Anyone drawn to the metaphysical topics, will have already found information on the Chakra System—especially its “care and feeding” and how a healthy one is important to continue maintaining a well-balanced life. But, few (if any) have heard of the work in that field by Dr. Igor M. Wickedly, once a professor at the University of All Practical Practitioners of Metaphysical Studies. Unfortunately, his research was not published in its entirety; the reason is reportedly due to his eventual loss of doctorate and subsequent banishment from the University after a series of unfair reports appeared anonymously (but suspected to be from his supposedly more serious and less intuitive colleagues due to their outright jealousy over his extraordinary discoveries)—no one seems to have the whole story. Regardless, Dr. Wickedly had compiled copious notes and journals during his work and these were recently rediscovered by one of his past students, said to have kept the faith and was now eager to tell the world the truth behind the extraordinary discovery of the insightful method for channeling the Inner Self.
The story began when Igor M. Wickedly yearned to tag “Dr.” onto his name. In pursuit of that dream, he inadvertently realized the significance of the energy vortex (which he later referred to as “hand chakras”) at the center of both palms. Of course, he was aware of the body’s energy vortices aligned to the spinal column and scattered in other areas, as well—although, he had never wondered “why” before that fateful night pulling an all-nighter to finish his senior thesis. After several hours of hand-writing the long thesis (doing so because he was a horrid typist) and so nearly finished with the final essay, his right hand suddenly became cursed by a case of severe writer’s cramping. Intent only to restart the circulation and relax tendons in the hand, he began vigorously shaking it at the wrist while alternately stretching and fisting his fingers. In mere moments of doing this, he happened to glance across at the opposite wall and gasped—the desk lamp was casting his antics as grotesque shadow-animals in an oddly entertaining display of what he later described as “Shadow Puppetry”. Unfortunately, he could not afford to allow this to keep his attention for long; day was breaking outside the window and his thesis deadline looming merely two hours away.
Hurriedly, making a note of discovering an actual “hand chakra” and then promising to revisit it and further explore its possibilities, Igor dashed off to get ready to present his thesis; its topic far removed from such alternative healing or metaphysical interests. Perhaps, the incidental discovery of the “hand chakra” simply slipped his career-oriented mind or became dismissed when he later deemed it unworthy of his attention, but three years passed before Dr. I. M. Wickedly literally tripped over the box containing that dusty notebook that included the scraps of his forgotten but a potential for an intriguing study. Luckily, he remained a curious, easily intrigued man and began reading, soon realizing there might be a “book in it for him”. The dream of publication was enough to compel him forward and, with his permission after a lot of begging, Dr. Wickedly agreed for me to share his work with the public—although his dream for formal publication has not died. Therefore, this article contains highlights of that research and descriptions of how it progressed; ideally the intention is to allow practitioners of alternative healing to use the insightful methodology; thus, getting a jump on their competition.
When Dr. I. M. Wickedly stumbled across the forgotten notebook, was soon busily compiling material, led along solely by curiosity and an almost childlike innocence, which was most important when he returned to the rather silliness of recreating the shadow puppetry that started it all on that fateful night. The lamp was soon casting the shadow animals and Igor laughing along, noticing how they almost seemed alive and even acting independently—or was it the action of idle hands or a tired mind; he never could decide. However, soon he had a mish-mash of notations and some disjointed concepts made from his experiments, which eventually led to using the “hand chakra” to carry on conversations, pretending they were presenting various aspects of his personality or even displayed characteristics independent of what his mind gave them. It was then that he noticed heat radiating from his hand and prickling sensations all related to this so-title, “hand chakra” center. Elation was soon painting his face as an idea took shape in his mind when his slightly blurred vision revealed a rainbow swirling where he imagined the vortex to extend through the center of his hand. Alas, he knew he had not only revisited his experience of shadow puppetry of years earlier – sands the cramping curse – but, also the idea was expanding with every experiment.
