Hermetic Philosophy & The Mystery Of Being By Alice Ouzounian

←

HERMETIC - ESOTERIC - MYSTICAL PHILOSOPHIES By Alice Ouzounian

HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY AND THE MYSTERY OF BEING file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (1 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

CONTENTS Introduction to Mysticism

A Reflection On Duality

Reflection on Reality and Consciousness

A Higher Aspect of Contemplation

About Spiritual Emptiness or the Void

We are the Weavers of our Destiny

Pilgrimage and Quest

Mystery of Man

Importance of Dreams in the Mystical Process

Guidelines to Dream Interpretation

Consciousness & Dreams

Inner Quest

Plato's Allegory of the Cave

Alice's Interpretation of Plato's Allegory of the Cave

The Sixth and Seventh Senses of Man

The Dark Night of the Soul

The Master Within

Mystery surrounding the Black Virgins

The Mystic Heart

What are Subpersonalities?

Reincarnation and the Psyche

Reincarnation and the Soul

The Subtle Bodies of Man

Who and What is the Daimon/Daemon?

Raymond Bernard: Visualizing & Contacting Cosmic Masters: part 1 - 2 - 3

List of Sacred Revelations: Starting point

How to Work with the10 special Exercises

Introducing the 10 special Exercises

Unfolding the "Perfect Model" a List of 10 Special Exercises

Consciousness & the Grail

Perfect Model & Being

Buddha & Christ as Perfect Models

Hermetic Jesus Christ

Your Perfect Model as a Tool

The Spiritual Teacher and the Perfect Model

Jesus a Gnostic point of view

Christ or Cosmic Consciousness

Esoteric approach to the Holy Guardian Angel: "your Higher Self"

The Pleiades

Introducing Eastern Mysticism

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (2 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Longchenpa a Dzogchen text (an excerpt)

Living as a Perfect Model

Zhine Tibetan Dream Yoga Part 1

Dzogchen The Six Vajra Verses

Dzogchen : Practice

Healing Sounds : Exercise

Hsin - Hsin Ming by Seng - Ts'an

Esoteric Meaning of the VOID

What is Advaita?

Questions & Answers Ramana Maharshii

A Talk with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

What is Jivamukti ?

Enlightenment

Acceptance & Surrender

What is Subjectivity?

Who is the Seeker of truth?

Human Relationships

Autobiography & Personal Coat of arms

The Mystery of Janus

Mysteries of the Androgyny

Mysteries of Eros

Mysteries of Aphrodite

Myth of Cupid and Psyche

Corpus Hermeticum

The Kybalion - An Excerpt

Who was Plotinus? part: 1 - 2

Glossary of Terms used on this Website

Autobiography

Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source by Bob Green

List of pages :The Kabbalah-Emanations (to print)

A Collection of Exercises on Spiritual Psychology and Hermetic Meditations

To Print all the Messages and Special Exercises in Black and White

Application Form for Secure Forum (free)

Application Classes for Secure Forum (free)

A Hermetic Templar's Cloister in Tomar - Portugal

I AM NOT

I AM THAT

Classes on the Mystical Kabbalah. (Free)

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (3 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

Zhine Tibetan Dream Yoga Part 2

Wei Wu Wei Part: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

←

Links dedicated to Raymond Bernard

List of Mystical Exercises

ELIPHAS LEVI

Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi

EMAIL

Copyrights Notes from the Webmaster

BACK TO THE TOP

INTRODUCTION

Painting by Gilbert Williams with permission from http://www.gilbertwilliams.com

Dear Friend, I invite you to take a mystical Journey into yourself. This website is based on personal experiences and research into the Western and Eastern Mysteries. More than thirty years of involvement with mystical and esoteric traditions such as the Rosicrucian and Templar traditions have helped me discover a most natural and direct way of unfolding Primordial Knowledge. My name is Alice Ouzounian, and I run a spiritual center in Cyprus based on Esoteric and Mystical Traditions. The result of my research and personal experiences are published on this website. You can read more about who I am and what I do in the section: “Autobiography”. The purpose of this website is to encourage interested seekers to discover the true Self which is the center of Absolute Being within oneself and is linked to the same center as the Source of Primordial Wisdom. You will also find many essays on Gnosticism, Hermetic, Esoteric and Mystical concepts concerning: the Ego, Consciousness, Being, Soul, Psyche, which are different and interrelated aspects of the same subject and which could help you the seeker unfold your personal spiritual “seed ideas” and concepts. You will also come across a collection of different types of exercises to help you as an ego personality to open up your horizon and experience Cosmic Consciousness, named also as Buddha Nature or Christ Consciousness, the Source of which is the Real You. Thus, you will have a choice of many different file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (4 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

types of exercises to choose from. These hermetic and mystical exercises and meditations have been specially chosen to accompany certain messages and the intention behind them is to help you experience and realize your natural state of Consciousness, which is the pure level of Absolute Consciousness. Furthermore, this website is dedicated to those of you who earnestly seek to explore the inner dimension of their own Mystery which is Absolute Consciousness and cross the threshold of the unknown through the Portal of personal "Inner" Initiation where the words “Know Thyself” are inscribed. May you be encouraged and inspired to let go of your old concepts and trust your intuition with an open mind to follow “the Intelligence of the Heart”, in order to answer the ultimate question: “Who Am I?” and receive the simple answer: which is ( I = I.).. But what does this mean? The answer is that you will gradually discover the answer... Apart from my own writings on Transcendence and my perception of the mystery of Consciousness and its relation to Absolute Being, seekers will also find a collection of philosophical and hermetic excerpts taken from the written works of Eastern and Western enlightened masters who have expressed their concepts on the same philosophy of transcendence and of Absolute Consciousness and Being. (sometimes the name given to the unfathomable state of Being will be different, but this should not upset anyone, since names are just names and concepts are just concepts, but the Transcendence remains the same). This site is dedicated to the spiritual seeker. The purpose of this site is to provide information and inspiration to those who are seeking mystical truth. It is intended to be a guiding light and not a destination... Signposts are offered for your attention... it is up to you to choose the best one for you...Each of us must awaken and find our own truth. The intention behind all the articles and essays is to provide information on different spiritual concepts to motivate and help seekers unravel the mystery of the: "WHO AM I?". IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE WEBMASTER OF THIS SITE, PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINE

If you would like to contact me please click on the email address below. PLOTINUS.COM

This website: Hermetic Philosophy and the Mystery of Being and underlying HTML documents are copyrighted by Alice Ouzounian. No copyright claimed to the writings can be made by anyone else, except the "excerpts" taken from books by authors like Raymond Bernard, Eliphas Levi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Wei Wu Wei, and other important Hermetic, Esoteric and Mystical authors with whom I have some or much resonance. As for the images please read Copyrights Notice.

A Reflection On Duality

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (5 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

What is duality? A natural law governing the whole of creation and life as we know it. Now life itself is an ethereal substance in search of a vehicle of some kind to express its intangible and immaterial nature, and the invisible and unmanifested energy of life impregnates and forms what seems to the naked eye to be solid matter. We know that matter itself is condensed and compressed universal energy in spiritual alchemy, this energy is generally termed "primordial matter." Science calls it "chaos," and sees it as a formless substance that permeates creation in its entirety. That is why primordial matter incessantly waits to be energized and transformed by its unmanifested and intangible partner the unmanifested Light of Being. Now, matter expects and anticipates to be transmuted into an infinite variety of multidimensional forms. By this ingenious method, the incomprehensible and unmanifested Source of Life manifests itself in the comprehensible and tangible substance called primordial matter, giving it an infinite and unimaginable variety of attributes and characteristics. Thus, together, the unmanifested Center of Pure Being and primordial matter impregnate all animate and inanimate manifested creations alike with their ethereal characteristic. Primordial matter fills the whole of creation, and yet, under the influence of spirit, it incessantly transforms itself into new shapes and forms. Hence, through these two completely opposite and contrary poles that govern the whole of creation, the Law of Duality comes into play, controlling the whole process of life and creation. As individuals, we personally experience the effects of the Law of Duality on a daily basis, since it is part of creation itself. However, in simpler terms, we could say that duality is based on the law of attraction and repulsion, and therefore creation itself is founded on the Law of Duality. But why is this so? First, let us clarify that the invisible complement of primordial matter is the unfathomable nature of unmanifested Being. Here is the inconceivable and extraordinary paradox that demonstrates that an unmanifested essence, an essence that does not belong to creation itself, and therefore does not exist as such for us, incomprehensible to scientific and rational minds alike, can somehow mysteriously cause of all creation. Similarly, this inconceivable essence is also the source and cause of consciousness. Why? Because without consciousness, we would not be able to understand the goal of creation, and the reason and cause for experiencing duality. Clearly, without the Law of Duality, consciousness and creation alike would have remained formless and completely unconscious. Hence, we, as conscious beings, would not be able to grasp our own mystery, let alone question our nature. Why does this Law of Duality exist at all? Simply because if we didn’t have duality, we would not yearn and strive for wholeness and unity. In other words, we would not be impelled to return to the unmanifested Source of Being. Duality, therefore, makes us conscious beings, tying and binding the concrete and abstract parts of our thought processes and intuition. It is apparent also that through duality, we can learn to harmonize our unmanifested essence with our incarnated body. Hence, it is clear that both need each other to manifest the light of consciousness here on earth. Thus, we can conclude that, on an individual level of consciousness, our physical body is the cup that receives and manifests the unmanifested spirit, and that and through their blending and harmonization, duality dissolves into unity and wholeness. We can further say that duality governs creation and nature, since it is only file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (6 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

through its action and workings that we are led to the unmanifested Center of Pure Being.

We could compare the physical body to a sacred toolbox in which are all manner of sophisticated functional and unknown psychic processes, hidden within the duality of the body and psyche of all humanity, waiting to be awakened by Cosmic Consciousness. This implies that when consciousness is awakened in being, it has the possibility and impelling desire to ascend to higher levels of consciousness, and that these higher levels of consciousness are in themselves pathways taking incarnated beings back to their unmanifest Source? However, consciousness can be awakened only gradually, and the Law of Duality comes into play here, since consciousness is linked to eternity and infinity. Consequently, because, as human beings, we all belong to distinct and varied levels of consciousness, then there exists a parallel plane of reality, since creation is governed by the Law of Duality, and duality itself is based on the natural power of attraction between the unmanifested and the manifest. We could also add that numerous planes and levels of consciousness exist, which explains why, say, the physical body of an illuminated mystic differs from that of an athlete. One is more muscular but both are physical vehicles for spirit and soul. But, what can we say about their levels of consciousness? Of course, both carry soul and spirit, but will they both be on the same level of awareness? Will they both be conscious of the same things and understand them in the same way? Of course not, unless the athlete happens to be a mystic at heart, meaning that he has also opened his consciousness to the realm of the abstract and spiritual. Lastly, let us clarify that by the word "mystic," we mean any human being who knows how the Law of Duality can affect him or her, and still chooses to pass through its heavy portals, learning from trial and error, which in turn harmonizes the poles of duality within human nature. Consciousness, the harmonizing factor that blends the two extremes together, has, within its ethereal substance, the essential component that unfolds what is called "mystical love." Hence a mystic is a human being who unites the two extremes within him, transforming them into a rod of illumination that draws self-consciousness back to the unmanifested Center of Pure Being.

Reflections on Reality and Consciousness What is consciousness, and what is the unconscious? Can we really judge who is conscious and who isn’t? Is it possible that a yet higher level of consciousness, unknown and unfamiliar to our own, envelops itself around our unconscious selves? And could we venture to say that unconsciousness is a necessary dormant and inactive state of consciousness waiting to be activated? Or, could it be that what we’re calling "unconsciousness" is, in fact, the other side of consciousness, its antithesis? In other words, if consciousness is an active agent, does it not need a receptive and passive medium upon which to operate that could, indeed, be called an "unconscious" state of being? file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (7 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Regardless, it is the function of consciousness itself that is important, for if we accept that consciousness is an attribute of Being, then it follows that it is also that part of the psyche that makes us discover and reveal to ourselves and others our own truth and creativity. It does that by expanding and exhibiting every minute detail on which our thoughts and feelings focus, and by helping us unravel our own ever-changing vision of reality.

Moreover, as well as helping us discover the meaning of our personal lives, consciousness also assists us in unraveling the profound mystery of our own essence and our relationship with the infinite and eternal aspects of God, or the unmanifested Light of Pure Being. Indeed, consciousness is the guiding tool that unravels this mysterious and amazing process. Hence, we could add that consciousness projects continuously on the screen of our receptivity (or unconscious state) an ever-changing world, a world that mirrors back to us our own experiences of it. However, these experiences are always directly connected to our own individual level of perception and understanding, both of which are connected to our level of consciousness. Let us further propose that the unconscious state is also related to primordial matter. Now, we have already seen that the unconsciousness is inherent in primordial matter and appears to be the antithesis of awareness and consciousness. In other words, it is its own shadow, a complementary and formless part of Being that could be likened to a receptacle in which are subtly exposed the various spiritual archetypal ideas of the higher levels of consciousness. By this, we simply mean that consciousness and unconsciousness are two sides of one unique essence. This essence, or awareness, is obviously related to Being, since only Being can become aware, hence conscious.

Now, as conscious beings, we are part of creation itself and because of this, our center of consciousness is the same as the Center of Pure Being. Moreover, we understand that we can only go as far as our level of consciousness allows, so to go beyond this level means that we must first have reintegrated with the Center of Pure Being. This, in turn, means that our Center of Pure Being and that of the Unknown God (or unmanifested Light) coincide and unite absolutely, merging and blending completely into the unmanifested Center of Pure Being. Reintegration means the re-absorption of the self-conscious essence of our being into its own center, the unmanifested Center of Pure Being. But how many could claim to have reached this Center that is everywhere and nowhere at the same time, and still be living? While still incarnated in a world governed by the Law of Duality, we cannot possibly "know" about reintegration, so it is impossible for us to speculate about it. We have seen that consciousness and unconsciousness are two opposite poles, and paradoxically, we could add that they need each other to project and express the Divine qualities and attributes of Being. Thus we could say that consciousness and its counterpart, unconsciousness, complement each other and belong together in the world of duality, which is the world governing all of creation. What does this show us? That consciousness and unconsciousness are the two ethereal and invisible tools that the soul uses to imprint in us and reflect the infinite and incredibly rich variety of expressions of its own unmanifested essence back to the Center of Pure Being. Hence everything that is not yet manifest and that remains hidden or dormant in creation will be revealed at the appropriate moment through the light of consciousness. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (8 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Gradually, consciousness is awakened in unconscious matter, and with the unfoldment of the spirit in consciousness, then consciousness awakens in primordial matter. And when spirit is totally incarnated in matter, they both surrender all their powers, letting themselves melt into the ocean of the unknown Void. Formless once more, but united again, they become one unique essence. And so, the Law of Duality has no further dominion over them. Having taken the final leap, reintegration into the unmanifested Center of Pure Being is within reach eternally. A Higher Aspect of Contemplation : Part I God as a concept - The Seed Within - God Is the Consciousness of the Present Moment

A mystic once said, “If any one saw God and understood what he saw, then it was not God that he saw, but something that belongs to Him.”(1) Some mystics contemplate the formless God and others meditate on the forms that God takes, but the wise mystic knows that the unmanifested and unknown God is beyond both. Even the formless God is an “idea” created in our own mind as an archetypal ideal to help us describe an unknown God, obscure, remote, and outside of us, that remains an abstract thought in our mind.

The last statement reveals that both the visible and invisible God take external appearances so that our own thoughts and feelings about these irrational and abstract ideas are rendered more rational and concrete for our intellect. For these reasons, abstract thoughts acquire different forms and remain concealed in various archetypal symbols in our conceptual world. Therefore, all philosophies and belief systems may be nothing more than complex and interesting concepts created to help us understand our relationship with an unknowable God. We should add that our conceptual world and everything in it help us to enliven our spirit. In fact, the language of our conceptual world is an intuitive language coming from the psyche. These ideal models are indeed meaningful and significant to sincere seekers of truth since all images and representations of an invisible and unknown God within their psyche serve a Divine purpose. In truth, these symbolic images are designed to attract, enchant, enrapture and vitalize our passion and ardor towards our own source or Center of Pure Being that is the unknown God. God as a concept Ruysbroeck, a Flemish mystic, once expressed a similar idea: “God devours us and feeds us at the same time.” Now, we could add, “All the appearances that the unknown God takes on for us, with or without form, are still godly and holy guises, and thus are profoundly significant and meaningful to the one receiving these impressions, since all of God’s expressions enliven and excite the soul of man.” We could further add, “Any concept we have of God, even a most intricate and abstract one encompassing the idea of the Void, will still remain personal and, therefore, even this idea of the Void will still reflect and externalize an idea we have of it. Hence, the concept of the Void will, in itself, be a reflection of one of God’s faces or guises, compatible with our own level of understanding.” So, what does this mean? Simply that any image or face that you may make of the Divine still remains a creation of your own thoughts and feelings, and hence will be rooted in your ego. That is why all thoughts and ideas you have of an unknown God will always belong to the world of duality, meaning that the world in which everything that you conceive and feel is first projected outside of you so that your file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (9 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

intellect can recognize and absorb it. This is why projections of spiritual ideas are actually reflections coming from your conceptual world, drawing you back towards your own inner center. We can now better understand how God’s Divine guises reflect in our own being so as to harmonize, endear and unite our ego with God’s own Center of Immanence and Presence. All the images and aspects that God may take in our imagination will be represented by a multitude of symbols conceived psychically and mentally in the world of duality in which ego prevails. Through these inner attractions and enticements, ego is also invited to join in, after its transmutation and absorption into the Center of Pure Being. Consequently, we see that it’s impossible for us to jump suddenly from a world of duality into a world of Pure Being. We know that the Law of Duality governs man’s daily life, which is the law of observer/observed. By keeping ourselves in that state of separation and division, we persist unconsciously in keeping ourselves apart from our own Center of Pure Being. So, if we focus solely on the external rather than going within ourselves to our Center of Pure Being, we will find it impossible to find that Center, since the presence of the unknown God is the same center as our Center of Pure Being.

The Seed Within So, what are we saying? Simply that any description we may have of God, be it contemplative or otherwise, with or without form, belongs to a world of duality where object and subject, observer and observed, challenge each other incessantly. However, to help us overcome this entrapment, God, with His unlimited wisdom, uses our imagination to open before us the gates of the conceptual world that serves as a bridge to link the world of duality to the world of wholeness and unity. However, these two opposite poles—duality and wholeness—harmonize in a neutral zone within our being, a state of peace and silence in which the unknown presence of God resides as a seed within our psyche. All types of meditation guide us towards this zone, and teach us to gradually blend our consciousness with the Cosmic Consciousness residing in the seed. God Is the Consciousness of the Present Moment When you are in touch with your Center of Pure Being, you learn to weave and surf via the subtle and sublime energies existing within that intimate center. By this spiritual and subtle process, your ego is attracted to your Center of Pure Being. Then, an indescribable level of consciousness opens up, harmonizing and blending your ego with your Center of Pure Being to fulfill Ruysbroeck’s, “God devours us and feeds us at the same time.” Your body is indeed your temple, so by blending your ego with your Center of Pure Being, your temple becomes holy. As a result of these transformations, you are made a perfect witness to your own awakening since, from that moment, your consciousness enters a new dimension, your ego no longer living a separate existence. You are reborn, twice-born, and your will effortlessly expresses God’s will in the miracle of your ordinary, everyday life. Please note that the words “He” or “Him” are not used to imply gender but rather to simplify the text. Gender exists only in a world of duality, and Consciousness and Being are beyond them.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (10 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

A HIGHER ASPECT OF CONTEMPLATION : PART II Hallow Faces - A Pythagorean saying - The divine Faces - The Center of pure Being - Thee role of Imagination

The tender and loving "Faces" or guises of the Divine that the Unknown God chooses to take for our understanding touch us deeply, enticing and pulling us gradually inwards behind the invisible veils of our psyche, to give us the opportunity of bringing change and metamorphosis in our consciousness with a whole range of pure and untapped energies. This is done to help us live life more intensely and earnestly. Hence, ignorance and narrow-mindedness and bigotry gradually vanish from our minds. These specific mystical experiences also bring about something different, something indescribable but crucial and important. We could even go as far as to say that the whole spiritual process is to help us reach a certain level, and this level is a center within ourselves and yet it is also beyond ourselves since this center is nowhere and everywhere at the same time… What do we mean.

The Hallow Faces of God We are here, immersed in the heart of Omnipresence. These hallowed "Faces" are symbolic images reflecting the Unknown God’s Presence in us, they often vary and take different expressions according to different religions. We could say, that they leave their imprints in our psyche, and through them gradually we are shown our way back to the Center of God's Omnipresence. These "Faces" or "Guises" are deeply personal infusing directly our soul with the intimate qualities of God’s infinite Love and Wisdom. Consequently, through this secret and sacred "Face to face" encounter, a hallowed merging occurs, a union of man with God’s Image, which we can refer to as a "Veil". Usually these divine "Faces" leave us with a strong impression that transform us for ever. With these intimate contacts, we are rejuvenated and a new world appears in and around us. Things start to look quite different from all angles and yet nothing really changes from the exterior. We are the ones that change because only consciousness can move and change the energies in and around us. It is indeed consciousness that harmonizes, blends and transforms our perceptions. Man on all his planes of manifestations and in all his different aspects, is made of pure energy. Hence the same law affects his intellect and his emotions. In other words, it affects his ego self, and his individuality. Different spiritual energies pour into our psyche all the time, but we remain unaware of them until a direct mystical experience brings us "Face to face" with an aspect of the Unknown God, which reveals and reflects in us our own angelic nature. This is interesting since it shows us that unless we look into the mirror of our own purified heart, we will never be sensitive and change into our own angelic essence. A Pythagorean saying A Pythagorean way of saying the same thing would be: it is only after we cooperate in the purification process of our psyche that the muses pour upon us their gifts. Yes, indeed, it is only afterwards, that we can receive these ineffable and transcendent gifts. We should file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (11 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

ponder on what this means, and consider that with each Divine "Face" emerging from within the darkness of our own unconsciousness a new level of consciousness appears in the light of our conscious mind. A new "Face" manifests Itself within our heart. We are using the word "Face" to emphasize the fact that to understand something spiritual, man must project or receive an image, even if this image reflects an abstract idea ... he must be moved and excited from within by what he sees; be enthralled and aroused intellectually by it, so as to attract to himself and learn to blend with one of the divine Faces.

The Divine Faces What is meant by this statement is difficult to explain, since each divine FACE represents a level of consciousness. Hence, for a mystic such an experience means that his psyche is about to, or has blended already with one of the Unknown God's, emanations. We could call the Unknown God, "the Clear Light", "the Source", or use any expression or wording that expresses our own understanding of this unknown PRESENCE within our own Center of being… we should allow ourselves to be magnetically pulled in by the divine FACE that attracts our psyche. We are openly saying here, that no man can perceive the Unknown God "face to Face" simply because the God we are trying to describe is the: UNCREATED LIGHT - THE IMMACULATE PRESENCE - OF PURE BEING. There is a hidden Path opening up from within a disciple and this Path belongs to his inner and divine Self. To unfold the path of initiation, and tread on it consciously, the mystic must desire with all his heart to succeed in his Quest and persevere until the end of the process. This means until the end of his incarnation...and when the time comes and he is "ripe" to let the Divine Light appear in him, this Energy will take the most appropriate Divine "Face" for him, to attract and transform him with LOVE from within his being. To receive such divine gift, he must first learn to let go and discard his old ego patterns, his old "faces" and models, so as to be able to be reborn anew. Indeed it is true to say that as personalities, we do change and with those changes our traits change too. As we purify our psyche from the complicated "stories" and "excuses" that we make up, we enter slowly into a new-world, unveiling subtly a Divine "Face" - an appropriate one that corresponds to our personal need of the moment. This Divine Face projects an imprint into our own face like a hologram… and in this way our level of consciousness is affected by these subtle energies and as a consequence of these delicate operations, our traits and attitudes soften and mature. They become more beautiful, and therefore more attractive and magnetic. We also understand however, that there is an important spiritual work going on within our psyche. These are subtle alchemical operations that must remain sealed in the darkness of an inner "cocoon" for our own protection. If we are to be called mystics or disciples, our first step on this path is to learn to OBSERVE ourselves. Generally, man finds excuses to cover his own mistakes, faults, weaknesses. This is disastrous to someone who wishes to call himself a mystic since it is only on that level of spirituality that a disciple will learn to let go of his egotistic patterns and experience what is meant "to vanish completely into the Center of God’s OMNIPOTENCE, OMNIPRESENCE, and file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (12 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

OMNISCIENCE". The Center of Pure Being This Center is the Center of PURE BEING and is also called the UNCREATED LIGHT. Consequently, we understand that one must desire to climb the ladder of Light within himself so as to reach higher levels of Consciousness. One does that guided by the inspiration, impulses and gifts given to him through the HOLY SPIRIT.

We understand therefore, that before one is able to acquire the appropriate level of consciousness which allows one to receive the inspiration and guidance of the divine wisdom, one must first free oneself of all the chains and fetters of the ego. One must be prepared to embrace the different emanations and qualities embodied: the divine "Faces" of the uncreated God... This means that each Divine Face embodies in Itself a divine EXPRESSION, and QUALITY, as each "Face" purifies, and transforms the ego into a more refined expression. However, to reach the center of the Uncreated Light one has to abandon at a certain point of his journey all the divine Aspects letting go of everything including the most spiritual gift received by the Holy Spirit. Hence by first embracing one by one all the divine qualities of the unknown God, the disciple has at the end of his Quest to "return" them back to the Source, to the Center of the Uncreated Light of BEING. From that level of Cosmic Consciousness, he abandons them one by one releasing them into the Source. It is only then, that the Center of the Uncreated God's Omnipresence in the disciple becomes active.. Ponder and contemplate on what is meant by this statement... In the same context of what we just said, I would like to make a point on the importance of spiritual psychology since the world of the "observer" and the "observed" belong to it. Spiritual psychology teach us to be Vigilant, Alert and Conscious of our own mistakes, faults, and weaknesses. We all create around us a personal "STORY", meaning that we skilfully make up excuses for our own shortcomings, accusing others, or blaming instead of looking objectively into our own cynicism. We should understand that faults are in themselves distortions of qualities. For example: compassion and love can turn out to become jalousie or hatred, but what concerns us specially here is the fact that spiritual awakening cannot happen unless we become conscious of our own patterns and have a strong need to change them. The role of imagination The role that our IMAGINATION plays in the creation of spiritual and sacred Ideas is very important. Through these ideas we create mental images and sacred "Faces", giving form to the formless God. We could say that the role or mission that our imagination takes for us is to make "visible" and "understandable" different manifestations of unknown, uncreated, unmanifested impulses So, as we have said, before we can have an "idea" and give meaning to what God is for us, even if the idea is an abstract one it will still remain in a world of duality where God and us humans remain separate. Hence, we understand by this statement that to approach the Unknown God or the Clear Light we have first to recognize and be "penetrated" by His Divine "Face", in other words by His Divine Emanations… His divine Qualities... and we receive these impulses only when we are ready and well prepared. However, this process is indeed a life long spiritual project that demands our entire dedication. This project comprises the purification of our astral and mental bodies and a simplification of the way we live. That is why a wise mystic knows that God is nearer to him than he is to himself… and therefore, God is a better Judge of his personal needs… To print: HIGHER ASPECT OF CONTEMPLATION PART 2

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (13 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

HIGHER ASPECT OF CONTEMPLATION : PART III The "I AM" Presence -- The Center of Cosmic Consciousness

Though we speak of his form, the Eternal Buddha has no form but can manifest in any form. Although we describe his attributes, the Eternal Buddha has none but can manifest in any and all attributes. So if anyone sees the form of Buddha distinctly, or visualizes his attributes clearly without becoming attached to the form or to the attributes, he has the capacity to see and know the Buddha.

When we are touched by Grace, our ego unceasingly finds itself being purified of all past misconceptions and mistakes, and gradually learns to integrate with its loftier and divine counterpart—the soul. This delicate and refined blending of ego and soul manifests in our everyday consciousness as an unclouded, bright and clear presence, guiding our every step from within. This presence within our being is the awareness of the I Am. The emergence of this I Am Presence within our consciousness makes us suddenly see life differently, so clearly that it looks as if we have instantaneously entered a new world. From the moment the I Am Presence directly animates our consciousness, our life is never the same, even though to others and the outside world, things seem unchanged. In reality, however, nothing remains the same, as if a Divine hand gently pushes us forward, accompanying and encouraging us silently from within to adopt the right and suitable path. When we learn to trust the I Am Presence absolutely and follow its directive to the point of letting God’s hand lead us wherever He wants us to go, purification proceeds in earnest. From that moment on, we feel a sudden release of our burdens, onerous duties, and obligations. We then become aware that we have become a rightful follower of God’s infinite love and will.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (14 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

The "I AM" Presence .The I Am Presence within us is God in action in our world. Feelings of liberation and joy enter an "awakened" ego because, at last, it becomes aware of its real function, which is to become an empty receptacle ready to be filled with the Divine Presence. When does this happen? Simply when the desires and needs of the ego are unconditionally and completely drawn to, and attuned to, the vibration of the soul. Then, God’s will becomes the ego’s will, too, manifesting fulfillment and happiness into our life. However, this transformation remains a delicate and mysterious process, as it is not of our doing, but the doing of the soul and the Grace of God. When God’s reflection moves in our individual soul, it enlivens our ego, too. Signs and evidence of this potent presence begin to appear in our everyday life, impacting our consciousness as events become deep and meaningful, and affect the core of our being. These everyday occurrences and incidences are initiated by the Divine hand of God and our receptiveness does the rest. However, we must experience for ourselves the incredible and moving events in profound silence, awe, humility, and amazement. From then on, we know that we ourselves have become the never-ending quest. Gradually, like a child entering wonderland, we begin to understand that these miracles originate in ourselves, and are indeed projections of our own I Am Presence. Real transformation sets in our being, shifting completely our sense of perception; our whole world is altered and yet nothing changes. How can that be? The I Am Presence is responsible for these transformations, and we are changed forever. When the process of opening up to the energy of the soul begins in us, our level of consciousness attunes itself completely with the I Am Presence and progressively masters the method of embodying the loving and exquisite energy of integration and oneness. It lets itself flow and breathe through us, bringing with it a new level of consciousness—egolessness—marked by a lack of personal judgment or reaction to anything of any kind. Therefore, the ego becomes the vessel of the soul, allowing the I Am Presence to pour its qualities and powers into our consciousness. We then become free of our past shortcomings, and become self-reliant in carrying our Divine mission. When we learn to live in the present, we are awake, living and experiencing life through this transparent and magnetic presence. We are then guided and attracted to the right places at the right times, and we live each instant with new wonderment and awe

Painting of Alex Grey To go to the gallery - click on: Alex Grey

With the simplification and clarification of our life, a new kind of reality appears before us, and a new order of existence unfolds its truth in our being. In a strange way, this new existence fills our whole consciousness with new kinds of vibrant perceptions and thus all phenomena and events in our life are suddenly perceived as being new and yet friendly, surprising and yet humbling, moving and loving, sad and joyous at the same time. We feel at home everywhere, and nothing seems foreign. The Center of Cosmic Consciousness The I Am Presence in us is also the center of Cosmic Consciousness in which the whole cosmos and creation have their foundation. This follows since truth unfolds from within our being; from within the center of the I Am, hence, when we are in harmony with our own inner center, then, the Divine Presence in us is also eternally awake. It is from this point of the I Am that our soul merges with the Universal Soul. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (15 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

The more we are allowed to integrate and unify with the Divine Source, the more Cosmic Consciousness manifests in our life. As the center core of who we really are is infinite, our ego becomes simply a tool, a limited and limiting one at that, but still an important vessel, as it represents also the purified ego, the Grail and Eucharist Cup of our sacred communion with God. We certainly need the ego, for a consciousness without ego means simply a purified one in which the soul and I Am Presence are completely living the ordinary and extraordinary life of man. We all strive for happiness and contentment, but few realize that we have a choice between two paths, one leading to the empowerment of the ego, and the other to the empowerment of God’s Presence in us. We must choose. This is the law! Generally our choice is unconscious, through karmic possibilities. Once the choice has been made, a set of energies unfold their powers and qualities, influencing our tendencies and reactions in life that automatically lead us to one path or the other. The soul can guide the ego only when the ego has made its choice, and has an unquenchable thirst and desire to unify with it. The choice is yours. Or is it? Are you really free to choose? Esoteric teachings tell us that once on the path, there is no turning back and so, if some of us have trodden this path in the past, is it possible to regress? Each one of us is unique, each a path to ourselves, and yet all individual paths draw towards one unique point, a mysterious and invisible Center. The wind blows where it wants, so why question the direction it chooses? To print: HIGHER ASPECT OF CONTEMPLATION PART 3

WE ARE THE WEAVERS OF OUR DESTINY.

As weavers of our own lives, we see objects of the ordinary world, external or internal, beings, events, feelings, and actions as multicolored threads giving file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (16 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

meaning and linking us to life. While observed from the outside world, these disparate and unrelated objects and beings take on for us their "usual" appearance and separateness for us. However, seen from the level of our awakened awareness, they jointly develop a wonderful and harmonious relationship analogous to the threads in a tapestry. Worldly facts, events, memories, feelings and beings—or rather the ideas and symbols that we give to them—somehow change in value when seen from the perspective of a weaver. We are the weavers of our own lives, in which each experience can become an important thread used by our consciousness to connect with one another. Hence, when at a certain point in our lives, we decide to become the weaver, these entangled threads of our experiences and knowledge blend into a beautiful and useful tapestry. Cloth, thread, loom, spindle, and whatever else is used in spinning and weaving, all represent symbols of our future and destiny. They are used to denote all that rules predetermine and join together our different and ever-changing realities, consciously harmonizing them in ourselves. They are also used to create and make something of our own substance and essence, as the spider does in spinning a web. Many fairy tales feature goddesses holding spindles or weaving instrument whilst presiding over the birth of a prince or princess. In other instances, they represent time and the chain of cause and effect, or karmic laws. However, when man becomes the weaver of his own destiny, he naturally unfolds the qualities of the creative artist, and becomes the sacred fool whose intuition is guided by the thread of his soul. On the Symbolism of the Thread Turning to the archetypal meaning of the thread, it symbolizes the agent that links all states of being to one another and to the First Cause. This symbolism finds its best expression in the Upanishads, where the thread (sutra) "links this world to the other world and to all beings." The thread is both the soul (atman) and the breath (prana). The thread must in all things be followed back to its source because it is linked to a main central point, often depicted as the Sun. This is reminiscent of thread, the active ingredients of Theseus’ return to the light of day.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (17 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

ARIADNE'S BALL OF TWINE. Ariadne’s ball of twine or rope stands for the spiritual assistance needed to overcome the minotaur. The minotaur is the creature with a man’s body and a bull’s head, which king Minos imprisoned in the Labyrinth, built as tribute by Athens to Crete. The minotaur was regularly fed with seven youths and seven maidens, and the king’s son, Theseus, offered himself as one of them. Thanks to a ball of twine that Ariadne gave him to escape from the Labyrinth, Theseus was able to kill the beast. The minotaur symbolizes the labyrinth of our unconscious, ignorant, perverted human nature, an ugly and soiled embroidery that is dominated by our ego, symbolized by king Minos. Hence, Ariadne’s ball of twine, like the thread, stands for the guidance coming from our soul and our higher intuition to overcome the beast of ignorance and selfishness. This myth symbolizes the spiritual struggle against repression. However, this struggle cannot be won without the weapons of light and the presence of our soul, symbolized by Ariadne herself.

In a spiritual context, the thread also represents the energies and magnetic stimulation and intuition coming from the soul. Therefore, we become the channels for the expression of our soul, and the threads linking us to it are a combination of our own thoughts and emotions blending with those of the soul. Together they form the tapestry of our life. We have already seen that the thread is one of the meanings of the word sutra of the Buddhist scriptures. It should be added that the word "tantra" is also derived from the notion of thread or weaving. Threading a needle is the symbol of passing through the gateway of the Sun and escaping from the cosmos. It also has the same meaning as the arrow piercing the center of the target. In this context, the thread may be regarded as the link between the different cosmic levels (infernal, terrestrial and celestial) or those of spiritual psychology, (subconscious, conscious, superconscious, or pure Being or Soul awareness). All around the Mediterranean Basin, weaving is to woman what ploughing is to man—participating in the work of creation. Through myths and tradition, weaving has an equal archetypal importance as ploughing, although the way they operate remains different. Both, however, are conscious acts involving all the qualities necessary for creating and producing. Hence the thread of the soul links the weaver’s full awareness and qualities on his/her work, which becomes beautiful. Similarly, the farmer ploughs his field with the same attention and devotion, also linking his consciousness to the thread of his soul.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (18 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

"As the spider weaves its thread out of its own mouth, plays with it and then withdraws it again into itself, so the external unchangeable Lord, who is without form, without attributes, who is absolute knowledge and absolute bliss, evolves the whole universe out of Himself, plays with it for a while, and again withdraws it into Himself." (by Bhagavatam) The one who really sees this Truth, realizes his own nature as the Soul or pure Being. PILGRIMAGE AND QUEST

Our consciousness or inner presence reflects the way in which everything in the universe organizes itself and exhibits a dimension of subjective spontaneity. From the beginning of creation, from galaxy to planet formation, consciousness was always there, revealing an extraordinary ability to unfold powerful forces and exquisite imagination in an incalculable complexity of forms, moving, expanding, collapsing, exploding, and fulfilling through creation its own unknown and mysterious destiny. Man is a part of creation, and consciousness in him takes another dimension, another level. Should this be called an evolution of consciousness, or better still, an awakening? The journey into the depths of self begins with the adventure of consciousness, starting with a limited and narrow appreciation of our real essence, and expanding our consciousness with our mind and imagination. We do that to experience and understand that we, as consciousness, are mirrors reflecting the whole of creation. However, we are not just mirrors; we must also discover that we are also centers of creation. Consciousness in man has two functions. Firstly, it reflects our own understanding and interpretation of creation, which helps us to develop our inner potential, innate wisdom, and individuality. Secondly, it shows us that consciousness will always remain a mystery—the realization of which is our real mission in life—because consciousness itself takes all kinds of forms in creation and yet we know that, as an file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (19 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

inherent part of the Essence of the Unknown God Himself, consciousness can never be created. So, who is man? What purpose does he fulfill, and what is his "mission" in creation? Man is not consciousness itself, but consciousness grows and transforms him, so man is inhabited by consciousness. Henceforth, he is no more mind, nor love. His role in creation is to be a vessel, a chalice, a grail cup, and to receive those mysterious energies that consciousness bestows upon him—the gifts of mind and love. We are not the creators of these essences but the receivers of them, and our mission is to incarnate and manifest them in our lives. When we become the center of these mysteries, then, we are no longer just human. We become an awakened consciousness reflecting the whole of creation in ourselves, and when we experience that portion of consciousness, then we realize that consciousness, through us, is also the source of this creation. Then we live on both levels of consciousness at the same time. Different traditions use different names for such a person, such as the Son of Man, Christ Consciousness, the Buddha, and the Enlightened One. Initiations such as the one explained in Pilgrimage by author Paulo Coelho open in the seeker a genuine and true dimension of what a real quest and initiation is all about. As seekers, we unfold the quest in ourselves, since we are both the quest and the path. The goal of initiation is the direct awakening of our consciousness to a higher level. However, initiation also reveals to us that while we are awakening a new level of consciousness in the world, we are also letting go of our previous one. "When the disciple is ready, the Master appears," so, strange encounters and inexplicable events take place in our lives when we are open to receive initiation. It can happen suddenly in a most ordinary and natural way, and rupture our consciousness, helping our soul to intervene and awaken us to our true Self. Consciousness could be transformed by any event in our life. However, an initiator or catalyst is needed, an awakened, enlightened soul who knows what kind of initiation each seeker needs, a master in whom the seeker has complete trust. Some seekers need to be "handled" subtly, others more roughly, but what counts is the rupture, the opening that initiation brings. Pilgrimage and quest are therefore levels of passage, levels of transformation, of dying and of being reborn. Although initiation can take place anywhere, certain locations around the world have mysterious strong and powerful egregore due to the higher levels of consciousness of millions of pilgrims of pure heart soul. These powerful energies give us courage and strength to continue and, in return, we give them our love and gratitude. So, the Light shines in darkness. Come along and follow the sacred Fool. There is nothing to fear.

About the Mystery of Man PART : I What is the mystery of man? - The goal of man's mystery - Unfolding Cosmic Consciousness

Before discussing the Mystery of Man, let us examine what is called the "unmanifest Center of Pure Being" that influences and governs the file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (20 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

soul entity behind each individual soul. We must also address the essence of man, the energy incarnating life in us. From where does this invisible and mysterious substance come that gives us our unique individuality, our creative powers, and our courageous impulses? From where does consciousness come? Is that not also part of the Mystery of Man? Consciousness enhances and expands throughout our life. No two of us are the same; each of us experiences life differently, since experiences are the result of the various conditions and unique circumstances created just for us. Why are brothers and sisters unique even though they have received the same education? Is it solely based on intelligence, ambition and will alone? Or is there some other reason? And if so, what?

Logia 5: The Gospel of Thomas: Jesus said: "Know Him who is before your face and what is hidden from you shall be revealed to you, for there is nothing hidden that shall not be manifest.

What is the Mystery of Man? One indication is that this mysterious element that makes us unique is closely linked to consciousness. Consciousness in itself remains a mystery, and no two of us are conscious of the world and of ourselves in exactly the same way. Therefore, consciousness affects the thoughts and emotions of each us, transforming in us how we experience and understand our world. Depending on our level of consciousness, it will unfold in us the experiences necessary to help us understand ourselves and give meaning to what goes on in our lives. However, these inner processes do not modify or affect the mystery of consciousness itself, nor our unmanifested soul entity. To prove the presence of the soul entity, we must look at "being-ness," and turn our attention to within ourselves, with a purified mind and heart, since consciousness affects and is, in turn, affected by, our thoughts and feelings. Therefore, consciousness could be compared to a mirror that reflects and manifests everything that is projected on to it. Consequently, to probe the mystery of man, we must go beyond the reflected and projected outer realities on the surface of this mirror and, instead, let intuition—the intelligence of the heart of the soul entity —guide us to the center core of consciousness, the presence of the unmanifest Center of Pure Being, and the center of our unmanifest soul entity. In general, man remains unconscious and captive of his own reactions. Why? Simply because most of us are unaware of the different levels of consciousness lying dormant within us. So, what can we do to increase our awareness? First and foremost, we must learn to observe our file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (21 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

own thoughts and emotions, so as to understand why we behave and react the way we do. This kind of inner work and self-analysis unfolds and develops our spiritual intelligence, or intuition. Hence, we come to "know" ourselves; indeed, through these subtle operations and transformations, we gradually awaken in ourselves refined psychic and spiritual faculties—our inner senses and "tools" opening for us the inner gates of consciousness where pure knowledge and wisdom reside. The goal of man's mystery The goal is to reach our own mystery—the core and heart center of our own Being—and to unite with the presence of the unmanifest light within. This means that we must go beyond the "mirror" of reflections of consciousness, to a place where our ordinary level of consciousness is transmuted and transformed into the light of the soul itself. This is where the subtle impulses concerning the mystery of man are revealed and known. The mystery of man cannot be understood or explained; it can only be lived in a fully awakened consciousness in the present moment; in other words, when our self-consciousness is fully awaken and living in the now! This means that we have successfully united our selfconscious state with soul consciousness or Cosmic Consciousness in ordinary, everyday circumstances that transforms how we experience life. Through the effects of Cosmic Consciousness, the permanent seed of our soul awakens and unfolds its spiritual qualities. Together, they both energize in us the presence of our soul entity; they make known and clarify for us our inner archetypal models, our blueprints, the parts in us that can never be manifested independently, since they are Divine ideas and ideals that we must learn to integrate and manifest within ourselves here on our ordinary level of consciousness. What are these spiritual qualities, and where do they come from? We could use the symbol of the seed as the center from which these qualities emerge. However, the power and intelligence behind the seed are the presence of the unmanifest soul entity. The soul entity projects the light and love of "being-ness" in our symbolic seed from where unfolds a mysterious spiritual process of awakening under the guidance of our soul entity. Unfolding Cosmic Consciousness Let us examine the abstract process that unfolds Cosmic Consciousness in us. The soul entity activates within our seed or blueprint, two complementary, co-existing energies, one active, positive, and masculine, and the other passive, nurturing, and feminine —our two inner witnesses. These components of our soul entity are complementary to each other and together form the seed. We must awaken these two sacred witnesses in ourselves, and incarnate their respective qualities in our individual consciousness so as to harmonize and "marry" them in our own mind and heart. This is indeed the only way for us to reach enlightenment and finally be re-united with our soul entity. Various traditions term these two aspects of the soul entity "soul" and "spirit." While these two elements of our soul entity are asexual, they behave in relation to each other as two complements that can differentiate themselves like the Father-Mother archetypes from which they come, and they do that without abandoning their unity. Spiritual psychology has shown that we must come to know our inner nature—our feminine and masculine aspects within us—so as to harmonize them and become whole again. We could say that consciousness, in its purest and simplest form has to disconnect and disassociate itself from all transitory preoccupation, mundane teachings, and indoctrination, opening itself to higher and deeper levels. These states could be best described as peaceful, silent levels of consciousness, unveiling and revealing what lies hidden behind the center of the soul entity. In other words, reaching this level of consciousness means that we no longer have reflections on the mirror of our consciousness or shadows in our consciousness, but instead a fully awakened consciousness, filled with the bright light of the pure consciousness of the soul entity.

ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF MAN file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (22 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

PART II. The Divine Inner Hierarchies

As we saw in the previous part, the two witnesses, being spiritual elements of our unmanifested soul entity, are asexual but behave in relation to each other as two complementary parts of a same Unity. They were likened to the Father-Mother archetypes in each of us, since each activates separately masculine or feminine Divine qualities. Emanating from the one and unique spiritual entity of our Being, they gradually manifest and infuse in us some of those qualities. So we receive and are transformed by them, but only when our psyche and ego are harmonized with the vibrational levels of those spiritual qualities. Hence, receiving and being impregnated by these sublime qualities depends solely on our own level of consciousness and the degree to which we "attune" to them, come to know them, and be one with them. In other words, our level of consciousness must "allow" the transfer from our level of understanding the spiritual quality, so as to embody it in ourselves, and make the quality an integral part of us.

By this transfer of energy, we stop being the observer, the onlooker, since a spiritual quality cannot be apprehended in a world where the law of the observer/ observed still applies, as this law belongs solely to the world of duality. Instead, we must let our level of consciousness be assimilated into the spiritual one. All the laws governing the spiritual realms belong to unity, i.e., to "know" a spiritual realm, consciousness must be absorbed and impregnated by it. In part 1, we saw that we possess within ourselves all the hierarchies and spiritual worlds, each one of which is, in itself, a level of consciousness that awakens more and more as it approaches the level of unity, where resides our unmanifested spiritual entity. The divine Hierarchies within All spiritual hierarchies within us represent degrees of purified and spiritual consciousness in potential, like seeds awaiting the right conditions to germinate and vitalize our ordinary consciousness. However, to reach this point, the two divine witnesses have to guide our intuition before trusting us with important keys that are necessary tools to open and enliven one of the parallel spiritual dimensions within our consciousness. By this process, our ordinary level of consciousness gradually begins to reflect the qualities belonging to that specific level in our ego. However, these delicate inner processes of transformation must manifest in our ordinary life before our consciousness is allowed to blend and merge completely with it. Furthermore, the awakening processes of consciousness become more subtle, refined and purer as it approaches the Center of Pure Being Part 1 likens consciousness to a mirror reflecting whatever is projected on its surface, so understanding a Divine quality makes it shimmer and reflect the quality on the mirror of our consciousness. However, consciousness itself could never be affected since consciousness is a projection of Pure Being. Hence, it remains an element of the invisible presence in us. And since the source of consciousness is not the mirror itself, we must let our consciousness go beyond the mirror, letting itself plunge into the abyss of immaculate consciousness in our unmanifested soul entity. Part 1 revealed that the two divine witnesses of the soul entity transform the mystic from within, when his ego is attracted to their energies. Spiritual psychology file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (23 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

has validated the importance played by the masculine (Father archetype) and feminine (Mother archetype) energies within us. However, these two energies in our psyche are usually shadows awkwardly reflecting their real spiritual counterparts. Because they are unconscious of their existence and are not yet in touch with their own higher spiritual principles, most people usually mishandle and distort these archetypal qualities. So, our unconscious ego generally distorts the projections of these two Divine witnesses, which is why our behavior in life reflects some of the same deformities and mutilations. To get in touch with and harmonize with our ideal archetypes — Father and Mother, or the spiritual spouse and bride — we must first become conscious of how we distort the pure emanations of our two Divine archetypal witnesses. We do that by observing how our masculine and feminine energies act and react within ourselves, and by meditating and attuning to their archetypal ideals. Then we allow our intuition to guide and teach us how to open up to their spiritual qualities. Intuition is a Divine gift granted to us by our two witnesses to help us restore our light of pure Cosmic Consciousness. The trumpet blows. It is time to awaken, my friends, and let all the shadowy figures in your psyche dissolve, evaporate and disappear into the light of your soul entity. Then, the mirror reflecting your different stages of consciousness is finally broken, nothing remaining but the level of pure consciousness of your soul entity. ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF MAN PART III THE TWO WITNESSES OF THE SOUL ENTITY. The numerology of the soul entity. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Isha Schaller de Lubicz’ who wrote an inspiring and precious esoteric book entitled Journey into the Light. Her inner wisdom and spiritual Knowledge have guided me in this discourse. At the core of its essence, each human soul has a spiritual number, a very specific and unique number. This particular number gives the soul its own entity. Moreover, every spiritual number originates in the absolute unity of the unmanifested source of the soul and is contained in the Divine Totality. Consequently, all created souls have distinctive numbers, and are blessed with the characteristics inherent in their particular number, characteristics that distinguish one soul from all other souls.

Painting by Rassouli

These numbers are seed ideas originating from the unmanifested Center of Pure Being. Esoterically, because they represent abstract divine ideas, numbers allow us to understand what is beyond ordinary human comprehension. The meaning of numbers and the role that each number plays is rooted in the esoteric meaning of sacred numbers and the fact that each number is the embodiment of a Divine idea. By opening our intuition, we can distinguish their intangible and spiritual qualities. Numbers are interconnected with levels of consciousness, so when we meditate and work with an esoteric number, we are working from a corresponding level of consciousness within ourselves and allow the number to affect our own level of consciousness and intuition. Esoteric meditation and work with numbers, therefore, helps us attain the meaning of existence and of causality. Numerology is one of the oldest sciences of symbols. Plato called it "the highest level of knowledge" and Pythagoras regarded it as "the essence of cosmic and inward harmony." No two numbers are identical, and as each soul is blessed with the characteristics of its own file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (24 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

number, these distinctions make each soul different from all other souls.

Painting by Rassouli

Some traditions liken souls to stars. Now, a star emits its own light, but this visible star is only the physical body of the spiritual star. However, the visible light emitted is not its only emanation. Our sun emits other types of radiation, differentiated by the number of their vibration, the sum of which constitutes a vibrating sphere that embraces the planets of the solar system. That we can detect each type of radiation individually (infrared, light, ultraviolet, etc.) shows that they co-exist without blending, due to their various vibratory states. However, despite their diversity, all of these emanations are part of a single sun. This image sheds light on the twin aspects of the soul entity that together constitute a unique essence: the characteristics of its number called the permanent witness, which imprints its signature on the newborn, and that divine essence (pure eternal light, which is impersonal and non-specific) termed the spiritual witness. Early Christian doctrine referred to the spiritual witness simply as spirit, and the permanent witness as soul. So, what we call soul and spirit are both aspects of the soul entity that unfolds within us when our level of consciousness allows us to attune and harmonize with these two aspects of the immortal soul, the two witnesses of man’s number-entity.

Unless we know who we are, how can we genuinely give ourselves to others? So, probably the most important journey we shall ever take is the one inward. The quest can be long, but help is at hand, and we are never left alone. Our two witnesses are our divine guides and they accompany us on our sacred quest to the core of our soul entity from whence they came. Therefore, approach the quest without fear, look inward, and awaken your two witnesses within your soul entity and allow them to carry you to fulfill your destiny. And from two, you will become three a trinity and a star is born. It is important to recognize and understand the differences between the witnesses’ functions and roles. Our psyche is governed on a lower file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (25 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

level by these two distinct energies, one masculine and the other feminine. Spiritual psychology tells us that the feminine energy, or the passive part of the soul, cannot function properly without her masculine counterpart, and that in turn, the masculine element of the soul cannot work correctly without its feminine counterpart. The feminine soul element represents the inner "womb" in which archetypal seed ideas are allowed to germinate and grow; and the masculine executes and acts upon these archetypal seed ideas. So we must first create a pure space within ourselves (the passive and feminine aspect of God or Pure Being) so as to be able to cultivate good thoughts and kind feelings towards everything around us. Then, from that level of consciousness, our ego manifests and executes our spiritual seed ideas as harmoniously and blamelessly as they are in their original state.

ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF MAN PART IV The Method of the Quest. Diagram of the Soul Entity - The psyche and the Permanent Witness - The psyche & the mirror of Consciousness

A path has no value if it does not lead to a clearly defined goal. Similarly, no one can resolve our personal problems if they are not clearly exposed in the mirror of our own mind that reflects, on the surface of our consciousness, everything that engages us. Consequently, the mirror of consciousness is like a magnet that attracts all manner of energies, from the most positive to the most negative thoughts and feelings. That is why as mystics, we must develop spiritual discipline, since without observing and mastering our own negative thoughts and emotions, they will project on the mirror of our consciousness and disturb our inner harmony. As a symbolic image of selfconsciousness, the mirror also reflects what lies in a deeper part of our subconscious.

What is the difference between the psyche and the permanent witness? The previous three parts portrayed the permanent witness as that part of our soul entity that contains the qualitative blueprint of its sacred number, which is projected as an impulse and an energy into the file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (26 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

newborn child, or "engrained’’ in the child’s essence. In other words, it is the part of our soul that bonds and connects with our psyche as a baby, and guides our developing psyche and ego for the duration of our incarnation. The permanent witness is the active part of our soul entity since it possesses its unique sacred number, and therefore is the part of each of us that guides our psyche and ego through intuition, insight, and dreams. In return, it participates in the purification and awakening process of its shadowy and sleepy psyche and ego selves. Diagram of the Soul Entity Visualize soul entity as five circles, the innermost being the center of our unmanifested soul entity or Pure Being. The circles represent: The Soul Entity comprises: 1 - The Uncreated Center of the Soul Entity.- the Presence of Pure unmanifested Being 2 - The Spiritual Witness. - Perfect Model - Christ - Buddha Consciousness 3 - The Permanent Witness - the blue-print - the SEED for a given incarnation 4 - The Psyche.- "the bridge" linking - "I Am" 5 - The Ego - Limited consciousness - self consciousness - ego - "I am, me" These circles overlap and project their own qualities and light on to each other as the various energies and impulses circulate between themselves. Thoughts and emotions are projected on the mirror of self-consciousness, revealing to us the light or shade aspect of each circle. From the undifferentiated unity of the Center of Pure Being to the circumference of the outermost circle representing self-consciousness, we understand intuitively that the inner work awakens self-consciousness to the unifying level of consciousness called Christ Consciousness, the self that is aware of breathing and being the consciousness of the whole.

The psyche and the Permanent witness The psyche is the manifested part of the needs and impulses coming from the permanent witness, directed towards our developing and spiritualizing ego. In other words, the psyche represents the soul personality in incarnation, unfolding our individual karma. However, what goes on in our ego also influences our psyche. Hence, the psyche could be compared to a very sensitive instrument that registers all the emotions and thoughts that affect our ego and the permanent witness. The psyche is also a bridge, since it attends to the exchange of experiences between the two via dreams, intuitions, creativity, etc. Via the channels of emotions and thoughts, the psyche sends and receives "messages" through strong or subtle impulses that leave their mark and make an impact. How do we go about harmonizing the psyche and ego with the permanent witness? We must first purify the thoughts and emotions of our ego and psyche so that the mirror of consciousness can clearly and perfectly register the impulses coming from the permanent witness. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (27 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

However, it is not so much the intellectual ideas and thoughts that impact our psyche or change our level of consciousness, but more our personal intent, commitment, and understanding and intuitive knowledge of the transcendent meaning of our ideals. Indeed, we must learn to concentrate and meditate as often as possible on them, since they are the leaven helping the rising and unfoldment of our spiritual qualities and, consequently, of the manifestation of higher levels of consciousness in us. These, then, are the materials that forge their way deeply in our psyche. However, our consciousness must also take part in these subtle operations. Hence, our personal discernment and focus in our daily activities will also develop a deep and intimate method of working reflecting our personal ideals and goals in life. This is a good and safe way of doing inner work since it guides us from within, showing us how best to experience what needs to surface and become apparent on a conscious level. Of course, these delicate operations are always tailored to our individual possibilities and level of consciousness. The psyche and the mirror of Consciousness Now, a strong link exists between the psyche and the mirror of consciousness because the psyche reflects the permanent witness concealed and imprinted in the seed of man. Moreover, since, the psyche is also sensitive to what appears on the mirror of our consciousness, it can also be influenced by the reflected images that our ego projects on to it. Hence, the psyche reflects the seed ideas of our permanent witness to our ego but, at the same time, projects our ego’s thoughts and emotions to our Permanent Witness.

The Soul Entity comprises: (recapitulation) 1 - The Uncreated Center of the Soul Entity.- the Presence of Pure unmanifested Being 2 - The Spiritual Witness. - Perfect Model - Christ - Buddha Consciousness 3 - The Permanent Witness - the blue-print - the SEED for a given incarnation 4 - The Psyche.- "the bridge" linking - "I Am" 5 - The Ego - Limited consciousness - self consciousness - ego - "I am, me"

To Study the two Diagrams - Please click on this Line Please remember that the use of symbolic words are to facilitate and explain as much as possible the unfolding spiritual process within a seeker. Explanations about "the Spiritual and Permanent Witnesses" are given on this website. To find them please refer to: "The Mystery of Man part 1-2-3-4". (Remember that you can change terminologies and words, replacing them with your choice of symbols and wordings. What is important is file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (28 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

the meaning and the understanding you have of them. By discovering "your" inner process, you unfold the path that is best suited to you.) If you want to know more about this fascinating subject, it is suggested that you read the articles written on the subject of the "PERFECT MODEL"

What is Christ Consciousness?

"The Hermetic Mystery of Christ" In the context of hermetic and metaphysical philosophy, what do we mean by the words Cosmic Christ? In addition to this and mystically, what does the essence of Christ represent? We have to understand that the essence and nature of the Cosmic Christ is universal and beyond the scope of any kind of investigation because in itself it is not and never will be a personality, something that can be objectively proven due to the fact that it has never been an individualized Energy. How could it be? The Essence of the Cosmic Christ is simply the REGENERATIVE and RECONCILING aspect of the force of pure Being and the Soul Essence within each one of us. Hence in itself, it represents the unfolding energy of wholeness in human nature. In other words, Christ Energy is a divine Energy that brings and blends together the essence of Soul and Spirit within each one of us (to use a symbolic image, we could say that Christ Energy brings together and "marries" the Permanent and Spiritual Witnesses within each individual – for more details on these two aspects, please refer to the essays on "The Mystery of Man" parts: -1- -2- -3- -4-

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (29 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

However, as seekers of Truth, we should make a distinction between the Cosmic Christ and the manifestation of the force that descends and unfolds through the channel of consciousness in an enlightened being. In other words, we should differentiate between an individualized expression of the Cosmic Christ and the Essence of the Cosmic Christ itself. To facilitate our task, we could begin by asking this question. What do we mean by an individualized expression of the Cosmic Christ? The answer is simply that it represents an enlightened and self-realized expression of pure Being. However, such a level of enlightenment can only manifest in a purified and well prepared vehicle, in which consciousness is awakened fully. By purified vehicle, we mean the purified physical, psychic and spiritual bodies in which the energy and characteristics of the Force of the Cosmic Christ become apparent. This Christic Force is an active and universal power house that functions through "human vehicles" forever. Hence, nothing gets lost, and the vehicle and characteristics of Master Jesus still continue functioning through all enlightened and realized human beings. The same principle is applied to all enlightened beings. Why is this so? Simply because, purified vehicles are all molded from one specific Perfect Mold that is at the source of all traditions, Eastern and Western alike. It is the power source that is inherent in Primordial Wisdom and in Nature. Thus, it is also inherent in human nature too. However, it needs to be awakened and activated by consciousness . For Buddhism, all seekers and disciples of Buddha are known as having Buddha nature inherent within their nature. In the same manner, for the hermetic and esoteric Mysteries of the Western tradition, the essence of the Cosmic Christ is innate to all sentient beings and part of his spiritual blueprint, (the Perfect Mold), in the West and in the East.

However, JESUS THE CHRIST represents a perfected vehicle that has existed, and still continues to exist eternally, since it represents one file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (30 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

of the perfected Expressions of Primordial Wisdom. That is why, to a Western approach, Jesus or Jeheshua represents a process of manifesting Primordial Wisdom to a Western approach. Since, the Perfect Model and Mold are themselves expressions of the Primordial Wisdom. Hence, Jesus or Jeheshua represent a channel and a vehicle in which a high level of initiation takes place. He represents one of the Perfect Mold in which the process of awakening and of enlightenment takes place. The Perfect Mold of a Cosmic Christ or of a Buddha exists everywhere…and remains the same, for everyone, since they are made of the same pure essence of Primordial Wisdom and therefore, all Perfect Molds and Models are ALIVE and ACTIVE expressions of the same unique source, which are inherent to Pure Being. The meaning of the Perfect Mold and Perfect Model should be understood intuitively by the genuine seeker because these two symbolic expressions should clarify the understanding that it is not the ego personality and the intellect as such that choose a Perfect Model and discovers its corresponding Perfect Mold. The Perfect Model within each one of us is hidden within consciousness. When consciousness "awakens" in a seeker, then the Presence of the Perfect Model appears. It is through the purification of the psyche and the unfoldment of the inner process that the expression of the Perfect Model becomes clearer and is revealed. However, we should also realize that the world of the psyche belongs to the world of duality, since the mirror of the psyche transfers and projects, images, ideals, intuitions, which are reflections of the Perfect Model. The Perfect Model unfolds the process of awakening and its vehicle, the Perfect Mold is the "ground" on which the awakening process takes place. It is the purified psyche - the mirror of the Soul in which ideal "images" of Heroes and Heroines can still be projected like in the time of childhood. However, for seekers of truth, these faints projected ideal models of heroes and heroines, of gods and goddesses are replaced by a direct impulse coming from the Presence of pure Being. To begin with, this new impulse appears like a divine and complementary counterpart and gradually reveals the Presence of the Perfect Model. Until such time that consciousness reveals that the psyche does not really exist...it was a perfect mirror reflecting purified impulses that disappear leaving a silent space within... a level of consciousness in which the world of duality is non-existent and in its place appears the Presence the uncreated and immortal Essence of Being, the "I AM" Presence and the sudden realization that : "I AM ... WHAT I AM"

PART II MEANING OF THE NAME JESUS CHRIST THE NAZARENE The word "Jesus" represents an individualized level of enlightenment and experience. Christ, on the other hand represents an epithet, an explanation of the quality of enlightenment reached by "Jesus". For this reason, and in the context of Western Mysteries, "Jesus" represents the Perfect Mold, the inner workings of the purified "Substance" and the vehicle in which the path of AWAKENING the level of Christ Consciousness takes place... The word "Consciousness" (in Syriac means Messiah and in Greek Christos means the Anointed One). As for the word "The Nazarene", the meaning is: "He who reveals what is hidden". As for the word "Messiah", it has two meanings, "Christ or the Anointed One" and "The Measured One" "Jesus" in Hebrew means "The Redemption" and the word "Nazara" means "The Truth". Thus, "The Nazarene" means "Truth". Jesus had attained "Nazirutha", perfect spiritual enlightenment, and that he also taught that path to others. Hence, Jesus and his disciples were Nazarenes or Nazoraeans: meaning, followers of the mystic path to God, or Pure Being. The apostles before us used to employ the terms: 'Jesus the Nazoraean Messiah', which means 'Jesus, the Nazoraean, the Christ "The Anointed One". file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (31 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Remember: The last name is "Christ", the first name is "Jesus", the middle name is "The Nazarene". Hence the Name "Jesus Christ the Nazarene" means; The Anointed One, the Giver of Truth - The Bringer and Source of Redemption - The Revealer of what is hidden - The Enlightened One who has the gift to Awaken others... . In the language of the Christian mysteries, we could say that the Name IESHUA corresponds to Jesus's existence as a heavenly power in eternity (the Perfect Model). The INITIATOR and SAVIOR in the Christian Mystical Mysteries... Hence it is the transcendent Spirit beyond the realm of physical matter... On the other hand, Yeheshuah, or (Jeshua) - Jesus represents the immanent Spirit present within physical matter. (the Perfect Mold). In God (pure Absolute Being) we are born In Jeshua we "learn" to die, Through the Power of the Holy Sprit and the Redemption of IESHUA/YESHUA we rise again! This is a Mystery... and it involves the three levels of the unfolding inner process (1) - Ego consciousness experiences and trusts the unfolding inner process of the Soul (2) - Divine Grace reveals the Cosmic Perfect Mold in which the old self has to "enter" and "die" so that (3) - The Holy Spirit can descend to awake and manifest the Perfect Model, or Christ Consciousness

In the Gospel of Thomas - 108 Whosoever drinks from my mouth Shall become as I am. I too shall become like him. For him, the hidden will be revealed. If the Teachings are truly understood and put into practice, we will become a "Jesus", meaning a pure "container" in which the Essence of the Cosmic Christ will fully manifest, just as it did with the Master. Moreover, when the Spirit of Christ emerges completely in our level of consciousness, we will have realized that the Christ Essence and Spirit are the REAL part of who we are... the silent Witness... the Unmanifest "I" that belongs to the level of unity and wholeness... the level within us that has no reflection... You have been given many hints and clues to unravel the unfathomable Mystery of your own spiritual Substance and Essence...! The use of Christian symbolism in mystical practices may seem strange to modern eyes, but the inner process of the Western Mysteries include psychic symbols that belong to the Soul and which are inherent of the early Christian Mystery teachings. For this purpose, they remain an important element of the Western Initiatory tradition since ancient times. While the actions of some modern versions of Christianity have succeeded in giving many mystics a bad case of "Jesus allergy", it's important to remember that the meaning and value of a symbol is independent of the theology built around it or the atrocities committed in its name file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (32 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

REINCARNATION AND THE SOUL

Painting by Daniel B. Holman

When the embryo of your physical body was forming within your mother's womb, and you were hovering near waiting to incarnate within the new "tomb" of flesh, you brought down with you from the causal plane a "cloud of glory" which was attached to you and as much a part of you as the embryo which was to become your physical vehicle. This auric cloud did not enter the physical form at your birth, but only attached itself to your psychic centers (chakras) and remained as the vehicle of the Soul (Permanent Witness) above your head. This auric cloud is the focal center of the real You. The "home" from where your intuition and superconscious mind unfold...This auric cloud is a "magnetic field" in which your Soul (Permanent Witness), the all-wise, the god you will become resides. It is the "place" from where your "Perfect Model" appears... and from where Primordial Wisdom unfolds its mysteries. The question is often asked: Is the Permanent Witness or Soul an all-wise Being separate and apart from your self consciousness and ego self? Or is it simply a level of consciousness manifesting on a higher plane of your inner life such as a sixth and seventh sense? (To know more about the sixth and seventh senses click: the sixth and seventh senses of man ) The answer is that it is both. It is a great BEING of which you are a part and a small "being" of which you are also a conscious self...just a fragment of that infinite YOU. This limited fragment of who you are operates on your waking conscious level as your everyday personality, aware somewhat of the subconscious mind and its mysteries, and only vaguely aware, if at all, of the operation of the higher aspects of your Real Being (the superconscious levels of the Permanent and Spiritual Witnesses)... the pure Being which is the real YOU expresses on four levels of consciousness: the waking conscious - the subconscious - the superconscious - and the WISDOM MIND. Your Spirit Self (Spiritual Witness) is often called the Parental Spirit in that you are its child. It exists in states of consciousness on the Causal Plane that cannot be known or attained by anyone except initiates and invisible Masters. The Spiritual Witness (the Monad) exists beyond time and space in an impenetrable dimension of its own... (For more explanations on these two spiritual aspects of man look at : "Mystery of Man" parts: file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (33 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

1 - 2 - 3 4 -)

The Spiritual Witness is your Immortal Spirit, it is immortal since it does never incarnate or take "form", that is why it remains "uncreated and "unmanifested". On the other hand, the Permanent Witness, or your Soul is only now becoming immortal through its many and various incarnations in the field of matter. As a substance and an essence the Permanent Witness is immortal, yes, in the sense that it does not die... However, the "role" and goal of the Permanent Witness is to awake Cosmic Consciousness in the ordinary level of consciousness of man and reach the Cosmic level of its Spiritual Witness - the level of the Perfect Model. Therefore, we could say that the Spiritual Witness is the truly immortal part of who you are... it is the subtle Presence of Being within...the part that you call your Existence... the Being within you that cannot reflect because it simply "IS" and "EXISTS"... and remains fully conscious always, whether in incarnation or out of it; whether you are asleep or awake. The purpose and the object of the Soul or Permanent Witness is to perpetually evolve and awake consciousness through the creation of your various personalities. It is through the experiences of these various personalities that the Soul ultimately completes its cycle of evolution, at the end of which it may return to the exalted level of its Spiritual Witness (or Monad) and unite with it. That is when "you", uniting with the Divine Spark of your Perfect Model become divine...In hermetic and mystical writings this divine accomplishment is called "Union with the Beloved" and "Alchemical and Mystical Wedding". To print: REINCARNATION AND SOUL COPYRIGHTS

WHO AND WHAT IS THE DAEMON/DA•MON? Part I file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (34 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Painting by Odilon Redon

The most important injunction on the spiritual path of the ancient Mysteries was ascribed over the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi: Gnothi Seauton— "Know Thy Self." The initiates of the ancient Mysteries were after Gnosis, which meant the knowledge of self knowledge, the knowledge of the “Who Am I?”. They used to say: “Whoever has not known himself has known nothing, but he who has known himself has at the same time already achieved Gnosis about the depth of all things. In an early Christian Gnostic book entitled the Testimony of Truth, Jesus advises a disciple to become "a disciple of his own higher mind," and continues to say that one’s higher mind is "the father of Truth." Elsewhere, The Gnostic sage Silvanus encourages his disciples in this way: “Knock on yourself as upon a door and walk upon yourself as on a straight road. For, if you walk on the road, it is impossible for you to go astray. Open the door for yourself so that you may know what is.”

The Daemon and the Eidolon

But what is the Self? The ancient sages taught that every human being has a mortal lower self, called the eidolon and an immortal Higher Self (Soul) called the DAEMON. The eidolon is the embodied self, the physical body, and ego personality. The Daemon is the Spirit, the true Self, which is each person's spiritual file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (35 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

connection to God. The Mysteries were designed to help initiates realize that one’s eidolon is a false self and that one’s true identity is the immortal Daemon. From the eidolon's point of view the Daemon appears to be an independent Guardian Angel. Disciples and seekers who still identify with the eidolon, therefore, do not experience the Daemon as their own true Self, but as a spirit guide, whose job it is to lead them to their spiritual destination – hence it is a separate entity that entices them to advance and awake to their true essence. Plato teaches: "We should think of the most authoritative part of the Soul as a Guardian given by God which lifts us to our heavenly home." The Gnostic sages of the past taught exactly the same Mystery doctrine. Valentinus, a gnostic sage who lived in Alexandria explains that a person receives Gnosis from their Guardian Angel, or Daemon but that this angelic being is actually the seeker's own Higher Self or Soul. In ancient Egypt the Daemon had for millennia been pictured as a Heavenly Twin of the eidolon. This image is also found in Gnosticism. The Gnostic sage Mani was said to have been conscious of having a protecting angel from the age of four and, at aged 12, to have realized it was his Heavenly Twin, whom he called the "most beautiful and largest mirror image of my own person. " In the gnostic version of The Acts of John, John observes that Jesus sometimes held conversations with a Heavenly Twin who descended to join him: He says: “When all of us, his disciples, were sleeping in one house at Gennesaret, I alone, having wrapped myself up, watched from under my garment what he did; and first I heard him say, "John, go thou to sleep," and thereupon I pretended to be asleep; and I saw another like unto him come down, whom I also heard saying to my Lord, "Jesus, do the ones that you have chosen still not believe in you?" And my Lord said, " You say well, for they are men." As a comment, we could faintly enter into the mystery of the two complementary aspects of our pure Being, and understand the real meaning of the mystery of Jesus Christ …in other words what the Acts of John is hinting…which is the TWIN aspects of the One and unique Essence of Being. Hence the One Essence projects a part of Itself into the world of duality and seems to become two - A part incarnating as the consciousness of divinity in human beings – this means that the initiate becomes a pure reflection and mirror “Jesus” in which the part of himself that never incarnates appears…that is the Presence of the Christ Consciousness… a level of consciousness that goes beyond the world of creation and duality. The Pistis Sophia relates a charming myth of the child Jesus meeting his own Heavenly Twin for the first time. His mother Mary recalls: “When you were a child, before the Spirit had descended upon you, when you were in the vineyard with Joseph, the Spirit came down from the height, and came unto me in the house, like unto thee, and I knew Him not, but thought that he was you. And he said unto me, "Where is Jesus, my brother, that I may go to meet him?" Mary relates to Jesus that when his Twin finally found him, "He embraced you and kissed you, and you also did kiss him and you became one and the same being." The goal of Gnostic initiation was, likewise, to bring the lower self into union with the Higher Self or Soul, for it is when they are made one that enlighten-ment occurs. Irenaeus relates that the Gnostic "believes himself to be nei-ther in heaven nor on earth, but to have embraced his Guardian Angel." The great Gnostic master Valentinus writes: When the human self and the divine "I" are interconnected they can achieve perfection and eternity.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (36 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

THE UNIVERSAL DAÏMON 'The quest for Self-knowledge leads the ancient or Gnostic initiate on a remarkable journey of discovery. At first initiates experience themselves as the eidolon, the embodied personality, and see the Daïmon as a Guardian Angel or Heavenly Twin. The more mature initiate, experiences the Daemon as a higher manifestation of their own Higher Self or Soul. To those blessed with the final vision of complete Self-knowledge or Gnosis, the Daïmon is found to be more awesome still. It truly is the "divine I,” the Essence that has no appearance and yet takes all kinds of appearances in the world of creation. Valentinus puts it like this: “Although it appears as if each person has their own Daïmon or Higher Self, the enlightened initiate discovers that actually on the axial Pole of Being there is one Daïmon shared by all, a universal Self, which inhabits every being. Each Soul is a part of the one Soul of God. To know oneself therefore is to know God. These mystical teachings are found both in the ancient Mysteries of Egypt, Greece and in the early Gnostic Christianity. In the ancient Mysteries the initiates used to say: "I am Thou, and Thou art I" and it can also be found in the Gnostic text of the Pistis Sophia and in the New Testament in Gospel of John, we read: " I in Thou, and Thou in me." (I in you and you in me.) The Pagan sage Sextus writes: "If you would know Him by whom you were made, you would know yourself." Similarly, the Christian philosopher Clement writes: "It is the greatest of all disciplines to know oneself; for when a man knows himself, he knows God." Clement taught his Christian initiates to "practice being God" and that the true Gnostic had "already met God. Gnostic means "Knower," but it is not some piece of spiritual information that Gnostic initiates know. They “know” because it is their Higher Self that Knows… Hence they are conscious that they are not the ones who know, the ones who experience, it is the Soul, the Higher Self within, the divine "I," the Daemon who KNOWS! The Daïmon communes on the Axial Pole of Being – the Pole of pure Consciousness. The true Gnostic, like the enlightened initiate of the ancient Mysteries, discovers that the Daemon is actually the one Soul of the Universe — the pure level of Consciousness that inhabits each one of us. According to the ancient Gnostic sages who have traversed the path of Self-knowledge and reached enlightenment, when, we finally discover who we are, we discover that there is only one Perfect Being, one God. To print : WHO AND WHAT IS THE DAEMON OR DA•MON (some parts of this article are taken from the book of T. Freke & P.Gandy "the Jesus Mysteries" ) However, I have added my own way of experiencing the Daemon... Please read the articles on this website that explores and explains the mystical role of the Daemon and Its relationship to the Permanent and Spiritual Witnesses

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (37 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

ABOUT SPIRITUAL EMPTINESS OR THE VOID

What is Spiritual Emptiness, or the Void? To answer this, we must first find out if it is possible to discover its essence within our being. Since the essence of Being is complete peace and stillness without reflection or any kind of manifestation or projection, could the essence of Being in of itself be called Emptiness? We must turn to the language of symbols to convey what it means, since Emptiness is a level of mind and consciousness, a level of realization that belongs to all traditions. For example, in the Vajra, a ritualistic instrument used in Tantric Buddhism, Emptiness is represented by the central dot and symbolizes a focal point, the seed of the spirit in which everything is in a potential but static state. It also characterizes the central axis and heart of the universe. Vajra literally means the diamond scepter, or the thunderbolt. Emptiness is also linked to the creative Void, meaning that it is a state of complete receptivity and perfect enlightenment. It represents the disappearance of, or more precisely the merging of, the ego with its own essence, which in Western tradition is called the Universal Soul or the Unknown God, and in Buddhism is called the Clear Light. This merging of ego with its source could also be explained as the experience of infinite space, a frame of mind that confers us with the realization of the interdependence of all phenomena in creation, an experience that bestows an incredible degree of being true to ourselves, in that when our ego merges with its source, truth becomes impersonal, "being without reflection, personal opinions and judgments." Consciousness in such a case blends and becomes part of the Unknown God, the Unmanifested Light of Being. In Western Hermetic tradition, this level of attainment is called the Philosopher’s Stone. So again, what do we mean by Emptiness? In Christianity, it is represented by the center of the cross and the swastika, the basic principle at the center of the Wheel of the Universe, from which all flows and to which all returns; the center that is everywhere and nowhere. Has reality a connection with Emptiness? Reality changes all the time. It moves and is transformed incessantly by the interpretation and experiences of our individual ego. Reality is part of life as it brings the necessary changes and meanings that we all need to express ourselves. However, with the incessant changes that we all need, realities seem to change with the transformation of consciousness. It can never be fixed, never be constant, but remains limited in time and space. Reality is as fluid as water, as ephemeral as air, and therefore, in itself, can never be rooted, anchored or possessed, since it comprises file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (38 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

nothing other than changing appearances. So clearly, since reality is a projection of our own understanding of something, Emptiness is devoid of reality.

However, as the letters of the alphabet are "tools" to build and interpret the written word, realities are the tools that our psyche uses to interpret and understand the world around it. Our psyche translates and perceives realities as symbols, but since this process of reading and understanding realities takes place in a world of duality, then realities belong to the world of the ego, which interprets and understands them. Hence, realities have nothing to do with the level of consciousness called Emptiness or the Void, since in the Void, there are no manifestations. Emptiness designates a state of mind, an inner level of consciousness based upon the renunciation of what one believes to be real, beyond all comprehension or lack of comprehension. Emptiness is, therefore, a higher level of the mind, an attunement with "nothing," i.e., with Pure Being that has no reflection at all. This is the revelation that the abstract or higher mind of a spiritual man receives. He is called "spiritual" because his mind is open and in harmony with the whole of creation, or the Unknown God. Hence, such a man is empty of a personal "interpretation" and is in touch with the world of spirit. As he manifests the world of spirit within him, a new one opens up before him, giving him a new understanding of life. A spiritual man is a mystic at heart, and his mind mirrors the mind of Pure Being. Therefore, his mind and thought processes are enlightened. And, since this transformation comes from the source of all knowledge, it automatically opens the gates of Divine Wisdom for him. Such a man is devoid of personal feelings or opinions, unless it be the feeling of deep compassion for all living things. Returning to the question of what we mean by Emptiness, it is difficult to explain because it represents a purified level of consciousness in which objects and creatures are seen as transitory realities. Hence, we could say that Emptiness in itself is the source of Being and therefore formless. However, since it is the source of Being, it nevertheless nurtures all realities. Symbolically, we could say that Emptiness is the dark womb of creation.

ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF MAN Diagrams file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (39 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

1 - Absolute Consciousness 2 - Essence of Pure Being-ness 3 - Divine Face of the Perfect Model 4 - Spirit or the Spiritual Witness, the "blueprint" of the Perfect Model 5 - Divine Soul or Permanent Witness 6 - The Perfect Model manifests in one's life when the psyche has been purified, then the psyche is "remodeled" in a new "Perfect Mold" that is the "spiritual DNA" within each human being Please remember that the use of symbolic words are to facilitate and explain as much as possible the unfolding spiritual process within a seeker. Explanations about "the Spiritual and Permanent Witnesses" are given on this website. To find them please refer to: "The Mystery of Man part 1-2-3-4". (Remember that you can change terminologies and words, replacing them with your choice of symbols and wordings. What is important is the meaning and the understanding you have of them. By discovering "your" inner process, you unfold the path that is best suited to you.)

