, for the sake of the reader, we shall continue to use both the word 'channel' and 'medium' throughout this chapter.

Channelling can be found in every culture and in a variety of forms, such as 'automatic' writing or artwork, and voice communication, where the channel appears to speak for another mind than her own. (The majority of channels in our culture are women so I will use the feminine gender throughout.) This may occur in light trance, where the channel is aware of what she is saying, or in deep trance, of which the channel will have no recall whatsoever. In deep trance the channel may use speech, language patterns and tone that are completely different from those of her normal voice. Even foreign languages totally removed from the channel's experience are not uncommon. Some people have never heard of channelling, and many more would not give it a second thought, because on the surface it is easy to dismiss it as an act or hoax consciously perpetrated by the channel. Hoaxers however have to have a motive. Could there really be so many hoaxers, in so many cultures, whose only reward is often physical and psychological pain and, at least in 'developed' societies, a fair amount of ridicule? The payoff for manipulating people in channelling is not significant enough to attract widespread hoaxing.

However, institutional psychology is incapable of producing an explanation of channelling that fits within current scientific orthodoxy, and therefore ignores the subject, in the same way that physics ignores dowsing even though most water supply companies and mineral and oil prospectors employ dowsers with profitable results. Channelling work is anathema to the very assumptions upon which our society is based - individuality and the ego are sacrosanct, and the thought that larger influences can come through an individual draws in many other major questions, such as those of reincarnation, the soul, the transpersonal roots of the psyche and the very meaning of life. Channelling has been going through a resurgence in recent years, particularly in America, where sittings with channels have, to a degree, replaced the psychiatrist's couch. As with any phenomenon or fad that grows to popular proportions, the quality of what is available is likely to decline and greater discrimination is required by those who wish to avail themselves of transmitted guidance. Some of the aspects and pitfalls of channelling work are addressed here.

It should be remembered that many of the statements that follow refer to the particular case of the transmissions of the Nine by Phyllis Schlemmer and do not necessarily apply to other practitioners of the art.

GENE: If people can accept the reality of channelling at all, they are then faced with all the problems of interference in channelling and in receiving these messages, coming as they do from a different dimension. Can you comment on the possibility of how much of the messages we are receiving from you are garbled by static and interference, and whether or not it is possible that we are occasionally receiving misinformation because of difficulties in communication?

Tom: Misinformation would be in the interpretation, and in limitations within the mind of the channel - in the usage of words, of which we do not have sufficient in the mind of the channel. There is not within the minds of humans the language to even attempt to explain our knowledge or the knowledge of other civilisations. But the channel is in our control.

GENE: Can Phyllis be unconsciously affecting any of the communications from her own inner self. How certain can we be that our method of communication avoids all thoughts and needs and so on, that Phyllis herself has?

Tom: Do you understand that our Being is not in the body at the time of communication?

GENE: I didn't understand that, but I understand what you're saying.

Tom: Do you understand that the functions of the body in most areas are in a state of stoppage?

GENE: No, I -

Tom: Do you understand that the heart and the circulatory system is kept to a minimum of function?

GENE: I underst-

Tom: Do you understand that we are in complete maintenance and control? There is not a word in your language to explain, except for the word that we totally possess the body.

GENE: I understand I think that answers my question completely on that.

Tom: If our Being, did not give us total permission to take control without creating difficulty or objecting to us, we could not - for the sake of non-interference of free will - completely control our Being. Our Being's mind, her soul, is not in the body when we are communicating. Our Being had great objections to computerisation. That was the original plan, but out of the fear of being controlled by a computer, she created great difficulty for us, herself, and for the civilisation of Altea, that was attempting to communicate in that way. We would not be communicating in this manner if our Being had given herself in completeness to a computer.

In many thousands of years of communication from the other planes of dimension to species and beings upon the physical planet Earth, there has always been great difficulty. There have been but few that we would call perfect, as anyone possibly could be perfect upon your planet. The reason being that there have been but few that would permit complete control.

ANDREW: I see, that is absolutely basic in the process, is it?

Tom: It is primary. Without the control and without relinquishing the personality of the individual it is not in truth clear communication. We have cautioned you many times to be of extreme caution with the conscious mind of those with whom you work, whom you use as a communicator. It is important for you to understand that in order to communicate, and I speak now, not just of my operating as a spokesman for the Nine, but also for other civilisations, to be able to communicate, we will use an instrument. We use this term, 'instrument' because the one through whom we communicate is in truth a physical transmitter.