Soon, Dr. Wickedly, lifted his head from scribbling notes on seeing evidence of his auric field and exclaimed: “Hallah, I see a greenish-yellow glow, which does not glove the whole hand but looks to be swirling, an energy vortex extending all the way through the palm/center of each hand, in both directions. Oh, this research shall become like having a tiger by the tail; one I cannot let go or become the blue-plate special.”
Convinced that he had discovered an unknown or simply forgotten vortex of the hand (chakra), Dr. Wickedly was frantically compiling pages of research; racing ahead on the premise that no one could dispute his descriptions of the extraordinary effects, which seemed to vary depending upon a person’s temperament, health and/or degree of fatigue, hunger or moodiness; all factored in as they related to the inner senses and outside influences. He continued this observation process with his on-and-off experimentation, regardless of knowing that anyone in the professional and scientific field would assuredly dismiss his work as nothing but foolish shadow play and give no credence to any of it other than to pooh-pooh its researcher as a ridiculous time-wasting fool—even some remarks were worse. Still, Dr. Wickedly stubbornly clung to the hope of getting a book deal out of his unique research, but no offers came from scoffing publishers and that idea fell flat. Eventually, a deeply discouraged Dr. Wickedly found it necessary to move on to more serious endeavors—yet, he never completely dropped his interest in continuing his study of the hand-phenomena.
Because his expertise (doctorate) was in History of Ancient Civilizations, one might logically assume he would choose a career in teaching in that field, but that was not the case. Instead, he quickly became bored with teaching and soon gravitated toward metaphysical areas; eventually becoming skilled with alternative healing modalities, past lives and reincarnation. This led him back to his former study on the “hand Chakra” as it linked to his alternative study. He realized this energy vortex (chakra) affected everything he tried with magic, healing, energy work and even extended into wishing or setting of intentions for a desired outcome. There seemed to be an emotional energy flowing between the head and heart already known and now he decided there was a constant flow of physical, emotion and spiritual energy that extended through a sort of tunnel of the arms and entering and leaving via the hand or as he called it, a “hand chakra”.
As an expert in hypno-therapy and past life regression, when offered a chance to teach a class in his “Pet area”, Dr. Wickedly jumped at the chance. He started right off, challenging his students with the theoretical conduit of energy as a method to make the soul remember its past lives and then transmit those feelings, images and related sensations into the present mind, heart and consciousness. His classes became in high demand, selling out the day it was announced. This allowed him to totally ignore his past critics and any current doubters. By his 45th birthday, he was again working on the manuscript for a book, basing it on the former research of the simple “hand chakra” – yes, the same one that had been declined at every turn in the past – and adding copious notes on the work that followed with his students.
Being the light-hearted person that he is, Dr. Wickedly started his class with an introduction of the theoretical chakra in the hand; as it is located at the thinnest layer of the astral bodies/auric field where the hectic motion of arms, hands and fingers makes it possible for the energy to have a 95% faster access to the heart and ultimately the mind’s alternative states of consciousness. He believed that anyone who became awakened to this would instantly become more susceptible to hypnotism, meditation, dreaming and scrying, as well as able to use their inherent psychic abilities. Then, in closing he would grin as wickedly as his name and ask if the class would like to partake in a group channeling to test his theory. Of course, everyone began wriggling in their chair while excitedly jabbing their hand in the air, clearly showing they were very willing volunteers – well, except for a pair in the back who scowled, quite uncertain if they should trust their brains to a teacher who had just gone insane before their very eyes. However, once things got underway and the rest of the class were embarking on this journey, they hopped on board. At this time, Dr. Wickedly decided his “hand chakra” needed a more professional-sounding name. After listing ideas on a long sheet of paper, he finally chose:  THE WIDGET CHAKRA (Later, he admitted snagging the name from the experimental test-marketing of a whimsical, non-gadget, in the late 1950’s).