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (40 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

If you want to know more about this fascinating subject, it is suggested that you read the articles written on the subject of the "PERFECT MODEL" (You will find them on this website) Remember also that both Witnesses are archetypal symbolic images representing two complementary expressions of the Absolute and Perfect Being IMPORTANCE OF DREAMS IN THE MYSTICAL PROCESS PART I

tools of transformation 1 - Symbol of the Tiratna 2 - Different levels of dreaming 3 - Spiritual Alchemy 4

There is basically no difference between the waking state and that of dream, except that one seems more stable than the other. Only after there is awakening in the form of enlightenment is it realized that the waking world itself is indeed nothing but a long dream resulting from mental disposition - a movement in Consciousness in which what seems a solid body and its sufferings are really an illusion. By Ramesh Balsekar This chapter is dedicated to readers who have proven to themselves that dreams are more than just dreams, that they are indeed "tools" teaching us to look at ourselves in an impartial and impersonal way.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (41 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Painting by Marica S. Lauck & Deborah Koff-Chapin

Dreams are tools of transformations Dreams are tools of transformation. Moreover, at a certain level of inner work, dreams stop being dreams and instead become spiritual levels of consciousness. But, in the meantime, dreams open invisible doors to subtler levels of spiritual growth, awakening in seekers of truth and wisdom, our permanent witness or soul within our conscious selves. Let us first introduce the symbol of the trident, the logo of the sea-god Poseidon/Neptune. What connection does that have with the process of dreaming? Poseidon, the god of seas and oceans, holds the trident as a mark of his command of the waters. In the context of dream work, he represents the king of the subconscious levels of the psyche. In fact, with his trident, Poseidon also commands the monsters of the deep, which reminds us of the deep waters of the subconscious and its own monsters and shadowy figures. The subconscious can therefore be compared to the abysmal depths of the ocean; the bottomless deep waters symbolize the subconscious and unconscious parts of our psyche where emotions and instincts mingle and mix without purpose or direction. The three menacing elongated prongs of the trident look like weapons and are used for penetrating, scratching and wounding, so in the symbolic context of dream work, the trident is a penetrating device, effectively "wounding" and scraping what is useless and needs to be separated and removed from the virginal aspect of the psyche. But this wounding opens three deep holes that allows the penetration by the spiritual light of the soul that nourishes and illuminates the unconscious part in us. Through this purification, our unconscious becomes conscious of itself. Thus the trident symbolically opens these three "gates" to higher levels of enlightenment. Let us examine these three "wounds" and three "gates." The three wounds have the power of transmuting our self-consciousness from its dualistic awareness to its source, Cosmic Consciousness. In piercing and perforating our "self-conscious" aspect, the prongs transmute the egotistic and lower psychic character traits into their spiritual perfect ideals. Thus the trident is an awakening device a powerful symbol for our purification and spiritual advancement through dream work. From a religious aspect, the trident and the net represent two symbols of Christ as "Fisher of Man." Furthermore, the trident’s prongs are of an equal length, symbolizing the Trinity. Hence, the trident is an effective instrument of purification and purgation for awakening the inferior parts of the psyche and sensitizing them to higher spiritual impulses coming from the psyche that are influenced by the permanent witness. Moreover, the trident, as a symbol of Trinity, impregnates and penetrates with its triune spiritual energies the lower and higher aspects of our selfconsciousness. In Christian tradition, the trident is placed in Satan’s hands as an instrument of punishment. However, esoteric tradition and spiritual psychology tell us that we need to go deep within ourselves to discover the blocked energies, and then, "fish" them out, as it were, so as to bring them into the file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (42 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

light of consciousness. Turning our attention within subtly develops the intuitive faculty of our sixth sense to help us understand who we are and what we need to do to reintegrate our perfect model. Top

The symbol of the Tiratna 2 In Buddhism, the trident is taken as a symbol of the Tiratna, or triple jewel (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, meaning the Awakened One, the Truth expounded by Him, and the followers living in accordance with this Truth). It may also be regarded as the triple current of energy in man. And in our own spiritual context, the trident represents the instrument moving these same energies within our psyche. Dreams help us look deeper within our own psyche, to discover the Mystery of Man. But unless we devote ourselves and allocate time to work with the energies and meaning of dreams, they will always remain unsolicited and strange phenomena. That is why our psyche needs to dream, since dreams are a source of knowledge helping us in the process of releasing unwanted garbage. Dreams are given to us to rescue us from lethargy and unconsciousness. Previous chapters have compared the psyche to a mirror reflecting whatever preoccupies it. What is reflected in dreams are the thoughts and emotions of our good and bad intentions and experiences. It is in the mirror of our psyche that real purification and understanding take place, since we must become conscious of what appears on the surface of our psyche. The conscious impressions coming from a dream have an important role to play in the awakening process as a whole, and each dream, each symbol enriches this process, since spiritual dream work takes into account the subtle purification process of the whole man. Dreams about purification are given to those of us who want to awaken our permanent and spiritual witnesses. To do that, we must unite them in our "ordinary" level of self-consciousness. Therefore, we must become aware of our unconscious traits that need transformation. Without this, our ego cannot continue on this journey. This kind of spiritual work in itself exposes the psyche to the influences and intuitions pouring in from the permanent witness (see About the Mystery of Man, parts 1 – 4). This is the first important means of access, the "key" opening the door of Poseidon’s mysterious palace in which are gathered all the past and present experiences, all the fears and stresses imprisoned since time immemorial. Those unconscious doubts and worries linger hopelessly in the depth of darkness awaiting the right moment for the thunderbolt of consciousness to penetrate them and bring them to the light of understanding. As a consequence of these delicate operations, the retrieved or "fished out" blocked energies float on the surface of dreams captured by our self-conscious ego. To help us understand their meaning, they take, in dreams, the shape of potent personal and universal symbols and archetypes. The ego must process these with subtlety, intuition and sensitivity, so that their meaning becomes clear and illuminating. Top

Different levels of dreaming At first, these types of dreams are usually experienced as nightmares since our consciousness has to reorganize and focus its attention on the inner dynamics of dream work. With phantasmagoric, incomprehensible, and senseless dreams, we must try to focus our attention and use our intuition to grasp the irrational within ourselves. So, we should not ignore dream sequences that might have nothing in common with each other or appear nonsensical. It really doesn’t matter if the beginning of a dream doesn’t match what follows it. Analogous to a jigsaw puzzle, we should use our intuition to retrieve the "seed idea" and meaning of each part of our dreams. The expansion of the "seed ideas" and "meaning" is important, and it doesn’t matter if our intuition reveals different symbols or meanings to the dream. What counts is the effort exerted by our psyche to unravel a new dimension. Our ego must turn its attention to within itself, in the silent space within Being, where the impelling magnetic presence of the intelligence of the heart reigns. Thus, if dreams first appear confusing, it is because these types of dreams release the pressure and stressed energies blocked in our psyche. To release stress in dreams, the symbols are magnified so as to make an impact and emphasize certain aspects of a problem. Another reason for disturbing dreams is to help us become conscious of the nature of our stress or anxiety. We should use our intuition to look at the incongruous symbols in our dreams, trying to "respect" their meaning. Intuition assists us in "reading" what goes on in our psyche, since like a mirror, it reflects what goes on within us. This is how, from our permanent witness, we receive some practical solutions and interpretations. However, the exchange of intuitive ideas and feelings between our psyche and ego occurs only if our ego is open to change. If we are willing to work with the symbols, then a special flow of energy streams from our permanent witness, allowing us to understand what we must do to remove the problem, and transform what needs to change. Spiritual psychology looks at the esoteric and intuitive aspect of dream work, and is based on inner guidance. However, psychology is based on the interpretation and analysis of psychologists or facilitators. These two approaches may sound and even look the same, but they are not. The first is solely based file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (43 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

on inner revelation and the second on feedback and outside guidance. The first is used by mystics, those guided by their soul, who seek a closer relationship with their permanent witness. The second is used by those who are only interested in finding solutions to problems, new directions and meaning in times of crisis. Top

Spiritual Alchemy 3 Both are useful and important dream work tools to purify and transform the psyche. If we want to know who we are, then we should start with the psychological approach, either alone, in a group, or with a therapist. We should also seek the guidance of the inner master, or presence within. Whichever way we choose, our first step should always be with the psychological approach before starting any other kind of spiritual work, since, this approach takes us to the depth of our psyche and is part of an alchemical process. This is our descent into the world of Poseidon where our unconscious self waits. The quest to awaken our spiritual awareness can begin only after a certain amount of purification and transformation of the psyche. Our consciousness, having taken the downward journey, is eventually drawn towards an ascending path. Then, what we receive becomes more subtle and enlightening since it comes without distortion directly from the soul. If we are serious in our work with the spiritual level of dreams, we must also realize that dreams are like seeds containing potential whole trees. Dreams, therefore, contain the seed ideas coming from the permanent witness. Their purpose is to transform our ordinary levels of consciousness to higher spiritual ones, since some dreams are in themselves examples of spiritual planes co-existing in our psyche that are the seeds waiting in our subconscious to be recognized and awakened by our ego. In other words, they are our spiritual levels of consciousness that permeate into our everyday consciousness. This is the grounding aspect of the whole process of dreams since, if we need to fathom the Mystery of Being and experience our own harmony and unity with it, then the nature of our dreams changes. Moreover, the essence and meaning of our dreams take a more abstract and irrational quality that cannot be shared with anyone, since they come directly from our permanent witness as a language of our soul, a language that can only be understood only intuitively. . The spiritual dimension of dreams could be described, at best, as delicate and subtle experiences given directly by our permanent witness to our consciousness in order to foster a healing and purifying, leading to a new level of consciousness in us, which we must allow to unfold in our ordinary lives. What really matters here is our wish for inner transformation, since strong desire to unfold a higher level of consciousness is an illuminating catalyst that energizes our psyche. This is an important element in dream work. The power of concentration and a strong desire to work with dreams as tools for our own transformation opens naturally and directly the inner path to the permanent witness. Dream work is comparable to learning a new language. First we must learn the alphabet. Dreams are a new symbolic world opening up in our selfconsciousness. Why do we say "self-consciousness"? Because, unless our self-consciousness awakens whilst dreaming, our dreams will have no impact and we will not remember anything of great importance. Thus we must gradually stimulate and awaken our self-consciousness during dreams so that they can be something more than mere stress release. Later, when our ego or self-consciousness "awakens" to its true nature—the impersonal Cosmic Consciousness—then dreams and the inner process take a new direction, and we see, understand and experience them in a totally different way since, from then on, our ego or self-consciousness realizes that it is just a vehicle for Cosmic Consciousness. We then perceive all kinds of dreams and astral projections differently, since the veil separating them from Cosmic Consciousness is no more. Our ego knows that it is just a reflection of the blazing light of the presence of God or Pure Being. When the veil is torn, and ego and soul meet and merge, the true identity of the Creator and initiator of our inner process becomes even clearer. The impersonal Cosmic Consciousness within us is the sole creator of dreams, and its limited self-conscious counterpart, our ego, it is seen at the other end of the process as the receiver of dreams. The mission of Cosmic Consciousness within man is to enlighten man’s ego. In other words, Cosmic Consciousness actively guides the process of awakening the ego to its true nature, hence it directs the inner world of dreams and astral projections during sleep. Cosmic Consciousness takes over and creates whatever is necessary for our self-consciousness to understand and experience our ego. That is why prophets, saints and disciples of all religions and philosophies have been enlightened and have received knowledge and wisdom through their dreams, visions and astral travels. The ways that our soul carries out its initiatory course of action to awaken our ego and open up the "rainbow bridge to infinity" is a source of great gratitude and awe.

TIBETAN DREAM YOGA : PART I file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (44 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

CALM ABIDING "ZHINÈ" The practice - Concentration on the the Tibetan letter "A" - Forceful Zhine Natural Zhine - Ultimate Zhine - Obstacles

Concentration on the Tibetan letter "A"

An interesting way of unfolding the mysteries of the inner process is through dream yoga. A successful seeker in dream-work must be stable enough in presence to avoid being swept away by the winds of karmic emotions and lost in the dream. As the mind steadies, dreams become longer, less fragmented, and more easily remembered, and lucidity is developed.. Waking life is equally enhanced as we find that we are increasingly protected from being carried away by the habitual emotional reactions that draw us into distraction and unhappiness. Dream -work can instead develop the positive traits that lead to happiness and support the seeker in the spiritual journey. All yogic and spiritual disciplines include some form of practice that develops concentration and quiets the mind. In the Tibetan tradition this practice is called calm abiding (zhine). We recognize three stages in the development of stability: forceful zhine, natural zhine, and ultimate zhine. Zhine begins with mental fixation on an object and, when concentration is strong enough, moves on to fixation without an object. (Same principle as working with the Perfect Model presented to you on this website). THE PRACTICE Begin the practice by sitting comfortably on a chair or in the five-pointed meditation posture: the legs crossed, the hands folded in the lap in meditation position with palms up and placed one on top of the other, the spine straight but not rigid, the head tilted down slightly to straighten the neck, and the eyes open. The eyes should be relaxed, not too wide open and not too closed. The object of concentration should be placed so that the eyes can look straight ahead, neither up nor down. During the practice try not to move, not even to swallow or blink, while keeping the mind one pointedly on the object. Even if tears should stream down your face, do not move. Let the breathing be natural. Generally, for practice with an object, Zhine practitioners use the Tibetan letter A as the object of concentration. This letter has many symbolic meanings but here is used simply as a support for the development of focus. Other objects may also be used — the letter A of the English alphabet, an image of your Perfect Model, or any other sacred Image , the sound of a mantra, the breath — almost anything. However, it is good to use something connected to the sacred, as it serves to inspire you. Also, try to use the same object each time you practice, rather than switching between objects, because the continuity acts as a support of the practice. It is also somewhat preferable to focus on a physical object that is outside the body, as the purpose is to develop stability during the perception of external objects and, eventually, of the objects in dream. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (45 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

. Concentration on the Tibetan letter "A"

CONCENTRATING ON THE TIBETAN LETTER "A" If you wish to use the Tibetan "A" you can write it on a piece of paper about an inch square. Traditionally, the letter is white and is enclosed in five concentric colored circles: the center circle that is the direct background for the "A" is indigo; around it is a blue circle, then green, red, yellow, and white ones. Tape the paper to a stick that is just long enough to support the paper at eye level when you sit for practice, and make a base that holds it upright. Place it so that the "A" is about a foot and a half in front of your eyes. The Tibetan Letter "A"

Many signs of progress can arise during the practice. As concentration strengthens and the periods of practice are extended, strange sensations arise in the body and many strange visual phenomena appear. You may find your mind doing strange things, too! That is all right. These experiences are a natural part of the development of concentration; they arise as the mind settles, so be neither disturbed by nor ex-cited about them. FORCEFUL ZHINE The first stage of practice is called "forceful" because it requires effort. The mind is easily and quickly distracted, and it may seem impossible to remain focused on the object for even a minute. In the beginning, it is helpful to practice in numerous short sessions alternating with breaks. Do not let the mind wander during the break, but instead recite a mantra, or work with visualization, or work with another practice you may know, such as the development of compassion. After the break, return to the fixation practice. If you are ready to practice but do not have the particular object you have been using, visualize a ball of light on your forehead and center yourself there. The practice should be done once or twice a day, and can be done more frequently if you have the time. Developing concentration is like strengthening the muscles of the body: exercise must be done regularly and frequently. To become stronger keep pushing against your limits. Keep the mind on the object. Do not follow the thoughts of the past or the future. Do not allow the attention to be carried away by fantasy, sound, physical sensation, or any other distraction. Just remain in the sensuality of the present moment, and with your whole strength and clarity focus the mind through the eye, on the object. Do not lose the awareness of the object even for a second. Breathe gently, and then more gently, until the sense of breathing is lost. Slowly allow yourself to enter more deeply into quiet and calm. Make certain that the body is kept relaxed; do not tense up in concentration. Neither should you allow file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (46 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

yourself to fall into a stupor, a dullness, or a trance. Do not think about the object, just let it be in awareness. This is an important distinction to make. Thinking about the object is not the kind of concentration we are developing. The point is just to keep the mind placed on the object, on the sense perception of the object, to undistractedly remain aware of the presence of the object. When the mind does get distracted and it often will in the beginning, gently bring it back to the object and leave it there.

NATURAL ZHINE As stability is developed, the second stage of practice is entered: natural zhine. In the first stage, concentration is developed by continually directing the attention to the object and developing control over the unruly mind. In the second stage, the mind is absorbed in contemplation of the object and there is no longer the need for force to hold it still. A relaxed and pleasant tranquility is established, in which the mind is quiet and thoughts arise without distracting the mind from the object. The elements of the body become harmonized and the prana moves evenly and gently throughout the body. This is an appropriate time to move to fixation without an object. Abandoning the physical object, simply fix the focus on space. It is helpful to gaze into expansive space, like the sky, but the practice can be done even in a small room by fixing on the space between your body and the wall. Remain steady and calm. Leave the body relaxed. Rather than focusing on an imagined point in space, allow the mind, while remaining in strong presence, to be diffuse. We call this "dissolving the mind" in space, or "merging the mind with space." It will lead to stable tranquility and the third stage of zhine practice. ULTIMATE ZHINE Whereas in the second stage there is still some heaviness involved in the absorption in the object, the third stage is characterized by a mind that is tranquil but light, relaxed, and pliable. Thoughts arise and dissolve spontaneously and without effort. The mind is integrated fully with its own movement.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (47 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

In the Dzogchen tradition, this is traditionally when the master introduces the student to the natural state of mind. Because the student has developed zhine, the master can point to what the student has already experienced rather than describing a new state that must be attained. The explanation, which is known as the "pointing out" instruction, is meant to lead the student to recognize what is already there, to discriminate the moving mind in thought and concept from the nature of mind, which is pure, non-dual awareness. This is the ultimate stage of zhine practice, abiding in non-dual presence, rigpa (awareness) itself. OBSTACLES In developing the zhine practice, there are three obstacles that must be overcome: agitation, drowsiness, and laxity. Agitation Agitation causes the mind to jump restlessly from one thought to another and makes concentration difficult. To prevent this, calm yourself before the practice session by avoiding too much physical or mental activity. Slow stretches may help to relax the body and quiet the mind. Once you are sitting, take a few deep, slow breaths. Make it a practice to focus the mind immediately when you start the practice to avoid developing the habit of mentally wandering while sitting in meditation posture. Drowsiness The second obstacle is drowsiness or sleepiness, which moves into the mind like a fog, a heaviness and torpor that blunts awareness. When it does this, try to strengthen the mind's focus on the object in order to penetrate the drowsiness. You may find that drowsiness is actually a kind of movement of the mind that you can stop with strong concentration. If this does not work, take a break, stretch, and perhaps do some practice while standing. Laxity The third obstacle is laxity. When encountering this obstacle you may feel that your mind is calm, but in a passive, weak mental state in which the concentration has no strength. It is important to recognize this state for what it is. It can be a pleasant and relaxed experience and, if mistaken for correct meditation, may cause the practitioner to spend years mistakenly cultivating it, with no discernable change in the quality of consciousness. If your focus loses strength and your practice becomes lax, straighten your posture and wake up your mind. Reinforce the attention and guard the stability of presence. Regard the practice as something precious, which it is, and as something that will lead to the attainment of the highest realization, which it will. Strengthen the intention and automatically the wakefulness of the mind is strengthened. Zhine practice should be done every day until the mind is quiet and stable. It is not only a preliminary practice, but is helpful at any point in the practitioner's life; even very advanced yogis practice zhine. The stability of mind developed through zhine is the foundation of dream yoga and all other meditation practices. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (48 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Once we have achieved a strong and reliable steadiness in calm presence, we can develop this steadiness in all aspects of life. When stable, this presence can always be found, and we will not be carried away by thoughts and emotions. Then, even though karmic traces continue to produce dream images after falling asleep, we remain in awareness. This opens the door to the further practices of both dream and sleep yogas. Note: The extracts contained here are for personal use only, and may not be reproduced for commercial distribution.) (These are excerpts from two different Dzogchen Dream Yoga books - "Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural light" by Namkhai Norbu and "The Tibetan yogas of dream and Sleep" by Tenzin Wangyal Rimpoche) ZHINE TIBETAN DREAM YOGA : PART : II How can dreams help us - Cultivating our innate ability - Awakening within a dream The six yogas of Tibet The spiritual benefit of Tibetan dream yoga - Dreaming - The practice of Tibetan dream yoga - Daytime practice Mirror practice - Partner exercise - Wake-up practice - Night-time practice - Deepening your practice The lifelong practice of Tibetan dream yoga - Some Sayings about dreams

Mandala" by Gage Taylor & Uriel Dana, & Copyright 2000 Uriel Dana . His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama said: "Tibetan Buddhism considers sleep to be a form of nourishment, like food, that restores and refreshes the body. Another type of nourishment is samadhi, or meditative concentration. If one becomes advanced enough in the practice of meditative concentration, then this itself sustains or nourishes the body." Dreams are a significant part of our life. They are as real and unreal as life itself. Dreams are extremely personal - and transpersonal, too. Our dreams are a reflection of ourselves: in dreams, no matter how many characters appear, we meet ourselves. Dreams are mirrors to our soul. They can help us to better understand ourselves, our world, and the nature of reality. Dreams introduce us to other dimensions of experience. Here, time and space are much more liquid and plastic; they can be shaped and reshaped almost at will. Dreams hint of other worlds, other lives. They are a glimpse of our afterlife. Everyone dreams, although not all dreams are remembered equally. Fifty-six percent of Americans have had a lucid dream - that is, a dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming. Twenty-one percent say they have a lucid dream once a month or more. Meditators report vividly clear, self-aware dreams weekly and even more often. How Dreams Can Help Us Great healers have long recognized the power of dreams to inform and support us. Hippocrates said, Dreams are one of the most important ways to diagnose a patients illness." Sigmund Freud's turn-of-the-century work. The Interpretation of Dreams, marked the beginning of the era of modern psychology and psychoanalysis. Certain dreams can convey subconscious, valuable information to the dreamer. A week before the event, Abraham Lincoln dreamed that he would be assassinated. The emperor Constantine dreamed of radiant Greek letters spelling the name of Christ and was converted, leading to the dramatic file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (49 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

conversion of the entire Byzantine Empire. I, myself, have received messages, teachings, and blessings through my dreams from the spiritual masters I have known and loved in this lifetime. Some contemporary psychologists consider lucid dreaming a valuable practice for personal growth. This model is, however, different from Tibetan dream yoga. The spiritual practice goes deeper, helping us work with the great passages of life and death. Tibetan dream yoga teaches us how to navigate the groundlessness of moment-to-moment existence, which typically makes no intellectual sense. It is at this level that we cut through the illusory nature of mind and truly experience our marvelous human existence. Cultivating our innate ability Cultivating our innate ability to wake up within the dream can: • Increase clarity and lucidity, both waking and sleeping • Help us realize the transparent, dream-like nature of experience • Free the mind • Release energy blockages and accumulated tension and stress • Loosen habits and make us more open, attuned, and flexible • Unleash and mobilize creativity • Bring repressions and denials into consciousness • Clarify and dispel confusion • Solve problems • Reveal the process of death and rebirth • Heal and relax us • Expose fantasies • Unlock aspirations and potentials • Facilitate direct encounters with our shadow nature • Provide spiritual blessings, visions, and guidance • Help open our innate psychic capacities • Remove hindrances and obstacles • Help prepare (rehearse) us for death and the afterlife Top

Awakening within the dream The seminal Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu dreamed he was a butterfly. Upon awakening, he wondered whether he was a man who had dreamed he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was a man. Chuang Tzu's musings underscore a fundamental truth: life is like a dream. Spiritual life is about awakening from the dream of unreality. The word Buddha itself is from the word bodhi, "awakeful." Buddhist wisdom and practice help us to awaken to who and what we truly are, and to recognize the difference between the real and the unreal in our daily life. All of our spiritual practices are designed to awaken us from the daydream of illusion and confusion, where we are like sleepwalkers, semiconsciously muddling our way through life. Self-knowledge through spiritual awakening helps us become masters of circumstances and conditions, rather than victims. This is why the Armenian spiritual master George Gurdjieff said: "Contemporary man is born asleep, lives asleep, and dies asleep. And what knowledge could a sleeping man have? If you think about it and at the same time remember that sleep is the chief feature of our being, you will soon understand that if man wishes to obtain knowledge, he should first of all think about how to awaken himself, that is about how to change his being." South American shamans call this awakening from the dream of life "shapeshifting": entering into a spiritual journey with the explicit file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (50 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

purpose of transformation. Shapeshifting and other forms of conscious dream-work can, through regular practice, help us experience other realms of existence, visit our dear departed, and achieve spiritual mastery. Australian aborigines say we all live in the dreamtime: we are like dream characters, living out our lives beyond the illusion of being born and dying. Tibetan masters call this dreamtime the bardo, or intermediate stage. Bardos exist between the ending of one state and the beginning of another, such as birth and death - or death and rebirth. Dreaming, too, is a bardo, marking the seemingly unstructured zone between waking and sleeping. Tibetan Buddhism is unique among Buddhist schools in teaching us how to awaken within the dream and how to practice spiritually while sleeping. This is the essence of Tibetan dream yoga, and the focus of all the practices associated with it. The Yoga of the Dream State, an ancient Tibetan manual on the practice of dream yoga and lucid dreaming teaches that we can learn five spiritually significant wisdom lessons through assiduously practicing this path of awakening: • Dreams can be altered through will and attention • Dreams are unstable, impermanent, and unreal — much like fantasies, magical illusions, mirages, and hallucinations • Daily perceptions in the everyday waking state are also unreal • All life is here today and gone tomorrow, like a dream; there is nothing to hold on to • Conscious dreamwork can lead us to the realization of wholeness, perfect balance, and unity. For centuries, Tibetan masters have taught their students how to use dreamtime and dream space to further spiritual progress by increasing awareness during the dream state. Tibetan Dream Yoga brings you these same techniques for realizing the five wisdom lessons and reaping the benefits of awakening within the dream. Top The Six Yogas of Tibet Tibetan dream yoga is one of the renowned Six Yogas of Tibet, an ancient Buddhist teaching that originates with the enlightened yogic adepts (siddhas) -of ancient India. These yogas (or practices), utilized for a millennium by all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, help us to utilize the body/mind/spirit as a vehicle for awakening and enlightenment — by day, by night, and in the afterlife (bardo). The Six Yogas are: • Inner heat (mystic incandescence) yoga • Illusory body yoga • Dream yoga • Clear light yoga • Bardo yoga • Conscious transformation yoga The Six Yogas tradition was first brought to Tibet thirteen hundred years ago by the Indian tantric master Padmasambhava, founder of the Ancient School (Nyingmapa) of Tibetan Buddhism. Padmasambhava himself received the teachings he codified as The Yoga of the Dream State from a mysterious yogi named Lawapa. In ensuing centuries, as Buddhism grew and flourished in Tibet, Marpa the Translator and other Tibetan sages made the grueling journey on foot to India to study from yogic masters, then brought the teaching back with them. Through practicing the Six Yogas, we come to realize the infinite emptiness/openness, ungraspable quality, and luminosity that is the true nature of reality. Dream interpretation, the use of dreams for predictions and healing, and the development of psychic powers and healing abilities can arise naturally from the continuous practice of dream yoga and the related yogas (especially clear light, inner heat, and illusory body).

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (51 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Top The Spiritual Benefits of Tibetan Dream Yoga His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama has this to say about awakening our dream body and using it for spiritual progress and development: "There is said to be a relationship between dreaming, on the one hand, and the gross and subdue levels of the body on the other. But it is also said that there is a 'special dream state.' In that state, the special dream body is created from the mind and from vital energy (prana) within the body. This special dream body is able to dissociate entirely form the gross physical body and travel elsewhere." One way of developing this special dream body is first of all to recognize a dream as a dream when it occurs. Then you find that the dream is malleable, and you make efforts to gain control over it. Gradually you become very skilled in this, increasing your ability to control the contents of the dream so that it accords to your own desires. Eventually it is possible to dissociate your dream body from your gross physical body. In contrast, in the normal dream state, dream-ing occurs within the body. But as a result of specific training, the dream body can go elsewhere. This first technique is accomplished entirely by the power of desire or aspiration. There is another technique that arrives at the same end by means of pranayoga. These are meditative practices that utilize the subtle, vitalenergies in the body. For these techniques it is also necessary to recognize the sleep state as it occurs.

According to sleep researchers, we typically experience four stages of sleep. 1 - Hypnagogic sleep - the state of drowsiness we experience as we begin falling asleep 2 - Ordinary sleep- here, we enter a true sleeping state, but can still be easily awakened 3 - Deeper sleep - vital functions slow down, and we are more likely to sleep through disturbances 4 - Deep sleep - muscles are totally relaxed, and it would be difficult to wake us up (we only spend about fifteen percent of our sleeping hours at this stage) It takes about an hour to cycle through all four stages; then we go back in reverse order to stage 1. Before beginning the cycle again, however, we experience rapid eye movements (REM) under our closed lids. Research shows that this is when we dream. We spend twenty to twenty-five percent of our sleep time in this state. In order to practice dream yoga, we must introduce awareness during the periods of REM sleep (which last from a few minutes to half an hour). If we can identify that stage while asleep -perhaps with the help of an assistant or a dream-light device - we can further incubate, develop, and enhance the awareness practice of becoming conscious and lucid within the dream state. Top Dreaming Tibetan dream yoga texts teach us that, in general, there are three types of dreams: Ordinary, karmic dreams, arising mostly from the day's activities, and from previous life activities, thoughts, experiences, and contacts. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (52 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

• "Clear light" dreams: spiritual visions, blessings, and energy openings • Lucid dreams, which are characterized by awareness that one is dreaming Under these three broad divisions, dreams can be divided into a further six categories: • Dreams of events that occurred while we were still awake • Dreams about other people, alive or dead • Forgotten elements emerging from the subconscious • Archetypal content, evocative symbols, and so on • Extrasensory perceptions, profound dreams, and omens • Radiant, luminous, spiritual dreams Recurrent dreams, nightmares, dreams of death, and other kinds of commonly reported dreams all fall within the first four dream categories. In the interests of developing deeper awareness of your dreams, you may find it helpful to identify the category that applies whenever you recall a particular dream. The Practices of Tibetan Dream Yoga It is important to create a spiritual context for the practice of Tibetan dream yoga. Lucid dreaming can easily be misused to perpetuate the problems we experience in our waking lives. For example, one might direct one's dream toward a gratifying encounter or a vengeful fantasy. You will find that the techniques on Tibetan Dream Yoga somehow don't work as well when used for such purposes. Tibetan dream yoga practice comprises three parts: • Daytime practice, designed to help us recognize the dreamlike nature of all existence and thereby prepare us to experience our dreams as vividly as we do our waking activities • Morning wake-up practices that help us recall our dreams, and confirm our determination to recall more of them

.

Night time practice, which prepares the ground for lucid dreaming and spiritual

Daytime Practice : During the day, practice these four points: • Contemplating the body as illusory and unreal • Contemplating the mind and mental activities as similarly insubstantial • Regarding the world and all phenomena and experience as dreamlike, insubstantial, impermanent, and unreal • Recognizing the relativity and ungraspable quality such as time, space, knowledge, and awareness Reminding ourselves of these four truths throughout our waking hours helps to dissolve the barrier between the dream of life and the sleeping dream. As we become more adept at these practices, we begin to regard our nighttime dreams as continuations of our waking dream and we learn how to bring habitual awareness to both. Mirror Practice The following mirror practice is an effective way of perceiving the dreamlike nature of “reality”, and especially of “self”. From time to time during the day, take a few minutes to do it. 1 Stand in front of a mirror and look into your own eyes. 2. Hold up a hand mirror behind your right or left ear and look at its reflection in the larger mirror. Keep angling the hand mirror so as to fragment and multiply your image as much as possible. Let your mind fragment along with the image. 3. After a few minutes, angle the hand mirror back until you return to the original, single image in the mirror in front of you. The analogy of a mirror image is, like dreams, traditionally used to describe the insubstantial nature of our everyday experience. The mirror practice helps bring that teaching to life. The fragmented image is the kind we might see in a dream; yet we are seeing it while we're fully awake — or are we? Allowing your mind to "fall apart" also helps ventilate the solidity we typically attribute to our world, and especially to our "self." Partner Exercise file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (53 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Here is a traditional dream yoga practice you can do with a partner. This is an immensely useful technique, not only for challenging the distinction between sleeping dreams and the dream of being awake, but also for applying your training to practical, everyday situations. 1 - Insult, blame, and criticize your partner. Your partner should listen to all of this as echoes; empty sounds. 2 – Trade places. Now have your partner disparage you, while you practice just hearing the sounds and not taking the words to heart 3 – Try doing this same exercise using praise and flattery instead of blame. In either case, the listening partner should practice not reacting in any way, recognizing what is being said as a dream. At first, you may find it difficult to maintain equanimity while you do this practice. Stay with it – you will find that doing so yields rich rewards over time. Wake-up Practice The moments immediately after waking are the most fertile for recalling dreams. The following practices are designed to support and strengthen your recall. They will also facilitate a mindful transition between the sleeping and waking dream states. Upon waking in the morning, practice: • The lion's out-breath - breathing out with the sound "ah" • The lion-like posture for awakening and purifying - sitting up in bed with raised head and gazing and emphasizing the exhalation, repeating the "ah" out breath three times • Raising the energy - standing up, reaching the fingertips to the sky, and repeating the lion's out-breath • Entering into mindful reflection on the transition between the states of sleeping, dreaming, and waking reality - coming into the present moment, recording dreams. Thus, you will enter the day recognizing that all things are like a dream, illusion, fantasy, mirage, and so forth. Nighttime Practice After going to bed, practice these four points in order to create the conditions for mindful, lucid dreaming. • Chant the following prayer three times to remind you of and strengthen your resolve to awaken within the dream, for the benefit of the ultimate awakening of all beings: “May I awaken within this dream and grasp the fact that I am dreaming, so that all dreamlike beings may likewise awaken from the nightmare of illusory suffering and confusion”. • Lie on one side with your legs together and knees slightly bent. Let your bent arm take the weight of your torso by resting your head on your open hand. This is the posture of the sleeping Buddha, as he has been traditionally depicted at the moment of passing into nirvana (death). • Bringing your attention to your throat chakra, visualize your energy rising up out of your body. Feel it rise up from your heart chakra with your breath and pass into your "third eye" or brow chakra: the point between your eyebrows. Visualize it as a full, luminous moon behind your eyes. Go into the light. • Visualize the letter "A" (symbolizing infinite space) on the surface of the moon. • Notice whatever images begin to appear on the sphere of light behind your eyes. Deepening Your Practice To progress still further in Tibetan dream yoga, • Pay careful attention to your dreams • Record your dreams in a dream journal upon waking each morning • Recognize recurrent images, themes, associations, and patterns • Contemplate the archetypal, symbolic content and meanings of your dreams • Reflect on the similarities and differences between night dreams, daydreams, fantasies, visions, ideas, projections, and so on • Wake yourself up during the night to reaffirm your resolve to awaken within the dream and grasp the fact that you are dreaming • Sit up in meditation posture while sleeping to maintain continuous awareness while inducing and incubating lucid dreaming • Have a dream assistant at hand to guide you while asleep, helping you learn to retain conscious presence during dreams • Meditate alone in darkness to develop the inner clarity of the Clear Light Mind - the mind unaffected by illusion • During the day, maintain awareness that everything you experience is like a dream file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (54 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

• Chant the dream yoga prayer by day and by night to help reinforce your intention to awaken within the dream. (if you want, or change the wordings)

A

THE LIFELONG PRACTICE OF TIBETAN DREAM YOGA Like any spiritual practice, Tibetan dream yoga will reveal more substantial benefits the longer and more consistently you practice it. In the Buddhist tradition, however, discipline alone is not enough to bring your practice fully alive. Motivation — the reason you practice in the first place - is considered as crucial as technique and commitment. You will have noticed that the Tibetan dream yoga chant includes an aspiration to help free all beings of their suffering. This intention lies at the root of all Buddhist practice. The underlying teaching is that all living beings are interconnected: none of us can be completely free so long as any of us is still asleep. As you practice Tibetan dream yoga, recognize that the suffering you seek to alleviate through spiritual practice is, in fact, universal. Recognize, too, that the more awake you are, the more helpful you can be to those you care about in fact, to, to everyone you come into contact with. Practice with the intention of working with your own individual part of the whole, in order to bring all of human awareness to a new level. In this way, you will derive the greatest possible benefits from your dream yoga practice. Some sayings about dreams: “Dreams are a reservoir of knowledge and experience, yet they are often overlooked as a vehicle for exploring reality”- Tarthang Tulku Yoga Practice “All that we see is but a dream within a dream”- Edgar Allen Poe "A dream not interpreted is like a letter not read"- The Talmud “Dreams are real as long as they last. Can we say more of life?” – Henry Havelock Ellis

“You beings on earth who are deep in slumber… Stop sleeping! Wake up! What are you waiting for?”- The Zohar “There are some who are awake even while asleep, and then there are those who, apparently awake, are deeply asleep” – Lalla “Do not sleep like an animal that mixes sleep and reality” - Tibetan instruction for dream yoga practice “Let sleep itself be an exercise in piety, for such as our life and conduct have been so also of necessity will be our dreams” – Saint Basil

.A TIBETAN DREAM YOGA Part : 2 Deepening Your Practice To progress still further in Tibetan dream yoga, • Pay careful attention to your dreams • Record your dreams in a dream journal upon waking each morning • Recognize recurrent images, themes, associations, and patterns • Contemplate the archetypal, symbolic content and meanings of your dreams • Reflect on the similarities and differences between night dreams, daydreams, fantasies, visions, ideas, projections, and so on • Wake yourself up during the night to reaffirm your resolve to awaken within the dream and grasp the fact that you are dreaming • Sit up in meditation posture while sleeping to maintain continuous awareness while inducing and incubating lucid dreaming • Have a dream assistant at hand to guide you while asleep, helping you learn to retain conscious presence during dreams • Meditate alone in darkness to develop the inner clarity of the Clear Light Mind - the mind unaffected by illusion file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (55 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

• During the day, maintain awareness that everything you experience is like a dream • Chant the dream yoga prayer by day and by night to help reinforce your intention to awaken within the dream. (if you want, or change the wordings)

A

THE LIFELONG PRACTICE OF TIBETAN DREAM YOGA Like any spiritual practice, Tibetan dream yoga will reveal more substantial benefits the longer and more consistently you practice it. In the Buddhist tradition, however, discipline alone is not enough to bring your practice fully alive. Motivation — the reason you practice in the first place - is considered as crucial as technique and commitment. You will have noticed that the Tibetan dream yoga chant includes an aspiration to help free all beings of their suffering. This intention lies at the root of all Buddhist practice. The underlying teaching is that all living beings are interconnected: none of us can be completely free so long as any of us is still asleep. As you practice Tibetan dream yoga, recognize that the suffering you seek to alleviate through spiritual practice is, in fact, universal. Recognize, too, that the more awake you are, the more helpful you can be to those you care about in fact, to, to everyone you come into contact with. Practice with the intention of working with your own individual part of the whole, in order to bring all of human awareness to a new level. In this way, you will derive the greatest possible benefits from your dream yoga practice. Some sayings about dreams: “Dreams are a reservoir of knowledge and experience, yet they are often overlooked as a vehicle for exploring reality”- Tarthang Tulku Yoga Practice “All that we see is but a dream within a dream”- Edgar Allen Poe "A dream not interpreted is like a letter not read"- The Talmud “Dreams are real as long as they last. Can we say more of life?” – Henry Havelock Ellis

“You beings on earth who are deep in slumber… Stop sleeping! Wake up! What are you waiting for?”- The Zohar “There are some who are awake even while asleep, and then there are those who, apparently awake, are deeply asleep” – Lalla “Do not sleep like an animal that mixes sleep and reality” - Tibetan instruction for dream yoga practice “Let sleep itself be an exercise in piety, for such as our life and conduct have been so also of necessity will be our dreams” – Saint Basil BACK TO ZHINE PART 2 ------------------------------Note: The extracts contained here are for personal use only, and may not be reproduced for commercial distribution.) (These are excerpts from three different Dzogchen Dream Yoga books Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural light by Namkhai Norbu - The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rimpoche Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying by the Dalai Lama ) GUIDELINE TO DREAM INTERPRETATION PART: II How do you relate to dreams? A framework for dreams

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (56 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Painting by Bob Venosa

All dreams work to accomplish one of two things: 1 To solve the problems of your conscious, waking life. 2 To present you with access to new potentials and creativity. Because dreams come from all levels of your being, understanding the imagery and type of dream is the key to understanding and actualizing the messages you receive during sleep. 3 Symbols express those things for which we have no words. By working with them, we use both hemispheres of the brain and tap the subconscious mind more fully, which in turn opens the doors to our intuitive self A dream symbol could literally represent itself as well as its possible interpretations. The images and symbols may also represent aspects of your personality. When you begin to reflect on the symbols, always start by registering your first impressions but don’t stop with the obvious. Dreams are symbolic representations, not reproductions. The dream images always represent more than themselves, and so the more you work with them, the more you will understand them. Dreams do not come to tell you what you already know. Look at the dream images and symbols as pieces of a puzzle that you can put together only by finding out what they mean to you. How do you relate to the dream? 1 Start by looking at how the dream could be reflecting something going on in your daily life. 2 Then move on to the more subtle, free association with the dream images. 3 What’s the first thing you would normally think about in connection to that symbol or image, activity or person appearing in your dream scenario? 4 doing more than representing themselves. They may also represent qualities or characteristics that you have "projected" on them. For example, you may dream of your grandfather, a man who was very kind to you. The quality of kindness is therefore associated with your grandfather, so dreaming of him could symbolize kindness. (You will know the difference between a symbolic representation of a quality or characteristic and a real "psychic" contact with a loved one.) 5 Examine the emotions within the dream scenario. What is the predominant emotion associated with the dream? Remember that it may be the emotion aroused that is the key and the scenario is simply a vehicle to deliver the message. 6 When you wake up, does a particular feeling remain? For example, are you frightened, frustrated, happy, excited? Dreams often exaggerate emotions, qualities and situations to get a particular message across to you. This does not mean that you have that quality or will experience that situation to the intensity you experienced within the dream. When this occurs, you are often being given a strong thump on the head to pay attention! This is what nightmares do. They are dynamic calls for your attention. They show you your file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (57 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

greatest fears, fears that must be confronted. Dreams often come in a series. Various dreams in a single or successive nights may be different ways of saying the same thing. The subconscious mind may be communicating the same message to you in different ways to make sure that you get it. Look for relationships and symbols that reoccur and notice the similarities. Ask yourself what they have in common. Proper dream interpretation leads towards greater understanding of yourself, but do not lose touch with your common sense in dream work. On the surface, dreams may seem to predict futures events or alarming situations, but do not jump to conclusions. With practice, you will be able to discern if a dream is precognitive (reflecting future events) or not. Dreams use symbols to make you develop and understand your personal symbolic language. This language comes directly from your soul and uses symbols and images from impersonal archetypes and from personal experience to make a strong or subtle impact on your psyche. This symbolic language is unique, given just to you, in the hope that it will make you conscious of your real needs and problems. This language of the soul also helps you to unfold your creativity and activates the spiritual dimension within your psyche.

Painting by John Vega

A framework for dream work might be: 1 Choose a dream. 2 Determine the dream type, issue, crisis, a block, a resolution already included in the dream. 3 Make a list of the symbols in the dream. 4 Find out the relationships between symbols. 5 Find out the relationships between the dream ego and the symbols. 6 Find out the similarities and contrasts in the dream. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (58 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

7 List what the dream ego is and is not doing in the dream 8 Find out about the ego’s relationships with other items in the dream. 9 Make a summary, and list what you have discovered. This is a basic method of working with dreams that helps you develop self-analysis, observation, and a "conscious" and "lucid" state of consciousness. You can follow it up with different methods. Dream work helps those who want to know themselves, since like a mirror, it not only projects who we are but also displays what we need to do. In other words, dreams are the best guides to reveal what you have on your conscience, what needs to be worked out in your life, and how to become a better and happier person. Finally, keep a dream journal that represents the "mirror of your soul" and helps you understand yourself better. Write your dream down as soon as possible, even just a few words, to remind you of your dream, for the more importance you give to your dream work, the more inner messages and intelligent guidance you will receive It is during my Psychosynthesis training, in London in 1984, that I was given this Guideline to Dream Interpretation. (Author Unknown) taken from a Psychosynthesis paper

IMPORTANCE OF DREAMS IN THE MYSTICAL PROCESS PICTURES

The Inner Process awakens from within...

Poseidon the God of the Sea with his Trident the Tool of the Awakening process from the deep unconscious self...

Tiratna, or triple jewel Dolphin and Trident Keys for the inner process file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (59 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

The Three Nails symbolic tools for the awakening process

Trident of Purification

1

2

1 - In the sealed vessel sits Poseidon/Neptune, with his trident and the two Witnesses. 2 - Detail of the hermetically sealed vessel with the Sun and Moon symbols of our Permanent and Spiritual Witnesses.

There is basically no difference between the waking state and that of dream, except that one seems more stable than the other. Only after there is awakening in the form of enlightenment is it realized that the waking world itself is indeed nothing but a long dream resulting from mental dis-position - a movement in Consciousness in which what seems a solid body and its sufferings are really an illusion. Ramesh Balsekar This chapter is dedicated to readers who have proven to themselves that dreams are more than just dreams, that they are indeed "tools" teaching us to look at ourselves in an impartial and impersonal way. Dreams are tools of transformation. Moreover, at a certain level of inner work, dreams stop being dreams and instead become spiritual levels of consciousness. But, in the meantime, dreams open invisible doors to subtler levels of spiritual growth, awakening in seekers of truth and wisdom, our permanent witness or soul within our conscious selves. Let us first introduce the symbol of the trident, the logo of the sea-god Poseidon/Neptune. What connection does that have with the process of dreaming? Poseidon, the god of seas and oceans, holds the trident as a mark of his command of the waters. In the context of dream work, he represents the king of the subconscious levels of the psyche. In fact, with his trident, Poseidon also commands the monsters of the deep, which reminds us of the deep waters of the subconscious and its own monsters and shadowy figures. The subconscious can therefore be compared to the abysmal depths of the ocean; the bottomless deep waters symbolize the subconscious and unconscious parts of our psyche file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (60 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

where emotions and instincts mingle and mix without purpose or direction. The three menacing elongated prongs of the trident look like weapons and are used for penetrating, scratching and wounding, so in the symbolic context of dream work, the trident is a penetrating device, effectively "wounding" and scraping what is useless and needs to be separated and removed from the virginal aspect of the psyche. But this wounding opens three deep holes that allows the penetration by the spiritual light of the soul that nourishes and illuminates the unconscious part in us. Through this purification, our unconscious becomes conscious of itself. Thus the trident symbolically opens these three "gates" to higher levels of enlightenment. Let us examine these three "wounds" and three "gates." The three wounds have the power of transmuting our self-consciousness from its dualistic awareness to its source, Cosmic Consciousness. In piercing and perforating our "selfconscious" aspect, the prongs transmute the egotistic and lower psychic character traits into their spiritual perfect ideals. Thus the trident is an awakening device a powerful symbol for our purification and spiritual advancement through dream work. From a religious aspect, the trident and the net represent two symbols of Christ as "Fisher of Man." Furthermore, the trident’s prongs are of an equal length, symbolizing the Trinity. Hence, the trident is an effective instrument of purification and purgation for awakening the inferior parts of the psyche and sensitizing them to higher spiritual impulses coming from the psyche that are influenced by the permanent witness. Moreover, the trident, as a symbol of Trinity, impregnates and penetrates with its triune spiritual energies the lower and higher aspects of our self-consciousness. In Christian tradition, the trident is placed in Satan’s hands as an instrument of punishment. However, esoteric tradition and spiritual psychology tell us that we need to go deep within ourselves to discover the blocked energies, and then, "fish" them out, as it were, so as to bring them into the light of consciousness. Turning our attention within subtly develops the intuitive faculty of our sixth sense to help us understand who we are and what we need to do to reintegrate our perfect model. In Buddhism, the trident is taken as a symbol of the Tiratna, or triple jewel (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, meaning the Awakened One, the Truth expounded by Him, and the followers living in accordance with this Truth). It may also be regarded as the triple current of energy in man. And in our own spiritual context, the trident represents the instrument moving these same energies within our psyche. Dreams help us look deeper within our own psyche, to discover the Mystery of Man. But unless we devote ourselves and allocate time to work with the energies and meaning of dreams, they will always remain unsolicited and strange phenomena. That is why our psyche needs to dream, since dreams are a source of knowledge helping us in the process of releasing unwanted garbage. Dreams are given to us to rescue us from lethargy and unconsciousness. Previous chapters have compared the psyche to a mirror reflecting whatever preoccupies it. What is reflected in dreams are the thoughts and emotions of our good and bad intentions and experiences. It is in the mirror of our psyche that real purification and understanding take place, since we must become conscious of what appears on the surface of our psyche. The conscious impressions coming from a dream have an important role to play in the awakening process as a whole, and each dream, each symbol enriches this process, since spiritual dream work takes into account the subtle purification process of the whole man. Dreams about purification are given to those of us who want to awaken our permanent and spiritual witnesses. To do that, we must unite them in our "ordinary" level of self-consciousness. Therefore, we must become aware of our unconscious traits that need transformation. Without this, our ego cannot continue on this journey. This kind of spiritual work in itself exposes the psyche to the influences and intuitions pouring in from the permanent witness (see About the Mystery of Man, parts 1 – 4). This is the first important means of access, the "key" opening the door of Poseidon’s mysterious palace in which are gathered all the past and present experiences, all the fears and stresses imprisoned since time immemorial. Those unconscious doubts and worries linger hopelessly in the depth of darkness awaiting the right moment for the thunderbolt of consciousness to penetrate them and bring them to the light of understanding. As a consequence of these delicate operations, the retrieved or "fished out" blocked energies float on the surface of dreams captured by our self-conscious ego. To help us understand their meaning, they take, in dreams, the shape of potent personal and universal symbols and archetypes. The ego must process these with subtlety, intuition and sensitivity, so that their meaning becomes clear and illuminating. At first, these types of dreams are usually experienced as nightmares since our consciousness has to reorganize and focus its attention on the inner dynamics of dream work. With phantasmagoric, incomprehensible, and senseless dreams, we must try to focus our attention and use our intuition to grasp the irrational within ourselves. So, we should not ignore dream sequences that might have nothing in common with each other or appear nonsensical. It really doesn’t matter if the beginning of a dream doesn’t match what follows it. Analogous to a jigsaw puzzle, we should use our intuition to retrieve the "seed idea" and meaning of each part of our dreams. The expansion of the "seed ideas" and "meaning" is important, and it doesn’t matter if our intuition reveals different symbols or meanings to the dream. What counts is the effort exerted by our psyche to unravel a new dimension. Our ego must turn its attention to within itself, in the silent space within Being, where the impelling magnetic presence of the intelligence of the heart reigns. Thus, if dreams first appear confusing, it is because these types of dreams release the pressure and stressed energies blocked in our psyche. To release stress in dreams, the symbols are magnified so as to make an impact and emphasize certain aspects of a problem. Another reason for disturbing dreams is to help us become conscious of the nature of our stress or anxiety. We should use our intuition to look at the incongruous symbols in our dreams, trying to "respect" their meaning. Intuition assists us in "reading" what goes on in our psyche, since like a mirror, it reflects what goes on within us. This is how, from our permanent witness, we receive some practical solutions and interpretations. However, the exchange of intuitive ideas and feelings between our psyche and ego occurs only if our ego is open to change. If we are willing to work with the symbols, then a special flow of energy streams from our permanent witness, allowing us to understand what we must do to remove the problem, and transform what needs to change. Spiritual psychology looks at the esoteric and intuitive aspect of dream work, and is based on inner guidance. However, psychology is based on the interpretation and analysis file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (61 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

of psychologists or facilitators. These two approaches may sound and even look the same, but they are not. The first is solely based on inner revelation and the second on feedback and outside guidance. The first is used by mystics, those guided by their soul, who seek a closer relationship with their permanent witness. The second is used by those who are only interested in finding solutions to problems, new directions and meaning in times of crisis. Both are useful and important dream work tools to purify and transform the psyche. If we want to know who we are, then we should start with the psychological approach, either alone, in a group, or with a therapist. We should also seek the guidance of the inner master, or presence within. Whichever way we choose, our first step should always be with the psychological approach before starting any other kind of spiritual work, since, this approach takes us to the depth of our psyche and is part of an alchemical process. This is our descent into the world of Poseidon where our unconscious self waits. The quest to awaken our spiritual awareness can begin only after a certain amount of purification and transformation of the psyche. Our consciousness, having taken the downward journey, is eventually drawn towards an ascending path. Then, what we receive becomes more subtle and enlightening since it comes without distortion directly from the soul. If we are serious in our work with the spiritual level of dreams, we must also realize that dreams are like seeds containing potential whole trees. Dreams, therefore, contain the seed ideas coming from the permanent witness. Their purpose is to transform our ordinary levels of consciousness to higher spiritual ones, since some dreams are in themselves examples of spiritual planes co-existing in our psyche that are the seeds waiting in our subconscious to be recognized and awakened by our ego. In other words, they are our spiritual levels of consciousness that permeate into our everyday consciousness. This is the grounding aspect of the whole process of dreams since, if we need to fathom the Mystery of Being and experience our own harmony and unity with it, then the nature of our dreams changes. Moreover, the essence and meaning of our dreams take a more abstract and irrational quality that cannot be shared with anyone, since they come directly from our permanent witness as a language of our soul, a language that can only be understood only intuitively. The spiritual dimension of dreams could be described, at best, as delicate and subtle experiences given directly by our permanent witness to our consciousness in order to foster a healing and purifying, leading to a new level of consciousness in us, which we must allow to unfold in our ordinary lives. What really matters here is our wish for inner transformation, since strong desire to unfold a higher level of consciousness is an illuminating catalyst that energizes our psyche. This is an important element in dream work. The power of concentration and a strong desire to work with dreams as tools for our own transformation opens naturally and directly the inner path to the permanent witness. Dream work is comparable to learning a new language. First we must learn the alphabet. Dreams are a new symbolic world opening up in our self-consciousness. Why do we say "self-consciousness"? Because, unless our self-consciousness awakens whilst dreaming, our dreams will have no impact and we will not remember anything of great importance. Thus we must gradually stimulate and awaken our self-consciousness during dreams so that they can be something more than mere stress release. Later, when our ego or self-consciousness "awakens" to its true nature—the impersonal Cosmic Consciousness—then dreams and the inner process take a new direction, and we see, understand and experience them in a totally different way since, from then on, our ego or self-consciousness realizes that it is just a vehicle for Cosmic Consciousness. We then perceive all kinds of dreams and astral projections differently, since the veil separating them from Cosmic Consciousness is no more. Our ego knows that it is just a reflection of the blazing light of the presence of God or Pure Being. When the veil is torn, and ego and soul meet and merge, the true identity of the Creator and initiator of our inner process becomes even clearer. The impersonal Cosmic Consciousness within us is the sole creator of dreams, and its limited self-conscious counterpart, our ego, it is seen at the other end of the process as the receiver of dreams. The mission of Cosmic Consciousness within man is to enlighten man’s ego. In other words, Cosmic Consciousness actively guides the process of awakening the ego to its true nature, hence it directs the inner world of dreams and astral projections during sleep. Cosmic Consciousness takes over and creates whatever is necessary for our selfconsciousness to understand and experience our ego. That is why prophets, saints and disciples of all religions and philosophies have been enlightened and have received knowledge and wisdom through their dreams, visions and astral travels. The ways that our soul carries out its initiatory course of action to awaken our ego and open up the "rainbow bridge to infinity" is a source of great gratitude and awe. GUIDELINE TO DREAM INTERPRETATION PART: II How do you relate to dreams? A framework for dreams

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (62 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Painting by Bob Venosa

All dreams work to accomplish one of two things: 1 To solve the problems of your conscious, waking life. 2 To present you with access to new potentials and creativity. Because dreams come from all levels of your being, understanding the imagery and type of dream is the key to understanding and actualizing the messages you receive during sleep. 3 Symbols express those things for which we have no words. By working with them, we use both hemispheres of the brain and tap the subconscious mind more fully, which in turn opens the doors to our intuitive self A dream symbol could literally represent itself as well as its possible interpretations. The images and symbols may also represent aspects of your personality. When you begin to reflect on the symbols, always start by registering your first impressions but don’t stop with the obvious. Dreams are symbolic representations, not reproductions. The dream images always represent more than themselves, and so the more you work with them, the more you will understand them. Dreams do not come to tell you what you already know. Look at the dream images and symbols as pieces of a puzzle that you can put together only by finding out what they mean to you. How do you relate to the dream? 1 Start by looking at how the dream could be reflecting something going on in your daily life. 2 Then move on to the more subtle, free association with the dream images. 3 What’s the first thing you would normally think about in connection to that symbol or image, activity or person appearing in your dream scenario? 4 doing more than representing themselves. They may also represent qualities or characteristics that you have "projected" on them. For example, you may dream of your grandfather, a man who was very kind to you. The quality of kindness is therefore associated with your grandfather, so dreaming of him could symbolize kindness. (You will know the difference between a symbolic representation of a quality or characteristic and a real "psychic" contact with a loved one.) 5 Examine the emotions within the dream scenario. What is the predominant emotion associated with the dream? Remember that it may be the emotion aroused that is the key and the scenario is simply a vehicle to deliver the message. 6 When you wake up, does a particular feeling remain? For example, are you frightened, frustrated, happy, excited? Dreams often exaggerate emotions, qualities and situations to get a particular message across to you. This does not mean that you have that quality or will experience that situation to the intensity you experienced within the dream. When this occurs, you are often being given a strong thump on the head to pay attention! This is what nightmares do. They are dynamic calls for your attention. They show you your file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (63 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

greatest fears, fears that must be confronted. Dreams often come in a series. Various dreams in a single or successive nights may be different ways of saying the same thing. The subconscious mind may be communicating the same message to you in different ways to make sure that you get it. Look for relationships and symbols that reoccur and notice the similarities. Ask yourself what they have in common. Proper dream interpretation leads towards greater understanding of yourself, but do not lose touch with your common sense in dream work. On the surface, dreams may seem to predict futures events or alarming situations, but do not jump to conclusions. With practice, you will be able to discern if a dream is precognitive (reflecting future events) or not. Dreams use symbols to make you develop and understand your personal symbolic language. This language comes directly from your soul and uses symbols and images from impersonal archetypes and from personal experience to make a strong or subtle impact on your psyche. This symbolic language is unique, given just to you, in the hope that it will make you conscious of your real needs and problems. This language of the soul also helps you to unfold your creativity and activates the spiritual dimension within your psyche.

Painting by John Vega

A framework for dream work might be: 1 Choose a dream. 2 Determine the dream type, issue, crisis, a block, a resolution already included in the dream. 3 Make a list of the symbols in the dream. 4 Find out the relationships between symbols. 5 Find out the relationships between the dream ego and the symbols. 6 Find out the similarities and contrasts in the dream. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (64 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

7 List what the dream ego is and is not doing in the dream 8 Find out about the ego’s relationships with other items in the dream. 9 Make a summary, and list what you have discovered. This is a basic method of working with dreams that helps you develop self-analysis, observation, and a "conscious" and "lucid" state of consciousness. You can follow it up with different methods. Dream work helps those who want to know themselves, since like a mirror, it not only projects who we are but also displays what we need to do. In other words, dreams are the best guides to reveal what you have on your conscience, what needs to be worked out in your life, and how to become a better and happier person. Finally, keep a dream journal that represents the "mirror of your soul" and helps you understand yourself better. Write your dream down as soon as possible, even just a few words, to remind you of your dream, for the more importance you give to your dream work, the more inner messages and intelligent guidance you will receive It is during my Psychosynthesis training, in London in 1984, that I was given this Guideline to Dream Interpretation. PART: III

We live our life in a world that we have created for ourselves… each one of us live in "his" or "her" little world… we dream our life away… and "think" that we are living in the "real" world… But there is no real world as such… we individually "dream our own world" and give it a meaning… The same law applies to our night dreams… We "live" conscious dream states and call them "vivid dreaming" or "lucid dreams" but what I wanted to clarify here is that we are not really the dreamers... we are not the creators of our dreams... it is only Being that is the dreamer... and the creator of our dreams... we are the observers of what is projected from the source of consciousness. This projection of consciousness we have been calling it "me" and "not me"…hence, dream psychology, dreamwork etc... are "inner teachings" received by the consciousness of the dreamer. human consciousness is. which experiences our individual world and dreams are all creations of Consciousness. Therefore, we could say that the only dreamer is Consciousness. So Consciousness is the part that awakes itself through the "mirror" of the world of DUALITY… The "me" and "not me" syndrome… But for each one of us the concept of a "personal me" is so strong, that we say, "I dream." But the truth is that there is no "me" which can dream. Consciousness shows the way to the "me" to awake… So in this waking dream that is our world, as well as in our personal night dream, the real "dreamer" is only Consciousness. Hence, what we have been saying until here seems like a paradox, but it isn't since, the "me" is a projection of consciousness itself… therefore, if the creations in a dream are the products of the consciousness of a dreamer, then its objective and goal are directed to the separated part of consciousness that is in the "me"… file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (65 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

So, we understand that other than Consciousness, there is just nothing. The personal dream is created through the individual mind, which is the identified consciousness. So what we are saying is that there are no personal dreams what happens during sleep is that consciousness takes over and creates whatever is necessary for his "other" limited part of consciousness, the part that has been projected in a vehicle called a human being to react and gradually awake to its true nature which is a "shadow" and projection of Cosmic Consciousness or the unique consciousness that pervades creation… Hence, we repeat, that in both the personal dreams of billions of human beings and this one that we live in this physical world of our everyday life are both a big "living dream" and, in the case of both, the "dreamer" is as we have said Consciousness… we are all "dreamed characters". The ego is a limited manifestation of consciousness it is the part of us that says "me" and "not me"…an illusion and distorted function of limited consciousness… The mistake or the illusion is that we usually think that WE ARE THE DREAMERS." But the truth is that we are not "dreamers," we are only dreamed characters. To print: THE PROCESS OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN DREAMS

THE INNER QUEST What is the quest? Who guides it? Is there an inner presence that truly guides you from within the inner planes? These are important questions that you do not need to answer, because you already know and have experienced that such a presence really exists within you. This presence leads and unfolds the spiritual dimension of your process from within the inner planes of your being. Indeed, for you, there is no doubt, since the presence is linked to you by an ethereal "umbilical" thread. Thus, you gradually realize that this presence is a projection sent by the essence of your soul.

The thread joining you with your soul is an invisible one that directs you towards the beauty and mystery of the inner spiritual planes. In fact, the inner planes are file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (66 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

levels of consciousness through which you travel and navigate as you discover new horizons and constant realities. In your long inner peregrinations and while in search of your soul, you let yourself be bathed in a variety of rich, indescribable energies that purify your consciousness to such an extent that you are no longer the same person, and you discover to your amazement that you are linked to this presence by a spiritual thread. When you become aware of this process in your personal life, then the invisible presence comes even closer to you, infusing you with teachings of a different kind, spiritual processes that awaken higher levels of consciousness within you. This enables you to experience for yourself that everything you see, feel, touch, hear, and think penetrates and resonates in your own center of consciousness like a harmonious symphony. This center is the one within you that reflects the rhythmic and melodious waves of energies inhaled and exhaled by everything that exists in creation. When you realize this, you grasp the enormity of what has happened to you. You understand that your consciousness has merged and integrated into your sacred Center of Pure Being. Having reached this enlightened center, you are granted a precious gift, a grace that permeates your being and bonds you forever with your soul. Your consciousness, now integrated in the Center of Pure Being, casts no more shadows because it has entered the axial pole wherein lies the center of pure consciousness. Therefore, the presence that accompanied you in your travels reintegrates into the sacred axial center from whence it emerged. Why, and how? Because the presence is a beam of the purest light radiating out from the same Center of Pure Being. Hence, once you have merged with this Center, you no longer speak about levels of consciousness since you have reached the place of pure Existence and Being. However, this is by no means an unconscious way of existence. On the contrary, it is one that encompasses all levels of consciousness for within that center is only Being. Thus the gift that you receive at this point resembles that of a weaver who works lovingly with the multicolored threads of life, weaving different designs and patterns, blending the colors beautifully into a panoramic vision of life. This he does naturally, since his consciousness is now at the center of all creation. Thus his nature becomes the nature of creation, and he is called the weaver of God, the weaver of beautiful patterns, driven by the Divine love pouring out of his center. This love compels him to do his sacred weaving since the patterns of his weaving are made with his own substance, the substance of everything that exists. The sacred weaver does his work so that each onlooker recognizes a part of himself in this tapestry. The inner process of awakening your consciousness is a gradual thing that unravels the qualities of the soul while purifying your subtle bodies. Experiences are in themselves linked to consciousness, since you cannot experience something of which you are not conscious. Thus, experiences, be they physical or spiritual, have the same value. "Inner" experiences are no different from physical ones since both are realities that you experience and digest through your purified level of consciousness. Hence, vivid dreams, intuition, altered states of consciousness, or acute awareness of the beauty and interdependence of everything in creation are all experiences that converge in your heart center, where the intelligence of the heart radiates its everlasting presence.

The gradual process of awakening consciousness opens the doors of a new world to you. You are given to experience for yourself the interdependence of everything in creation. This conscious realization reverberates in your heart, awakening the center from where the resonance between you and the world file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (67 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

transmits and receives a new quality of information. When this new way of discovering the world takes place, you are no longer the same, and your way of being in the world is transformed into one in which there is no longer an inner and an outer world. You no longer observe the world but simply exist in it. Or, should we say that the world exists in you? There is no difference; the mirror and its projection have finally merged. And while you continue to live in the world of duality, where continual change and movement are the law of nature, your level of consciousness remains anchored and fixed in the Center of Pure Being where the essence of everything has its source. What is the purpose of this message when none of this can be proven to others? Seekers are simultaneously compelled and bound to divulge as well as hide the truth. One divulges truth by being subtle, whilst hiding it to allow others to search within themselves for their invisible thread, the thread that will lead them to their own truth. Also Masters, visible or invisible, are here to help you cross the bridge from this world into the other beyond duality. This "other" world exists in the Center of Pure Being from where the invisible presence casts its light. However, when you reach the "other" world, you come face-to-face with your own presence and your own shadow evaporates and merges with the everlasting presence in the center of existence. So, dear traveler, cease your outward, distracted and superficial way, and try to find Ariadne’s golden thread. When you find it within your being, hold it tight; do not let it slip away, since it is a precious gift offered to you by your soul. It will lead you to the center of your inner labyrinth where lies the minotaur. Persevere with courage, never give up hope, and follow this invisible thread carefully since it will help you resolve your own Mystery — the mystery of your death and rebirth, just like the Phoenix reborn from its own ashes. PLATO'S ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

Plato's Allegory of the Cave (4th c. BC.) (From Plato, Republic, Book 7)

This excerpt from Plato’s Republic, Book 7: "Allegory of the Cave" conveys his wise observations and philosophy on the human condition. This allegory has inspired my own research since it discloses a most exciting and mystical process that prepares and awakens man to his true destiny. Plato's Allegory of the cave " And now, I said (Plato), let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: --Behold! human beings living in a underground cave, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the cave; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads. Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets. - I see. And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the wall? Some of them are talking, others silent. - You have shown me a strange image, and they are strange prisoners. Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave? file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (68 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

- True, he said; how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads? And of the objects which are being carried in like manner they would only see the shadows? - Yes, he said. And if they were able to converse with one another, would they not suppose that they were naming what was actually before them? - Very true. And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy when one of the passersby spoke that the voice which they heard came from the passing shadow? - No question, he replied. To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images. - That is certain. And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released and disabused of their error. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision, -what will be his reply? And you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the objects as they pass and requiring him to name them, will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him? - Far truer. And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take and take in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be in reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to him? - That is true. And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a steep and rugged ascent, and held fast until he 's forced into the presence of the sun himself, is he not likely to be pained and irritated? When he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled, and he will not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities. - Not all in a moment, he said. He will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world. And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects themselves; then he will gaze upon the light of the moon and the stars and the spangled heaven; and he will see the sky and the stars by night better than the sun or the light of the sun by day? - Certainly. Last of he will be able to see the sun, and not mere reflections of him in the water, but he will see him in his own proper place, and not in another; and he will contemplate him as he is. - Certainly. He will then proceed to argue that this is he who gives the season and the years, and is the guardian of all that is in the visible world, and in a certain way the cause of all things which he and his fellows have been accustomed to behold? Clearly, he said, he would first see the sun and then reason about him. And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the cave and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them? - Certainly, he would. And if they were in the habit of conferring honors among themselves on those who were quickest to observe the passing shadows and to remark which of them went before, and which followed after, and which were together; and who were therefore best able to draw conclusions as to the future, do you think that he would care for such honors and glories, or envy the possessors of them? Would he not say with Homer, Better to be the poor servant of a poor master, and to endure anything, rather than think as they do and live after their manner? - Yes, he said, I think that he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notions and live in this miserable manner. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (69 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Imagine once more, I said, such an one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation; would he not be certain to have his eyes full of darkness? - To be sure, he said. And if there were a contest, and he had to compete in measuring the shadows with the prisoners who had never moved out of the cave, while his sight was still weak, and before his eyes had become steady (and the time which would be needed to acquire this new habit of sight might be very considerable) would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death. - No question, he said.

CONTINUATION: PLATO'S INTERPRETATION This entire allegory, I said, you may now append, dear Glaucon, to the previous argument; the prison-house is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun, and you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world according to my poor belief, which, at your desire, I have expressed whether rightly or wrongly God knows. But, whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally, either in public or private life must have his eye fixed. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (70 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

- I agree, he said, as far as I am able to understand you. Moreover, I said, you must not wonder that those who attain to this beatific vision are unwilling to descend to human affairs; for their souls are ever hastening into the upper world where they desire to dwell; which desire of theirs is very natural, if our allegory may be trusted. - Yes, very natural. And is there anything surprising in one who passes from divine contemplations to the evil state of man, misbehaving himself in a ridiculous manner; if, while his eyes are blinking and before he has become accustomed to the surrounding darkness, he is compelled to fight in courts of law, or in other places, about the images or the shadows of images of justice, and is endeavoring to meet the conceptions of those who have never yet seen absolute justice? - Anything but surprising, he replied. Any one who has common sense will remember that the bewilderments of the eyes are of two kinds, and arise from two causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into the light, which is true of the mind's eye, quite as much as of the bodily eye; and he who remembers this when he sees any one whose vision is perplexed and weak, will not be too ready to laugh; he will first ask whether that soul of man has come out of the brighter light, and is unable to see because unaccustomed to the dark, or having turned from darkness to the day is dazzled by excess of light. And he will count the one happy in his condition and state of being, and he will pity the other; or, if he have a mind to laugh at the soul which comes from below into the light, there will be more reason in this than in the laugh which greets him who returns from above out of the light into the cave. - That, he said, is a very just distinction. But then, if I am right, certain professors of education must be wrong when they say that they can put a knowledge into the soul which was not there before, like sight into blind eyes. - They undoubtedly say this, he replied. Whereas, our argument shows that the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already; and that just as the eye was unable to turn from darkness to light without the whole body, so too the instrument of knowledge can only by the movement of the whole soul be turned from the world of becoming into that of being, and learn by degrees to endure the sight of being, and of the brightest and best of being, or in other words, of the good. - Very true. And must there not be some art which will effect conversion in the easiest and quickest manner; not implanting the faculty of sight, for that exists already, but has been turned in the wrong direction, and is looking away from the truth? - Yes, he said, such an art may be presumed. And whereas the other so-called virtues of the soul seem to be akin to bodily qualities, for even when they are not originally innate they can be implanted later by habit and exercise, the of wisdom more than anything else contains a divine element which always remains, and by this conversion is rendered useful and profitable; or, on the other hand, hurtful and useless. Did you never observe the narrow intelligence flashing from the keen eye of a clever rogue --how eager he is, how clearly his paltry soul sees the way to his end; he is the reverse of blind, but his keen eyesight is forced into the service of evil, and he is mischievous in proportion to his cleverness. - Very true, he said. But what if there had been a circumcision of such natures in the days of their youth; and they had been severed from those sensual pleasures, such as eating and drinking, which, like leaden weights, were attached to them at their birth, and which drag them down and turn the vision of their souls upon the things that are below --if, I say, they had been released from these impediments and turned in the opposite direction, the very same faculty in them would have seen the truth as keenly as they see what their eyes are turned to now. - Very likely. Yes, I said; and there is another thing which is likely. or rather a necessary inference from what has preceded, that neither the uneducated file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (71 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

and uninformed of the truth, nor yet those who never make an end of their education, will be able ministers of State; not the former, because they have no single aim of duty which is the rule of all their actions, private as well as public; nor the latter, because they will not act at all except upon compulsion, fancying that they are already dwelling apart in the islands of the blest. - Very true, he replied. Then, I said, the business of us who are the founders of the State will be to compel the best minds to attain that knowledge which we have already shown to be the greatest of all-they must continue to ascend until they arrive at the good; but when they have ascended and seen enough we must not allow them to do as they do now. - What do you mean? I mean that they remain in the upper world: but this must not be allowed; they must be made to descend again among the prisoners in the cave, and partake of their labors and honors, whether they are worth having or not. - But is not this unjust? he said; ought we to give them a worse life, when they might have a better? You have again forgotten, my friend, I said, the intention of the legislator, who did not aim at making any one class in the State happy above the rest; the happiness was to be in the whole State, and he held the citizens together by persuasion and necessity, making them benefactors of the State, and therefore benefactors of one another; to this end he created them, not to please themselves, but to be his instruments in binding up the State. - True, he said, I had forgotten. Observe, Glaucon, that there will be no injustice in compelling our philosophers to have a care and providence of others; we shall explain to them that in other States, men of their class are not obliged to share in the toils of politics: and this is reasonable, for they grow up at their own sweet will, and the government would rather not have them. Being self-taught, they cannot be expected to show any gratitude for a culture which they have never received. But we have brought you into the world to be rulers of the hive, kings of yourselves and of the other citizens, and have educated you far better and more perfectly than they have been educated, and you are better able to share in the double duty. Wherefore each of you, when his turn comes, must go down to the general underground abode, and get the habit of seeing in the dark. When you have acquired the habit, you will see ten thousand times better than the inhabitants of the cave, and you will know what the several images are, and what they represent, because you have seen the beautiful and just and good in their truth. And thus our State which is also yours will be a reality, and not a dream only, and will be administered in a spirit unlike that of other States, in which men fight with one another about shadows only and are distracted in the struggle for power, which in their eyes is a great good. Whereas the truth is that the State in which the rulers are most reluctant to govern is always the best and most quietly governed, and the State in which they are most eager, the worst. - Quite true, he replied. And will our pupils, when they hear this, refuse to take their turn at the toils of State, when they are allowed to spend the greater part of their time with one another in the heavenly light? Impossible, he answered; for they are just men, and the commands which we impose upon them are just; there can be no doubt that every one of them will take office as a stern necessity, and not after the fashion of our present rulers of State. Yes, my friend, I said; and there lies the point. You must contrive for your future rulers another and a better life than that of a ruler, and then you may have a well-ordered State; for only in the State which offers this, will they rule who are truly rich, not in silver and gold, but in virtue and wisdom, which are the true blessings of life. Whereas if they go to the administration of public affairs, poor and hungering after the' own private advantage, thinking that hence they are to snatch the chief good, order there can never be; for they will be fighting about office, and the civil and domestic broils which thus arise will be the ruin of the rulers themselves and of the whole State. - Most true, he replied. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (72 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

And the only life which looks down upon the life of political ambition is that of true philosophy. Do you know of any other? - Indeed, I do not, he said. And those who govern ought not to be lovers of the task? For, if they are, there will be rival lovers, and they will fight. - No question. Who then are those whom we shall compel to be guardians? Surely they will be the men who are wisest about affairs of State, and by whom the State is best administered, and who at the same time have other honors and another and a better life than that of politics? - They are the men, and I will choose them, he replied. And now shall we consider in what way such guardians will be produced, and how they are to be brought from darkness to light, --as some are said to have ascended from the world below to the gods? - By all means, he replied. The process, I said, is not the turning over of an oyster-shell, but the turning round of a soul passing from a day which is little better than night to the true day of being, that is, the ascent from below, which we affirm to be true philosophy. And should we not inquire what sort of knowledge has the power of effecting such a change? - Quite so.

INTERPRETATION OF PLATO'S CAVE BY ALICE Interpretation of Plato’s Allegory For me, the purpose of this allegory defines clearly the process of enlightenment. For a man to be enlightened, he must above all desire the freedom to explore and express himself. This urge has to become an intense need, a driving force that unlatches deep within him a necessity to discover a new way of understanding and experiencing his relationship with himself and the world in which he lives.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (73 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

This driving force that pushes him to explore and search for something that he cannot initially define is the same one that pervades and operates in nature, pushing everything within creation to transform itself continuously. Therefore, we understand that this force is a natural underlying energy permeating and influencing the physical, psychic and spiritual substance of all created and living species, allowing them to continually transform and develop. Hence, we observe, that this same process of transmutation and change also affects and influences man’s physical, psychic, and spiritual characteristics and attributes. Indeed, these three aspects in man come under the same governing laws of nature, and there is no exception to the process. In other words, man is bound by an unknown driving force that pushes his whole being towards an unknown goal and destiny. This wondrous and unfathomable energy urges him to move on, and follows a specially designed path. This path unfolds gradually, subtly shifting his ways of perception and understanding. However, man’s destiny remains a mystery to him for a long time to come; indeed, it stays concealed within his being through many cycles of incarnation until consciousness within him is able to adjust and expose itself, helped by a new surge of universal influence. This influence is a cosmic and Divine energy that pervades everything within creation and the center of this source is found within his own spiritual dimension This energy is called consciousness, and consciousness unfolds in creation gradually. Why does it do that? Simply, to manifest, awaken and reflect back myriad manifestations through the whole and unique Center of Pure Being. Top

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (74 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

THE SIX AND SEVENTH SENSES OF MAN.

In this essay, we shall try to focus our attention on the Soul using some simple examples. As we know, we live and develop self-consciousness with the help of our five physical senses. In turn self-consciousness gradually develops an ego. From childhood the ego is the part in man that learns and separates itself from others. It teaches him to discriminate between this and that, putting limits around himself and others, develops traits of character, expresses the impulses coming from the Soul in creative and unique ways. However as part of his human inheritance there exists in him two more subtle senses. In some people these two senses are awakening and in a process of development. We shall call them the intuitive and spiritual sixth and seventh senses. Their role is to let our level of consciousness be influenced by the impulses coming from the Soul and Spirit levels of man. Nonetheless, these two germinal centers within man will one day in the future manifest their qualities perfectly when the sixth and seventh sub-races in humanity will have arisen. The two subtle senses in man reveal a new and unique knowledge that influences and unfold in him corresponding qualities. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (75 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Trying to activate these two spiritual senses in us depends entirely on our level of purification and of mastering the functions and impulses coming from the ego. This means that we must first learn to master and transmute our animalistic instincts and stop over rationalizing with our cerebral intelligence so that these two spiritual senses unfold their spiritual attributes and qualities in us.. The true sages of all epochs have based their teaching on the seventh sense. This sense is based on the innate knowledge that belongs to the Spirit of man in which dwells the sublime knowledge of the creation of the universe and of its Source. Moreover, it also includes the knowledge and processes of the mystery of incarnation and of reintegration into the Absolute Uncreated Light. We therefore, understand that for us, this knowledge is still incomprehensible, since, to be able to enter in its dimension, we must have first perfected the seventh sense and its corresponding level of consciousness in our being. The sixth and seventh senses function properly in man only when the Intelligence of the Heart is open in his psyche and is in harmony with his two Divine Witnesses (Soul/Spirit) What is the Intelligence of the Heart? It is the awakened functions of the Soul in man. The qualities which evolve gradually through intuition, and reveal the Soul’s divine gifts of an awe-inspiring quality. The seventh sense is of a much higher spiritual nature and is not based on ordinary human understanding and logic. This is so, because its target is not the five physical senses, nor the rational emotional and mental faculties of man, but rather the AWAKENING AND MERGING FACULTIES OF THE SOUL AND SPIRIT IN THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF MAN HIMSELF. This is indeed the target and goal of the sixth and seventh senses. Moreover, the aim of the sixth and seventh senses is to awaken two higher functions, which are for the time being still dormant in most men. The mission of these spiritual functions cannot be revealed since they belong to the spiritual part in each one of us. The sixth sense allows the Soul’s impulses to filter into the consciousness of man. As for the seventh sense it performs perfectly well when the Spirit and the Soul blend and harmonize within the transfigured self-consciousness of man. The manner in which one enters these very subtle levels of intuition cannot be explained or shown, since these refined senses are in themselves levels of consciousness and inner Paths of knowledge and enlightenment. The only way we could describe and comprehend their subtleties is through the development of our own personal and individual intuitive faculties. We get in touch with our Ideal Model and learn to unfold our personal goals and ideals through the impulses and intuition received and under their direction and guidance look out, and discover our personal goals and ideals in life.

Who, and what is this Ideal Model? It is an expression of our Soul. It is if you will, an appearance and the emergence in our consciousness, of one of the Images and reflections of the Divine Presence and it is our Soul that selects it so as to attract us towards Itself. Thus, the Soul selects a divine guise according to our karmic needs and attunements. At the beginning of this spiritual process, the Soul needs to file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (76 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

take a certain appearance so as to attract our ego, and harmonize it to a specific spiritual level. And since the ego and the five physical senses belong to the same physical world in which we live, they must first be magnetically attracted to something more ethereal and spiritual than themselves in order to be purified. Consequently, the Ideal Model’s "Holy Face" must be attractive to our ego, and should move us to the core of our being, so that it reverberates and energizes in all our subtle bodies. This means that our Ideal Model takes on the aspect of our ego's spiritual complementary. We should understand that this Ideal Model or "Holy Face" is a symbolic expression chosen to explain how the Soul attracts its shadow and unconscious counterpart, the ego. First, the Soul attracts and operates within our etheric, astral and mental bodies whilst purifying and refining the limiting characteristics of the ego. It also takes the personal boundaries and limitations of each person into account. The sixth senses is the spiritual faculty of the Intelligence of the Heart. Basically, it is the part in us that gives us a sudden "hunch", an inspiration, an intuition and our creative and artistic faculties. It makes us care, nurture and sympathize with people. Example, it helps us to interpret our dreams. The language of the Soul is a spiritual faculty that can be developed only through the Intelligence of the Heart. The seventh sense is something different. It activates, awakens and harmonizes all man's subtle bodies through the action of the HOLY SPIRIT. It means that the Soul and Spirit of man have finally united and reintegrated their Pure Essence. This means that there are three major processes in the complete transformation of man. The first phase consists of the PURIFICATION of the old process that involves and uses our sixth sense of intuition with the help of our Permanent Witness. The second phase involves the process of RESURRECTION. The Permanent Witness, having purified the mental and emotional bodies, ascend together with the regenerated conscious self of man. Together they blend with the Soul's complementary partner: the Spiritual Witness. Finally, the third phase brings about REINTEGRATION of the whole Essence of Being meaning that the three aspects have reintegrated back into the Source. Consequently each of the three parts of man embody their unique SACRED NUMBER. Hence, they reintegrate back into the Source which is the Uncreated Light or the Absolute Unknown God. However, before all these stages can unfold their spiritual procedures in us, the sixth sense of the Soul must integrate and function properly in man's ego. But even before this stage, the ego must have reached a very high level of purification. More explanations on these very delicate operations are futile, as they do not help. What counts is the beginning of this sublime Quest. And what is relevant to this Quest is how determined we are to follow it through. So the most important question that we should ask ourselves is this: are we ready to open up the energy and impulses coming from our Ideal Model? If the answer is yes, then we have nothing to fear, since all these inner phases and planes of discovery will open up their secrets to us in their own time. As we said, this sublime transmutation of our lower energies into their spiritual counterparts can only happen through the development of our sixth and seventh senses. Knowledge received through the seventh sense makes us participate instantly and fully with what is being received. In other words, the knowledge and the one receiving the knowledge unite, and become one and the same thing. By the reaction of their union they become something altogether new. In this case, it is the Intelligence of the Heart that is functioning as an instrument totally of the Soul and Spirit in man, since the seventh senses operates only through the energy of Divine Love and Knowledge. When do we become aware of Divine Love and Knowledge? This occurs when the ego, the Soul and Spirit of man unite in the acceptance of the enlightening Wisdom. We hope that this is clear. The sixth sense allows the ego to take part in receiving a slice of pure knowledge and therefore it is knowledge still tinted with the expression of the ego and Soul Personality of a person. Example an inspired artist like Leonard De Vinci. An extraordinary genius like Einstein, or Jung the psychologist who brought changes in the ways we understand the psyche, or Soul Personality of man. Or, we could take the example of a perfect athlete. Why take an athlete as an example? Because it is actually a good one. An athlete focuses and concentrates himself on an IDEAL MODEL, and learns how to transform himself, gradually into this Ideal Model. His talent resides in his trying to SURPASS his own limited possibilities, always attempting to better himself in his skills, patiently devoting himself to his sport. Pleasurable habits take a second place for him, and this might look from the outside as if he is making a great sacrifice. But to the athlete, it is not so. Through his athletic skills and performance his ego transcends its human limitations and conditions, and during such moments his perfect model and his conscious self merge making them become a whole new Soul Expression. Thus, our athlete becomes the physical expression, and the manifestation on this plane of the DESTINY that his Soul had prepared for him. We could go as far as to say that " during his athletic performance" he totally incarnates the Ideal Model engraved in his Soul. What does this example teach us? It shows us, two important things: firstly, that through the faculty of our sixth sense we can open our sensitivity to the vibrations of the Soul and receive the necessary impulses to overcome our weaknesses, and transcend our limitations. Through this file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (77 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

process, we discover to our amazement, a world of new possibilities. Secondly, what we learn from this example is the fact that in the process of discovering our Ideal Model we are on the verge of discovering our real QUEST and GOAL in our life, and, even perhaps the meaning of our incarnation. Thus, by following our intuition, we end up discovering our Ideal Model. However, this happens only if we choose to do so. It is therefore up to us to act now. Hence, the sixth sense takes us behind the veils of the illusions of the five senses and of the ego, helping us unfold within the subtle planes of intuition that brings CHANGE and TRANSFORMATION. However, the path of those changes and transformations entirely depends on our ego wanting to recognize its true Ideal Model. Thus, from the Ideal Model or Archetype of the perfect athlete to the inspired scientist or the illuminated prophet, it is most crucial and important to allow the process of our sixth sense to unveil for us whatever the Soul or Permanent Witness wants us to become. This is our destiny... Through the channel of our sixth sense of intuition our spiritual development unfolds more subtle qualities in our ego. This process is based on the purification and transmutation of the lower energies of our Soul Personality to their higher counterparts, so that the pure Knowledge and Divine Love of the Absolute can flow freely and filter its intense and radiant Light through our transformed ego. Recommended Exercises It is recommended that you become the observer of your own actions and reactions. That you keep a personal diary in which you write your personal observations and your dreams. Find your personal way of COMMUNION with your Inner Self; that sacred space within, in which Silence reigns. It is in that Silent Place that your Ideal Model will appear whenever you are attuned to your Soul or Permanent Witness. The Intelligence of the Heart and its attributes begin to function from within this Silent Space... The Dark Night of the Soul and the Mystic Way

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (78 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

When we search for our real self, we must learn to release our ego from selfish and egotistic thoughts. To be able to do that, we must attune with an ideal model that lies within ourselves. This search for the self is important because it helps us to unfold a different aspect of being based on the ideal model that is, in reality, an image of our soul, a Divine archetypal image dormant within us. By focusing and reflecting upon it, we energize our spiritual nature, which puts us in better touch with our intuition. Iamblichus used the word daemon or daïmon to express an inner guiding presence that escorts and inspires our search for truth on our spiritual journey. The daemon is an invisible presence linked to each one of us from birth, whose purpose and bond with us remains sacred and mysterious, since it is linked to our spiritual awakening process. However, at the beginning of our spiritual quest, the daemon, as an inspiring initiator, guides and attunes our consciousness towards our ideal model. Because the ideal model is our spiritual counterpart, our ego needs to recognize it, and the daemon is that inner presence that shows us the way. Through spiritual exercises such as meditation, contemplation, prayer, dream work, etc., the daemon’s presence is awakened and our attunement with it animates the process of purification. Thus, when we become aware of this inner work, we gradually to let go of our past ego identifications and cooperate willingly with the daemonic inspiration. Learning to let go of past ego identifications is a challenge, but must be done. Thus, ego identifications such as "I am a teacher, a mother, a businessman, a mystic, or whatever" have no more meaning to us, for we realize that these ego identifications are just "masks" and "subpersonalities" and transient illusions covering our real center of Being. Moreover, we understand that they were necessary protections sheltering the elusive and hidden center of Being. This realization marks the beginning of a turning point in our life, bringing with it various trials and tribulations. It is a self-inflicted and salutary initiation that brings a high level of spiritual transformation. Likewise during this process of initiation, our ego, having no more protective masks, opens up to a new dimension of being within consciousness that relates directly to existence. The first step of letting go of our ego’s hold on life brings about a complete transformation in our psyche. The second step—immersion into pure Being—brings about the revelation that our ego is itself just a limited projection of pure existence and being. This happens after we pass through what has been described by mystics of all ages as the dark night of the soul. For some, this process lasts longer than others, but there are different stages of this spiritual work, belonging to different levels of Cosmic Consciousness. Cosmic Consciousness opens up the intuitive perception of our center of Being, which unfolds our own mystery and reveals a new way of receiving knowledge. However, our ego personality does not disappear; on the contrary, by merging with the source of pure existence, our ego becomes its receptacle, the sacred grail, the clear mirror wherein impulses projected from the center of Divine Intelligence and Wisdom are reflected. The dark night of the soul is a blessing in disguise because it saves us from the delusions and fantasies created by our ego. This is the initiation that imprints the likeness of the ideal model upon our ego. Thus, we can see that the dark night of the soul is the passage that takes us from a world of duality to a world of wholeness and unity, and makes us beacons of light for others to follow. We become living models who inspire in others the same spiritual process that leads them to their own understanding of primordial knowledge and truth. The dark night of the soul teaches us to look at the horrors and joys of the world, the cycles of birth and death, the wars and destructions of nature and of the world economies with a quiet heart and a peaceful mind. On this level, our consciousness becomes a part of the center of everything happening in the world since we empathize with all the pains and joys that humanity experiences. Together they are transformed and united in the hallowed Holy Grail that, from here on, enlightens and illuminates our center of Being. The dark night of the soul liberates our limited and limiting consciousness into one that is unlimited and universal, as Cosmic Consciousness makes us aware of our true cosmic nature. In Hinduism, Advaita Vedanta calls this level the "nondual" that contains everything and nothing. Christian mystical tradition refers to such a state as Divine Apathy. Through this mystical and spiritual perspective, we observe that we are nothing and yet everything, and from this central place of balance, we experience what meant by the words: "To be in the world but not caught by a single thing in it." A Reflection on Black Virgins Intentionally hundreds of icons of Mary have black faces and hands. In France they are called "Vierge Noires" or Black Virgins. In other file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (79 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

countries they are called Black Madonnas. Some call her "the other Mary". Jung said she is Isis whilst others consider her to be the iconic remains of prehistoric Mother Earth worship. She is linked with Cybele/Demeter, Diana/Artemis, Isis and Venus/Aphrodite. Cross-culturally she is associated with Kali, Inanna & Lilith. Historically she has ties to the Crusades and the Moorish occupation of Spain, to the Conquistadors, who brought her to the New World and to the Merovingians and Knight Templars. For modern psychologists she is said to express the archetype of the Dark Feminine. In other words, She represents our individual subconscious in which all the experiences, qualities and distortions of past incarnations are kept, engrained and hidden. They are until such time when the bells of “salvation” reverberate in one's Psyche and the time for transformation appears in one's life. The feminine Principle, like Marie Magdalene, manifests in consciousness and like the essence that she represents, follows the guidance of the Inner Voice... the real Master, or the Cosmic Christ within…

The Black Virgin of Rocamadour, France

Whoever the enigmatic Black Virgin may be, she holds a powerful attraction for her millions of devotees around the world. Her sacred sites stand on highly charged earth energy centres, enhanced by megalithic ley-lines and sacred architecture. From ancient times to the present, people have undertaken pilgrimages to her shrines as a way to explore her mysteries and to enable her to do her miraculous work of healing, transformation and inspiration. France has more than 300 Black Virgin places of worship and over 150 Black Virgin statues still in existence. What does the Black Virgin represent? In the context of esoteric tradition, she represents a collection of all the Feminine Qualities that are hidden but ready to express through an individual. This kind of energy has the qualities of Demeter, Aphrodite, Isis, Marie Magdalena and so on, all in one. Thus, she corresponds to the powers of transformation in each one of us. The hidden part of Nature's characteristics. These different qualities reflect through the mirror of the PSYCHE. In other words the Black Virgin represents the AWAKENING SPIRITUAL PROCESS OF NATURE.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (80 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

A Symbolic Icon of the Black Virgin painted by St Andre Rublev

The meaning of this important feminine symbol becomes obvious and we can relate and understand her power intuitively when the "inner energies" unfold their varied characteristics allowing the possibility to become more intuitive and transforming grosser feelings and mental processes to more refined and spiritual ones. The unfolding of these qualities, are inherent in the Soul. As for the location of these venerated icons and statues, we should examine the places where they are found. The Black Virgins are usually placed in strategic ley-line paths and points where the earth’s power radiates its most potent energies. Each one of these power points has a unique quality that affects the subtle bodies of pilgrims. These specific energies of the earth penetrate and are activated in their subtle bodies, thus harmonizing the chakras of the earth with that of prepared and sensitive pilgrims. Hence, the Black Virgins represent the process of inner TRANSFORMATION. The transformation and changes that take place in an individual. Transmuting his/her limited human nature to an unlimited and ever growing Spiritual one. The Black Virgin can be seen as the awakener who manifest and brings to life the hidden qualities within each one of us. This means that a completely new level of understanding of” being” in the world occurs. However, from my personal experience, I can say that those hidden spiritual qualities are part of past spiritual experiences, an inheritance that comes from past incarnations.