When we use a being it is important for you to understand that we must truly control that being. We take over the subconscious. It has to be a being that is willing, that becomes passive in order for us to become active. We have never had a difficulty with our Being. That is because our Being removes her individuality. But that is also the reason for the fear of computers. She understands in her subconscious, and has made a commitment, but the fear of a computer is the fear of a loss of soul.

Do you then understand that we must with great effort maintain a balance in the physical body? It is important that when taking over the body, that at the moment that we are taking it over it is in a sense like a computer. We must cause the body to have its heart operating, its lungs breathing, all of its major organs functioning. That is the reason that many times there is a drain of energy in the two of you it is because we are using your energy maintaining the body in a suspended state.

ANDREW: Is this carried out by a computer or is it by a being?

Tom: With our Being it is another being; that is the difficulty. We do not violate the agreement with our Being. She is the only one on your planet who was able to do this, and it was from an earlier agreement, that she decided to give completely to the Nine - it was not an agreement with computers. At the time that we communicate with you, we wish you to understand that we do not have a vocal language.

ANDREW: - You communicate by direct mind-to-mind

Tom: We communicate with the mind of our Being, and then her subconscious transmits into words.

When we maintain our Being, it is as if we take a million threads and we weave these threads together to communicate with you. If there is a situation where she is not physically in condition - if for example, she has difficulty of digestion, or difficulty of elimination, or difficulty in emotions, or if there is a negative vibration within her, or a negative or doubtful vibration within either of you, or an anger in you, or a disturbance - we cannot then use the energy from you because it would cause a breakdown in the threads which we weave with her to communicate. And so we communicate at times with great effort, which then in turn causes more of a depletion upon her. Also, when conditions are not proper, it is very difficult to present the images so they may be related.

Through thousands of years other civilizations have worked very diligently to perfect and to refine a system of communication, so there would not be the necessity to transmit and to control a being, to relate what other civilizations would relate to you. We are telling you now, and we pray that you have understanding of what we tell you: when we speak to you, we speak through this Being. That is to be clearly understood. Communications which you receive through other beings and species come through a different sort of communication. It is relayed.

JOHN: Could you answer one question concerning the means that you use to speak through Phyllis, because the Tibetan [who channelled through Alice Bailey] and some esoteric schools give advice not to pay much attention to deep-trance channelling. It is considered lower psychism, and of course this gives us credibility difficulties with those in those esoteric schools.

Tom: Do they feel that taking a pen in a hand [automatic writing] is higher psychism? What is the difference?

JOHN: Well, I believe that what we do here is a more pure way, because of the lack of interference.

Tom: You are in truth. In this manner there is no mind, there is no consciousness, there is no unconsciousness, lower consciousness or higher consciousness.

JOHN: But why did the Tibetan give that advice? In that case there must have been some reason?

Tom: Remember this: in those times [the earlier 20th Century] there were many that were used by spirits. Those in such schools must change their thinking, for this is a changing Universe. It is not static; they are remaining, in staticness. [sic]

From time to time during this period we worked with other channels who seemed to have access to specialist information that complemented the Nine. However they would at times relate things outside their specialization that would conflict with the Nine or would lead us off track. This caused confusion and occasionally conflict within the group. We asked the Nine about it.

ANDREW: Can we discuss again the human problems of some of our other channels?

Tom: We have difficulty in understanding your nature. We are being educated by others in the way of your beings. It is very difficult for us to understand your physical nature. We understand your emotional, and we understand your intellectual, but it is very difficult for us to understand your physical. We are aware of the problems that you are having with some of your beings with their physicalness. We cannot remove this from them, this they must remove from themselves, or refine it. I will try to explain, but I do not understand that emotion, so I will relate it in the manner that has been given to me.

In regard to your physical bodies, the desires that you have in your physical reproductive areas are similar to a safety valve. The conscious mind of others may have desire to use of you. When it would be one of the opposite sex that would use you, be careful of their communication. We are not saying that you are not allowed to communicate through others; but it would not be direct from us - we want you to be clear of that.

ANDREW: Yes, I'm very clear about that.

Tom: But it is when they wish to use you that they may not speak to you what is the truth. It may be that the civilisation that speaks through them is trying with great difficulty to relate a truth to you, but for them it is an opportunity to use you. We wish you to know that the most destructive element is the ego that controls.