Having earlier experienced a deep meditation in which he was brought face-to-face with his own alter ego (a person of dubious character, even evil vibes, that he realized was no one he wanted to meet in broad daylight, let alone a dark alley), Dr. Wickedly reluctantly decided to allow the class to discover their alter ego, but also gain insight and understanding of the “id” under somewhat controlled conditions. All his students were eager to explore this part of themselves, including all its ramifications—which, to his surprise, became an expansion of the intuition of his more openly psychic students. As a result of this on the class channeling work was an overall expansion of individual giftedness; some by leaps and bounds and when their solitary exploration was melded into the classroom, Dr. Wickedly saw noticeable grown in their collective variations of giftedness—an expansion of the psyche paying dividends of a sort for intuition, psychic knowing, clairvoyance, clarity in channeling, etc. He was ecstatic at the changes and felt better about pushing the students into groups for channeling with their various “widget chakra” shadow puppetry exploration as it related to the ego, alter ego and eventually dipping into the inner alter ego of each student. Every student, regardless of their psychic ability level at the start of class, were now easily channeling directly from the spirit realms, as if they had done so from birth.
It was thus an open door for Dr. Wickedly to ask more of the students without fearing that he would sound foolish or insane. For the nest development, he required each to sign a waiver before learning to enter a deep meditation and allow his guidance to enter a full and ultimate “TRANCE” or altered state of consciousness. After all, he worried that this step could cause controversy, even cause his doctorate to be rescinded and his name or teaching status to become besmirched by the nay-sayers or former jealous colleagues—not again!
One weekend, Dr. Wickedly was channeling alone in his room, testing a new idea for using the “widget chakra”, which essentially had him reverting to creating his former favorite shadow puppet. It had been the easiest to make appear alive and talking, as well as earning a name – Gooseberry (did you guess it was a shadow goose?). He had secretly used Gooseberry when working out a class experiment of channeling or even pretending their shadow shapes were from the ego or alter ego, certain that his practical tryout necessary before entrusting the idea to inexperienced students—if being honest, he knew they could easily mess up the research otherwise. As he was experimenting with entrance methods into the “trance state”, Dr. Wickedly noticed he was delving into memories that surely must be buried in the subconscious instead of the fresher ones floating on the surface before sinking into forgetfulness. During this trial, he took Gooseberry “in hand” and soon found himself accessing a scene of traumatic sexual abuse as a child, perpetrated by a neighbor—PET? Oh, no, he snapped out of the scene, at the realization that had just entered something belonging to Gooseberry’s gosling-hood; not from Igor’s childhood. The next day, he decided to try that entrance method again when he noticed Gooseberry was exhibiting symptoms of bird flu—then, understood this was merely symbolic of Igor in a past life where he had a gruesome death by the Black Plague. Shocked, Dr. Wickedly, realized he had stumbled upon an ironic connection with the ego, seemingly as the shadow puppet aspect of the “widget chakra” was able to channel past lives or suggestions from other times, places and even other beings as it was an open tunnel of energy to and from the heart via the mind/consciousness/subconsciousness. He sat stunned for an hour.