If one believes or has his/her own proof of the existence of past incarnations, one should concentrate and focus on the inherited and attuned qualities... and follow the trails, find the connections that guide to their source. In this source, one finds different qualities coexisting within our Psyche... they send their impulses and energies as well as their varied tendencies through the impressions, preferences and moods that we have in this one. These impulses and intuitions help us continue on our quest, a quest that never ends. It file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (81 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

is the Soul’s mission that does not belong to just one individual, but to all the different soul personalities that have lived and are still living in us… and through us. What does this means? It simply means that nothing is lost... and we reap now what we sowed in the past... The reason for this quest is to awaken Consciousness. Awaken consciousness to its true Essence...beyond the masks of past incarnations…and reach the bottomless source where lies pure Being. Beingness, is the source of all the manifestations of creation. The Black Virgin unfolds Beingness through a secret process that unveils and unravels the mysteries of all our past and future incarnations. Symbolically, we could say that she represents the “sign” of our Redemption. The Black Madonna of Brazil After reading this message on the "Black Virgin", a friend from Brazil send me the following picture and article. The Brazilian legend of the Black Madonna is very interesting. It reveals the power and impact that all Black Virgins and Madonnas have on the psyche.

She says: " In Brazil, in 1717, 3 fishermen found a Black Madonna in the Paraiba River in São Paulo - Our Lady Aparecida, patroness of Brazil, venerated today in the city which has her name. She is a small and beautiful black female figure supporting herself on a crescent moon. First her body was fished... then her head... and when she was made whole again, fish could be fished again in that river. Says the legend that when she was discovered, this tiny figure became extremely heavy, preventing the fisherman to take her away from that place. A small sentry-house was made for her there. Today there is a sanctuary city with Basilicas, numerous churches and the whole infra-structure of a city that has already welcomed the Pope, and which all year round receives pilgrims from the whole country in a great happy and colorful religious celebration. In the Afro-Brazilian tradition, the Black Madonna is the Orixá Oxum, Great Mother, patroness of pregnancy and of babies, of the Rivers and of the Seas, of Gold, of Honey, of Laughter, of Beauty, of Seduction, of Shrewdness and Wisdom, the Supreme Ancestral Mother: Iyami-Akko. "

THE MYSTIC HEART

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (82 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

"Artwork courtesy of and copyright by Daniel B. Holeman

In Sanskrit the name anahata was given to the fourth chakra, which literally means "unstricken" It refers to the subtle vibration that is the creative energy of the Void and is chanted as the sacred syllable OM. It is said to be heard inwardly in meditation when consciousness awakens in the heart or kundalini has reached this chakra. The fourth chakra is also, commonly referred to as the Mystical Heart in the Christian mysteries and as the Intelligence of the Heart in the Egyptian Mysteries. When the heart center is awakened, then the impulses of spiritual inspiration and altruistic love pour in and an ardent desire for all beings to enjoy the love and beatitude available at this level of awareness is, felt. In the Buddhist tradition, this urge is, expressed as the vow to assist all sentient beings to reach Enlightenment. A person who actualizes this vow becomes a Bodhisattva. All forms of romantic love are, motivated by this search for union with the source of love. However, it is an unconscious distortion of the ego and a great misfortune that this search is directed outward and that the source is misunderstood as being “a person” outside of oneself. This misunderstanding is due to the ego being divorced from its source, which is its Perfect Model or, “inherent blueprint” - its complementary divine Self. It is in the heart center that the union of the female and male (Yin/Yang) energies takes place. In other words, when the two opposite and complementary energies within each one of us occurs, then Cosmic Consciousness awakens in the ego of a seeker – the bud becomes a rose… and unfolds the quality of unconditional love in his/her mystical heart. As for Buddhist Tantra, the fourth chakra has twelve bright red petals. Within this we find two smoke-colored interlocking triangles. Together they make the Vayu mandala, which represents the harmonious rela-tionship between the male and female forces of the cosmos. Within the Vayu mandala, which also symbolizes the air element, there is an antelope. Noted for its rapidity, the antelope is a good vehicle and symbol for the ancient God of the wind, Vayu. In Buddhist Tantra, the fire element is associated with the heart center. Its symbol is a red triangle pointing upwards. Lama Govinda claims that this fire is not physical but psychic. It is the fire of religious devotion and inspiration. He goes on to say that the heart center is the seat of the intuitive mind and transmuted feelings (divine love and compassion), and that it is a primary focus in meditation because it is where the universal is realized in human experience.' The Primordial Buddha Aksobhya sits on the throne of the heart chakra. His Mirror-like Wisdom dispels the illusion of the separateness of things and reflects their innate Voidness. His negative passions are anger and aversion. For the Christian Mysteries it is the place of the sacrificial God. The center where the "Perfect Model" dissolves (the Sephirah of Tipheret in Kabbalah) completely in the Great Void of the seat of Being…

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (83 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

The Tree of Life in Kabbalah (Please note that you should look at this image from the point of view of the figure on the diagram in other words his right arm represents Wisdom and his left arm represents the Feminine Principle or Understanding)

As the heart center begins to unfold, it attracts a teacher who serves as the embodiment of this level of consciousness. This happens on both planes, the inner and outer physical planes of existence. In other words, it is the place from where the Perfect Model of a seeker makes an impact on his ordinary level of consciousness. It may also open his/her level of consciousness to conscious communication with the spiritual hierarchy of beings guiding the souls of this planet through intuition, vivid dreams, strange encounters and the like. Disciples may in turn act in the heart of a group working to guide terrestrial evolution.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (84 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Christian Kabbalah

Currently, the energies of the heart center are becoming more active as we collectively evolve beyond the stages of con-sciousness related to the lower, three centers. One problem in this transition, so prevalent in the New Age movement, is the attempt to live in the heart without dealing with the repressions and ego drives in the lower centers. If, for example, we are angry, arrogant, desperate, or emotionally insecure, love does not flow freely. A forced decision to be loving cannot be the same as a spontaneous outpouring of deeply felt love. Confusion also arises between romantic love and altruistic love. Romantic love is associated with the projection of the anima and animus and the desire for the perfect relationship. Romance is an ideal that can only unfold from within, a projection of an ideal complementary that can only unfold from within. Altruistic love, on the other hand, is an empathy and compassion that enables us to act in a deeply caring way. It is an unconditional acceptance of life and respect of others. There is a depth of understanding and wisdom in this love that only comes from a profound experience of life, which includes suffering. It is not a projection or a form of control, but a very sincere openness and surrender to what is. A seeker experience disappointments, but he/she will never be broken hearted if he/she remains open to his/her potential for being in this state of unconditional love. We might think that opening the heart center brings only peace and love. Aside from meeting with our own repressed grief and fear of being vulnerable, there are many obstacles that arise as the chakra of the heart unfolds. The heart center invokes intense forces from the soul and inner spiritual realms. The activities, or mere presence of a person with an enlivened heart center may either attract or create negative reactions in others, as the love vibration penetrates barriers and stimulate the love that has been buried beneath untold pain and suffering. In Esoteric Healing, Alice Bailey points out that the difficulties accompanying the opening of the heart center are some of the most problematic experienced on the spiritual path. These include reactions from others that range from wild devotion to extreme hatred, causing much confusion and turmoil for the seeker. However, with time, the seeker learns to ignore these reactions and withdraw personal attachments and expectations from this kind of love. With compassion and patience, he/she allows others to accept or reject the forces of unconditional love in the heart center. The process of unfolding the mystical Heart can be compared to a rose which starts off as a root beneath the darkness of the soil gradually emerging as a resplendent rose with its delicate scent, as with the seeker whose heart has unfolded and experienced the subtle perfume of unconditional love. ON SPIRITUAL PSYCHOLOGY - WHAT ARE SUBPERSONALITIES? One of the most harmful illusions that can beguile us is probably the belief that we are an indivisible, immutable, totally consistent being. And finding out that the contrary is true is among the first tasks and file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (85 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

possibly surprises that confront us in our research.

We can easily perceive our actual multiplicity by realizing how often we modify our general outlook, changing our model of the universe with the same facility with which we change dress. Thus, life may appear to us at any time as a routine, a dance, a race, an adventure, a nightmare, a riddle, a merry-go-round, etc. Our varying models of the universe color our perception and influ-ence our way of being. And for each of them we develop a corresponding self-image and a set of body postures and gestures, feelings, behaviors, words, habits, and beliefs. This entire constellation of elements constitutes in itself a kind of miniature personality, or, as we will call it, a subpersonality. Subpersonalities are psychological satellites, coexisting as a multi-tude of lives within the overall medium of our personality. Each subpersonality has a style and a motivation of its own, often strikingly dissimilar from those of the others. Says the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa, "In the very corner of my soul there is an altar to a different god." Each of us is a crowd. There can be the rebel and the intellectual, the seducer and the housewife, the saboteur and the aesthete, the organizer and the bon vivant, each with its own mythology, and all more or less com-fortably crowded into one single person. Often they are far from being at peace with one another. As Assagioli wrote, "We are not unified; we often feel that we are, because we do not have many bodies and many limbs, and because one hand doesn't usually hit the other. But, metaphorically, that is exactly what does happen within us. Several subpersonalities are continually scuffling: impulses, desires, principles, aspirations are engaged in an unceasing struggle." EXERCISE 1- Consider one of your prominent traits, attitudes, or motives in life. 2- With your eyes closed, become aware of this trait, attitude and motive. feel and focus on Its energy in you. Then let an image emerge representing it. It may be a woman, a man, an animal, an elf, an object, yourself in disguise, a monster, or anything else in the universe. Do not consciously try to find an image. Let it emerge spontaneously, as if you were watching a screen, not knowing what will shortly appear on it. 3 - As soon as the image has appeared, give it the chance to reveal itself to you without any interference or judging on your part. Let it change if it tends to do so spontaneously, and let it show you some of its other aspects if it wants to. Get in touch with the general feeling that emanates from it. 4 - Now, let this image talk and express itself. Give it space, so to speak, for doing so; in particular, find out about its needs. Talk with it (even if your image is an object, it can talk back to you; anything is possible in the imaginary world). You have in front of you a subpersonality , an entity with an energy, a life and intelligence of its own. 5 - Now, open your eyes, and record in a notebook everything that happened so far. (keep a special diary to discover more about the different subpersonalities file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (86 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

that cohabit and form your ego) Then give this sub-personality a name any name that fits and will help you to identify it in the future: the Complainer, the Artist, the Bitch, Santa Claus, the Skeptic, "Jaws," the Insecure One, the Octopus, the Clown, "I Told You So," the Judge, the Victim, the Rebel, the Mother, the Boss and so on. Finally, write about its traits, habits, and peculiarities. 6 - After you have identified and exhaustively described one sub personality you can go on to the others. But take your time and work on each one alone until you feel finished. The process requires merely picking a few more of your prominent traits, attitudes, or motives and going through steps 1 to 5 for each one. You can also discover other subpersonalities by taking stock of the various ways in which you look at life, by reviewing your behavior in various situations, and by considering your various styles of being you. Discovering our subpersonalities in these ways gives us a quick means to gain a relatively clear picture of our inner life. In turn, this clarity can enable us to be more at home with all those unknown inner guests having their own party or battle inside us. When we recognize a subpersonality, we are able to step outside it and observe it. In psychosynthesis we call this process "des-identification." Because we all have a tendency to identify with to become one with this or that sub-personality, we come implicitly to believe that we are it. Des-identification consists of our snapping out of this illusion and returning to our self to the real Presence within and its level of consciousness. It is often accompanied by a sense of insight and liberation. At certain other times subpersonality recognition is also accompa-nied by a healthy feeling of dismay or alarm, as, for instance, when a woman who had suddenly recognized her "Victim" subpersonality exclaimed: "If I stop complaining, what else can I do?" Still other people, after having recognized a subpersonality, especially a very deeply ingrained one, suddenly feel naked and defenseless, as if their armor had dissolved, which is exactly what .has happened. In all cases, however, no matter what the initial emotional response, there is more real awareness and, therefore, more freedom. But let's look at a concrete example. Andrew, a young doctor, is blocked by an inner rigidity, which interferes with his relationships and is otherwise a nuisance. A subpersonality is continuously judging and criticizing whatever he and others do or say. It's like having a nonstop internal moralist preaching all the time. When he deliberately evokes this quality and tries to let an image emerge, Andrew sees a respectable, old-fashioned priest, grim, stern, and dressed entirely in black. As soon as he can see the image clearly, he also discerns the outlines of the rigidity, which has been controlling him. While before he would feel this as a vague discomfort and merely endure it, now for the first time he is able to shake it off. We must remember that there are no good or bad subpersonalities. All subpersonalities are expressions of vital elements of our being, however, negative they may seem to us at first. After all, the "Saboteur" or "judge" may have a strong sense of humor, and the "Mystic" may at times only a boring moralist. The "Rebel" may come handy once in a while and even save a life. Sub-personalities become harmful only when they control us. One of the aims of our workshops is to prevent us from becoming dominated and consequently limited by them, and to aid us in identifying with and des-identifying from them at will. The ultimate aim in sub-personality work is to increase the sense of self or center of Being by deepening our awareness and acquaintance with our own subpersonalities, so that instead of disintegrating into a myriad of sub-selves at war with each other, we can again be one. From the center of Being, we can get into this subpersonality or another one, we can regulate them, correct them, care for them. The skill to be learned is file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (87 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

flexibility, so as not to be dominated by our subpersonalities, nor to suffocate their expression and ignore their needs. In other words, to have a sense of compassion, playful mastery. Working on each of our sub-personalities one by one is the first, essential step. Later we may become aware of the dynamic interplay between them and notice the ways in which our wholeness is violated and stopped. Although the possession of several sub-personalities makes us rich, their many different needs may also cause dispersion. Such an inner experience of dispersion is especially likely to occur during times of great outer changes and activity. Before we work with subpersonalities they seem to us to be fairly distinct universes, ignoring or misunderstanding each other. But as soon as awareness penetrates them, their communication tends to increase. AWARENESS not only liberates, it also integrates. Often sub-personalities are degradations or distortions of universal qualities existing in the higher levels of the psyche. For example, the hyperactive subpersonality can be seen as a distortion of the archetype of energy. The compulsive seducer is a distant relative of love in its higher aspect. The obstinate subpersonality may be seen as a distortion of will, and so on. Hence, we could say that subpersonalities are like exiled gods and goddesses - caricatures and degraded specimens of the original, luminous archetypes. But there is a difference: while there seems to be little hope for the exiled gods, subpersonalities are clearly susceptible to transformation. Instead of degraded archetypes, they can be regarded as psychological contents striving to emulate an archetype, as a gross version of what is to appear later in a much more refined form. If we keep this dynamic conception in mind, subpersonalities won't look to us like a bunch of nonsensical patterns anymore. On the contrary, they will reveal to us the hidden potential they carry. However far a subpersonality may be from its origin, it may well come to serve us as a means for reconnecting ourselves with it. ABOUT EGO AND SOUL PERSONALITIES

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (88 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Painting by Alex Gray - http://www.alexgrey.com

The more we get involved in the process of discovering who we really are, the more we begin to observe our own mental and emotional patterns, the more we accept who we are and begin working on our inner process, and as a result of this understanding we come to accept and respect the role and power of the ego as a projection of our Soul Personality... Therefore, as a consequence of this knowledge and self acceptance we become compassionate and loving persons, unfolding our inborn qualities and potentials. Some people think that to be a mystic and attune to the Soul Personality is enough to awaken higher levels of Consciousness, and therefore they think that there is no need to discover the hidden patterns that develop in our ego. While this perspective fits with some religious and exoteric Spirit-based spirituality, it is totally inadequate for the new approach to pure Mystical Traditions in which Spiritual Alchemy and Psychology are the basis to ”Know Oneself”. Therefore it is recommended that seekers from all traditions begin their journey and quest with the exploration of the “world within”... What we should know first of all is that the Soul Personality reflects Its Divine qualities in the ego and It also uses the ego as a personality to express these divine qualities. Therefore, it is important to understand how the ego functions... and what it does... developing subpersonalities which are mental and emotional patterns. By knowing how these patterns develop we become co-workers with the ego and begin the purification process that will help us get rid and transform some of the old patterns that are blocking the flow of our pure intuition and imagination....These two are important alchemical and spiritual tools of transformation... So we could ask ourselves the question what do we mean by ego personality? As we explained it simply means discovering our inner subpersonalities which are developed by our self protective instincts and the power of our imagination; together they form patterns and are colored by our emotional patterns... together these subpersonalities begin creating "little stories" on everything... on oneself and others... and these "little stories" which are fuelled by the power of our thoughts and emotions crystallize into these patterns and form what we call our ego personality... Thus, some of these patterns which are subpersonalities block and distort the flow of impulses coming from the Soul. How and why do they obstruct or distort the spiritual impulses? To answer these two questions, simply, we must again insist on the need to go within and discover who we really are... ask ourselves questions on what are our spiritual needs? Why do we need to bring changes in some of our old patterns? When we experience the fact that old patterns can obstruct or distort the flowing of the pure Energy of the Soul.... then we understand that we must begin to WORK on ourselves and learn to meditate, keep a private diary... give importance to our dreams, observe our own reactions to ordinary circumstances and situations in the world in which we live... in other words follow a mystical discipline, but this program has to be appropriate to our needs. Without this knowledge and self discipline, inspiration and intuition are badly expressed and cannot help us grow spiritually. To be a mystic or a balanced and harmonious person one has to be able to express Wisdom coming from the heart... if not, what he communicates and tries to share becomes shallow and superficial.... Thus, to learn about who file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (89 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

we really are... means to ask ourselves the question "Who Am I?" this is the foundation for understanding who we are, and gives meaning to what we do in life, it explains why we do things the way we do them, and most important, it shows us how and why we have to change old crystallized patterns that block the flow of our divine energy and therefore cut short our spiritual growth. As we have just mentioned, it is not possible to resolve our problems or issues in life unless we search within and begin to unfold our inner process. To repeat what we already said many times, the inner process unfolds when we begin to analyze and discover the patterns of our ego personality and Soul Personality. The more we know ourselves at these levels, the less we will be controlled by our old habits and patterns and be even less brainwashed into accepting other people's ideas... without measuring them with our own truth.... some can resonate with our own truth but others may not... We are free to choose... when we feel free... and open. Moreover, we have to clarify one point and that is that we wrongly attribute our own mental and emotional patterns to what we call: “our lower nature” – I insist that it is wrong to call our ego personality our “lower nature” because Nature is One...it is the Nature of BEINGNESS...the same in every sentient being... and part of the one and only Great universal STORY of Creation... When we understand this to be truth and we accept that there is only ONE UNIVERSAL STORY, THEN WE ALSO ACCEPT THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE NATURE, and that this NATURE IS DIVINE... then our own spiritual and divine impulses which remained unconscious and inactive in our subconscious unfold their powers and qualities in our psyche in such a beautiful way that the ego feels inspired to express and unfold their qualities in life... and as a result of this transformation we are less prone to project aspects of our own unconscious patterns onto others, which means that we stop creating and imagining "little stories" about ourselves and others... Thus, Self-knowledge is the basis of all knowledge and the foundation for being able to be of true value to others. We must realize that all questions that we ask about the mystery of Being arise from this one fundamental question: Who Am I? When we begin in earnest to work on ourselves, then gradually the mystery of "Who Am I?" unfolds its mystery.... and we begin the questioning by not knowing how to answer it... but gradually, by repeating the same question, a time comes when Consciousness begins slowly to reveal its own secrets... which is that the secret is not an object... it is not a thing to be discovered... the answer to this most mysterious question is that CONSCIOUSNESS ITSELF IS THE ANSWER AND THE MYSTERY- the seeker who asks the question is also the one who has the answer within... which is revealed only when CONSCIOUSNESS REACHES COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS.... But between this enlightening realization, the answers are diverse and change with our own experience and different levels of Consciousness... and from self consciousness, we gradually evolve and mature into Cosmic Consciousness. Find out more about Subpersonalities: REINCARNATION AND THE PSYCHE

The Psyche is that part in man that unfolds his unique individuality and allows him to develop his particular characteristics. In turn, these characteristics helps, in their turn make him observe the world in a personal and distinctive way. From one incarnation to the next, the way man observes and understands his world changes and grows, along new experiences, his individual distinctive personality and characteristics change too. Moreover, these changes affect his level of consciousness, unfolding within him unsuspected or unknown qualities. These new discoveries allow him to continue enrich his individuality. When does logic file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (90 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

dictate that one develops and unfolds different characteristics and creative attributes only to loose them at the end of one’s life when death reclaims the ego and body of man? Thinking that the end of our life is the end of our existence goes against what nature teaches us… Nature demonstrates that everything created is destroyed so as to be recreated. This follows the laws of change and the cycles of transformation that are necessary for the evolution of all the species. So, why should we be governed by a different law? After death, were we to loose all our increased wisdom and with it the corresponding levels of consciousness, this would go against the law of nature itself. If on the other hand we observe carefully our own nature and see how many cycles of transformation we have undergone – of deaths and rebirths and of new patterns and ideas, we understand the complexity and richness of our own existence…the diverse and unique ways of unfolding our individuality. Who we are, and what we are today has been based on the same law of death and creation… We are born with implanted and engrained ideas, desires and thought-forms… these are particular to each one of us…If, as I am convinced, the law of reincarnation exists, I would like to give you my way of experiencing this law. As an ego personality… I will at the end of this life be “destroyed” – and that is the end of it…Here you will say, death exists… since I am claiming that I will not remember to have been “Alice” in my next life and therefore I will disappear into oblivion… Yes in this case, if we think that the ego is the only thing that exists in life, then yes, after death it will not survive and death will bring an end to the whole saga. However, I know for myself that this is not so. There is a misunderstanding of what reincarnation is… The ego does disappear…but it goes back to the source, which is the Soul. The ego is a reflection of the Soul… and in each incarnation this reflection takes a new feature… a feature that corresponds to whatever the Soul needs to unfold in this new incarnation… In each new reflection of the Soul, an ego will unfold and develop gradually what it had done in the past. By this process there is a continual and changing cycle of destruction or death to create a new life and continue where one has left off… Evolution for man means an AWAKENING process. So how do we rekindle our past developed characteristics, attributes and qualities? Where do they gather since the ego of a new born is “virgin”, how can it rediscover the inborn qualities? The answer is simple – each child is different from another… each child grows to become an adult and while growing he/she experiences inner impulses, gifts, likes and dislikes, temperaments, intellectual characteristics that make each person unique. The environment in which we are born plays a part, so does the physical genes of our parents and the schooling we have received. However, there is a subtle difference between the spiritual and psychic development that has no bearing to our environment or academic background. The answer is simply this, the more one awakes the more one realizes that the ego is just an aspect of the Soul… and by opening to its resonance one begins to find the thread that links one from incarnation to another.

However, we could ask why do we need to remember the past? The answer is that we do not need to do that at all! The important part of all this essay is to make you realize that as an “ego” you will not survive, because the ego is just a convenient and necessary TOOL that gathers and stores useful experiences this time around and continues to keep the torch of Life and renewal process ALIVE. We may ask the question where do we find the “thread” that links our incarnations on our journey? The thread is the psyche… It is the reservoir of our past achievements, “failures” qualities and faults… everything is in there… But as the ego is just a reflection of an aspect of the Soul, it cannot choose what it needs to unfold and develop in any given incarnation. That task comes under the responsibility of the Soul. This is what karma means… The possibilities that are available to the psyche and the ways it will present them to the ego. The gathering “place” in the psyche is not physical, but an intangible part of the memory of the Soul. In other words, nothing is lost, all developed qualities and characteristics gather in the Soul’s memory. The Soul uses its own memory to unfold Divine Wisdom and Knowledge. What does this mean? It means that from file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (91 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

incarnation to incarnation the learned experiences and developed qualities in an individual Soul continue to develop manifesting and unfolding more of its divine qualities and creative attributes. Hence, we can see that karmic law fulfils the necessary experiences to allow the manifestation of divine qualities in one’s life. Moreover, if one accepts the law of reincarnation, then one understands that the Soul’s memory as part of the Soul remains hidden from consciousness and the ego could never be able to explore it, unless the Soul wishes and allows it.

The Psyche is the mirror of the Soul and could be compared to a dual aspect mirror reflecting all kinds of impulses coming from the Soul and the ego at the same time. This inner process allows consciousness to receive and understand the psychic and spiritual impulses that come from within, thus influencing our everyday experiences. However, there is another aspect of the Psyche that we have not explored yet. I feel that the time has come to impart these few ideas to help you reflect on the importance of the psyche, which should not be confused with the Soul. First of all, ask yourself this question… Why is it, that as human beings, we have to develop a psyche? What does it mean and what is its use? Most people do not give any importance to the psyche, preferring to accept the fact that they have developed their own personal ways of dealing with problems and solving them. They acknowledge however, the fact that they have personal likes and dislikes, phobias and things, that they love or hate, goals and ideals. However, very few people, stop to ask themselves the question? Why is it that my interests in life, my goals and ideals are different from those of the rest of my family, from the circle of my friends? Why am I the way I am, in certain ways unlike any other person that I am acquainted with. Why am I pushed to unveil the meaning of my life, when my sister and brother with whom I have received the same attention are not? What is it that pushes me to inquire, search, explore, my inner self? Physically, my physical traits could resemble those of my parents, I might pick up some external characteristics due to education and environment, but why is it that I have an urge and a dream that is unique and belongs just to myself? If reincarnation was not a logical explanation, if consciousness and the Soul essence and Personality did not continue from incarnation to incarnation, then, what is the reason of developing such complex beings? Why are we so different and unique? We should all have been like robots, having no subtle spiritual depth, acting and reacting mechanically…Why do we develop such an array of different tastes, moods and creativity? Why is there such a difference in the intelligence, imagination and feelings of people? How can we accept the fact that one person is born a genius and another a poor idiot? Some people might simply say that it is due to an accident of circumstance, or of parental genes and DNA, of the environment, of culture and education, etc… I personally find this to be a simplistic answer to this crucial question. Other than that, let us imagine for a moment that the laws of nature are simple, but the result of their creations very intricate.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (92 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

We shall gradually come to understand and appreciate these reasons. I have written a lot about consciousness, and science tells us that every animate thing in nature has some kind of consciousness. We are told that mother earth is alive and changing and therefore everything that grows and manifests on her, lives and vibrates to various degrees of consciousness. Everything changes and transforms through consciousness. From rocks to plants and from insects to animals, from animals to humans and from humans to enlightened beings, everything belongs to a level of consciousness which “awakens” gradually by passing from the same law of cycles of destruction and creation. The Psyche gives us a clue… I have compared the Psyche to a mirror. A mirror reflects and creates a DOUBLE…For example, when you look at yourself in the mirror, you will see your own PROJECTION…You will be able to see yourself physically when you see your own reflection in the mirror…Likewise, you know that you exist when you compare yourself to others… when you make a separation between the world and you… This simply proves that to be able to recognize your own existence, you must live in a world of DUALITY… and thereby experience your own DUALITY… What is the result of this realization? What happens when you become conscious of your own image and reflection in the mirror? You instantly have a REACTION. You react and a flood of emotions and thoughts rush into your consciousness. What happens next, is that MEMORY opens the gate of the subconscious and feelings and thoughts that are related to that experience make their appearance in your psyche and affect the way you interpret and understand your own reflection. Hence what you see in front of you in the mirror is based on your past experiences…the experiences that are gathered in your Psyche. So the question arises, can you separate yourself from your Psyche and look at the image reflected in the mirror without being affected by it? The answer is simply “No you can’t” because all experiences in life are lived in the world of duality, a world that functions and works through the projections of each individual Psyche. The reservoir and mirror in which the Soul projects parts of its own memory… transferring the need to develop whatever needs to be continued. However, when in the mirror of the psyche CONSCIOUSNESS reflects only pure CONSCIOUSNESS, then the world of duality is transcended… and Being awakes through CONSCIOUSNESS REINCARNATION AND THE SOUL

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (93 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

Painting by Daniel B. Holman

When the embryo of your physical body was forming within your mother's womb, and you were hovering near waiting to incarnate within the new "tomb" of flesh, you brought down with you from the causal plane a "cloud of glory" which was attached to you and as much a part of you as the embryo which was to become your physical vehicle. This auric cloud did not enter the physical form at your birth, but only attached itself to your psychic centers (chakras) and remained as the vehicle of the Soul (Permanent Witness) above your head. This auric cloud is the focal center of the real You. The "home" from where your intuition and superconscious mind unfold...This auric cloud is a "magnetic field" in which your Soul (Permanent Witness), the all-wise, the god you will become resides. It is the "place" from where your "Perfect Model" appears... and from where Primordial Wisdom unfolds its mysteries. The question is often asked: Is the Permanent Witness or Soul an all-wise Being separate and apart from your self consciousness and ego self? Or is it simply a level of consciousness manifesting on a higher plane of your inner life such as a sixth and seventh sense? (To know more about the sixth and seventh senses click: the sixth and seventh senses of man ) The answer is that it is both. It is a great BEING of which you are a part and a small "being" of which you are also a conscious self...just a fragment of that infinite YOU. This limited fragment of who you are operates on your waking conscious level as your everyday personality, aware somewhat of the subconscious mind and its mysteries, and only vaguely aware, if at all, of the operation of the higher aspects of your Real Being (the superconscious levels of the Permanent and Spiritual Witnesses)... the pure Being which is the real YOU expresses on four levels of consciousness: the waking conscious - the subconscious - the superconscious - and the WISDOM MIND. Your Spirit Self (Spiritual Witness) is often called the Parental Spirit in that you are its child. It exists in states of consciousness on the Causal Plane that cannot be known or attained by anyone except initiates and invisible Masters. The Spiritual Witness (the Monad) exists beyond time and space in an impenetrable dimension of its own... (For more explanations on these two spiritual aspects of man look at : "Mystery of Man" parts: 1 - 2 - 3 4 -)

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (94 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

The Spiritual Witness is your Immortal Spirit, it is immortal since it does never incarnate or take "form", that is why it remains "uncreated and "unmanifested". On the other hand, the Permanent Witness, or your Soul is only now becoming immortal through its many and various incarnations in the field of matter. As a substance and an essence the Permanent Witness is immortal, yes, in the sense that it does not die... However, the "role" and goal of the Permanent Witness is to awake Cosmic Consciousness in the ordinary level of consciousness of man and reach the Cosmic level of its Spiritual Witness - the level of the Perfect Model. Therefore, we could say that the Spiritual Witness is the truly immortal part of who you are... it is the subtle Presence of Being within...the part that you call your Existence... the Being within you that cannot reflect because it simply "IS" and "EXISTS"... and remains fully conscious always, whether in incarnation or out of it; whether you are asleep or awake. The purpose and the object of the Soul or Permanent Witness is to perpetually evolve and awake consciousness through the creation of your various personalities. It is through the experiences of these various personalities that the Soul ultimately completes its cycle of evolution, at the end of which it may return to the exalted level of its Spiritual Witness (or Monad) and unite with it. That is when "you", uniting with the Divine Spark of your Perfect Model become divine...In hermetic and mystical writings this divine accomplishment is called "Union with the Beloved" and "Alchemical and Mystical Wedding". To print: REINCARNATION AND SOUL COPYRIGHTS

THE DIFFERENT BODIES OF MAN

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (95 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

The same level of experience found in the universe as a whole can be found within the human Soul as well. The same levels of "Being-ness", the same divine Hierarchies found in the "immaterial" etheric, astral and higher planes of the universe as a whole can be found within the human Soul as well. This realization of being a "MIRROR" of the Macrocosm is central to unfold the mystical process. This whole process circles around the magnetic axial pole of pure Being. The principle of macrocosm and microcosm, which represents this mirroring of levels is the foundation of all the spiritual and metaphysical traditions. From the formation of stars, to the collapses of galaxies, from our humble meditation practices, to world affairs... Everything in the universe affects and resonates with everything else. In the same manner, our own spiritual practice and level of consciousness affect and resonate in all the Planes of existence in the universe... This is also a reminder that, however strange the universe may seem to us, we and it share one nature and one life. The individual human being, then, is understood in mystical terms as a reflection of the whole universe, and the same levels we have traced in the universe as a whole can be traced in the Soul as well. This is another way of repeating what we have previously said, that our own level of consciousness projects outwardly the way we "see" and understand reality. The universe and the spiritual Hierarchy are mirrored in us through many subtle bodies. We have, the biological or physical body - the etheric body, which is made of ether or life-energy - the astral body, which is the body of concrete consciousness shaped by the psyche (thoughts, feelings) - the mental body, which is the body of abstract consciousness perceived by pure awareness, which opens on realms of experience not bounded by space and time; and the spiritual or causal body named also the Light body, which is the root of consciousness and the inner-most essence of the Soul. As with the levels of the macrocosm, each body can be seen as governing the body "below" it — that is, denser or more material than itself; thus, for example, the astral body is shaped and directed by the mental body, and in turn shapes and directs the etheric body.

Each of these parts of the Soul has its own nature and functions, and its own role in the awakening process. The physical body, for its part, is the body known to medical and biological science. It serves as the material foundation and instrument of the other parts of the Soul, enabling the Soul to perceive and act in the realm of material experience. Traditional lore assigns each of its parts to one or another part of spiritual symbolism; thus, for instance, each of the five fingers is assigned to one of the five elements. The etheric body is usually divided, for clarity, into two parts. The first of these is the etheric double; this closely resembles the ordinary body of matter, extending out perhaps an inch beyond the surface of the skin, and provides the framework of subtle formative energies on which the material body is built. It contains a series of channels (the meridians of Oriental medicine) and energy centers, which have an important role in mystical work. The second part of the etheric body is called the aura or, in another context, the Sphere of Sensation. This is a roughly egg-shaped field of energies surrounding the etheric double, extending out several feet from the physical body. It serves as the interface between the etheric body of the individual and that file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (96 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

of the cosmos, and all the forces of the universe are reflected on its surface. The astral body cannot be so easily mapped out in this kind of spatial language. A body of consciousness, it comes closer to the modem idea of "mind" than to that of "body," although neither of these too-rigid categories fits well anywhere in the mystical view of the Soul. The astral body can be thought of as a field of energy occupying roughly the same space as the aura, but constantly shaped and reshaped by patterns of thought and feeling. All images, words, and sensations affect this body, and are affected by it in turn; it interacts freely with the astral level of the cosmos, and with the astral bodies of other human and non-human beings. It contains most of those parts of the self we normally think of as "mental" or "inner"— intellect, emotion, imagination, will, and memory, the instruments of concrete consciousness — and it is also the basis for the individual personality.

The mental body can be thought of as the essential pattern of the Soul. It can be described as a subtle "body" only in a highly metaphorical sense, and cannot be located in a spatial sense at all. This body is the instrument of abstract consciousness — that is, thought that does not involve forms and images of the sort we perceive with our senses — and thus makes it possible to perceive the core ideas or structures of experience, which exist outside of space and time. The Spiritual body, or Causal body finally, is the root of the Soul, the essence or "divine spark" around which all the other layers of the Soul are built up; it represents the point of contact between the human microcosm and that unity of Being that, in theological terms, we may as well call the unknown God. It can best be imagined as pure Being, without any other definition or quality. In practicing mysticism, each of these levels of the Soul comes into play in one way or another in one's life, and specific aspects of these levels provide the principal tools by which the powers of the macrocosm are directed through the Soul (Permanent Witness) and resonate in the subtle bodies of man. A seeker's "role" is to become a pure vehicle, open to receive these high impulses and magnetically resonate with them. These impulses manifest in the bodies certain spiritual qualities, which are inner states of realization. In order to make sense of this very abstract material, it is necessary to get a clearer sense of the mystical and magical understanding of what is meant by the hidden potential qualities of the Soul. These qualities are inner states of consciousness that the Soul unveils gradually to the consciousness of a seeker. These inner states appear during dreaming, meditation, or at any appropriate moment in a seeker's life. They make a "rupture" in time - opening a gap to allow a higher level of resonance to impregnate the astral and etheric bodies of the seeker. Each one of these Soul potential qualities vibrates and resonates in all the various subtle bodies of man. The result of this resonance within all the subtle bodies reveals something too complex and beautiful to explain... One has to experience them to understand what happens...It is linked to the intangible Presence of "I"... As we consider the different bodies and levels of the Soul and understand that their awakening process depends on our need to purify the psyche (etheric and astral bodies) then, the spiritual purification and transformation process unfold and we increasingly come closer to manifest whatever is engrained and inherent in our spiritual “blueprint” – the karmic plan which the Soul (Permanent Witness) has prepared for a given incarnation. The quest of how to unfold the inner process is given to you on this website - It is explained through my personal experiences... My only wish is to help you find your own way... as each seeker is a path to himself...The only most important thing to understand is that we all resonate to different rates of vibrations... What we must learn to do is to resonate with the pure part of our psyche - the part that is open to the impulses coming from the Soul, so that the resonance of the Higher impulses are felt and manifested in the lower astral, etheric and physical bodies as well. These divine operations are karmic "gifts" that are given to awake our subtle bodies and receive sublime initiations. file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (97 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

To print: WHAT ARE THE SUBTLE BODIES OF MAN? That which is Above, is as that which is Below That which is Below, is as that which is Above to perform the miracle of the One

BEING

WHO AND WHAT IS THE DAEMON/DA•MON? Part I

Painting by Odilon Redon

The most important injunction on the spiritual path of the ancient Mysteries was ascribed over the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi: Gnothi Seauton— "Know Thy Self." The initiates of the ancient Mysteries were after Gnosis, which meant the knowledge of self knowledge, the knowledge of the “Who Am I?”. They used to say: “Whoever has not known himself has known nothing, but he who has known himself has at the same time already achieved Gnosis about the depth of all things. In an early Christian Gnostic book entitled the Testimony of Truth, Jesus advises a disciple to become "a disciple of his own higher file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (98 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

mind," and continues to say that one’s higher mind is "the father of Truth." Elsewhere, The Gnostic sage Silvanus encourages his disciples in this way: “Knock on yourself as upon a door and walk upon yourself as on a straight road. For, if you walk on the road, it is impossible for you to go astray. Open the door for yourself so that you may know what is.”

The Daemon and the Eidolon

But what is the Self? The ancient sages taught that every human being has a mortal lower self, called the eidolon and an immortal Higher Self (Soul) called the DAEMON. The eidolon is the embodied self, the physical body, and ego personality. The Daemon is the Spirit, the true Self, which is each person's spiritual connection to God. The Mysteries were designed to help initiates realize that one’s eidolon is a false self and that one’s true identity is the immortal Daemon. From the eidolon's point of view the Daemon appears to be an independent Guardian Angel. Disciples and seekers who still identify with the eidolon, therefore, do not experience the Daemon as their own true Self, but as a spirit guide, whose job it is to lead them to their spiritual destination – hence it is a separate entity that entices them to advance and awake to their true essence. Plato teaches: "We should think of the most authoritative part of the Soul as a Guardian given by God which lifts us to our heavenly home." The Gnostic sages of the past taught exactly the same Mystery doctrine. Valentinus, a gnostic sage who lived in Alexandria explains that a person receives Gnosis from their Guardian Angel, or Daemon but that this angelic being is actually the seeker's own Higher Self or Soul. In ancient Egypt the Daemon had for millennia been pictured as a Heavenly Twin of the eidolon. This image is also found in Gnosticism. The Gnostic sage Mani was said to have been conscious of having a protecting angel from the age of four and, at aged 12, to have realized it was his Heavenly Twin, whom he called the "most beautiful and largest mirror image of my own person. " In the gnostic version of The Acts of John, John observes that Jesus sometimes held conversations with a Heavenly Twin who descended to join him: He says: “When all of us, his disciples, were sleeping in one house at Gennesaret, I alone, having wrapped myself up, watched from under my garment what he did; and first I heard him say, "John, go thou to sleep," and thereupon I pretended to be asleep; and I saw another like unto him come down, whom I also heard saying to my Lord, "Jesus, do the ones that you have chosen still not believe in you?" And my Lord said, " You say well, for they are men." As a comment, we could faintly enter into the mystery of the two complementary aspects of our pure Being, and understand the real meaning of the mystery of Jesus Christ …in other words what the Acts of John is hinting…which is the TWIN aspects of the One and unique Essence of Being. Hence the One Essence projects a part of Itself into the world of duality and seems to become two - A part incarnating as the consciousness of divinity in human beings – this means that the initiate becomes a pure reflection and mirror “Jesus” in which the part of himself that never incarnates appears…that is the Presence of the Christ Consciousness… a level of consciousness that goes beyond the world of creation and duality. The Pistis Sophia relates a charming myth of the child Jesus meeting his own Heavenly Twin for the first time. His mother Mary recalls: “When you were a child, before the Spirit had descended upon you, when you were in the vineyard with Joseph, the Spirit came down from the height, and came unto me in the file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (99 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

←

house, like unto thee, and I knew Him not, but thought that he was you. And he said unto me, "Where is Jesus, my brother, that I may go to meet him?" Mary relates to Jesus that when his Twin finally found him, "He embraced you and kissed you, and you also did kiss him and you became one and the same being." The goal of Gnostic initiation was, likewise, to bring the lower self into union with the Higher Self or Soul, for it is when they are made one that enlighten-ment occurs. Irenaeus relates that the Gnostic "believes himself to be nei-ther in heaven nor on earth, but to have embraced his Guardian Angel." The great Gnostic master Valentinus writes: When the human self and the divine "I" are interconnected they can achieve perfection and eternity.

THE UNIVERSAL DAÏMON 'The quest for Self-knowledge leads the ancient or Gnostic initiate on a remarkable journey of discovery. At first initiates experience themselves as the eidolon, the embodied personality, and see the Daïmon as a Guardian Angel or Heavenly Twin. The more mature initiate, experiences the Daemon as a higher manifestation of their own Higher Self or Soul. To those blessed with the final vision of complete Self-knowledge or Gnosis, the Daïmon is found to be more awesome still. It truly is the "divine I,” the Essence that has no appearance and yet takes all kinds of appearances in the world of creation. Valentinus puts it like this: “Although it appears as if each person has their own Daïmon or Higher Self, the enlightened initiate discovers that actually on the axial Pole of Being there is one Daïmon shared by all, a universal Self, which inhabits every being. Each Soul is a part of the one Soul of God. To know oneself therefore is to know God. These mystical teachings are found both in the ancient Mysteries of Egypt, Greece and in the early Gnostic Christianity. In the ancient Mysteries the initiates used to say: "I am Thou, and Thou art I" and it can also be found in the Gnostic text of the Pistis Sophia and in the New Testament in Gospel of John, we read: " I in Thou, and Thou in me." (I in you and you in me.) The Pagan sage Sextus writes: "If you would know Him by whom you were made, you would know yourself." Similarly, the Christian philosopher Clement writes: "It is the greatest of all disciplines to know oneself; for when a man knows himself, he knows God." Clement taught his Christian initiates to "practice being God" and that the true Gnostic had "already met God. Gnostic means "Knower," but it is not some piece of spiritual information that Gnostic initiates know. They “know” because it is their Higher Self that Knows… Hence they are conscious that they are not the ones who know, the ones who experience, it is the Soul, the Higher Self within, the divine "I," the Daemon who KNOWS! The Daïmon communes on the Axial Pole of Being – the Pole of pure Consciousness. The true Gnostic, like the enlightened initiate of the ancient Mysteries, discovers that the Daemon is actually the one Soul of the Universe — the pure level of Consciousness that inhabits each one of us. According to the ancient Gnostic sages who have traversed the path of Self-knowledge and reached enlightenment, when, we finally discover who we are, we discover that there is only one Perfect Being, one God.

file:///C|/HERMETIC.htm (100 of 100)24/01/2009 18:16:43

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement by Raymond Bernard - Part I • Who is Raymond Bernard? • Introduction • Visualization • Method • Cosmic Contacts

How to contact Cosmic Masters and Attune to Sacred Egregores An Introduction Raymond Bernard is one of the leading esoteric philosophers and mystics of our time. Now completely retired, he was formerly an international leader of a Rosicrucian organization and a founder of sacred initiatory and traditional school of mysticism for French-speaking countries. As an Elder Brother and mystic, Raymond has traveled extensively all over the world, to initiate and encourage seekers from every kind of background and denomination to find their own personal way of expressing the divine goodness in human nature. His books have been translated in many different languages. In my autobiography, I describe him as "an Invisible Master" whom I refer to as 'John'. John is actually a pseudonym that I gave to Raymond Bernard to protect his identity from curious intruders. However, I am now allowed to use his real name. According to the Tradition, there are invisible masters who appear when the seeker is ready, attuned and in resonance with the master. An invisible master is an enlightened person who gradually reveals himself to seekers. To the outside world, of course, Raymond is simply the charming and good human being that he in fact is. file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (1 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

I am grateful to Raymond for urging and encouraging me to write this book based on my personal experiences and sacred knowledge that I have been receiving from the inner planes, a process in which Raymond has also played a role. TOP Visualization an Introduction Before reading the messages which I transmit to you in these pages, an important point must be made. As you will see, for myself, I give the appearance of a cathedral to the Celestial Sanctum. You, yourselves, may adopt this visualized form or may well choose another. Only the visualization is important, and I shall remind you of this as often as necessary. I must remind you also that the circumstances related in this work are essentially symbolic. They are the condition and the result of the visualization I have adopted, but the messages retain their importance nevertheless. They are the results of my own Cosmic contacts, that is, the expression of the light which I have received at the level of the Celestial Sanctum. The "Masters" to whom I refer designate the inner state attained at the moment of a particular contact. If the realized contact concerns a practical question, this inner state will be called "the Master of Experiments". If the purpose of the contact is a question dealing with the law of Universal Love, it is called "the Benevolent Master", and so on. Careful reading of the the way to commune with the center of pure Being, our own spiritual center has been entitled "Visualization, and Cosmic Attunement". This message will permit you to understand the form taken by this work, so that you can learn to reach the Celestial Sanctum easily, and to profit from its rays of Cosmic Light. Your contact will vary in degree depending on the motive which determines it, and this motive is up to you, yourself. Thus your inner state will be more or less intense, more or less elevated, depending on the nature of the motive which you have chosen, or the question which has led you to contact the Celestial Sanctum. The intuition which you will experience, the Light which you will receive, the help which you will obtain, you will be able to personalize for yourselves, attributing its origin to a Master, giving it form, as it were, within the framework of all-powerful visualization. Actually the greatest satisfaction that you will obtain in your contacts, the comprehension which you will gain, originate solely from Cosmic omniscience in all its impersonality. To attune with this supreme wisdom and draw from this communion incomparable fragments of Light, or assistance, there is no more efficient means than the method of visualization explained at length in this message. It is by impregnating yourselves intensively by a careful reading of it that you will be able to receive satisfaction from the Cosmic for the valid questions that you will wish to have clarified, and for all your needs and legitimate desires.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (2 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

After you have finished reading, it rests with you to put into practice what will have become an integral part of your being, because each time that you feel the need for it, you will know how to re-enter into yourselves to attain the Celestial Sanctum, (or your chosen sacred place) the only state, the only focal point, the only place where man may find the definitive and true solutions to his problems and the best answers to his questions. Raymond Bernard

Visualization Visualization is a fundamental element in the search for contact with the Higher Planes of Consciousness. It is an important tool that helps seekers to enter and commune with their sacred center of Being. I have given a symbolic name to this visualization and called it the "Celestial Sanctum". In mystical life in general, one forgets too often that reasoning and speech are the faculties which man enjoys to express himself on the physical plane only, and to communicate with others on the same plane. One does not communicate with other planes and with the Inner Self in this manner. The only means to do this, the only faculty given to man to achieve this, is visualization. That is why, in every initiatory technique, mystical and even religious, words and gestures, speech and movement, sound and ritual, have no other purpose than to facilitate (in truth, to create) an inner visualization whereby attunement will be established. Chants, prayers, hymns, incantations, processions, statues, and images, and the different forms adopted in all countries have no other aim. Also, visualization is of prime importance in all spiritual life, whatever its form, and the most humble of the faithful visualize without knowing it. The initiate and the adept, for their part, learn to visualize methodically in order to reach masterfully the realm of knowledge and to file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (3 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

pass successfully the various stages in their evolution. To visualize means "to see inwardly", and it is evident that none may arrive at this point without having first developed the faculty of objective observation. There are many who look "without seeing". They go about like robots, completely withdrawn, without observing their surroundings. That is why, when they want to construct a mental "image" they encounter insurmountable difficulties. Observation is voluntary. It is necessary, in the beginning at least, to want to observe and, with this objective, to want to draw the attention from the inside toward the outside. It is necessary to look around oneself consciously, to examine faces, people, and things, with the same intensity as a photographer or a painter concentrating on every detail. In the beginning, it is a difficult undertaking, but perseverance results in automatic reaction, so that consequently, there is established an observation more and more rapid, a memory more and more faithful, and a greater ease in effective visualization. TOP

Painting by David B Holeman

The Method In visualization, the results of observation are linked with imagination. In the image to be constructed, the foundations are built by observation. In my own case, I am in the habit of visualizing a Celestial Sanctum, a place of worship, which has the appearance of a cathedral. I could just as well choose a mosque, a synagogue, a temple, or some other place, even secular, but a cathedral inspires me more, and that is why I have chosen it as the foundation of my personal visualization. Certainly I have seen more than one cathedral, and in each one "something" has greatly inspired me. Observation file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (4 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

gives fundamental knowledge of the subject. The determining role of the imagination will be to improve the effectiveness of the mental picture by adding whatever may arouse inner emotion and spiritual exaltation. In my own case, this is achieved by combining in the imaginary cathedral all those "things" which have inspired me in the different cathedrals, which I have visited, down to the last detail. First of all I must "see" the cathedral in its entirety, as if I were flying over it; next, I examine the special exterior features, and finally I approach the central doorway and go inside, continuing to use the same care in visualization and adding to it, if possible, the impression of the fragrance of incense and whatever other particular elements I wish. The necessary rule is, then, to "live" the visualization, to become part of it as if it were our own actual conscious experience. This participation is comparable to the state produced in watching a movie, which greatly interests us. At that time, we actually "integrate" with the plot and the setting. We are entirely part of the film, and this is exactly the effect, which must be produced in visualization. Visualization, naturally, has an end, and is succeeded by the passive phase of experience, the most important part. Visualization is the means of attaining a determined state. Once having attained that state, the means ought to be forgotten. The mental creation is achieved, and the time to derive benefit from it has arrived. It is time, therefore, to stop the work of building up, and to give way to the passive state, with its own pictures, thoughts, emotions, and impressions. When has that time come? It is impossible to state, exactly. One can say that, in a way, the transference works by itself-the active phase is transformed slowly into a state of receptivity, and one knows that visualization is ended and that attunement is taking place. Two questions are often asked: How long does this communion last? And what impressions are drawn from it? The answer to the first question is simple. This question is actually an error in itself. In the flowing life of the objective consciousness, everything is evaluated with the idea of time. But in the State of Cosmic Attunement, time does not exist. It is only after the experience, having returned to the state of ordinary consciousness that one notices that the experience, in its phase of receptivity, has lasted a second, a minute, or a quarter of an hour. One will notice also, that the result obtained is identical, whether the experience has taken place for a period of a second or even more, which leads us to the second question and answer. TOP

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (5 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

During the attunement, there is knowledge in the most absolute sense of the term. The being is completely immersed in omniscience and omnipotence. If visualization has been conducted with a predetermined aim, such as the solution to a problem, a health question, or a request for help or protection, the attunement works in such a way that the goal will be reached in its universal context. If visualization has been undertaken only to attune, without a definite purpose, attunement will take place as a whole, and the being will draw from it whatever is profitable to it at that time. This is without doubt the best form of contact; the Inner Self knowing better than all reasoning what may be useful to the person in attunement. The point to remember is this: in every case, attunement is made with the universal, that is, with the all, with this sole difference-that in the case of a visualization directed towards a definite goal, the response will arise out of the general context suitable for all forms of contact, without exception. It is important to remember that at the instant of attunement there is no perception. Knowledge is unformulated. It is in the very brief time of one's progressive return to objective consciousness, during the time between the attunement itself and full consciousness on the physical plane, that the reply, or the expected help, or even the possible message and the impressions properly expressed, take "perceived or conscious form". In other words, it is as one progressively returns to the outer world that "attunement" reveals a perceptible form, that it is clothed in human comprehension. Naturally the attunement may be so short in relation to temporal file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (6 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

ideas, and the "return" may be so rapid, that perception may seem concomitant with attunement, but this is not the case. In some way it produces an inverse process to that of visualization. Visualization has ceased just before attunement, and, after this, knowledge takes "form" progressively and is "understood" in the particular aspect desired by who ever has been searching for it. Frequently there is at the same moment an impression of pictures, incense, or other things. Such manifestations vary with each person, and are the evidence of realized contact, because this, on the level of integrated knowledge, has made possible attunement with a Master, a mystic assembly, or other adepts in attunement at the same moment. It is also possible to do some particular "work" on this high plane under the direction of a being from another sphere, or an initiate still on the earthly plane. These differing conditions may be felt when the return takes place. TOP

Cosmic Contacts This is an important point: do not hasten the return to objective consciousness. It is advisable to let things take their course, in order to assist passively with this return, in contemplating and observing the impressions, which, little by little, take form. It is necessary to observe oneself. If the thought seems to wander, if the association of ideas takes form, it is enough to follow it as it unfolds. The will should not intervene. As soon as it does, the objective consciousness will take control of the being, and the experience will end. It is also possible to have no particular impression, but that does file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (7 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

not mean the attunement has been a failure. This may be due solely to the fact that there has not been proper perception at the desired time. The objective consciousness may have had to take up its activities again too quickly, or else the return may have been accomplished with receptivity not being sustained, as it should have been. In any case, comprehension has not had the opportunity of fulfilling its role. But whoever has carried out the experience in the manner that I have just described, will be convinced that attunement has indeed taken place, and that it has been a complete success, which means that in every way one will draw benefit from it. Whatever has been obtained will be retained, and the Inner Self will function in such a manner that the objective comprehension will perceive it ultimately if it did not do so at the time. That will take place in the course of a period of relaxation, before sleep, or even at the moment of awakening. In every case the fruit of attunement will be perceived as soon as the Inner Self encounters again the desired passive condition, whenever the objective consciousness will be least active, including the moments of emotion, fear, or surprise. Comprehension can even take place after the problem has been solved, help granted, or health restored, because the result of attunement is present in him who has achieved it, and this result works even without his knowledge. Thus the appropriate response is adopted in the particular circumstance, the necessary inspiration appears for the solution of a problem, and medical advice produces rapid effects. A little reflection will then reveal that if one has been "guided" in this way it has been as a result of the preceding attunement. Thus each person measures the fundamental importance of visualization and the Cosmic contacts it makes possible. Such contacts are helped and made considerably easier in their ultimate comprehension if they have taken place in the sublime setting of a sacred and sanctified place such as a Celestial Sanctum. It is almost commonplace in our day to affirm the creative force of thought, and to emphasize that this is a powerful and effective ally. The Celestial Sanctum has been built with the help of this creative force, which means that it really exists. To be sure, it is of such a nature that it cannot be perceived by the objective senses- but are thoughts limited in this way? Now, each person is the reflection of his thoughts, and his life, his happiness, and his actions are the result of them. This Celestial Sanctum is also known by its effects on those who attune with it regularly, and on those who have been helped through it. It is as real, as living, as the soul personality of which our body is the Sanctum. It is as real as the building of stone where the faithful go to pray, but it is more easily accessible, since it may be reached in the place where one is at any time, which may be in the quietude of home, or in the uproar and excitement of the street. It is necessary only to put into practice some very simple instructions, and if the circumstances are against it, even to proceed with a brief mental purification. Visualization will be the decisive point, and if it seems long in the beginning, perhaps file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (8 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

difficult, repetition will make it progressively so rapid and so effective that the Celestial Sanctum will be attained almost simultaneously with the desire to reach it. It is almost unavoidable for a seeker, not to profit each day by this marvelous creation. It should be at the heart of both his mystical and his secular existence. It should become the place to which, by a simple reflex, whenever the need arises, he/she can raise himself in consciousness to receive a message, a directive, an inspiration, or help. It is actually the Celestial Sanctum, which ought to preside over a seeker's spiritual studies, his mystical research, and his experiences. It is under its guidance, in its presence, that he should build his mystical life. His entire existence will then be bathed in harmony and infinite understanding, and his interior evolution will then unfold in an ambiance of high spiritual vibrations. Human difficulties and distressing experiences will be illumined by perfect understanding, helping him to overcome them, to see and to accept them as temporary burdens. In other words, he will constantly share in the privilege of a wisdom always available to the degree of understanding he has attained on the Path, and he will bathe in the Greater Light ready to manifest itself in him and through him. My most ardent wish is that this manuscript will encourage my readers, whether mystics and seekers or not, to use more extensively the exceptional advantages offered by Cosmic contacts. These advantages are not reserved for the author of these pages, nor, is it for any particular person. They are for the use of everyone, and in order to take part in them, as I do, it is only necessary, with a sincere desire, to assume with confidence the path leading to the sublime meeting place of the Celestial Sanctum. TOP •A reminder that words like "The Celestial Sanctum" - "the Cosmic" and "Masters" are symbolic images of an archetypal nature to help seekers get in touch with their own center of Consciousness. You may choose to change these words, this is unimportant, what counts is the visualization and the getting in touch with the sacred Center of Being and Consciousness within... (To continue - see next page)

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (9 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Raymond Bernard 1923-2006 My Dearest Great Friend and Initiator Raymond Bernard who was the Past Grand Master and former AMORC Legate to Europe and then the World went through transition on Tuesday, January the 10th, shortly before noon, in Villeneuve-SaintGeorges, near Paris, France. Frater Bernard served the invisible masters by spreading light to Rosicrucians, Templars, Martinists and mystics of other initiatic traditions, and to mankind in general, through his kindness and humility he was an example to others... through his sublime and unique way of teaching the Knowledge of Primordial Wisdom he knew how to point subtly the Way and be a catalyst to others, guiding them diligently through the Gate of the NO-PATH ... Raymond Bernard was an enlighten human being who with simplicity and his charismatic Presence knew how to attract many seekers and disciples of different cultures and disciplines... Together with him I have traveled much in numerous extraordinary journeys and initiatory expeditions... Raymond Bernard, who is "JOHN" in my

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (10 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

autobiography is now and will always be Present in my heart and consciousness...

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement by Raymond Bernard - Part : II The method Importance of visualization

Painting by Harold Klemp

ON A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE No particular ceremony is anticipated today in the Celestial Sanctum. I have participated in the period dedicated to prayer, and I have fulfilled the duties which are my daily responsibility at the level of the Celestial Sanctum. After my usual activities on the objective plane, I return for a period of contact and, this ended, I feel the need to retire for some moments into my private sanctuary (in the Cosmic). On the way I notice that some of the twelve sanctuaries of 'my' aisle are occupied and that those who are there are meditating or working. I sit down immediately at my desk and, abandoning myself to reverie, I contemplate, through the little window, in the distance, the highest Mountain of Illumination where the greatest of all the Masters reside. A little lower, in the compact mass of this unique spiritual mountain, I perceive other summits; here is the permanent retreat of the 'Brothers in White'; there, a little farther on, the Akasha Mountain. Farther yet, toward infinity, my thought flies from one valley to another, recognizing truth and unity in the many paths climbed by an innumerable throng of people who do not know that the goal is near and that it will be 'one' stage. Nor do they understand how those who they think are mistaken will attain, by different file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (11 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

paths, summits as high, and that all will be reunited in the final path leading to the crowning height.... Then my glance comes back toward the Mountain of Illumination where the Sublime Ones work. My heart intones AUM, filled with hope that the particular Master, he who gives aid, will recognize it and respond to the particular need of my soul.

In the Celestial Sanctum, which for me is the cathedral which I have described, the call is always heard, and, as a result, in a more powerful AUM which reverberates throughout space, striking the stained glass window near me with its extraordinary vibrations, and enveloping me in an elating perfume of the purest incense, the Master enters my private sanctuary. After making a benediction with his hand and accompanying it with a look of his dark eyes, he sits down before me. I know immediately that I must take my pen and prepare before me the fresh pages of my memory. I am going to write these notes under the dictation of the Mater. I am ready, and he speaks:: Today it is again to me that the duty falls to enlighten you further on one of the great principles which you have had the privilege of learning through the Hermetic teachings. I have already dealt with it, but I want to review it, since it is fundamental in the mystic quest. It is about visualization that I want to speak again. Top

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (12 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

The method "The mistake which the seeker generally makes, and which tragically impedes his inner development, is dissipation of effort in his search, even though it is conducted with the best intentions. Now, dissipation is the exact opposite of concentration and, consequently different from visualization. Anyone who dissipates his efforts in many ways, such as thoughtless reading, or the study of various techniques, is certain to get no result except the illusion of an over-burdened mind and the disappointment of repeated setbacks in practice. That does not mean that he must adopt only one way of knowledge, although this is evidently the ideal solution for effectiveness and success. Knowledge may be obtained from many authentic sources, provided that these sources do not teach different techniques, valuable in themselves, but generating inner conflict and unproductive confusion if they are mixed. Contrary to appearances, they are never complete and are radically different even if, in the end, a similar result seems to have been attained. Consequently the first step toward effectiveness in the initiatory life and, I repeat, today I am considering this in the practical phase exclusively is the careful and definitive choice of a specific technique. Thus will be avoided the danger which I have just stressed that of dissipation. How many people are there yet who err in psychic matters! They are not able to free themselves from the matrix of their dreams. The emotions which they seek are imprinted with vague sentimentality and they take pleasure in a paralyzing sentimentality. What they call 'knowledge' is made up of the fantasies of an intellectual or emotional satisfaction in which all sorts of obscure sentiments are mixed in their ignorance. And in an illusion which they believe to be truth, they search for similar illusions, sometimes from disciples whom they would make pontiffs, the veneration of whom will easily fill the consciousness submerged in false wisdom. Alas! How many disciples having passed an important stage, are pushed by some childish nostalgia to return to this stage of illusion, and how serious is their responsibility when the knowledge acquired and misunderstood gives a false glow to the way supposedly traversed, and catches unawares the guilelessness of an imprudent soul! In all this are found illusion and the ineffectiveness of dissipation. Visualization, on the contrary, assumes that a choice is made and a technique definitely adopted.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (13 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

If this is done, then the power of visualization will develop with each step accomplished on the chosen way, and the results will be obtained with increasing ease. However, from the first attempts, if the method is well followed, a success, even partial, will reward the effort made and will be a great encouragement. The Master that we are in contact within "KNOWS" and shows to the seeker which particular visualizations and techniques are best suited for him. Subconsciously All thoughtforms in the seeker become conditioned by this voluntary adherence to a particular initiative way, and the deep reactions of the seeker follow a precise direction toward a goal at first uncertain, then more and more "defined' and distinct in proportion as progress is made. This 'inner created atmosphere' may be further extended by the method of visualization adopted and this, from certain basic elements, notably observation and creative imagination, can be progressively developed in a personal technique having as a framework the inherent characteristics of the individual. Thus it is necessary to progress slowly; and, for a long time, a visualization including the smallest details will be essential. Recalling the role of observation, no problem can be solved until it proceeds to the mental picture. On the blank canvas, after the main lines have been traced, each detail will take its place and each color will be in its exact shade. The painter, he who is visualizing, undertakes an elating task. He creates for himself the most magnificent picture possible, a picture which will arouse his enthusiasm, his higher emotions, and finally his Soul. His picture is a 'mandala' which he executes to its final phase, wherein lies the truth which he seeks. He appreciates each step, but, having arrived at the goal, he will forget them all in ultimate attunement, from whence he will draw power and the desired effect. Top Importance of Visualization

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (14 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Why insist so much on visualization? The reply is simple: visualization is the key to all hidden things. It is the way of knowledge, it is the source of all abilities and all realization—spiritual, mental, and even material. It is the fundamental principle on which are dependent all the others, whatever they may be. This key, which opens all doors, is the essential tool given to man for the realization of his legitimate desires, and above all for his spiritual evolution. It is clear that a visualization perfectly carried out will always produce the anticipated result, unless the objective is in some way intended to be harmful to others, or is something which man would achieve without weighing the bad consequences which his realization would have for him. Only a visualization for spiritual evolution will always be effective, while it is emphasized that the progress thus obtained will be determined by the degree already attained on the Path. In every case it will always result in greater Light. No realization is useless. If for some reason the desired realization has not been granted, one will at least have the consciousness of the moment of realization, and if such is not the case, inspiration will come sooner or later, in one way or another, to direct the attention toward another way or another solution. "You now have material for useful reflection, and the question of visualization, as I have dealt with it previously and in my talk today, is clarified in all its details. If each one understands its importance, a big step will be taken, but insist on practice! Knowledge of principles is useless if it remains purely theoretical. May Peace Profound accompany your Way!" •A reminder that words like "The Celestial Sanctum" - "the Cosmic" and "Masters" are symbolic images of an archetypal nature to help seekers get in touch with their own center of Consciousness. You may choose to change these words, this is unimportant, what counts is the visualization and the getting in touch with the sacred Center of Being and Consciousness within

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement By Raymond Bernard - Part III A mystical Technique

The Master rises. I do the same, and, the left hand on the heart and the right on the left, with a last look he gives me his farewell. To the sound of AUM, which echoes again, he leaves me alone in my private sanctuary and immediately I feel him in deep meditation on the Mountain of Illumination, beyond, in the distant place which I gaze on with faith, trust, and veneration.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (15 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

It is time to reenter my earthly domain and, curiously, I find it is accomplished by a kind of inverse visualization. The 'descent' is done actually by degrees, and I notice that it is possible to further slacken the grip of the objective consciousness in order to analyze the steps, and in this case the 'vibration' of recall develops in more numerous pictures, clearer, and more precise. This is a lesson to remember in visualization and all its phases, slowly is a key word. The comments of the Master on the principles of visualization lead me to think, at the moment of writing, that the fruit of an experience may be useful to many, and I shall not hesitate, therefore, to record my own here. Hermetic Traditions, teaches that anything may be requested from the Cosmic (Absolute Consciousness - God) on the condition that the desire includes, in equal part, personal interest and altruism. Now this requirement is a source of problems to a great many people. Actually, where does personal interest stop, and where does altruism begin? If someone needs money to meet urgent liabilities, how may it be defined in the reflections (which precede visualization) on that which, in the request to the Cosmic, is obviously useful to another? There is a reply to this question. In the case mentioned, if the date of payment cannot be met, someone will suffer, perhaps the one to whom the sum is due, and with him, perhaps, his colleagues and employees, or it may be himself, the debtor, and the family which is dependent on him. But how can one be sure? How be certain as to the manner in which this particular request or some other should be made? There is a personal method, developed while I was still a beginner, which I have used for a long time, and which I still use on occasion, which has been of considerable help to me. Here is the method: The mystical technique The Cosmic, by definition, is the sum total of everything. It is the entire universe and everything therein that is to say, in particular our Earth and all humanity, embracing all file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (16 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

its characteristics, the good and those which, for want of wisdom and understanding, one 'judges' less good. The Cosmic is, then, you, me, and all the others. Consequently if I make a request to the Cosmic it is, then, to the universe that this request is made, but it is also to humanity — to you, and you, and all the others. Now my request, in order to be understood by the Cosmic and be accepted by It, must be conveyed by means of visualization. I have explained this in the previous message, and the Master has brought new understanding to this subject. If I should present myself to you or to some human assembly to make my request, and I must express it aloud, as if from a stage, it is evident that if previously I have not fully considered whether or not my wish is absurd, impossible to satisfy, or hurtful to someone, I should certainly realize it at the moment of submitting it to you, or after the first words of the statement I should be making to you. Light would dawn on me, and I should withdraw, realizing the futility of my request. Having meditated on this aspect of things, I resolved that in all my visualizations, even those that my reasoning considered justified, I would act as if I were solemnly presenting my request to a human assembly. And I state quickly that the means employed helped me even to completely forget my wish after having visualized it in this way, and every seeker knows that this is absolutely necessary in order that the Cosmic may 'hear' the request which is submitted to it. I worked then, and I still work, in the following manner, whatever the wish I have to express or the object of my request: I visualize a vast edifice which, at the time of my visualization becomes, for me, the 'residence' of the Cosmic. I ascend the high stairway leading to an immense door which I pass through, and crossing a huge vestibule I approach an old usher dressed in black, to tell him that I have come to 'express' a request to the Cosmic. He presents me with a form on which I write my surname, my first name, and address. He immediately gives the form to a younger usher who makes his way toward a wooden double door, which he half opens to hand the document to a hand which takes it and shut again the door. I have had time meanwhile to hear an orator present a request in a loud voice to an assembly which I cannot see. I sit down on a bench to gather my thoughts. The wait is not long. The wooden door opens and I am called. I rise and enter a room of gigantic dimensions and, preceded by an usher, I advance the length of the central aisle whilst thousands of heads turn to look at me attentively as I pass. I recognize some of those who are going to hear my request — there are, especially, my family, my friends, my relatives, my co-workers, and my departed ones, and everyone looks at me with great benevolence. At the end of the room, on a dais, near which I shall soon be, in a semicircle, are seated the Masters whom I venerate, and above shines the cloud of the Sacred Presence. Then I am on the dais, faced with this innumerable mass of 'spectators', whose eyes and attention are fixed on me. I feel

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (17 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

around me those who are closer. I feel behind me the Sacred Presence.... Then in the absolute silence, having pronounced my name, I distinctly present my request before the assembly, and I hear my voice reverberate to infinity under the high arches. As soon as I have finished with the words 'with confidence, certain of the answer, I convey to you my request (or my problem). So mote it be!', I leave the dais, leave the room, cross the vestibule, and I descend the stairs and become objectively conscious again. Several points are to be emphasized with this visualization: First of all, as soon as my request has been made, and I leave the dais, I immediately cease to think about it, and I pay attention only to the assembly through which I pass, then to the door, the vestibule, and finally the great staircase. Once again on the objective plane, I attend to other things, and I wait for the reply with confidence. I know that it will come in one way or another, by a sign, an intuition, or a suggestion perhaps. I do not doubt that my request is in the best of hands, those of the Cosmic, and the Cosmic never leaves a request without an answer. If, while on the dais, I am not seized with doubt, nor perceive that my request is not valid; if I have completed it, sure of myself, I shall have my answer. Facing the assembly, my request has been complete, precise, detailed. Nothing has been left indefinite. I have set out my problem in all its phases without exception and without concealing anything which could risk making my request useless. I did not at any moment suggest a solution to the assembly. I did not tell them how my problem should be resolved, my request satisfied, or my wish fulfilled. If I knew the solution, my visualization would have been useless. I conveyed my earnest request to the all-powerful Cosmic, and my earnest request only. I have confidence because the Cosmic knows how to work it out the best way for me, including the good of all, and it will be realized. Finally, in order to be effective, this visualization must be lifelike, vivid. It is necessary to see the assembly, to feel it, to hear oneself speak, without losing sight of those who listen to the request. It is necessary to live each phase of the visualization as if it were real, and it is real, because the Cosmic, I repeat, is all, and in this visualization it is to It that you address yourself. I hope that a great many will adopt this method, which has been my own for a long time. There is no reason why it should be unceasingly effective for me and not for any others. Moreover, it contributes to the development of concentration, and if, at the beginning, visualization is long, practice makes it easy and fast, without which it will file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (18 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

lose its effectiveness. May it give you the intense satisfaction that it has lavished on me! This is the ardent wish that I make for each of you in the presence of the Cosmic, at the close of this first message received in the Celestial Sanctum. Top To print : Visualization and Cosmic Attunement : Part 3 • A reminder that words like "The Celestial Sanctum" - "the Cosmic" and "Masters" are symbolic images of an archetypal nature to help seekers get in touch with their own center of Consciousness. You may choose to change these words, this is unimportant, what counts is the visualization and the getting in touch with the sacred Center of Being and Consciousness within..

Special Meditations to unfold the Higher Self as the Perfect Model "THE LIPS OF WISDOM ARE CLOSED EXCEPT TO THE EARS OF UNDERSTANDING"

Read first these special pages and then if you feel the urge to follow the program of these mystical exercises click on "the list of the 10 mystical exercises" How to work 1 Sacred Revelation 2 Introducing the work 3 Sacred revelation 4 Sacred Revelation 5 Sacred Revelation 6 The List of the 10 Exercises The Moral Code of a Modern Mystic file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (19 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE PERFECT MODEL Part : I Visualizing, Imagining and Creating A Perfect Model

"THE LIPS OF WISDOM ARE CLOSED EXCEPT TO THE EARS OF UNDERSTANDING"

In these pages, I share my spiritual and mystical experiences with whomever can attune and resonate with the messages and seed ideas contained herein. Those readers will welcome them as confirmation of their own quest and inner discoveries, while those who are not yet open to discover or understand their own mystery will find them outrageous. What I reveal on this part of my essays is a secret and sacred part of my life of which even my closest family and friends know nothing. In the following pages, you will find ways to unfold your spiritual self, this being your center of Being-ness. I demonstrate how to become aware of seed ideas that are engraved in the soul of all human beings, and ways to energize and awaken them. These messages have been written to help you, the reader, discover how to approach your own mystery. The search begins in earnest when the need to discover your real file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (20 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

identity unfolds within you and a question reverberates and echoes in the center of your heart: “Who Am I?” Affectionately Alice Exploring Consciousness and the Essence of Reality The theme of this website is the exploration of the nature of consciousness. The problem, however, is that words, those limited expressions of the mind, cannot explain the unchanging, unlimited nature of pure consciousness. All they can do is point to the absolute state of consciousness that is the Center of Pure Being, the nature of which cannot be described in words. What, then, is the purpose of writing about this subject if words cannot convey the truth about it to others? What is the point of writing about consciousness, when the result will not change anybody’s level of consciousness? The point is that this website can potentially steer you in a new direction, show how to proceed in your quest, and inspire those who are in harmony with the essence of these messages coming from the Source of Being. The messages are intended to harmonize you with seed ideas, signs and symbols scattered here and there in the messages, keys that will open up for you the abstract world of hidden and dormant knowledge that is inherent in your center of pure consciousness. These seed ideas will resonate within you, become clearer, and fall into place in your psyche because, through their essence and symbols, you will be prepared to intuitively pass through the gateway to your own inner universe. Subsequently, your own Center of Pure Being and the center of the Universe will gradually blend and harmonize, and consciousness will have recognized its own reflection in the mirror of consciousness.

Our own consciousness creates the world around us that we take to be real. Why “consciousness” rather than intellect or mind? Because unless we concentrate and become conscious of things in which we are interested, our “thinking” and “emotional” processes will not register their existence. We will remain unconscious and ignorant of them since these things will not make an impact on us, therefore they will not exist for file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (21 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

us and thus will not be created. If your mental and emotional creations are not in harmony with mine, my creation will remain unknown and non-existent to you, and in the same manner, your creations will not exist for me. From our own perspective, none of us will be able to register our different visions of reality, unless I can show you how you can be involved and interested in what I do, and how I see and live my personal reality, and you do the same for me. Thus, at a certain point, if we want to “meet” each other, we must go beyond our limited perception of reality and search for common ground. Unless we open up and become interested in each others’ way of being, and search for common understanding of the essence of reality, life will remain a mystery to us. So the first step in opening up and understanding our differences is to be aware of the limitations imposed by our ego. It is our egos that separate “my” reality from “your” reality. Fortunately, there are ways of interacting and respecting each others’ different ways of “being in the world.” The average person who is not a seeker identifies perfectly with his ego, and is not worried about his ego or how others perceive truth and reality. The seeker, on the other hand, knows that ego is the problem, that it must be under the control of the soul, that it needs to loosen and open up, that it must be transformed so that the soul can express the Divine qualities within the human psyche. For its part, the ego, the self-consciousness in a human being, must understand and realize intellectually through life’s experiences that it is only a distorted “image” of the soul, because the ego “is” the identified consciousness of the center of pure consciousness. The goal of the spiritual process is simply to make the ego realize that it has no independent existence, that it is merely a reflection of the Divine Essence that is at the source of consciousness. Thus, we can say that the ego, or limited consciousness of man, is a restricted perception of creation. What is creation, anyway? The manifestation of consciousness itself. Since consciousness needs a vehicle to become aware of itself, it can only do so by expressing itself in the world of duality. Is this a paradox? Not at all! The impersonal level of consciousness, or Cosmic Consciousness, the Essence of Being remains unchanged and does not create anything. It is the Void, the center of inactivity, of silence and just being, the “stuff” from which impersonal Cosmic Consciousness expands and enters vehicles that become individual, limited reflections of it. However, apart from the self-consciousness of the ego, which makes one aware that “I am me,” there are two more important levels of consciousness. The second awakening of consciousness still functions in the ego and the world of duality and dualism and it says, “I AM conscious of being a direct individual expression of the soul or God.” The third level of consciousness can be defined as, “I AM the central source of file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (22 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

consciousness pervading everything that is created and uncreated.” The ego cannot experience this third level of Consciousness because it belongs to the “neutral axial pole” within being, in which the Law of Duality disappears. This level of consciousness no longer takes “form” since it is the source of omnipotent and omnipresent consciousness itself. Thus from this axial center of Being within man, limited consciousness of the ego returns to merge into its own Uncreated Center of Absolute Consciousness.

This is the key that will unleash the gates of your true Being. You will pass through various inner processes that will, throughout your life, reflect different levels of consciousness, until that moment when you become aware that you have an inner “model” that follows each of your steps, a spiritual mapping showing you how to proceed in your quest. It is a thread that you must follow to reach an inner purified plane that leads to pure consciousness, in which your astral and mental bodies will be ready to be “reshaped” in the Divine “mold.” In this Perfect Mold, your selfconsciousness will blend with the essence of your soul, encompassing within it its divine ethereal features. This mold will chisel your Divine Face within all of your subtle bodies, and in time, you will become conscious and know it well. DUALITY VERSUS DUALISM When you, the seeker, attune and connect with your Divine Face and express it here on the physical plane, you will still have to “live” in duality. This means, that your Divine Face manifests and is attuned to everything you do through your human faculties. Hence, all your experiences and the work you do bear the imprint of the essence of your soul and are therefore reflected in whatever you do, say or think on this plane of existence. This is “living in duality,” and is completely different from the world in which people “live as dualism.” file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (23 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Duality in this sense means that the Divine faculties in you express through human attributes, here on this plane of existence, while the world of dualism means that selfconsciousness and soul-consciousness are separate and therefore in conflict. Dualism is a world of paradoxes and extreme opposites that co-exist, yet are at war with each other. An obvious example: I was given a name at birth, I am a married woman, and enjoy the company of family and friends, yet I also know that I must share whatever my intuition and “intelligence of the heart” dictate. Hence this website. On my journey, I discovered my Divine Face (a symbolic expression) and entered the Perfect Mold, in which I am taking the shape imprinted in my consciousness. On one level, my name is Alice, yet it is a mask, a clever disguise. In truth, I am simply energy coming from the unmanifested Presence of Being. Through the essence of our Soul or pure Essence, each of us is impregnated by a “Perfect Model”, the manifestation of the unmanifested and uncreated Spirit that is potentially engrained in our Being and reflects in our psyche. As individuals, we become conscious of its existence only when certain impulses and experiences have been aroused and stimulated in the subconscious and subjective parts of our psyche. This means that our quest to understand our own mystery, the mystery of the meaning of life itself, begins just then and can never really exist before that crucial moment. On this website, I encourage you to begin in earnest your search for the beloved Presence within you that is your Divine Face. This presence will gradually reflect itself back to you through dreams, insights and intuitions, slowly revealing the mold of your pure Being in which you will have to enter so as to take a “new shape” and receive the new features (qualities) of your Divine Face. That is indeed, my dearest wish.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (24 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

One of the Perfect Models "I will explain my nature: It is a unique Essence that infuses consciousness in everyone. It is the Presence of Beingness in consciousness" Back

WHY USE THE PERFECT MODEL AS A TOOL?