JOHN: Some other channels, here and elsewhere, are producing a lot of cataclysmic predictions, and other sorts of messages that do not seem to coincide directly with yours.

Tom: We have related in many of communications, we will continue to relate to you, there are many civilisations that have communication with humans on Earth, in which that would be a consideration. We will use a term that is not a term that we like, but perhaps it would give to you understanding. There are those that are in a higher echelon, and those in a lower echelon. We communicate not through any but that of our Being. Only if our Being is returned to us, would there be a decision to communicate through another. In the civilisations that create great chaos within many, they are giving their point of view of seeing.

In relationship to catastrophes, we will not permit catastrophes to completely remove souls from the earth. What we are attempting to say to you, is that those that communicate in the strictness of negativity are in a realm that is using their emotion, their drama; it is not of the purest. Do you understand what we are saying?

This particular case of confusion, which had arisen within the group in the early days, is recounted here to demonstrate the kinds of trouble which are easy to fall into when exploring a new world such as channelling. Also, it gives some interesting background into the dynamics of some of the groups of channellers which exist today. Apart from lesser civilizations with lesser knowledge of the whole, there was always the question of whether some non-terrestrial intelligences were deliberately destructive or had evil intent, and whether they could interfere with communications with the Nine.

ANDREW: Since there has been so much talk of positive and negative forces, is there any sign or method by which a person could confirm that he or she is dealing with positive forces? Some religious people might be frightened by our communications and insist that they could only be negative.

Tom: By their knowledge, by their benefit to Earth, you will have the understanding. We have explained that there are those civilizations that could create difficulty, but that their power cannot sustain. Within your ear, within your heart, within your mind, if it feels not right in the essence in which they convey to you, then we give to you our assurance, it is not right.

The Nine also warned us that Civilizations that did not have the best interests of Planet Earth at heart could exploit the weaknesses of some channels.

Tom: There are two ways in which your channels can receive and get into problems in your physical world, One would be when the channel is weakened, either by lack of rest or illness. The other will be when the channel is willing to be used negatively because of the desire for power. Our Being was not a willing channel for negativity.

In this particular case we may interfere and we help. In a channel willing to channel negativity we may not interfere. When a channel is willing to be used negatively there are many factors that -you must take into account. And because a channel is willing, it does not mean that that channel cannot become unwilling...

JOHN On the subject of being willing, is there a difference between being consciously willing and unconsciously willing?

Tom: - There is no difference. An unconscious desire for power is the same; as a conscious desire for power.

ANDREW: I have a feeling that xxxx has the potential to become a channel. What is your advice with respect to this possibility?

Tom: This is possible in the future. But she must learn discipline before she may work. And when I speak of discipline I mean this in the sense that she must learn to balance in this physical world. Without the balance in the physical world it is difficult. As you know, for every hundred that come to this planet to do the work, who have chosen for themselves, ninety-eight do not make it. It is because of non-discipline in your physical world.

You must be extremely careful with whom you deal. And when I speak of this I mean contacts that you make with sources from other civilizations or the spirit realms. Not always are such contacts valid, true and honest. Because a contact is made, it does not mean it is a true contact. When I say this I mean a contact that says it is working for us.

JOHN: Be careful because there are all degrees of spirits. Is that what you're trying to say?

Tom: This is correct. And we are not a spirit, and this is what we speak of. We do not wish to be involved with the spirits. The spirits are those who have passed on in this world and are hanging around this planet earth. We are not spirits. Spirits of your world that are in the atmosphere and around the bands of your world, are as confused as the physical beings on Earth. There are those that are evolved but most are not. We are not spirits. We are trying to save the Earth so that these spirit beings also may be released and be evolved. Be careful whence you work. Remember this: most of the groups and most of the organisations using channelling are working with the spirits. As I said there are those that are evolved but there are those that are also confused. When they left Earth they also took their desires with them, and one of the desires that manifests on Earth is the desire to control.

ANDREW: This constitutes some difficulty for people in distinguishing what is going on when they have inner or psychic experiences. We felt this was happening with the young man that we spoke with today.

Tom: It is of a different nature. Those that exist at this place at this time are in truth with their souls, and have great love for the universe, and their motive is in the highest, so therefore the energy will be used for the benefit of the universe. Confusion comes from non-experience, but it also comes from a great desire to have .... How may we say this to you? ...