Now, Dr. Wickedly, knew that to be taken seriously, he needed loads of documentation and so, began designing a questionnaire for each student to document everything about their former knowledge and experiences with alternative sciences, areas, astrological characterizations and personal and family information. He reformatted the class preparation, channeling as individuals and in groups and recorded each student’s progress as a degree of proficiency with “hand puppetry using the widget chakra” and the chosen animal shadow stand-in representing their inner self, alter-ego or other aspect of their psyche. Eventually, this research work of delving into the mysterious realms was changed to collectively include everything with a new term--“widgetry”
Indeed, the variety of student “hand widgets” was simply amazing. Only one student chose the goose, several were puppies, dogs or cats, a couple snub-nosed snakes and one diamond head, two horses, a cow, a pig, a kangaroo, half dozen elephants, 3 tigers/lions and a whole bunch of monkeys and several winged things that might be birds or bats, and several other things that seemed unrelated to known animals.  There was no surprise in the chosen creatures when Dr. Wickedly compared them to the personalities in each file, especially when he noted that widgetry was intended to draw out individual characteristics of all kinds. There were a few oddly negative aspects displayed: a few angry farm animals, an unhappy bear, a rabid fox and a couple ravenous prey animals, as well as one demonic rabbit-like thing. The idea for controlling these darker forms was to slip an old but clean sock over it, which surprisingly took the study to a new level, right off. That need for containment, inadvertently brought the students to wonder what would happen if the added sock muffled or completely hid their character. However, the irony was that it freed up the student to show traits unhindered by the ego or fear and sometimes enhanced them because it gave opportunity for the “hand puppet” to have independent expression in its sock-covered version from that of its owner. This newly socked puppet began showing aspects of individualization and quaint idiosyncrasies, as if they had their own ego from their owner, which seemed mostly a good thing. This part of the study seemed to emphasize the importance of understanding themselves and the interconnectedness with their INNER CHILD as represented in the actions of their hand puppet during the act of widgetry.
During the final few months of class, Dr. Wickedly asked the class to explore with “double channeling”, which he explained as the yin/yang for their “widgetry”. They were to make the same shapes as before and show the difference in their character animal in both a positive and a negative aspect, expressing the difference in the shadow cast onto the wall by their “widget hand”. Once this was achieved well enough, they were to use two socks, covering both “hand chakras” and creating a scene of interaction between a male and a female version of their animal. This was called, “Two-Handed” channeling. The resulting conversation between the boy and girl animal proved enlightening, but also brought on sorrowful tears in some students while others became blinded by tears from hysterical laughter. There were a few who discovered a happy animal on one hand and a rather contrary one on the other, but all were led deeper into psychological issues and unusual interests that expected.
The most significant occurrence in the research happened late one day as the class sat together focused in a deep meditation. It was unusual for Dr. Wickedly to enter the meditation rather than remain an outside observer, but for some unexplained reason, he decided to do just that. Immediately, he was swept along on their collective energy and transported way back into a past life of his own. Deeper than he usually allowed himself during a class, he noticed he was wearing brown, woolen robes – the sort worn in Biblical stories – and he found himself busy working on building a huge wooden vessel. He could see storm clouds gathering ominously overhead and felt the desperate urging that he must hurry and finish his work for a God-inspired reason. He could also see people nearby, sensing they were filled with frustration and pointed at him in the manner of scoffing at what he was doing, yet he never slowed his hammering nails and hoisting huge wooden planks into place. There was a strange feeling of being watched as in ghost stories, but NOT by the eyes of the dead or humans, but it was animal eyes pinned to his back. Then, through trance-blurred eyes, he became aware that he was NOT alone in this meditative place—other than the envisioned characters passing by, he could feel unseen others somewhere behind . . . then as he realized this was a sort of hypnotic regression into which he had slipped, to realize he was no longer alone, that began to pull his consciousness out again. Thus, he turned slowly waking from the trance state and gasped as he discovered the entire class had apparently joined into it with him for there they were . . .
Every student sat there, double channeling their personal hand puppet inner child version, but the irony was each one presented both their female and male “widget”—no question this was the completion of Dr. Wickedly inadvertent past life regression. In the present awareness, once again, all he could exclaim was: “Oh my God, I was the real NOAH and built the ARK just before the deluge. And look . . . you have all channeled the animal pairs as they wait to get aboard.”
In conclusion, I must say:  If the alternative healers or metaphysical students have phones handy and are ready to dial and pre-order Dr. Wickedly’s book – or if students plan to rush into class tomorrow to demand to know why their spiritual class curriculum doesn’t include his extraordinary methodology for accessing the inner child--STOP! There is no book on “widgetry”. Alas, merely another kind of “Tin Foil Hat” (a metaphysical bit of foolishness), the marketing of a Non-Gadget Widget.
