DR JAN MERTA

All articles posted on this blog are available at https://digitalbloggers.com/articles/elysiumspassage
or go to www.elysiumspassage.com for website articles and Amazon book site
JAN MERTA DE VELEHRAD
1944 - 2010
About five years ago, my friend Dr Jan Merta inspired me to begin writing some of my intellectual/spiritual thoughts. And so I did. Now, to my surprise, the writings have turned into four novels (so far) that I decided to call the Elysium’s Passage series. You may also read the first part of the back story regarding the inception of this series in my blog post "How it Happened." An abridged eBook is available upon request at no charge of how these peculiar events began to occur to me a few years after his passing. Obviously, he wasn't gone – not then, not now... not ever.
Not surprisingly, he is one of the central characters in the series. I believe that throughout the dialogue he helped inspire certain parts of the Elysium Passage series.
With him being such a fascinating person, I decided to include a number of anecdotal experiences I had with him, along with a few other things I learned about his extraordinary life. The picture above is of him speaking at a public lecture in 2008. He was rather weak at the time since he had a stroke not long before then.
Although he was regarded by many as "the world's most accomplished man," few realized he also possessed capacities that went far beyond just intellect but also into extraordinary psychic realms of direct 'knowing' from the soul. Though he lived a quiet and humble life in this later years with his wife Margaret, he was often sought out by various dignitaries who knew him, including the Governor-General of Canada.
I have several personal stories I can tell about Jan; here are a few.
- On one occasion, during the G-8 Summit meeting in Calgary in 2002, he was asked to attend a dinner with delegates from across the world, including Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations. The function was to be held at a remote location on the outskirts of Calgary next to a large Provincial Park, not far from where I lived. Since he was directionally challenged at times, he told me he didn’t think he would bother to attend because he wasn’t sure he could find it. I could hardly believe anyone would pass up the honour of being invited to such a prestigious event with many of the world’s leaders.
I told him he really ought to go and that he should take the light transit train near my residence where I’d pick him up to take him to this remote location on the outskirts of the city. He reluctantly accepted my offer and told me later when I took him home that he had a great time but marveled at the ignorance of many of these leaders. Interestingly, none of the local politicians or anyone else from Canada had been invited. - On another occasion, he was asked to be one of the speakers at Olympic Plaza in the heart of Calgary on the first year anniversary of 9-11. Again, I don’t know why he was invited to speak since he seemingly lived such a low-profile life, at least on those days. His only involvement in politics that I know of was a national Czech organization he was part of in Montreal that actively demonstrated its opposition to the oppressive government in his home country.
- There were times in the 1970s and 80s when he would speak from Montreal on Radio Free Europe to address communist Eastern Europe. In fact, that’s how his daughter, Yvette, now a young woman in the early 1980s, was finally able to make contact with him after she heard him speaking on the radio. He hadn’t been able to communicate with her since she was just a little girl. The government authorities wouldn’t cooperate, perhaps because he had escaped in 1968 just as the Russians tanks were invading Prague to bring the country under totalitarian control again. From what the guards told him as he left, he was the last to cross the border as it permanently closed at midnight.
- After learning how to speak English, he went on to receive his PhD in Scotland. Later he worked with Professor Grad at McGill University on various experiments related to consciousness that included plants. On one occasion he decided to demonstrate his telekinetic skills most dramatically to the disbelieving world. And so, after a news release, crowds, the press and the local television news stations assembled one evening in downtown Montreal to watch him light up an office building using only his mind. He sat at a table across the street, focusing on a feather suspended by a string in a sealed jar that he called his wish-switch He then concentrated on the feather, with the cameras rolling, until he was able to move the feather perpendicularly with his mind. He had rigged up a laser beam that would trip a switch when the feather moved perpendicularly. The switch, connected to the electric panel, then lit all the lights in the building.
This made big news, but since the sceptics and assorted journalists had no ‘natural’ explanation, they viciously panned the demonstration as a magician’s stunt. In the past he had also preformed other feats. For example, on stage in front of a university crowd example he touched his tongue with a red hot iron without being burned or showing evidence of any pain. Again, this and other demonstrations were simple dismissed with facile arguments from the usual debunkers. Not long after this, he decided to withdraw from the public and any further display of these abilities. Though he had a PhD in Experimental Psychology, and much to teach the world about the mind with the experiments he had designed and proved, he left the academic world because of the resistance he encountered with the insular narrowness he encountered. Many of these have been referred to in books and publications from the past, including a classic, bestselling book called The Secret Life of Plants, by Christopher Bird. - Prior to this, as a professional diver from Scotland, he made the deepest dive in the ocean on record after being in a submerged diving chamber for two weeks 2,000 feet below surface. This was in association with Duke University in North Carolina.