As in your world there are those that believe all of the words that are written in your publications (is this not so?) Similar to the nature of those that accept that all that is written is truth, there are those that have contact with spirits and civilizations that also believe that because they may make this contact, it is of the highest and of truth. But often it is not. You understand the nature of the spirits existing upon the Planet earth? You also understand that in other civilizations that have what you would call periods of transition, they would also be spirits?

GUEST: Yokatow, is that a spirit or is it one of you?

Tom: A spirit but a good spirit. When I say good spirit I do not mean there are bad spirits, I mean they are just more evolved than others. And on this planet there are those spirits that are working very hard and very diligently to raise the level of this planet. He is one of those.

We just would like to clarify that we are not a spirit, we are spirit in the sense that all beings are spirit, but when we say spirit we mean a physical spirit attached to the Earth.

JOHN: I have another concern. Phyllis' use of the English article word 'of’ has increased about ten times from the first to the latest communications. In the earliest communications with you, the language was quite colloquial. Now, in recent communications I find the word 'of’ being used in many ways, and is now used as many as eight times in a simple declarative sentence. Can you help me with my confusion regarding that?

Most of these 'of' words and similar language flaws have been edited, in order to ease the flow for the reader. The following paragraph has been left untouched:

Tom: We will attempt to explain to 'that of you. In 'that of ' working 'of ' communications with 'that of' our Being, it is 'of' an adaptation from 'that of' us. In the beginnings of 'that of' the communication with 'that of' our Sir John and 'that of' our Doctor, it became 'of' important for us to have 'of' clarification of 'that of' whom we would speak and 'of' what it would have meant. Perhaps we are not using in 'that of’ the terminologies that are 'of' correctness, but it became 'of’ more 'of’ clarification to us with 'that of’ our Doctor Andrew, our Sir John and 'of that of' others, and 'that of' our understanding that we were communicating to 'that of' them. They say I have not clarified 'of that' for you.

ANDREW: Could you ask Altea for the linguistic basis for the use of the article 'of’?

Tom: Yes... It is 'that of' you. It is not 'for' you, it is not 'to' you, it is 'that of' the essence of you, as it is 'that of’ the essence of us. To answer your question, the physical is deteriorating.

ANDREW: Is this a direct consequence of the work, or is it age?

Tom: It is communication. The draining of the physical body causes difficulty. The area of the brain which we may use for the words has been having a lack of energies. Therefore we must be careful not to drain our Being. This Being was chosen, and chose to do this work, and this may be difficult for you to understand, but in our world she is considered a genius in communication. She can relate and communicate and get across to those that do not understand. But in our miscalculations we erased part of her memory, and it is very difficult for her to find and to choose the proper words. Part of the programming that we were doing when we instituted this process in 1963, was with this device that was placed into the brain to translate our language into your language. Because of this error that we have made we are now having difficulty in translating into the language. If you will please tell our Being to place your dictionary under her pillow. If a dictionary is placed under her pillow, part of the programming then can be programmed in.

In practical terms this has resulted in slower transmissions but the quality of the communications has not been impaired. This section was included to outline some of the difficulties that can arise in this type of work.

Tom: There are many in this room with us now.

ANDREW: I wish I had the vision to see them there. There are so many times I look around and I'm sure they must wonder why I am so blind I cannot see them.

Tom: You are not so blind, it's just you do not have the X-ray vision eyes that some have. They call it seeing with vision or clairvoyance. It is not so, it is X-ray vision eyes.

ANDREW: Well, I offer my love and my peace to all those who are here. Even though I cannot see them I accept their presence.

Tom: At times they touch you.

ANDREW: I thank them for paying attention. It helps, it helps.

Tom: They are always attuned to you and many times we weep with you.

On various occasions, questioners have drawn out some insights into how to deal with the crucial problem of the reliability of the transmitter's source.

Tom: When you open yourself for communication with other dimensional beings it is of great importance to have understanding of purpose and motive, for there are those who come forward proclaiming one thing and being another, and there may be a slipping through of information that may be truth, but may also be a method of manipulation and control.

ALICE: Then how can it be clarified: how can the channel be cleared so that there is no question?

Tom: In your world we have not known of the existence of any that has not had partial self-involvement, for it is very difficulty to clarify. You must continuously search self in your direction, motive and method. In the past there have been many who have communicated portions of great truth and not other portions, spirits of mischief, or thoughts of collective conscience. 'So it is difficult to categorise or place it in proper perspective.