                                                       No!   GOTCHA       ---     APRIL FOOL’S
 

​Dear Santa,
     I wonder, since there is probably no Santa Claus for dogs, if it is okay for me to write to my person’s Santa Claus? She told me you deliver toys, goodies and even grants some wishes for all the good boys and girls, all over the world, on Christmas Eve. Oh, Santa . . . there’s even a tree that seems to be growing in my new home and I noticed lots of gifts wrapped in beautiful, shiny paper. They all have bows stuck on the tags that tell who sent them—many from “Santa” so I guess it’s okay. That tree fascinates me with oodles of red, green and gold balls on its branches. There are lights too that must be pieces from a summer rainbow and twinkle like the stars on a frigid winter night. I admit I got curious and tried to taste one of the bows. I guess that was wrong for I was then scolded – even learning my first command—"NO, BAD PUPPY!” Ah, still think the balls should be played with. Next time, I will just make sure no one is watching, because my person told me that bad boys and girls – and bad little puppies, too – get only a lump of coal from Santa in their stockings. I’m confused about that for coal would not taste very good and surely be painful for walking if it is in a sock. But, my person must have forgotten to tell you, because she hung a stocking with my name on it and on Christmas morning it was filled with toys and treats, fit for a good little puppy, anyway.

     Okay, Santa, I will confess . . . I let the cat drink the milk left out for you and I ate the cookies. However, I am sure there were plenty more in the kitchen and surely you knew where to look and help yourself.
I have another reason for writing you, Santa. For a little while I was worried that I would not have a warm, loving home or even a cage with a nice soft blanket for snuggling into rather than being left outside or in some cold barn, shivering and hungry—like my mother and the other dogs from the place where I was whelped. I am the luckiest puppy ever for I got found by a kind person who bought me and brought me home, tucked inside her coat, which made it possible for me to write my letter to Santa.

     If you can, Santa, will you check on my mother? Will you tell her that I was chosen and have a new home where I am sure to be loved a lot. I am nice and warm with good, nutritious puppy food. Oh, and check on my brother and sister that were left behind in the dark box. We were all huddle inside it, taken away barely weaned from our mother and only eye-ball-sized holes that let air and only dim light. We heard the car motor, felt the vibration as it took us away . . . far from the cold barn kennel where our mother and father remain. My sister and I were first to be taken out of the box and found ourselves in a pet store full of people of all ages, shapes and sizes. I wonder what happened to my other two brothers and a sister, who might still be in the box, for all I know. I was frightened at being taken from my warm mother’s side and dropped in a cage in a place that gave no comfort that it would all be alright. I suppose it was a pet store and the lady seemed kind, but I was in a pen where people stared or wanted to pick me up and examine every inch of me or spoke critically about me. No one seemed to want me, that is, until a few days later when things changed as I was picked up and held by a person that cuddled me, nicely and I sensed somehow that it would be okay. Oh, I was worried that I might never find a place to feel safe or loved, but it must have been you, Santa, that sent this person into the store on that fateful day. I just knew she would not be leaving me behind. For that reason, I am sure that you orchestrated our meeting and she would fall for my cuteness once I turned it on and wriggled happily in her arms—yes, Santa, it did work, perfectly and quickly. She was the first person that made me feel wanted! For that reason, I am sure you sent her to find me, so you wouldn’t have to put me in your sleigh and deliver me to her house on Christmas Eve. Indeed, before I knew it, I was tucked in her coat and leaving the store to be taken to this new home, chosen happily and loved right from the start—and barely any need to have turned on my cuteness to get her attention.