- As for me, I too witnessed him doing various telekinetic demonstrations. In front of an audience, he had me hold two divining plastic ‘rods’ that were limp in my hands. But when he concentrated his energy, the rods rose straight up was directed by his mind. He also did plenty of other types of demonstrations with others in the audience as if it all was the most natural thing to do. And for him, I’m sure it was.
- Lastly, one rather poignant personal experience I had with him occurred while we were sitting around the wood stove in my cabin one winter day. I had asked him various questions and lastly I turned to the subject of my family. I don’t think he knew much about my domestic situation at that time, but in any case, he told me unequivocally that my family would soon split apart, each going in their own direction. I had no desire to leave, especially with my boys still being in school, and so I didn’t wish to see this happen. Within a couple of years the family had gone their separate ways and the house was eventually sold. It was a very sad and lonely experience, but at least I had been warned about it and wasn’t too surprised when it happened.
_________________________________________________________________
There are many more interesting vignettes I could mention, but here is a summary of Jan's life written on the Internet by someone else who knew him well.
Dr. Jan Merta de Velehrad (1944-2010) was a remarkable individual who lived an incredible life. Considered by the International Biographical Center in England as one of the last Renaissance Men, he has been nominated to the Guinness Book of Records as the “Most Accomplished Man in the World”.
Educated in Czechoslovakia, Canada, the UK and the USA, he held a BSc degree from McGill University in Montreal and a PhD in Experimental Psychology from Aberdeen University in Scotland, along with more than 50 other degrees, diplomas, and certificates, covering close to 40 different occupations.
Listed in 18 “Who's Who” type publications, he was a recipient of numerous domestic as well as international awards and honours and memberships spanning 23 professional and civic societies. He was an inventor, scientist, international lecturer, and pioneer in the field of Deep Sea Diving, the author and co-author of diverse articles and technical publications, as well as on the subject of various articles and interviews on radio and television. Intrigued by the ancient mysteries, he lived in Egypt investigating the secrets of the Great Pyramid.
_______________________________________________________________
The following is an excerpt from Chapter 20 of Elysium’s Passage: The Summit, which describes more about Jan.
‘Then please go on James,’ Mo said, ‘we’d be interested in hearing about anyone who bears qualities similar to Pascal.’
‘Okay, then, let me go back to the beginning when I first met him not long after I began my graduate study programme in Canada. From the very beginning, I found him to be a most astounding man. I remember him having a heavy Czech accent that took me a while to become accustomed to. It soon became apparent that he was not only a highly learned Renaissance man in the humanities, but he was also a practical scientist with several registered patents.
‘Perhaps most interestingly, he was a man of great intuition that at times seemed to border on the mystical. I remember being intrigued by how he knew so much without spending all his time learning, even though his library collection had over six thousand extraordinary books, many very rare. Yet it seemed he never needed to read them if he wanted to find an answer; rather, the answers would find him. It was uncanny.
‘I suppose, in your terms, you would probably say he was simply accessing the field of infinite consciousness. I always wondered how he learned to do that until he told me he didn’t. He discovered it, or as I said, it discovered him.
‘According to what he told me, it all began one morning as a child in Prague. He was considered a slow learner at the time in fact he was about to be enrolled in an institute for children with learning disabilities. Then something very strange came over him. Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, he felt himself outside space and time, as a strange feeling swept through his entire body, even as he remained in bed. The sensation probably only lasted a few minutes, but he said it seemed much longer. When it was over, he was completely transformed into a much different child. Immediately, and for the rest of his life, he excelled at whatever he set out to accomplish. In fact, the Guinness Book of Records were considering a category for him as the world’s most accomplished man. Many still consider him as such.’
‘Interesting,’ said Mo, ‘that sounds very much like a kundalini experience. It’s a very rare encounter with involuntary enlightenment that can occur at times with extensive yoga training. In most cases, however, it just happens.’