How can we link the archetype of the Perfect Model with the idea of an Absolute Being? The answer to this question is that even the most abstract idea of what is Absolute Being remains a human concept. So, why do we have to create a Perfect Model if it is a concept that we create in our minds? Each person be it a philosopher, a mystic or an atheist has a certain perception of what the origin of creation of man is and he will try to explain it according to his conditioning and understanding. Since it is consciousness that creates and recognizes the world in which we live in, it is therefore natural to say that anything that man imagines and creates is rooted and based on a concept. Thus even the most profound truth can only be delivered to others through ideas and words and these are only human ideas that originate in the ego of man. Consequently, even when a mystic receives an insight or truth based on intuition, his understanding and explanation of it will have to be expressed through a concept and then be explained to others. Accordingly, intellectual understanding of a concept is an important first step, as it helps unfold a resonance in the psyche of the listener. Moreover, even enlightened masters must use concepts to explain away their experiences and wisdom to others. Since the center of an enlightened person and that of Absolute Being coincide and are the same, Divine Knowledge and Wisdom pour in him as divine impulses. These impulses, however, are the living Presence of Being and cannot manifest in the world of duality. To do so they should first be reflected in the thought process of a sage before being transformed into words and communicated to others. That's why an enlightened person’s thoughts come directly from the source file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (25 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

of Absolute Being before being interpreted and developed into concepts which he simplifies to the level of understanding of his audience. We live in a world of duality, meaning a world in which the ego plays the game of “this is me – and this is not me”. Therefore whatever one receives from the depth of one’s being has to be projected into the world of duality in order to take substance and be formed as ideas and concepts. Therefore, no one can really prove anything to anyone else in a belief of an Absolute Being because this has been created as a concept. The same goes for believing in reincarnation, or in a Perfect Model. So why insist on explaining away the concept of a Perfect Model? For an unenlightened being, an enlightened person will look like an ordinary man, someone just like him. Why and how can that be? The answer is because between the two of them there is no resonance. On the other hand, for someone who resonates with an enlightened person, even without knowing it, an enlightened person will be a catalyst and a living model. The spiritual charisma and magnetic attraction between the two cannot be explained, because it is not a physical attraction, but more a spiritual one that is based on resonance. This is the way that intuition and divine Knowledge unfold in a disciple. The psyche of such a disciple becomes a clear mirror in which the wisdom of his physical master is projected and transmitted. Why is such a divine transmission perceived only through the mirror of the psyche? The answer is that whatever is perceived by a disciple has first to pass from his own psyche so as to be experienced by him alone and make it his own. In the same manner a Perfect Model, is an abstract archetypal model, a catalyst that awakens Absolute Consciousness in a disciple. This Perfect Model is slumbering in our subconscious and our innermost center of Being and when the right moment comes it manifests itself to us so that we can become conscious and resonate with it in the world of duality. The Perfect Model is a powerful symbol that is a key unfolding the Perfect Nature of Absolute Being in our consciousness. However, it is important to understand the process of its unfolding, because it is not the ego that chooses its Perfect Model, but the guise that Absolute Being takes to appear in our psyche and this guise becomes a reality that transforms us when we start resonating with it. Thus, it is clear that we cannot choose the features of our individual Perfect Model. However, by resonating with the Presence of Absolute Being within, the Presence gradually unfolds its perfect Image in our mind and psyche. Therefore, we can say that it is the Presence of Absolute Being within each one of us that activates the characteristics and features of our Perfect Model and these are recognized and manifested according to our conditioning and culture. Hence at the source of Absolute Being, the Perfect Model remains unchanged, unique and whole as an uncreated Essence which manifests in the psyche of a disciple in different ways and guises so as to blend and become a reality in him. A similar question arises when determining whether it is the master who chooses his disciple or if it is the disciple who chooses the master? The file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (26 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

answer is simply that it is neither but the resonance between the two of them that attracts them to each other and creates for one the role of master and for the other the role of disciple… one mirrors Absolute Being and beams its Light through the mirror of one’s impersonal level of Consciousness in the clear mirror of the disciple. Thus the Light of the physical Master adds itself to the Light of the Perfect Model, both are catalysts that awaken him to his true Self. One resonates from within the inner plane of one’s Being and the other from the physical plane. Crisscrossing within his heart the disciple identifies his true nature and recognizes himself in both Perfect Models that is to say the immaterial and ethereal Presence of Absolute Being within and without.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Your Divine Perfect Model Explanations

"If you have followed the instructions and have done all the previous meditations with the right intentions and a pure heart, you will then be magnetically attracted to your Divine Perfect Model that is now resonating in you. This will happen because you have entered its Perfect Mold and have energized its sacred number." This part of your mystical work will rest on synchronistic happenings in your life, and you will be given, from within the inner planes and the physical plane, an image and a semblance of your Perfect Model. What is imprinted in your Perfect Mold will appear in your life and together, you will vibrate and unfold within yourself the inner qualities that belong to it. And as a Server of Light, you will, like many others, be one of the expressions manifesting your Perfect Model. And like them, you will also have a duty to serve and awaken other self-conscious beings, helping them to activate their own Perfect Mold and Perfect Model. This part of the work is personal and silent. By now, will have been given ample personal proof of what happens during your spiritual awakening process. This inner file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (27 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

work will have also taught you that you are never alone, that you are really guided by the invisible hand of your soul, your permanent witness For more details on the Permanent Witness and the Spiritual Witness, see the articles in the “Mystery of Man” series. To go back to the list of these special exercises Please click on the Triangle THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Part : 2

Contacting and creating the Perfect Model About Free Will We have free will only when our soul personality is not yet in touch with our ego personality, in other words, when the soul and ego are not in harmony, when there is no direct contact. Hence, the soul leaves the ego alone to experience whatever it wants to experience. Pleasures, desires, strong emotions of all kinds, and compulsive needs are all necessary steps that we have to take in the process of awakening. However, things start to change when the ego ripens and needs to experience another aspect of its own mystery. Then, a Divine image appears, a Divine face calls the ego to awaken and look in the mirror of its true self. There, an invisible presence makes its appearance and influences the ego. From that moment on, we are no longer free. A higher will guides our steps and we feel ready to attune to the impulses coming from a file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (28 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

different source. Where and what is this source? It is the inspiration and guidance coming from what Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Plotinus and others called the daemon, which is a reflected image and a projection, an extension and manifestation of the Energy of the Soul, a guiding influence, a good invisible companion that accompanies each ego personality towards its awakening process. In other words, the daemon is the projection of our inner guide, a counselor and intimate friend, a teacher and advisor who takes care of us while we are traveling in the inner and outer worlds of our experiences. ("Deamon" should not to be confused with a demon). If you choose to take this path, you should not be surprised to discover that synchronicity follows you everywhere and directs your steps, veering you in unsuspected and sometimes unknown directions. When this time comes, do not hesitate. Follow your lucky star and allow your intuition to guide you. And when your mind lets go, abandon everything, follow the intelligence of your heart, and let this magic moment happen. Like the bouncing ball, trust and let yourself fall into the abyss of your own being, for there, you will never be alone. An invisible hand will hold you all the way down where sweet Eros (pure spiritual love) awaits you. Then, real life and existence bounces back into your life and it appears in the form of a good friend, the daemon, which is a projected image of your soul, that gradually manifests in your inner life, directing your spiritual unfoldment until you meet with someone who is enlightened being and with whom you will begin working. He or she will be your physical initiator, the silent guide who will skillfully take you around the maze of your psyche. True initiation awakens pure consciousness of Being and has nothing to do with outer rituals that are only the preparatory steps towards this end. The real awakening process begins on this plane of existence but its goal is to reach another one that belongs to the soul. Thus at the right moment, an enlightened person living on this plane should show up in your life and guide you through the various realms that need to be awakened within your being. This teacher will subtly show you that a physical plane event could also open a passage to another dimension. In other words, the role of such a wise teacher is to activate the dormant spiritual energies within you and show you how to live on “two planes” at the same time.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (29 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

"KNOW THYSELF" and the process of Spiritual Psychology However, remember that it is your intuition that will tell you if you are resonating with it. Your Soul will then do the rest and unveil for you the perfect MOLD in which as “self conscious being” you will gradually integrate. meditate and resonate with the center of beingness and allow an impression and a feeling to emerge. This process of attunement to your Perfect Model can be a long one, or a short one. This does not matter. Remember that within you exists your Perfect Model - The Essence and Quality of the Perfect Model is one. It is omnipresent and Omnipotent in every human being. What changes, is the reflection of its Image. For some it is the Cosmic and androgynous aspect of Christ, for other it is an expression and quality of a Cosmic Buddha (Samantabhadra), or of any other great avatar. Avatars are the expressions of the unique and universal Perfect Model. The blueprint and image engrained in our psyche. This is the key that invites the Perfect Model to appear and take "form" within our consciousness and express itself in the world of duality. Hence, this is my gift to you, dear readers. I am giving you the same opportunity as I was given many years ago to work with a sacred icon, remembering always, that its "magic" happens only if you can RESONATE with it and attune to your own Perfect Model and enter gradually its consecrated MOLD. However, remember that your Perfect Model can "look" different, but the Energy and Quality of its inner Wisdom and Quality remain forever the same in your consciousness. To unfold the "Perfect Model" is a step in the right direction... it helps you to RESONATE with the concealed Energy of your sacred Image.. your concentration

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (30 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

may help you to merge into a state of openness and alert passivity, in which true contemplation becomes possible, but on the other hand, it could result in some kind of false, incomplete or confused contemplation... Just be aware that the divine Ground of all being reveals itself only to those in whom there is no ego-concentration of any kind of volition, thought or feeling... This truth is summed up when Meister Eckhart says: " He who seeks God under settled form lays hold of the form, while missing the God concealed in it. " The point clearly is to seek God or the Source of Being provisionally under a form which from the beginning is clearly recognized as merely a SYMBOL OF REALITY, a mere signboard or a pointer that must some time or other be discarded in favor of what it stands for : " To seek Him under a settled form - settled because regarded as the very shape of Reality - is to commit oneself to illusion and a kind of idolatry." Affectionately, Alice

SHIVA AS A PERFECT MODEL

One of the Perfect Models "I AM ONE AND UNIQUE IN ESSENCE AND AM THE SAME IN ALL PERFECT MODELS" . I will explain my nature: It is a unique Essence that infuses consciousness in everyone. It is the Presence of Beingness in consciousness" the single state of consciousness of the individual PERFECT MODEL AND COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (31 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

The Master of Wisdom and the Perfect Model Part : 3

Master of Wisdom and the Perfect Model

1 - At the top of this diagram, we see a sun symbolizing Primordial Wisdom and the source of our Perfect Model (which is also the center of pure Being and Consciousness). 2 - The rays descending from the sun represent different individual paths of enlightenment. 3 - These rays carry the Essence of pure Wisdom in enlightened beings and incarnated masters of wisdom. (presented here by different colors). 4 - Enlightened masters of wisdom all represent the unique Essence of Being and Consciousness. As role models and guides they show us the way to unfold and awaken consciousness and wisdom. PRIMORDIAL WISDOM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MASTER OF WISDOM The wisdom of a world avatar or of an enlightened being comes directly from the source of Primordial Wisdom and the way to open up to its influence comes by following a special path. A path that unfolds the Perfect Model within. In other words, an avatar and a realized master are both incarnated beings who manifest and incarnate Primordial Wisdom through their chosen Perfect Model. In other words they activate the expressions and qualities of their Perfect Model and its Wisdom through their enlightened level of consciousness. Hence, avatars such as Jesus, or Buddha , Krishna and so many other known and unknown enlightened and realized human beings have all drawn their wisdom from the same unique Primordial Source. However, each mystical and religious tradition expresses the same Primordial Wisdom in a particular and different way, according to the cultural background of its their religion and philosophy. So, all realized beings vibrate and are in resonance with the Source of file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (32 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Primordial Wisdom and they vibrate and resonate incessantly with their Perfect Model. Moreover, the essence of their wisdom and degree of compassion reverberate for ever within the center of being in every incarnated person. However, the seeker has to recognize and follow the "inner Path" that unfolds the initiatory process of reaching the Perfect Model. However, the seeker must take into account the karmic links that have been forged in the past and discover the special requirements that he/ she must still develop and experience. Gradually, by attuning and merging with the Essence of his/her Perfect Model, the seeker's level of consciousness unites with the center of Primordial Wisdom. This explains how the Perfect Model appears within oneself. It appears, when the inherent qualities of the Perfect Model manifest and enlighten the consciousness of a seeker. For this reason, we understand that a realized person's level of consciousness is a manifestation of the Primordial Wisdom. However, for the rest of humanity enlightenment is hidden and inactive within the psyche. For this reason the Perfect Model's reflection in consciousness remains obscured and veiled in the subconscious of all human beings. Inner Purification When the seeker purifies his/her psyche and thought processes, this means that his/her subtle bodies have entered the pure container or "Perfect Mold" and that the qualities of the Perfect Model are gradually revealed. However, we can ask, what is the Perfect Mold? It is the inner purified space and the fertile ground in which the divine qualities of the Perfect Model are revealed and expressed - "The Perfect Mold" or pure container represents the field in which the alchemical transmutation of the ego takes place. It is the space in which the limited and gross energies of the seeker are transformed and purified. In other words the "Perfect Mold" is used as a symbol to describe a "mysterious substance" in which the mystery of the inner process unfolds and nurtures universal and divine qualities - The Perfect Mold is the "fertile space" in which the metamorphosis of consciousness takes place...It also represents the "Nuptial Chamber" in which the ego enters willingly to vibrate, resonate and unite with the Beloved - the Perfect Model.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (33 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

As an example: Visualizing a vortex of pure White Light or spiritual Fire entering through your crown chakra and purifying the etheric and astral bodies within you. This is a simple way of creating and energizing the Perfect Mold THE MASTER OF WISDOM AND COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS SOME PICTURES OF ROLE MODELS Due to the graphical nature of this page, please be patient while the photos load.

Here are some pictures of incarnated and realized masters of wisdom who are perfect role models. Each one of them represents a human expression of Primordial Wisdom and these expressions are infinite... to each realized being exists a unique way of expressing Primordial Wisdom.

A FEW INSPIRING ROLE MODELS 1- Babaji 2 - Maharishi 3 - Master Kuthumi 4 - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj 5 -Yogananda - 6 - Sri aurobindo

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (34 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (35 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

THE MASTER OF WISDOM AND COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS PART: 4 - B (continuation) Due to the graphical nature of this page, please be patient while the photos load.

15 - Mother Mirra (spiritual partner of Sri Aurobindo) 16 - Saraswathi 17 - Socrates 18 - Pythagoras 20 - Krishna 21 - Prakriti and so many other known and unknown enlightened and realized role models

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (36 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (37 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

BhagavadGita IV:6, VII:25 Buddha means "The Awakened One" Christ means "The Anointed One" "WHEN THE PERFECT MODEL BLENDS IN A SEEKER'S LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS, THEN HIS/HER LEVEL OF AWARENESS BECOMES IMBUED WITH THE ESSENCE OF VACUITY AND PROFOUND SILENCE "

"I AM ONE AND UNIQUE IN ESSENCE AND AM THE SAME IN ALL PERFECT MODELS" . I will explain my nature: It is a unique Essence that infuses consciousness in everyone. It is the Presence of Beingness in consciousness" the single state of consciousness of the individual THE PERFECT MODEL AND CHRIST OR COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (38 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

One of the Perfect Models "I AM ONE AND UNIQUE IN ESSENCE AND AM THE SAME IN ALL PERFECT MODELS" . I will explain my nature: It is a unique Essence that infuses consciousness in everyone. It is the Presence of Being-ness in consciousness" the single state of consciousness of the individual (The following explanations are given to situate my inner process and show how I came to recognize and gradually learn how to unfold "my" Perfect Model) Who I am? I remain a mystery to myself, a mystery that I share with every incarnated soul on this planet. For those with whom I come into worldly contact, I must look a bit odd and mysterious. Why? Simply because I am empty and open, involved yet detached from everything I do. I have fun and enjoy life, but I have no strong opinion on anything, since intuition and contemplation make me see things in ever-changing perspectives. I am a free traveler, a constant pilgrim, open to experience everything coming my way. As a human being, the most important thing is to awaken the spiritual dimension of consciousness and in so doing, experience a more profound reality that I can share and pass on to whoever comes my way and has the same ideals.

My inner quest file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (39 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Since childhood, I had received meaningful teachings in my dreams. Through lucid dreaming, I explored a very different world from my everyday reality in which one moment I could be experiencing blissful and uplifting experience, and would suddenly fall into a hellish and infernal one. From ecstasy and awe, I would plunge into pain and distress. These inner states were no dreams but part of the subtle inner adjustments that were necessary for my psyche to help awaken to its true nature. I knew that my spiritual inner quest needed to be rooted in a psychological approach. I had to ground these two different approaches and find a way to blend and harmonize them. This was a much better way to heal and unblock the trapped subconscious energies. Thus, I found that my training in Psychosynthesis was definitely helping me to look at myself from a new perspective. This “new way” was emerging through my process as a silent witness from within the center of consciousness. I was becoming a silent observer of myself, and through this incredible transformation, a subtle ethereal bridge was starting to link the two opposite energies within me, uplifting my consciousness to new heights. In retrospect, this “inner” bridge was the link that grounded me. Like Jacob’s Ladder, it was a channel opening new doors within myself. I noticed, however, that bridging and harmonizing the two extreme energies within me made me aware of some subtle qualities that were starting to emerge from my psyche. For example, I noticed that when I observed my own psychological process, something different was operating within me. My conscious self accepted whatever was surfacing from within, with a kind of compassion and understanding, a peaceful feeling towards my own ego. From the depths of my psyche, something was telling me that everything was going to be okay. When negative things surfaced in my consciousness during meditation, or dreams, rather than the old embarrassment was a more loving and nurturing way. My dreams were filled with vivid, powerful experiences that were initiations, doors within doors opening and unfolding new levels of consciousness. At first, it was a mixture of levels of consciousness coming from past incarnations that needed to be purified. Other levels appeared, too, more uplifting and blissful. I saw the quickening and awakening levels of consciousness as “seeds” that needed to be purified and protected from the outside invading paradoxes that psychology was offering me. And, while maturing in the silent darkness of my subconscious, these “seeds” were impacting my dreams. So, without understanding how this inner process worked, I was nonetheless starting to empty and purify an inner space within me in which these experiences were delicately transformed as “new seeds.” Through intuition and inner guidance, I realized that I had to transform the psychological aspect of my ego into a pure empty vessel to be used by my soul. So, everything that was hidden in my subconscious had first to surface gradually to the level of my consciousness. I knew intuitively that I needed to find a “Middle Way,” an approach that would show me how to merge the two extreme poles of ego and soul, file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (40 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

synthesizing and uniting them into something new, so that the ego became the empty vessel for the soul to pour in its essence. However, I later discovered that by being “emptied” of its past patterns, the ego transmuted itself into a vehicle of pure awareness and consciousness. Yes! My ego was just starting to become a medium for the soul. This was how I discovered the “Middle Way,” which meant that the light of consciousness was no longer trapped in a cloudy and opaque vessel, but started to shine through a cleansed and clearer level of consciousness.

A DIVINE PERFECT MODEL "Or The Consciousness of Pure Being-ness" An Incredible Experience The Ideal Model in these essays is the one that "appeared" to me as a real Living Presence of pure dazzling Light during a sacred initiation that I received from within the inner planes in 1985 whilst studying psychosynthesis in London. Strangely, nine years later in 1994, while visiting my teacher Raymond Bernard at his home, in Paris, (John in my autobiography) I received the shock of my life when, out of the blue and unexpectedly, Raymond silently reached for a small mosaic painting out of a dark corner behind a door of his office and handed it over to me. I could not believe what I was holding in my hands …I was in total disarray. The impact that this image had on me was one of, stupefaction, amazement and incredible awe. How could the Presence of Christ that I lived and experienced during my extraordinary and important inner experience, suddenly appear on the physical plane and how could I be holding the Image in my hands…here, in the house of my Teacher? Long after these two experiences, I passed a copy of this beautiful Perfect Model of the Cosmic Christ to special people with whom I work and that I felt could be in

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (41 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

harmony with it. These are members of different spiritual groups that I associate with here in Cyprus and from different parts of the world. As a result, many have received the same impulses and impressions that I had received. This Image has had an amazing effect on seekers who attune and resonate with it, because it affects and awakes their energy fields and consciousness. ( Remember that for your Perfect Model to "appear" and become part of your ordinary level of consciousness, your ego must first let go of distorted "models" and let itself "merge" with the center of pure Being.) . An other advice, is that you cannot turn to God or your pure center of Being [or, the Self] without turning away your attention from the little ego self, - from the "me" and "mine"... A REMINDER AND AN IMPORTANT ADVICE ON THE PRACTICE To unfold the "Perfect Model" is a step in the right direction... it helps you to RESONATE with the concealed Energy of your sacred Image.. your concentration may help you to merge into a state of openness and alert passivity, in which true contemplation becomes possible, but on the other hand, it could result in some kind of false, incomplete or confused contemplation... Just be aware that the divine Ground of all being reveals itself only to those in whom there is no ego-concentration of any kind of volition, thought or feeling... This truth is summed up when Meister Eckhart says: " He who seeks God under settled form lays hold of the form, while missing the God concealed in it. " The point clearly is to seek God or the Source of Being provisionally under a form which from the beginning is clearly recognized as merely a SYMBOL OF REALITY, a mere signboard or a pointer that must some time or other be discarded in favor of what it stands for : " To seek Him under a settled form - settled because regarded as the very shape of Reality - is to commit oneself to illusion and a kind of idolatry."

Thus the Sufi mystic Rumi writes in the "Sufi religious" vein: file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (42 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Love came and like blood filled my veins and tissues, Emptied me of myself and filled me with the Friend, The friend has taken possession of every atom of my being. The name is all that I have left now — all the rest is He. Truth did not come into the world naked, but it came in the types and images. It will not receive it in any other fashion. There is a rebirth and an image of rebirth. It is fitting for those who do not only receive the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, but have obtained them for themselves. If anyone does not obtain them for himself, the name also will be taken from him. But one receives them in the chrism of the fullness of the power of the Cross, which the apostles call the right and the left. For this one is no longer a Christian but a Christ.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Part: 4 A Program Of 10 Special Exercises To Unfold The Perfect Model

INTRODUCTION This section offers ten exercises and one of the Perfect Model, a diagram that explains how this particular inner process works once you have put into practice file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (43 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

all ten exercises. These exercises should be done on daily for at least five to six months. However, intuition is the best guide and, if there is a need to prolong the time you practice a particular exercise, or wait between two exercises, please honor your intuition. These exercises show you how this profound mystical process unfolds within your psyche. It explains how the Perfect Mold, or spiritual DNA, transforms your selfconsciousness into a unity with the Cosmic Consciousness of your Perfect Model. I can only hint at the process here, for your intuition will bring you answers that are yours alone, each answer being a seed idea that will awaken a subtle energy or vibration within your consciousness and, in time, these seed ideas will work together to manifest their qualities in your life. The whole process begins and ends with consciousness, starting with self-consciousness and ending with Cosmic Consciousness. The Sacred Chalice and Sacred Grail diagrams contain symbolic and potent “keys” that explain the unfolding inner process of purification, illumination and enlightenment. These exercises are to be developed on your own with the aid of your intuition. What follows is a general idea of the inner spiritual process that has worked for me and brought me face-to-face with my ideal model so as to integrate my conscious self into its Divine Mold, but please allow your intuition to customize them for you. They are one way of unfolding this incredible process within you, one that I hope will help you as much as it has helped me. Please read this entire chapter and begin only when you are sure that you understand all the steps. If you wish, you can tape them. Each of the phases of this work will unfold your inner process and energize seed ideas for your awakening and enlightenment, hence when performed in the right frame of mind, they will develop in your psyche in a natural way. The symbols you will be working with are universal “keys” opening to powerful subtle energies within your being. The exercises are:

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (44 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

1. - Breathing meditation. 2. - Rainbow cocoon. 3. - Cave Meditation. 4. - Creating your Sacred Cell. 5. - Manifesting your Inner Guide. 6. - Attuning to your Soul. 7. - The Temple of Light. 8. - The Flame and the Divine Mold. 9. - Creating your Divine Mold. (Unfolding your spiritual "DNA" and template) which means manifesting your Divine Perfect Model. - your divine Self If pauses occur naturally between the phases, accept them for they represent assimilation time. Also, keep a journal of your inner journey, as this will be helpful later. Before starting any mystical work: 1. A - Make sure that you will not be disturbed. 2. B - Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor with your back erect, or lie down. Make yourself comfortable. 3. C - Close your eyes and relax as deeply as possible. 4. D - Always begin with the breathing exercise, inhaling the pure atmosphere that you have created around you and exhaling all the stale air and stresses that you carry within you. Later you will learn how to visualize and create a consecrated atmosphere in and around you THE PERFECT MODEL AND COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS List of Sacred and Mystical Exercises

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (45 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

"Oversoul" a painting by Alex Grey To go to the gallery - click on: Alex Grey

To Recapitulate How To Work Introduction Consciousness and the Perfect Model Master of Wisdom and the Perfect Model

THE MYSTICAL SACRED EXERCISES

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (46 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Breathing Meditation & 2: Rainbow Meditation Meditation Creating your Inner Cave Creating Your Special Sacred Cell Manifesting your Inner Guide Attuning to your Soul or Higher Self Creating The Temple Of Light Creating Your Divine Perfect Mold Spiritual flame and the Divine Mold Subtle Explanations On the Perfect Mold & Model Working With The Sacred Chalice Working With The Holy Grail Comments On The Inner Process And The Grail End Of The 10 Exercises

THE MEANING OF COSMIC CHRIST OR BUDDHA NATURE Christic Essence Buddha Nature & the Cosmic Christ What is Christ Consciousness?

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (47 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Moral Code to Unfold the Perfect Model A personal Experience

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Part: 4 A Program Of 10 Special Exercises To Unfold The Perfect Model

INTRODUCTION This section offers ten exercises and one of the Perfect Model, a diagram that explains how this particular inner process works once you have put into practice all ten exercises. These exercises should be done on daily for at least five to six months. However, intuition is the best guide and, if there is a need to prolong the

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (48 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

time you practice a particular exercise, or wait between two exercises, please honor your intuition. These exercises show you how this profound mystical process unfolds within your psyche. It explains how the Perfect Mold, or spiritual DNA, transforms your selfconsciousness into a unity with the Cosmic Consciousness of your Perfect Model. I can only hint at the process here, for your intuition will bring you answers that are yours alone, each answer being a seed idea that will awaken a subtle energy or vibration within your consciousness and, in time, these seed ideas will work together to manifest their qualities in your life. The whole process begins and ends with consciousness, starting with self-consciousness and ending with Cosmic Consciousness. The Sacred Chalice and Sacred Grail diagrams contain symbolic and potent “keys” that explain the unfolding inner process of purification, illumination and enlightenment. These exercises are to be developed on your own with the aid of your intuition. What follows is a general idea of the inner spiritual process that has worked for me and brought me face-to-face with my ideal model so as to integrate my conscious self into its Divine Mold, but please allow your intuition to customize them for you. They are one way of unfolding this incredible process within you, one that I hope will help you as much as it has helped me. Please read this entire chapter and begin only when you are sure that you understand all the steps. If you wish, you can tape them. Each of the phases of this work will unfold your inner process and energize seed ideas for your awakening and enlightenment, hence when performed in the right frame of mind, they will develop in your psyche in a natural way. The symbols you will be working with are universal “keys” opening to powerful subtle energies within your being. The exercises are: 1. - Breathing meditation. 2. - Rainbow cocoon. 3. - Cave Meditation. 4. - Creating your Sacred Cell. 5. - Manifesting your Inner Guide. file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (49 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

6. - Attuning to your Soul. 7. - The Temple of Light. 8. - The Flame and the Divine Mold. 9. - Creating your Divine Mold. (Unfolding your spiritual "DNA" and template) which means manifesting your Divine Perfect Model. - your divine Self If pauses occur naturally between the phases, accept them for they represent assimilation time. Also, keep a journal of your inner journey, as this will be helpful later. Before starting any mystical work: 1. A - Make sure that you will not be disturbed. 2. B - Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor with your back erect, or lie down. Make yourself comfortable. 3. C - Close your eyes and relax as deeply as possible. 4. D - Always begin with the breathing exercise, inhaling the pure atmosphere that you have created around you and exhaling all the stale air and stresses that you carry within you. Later you will learn how to visualize and create a consecrated atmosphere in and around you CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE PERFECT MODEL Part : I Visualizing, Imagining and Creating A Perfect Model

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (50 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

"THE LIPS OF WISDOM ARE CLOSED EXCEPT TO THE EARS OF UNDERSTANDING"

In these pages, I share my spiritual and mystical experiences with whomever can attune and resonate with the messages and seed ideas contained herein. Those readers will welcome them as confirmation of their own quest and inner discoveries, while those who are not yet open to discover or understand their own mystery will find them outrageous. What I reveal on this part of my essays is a secret and sacred part of my life of which even my closest family and friends know nothing. In the following pages, you will find ways to unfold your spiritual self, this being your center of Being-ness. I demonstrate how to become aware of seed ideas that are engraved in the soul of all human beings, and ways to energize and awaken them. These messages have been written to help you, the reader, discover how to approach your own mystery. The search begins in earnest when the need to discover your real identity unfolds within you and a question reverberates and echoes in the center of your heart: “Who Am I?” Affectionately Alice file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (51 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Exploring Consciousness and the Essence of Reality The theme of this website is the exploration of the nature of consciousness. The problem, however, is that words, those limited expressions of the mind, cannot explain the unchanging, unlimited nature of pure consciousness. All they can do is point to the absolute state of consciousness that is the Center of Pure Being, the nature of which cannot be described in words. What, then, is the purpose of writing about this subject if words cannot convey the truth about it to others? What is the point of writing about consciousness, when the result will not change anybody’s level of consciousness? The point is that this website can potentially steer you in a new direction, show how to proceed in your quest, and inspire those who are in harmony with the essence of these messages coming from the Source of Being. The messages are intended to harmonize you with seed ideas, signs and symbols scattered here and there in the messages, keys that will open up for you the abstract world of hidden and dormant knowledge that is inherent in your center of pure consciousness. These seed ideas will resonate within you, become clearer, and fall into place in your psyche because, through their essence and symbols, you will be prepared to intuitively pass through the gateway to your own inner universe. Subsequently, your own Center of Pure Being and the center of the Universe will gradually blend and harmonize, and consciousness will have recognized its own reflection in the mirror of consciousness.

Our own consciousness creates the world around us that we take to be real. Why “consciousness” rather than intellect or mind? Because unless we concentrate and become conscious of things in which we are interested, our “thinking” and “emotional” processes will not register their existence. We will remain unconscious and ignorant of them since these things will not make an impact on us, therefore they will not exist for us and thus will not be created. If your mental and emotional creations are not in harmony with mine, my creation will remain unknown and non-existent to you, and in the same manner, your creations will not exist for me. From our own perspective, none of us will be able to register our different visions of reality, unless I can show you file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (52 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

how you can be involved and interested in what I do, and how I see and live my personal reality, and you do the same for me. Thus, at a certain point, if we want to “meet” each other, we must go beyond our limited perception of reality and search for common ground. Unless we open up and become interested in each others’ way of being, and search for common understanding of the essence of reality, life will remain a mystery to us. So the first step in opening up and understanding our differences is to be aware of the limitations imposed by our ego. It is our egos that separate “my” reality from “your” reality. Fortunately, there are ways of interacting and respecting each others’ different ways of “being in the world.” The average person who is not a seeker identifies perfectly with his ego, and is not worried about his ego or how others perceive truth and reality. The seeker, on the other hand, knows that ego is the problem, that it must be under the control of the soul, that it needs to loosen and open up, that it must be transformed so that the soul can express the Divine qualities within the human psyche. For its part, the ego, the self-consciousness in a human being, must understand and realize intellectually through life’s experiences that it is only a distorted “image” of the soul, because the ego “is” the identified consciousness of the center of pure consciousness. The goal of the spiritual process is simply to make the ego realize that it has no independent existence, that it is merely a reflection of the Divine Essence that is at the source of consciousness. Thus, we can say that the ego, or limited consciousness of man, is a restricted perception of creation. What is creation, anyway? The manifestation of consciousness itself. Since consciousness needs a vehicle to become aware of itself, it can only do so by expressing itself in the world of duality. Is this a paradox? Not at all! The impersonal level of consciousness, or Cosmic Consciousness, the Essence of Being remains unchanged and does not create anything. It is the Void, the center of inactivity, of silence and just being, the “stuff” from which impersonal Cosmic Consciousness expands and enters vehicles that become individual, limited reflections of it. However, apart from the self-consciousness of the ego, which makes one aware that “I am me,” there are two more important levels of consciousness. The second awakening of consciousness still functions in the ego and the world of duality and dualism and it says, “I AM conscious of being a direct individual expression of the soul or God.” The third level of consciousness can be defined as, “I AM the central source of consciousness pervading everything that is created and uncreated.” The ego cannot experience this third level of Consciousness because it belongs to the “neutral axial pole” within being, in which the Law of Duality disappears. This level of consciousness no longer takes “form” since it is the source of omnipotent and omnipresent file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (53 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

consciousness itself. Thus from this axial center of Being within man, limited consciousness of the ego returns to merge into its own Uncreated Center of Absolute Consciousness.

This is the key that will unleash the gates of your true Being. You will pass through various inner processes that will, throughout your life, reflect different levels of consciousness, until that moment when you become aware that you have an inner “model” that follows each of your steps, a spiritual mapping showing you how to proceed in your quest. It is a thread that you must follow to reach an inner purified plane that leads to pure consciousness, in which your astral and mental bodies will be ready to be “reshaped” in the Divine “mold.” In this Perfect Mold, your selfconsciousness will blend with the essence of your soul, encompassing within it its divine ethereal features. This mold will chisel your Divine Face within all of your subtle bodies, and in time, you will become conscious and know it well. DUALITY VERSUS DUALISM When you, the seeker, attune and connect with your Divine Face and express it here on the physical plane, you will still have to “live” in duality. This means, that your Divine Face manifests and is attuned to everything you do through your human faculties. Hence, all your experiences and the work you do bear the imprint of the essence of your soul and are therefore reflected in whatever you do, say or think on this plane of existence. This is “living in duality,” and is completely different from the world in which people “live as dualism.” Duality in this sense means that the Divine faculties in you express through human attributes, here on this plane of existence, while the world of dualism means that selfconsciousness and soul-consciousness are separate and therefore in conflict. Dualism is a world of paradoxes and extreme opposites that co-exist, yet are at war with each file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (54 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

other. An obvious example: I was given a name at birth, I am a married woman, and enjoy the company of family and friends, yet I also know that I must share whatever my intuition and “intelligence of the heart” dictate. Hence this website. On my journey, I discovered my Divine Face (a symbolic expression) and entered the Perfect Mold, in which I am taking the shape imprinted in my consciousness. On one level, my name is Alice, yet it is a mask, a clever disguise. In truth, I am simply energy coming from the unmanifested Presence of Being. Through the essence of our Soul or pure Essence, each of us is impregnated by a “Perfect Model”, the manifestation of the unmanifested and uncreated Spirit that is potentially engrained in our Being and reflects in our psyche. As individuals, we become conscious of its existence only when certain impulses and experiences have been aroused and stimulated in the subconscious and subjective parts of our psyche. This means that our quest to understand our own mystery, the mystery of the meaning of life itself, begins just then and can never really exist before that crucial moment. On this website, I encourage you to begin in earnest your search for the beloved Presence within you that is your Divine Face. This presence will gradually reflect itself back to you through dreams, insights and intuitions, slowly revealing the mold of your pure Being in which you will have to enter so as to take a “new shape” and receive the new features (qualities) of your Divine Face. That is indeed, my dearest wish.

One of the Perfect Models "I will explain my nature: It is a unique Essence that infuses consciousness in everyone. It is the Presence of Beingness in consciousness" file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (55 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

PERFECT MODEL AND COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS The Master of Wisdom and the Perfect Model Part : 3

Master of Wisdom and the Perfect Model

1 - At the top of this diagram, we see a sun symbolizing Primordial Wisdom and the source of our Perfect Model (which is also the center of pure Being and Consciousness). 2 - The rays descending from the sun represent different individual paths of enlightenment. 3 - These rays carry the Essence of pure Wisdom in enlightened beings and incarnated masters of wisdom. (presented here by different colors). 4 - Enlightened masters of wisdom all represent the unique Essence of Being and Consciousness. As role models and guides they show us the way to unfold and awaken consciousness and wisdom. PRIMORDIAL WISDOM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MASTER OF WISDOM The wisdom of a world avatar or of an enlightened being comes directly from the source of Primordial Wisdom and the way to open up to its influence comes by following a special path. A path that unfolds the Perfect Model within. In other words, an avatar and a realized master are both incarnated beings who manifest and incarnate Primordial Wisdom through their chosen Perfect Model. In other words they activate the expressions and qualities of their Perfect Model and its Wisdom through their enlightened level of consciousness. Hence, avatars such as Jesus, or Buddha , Krishna and so many other known and unknown enlightened and realized human beings have all drawn their wisdom from the same unique Primordial Source. However, each mystical and religious tradition expresses the same Primordial Wisdom in a particular and different way, according to the cultural background of its their religion and philosophy. file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (56 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

So, all realized beings vibrate and are in resonance with the Source of Primordial Wisdom and they vibrate and resonate incessantly with their Perfect Model. Moreover, the essence of their wisdom and degree of compassion reverberate for ever within the center of being in every incarnated person. However, the seeker has to recognize and follow the "inner Path" that unfolds the initiatory process of reaching the Perfect Model. However, the seeker must take into account the karmic links that have been forged in the past and discover the special requirements that he/ she must still develop and experience. Gradually, by attuning and merging with the Essence of his/her Perfect Model, the seeker's level of consciousness unites with the center of Primordial Wisdom. This explains how the Perfect Model appears within oneself. It appears, when the inherent qualities of the Perfect Model manifest and enlighten the consciousness of a seeker. For this reason, we understand that a realized person's level of consciousness is a manifestation of the Primordial Wisdom. However, for the rest of humanity enlightenment is hidden and inactive within the psyche. For this reason the Perfect Model's reflection in consciousness remains obscured and veiled in the subconscious of all human beings. Inner Purification When the seeker purifies his/her psyche and thought processes, this means that his/her subtle bodies have entered the pure container or "Perfect Mold" and that the qualities of the Perfect Model are gradually revealed. However, we can ask, what is the Perfect Mold? It is the inner purified space and the fertile ground in which the divine qualities of the Perfect Model are revealed and expressed - "The Perfect Mold" or pure container represents the field in which the alchemical transmutation of the ego takes place. It is the space in which the limited and gross energies of the seeker are transformed and purified. In other words the "Perfect Mold" is used as a symbol to describe a "mysterious substance" in which the mystery of the inner process unfolds and nurtures universal and divine qualities - The Perfect Mold is the "fertile space" in which the metamorphosis of consciousness takes place...It also represents the "Nuptial Chamber" in which the ego enters willingly to vibrate, resonate and unite with the Beloved - the Perfect Model.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (57 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

As an example: Visualizing a vortex of pure White Light or spiritual Fire entering through your crown chakra and purifying the etheric and astral bodies within you. This is a simple way of creating and energizing the Perfect Mold Breathing Exercises 1 & 2

Exercise 1: Breathing Meditation Begin by breathing deeply and fully, taking several deep breaths, connecting the inhale to the exhale. On every out-breath, feel your body relax, allowing tension to leave you. As you breathe, become aware of the areas of your body where you feel tense and breathe into those parts, imagining that the in-breath is loosening the tension and the out-breath is carrying away stress and tension, creating space inside you to relax file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (58 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

more and more with each cycle of your breathing. Be aware of your body, of sensations and feelings, of the mood you are in as you breathe, relax, and let go. Notice your thoughts as they come and go. Simply observe, being aware, letting thoughts and feelings flow, and as they flow, let go with every breath, relaxing and releasing tension … relaxing … allowing the tensions to melt … to dissolve and disappear with the slow, steady rhythm of your breath … becoming relaxed and aware … calm.

Exercise 2: The Rainbow Cocoon This exercise helps you create harmony between the various levels of your being. Begin with the breathing exercise or another that you prefer. When you are fully relaxed, imagine that your aura is being surrounded by a soft blanket of pure energy. Visualize it taking the shape of a spherical cocoon. Let the space within your cocoon become magnetic and let your intuition choose one of the pure colors of the rainbow. Accept the first color that comes. Visualize the color filling the cocoon. Let yourself bathe in its pristine clear light. Let your whole being be immersed in it. Imagine that, like a sponge, your whole being is absorbing light through the pores of your skin, penetrating, cleansing and healing your etheric and astral bodies. You are now completely purified and sealed in your cocoon file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (59 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

of pure light. Remain in it for a few minutes, breathing its purity. Do exercises 1 and 2 daily for at least a whole week. Then add exercise 3 for the following week, but always precede it with exercises 1 and 2.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 3 Cave Meditation

Remember that these exercises are to be developed on your own with the aid of your intuition. What follows is a general idea of the inner spiritual process that has worked for me and brought me face-to-face with my ideal model so as to integrate my conscious self into its Divine Mold, but please allow your intuition to customize them for you. They are one way of unfolding this incredible process within you, one that I hope will help you as much as it has helped me. Please read this entire chapter and begin only when you are sure that you understand all the steps. If you wish, you can tape them. Each of the phases of this work will unfold your inner process and energize seed ideas for your awakening and enlightenment, hence when performed in the right frame of mind, they will develop in your psyche in a natural way. The symbols you will be working with are universal “keys” opening to powerful subtle energies within your being.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (60 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Exercise 3: Cave Meditation Precede any inner work with exercises 1 and 2 as they will purify you from the negativity and stresses that have been accumulated during your daily activities and help you enter a higher spiritual plane. When you are ready, invite your intuition to accompany you on your inner journey. If you wish, you can ask your intuition to take a special symbolic “form” for you, allowing your intuition to choose how it wants to appear for you. Always accept the first impression that comes. 1 - Together, see yourselves enter a dark cave. Make the cave as real as you can, and, like a hermit, put yourself in this atmosphere for a while. In this dark and humid place, reflect on your life, on who you think you are, and what you have done with your life. 2 - Look at the events in your life and relive the most important. Watch them play out as if you were viewing yourself in a movie, observing from your impersonal center of being, the ego patterns that you have created. At all times during your introspection, remember to remain in touch with the center of pure consciousness and from that neutral point, reflect on the qualities that you have developed and come to know well. Rekindle your goals and aspirations. Let your guide be the witness of your reflections and if you feel that you need its assistance, ask for it. You will find this period of selffile:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (61 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

discovery rewarding because it will bring up forgotten memories that need to be consciously discarded.

3 - Try to spend time in your cave everyday, in the morning and at night before going to sleep. Do not attempt to fantasize or imagine things happening around you. Try to remain calm and meditative even in your visualization. You create the atmosphere within yourself to invite the impulses coming from your soul to assist you in this inner process. This inner space allows you to let go of everything you no longer need. You are learning to get in touch with the energy of the archetypal Hermit, which means that you are letting go of all the illusions of the world and entering a place within you where your inner desire for purification will unfold. Hence your intent has to be real and powerful. This is personal work and you will need to create this astral place by yourself with your thoughts and emotions. In this way, you will also create the astral body of the Hermit, which your consciousness will inhabit whenever you are in your cave. · By doing this kind of inner work, you are assisting your soul in pouring into your psyche the qualities and power needed to unfold higher levels of consciousness. You are also helping yourself to understand better the mystery of who you really are.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 4 Creating Your Sacred Cell

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (62 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Always precede exercise '4' by exercises '1' and '2'. When you feel ready, visualize that the room around you is dissolving completely in an ocean of high spiritual vibrations. Let the waves of energy of your imagination transport you far away, say, to the top of a sacred mountain. Within yourself, unfold the energetic qualities of the Hermit, a seeker of solitude and rest from the turmoil of the world. Look around you and sense that you are a lone traveler, seeking to find refuge. Try to get in touch with the feeling of being a traveler who needs to create a sacred space. Your intuition will guide your search, and find the perfect spot for you. As always, accept the first impression that you receive. The place your intuition finds for you will be rooted in your ethereal and mystical heart and will be your axial pole, the pillar of consciousness and your point of contact, which will harmonize all the magnetic energies among your subtle bodies. This place will be a consecrated and most holy inner space, where the energies of the earth and sky will meet, where the temporal and transient part of your life will blend and transmute into the infinity of Pure Being. Let your intuition guide you in the construction of your holy place, the place you will come to pray, meditate, contemplate, reflect and receive intuitive impulses from the higher realms. It will be the place where you will make contact and commune with your soul and higher intelligences. After finding the right place to construct your Sacred Cell, in your mind’s eye, make your holy place as simple as possible, putting in only what you really need, such as a bed, a chair, a table, a candle, a few books and a small window. The atmosphere that you create within your cell is vital, as its file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (63 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

atmosphere will resonate in your mystical heart and consciousness. It will also prepare you for the process that will put you in touch with your spiritual DNA. Visualize light creating your Sacred Cell. It takes form as you watch, and as you begin to experience the creation of your cell within your being, feel its vibrations blending softly with the light in your aura, energizing your whole being with its blazing light. Once you have successfully created your Sacred Cell, you can project yourself in this holy place whenever you feel like it. It is a special space within you where you will receive and exchange sacred knowledge and commune with the Masters of Wisdom, each of whom represents a sacred mold, a characteristic type of spiritual DNA. By visiting often this sacred place, you will become a consecrated being, and come to realize that a silent presence resides behind your ego presence — your Perfect Model, the mold that you will, in time, penetrate. The Perfect Mold is also called robe of glory and the body of light. After you have constructed your Sacred Cell and you feel in harmony in it, move on to exercise 5. To go back to the list of these special exercises THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 5

Manifesting Your Inner Guide

Precede exercise '5' by exercises '1' and '2'. Enter your Sacred Cell in your usual way and light one or more candles that are on your table. Sit on your chair and close your eyes. Repeat the breathing exercise so as to relax you even more, and then ask your inner

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (64 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

self or guide to manifest in front of you and appear in your cell. Your inner guide can take any shape—the ways it can manifest for you are explained in this book. Remember that whatever shape it takes, it will be a projection and an extension of your soul, and this will depend on the level of your attunement with it on the inner planes. Always accept and trust the first impression that you receive. Every time you visit your Sacred Cell, you may call upon your inner guide, and sometimes, it may have a different appearance, aspect or quality representing your soul. Pay attention to this because your inner guide is the invisible presence of your Pure Being, veiled behind the symbolic expression that you see in your cell. Come to know your inner guide well, and have intimate conversations and confessions. It is important to develop a closer relationship with your inner guide because, with time, it will help you unfold a mysterious inner process that will open for you the path of your awakening to higher dimensions of yourself. This inner process will give you insights into sacred primordial knowledge and wisdom that are engraved in your soul. Journal your experiences and impressions, and record the intuitions, feelings and thoughts that you receive from the inner planes.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 6 Attuning to Your Soul or Pure Being (Harmonizing Your Psychic Centers)

· Precede this exercise by exercises '1' and '2'. Within your Sacred Cell, stand erect, arms at your sides, eyes closed. Relax and breathe gently, deeply and slowly. Imagine that a glowing sphere of the purest white light hovers above your head (crown chakra). The distance between you and the sphere may vary, but accept the distance that feels right for you. For a few minutes, feel the sphere’s warmth and dazzling rays surrounding the top of your head, until you really feel immersed by its rays. Now see the sphere of light moving down to the region of your third eye center, between your eyebrows. Imagine the sphere moving into it. Take a few deep breaths, file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (65 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

keeping your attention on the sphere and feel its energy expanding more and more around your head. Now see the sphere moving down to your throat chakra. Again, see it gradually expanding, as the purest light emanates from your throat. Breathe slowly in and out a few times, keeping your attention on this light. See its rays illuminating the whole area around it. When you are ready, visualize the dazzling sphere moving down to your heart chakra. Take a few deep breaths, and keep your attention on it as you feel its energy expanding more and more in your chest. Next, bring your attention to your solar plexus, and visualize the sphere moving down to the area of your abdomen. Once more, take a few deep breaths and focus on the light glowing from that place. Feel the energy expanding gently from that area, healing, discarding, purifying, ever-expanding, bringing vitality and goodness all around it. Visualize now the sphere moving to your pelvic area, and take a few deep breaths, focusing on the power of the sphere in this area. Feel the energy expanding gently from your pelvic region, discarding, healing, purifying and expanding vitality and life force. Finally, visualize the pure light moving down to your feet. See the brilliant glowing light around your feet. Take a few deep breaths into that region. As you inhale, imagine that this is your grounding place, your soul’s point of contact with the earth. Having stimulated all the spiritual energies within your subtle bodies, feel that all the projected lights of your soul are resonating in harmony with each other. Take some time to experience the ethereal qualities that are pouring into your being. Let them be activated and energized in all your etheric and astral bodies. Let them vibrate in unison and harmony. When this happens, it means that you, as a being of light, are attuned and resonating with the vibrations of your soul’s sacred number. Your whole body is glowing and resonating with the intent and goal of your soul. Inhale deeply, holding the image of your mystical attunement with your soul and, as you exhale, imagine the energy of your soul flowing in and around you. Now focus your attention on the rays of light radiating and penetrating your entire body, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet Breathe deeply a few more times, imagining that the pure light energy of your soul is flowing all around your aura. Make it circulate and flow clockwise, forming a sphere around you. Let the pure energy flowing in the sphere penetrate through the pores of your skin, let the ethereal energy of your soul immerse you from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. Remain, empty, calm and relaxed. If you can lie down, try to take a nap and be open to receive visions and lucid dreams. It would be better, however, if you could journal this exercise before going to sleep, as file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (66 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

it will unfold a higher aspect of consciousness during sleep.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 7 The Temple of Light

Painting by Gilbert Williams

When the time comes to unfold another dimension of yourself, your inner guide will let you know in an intimate way and will accompany you into a monastery or a temple high on a mountaintop where you will be given a private cell. (This cell is not the same as the Sacred Cell that you created in exercise 4.) You are going to visit this place from within the inner planes to prepare yourself and receive, when you are ready, an important initiation. Visualize this cell as simple and as holy as you can, remembering that you are a pilgrim in search of the meaning of your life. Learn to formulate your intent and express your deepest desire in here, so as to energize your mental and emotional bodies. Before reaching this place, you should have performed all the previous exercises to purify your etheric and lower astral bodies since, from here on, your preparation concerns someone who will become a Server of Light, and a Server of Humanity. • Every morning and evening, try to spend about 10 minutes in your Sacred Cell and begin your spiritual work from within that sacred place. When you feel ready from within, your guide will conduct you to a temple made of the purest light, where you will gather with many other seekers such as yourself. Adjust file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (67 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

yourself to the vibration of these higher spiritual energies. Within your being, try to manifest the ambience of this incredible place where pure spirit is alive. After a period of visiting the Temple of Light or the Monastery daily, begin to include other seekers who, like you, are preparing themselves from within the inner planes of this sacred temple or monastery of light. Imagine and create a sacred meeting place where you and the other pilgrims and candidates for initiation will gather, pray, meditate and commune together. This part of the exercise is simply a change in the focus of your visualization and meditation. Instead of focusing on your personal mystery, you are including others who, like you, are attuning to the essence of Pure Being. As your focus is centered now on the essence of “being” and “being-ness,” other beings should be included in your meditations as they are also part of your “being” and “being-ness.” Do this for a month or more until your guide tells you that it’s time for you to receive a sacred initiation. Follow your guide’s instructions, and allow your intuition to tell you when it’s time to continue on your spiritual journey THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 8 Creating Your Divine Perfect Mold

. Precede this exercise by exercises 1 and 2 Perform this exercise at night, after your meditation period and just before going to sleep. When the day of your initiation arrives, your guide will give you a sign that only you will recognize, in a dream, through a synchronistic event, a word heard, an image seen. It can appear suddenly from nowhere, but you will know when it comes because your intuition will tell you. When you receive the sign, prepare yourself inwardly and outwardly, and enter your sacred file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (68 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

cell. After your inner preparation, follow your guide to a special place that you have never seen before. It is a tower, a most sacred and holy place. In silence, follow your guide into a small circular room. There, a Master greets you and asks you to move into the center of the room. Then, he or she stands close behind you and holds up your face so that you’re looking straight ahead. He or she asks you to visualize your Perfect Mold with astral matter. Focus your full will and love into the silvery-white radiant silhouette that now appears before your eyes. This is your Divine Perfect Mold. THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 8 Creating Your Divine Perfect Mold

. Precede this exercise by exercises 1 and 2 Perform this exercise at night, after your meditation period and just before going to sleep. When the day of your initiation arrives, your guide will give you a sign that only you will recognize, in a dream, through a synchronistic event, a word heard, an image seen. It can appear suddenly from nowhere, but you will know when it comes because your intuition will tell you. When you receive the sign, prepare yourself inwardly and outwardly, and enter your sacred cell. After your inner preparation, follow your guide to a special place that you have never seen before. It is a tower, a most sacred and holy place. In silence, follow your guide into a small circular room. There, a Master greets you and asks you to move into the center of the room. Then, he or she stands close behind you and holds up your face so that you’re looking file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (69 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

straight ahead. He or she asks you to visualize your Perfect Mold with astral matter. Focus your full will and love into the silvery-white radiant silhouette that now appears before your eyes. This is your Divine Perfect Mold.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Your Divine Perfect Model Explanations

"If you have followed the instructions and have done all the previous meditations with the right intentions and a pure heart, you will then be magnetically attracted to your Divine Perfect Model that is now resonating in you. This will happen because you have entered its Perfect Mold and have energized its sacred number." This part of your mystical work will rest on synchronistic happenings in your life, and you will be given, from within the inner planes and the physical plane, an image and a semblance of your Perfect Model. What is imprinted in your Perfect Mold will appear in your life and together, you will vibrate and unfold within yourself the inner qualities that belong to it. And as a Server of Light, you will, like many others, be one of the expressions manifesting your Perfect Model. And like them, you will also have a duty to serve and awaken other self-conscious beings, helping them to activate their own Perfect Mold and Perfect Model. This part of the work is personal and silent. By now, will have been given ample personal proof of what happens during your spiritual awakening process. This inner work will have also taught you that you are never alone, that you are really guided by the invisible hand of your soul, your permanent witness For more details on the Permanent Witness and the Spiritual Witness, see the articles in the “Mystery of Man” series.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (70 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Special Exercise : 10.A Practical Work With The Sacred Chalice

This section offers a powerful symbol that you can use in your inner work, in addition to the image of the Perfect Model of your choice (What appeared to me from within was the Image of the Cosmic Christ). First try to attune with the sacred Image, meditating on it as often as you wish. You can also combine this sacred work with the ten specially prepared exercises. Attunement with the Cosmic Christ, or any other Perfect Expression of Primordial Wisdom will cause its magnetic energy to pour into your being, impregnating and purifying your aura. It will also resonate and transfer its subtle soul qualities in your consciousness, until your Perfect Model’s Divine Face and yours unite and become your 'Angelic Face'.

Symbology of the Sacred Chalice The Sacred Chalice offers four important “keys” to work with: the trident, the word 'psi', ψ in Greek, the circle itself and the Holy Grail. However, their are many more details that you may intuitively understand their meaning example: the triangles, the central axis and the colors are also important keys. Another important detail should be taken into consideration concerning this diagram which is also a sacred pentacle and a crucial key to unfold the potential level of Cosmic Consciousness that lies dormant in each one of us... So let us understand a scientific and mystical discovery which is that for every archetypal symbol exists its invisible counterpart... its double...its "soul'" or "essence". The new sciences tell us that "positrons are the opposite and invisible aspect of the electrons" ...Hence, we understand that for each material shape exists its invisible

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (71 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:53

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

double... This is the law of matter and antimatter... (or, we could replace the word antimatter and replace it with a more mystical one which is called the "void"... So, when you meditate on this diagram- pentacle have in mind what we have just said about the importance of its invisible "antimatter" aspect... the aspect that reveals its pure ESSENCE....which is part and a projection of CONSCIOUSNESS...

ψ The trident is the symbol of the god Neptune/Poseidon, and denotes his command of the waters, which symbolically represent the emotions and the astral planes of being. Hence the trident is the instrument that “raises” and “stills” the emotions. It is therefore closely linked to the astral body and the way we act and react on all the planes of existence. In itself, the trident is a solar emblem and, with its prongs, it mingles and transforms the “waters” of the astral plane within our being. The prongs are the fiery and purifying tools that pierce, penetrate and transform all our mental and emotional patterns. However, with the combination of the color gold and the circle and Holy Grail, it can take a different meaning as well... and become also the RAYS of the SUN/SON... In India, the trishula or trident is the emblem of the god Shiva, the transformer and destroyer of energies. In Buddhism, the trident is a symbol of the triratna or triple jewel. It may also be regarded as the triple current of energy in Tantrism - the Sushuma in the center and the ida and pingala on either side. The trident-shaped Greek letter psi ψ usually represents soul, but in this work, it represents the psyche, the inner memory aspect of past and present experiences, and is linked to the lower mental and astral bodies. It is the psychic part in humans that receives both the impulses and reactions coming from the ego or selfconsciousness, and also the impulses and inspirations coming from the soul. Hence the psyche is the “meeting place” where the limited and unlimited aspects of all our experiences mingle. It is also, as we have just said related to memory, which is why it must be purified so that the connection between the ego and soul functions properly.

•

In the same context, you can also see the Hebrew letter SHIN (it looks like three flames but without the trunk and represents the Heavenly and Divine FIRE placed on Daath) On this website, the Cup takes two aspects beginning with a Chalice and then later it becomes the Holy Grail. But to begin with the Cup represents the container, the Chalice, the Perfect Mold into which the seeker of truth plunges, letting himself be totally immersed in its purifying divine influences, leading to purification by Divine Grace. It is the place where the seeker receives the Holy Spirit and undergoes the file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (72 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Baptism of Fire, which is why the Chalice represents the consecrated vessel for transformation and rebirth into the Christ or Cosmic Consciousness. The Chalice can be seen as the font in which flows the divine grace to nourish, nurture and finally adorn us with the “garment” of our divine nature. The Chalice represents many different things to many mystics. For example, it is the vessel in which the Blood of Christ and soma, or the nectar and beverage of ancient Gods, were kept. It is the sacred place “within,” in which all spiritual transformations take place and, through self-consciousness, the seeker of truth enters into the realm of Cosmic Consciousness. The Circle the circle and the dot share certain symbolic properties, namely perfection, completeness. While the primeval dot symbolizes immanent perfection, the circle may also symbolize the results of creation. It is the development and manifestation of the Spiritual DNA or Divine Seed. The Grail in these essays represents the complete transformation of human nature into its Divine counterpart. Hence the Grail represents Christ substance and Consciousness. We could say that the Grail is the Perfect Model and the Chalice is the Perfect Mold in which all inner processes occur. I recommend drawing and coloring the diagram yourself (using thick paper) so that it manifests and unfolds its potency and quality in your psyche. Use a brilliant and dazzling gold color for the chalice, the four triangles and the tridents, and a paler gold for the inside of the circle. Use the diagram as a mandala and meditate on it, as it contains the whole process of unfolding Cosmic Consciousness. I recommend also that you sit comfortably in a meditative position and place the diagram in front of you. Concentrate on the diagram for a while. Then close your eyes and visualize it coming alive in your mind’s eye. Make it vibrate with life and energy. Gradually, make it become larger and larger and see yourself plunge into the pool of energies. Stay in that state for a few moments and when you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, come out of your meditation knowing that the blueprint of this sacred diagram is still working within you. You can do this exercise as many times as you wish. For more details of the Sacred Chalice, see “The Importance of Dreams in the Mystical Process,” and the “Mystery of Man” on this website (part: 1,2,3,4).

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (73 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

To go back to the list of these special exercises Please click on the Triangle

HOME To go back to the list without frames, please click on this line or the star below

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 10.B Your Divine Perfect Model

This is part two of the transformation of the Chalice into a Grail cup. The symbols include: A Grail cup A Cross with four equal branched Four equilateral triangles Color brilliant gold This diagram, which also serves as a mandala, is offered to be meditated upon. We see here the Chalice transformed into a Grail Cup, which remains the same purified vessel made of the purest gold. However the four tridents of our previous mandala have transformed into four equidistant and file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (74 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

equilateral branches forming a cross. This new symbol represents the achieved wholeness in a seeker, and portrays what happens after the four elements (fire, water, air and earth) within a seeker’s subtle and physical bodies have been purified and transmuted from within the perfect Mold and transformed into the Perfect Model. Hence, this diagram depicts the integration and manifestation of the Perfect Model in the seeker’s everyday awareness. However, because the seeker’s physical senses can never handle or see this holy and sacred Grail, it will always remain an ethereal, evanescent and immaterial substance within the seeker’s Pure Being or soul entity. Nonetheless, this blessed substance will always remain anchored in his/her Perfect Model and therefore will transmit to the seeker’s abstract mind (or intelligence of the heart) all the divine and holy emanations and impulsion that it needs. An equilateral cross, the major channel of communication, represents the Son of Man, the sign of the seeker’s awakened Perfect Model. It is not a Christian symbol. The four branches or arms of the cross meet at the center of the Grail, bringing and achieving the necessary balance and equilibrium between all the planes and subtle bodies within a seeker. The central point is an invisible one that remains unmanifested on the axial pole of the world axis. Hence it prevails as the non-material center of the Grail. It also represents the non-material core of Pure Being, or the Absolute Consciousness or Divine Void within each one of us. This center is where the Invisible Presence of the Divine Face abides unmanifested unchanged and immovable forever, and yet its divine semblance and reflection are activated and energized within each Perfect Model. The central vertical branch represents the world axis harmoniously blended within the ascending world axis in the seeker. It shows also that the earth element, the Malkuth (the tenth Sephiroth in Qabalistic symbology), arises and soars towards the Unknown God or Absolute Being through the vertical arm of the cross, which is also the middle Pillar of Consciousness. That is why this vertical arm of the cross becomes also the base on which the Grail stands firmly on the ground. This base is formed by a triangle with its apex facing upwards and represents two things: The seeker’s consciousness has been transformed and spiritualized, so that the self-consciousness of the ego ascends gradually from its physical and material world surroundings into to the realm of Cosmic Consciousness. The vertical arm of the cross shows us that consciousness of the self can open up and become one with Cosmic or Christ Consciousness, since they both belong to the same axis. The Chalice and the Grail both stand firm on a same triangle representing file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (75 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

not just matter but redeemed matter. Therefore both holy vessels are wellgrounded within the axis of consciousness, which allows this sacred work to begin in earnest. Thus, we could intuitively say that when the hindrances and limitations of the ego disappear, the vertical axis opens its horizontal arms to form a divine cross. The horizontal arms of this cross represent consciousness stretching itself outwardly in ordinary consciousness to encompass the whole world of creation. And, when both vertical and horizontal arms of the cross meet in the center of the Grail, their meeting point enlightens and illuminates Cosmic or Christ Consciousness in ordinary self-consciousness. The Presence of our Soul Entity or pure Being resides in the hidden center of the cross and this same Presence of pure Being resides in the mystical heart of a seeker, whose heart is continuously nourished and filled with the elixir and nectar contained in the holy Grail. In spiritual alchemy, this inner work is called “the Work of the Sun.” In Kabbalah, the Grail is the center of Tiphereth on the Tree of Life, which is why it is made of the purest gold. The triangle that forms the base of the Grail Cup is an equilateral triangle representing the element of fire, the fire of Kundalini rising, purifying and transforming the heart and psyche in a seeker. From there, it rises up towards the crown chakra. The cross, too, is made of the element of “fire,” the fire that purifies and unifies the different aspects within a seeker. This ”fiery” cross has been created and manifested with the essence and substance of the Grail itself. However, this “fiery” cross appears only after the purifications and initiations are first completed in the sacred Chalice and its fiery “tridents” have done their mystical work (see first Chalice diagram). The “fiery” cross on this diagram is made of the purest gold, which represents symbolically perfected matter and the fiery substance of the cross, transformed into the purest Light of Being. The above offers just a few hints to help you in your mystical work. Please remain open to any other intuitive revelations that come. The Process Meditate on the sacred Grail Cup. After having done all the exercises and the work with the previous Chalice, meditate and reflect on the Grail in this section. I recommend drawing and coloring the diagram yourself (using thick paper) so that it manifests and unfolds its potency and quality in your

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (76 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

psyche. Use a brilliant and dazzling gold color for the chalice, the four triangles and the cross. Use the diagram as a mandala and meditate on it, as it contains the whole process of unfolding Cosmic Consciousness. I recommend also that you sit comfortably in a meditative position and place the diagram in front of you. Concentrate on the diagram for a while. Then close your eyes and visualize it coming alive in your mind’s eye. Make it vibrate with life and energy. Gradually, make it become larger and larger and see yourself plunge into the pool of energies. Stay in that state for a few moments and when you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, come out of your meditation knowing that the blueprint of this sacred diagram is still working within you. You can do this exercise as many times as you wish. Make notes of your reflections and contemplations. Draw this mandala and color it so that its energy blends with yours and becomes part of you, created and activated within your subtle bodies and place the diagram in front of you. Concentrate on the diagram for a while. Then close your eyes and visualize it coming alive in your mind’s eye. Make it vibrate with life and energy. Gradually, make it become larger and larger and see yourself plunge into the pool of energies. Stay in that state for a few moments and when you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, come out of your meditation knowing that the blueprint of this sacred diagram is still working within you. You can do this exercise as many times as you wish. Hence the powerful energy of the Word IESHUA " IN esoteric and hermetic teachings the Savior of Christians Mystics... and as such this word of Power represents the PERFECT MODEL, the transcendent SPIRIT beyond the realm

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (77 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

of physical matter, while that of Jeshua or Jesus is the immanent Spirit present within physical matter, THE VEHICLE - THE CONTAINER, which is the PERFECT MOLD

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS A Chalice shall you be, a Holy Grail All emptied and receptive to my filling.

In the practical work that we have before us we shall regard the Grail as our receptivity to the divine vocation that we are called to perform. In some Eastern systems of yoga a small picture of the master or guru is visualized in the heart center. Do the same, but instead of projecting an image become your Perfect Model and then visualize the Grail. You may choose to visualize the one that worked for me, but it can be any other cup or dish or any form of container that your intuition and imagination suggests. Remember that the Perfect Model represents - the lost Heavenly Beloved - Your Divine Self.. Visualize, the Grail, before your heart. You may well find that it tends to coalesce with your physical heart inside your breast. You may feel your heart blazing or receive other reactions. This is a subjective test showing you that your inner process is working and a sign that you are unfolding the file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (78 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

"Perfect Mold" - "your spiritual DNA" - and that you are entering a new level of concentration and attunement with the Masters of Wisdom and the source of Primordial Wisdom. The building of this symbol of the Grail aligns one with the whole Eucharistic tradition, going back to pre-Christian days of the sacrament of bread and wine. In written tradition this goes back to the strange being Melchizedek, whose effigy is to be found in Chartres Cathedral, to whom Christ was likened in the Epistle of the Hebrews. This Melchizedek, King of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham returning from the rout of the kings and blessed him; and Abraham gave him a tithe of everything as his portion. His name, in the first place, means "King of righteousness"; next he is king of Salem, that is, "king of peace". He has no father, no mother, no lineage; his years have no beginning, his life no end. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest for all time. Consider now how great he must be for Abraham the patriarch to give him a tithe of the finest of the spoil. (So far, Hebrews Chapter 7. The original reference to Melchizedek is to be found in Genesis 14.) The use of this symbol of the Grail is in itself an act of consecration and one's readiness to become aware of the Will of God or Pure Being in one's own life and destiny. In this consecration to Destiny, one does well to realize that one is never alone, however lone or long the furrow one has to plough may seem. THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (79 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

FINAL WORDS END OF THE SACRED EXERCISES 1 – MEDITATE EVERY MORNING AND NIGHT for about 10 minutes to be in harmony with pure consciousness. 2 – During your daily occupation and at work become the OBSERVER of what you do and say. Remain positive – and if you have to make a negative remark to yourself or others, try to find a positive way of doing it. Remember that your present thoughts have arisen dependent upon past thoughts and desires. Your future thoughts will arise dependent upon your present thoughts and desires. It is no good for you to worry and think about the past or try to envisage the future. That is the way to more suffering and unrest. You must learn to control your thoughts now. You must bring your mind to peace tranquillity now – and you will be sowing the seeds for like thoughts in the future. 3 – This preparation is a long process - do not be impatient. By following closely these suggestions you will come closer to your Perfect Model, Your Spiritual "other half" - unfolding your sacred "blueprint" or "Spiritual DNA" To print CLOSING WORDS FOR SPECIAL PROGRAM

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (80 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

A Chalice shall you be, a Holy Grail All emptied and receptive to my filling.

CHRIST CONSCIOUSNESS or COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

The word Christ means "The Anointed One". The First Emanation of the Essence of God, the Absolute - the Source of our Beingness - in Judeo Christian terminology the Spirit of God is referred to as: The Father's Son or, Christ Consciousness - and in hermetic and esoteric terminology, It is file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (81 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

referred to as: the first Blueprint of possibilities. This divine BLUEPRINT when activated awakens Consciousness to its divine Nature, and allows It to accomplish and complete the Divine Plan. In terms of our physical universe, and the world in which we have our being, the Christ or Cosmic Consciousness represents the healing and REDEMPTIVE medium, the vehicle that sets in motion the spiritual "blueprint" or spiritual DNA in our own limited level of consciousness, healing the "wounds" created by the illusionary separation of the ego personalities of man - thus, this Redemptive Power stops and brings to a close the divine Hypnosis in which the ego was plunged. However, this divine Hypnosis was a necessary step to help Consciousness create the EGO of man; this was a necessary step in the evolutionary cycle of life.... from unconsciousness to self consciousness and from self consciousness to Cosmic Consciousness... These are evolutionary steps on the ladder of CONSCIOUSNESS - these steps unfold different stages and planes of existence that allow Consciousness to take form and express whatever it needs to commune...and manifest. As we have just said, the ego is formed so that UNCONSCIOUSNESS of BEING becomes CONSCIOUS of BEING... Reflect on this idea... To begin with the ego needs to believe that it is a separated subject from the rest of creation - it is still far from understanding its own function and remains ignorant of its own Source... Later, as a seeker, the ego's level of selfconsciousness unfolds a inner process of inquiry into the nature of Being... and gradually it discovers its own uncorrupted Nature, which is unveiled with the appearance of the Seal of the "Anointed One" or Christ Consciousness... This divine Nature gives rise to the "ego" the realization that it is nothing more than a projection and a shadow of Christ or Cosmic Consciousness functioning in duality - in other words the ego self represents the stage when the Blueprint of Christ or Cosmic Consciousness is still in its unconscious and ignorant state... So when Redemption happens then self-consciousness is Baptized with Fire and Light and it becomes the ANOINTED One, the One who knows that all forms of creation are "God's dreams, thoughts, ideas and children". These are all creations of the same Absolute Intelligence - the Source of our Beingness... Thus, when by the Grace of God, the process of awakening happens in a seeker, then Self-consciousness turns gradually into Cosmic Consciousness and the seeker becomes an anointed Sonship of the Divine Light... Thus, file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (82 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

the seeker becomes an enlightened being working from within the inner Spheres where the Spirit of Christ Consciousness dwells. We, as selfconscious seekers are living in a world of duality, a world created by our mental and emotional patterns, a world in which we feel alienated and divided between "me and you" - between "good and evil". This is called in certain circles "the Fall", which simply means that at the level of the Fall, consciousness is still slumbering and unconscious of its own Source...of its own possibilities. Christ Consciousness comes to restore the Perfect IMAGE - the PERFECT MODEL and the semblance that was lost, and this spiritual BLUEPRINT or DNA unfolds in Intuition… New horizons... New possibilities... New threshold gates - A new Initiation that reveals the actual Garment of Light that was for eons inactive and latent in our Spiritual Blueprint and DNA... When the hour of our Redemption happens, then, this Garment of Light unfolds the SON of Man... the AWAKENED ONE... in the flesh (which is the original Adam Kadmon). And through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, awakened seekers are transformed into Holy Grails- the purified vehicles for the Spirit of YESHUA to function properly as Christ Consciousness in the world of duality. This is a great mystery... but what can be said about it is, that it means the level of the " ego self" assumes a new relationship with the Source of Being which is the Center of the Absolute God, the Father of us all. Another esoteric and hermetic teaching is that CHRIST Energy unfolds the BODY OF LIGHT: The sanctified body working and witnessing in harmony with Christ or Cosmic Consciousness.

The Moral Code of a Perfect Model

Love that which is good Ignore that which is evil Be goodness, justice and compassion file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (83 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Never criticize Be patient, calm and considerate Never give way to anger or pride Be pure, compassionate, and gentle Never resort to sarcasm Be confident, content, and open to others Do not doubt and never be envious Be moderate in all things Avoid excess Be humble, kind, modest, generous, and respectful of others Never be spiteful Be honest in words and in deeds; speak the truth Never lie and never slander Be helpful and considerate in everything Never deceive nor betray anyone Love and protect life; spread peace and harmony Under no circumstances be aggressive.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CHRIST OR COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (84 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

One of the Perfect Models "I AM ONE AND UNIQUE IN ESSENCE AND AM THE SAME IN ALL PERFECT MODELS" . I will explain my nature: It is a unique Essence that infuses consciousness in everyone. It is the Presence of Being-ness in consciousness" the single state of consciousness of the individual (The following explanations are given to situate my inner process and show how I came to recognize and gradually learn how to unfold "my" Perfect Model) Who I am? I remain a mystery to myself, a mystery that I share with every incarnated soul on this planet. For those with whom I come into worldly contact, I must look a bit odd and mysterious. Why? Simply because I am empty and open, involved yet detached from everything I do. I have fun and enjoy life, but I have no strong opinion on anything, since intuition and contemplation make me see things in ever-changing perspectives. I am a free traveler, a constant pilgrim, open to experience everything coming my way. As a human being, the most important thing is to awaken the spiritual dimension of consciousness and in so doing, experience a more profound reality that I can share and pass on to whoever comes my way and has the same ideals.

My inner quest Since childhood, I had received meaningful teachings in my dreams. Through lucid file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (85 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

dreaming, I explored a very different world from my everyday reality in which one moment I could be experiencing blissful and uplifting experience, and would suddenly fall into a hellish and infernal one. From ecstasy and awe, I would plunge into pain and distress. These inner states were no dreams but part of the subtle inner adjustments that were necessary for my psyche to help awaken to its true nature. I knew that my spiritual inner quest needed to be rooted in a psychological approach. I had to ground these two different approaches and find a way to blend and harmonize them. This was a much better way to heal and unblock the trapped subconscious energies. Thus, I found that my training in Psychosynthesis was definitely helping me to look at myself from a new perspective. This “new way” was emerging through my process as a silent witness from within the center of consciousness. I was becoming a silent observer of myself, and through this incredible transformation, a subtle ethereal bridge was starting to link the two opposite energies within me, uplifting my consciousness to new heights. In retrospect, this “inner” bridge was the link that grounded me. Like Jacob’s Ladder, it was a channel opening new doors within myself. I noticed, however, that bridging and harmonizing the two extreme energies within me made me aware of some subtle qualities that were starting to emerge from my psyche. For example, I noticed that when I observed my own psychological process, something different was operating within me. My conscious self accepted whatever was surfacing from within, with a kind of compassion and understanding, a peaceful feeling towards my own ego. From the depths of my psyche, something was telling me that everything was going to be okay. When negative things surfaced in my consciousness during meditation, or dreams, rather than the old embarrassment was a more loving and nurturing way. My dreams were filled with vivid, powerful experiences that were initiations, doors within doors opening and unfolding new levels of consciousness. At first, it was a mixture of levels of consciousness coming from past incarnations that needed to be purified. Other levels appeared, too, more uplifting and blissful. I saw the quickening and awakening levels of consciousness as “seeds” that needed to be purified and protected from the outside invading paradoxes that psychology was offering me. And, while maturing in the silent darkness of my subconscious, these “seeds” were impacting my dreams. So, without understanding how this inner process worked, I was nonetheless starting to empty and purify an inner space within me in which these experiences were delicately transformed as “new seeds.” Through intuition and inner guidance, I realized that I had to transform the psychological aspect of my ego into a pure empty vessel to be used by my soul. So, everything that was hidden in my subconscious had first to surface gradually to the level of my consciousness. I knew intuitively that I needed to find a “Middle Way,” an approach that would show me how to merge the two extreme poles of ego and soul, synthesizing and uniting them into something new, so that the ego became the empty file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (86 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

vessel for the soul to pour in its essence. However, I later discovered that by being “emptied” of its past patterns, the ego transmuted itself into a vehicle of pure awareness and consciousness. Yes! My ego was just starting to become a medium for the soul. This was how I discovered the “Middle Way,” which meant that the light of consciousness was no longer trapped in a cloudy and opaque vessel, but started to shine through a cleansed and clearer level of consciousness.

A DIVINE PERFECT MODEL "Or The Consciousness of Pure Being-ness" An Incredible Experience The Ideal Model in these essays is the one that "appeared" to me as a real Living Presence of pure dazzling Light during a sacred initiation that I received from within the inner planes in 1985 whilst studying psychosynthesis in London. Strangely, nine years later in 1994, while visiting my teacher Raymond Bernard at his home, in Paris, (John in my autobiography) I received the shock of my life when, out of the blue and unexpectedly, Raymond silently reached for a small mosaic painting out of a dark corner behind a door of his office and handed it over to me. I could not believe what I was holding in my hands …I was in total disarray. The impact that this image had on me was one of, stupefaction, amazement and incredible awe. How could the Presence of Christ that I lived and experienced during my extraordinary and important inner experience, suddenly appear on the physical plane and how could I be holding the Image in my hands…here, in the house of my Teacher? Long after these two experiences, I passed a copy of this beautiful Perfect Model of the Cosmic Christ to special people with whom I work and that I felt could be in harmony with it. These are members of different spiritual groups that I associate with

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (87 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

here in Cyprus and from different parts of the world. As a result, many have received the same impulses and impressions that I had received. This Image has had an amazing effect on seekers who attune and resonate with it, because it affects and awakes their energy fields and consciousness. ( Remember that for your Perfect Model to "appear" and become part of your ordinary level of consciousness, your ego must first let go of distorted "models" and let itself "merge" with the center of pure Being.) . An other advice, is that you cannot turn to God or your pure center of Being [or, the Self] without turning away your attention from the little ego self, - from the "me" and "mine"... A REMINDER AND AN IMPORTANT ADVICE ON THE PRACTICE To unfold the "Perfect Model" is a step in the right direction... it helps you to RESONATE with the concealed Energy of your sacred Image.. your concentration may help you to merge into a state of openness and alert passivity, in which true contemplation becomes possible, but on the other hand, it could result in some kind of false, incomplete or confused contemplation... Just be aware that the divine Ground of all being reveals itself only to those in whom there is no ego-concentration of any kind of volition, thought or feeling... This truth is summed up when Meister Eckhart says: " He who seeks God under settled form lays hold of the form, while missing the God concealed in it. " The point clearly is to seek God or the Source of Being provisionally under a form which from the beginning is clearly recognized as merely a SYMBOL OF REALITY, a mere signboard or a pointer that must some time or other be discarded in favor of what it stands for : " To seek Him under a settled form - settled because regarded as the very shape of Reality - is to commit oneself to illusion and a kind of idolatry."

Thus the Sufi mystic Rumi writes in the "Sufi religious" vein:

Love came and like blood filled my veins and tissues, Emptied me of myself and filled file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (88 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

me with the Friend, The friend has taken possession of every atom of my being. The name is all that I have left now — all the rest is He. Truth did not come into the world naked, but it came in the types and images. It will not receive it in any other fashion. There is a rebirth and an image of rebirth. It is fitting for those who do not only receive the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, but have obtained them for themselves. If anyone does not obtain them for himself, the name also will be taken from him. But one receives them in the chrism of the fullness of the power of the Cross, which the apostles call the right and the left. For this one is no longer a Christian but a Christ.

What is Christ Consciousness?

"The Hermetic Mystery of Christ" In the context of hermetic and metaphysical philosophy, what do we mean by the words Cosmic Christ? In addition to this and mystically, what does the essence of Christ represent? We have to understand that the essence and nature of the Cosmic Christ is universal and beyond the scope of any kind of investigation because in itself it is not and never will be a personality, something that can be objectively proven due to the fact that it has never been an individualized Energy. How could it be? The Essence of the Cosmic Christ is simply the REGENERATIVE and RECONCILING aspect of the force of pure Being and the Soul Essence within each one of us. Hence in itself, it represents the unfolding energy of wholeness in human nature. In other words, Christ Energy is a divine Energy that brings and blends together the essence of Soul and Spirit within each one of us (to use a

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (89 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

symbolic image, we could say that Christ Energy brings together and "marries" the Permanent and Spiritual Witnesses within each individual – for more details on these two aspects, please refer to the essays on "The Mystery of Man" parts: -1- -2- -3- -4-

However, as seekers of Truth, we should make a distinction between the Cosmic Christ and the manifestation of the force that descends and unfolds through the channel of consciousness in an enlightened being. In other words, we should differentiate between an individualized expression of the Cosmic Christ and the Essence of the Cosmic Christ itself. To facilitate our task, we could begin by asking this question. What do we mean by an individualized expression of the Cosmic Christ? The answer is simply that it represents an enlightened and self-realized expression of pure Being. However, such a level of enlightenment can only manifest in a purified and well prepared vehicle, in which consciousness is awakened fully. By purified vehicle, we mean the purified physical, psychic and spiritual bodies in which the energy and characteristics of the Force of the Cosmic Christ become apparent. This Christic Force is an active and universal power house that functions through "human vehicles" forever. Hence, nothing gets lost, and the vehicle and characteristics of Master Jesus still continue functioning through all enlightened and realized human beings. The same principle is applied to all enlightened beings. Why is this so? Simply because, purified vehicles are all molded from one specific Perfect Mold that is at the source of all traditions, Eastern and Western alike. It is the power source that is file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (90 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

inherent in Primordial Wisdom and in Nature. Thus, it is also inherent in human nature too. However, it needs to be awakened and activated by consciousness . For Buddhism, all seekers and disciples of Buddha are known as having Buddha nature inherent within their nature. In the same manner, for the hermetic and esoteric Mysteries of the Western tradition, the essence of the Cosmic Christ is innate to all sentient beings and part of his spiritual blueprint, (the Perfect Mold), in the West and in the East.

However, JESUS THE CHRIST represents a perfected vehicle that has existed, and still continues to exist eternally, since it represents one of the perfected Expressions of Primordial Wisdom. That is why, to a Western approach, Jesus or Jeheshua represents a process of manifesting Primordial Wisdom to a Western approach. Since, the Perfect Model and Mold are themselves expressions of the Primordial Wisdom. Hence, Jesus or Jeheshua represent a channel and a vehicle in which a high level of initiation takes place. He represents one of the Perfect Mold in which the process of awakening and of enlightenment takes place. The Perfect Mold of a Cosmic Christ or of a Buddha exists everywhere…and remains the same, for everyone, since they are made of the same pure essence of Primordial Wisdom and therefore, all Perfect Molds and Models are ALIVE and ACTIVE expressions of the same unique source, which are inherent to Pure Being. The meaning of the Perfect Mold and Perfect Model should be understood intuitively by the genuine seeker because these two symbolic expressions should clarify the understanding that it is not the ego personality and the intellect as such that choose a Perfect Model and discovers its corresponding Perfect Mold. The Perfect Model within each one of us is hidden within consciousness. When consciousness "awakens" in a seeker, file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (91 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

then the Presence of the Perfect Model appears. It is through the purification of the psyche and the unfoldment of the inner process that the expression of the Perfect Model becomes clearer and is revealed. However, we should also realize that the world of the psyche belongs to the world of duality, since the mirror of the psyche transfers and projects, images, ideals, intuitions, which are reflections of the Perfect Model. The Perfect Model unfolds the process of awakening and its vehicle, the Perfect Mold is the "ground" on which the awakening process takes place. It is the purified psyche - the mirror of the Soul in which ideal "images" of Heroes and Heroines can still be projected like in the time of childhood. However, for seekers of truth, these faints projected ideal models of heroes and heroines, of gods and goddesses are replaced by a direct impulse coming from the Presence of pure Being. To begin with, this new impulse appears like a divine and complementary counterpart and gradually reveals the Presence of the Perfect Model. Until such time that consciousness reveals that the psyche does not really exist...it was a perfect mirror reflecting purified impulses that disappear leaving a silent space within... a level of consciousness in which the world of duality is non-existent and in its place appears the Presence the uncreated and immortal Essence of Being, the "I AM" Presence and the sudden realization that : "I AM ... WHAT I AM"

PART II MEANING OF THE NAME JESUS CHRIST THE NAZARENE The word "Jesus" represents an individualized level of enlightenment and experience. Christ, on the other hand represents an epithet, an explanation of the quality of enlightenment reached by "Jesus". For this reason, and in the context of Western Mysteries, "Jesus" represents the Perfect Mold, the inner workings of the purified "Substance" and the vehicle in which the path of AWAKENING the level of Christ Consciousness takes place... The word "Consciousness" (in Syriac means Messiah and in Greek Christos file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (92 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

means the Anointed One). As for the word "The Nazarene", the meaning is: "He who reveals what is hidden". As for the word "Messiah", it has two meanings, "Christ or the Anointed One" and "The Measured One" "Jesus" in Hebrew means "The Redemption" and the word "Nazara" means "The Truth". Thus, "The Nazarene" means "Truth". Jesus had attained "Nazirutha", perfect spiritual enlightenment, and that he also taught that path to others. Hence, Jesus and his disciples were Nazarenes or Nazoraeans: meaning, followers of the mystic path to God, or Pure Being. The apostles before us used to employ the terms: 'Jesus the Nazoraean Messiah', which means 'Jesus, the Nazoraean, the Christ "The Anointed One". Remember: The last name is "Christ", the first name is "Jesus", the middle name is "The Nazarene". Hence the Name "Jesus Christ the Nazarene" means; The Anointed One, the Giver of Truth - The Bringer and Source of Redemption - The Revealer of what is hidden - The Enlightened One who has the gift to Awaken others... . In the language of the Christian mysteries, we could say that the Name IESHUA corresponds to Jesus's existence as a heavenly power in eternity (the Perfect Model). The INITIATOR and SAVIOR in the Christian Mystical Mysteries... Hence it is the transcendent Spirit beyond the realm of physical matter... On the other hand, Yeheshuah, or (Jeshua) - Jesus represents the immanent Spirit present within physical matter. (the Perfect Mold). In God (pure Absolute Being) we are born In Jeshua we "learn" to die, Through the Power of the Holy Sprit and the Redemption of IESHUA/YESHUA we rise again! This is a Mystery... and it involves the three levels of the unfolding inner process (1) - Ego consciousness experiences and trusts the unfolding inner process of the Soul (2) - Divine Grace reveals the Cosmic Perfect Mold in which the old self has to "enter" and "die" so that (3) - The Holy Spirit can descend to awake and manifest the Perfect Model, or Christ Consciousness

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (93 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

In the Gospel of Thomas - 108 Whosoever drinks from my mouth Shall become as I am. I too shall become like him. For him, the hidden will be revealed. If the Teachings are truly understood and put into practice, we will become a "Jesus", meaning a pure "container" in which the Essence of the Cosmic Christ will fully manifest, just as it did with the Master. Moreover, when the Spirit of Christ emerges completely in our level of consciousness, we will have realized that the Christ Essence and Spirit are the REAL part of who we are... the silent Witness... the Unmanifest "I" that belongs to the level of unity and wholeness... the level within us that has no reflection... You have been given many hints and clues to unravel the unfathomable Mystery of your own spiritual Substance and Essence...! The use of Christian symbolism in mystical practices may seem strange to modern eyes, but the inner process of the Western Mysteries include psychic symbols that belong to the Soul and which are inherent of the early Christian Mystery teachings. For this purpose, they remain an important element of the Western Initiatory tradition since ancient times. While the actions of some modern versions of Christianity have succeeded in giving many mystics a bad case of "Jesus allergy", it's important to remember that the meaning and value of a symbol is independent of the theology built around it or the atrocities committed in its name

WHY USE THE PERFECT MODEL AS A TOOL?