When you are asked to do something which is not compatible with your physical surroundings, or with practical provisions, then it is necessary to detach, to stand apart, and to view it. When your communicator demands or relates to you, that if you do not do something asked for, then there will be great difficulty in the world; then it is important to understand that that may be something that is fulfilling a need within you, or it might seek to control you.

JOHN: I'd like to ask about two other channels, one who seems to be producing some important communications, but she claims that they come from the Nine. Can you clarify who really this is?

Tom: It is not from us in directness, but from civilisations that are in service. So if she would wish to say it comes from us, it would be in an indirect form but also remember this: there is a Board of Directors, a head who has knowledge of all, and there are those underneath who have departments, and there are those underneath that who carry out production. It is of the same manner here, but that does not mean that it negates what comes, but it is always not in true clarity and in directness, do you understand?

JOHN: Yes. Therefore, perhaps she should not use the term 'The Nine'.

Tom: She must ask whom it is in that name, do you understand?

JOHN: Okay. The other person has had some communications recently, also claiming to be from the Nine. I presume this is a similar situation.

Tom: Yes. As we have explained to you on numerous occasions, we come only through our Being. I am Tom, the spokesman for the Nine, I am the only spokesman for the Nine, and I do not speak through any other. That does not mean that what they bring has not value for those that work in conjunction with us.

Some years later, this same channeller came up in conversation again, though the situation had evolved by then:

MIKI: A medium we know of is channelling information which claims to come from the Nine. Can you tell us where it comes from?

Tom: Our Sir John asked us that question over two of your years ago. We explained to him then that it was not from us, that it was coming from a lesser civilisation that had not all knowledge. Since that time her ego has become obsessed and it is being used by those that would wish for destruction. It must be understood whom she is with. It came to her in writing, and now she is attempting to channel in a similar way to our Being, but it is not true, it causes discomfort in the world, and it causes us to be appearing as a clown. It is best not always to hide the truth.

MIKI: From which source comes the Seth materials channelled through Jane Roberts?

Tom: Her higher self, yes.

MIKI: I don't really understand that

Tom: You have your self, have you not? You have your consciousness, have you not?

MIKI: Yes.

Tom: You have your subconsciousness, have you not?

MIKI: Yes.

Tom: You have your higher consciousness, yes.

MIKI: So, she is not connected to any hierarchy in the Universe?

Tom: It comes from the reservoir of knowledge within her high self. Do you understand?

MIKI: Yes. Most of the material I find is very valuable but still then I find sentences which are contradictory to what you say, especially the information about Jesus. How is this possible?

Tom: It is because of connection to the reservoir of knowledge. You understand that there are streams of reservoirs of knowledge, what you call collective unconscious? In the seven planes surrounding earth, that in truth are nine, there are within each a portion of truth. It is when you go into the ninth chakra that all truth is, not all are capable in this point of their existence.

JOHN: A person I met is interested in channelling, and I was concerned about his lack of discrimination...

Tom: The singular most important thing to know, which you have a natural instinct for knowing, is the checking of your own internal source. This you must convey to him. There are those who channel that are not the best for humankind, however there are those with great intelligence upon your planet who accept all forms of channelling without discrimination. It is important to continuously check yourself and challenge also. It is permissible, in fact it is important, that there be questioning.

There are many channels that in their hearts believe they are doing the things that are correct, when they are simply being tools of the negative, you understand? If they can understand that this is possible (even though they may not accept it) then those that go and utilise this can be brought out. The singular most important thing that may come forth is that you must check your inner source.

You know that all humankind, no matter what environment brought them forth or what education fulfilled them, have an internal check on the balance within, yes.

Dr. Andrija Puharich, a medical doctor and inventor, became highly interested in extrasensory perception in the early 1950s. While studying the subject he came across the Council of Nine. It wasn't until 1974 that Phyllis Schlemmer, Sir John Whitmore and Dr. Puharich were brought together by 'circumstances' that Sir John recalls:

"In November 1973 I met Andrija Puharich in New York to invite him to speak at a conference to be held in London in the Spring. He accepted, and agreed to use "The May Lectures" to reveal his extraordinary experiences with a previously unknown psychic, Uri Geller. In January, Phyllis Schlemmer, who ran a psychic development school in Orlando telephoned Puharich about a remarkable healer she had discovered. Soon afterwards Phyllis, Andrija, the healer and I gathered at the Puharich home in upstate New York to investigate his abilities. To everyone's astonishment the healer began to channel information from an extraterrestrial intelligence. Later, when the healer showed signs of instability, we decided to seek advice from one of Phyllis's spirit guides. The guide told us that he was not a spirit, but the spokesman for the Nine - and thus a great adventure began."