     I can remember my mother telling her puppies, that all we need to be happy was a person who we could trust with our unconditional love; thus, expect that it will be returned, in kind. I cannot be sure if you sent my person into the store that day, but I am grateful forever that you did. I am now happily exploring every inch of my new home—including, things that my person tries to insist are only for Christmas and NOT for a puppy.  Oh well, what can a lucky little Christmas-puppy say or do about that rule?

     Oh, Santa . . . how my mother whimpered and shivered that icy morning. She was terribly thin, her coat coarse and thinning. I think she was sick, even though she provided her puppies with plenty of rich milk—at the cost of her health. As we were taken from her, her breathing sounded ragged, so will you please check on her for me? I fear she might not survive another winter, especially if she is forced to have another litter of puppies right away, as she did with us. She is getting older and cried as we were taken away. The last thing she told us was to make her proud by finding a home where we might return the person’s love with our favor of loyalty, protection and eagerness to please.
Oh, Santa, too many animals are left to die by the neglect of uncaring, unfeeling persons. Can you inspire them with the gift of caring that they will stop the mistreatment of innocent animals—domestic and wild, alike. Can you inspire their hearts to change from hateful and filled with ignorance of what they cause by their deliberate or unintentional cruelty? I think Christmas must be the best time for doing such things as reaching the hearts of those who want to care for the animals who cannot change their fateful situations on their own. I heard people at the pet store say, I came from a place that might be a puppy mill and anyone that purchased me should be ashamed for supporting it. But, is that fair? I wonder, Santa, for is it my fault that my mother was owned by such a place with that stigma? Do I not deserve to be loved and live a long, happy life as any other puppy? Either way, I don’t know. I feel lucky to have avoided being another victim of such a fate as my mother. I think my mother was without fault for out whelping nor are we any the less for it. Nevertheless, I am grateful that you did orchestrate my person coming into the store and finding me or it might have been a very different outcome for me than becoming my person’s Christmas gift-puppy.

     I have a question, Santa. If you cannot tell me why persons are cruel to animals, then could you do something else? How about collecting all the homeless and hungry puppies (and dogs or cats) and delivering them as Christmas gifts to homes that WANT them and will love and care for them well? We dogs are a forgiving lot; if persons will just give us the chance, a warm bed, nutritious food, clean water and a few squeaky toys or balls to chase. Yes, Santa, that and their true capacity to love us is all we need to be happy Christmas-Puppies.

     And so, Santa, I shall leave the carrots and apples for the Reindeer; the elves can have the cookies and, before you go off for a long-winter’s nap, I ask just one thing more—instill persons with the same sort of generosity and mindfulness as you show to all and let it be applied to my fellow puppies, regardless of where from which they are whelped. I am grateful for the toys and treats you left me, but I would not mind if you were to take it all and give it to other dogs that have nothing to keep them warm, well-fed or happy. I would gladly give my warm blankets to other dogs that are shivering and starving in the cold. It must be such negative attitudes that breed the darkness and ill-treatment of animals, but if Rudolph will shine his red nose into the fogginess of ignorance to the situation, perhaps things would more quickly change for the better, raising awareness into the light of compassion and generosity like a flare to enlighten all toward fixing the problems for animals that cannot do it for themselves.

     Yes, Santa, I know that my request might seem complex; but I think the solution is simple: comprehending how the heart is more than an organ pumping blood, but the seat of truth and unconditional love and a beginning for the elimination of disrespect and judgement of all kinds. Like all dogs, I intend to become a teacher of my person and can barely wait to tell you all about my year of growing up when you come back next year.

Blessings to You, SANTA, for all that you inspire and bring to the world
& A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Love from a Christmas Puppy.
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My Disclaimer:  I did not intend to sound like I am condoning the purchase of puppy mill dogs or buying from pet stores, which knowingly obtain their puppies from such sources. This letter was inspired by both the advertisements of the SPCA (an organization I support and respect) over the Holidays and to give voice for my own Christmas puppy, Skye, who wished to have his story told as it was learned post-purchase and sans any desire to return him.