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (94 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

How can we link the archetype of the Perfect Model with the idea of an Absolute Being? The answer to this question is that even the most abstract idea of what is Absolute Being remains a human concept. So, why do we have to create a Perfect Model if it is a concept that we create in our minds? Each person be it a philosopher, a mystic or an atheist has a certain perception of what the origin of creation of man is and he will try to explain it according to his conditioning and understanding. Since it is consciousness that creates and recognizes the world in which we live in, it is therefore natural to say that anything that man imagines and creates is rooted and based on a concept. Thus even the most profound truth can only be delivered to others through ideas and words and these are only human ideas that originate in the ego of man. Consequently, even when a mystic receives an insight or truth based on intuition, his understanding and explanation of it will have to be expressed through a concept and then be explained to others. Accordingly, intellectual understanding of a concept is an important first step, as it helps unfold a resonance in the psyche of the listener. Moreover, even enlightened masters must use concepts to explain away their experiences and wisdom to others. Since the center of an enlightened person and that of Absolute Being coincide and are the same, Divine Knowledge and Wisdom pour in him as divine impulses. These impulses, however, are the living Presence of Being and cannot manifest in the world of duality. To do so they should first be reflected in the thought process of a sage before being transformed into words and communicated to others. That's why an enlightened person’s thoughts come directly from the source of Absolute Being before being interpreted and developed into concepts which he simplifies to the level of understanding of his audience. We live in a world of duality, meaning a world in which the ego plays the game of “this is me – and this is not me”. Therefore whatever one receives from the depth of one’s being has to be projected into the world of duality in order to take substance and be formed as ideas and concepts. Therefore, no one can really prove anything to anyone else in a belief of an file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (95 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Absolute Being because this has been created as a concept. The same goes for believing in reincarnation, or in a Perfect Model. So why insist on explaining away the concept of a Perfect Model? For an unenlightened being, an enlightened person will look like an ordinary man, someone just like him. Why and how can that be? The answer is because between the two of them there is no resonance. On the other hand, for someone who resonates with an enlightened person, even without knowing it, an enlightened person will be a catalyst and a living model. The spiritual charisma and magnetic attraction between the two cannot be explained, because it is not a physical attraction, but more a spiritual one that is based on resonance. This is the way that intuition and divine Knowledge unfold in a disciple. The psyche of such a disciple becomes a clear mirror in which the wisdom of his physical master is projected and transmitted. Why is such a divine transmission perceived only through the mirror of the psyche? The answer is that whatever is perceived by a disciple has first to pass from his own psyche so as to be experienced by him alone and make it his own. In the same manner a Perfect Model, is an abstract archetypal model, a catalyst that awakens Absolute Consciousness in a disciple. This Perfect Model is slumbering in our subconscious and our innermost center of Being and when the right moment comes it manifests itself to us so that we can become conscious and resonate with it in the world of duality. The Perfect Model is a powerful symbol that is a key unfolding the Perfect Nature of Absolute Being in our consciousness. However, it is important to understand the process of its unfolding, because it is not the ego that chooses its Perfect Model, but the guise that Absolute Being takes to appear in our psyche and this guise becomes a reality that transforms us when we start resonating with it. Thus, it is clear that we cannot choose the features of our individual Perfect Model. However, by resonating with the Presence of Absolute Being within, the Presence gradually unfolds its perfect Image in our mind and psyche. Therefore, we can say that it is the Presence of Absolute Being within each one of us that activates the characteristics and features of our Perfect Model and these are recognized and manifested according to our conditioning and culture. Hence at the source of Absolute Being, the Perfect Model remains unchanged, unique and whole as an uncreated Essence which manifests in the psyche of a disciple in different ways and guises so as to blend and become a reality in him. A similar question arises when determining whether it is the master who chooses his disciple or if it is the disciple who chooses the master? The answer is simply that it is neither but the resonance between the two of them that attracts them to each other and creates for one the role of master and for the other the role of disciple… one mirrors Absolute Being and beams its Light through the mirror of one’s impersonal level of Consciousness in the clear mirror of the disciple. Thus the Light of the physical Master adds itself to the Light of the Perfect Model, both are catalysts that awaken him to his true Self. One resonates from within the inner plane file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (96 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

of one’s Being and the other from the physical plane. Crisscrossing within his heart the disciple identifies his true nature and recognizes himself in both Perfect Models that is to say the immaterial and ethereal Presence of Absolute Being within and without.

SPIRITUAL TEACHER AND YOUR PERFECT MODEL

As long as we regard ourselves superior to others or look down upon the world, we cannot make any real progress in the spiritual life. As soon, however, as we understand that we live in exactly that world which we deserve, we begin to recognize the faults of others as our own — though they may appear in different form. It is our own karma that we live in this "imperfect" world, which in the ultimate sense is our own creation. This is the only attitude which can help us to overcome our difficulties, file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (97 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

because it replaces fruitless negation by an impulse towards self-perfection, which not only makes us worthy of a better world but partners in its creation. Some of the preconditions and preliminary exercises of meditation for bringing about this positive and creative attitude are to unite as much as possible with our Perfect Model which will bring about unselfish love and compassion towards all living beings. This is the first prerequisite of hermetic meditation, as it removes all self-created emotional and intellectual limitations; and in order to gain this attitude we should look upon all beings like upon our own mother or our own children, since there was not a single being in the universe that in the infinity of time had not been closely related to us in one way or another. In order to be conscious of the preciousness of time we should realize that any moment might be the last of this life and that the opportunity which it offers might not come again easily. Finally we should realize that what we learn from books about meditation are not comparable to the direct transmission of experience and the spiritual impetus that the Perfect Model within each one of us can give if we open ourselves to its divine Essence in all sincerity.

MEDITATION To this purpose, you should imagine your Perfect Model of the Buddha, the Cosmic Christ, or any other Perfect Model in the form of your ideal spiritual Teacher, and having done so to a degree that you feel his/her very presence, you should visualize him/her seated in the posture of meditation above your head and finally merging into your own person, to take his/her seat on the lotus or rose throne of your heart. For, as long as the Perfect Model of the Cosmic Christ or the Buddha (or any other Model) is still imagined outside yourself, you cannot realize him/her in your own life. The moment, however, you become conscious of his/her PRESENCE as the light in your innermost being, the Mantra which belongs to your Perfect Model such as (OM MANI PADME HOM - or KYRIE ELEISON CHRISTE ELEISON – or any other mantra that expresses the energy and essence of your Perfect Model) begins to reveal its meaning, because now the “lotus or rose throne” is your own heart, in which the “jewel file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (98 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

or divine “seed”, namely the Buddha,” Cosmic Christ or any other is present. The OM and the HOM, however, represent the universe in its highest and deepest aspects, in all its forms of appearance and experience, which we should embrace with unlimited love and compassion like you’re own Perfect Model. Do not think of your own salvation, but make yourself an instrument for the liberation of all living beings. This is an inner attitude… Once the Perfect Model has become awakened within you, you are no more able to act other than in accordance with his/her Law and become one with it, which means that you become a unique resonance, a path and an expression of your Perfect Model. In other words a “son or daughter” of the Buddhas or of the Cosmic Christ.’

The Gnostic Jesus The Invisible Sun Behind the Sun by David Fideler

Painting by Daniel B. Holman http://www.AwakenVisions.com

A Gnostic Point of View In numerology, the number of the physical world is six, the number of the spiritual world is eight. 600 is the number of "COSMOS", while 800 is the number of the lord of the cosmos. Similarly, the sacred number of Jesus, 888, symbolizing the Spiritual Sun, is contrasted with the number 666, that of the physical sun. In geometry, it is the figure of the Cube, which unites the numbers six and eight. That is because a cube has six sides and eight corners. God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, which was a Saturday. Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday, which for the early Christians became the "eighth" day, symbolizing the new spiritual creation and the regeneration of time. The file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (99 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

number 8, the Ogdoad, symbolizes the new order of Christianity, and Jesus, 888, was known as the Ogdoad to the early Christian Gnostics. In the lower illustration, a cube is shown in isometric projection. Six rays emanate from a seventh inner point. These "seven stars" are the planets of traditional cosmology, led in their choral dance by the central point of the sun. Viewed from another perspective, as in the upper illustration, we can see that there is more to the lower arrangement than meets the eye. Here, a seventh hidden ray is revealed, as is an eight point, the hidden Spiritual Sun from which all things flow.

The Relation of the Spiritual Sun to the Physical Sun

According to the Gnostics, most people are asleep and do not realize that there exists a higher spiritual reality; it is as though they see the lower illustration, take it at face value, and assume that there is nothing more. Through the faculty of gnosis (intuition), however, it is possible for the higher Mind (logos) to discern the existence of a more inclusive reality. Jesus, the Ogdoad, the Sun behind the sun, is both a symbol and an expression of this higher knowledge. The literal-minded, like the proponents of materialism, see the world as through the lower diagram and see no further: Literalism reads the letter of the law but does not grasp its spirit; materialism holds matter to be the only reality, but does not see that it is merely the effect of a higher cause. Those with the spark of the higher intuition or gnosis, however, catch an occasional glimpse of the higher pattern — the Universal Logos or (Perfect Model ), the Intelligent Pattern (Perfect Mold) of order and harmony which informs all of existence. According to the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria, God is the "Intelligible the "Sun behind the sun." The early Christian symbolism of Jesus as the ogdoad, the file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (100 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Spiritual Sun, is both in keeping with this notion and with the geometrical shown above. Likewise, there is evidence to suggest that similar views were held concerning the solar divinity Mithra. As the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate points out, Mithra is not to be identified with the physical sun and in his fifth discourse refers to Mithra as "the seven-rayed god." "Jesus the Sun behind the Sun" is an excerpt taken from the book written by David Fideler entitled "Jesus Christ Sun of God" a fascinating and important book on the subject! ATONING AND ATTUNING TO YOUR HIGHER SELF OR YOUR HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL

The Function and purpose of these special guided initiatic meditations are to atone and attune to the Holy Guardian Angel ( who is the Perfect Model or Daimon/Deamon portrayed by Socrates and in certain ancient Greek mysteries)

The purpose and function of these guided meditations are to create and develop psychic and spiritual inner "spaces" which become personal rituals and are preliminary steps to unfold spiritual initiations that have their source in the inner planes of being; furthermore, they are in reality used as tools to give shape to a sacred spiritual science, a science that makes us discover the inner planes of being... in addition, these guided meditations have a spiritual and divine objective and are actually part of a mystical system for training the mind and emotions of the meditator. We have to bear in mind that whenever our thoughts and emotions are focused upon a specific symbolic object full of meaning to us, or upon an ideal, or when we concentrate on an uplifting concept, automatically our thoughts and feelings are energized and activated. At the same time the level of consciousness is enhanced, because both thoughts and feelings are file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (101 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

essential energies and elements that cannot be separated from Consciousness itself. Thus, guided meditations of this kind give form and shape to the mediator's understanding of archetypal and universal symbols which take for him very specific and personal characteristics. For example, an object such as a chalice has within itself an archetypal character. Other symbols such as an icon, an emblem, or an intuitive idea that the meditator receives from within becomes for him consecrated and energized objects and concepts because they have special meaning for him and become helpful tools, releasing strong spiritual feelings and attunements... thus, these symbols and intuitions trigger in the meditator personal powerful images and concepts that come alive as an invisible presence... the reason for this mysterious exchange of magnetic energy is that for him such objects or ideas enfold subtle energies which are in reality his reflections and projections coming from his Higher Self. In fact, it is the harmonization and blending of his own concentrated thoughts and emotions that are the source of this upsurge of spiritual energy, which grows to be an incredible magnet attracting to him, higher corresponding spiritual energies...We could say that when guided meditations are deeply felt they become inner mystical rituals that open spiritual channels and have as an objective the harmonization and communion of the meditator first with his Higher Self and then with the invisible and divine Hierarchy...They also have another purpose, which is to "train" and purify the thought and emotional process of the meditator, and again they have the same objective which is of transforming and strengthening the level of awareness and power of imagination of the meditator. The intuitive knowledge of symbols appearing in one's meditations and the correct understanding of their meaning unfold in the meditator a high level of awareness which is very important if he wants to transcend and commune with his divine Self... However, what is vital is the acceptance that these special "symbols" become to him real sacred "objects", so as, to enrich his psyche with enlightening meaning. Why is that so important? Well, because they trigger and activate in him spiritual qualities and powers... Therefore an exchange of energies takes place between sacred symbols and the mind of the meditator since it is his own mind that has created the symbol and has given it special meaning... and in return the same symbol reverberates back to the consciousness of the meditator a corresponding energy which is the expression of his own inherent spiritual force. Therefore a symbol that a meditator receives intuitively and with which he feels attuned with is part of himself... the symbol is not separate from his own level of consciousness, and that is why it takes such a special meaning... because the function of a sacred symbol is to arouse in the mediator's level of consciousness an automatic current of harmonious and inspiring thought and emotion that will exalt his imagination and open his heart to new levels of spiritual realities... file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (102 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Hence, we understand that this type of guided meditation is in itself a mystical tool helping to unfold the power of the Higher Self (or the Holy Guardian Angel - the Daimon of Socrates or the blueprint of the perfect Model or spiritual DNA).

For this reason, we are offering on this website mystical meditations which are in themselves sacred tools to unfold sacred spaces within the mediator's psyche to let him discover with the help of different association of ideas and inspiring thoughts, higher levels of Consciousness and Awareness... Moreover, these guided meditations are personal preliminary initiations created to train the seeker in receiving real initiation from within the inner planes of being. We could add another important point which is that when such meditative "inner" rituals and initiations are performed with conviction they help transcend the ordinary physical senses of the meditator which become passive, and as a result the subtle senses of the seeker awake and are activated. Moreover, when the seeker focuses his spiritual senses and powers of the mind and heart while in meditation, then he is ready to invoke and evoke his Holy Guardian Angel - which is also called the Daimon or Higher Self... The Master Within...(the name given to this spiritual power and Presence within is a personal choice...) Usually it is our preoccupation with the separate requirements of the body, of our thoughts and emotions that are the cause of blinding us to the Presence of our spiritual Self... hence these guided meditations are humble tools for helping invoke and evoke the Powers and Qualities of the Higher Self. Thus, in a sense the effect of such meditations are to keep the senses and subtle vehicles engaged each with its own specific task, without distracting our higher and mystical concentration... in other words Consciousness opens new doors for us to discover the beauty of other Planes of being.... However, we have to remember that all these "techniques" are just preparatory steps in discovering the "WHO AM I?", but each step, has its own importance... the reason for it is that each step helps create in file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (103 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

the seeker the required inner contact with his Higher Self and at the same time awake a level of reality that was all the time within but inactive and unconscious... We could also add that guided meditations of this kind develop in the seeker the correct use of his "imagination" because the power of imagination is really a part of the inherent faculty of the Higher Self to communicate with us... helping us assimilate and understand the images, symbols and different concepts and reflections received through Its Guidance... In other words without imagination the Language of the Soul would have been impossible to decipher. Moreover, just take note that you as an ego personality will always remain an "object", since your mind and emotions can only express themselves in duality... but your Higher Self is your Perfect Model - the WITNESS WITHIN who is the SUBJECT (because the Higher Self or Witness is beyond duality...) and their relation of mutual dependence is the reflection of their absolute identity... usually we think that they are two separate and distinct states of being, but BEING is pure unique Substance and is indivisible THE PLEIADES

The Pleiades: Source of Inspiration The Pleiades consists of seven stars, to which certain seekers are invited to receive, while asleep or in deep meditation, knowledge that is engrained in pure Being. However, those who are attuned to the Pleiades must first have integrated their Perfect Mold and should have started to consciously unfold the qualities that are inherent in their Perfect Model. Prior to their invitation, the seekers invited to the Pleiades have been purified and cleansed of the blocks to their astral and mental bodies so that they can assimilate the knowledge received, which their purified mental bodies will later translate and interpret into simple words for the rest of humanity. file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (104 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

The Pleiades have a tremendous influence on our consciousness, and contact creates a sacred “void” in seekers to allow them to integrate with a higher and more subtle level of the Divine and Abstract Mind. The void is a “mental energy” that transforms intuition into consciousness. How? Because receiving such a high dosage of Pleiadian energy unites consciousness and mind so that both can simultaneously perceive spiritual and divine knowledge. Moreover, such sacred receipt of Divine Wisdom also resonates in the self-consciousness of these seekers, which helps them to harmonize their mental and intellectual faculties with those of the Pleiades. This in turn helps them to become powerful “transmitting stations” that broadcast, albeit on a lower level, their own understanding and interpretation of what they have received. The Pleiades, therefore, open a higher level of consciousness in seekers, unfolding within them the potentials and gifts that are inherent and manifest on the higher planes of Being. Thus, the Pleiades have the power to manifest and energize the qualities that are inherent in the seed ideas of seekers by enhancing their intuitive and mental faculties, or the intelligence of the heart. The seven planets of the Pleiades thus represent a “school” of learning whose influence awakens and transforms the rational mind into becoming a clear vehicle that can receive and translate into simple words what consciousness experiences and lives. In turn, seekers on that spiritual plane receive an enhanced level of consciousness that overflows with divine seed ideas that must be expressed and shared with others. The Pleiades open up the intuitional intelligence of the seekers to a high level in which consciousness and knowledge become one. This is the only way that Divine Wisdom and Knowledge express themselves in seekers so that they may share them with others. To be able to impart wisdom to others, seekers must first become that wisdom. The Pleiades’ role, then, is to help seekers become consciously aware of Divine Knowledge and Wisdom, which is why their etheric, astral and mental bodies must be purified before being able to integrate with that spiritual realm. The Pleiades represent a spiritual “station” where the Perfect Model within seekers is energized and comes alive on earth. Seekers who resonate with their Ideal Model gradually integrate their consecrated Perfect Mold so as to be assimilated and “remodeled” in it once they have dissolved the illusionary creations of their egos. However, if we want to start the inner process and enter our consecrated Perfect Mold, we must first consider it our “inner tomb.” The first phase of the process involves great changes within yourself, dying to your old patterns before being “reshaped” in it. Once you are in the mold, you will never be the same, and will remain in it until you and the mold unite, manifesting your Perfect Model in and around you. In due course, you will emerge renewed from the Mold. Initially, however, look upon it as much more than just your tomb. In fact, after the file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (105 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

complete purification of your “old” self and purging of deceptive thought and emotional forms, you will discover it to be your sacred “womb,” in which your Divine nature within the Christ Child waits like a sacred seed for the right moment to germinate in your life. That will be the day of your rebirth

EXCERPTS ON THE PLEIADES FROM THE BOOKS OF ALICE BAILEY There is a saying in the Christian Bible concerning the Pleiades in which Job speaks of "the sweet influences of the Pleiades," whilst some of the Oriental Scriptures affirm that our connection to the Pleiades are made through sound and vibration. In Alice Bailey, it is suggested that perhaps the Pleiades are the source of the atomic life of our Logos, the active intelligent aspect, that one, which was first developed, and which we might call electrical matter. Hence it concerns the astral and etheric aspects of electric matter. We can understand therefore that the influence of the Pleiades concerns the transformation of the vibrational rates of matter. The word "electricity," may be traced back to the star Electra, which is supposed to be one of the little lost sisters of the seven Pleiades. Perhaps the Pleiades are the source of the atomic life of our Logos, the active intelligent aspect, which we might call electrical matter. Then there is the relationship of the Pleiades with the Great Bear. There is much that is said about them in Oriental writings. The seven sisters are said to be the seven wives of the seven stars of the Great Bear. Now what is perhaps the truth back of that legend? If the Pleiades are the source of the electrical manifestation, the active intelligent aspect of the solar system, and their energy is that which animates all matter, the we might think that maybe they represent the opposite and complementary aspect, the feminine forming aspect, the negative pole of electrical energy, whose polar opposite, or the positive aspect of the same energy is their seven husbands, the seven stars of the Great Bear.. Perhaps the union of these two cosmic energies is what produces our solar system. Perhaps these two types of energy, one from the Pleiades and the other from the Great Bear, meet, and in their conjunction produce what we call our solar system. Another type of energy reaches man from the Pleiades, passing through the Venusian scheme to us. It has a definite effect upon the causal body, and serves to stimulate the heart center. Hence we begin to understand that the Pleiades are to the solar system, the source of electrical energy, and just as our sun is the embodiment of the heart, or love aspect, of the Logos (Who is Himself the heart of ONE ABOUT WHOM NAUGHT MAY BE SAID) file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (106 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

so the Pleiades are the feminine opposite of the Logos. Ponder upon this idea, for much is contained in this statement. Hence we can say that the feminine aspect of this electrical cosmic energy is the active intelligence that gives birth to CONSCIOUSNESS. As far as man is concerned at present, the energy coming from the Pleiades converges, and seeks to energize man's astral, etheric and physical bodies via the seven etheric centers. (These centers receive the force in a threefold manner, just like the Greek letter PSY does for our mandala number: 10, which shows 4 TRIDENTS around a Chalice. This parenthesis has been added and is in the context of the Perfect Mold and Model) It Purifies... Transforms... and Protects... just like a mother would to nurture her child. Hence, the Force that comes from the Pleiades passes first via the Solar Angel or Soul of man. Alcyone is the brightest star in the Pleiades and its energy impregnated the substance of the universe with the quality of mind Therefore, we can understand that electric and cosmic initiation affects the subtle bodies of man and are given from within the inner planes. The result is that it affects the level of consciousness liberating the higher level of intuition and abstract Mind. Most disciples and initiates go this way, and it is the way of liberating humanity from its imprisoning condition. According to Alice bailey, the seven stars of the Pleiades are the goal for the seven types of the Soul Rays, in other words, the 7 Soul Rays receive the influence of the Pleiades, and this is hinted at in the Book of Job, in the words," can you not see the importance of connecting with the sweet influence of the Pleiades?" (Loose modem translation by me) In the mystery of this influence, and in the secret of the sun Sirius, are hidden the facts of our cosmic evolution, and incidentally, therefore, of own our solar system. Being the feminine aspects of electrical energy, the Pleiades represent as the mothers of the seven aspects of form life and the "wives" of the seven Rishis of the Great Bear." They are connected with the Mother aspect which nurtures the infant Christ. We can guess the importance of the role played by the Pleiades in the REBIRTH process. According to Alice Bailey through the divine center of intelligent activity, which we call humanity, the fourth kingdom in nature, which is man will eventually act as the mediating principle to all the three lower kingdoms. Humanity is the divine Messenger to the world of form: it is essentially Mercury that brings light and life to all divine manifestations it is the AWAKENING ENERGY of Kundalini and divine world Saviors and Avatars are its eternal symbols. Again according to Alice bailey, the energy of will—newly released by Sanat Kumara upon our planet—emanates, via the head center of the planetary Logos, from the Great Bear; it is stepped down in vibration via one of the Pleiades (hence its influence upon matter and hence also its pronounced effects upon humanity) and so enters into file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (107 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

the solar system. It is there absorbed by that major center of our planetary life to, which we give the name. Shamballa. Its effect is necessarily twofold. It produces in certain nations, races and individuals, a welling up of the self-will or of the will-topower, which is characteristic of the developed lower nature, the personality aspect of integrated selfhood. It produces—though less readily—a stimulation of the will-toserve the plan as it is grasped by the world aspirants, the world disciples and initiates. Thus are the purposes of Deity materialized. All the Masters (and not only Those upon the fifth ray) receive careful training in the manipulation of energies, and hence the statement of the Master K.H. to His disciples that the occultist has to learn to master and control the forces and energies within himself; the disciple and the initiate work with hierarchical energies and with the forces of the kingdoms of nature in the three worlds; the Master receives instruction in the handling of the energies which are extra-planetary but within the solar ring-pass-not. Those Masters Whose decision it is to tread the second Path are taught the control and direction of systemic energies and of certain energies emanating from Libra and from one of the stars in the constellation of the Great Bear. In the more advanced stages of Their work, and when the Master is far more advanced than the word indicates. He works consciously upon the cosmic mental plane; His activities will then be concerned with the relation of the energies of the Great Bear to the Pleiades, and their dual relationship (a higher correspondence to atma-buddhi) to the solar system and only incidentally to our Earth. Great is the interlocking, the interdependence and the interpenetration!

A TEXT FROM LONGCHENPA

Dzogchen Way of Living Know the state of pure and total presence to be a vast expanse without center or border. It is everywhere the same, without acceptance or rejection. Blend the nature of mind and its habit patterns into non-duality. Because entities, whether subjectively conceived or directly experienced, Are present as ornaments of one's own state of being, Do not accept or reject them. And, Because they are not divided into self and other, The apparitional, spontaneously present objects are the play of pure experience. file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (108 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Listen: this majestic awareness, freely transforming itself, Displays the integrated structure centered around the inner reality of form.(*1) Everything that exists and appears Displays itself in the space of unborn reality. In this inner reality there is nothing to accept or reject. All that exists is displayed by me, the supreme ordering principle. Listen: this teacher of teachers, the majestic creative intelligence, Displays the integrated structure centered around the inner reality of communication. Everything that exists and is designated Displays itself as linguistic communication coming from the unborn field And is gathered into this inexplicable inner reality of communication, The supreme ordering principle's symphony. Listen: this teacher of teachers, majestic creativity Displays the integrated structure centered around the inner reality of awareness. Know everything thought or attended to To be the substance of the unborn ordering principle itself. The realms of form, communication, and awareness of the creative intelligence Are the three naturally occurring, uncontrived integrated structures of reality. One who understands the reality of these integrated structures as complete in a moment without having been set up, Has understood the core meaning of the spontaneously complete inner reality. Thus, because all that is present as form, sound, and thought ever since they appeared in time has existed as these three unborn inte-grated structures, from the start live this great natural non-duality without going into any conceptual analysis. Through realizing beings and their worlds to be these integrated structures, affirmations, negations, file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (109 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

antidotes, and hindrances will definitely be freed in their own place. (*1) This is the distinction between the path of self-liberation and the lower paths.

Your Perfect Model as your real Master A Daily Exercise

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (110 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Relax on your chair and after a few deep breaths enter into a state of quiet meditation., visualize the perfect, gracious and precious Perfect Model as your Master [the source of divine power]. On the crown of your own head receive the blessing Lights. This unites your own mind with the realized mind of your Perfect Model and Master. While you are doing daily activities, see that all the appearing forms are the forms of the Master, All sounds are the melodies of his/her speech, and All your good and bad thoughts are his/ her wisdom mind. This is the instruction on phenomenal existents arising as the virtues of the Master. While eating, visualize the Master in your throat and offer him/her the nectar of food and drink. Then food and drink will create no defilements in you, and it will be turned into a sacramental celebration. While sleeping, visualize him/her in the center of your heart. The lights of his/her body illuminate the world and all beings. Transform them into light and then dissolve them into yourself. This is the instruction on turning sleep and dreams into luminous absorption.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (111 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

When you are leaving for the next existence [death], Without shuffling in too many worries, Contemplate on the unification of your own awareness, and the enlightened mind of the Master. 01/21/08

DZOGCHEN THE SIX VAJRA VERSES The nature of phenomena is nondual, but each one, in its own state, is beyond the limits of the mind. There is no concept that can define the condition of "what is" but vision nevertheless manifests: all is good. Everything has already been accomplished, and so, having overcome the sickness of effort, one finds oneself in the self-perfected state: this is contemplation.

In Tibetan: "sNa tshogs rang bzhin mignyis kyang Cha shas nyid du spros dang bral ]i bzhin ba zhes mi rtog kyang rNam par snang mdzad kun tu bzang Zin pas rtsol ba'i nad file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (112 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

spangs te IHun gyis gnas pas bzhag pa yin " (Personally I am not a Buddhist but have a great empathy with their philosophy. This website is the fruit of my own experiences and reflections on the meaning of life and my humble conclusion is that it remains a MYSTERY until one unfolds higher levels of consciousness. Each one of these levels opens up a new way of experiencing the "PRESENT MOMENT". Each new level of awakening makes us realize that there is no mystery outside of our own Mystery - The Mystery of Being... Hence, Dzogchen may be a Tibetan word that represents a sacred way of living life and yet we find the same philosophy awaken in individuals that have never heard of the word Dzogchen. Hence, as I feel a great attraction and resonance with their way of "Being", in my humble opinion, Dzogchen is an "Inner Path of Initiation" a path linking the adept to the Primordial Wisdom ) Some interesting books on Dzogchen, that I personally recommend.. 1 - Dzogchen the Self-Perfected State by ChoGyal Namkhai Norbu 2 - Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light by Namkhai Norbu 3 - Dzogchen (hard cover) a new release. with the Dalai Lama, Geshe Thupten Jimpa, Patrick Gaffney editor 4 - MIPHAM'S Beacon of Certainty - The view of Dzogchen - The Great Perfection 5 - The Golden Letters - foreword by Namkhai Norbu Rimpoche 6 - Namkhai Norbu The Cycle of Day and Night. 7 - Chogyal Namkhai Norbu The Crystal and the way of Light.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (113 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

AWAKENING THE INFINITE INNER ENERGIES OF HEALING A DZOGCHEN PRACTICE Taking one or two deep breaths, release all your stress and worries and enjoy the relaxed feelings in your body and mind. Then slowly and calmly go through the following exercises, taking a minute or two for each step.

1. When you wake up in the morning, or at any time of the day, feel devotion to the source of power. (It could be the Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, the Cosmic Christ, your Perfect Model, or any other source of power.) Devotion wakes up your body and mind and makes them blossom. Devotion brings warmth, bliss, strength, and openness. 2. Visualize and feel that your heart, the center of your body, is in the form of an amazing flower of light, blossoming in the warmth of devotion. As a result, from that devotional flower-heart arises your wisdom, compassion, and power, the enlightened qualities in the form of the source of power. The source of power, in the form of a light body with heat and bliss, rises up through the central channel a spacious channel made of clear and pure light of your body. Then the source of power adorns the stainless and limitless sky, as if thousands of suns have arisen as one body. 3. Believe that the source of power is the embodiment of wisdom, compassion, and power of all the divinities and of the universal truth. Feel that your whole body and mind are filled with heat, bliss, and boundless file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (114 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

energy by being in the presence of the source of power. 4. Then see that the whole earth is filled with various beings. Their hearts are filled with devotion and their faces are blossoming with Joyful smiles. Their wide-open eyes are one-pointedly watching the source of power with wonder. Joining you, they are all expressing the power of their devotion in prayers, singing harmoniously with various resonances, like a great symphony. Sing the prayer with great celebration in which there are no limits or restrictions. 5. Singing the prayers, imagine that the prayers have invoked the compassionate mind of the source of power. From the source of power, its wisdom, compassion, and power come toward you in the form of multiple beams of blessing lights of various colors (or streams of nectar). These beams of light touch every pore of your body. Feel the heat of their mere touch. Feel the blissful nature of the heat. And feel the power of the blissful heat. 6. Then the beams of light enter your body. Visualize and feel that all your negative habits, mental ills, emotional conflicts, lack of fulfillment, fear, physical sicknesses, and circulation or energy blockages are in the form of darkness in your body. By the mere touch of the blessing light, all the darkness is completely dispelled, without any trace, from your body and mind. Your body is filled with amazing bright light, with the sensation of heat, bliss, and strength. Then see and feel that your whole body is transformed into a blessing light body. Feel that every cell of your body is transformed into the cells of blessing light with heat, bliss, and strength. 7. Then think of a cell on your forehead (or any other place in your body). The cell is made of bright blessing light. It is vast and beautiful. Slowly, enter into the cell. It is limitless and boundless as the sky. Feel the vastness of the cell for a while. 8. Then see and feel that your body is made of billions of the same kind of vast, beautiful, blissful cells. Each cell is adorned with the presence of the source of power. Be aware of the amazing display and energy of your miraculous body. All the cells are Meditations in love and harmony with each other. Feel the power of these billions of blissful cells in your body adorned by the sources of power. 9. All the cells of the channels, organs, and muscles of your blessing light body are breathing. They are breathing heat and bliss openly and spontaneously like the waves of the ocean. Feel the waves of blissful file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (115 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

movement. The waves caress, relax, and melt any place where we have hardness or rigidity, any fixations of unresolved emotions and unhealed wounds with their traces. Feel the energy aura. Feel the feeling. Be one with the feeling. 10. Then you could sing om, ah, and hung, (or any other sacred mantra which is sacred to you) as the healing movement generates strength and openness in your cells, unite with them. You can sing your mantra loudly, softly, or silently in your mind. • As you repeatedly sing om (or your sacred mantra) slowly and continuously, be aware of how the waves of sound powerfully resonate in every cell, from your vocal cords through your whole body like the waves of the ocean. Delight in the feeling of power and strength, the qualities of the Buddha-body - Cosmic Christ or your Perfect Model. • In the same way, singing ah, be aware of the opening, releasing, and blossoming energies, the qualities of the Buddhaspeech. Singing hung, be aware of merging yourself with the union of power and openness, which is the boundless power, the qualities of the Buddha-mind. • In the same way, make a gesture of a blossoming flower at your heart. Holding the fists upward, unfold the fingers of your fist (one after another, starting with the little fingers) and open your hands and arms and be aware of the delightful feeling of opening, releasing, and blossoming, the qualities of the Buddha-speech. •

Make a contemplative gesture, placing your hands palms up in your lap, the right hand over the left hand, with the thumbs slightly touching, and be aware of merging yourself with the union of power and openness, which is the boundless power, the qualities of the Buddha-mind. 11. You could see an amazingly vast aura of bright blessing light filled with energy power around your body. It is a protective aura that prevents any negative effects from coming in. It is also an aura of transmutation that transforms everything in the energy aura into blessing light, like snowflakes falling into warm water •

HEALING THROUGH BLESSED SOUNDS

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (116 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Buddhists Sounds

Purifying Our Emotions Silently

The sounds om, ah, and hung (pronounced hoong, with a soft H) are viewed as the "seed syllables" of the body, speech, and mind of the Buddha, the fully enlightened nature. Because of the universality of these sounds, anyone can benefit from them. These three syllables comprise one of the most powerful chants in Buddhism. They are pure and archetypal in nature, free from elaboration, concepts, grasping, and rigidity. So just giving voice to these sounds allows us to be more open.

Buddhists Sounds For Buddhists, these sounds also embody special meaning in their expression of all the qualities of the Buddha: om is the changeless strength and beauty of the true nature we all possess, the Buddha body; ah is the ceaseless expression and prevailing energy of reality, the Buddha speech; hung is the unmoving per-fection of reality's primordial openness, the Buddha mind. Long used in healing practices, these sounds have been blessed by many Buddhas and enlightened beings throughout the ages. Each syllable represents particular healing qualities. Singing om brings peace, bliss, clarity, firmness, courage, stability, and strength; ah brings energy, openness, expansion, and empowerment; hung is associated with enlightenment, infinity, essence, and oneness.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (117 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

You can sing each syllable with equal emphasis. Or else emphasize and repeat one syllable according to the particular healing qualities you need. For example: OOOOOOOOOOMMMM

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM OOOOMM OOOOMM

HUUUUUUUNNNNNGGG

AHHHHH

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHH

HUUUUNNNGGG HUUUNNNGGG

HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNGGG

Sing the syllables however you feel is soothing in a tune that rises and falls or on one note, quietly or loudly, with high pitch or low, with feelings, and images. Feel as if sadness or painful emotion is contained within the sound of om in the form of clouds, smoke, or mist. As you sing ah, let go of the problems forever. With hung, feel the healing of peace and openness of the sound. You can work with these sounds to transform difficult thoughts, You can also call forth your source of power with these syl-lables (or with the sound of ah alone). Feel that the sound is invoking and generating all the healing forces of the universe, and that the source of power emerges from and is itself an em-bodiment of the sound. See and feel warm, bright light radiating from the sound and the image. The light gradually fills your head and entire body. As you continue chanting, take your time cele-brating the sound and the light, which brings healing to every part of mind and body. Top Purifying Our Emotions Silently Chanting can be silent too. An exercise called "threefold breathing" involves saying the three seed syllables to ourselves in unison with our breathing. This develops concentration and strength of mind, purifies negative emotions, and can be a good preliminary to any other healing meditation. In threefold breathing, mentally say om as you inhale. Say ah as you pause, in the moment when the breath is about to begin moving the other way. Say hung on the out-breath. Feel that you are breathing in unison with the body, speech, and mind of the Buddha, all the Buddhas of all time, or the Cosmic Christ or your Perfect Model. If you are more comfortable with a secular approach, appreciate these syllables as the universal embodiment of strength, openness, and oneness. file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (118 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Let your breath and the syllables flow naturally. Give yourself fully to this, so that your breathing, the syllables, and your mind become one. Finally, allow your silent chanting to dissolve into relaxed breathing, let go of the syllables, and merge within the silence of your breathing. Amid the noise of modern life, it is tempting to fall back on noisy distractions that take us away from our true selves. Perhaps we are afraid of silence, like children afraid of the dark. By giving ourselves wholly to chanting or singing, produced by the body in union with the mind, we learn to appreciate sound. Then it becomes easier to fully appreciate silence. Why not try in your home or in your city, to chant or sing, even near a busy, noisy street where no one will notice or care. Warm up slowly and with your relaxed out-breath build to a loud ah or any sound that feels natural. Really let go, it's your right to make a joyful noise. This World of "Ours" : Page I By Wei Wu Wei

Painting by Hayashi

Samsara is a subjective state.It is a see-ing whereby subjectivity projects apparent objects by means of apparent subjects. This is called Duality. These apparent subjects, negative as are all subjects, project apparent objects, positive as are all objects, via a psychic mechanism known as skandhas* whenever their subjectivity becomes identified with a supposed aggregation of such skandhas. The apparent subjects and objects, as objects, are in no way different but, the subjects being negative and the objects positive, when they are perceived in the same direction of measurement, or dimension, or are file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (119 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

"superimposed, " mutually fulfill one another (as do a photographic negative and positive), and then present a blank uniformity. So regarded they are no longer apparent as subject and object: they are one and void. Nirvana is also a subjective state. It is a no-seeing whereby subjectivity, since it cannot perceive itself, is not manifest. This is called Non-duality. Both states, which as subjectivity are identical, can only be differentiated by the projections known as sentient beings, whose faculty of apprehension is itself subjectivity, via the skandha-mechanism, and whose objective appearance is a projection of subjectivity as Samsara. Consequently, by a union or "superimposition" of the two states, negative and positive, they mutually fulfil one another and become a blank uniformity or void, which is represented by the term " pure consciousness. " This is the resolution of false dualities such as Non-duality and Duality, of Nirvana and Samsara, of subject and object, and it is always void. Note: There is no objective state, and there "are" no objects. Consciousness, experienced as subjectivity, alone "is" and it is NOT.

Neti Neti Samsara is not things, but a seeing of things. This seeing is the positive counterpart of the negative which is Nirvana. Therefore Nirvana is also not any thing, but is a negative seeing or a seeing of no-things (a seeing that is a no-seeing, as Dr. Suzuki has put it).

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (120 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

There are no things in either—any more than there are in photographs, but light and shade only, distributed negatively as in Nirvana, then positively, when reversed, as in Samsara. The photographic film, however, is a projected object, whereas Nirvana is the subjective vision of the apparatus itself. Where a positive photograph shows a dark tree against a pale sky, the negative shows a pale tree-shaped hole in a dark background. The tree is a product of the imagination, an interpretation projected on to a pattern of light and shade. Skandha*: Term for the five aggregates, which constitute the entirety of what is generally known as "personality":. The are corporality or form, sensation, perception, mental formation and consciousness. These aggregates are frequently referred to as " aggregates" of attachment, since (excluding the case arhats and buddhas) craving or desire attaches itself to them and attracts them ot itself; thus it makes of them objects of attachment and brings about suffering. (an excerpt from the Rider Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion) An Excerpt from the illuminating book of Wei Wu Wei: "Ask the Awakened" - The Negative Way. Publishers: Sentient Publications. For those of you who are interested in Advaita, Chan, Zen or Tao, this book is a treasure to have and read - re-read again and again until subjectivity unfolds its secrets. Objets Perdus : Page II By Wei Wu Wei

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (121 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

Painting by Kield Tidman

Do you exist? Noumenally I feel that I am, but I cannot find myself. And the same goes for you and for every living being. Why is that? For the same reason that prevents us from seeing our own face. But you can see my face, and I can see yours. Nonsense, perfect nonsense! We see nothing of the kind. What we see when we look at one another and at anything we can see at all, including our own feet, is just our object. And our object is part of ourselves as its subject. Nobody else can see us, because we have no objective existence whatever, and we cannot see anybody else because they have none. All of us can only see our own - objectivisations whatever they may be. We do not exist as objects? Of course not! No thing exists as an object. That is why there is no such thing as an entity. How could there be? Space and time are purely mental, concepts in mind. Where else could an entity extend itself? Then no object is independent? file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (122 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

None is dependent either. 'Others' are yourself as whatever you 'both' are, and their apparent otherness as your objects is entirely a part of your phenomenal mind. Phenomenal existence or being, noumenally is not-being. Absolutely, it may be called as-it-isness. I begin to understand! Of course you do! 'Is that all it is?,' as the T'ang dynasty monk said, laughing, to his Master when he suddenly understood, or 'found himself awake', as they put it. No thing is—in its own right? Not even us? No thing. Therefore there is no 'us'—for 'we' are only one another's objects as 'us'. Then in what way are we? Just total objective absence, which is the presence of that-I-amness, which is what-I-amness, which is this-I-amness. All of us are that? All of us are not 'that', not 'this', not any concept at all. Nothing mysterious about it. Nothing holy. Just phenomenal notness, and the absence of the concept of that (notness). Then we have no positive being whatever? Positivity and negativity are phenomenal concepts. We are not conceivable at all. Then who lives? You cannot find the doer of any deed, the thinker of any thought, the perceiver of any perception. The unfindable is all that we are, and the unfindable is the found. If you still cling to the notion that something, even if it be as small as the hundredth part of a grain, might exist objectively, then even a perfect mastery of the entire Mahayana canon will fail to give you victory over the Three Worlds. Only when every one of those tiny fragments is seen to be nothing can the Mahayana achieve this victory for you. - HUANG Po, Wan Ling Record 24, p. 86. There is no 'self and no 'other'. There is no 'wrong desire, no 'anger', no 'hatred', no 'love', no 'victory', no 'failure'. Only renounce the error of file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (123 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

conceptual thought-processes and your nature will exhibit its pristine purity —-for this alone is the way to attain enlightenment. - HUANG Po, Ibid. p. 88. To print : Wei Wu Wei Part 2

Terrence G. Gray - Wei Wu Wei

Dialogue with Wei Wu Wei : Page III

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (124 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

THE PURE LAND Is IT possible to be rid of the concept of “other” without at the same time being rid of the concept of “I”, or to be rid of the concept of “I”' without at the same time being rid of the concept of ”other”? • It is not possible. With which should one begin? • With neither. An identified subject cannot rid itself of either concept. That is news, bad news! I thought that was what is required of us? • As well be required to scoop up the moon by baling its reflection out of a puddle! What then? • Until an identified subject knows what he is, he cannot be expected to realize what he is not. Cannot I say also that until he knows what he is not, he cannot realize what he is? • You can. You should. You must. There seems to be no way out! • That is why we are not all Buddhas. If it seemed to be possible should we file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (125 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

not have done it long ago? But there must be a way out! • There is no 'way', and nothing 'out'. It is here and now. Then what is it? • What it is—is quite obvious. Not to me. • If you can't find it by looking—don't look, if you can't find it by thinking— don't think! It is where there is no looking, and no thinking. Because it cannot either be seen or thought? • Not at all. Why, then? • Not because it cannot be seen or thought, but because there is no 'one' to look or to think! Then what does one do? '• One' does not do. 'One' does not even cease to do. And so? • It is better for you to tell me. Is what your identified subject is—anything he can know? Surely not. • Is what he is—anything he can not-know? What he is—is not likely to be an object of knowledge. • Can he see, know, or find what he is or what he is not? I do not think so. • Why is that? Probably because what he is looking for, trying to know, seeking to find, is what is looking, trying, seeking? • Exactly. That is the answer. But is it an answer? • It is the only answer. Finding no 'thing', he finds that he is what he is, which is also what he is not. So that what he is not is what he is? • In so far as words can suggest it. But does that answer my question? • You asked me how to be rid of the interdependent concepts of 'other' and “I”. They have been mutually abolished. So that. . . ? • No 'other', no “I”. And what I am is also what I am not, and what I am not is also what I am!

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (126 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

No room for self, no room for other-than-self! Is that not a definition of Nirvana or of the Pure Land? • It is also a definition of the Kingdom of Heaven. Is there a historical precedent for such an approach? • There are many. For instance when Hui K'o had 'his' supposed mind tranquillized by Bodhidharma, by being unable to find it—that was not the result of his having no mind to find, but because there was no 'he' to have anything. The mind was not missing: it was he that could not be found. It was mind that was looking for mind and not finding itself as an object? • And not-finding was finding! An excerpt from the remarkable book: "Open Secret" by Wei Wu Wei Hong Kong University Press To print Wei Wu Wei part 3

Terrence G. Gray - Wei Wu Wei GENESIS : Part IV By Wei Wu Wei

I move... Space becomes ( as the result of my movement), Time is born (as a result of my movement in space), file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (127 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Visualization and Cosmic Attunement

I have objects (because I have become the subject of space and time), Dualism is established, The Universe appears, I identify myself with my objects (and there are illusionary egos), I suffer illusorily (and suffering becomes universal). METANOESIS

I repose Space vanishes (for I have ceased to move), Time ceases (for there is no movement to measure), There are no objects (for I am no longer a subject), Dualism is no more, The universe disappears, There are no illusory egos, There is no suffering, I am, but there is no 'me'.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%202.htm (128 of 128)24/01/2009 18:16:54

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Hsin - Hsin Ming By Seng - Ts'an Third Zen Patriarch

When you try to stop activity to achieve quietude, your very effort fills you with activity. As long as you remain attached to one extreme or another you will never know Oneness. Those who do not live in the Single Way cannot be free in either activity or quietude, in assertion or denial.

Deny the reality of things and you miss their reality; Assert the emptiness of things and you miss their reality. The more you talk and think about it, the further you wander from the truth. So cease attachment to talking and thinking, file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (1 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

and there is nothing you will not be able to know.

To return to the root is to find the essence, but to pursue appearances or "enlightenment" is to miss the Source. To awaken even for a moment is to go beyond appearance and emptiness.

Changes that seem to occur in the empty world we make real only because of our ignorance.

Do not seek for the truth; only cease to cherish opinions.

Do not remain in a dualistic state; avoid such easy habits carefully. If you attach even to a trace of this and that, of right and wrong, the Mind-essence will be lost in confusion. Although all dualities arise from the One, do not be attached even to ideas of this One.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (2 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way, there is no objection to anything in the world; and when there is no objection to anything, things cease to be—in the old way. When no discriminating attachment arises, the old mind ceases to exist. Let go of things as separate existences and mind too vanishes. Likewise when the thinking subject vanishes so too do the objects created by mind. THE VOID OR EMPTINESS

What is the Void or Emptiness? in Buddhism it means "empty of a separate self" . The word Emptiness or Void should not scare us. To be empty does not mean nonexistent. Emptiness is the ground of everything, thanks to it, everything is possible. When we try to use symbols to understand and conceptualize the "void", we straight away realize that it is impossible to do so. However, the 'I' tries all the same to understand it, because after all, it is its Source. There is an Indian saying that goes like this: "Listen, Shariputra, form is emptiness, emptiness is form, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. The same is true with feelings, perceptions,. mental formations, and consciousness." So, we could say that form is the wave and emptiness is the ocean. We could understand through that image. A wave is made of ocean water it does not differ from

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (3 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

it, in the same way, 'form' does not differ from emptiness, and emptiness does not differ from form. Therefore, we can understand that the Void or Emptiness interpenetrates everything in creation. Let us take another example and consider a circle... for some it will represent a zero, or nothingness... and for others it will symbolize wholeness and totality... What is the difference between nothingness, zero and wholeness and totality? The simple difference is that if one image of the circle exists, then the other ones must also exist. The same is true with our feelings, perceptions, mental concepts and consciousness, because these five contain each other. Therefore the notion of the Void, of existence and non-existence are just created by our minds. Because we know that we are some of the time conscious and some of the time unconscious. Modern science has perceived this truth that not only matter and energy are one, but that matter and space are also one. Therefore Matter, space, MIND or CONSCIOUSNESS are also one, because MIND or CONSCIOUSNESS is in it. (Mind in the sense of Absolute Being or Absolute Self - Universal Cosmic Soul) A good point to consider is the comparison that we made between "form" or "mold" (look in some of my other articles on this website) which is considered to be like a wave in the ocean of "emptiness", (which is Absolute Consciousness - the substance of creation), therefore form like the wave changes forms incessantly (cycles of death and rebirth) and this unpredictability is due to a Cosmic Law which is crucially important because it allows Absolute Consciousness (or the ocean of Emptiness) to dwell in different types and kinds of forms, however, each one of these forms manifests in the world of duality a corresponding level of awakened Consciousness. In other words, we could continue with the example of the ocean and the wave... we have all kinds of waves, and no two are exactly the same, we also have different types of waves some are small, others medium, and some are very large indeed... each according to their characteristic quality contain more or less water... and so, in the same way we could say that each "form" according to its quality and characteristic (according to its inner programming in the psyche) has the potential and possibility to awaken more or less Absolute WHAT IS ADVAITA? Advaita means in Sanskrit "non-duality"; a state that can be ascribed to God or the Absolute alone. It is not accessible to reason, for the ego-bound mind in the waking condition cannot step out of the duality of the subject-object relationship. The concept of non-duality has acquired meaning in the West through the latest discoveries of nuclear physics. Advaita-Vedànta, (in Sanskript) represents one of the three Systems of thought in Vedânta; its most important representative is Shankara. Advaita-Vedànta teaches that the manifest creation, the soul, and God are identical. Just as particle physicists have file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (4 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

discovered that matter consists of continually moving fields of energy, so the sages (rishis) of Vedânta recognized that reality consists of energy in the form of consciousness (chit) and that human begins perceive a gross universe by means of gross senses, because of identification with the ego-limited body. That which is real and unchanging is superimposed in the mind (vikshepa) by the notion of an everchanging manifest world of names and shapes (nàmarùpa).

Shankara's best-known example is the piece of rope that in the dark is taken for a snake. Anxiety, repugnance, heart palpitations are induced by a snake that was never born and never will die, but that exists only in one's mind. Once the rope is recognized under light as a rope, it cannot turn back into a snake. The initial error involves not only nescience of what is, but also the superimposition (vikshepa) of a notion that has nothing to do with what is. Advaita teaches that we in essence of the ritual, understood beyond the mere enactment of the rite, which in reality serves to prepare and sustains the practice of contemplation. For more reading on this subject I would recommend books written by these authors Ramana Maharshi- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj - Ramesh S.Balsekar.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (5 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Ramesh Balsekar Sayings of Ramesh from his daily meditation book: "A Net of Jewels" The sage lives in complete apprehension of the fact that there is no individual doing anything, whether it be writing, walking, talking or anything else. Thus, he may be said to walk a thousand miles without setting a foot outside of his house or speak for forty years without saying a word. The human being as an entity is only the result of thought, of the accumulated and constantly repeating conditioning that there is something in us which survives through time. Thus our private identity has been established in each of us as our own personal tradition. Thought, desire and fear are all based on time or duration through memory - they are not of the present moment. They dis-appear along with time itself when voli-tion has been abandoned or surrendered. The nature of Consciousness is such that it simultaneously pervades the past, pres-ent and future and can experience infinite varieties of universes. But all is merely the play of Consciousness itself. Man frees himself from the world, its ills, its suffering, its chaos simply by seeing the absurdity of it all. The ultimate understanding can come neither by straining to hang on to the material pleasures of the world nor by making efforts to seek and grasp the infi-nite Absolute. It comes by recognizing that the universe is the objective body of the subjective SELF. The only condition for the realization of Truth is that the knowledge of it be de-sired with tremendous intensity. You can-not see IT, you cannot feel IT, you cannot feel IT only because you do not really want IT - you are too preoccupied with enjoying and sorrow-ing over your finite existence. The sense of being alive, being present, is so intoxicating that one is enchanted by the manifestation it presents and gets so involved as to forget to find out if the spectacle really exists or is merely a hallu-cination, a dream, a mirage. file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (6 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Space and time, male and female, subject and object, being and nonbeing — all are lost in the flood of Realization. Intellect is what brings about the sense of fear, because it is the intellect that rejects change and wants security. It is the swallowing up of all differences that brings into light and points the finger at our impersonal source - the true nature of what we ARE. It is a curious fact that one's chances of survival are best when there is no anxiety to survive. There is a special effectiveness or power of virtuality that is available to those who do not exhaust and dissipate themselves with anxiety. The subtlety, however, is that anxiety also includes any positive effort to eliminate anxiety and this is precisely where true under-standing comes into its own by accepting wholeheartedly whatever life brings without resistance or recoil. The word "surrender" is used where there is a duality between "me" and God. When this surrender happens, this will, which we think of as ours drops off, and there is total acceptance that all that pre-vails is His Will. However much we think and believe that we're living our own lives, the fact of the matter is that our lives are being lived. It is impossible for the human intellect to understand the working of the universe. When you stop searching and let the impersonal consciousness take over, then it lets you in on the mystery of its own source, and you will know that things have no substance When you stop searching and let the impersonal consciousness take over, then it lets you in on the mystery of its own source, and you will know that things have no substance What is subjectivity? Subjectivity is the manifestation of Consciousness

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (7 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

We are told by Buddhist sages that samsara and nirvana, the manifest and the unmanifest, being and non-being and all such interdependent concepts are not things or objects created in a world filled with appearances and observable facts, but are two different modes of seeing subjectively, in fact, both can only be perceived subjectively and for this reason remain inseparable in Consciousness as pure Subjectivity. Hence, the declaration of the Buddha that: "Nirvana and samsara are not two." Therefore, we can understand that both aspects of subjectivity are ways of understanding and expressing Consciousness. That is why, Nirvana and samsara are two different modes of being conscious: one works through perception and the other through gnosis or apperception. Hence, we realize that Nirvana and samsara can only be experienced through Consciousness. However, Consciousness needs the tool of our subjective self, without it nothing can be reflected, or experienced. Nevertheless, both are inseparable and need each other, since they are both the two complementary elements forming our subjectivity. We could once more use the metaphor of a mirror and say that the mirror represents Consciousness, but more to the point, it is the matter and stuff that makes a mirror. In this example, we can observe that the polished surface of the mirror represents subjectivity on which everything connected to Nirvana and Samsara reflects. However, when viewed dualistically through the eyes of the ego, meaning through a subjectobject relationship, then, both "Nirvana and samsara" are seen as different and conflicting. However, in reality they are both the two interdependent but opposite poles of subjectivity and will remain so as long as we operate as separate ego personalities... in this case, they will remain for ever separate and opposite to each other. What is the reason for this separation and opposition? The reason is that they will remain an opposite pair as long as we do not recognize that both poles are the reflections of subjectivity (like the ripples and waves of the sea) and that the real "Doer" and file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (8 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

"Subject" of everything we do is our SUBJECTIVITY and CONSCIOUSNESS. As we explained, the Mirror itself symbolizes Consciousness and its polished surface represents our subjectivity on which Nirvana and samsara reflect. Therefore, we can see that the real subject and doer in life is our subjectivity. This is a crucial point that needs to be meditated and well understood. Hence, we recognize that Consciousness can only act through our subjectivity and on its turn, subjectivity needs the Presence of Consciousness to manifest the Presence of Absolute Being in duality. This is the reason why Raymond Bernard like so many other sages, tells us that awakening means the sudden, instantaneous, intuitive (and therefore subjective) perception that the subject-object relationship is totally illusary and a fantasy of our imagination. In reality, subject and object do not exist except as illusions interpreted in a dualistic fashion. Therefore like all products of the mind they are based on concepts that can change. This is recognized by all sages and they agree in saying that in reality there is neither a perceiver nor a perception – there is only the act of perceiving, which is the subjective aspect of Consciousness, called sometimes Unicity, pure Consciousness, the Presence or the Void. Shen Hui a Zen Master says: “It is the absence of the absence of subject and object as phenomena that is the ultimate Truth that awakens.” And Ramesh Balsekar continues by adding: “there is only a subjective happening, never an action done by any entity.” All thinking must necessarily refer to a person or anything and an event concerning the person or thing. Therefore all thinking is necessarily based on the existence of 'space' and 'time'. But, surely, space-time does not 'exist' objectively. Therefore there cannot be any phenomena or any thinking about anything in the absence of spacetime. And if space-time is not something perceptible or cognizable, it can only be the SUBJECTIVITY - and that is what, surely, we must be: the Noumenon, the Source, spaceless and timeless INTEMPORALITY. The past is an impression, a belief, a memory. The 'future' is a presumption, a conjecture. The 'present' is gone before we can recognize it as such. What is 'present', therefore, can only be 'PRESENCE', outside of horizontal time, in the moment - INTEMPORALITY. (These last two paragraphs are taken from Ramesh Balsekar's new book 'The Ultimate Understanding'.) Eros and the Mystery of the Inner Process The Two Aspects of Eros - Phanes / Eros - Tarot Card 6 Lover / Eros - Eros and Kabbalah

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (9 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Eros is a mysterious energy inherent in the whole of creation, fascinating seekers all over the world. Across the cultures, Eros takes different names but still remains the same agent that has to be awakened from within, since it is the only element that can transform the human psyche. Psyche has to be pacified and Eros’ "fire" has to be transformed into "light" so that he can become the mediator and guide that gently pushes and pulls the seeker towards the source of divine love—Eros the Beloved—that awakens from within, guides and accompanies the seeker from within the inner planes. He is the inner witness, the agent within the seeker that unfolds gnosis, or divine knowledge. This divine knowledge awakens higher levels of consciousness within him and, in turn, these levels of consciousness aroused by Eros lead the seeker back to the source of light. The Greek mysteries relate that at the very beginning of creation, only chaos existed, and from chaos was born Eros. Elsewhere, according to mythology, we are told that amongst the gods, Eros was the most handsome. This is how theogonia (the birth of the gods) begins and we are assured that the poet Isiodos heard it from the mouth of the Muse herself. According to Isiodos, Eros represents the driving force behind the entire theogonia. The Orphics agree that Eros appears at the beginning of theogonia and cosmogonia in general, and they tell us that his mother was Night, the dark goddess, and his father the Wind. From their first cosmic and elemental embrace, Eros was born from a silver egg. For the Greeks, the essence of Eros is the unfoldment of human thought, and in Greek philosophy, he is described as a liberating agent who releases and activates the creative process of the mind. Eros inspires and opens the channel of intuition to the higher and abstract understanding and

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (10 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

communion with beauty and truth. The myth of Eros and Psyche describes in detail the inner process of transformation. In fact, Eros cannot be separated from his beloved Psyche, since they are united by a secret and sacred bond, invisible and unconscious in man. In fact, man’s psyche remains filled with erotic, sensual, carnal desires that keep him and his mind trapped on the physical plane along with his emotions and consciousness. But a seeker must transmute the attraction of Eros and awaken the bond with his psyche so that he can rise towards the "beloved," the invisible golden thread that links his consciousness to the universal qualities of beauty and love. The gifts of Eros affect the emotional and thought processes of humanity, especially those of a seeker who has to learn how to open up and integrate these gifts in his psyche. From the lowest and most physical levels of consciousness to the most spiritual ones, Eros remains forever present, gradually transforming the inner fire into pure light. Eros operates in every living creature, and Greek poetry and philosophy describe how nature partakes of the gift of Eros. Hence we could say that Eros’ contribution to humanity is not only inherent in man’s psyche, but that it is also involved in the process that awakens the ego to its true nature, the beauty and unconditional love of the soul. This awakening activated by Eros and Aphrodite reveals the qualities of pure love and gnosis in the consciousness of the seeker. This level of consciousness cannot be described, however, because it is itself a higher aspect of intelligence in which abstract knowledge and impersonal love are combined. We could simply call this level of awakening, wisdom. So, on one hand, Eros can simply mean carnal love and desire for material possessions, but on the other, it can also express the spiritual energy that attracts and leads the psyche towards the Center of Pure Being, where the beauty and love of the soul are revealed. Many Greek philosophers, Plato and Pythagoras included, said the same thing—that beauty and gnosis are inseparable and inherent in the essence of Eros. Thus, we understand that in the psyche of man, Eros rules over his carnal desires but also over his higher aspirations and longing for wisdom. This is not the playful cupid, the winged son of Aphrodite and Mars, but an elderly primordial deity, worshiped by the ancient Greeks as the first element of the primordial creative cause, the element that binds and attracts spirit and matter together. Top

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (11 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

The Two Aspects of Eros Greek philosophers saw the spirit of Dionysus penetrating the whole of nature and binding together the two aspects of Eros, the penetration and blending energy of matter with its counterpart and complement, spirit. Esoterically, Eros is the leading force within a seeker that takes him away from a level of duality to a level of unity and wholeness. Furthermore, Eros is the key to transforming psychic vibratory rates. He does that by placing a seeker on his axial center, the neutral and timeless zone within his conscious self. This level of being brings about the integration of ego with soul. Hence, Eros is the god or essence that gives us the possibility of letting go of the past and living in the present moment, embracing spontaneously everything within and without our reach. Eros allows us to see everything as part of our own nature. He also shows us how to transmute carnal and unconscious attractions and desires of all kinds, and how to re-direct and reintegrate their energies back into the center of pure love and wisdom. This inner process must be conscious, because the ego and psyche must harmonize and unite before being invited to enter into the higher realms, where the qualities and gifts of Eros are awakened. On that level of achievement and realization, the seeker receives more gifts from Eros who directs him towards his own invisible and sacred Center of Pure Being, not really a "place" at all, but more a level of being and attunement. This is a level of consciousness where the essence of pure love and beauty manifest themselves through ordinary consciousness and can be said to be a part of the undivided unique consciousness of the whole of creation. In Symposium, Plato expounded that Eros had two aspects, one physical file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (12 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

the other intellectual, i.e., wisdom. He knew that they had to harmonize and blend so as to transform ordinary men into heroes. According to Empedocles, "Aphrodite is Eros himself," the immortal force that unites and harmoniously blends together all the elements in nature, the "bringer" and "giver" of life. He also said, "the path to knowledge can be achieved only through Eros himself. The energy represented by Eros brings about a balance between pleasure, delight and gnosis, and this harmonious and enthusiastic search for gnosis comes not so much from the answers one receives but more from the search itself." Hence the quest goes on forever, since pleasure and gnosis go hand-inhand and cannot be separated. Eros questions everything because he loves wisdom and is, therefore, the living source at the center of Greek philosophy. So Eros teaches the Greeks how to become free and fearless in the face of the unknown. He invites them to follow the path of knowledge and apply the sacred principles of freedom and equality, qualities that belong to Eros’ mother, Aphrodite, whom Empedocles identifies with Eros for, without the freedom and courage to explore our inner nature with imagination and intuition, we remain unconscious prisoners of conventional ideas, routines and vicious circles. Hence, Eros is himself the "mixer of the seeds and sperms" in creation, the primal cause, the bringer of life in the womb of nature. Eros’s gift to the seeker, therefore, is the transmuting energy of pure love, which is synonymous with the Logos. The oldest mythology of Homer does not mention Eros. Apparently Eros was not born out of a popular tradition but he is the creation of an abstract philosophical conception. In Greek esoteric philosophy, the Eros of theogonia took part in the creation of life itself. Eros pulls the sexes together and rules over all living creatures through the need for procreation and, for that reason, we see Plato, Sophocles, Eurepides, etc., praise his irresistible influence along with his mother, Aphrodite, as they both give life and rebirth. Top Phanes - Eros Phanes Cosmocrator An interesting picture shows us orphic firstborn god Phanes Protogonus, known also as Eros, Pan and Phanes-Jupiter who sprang from the primeval egg. In the picture, he seems to be emerging in flames from the sundered halves of Phanes’ egg, above his head and below his feet. The symbolism also includes solar rays and a lunar crescent behind his head and shoulders; masks of ram, lion and goat on his torso; thunderbolt and staff file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (13 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

in his hands (the attributes of Serapis), while around him are the familiar circle of the zodiac and the square of the winds. The inscription "Felix Pater" and an erased female name suggests a Mithraic environment, thereby identifying this picture also as Aion. Top Major Arcana: Tarot Card 6 — Lover/ Eros Tarot card 6 is the Lover, representing an inner process. It portrays Eros, the universal power of union and love, the agent that brings a new level of consciousness to the seeker, and of "being alive" in the world. Eros is shown pointing his arrow towards the seeker’s crown chakra, meaning that the seeker is in a higher initiation that will unite the two opposites and paradoxical sides within himself, and blend them on his axial level. In that axial inner space within his being, the soul reveals itself to the seeker in many subtle ways. The gifts of Eros are many and they manifest in the ever-fleeting present as sudden bursts of enlightenment and intuition that are part of a transcendent primordial knowledge that gradually unfolds in his life. I personally interpret this card as representing a high level of initiation that corresponds to a baptism of fire, or the awakening in a seeker of a higher level of the abstract mind that remains a grace and a sacred mystery. Receiving the "wound" of the arrow of Eros illuminates the ego, or the limited mind of a seeker, and opens it up to receive higher truth, from where it unites itself with the source of the primordial tradition. The conscious choice of the seeker to enter a new dimension of being comes after his spiritual transformation and rebirth when the arrow of Eros opens his crown chakra, and from that opening, spiritual love pours down and inundates the psyche of the seeker who, from that moment on, transforms from being a lover of self to a lover of God. Furthermore, the color red on this card represents the color of spirit and the green, the color of life. Hence Eros brings about conscious spiritual transformation in a seeker, unfolding in him higher levels of consciousness. Later on, Eros appears as a cruel, playful child who torments gods and mortals alike, giving them more sorrow and misery than harmony and joy. Cupid aims his arrow directly at the human heart, piercing it, but we should look at this as purifying, as awakening and introducing the spiritual element into the nature of psyche itself. It also teaches us how to escape the entrapment of the lower energies Top file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (14 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Eros as seen In the Kabbalah The imagery of love, or eros, is crucial for a discussion of Shekhinah. Eros implies a yearning for unity, harmony, and completion. Shekhinah is the aspect which receives an impulse from its masculine counterpart, Yesod, and engages in the creative activity of harmonization. It is a mystical marriage bringing balance to the world. This marriage is God’s call to Himself in a transfiguration of His harmony in love. One important principle in Zoharic thought is man’s role in maintaining the sefirotic balance. What is found in heaven is found in transfigured parallel in the world. The actions of man affect sefirotic harmony, balance, and wholeness. In following Torah, one influences one’s sefirotic counterparts, thereby helping to keep the divine realms in harmony THE ESOTERIC MYSTERY OF APHRODITE IN THE INNER PROCESS Aphrodite's Transformation - The One who Shows the Way - Hymns of Orpheus to Aphrodite

Aphrodite goddess of love and beauty emerged from the froth of the sea in Paphos on the island of Cyprus in 3200 B.C. She was given many names, one of which was Anadiomeni, which in Greek mean "the one who emerges."

Most of the time, she was depicted as an innocent virgin with an incorruptible ethereal body, a naked body filled with divine radiance. As an

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (15 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

invincible, irresistible and enthralling goddess, Aphrodite exerts her great powers over human beings as well as animals and plants, maintaining and sustaining life. Most of the time, she is portrayed in beautiful, alluring clothes woven specially for her by the Graces. Sometimes, she is depicted as a temptress because she excites human instincts, thoughts and emotions. Ancient Greek hymns dedicated to Aphrodite always praise her beauty and splendour. She is also mentioned as a goddess of light, the "shining star of Heaven," Ourania (daughter of heaven) and wife of Hesphastios / Vulcan, the god of celestial fire, the lame and ugly son of Zeus and Hera, who represents another symbol of the "inner process" in which the qualities of fire, both celestial and terrestrial, work within human and divine nature. Hesphastios is an embodiment of the flickering and changing aspect of the flames that transform and transmute into the "heat" of life. Mostly known as Venus/Aphrodite, her most popular portrayal is as the goddess of love and fertility, beauty and regeneration, who calms the sea and pacifies nature, meaning that her qualities balance and harmonize human instincts and emotions. The symbols associated with Aphrodite include the swan, the dolphin, the rose, and the dove. Hence, she is called Galinaie and Efrlia, meaning "the one who brings calm and the protector of safe journeys and ships." She is also the goddess of spring and, each spring, reunites with her Cypriot lover, Adonis, who dies at the end of each summer only to resurrect every spring and reawaken nature from its winter sleep. As an archetype of beauty and love, Aphrodite always wore a beautiful wreath (efstefanos in Greek). Through her attributes, she represents the feminine aspect of Eros, the part of love and beauty that has plunged in the darkness of matter and unconsciousness, awaiting her emergence from the unconscious sea of the instincts. Her materialization signals the appearance of her real uncorrupted essence pure love.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (16 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Aphrodite's transformation Aphrodite is the pure essence of beauty and love that redeems the dark matter of unconsciousness and ignorance, for just like her son, Eros, or the great Phanes/Eros, she represents the divine power within her celestial virgin nature that attracts and guides human consciousness from within back to its source. She represents the divine and transcendent nature within humans as it emerges from unconsciousness. Eros, on the other hand, represents the magnetic force that activates the soul’s qualities of Divine love and beauty that extend and manifest in human nature. Eros, the pure essence of love and beauty, descends from Heaven, as Aphrodite, our divine Nature within, ascends. Both are part of the same inner process and together they guide human consciousness back to its source. Thus some myths portray Eros as the son of Aphrodite. In her myths, Aphrodite rules over the heart of all humans and, according to her will, she either saves people from their trials and ordeals, or recklessly pushes them into adventurous love affairs that usually end up disastrously, such as those of Helen of Troy, Medea, Phaedra, and Pasifae. The hardships, ordeals and trials are those that every sincere and earnest seeker must go through. Indeed, they are the purification trials and initiations of the elements, (fire, water, air and earth) that each seeker must experience in order to overcome his animal nature, as depicted in the sixth card of the Tarot’s Major Arcana. Top

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (17 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Birth of Aphrodite/Venus

Venus the one who shows the Way In Sumerian mythology, Aphrodite/Venus was called "she who shows the way to the stars." She was the Moon’s daughter and the Sun’s sister and, since she appeared at dawn and dusk (as a star), it was only natural that she be regarded as some sort of link between the deities of light and darkness. So, although the Sun was her brother, she had the underworld goddess as a sister. The Sumerians knew her as the "Valiant One" and "the Lady of Battles." The Orphics called Aphrodite Pontogenis, meaning "born from the sea." She was not seen as a goddess who rules over carnal love but rather as the cosmogonic goddess who gives the irresistible urge to the Ether/Zeus to create forms out of the substance of the Earth. In another tradition, Aphrodite was born from a dove’s egg that fell from heaven. Intuition tells us that Aphrodite is the mistress of thought-forms, who governs human etheric and astral bodies. Hence, her inner process cannot be separated from that of Eros as they both, through their individual powers and essences, refashion the etheric and astral bodies of the seeker according to a perfect archetypal model. As part of the inner process, we know that Mars, the god of war, was captivated by Aphrodite’s beauty and charm. In esoteric psychology, he represents uncontrolled emotions and thoughts, and blind force and power within human nature. Hence, at a certain level of the inner work, we interpret this description of Mars as representing the uncontrollable instincts within the psyche. He must let himself be attracted by Aphrodite’s charm and be overwhelmed and tamed by her compelling and magnetic appeal. The myths concerning Aphrodite also show us that she has power over the sexual and carnal urges of the energy of love, which is why she has control over the instincts and emotions of the psyche, specially in seekers as they become more aware of their inner processes. Depending on their file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (18 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

behaviour and reactions, she imprisons them in their animalistic instincts, or transforms them into heroes, rewarding them with precious gifts. According to Plato, love is attributed to Aphrodite, prophecy to Apollo, the mysteries to Dionysus and poetry to the Muses. Plato tells us that the most important of these divine gifts is Divine love for two reasons. Firstly, without pure love’s impulse, the other gifts prophecy, mysteries and poetry remain uncreative, inactive, and sterile. They need the vibrant, pulsating impulse of Divine love so as to be constantly nourished and sustained. Secondly, because only the essence of love can carry the lover into the beloved, and as long as that love is directed to the sublime, it unites the mind of a seeker more closely. Top HYMNS OF ORPHEUS TO APHRODITE

Hymns of Orpheus to Aphrodite Child of Ocean amazing beauty, we honor you. You rule deep earth, encircling heaven, the stormy seas and everything in them. Mother of sweet marriage, you join the world together with laughter and harmony; even the Fates obey you.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (19 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Every eye seeks you. Give us beauty and love. Delighted by secrets and lavish feasts you are concord and persuasion. You are beautiful necessity even in the frenzy of the shark, delicate as sea foam of Cyprus, fragrant as Syrian oils, bright as golden chariots on Egyptian plains by the sandy bank of the turquoise Nile, a choir of the loveliest Nymphs sings a hymn to your beauty. With reverence we ask for the gift of grace CUPID AND PSYCHE by Apuleius - The Myth

The Oracle of Apollo - Psyche and the Mystery of Cupid - Psyche's Doubts - At the Temple of Venus The cave of pluto - Milton's Poetry on Cupid and Psyche

A certain king and queen had three daughters. The charms of the two elder daughters were more than common, but the beauty of the youngest was so wonderful that the poverty of language is unable to express its due praise. The fame of her beauty was so file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (20 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

great that strangers from neighboring countries came in crowds to pay her that homage due only to Venus herself. In fact Venus found her altars deserted, while men turned their devotion to this young virgin. As she passed along, the people sang her praises, and strewed her way with chaplets and flowers. This perversion of homage due only to the immortal powers to the exaltation of a mortal offended the real Venus, and shaking her ambrosial locks with indignation, she exclaimed, "Am I to be eclipsed in my honors by a mortal girl? In vain then did that royal shepherd, whose judgment was approved by Jove (Zeus) himself, give me the palm of beauty over my illustrious rivals, Pallas (Athena) and Juno (Hera). But she shall not so quietly usurp my honors. I will give her cause to repent of so unlawful a beauty." Thereupon, she calls her winged son Cupid (Eros), mischievous enough in his own nature, and rouses and provokes him yet more by her complaints. She points out Psyche to him and says, "My dear son, punish that contumacious beauty; give thy mother a revenge as sweet as her injuries are great; infuse into the bosom of that haughty girl a passion for some low, mean, unworthy being, so that she may reap a mortification as great as her present exultation and triumph." Cupid prepared to obey the commands of his mother. There are two fountains in Venus’s garden, one of sweet waters, the other of bitter. Cupid filled two amber vases, one from each fountain, and suspending them from the top of his quiver, hastened to the chamber of Psyche, whom he found asleep. He shed a few drops from the bitter fountain over her lips, though the sight of her almost moved him to pity; then touched her side with the point of his arrow. At the touch she awoke, and opened eyes upon Cupid (himself invisible), which so startled him that in his confusion, he wounded himself with his own arrow. Heedless of his wound, his whole thought now was to repair the mischief he had done, and he poured the balmy drops of joy over all her silken ringlets. Psyche, henceforth frowned upon by Venus, derived no benefit from all her charms. True, all eyes were cast eagerly upon her, and every mouth spoke her praises; but neither king, royal youth, nor plebeian presented himself to demand her in marriage. Her two elder sisters of moderate charms had now long been married to two royal princes; but Psyche, in her lonely apartment, deplored her solitude, sick of that beauty which, while it procured abundance of flattery, had failed to awaken love. The Oracle of Apollo Her parents, afraid that they had unwittingly incurred the anger of the gods, consulted the oracle of Apollo, and received this answer: "The virgin is destined for the bride of no mortal lover. Her future husband awaits her on the top of the mountain. He is a monster whom neither gods nor men can resist." This dreadful decree of the oracle filled all the people with dismay, and her parents file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (21 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

abandoned themselves to grief. But Psyche said, "Why, my dear parents, do you now lament me? You should rather have grieved when the people showered upon me undeserved honors, and with one voice called me a Venus. I now perceive that I am a victim to that name. I submit. Lead me to that rock to which my unhappy fate has destined me." Accordingly, all things being prepared, the royal maid took her place in the procession, which more resembled a funeral than a nuptial pomp, and with her parents, amid the lamentations of the people, ascended the mountain, on the summit of which they left her alone, and with sorrowful hearts returned home. While Psyche stood on the ridge of the mountain, panting with fear and with eyes full of tears, the gentle Zephyr raised her from the earth and bore her with an easy motion into a flowery dale. By degrees, her mind became composed, and she laid herself down on the grassy bank to sleep. When she awoke refreshed with sleep, she looked round and beheld nearby a pleasant grove of tall and stately trees. She entered it, and in the midst discovered a fountain sending forth clear and crystal waters, and fast by, a magnificent palace whose august front impressed the spectator that it was not the work of mortal hands, but the happy retreat of some god. Drawn by admiration and wonder, she approached the building and ventured to enter. Every object she met filled her with pleasure and amazement. Golden pillars supported the vaulted roof, and the walls were enriched with carvings and paintings representing beasts of the chase and rural scenes, adapted to delight the eye of the beholder. Proceeding onward, she perceived that besides the apartments of state there were others filled with all manner of treasures, and beautiful and precious productions of nature and art. While her eyes were thus occupied, a voice addressed her, though she saw no one, uttering these words: "Sovereign lady, all that you see is yours. We whose voices you hear are your servants and shall obey all your commands with our utmost care and diligence. Retire, therefore, to your chamber and repose on your bed of down, and when you see fit repair to the bath. Supper awaits you in the adjoining alcove when it pleases you to take your seat there." Psyche gave ear to the admonitions of her vocal attendants, and after repose and the refreshment of the bath, seated herself in the alcove, where a table immediately presented itself, without any visible aid from waiters or servants, and covered with the greatest delicacies of food and the most nectareous wines. Her ears, too, were feasted with music from invisible performers; of whom one sang, another played on the lute, and all closed in the wonderful harmony of a full chorus. Psyche and the Mystery of Cupid She had not yet seen her destined husband. He came only in the hours of darkness and fled before the dawn of morning, but his accents were full of love, and inspired a like passion in her. She often begged him to stay and let her behold him, but he would not consent. On the contrary, he charged her to make no attempt to see him, for it was file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (22 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

his pleasure, for the best of reasons, to keep concealed. "Why should you wish to behold me?" he said; "have you any doubt of my love? Have you any wish ungratified? If you saw me, perhaps you would fear me, perhaps adore me, but all I ask of you is to love me. I would rather you would love me as an equal than adore me as a god." This reasoning somewhat quieted Psyche for a time, and while the novelty lasted, she felt quite happy. But at length, the thought of her parents, left in ignorance of her fate, and of her sisters, precluded from sharing with her the delights of her situation, preyed on her mind and made her begin to feel her palace as but a splendid prison. When her husband came one night, she told him her distress, and at last drew from him an unwilling consent that her sisters should be brought to see her. So, calling Zephyr, she acquainted him with her husband’s commands, and he, promptly obedient, soon brought them across the mountain down to their sister’s valley. They embraced her and she returned their caresses. "Come," said Psyche, "enter with me my house and refresh yourselves with whatever your sister has to offer." Taking their hands, she led them into her golden palace, and committed them to the care of her numerous train of attendant voices, to refresh them in her baths and at her table, and to show them all her treasures. The view of these celestial delights caused envy to enter their bosoms, at seeing their young sister possessed of such state and splendor so much exceeding their own. They asked her numberless questions, among others what sort of a person her husband was. Psyche replied, "He is a beautiful youth, who generally spends the day hunting upon the mountains." Psyche's Doubts and Trials The sisters, not satisfied with this reply, soon made her confess that she had never seen him, and proceeded to fill her with dark suspicions. "Call to mind," they said, "the Pythian oracle that declared you destined to marry a direful and tremendous monster. The inhabitants of this valley say that your husband is a terrible and monstrous serpent, who nourishes you for a while with dainties that he may by and by devour you. Take our advice. Provide yourself with a lamp and a sharp knife; put them in concealment that your husband may not discover them, and when he is sound asleep, slip out of bed, bring forth your lamp, and see for yourself whether what they say is true or not. If it is, hesitate not to cut off the monster’s head, and thereby recover your liberty." Psyche resisted these persuasions as well as she could, but they did not fail to have their effect on her mind, and when her sisters were gone, their words and her own curiosity were too strong for her to resist. So she prepared her lamp and a sharp knife, and hid them out of sight of her husband. When he had fallen into his first sleep, she silently rose and, uncovering her lamp, beheld not a hideous monster, but the most beautiful and charming of the gods, with his golden ringlets wandering over his snowy neck and crimson cheek, with two dewy wings on his shoulders, whiter than snow, and file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (23 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

with shining feathers like the tender blossoms of spring. As she leaned the lamp over to have a nearer view of his face, a drop of burning oil fell on the shoulder of the god, and startled, he opened his eyes and fixed them full upon her. Without saying one word, he spread his white wings and flew out of the window. Psyche, in vain endeavoring to follow him, fell from the window to the ground. Cupid, beholding her as she lay in the dust, stopped his flight for an instant and said, "O foolish Psyche, is it thus you repay my love? After having disobeyed my mother’s commands and made you my wife, will you think me a monster and cut off my head? But go; return to your sisters, whose advice you seem to think preferable to mine. I inflict no other punishment on you than to leave you forever. Love cannot dwell with suspicion." So saying, he fled, leaving poor Psyche prostrate on the ground, filling the place with mournful lamentations. When she had recovered some degree of composure, she looked around, but the palace and gardens had vanished, and she found herself in the open field not far from the city where her sisters dwelt. She repaired thither and told them the whole story of her misfortunes, at which, pretending to grieve, those spiteful creatures inwardly rejoiced. "For now," said they, "he will perhaps choose one of us." With this idea, without saying a word of her intentions, each of them rose early the next morning and ascended the mountain, and having reached the top, called upon Zephyr to receive her and bear her to his lord; then leaping up, and not being sustained by Zephyr, fell down the precipice and was dashed to pieces. Psyche, meanwhile, wandered day and night, without food or repose, in search of her husband. Casting her eyes on a lofty mountain having on its brow a magnificent temple, she sighed and said to herself, "Perhaps my love, my lord, inhabits there," and directed her steps thither. She had no sooner entered than she saw heaps of corn, some in loose ears and some in sheaves, with mingled ears of barley. Scattered about, lay sickles and rakes, and all the instruments of harvest, without order, as if thrown carelessly out of the weary reapers’ hands in the sultry hours of the day. This unseemly confusion the pious Psyche put an end to, by separating and sorting everything to its proper place and kind, believing that she ought to neglect none of the gods, but endeavor by her piety to engage them all in her behalf. The holy Ceres (Demeter), whose temple it was, finding her so religiously employed, thus spoke to her: "O Psyche, truly worthy of our pity, though I cannot shield you from the frowns of Venus, yet I can teach you how best to allay her displeasure. Go, then, and voluntarily surrender yourself to your lady and sovereign, and try by modesty and submission to win her forgiveness, and perhaps her favor will restore you the husband you have lost." At the Temple of Venus Psyche obeyed the commands of Ceres and took her way to the temple of Venus, endeavoring to fortify her mind and ruminating on what she should say and how best file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (24 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

propitiate the angry goddess, feeling that the issue was doubtful and perhaps fatal. Venus received her with angry countenance. "Most undutiful and faithless of servants," said she, "do you at last remember that you really have a mistress? Or have you rather come to see your sick husband, yet laid up of the wound given him by his loving wife? You are so ill-favored and disagreeable that the only way you can merit your lover must be by dint of industry and diligence. I will make trial of your housewifery." Then she ordered Psyche to be led to the storehouse of her temple, where was laid up a great quantity of wheat, barley, millet, vetches, beans, and lentils prepared for food for her pigeons, and said, "Take and separate all these grains, putting all of the same kind in a parcel by themselves, and see that you get it done before evening." Then Venus departed and left her to her task. But Psyche, in a perfect consternation at the enormous work, sat stupid and silent, without moving a finger to the inextricable heap. While she sat despairing, Cupid stirred up the little ant, a native of the fields, to take compassion on her. The leader of the anthill, followed by whole hosts of his six-legged subjects, approached the heap, and with the utmost diligence, taking grain by grain, they separated the pile, sorting each kind to its parcel; and when it was all done, they vanished out of sight in a moment. Venus, at the approach of twilight, returned from the banquet of the gods breathing odors and crowned with roses. Seeing the task done, she exclaimed, "This is no work of yours, wicked one, but his, whom to your own and his misfortune you have enticed." So saying, she threw her a piece of black bread for her supper and went away. Next morning Venus ordered Psyche to be called and said to her, "Behold yonder grove which stretches along the margin of the water. There you will find sheep feeding without a shepherd, with golden-shining fleeces on their backs. Go, fetch me a sample of that precious wool gathered from every one of their fleeces." Psyche obediently went to the riverside, prepared to do her best to execute the command. But the river god inspired the reeds with harmonious murmurs, which seemed to say, "O maiden, severely tried, tempt not the dangerous flood, nor venture among the formidable rams on the other side, for as long as they are under the influence of the rising sun, they burn with a cruel rage to destroy mortals with their sharp horns or rude teeth. But when the noontide sun has driven the cattle to the shade, and the serene spirit of the flood has lulled them to rest, you may then cross in safety, and you will find the woolly gold sticking to the bushes and the trunks of the trees." Thus the compassionate river god gave Psyche instructions how to accomplish her task, and by observing his directions, she soon returned to Venus with her arms full of the golden fleece; but she received not the approbation of her implacable mistress, who said, "I know very well it is by none of your own doings that you have succeeded in this task, and I am not satisfied yet that you have any capacity to make yourself file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (25 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

useful. But I have another task for you. Here, take this box and go your way to the infernal shades, and give this box to Proserpine (Persephone) and say, ‘My mistress Venus desires you to send her a little of your beauty, for in tending her sick son she has lost some of her own.’ Be not too long on your errand, for I must paint myself with it to appear at the circle of the gods and goddesses this evening." Psyche was now satisfied that her destruction was at hand, being obliged to go with her own feet directly down to Erebus. Wherefore, to make no delay of what was not to be avoided, she goes to the top of a high tower to precipitate herself headlong, thus to descend the shortest way to the shades below. But a voice from the tower said to her, "Why, poor unlucky girl, dost thou design to put an end to thy days in so dreadful a manner? And what cowardice makes thee sink under this last danger who hast been so miraculously supported in all thy former?" The Cave of Pluto Then the voice told her how by a certain cave, she might reach the realms of Pluto (Hades), and how to avoid all the dangers of the road, to pass by Cerberus, the threeheaded dog, and prevail on Chiron (Charon) the ferryman, to take her across the black river and bring her back again. But the voice added, "When Proserpine has given you the box filled with her beauty, of all things this is chiefly to be observed by you, that you never once open or look into the box nor allow your curiosity to pry into the treasure of the beauty of the goddesses." Psyche, encouraged by this advice, obeyed it in all things, and taking heed to her ways traveled safely to the kingdom of Pluto. She was admitted to the palace of Proserpine, and without accepting the delicate seat or delicious banquet that was offered her, but contented with coarse bread for her food, she delivered her message from Venus. Presently the box was returned to her, shut and filled with the precious commodity. Then she returned the way she came, and glad was she to come out once more into the light of day./ But having got so far successfully through her dangerous task, a longing desire seized her to examine the contents of the box, "What," said she, "shall I, the carrier of this divine beauty, not take the least bit to put on my cheeks to appear to more advantage in the eyes of my beloved husband!" So she carefully opened the box, but found nothing there of any beauty at all, but an infernal and truly Stygian sleep, which being thus set free from its prison, took possession of her, and she fell down in the midst of the road, a sleepy corpse without sense or motion. But Cupid, being now recovered from his wound, and not able longer to bear the absence of his beloved Psyche, slipping through the smallest crack of the window of his chamber which happened to be left open, flew to the spot where Psyche lay, and gathering up the sleep from her body closed it again in the box, and waked Psyche with a light touch of one of his arrows. "Again," said he, "hast thou almost perished by the same curiosity. But now perform exactly the task imposed on you by my mother, file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (26 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

and I will take care of the rest." Then Cupid, as swift as lightning penetrating the heights of heaven, presented himself before Jupiter with his supplication. Jupiter lent a favoring ear, and pleaded the cause of the lovers so earnestly with Venus that he won her consent. On this, he sent Mercury/Hermes to bring Psyche up to the heavenly assembly, and when she arrived, handing her a cup of ambrosia, he said, "Drink this, Psyche, and be immortal; nor shall Cupid ever break away from the knot in which he is tied, but these nuptials shall be perpetual." Thus Psyche became at last united to Cupid, and in due time, they had a daughter born to them whose name was Pleasure. The fable of Cupid and Psyche is usually considered allegorical. The Greek name for butterfly is Psyche, and the same word means "soul." There is no illustration of the immortality of the soul so striking and beautiful as the butterfly, bursting on brilliant wings from the tomb in which it has lain, after a dull, groveling, caterpillar existence, to flutter in the blaze of day and feed on the most fragrant and delicate productions of the spring. Psyche, then, is the human soul, purified by sufferings and misfortunes, and thus prepared for the enjoyment of true and pure happiness. Milton's Poetry on the Story of Cupid and Psyche Milton alludes to the story of Cupid and Psyche in the conclusion of his "Comus": "Celestial Cupid, her famed son, advanced, Holds his dear Psyche sweet entranced, After her wandering labors long, Till free consent the gods among Make her his eternal bride; And from her fair unspotted side Two blissful twins are to be born, Youth and Joy; so Jove hath sworn." The allegory of the story of Cupid and Psyche is well presented in the beautiful lines of T. K. Harvey: "They wove bright fables in the days of old, When reason borrowed fancy's painted wings; When truth's clear river flowed o'er sands of gold, And told in song its high and mystic things! And such the sweet and solemn tale of her The pilgrim heart, to whom a dream was given, That led her through the world,- Love's worshipper,To seek on earth for him whose home was heaven! "In the full city,- by the haunted fount,-

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (27 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Through the dim grotto's tracery of spars,'Mid the pine temples, on the moonlit mount, Where silence sits to listen to the stars; In the deep glade where dwells the brooding dove, The painted valley, and the scented air, She heard far echoes of the voice of Love, And found his footsteps' traces everywhere. "But nevermore they met! since doubts and fears, Those phantom shapes that haunt and blight the earth, Had come 'twixt her, a child of sin and tears, And that bright spirit of immortal birth; Until her pining soul and weeping eyes Had learned to seek him only in the skies; Till wings unto the weary heart were given, And she became Love's angel bride in heaven!" The story of Cupid and Psyche first appears in the works of Apuleius, a writer of the second century of our era. It is therefore of much more recent date than most of the legends of the Age of Fable. It is this that Keats alludes to in his "Odes to Psyche" "O latest born and loveliest vision far Of all Olympus' faded hierarchy! Fairer than Phoebe's sapphire-regioned star Or Vesper, amorous glow-worm of the sky; Fairer than these, though temple thou hast none, Nor altar heaped with flowers; Nor virgin choir to make delicious moan Upon the midnight hours; No voice, no lute, no pipe, no incense sweet, From chain-swung censer teeming; No shrine, no grove, no oracle, no heat Of pale-mouthed prophet dreaming." In Moore' s "Summer Fete" a fancy ball is described, in which one of the characters personated is Psyche"...not in dark disguise to-night Hath our young heroine veiled her light;For see, she walks the earth, Love's own. His wedded bride, by holiest vow Pledged in Olympus, and made known To mortals by the type which now Hangs glittering on her snowy brow,

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (28 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

That butterfly, mysterious trinket, Which means the soul, (though few would think it,) And sparkling thus on brow so white Tells us we've Psyche here to-night."