In the early 1950s a doctor of medicine cum parapsychological researcher, while studying extrasensory perception, came across the Council of Nine. It wasn't until 1974 that Phyllis Schlemmer, Sir John Whitmore and the Doctor were brought together by 'circumstances' and began their transmissions with the Nine. The story of their first years together: Prelude To The Landing On Planet Earth, was written by Stuart Holroyd and published by W H. Allen in 1977. This was published in paperback by Corgi and Doubleday in 1979 under the title: Briefings For The Landing On Planet Earth.

The transmissions in this book The Only Planet Of Choice date from 1974 through to the present day. Since those early days, various people have, at one time or another, been present during the transmissions, serendipity being responsible for most of them being there. This has been voluntary work, sometimes requiring much energy, time and personal expenditure. First names of the different questioners have been used in this book in order that the reader can see how the different personalities invite different types of interaction and information from the Nine. Some first names have been changed at the request of the individuals concerned, for they already have extremely active lives and wish to be able to continue their work with The Nine, without public attention being diverted onto themselves.

It has frequently been pointed out by the Nine that, in the past, enlightened information has often been corrupted or lost in the propagation process. The emphasis shifting from the teachings to the teachers, who incorporated their own doctrinal modifications.

The Nine wish that the information they have transmitted be shared with the people of Planet Earth. They do not wish for a cult, religion or any form of elitism to grow around them or the information. The people who, at the time of writing, have shared in the process of channelling have done so with an attitude of service, to support and facilitate the process. Since the members of this group were from various countries they usually convened at twice or thrice yearly reunions, while smaller sessions involving specific individuals occurred throughout the year.

Following a procedure developed over the past fifty years that she has been channelling Phyllis counts herself down into deep trance. To the observer it seems as if she is falling asleep on her chair. Then she suddenly becomes animated, raises her head and her hands and a different voice -Tom's - announces that he is present and offers greetings and blessings. His voice is high-pitched, slow and the English is somewhat archaic. As explained by Tom, Phyllis' body and mind are taken over by the Nine, and bodily functions are maintained by Altea, the leader of one of the Twenty-Four major civilizations. While Tom is transmitting through Phyllis her hands move about in a series of Mudra-like shapes.

Channelling through a unique transmitter not only maintains the integrity of the message, it also underlines the enormous amounts of complex preparations and training that are involved in making them. The transmissions usually start with Tom making an important statement. Otherwise one of the sitters (most often it is Phyllis' husband Israel Carmel) asks Tom if there is anything that he wants to say before they start on the question and answer process. Tom does not transmit words, he uses the transmitter's brain as a translator, dictionary and syntax-organizer. Tom calls it the servo-mechanism. The length of a transmission depends on many factors and it is always Tom who announces when the channelling must end, whereupon conversations are finished and goodbyes exchanged. Phyllis goes quiet and then counts herself out of trance. This is sometimes a difficult procedure and awareness, care and collectedness are required from all the people present.

Phyllis has no knowledge of the transmission when she resurfaces and in fact she has not even read most of the transcripts that have been made, in order to keep her mind uncluttered.

At the end of each transmission Tom always says "Tell our Being of our love for her". And if nobody tells her - she does not know!

We pray that the nations of the Earth come to peace within themselves and come to recognize whence they came.

We pray that all the civilizations of the Universe that are engaged in the balancing of the Universe, be given strength and peace within, to carry on the work to which they are committed.

We pray that the physical beings of the planet Earth come into a state of awareness and understanding, in order for their souls to evolve, to raise the level of the planet Earth and to cleanse the heavens around the planet Earth so that the Universe can progress.

We pray that those beings and civilizations that are opposing what we do come to the light of understanding, so that they also come into perfect balance.

We pray that the day may soon come when all in the Universe have the knowledge and the understanding that will make them whole.

We pray for understanding among ourselves, and for the strength that is needed so that each of us can guide the others to become perfect beings.

We pray for the souls of the children of the Earth to be brought out of the dark and into the light.