‘Yes, that’s what he said. At the time, however, he didn’t know what it was, or what to call it, until one day much later as an adult he came across a book by a mystic who wrote about the phenomenon.[1] After that, he tried to find whatever he could on the topic, but found there wasn’t very much written about it at the time.
‘I wondered if perhaps you could look him up sometime and give him my regards, since you say you know your way around the neighbourhood in Elysium. By now I suspect he may be deeply ensconced with the local intelligentsia. Or maybe not; I remember he liked to quote Orwell: some ideas are so stupid only intellectuals believe them. I think that was supposed to be for my benefit to help keep me humble. But after being in the midst of the intellectual milieu for so many years, I tend to agree.’ ‘In any case, you might find him out trying to collect butterflies somewhere, as he often enjoyed doing while on earth.’ ‘We’ll see what we can do,’ Eli said. ‘So what was his name?’
‘His name was Dr Jan Merta de Velehrad, born in the Czech Republic in 1944. He passed away in 2010.’
‘I'm sure we'll be able track him down,’ Mo said. ‘So is there anything else you can tell us about him?’
‘There’s too much to say, but I’ll summarize a few things. If you want to know more specifics about him, he’s listed in several International Who’s Who publications in the world where his list of achievements goes on for several columns. He had a PhD in Experimental Psychology from Aberdeen and another degree in science related to physiology from McGill University in Canada.
‘His amazing knack in accessing information came in handy whenever I wanted to obtain inside information on whatever young woman I asked him about at the time. All I had to do was tell him the first name and after a few moments of reflection, he was able to tell me his impression of her. And not only her external features, ethnicity and family background but more interestingly, her inward disposition, talents and affections, along with whatever red flag issues there may be. He saved me a lot of time and grief, though I could never figure out how he did this. I decided this mystery was one of those unsolved curio events, just like the voice in the meadow, and so I left it at that. That was easier than trying to reconcile what I wasn’t able to reconcile.’
‘But by now,’ Mo said, ‘you should be able to understand how he did this, especially after all our discussions about the infinite field of consciousness.’
‘I think I’m beginning to understand,’ I said, ‘but what really interested me after I got to know him were his insights to the mysteries of life and death. He was particularly interested in knowing more about the spirit side of existence. Maybe too interested, because not long after returning to the Czech Republic, he began to lose his eyesight, and then soon after, his body shut down. After he was hospitalized he lost all interest in earthly life and in no time he was gone.
‘It’s really too bad he didn't stick around for longer, there was so much more he had to say on everything. I found he was adept at weaving new meanings into ancient paradigms as he created fresh perspectives to integrate science with esoteric religions such as found in Egypt. And so, for me and many others, it was a shame to see him go when he could have had many more years of productivity ahead of him through writing and speaking.
‘It was always his desire to help the world achieve greater understanding and awareness about life and what may lie ahead. And yet there were times he could be scathingly cynical about the abysmal state of human consciousness on the earth. In some ways, I think he believed the world wasn’t ready for him and so he couldn’t be bothered to stay any longer.
‘He was also an adventurer in his younger days. In fact, for many years he held the world's record for the deepest dive in the ocean through a research programme at Duke University. Besides that, he spent several years on location investigating the Egyptian Pyramids. I believe there are few Egyptologists in the world who knew more about these than he did, especially with his understanding of an esoteric context. As an onsite researcher, he even slept in the King’s Chamber one night, which, he said, would have knocked the circuits out of most who dared.
‘After he retired, I visited him in the historical Moravian city of Olomouc, in the eastern part of the country. I noticed several framed certificates, degrees and honours hanging on his walls that had been bestowed upon him over the years. These included Knight of the Bavarian Order of Saint George, Duke of Melk, Prince of Armavir, to name but a few.
What can I say? I’m not sure I would have bothered to grapple my way up this Mountain if it wasn't for him prodding me to ascend ever upwards.'
You may read his extraordinary profile on this link: JAN MERTA de VELEHRAD.pdf
An introduction to the Elysium's Passage series may be accessed at: https://digitalbloggers.com/arts-and-entertainment/welcome-to-elysiums-passage
____________________________________________________________
In October (2018), I will be releasing a series of talks on YouTube that were delivered by Jan between the years 2001 and 2006. I recorded these on my VHR camera, although I didn't foresee them being viewed worldwide by the public back then since YouTube didn't exist then. Though the quality was relatively poor, I've had the recordings digitized and repaired for higher sound quality.