The Corpus Hermeticum II. To Asclepius translated by G.R.S. Mead

This dialogue sets forth the difference between the physical and metaphysical worlds in the context of Greek natural philosophy. Some of the language is fairly technical: the "errant spheres" of sections 6 and 7 are the celestial spheres carrying the planets, while the "inerrant sphere" is that of the fixed stars. It's useful to keep in mind, also, that "air" and "spirit" are interchangeable concepts in Greek thought, and that the concept of the Good has a range of implications which don't come across in the English word: one is that the good of any being, in Greek thought, was also that being's necessary goal. The criticism of childlessness in section 17 should probably be read as a response to the Christian ideal of celibacy, which horrified many people in the ancient world. - JMG 1 - Hermes: All that is moved, Asclepius, is it not moved in something and by file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (29 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

something? Asclepius: Assuredly. H - : And must not that in which it's moved be greater than the moved? A - It must. H - Mover, again, has greater power than moved? A - It has, of course. H - The nature, furthermore, of that in which it's moved must be quite other from the nature of the moved? A - It must completely. 2 - H: Is not, again, this cosmos vast, [so vast] that than it there exists no body greater? A - Assuredly. H - And massive, too, for it is crammed with multitudes of other mighty frames, nay, rather all the other bodies that there are? A - It is. H - And yet the cosmos is a body? A - It is a body. H - And one that's moved? 3 - A: Assuredly. H - Of what size, then, must be the space in which it's moved, and of what kind [must be] the nature [of that space]? Must it not be far vaster [than the cosmos], in order that it may be able to find room for its continued course, so that the moved may not be cramped for want of room and lose its motion? A - Something, Thrice-greatest one, it needs must be, immensely vast. 4 - H: And of what nature? Must it not be, Asclepius, of just the contrary? And is not contrary to body bodiless? A - Agreed. H - Space, then, is bodiless. But bodiless must either be some godlike thing or God [Himself]. And by "some godlike thing" I mean no more the generable [i.e., that which is generated] but the in generable. 5 - If, then, space be some godlike thing, it is substantial; but if 'tis God [Himself], it transcends substance. But it is to be thought of otherwise [than God], and in this way.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (30 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

God is first "thinkable" for us, not for Himself, for that the thing that's thought doth fall beneath the thinker's sense. God then cannot be "thinkable" unto Himself, in that He's thought of by Himself as being nothing else but what He thinks. But he is "something else" for us, and so He's thought of by us. 6 - If space is, therefore, to be thought, [it should] not, [then, be thought as] God, but space. If God is also to be thought, [He should] not [be conceived] as space, but as energy that can contain [all space]. Further, all that is moved is moved not in the moved but in the stable. And that which moves [another] is of course stationary, for 'tis impossible that it should move with it. A - How is it, then, that things down here, Thrice-greatest one, are moved with those that are [already] moved? For thou hast said the errant spheres were moved by the inerrant one. H - This is not, O Asclepius, a moving with, but one against; they are not moved with one another, but one against the other. It is this contrariety which turned the resistance of their motion into rest. For that resistance is the rest of motion. 7 - Hence, too, the errant spheres, being moved contrarily to the inerrant one, are moved by one another by mutual contrariety, [and also] by the stable one through contrariety itself. And this can otherwise not be. The Bears up there , which neither set nor rise, thinks thou they rest or move? A - They move, Thrice-greatest one. H - And what their motion, my Asclepius? A - Motion that turns for ever round the same. H - But revolution - motion around same - is fixed by rest. For "round-the-same" doth stop "beyond-same". "Beyond-same" then, being stopped, if it be steadied in "roundsame" - the contrary stands firm, being rendered ever stable by its contrariety. 8 - Of this I'll give thee here on earth an instance, which the eye can see. Regard the animals down here - a man, for instance, swimming! The water moves, yet the resistance of his hands and feet give him stability, so that he is not borne along with it, nor sunk thereby. A - Thou hast, Thrice-greatest one, adduced a most clear instance. H - All motion, then, is caused in station and by station. The motion, therefore, of the cosmos (and of every other hylic animal) will not be caused by things exterior to the cosmos, but by things interior [outward] to the exterior - such [things] as soul, or spirit, or some such other thing incorporeal. file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (31 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

'Tis not the body that doth move the living thing in it; nay, not even the whole [body of the universe a lesser] body even though there be no life in it. 9 - A: What meanest thou by this, Thrice-greatest one? Is it not bodies, then, that move the stock and stone and all the other things inanimate? H - By no means, O Asclepius. The something-in-the-body, the that-which-moves the thing inanimate, this surely's not a body, for that it moves the two of them - both body of the lifter and the lifted? So that a thing that's lifeless will not move a lifeless thing. That which doth move [another thing] is animate, in that it is the mover. Thou sees, then, how heavy laden is the soul, for it alone doth lift two bodies. That things, moreover, moved are moved in something as well as moved by something is clear. 10 - A: Yea, O Thrice-greatest one, things moved must needs be moved in something void. H - Thou sayest well, O [my] Asclepius! For naught of things that are is void. Alone the "is-not" is void [and] stranger to subsistence. For that which is subsistent can never change to void. A - Are there, then, O Thrice-greatest one, no such things as an empty cask, for instance, and an empty jar, a cup and vat, and other things like unto them? H - Alack, Asclepius, for thy far-wandering from the truth! Thinks thou that things most full and most replete are void? 11 - A: How meanest thou, Thrice-greatest one? H - Is not air body? A - It is. H - And doth this body not pervade all things, and so, pervading, fill them? And "body"; doth body not consist from blending of the "four" <elements>? Full, then, of air are all thou calls void; and if of air, then of the "four". Further, of this the converse follows, that all thou calls full are void - of air; for that they have their space filled out with other bodies, and, therefore, are not able to receive the air therein. These, then, which thou dost say are void, they should be hollow named, not void; for they not only are, but they are full of air and spirit. 12 - A: Thy argument (logos), Thrice-greatest one, is not to be gainsaid; air is a body. Further, it is this body which doth pervade all things, and so, pervading, fill them. What are we, then, to call that space in which the all doth move? H - The bodiless, Asclepius. A - What, then, is Bodiless? file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (32 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

H - 'Tis Mind and Reason (logos), whole out of whole, all self-embracing, free from all body, from all error free, insensible to body and untouchable, self stayed in self, containing all, preserving those that are, whose rays, to use a likeness, are Good, Truth, Light beyond light, the Archetype of soul. A - What, then, is God? 13 - H: Not any one of these is He; for He it is that causes them to be, both all and each and every thing of all that are. Nor hath He left a thing beside that is-not; but they are all from things-that-are and not from things-that-are-not. For that the things-thatare-not have naturally no power of being anything, but naturally have the power of the inability-to-be. And, conversely, the things-that-are have not the nature of some time not-being. 14 - A: What say's thou ever, then, God is? H - God, therefore, is not Mind, but Cause that the Mind is; God is not Spirit, but Cause that Spirit is; God is not Light, but Cause that the Light is. Hence one should honor God with these two names [the Good and Father] - names which pertain to Him alone and no one else. For no one of the other so-called gods, no one of men, or daimones, can be in any measure Good, but God alone; and He is Good alone and nothing else. The rest of things are separable all from the Good's nature; for [all the rest] are soul and body, which have no place that can contain the Good. 15 - For that as mighty is the Greatness of the Good as is the Being of all things that are - both bodies and things bodiless, things sensible and intelligible things. Call thou not, therefore, aught else Good, for thou would'st imious be; nor anything at all at any time call God but Good alone, for so thou would'st again be impious. 16 - Though, then, the Good is spoken of by all, it is not understood by all, what thing it is. Not only, then, is God not understood by all, but both unto the gods and some of the men they out of ignorance do give the name of Good, though they can never either be or become Good. For they are very different from God, while Good can never be distinguished from Him, for that God is the same as Good. The rest of the immortal ones are nonetheless honored with the name of God, and spoken of as gods; but God is Good not out of courtesy but out of nature. For that God's nature and the Good is one; one of the kind of both, from which all other kinds [proceed]. The Good is he who gives all things and naught receives. God, then, doth give all things and receive naught. God, then, is Good, and Good is God. 17 - The other name of God is Father, again because He is the that-which-makes-all. file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (33 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

The part of father is to make. Wherefore child-making is a very great and a most pious thing in life for them who think aright, and to leave life on earth without a child a very great misfortune and impiety; and he who hath no child is punished by the daimones after death. And this is the punishment: that man's soul who hath no child, shall be condemned unto a body with neither man's nor woman's nature, a thing accursed beneath the sun. Wherefore, Asclepius, let not your sympathies be with the man who hath no child, but rather pity his mishap, knowing what punishment abides for him. Let all that has been said then, be to thee, Asclepius, an introduction to the gnosis of the nature of all things

THE KYBALION

CHAPTER VII. " THE ALL " IN ALL "While All is in THE ALL, it is equally true that THE ALL is in All. To him who truly understands this truth hath come great knowledge."— How often have the majority of people heard repeated the statement that their Deity (called by many names) was "All in All," and how little have they suspected the inner occult truth concealed by these carelessly uttered words? The commonly used expression is a survival of the ancient Hermetic Maxim quoted above. As the Kybalion says: "To him who truly understands this truth, hath come great knowledge. '' And, this being so, let us seek this truth, the understanding of which means so much. In this statement of truth—this Hermetic Maxim—is concealed one of the greatest file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (34 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

philosophical, scientific and religious truths. We have given you the Hermetic Teaching regarding the Mental Nature of the Universe —the truth that "the Universe is Mental—held in the Mind of THE ALL." As the Kybalion says, in the passage quoted above: "All is in THE ALL." But note also the co-related statement, that: "It is equally true that THE ALL is in ALL." This apparently contradictory statement is reconcilable under the Law of Paradox. It is, moreover, an exact Hermetic statement of the relations existing between THE ALL and its Mental Universe. We have seen how "All is in THE ALL"—now let us examine the other aspect of the subject. The Hermetic Teachings are to the effect that THE ALL is Imminent in ("remaining within; inherent; abiding within") its Universe, and in every part, particle, unit, or combination, within the Universe. This statement is usually illustrated by the Teachers by a reference to the Principle of Correspondence. The Teacher instructs the student to form a Mental Image of something, a person, an idea, something having a mental form, the favorite example being that of the author or dramatist forming an idea of his characters; or a painter or sculptor forming an image of an ideal that he wishes to express by his art. In each case, the student will find that while the image has its existence, and being, solely within his own mind, yet he, the student, author, dramatist, painter, or sculptor, is, in a sense, immanent in; remaining within; or abiding within, the mental image also. In other words, the entire virtue, life, spirit, of reality in the mental image is derived from the "immanent mind" of the thinker. Consider this for a moment, until the idea is grasped. To take a modern example, let us say that Othello, Iago, Hamlet, Lear, Richard III, existed merely in the mind of Shakespeare, at the time of their conception or creation. And yet, Shakespeare also existed within each of these characters, giving them their vitality, spirit, and action. Whose is the "spirit" of the characters that we know as Micawber, Oliver Twist, Uriah Heep—is it Dickens, or have each of these characters a personal spirit, independent of their creator? Have the Venus of Medici, the Sistine Madonna, the' Appollo Belvidere, spirits and reality of their own, or do they represent the spiritual and mental power of their creators? The Law of Paradox explains that both propositions are true, viewed from the proper viewpoints. Micawber is both Micawber, and yet Dickens. And, again, while Micawber may be said to be Dickens, yet Dickens is not identical with Micawber. Man, like Micawber, may exclaim: "The Spirit of my Creator is inherent within me —and yet I am not HE!'' How different this from the shocking half-truth so vociferously announced by certain of the half-wise, who fill the air with their raucous cries of: "I Am God!" Imagine poor Micawber, or the sneaky Uriah Heep, crying: "I Am Dickens"; or some of the lowly clods in one of Shakespeare's plays, grandiloquently announcing that: "I Am Shakespeare!" THE ALL is in the earthfile:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (35 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

worm, and yet the earth-worm is far from being THE ALL. And still the wonder remains, that though the earthworm exists merely as a lowly thing, created and having its being solely within the Mind of THE ALL—yet THE ALL is immanent in the earth-worm, and in the particles that go to make up the earthworm. Can there be any greater mystery than this of "All in THE ALL; and THE ALL in All?" The student will, of course, realize that the illustrations given above are necessarily imperfect and inadequate, for they represent the creation of mental images in finite minds, while the Universe is a creation of Infinite Mind—and the difference between the two poles separates them. And yet it is merely a matter of degree— the same Principle is in operation—the Principle of Correspondence manifests in each—"As above, so Below; as Below, so above.'' And, in the degree that Man realizes the existence of the Indwelling Spirit immanent within his being, so will he rise in the spiritual scale of life. This is what spiritual development means—the recognition, realization, and manifestation of the Spirit within us. Try to remember this last definition —that of spiritual development. It contains the Truth of True Religion. There are many planes of Being—many sub-planes of Life—many degrees of existence in the Universe. And all depend upon the advancement of beings in the scale, of which scale the lowest point is the grossest matter, the highest being separated only by the thinnest division from the SPIRIT of THE ALL. And, upward and onward along this Scale of Life, everything is moving. All are on the Path, whose end is THE ALL. All progress is a Returning Home. All is Upward and Onward, in spite of all seemingly contradictory appearances. Such is the Message of the Illumined. The Hermetic Teachings concerning the process of the Mental Creation of the Universe, are that at the beginning of the Creative Cycle, THE ALL, in its aspect of "Being," projects its Will toward its aspect of "Becoming," and the process of creation begins. It is taught that the process consists of the lowering of Vibration until a very low degree of vibratory energy is reached, at which point the grossest possible form of Matter is manifested. This process is called the stage of Involution, in which THE ALL becomes "involved," or "wrapped up," in its creation. This process is believed by the Hermetists to have a Correspondence to the mental process of an artist, writer, or inventor, who becomes so wrapped up in his mental creation as to almost forget his own existence and who, for the time being, almost "lives in his creation." If instead of "wrapped" we use the word "rapt," perhaps we will give a better idea of what is meant. This Involuntary stage of Creation is sometimes called the "Outpouring" of the Divine Energy, just as the Evolutionary state is called the "Indrawing." The extreme pole of the Creative process is considered to be the furthest removed from THE ALL, while the beginning of the Evolutionary stage is regarded as the beginning of the return swing of file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (36 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

the pendulum of Rhythm—a '' coining home'' idea being held in all of the Hermetic Teachings. The Teachings are that during the '' Outpouring, '' the vibrations become lower and lower until finally the urge ceases, and the return swing begins. But there is this difference, that while in the " Outpouring'' the creative forces manifest compactly and as a whole, yet from the beginning of the Evolutionary or "Indrawing" stage, there is manifested the Law of Individualization —that is, the tendency to separate into Units of Force, so that finally that which left THE ALL as unindividualized energy returns to its source as countless highly developed Units of Life, having risen higher and higher in the scale by means of Physical, Mental and Spiritual Evolution. The ancient Hermetists use the word "Meditation," in describing the process of the mental creation of the Universe in the Mind of THE ALL, the word "Contemplation" also being frequently employed. But the idea intended seems to be that of the employment of the Divine Attention. "Attention" is a word derived from the Latin root, meaning "to reach out; to stretch out," and so the act of Attention is really a mental "reaching out; extension" of mental energy, so that the underlying idea is readily understood when we examine into the real meaning of "Attention." The Hermetic Teachings regarding the process of Evolution are that, THE ALL, having meditated upon the beginning of the Creation—having thus established the material foundations of the Universe — having thought it into existence — then gradually awakens or rouses from its Meditation and in so doing starts into manifestation the process of Evolution, on the material, mental and spiritual planes, successively and in order. Thus the upward movement begins — and all begins to move Spiritward. Matter becomes less gross; the Units spring into being; the combinations begin to form; Life appears and manifests in higher and higher forms; and Mind becomes more and more in evidence — the vibrations constantly becoming higher. In short, the entire process of Evolution, in all of its phases, begins, and proceeds according to the established Laws of the "Indrawing" process. All of this occupies æons upon æons of Man's time, each æon containing countless millions of years, but yet the Illumined inform us that the entire creation, including Involution and Evolution, of an Universe, is but ''as the twinkle of the eye" to THE ALL. At the end of countless cycles of æons of time: THE ALL withdraws its Attention — its Contemplation and Meditation — of the Universe, for the Great Work is finished — and All is withdrawn into THE ALL from which it emerged. But Mystery of Mysteries — the Spirit of each soul is not annihilated, but is infinitely expanded — the Created and the Creator are merged. Such is the report of the Illumined! The above illustration of the "meditation," and subsequent "awakening from file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (37 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

meditation," of THE ALL, is of course but an attempt of the Teachers to describe the Infinite process by a finite example. And, yet: "As Below, so Above." The difference is merely in degree. And just as THE ALL arouses itself from the meditation upon the Universe, so does Man (in time) cease from manifesting upon the Material Plane, and withdraws himself more and more into the Indwelling Spirit, which is indeed "The Divine Ego." There is one more matter of which we desire to speak in this lesson, and that comes very near to an invasion of the Metaphysical field of speculation, although our purpose is merely to show the futility of such speculation. We allude to the question which inevitably comes to the mind of all thinkers who have ventured to seek the Truth. The question is: "WHY does THE ALL create Universes?" The question may be asked in different forms, but the above is the gist of the inquiry. Men have striven hard to answer this question, but still there is no answer worthy of the name. Some have imagined that THE ALL had something to gain by it, but this is absurd, for what could THE ALL gain that it did not already possess. Others have sought the answer in the idea that THE ALL "wished something to love;'' and others that it created for pleasure, or amusement; or because it "was lonely"; or to manifest its power — all puerile explanations and ideas, belonging to the childish period of thought. Others have sought to explain the mystery by assuming that THE ALL found itself "compelled" to create, by reason of its own "internal nature" — its "creative instinct." This idea is in advance of the others, but its weak point lies in the idea of THE ALL being "compelled" by anything, internal or external. If its "internal nature," or "creative instinct," compelled it to do anything, then the "internal nature" or "creative instinct" would be the Absolute, instead of THE ALL, and so accordingly that part of the proposition falls. And, yet, THE ALL does create and manifest, and seems to find some kind of satisfaction in so doing. And it is difficult to escape the conclusion that in some infinite degree it must have what would correspond to an "inner nature," or "creative instinct," in man, with correspondingly infinite Desire and Will. It could not act unless it Willed to Act; and it would not Will to Act, unless it Desired to Act; and it would not Desire to Act unless it obtained some Satisfaction thereby. And all of these things would belong to an "Inner Nature," and might be postulated as existing according to the Law of Correspondence. Bat, still, we prefer to think of THE ALL as acting entirely FREE from any influence, internal as well as external. That is the problem which lies at the root of difficulty —and the difficulty that lies at the root of the problem. Strictly speaking, there cannot be said to be any "Reason" whatsoever for THE ALL to act, for a "reason" implies a "cause," and THE ALL is above Cause and Effect, except when it Wills to become a Cause, at which time the Principle is set into motion. So, you file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (38 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

see, the matter is Unthinkable, just as THE ALL is Unknowable. Just as we say THE ALL merely "IS"— so we are compelled to say that "THE ALL ACTS BECAUSE IT ACTS." At the last, THE ALL is All Reason in Itself; All Law in Itself; All Action in Itself — and it may be said, truthfully, that THE ALL is Its Own Reason; its own Law; its own Act — or still further, that THE ALL; Its Reason; Its Act; is Law; are ONE, all being names for the same thing. In the opinion of those who are giving you these present lessons, the answer is locked up in INNER SELF of THE ALL, along with its Secret of Being. The Law of Correspondence, in our opinion, reaches only to that aspect of THE ALL, which may be spoken of as "The Aspect of BECOMING." Back of that Aspect is "The Aspect of BEING," in which all Laws are lost in LAW; all Principles merge into PRINCIPLE — and THE ALL; PRINCIPLE; and BEING; are IDENTICAL, ONE AND THE SAME. Therefore, Metaphysical speculation on this point is futile. We go into the matter here, merely to show that we recognize the question, and also the absurdity of the ordinary answers of metaphysics and theology. In conclusion, it may be of interest to our students to learn that while some of the ancient, and modern, Hermetic Teachers have rather inclined in the direction of applying the Principle of Correspondence to the question, with the result of the "Inner Nature" conclusion,— still the legends have it that HERMES, the Great, when asked this question by his advanced students, answered them by PRESSING HIS LIPS TIGHTLY TOGETHER and saying not a word, indicating that there WAS NO ANSWER. But, then, he may have intended to apply the axiom of his philosophy, that: "The lips of Wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding," believing that even his advanced students did not possess the Understanding which entitled them to the Teaching. At any rate, if Hermes possessed the Secret, he failed to impart it, and so far as the world is concerned THE LIPS OF HERMES ARE CLOSED regarding it. And where the Great Hermes hesitated to speak, what mortal may dare to teach? But, remember, that whatever be the answer to this problem, if indeed there be an answer — the truth remains that: "While All is in THE ALL, it is equally true that THE ALL is in All." The Teaching on this point is emphatic. And, we may add the concluding words of the quotation: "To him who truly understands this truth, hath come great knowledge." PLOTINUS - PART I The Life of Plotinus - About the One - Nous the World Soul - Religion and Ethics - Some Sayings of plotinus The Universe is a Living Being - The One Transcends the World

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (39 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

NOUS "Knowledge has three degrees: opinion, science, illumination. The means or instrument of the first is sense; of the second dialectic; of the third, intuition." Plotinus, (Letter to Flaccus) "Therefore must we ascend once more towards the Good, towards there where tend all souls. Anyone who has seen it knows what I mean, in what sense it is beautiful. As good it is desired and towards it desire advances. But only those reach it who rise to the intelligible realm, face it fully, stripped of the muddy vesture with which they were clothed in their descent....Those who have witnessed the manifestation of divine or supernatural realities can never again feel the old delight in bodily beauty." Plotinus LIFE OF PLOTINUS Plotinus was born at Lycopolis, in Upper Egypt in 204 CE, and died at Campania in 270 CE. In the twenty-eighth year of his life he applied himself to philosophy, and attended the lectures of the most celebrated men of that time in Alexandria. After studying under Ammonius for some ten years, he accompanied the Emperor Gordian in his campaign against the Persians, in order to learn something of their philosophy. In this object he failed, owing to the unsuccessful issue of the undertaking; he was even obliged to flee for his life to Antioch. In 244 he went to Rome and won numerous adherents to his teaching, among them the Emperor Gallienus file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (40 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

and his wife Salonina. He conceive the idea of founding an ideal city in Campania, with the approval and support of the emperor: this city was to be called Platonopolis, and its inhabitants were to live according to the laws of Plato. Gallienus was not disinclined to enter into the plan; but it was thwarted by the opposition of the imperial counselors. He taught in Rome until about 268, retiring then to the country estate of a disciple in Campania. Plotinus did not reduce his doctrine to writing until toward the close of his life, and then did not publish it. His pupil Porphyry, arranged the fifty-four treatises of Plotinus in six Enneades, placing them in logical order from the simplest to the most abstruse, as well as chronological sequence. They were first printed in a Latin translation by Marsilio Ficino at Florence in 1492, then in Greek and Latin at Basel, in 1580.

About the One What principally distinguishes Plotinus from both Plato and his immediate predecessors is the assumption of a principle higher than the nous. This assumption proceeds from the requirement of unity as an attribute of the highest principle; the nous, as at once subject and object of perception, nooun and nooumenon is twofold. Therefore something higher must be sought, which is absolute unity, the One, identical with the Godhead and wholly transcendent-the first cause, the source of all thinking and being, all the good and beautiful, and all activity. The utter transcendence of God being was taught by Plotinus in a more extreme form than by any of his predecessors. He admits the insolubility by human reason of the most difficult of all metaphysical problems i.e. (how becoming arose out of immutable being and plurality out of unity). The theory of Emanation, which he accepts, also cannot answer the question. Following Plato, he suggests that the explanation may be found in the goodness or benevolence of God. All other beings produce yet others; and how should the most perfect of all beings, the primal goodness and the highest power, file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (41 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

remain absorbed in itself as though impotent to produce? This, of course, is rather an anthropomorphic-ethical than a metaphysical explanation. His attempt to supply the metaphysical explanation is found in the view that the highest being is over-full, and, as the higher, does not precisely contain the lower in itself but allows it to flow forth from its superabundant perfection. This doctrine may possibly show oriental influence; but the idea of emanation occurs in the Stoic teaching, and still more in Philo, though in neither so fully developed as with Plotinus. NOUS THE WORLD SOUL That which first issues from the One is the nous, which is conscious of being a product and image of the One and receives from its relation to the One its power to produce other existences. It is not mere thought but actual being, comprehending all things as the genus comprehends the species. Plato conceived of actual being as being contained in one idea, that of good. Plotinus conceived of it as containing the ideas. Another difference is that whereas Plato asserted the existence of ideas only for such objects as had a common concept or name, Plotinus attributes them to all single existences. From the nous proceeds further the soul, the third principle. As the highest principle has neither thought nor consciousness, so the nous, which is purely contemplative, has no reflective, logical thought. This is the work of the world-soul, which is the link between the intelligible and the phenomenal world, carrying on the process of emanation down to its lowest terms. Matter is conceived by Plotinus not exactly as an emanation from the world-soul, but rather (as with Plato) in the guise of a receptive or passive principle in contrast to the formative or active. What the world-soul sees in the nous, with that it is pervaded and that it strives to reproduce. The content of the soul descends to lower stages. This content is composed of the ideas; and thus in the image of the nous and soul images of the ideas are also contained. These are the logoi, concepts, whose sum, the Logos par excellence, like the world-soul itself, is an emanation from the nous. These logoi are the essential factor in the giving of form to matter, which is formed in an organic, not a mechanical, manner. This formative process presupposes purpose, but not knowledge or deliberation-just as in Heraclitus all becoming takes place on rational principles, yet without any conscious foresight. If everything, therefore, is formed and pervaded by rational powers, the world-soul with its content permeating all, all must be rational or reason. Although the logoi are lower than their prototypes, and their relations with formless matter go lower file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (42 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

still, yet Plotinus finds in the world of phenomena traces of the highest; the absolutely Good and Beautiful is visible even in the world of sense. The spirit of Plato, as expressed in the close of the Timoeus, the idea that the sensible world is a great and beautiful and perfect thing, dominates Plotinus also, so that in spite of matter producing evil, he is far from regarding this world as evil or hateful, representing rather in this point the general optimism of Greek philosophy than the tendency of the early Christian writers to despise the visible world. On the whole, in his explanation of the existence of evil in the universe and his justification of the higher powers in respect to it, he follows the Stoics. RELIGION AND ETHICS. From the world-soul proceed individual souls, but they are not parts of it. Going down into bodies, they have forgotten the higher, the divine, from which they came, and have believed themselves independent. Thus, they have gone continually lower, and stand in need of a return to the better. Plotinus does not make it plain whether this can be executed With freedom by men. The ethical goal is sometimes represented, after Plato, as approximation to the Godhead, sometimes in a more Aristotelian fashion as operation in conformity with the nature of the operator, and again, with Heraclitus and the Stoics, as obedience to reason. Among the virtues Plotinus distinguishes first the "political" or social, which are the four commonly accepted by the Greeks-prudence, courage, temperance, and justice; but these can not make the soul like God. Above them are the purifying virtues, which have that effect. They consist in freeing oneself as far as possible from the body and from sin by an avoidance of what is sensual, though without any exaggerated asceticism. Man, however, is not to be satisfied by mere freedom from sin, but must strive actually to become God. To this end serve the deifying virtues, which are the reproduction on a higher plane of the primary or political virtues. Through these the true nature of man comes to its fulfillment; and thus his beatitude consists in the maintenance of his proper attitude toward himself, undisturbed by external happenings or relations. The supreme aim, indeed, with Plotinus as with Philo, lies not in the realm of thought (as the detailed exposition of the deifying virtues might suggest), but in ecstatic elevation to the highest good, to the Godhead. Logical knowledge is only a preliminary to this, which consists in immediate knowledge of and union with God. To this Plotinus himself, according to the testimony of Porphyry, attained only four times in the six years that the disciple was file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (43 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

with him. The reason why man on earth can not remain permanently in this state is that he has not yet succeeded in turning wholly away from the earthly; the time of permanent union will come when he is no longer tormented by any restlessness of the body. On the immortality of the soul Plotinus wrote a separate treatise, in which he follows Plato in the main, especially emphasizing the fact that the soul, as incorporeal and incomposite, is incapable of dissolution. A reunion of soul and body in the after life is inconceivable to him, since the passage into this higher life is conditioned by the desertion of the body, whose nature is in essential opposition to that of the soul.

(From the Internet Encyclopedia of philosophy)

Some Sayings of Plotinus Creation. The One, perfect in seeking nothing, possessing nothing and needing nothing, overflows and creates a new reality by its superabundance. [5.2.1.] The process is like the unfolding of a seed, moving from simple origin to termination in the world of sense, the prior always remaining in its place, while begetting its successor from a store of indescribable power - power that must not halt within the higher realm . . but continue to expand until the universe of things reaches the limit of its possibility, lavishing its vast resources on all its creatures, intolerant that any one should have no share in it. Nothing is debarred from participation in the Good, to the extent of its receptivity. [4.8.6] The One is omnipresent. This All is universal power, of infinite extent and infinite in potency, a god so great that all his parts are infinite. Name any place, and he is already there. [5.8.9.] It has not deserted its creation for a place apart; it is always present to those with strength to touch it. [6.9.7] Soul is present in all things. The power and nature of Soul encompasses heaven and guides it according file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (44 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

to its will. To all this vast expanse, as far as it extends, it gives itself, and every interval, both large and small, is filled with Soul. . . Soul enlivens all things with its whole self and all Soul is present everywhere. . . And vast and diversified thought this universe is, it is one by the power of soul and a god because of soul. The sun is also a god, because ensouled, and the other stars, and if we ourselves partake of the Divine, this is the cause. [5.1.2.] Nothing is detached or severed from its prior, so that the higher soul seems to extend as far as plants; and in a way it does so extend, because the life in plants belongs to it. Not that soul is wholly within plants, but only to the extent that they are the lower limit of its advance, another level of existence created by its decline towards the worse. [5.2.1.] Every participant partakes of the power of Being in its entirety, while Being is unchanged and undivided. [4.4.8] Soul in its unity is not extended by fragmentation into bodies, but is entirely present where it is present, and omnipresent and undivided throughout the universe. [6.4.12] The universe is a living being This universe is a single living being embracing all living beings within it, and possessing a single Soul that permeates all its parts to the degree of their participation in it. Every part of this sensible universe is fully participant in its material aspect, and in respect of soul, in the degree to which it shares in the World Soul. [4.4.32.] A sympathy pervades this single universe, like a single living creature, and the distant is near. . . Like parts lie not in contact but separated, with other parts between, yet by their likeness they feel sympathy . . and in a living and unified being there is no part so remote as not to be near, through the very nature that binds the living unity in sympathy. [4.4.32] Matter [Matter] is an image and phantom of corporeal mass, a mere tendency to substantial existence, static but without position; it is invisible in itself, eluding all attempts to observe it, present yet unseen. . . Images of intelligible beings pass in and out of it . . without cutting, as if through water, or like shapes floating through the Void. [3.6.7.] If evil exists, it exists in non-being . . . Such is the whole world of sense and all experience of the senses. [1.8.1] file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (45 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

[Matter] is the substrate which underlies figures, forms, shapes, measures and limits . . a mere shadow in relation to real Being, the very essence of evil, if such is possible. [1.8.2] Rejection of the body and sense experience. Sense-perception belongs to the sleeping soul, the part of the soul immersed in body; and the true awakening is a rising up, not with the body, but from the body. . . To rise up to very truth is altogether to depart from bodies. Corporeality is contrary to soul and essentially opposed to soul. [3.6.6.] If life and soul survive death, then there will still be good, and the more so now that soul acts purely according to its nature, unimpeded by body. [1.7.3.] What else could true moderation be but to avoid association with bodily pleasures, and to shun them as impure affections of a thing impure? . . The soul when purified becomes pure form and formative power, all disembodied and intellective, and wholly within the Divine. [1.6.6.] The One transcends the Universe. The source is not fragmented into the universe, for its fragmentation would destroy the whole, which would not longer come to be if there did not remain by itself, distinct from it, its source. [3.8.10.] The One is all things and yet no one of them. It is the source of all things, not itself all things, but their transcendent Principle. . . So that Being may exist the One is not Being, but the begetter of Being. The ascent to union with God. Intellect can veil itself from the world and concentrate its gaze within, and though it sees nothing, it will behold a light - not an external light in some perceived object, but a solitary light, pure and self-contained, suddenly revealed within itself. . . We must not enquire whence it comes, for there is no "whence". . . He does not come as one expected, and his coming knows no arrival; he is beheld not as one who enters but who is eternally present. [5.7-8.] Our thought cannot grasp the One as long as any other image remains active in the soul . . To this end, you must set free your soul from all outward things and turn wholly within yourself, with no more leaning to what lies outside, and lay your mind bare of ideal forms, as before of the file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (46 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

objects of sense, and forget even yourself, and so come within sight of that One. [6.9.7] Beyond duality. A bolder course would be to abandon the duality of seer and seen, and count both as one. In that vision the seer does not see or distinguish, or even imagine, two; he is changed, no longer himself nor owning himself there, but belongs to God, one with him, center joined with center. [6.9.10] If he remembers who he became when he merged with the One, he will bear its image in himself. He was himself one, with no diversity in himself or his outward relations; for no movement was in him, no passion, no desire for another, once the ascent was accomplished. Nor indeed was there any reason or though, nor, if we dare say it, any trace of himself. [6.9.11.] PLOTINUS : Part II Plotinus and the Gnostics What is Nous? - The Soul - Plotinus Psychology In his Enneads 11,9, the Neoplatonic philosopher Plotinus (205 -270) turned against the gnostics - in particular against the Valentinians - and in this manner made a significant contribution, as a non-Christian author, towards the survival of gnostic ideas. Ficino, who used Plotinus as a focus with which he looked at the original Platonism, translated the Enneads in the Renaissance.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (47 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Painting by Barry Stevens

One of Plotinus's objections concerns the gnostic contempt for the world: the Demiurge was regarded as a being of lower rank and in a cosmos ruled by fate the power of evil plays an important role. Plotinus counters this view by saying that the cosmos is a structured complex of divine origin, in which the creative spirit manifests itself as Logos. This makes criticism of the structure of the cosmos unjustified. In his opinion, evil is not a power in itself, but a lower degree of good. Furthermore, Plotinus accuses the gnostics of immoral behaviour, because they deny the moral law of the creator through their contempt for the world. He also accuses them of practising magic: In yet another way they infringe still more gravely upon the inviolability of the Supreme. In the sacred formulas they inscribe, purporting to address the Supernatural Beings - not merely the Soul but even the Transcendents they are simply uttering spells and appeasements and evocations in the idea that these Powers will obey a call and be led about by a word from any of us who is in some degree trained to use the appropriate forms in the appropriate way. Although Plotinus grants that the gnostics have philosophical pretensions, in fact what they present is mythology only: they assume a great number of different levels to exist between the One and man: aeons, personified to file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (48 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

form pairs, such as for instance Depth and Silence, Thinking and Truth, and Sophia, who fell from Fullness (pleroma). Plotinus recognizes the Platonic features in gnostic systems: the immortality of the soul, the intelligible world, the first God and the necessity for the soul to escape from the cycle of birth and rebirth. However, he denies meaning to the gnostic additions. The essential difference between the gnostics and Plato is that for the former, truth can only be attained by 'pneumatists', whereas according to Plato, truth can be attained by anyone. (From the Internet Encyclopedia of philosophy)

NOUS The beginning of each hypostasis constitutes a particular discontinuity in the ontological spectrum. So The One is characterised by absolute Unity, perfection, eternity, and creativity. The Nous is still eternal, creative, perfect blissful, and totally spiritual, but it is no longer unitary. Rather, this is the region of Plato's Spiritual Forms. This idea has its roots ultimately in the Middle Platonic view of Forms as thoughts of God. At the level of the Nous, the individual still has his own identity, but his contemplation embraces the whole Intelligible world and everything in it. And since on this level subject and object are identical, each member of the Intelligible order is identifiable with the whole of that order, and every other member thereof. So Universal Intelligence is a sort of unity-inplurality. This is an idea advocated earlier by the Neopythagorean philosopher Numenius, the "all is in all"

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (49 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Intelligence (Nous) is the level of intuition, where discursive thought is bypassed and the mind attains a direct and instantaneous vision of truth. The distinction between Soul and Intelligence corresponds to the difference between discursive and intuitive thought. Discursive thought means reasoning from premise to conclusion, or being aware of first one thing, then another THE SOUL

Painting by Barry Stevens

With the Soul there is the beginning of time, and therefore of Creation (because Creation by its very nature requires sequence in which to occur). Whereas the Nous embraces the whole of the Noetic world in one timeless vision, the Soul's contemplation is forced to change from one thing to another. The Soul thus constitutes the Nous projected into Time. Although still creative and spiritual, is no longer eternal, or perfect in its consciousness. It cannot see things in a holistic and all-embracing way, but only successively, imperfectly, moment by moment, in terms of past and future. In keeping with Greek thought generally, Plotinus refers to an original cosmic and therefore Divine World-Soul, which is the creator of the visible cosmos, and the individual, for example the human, soul. The Stoics conceived of individual souls as parts of the World-Soul. For Plotinus in contrast, the World-Soul is herself an individual soul, albeit a very large one, whose body is the cosmos which she forms and administers. But both the individual and the World- souls are file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (50 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

manifestations of the one Universal Soul. This is essentially the same as the monistic Hindu philosopher statement that the individual soul or Jiva and Ishwara or God the creator and ruler of the universe are both the result of super-imposition or Maya over the one Absolute or AtmanBrahman As well as this "horizontal" division there is also a "vertical" one. Plotinus and his successors integrated the Platonic distinction between the rational and irrational souls with the Aristotlean distinction of vegetative, sentient (animal), and rational soul-levels. They thus postulated a whole range of levels of psychic consciousness. Being an intuitive and inspirational rather than a systematic thinker, Plotinus sometimes divides the Soul into higher/rational and lower/ irrational, and sometimes into three or even more levels, the various classifications often being contradictory with each other. Sometimes the rational soul as a whole is identified with the "unfallen" soul. Plotinus went so far as to say that the soul, as an "intelligible cosmos", contains not only all other soul-principles (or Logoi) but also the levels of Intelligence and the One, and is therefore able to attain any of those principles; an idea close to the Vedantic and Buddhist concept of Enlightenment or Liberation. The Psychology of Plotinus Plotinus' psychology is as follows: •

The summit of Soul is an unfallen level which does not descend into this world; the Noetic Soul. It is in constant transcendent contemplation of the eternal Nous. •

The Rational Soul is the highest level of the ordinary human psyche, which is able to approach the spiritual.

The Irrational or Animal Soul, which is limited to the bodily or animal passions and desires; the equivalent perhaps of the Catholic "seven deadly sins". This is the bodily or "vegetative" soul (phytikon) responsible both for physical growth and nutrition, and also for the bodily appetites and emotions •

The soul is thus an "amphibian", belonging to both the physical and the intelligible (noetic) worlds. This concept of "vertical psychology" was later to figure prominently in Kabbalah and Sufism, and is still with us (minus the higher or spiritual/ file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (51 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

noetic element) in the Freudian psychoanalytical distinction of Ego (= Rational Soul) and Id (= Irrational Soul). In modern Theosophy and Occultism also, this gradation appears as the distinction between the Mental and the Astral (or Emotional or Desire) bodies. Sometimes Plotinus adds a further hypostasis, phusis or Nature, as the lowest projection of Soul and the dim consciousness within plants, between Soul and the Sensible World. The Theosophical version of this is the "etheric plane". The Soul is the lowest hypostasis, the lowest irradiation of the Divine. Deficient as it is, it still retains a trace of the original on-tological authenticity or Spiritual-Being-ness of the higher principles. Below the Soul there is only non-conscious matter - hyle - which Plotinus equated with "non-being" and total deprivation. Plotinus describes Matter as "nonbeing", in view of its formlessness and utter unsubstantiality, although he denies that this means absolute non-existence

Glossary of Terms

(Words in italics denote terms that are also defined in the Glossary. Aka means “also known as.”)

Absolute Consciousness: Consciousness that encompasses all levels of consciousness and belongs to Absolute Being. (aka Pure Being, Unknown God, and Unmanifested Being.) Abstract Mind: A higher level of intelligence that is directly linked to intuition (or intelligence of the heart.) It is called abstract because it cannot be comprehended or rationalized by ordinary intellect. It is through the Abstract Mind (or Buddhi), that we receive and translate higher realities and Divine knowledge into pure wisdom. Antahkarana: An inner organ, an instrument with which we think, feel, remember file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (52 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

and discriminate. It activates and functions properly with the unfoldment of the inner spiritual process. It is the link between the personal and the impersonal, the ego and the soul. Hence, it is the channel where the inner impulses, battles and transmutations take place, and becomes a conduit for the impulses of the soul to reach the psyche. Archetypes: Archetypes are seed ideas that are engrained within the “blueprint” of man. There are many types of archetypes: the Jungian types come from the “unconscious” and are biological; the Freudian archetypes are also unconscious but are personal and biographical. On this website, the term “archetype” represents spiritual and initiatory “mediums” (or vehicles) and “keys” into which a variety of divine impulses are poured so as to form a language of the soul. Archetypes are universal symbols ingrained in the psyche of human beings, and are interconnected to unfold a meaningful idea or a teaching. Archetypes are also linked to seed ideas and are part of a subtle and refined spiritual teaching method that unfolds the Intuition and Abstract Mind. Astral Body: Emotional body that transforms with our feelings, emotions, desires and higher ideals. It can be refined by our feelings and then register and become part of the higher realms. This, of course, reflects our self-conscious part and is one of the most important parts of the inner process because it is through the astral and mental bodies that we can gradually enter our Perfect Mold. Axial Pole: The central, immutable pole or core of being within human beings that is Absolute Consciousness. It also corresponds to states of being, as in Dante’s axial journey. Hence, those who have reached the mid-point (i.e., the edenic or primordial state), may rise along this axis to higher levels of consciousness. In Kabalistic terms, it corresponds to the Middle Pillar, the Pillar of Consciousness. Being: The part in us that we perceive as the Presence within that pervades the whole of creation. However, it needs consciousness to become aware of its beingness. Chalice: Represents the place where the purification and transformation of the ego occurs. (See Perfect Mold.) Consciousness: The substance and intelligence that envelops, surrounds and penetrates everything in creation to gradually make it aware of itself. However, to do that, it needs spirit and soul as the vehicle to contain, unfold and manifest its inherent qualities. There are different levels of consciousness, each with a corresponding attuned “instrument” to express its own level. Hence consciousness is the medium used by the impersonal will and unconditional Love of Pure Being, or of the Unknown God. In different Traditions, Consciousness is referred to as MIND or Universal or Cosmic Soul Cosmic Consciousness: Consciousness of universality, of being in harmony and attunement with the whole of creation. An infinite sense of intuitive wisdom that file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (53 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

bestows knowledge and experience of being part of the infinite tapestry of creation upon the one who has it. At this level of consciousness, we find the quality of “Thy Will Be Done.” Daemon (aka daimon): A manifestation of our soul’s intent and direct guidance, such as, Pythagoras', Socrates', Platos', Plotinus'. It is made of astral and mental matter and takes the bearing and aspect corresponding to our own level of consciousness and purity. It is the projection of the inner master and guide that opens for us the way of real soul initiation. It is also our witness, who takes us through the various inner planes of purification and being. A Christian version of the daemon is the guardian angel. Duality versus Dualism: In the context of this website, we have chosen the word "dualism" to express the world in which we live as a separate entity, in other words: "I am me" separate from you". As for the word duality in these messages, it reflects the fact that one can be enlightened and remain as the impersonal conscious Self witnessing the world of duality. Ego: A distorted reflection of Pure Being that says, “I am me” and differentiates between “This is me and this is not me.” It is an important tool and a “looking glass” for the soul. However, the “lenses” usually need a good cleaning so that the soul can properly recognize and register what it “sees” through them and send the appropriate impulse back to the ego via intuition. However, the ego is an important functioning of Consciousness in the world of duality. We need an ego to interrelate with each others... Divine Face: The unmanifest “face” of Absolute Consciousness that remains hidden behind the veil of Pure Being. Its presence arises gradually within the consciousness of a seeker as a manifestation of Cosmic Consciousness and reflects in the guise of his Perfect Model. Essence of the soul: The foundation of the soul. (See Pure Being.) Grail: On this website, the Grail represents a divine substance that transforms selfconsciousness into Cosmic Consciousness. It is a Divine Energy that leads the seeker towards his/her complete regeneration. The Grail is linked with the Chalice, with the latter representing the place where the purification of the ego takes place. (See Perfect Mold.) Amongst its countless powers and qualities, the Grail grants immortality and resurrection, signifying that the seeker of truth has entered his own axial pole of pure Absolute Consciousness. The Grail also represents Christ Substance. Thus, in this book, the Grail and the Perfect Model are firmly connected, since in reality, when you enter your Perfect Model, you are automatically in “touch” with the gifts and powers of the Grail. Higher Mind: The permanent level of consciousness that remains forever engrained in the soul or Permanent Witness. It is a higher faculty of intuition and a more subtle way of forming concepts. Higher Mind or Abstract Mind expresses a file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (54 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

different and transfigured level of comprehension and perception of truth. (aka Intuition, Intelligence of the Heart.) I AM: The state in which self-consciousness turns its attention from the outside world to the inner, focusing and opening up to the impulses coming from the soul and reacting accordingly. It is a level of consciousness that prepares consciousness to unify and reach wholeness with Absolute Consciousness or Pure Being. I Am Me: Self-identification of the ego. A state of self-consciousness that is focused and absorbed only with activities outside of itself. Intelligence of the Heart): During the spiritual process, the ego opens itself to the impulses coming from the soul, and intuition unfolds its intelligence and knowledge in one’s consciousness. However, intuition needs the impulses of unconditional and impersonal love to function properly since the knowledge that one receives on this physical level is not for personal gain but belongs to one’s impersonal self. (aka intuition.) Intuition: The impact that the intelligence of the soul has on our conscious level of being. The more attuned we are to the soul, the more deeply we resonate with intuitive knowledge. (aka intelligence of the heart) Invisible God: The part of the higher intelligence within us that can be apprehended only through the functioning of higher mind, or refined intuition. (See Visible God.) Invisible Master: An enlightened person who has awakened Cosmic Consciousness. He/she is a person who lives on the physical plane as an ordinary human being, but remains in constant touch with the inner spiritual planes. Thus he/ she becomes a living “role model” for others who have recognized his/her gifts. Seekers who need to unfold the same soul qualities are magnetically pulled towards such charismatic persons. jnana: Sanskrit, from the root 'jna' - 'to know' (1) general knowledge (2) spiritual wisdom and illumination; knowledge of the ultimate reality; the transcendent realization that Atman and Brahman are one. (The Rider Encyclopedia of Eastern philosophy & Religion.)

Lower mental body: The body formed by our thought-forms, the energy field that registers and sends thoughts made of astral matter. Noumenon: 1- object of intellect: something beyond the tangible world that can only be known or identified by the intellect, not by the senses Noumenon: 2 - independent object in Kantian philosophy: in Kantian philosophy, something that exists independently of intellectual or sensory perception of it, for example the soul in some beliefs [Late 18th century. Via German from Greek , from the present participle of noien ‘to apprehend, file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (55 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

conceive’.] Microsoft® Encarta® Premium Suite 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Perfect Model: The manifested reflection and countenance of our Soul Entity (the "Ba" in Ancient Egyptian Mysteries) within the inner planes of Being. It is our perfected nature, i.e., the features that Cosmic Consciousness and enlightenment take within our being. Perfect Mold: The blueprint with which our subtle body energy fields must attune and blend. It is the mold of the Perfect Model or archetype of our angelic prototype, our original Divine pattern that becomes the vehicle of pure spirit or of Cosmic Consciousness. In the Ancient Egyptian Mysteries it was called the purified "Ka". Permanent Witness: The intuition that emanates from the Permanent Witness becomes intelligible through our purified mind and heart, and is translated into words through the inspiration coming from our Abstract Mind. In other words, the impulses coming from the P.W. can be put into words to encourage and help others do likewise. The P.W. is the part of the soul that is nearer to human consciousness, the intermediary between the ego’s self-consciousness and the Spiritual Witness. Hence the P.W. is our inner guide that initiates and opens the path to our inner quest, and uses our psyche to send and receive impulses to the ego. It is the wise teacher we meet when we focus on our sacred center within. In the Ancient Egyptian Mysteries it was the "Ba" Presence: The invisible part of Being that appears from the Center of Pure Being and gradually takes different sacred Divine Faces to make an impression on the conscious self. It is the immaterial, invisible part of our soul entity, or Pure Being that attracts us through the inherent divine qualities within them. These qualities are of unconditional and pure love and compassion. Primordial Matter: The primary universal substance, the womb wherein all worlds gestate, from which all are born, and to which all return. (aka prakriti) Psyche: The bridge between ego and soul. The mirror in which impulses coming from the soul (or Permanent Witness) and the experiences and memories of the ego meet. The psyche can only be purified when the antahkarana has been activated correctly. Pure Being: (aka Soul Entity) Sacred Cell: The archetypal place where we learn to become “intimate” with ourselves. A holy space within which we encounter our Divine Face and that reveals our own mystery. Sacred Seed: The qualities ingrained in the soul. The spiritual DNA inherent to man but dormant within him, awaiting the light of consciousness to germinate, grow and manifest its inherent attributes and its angelic and divine nature. Soul Entity: Essence of the soul, or of the Permanent and Spiritual Witnesses. It is the seed of both parts of the soul and is conscious only of itself. However, the goal file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (56 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

of unfolding the two witnesses within the soul is to expand and manifest consciousness to different levels and manifest it through the existence of human beings. (aka Pure Being.) Subjectivity: All thinking is based on time and space - must necessarily refer to a person or a thing, an event or experience concerning the thing or the person. But time and space do not exist objectively. Therefore how can any kind of phenomena or thinking and experience about any thing be possible in the absence of time and space. Therefore, if time and space are not objectively perceived because they cannot be perceptible or recognized by the senses, but only through a different knowledge - it can only be the SUBJECTIVITY - which is the evasive "I" , the Noumenon, pure Beingness the Source - spaceless and timeless INTEMPORALITY Spiritual Witness: The pure unmanifested Divine Light that is part of the Universal Consciousness. When as individual consciousness, we are in contact with it, it unfolds within us an illumination of the intelligence of the heart, which gives us a state of beatitude, or a level of consciousness and an inner conviction that cannot be explained in words, for the knowledge imparted by the S.W. can only be given through, enlightenment and illumination of consciousness. It is as if the S..W. opens for us a window to let sunlight into the dark recesses of our consciousness, so as to illuminate it and unfold within us more subtle ways of perceiving the depth and mystery of consciousness. Hence the knowledge received through the S.W. cannot be put into words; rather, it is an enlightenment that becomes part of consciousness itself. Unknown God: The source of all creation. It is beyond human comprehension since this Unknown Presence is immanent, omnipresent and omnipotent. It remains latent in Pure Being and in the essence of our Sacred Seed. However, like Unmanifest Being, the divine source that remains incomprehensible to human intelligence, it can be intuitively felt through the impulses sent by the soul. AUTOBIOGRAPHY PART: 1 My name is... - The Journey

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (57 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

I have been asked by some friends, known and unknown, to write an autobiography. How will I begin this difficult task is a mystery. I will let inspiration guide me and unfold my "story" as much as I can. Nothing extraordinary happened to me in my life, except for a turning point that changed my entire existence. This happened, when at the age of 23, I had polyathritis of all the joints and had difficulty in walking. Specialists in England, France and Switzerland told me that before the age of 30, I would probably have to use a wheelchair. However, five years later I was miraculously healed through a kundalini experience that projected and brought me face to Face with an incredible experience that healed me completely... However, I will leave this episode of my life for part 2 or 3 of this autobiography. As I was saying, I don't know how I will present myself since I have nothing special to say about myself... physically I do have a name and I do have a family that I love very much, but to answer the question of who I am? That will be a tricky thing to do since I remain a mystery to myself, a mystery that I share with each and every incarnated Soul on this planet. Thus, for those with whom I come into worldly contact, I must look a bit odd and mysterious. Why is this? Simply because I am empty and open, involved and detached from everything I do... I have fun and enjoy life, but I have no real opinion on anything, since intuition and contemplation make me see things in different perspectives all the time. In reality, I am a free traveler, a constant pilgrim open to experience everything coming my way. As a human being, the most important thing is to awaken the spiritual dimension of consciousness and in so doing, experience a more profound Reality that I can share and pass on to whoever comes my way and has the same ideals. What is it that I do in life? Write, read, travel, give workshops, enjoy my family and circle of friends. My spiritual training started in 1968 with the Rosicrucian file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (58 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Order AMORC, I was a conscientious neophyte for 22 years... I then met my spiritual Master in 1984 at the Plaka near the Parthenon in Athens Greece...As a result of that incredibly moving encounter, I left my family in Cyprus for 3 years and went to become a psychosynthesis counselor in London. A new cycle started to unfold a painful but redeeming experience. Even during these difficult years I always kept an inner contact with my physical Master, and once I must confess I met him by "coincidence" in Paris...

Painting by Rassouli

My name is... So What is my name? I am called Alice Ouzounian. I was born in Cairo Egypt on the 4th June 1939 and like all good "ancient" Egyptians, from a very early age (around 4) I was yearning to understand the mystery of life and death. This was very important because I distinctly remember that from the age of 4, I had vivid and conscious out of body experiences that marked my life. Dreams and altered states of consciousness, astral projections were part of my childhood experiences, and being very shy, I lived and felt an incredible mystery surrounding me. My physical spiritual Master is French and when I was only 4 my parents put me in an English school in Cairo, I used to escape from it and go further down the street to a French kindergarten... This went on for a while until my parents decided that I should go to another English school. I also escaped from that second school and found myself running home... As a result of my not complying with my parents' wishes, they wisely decided that if I wanted to have a French education, so be it, I should. Thus at home, my first language was Armenian and my second one French. So why did I want to give myself a French education? is it because I had in later life to rekindle my disciple's relationship with my Initiator who happened to be French? My answer is yes, no doubt about it... So my childhood out of the body experiences and my giving myself a French education make me ponder and ask myself the question "Do we have really free will?"

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (59 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

I know that people say that we have free will... But are we really free to choose? do my words sound like a paradox? I don't think so. Let me explain. From my experience, I find that we only have free will when the Soul Personality or the DAEMON is not yet in touch with the ego personality, in other words, there is no harmony between the Soul and ego, thus no direct contact. Hence, both of them, the Soul and the Daemon leave us alone to experience whatever we want to experience as egos. Pleasures, desires, strong emotions of all kinds, and compulsive needs... All these are the necessary steps that one has to take in the process of awakening. However, at a certain stage, things start to change. This happens when the ego ripens and needs to experience another aspect of its own mystery. Then, a divine Image appears, a Divine face Calls the ego to awaken from its long slumber...so as to look in the mirror of its true Self. ...There, an invisible Presence makes its appearance and influences the ego... From that moment on, we are no longer free... a Higher Will guides our steps and we feel ready to attune to the impulses coming from a different Source. Where and what is this Source? It is the inspiration and guidance coming from what Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Plotinus and others called the Daemon. Who or what is the Daemon? It is a projection, an extension and a manifestation of the Soul, a guiding influence, a good invisible companion that accompanies each ego personality towards its awakening process. In other words, the Daemon is the projection of our inner guide... a REAL ONE, a counselor and intimate friend, a teacher and advisor who takes care of us while we are traveling in the inner and outer world of our experiences... file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (60 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

The beginning of the inner Journey... The inner Journey unfolds its mystery very subtly... Each step that one takes is a discovery filled with painful and pleasant experiences... I know that consciousness needs them all so as to grow ethereal wings and converse with the Soul's Daemonic Presence... Each conscious step taken in one's life enriches the Soul Personality... painful or pleasing experiences are all the necessary "fuel" that enflame and enliven the mystic heart... Is this really an autobiography? Yes it is one for me...From a very early age I wanted to understand why I am here on earth... I wanted to know God... and like saint Thomas, I needed to have my own proof and not the ones given by others. Well I do have my own proof... and yet I must confess that the mystery continues... and this is wonderful... because the mystery must always be there and continue... so that we expand... embrace everything and become whole... Was I free really to be different? How could I, since astral projections were awakening my childhood consciousness and intellect to ask questions, and remain in awe. No I was not free to choose, I had chosen long ago to be here on this path and I hope that I will have the opportunity to continue to do so for a very long time. Later on in my life, when I studied painting in Egypt and then Paris, the hidden beauty of the soul and the mystery of life continued to fascinate and influence my artistic work... However, I realized that my painting was just a tool and was used as a process to discover my inner world. Top To print part 1 Back to introduction

.AUTOBIOGRAPHY - PART : II Introduction - The Daimon or higher Self - Athens

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (61 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Introduction (Please read part I first) How will I continue with this autobiography? Should I follow the "normal" way of writing my story, or should I follow my intuition and choose an unconventional way? I will choose the second option since intuition has a strong link with everything that has happened to me and for this very reason I feel it would be a more appropriate way of telling my story. Accordingly, what I am about to reveal has its source here in the meanderings of a confused and ignorant world. However, my hope is that through these autobiographic pages you will discover with me, another parallel world that coexists in and around us all the time. This "other" world has links with this one and with the ways we live our truths. Reality changes with our eagerness to discover new realities. However, these new realities remain part of the physical world but they have the ability to give us the impression that we are seeing them through a new pair of eyes. To give you an example, let us consider a tree. We could say that a tree is recognized by our conscious self to be a tree because we have previously seen many similar trees... but what happens if we go beyond the appearance of the tree? What reaction do we get when we focus our attention on a more profound aspect of our intellect and contemplate the workings and affinities of all the different parts of the tree? in other words, what takes place in us when we look at its roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruit and then let our intuition guide us to a different level from where we can observe the tree, synthesizing and unifying all the parts together?

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (62 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

What do we learn from this experience and how do we feel then about the tree? Is it not true to say that this kind of contemplation helps us enter into an attunement with the tree's own essence? And when this attunement takes place can we not say this takes us into a new level of reality? Therefore can we not see that this experience projects us into a new level of consciousness? We could go further and add that by this example, we are showing you that each time we discover and realize something, this means that a new world opens up in front of us and with it a new way of looking at it. This is so because our inner perception and understanding is then projected around us in the world. To conclude, we could express the idea that this world is composed of as many layers and planes of existence and realities as we can create that become visible to man only when he is ready to plunge into his own mystery and from there awaken... to this truth. And then, when he does that, it means that a new layer and part of this world awakens with him...

When we feel that we are ready to take such a plunge and allow our consciousness to follow the silent voice of intuition, then "things" start to change and happen around us. It is as if we are knocking at the sacred door of initiation. This door is the entrance of many inner worlds...and for each inner plane we discover a corresponding "perceptible" reality. This is part of a process that activates around us parallel worlds that co-exist within us and that manifest at the same time outwardly. Each one of these worlds leads us to the same unique center of pure clear light which some like to call cosmic consciousness. And like a rolling ball following the natural direction of the slope of a mountain, each one of us resembles this rolling ball tumbling down the slope...and karma teaches us to "bounce" and "jump" on our way down the slope, just like a ball. However, to be able to do that, we need the help of a mysterious element, an inner impulse, a power and a Will that directs us safely down the hill... This power within shows us ways of counteracting the obstacles and also teaches us how to bounce back into life, just like a ball, while sliding all the way down the hill to its resting "place".... The point that I am trying to make is that the hidden path of initiation and of awakening begins within each one of us, but it also takes into consideration how we are living our file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (63 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

life. How many changes do we wish to bring about. This inner desire is the fuel that starts the whole process and quest and it unfolds for each one of us a unique way of awakening. Therefore, the inner path becomes clearer when we take the plunge and trust the process to unfold itself in front of us. As we have said before, this world accommodates and is overlapped by many other ones...So, we could add that the mystical path becomes visible to those only who are willing to see with their "inner eyes" and "listen" with their " Inner ear "... However, unfortunately, few people are ready to look and see within themselves to find the other side of reality in life and fewer still have the courage to trust the impulse that pushes them "down the hill" like a rolling ball, letting themselves "spin" down towards the unknown but unifying center of existence and pure Being. The Daimon or Daemon - Projection of the Higher Self... However, if one chooses to take this path, he should not be surprised to discover that the law of synchronization follows him everywhere and like a roller-coaster directs his steps through his entire existence, veering him towards unsuspected and sometimes unknown directions. When this time comes, do not hesitate, follow your lucky star and allow your intuition to guide you...And when your mind lets go, abandon everything and follow the Intelligence of your Heart, just let this magic moment happen... and like the bouncing ball trust and let yourself fall into the abyss of your own being... There you will never be alone... An invisible hand will hold you all the way down where sweet Eros (pure spiritual Love) awaits you... Then, Real Life and Existence bounces back into your life and it appears in the form of a good Friend... the Daïmon or projected Image of your Soul suddenly manifests in your life directing you to a particular physical place where you will meet with someone who is enlightened and with whom you will be working... He will be. your physical Initiator. The silent guide who will take you around the maze of your psyche. Athens April 1984

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (64 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

What I have written up to now is the preliminary part of my story. However, my intention in doing so was to prepare you to understand the whole process of initiation. Real initiation awakens pure consciousness of Being and has nothing to do with rituals and physical initiations which are only the preparatory steps towards this end. Hence, the real awakening process begins on this plane of existence but its goal is to reach another one that belongs to the Soul. Thus an enlightened person living on this plane should at the right moment show up in our lives and guide you through the different realms that we need to awaken within our being... We will subtly be shown by such an enlightened person that an event taking place on the physical level could also open a passage to another dimension. In other words, the role of such a wise teacher is to activate the slumbering spiritual energies within each one of us. So my spiritual quest started in 1968, but the "master appeared" only fourteen years later. Here is that part of my real story and it started, one night at the Plaka in Athens, Greece. This was triggered by an extraordinary man. A man who helped me awaken and live on "two planes" at the same time. In due course, I hope to be able to explain what I mean... but for the moment, let me just say that in this second part of my autobiography I will reminisce and relate certain experiences and encounters that I am allowed to reveal here. But let me start with the first encounter that I had with my spiritual Teacher whose mission is to awaken Consciousness. This meeting took place in Athens on Sunday April 29 1984. And if at a later date I am prompted to continue with my story, then, I will add my experiences and initiations that took place in France, England, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Jerusalem, Cyprus and Peru. Before beginning my story, I should give you a few preliminary explanations concerning my psychic and spiritual condition and preparation that I went through prior to my meeting in Athens. On Thursday 11 August 1984 and the following few nights, I had a series of lucid dreams in which I was passing through purification processes involving the four elements (earth, water, air, fire). From childhood, if you remember in part 1 of this autobiography, I said that often during the night my consciousness remained awake while my body was asleep. So, when in 1968 my interest in mysticism file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (65 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

and the esoteric opened up, dreams started to become very important again because through them I began to receive meaningful teachings. By being awake during sleep and through lucid dreaming I started to open up to a different intelligible world in which a new kind of exploration and discovery was taking place. This awakening process opened in me a mysterious path, a path that was taking my consciousness to extremely contrasting experiences... One moment I was experiencing blissful and uplifting experiences and the next I was suddenly falling into hellish and infernal ones. From feelings of ecstasy and awe... I was being pulled down to painful and distressful experiences.... These inner states were no dreams... but part of subtle inner "operations" and adjustments that were necessary for my psyche to help awaken to its true nature...This mystical "operation" will probably have to be explained thoroughly in a new message, (to help you and give you a hint about what I am talking about, let me refer you to the myth of Psyche and Eros). This painful period of my life with all its ups and downs lasted for nearly four years: from 1984 to 1988. So my story begins in Athens on April 27. 1984.

I had been invited to attend for the first time a Greek cultural convention in Athens as the representative of Cyprus. The reason for this invitation was to present a slide-show of my paintings and explain the mystical philosophy behind each one of them. With me were two others guests, a French couple whose wife only spoke French. Being the only available French speaking guest, I was asked if I would be kind enough to accompany them around Greece. Now how can I start this strange story...The French gentleman in question to whom I will give a different name, to respect his anonymity, was known to me not in the "flesh". I had lucid dream experiences with him in which he was teaching me certain things about the process of "purification". But more than that, even before having been involved with mysticism, I had often heard his voice just before waking early in the morning. He used to whisper or shout short comments, usually in my right ear, on file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (66 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

certain aspects of the lucid dream that I had just had. So you can imagine my shock and surprise when I suddenly saw him and heard his voice... Was I dreaming? I could not believe that such a thing was possible...This man was not a fiction of my imagination, but really existed in the flesh... I was suddenly given the opportunity to be with him and his wife in the flesh... I could not believe my luck and immediately accepted this incredible offer. Having said that, I could not guess what was about to happen next. The last time that I had visited Greece was when I was twelve years old. So I was as much a tourist as they were, but fortunately we had two of our Greek hosts accompanying us on our tour of Athens and its environment... Here was I having to travel around Greece with the same person who had accompanied me in a lucid dream. He was there with me when in 1970 this incredible initiation took place. Suffice it to say that during this experience I was awakened spiritually from within the astral planes as a "Being of Light" and realized that I was baptized and transformed... awakening at the same time a level of consciousness which made me recognize myself as a "Cosmic Being". During this episode, this wonderful man was there with me, accompanying me to the place where the transformation was about to take place...And now here he was in the flesh in front of me in Athens... I did not expect anything special from him, the fact that he really existed was enough to make an incredible "rupture" in my consciousness and this contact made a breach, a crack in my perception and my way of looking at the world around me and in myself... A strange exciting feeling started to operate in me, was I really capable of understanding what was happening to me? Was I really worthy and strong enough to face and open up to this person and would I be open and intuitive enough to understand what was expected of me? Those were questions rushing to my mind and they were being mixed with feelings of excitement, joy and wonderment. What happened on Wednesday 21 January 1970 happened again on Sunday 29 April 1984, between the two, a gap of fourteen years had passed (7x7= two cycles of 7 years ). If in 1970 the awakening process activated a certain level of consciousness in the inner planes, I still needed a long time to digest what had taken place on the inner planes. So, the second phase which started on Sunday 29 April 1984 was about to unfold for me in Athens, it was the actualization of what had happened on the inner planes fourteen years ago, but I could not guess nor imagine this at the time. It is only now with hindsight that I understand its meaning. and importance.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (67 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

After all five of us, (John his wife, two Greek friends and myself), had visited certain important sites and temples around Greece over the period of a few days, on the last day, in the afternoon of Sunday 29 April having come back to our hotel to rest around six o'clock and before separating from the small group, I heard John (I will call him by this name to respect his anonymity) turn and say to the two young Greek friends, who I will call Harris and Andreas < "see you later to go to Plaka ". John's wife was tired after the long journey and traveling, so she asked to be excused and said "a demain" (see you tomorrow) and retired to her room. As for me, having heard what John had just said to Harris and Andreas, a kind of anxiety and torment penetrated my heart. Should I ask him if I could join them and go with them at Plaka? or will that be improper because they are three men and I am a woman inviting myself to join an "all men outing!" maybe I was going to spoil their plans... and be rejected... was I ready to take the risk? Yes, yes I was and I jumped enthusiastically, like a little child and said to John I will never forget John's facial expression, he turned around and in a gentle and amusing way said " but of course Alice you can. meet us downstairs in the hall at 8 PM." That was all... I had invited myself to follow them at the Plaka. Plaka is the most touristic place in Athens, in 1984 there were much fewer souvenir shops around and many more restaurants called "bouzouki" where Greeks and tourists blended. Greeks are very friendly people and they love life, singing and dancing all night with guitars, wine, broken plates and loud laughter are part of the soul of Plaka... So my joining the group of three men was a "first" for me, because in those days, not only was I very shy, but to top it all hated such ambiences...Full of noise, cigarettes and sounds of all kinds. It was not an atmosphere conducive to deep thoughts , nor could it help in listening to the wise words of John... No, I realized that nothing very "deep" was about to happen. We were genuinely going out just to have a bit of fun, feel the Greek "pulse" and penetrate the Soul of Athens. I should add here for those who don't know, that Plaka is underneath the Acropolis where the Parthenon stands. At five minutes to eight o'clock I was downstairs waiting in the hall, very excited but still a bit embarrassed to have invited myself in this way. John was there with Harris and file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (68 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Andreas, we waited for a taxi which was quite a problem to find even in those days. After a short time, we managed to find one in front of our hotel and Harris gave the direction in Greek to the driver. .

We alighted from the taxi and took one of the main streets in Plaka... and Andreas and Harris were discussing about finding a good place to dine, but John was oblivious of what was said, he was preparing something else... He was walking on his own, in front of me, hands behind his back, looking straight ahead. Our Greek friends were following behind me... John started chanting unintelligible words. Words which were incomprehensible but very impressive and powerful... He was intoning them aloud, with a strong voice... and at a certain place he stopped and staring at the window of one old house, he turned around and looking into my eyes, said < Alice, regardes bien, c'est ici que c'est passée la rencontre... *> translation in English: < Alice look, it is right here that the meeting took place... *> I was shocked and embarrassed because I did not know what he was talking about... No I knew what he was saying but could not believe that John was making such a revelation to me... who was I to enter into his personal confidence... Harris and Andreas were still disputing between themselves about where to go for dinner and they were altogether living in a different world, not realizing what was really happening...

* Les Maisons Secretes de la Rose-Croix - The Secret Houses of the RoseCroix To print part 2

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (69 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source By Robert Green List of Lessons

Painting by Francene Hart INTRODUCTION TO THE MYSTICAL KABBALAH THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (70 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

- PART 1 - PART II - PART III - PART IV - PART V - PART VI..

Hsin - Hsin Ming

THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE - PART VII THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE - PART VIII THE KABBALAH EMANATIONS FROM THE SOURCE - PART IX THE CONVENT OF CHRIST AND TEMPLAR & HERMETIC DISCOVERY IN TOMAR PORTUGAL (New)

To print the lessons in Black and White - click on this line The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source By Robert Green Introduction Ein Sof part 1 - Ein Sof part 2

The Kabbalah is Jewish mysticism. It is a mystical system of thought that has been synthesized by combining the corpus of hermetical thought that resulted from the commentaries and the contemplation of the Emerald Tablet with the Torah, or the first 5 books of Bible, written by Moses. One of the problems of studying the Kabala today is that so many other systems of thought have been attached to it over the ages, making it very difficult to comprehend. In other words, its pristine knowledge has been polluted and unnecessarily complicated with everything from fortune telling to conjuring evil spirits. In these essays we will cut thru all of the illusions and look at it with its original intent, thought and concepts. The original Kabbalah system was derived from three works. The 1st is the Torah, or the 1st 5 books of the Bible, supposedly written by Moses. The 2nd work is the Sefer file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (71 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Yetsirah, or Book of Creation, which came out of the Gnostic material of the Emerald Tablet, and was written somewhere between the 3rd and 6th centuries A.D. It deals with esoteric theories of cosmogony & cosmology and is very veiled and complicated because of the use of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet as archetypes to explain cosmic occurrences and laws. As maybe none in this class speak and write Hebrew, we will use more familiar symbols and archetypes to explain these cosmic occurrences and laws. The 3rd work is the Sefer Zohar, or the Book of Spender. It is accepted by most scholars of the Kabala that the author of this monumental work was Moses de Leon of Spain, who began to circulate editions of the book in the period of 1280 and 1290 A.D. He claimed that it represented some of the writings of Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai of the 2nd century A.D. From what we can find out, Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai was a great student of the corpus Hermetica and Jewish & Persian (Zoroastrism) mysticism. The medieval environment is easily recognized in much of writing of the Zohar, though. Historical references to the Crusades and to Arab rule in Palestine after wars are put together with material based on laws and customs found in the Spanish environment of the author, Moses de Leon. The Zohar is a monumental work of 2500 published pages plus a gigantic oral tradition, and would take a serious researcher several lifetimes to fully digest and comprehend. This book is primarily a collection of allegorical stories and commentaries and has been written to hide and discourage serious seekers of mystical truth, and requires studying with someone, a master, to unveil its real truths hidden in its allegories, Hebrew letters, and strange symbology. So with this short introduction, let us begin our journey into the mysteries of the Kabala. We will start at beginning.. before the creation and investigate the condition called the Nothing, also called Ayn Soph, Ein Sof, and En Soph. But first, let us examine the words, Ayn Soph, Ein Sof, and En Soph. Much of the original Kabalistic writings and commentaries were written by Jewish scholars living in German speaking countries and this was their common language. But in medieval times, most books were written in Latin, and the words used by these Jewish scholars were a combination of German and Latin. Ein is German for the, or a, and Ayn, En, are but corruptions of the German Ein. Soph, or Sophia is from a Latin derivative for wisdom; Sof is a German form of the Latin derivative. So we will use in these lessons, the uncorrupted original Germain words Ein Sof, which means "The Wisdom". According to the Kabalalistic scholars, Ein Sof is unknowable because it is nothing. Therefore, as it is nothing, then nothing can be used to describe, or define it. There is only one way to know something about nothing, and that way is to say what it is not. So Ein Sof is not Absolute Being, for the word Being denotes a form and forms take up space, and Ein Sof is formless and therefore fills all space and is in Being, but is not file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (72 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Being. Ein Sof is not mind, or thought, but is in mind and thought, and on and on. Ein Sof has within it the potential for all things created and all things that are yet to be created. If we look at the word Sof, as Wisdom, we will learn something about Ein Sof. Wisdom is not understanding, nor is it intellect; it is not mind, either. Wisdom is innate "Cleverness". It is something that cannot be learned; you either have it, or you don't. We cannot will it as we do with reason and thought. We might say that it is a kind of intuition, a consciousness, or part of the life force in each cell. By meditating on what wisdom is, we will get a better feel for what Ein Sof is. Let me just post some of the thoughts and commentaries on Ein Sof from some of the medieval Kabalistic thinkers and scholars. EIN SOf - Part 1 ANYTHING VISIBLE, and anything that can be grasped by thought, is bounded. Anything bounded is finite. Anything finite is not undifferentiated. Conversely, the boundless is called Ein Sof, Infinite. It is absolute undifferentiation in perfect, changeless oneness. Since it is boundless, there is nothing outside of it. Since it transcends and conceals itself, it is the essence of everything hidden and revealed. Since it is concealed, it is the root of faith and the root of rebellion. As it is written, "One who is righteous lives by his faith." The philosophers acknowledge that we comprehend it only by way of not. Emanating from Ein Sof are the ten sefiroth. They constitute the process by which all things come into being and pass away. They energize every existent thing that can be quantified. Since all things come into being by means of the sefiroth, they differ from one another; yet they all derive from one root. Everything is from Ein Sof; there is nothing outside of it. One should avoid fashioning metaphors regarding Ein Sof, but in order to help you understand, you can compare Ein Sof to a candle from which hundreds of millions of other candles are kindled. Though some shine brighter than others, compared to the first light they are all the same, all deriving from that one source. The first light and all the others are, in effect, incomparable. Nor can their priority compare with its, for it surpasses them; their energy emanates from it. No change takes place in it-the energy of emanation simply manifests through differentiation. Ein Sof cannot be conceived, certainly not expressed, though it is intimated in every thing, for there is "nothing outside of it. No letter, no name, no writing, no thing can confine it. The witness testifying in writing that there is nothing outside of it is: "I am that I am." Ein Sof has no will, no intention, no desire, no thought, no speech, no actionfile:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (73 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

yet there is nothing outside of it. THERE MUST be a contraction of God's presence. For if we believe that Ein Sof emanated the emanation and does not clothe itself within, then everything that emanated is outside of it, and it is outside of everything. Then there are two, God forbid. So we must conclude that nothing is outside of God. This applies not only to the sefiroth but to everything that exists, large and small-they exist solely through the divine energy that flows to them and clothes itself in them. If God's gaze were withdrawn for even a moment, all existence would be nullified. This is the secret meaning of the verse: "You enliven everything." So divinity flows and inheres in each thing that exists. This is the secret meaning of the verse: "God's presence fills the entire world." Contemplating this, you are humbled, your thoughts purified. WISDOM is the end of what you can ponder in thought. BEFORE THE creation of the world, Ein Sof withdrew itself into its essence, from itself to itself within itself. It left an empty space within its essence, in which it could emanate and create. WHEN THE supernal emanator wished to create this material universe, it withdrew its presence. At first Ein Sof filled everything. Now, still, even an inanimate stone is illuminated by it; otherwise the stone could not exist at all-it would disintegrate. The illumination of Ein Sof clothes itself in garment upon garment. At the beginning of creation, when Ein Sof withdrew its presence all around in every direction, it left a vacuum in the middle, surrounded on all sides by the light of Ein Sof, empty precisely in the middle. The light withdrew like water in a pond displaced by a stone. When a stone is dropped in a pond, the water at that spot does not disappear-it merges with the rest. So the withdrawn light converged beyond, and in the middle remained a vacuum. Then all the opacity and density of judgment within the light of Ein Sof-like a drop in the ocean-was extractedDescending into the vacuum, it transformed into an amorphous mass, surrounded in every direction by the light of Ein Sof. Out of this mass emanated the four worlds: emanation, creation, formation, and actualization. For in its simple desire to realize its intention, the emanator relumined the mass with a ray of the light withdrawn at first-not all of the light, because if it had all returned, the original state would have been restored, which was not the intention. To fashion pottery, the potter first takes an unformed mass of clay and then puts his hand inside the mass to shape it. So the supernal emanator put its hand into the file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (74 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

amorphous mass, that is, a ray of light returned from above. As this light began to enter the mass, vessels were formed. From the purest light, Kether; next, Hokhmah; then, Binah; and so on through all ten sefiroth. Since Kether was the purest and clearest of all the vessels, it could bear the light within it, but Hokhmah and Binah, though more translucent than those below, were not like Kether. Not having its capacity, their backs broke, and they fell from their position. As the light descended further, six points appeared-six fragments of what had been one point of light. Thus the vessels shattered. Their spiritual essence-the light-ascended back to the mother's womb, while the shattered vessels fell to the world of creation. When the light emanated once again-regenerated, arrayed anew- it extended only to the end of the world of emanation. "Emanation" denotes this extension of the light of Ein Sof during the time of regeneration. Emanation consists of five visages. These visages are reconfigurations of the points of light, capable now of receiving the light, so that no shattering occurs, as at first. Below these visages the light of Ein Sof appears only through a screen. As when you sit in the shade: though the sun does not shine on you directly, it illuminates the shaded area. In a similar manner, the light of Ein Sof illuminates the world of creation through a screen, indirectly.

Ein Sof part 2 Ein Sof has no beginning, and is formless, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipotent. It is so difficult for us, living in a world of sensual form and thought to conceive of anything existing that is formless and cannot be sensed by our 5 senses, or by scientific instruments. One of the most interesting concepts of the creation is that of Ein Sof`s withdrawal or retreat from a single point forming a space within it's center, and then the projection and concentration of its essence into this space. This voluntary contraction on the part of Ein Sof is the act that causes the creation of the universe. Remember, it is because Ein Sof is limitless in all things & all places and is a plenum of divinity that it was necessary that a primordial space be established, for there must be a space for worlds of 3 dimensional form to exist in. The Zohar says, "But the space created was not entirely empty. In much the same way that the fragrance of perfume lingers in an empty bottle, so too did a divine presence remain behind in primordial space." Once this space existing outside of and separate from the Ein Sof was established, the second act of creation began to take place. The first act of creation was an act of limitation and definition: the second, that of emanation. At this time Ein Sof rayed out a single beam of light to form the first configuration ever fashioned, the Sefiroth, the building blocks of light, life and love. file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (75 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Many Kabalists say that Ein Sof is not the creator God. Their logic is that God created in his own image and that as Ein Sof is Nothing, its image would be nothing, therefore it did not create, but supplied the potential, the energy and the sparks for the creation. To me, Ein Sof is God and so is the space and the sefiroth coming out of Him that manifested the creation and continues to do so. I leave it up to each one of you to decide what you want to believe in this regard. The original meaning of the word Sefiroth comes from the ancient Egyptian word "sefer", which means a book or a scroll on which has been placed a seal that cannot be broken except by authorized persons, which was usually a priest. This was done in ancient times to "seal" certain secret and confidential writings from the unauthorized and profane. The word Sefiroth denotes a plural, so, we could correctly define Sefiroth as " sealed secrets". Before the creation of days in Genesis, there were created 3 Sefiroth, the "Divine Trinity", and from these 3, came the 6 days of creation and 1 day of rest. The first three Sefiroth are Kether, Binah, & Hokhmah. They are called the Trinity; the Godhead; the Creator. These 3 manifested as a lightning flash in the primordial space caused by Ein Sof`s contraction, and although they manifested in a descending order, they pretty much came into Being at the same instant. Kether is known as the crown. Not a crown like a king wears, but He is called the crown because He is at the top of the Sefiroth. All the other Sefiroth are below Him. He is called the Father and is a masculine emanation. Next to Him is Binah and is a feminine emanation.. Binah is called the Mother because she has the son of wisdom in her womb. Binah is also known as the "Holy Ghost", and as the "Cosmic". Out of Binah descended the emanation, or the Sefiroth known as Hokhmah. Hokhmah is called wisdom and is the universal soul. Hokhmah is called the "Son". Hokhmah, the son, is the self; the universal I AM, and it is thru Him that the Father, Kether can be known. He is the only path, for Kether is Consciousness in ONENESS, and cannot know himself, except thru His reflection, Hokhmah, the Son. Binah, from the word "binary" is the beginning of duality, but without the reflective self of the Son, or Hokhmah, cannot know herself, either. Why is Binah the beginning of duality? It is because within her womb is the unmanifest Son; Hokhmah. Hokhmah in mysticism is called the "Christ Consciousness". You will notice in a lot of the Kabala literature, that some of the names of the Sefiroth are spelled entirely different than what I am presenting in these essays. That is because in the centuries over which the Kabala was written and added to by scholars, meanings of words changed and translators in different countries and of different file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (76 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

schools of thought changed some of the spelling of the words. I am trying always, as far as I am able, to use the original words and spelling, so that we can determine the original meanings of them, and thus determine the concepts that the mystic was trying to impart. Also, some these different schools in the middle ages changed the order of some of the sefiroth. An example of these different schools is in the concept of Ayin. Some of these scholars were so certain that Ein Sof could not be known, that they called Kether, Ayin, which means the "Nothing" in Hebrew. The Nothing originally was Ein Soph. Then they changed the order of Sefiroth coming out Kether to Hokhmah then to Binah, which they called Father/ Mother. Now there was one less Sefiroth by making Ein Sof into Kether, so another was added that they called "Da`at".

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source Part: I By Robert Green

The following passage is from an old copy of Kabbalah. It is explaining the emanations flowing from God to the world of form. Kabbalah "conceals" with the terms it uses, so here are some definitions to help you understand this passage: En-Sof is a complicated term that means "potential in the center, or heart"...It also is thought of as concentrated"...for the mystics, it's symbol is a circle with a dot in the center. Also, some commentators of the Kabbalah call it the "Dark Waters". Put simply, it is potential. Shekhinah is the female essence of God. God in the Kabbalah sense is both male and female. The emanations that flow downward from God and give the illusion of form come from the "female part of God". We as mystics call this female part of God the file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (77 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

COSMIC, the HOLY GHOST, or the MOTHER. Sefirah are emanations, or we might call them waves, or vibrations. It is these waves, or emanations that we sense with our 5 senses and give us the illusion of a unversed that is separate from self. With these definitions, this passage will make sense to you... Sefirah is also symbolically representative of God's feminine counterpart, the Shekinah to whom we shall devote several pages shortly. It is through her that the divine grace of the En-Sof passes through into the lower world. THE LAST few pages have concentrated on presenting the manner in which the EnSof made Himself known through the agency of his emanations the Sefiroth. The Sefiroth should always be thought of as different aspects of the En-Sof, different colors along a spectrum, and as intimate portions of His process. The greatest mistake would be to view them as aspects of His creation instead of the result of His divine efflux. Creation implies the establishing of something other than oneself, outside of oneself, wholly capable of existing as an independent unit or entity. Emanation on the other hand is an act of flowing (from the Latin, emanare, to flow), which implies not only the existence of a source, but that the activity of flowing is dependent on the source if it is to remain an activity. What flows through the Sefiroth is the light of the En-Sof which they need for their existence. They are composed of that light in much the same way as a bowl is composed of clay. The intimacy of the connection between the Sefiroth and the En-Sof extends to the relationships between the different Sefiroth themselves. Participating in a common reception of the En-Sof s emanations, they share also each other's qualities. The nature of their differences is marked only by the degree of predominance of the quality after which they are named. Apart from that they are equal in both power and value. Return to the list of Kabbalistic pages Pictures on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life - click on this line

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (78 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source : part 2 By Robert Green

Kabbalah -The Shekhinah The Shekhinah - Kabbalah Balance and Harmony

Again the Kabbalah uses mysterious words to conceal, with some words meaning the same as another, so here are some definitions to help understand the following pages: Binah means understanding and represents the "self" on the "middle pillar". Malkuth means the kingdom of the feminine emanation. It is called by mystics the file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (79 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Cosmic. It is another name for the Shekhinah. Tetragammation are the four consonants of God's name. God's name was always written without vowels. Neshamah is the soul. The soul in Kabbalah is divided into 3 qualities...Neshamah is the highest, finest vibration. Anything in ( ) are my comments. THE SHEKHINAH The saddest note in the whole fabric of the Kabbalistic theory of the soul is struck by the idea that a man who is not aware of the precepts of righteousness may never see the Neshamah until he has left this world. Only then may he understand that the Shekhinah, God's bride, is the Neshamah and that he had for a brief time shared her presence in him. In terms of the Sefiroth, the Shekhinah, represents the middle pillar of the three pillars. She is also known as the Superior Mother and the Inferior or Infernal Mother, the mother and the daughter, the upper Shekhinah and the lower Shekhinah—all appellations referring to the Sefiroth Binah and Malkuth respectively. She therefore also figures in the figure of the Tetragrammaton, the upper (first) and lower (last) He. In short, she is the anima mundi, the world soul who gives a portion of herself to each man in the form of the Neshamah. We mentioned in Part I of this book that the Shekhinah was originally thought of as God's indwelling or presence. We also mentioned that the Kabbalists later took up this idea of a presence and made of it A part of God, a feminine part. What the Kabbalists are stating is that God in Man in His whole state (oneness) is androgynous and that in His present condition He is incomplete. The Kabbalists assign the statement 'Let us make man,' to the lips of the Shekhinah and go on to further stipulate that because man was made in God's image he too is androgynous. It is for this reason that one constantly finds statements to the effect that a man must always be male and female. That is, in order for a man's faith to be firm( have confidence) he must always remain in contact with the feminine portion of himself. In an exceedingly beautiful passage in the commentaries on the “Zohar” the “Shekhinah is likened to a lovely woman courting her lover: “Truly, the Shekhinah releases a word and emerges a bit from her sheath, and then quickly hides herself again. This she does only for those who know her...The file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (80 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Shekhinah is like a beautiful and stately woman, hidden in a secreted chamber in her palace with a secret lover...This lover constantly passes the gate of her house, searching for her...She opens her chamber door and reveals her face to him but for an instant...He alone sees it. The passage continues to relate how the mystic is the one who haunts her house and that he had been drawn to her when she once beckoned to him, revealing a portion of her face to him, and he came at the first sign without hesitation. Then she begins to speak to him, simply, within the range of his understanding, from behind a curtain until “insight” (intuition) comes to him. Then she takes up a veil through which she speaks allegorical words (symbols and archetypes). Only by the latter may he become familiar with her, and only then does she reveal her face. She tells him of all the hidden secrets contained in her, and only then for the first time does he understand the true meaning of the soul.” According to this passage, therefore, it is not impossible for a man to meet his Neshamah face to face before his death, if he is a Kabbalist. The union of the mystic with his soul, and therefore the restitution of the original divine order, may be Ultimately, the whole of Kabbalistic speculation. Yet it is only a key to the chamber of the sub conscious mind in which each of us may find the Shekhinah. Return to the list of Kabbalistic pages Pictures on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life - click on this line

Kabbalah and the meaning of Resonance - Balance - Harmony. Kabbalah - Balance and Harmony

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (81 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

In the Kabbalah the "Tree of the Garden of Paradise" is arranged into different configurations to explain certain Cosmic Laws. To explain "harmony and balance" the tree is arranged as 3 pilliars and the emanations, or "Sefiroth", are connected between the three pilliars with a zig zag line in the form of stairs. These zig zag lines are mathematical conclusions. The pillar on the left is called the pillar of Judgement. The pillar on the right is called the pillar of Mercy. The pillar in the middle represents SELF and is called Understanding. Everything in Kabbalah is mathematical. So, in Kabbalahian mathematics the left pillar of Judgement has an emanation of Darkness; the right pillar, an emanation of Light, and the Middle pillar, an emanation of Beauty. So in solving the equation of Kabbalah mathematics of these 3 pillars, we have: By understanding the Darkness we understand the Light and this equals Beauty to the Self. Beauty then is the balancing point; Beauty is the harmony of dark and light, or of evil and good. We also see from this arrangement of the pillars that SELF must Judge, it is the way that we UNDERSTAND, but to balance or harmonize our Judging there must be Mercy/"Tolerance" to have resonance or harmony within Self.

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source: part 3 By Robert Green

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (82 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Certainly there is ample scientific evidence of the fact that the five physical senses of man do not perceive or apprehend the existence of all things in the universe, and, therefore, are not dependable as complete and perfect messengers of information. What purpose then do these five faculties serve in the general scheme of things? As we examine the octaves of vibrations and look at those in which seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling occur, we find some other interesting facts. We notice, first of all, that all of the mineral, earthly elements discovered by the scientists and listed in the Periodical Tables are in frequencies related to the vibrations of human seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling. We notice that there is a relationship between copper, gold, tin, iron, sulphur, the sodas, and all of the various minerals and liquids. This relationship brings them all into the same octaves of frequency with the vibrations that are registered by the five physical senses. This leads us to realize that the five receptor senses were evolved for the sole purpose of keeping us informed only of the existence of the gross material elements of the universe. In other words, these five physical senses of man are a part of his physical nature, of his material composition, and of his physical consciousness. They are the result of the consciousness that is in all of the cells of material elements that compose his body and these cells are connected to the brain thru the central nervous system. It is our brain that makes us conscious of ourselves and of all other similar elements in the universe. It is this consciousness in matter that makes human beings selfconscious in a physical sense. The brain is a part of the physical body and is the transformer or circuit board in which the impressions from the five physical senses are received and translated into physical consciousness. Before we conclude this lesson, let me give you a thought to ponder. It is our false file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (83 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

beliefs about the reality of space that hinders us from being aware of events that are at what we perceive with our 5 senses to be ‘great distances’ from the body. If you step out of your home and look as far as you can see, you sense a space between yourself and the distant objects. Yet if you put a telescope to your eye and looked at the same objects, the space between you and the objects is cut down, and you have a new perceptive of the element of distance. This experiment in and by itself proves that the element of space is dependent upon the strength or weakness of the eye. Therefore, space and distance are elements of a mental realization and not actualities. In our next lesson we will examine the 4th dimension, which is time, and we will see that it is the illusion of time that gives us memory. And memory is what gives us understanding, knowledge, and experience. EXERCISE Your exercise for this lesson will be to continue with the exercise of the last week, where you took deep breaths and held them for a comfortable time as you concentrated on the various body parts to awaken them and to strengthen the psychic body. But this week, we want you to do the following: Now, please do not be frightened to perform this exercise. Nothing will happen to you. You will need to do this exercise after it is dark, or in the evening or at night…After you have concentrated on all the parts of the body from the soles of the feet to the top of the head, while performing deep breathing, and you are tingling all over, place the tips of your fingers together in front of your body, as if in prayer, between your solar plexus and your heart. Do not touch your palms together and keep your hands a couple of inches from your body with your fingers pointing up towards your chin. Now, slowly get up and walk into a room where it is dark and you have a large mirror…like a bathroom. Shut the door, turn off the lights and stand facing the large mirror. Now this is important…. after you become accustomed to the darkness, stare at yourself in the mirror. Try to relax your eyes and look beyond your image, like you were looking at something far off…We are awakening your third eye, so you must not focus your physical eyes…in a few minutes you will begin to see fog like images moving around your body…again, do not be afraid…this is the psychic world…the astral plane…do this exercise for a period of about 5 to 10 minutes and stop. Write down in your journal what you saw and your feelings…. Do this exercise at least once each day for the coming week.

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source: part 4 By Robert Green

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (84 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

In our lesson last week we investigated the illusion of space and the limited functions of our 5 senses, that causes this illusion. We also said that every human being has this same illusion because we all have the same 5 senses and that the reception range of each of the senses, for every person, is limited to the same band of frequencies, or vibrations. It is like each one of us has a radio in our brains, and everyone’s radio is tuned to the same stations. The reason for this sameness of reception of vibrations is because the body evolved the nervous system and the brain to be unconsciously aware of itself for the preservation of its cells and the elements that compose it. Also, the body as an entity needs for its protection, preservation, and the continuation of the life force, the eyes, ears, touch, the sense of smell and taste. These were created to only be receptive to those same vibrations of consciousness that our bodies` cells and our “outside environment” are composed. We are aware of space and the material objects of our environment thru only 2 of our receptor senses; they are sight and touch. The other 3-receptor senses, hearing, taste and smell, were developed for the preservation and protection of the body. We must realize, though, that consciousness of the illusion of space and objects does not give us knowledge, or experiences. To have thought, ideas and imagination, there must be another element present; and that is the element of time. In this lesson we will examine the 4th dimension, which is the illusion of time. When the subject of time is brought up, most people immediately think of the “measurement of time”. For instance: what day of what month is it, and what is the hour of the day? Now, of course, these measurements of time are not time per se, but are only arbitrary ways and means of cataloging humanity’s conscious events. Time is an illusion just as space file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (85 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

is; but it is this illusion of time that gives us the concept of Past, Now, and Future events. Science has discovered that our brain can only focus and perform one act at a time. Therefore, consciousness in the body is linear; meaning that it follows a time line. All thinking and all actions are of the “now”, and the split-second that the now is “realized” it becomes the “past”. The “future” always entails “deductive reasoning”, whereby, past events and experiences are projected into probable future events, or happenings. The future is always in “potential” due to the Cosmic law of cause and effect. For instance, if I see a flame and have an urge to put my hand in it to see if it is hot, my memories of past experiences will flash a message to me, that if I do this, I will be burned and suffer severe pain. If I do not put my hand in the flame, I will not be burned. Therefore, I am aware of the future concerning this act. So the potential is there in the future as an effect of a cause, based on my memories of past experience with fire. The linear processing of sensual information by the brain gives us memory. If the brain did not process this information linearly, or in a sequence, memory would not be possible and we would not have knowledge, understanding, or experiences. Let us take a simple example. We see an object lying on the ground by our foot. We pick it up and say it is a rock. Now let us see how this happens that we know this is a rock. The atoms of the “rock” are vibrating a certain rate. These vibrations affect the light that is being deflected by the rock, and these light vibrations irritate the lens of our eyes. The optical nerve attached to the lens sends these vibrations along nerves to the posterior of the brain. This portion of the brain causes a picture to appear in the mind of the physical attributes of the “rock” and at the same instant that the rock is “realized”, a memory connection is made with the storehouse of memory in the sub conscious mind, and we say this is a rock. We “know” that this is a rock because we have experienced a rock before, in the past, and we have memories of it. If we had never experienced a rock before, we would not know what it was. If we did not have memory, we would have the same experiences over and over and each time we would consider it a new experience. Memory gives us knowledge, understanding, and thought. And memory is dependent upon the illusion of time. Time, however, must also be related strictly to the functions of consciousness. What we conceive as time or the relation of events to ourselves can likewise be explained in relation to the duration of a period of consciousness. If there were a constant flow of consciousness, all would be the present or the now to us, regardless of where the event occurred. However, there are hiatuses of consciousness, momentary blackouts. Further there is the oscillation of consciousness, a change from one conception to another, from one idea to another. Time is the measurement of these periods of our consciousness of anything. Just as yards, meters are arbitrary measurements of our file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (86 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

perceiving of an object in space, so seconds and minutes are the determination of the duration of our consciousness of an experience. If it were not for memory and imagination we would not be able to divide consciousness into sections of past, present, and future. We would experience something and it would be of the now. Then our consciousness would perceive something else, which might merge with it and likewise be the now at that moment, and then our consciousness would be in chaos. It is memory and imagination, which makes it possible to alternate between the impressions that are being newly received and those being recalled and reassembled. They allow for the evaluation of the difference. Memory impressions, while being realized, are of course always of the now also. However, there is the psychological process—not wholly as yet under-stood—by which the normal mind can distinguish between the now of memory impressions and those immediately perceived through the senses. The interval of now is purely relative to units of time Time does not exist when we dream. Thru many experiments in sleep laboratories, conducted with people of all types, it has been found that a normal dream lasts for only a few seconds, or a few minutes for a long complicated one. Yet for the dreamer to describe the dream may take hours and if he was to “live” the dream it might cover periods of several days. Also, when we are involved and experiencing interesting and changing events, time seems to rapidly pass. Conversely, when we are bored, and do repetitious tasks, time seems to move very slowly. This proves that time is actually the duration of a conscious event, and the more experiences that a conscious event has, the more rapidly time passes. This being the case, then our lives should not be measured in the number of years we live, but by the number of experiences that we have. An interesting life with many experiences would be more desirable than a seemingly long and boring one of few experiences. This concludes our investigation of the 4th dimension. Actually, the 4th dimension should be the first and the dimensions of space should come next, because time, the 4th dimension, is what makes the self, conscious of itself; yet time is an illusion of the brain and there is no time in the Absolute Reality of Being. Ponder on this over the week until our next lesson.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (87 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

EXERCISE Find a time that you can be alone and turn your thoughts and concentration of consciousness toward a point in the center of your head. Think of your head as being a perfect sphere and try to visualize the very center of this sphere. Next, think of a little organ or body that is about the size of the elongation of the soft palate at the back of the throat. Visualize it as having nerves going to and from it in all directions and as being the center of consciousness of your physical and psychic bodies. As you concentrate upon it, put yourself, your thinking self, into that little body as though all of you were in it and thinking from that point. With five minutes of such concentration, several times a week, you will be enlarging its consciousness and awakening it in a manner that you will not realize objectively for some time. Never mind the name of this center or what others have said about it. The name that science has given to it is only man's attempt to label something that he does not thoroughly understand. You might merely think of it as the mind of your psychic self. The enlargement of this center and others as we go along with the classes will develop intuition, psychic impressions, inner comprehension, and cosmic attunement. You will soon come to know what was meant by the Master Jesus and by hundreds of mystics of his time and later when they said that the Kingdom of Heaven is within; for you will find that this psychic center is really the Portal or Threshold of the great chamber of the Divine or Cosmic Kingdom. It is worth all of the time and effort required during the next few months to stay on the path to the Portal, the Threshold of the Kingdom.

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source: part 5 By Robert Green

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (88 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

We have been investigating the mysterious nature of self in our prior lessons, and we will continue our investigation again in this lesson. Self is so important to us in our Course of Mysticism. For as we stated before, without self nothing exists; all is chaos and oblivion! Stop and think for a moment; if you did not exist, would anything else exist. It is like the Zen koan about if a tree falls in the deep forest with no one around to hear it, does it make any sound…or taking the koan further, does the tree even exist? The answer is that nothing exists without self-experiencing. St. Germain, one of the invisible/formless masters, has said many times “everything is personal”. He means by this, that for anything to be known, understood, and experienced, self must be present. Therefore, all life is personal and individual. Let us go back and review some important things that we have brought to your attention in these past lessons about the nature of self. You will have noticed that we have not said or used the word “soul” very much. This is because the whole mystical experience is based upon unity, and unity is oneness of consciousness with the Absolute Reality. When we divide and separate a thing to understand it, we have a tendency to think about that thing as a totally separate and individual thing and as having a separate life of its own, so to speak. To really know and understand something, we need look at it as a whole, and study its various relationships within itself. For example, if we want to understand totally our bodies, we can explore its various parts, like the heart, the arms, the blood, and so on, but we always know that these various parts of the body, are not separated, but have functions and relationships with all the other parts of the body. We know, that the body is one whole file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (89 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

thing with many functions. So in this light, we are studying self as the whole. Soul, ego, mind, life force, matter, and so on, are all “functions” of self. You are probably saying to yourself, “ I can see how soul, ego, life and mind are functions of self, but I cannot see what matter has to do with self.” Do you remember the lessons about space and time, and how they are illusions, but are needed for self-consciousness, or mind? Ponder upon that lesson, and meditate upon this fact: The whole material universe is but an extension of self. We also have been stating, that self is dual.” The realized self” is the part of self that we are always aware of in various degrees. This awareness consists of knowing that “we are”, and that we are separated from our environment and from other self’s. This is the “subjective” level of the realized self; consciousness of consciousness. The other part of the self is the “no self”. The no self is the exact opposite of the realized self, and in most people is unconscious to its other part. Its main function in life is the storehouse of memory from the experiences of the realized self. But within this no self, are many sub personalities that have been imprisoned there by the judgment of the realized self. I will not elaborate upon this, because Alice has some wonderful information and exercises about sub personalities on the Plotinus site. The no self is that part of self that we encounter when we dream and enter into deep meditation. Our inspirations and intuition come forth from the no self. The no self is also responsible for the unconscious functions of vital life force in the body, like the beating of the heart, digestion, elimination, breathing and so on. It is the sub conscious mind. Through the no self flows all the consciousness of Absolute Being. Therefore, it is thru the no self that we find oneness and unity with the Divine; that which we call, “Cosmic Consciousness”, or Absolute Reality. We could call the realized self, the light self, and the no self, the dark self. They are the: Yang and Yin of Confucius. The Atman and Brahman of the Hindu. The Ba and Ka of the ancient Egyptians. In the Kabala, the dark self corresponds to Ain Soph, and the light self to Kether, the Father. And on and on… Let us look at self from the Hindu viewpoint. Hinduism’s fundamental belief is that the nature of the Absolute Reality is consciousness and that “Brahman”, which means true consciousness, is the true nature or essence of all that exists. The human experience of Brahman (true consciousness), is called “Atman” and is characterized by “satcitananda”, which is the experience of being conscious, or self-consciousness. Although, no distinction is file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (90 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

admitted between the Brahman and Atman, using the two distinct terms implies a difference. (Remember, what I told you about the mystic philosophy of dividing and separating, and looking at things as one whole thing? This is the key to understanding this paragraph.) The Hindu goal in life is to realize that we are “Atman”, and that Atman is our true nature. And since Atman is Brahman, realizing Atman is no different than realizing that the ultimate reality of self is Brahman. So if one distinguishes between consciousnesses calling one Brahman and the other Atman, this is illusionary and causes the recognition of a false or separate self. Hinduism employs the term “pure consciousness” for Brahman-Atman, and uses the term “reflective consciousness” for everything that man experiences as an individual self. This will conclude the lesson of this week. We are soon to end our investigation of the nature of self, and will then turn our attention to the “Genesis of Self” via the Kabala. Dianah and I have been studying the Kabala thru various means for a long time and we will be sharing our knowledge of it with you. EXERCISE We talked about the no self in the lesson this week. So, we want you to perform the following exercise to find your master within. The master within will be your guide on your life’s journey to ONENESS WITH THE ABSOLUTE REALITY . . .When you are ready to begin your journey, have someone read these instructions to you or print them off and read them with a pause at each step designated by . . .to allow the visualization to present itself to you. Close your eyes and relax . . . In your mind's eye see or sense yourself projected into a natural scene . . . See a place unfold before you, as if on a screen, a place which gives you a strong feeling of warm, comfortable, peaceful, relaxed safety . . . It might be a setting at the seashore, in the mountains, by a lake, in a meadow, etc. . . . Just get a sense of what the general area is like . . . Keep your eyes closed and take time to allow the details of this scene to pass through your mind . . . Allow your awareness to encompass the colors, textures, shapes, spaces, forms, sounds and general ambience of your place . . . When you have noted the details of this inner sanctuary of the mind, get a sense of or begin to see a pathway emerging near where you are standing. Notice that off in the distance it blends with the scenery . . . Sense yourself walking along this path . . . As you look down the path or off into the distance you become aware of a radiant, blue-white glow which is moving slowly toward you . . .As you approach it, it gradually becomes transparent . . . Now the outline of a human form takes shape, although light continues to emanate from it . . . file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (91 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Slowly you see some garments covering the figure of this human-like form . . . As you and this figure come closer to each other, the details of the face, hair, eyes, bone structure and stature of this being become clearer . . . You now are aware as to whether this being is masculine in appearance and energy or feminine . . .In a warm, friendly manner this being approaches you . . . When you are quite close, you reach over and swiftly peel off the face as if it were a mask . . . Observe what is there ...If, under the mask there is a face which is frightening to you, step back and demand that the being leave your sanctuary, then mentally let go of it . . . Return to the path, walk along it and again see the radiant, blue-white glow beyond you. Slowly move toward it, repeating this part of the process . . . If, after the mask is pulled off, the face remains essentially the same, this being is your guide who now approaches you and placing an arm around your shoulder, leans close to your ear and whispers softly, "I am“... Now hear the name being spoken . . .Receive the first one that comes.

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source: part 6 By Robert Green

Painting by Clare Goodwin

This week we will examine the nature of memory and its important role in the development of the “self”. We have said that Absolute Being is perfect and therefore can have no purpose. But on the other hand, mankind, or self, does have purpose. And this purpose is the same for all, which is “realized unification” with Absolute Being. But how do we accomplish this “realized unification”? It is accomplished thru individual experience in life, and life is consciousness infolded upon itself, creating mind.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (92 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Without the reflective quality of the mind there could be no self, at all. As self descends in a straight line of focus from its source it begins to bend and then it encircles itself. This action causes it to be pulled into the center of its orbit, where it enfolds upon itself, creating a point of reflection. By bending, circling, and enfolding upon itself, mind sees and knows itself. If mind could not see itself thru the reflection of the opposites, caused by the enfolding, then there would not be any self-experience and self would not exist because the subject could not have arisen. The opposites that we are referring to are object-subject. Let us investigate the nature of self more deeply. Self is the center of consciousness. It is a center of experienced feelings, memories, and beliefs. SELF IS NOT ONLY A CENTER OF FEELING-KNOWING, BUT MORE EXACTLY IT “IS” FEELINGKNOWING. Therefore, we will define self as “total-feeling-knowing”. By total, we mean that it makes no difference if at this very moment, we feel nothing, or we know nothing and are not in the least aware of our self, because self is “multi-dimensional” and self is still there as the “unconscious mind” prior to our realization of any feelings or experiences. However, when anything rises to the consciousness from the unconsciousness, then self must be there; for we cannot be conscious of anything without the awareness of self. I mentioned that self is multi-dimensional. By this I mean that self participates in all the planes of consciousness, simultaneously. It is like a great tree with its roots going deep down into various levels and sub levels of the soil and spreading throughout, with its trunk, limbs, branches, and leaves reaching high and spreading throughout the atmosphere above. And this great tree participates in its total environment. Now we have stated that man’s purpose is to experience self and to bring self to conscious realization in that event called life. But what do we mean by “experience”? Are not our experiences but memories? And we have stated in other lessons that memory is dependent upon time. But is this actually true? If self were multidimensional, then would not memory have to be multi-dimensional, also? Let us investigate memory thru our own experiences and see what we can discover. You will be surprised when I tell you that memory is open-ended and is always changing as our concepts change. The original happening of an event is always experienced from different perspectives from all those that are involved or as spectators in the event. All policemen and investigators of events recognize that what is experienced by participants and spectators, alike, is an “individual and original” happening. Each one brings to the experience his own focus, background, temperament, beliefs, and a thousand other things of all different colors and reasons… so that the event/experience that is shared by all is still primarily original to each file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (93 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

person. The moment that an experience happens it begins to change as it is filtered thru all those ingredients, and furthermore, it continues to change with each succeeding experience, as self learns, and beliefs change. We are used to a “time framework” with a beginning and an ending and we remember and recall events from the past in this manner, but did you know that the memory of these events has changed from the original experience and that as “time passes” we have different impressions and understandings of the experience? This happens so that we can better resolve life issues in the “future” as we learn thru events and experiences. It is evolution. Within the no-self (our unconscious self) are myriads of past selves, potential selves, and future selves. They are but “ONE SELF”, yet exist as individual personalities. Know also, that the self has no concept of time and operates and exists thru these myriads of memories of past lives, potential, and future lives in a multi-dimensional framework of consciousness. This information is probably new to you, for it is not well known even to sages and mystics, but explore it for yourself in your daily meditation periods. Now, what I told you about how your recollection of events and experiences were constantly changing as you gain new knowledge and concepts, applies also to your past self’s memories of their previous lives. Their individual concepts are also continuously changing from new experiences and knowledge from the present and the potential self. And ALL contribute to the whole self. We can only operate from our sphere of material life with the linear functioning of the brain, with the illusion, or can I say, the pretension of closed finished events. Open, ever changing experiences and events would seem to be chaotic and would probably drive us insane; so experiences are seen as closed, finished events, and the changing nature of our memory, concepts, precepts, ideas, and so on, happens unconsciously and below the surface of our awareness. The memory left alone and not structured in a framework of time, will shimmer and shake, take other forms, and transform itself before your inner vision like the clouds of the sky, and the focus of other events of your life will also shimmer and change. Edges, corners, and reflections will appear, however, perhaps superimposed upon memories that you recognize as belonging to this present life. Have you ever experienced this?

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (94 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

Simultaneously, each of our past, potential, and future selves dwells in their own individual way, but we form our past lives now in this life just as surely as we form our present and future ones now, also. In quite moments when pondering, you might remember an experience from this life, but there may be a strange feeling to it…a sort of déjà vu…where something does not seem to fit into the timeframe in which the experience belongs. This is a case where the life event is tinged with the memory of a past one…where a past or future life sheds its “mold” upon the present one. There is a “floating” quality about some of the dimensions of memory and these deals with our “destinies”. I have given you much information to absorb in this lesson, and I hope it was not too abstract to understand. It is difficult, that is for sure, but I hope that you will ask me questions if you are having trouble applying it to your own self-experiences. I have no exercise for this session because I want you to ponder this lesson all week and investigate your own memories within your meditation period each day. Also, I would like to hear from each of you, about what your experiences have been with the prior exercises…so we can adjust and give you those that will individually bring about the desired results.

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source: part 7 By Robert Green

Painting by Clare Goodwin

For this lesson I thought it appropriate to delve deeper into some the subjects brought file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (95 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

forth in the preceding lessons. We have said that self is not just the ego or the soul, but it is all of us. It is body, mind, and soul. So let us explore the consciousness of the body at a cellular level to understand the unity of self within. Too, while pondering this, remember the adage, “As above, so below.” The body is created to act. It is pragmatically practical, and above all it wants to explore, experience and to communicate. Communication implies a social nature. The body has within it inherently everything necessary for its own defense and maintenance. The cells of the body will tease the baby to speak, to crawl and walk, and to seek companions. Through sub conscious communication the child's cells are made aware of its physical environment, the temperature, air pressure, weather conditions, food supplies—and the body reacts to all of these conditions, making necessary adjustments with great rapidity. At these cellular levels the world exists with a kind of social inter-change, in which all others know the birth and death of cells, and in which the death of a skin cell and a brain cell are of equal importance. At this level of activity our thoughts, feelings, and intents, however private, form part of the inner environment of communication. This is why worrisome, stressful thinking can cause so much harm to the health and welfare of the cells of our bodies. This inner environment is as important and vital to the bodies' well being as is the physical one. If one portion of your body is injured, then other portions feel the effects of the injury. Know also that when the harmony of an area of the body is disturbed by injury or disease there are emergency measures taken by the cells locally, and aid is sent out from other portions of the body to the afflicted parts. The physical disruption, while it may appear to be a disaster in the area of the disease is a part of the body's defense system, taken to insure the whole balance and harmony of the body. Illness represents an overall body defense system operating on different levels of intent. We can also state that disease is a method used by the cells of the body to strengthen its “immune” system, or its “front line” against germs and virus`. The body is in a state of constant change, making changes far too fast for our consciousness to follow, adjusting hormonal levels, sustaining balances between all of its systems; not only in relationship to itself—the body—but to an environment that is also in constant change. At biological levels the body often produces "preventive medicine," or "inoculations," by seeking new or foreign substances in its environment; it assimilates such products in small doses, coming down with an "illness" which, if left alone without any medical treatment would soon vanish as the body utilized what it could of "a seeming invader." file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (96 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

The person might feel indisposed, but in such ways the body assimilates and uses properties that would otherwise be called alien ones. It immunizes itself through such methods. The body, however, exists in a relationship with the mind, and the mind produces an inner environment of concepts. The cells that compose the body do not try to make sense of the intellectual world. They rely upon self’s interpretation of the existence of threats of a non-biological nature. Therefore, they depend upon our assessment, and if that assessment is careless or wrong, the body’s cells suffer the consequence. Let us explore deeper into the atomic make up of the cells of the body. Your sense perception, physically speaking, is a result of behavior on the part of organs that seem to have no reality outside of their relationship with self. Those organs are themselves composed of atoms and molecules with their own consciousnesses. They have, then, their own states of sensation and cognition. They work for you, allowing you to perceive physical reality. Our arms and legs certainly seem to be permanent appendages, and so do our eyes, skin, noses and tongues. In fact, every part of our body seems to be permanent and solid. Actually though, the physical matter of the body and its organs are not solid and they are changing constantly without our awareness. While your body appears quite dependable, solid, and steady, you are not aware of the constant conscious interchanges that occur between it and the physical environment. It does not concern us that the physical substance of our bodies is made up of completely different atoms and molecules than it was composed of a few weeks, months or years ago. Surrounding the consciousness of the electrons making up the atoms are tiny particles of matter...it is the "prima material" of the Alchemists. This material perishes, or dies and is continuously replaced by new forms created by the consciousness of the electron. We perceive our bodies as solid. Again, the very senses that make such a deduction are the result of the behavior of electrons coming together to form atoms and the atoms coming together to form the molecules and so on. This entire coming together is the operation of the laws of attraction, repulsion, cohesion and adhesion. The organs are formed by filling a blueprint or pattern of flesh. All other objects that we perceive are formed in their own way and in the same fashion. The physical world that we recognize is made up of invisible patterns. These patterns are "plastic," in that while they exist, their final form is a matter of probabilities directed by consciousness. Our receptor senses perceive these patterns in their own ways…by vibrations thru file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (97 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. The patterns themselves can be "activated" in innumerable ways, but always by consciousness. Our receptors determines what form that something will take, however. The mass world rises up before our eyes, but our eyes are part of that mass world. We cannot see our thoughts, so we do not realize that they too have shape and form, even as, say, clouds do. There are currents of thought as there are currents of air, and the mental patterns of men's feelings and thoughts rise up like flames from a fire, or steam from hot water, to form the clouds that are the group unconscious mind. All elements of the interior invisible environment work together, and they form the patterns of feelings that are exteriorized as subjective intellectual and emotional states. The exercise for the coming week will be to ponder this lesson in the larger picture of the mystical adages: AS ABOVE, SO BELOW, or the MICROCOSM MIRRORS THE MACROCOSM. Can you relate and “imagine” the consciousness of the cells and their relationship to each other with the Group Consciousness of Humanity and with Absolute Being? Return to

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source: part 8 By Robert Green

This week we will examine the nature of memory and its important role in the development of the “self”. We have said that Absolute Being is perfect and therefore can have no purpose. But on the other hand, mankind, or self, does have purpose. And this purpose is the same for all, which is “realized unification” with Absolute Being. But how do we accomplish this “realized file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (98 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

unification”? It is accomplished thru individual experience in life, and life is consciousness infolded upon itself, creating mind. Without the reflective quality of the mind there could be no self, at all. As self descends in a straight line of focus from its source it begins to bend and then it encircles itself. This action causes it to be pulled into the center of its orbit, where it enfolds upon itself, creating a point of reflection. By bending, circling, and enfolding upon itself, mind sees and knows itself. If mind could not see itself thru the reflection of the opposites, caused by the enfolding, then there would not be any self-experience and self would not exist because the subject could not have arisen. The opposites that we are referring to are object-subject. Let us investigate the nature of self more deeply. Self is the center of consciousness. It is a center of experienced feelings, memories, and beliefs. SELF IS NOT ONLY A CENTER OF FEELING-KNOWING, BUT MORE EXACTLY IT “IS” FEELING-KNOWING. Therefore, we will define self as “total-feeling-knowing”. By total, we mean that it makes no difference if at this very moment, we feel nothing, or we know nothing and are not in the least aware of our self, because self is “multi-dimensional” and self is still there as the “unconscious mind” prior to our realization of any feelings or experiences. However, when anything rises to the consciousness from the unconsciousness, then self must be there; for we cannot be conscious of anything without the awareness of self. I mentioned that self is multi-dimensional. By this I mean that self participates in all the planes of consciousness, simultaneously. It is like a great tree with its roots going deep down into various levels and sub levels of the soil and spreading throughout, with its trunk, limbs, branches, and leaves reaching high and spreading throughout the atmosphere above. And this great tree participates in its total environment. Now we have stated that man’s purpose is to experience self and to bring self to conscious realization in that event called life. But what do we mean by “experience”? Are not our experiences but memories? And we have stated in other lessons that memory is dependent upon time. But is this actually true? If self were multi-dimensional, then would not memory have to be multi-dimensional, also? Let us investigate memory thru our own experiences and see what we can discover. You will be surprised when I tell you that memory is open-ended and is always changing as our concepts change. The original happening of an event is always experienced from different perspectives from all those that are involved or as spectators in the event. All policemen and investigators of events recognize that what is experienced by participants and spectators, alike, is an “individual and original” happening. Each one brings to the experience his own focus, background, temperament, beliefs, and a thousand other things of all different colors and reasons…so that file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (99 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

the event/experience that is shared by all is still primarily original to each person. The moment that an experience happens it begins to change as it is filtered thru all those ingredients, and furthermore, it continues to change with each succeeding experience, as self learns, and beliefs change. We are used to a “time framework” with a beginning and an ending and we remember and recall events from the past in this manner, but did you know that the memory of these events has changed from the original experience and that as “time passes” we have different impressions and understandings of the experience? This happens so that we can better resolve life issues in the “future” as we learn thru events and experiences. It is evolution. Within the no-self (our unconscious self) are myriads of past selves, potential selves, and future selves. They are but “ONE SELF”, yet exist as individual personalities. Know also, that the self has no concept of time and operates and exists thru these myriads of memories of past lives, potential, and future lives in a multi-dimensional framework of consciousness. This information is probably new to you, for it is not well known even to sages and mystics, but explore it for yourself in your daily meditation periods. Now, what I told you about how your recollection of events and experiences were constantly changing as you gain new knowledge and concepts, applies also to your past self’s memories of their previous lives. Their individual concepts are also continuously changing from new experiences and knowledge from the present and the potential self. And ALL contribute to the whole self. We can only operate from our sphere of material life with the linear functioning of the brain, with the illusion, or can I say, the pretension of closed finished events. Open, ever changing experiences and events would seem to be chaotic and would probably drive us insane; so experiences are seen as closed, finished events, and the changing nature of our memory, concepts, precepts, ideas, and so on, happens unconsciously and below the surface of our awareness. The memory left alone and not structured in a framework of time, will shimmer and shake, take other forms, and transform itself before your inner vision like the clouds of the sky, and the focus of other events of your life will also shimmer and change. Edges, corners, and reflections will appear, however, perhaps superimposed upon memories that you recognize as belonging to this present life. Have you ever experienced this? Simultaneously, each of our past, potential, and future selves dwells in their own individual file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (100 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

way, but we form our past lives now in this life just as surely as we form our present and future ones now, also. In quite moments when pondering, you might remember an experience from this life, but there may be a strange feeling to it…a sort of déjà vu…where something does not seem to fit into the timeframe in which the experience belongs. This is a case where the life event is tinged with the memory of a past one…where a past or future life sheds its “mold” upon the present one. There is a “floating” quality about some of the dimensions of memory and these deals with our “destinies”. I have given you much information to absorb in this lesson, and I hope it was not too abstract to understand. It is difficult, that is for sure, but I hope that you will ask me questions if you are having trouble applying it to your own self-experiences.

I have no exercise for this session because I want you to ponder this lesson all week and investigate your own memories within your meditation period each day. Also, I would like to hear from each of you, about what your experiences have been with the prior exercises…so we can adjust and give you those that will individually bring about the desired results.

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source: part 9 By Robert Green

We have decided to delve deeper into some the subjects brought forth in the preceding lessons. file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (101 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

We have said that self is not just the ego or the soul, but it is all of us. It is body, mind, and soul. So let us explore the consciousness of the body at a cellular level to understand the unity of self within. Too, while pondering this, remember the adage, “As above, so below.” The body is created to act. It is pragmatically practical, and above all it wants to explore, experience and to communicate. Communication implies a social nature. The body has within it inherently everything necessary for its own defense and maintenance. The cells of the body will tease the baby to speak, to crawl and walk, and to seek companions. Through sub conscious communication the child's cells are made aware of its physical environment, the temperature, air pressure, weather conditions, food supplies—and the body reacts to all of these conditions, making necessary adjustments with great rapidity. At these cellular levels the world exists with a kind of social inter-change, in which all others know the birth and death of cells, and in which the death of a skin cell and a brain cell are of equal importance. At this level of activity our thoughts, feelings, and intents, however private, form part of the inner environment of communication. This is why worrisome, stressful thinking can cause so much harm to the health and welfare of the cells of our bodies. This inner environment is as important and vital to the bodies' well being as is the physical one. If one portion of your body is injured, then other portions feel the effects of the injury. Know also that when the harmony of an area of the body is disturbed by injury or disease there are emergency measures taken by the cells locally, and aid is sent out from other portions of the body to the afflicted parts. The physical disruption, while it may appear to be a disaster in the area of the disease is a part of the body's defense system, taken to insure the whole balance and harmony of the body. Illness represents an overall body defense system operating on different levels of intent. We can also state that disease is a method used by the cells of the body to strengthen its “immune” system, or its “front line” against germs and virus`. The body is in a state of constant change, making changes far too fast for our consciousness to follow, adjusting hormonal levels, sustaining balances between all of its systems; not only in relationship to itself—the body—but to an environment that is also in constant change. At biological levels the body often produces "preventive medicine," or "inoculations," by seeking new or foreign substances in its environment; it assimilates such products in small doses, coming down with an "illness" which, if left alone without any medical treatment would soon vanish as the body utilized what it could of "a seeming invader." The person might feel indisposed, but in such ways the body assimilates and uses properties that would otherwise be called alien ones. It immunizes itself through such methods. The body, however, exists in a relationship with the mind, and the mind produces an inner environment of file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (102 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

concepts. The cells that compose the body do not try to make sense of the intellectual world. They rely upon self’s interpretation of the existence of threats of a non-biological nature. Therefore, they depend upon our assessment, and if that assessment is careless or wrong, the body’s cells suffer the consequence. Let us explore deeper into the atomic make up of the cells of the body. Your sense perception, physically speaking, is a result of behavior on the part of organs that seem to have no reality outside of their relationship with self. Those organs are themselves composed of atoms and molecules with their own consciousnesses. They have, then, their own states of sensation and cognition. They work for you, allowing you to perceive physical reality. Our arms and legs certainly seem to be permanent appendages, and so do our eyes, skin, noses and tongues. In fact, every part of our body seems to be permanent and solid. Actually though, the physical matter of the body and its organs are not solid and they are changing constantly without our awareness. While your body appears quite dependable, solid, and steady, you are not aware of the constant conscious interchanges that occur between it and the physical environment. It does not concern us that the physical substance of our bodies is made up of completely different atoms and molecules than it was composed of a few weeks, months or years ago. Surrounding the consciousness of the electrons making up the atoms are tiny particles of matter...it is the "prima material" of the Alchemists. This material perishes, or dies and is continuously replaced by new forms created by the consciousness of the electron. We perceive our bodies as solid. Again, the very senses that make such a deduction are the result of the behavior of electrons coming together to form atoms and the atoms coming together to form the molecules and so on. This entire coming together is the operation of the laws of attraction, repulsion, cohesion and adhesion. The organs are formed by filling a blueprint or pattern of flesh. All other objects that we perceive are formed in their own way and in the same fashion. The physical world that we recognize is made up of invisible patterns. These patterns are "plastic," in that while they exist, their final form is a matter of probabilities directed by consciousness. Our receptor senses perceive these patterns in their own ways…by vibrations thru sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. The patterns themselves can be "activated" in innumerable ways, but always by consciousness. Our receptors determines what form that something will take, however. The mass world rises up before our eyes, but our eyes are part of that mass world. We cannot see our thoughts, so we do not realize that they too have shape and form, even as, say, clouds do. There are currents of thought as there are currents of air, and the mental patterns of men's feelings and thoughts rise up like flames from a fire, or steam from hot water, to form the clouds that are the group file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (103 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

unconscious mind. All elements of the interior invisible environment work together, and they form the patterns of feelings that are exteriorized as subjective intellectual and emotional states. The exercise for the coming week will be to ponder this lesson in the larger picture of the mystical adages: AS ABOVE, SO BELOW, or the MICROCOSM MIRRORS THE MACROCOSM. Can you relate and “imagine” the consciousness of the cells and their relationship to each other with the Group Consciousness of Humanity and with Absolute Being?

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ) Tomar - Portugal Page 1

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (104 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

A drawing of the Kabbalistic inner court wall This wall is so high that no ordinary camera can take a picture of it in its entirety

Tomar is a city in Portugal located 137km/85mi NE of Lisbon. Historic Tomar is intimately related to the fate of the notorious Order of the Knights Templar. The castle of Tomar was built around 1160 on a strategic location, over a hill and near river Nabão. It has an outer defensive wall and a citadel with a keep inside. The keep, a central tower of residential and defensive functions, was introduced in Portugal by the Templars, and the one in Tomar is among of the oldest in the country. Another novelty introduced in Portugal by the Templars are the round towers in the outer walls, which are more resistant to attacks than square towers. When the town was founded, most of its residents lived in houses located inside the protective outer walls of the castle. The Templars first built a castle here in the late 12th century. By 1314, the Templars had amassed both great riches and many enemies and the Pope suppressed their power. King Dinis, however, allowed them to regroup their forces under the new aegis of the "Order of Christ." Henry the Navigator became the most famous of the grand masters, using much of their money to subsidize his explorations. This year (2007) was my Eighth visit to the city of Tomar. Each one of my visits found me being bewitched by the Templar's lingering spirit impregnating the walls of this cloister. This special mystical place resonates with Primordial Hermetic Philosophy which is openly exposed on this exceptional wall in one of the inner courts of this cloister...these pictures explain the enfoldments of the whole mystery of incarnation...of reincarnation and reintegration...However, I will leave it to the discretion of my readers to venture and discover their spiritual teachings, so as not to spoil the adventure of their inner quest... If by any chance you are interested in Hermetic Symbology and Kabalistic philosophy of this kind, then when you are alone and free to take a closer look at all these pictures, then treat yourself...take your time to meditate on their deep meaning... copy and paste them in a special notebook...and then take some notes of your impressions. file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (105 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Hsin - Hsin Ming

If you would like to share your contemplations and intuitive discoveries with us, you are most welcome to do that on our secure forum. However, before sending your comments you are invited to become a member of our secure forum first, which is free. Moreover, you will have first to apply and give us the reason of your desire to become a member of our secure forum and then, you will have to wait until you receive an invitation from us to become a member. This invitation will not take long. Later, you will be free to send and exchange your views with other members of our secure forum

The Kabbalah-Emanations from the Source By Robert Green List of Lessons To print in black and white

file:///C|/HERMETIC%203.htm (106 of 106)24/01/2009 18:17:04

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ) Tomar - Portugal Page 1

A drawing of the Kabbalistic inner court wall This wall is so high that no ordinary camera can take a picture of it in its entirety

Tomar is a city in Portugal located 137km/85mi NE of Lisbon. Historic Tomar is intimately related to the fate of the notorious Order of the Knights Templar. The castle of Tomar was built around 1160 on a strategic location, over a hill and near river Nabão. It has an outer defensive wall and a citadel with a keep inside. The keep, a central tower of residential and defensive functions, was introduced in Portugal by the Templars, and the one in Tomar is among of the oldest in the country. Another novelty introduced in Portugal by the Templars are the round towers in the outer walls, which are more resistant to attacks than square towers. When the town was founded, most of its residents lived in houses located inside the protective outer walls of the castle. The Templars first built a castle here in the late 12th century. By 1314, the Templars had amassed both great riches and many enemies and the Pope suppressed their power. King Dinis, however, allowed them to regroup their forces under the new aegis of the "Order of file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (1 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Christ." Henry the Navigator became the most famous of the grand masters, using much of their money to subsidize his explorations. This year (2007) was my Eighth visit to the city of Tomar. Each one of my visits found me being bewitched by the Templar's lingering spirit impregnating the walls of this cloister. This special mystical place resonates with Primordial Hermetic Philosophy which is openly exposed on this exceptional wall in one of the inner courts of this cloister...these pictures explain the enfoldments of the whole mystery of incarnation...of reincarnation and reintegration... However, I will leave it to the discretion of my readers to venture and discover their spiritual teachings, so as not to spoil the adventure of their inner quest... If by any chance you are interested in Hermetic Symbology and Kabalistic philosophy of this kind, then when you are alone and free to take a closer look at all these pictures, then treat yourself...take your time to meditate on their deep meaning...copy and paste them in a special notebook...and then take some notes of your impressions. If you would like to share your contemplations and intuitive discoveries with us, you are most welcome to do that on our secure forum. However, before sending your comments you are invited to become a member of our secure forum first, which is free. Moreover, you will have first to apply and give us the reason of your desire to become a member of our secure forum and then, you will have to wait until you receive an invitation from us to become a member. This invitation will not take long. Later, you will be free to send and exchange your views with other members of our secure forum

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ) Tomar - Portugal Page 2

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (2 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Photo 1

At the bottom of this first picture you can see a mystic (photo 3 details below) with eyes open looking at the visitor as an invitation to begin a journey within.... He is holding (photo 2) and at the same time is encircled by ropes and branches of a Tree whose trunk has been severed and cut off. (later on a different page we will have a closer look at the symbology of this mystic Templar) However, we can see for the moment that the trunk of this Tree has been replaced by a rectangular window with 108 square lozenges. The window is being framed by the two branches of the same Tree; one branch is on the left side and the other one on the right side of the mystic. You can see ropes separating the wall into three sections, which remind us of ropes that ancient mariners used on their ships (the caravels) which sailed the dangerous and unknown oceans until the discovery of the Americas... We can notice also, that the Tree trunk is not dead, since the two branches are alive and vegetation is growing on them... also, we notice that the mystic himself has become part of the roots and he is holding consciously the trunk and the branches of this Tree... This Tree represents the secret and sacred inner process of Kabbalistic and alchemical transformation...

Photo 2 Entangled in ropes and branches...stands the mystic... file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (3 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

looking straight at the visitor as an invitation to search and look within for the mystery of life...

As you must have guessed the whole wall represents the mystic himself...he is showing us the journey within which a sincere seeker has to unfold.... The wall itself unveils in front of us a sacred and secret Teaching... a hermetic and kabbalistic Knowledge that only the contemplative and mystic Templars understood and knew about. Moreover, if you look carefully at the back behind the mystic there is an incredible mystery unfolding ...Notice that the Trunk has suddenly been severed...cut off...abruptly...Ask yourself why is that? As for the mystic himself why is he entangled in the roots of the Trunk?...it is as if the roots of this severed Trunk have their source and are nourished by the mystic himself...the roots of this sacred Tree is within the mystics own body...as for the severed Trunk, we can see that it has been replaced by a large window...How strange you might say!... You'll find out later on the symbolic meaning... Another interesting detail which I should mention is the fact that all around the branches and the window hang many artichokes... Later on, you will also understand the symbolic meaning of the artichoke. A secret aspect of this initiated Templar is that he is showing us the Western Path of unfolding the "Short Path", in other words, the Western practice of that parallels with the Eastern "Kundalini Yoga"... If you look carefully at the above picture you will notice that a "rope" is entwined and twisted around his throat and his chest/solar plexus region... this "rope" represents a psychic umbilical cord that is attached to his Higher Self...and represents his DESTINY...In other words this adept has received the inner CALL...he has no other choice than to follow his DESTINY....

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (4 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ) Tomar - Portugal Page 3

Photo 4 Details of the window with 108 square lozenges. file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (5 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

You can see on top of the window frame four dark artichokes and three lighter coloured ones all hanging downwards towards the window.

Photo 5

The artichoke flower reminds us of a thistle The artichoke symbolically represents the deconstruction of our mental constructs and thought processes and symbolically it shows us how to reach the heart of the artichoke. The example is a simple one. It shows us that one needs simply to take away all past mental and thought constructs and their processes...In other words by peeling off the hard leaves of the artichoke one ends up discovering its tender heart.... So the artichoke symbolizes the means of "emptying" all the egotistic clutters before revealing the Presence of the Higher Self or the God Presence within, which has its center in the mystical heart of an adept. Hence we understand why so many artichokes adorn and decorate the window of the 108 lozenges on the wall.... Peeling off each one of the leaves of so many artichokes may take many incarnations and that is why the window with the 108 lozenges has replaced the Trunk of the Tree... the artichokes are the “ingredients” that allows the transmutation of the hard to the soft…the rough to the tender…and simplicity...The symbol of the artichoke is the Portuguese equivalent of the esoteric meaning of the "Thistle" for secret societies in Scotland...(such as the Knight of Saint Andew)

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (6 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ) Tomar - Portugal Page 4

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (7 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Photo 7

1 - An exoteric description of the same wall: part 1 (An exoteric description of the same wall follows. Taken from the internet) A profuse and exuberant carved decoration frames this window with two columns on each side. This gives a very peculiar architecture to this window. However, it definitely serves the basis for a symbolic constructive language known nowadays as the ''Manueliene style'', a language that uses a poem written in stone to express the beliefs and hermetic knowledge that the navigators of the Order of Christ had about the mysteries of life, beings, Man and God, about the things of the earth, sky and sea. From the inside of this hermetic window is the Templar's famous chapter house which file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (8 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

represents a supreme example of the mysticism of this Spiritual Chivalry, illustrating the mission that the Order of Christ had taken upon itself in embarking upon the great enterprise of the maritime discoveries. Amidst the emblematic decoration of the whole wall, certain features stand out in particular as figurative themes: the tree, its trunk and roots; the frequent presence of certain plant species, such as the acanthus, artichoke, cork-oak, rose-hips and even seaweed. Also quite remarkable in this astonishing work is the symbolism of the connections or vital functions expressed by grafts, ribbons, wickerwork laces, ropes and chains, fire and waves and also by fantastic or mythological creatures, such as the Chinese Dragon. Angels represent spiritual power, whilst kings represent temporal power, all being surmounted by the heraldic devices of the Order of the Knights of Christ, as shown in the Cross of the Order, in the royal coat of arms and armillary sphere, the emblem that D. Manuel adopted for his own house when he became the lay master of the Order of Christ. However, we can understand that this particular wall has been created purposely with a hermetic and mystical agenda; so what was described above on the previous paragraph is totally correct, but the explanation is a historical one; in addition the description did not try to put across the esoteric and hermetic message that the Templars aimed to transmit of their knowledge to future generations. Moreover, as we know hermetic teachings are designed to be interpreted on many levels, since this knowledge has its source in Primordial Knowledge and to be initiated and grasp this Knowledge the seeker or adept must have opened up and developed a higher level of intuition. Further more, the symbols are just signposts, outer forms opening gateways to pure Energy and Vibration - it is indeed the Language of the Soul (The Language of Birds...). So these few pages have the intention to unveil a hermetic language easy to be understood by those who are pure in heart... and are open to discover their own inner Wisdom...

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (9 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Photo 8

“ To know who and what you are you must first find who and what you are not"

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (10 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

" To know who and what you are you must first find who and what you are not". How can we know who we really are? Is it possible to discover our own mystery? Are the ideas and concepts that we have about ourselves real or just passing illusions? How can we find out? There are so many questions that we must learn to answer by more questions? I remember a vivid dream that I had when I began my spiritual quest more than 25 years ago... in which enlightened masters who were watching and interrogating me... encircled me. I will never forget their question... which was:" Who are you?" and my answer was the following: "In the spiritual world I am a cosmic being...and in the material world I am called Alice...etc." I didn't know better then... and as a "cosmic" being or as "Alice" I still gave a limited view of who I thought I was... Because whatever I "Think" I am, can only be a selfimage a projection of a thought that I have and identify with... and yet we know that thoughts change, ideas about ourselves change also, from day to day and from moment to moment... The opinions and the way that others perceive us, not only change, but are often different and sometimes even conflicting, yet they do send us images about how others perceive us... and these perceptions about who other people think we are, do influence our own perception of ourselves... Taking all these facts into consideration, let us ask once more the same question: How can we possibly say that we know ourselves when there are so many different images that we have about ourselves? Our moods, thoughts emotions change with our experiences, anger, vulnerability, fear, bereavement, and the loss of a job can make us change the image that we have of ourselves... So, we can understand that we cannot rely on these fleeting and changing images that we have of ourselves... So how can we find out who we really are? The answer is simple; to know who and what we are, we must investigate and know what we are NOT... And to know what we are not, we must WATCH ourselves thoroughly...carefully rejecting all that does not bring us back to the basic experience of "I AM"... Hence, this shows that twenty five years ago in my vivid dream, the answer that I gave to the Sages gathered around me was a wrong answer: I was looking at myself as an "object" and therefore my answer to them was the following: "when here in the spiritual world I am a Cosmic being - "and when I am in the physical world I am called Alice" Why was it wrong? Because the answers came from mental thoughts, ideas and images that I had about myself... thus, without knowing it I saw myself as an "object" ... I am this cosmic being when in the Spiritual world... and I am that person when in a physical body" Therefore, I automatically separated myself from who I AM. To find out and learn to question yourself about who and what you really are, you should try to separate regularly and constantly the "I AM" from the "I am this or that..." the moment you add this or that, you look at yourself as an "object" and an object you certainly are NOT... and while you are questioning yourself, try to feel and experience deeply what you really are...and what it means to just BE... feel the I AM...empty of anything else... without adding I am ...this...or that... be conscious of not having images of any subpersonality...You will find out that to feel EMPTY and just be the pure "I AM" will be difficult, but worth file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (11 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

all the effort... Unfortunately, we are so much used to look at ourselves, as "objects" that we don't realize what we are doing to ourselves... In fact, all our mental and emotional patterns tell us different stories about who and what we are... sometimes we are a father, a mother, an employee, a teacher, we are this one moment and that at another one... we identify all the time with one or a multitude of subpersonalities... when what we need in reality, is just to be open and become the unconditional "I AM"... pure Consciousness. I do hope that this essay will send a clear message about the importance of discovering the SUBSTANCE of your BEINGNESS - which is the I AM without attachments...The clearer you understand that on the level of your thought and emotional patterns you automatically describe yourself to yourself and others as an object...and as a result become something separated from who you really are...just pure Essence... However, the moment you succeed in describing yourself in negative terms only, meaning in knowing that you can never be anything else than pure Essence - a sublime Substance... and when you understand that descriptions of what you do and the way you act and react are just fleeting descriptions, changing actions and events that are created to make us interact with others in a world of our own creation... When this realization takes place in you, then, you will know that by saying: "I am doing this or that.... or I am this or that, are necessary subpersonalities created by the ego to describe a role or many roles that we play whilst carrying our responsibilities... Therefore, the "I AM" can never become a "tool", but the "I am this or that" is just a device used to describe something in the world of duality... The quicker you experience the difference between the two aspects of the "I AM" and the "I am this...I am that" the better and nearer you will come to realize your limitless BEING... and awaken to a new Reality “ 'I AM ' IS TRUE, ALL ELSE IS INFERENCE" (Talks with Sri Nisargatta Maharaj – from his illuminating book “I AM THAT”. A modern spiritual classic)

A conversation between Nisargatta Maharaj and a questioner: file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (12 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Maharaj: The perceiver of the world, is he prior to the world, or does he come into being along with the world? Questioner: What a strange question! Why do you ask such questions? M: Unless you know the correct answer, you will not find peace. Q: When I wake up in the morning, the world is already there, waiting for me. Surely the world comes into being first. I do, but much later, at the earliest at my birth. The body mediates between me and the world. Without the body there would be neither me nor the world. M: The body appears in your mind, your mind is the content of your consciousness; you are the motionless witness of the river Of consciousness which changes eternally without changing you in any way. Your own changelessness is so obvious that you do not notice it. Have a good look at yourself and all these misapprehensions and misconceptions will dissolve. Just as all the little watery lives are in water and cannot be without water, so all the universe is in you and cannot be without you. Q: We call it God. M: God is only an idea in your mind. The fact is you. The only thing you know for sure is: 'here and now I am'. Remove, the 'here and now' the 'I am' remains, unassailable. The word exists in memory, memory comes into consciousness; consciousness exists in awareness and awareness is the reflection of the light on the waters of existence. Q: Still I do not see how can the world be in me when the opposite 'I am in the world1 is so obvious. M: Even to say 'I am the world, the world is me', is a sign of ignorance. But when I keep in mind and confirm in life my identity with the world, a power arises in me which destroys the ignorance, burns it up completely. Q: Is the witness of ignorance separate from ignorance? Is not to say: 'I am ignorant' a part of ignorance? M: Of course. All I can say truly is: 'I am', all else is inference. But the inference has become a habit. Destroy all habits of thinking and seeing. The sense 'I am' is the manifestation of a deeper cause, which you may call self, God, Reality or by any other name. The 'I am' is in the world; but it is the key which can open the door out of the world. The moon dancing on the water is seen in the water, but it is caused by the moon in the sky and not by the water. Q: Still the main point seems to escape me. I can admit that the world in which I live and move and have my being is of my own creation, a projection of myself, of my imagination, on the unknown world, the world as it is, the world of 'absolute matter', whatever this matter may be. The world of my own creation may be quite unlike the ultimate, the real world, just like the cinema screen is quite unlike the pictures projected onto it. Nevertheless, this absolute world exists, quite independent of myself. M: Quite so, the world of Absolute Reality, onto which your mind has projected a world of relative unreality is independent of yourself, for the very simple reason that it is yourself. Q: Is there no contradiction in terms? How can independence prove identity? M: Examine the motion of change and you will see. What can change while you do not change, can be said to be independent of you. But what is changeless must be one with whatever else is changeless. For, file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (13 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

duality implies interaction and interaction means change. In other words, the absolutely material and the absolutely spiritual, the totally objective and the totally subjective are identical, both in substance and essence. Q: Like in a tri-dimensional picture, the light forms its own screen. M: Any comparison will do. The main point to grasp is that you have projected onto yourself a world of your own imagination, based on memories, on desires and fears, and that you have imprisoned yourself in it. Break the spell and be free. Q: How does one break the spell? M: Assert your independence in thought and action. After all, all hangs on your faith in yourself, on the conviction that what you see and hear, think and feel is real. Why not question your faith? No doubt, this world is painted by you on the screen of consciousness and is entirely your own private world. Only your sense 'I am', though in the world, is not of the world. By no effort of logic or imagination can you change the 'I am' into 'I am not'. In the very denial of your being you assert it. Once you realize that the world is your own projection, you are free of it. You need not free yourself of a world that does not exist, except in your own imagination! However is the picture, beautiful or ugly, you are painting it and you are not bound by it. Realize that there is nobody to force it on you, that it is due to the habit of taking the imaginary to be real. See the imaginary as imaginary and be free of fear. Just as the colors in this carpet are brought out by light but light is not the color, so is the world caused by you but you are not the world. That which creates and sustains the world, you may call it God or providence, but ultimately you are the proof that God exists, not the other way round. For, before any question about God can be put, you must be there to put it. Q: God is an experience in time, but the experiencer is timeless. M: Even the experiencer is secondary. Primary is the infinite expanse of consciousness, the eternal possibility, the immeasurable potential of all that was, is, and will be. When you look at anything, it is the ultimate you see, but you imagine that you see a cloud or a tree. Learn to look without imagination, to listen without distortion: that is all. Stop attributing names and shapes to the essentially nameless and formless, realize that every mode of perception is subjective, that what is seen or heard, touched or smelt, felt or thought, expected or imagined, is in the mind and not in reality, and you will experience peace and freedom from fear. Even the sense of 'I am' is composed of the pure light and the sense of being. The ‘I’ is there even without the 'am'. So is the pure light there whether you say ‘I’ or not. Become aware of that pure light and you will never lose it. The beingness in being, the awareness in consciousness, the interest in every experience that is not describable, yet perfectly accessible, for there is nothing else. Q: You talk of reality directly -- as the all-pervading, ever-present, eternal, all-knowing, all-energizing first cause. There are other teachers, who refuse to discuss reality at all. They say reality is beyond the mind while all discussions are within the realm of the mind, which is the home of the unreal. Their approach is negative; they pinpoint the unreal and thus go beyond it into the real. M: The difference lies in the words only. After all, when I' talk of the real, I describe it as not-unreal, spaceless, time-less, cause-less, beginning-less and end-less. It comes to the same. As long as it leads to enlightenment, what does the wording matter? Does it matter whether you pull the cart or push it, as long as it is kept rolling? You may feel attracted to reality at one time and repelled from the false at another;

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (14 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

these are only moods which alternate; both are needed for perfect freedom. You may go one way or another — but each time it will be the right way at the moment; just go whole-heartedly, don't waste time on doubting or hesitating. Many kinds of food are needed to make the child grow, but the act of eating is the same. Theoretically — all approaches are good. In practice, and at a given moment, you proceed by one road only. Sooner or later you are bound to discover that if you really want to find, you must dig at one place only — within. Neither your body nor mind can give you what you seek — the being and knowing your self and the great peace that comes with it. Q: Surely there is something valid and valuable in every approach. M: In each case the value lies in bringing you to the need of seeking within. Playing with various approaches may be due to resistance to going within, to the fear of having to abandon the illusion of being something or somebody in particular. To find water you do not dig small pits all over the place, but drill deep in one place only. Similarly, to find your self you have to explore yourself. When you realize that you are the light of the world, you will also realize that you are the love of it; that to know is to love and to love is to know. Of all the affections the love of oneself comes first. Your love of the world is the reflection of your love of yourself, for your world is of your own creation. Light and love are impersonal, but they are reflected in your mind as knowing and wishing oneself well. We are always friendly towards ourselves, but not always wise. A Yogi is a man whose goodwill is allied to wisdom. This is an excerpt from the classic and enlightening book: "I AM THAT" - Sri Nisargata Maharaj Translated from the Marathi taperecording by Maurice Frydman - Revised and edited Sudhakar S. Dikshit The Acorn Press, Durham, North Carolina

List of Exercises to Copy & Print

Here is a list of all the exercises that you can copy and paste in black and white. Just right click and highlight the text of your choice and then copy (click: ctr+ c) and paste it (click: ctr+ b) on your page and save it (click: ctr+s) Exercise: Ascension 1

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (15 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

2

Exercise: Being of Light

3

Exercise: Breathing - 1

4

Exercise: Breathing - 2

5

Exercise: Breathing - 3

6

Exercise: The Inner Cave

7

Exercise: Chakra

8

Exercise: Creating a Sphere of Light

9

Exercise: Energizng the Astral Body

10

Exercise: Entering the Beauty of the Heart

11

Exercise: Kundalini

12

Exercise: Self-Protection

13

Exercise: Psychology

14

Exercise: Reflective Meditation

15

Exercise: Relaxation

16

Exercise: Mystical Heart

17

Exercise: Subpersonalities - 1

18

Exercise: Subpersonalities - 2

19

Exercise: Sun and Moon

20

Exercise: Olfactory - Kinestic

21

Exercise: Temple of Light Meditation

22

Exercise: Tree Meditation

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (16 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

23

Exercise: Working with Your Angelic Nature

24

Exercise: Floating-Dissolving

25

Exercise: Healing with Light

26

Exercise: Making Decisions

27

Exercise: Self-Identity

28

Exercise: Tunnel of Light Meditation Exercise: Soft Belly Meditation

PERFECT MODEL EXERCISES

29

Exercise: Perfect Model - 1

30

Exercise: Perfect Model - 2

31

Explanations: Perfect Model - 3

34

More Explanations: Perfect Model - 4

35

Program of 10 Special Exercise: Perfect Model - 5

36

Exercise: Inner Cave (2) - Perfect Model - 6

37

Exercise: Creating your Perfect Cell - Perfect Model - 7

38

Exercise: Manifesting Your Inner Guide - Perfect Model - 8

39

Exercise: Attuning to Your Soul - Perfect Model - 9

40

Exercise: The Temple of Light - Perfect Model - 10

41

Exercise: Creating Your Divine Perfect Mold - Perfect Model - 11

42

Exercise: The Flame and the Divine Mold - Perfect Model - 12

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (17 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

43

Exercise: Your Divine Perfect Model - Perfect Model - 13

44

Exercise: Mandala Work with the Sacred Chalice - Perfect Model - 14

45

Exercise: Mandala of Your Divine Perfect Model - Perfect Model - 15

46

Exercise: A Chalice Shall You Be ! - Perfect Model - 16

47

The End: Of the Perfect Model Exercises - Perfect Model - 17

48

A Reflection On Buddha & Jesus Christ - Perfect Model - 18

49

Exercise: Manifesting Your Inner Guide - Perfect Model - 19

50

Why Use the Perfect Model as a Tool ? - Perfect Model - 20

51

Exercises: Two More Breathing Meditations

52

Exercises: Self Inquiry - By Ramesh Balsekar

Ascension Meditation The following meditation is designed to simulate the experience of Ascension. It makes use of creative visualization and imagination. Sit comfortably, reasonably straight. Visualize your Soul or Perfect Model as a human-sized form of brilliant white light just over your head. Imagine yourself slowly rising to merge with the Light of your Soul... your entire being transformed to brilliant white light. Visualize your surroundings becoming brighter and brighter, until there is nothing but a sea of golden-white light... an ocean of Spirit. Imagine your consciousness expanding, becoming one with this ocean of Cosmic Light. Remain immersed in the Ocean of Light until you come out of the meditation. The focus of this meditation is on blending with your Perfect Model, or the image you have of your pure Being. Deeper than all ideas you have of Pure Being is Pure Being Itself. Deeper than your imagination is the reality of Unmanifest Being which is beyond expression. Thus, in this way you enter the dimension of 'pure prayer'...where you leave all thoughts, words and images behind in order to "set your minds on the kingdom of pure Being." In this way you leave your egotistical self blend with your true center of Being - the place of the manifestation of your Perfect Model, whose level of consciousness is Cosmic Consciousness. As a meditator, you are undertaking an inner journey of silence, stillness and simplicity. You are embracing a state of poverty of spirit and a radical letting-go...The way taught by the early desert monks is to go beyond all distractions of thoughts, words and images. You can use a mantra or a single sacred word or phrase and simply and faithfully repeats it during the period of meditation. Choose your own mantra. Examples the mantra Aum or Hri, or the ancient Christian prayer, the word 'Maranatha which in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, means "Come Lord Jesus" or "Kirie Eleison - Christe Eleison" . These words of file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (18 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

power should be repeated silently, interiorly and their syllables equally stressed. Whatever thought, image or feeling comes, simply and faithfully return to your chosen mantra. These are just a few examples. You can use any other mantra that touches your heart and make you "vibrate". Two periods of meditation of about 10 to 20 minutes are advisable, at the beginning and end of each day. To Go Back to list of Exercises Click on the Picture below

Painting by Alex Gray

A MYSTICAL WAY OF UNFOLDING COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS EXERCISE BEING OF LIGHT Relax. Sit or lie in a comfortable position and allow calmness to flow into every cell, every fibber of your being. Allow your breathing to come naturally, free of constriction. As you relax and breathe, you may notice your breath growing deeper and slower. You may notice that the movement is in your abdomen, rather than in your chest. Focus your attention on your breathing without forcing it. Let the air out and in very peacefully, very calmly. As you continue this breathing, let go of any unnecessary muscle tension. Allow your muscles to give up their rigidity. Let your muscles lengthen and relax. Give up unneeded holding on. When you have begun to feel calm and relaxed, think of yourself when a kindness has been done to you. What was that like? How did it feel? Think of yourself when you have done a kindness. What was that like? How did it feel? Recall the feelings that go with the giving and receiving of kindness, and imagine you are feeling them now. Think of yourself when you have grasped a truth or solved a problem. Recall the feelings that go with right understanding. Think of yourself when you felt joy. Recall the feelings that go with joyfulness. Blend these feelings together. Feel what it is like to be kind and wise and joyful. Take some time to enjoy these sensations that you remember as if they were happening now. What is this like? Do you experience warmth or lightness? Where do you notice feelings in your body? Does the world seem a little brighter? Observe the emotions you are having. If they seem negative, if they seem to obscure the truth, let the light of goodness and kindness and wisdom dissipate them as sun dissipates fog. Let the light of the sun shine in the area of your heart. Imagine a bright light there. This light shines from your heart through your whole body, through your whole spirit. In this light you continue to hold the feelings of kindness, understanding, and joy. file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (19 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Imagine that in the midst of this light and these good feelings there emerges the image of a great spiritual being. This may be someone you have known about, or it may be someone completely new to you. This is a being of great love and compassion, great wisdom, great joy. Make a connection with this being. Greet them and welcome them to your heart. Open yourself to listening to anything they might wish to say to you. Thank the spiritual being for revealing themselves to you. Invite them to stay with you as long as you can hold them in consciousness. Take as much time as you like to commune with this spirit of goodness. Invite them to stay with you after your conscious mind releases their image. Allow their wisdom and kindness to guide your life. Allow their peace and joy to overflow into your emotions moment by moment, day by day. Notice that this image of an advanced spirit is in you. It did not come from somewhere else. It came from your mind and your heart. The peace and calm, the wisdom and love of a great spiritual master reside in you. You may find a spiritual master in the physical world, and you will know them because they reflect the truth and the good that are already in you. Until you encounter a teacher in the physical world, take comfort that you have your own wisdom mind, your own heart of compassion. Let these guide you. Let these comfort you. A Breathing Exercise Breathe in deeply, exercising the entire power of the lungs, and without making any sound. Then, without holding the breath, exhale as gently and slowly as the breath was taken in, maintaining the same rhythm. Rhythm has a good deal to do with the welfare and advancement of our physical, emotional, and spiritual life. Anything done in rhythm has a soothing and restful effect on the system; whereas, breaking of rhythm at once creates chaos and confusion. For that reason, the metronome of breathing should not be allowed to become disturbed. By breathing deeply and rhythmically we can get rid of many physical and mental disturbances. The science of breathing has been studied and experimented upon very minutely by mystics and specially by the Hindu Yogis. They have gone so far as to find out different breathing exercises suitable for the success and right enjoyment of all our human activities. The five human organs of action, namely, speech, manipulation, locomotion, elimination and propagation can be effectively regulated and controlled by the practice of different kinds of breathing. An Advanced Concentration and Breathing Exercise 'Sit comfortably in a comfortable position . Close the eyes and try to imagine that you are concentrating the mind in the opening of the right nostril and at the same time, become aware of "BEING PRESENT AND CONSCIOUS". Next, concentrate the mind at the inside corner of the right eye and become conscious and aware of the Presence within... the silent Witness. Next, try to concentrate your whole attention in the centre of the skull. Then to the back of the mouth just above the uvula. Then to the bottom of the throat. Then right down to the navel. And finally at a position two finger-breadths from the navel (which corresponds to your Solar Plexus). At each of these positions you are to become conscious of the invisible Presence and be open and relaxed, just "observe" the silent Witness... but when you come to the last position (Solar Plexus region), you should keep on concentrating on being OPEN...PRESENT and CONSCIOUS. If you find that the mind wanders come straight back to the final position: do not go through all the positions again. From this you will learn much. If you have success you will be conscious of a pinpoint of light seen as if in the mind's eye. ( Breathing Exercise 2 A Variation of the same Advanced Breathing Exercise 'Sit comfortably on your chair… Close the eyes and try to imagine that you are concentrating the mind in

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (20 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

the opening of the right nostril. I want you to become conscious of your breathing… at that right spot… your right nostril…and become conscious of the PRESENCE WITHIN… the Observer of your own consciousness… Next, concentrate the mind at the inside corner of the right eye and become conscious of the Presence within… Observe yourself being conscious… Next, try to concentrate your whole attention in the center of the skull…. - Then to the back of the mouth just above the uvula… - Then to the bottom of the throat… - Then right down to the navel…. And finally at a position two finger- on top of your navel. At each of these positions you are to become conscious of being PRESENT and CONSCIOUS and AWARE of the moment… If you find that the mind wanders come straight back to the final position: do not go through all the positions again. From this you will learn much. If you have success you will be conscious of a pinpoint of light seen as if in the mind's eye. PHASE 2 Now your awareness of the present moment is rising…. You are heightening your sensitivity and your intuition... Become once more conscious of your breathing… making a conscious effort to pay attention…. focus once more on your left nostril…on the out-breath going out… and on the in-breath coming in… (pause) Now simply observe breathing... Inhale.... and Exhale…. Normally. Let go of every-thing else. As you breathe, become aware of what you are feeling at each moment; the physical sensations in your body, your belly, your diaphragm, your nostrils. This is cultivating mindfulness and alert presence of mind. Direct your attention to the process of breathing, and stay on that and that alone. Remember that each time the mind wanders, bring it back again to the breath. Watch the breath. Inhale. Exhale. Pay attention. Observe clearly; see things just as they are. Clarify. Penetrate with insight. Stay with the breath, unifying and stabilizing your wandering mind. Concentrate all your energies on the breathing. (About 3 to 5 minutes) PHASE 3 releasing AND allowing This third stage is the main part of the meditation. There is nothing left to do. Opening to effortlessness, you have arrived fully in the present moment. You are there, in non-judgmental, mirror-like awareness — choiceless awareness. You're not trying to get anywhere or do anything. You have arrived. You are present. You win. This is the time to enjoy being there, totally, one with your-self and the world, in harmony with your surroundings — in harmony with everything. Just being. Enjoying the joy and peace of meditation. Yes! The meditative mind is silent. It is beyond thought. The meditative mind is the religious mind — the mind that is not touched by the church, the temples or by chants... rituals and the like... Meditation is not a means to an end. It is both the means and the end. Breathing Exercise 3 Pore Breathing When doing breathing exercises you can imagine that you are breathing not only with the lungs through the nose and throat, but breathing with your whole body through the pores of your body Imagine the breath passing in and out of your whole body. The sensation will be unmistakable. file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (21 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

This is a very powerful "tool". However, it is strongly recommended that this exercise be added after a certain level of purification of the etheric and astral bodies have taken place. There are many purification exercises and essays to help the seeker unfold his/her own natural process of awakening... unless one purifies first his/her subtle bodies, he/she will never be able to AWAKE.... You can also isolate certain parts of your body, such as the hands, or solar plexus, and imagine breathing taking place through there. This can in fact be done through any part of the anatomy — the abdomen, stomach, the liver, the eyes, the head, the arms, legs and so on. Such exercises should be done with caution, certainly at first. They lead the way to the control of astral and etheric forces within the aura (which is the basis of practical magic) awakening the etheric and astral bodies, and also to the practice of healing. You could add to your ordinary breathing exercise this new one. As you breath normally, imagine good healing vibrations and forces coming in and as you breathe out visualize the unwanted things within yourself flowing out. If you wish to imagine this in terms of colored light, do so; it is a practice leading towards the techniques of astral visualization. For this exercise you do not have to visualize the outgoing breath as carrying waste and unwanted products. You can also use this exercise just before beginning your meditation, or just before going to sleep. In certain mystical practices the seeker sees himself as the mediator and receiver of certain spiritual powers and energies descending directly from the Soul or from a higher Plane or Hierarchy. He puts himself in the Axial Pole - the pole that links him to his Soul. Hence the idea is that each in-breath takes him through his Axial Pole and becomes a kind of bridge and a channel linking the seeker’s level of consciousness to the Soul. This means that with each outgoing breath, he can direct the received energy and power towards a specific place and concentrate this specific energy wherever is needed to heal, energize, activate or help others and himself in any way possible. THE INNER CAVE A Way of Unfolding the Language of the Soul Relax on your chair and close your eyes… take a few deep breath… and follow your breathing consciously for a few more minutes … this will help you relax even more and be centered in consciousness…When you feel ready begin your meditation by imagining yourself entering into a cave as intensely and consciously as you can... Feel that you are really, there… using all your senses… Then continue your visualization by imagining a doorway in the left-hand wall of the cave… go through the door into an alley that turns to the right and leads to an exit... You look around and wait there, observing the imaginary scenery which may arise spontaneously to your mind's eye…. You may see an animal of some kind that comes to you... and you follow it wherever it leads you…. It will bring you to a meeting with a person who, you will find, can act as a useful guide…. All characters visualized in this or similar exercises should be fictional. In fact, most of such images are projections of different aspects of your psyche. It is part of a process of unfolding imagination and the symbolic language of your Soul or Higher Self. Hence it will be confusing and unhelpful to use actual people (saints, or known mythical images of gods/goddesses) as guides for these projections. You should ask the Guide his/her name, observe all items of his/her appearance as closely as you can, and ask him/her to take you to meet the Sun archetype. This is the symbol for the center and nucleus of your own pure being, and may result in a deep and moving experience, possibly of a religious nature… Allow it to take the form that appears spontaneously. At the conclusion of this exercise, and indeed any exercise of this nature involving imaginary venturing, retrace your steps back the way you came, and bring consciousness back deliberately to earth from the imagi-native point from whence you started, in this case, just outside the cave. Warning: In all inner contacts of this kind use common sense and a sense of proportion. Such techniques are capable of opening up access to deep areas of wisdom

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (22 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

A MYSTICAL WAY OF UNFOLDING COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS CHAKRA CORRESPONDENCES - CHAKRA AWARENESS EXERCISE 1. Be seated in a meditative position on the floor or in a chair. Relax but be sure that your spine is straight. Begin to breathe slowly and rhythmically through your nostrils. As you inhale, draw the air into the lower part of your chest, filling the lungs to their fullest capacity without strain. Maintain this relaxed pat-tern of deep, full breathing throughout the exercise. 2. Imagine a disk or center of light at the base of your spine. Visualize a yellow square within this disk. As you focus on the square, breathe in and begin to notice the weight of your body, its density and mass. Breathe out and visualize the yellow square again. Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "La-NG" (Lah-ng). Place special emphasis on the nasal "ng" sound, extending the latter sound out with the remaining breath. On the following inhala-tion, mentally intone the word "LaM" (Lah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times. 3. Imagine a light blue disk just a few inches below your navel. Visualize a silver-white crescent within this disk. As you focus on the navel center, breathe in and begin to notice that the horns of the crescent are upturned to form a cup. Imagine this cup filled to the brim with pure, sacred water. Feel this water flowing throughout your body cleansing and purifying it. Breathe out and again visualize the silver crescent within the light blue disk. Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "Va-NG" (Vah-ng). Emphasize the "ng" sound, extending it out with the remain-ing breath. On the following inhalation, mentally intone the word "Va-M" (Vah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times. 4. Imagine a disk of light just a few inches below your sternum. Visualize a red triangle within this disk. As you focus on the solar plexus center, breathe in and imagine the red color of the triangle glowing hot. Feel the heat from this center spreading to all parts of your body. As the heat spreads, visualize it burning away all toxins and impurities. Breathe out and visualize the red triangle cooling a bit, returning to its original temperature. Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "Ra-NG" (Rah-ng). Emphasize the "ng" sound, extending it out with the remain-ing breath. On the following inhalation, mentally intone the word •"Ra-M"' (Rah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times. 5. Imagine a green disk of light in the area of your heart. Visual-ize a blue hexagram within this disk. As you focus on the heart center, breathe in and imagine that you are filled with the breath and spirit of God. Feel the cool breeze of the vast sky flowing through you, as if your body were porous. Your heart opens with a feeling of compassion for all things. For a moment you imagine the golden sun with its healing rays in the center of your heart. Breathe out and again visualize the blue hexagram within the green disk. Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "Ya-NG" (Yah-ng). Emphasize the "ng" sound, extending it out with the remain-ing breath. On the following inhalation, mentally intone the word "Ya-M" (Yah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times. 6. Imagine a violet disk of light in the hollow of your throat. Visual-ize a black oval or egg shape within this disk. As you focus on the throat center, breathe in and imagine that you can hear the heart-beat of the universe. You are aware file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (23 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

of angelic choirs singing softly in some far-off heaven, and you have the feeling that if you opened your mouth to speak, your words would drip honey and have the aroma of jasmine. Breathe out and again visualize the black oval within the violet disk. Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "Ha-NG" (Hah-ng). Emphasize the "ng" sound, extending it out with the remain-ing breath. On the following inhalation, mentally intone the word "Ha-M" (Hah-m), extending the "m" of the mantra. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times. 7. Imagine a disk of clear translucent blue in the middle of your forehead. Within this disk visualize a white circle with two wings on either side. As you focus on the brow center, breathe in and imagine that the wing or petal on the right side is golden like the sun, while the left-hand wing is silvery like the moon. Inhale and notice the solar side glowing brightly on the right. Exhale and visualize the lunar side beginning to shine. Breathe in and again visualize the white winged circle within the clear blue disk. Breathe deeply, then intone the mantra "OM" (Oh-m), extend-ing the "m" of the mantra. On the following inhalation, men-tally intone the same word. Repeat this mantra cycle three or four times. Continue to breathe rhythmically and visualize an eye in the cen-ter of the brow chakra. Now imagine the eye opening. Through it you are able to perceive the divine light of the higher realms. 8. Imagine a clear disk of light above your head. Within this disk visualize a lotus flower with a thousand petals— each petal is colored in one of the hues of the rainbow. All the colors of the universe are contained within this flower. At the center of the lotus is the white brilliance and true peace of the divine light. Inhale and feel a stream of energy extending up your spine, con-necting all the chakras you have visualized on your ascent to the lotus crown. Exhale and imagine the divine light from the center of the lotus descending/ passing through all of the chakra centers, cleansing, maintaining, and balancing each one. Do this several times. There is no sound or mantra that can do the crown center justice—there is only the silence of the divine union. Breathe in and again visualize the lotus flower within the disk of clear light 9. After all the centers have been meditated on, descend the path of the chakras from the crown to the base. Visualize each center briefly on your journey backwards and be aware of how all the chakras seem more vitalized and equilibrated. When finished with the base chakra, take some time to become conscious of your surroundings before attempting to get up and move about. ESOTERIC EXERCISE CREATING A SPHERE OF PURE LIGHT This exercise is really a clearing of the ground for laying your true spiritual foundations, and it consists in the building of a Sphere of Light. On the work upon which you are about to embark it is not enough to involve simply the conscious mind. The whole of your being must become involved. Like the alchemy of old it is a total commitment to the Work, not a rational 'investigation' of it, that is alone able to bring it to a successful conclusion. Identification with a basic symbol is a first step in this process and the most appropriate one is a Sphere of Light. This is a symbol of the whole of creation, it speaks to the ego and Soul as being the basic shape upon which worlds are formed, from their smallest part to their file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (24 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

largest, from the energy sphere of the atom to the bowl or hemisphere of the night sky. It is a personal symbol too of recollection and withdrawal, of concentration about a center. It is, if one likes, a three-dimensional magic circle or mandala in which the soul can safely rest and no harm can approach from the outside. In another sense it is a clearing and a purification of your aura and even the place for work, as in a surgery or laboratory. However, the simple rational approach is not enough, you must also open your mystical heart to send receive pure love—for this is a mystical as well as an alchemical quest. You should feel the reality of the symbol with your heart as well as picturing it in your imagination and speculating about it mentally.