____________________________________________________________________
The following excerpts are comments among the first Amazon reviews of Elysium’s Passage: The Summit. All are Five Stars! Others reader reviews are included below, along with excerpts from two professional reviews. To read the full reviews go to READER REVIEWS on this blog at:
https://digitalbloggers.com/articles/elysiumspassage
"Quietly, gently, and without imposition, the Author unfolds the pages, creating an intricate, interlocking bridge spanning the chasm between mind and heart. Renewing, refreshing, restoring. In my bereavement, it was vigil and light…"
"A delightful mix of fantasy, reality, conjecture and humour; Mr. Meyers draws the reader into the story with a gentle narrative that captures imagination, leaving one anxious to get to the next page drawing you into his exceptional world.”
“Excellently written with an exceedingly deep understanding of this world and the next. The characters are very well written and engaging. I can't wait to complete this book!"
“Takes the reader on both a philosophical and spiritual journey, a journey that at times is both disquieting and tranquil. James, a British Philosopher can be irreverent and caustic, traits that should have left me cringing, but instead made me laugh out loud. Elysium’s Passage is a fun, enlightening and remarkable book.”
“This is a masterful fantasy, becoming a real possibility, as the reader is drawn into the story. The Summit leaves you anxious for the next book in the series, yet also leaves you totally satisfied with the world you have just visited. Genius! An exciting, yet calming, experience that is not to be missed."
"There was hardly a page on which I did not find at least one sentence worthy of hi-lighting for future reference. In addition, I thoroughly enjoyed the main character, James, whose personality and passionate verbal exchanges with the other characters, kept me coming back for more. I am reading the book for a second time while I wait for the next one in this series to be made available."
“N.G. Meyers has clearly put a great deal of research and thought into what the afterlife may look like and I like his perspective. It’s an altogether welcoming and exciting vision. The book gives one a great deal to think about and a reassuring confidence that the end of our lives is truly the beginning of life in the next. I highly recommend it."
“The humour interjected into a serious discussion makes me laugh out loud. Totally unexpected....l may be in the presence of at least a master, if not a genius. A fair ride into reality... seeking that which is unseen, yet absolutely real.”
“An engaging story of adventure embracing man's deepest desire to search for meaning and purpose, N.G. Meyers takes the reader on an adventurous thought provoking journey. This book has substance. It is a perfect blend of adventure and fantasy combined with spiritual philosophy. It ignited my imagination. The author magically weaves a good story laced with wit and humor together with deep philosophical wisdom. This book has it all!”
“An evolution in thought is triggered by many fresh philosophical themes which could inspire readers to re-think their reality and former ideologies that have dictated their lives… the author fires readers’ imaginations to view what could be possible when spirit vacates the body.”
“This is the book spiritual seekers have been waiting for. For me, it granted a great read as well as increased inspiration to live every day with a heightened sense of purpose. I highly recommend it.”
“The Summit is capable of hooking readers and luring them to search for Book 2 to discover more about Dr. Philip’s surreal trek into the mysterious unknown universe. This thick book is well worth the read and to share…”
“Mind-blowing statements and speculation (‘…everyone is a non-physical thought form conceived in the Mind of God, preserved for all eternity because God’s thoughts never die…’). Many will find Meyers’ journey up the Mountain intriguing—and possibly even life-changing.” (BLUEINK REVIEW)
“In its effort to grapple with fundamental questions about the meaning of life, it raises questions that have echoed throughout the ages, including about where we come from, where we are going, who we are.” (CLARION REVIEW)
__________________________________________________________________
CONTACT INFORMATION
FACEBOOK: Elysium's Passage Novel Series, Elysium's Passage Public Group page, Elysium's Passage Author's Page, or to my personal page Neil Meyers
TWITTER: N.G. Meyers@neil1113
INSTAGRAM: @meyersneil
EMAIL: nmeyers@shaw.ca
BLOG POSTINGS: https://digitalbloggers.com/articles/elysiumspassage or the website above
Did you enjoy the reading?
Click here to get notified every time Neil Meyers posts new articles...
Leave a Comment