A MYSTICAL WAY OF UNFOLDING COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

ENERGIZING AND AWAKENING THE ETHERIC AND ASTRAL BODIES

When doing breathing exercises you can imagine that you are breathing not only with the lungs through the nose and throat, but breathing with your whole body through the pores. Imagine the breath passing in and out of your whole body. The sensation will be unmistakable. You can also isolate certain parts of your body, such as the hands, or solar plexus, and imagine breathing taking place through there. This can in fact be done through any part of the anatomy—the stomach, the liver, the eyes, and so on. Such exercises should be done with caution, certainly at first. They lead the way to the control of astral and etheric forces within the aura (which is the way to develop the etheric and astral body), and also to the practice of healing. In ordinary breathing you can tie in this exercise before beginning to meditate or pray; as you breathe in imagine good forces coming in and as you breathe out visualize the unwanted things within yourself flowing forth. If you wish to imagine this in terms of colored light, do so; it is a practice leading towards the techniques of astral visualization. Of course you do not have to visualize the outgoing breath as carrying waste and unwanted products; in certain spiritual processes one becomes the mediator for spiritual forces and then the outgoing breath, which can be directed, is felt to be full of healing or other beneficial qualities ESOTERIC MEDITATION

Entering Into the Beauty of the Heart Please put your attention on the breath for just a few moments... pause Use your own creativity to bring about something very beautiful. Decide how best to go about it and then proceed doing that within your own heart. Do you want to fill it with jewels, shining and bright, colorful, translucent, or do you want to fill it with gold, or with flowers?...pause Fill your heart with the most beautiful aspects you can think of, making it a wonderful place to rest in, and then look at the beauty in your heart, enjoy and love it...pause Now let the person sitting nearest to you enter your heart, to enjoy its beauty, to become imbued with the love for that beauty, feeling restful, at ease, and wanting to stay in this beautiful place of your heart… pause Now let your parents enter into this beautiful, shining, translucent heart, where they can enjoy, feel loved, and be at rest…pause Let your dearest people come into your heart. See how they enjoy and love it, how they appreciate the beauty of it, and how they want to stay there and rest within that beauty…pause

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (25 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Now think of your good friends and let them all enter into your heart; see how they smile and appreciate the beauty of your heart. They are happy that they have been allowed to be with you, to enjoy your love, and to find a home in your heart…pause Think of the people whom you meet in your everyday life. Take each one by the hand and lead them to your heart. Let them enter and see their enjoy-ment and their love of this wondrous place, filled with the utmost beauty…pause Think of other people you know whom you can lead to your heart. Let them enter and enjoy and be overwhelmed with the beauty they find and the love they experience…pause See how your heart is full of people and there is still lots of room for more. There is no limit. The beauty of the heart is limitless. Now think of some people toward whom you are quite indifferent. You neither like nor dislike them. Take them by the hand, let them enter into your heart, see the joy on their faces when they recognize the beauty and the love that they find there…pause Now think of some difficult person or persons and recognize the mental pains and feelings of that person, take him or her by the hand and lead them to your heart. The beauty and the wonder create real happiness for that person, and you no longer find him or her difficult…pause Think of those people whose lives are far more difficult than ours: who may be in a hospital, prison, refugee camp, war zone; or who may be crip-pled, blind, hungry, without shelter, without friends. Think of the many people that this applies to and take as many of them as you can by the hand and lead them to the beautiful heart that is within you, where they can find joy, and love, and a home. As you lead them to your heart, you can embrace them, so that they know they are really welcome…pause Think of the many people who live on this globe of ours, and see whether you can accommodate them all, so that they can all enjoy the wondrous beauty that you have created in your heart, making them happy, making them feel the warmth of love…pause Now put your attention back on yourself. Look at the wonderful jew-els, or flowers, or the gold of your heart, see how it has created such beau-ty that when you rest in it, there is joy, and love and peace within you. Think of the joy and the love and the peace as the most wonderful jewels of your heart shining in all directions…pause May people everywhere create great beauty in their hearts…and when you are ready open your eyes… pause * It is recommended not to prolong the duration of the "pauses" (30 to 35 seconds are enough) - as one should allow for the mystical qualities of the Heart to unfold spontaneously and intuitively... ESOTERIC MEDITATION A KUNDALINI PURIFICATION EXERCISE

Close your eyes and focus your mind on a brilliant sun or star on top of your head... visualize rays descending and penetrating your skull... and then your 3rd eye (located in the center of your forehead, just above the brow line). Imagine the white light of your Soul or pure Being coming through your head and moving down your spine. Imagine this pure white light moving down your back to the base of your spine or root chakra energizing the chakra centers preparing your energies for the opening process. Beginning at the bottom imagine the divine light collecting at root chakra. Imagine the white energy spinning in a clockwise motion. Imagine the energy moving at the speed of a second hand on a watch. As the energy moves, imagine it slowly changing color to pink for unconditional love and then slowly moving to red which will energize the root chakra helping to open the area for the work ahead. Imagine the red light moving up the spine to the Pancreas/Spleen chakras. As the energy moves up, imagine it changing to pink once more. As the energy enters the chakras, imagine the pink light spinning file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (26 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

clockwise, just a little faster than the chakra before. Imagine the energy slowly changing color from pink to orange, filling the chakras and energizing them as before. Continue this imagery, moving the pink love light from the Pancreas/Spleen up to the Solar Plexus. Spin the energy just a little faster and imagine it changing to a bright clear yellow. Move the pink light to the Adrenal chakra, spinning a little faster and changing to a golden yellow wrapped in emerald green. Move the pink light from the adrenals up to the Thymus or Heart Chakra. Spin the energy a little faster and imagine the color changing to a clear and vibrant emerald green. Move the pink light up to the thyroid or throat chakra, spinning the energy a little quicker and moving the energy color to a brilliant blue. Move the pink light up to the pituitary and spin the energy faster. By now, the energy should be moving very quickly now and moves from the pink love energy to a bright and clear purple color. Move the pink light up to the crown chakra at the top of the head. The energy moves faster here than any of the other chakra points. Imagine the pink light spinning clockwise and changing to a very bright and clear white. Hold these images for a few moments. Energizing the chakra centers, preparing them for the spiritual ritual or work ahead. Now imagine the energies of each chakra moving up and down the spine, once again in a clockwise motion, connecting all your centers and stimulating your kundalini flow. As the energy combines, imagine all the energies mixing into a very bright white divine light. As the light travels through the centers, imagine it growing and becoming stronger. Imagine this light growing and moving in a circle out toward the surface of your body. Filling your physical structure with divine light and energy. Finally moving outside the confines of your body, encircling your being to about 612 inches. Keep this image for a few moments. Imagine how this alignment will help you perform the work ahead. Imagine as much detail as you like. To conclude the ceremony, take a deep breath and slowly become aware of your surroundings. Thank all the guides, teachers and God/Goddess for coming to your aid and guiding your energy and words. "I thank all the forces who came for their assistance, I ask that the energy of this circle be closed for the purpose of this cleansing, opening and re-energizing. I ask that only that which is still needed within my home, my being and soul remain until such time as the divine energy has affected the positive changes desired. I bless thee and thank thee all. Amen" Take another deep breath filling your lungs to their fullest capacity and become more aware of where you are. Take a little stretch and then open your eyes. You can take a few moments to blow out the candle and douse your incense, thanking both for their assistance in this ritual. Or you can allow these tools to continue burning, moving them to a safe location in your spiritual area or home. Move out of the circle and close the space once more. If this is where you will be conducting another ceremony for a Sabbath, you might want to leave the broom and imagery of the door. Keeping the area closed and protected until later in the evening or when you'll begin the work at hand. Clean up any thing you have left in the circle or space and say one last word of thanks to the Gods/ Goddess and spiritual helpers. file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (27 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Conclude Your Session Just as important, once you open your chakras, there will come a point where you need to close them. In order to close your chakras, here are some suggestions. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Imagine the white light you have expanded around your physical body. Imagine this light slowly moving back inside your physical structure. Some people like to maintain the vision of being filled with the divine light and energy; while others like to pull it all the way back to the spinal cord. Now imagine all your spinning chakra centers. Each one with it's own individual color. You don't want to stop the spinning, you just want to close off the energy forces you opened up to. To do this imagine the white light wrapping around the chakra centers, almost as if they're making a cocoon. Holding in the work you've been doing and blocking any negative forces or unwanted energies. Keeping you grounded and focused for your daily activities. Conclude this meditation with a deep breath and a word of thanks an prayer. "I thank all the forces for their assistance, and protection during this day. I thank thee all for the assistance with my work, my growth and my evolution of spirit, honor and ritual. I bless thee and thank thee all. Amen" Take one last deep breath, become aware of your surroundings and have a little stretch. When you're ready, open your eyes and if necessary clear your ritual space

A COLLECTION OF ESOTERIC & CABALISTIC MEDITATIONS FOR SELF PROTECTION Draining Away Unneeded, Unwanted, and Just Plain "Bad Stuff" from Your Being 1. Center and ground yourself (do this lying down on your bed if you can). 2. While lying down on your bed (face up, arms at sides with palms up, legs slightly apart), imagine valves on the top of your head, in the centers of your palms, and on the centers of the soles of your feet. 3. Mentally open all five valves and tell yourself that everything that has attached itself to you from outside sources or from within yourself that is unneeded, unwanted, or just plain bad for you will flow from the top of your head down through your body and out through your palms and feet over the next three minutes. Know that all of this unpleasant stuff will flow back to the source of everything to be purified and recycled.

4. Mentally close the valves on your palms and feet and open yourself up to the power of whatever God's) you believe in (or simply universal energy if you prefer) for another three minutes so that you fill yourself up with clean, clear, and relaxing energy of the very best kind. 5. Mentally close the valve at the top of your head and enjoy. Note: This same exercise can be done while standing in the shower and timed so that the shower washes out everything that needs to go; then as you air-dry for three minutes, you can draw in everything that is

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (28 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

beneficial to you. (An overhead heat lamp would make a nice added touch to this process.) The final basic exercise which I will present has been described by many authors, including Israel Regardie and Alan Richardson. It is known as the Middle Pillar Exercise. This exercise is designed to help you absorb and make use of vitality from the world around you. Humans are made up of several interpenetrating bodies, most of which are invisible to our five physical senses. Just as your physical body has organs designed to help you make use of the physical food you eat, your psychic body has organs designed to take in spiritual power and then to distribute and circulate this power where it can be used to your best advantage. When you gain control over this process through exercising it consciously, you can direct this power to bring about beneficial changes in your life and, potentially, the lives of others as well. The Middle Pillar Exercise 1. Center and ground yourself in the sitting position. 2. Imagine a sphere of brilliant white light above the crown of your head. This sphere should be viewed as being active and abundantly alive with energy; it is your Spirit Center and the key to your true self. Vibrate the words 7 Am like a mantra, while maintaining this visualization. 3. After allowing your mind to rest here for five minutes, imagine that your Spirit Center sends out a shaft of white light down through your skull and brain, continuing until it stops at your throat and expands to form another sphere of brilliant white light. This is your Air Center. It is related to the powers associated with the planet Saturn. Keep this in mind as you focus your attention on this vital sphere.

4. After allowing your mind to rest here for five minutes, imagine that your Air Center sends out a shaft of white light down through your body until it reaches your solar plexus and expands into a sphere of brilliant white light. This is your Fire Center. It is related to the powers associated with the Sun. Experience its energy as you focus your attention on this active sphere. 5. After allowing your mind to rest here for five minutes, imagine that your Fire Center sends out a shaft of white light down through your body until it comes to your genital region, where it expands to form another sphere of brilliant white light. This is your Water Center. It is related to the powers associated with the Moon. Feel this energy as you focus your attention on this sphere. 6. After allowing your mind to rest here for five minutes, imagine that your Water Center sends out a shaft of white light down through your body until it reaches your feet, where it expands to form a final sphere of brilliant white light. This is your Earth Center. It is quite naturally related to the powers associated with the Earth and things such as food, clothing, and shelter. Dwell on this as you focus your attention on this sphere of solidity. Spend five minutes doing this. 7. Focus your attention on your Spirit Center and imagine it vigorously absorbing spiritual energy from the atmosphere around you. Exhale and visualize this energy flowing down the left side of your body. Inhale and visualize this same energy flowing under your feet and up the right side of your body to return to your Spirit Center. Notice that this energy is inside all of your bodies, both visible and invisible. Keep this visualization going until the energy has completed at least six full circuits. 8. Imagine that this energy flows from your Spirit Center down the front of your body to your feet as you exhale, and then flows under your feet and up the back of your body to return to your Spirit Center as you inhale. Continue this visualization until at least six full circuits have been completed. 9. Send your attention down to your Earth Center. This must be viewed as a vessel containing all power. Imagine that your Spirit Center is drawing this power up to it as you inhale in such a way that it fountains file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (29 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

up out of your Spirit Center, and then, as you exhale, it falls down all around your body until it collects again in the vessel that your Earth Center has become. Visualize at least six of these "fountaining" circulations of power. The total visual effect of this whole exercise will be what Don Juan of Carlos Castaneda's famous books would have called a scintillating, luminous egg of energy extending from the center of your being out to about an arm's length from the limits of your physical body. I have presented The Middle Pillar Exercise in a simplified form, however this will not detract from its usefulness in helping you pay attention to your psycho/spiritual organs and in strengthening your entire being. This exercise should be practiced daily. Remember: the stronger you are on all levels, the stronger will be your psychic shield when you need it! It often helps to develop a daily routine when you are learning new skills. I would suggest that you begin each day with the Middle Pillar Exercise and end each day with the Draining Exercise. During the course of each day, you should find time to work on the other exercises presented in the first two chapters of this book. Keep a notebook to record the results of your efforts. An entry should be set up to look something like this: These two exercises are taken from the book "The Psychic Self-Defence Personal Training Manual" by Marcia. L Pickands - editors Samuel Weiser, Inc These exercises are presented here to "healthy seekers" who want to try them out. However, by no means are these exercises presented here to replace or be a substitute for medical and psychological help from professionals... "SPIRITUAL PSYCHOLOGY" Psychosynthesis Exercises

Preliminary Explanation 1 - The Lighthouse 2 - The Butterfly 3 - The Fount 4 - The Flame 5 - The Sun 6 - The Rose (These are Psychosynthesis exercises) ABOUT SPIRITUAL PSYCHOLOGY We become intuitively receptive to the essence of a symbolic image by holding it steadily in our mind, letting it irradiate our awareness with its subtle quality. Such contemplation of an image may lead to an IDENTIFICATION with it. Whether it happens spontaneously or intentionally, identification enables the understanding from within of the formless reality, which the symbol represents. Naturally, such cognitive connections do not occur to everyone all the time, and, when they do occur, they do not necessarily produce identical insights. For example, for some people the diamond is a symbol of the Higher Self or Soul and of the world of visions, of glittering harmony and unity. But for others, the diamond may just stand for social status and prestige. For still others, the diamond may not be symbolic at all. It may be just a diamond, and nothing else. In any case, nearly all of us will find that one or another symbol can be a true reservoir of revelations. Here is a series of visualization exercises based on symbolic images. Follow each one of them. Each one represents a subtle reality with its own particular quality. Hence, each opens the door to a new state of consciousness and can elicit psychological change. The technique of this series of visualizations is to file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (30 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

unflinchingly concentrate on your chosen subject and goal, visualizing the symbol, atmosphere and mood that you are creating as vividly and consistently as you can. This series of symbols are different from the ones that appear and pop up spontaneously during your meditation or in your process of inner development. Rather, you are given to work with this or that symbol because of the cognitive and transformative value it offers. The issue here is a general one: You can creatively intervene, improve and cultivate the quality of your subtle senses, playing with them and exploiting their possibilities. These preliminary exercises are given here to help you create a new world for yourself. They are "tools" to help you "activate" dormant qualities and "awake" a new aspect of your being - and a new level of consciousness. These preliminary exercises will help you create a positive "mood" and make you discover the power of your IMAGINATION and INTUITION. Hence you will be given the possibility of working with two types of symbols. Concentrating and working with archetypal symbols, which are universal and on symbols that are "man made", meaning that they come from your personal experiences. Both types of symbols are in themselves powerful energies of transformation.

INTRODUCTION ON HOW VISUALIZATION AND MEDITATION WORK We become intuitively receptive to the essence of a symbolic image by holding it steadily in our mind, letting it irradiate our awareness with its subtle quality and energy. Such contemplation of an image may lead us to completely identify with the essence and meaning enclosed and included within the symbol or image. Whether it happens spontaneously, or intentionally, identification with a symbol or image enables us to understand symbols from within, and intuition is nothing less than the understanding from within of the formless reality, which the symbol represents. All symbols presented to you on this website are somehow connected to "SEED IDEAS" and all "Seed Ideas" are part of your spiritual being. In other words, these symbolic images will "TRIGGER" within you and awaken in you a corresponding energy. In their turn, the subtle energies within your etheric and astral bodies will be activated and consequently your emotions/feelings and thought processes will react accordingly. You will be presented with a series of visualization exercises based on symbolic images. Each one represents a subtle reality with its own particular quality. Hence, each opens the door to a new state of "mind" and "feeling". This means that these symbols and exercises can help you bring changes in your energy levels and unfold subtler levels of consciousness within you. EXERCISE - THE LIGHTHOUSE Let us now turn our attention to a visualization exercise that focuses on "man made" symbol that has become an archetypal one because like the diamond it can suggest something more subtle and profound. · (first read this short visualization exercise and tape it on your tape recorder ) Relax on your chair and put the recorder on, close your eyes and imagine that you are on a small ship at sea, at night. A storm is raging, and the rain beats down on the deck. The ship is rolling and pitching. All around you is darkness. Feel the rolling and pitching of the ship, hear the wind howling, feel the chill of the wind and the rain on your face. See the stormy sea at night. Experience the fatigue in your muscles and the difficulty with which you wrestle with the wheel. file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (31 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Now, in the distance, you can see a dazzling light shining. Its source is a lighthouse. Its steady, radiant beam guides you through the night. You welcome this guidance with relief. Now you know where to steer. Concentrate on the lighthouse, and visualize its light radiating in all directions to help people who have lost their way, to give guidance to all who need it. The storm is raging, the wind howling, the rain falling, the night pitch-black. But the lighthouse stands solid and shining. Nothing can shake it. After a time, let the visualization gradually subside, yet keep within you this sense of SHINING STRENGTH. Such an example illustrates how symbols, rightly used, will deepen their transformative function, allowing us to change our inner attitudes and outer behavior. The quality inherent in the symbols not only reveals to us new ways of experiencing ourselves and life, it also creates a new line of force in our psyche - one which can gradually become a trait in our personality and thus affect our actions. ·

It is suggested that after doing this exercise for a couple of times, you visualize it without the tape. Please make a point to take notes of your impressions in your notebook.

EXERCISE - THE BUTTERFLY Imagine a caterpillar. You can watch it crawling about on the tree where it lives. Attaching itself to a branch of the tree, the caterpillar starts to form its cocoon. Gradually it surrounds itself with golden, silken threads until it is totally hidden. Observe the cocoon for a few moments Now be inside the cocoon…Surrounded by the softness of silk…you rest in the warmth of the golden darkness… You are only dimly aware, so you do not know exactly what is happening to you, but you sense that in this apparent stillness a hidden, transforming intelligence is at work… At last the cocoon breaks open, and a ray of light penetrates through a chink… As the light touches you, you feel a sudden surge of vitality and realize that you can shed the cocoon. As you feel the cocoon falling away, you discover that with it you have shed the defenses and supports of your safety and your past… You are now freer than you ever dreamed you could be; you are a beautiful, multicolored butterfly… You soon realize that your boundaries have extended infinitely… you can fly... You find yourself dwelling in a totally new realm of colors, of sounds, of open space… You experience yourself flying…being supported by the air, being gently borne up by the breeze, gliding gown, flying up again... Below, you see an immense meadow full of flowers of every kind and color…You settle on one…then on another…then on another still, so gently that the petals are not even disturbed. You experience each flower as a different being with its own color and perfume…its own particular life and quality. Take your time in experiencing the many aspects of your expansion, your freedom, and your lightness. · Always try to record the exercise this will facilitate your inner work and visualization. (read and record your voice at the pace that is convenient and right for you) · Always keep your notebook handy to write down your impressions and insights EXERCISE - THE FOUNT Before starting your "inner work" make sure that you won't be disturbed and that you start with a relaxation exercise. Imagine a fount springing from granite rock…you see its pure water sparkle in the sun and hear its splashes in the surrounding silence… you experience this special place, where everything is clearer… ·

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (32 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

pure…more essential. Start drinking the water…and feel its beneficent energy pervading you and making you feel lighter… Now walk into the spring itself…letting the water flow over you…imagine that it has the power of flowing through each one of your body cells and in between them…imagine it also flowing through the innumerable nuances of your sentiments and emotions… and through your intellect as well… feel this water cleansing you of all the psychic debris we inevitably accumulate day after day…frustrations… regrets…worries…thoughts of all kinds. Gradually you experience how the purity of this font becomes your purity, and its energy becomes your energy… Finally, imagine that you are the fount itself…where all is possible and life is forever new… · It is recommended that you tape this exercise on a tape recorder, find your own narrative pace and allow some time for creating the special moods and the atmosphere . · Take if possible a few notes of your impressions. EXERCISE : THE FLAME · Before starting your "inner work" make sure that you won't be disturbed and that you start with a relaxation exercise. Imagine a burning flame…See it dancing…drawing ever-changing designs in the air…look into it as it moves…seek to experience its fiery quality… As you keep visualizing this flame…think about fire and its manifestations in the psyche: personal warmth and radiance…flaming love or joy…fiery enthusiasm… ardor… Finally as you keep the flame in front of your inner eye…slowly imagine that you are animated by that fire…that you are becoming that flame… · It is recommended that you tape this exercise on a tape recorder, find your own narrative pace and allow some time for creating the special moods and the atmosphere . · Take if possible a few notes of your impressions EXERCISE : THE SUN · Before starting your "inner work" make sure that you won't be disturbed and that you start with a relaxation exercise. Visualize yourself on the beach at dawn… the sea is almost motionless as the last bright stars fade away… feel the freshness and the purity of the air…watch the water…the stars…the dark sky… take some time to experience the silence before sunrise, the stillness filled with all possibilities… slowly, the darkness melts and the colors change…the sky over the horizon becomes red…the golden… Then the sun's first rays reach you…and you watch it slowly emerging from the water…. With half the sun's disk visible and the rest still below the horizon…you see that its reflection in the water is creating a path of golden shimmering light leading from you all the way to its very heart… The temperature of the water is pleasant…and you decide to go in… slowly…with joy…you start to swim in the golden radiance…you feel the light-filled water touching your body…you experience yourself floating effortlessly and moving pleasurably in the sea… The more you swim toward the sun, the less aware you are of the water, and the more the light around you increases…you feel enveloped in a beneficent, golden light which permeates you completely… your body is bathing now in the vitality of the sun…your feelings are pervaded by its warmth…your mind is illuminated by its light. It is recommended that you tape this exercise on a tape recorder, find your own narrative pace and allow some time for creating the special moods and the atmosphere . Take if possible a few notes of your impressions EXERCISE : THE ROSE To convey the sense of an unfolding process in the psyche, and at the same time to facilitate it, we have

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (33 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

prepared this exercise of the blossoming of the rose. Imagine a rosebush: roots, stem, leaves, and, on top, a rosebud. The rosebud is closed, and enveloped by its green sepals. Take your time in visualizing all the details clearly. Now imagine that the sepals start to open, turn back, and reveal the petals inside -tender, delicate, still closed. Now the petals themselves slowly begin to open. As they do so, you become aware of a blossoming also occurring in the depths of your being. You feel that something in you is opening

Reflective Meditations "WE BECOME WHAT WE CONTEMPLATE" PRELIMINARY If our mind is only occupied with gossip, everyday worries, telephone bills, resentments, and the like, it will assume their hue. If I think about joy, infinity, or universality, its hue will again correspond. Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts: for the psyche is influenced by thought processes and reflects them in the ego. A fundamental principle is at work here: our thoughts define our universe. For thoughts do more than color our minds. Far from being ethereal and remote from life, as we may sometimes believe, thoughts act on us in profound ways; indeed, we can literally say that thoughts are living beings. For us humans "static" ideas do not exist: each one has an energetic aspect. Consequently, every idea tends to actualize itself and would do so completely, were it not for the existence and pressure of many other ideas, differing and often opposed to it, which also tend to actualize themselves. These can be called "idea- forces" or "thought-forms". Practice shows that we can create, vitalize and strengthen an idea-force and create a thought-form by thinking about it. As we observe its possibilities, dimensions, and applications, it becomes more clearly defined. FEELINGS are attracted to it, and the new idea-force or thought-form "seeps" into us, becoming part of our attitudes toward life and our habits of action. Thus by thinking about strength, love, or joy, we create strength, love, or joy in ourselves. The technique of deliberately picking a psychological that has within itself a spiritual dimension is an important one… since all psychological qualities have their spiritual aspects as well. (this will be discussed at a later stage). This method of work can be called REFLECTIVE MEDITATION. METHOD OF WORK REFLECTIVE MEDITATION is nothing more than systematic investigation of some idea. Let us say that you have decided to reflect on JOY. We can think about the joyous people we have met in our life and the times when we experienced joy; the relationship of joy to a similar state, such as cheerfulness or humor; its origins and the hindrances to it; and so on. At some point our mind will be tempted to go off the track and think about something else. We then bring it clearly back to the subject of our reflection. Firmly but lightly, we bring all our power of focus, all the intensity of our understanding, to this endeavor. SEEDS FOR REFLECTIVE MEDITATION The following exercise is designed to introduce you to this practice: 1 - Choose one of the qualities in the following list (or another one you have in mind - remind yourself that each one of these qualities are potential SEED IDEAS that unfold a cosmic ENERGY within your subtle bodies): JOY - GRATITUDE - LOVE - WILL - COURAGE - CALM - GENEROSITY - HUMOR - COMPASSION COOPERATION - VITALITY - SIMPLICITY - OPENNESS - STRENGTH - CREATIVITY - POWER INCLUSIVENESS - CLARITY - ENERGY - PLAYFULNESS - WISDOM - CHEERFULNESS - LOYALTY PEACE - UNDERSTANDING - WONDER - FREEDOM - RISK - TRUTHFULNESS - STEADFASTNESS. 2 - Reflect on the quality chosen for a period of ten to fifteen minutes and then if you wish, take a few notes in your diary.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (34 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

3 - As a subject for your reflective meditation, you may also want to choose a meaningful phrase such as one of the following: "The greed for fruit misses the flower" - Rabindranah Tagore. "Gratefulness is heaven itself" - William Blake "We are not troubled by things, but by the opinions which we have of things" Epictetus "It is in self-limitation that a master first shows himself" Wolgang Goethe "Love is the pursuit of the whole" Plato "The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind" Albert Schweitzer". An important note: At some point during the meditation you will reach the stage of believing that you have exhausted the subject, covered its every aspect. Or you will become bored and want to do something else. Or you will feel that the subject lacks the importance you thought it had and start asking yourself whether you should have chosen something else to meditate on. This is precisely the moment not to stop, but to keep meditating. This feeling of going up a blind alley often occurs just before achieving insight. If you go through and beyond this stage, your mind will shift onto a level at which the quality of thought is more lucid and meaningful. (Reaching a spiritual level). 4 - Always take notes in your notebooks - you will probably want to come later and reflect on your own impressions, feelings and discoveries.

A MYSTICAL WAY OF UNFOLDING COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS RELAXATION EXERCISE Gravity and Relaxation Lie face up on a mat or thick blanket placed on the floor and relax. (The floor provides a hard, uncomfortable surface which will imme-diately let you know about the variety of ways you hold tension within your body. You will either have to get up or relax totally.) A small cushion may be placed under the head. Let the weight of your body sink into the floor. Begin breathing in a rhythmic fashion. Bring your attention to your torso and head. Inhale and tense the muscles of your stomach, chest, and neck. Exhale and relax totally, feeling the weight of your body sinking into the floor. Do this several times. Concentrate now on your left arm. Inhale and make a fist, tensing the entire arm, and raise the limb off the floor about six inches. Exhale, and relax your arm. Allow it to drop to the floor. Do this a number of times until the limb feels totally relaxed and falls readily with the force of gravity. Now center your attention on your right arm from hand to shoulder. As you inhale, make a fist, tensing all the muscles in your arm, and raise your arm off the floor about six inches. Exhale and relax your arm completely, allowing it to fall back to the floor. Repeat several times until the arm is relaxed. Next, focus your attention on your left leg from hip to foot. As you inhale, lift your leg about eight inches off the floor. Bend your foot so that your toes are pointing toward your head. Tense all the muscles in your leg. Exhale and relax all tension in your leg, letting it drop to the floor. Repeat several times until your leg is fully relaxed. Focus your attention on your right leg from hip to foot. As you inhale, lift your leg about eight inches off the floor. At the same time, bend your foot so that your toes are pointing toward your head. Tense all the muscles in your leg. Exhale and relax your leg completely, allowing it to fall back to the floor. Do this a number of times until the limb feels totally relaxed and falls readily with the force of gravity. Tense your whole body several times and then relax totally. Let yourself take a few deep sighs. Do this a file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (35 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

number of times until at length you feel as though you were melting into the floor, carrying all the tension out of your body like a stream of water from melting ice. Give yourself up wholly to the support of the floor. Accept the fact that the floor can easily hold up the weight of your body. Relax and let it. The Meditation Your Mystic Heart and the Divine Radiance Within. 1 - Close your eyes and relax on your chair. Sit straight but not rigid, be at ease. 2 - Bring all of your attention into your heart region. Remain there for a moment. 3 - Now visualize, use your intuition and feel a tiny light emerging from within the cave of your heart. It is the place from where the seed of your Perfect Model is found and manifests … 4 - Remain silent for a few moment, becoming conscious of this fact 5 - Now expand the light from your heart to fill all of space around your heart,… then let it immerse your whole body in its light…just like the sun fills all of space. Feel all the radiance and goodness of the light purify your aura… and gently radiate this tiny light from your body and aura into infinity… 6 - Remain in Silence for a few minutes. 7 - Now visualize that the world around you is spinning, going round like a merry go round… use your intuition.. Now see everything on the earth, the desert, the city, the forests, the ocean and mountains, people, animals, nations see everything spinning… feel everything spinning... rotating…going round and round… (pause) 8 - While visualizing everything spinning and turning round…keep in touch with your inner silence for a moment... Remain in your own axis…and observe everything else spinning…(pause) 9 - Now see the earth spinning in the infinite radiance of the light…(pause) 10 - Take a moment to reflect that this great infinite light is but a divine spark that originates in your heart… (pause) 11 - And now, take another moment to reflect on the fact that the earth itself is a microscopic seed spinning in this radiance in your heart…(pause) 12 - Remain in a deep silence within the region of your mystical heart… let go of all images, thoughts, feelings and just let yourself float and bathe in the radiance of the Divine Light that blazes in it... and open your consciousness to embrace it…

A MULTITUDE OF LIVES

WORKING WITH SUBPERSONALITIES EXERCISE The basic purpose of "inner work" is to help you release the inner Qualities and Energies that are dwelling and slumbering in your Being. Prior to this, the purpose of these exercises and meditations are to help integrate and synthesize your personal ego with the Soul. This will be done through a symbolic "bridge" which represents the "PSYCHE. I just hope that by giving you a few exercises and some basic comments on the techniques of spiritual psychology, you will be able to understand how to use an important "tool" that will develop the OBSERVER in you. By becoming the "observer" of your life, you will start guiding and advising in a better way, the "actors" “living” within yourself, which are the subpersonalities that enter the scene of your life. You will, as a director be able to show them how to play their "roles" according to your understanding and desire. And since, the actors are your different subpersonalities and you are the central observer/director of your life, your position and role, play a crucial part in your life. Hence, my suggestion is that you should develop the part in you that OBSERVES your own process, as no one else can help you except yourself. RECOGNIZING SUB-PERSONALITIES. The following exercise will introduce you to this concept in a more direct manner 1 - Consider one of your prominent traits, attitudes, or motives. 2 - With your eyes closed, become aware of this part of you. Then let an image emerge representing it. It file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (36 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

may be a woman, a man, an animal, an elf, an object, you in disguise, a symbol, or anything else in the universe. Do not consciously try to find an image (but always accept the first image that appears or the first impression that comes up - this is one of the techniques to develop intuition). Let the image or impression emerge spontaneously, as if you were watching a screen, not knowing what will shortly appear on it. 3 - As soon as the image has appeared, give it the chance to reveal itself to you without any interference or judging on your part. Let it change if it tends to do so spontaneously, and let it show you some of its other aspects if it wants to. Get in touch with the general feeling that emanates from it. 4 - Now let this image talk and express itself. Give it space, so to speak, for doing so; in particular, find out about its needs. Talk with it (even if your image is an object, it can talk back to you; anything is possible in the imaginary world). 5 - Now open your eyes and record in your notebook everything that happened so far. Then give this sub-personality a name - any name that fits and will help you to identify it in the future: example, "the Complainer" - "the Artist" - "the Bitch" - "Santa Claus" "Jaws" - "the Clown" - "the judge" "the I Told You So" and so on. Finally write about its traits, habits and peculiarities.

6 - After you have identified and exhaustively described one sub-personality you can go on to the others. But take your time and work on each one alone until you feel finished. The process requires merely picking a few more of your prominent traits, attitudes, or motives and going through steps 1 to 5 for each one. (Take one sub-personality per week and OBSERVE the unfolding of its energy very carefully and in an impersonal and impartial way). PSYCHOLOGY EXERCISE SUBPERSONALITIES In order to work with subpersonalities, we must first try to understand their separate qualities. We can consult many good books on archetypes, some of which are listed below. We may find them useful in determining the different dynamic roles they have in the forming of our ego. Examples of subpersonalities INNOCENT This subpersonality is developed in childhood when the infant/child is dependent upon others for survival. The innocent wants to be loved and to be a part of things, to be socially acceptable, to fit in and to make others love and be proud of us. ORPHAN This subpersonality tries to protect us from being abandoned, hurt or victimised by helping us to recognise and avoid situations that are 'likely to hurt us'. This may or may not be useful. The Orphan uses phrases like 'I don't care' - 'Leave me alone' - and may manifest itself as a rebellious attitude. WARRIOR This subpersonality is responsible for getting things done. Acting in terms of our own self-interest or to help others. It may manifest in the form of the shadow warrior, which will 'do' at all costs whatever it things file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (37 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

will help to avoid negative feelings and the influence of other subpersonalities. CAREGIVER In its shadow form, the Caregiver wants to take care of everyone. Like the mother, who does everything for her children at the expense of herself. A healthy expression of the caregiver may be witnessed in nursing others when they are sick or providing opportunities for children by paying school fees and the like. A healthy caregiver is one step back from the recipient of the care as true nurturing means allowing room for others to grow. SEEKER The seeker can be witnessed in the child who continually asks 'why?' The seeker is always searching for something as life feels meaningless and empty. The goal of the seeker is to find our true purpose in life, what will really make us happy. DESTROYER The destroyer is responsible for quitting jobs, leaving spouses and ending unhealthy friendships. In a shadow sense the destroyer might get out of control and destroy some of the things we'd be better off keeping. CREATOR The artist, writer, poet types the maker of dreams, the inventor that discovers ways of making new things and of unfolding new dreams. The creator subpersonality will assist you in making your life less stale, more flowing, in conveying your ideas to others, contributing to the collective dreams of humanity. LOVER The lover is gentle and reaches out gently to others. Following a loving acceptance of ourselves, we may gently reach out to others, contributing ones unique abilities for the greater good of all. This subpersonality can be activated, when love comes to us in the form of romantic or idealistic love somehow to help us transform the fear of losing the taste of living, at the superficiality, cruelty and indifference around us. Integrating this personality can help us to find a way forward as true human beings, loving and nurturing one another. FOOL The fool makes us laugh when things are bad. The fool is the observer of the illusions of this man made world, he is a kind of an outsider who is not touched by responsibilities. He can get away by being sometimes nasty, critical and childish in a funny way… because he is the “fool” people cannot “touch” him. He is the subpersonality that teaches us how to laugh at ourselves… Examples, when we have to work all day at a job we don’t enjoy doing, the fool kicks in to find a humorous way of accepting and working in that situation… the fool helps us transform a stale or negative situation into something different. The Fool is open, an outsider that has some magic attached to itself because he feels free from conditioning of any kind. A very useful subpersonality. MAGICIAN The Magician could be symbolised by the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly through its cocoon. The magician winds a protective cover around itself, reorganises the elements of the personality and emerges, renewed, energised and somehow truer. SAGE The sage is quiet and stable and holds the quality of knowingness. A good subpersonality to draw on when feeling stressed and caught up in the flow of life. Hold onto the calm centred knowingness of the

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (38 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

sage and progress calmly, quietly and reliably through your journey. RULER/ORGANISER The rulers job is to blend the other subpersonalities into a continuous expression. The Ruler makes the decisions to leave something and start a new (enacted by the destroyer and the creator). The Ruler decides who will do what in order to ensure the completion of the goal in a timely manner. If the ruler were to be a computer program he/she would be Microsoft Project, the planner with the ultimate authority! Exercise: 1 - Read about these subpersonalities… become familiar with their characteristics… Choose one that is the most familiar to you. -

2 -Take some notes on the way you use this subpersonality GUIDED MEDITATION

3 - Close you eyes and relax… take a few deep breaths and imagine yourself in a beautiful valley going for a long walk with your chosen subpersonality. Together, you are walking and enjoying your surroundings…the fields of flowers, the trees… a mountain and anything else that appears around your stroll in the countryside…. Take some time to become aware of the sounds of nature around you - birds chirping, the wind in the trees and the like…. (pause) Now begin to walk up the mountain with your subpersonality. As you keep ascending, you can imagine seeing all kinds of scenery, keep in touch with the increasing sense of height and altitude... (pause) Pay attention to your subpersonality. You might see it change mood, facial expression or dress, or even a radical transformation into something else. When you reach the top of the mountain, let the sunrays and the light of the sun shine on both of you… on your subpersonality and yourself… now look again at your subpersonality… what do you see…has the essence of your subpersonality changed… just describe what you see and feel for yourself…(pause). Now look around and focus your attention on something impressive and imposing like a big tree or a powerful rock… when you find it, go towards that powerful spot accompanied by your subpersonality… when you are both near your chosen place… stand in silence in front of that power spot…become aware of each others presence…(remember that your subpersonality can take any shape and become even an object) and when you feel that you are in contact with your subpersonality, asks its name?…what is its quality?… what does it need from you or another subpersonality?… What do you need from it? Take a few minutes and exchange a dialogue, and when you are ready… open your eyes and continue your dialogue in writing. (pause) 4 – Choose two or four of your subpersonalities – Write down their names and try to see how they can complement and help each other. After pairing them, let them have a dialogue with each other, so that you can figure out what they are going to do in your life. 5 – One useful exercise for discovering subpersonalities is intuitive drawing. Draw what comes to mind when thinking of that subpersonality or object, write words on the paper to describe your impressions of your version of this subpersonality.

Sun and Moon Exercise Sit comfortably on a chair, or lie down on your bed, and close your eyes... relax by taking a few deep file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (39 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

breaths... and begin to visualize at some distance on top of your head a star-like point of light... concentrate on the star for a few moments... (pause) In your mind's eye see it taking the shape of an etheric triangle, apex upwards... (pause) At the right angle of the triangle visualize a sun and on its left angle visualize a moon... (pause) concentrate now on the power of the sun...( pause) and the power of the moon...(pause) Now feel the power and energy of the sun descending from the right side of the triangle and penetrate your right shoulder... remain open and receptive... (pause) Then feel the power and energy of the moon descending from the left side of the triangle and penetrating your left shoulder and be open and receptive... (pause) Then allow your right hand and palm to receive the quality and force from the sun... and your left hand and palm from moon... (pause) When you feel ready, breathe in, gold energy and let it pass through you from sun to moon... Breathe out, silver energy and let it pass through you from moon to sun. (This has been found to be a very powerful exercise and should not be performed more than a couple of minutes a day, but individuals may differ). Now, breathe in, silver and gold energies together... feel the qualities of the sun and moon circulate upwards from your palms...arms... shoulders... blending at your throat and neck regions...and continue the upward journey towards the center of your skull.... (pause) (Do this just a few times) And from the center of the skull, from the same point of joining sun and moon energies, imagine a ray of pure clear Light directing itself straight upwards towards the third point of the triangle, on top of your head, at the apex of the triangle...(pause) Relax for a few minutes... and if you wish take a few notes... EXERCISE

These exercises are to activate your "inner psychic senses" You can try one each week, or change them as you please but discipline yourself to practice a few minutes every day. In imagination, experience the taste, temperature, and texture of: 1 - A banana 2 - Yogurt 3 - Almonds 4 - Whipped cream In imagination, sit down to your favorite dish and eat it. Pay attention to the taste and texture of each mouthful. Feel the knife and the fork in your fingers and the way they manage the food. How do you feel when you perform these exercises? One important reminder: it is of the essence that you do not make yourself tense. Whenever you find yourself frowning or tense while doing these exercises, STOP. Whenever you find your mind wandering, STOP.

Kinesthetic Evocation Learning to visualize And now for the kinesthetic sense, the sense through which we are aware of the body and its movements: Imagine that you are 1 - Walking and then running along a beach: feel every movement of your muscles. 2 - Driving a car: sense with precision each movement you make in turning the steering wheel, pressing the pedals, and so on. 3 - Swimming, playing tennis or basketball, or practicing any other sport you enjoy. 4 - Chopping wood with an ax. Whenever we explore and voluntarily make use of a new part of ourselves, we experience intrinsic joy. We are gradually learning to "activate" our inner senses and through this method we are also "AWAKENING" our etheric and astral doubles. This is indeed a special delight and it gives us the opportunity to use new skills which are also subtle and delicate and important for our more advanced

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (40 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

spiritual work.

OLFACTORY Evocation Learning to visualize: Imagine that you are smelling Your favorite perfume Gasoline A flower A herb Clean mountain air in a pine forest Burning wood The ocean Mint Bread coming out of the oven Always remember that these exercises are to activate your "inner psychic senses" You can try one each week, or change them as you please but discipline yourself to practice a few minutes every day. THE INNER TEMPLE OF LIGHT We are going to "create" and "build" an inner Temple of Light. We will create this sacred inner space with ETHERIC AND ASTRAL MATTER. Before giving you the details of this mental creation, I would like to say that the BLUEPRINT and archetypal model of your temple of Light exists already in your psyche and Soul as a sacred "SEED". Hence, by meditating on your sacred center you are automatically concentrating and gradually unfolding your own DIVINITY. You do this through visualization and meditation. With visualization you unfold your INNER SACRED SPACE and with your deep emotions and feelings your create the ATMOSPHERE that surrounds you and uplifts you to a higher plane of consciousness. This technique is to help all your senses to participate and become part of your meditation. By meditating on a regular basis within your sacred center you will be able to become conscious of dramatic changes in your level of consciousness. This is because through your inner work, you will be starting to purify your etheric, astral and mental bodies. Creating an Inner Temple of Light is the KEY that reveals and opens a new DIMENSION within your consciousness. The purpose of these exercises are simply to help you unfold your own divinity and spiritual qualities. For those of you who work or are familiar with Kabbalah, we would like to say that the Temple of the "Uncreated Light"will reflect on the ETHERIC and Higher ASTRAL PLANES, both at the same time, because as you work within your sacred Temple you will be affecting the two ZEPHIROTH of YESOD (the foundation) and TIPHARETH (BEAUTY). THE TEMPLE OF LIGHT 1 - Always start with a relaxation exercise and a few deep breathing 2 - enter your sacred holy place within… 3 - get in touch with the ENERGY and INNER QUALITY of the Tarot card the HERMIT. 4 - Once you have a "feel" of the archetypal energy of what the Hermit represents for you… then integrate "his/her" quality and energy within your being… and become the Hermit yourself… 5 - Then prepare yourself to take a long journey…and follow a narrow path, try not to be distracted by things around you… just feel your determination to reach your TEMPLE OF LIGHT… you might see it in the horizon, you might fly towards it, accept the way that feels natural to you. When you reach your destination just wait and relax... remain calm and ask yourself the question if you are ready to be invited in this sacred and holy precinct... facing the entrance, or gate of the Temple, wait for the guardian to invite you in. 6 - you can from then on visualize your Temple of light as you wish… first feel that it is a safe place and protected from all sides from outside intruders… Know that this sacred place is visible only to those who can "vibrate" to its high level of energy. Visualize that this inner Temple is surrounded by a large garden file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (41 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

and protected by very high walls…at each corner of the walls (there are four corners) visualize four tall Towers erected at each corner of the walls. Special mystical work are carried in each one of these towers. You will be invited at an appropriate time in participating in the spiritual work with Invisible Masters. Two of these Towers will be described to you later, when you have reached and created your Temple of Light and constructed with mental and astral matter, your private CELL... Later, you will be invited to join in and take an active part in the sacred work carried in this holy place. However, for the moment, you are not allowed to visit the four Towers. 7 - Once you have a vague idea of where your Temple is placed, look at it from far... then fly over it... look at the details...You can create your Temple in the way you feel is right for you, but always allow your intuition to be your guide. 8 - When you have finished creating the "outside" walls and the building of your Sacred Temple enter into the heart of your Temple and look around... Add whatever will uplift your deepest feelings and thoughts... Use all your senses, to hear, touch, sense, walk around, and observe all the details of this holy place, making the whole Temple come alive. 9 - Now imagine that there are cells running all around your Temple of the Light. Choose a "CELL" which will become your private cell. This symbolic "cell" is part of your permanent Central Axis, the axial pole of your being, the fixed center of the "I AM" and the Middle Pillar of Consciousness. This place might look like a monastery, but it does not have to be one, it can be a Celestial City of any kind where incarnated and disincarnated higher Intelligences meet. 10 - You may add whatever you want in your private "cell" but make it as simple as you can since whenever you are visiting this holy place, you will be "inhabiting" the qualities of the a humble HERMIT. 11 - your return to the outside world should be done in the same way as the way you came in… In other words, let your higher Intuition be your guide, and remember that whatever you do with simplicity and purity comes directly from the goodness of your heart. Try to remember and do all your mystical work from within your temple of Light and personal cell... You will gradually understand the importance of it and appreciate the results. After a few weeks of practice, you could if you wish send me an email with your results

TREE MEDITATION. This exercise is to help you receive intuitive information about yourself. In meditation such as this one, your intuition is free to function on a very rich, symbolic level. It is important that you allow the images you receive to speak to you, so that you can better understand the meanings contained within the richness of the symbols. If the images wobble, come and go, or seem absolutely strange to you, you may banish them and ask your intuition to give you symbolic images that are correct and true for you. If the same images reappear, accept them and work with them, even though they may seem strange or mysterious. With time the meaning and message contained within the images will probably become clear to you. These few directions concerning the way to accept the symbols given to you by your intuition apply for all the other exercises also. By this simple working method, symbols used by your intuition translate the impulses coming from your Soul and your other subtle bodies in a more meaningful way. Recommended time: 20 to 30 minutes Prepare yourself by entering your sacred Cell. Relax and take a few deep breathes exhale all the stresses out of your body and inhale the pure atmosphere of your sacred inner space. When you feel ready, anchored in your intuitive mood, centered within your sanctified space, and open and clear in mind and emotion, ask your intuitive self to present you with the image of a tree which represents your actual state of being. You may imagine the tree appears on the intuitive screen just in front of your eyes, or you may imagine you are walking in nature and you discover this tree. The tree that you perceive may be like an actual tree

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (42 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

or it may be a very symbolic, very imaginary tree. Accept the tree that your intuition presents to you and begin to explore it with intuitive awareness. Regard it from a distance, observing its size, its shape, and its silhouette, become aware of the environment in which the tree is located on a hill? In a forest? All alone? Next to water? Perceive the general environment of the tree, asking your intuitive self how the tree is connected to the four elements, to the earth, water, air and fire. Imagine you can examine the earth in which your tree is planted is it rich and nourishing? Or not? Does the tree receive all the water it needs? Is the air clean and pure? Does the tree have access to all the sunshine it needs? Explore the tree, the trunk, the branches, the leaves, the roots In what state do you find the tree? how do you find the posture of the tree? what type of atmosphere does this tree have? how do you feel emotionally? what do you notice about this tree that is particularly interesting, unusual, striking? Allow your intuition to guide you to explore the symbolic image of this tree, do not begin to think about the tree or the fact that it represents you. Just explore the tree with your inner senses, with your intuitive self and absorb all the impressions you receive. Ask your intuition to communicate with you, to tell you what the tree lacks grounding water sun, air, company, a view? Ask about what the tree needs for healing relocation pruning clear air, posture adjustment? When you have received the responses to your questions, allow the image of the tree to fade, continue to meditate quietly in your sacred cell for a few more minutes, and then gently return to normal consciousness. Write down, or even better do a drawing of the tree you have intuitively perceived. What is the message here for you about your current state of being? The image of the tree as a reflection of the human being is a particularly rich and touching symbol with which to work. In the tree we find a simplified version of ourselves.

SYMBOLIC MAPPING OF THE TREE The trunk of the tree represents our spine and general body, the roots represent our feet and grounding ability, and the leaves represent our relationship with the universe and light. The environment relates to the environment in which we live on a daily basis. The quality of the earth speaks to us about the fundamental nourishing quality of our everyday existence - the quality of the food we eat, the work we do, the place we live. The presence or lack of adequate water indicates the quality of emotional nourishment we experience in our lives. Too much water can be as damaging as not enough, and changes may need to be made to find the balance, to find the correct dose. The quality of air is related to mental stimulation, movement and change. Not enough air, or polluted air, can indicate that the environment is not suitable for mental growth and intellectual creativity because of a stifling effect. Too much air (a strong breeze or wind), can indicate a lack of protection, overexposure, and the need to create a more sheltered environment where the energies are less dispersed. The presence or absence of sun relates to the quality of spiritual nourishment in life. ESOTERIC MEDITATION

Your Angelic Nature Much has been written recently about angels and how we can be aided by higher forces. A recent survey indicated that nearly 70% of Americans believe in angels. Yet we have very little training in Western

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (43 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

culture as to how to go about relating with an angelic being. It is often thought that in order to contact an angel one has to be religious, but religion has nothing to do with relating to the angelic. In fact, every human being has an angelic nature. When someone says, "You are an angel", they probably do not realize how right they actually are. THE ANGEL WITHIN YOU Your angelic nature is not the same as your higher self, your soul, or what we refer to as the "Being of Light that you are". Rather, it is an aspect of your higher self. Being has many dimensions. The lower dimensions are conditioned, personality self-extensions, of which the physical body is the most dense form. The angelic nature is in one of the higher, unobstructed dimensions. With enlightened awareness and the use of light-fire-energies of thought-forms and astral or emotional forms, one can move increasingly into harmony with the beneficent forces of the universe. Hence meditations and attunement with your Soul unfolds for you your angelic nature, which is your angelic self. As you open to the support of your own angelic nature, you put yourself in contact with many other angelic beings who can also assist you in everyday life, as well as in times of great need. The more in tune we become with the angelic dimension, the more we can speed up both spiritual and material progress. The more you open up to the angelic realm, the more you will sense of a divine Presence working on your behalf. It's not that you don't have to do anything, but more like a partnership. This interdependent interrelationship between the human and angelic realms is echoed in the saying "God helps those who help themselves". While it is wonderful to experience and relate with an external angel, there is no closer angelic presence than that aspect of oneself. As you come to experience your own angelic being-ness in an intimate and personal way, you accelerate your own inner growth and development toward wholeness. What does this mean to your external life? The external world is an out-picturing of inner states of consciousness. Change consciousness and ultimately you change reality. USING THE INVOCATIVE POWER OF THOUGHT Thinking is a powerful act. Whatever we think of, we unify with in consciousness. Thinking of your angelic nature invokes it. This is very important to understand, since you may not always have time to sit down and do a formal meditation session to gather and enlighten your awareness. If you can take a few minutes to do that, it will help your awareness to register the angelic interaction, but it is not necessary. Just thinking the thought sets events in motion. That is why it is so important to be aware of and choose where you put the power of your desire and will.

Thoughts counter to your good will and your true desire will pass through your mind from time to time, but it is your choice whether you will nurture and support them, or let them leave as quickly and quietly as they appeared. To deny or suppress negative thoughts only puts more power into them. Instead of denying negative thoughts, recognize and accept them into the light-fire energy as you intensify it or "blaze it up" If they are very stubborn, it may be necessary to hold them in the consuming fire aspect of your inner light until the low frequency energy is transformed and transmuted into high frequency. As you transform the energy of negative or low frequency thoughts, you are helping to process some of the planetary load of mass-mind consciousness affecting the planet. In this manner you are truly working on the side of the angels. Your Guardian Angel is your perfect spiritual counterpart. It is your subtle energetic blueprint that is file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (44 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

energized with your purification process. Hence to unfold your angelic qualities think and meditate on the spiritual qualities that you would like to develop... Write its name down in your diary

Floating on Water Floating on the waves To visualize "floating" is a simple letting-go of everything. If your attachment to your body and brain seems a bit loose at the best of times, this is probably not a good thing for you, but if your tendency is to be rigid or over-controlled or tense, perhaps emotionally repressed, this technique might be quite helpful. Lie down and just let go of your muscles, your body, your bones, your thoughts, your feelings. Just let yourself sink on your bed and don't do anything. Every time that you become aware of a thought or an emotion, let it go out of your mind and breathe it out of your system. This is not a relaxation technique nor a meditative exercise — they are disciplines, an exercising, if you will, of our mental and spiritual 'muscles'. This is just becoming totally limp, without boundaries, gently awake and gently aware. It is sometimes possible to sink very deeply into this quite rapidly, but other times it may be more difficult. Often it helps to do a meditative or relaxing exercise first. Many people also find certain kinds of quiet, flowing music helpful. The feeling this process leads to is similar to the letting-go that happens in meditation or relaxation, but definitely not the same, and it seems to be a complement to (but certainly not a substitute for) meditation and relaxation techniques. There is a related technique, which we might call dissolving.

Dissolving in the Earth Looking up from within the ground... You simply lie on the earth and let yourself dissolve into it, letting yourself experience being a part of the earth. Don't make any effort to do this —just let it happen. This is a relaxing-into, a kind of surrendering. It differs from floating in that dissolving is a melding, a becoming one with something else, something large and serene, while floating is more of a being nothing. All of these things — floating, dissolving, meditating — have certain similar effects: a sense of serenity and deep peace, a recharging of energy, a sense of having thoroughly rested. This is, of course, accompanied by the obvious things of reduced physiological stress, a more balanced response to the circumstances of life, et cetera. Yet each of these techniques has different results as well. Meditation strengthens certain abilities — self healing, concentration, attainment of mental skills but more to the point, It seems primarily a mental-energetic activity of opening up and letting go of all stresses and emotions. However, once the stresses disappear, there is a deeper layer of meditation that appears and it unfolds AWARENESS of the AXIAL Cosmic Center of pure Being within oneself. Dissolving nourishes us in some hard-to-define way. When we have done it and really sunk into the earth, we feel cherished, nurtured, and strengthened. We usually feel 'plugged in' to something very large and powerful and loving. The response we have seems primarily emotional with physical and mental 'side effects'.

The effect of floating is harder to define. The response seems primarily spiritual/emotional — there is a sense of lightness and a kind of pervasive, free-floating joy. Something people often notice is that they feel they have shed burdens on some deeply unconscious level, burdens they didn't know they were carrying. It seems to ease transformation. Relaxation is quite difficult for some of us because it is about letting go and releasing boundaries and trusting — and for many of us, that is the hardest thing to do. We may have a lot of fears and insecurities file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (45 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

that arise from being ungrounded and not centered. Hence, we need to learn to deal with those in a positive way. The different types of exercises and essays which you find on this website are written specifically to help and encourage seekers in the many different layers of awakening... ESOTERIC MEDITATION Imagine a sphere of dazzling white brilliance above your head. Then with an exhalation of breath, see a beam of white light descend and form another sphere of white light at the throat center… On an out breath, see a beam of light descend from the second sphere to establish a third sphere in your chest region… Continue the same process to build a fourth sphere in your genital region… and finally a fifth, encompassing your ankles and feet… Use imagination to build the intensity of the spheres… allow their radiance to permeate you… for the rest of the meditation period bathe in the influence of these spheres of divine light… ESOTERIC EXERCISE Healing with Light Sit or lie in a comfortable, relaxed position. Let your eyes close and begin to relax. Take several slow, deep breaths into your abdomen. Let the air out of your lungs with a big sigh, and just let the inhalation happen by itself. Notice if your chest rises or if your belly rises when you breathe in. See if you can let the air move your abdomen more than your chest. Relax your chest muscles and relax the muscles in the area of your stomach. Let your breath flow in and out like ocean waves. With each wave of breath, let your body become more relaxed. Let waves of relaxation sweep over you. Let the relaxation flow into every muscle and tendon from the top of your head to the tips of your finger and toes. Imagine that you are surrounded by white light. This is a light of purity and protection. Inside the area of this light there can be no negativity. It is a light of love. Allow this light to shine all around you and through you. Now change the light to one of shimmering gold. The golden light is flecked with sparkling healing green light. Shine this gold and green light into every cell of your body. Notice any areas in your body that remain dark. Perhaps this is an area that needs special attention. Draw your consciousness to that area and invite the light to cleanse it of any impurity or dysfunction. Release any tension in that area. Release any negative emotions. Replace it with the light of love. If this is an area of disease, try to see the disease. What does it look like in your imagination? This is your own personal image. It need not be scientific. It can be symbolic. Imagine that healing is taking place. The disease is not part of you, it is but a temporary obstacle to full health and functioning. In your mind’s eye, see the dysfunction being removed. Create a picture in your mind of the healer. It might be a person, or group of people or animals, or machines, or forces of nature working on your illness. What are they doing to help you? Get a clear picture. Take as much time as you want to let the process continue. Remember the images you have created so that you can return to them and continue the inner healing later on. Regular practice is more likely to bring the results you seek than sporadic longer sessions. The time just before you go to sleep and right after you awaken are excellent times to practice. Remember the light, so that you can shine it any time you want. Make it a habit to clear your mind and heart with a loving white light. Surround yourself with it to ward off negativity. Use the gold and green shimmering light to focus your healing power. Fill yourself with light to lighten your inner world. Use it to wash away obstacles and blocked energy. Visualize your body as whole and healthy. See yourself as your perfect self. file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (46 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

AN INTUITIVE METHOD OF MAKING DECISIONS EXERCISES To facilitate your work it is advisable to tape this exercise or do it with a few friends. RELAXATION AND PURIFICATION Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breathing…finding a rhythm of breathing that is calming and relaxing… (pause) During several cycles of respiration, simply be aware of your breathing…becoming more and more present… more and more with yourself…with each cycle of breathing…(pause) Be aware of how you feel…of your mood…of thoughts coming and going… and be in a state of acceptance of yourself. (pause) Imagine yourself in a beautiful natural place surrounded by all the beauties of nature that are energizing you and allow yourself to perceive nature with your inner senses…absorbing into yourself all the beneficial qualities of nature as you wander through the landscape you have imagined… (pause) Once you feel energized bring your attention to your spinal column… imagine your body as a vertical column of light…firm and supple…wide and long… a column of light extending down into the earth… grounding you… connecting you to the earth… allowing you to release tension from your body to give to the earth… (pause) Imagine light from the universe flowing into you through the crown of your head… flowing and circulating in you… flowing into your heart … and flowing through you… energy of earth… energy of universe… flowing in you…filling you …and circulating through your body as a river of light… (pause) Imagine your body is surrounded by a sphere of light… a sphere of protection and, within the circle of light, within the boundary of your sacred space… you can be with yourself…secure and stable… present… breathing….receiving what you need from the earth…receiving what you need from the sky…for balance… for healing…for being with yourself…. (longer pause We are going to explore possible ways of decision making, trying to understand the advantages and inconveniences of making and taking decisions. Remain very relaxed and allow your intuition to be your guide… remain open and alert… and when you feel ready bring your awareness to a decision in your life that you are facing now… (pause) Be in contact with how your feel at this moment and observe the various emotions you may be experiencing in relation to the choices you are exploring…(pause) Let go of stress and accept the feelings that you are observing in yourself… let go of worry and fear and breathe into your belly…grounding yourself and relaxing… (pause) Bring back to memory a difficult decision that you are facing now in your life…Be aware of the fact that, in relation to the choice you are facing to make, there are several possibilities available to you… and affirm within yourself that you are prepared to explore these different possibilities from an intuitive perspective… (pause) Imagine yourself strolling in the garden or in nature… and as you walk…you are reflecting on the problem you are facing… simply allowing thoughts and feelings to come and go…within yourself, define all possible options open to you…here are two examples of options, with a job, either you can take the job or not…a need of changing a habit, a practice or not… Imagine , as you walk in your garden or nature spot, that you find yourself on a path, and on the path, you arrive at a crossroad, where the path divides and becomes 2, 3, 4… paths Imagine the first path as the path of one option, the second path as the path of another option, and then file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (47 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

choose a third one and maybe a fourth one, give each path a name, and a title… Take your time in doing this… and remember them (long pause) Be aware of how you feel in your body and begin to walk along the first path, the path of the first option, and note very carefully the path itself, the landscape, the atmosphere, the weather, and above all the way you feel within yourself as you take this path…(pause) Where is this path going? [pause] What is your destination? [pause] What will this option give you? [pause] Are there other people on the path? [pause] What inner qualities does this path demand of you? [pause] What inner qualities do you need to succeed on this path? [pause] Is it a path that feels right for you? [pause] Be open to the impressions you receive, to the physical sensations you experience in your body and to your feeling in the heart…(pause) When you feel satisfied, go back along the path, arriving at the crossroad where you began and repeat the same procedure along the path that represents number two option, look at the name you have given to this second path and be aware of how you feel in your body and begin to walk along the second path, noting very carefully the landscape, the atmosphere, the weather, and above all the way you feel within yourself as you take this path…(pause) Where is this path going? What is your destination? Are there other people on the path? What inner qualities does this path demand of you? What inner qualities do you need to succeed on this path? Is it a path that feels right for you? Be open to the impressions you receive, to the physical sensations you experience in your body and to your feeling in the heart…(pause) Imagine as you journey along this path that you come across an old wise being who is waiting for you… Create a contact with this being and allow yourself to ask advice from him or her about this path… about what it can give you, what it can teach you… (long pause) When you feel satisfied, go back along the path, arriving at the crossroad where you began and repeat the same procedure along the path that represents number three option, look at the name you have given to this second path and be aware of how you feel in your body and begin to walk along the third path, noting very carefully the landscape, the atmosphere, the weather, and above all the way you feel within yourself as you take this path…(pause)

Where is this path going? [pause] What is your destination? [pause] What will this option give you? [pause] Are there other people on the path? [pause] What inner qualities does this path demand of you? [pause] What inner qualities do you need to succeed on this path? [pause] Is it a path that feels right for you? [pause] Be open to the impressions you receive, to the physical sensations you experience in your body and to your feeling in the heart…(pause) file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (48 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

When you feel satisfied, go back along the path, arriving at the crossroad where you began and repeat the same procedure along the path that represents number four option, look at the name you have given to this fourth path and be aware of how you feel in your body and begin to walk along the fourth path, noting very carefully the landscape, the atmosphere, the weather, and above all the way you feel within yourself as you take this path…asking yourself the same questions and then meeting with your wise being…( long pause) Be open to the impressions you receive, to the physical sensations you experience in your body and to your feeling in the heart…[pause] When you have finished exploring, return to your garden or the spot (or sacred cell) in nature that you have chosen… and install yourself well into a meditative mood… ask yourself Which of these paths corresponds to the path of my soul… to my true and correct path? Be available for the response you receive. Ask yourself: Which of these paths brings joy to my heart? Be available for the response you receive When you feel ready, relax your awareness and return to your normal state of consciousness Take a few notes in your diary.

SPIRITUAL PSYCHOLOGY A MULTITUDE OF LIVES EXERCISE : SELF IDENTIFICATION 1 - Become aware of your BODY. For some time, just notice in a neutral way - and without trying to change them - all the physical sensations you can be conscious of. Be aware, for example, of the contact of your body with the chair you are sitting on, of your feet with the ground, of your clothes with your skin. Be aware of your breathing. When you feel you have explored your physical sensations long enough, leave them and go on to the next step. 2 - Become aware of your FEELINGS What feeling are you experiencing right now? And which are the principal feelings you experience recurrently in your life? Consider the apparently positive and negative ones: love and irritation, jealousy and tenderness, depression and elation... Do not JUDGE. Just view your usual feelings with the objective attitude of a scientific investigator taking an inventory. When you are satisfied, shift your attention from this area and proceed to the next step. 3 - Turn your attention to your DESIRES. Adopting the same impartial attitude as before, review the main desires which take turns in motivating your life. Often you may well be identified with one or the other of these but now you simply consider them, side by side. Finally, leave your desires and continue with the next step. 4 - Observe the world of your THOUGHTS. As soon as a thought emerges, watch it until another one takes its place, then another one, and so on. If you think you are not having any thoughts, realize that this too is a thought. Watch your stream of consciousness as it flows by: memories, opinions, nonsense, arguments, images. Do this for a couple of minutes, then dismiss this realm as well from your observation. 5 - THE OBSERVER The one who has been watching your sensations, feelings, desires, and thoughts - is not the same as the object it observes. WHO IS IT THAT HAS BEEN OBSERVING ALL THESE REALMS? It is your CENTER OF PURE BEING. The Center of Being is not an image or a thought; it is that ESSENCE which has been observing all these realms and yet is distinct from all of them. And you are that CENTER OF PURE BEING. Say inwardly: file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (49 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

"I AM THE CENTER OF PURE BEING, A CENTER OF PURE CONSCIOUSNESS" Seek to realize this for about two minutes. (Always take notes in your diary) For more explanations read the articles about: What are Subpersonalities?

PURIFYING THE AURA EXERCISE TUNNEL OF LIGHT Imagine that you are in a tunnel with walls made of luminous light. You are floating through it, your body spinning slowly so that you lose any sense of which way is up, down, right, or left. Imagine swirling through this tunnel surrounded by colors that are bright and pure. See the reds, roses, greens, pinks, golds, turquoises, blues, greens, and violets. Imagine that these brilliant colors are literally dissolv-ing any negative energy and freeing you to feel balanced and joyful again. Each time you do this exercise, bring in the colors that are the most intensely pleasurable. Let your weightless body turn as it moves through the tunnel of colors. This is a very healing exercise for the mind as well as the emotions. As you become skillful at visualizing the colors of the rainbow in your tunnel of light, the effect increases. Your body will feel different when you come out of the tunnel—relaxed and revitalized from the healing power of each color radiating through your body.

CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE PERFECT MODEL PART : I Visualizing , Imagining and Creating A Perfect Model In these pages, I share my spiritual and mystical experiences with whomever can attune and resonate with the messages and seed ideas contained herein. Those readers will welcome them as confirmation of their own quest and inner discoveries, while those who are not yet open to discover or understand their own mystery will find them outrageous. What I reveal on this part of my essays is a secret and sacred part of my life of which even my closest family and friends know nothing. In the following pages, you will find ways to unfold your spiritual self, this being your center of Being-ness. I demonstrate how to become aware of seed ideas that are engraved in the soul of all human beings, and ways to energize and awaken them. These messages have been written to help you, the reader, discover how to approach your own mystery. The search begins in earnest when the need to discover your real identity unfolds within you and a question reverberates and echoes in the center of your heart: “Who Am I?” Exploring Consciousness and the Essence of Reality The theme of this website is the exploration of the nature of consciousness. The problem, however, is that words, those limited expressions of the mind, cannot explain the unchanging, unlimited nature of pure consciousness. All they can do is point to the absolute state of consciousness that is the Center of Pure Being, the nature of which cannot be described in words. What, then, is the purpose of writing about this subject if words cannot convey the truth about it to others? What is the point of writing about

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (50 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

consciousness, when the result will not change anybody’s level of consciousness? The point is that this website can potentially steer you in a new direction, show how to proceed in your quest, and inspire those who are in harmony with the essence of these messages coming from the Source of Being. The messages are intended to harmonize you with seed ideas, signs and symbols scattered here and there in the messages, keys that will open up for you the abstract world of hidden and dormant knowledge that is inherent in your center of pure consciousness. These seed ideas will resonate within you, become clearer, and fall into place in your psyche because, through their essence and symbols, you will be prepared to intuitively pass through the gateway to your own inner universe. Subsequently, your own Center of Pure Being and the center of the Universe will gradually blend and harmonize, and consciousness will have recognized its own reflection in the mirror of consciousness. Our own consciousness creates the world around us that we take to be real. Why “consciousness” rather than intellect or mind? Because unless we concentrate and become conscious of things in which we are interested, our “thinking” and “emotional” processes will not register their existence. We will remain unconscious and ignorant of them since these things will not make an impact on us, therefore they will not exist for us and thus will not be created. If your mental and emotional creations are not in harmony with mine, my creation will remain unknown and non-existent to you, and in the same manner, your creations will not exist for me. From our own perspective, none of us will be able to register our different visions of reality, unless I can show you how you can be involved and interested in what I do, and how I see and live my personal reality, and you do the same for me. Thus, at a certain point, if we want to “meet” each other, we must go beyond our limited perception of reality and search for common ground. Unless we open up and become interested in each others’ way of being, and search for common understanding of the essence of reality, life will remain a mystery to us. So the first step in opening up and understanding our differences is to be aware of the limitations imposed by our ego. It is our egos that separate “my” reality from “your” reality. Fortunately, there are ways of interacting and respecting each others’ different ways of “being in the world.” The average person who is not a seeker identifies perfectly with his ego, and is not worried about his ego or how others perceive truth and reality. The seeker, on the other hand, knows that ego is the problem, that it must be under the control of the soul, that it needs to loosen and open up, that it must be transformed so that the soul can express the Divine qualities within the human psyche. For its part, the ego, the self-consciousness in a human being, must understand and realize intellectually through life’s experiences that it is only a distorted “image” of the soul, because the ego “is” the identified consciousness of the center of pure consciousness. The goal of the spiritual process is simply to make the ego realize that it has no independent existence, that it is merely a reflection of the Divine Essence that is at the source of consciousness. Thus, we can say that the ego, or limited consciousness of man, is a restricted perception of creation. What is creation, anyway? The manifestation of consciousness itself. Since consciousness needs a vehicle to become aware of itself, it can only do so by expressing itself in the world of duality. Is this a paradox? Not at all! The

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (51 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

impersonal level of consciousness, or Cosmic Consciousness, the Essence of Being remains unchanged and does not create anything. It is the Void, the center of inactivity, of silence and just being, the “stuff” from which impersonal Cosmic Consciousness expands and enters vehicles that become individual, limited reflections of it. However, apart from the self-consciousness of the ego, which makes one aware that “I am me,” there are two more important levels of consciousness. The second awakening of consciousness still functions in the ego and the world of duality and dualism and it says, “I AM conscious of being a direct individual expression of the soul or God.” The third level of consciousness can be defined as, “I AM the central source of consciousness pervading everything that is created and uncreated.” The ego cannot experience this third level of Consciousness because it belongs to the “neutral axial pole” within being, in which the Law of Duality disappears. This level of consciousness no longer takes “form” since it is the source of omnipotent and omnipresent consciousness itself. Thus from this axial center of Being within man, limited consciousness of the ego returns to merge into its own Uncreated Center of Absolute Consciousness. This is the key that will unleash the gates of your true Being. You will pass through various inner processes that will, throughout your life, reflect different levels of consciousness, until that moment when you become aware that you have an inner “model” that follows each of your steps, a spiritual mapping showing you how to proceed in your quest. It is a thread that you must follow to reach an inner purified plane that leads to pure consciousness, in which your astral and mental bodies will be ready to be “reshaped” in the Divine “mold.” In this Perfect Mold, your self-consciousness will blend with the essence of your soul, encompassing within it its divine ethereal features. This mold will chisel your Divine Face within all of your subtle bodies, and in time, you will become conscious and know it well. DUALITY VERSUS DUALISM When you, the seeker, attune and connect with your Divine Face and express it here on the physical plane, you will still have to “live” in dualism. This means, that your Divine Face manifests and is attuned to everything you do through your human faculties. Hence, all your experiences and the work you do bear the imprint of the essence of your soul and are therefore reflected in whatever you do, say or think on this plane of existence. This is “living in dualism,” and is completely different from the world in which people “live as duality.” Dualism means that the Divine faculties in you express through human attributes, here on this plane of existence, while the world of duality means that self-consciousness and soul-consciousness are separate and therefore in conflict. Duality is a world of paradoxes and extreme opposites that co-exist, yet are at war with each other. An obvious example: I was given a name at birth, I am a married woman, and enjoy the company of family and friends, yet I also know that I must share whatever my intuition and “intelligence of the heart” dictate. Hence this website. On my journey, I discovered my Divine Face and entered the Perfect Mold, in which I am taking the shape imprinted in my consciousness. On one level, my name is Alice, yet it is a mask, a clever disguise. In truth, I am simply energy coming file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (52 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

from the unmanifested Presence of Being. Through the essence of our Soul or pure Essence, each of us is impregnated by a “Perfect Model”, the manifestation of the unmanifested and uncreated Spirit that is potentially engrained in our Being and reflects in our psyche. As individuals, we become conscious of its existence only when certain impulses and experiences have been aroused and stimulated in the subconscious and subjective parts of our psyche. This means that our quest to understand our own mystery, the mystery of the meaning of life itself, begins just then and can never really exist before that crucial moment. On this website, I encourage you to begin in earnest your search for the beloved Presence within you that is your Divine Face. This presence will gradually reflect itself back to you through dreams, insights and intuitions, slowly revealing the mold of your pure Being in which you will have to enter so as to take a “new shape” and receive the new features (qualities) of your Divine Face. That is indeed, my dearest wish.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS PART : 2

Contacting and creating the Perfect Model About Free Will We have free will only when our soul personality is not yet in touch with our ego personality, in other words, when the soul and ego are not in harmony, when there is no direct contact. Hence, the soul leaves the ego alone to experience whatever it wants to experience. Pleasures, desires, strong emotions of all kinds, and compulsive needs are all necessary steps that we have to take in the process of awakening. However, things start to change when the ego ripens and needs to experience another aspect of its own mystery. Then, a Divine image appears, a Divine face calls the ego to awaken and look in the mirror of its true self. There, an invisible presence makes its appearance and influences the ego. From that moment on, we are no longer free. A higher will guides our steps and we feel ready to attune to the impulses coming from a different source. Where and what is this source? It is the inspiration and guidance coming from what Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Plotinus and others called the daemon, which is a reflected image and a projection, an extension and manifestation of the Energy of the Soul, a guiding influence, a good invisible companion that accompanies each ego personality towards its awakening process. In other words, the daemon is the projection of our inner guide, a counselor and intimate friend, a teacher and advisor who takes care of us while we are traveling in the inner and outer worlds of our experiences. ("Deamon" should not to be confused with a demon). If you choose to take this path, you should not be surprised to discover that synchronicity follows you everywhere and directs your steps, veering you in unsuspected and sometimes unknown directions. When this time comes, do not hesitate. Follow your lucky star and allow your intuition to guide you. And when your mind lets go, abandon everything, follow the intelligence of your heart, and let this magic moment happen. Like the bouncing ball, trust and let yourself fall into the abyss of your own being, for there, you will never be alone. An invisible hand will hold you all the way down where sweet Eros (pure spiritual love) awaits you. Then, real life and existence bounces back into your life and it appears in the form of a good friend, the daemon, which is a projected image of your soul, that gradually manifests in your inner life, directing your spiritual unfoldment until you meet with someone who is enlightened being and with whom you will begin working. He or she will be your physical initiator, the silent guide who will skillfully take you around the maze of your psyche. True initiation awakens pure consciousness of Being and has nothing to do with outer rituals that are only the preparatory steps towards this end. The real awakening process begins on this plane of existence but its goal is to reach another one that belongs to the soul. Thus at the right moment, an enlightened person file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (53 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

living on this plane should show up in your life and guide you through the various realms that need to be awakened within your being. This teacher will subtly show you that a physical plane event could also open a passage to another dimension. In other words, the role of such a wise teacher is to activate the dormant spiritual energies within you and show you how to live on “two planes” at the same time.

"KNOW THYSELF" and the process of Spiritual Psychology However, remember that it is your intuition that will tell you if you are resonating with it. Your Soul will then do the rest and unveil for you the perfect MOLD in which as “self conscious being” you will gradually integrate. meditate and resonate with the center of beingness and allow an impression and a feeling to emerge. This process of attunement to your Perfect Model can be a long one, or a short one. This does not matter. Remember that within you exists your Perfect Model - The Essence and Quality of the Perfect Model is one. It is omnipresent and Omnipotent in every human being. What changes, is the reflection of its Image. For some it is the Cosmic and androgynous aspect of Christ, for other it is an expression and quality of a Cosmic Buddha (Samantabhadra), or of any other great avatar. Avatars are the expressions of the unique and universal Perfect Model. The blueprint and image engrained in our psyche. This is the key that invites the Perfect Model to appear and take "form" within our consciousness and express itself in the world of duality. Hence, this is my gift to you, dear readers. I am giving you the same opportunity as I was given many years ago to work with a sacred icon, remembering always, that its "magic" happens only if you can RESONATE with it and attune to your own Perfect Model and enter gradually its consecrated MOLD. However, remember that your Perfect Model can "look" different, but the Energy and Quality of its inner Wisdom and Quality remain forever the same in your consciousness. Affectionately. Alice

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS PART : 3 A DIVINE PERFECT MODEL "Or The Consciousness of Pure Being-ness" ( Remember that for your Perfect Model to "appear" and become part of your ordinary level of consciousness, your ego must first let go of distorted "models" and let itself "merge" with the center of pure Being.) . An other advice, is that you cannot turn to God or your pure center of Being [or, the Self] without turning away your attention from the little ego self, - from the "me" and "mine"... A REMINDER AND AN IMPORTANT ADVICE ON THE PRACTICE To unfold the "Perfect Model" is a step in the right direction... it helps you to RESONATE with the concealed Energy of your sacred Image.. your concentration may help you to merge into a state of openness and alert passivity, in which true contemplation becomes possible, but on the other hand, it could result in some kind of false, incomplete or confused contemplation... Just be aware that the divine Ground of all being reveals itself only to those in whom there is no ego-concentration of any kind of volition, thought or feeling... This truth is summed up when Meister Eckhart says: " He who seeks God under settled form lays hold of the form, while missing the God concealed in it. " The point clearly is to seek God or the Source of Being provisionally under a form which from the beginning is clearly recognized as merely a SYMBOL OF file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (54 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

REALITY, a mere signboard or a pointer that must some time or other be discarded in favor of what it stands for : " To seek Him under a settled form - settled because regarded as the very shape of Reality is to commit oneself to illusion and a kind of idolatry." Love came and like blood filled my veins and tissues, Emptied me of myself and filled me with the Friend, The friend has taken possession of every atom of my being. The name is all that I have left now — all the rest is He. Truth did not come into the world naked, but it came in the types and images. It will not receive it in any other fashion. There is a rebirth and an image of rebirth. It is fitting for those who do not only receive the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, but have obtained them for themselves. If anyone does not obtain them for himself, the name also will be taken from him. But one receives them in the chrism of the fullness of the power of the Cross, which the apostles call the right and the left. For this one is no longer a Christian but a Christ.

(From :Meditations: Trinity Sunday) "THE LIPS OF WISDOM ARE CLOSED EXCEPT TO THE EARS OF UNDERSTANDING" from the Kybalion

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS PART: 4

Master of Wisdom and the Perfect Model

1 - At the top of this diagram, we see a sun symbolizing Primordial Wisdom and the source of our Perfect Model (which is also the center of pure Being and Consciousness). 2 - The rays descending from the sun represent different individual paths of enlightenment. 3 - These rays carry the Essence of pure Wisdom in enlightened beings and incarnated masters of wisdom. (presented here by different colors). 4 - Enlightened masters of wisdom all represent the unique Essence of Being and Consciousness. As role models and guides they show us the way to unfold and awaken consciousness and wisdom. PRIMORDIAL WISDOM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MASTER OF WISDOM The wisdom of a world avatar or of an enlightened being comes directly from the source of Primordial Wisdom and the way to open up to its influence comes by following a special path. A path that unfolds the Perfect Model within. In other words, an avatar and a realized master are both incarnated beings who file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (55 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

manifest and incarnate Primordial Wisdom through their chosen Perfect Model. In other words they activate the expressions and qualities of their Perfect Model and its Wisdom through their enlightened level of consciousness. Hence, avatars such as Jesus, or Buddha , Krishna and so many other known and unknown enlightened and realized human beings have all drawn their wisdom from the same unique Primordial Source. However, each mystical and religious tradition expresses the same Primordial Wisdom in a particular and different way, according to the cultural background of its their religion and philosophy. So, all realized beings vibrate and are in resonance with the Source of Primordial Wisdom and they vibrate and resonate incessantly with their Perfect Model. Moreover, the essence of their wisdom and degree of compassion reverberate for ever within the center of being in every incarnated person. However, the seeker has to recognize and follow the "inner Path" that unfolds the initiatory process of reaching the Perfect Model. However, the seeker must take into account the karmic links that have been forged in the past and discover the special requirements that he/she must still develop and experience. Gradually, by attuning and merging with the Essence of his/her Perfect Model, the seeker's level of consciousness unites with the center of Primordial Wisdom. This explains how the Perfect Model appears within oneself. It appears, when the inherent qualities of the Perfect Model manifest and enlighten the consciousness of a seeker. For this reason, we understand that a realized person's level of consciousness is a manifestation of the Primordial Wisdom. However, for the rest of humanity enlightenment is hidden and inactive within the psyche. For this reason the Perfect Model's reflection in consciousness remains obscured and veiled in the subconscious of all human beings.

Inner Purification When the seeker purifies his/her psyche and thought processes, this means that his/her subtle bodies have entered the pure container or "Perfect Mold" and that the qualities of the Perfect Model are gradually revealed. However, we can ask, what is the Perfect Mold? It is the inner purified space and the fertile ground in which the divine qualities of the Perfect Model are revealed and expressed - "The Perfect Mold" or pure container represents the field in which the alchemical transmutation of the ego takes place. It is the space in which the limited and gross energies of the seeker are transformed and purified. In other words the "Perfect Mold" is used as a symbol to describe a "mysterious substance" in which the mystery of the inner process unfolds and nurtures universal and divine qualities - The Perfect Mold is the "fertile space" in which the metamorphosis of consciousness takes place...It also represents the "Nuptial Chamber" in which the ego enters willingly to vibrate, resonate and unite with the Beloved - the Perfect Model.

As an example: Visualizing a vortex of pure White Light or spiritual Fire entering through your crown chakra and purifying the etheric and astral bodies within you. This is a simple way of creating and energizing the Perfect Mold BhagavadGita IV:6, VII:25 file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (56 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Buddha means "The Awakened One" Christ means "The Anointed One"

"WHEN THE PERFECT MODEL BLENDS IN A SEEKER'S LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS, THEN HIS/HER LEVEL OF AWARENESS BECOMES IMBUED WITH THE ESSENCE OF VACUITY AND PROFOUND SILENCE " "I AM ONE AND UNIQUE IN ESSENCE AND AM THE SAME IN ALL PERFECT MODELS" . I will explain my nature: It is a unique Essence that infuses consciousness in everyone. It is the Presence of Beingness in consciousness" the single state of consciousness of the individual

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS A Program Of 10 Special Exercises To Unfold The Perfect Model INTRODUCTION This section offers ten exercises and one of the Perfect Models, a diagram that explains how this particular inner process works once you have put into practice all ten exercises. These exercises should be done on daily for at least five to six months. However, intuition is the best guide and, if there is a need to prolong the time you practice a particular exercise, or wait between two exercises, please honor your intuition. These exercises show you how this profound mystical process unfolds within your psyche. It explains how the Perfect Mold, or spiritual DNA, transforms your self-consciousness into a unity with the Cosmic Consciousness of your Perfect Model. I can only hint at the process here, for your intuition will bring you answers that are yours alone, each answer being a seed idea that will awaken a subtle energy or vibration within your consciousness and, in time, these seed ideas will work together to manifest their qualities in your life. The whole process begins and ends with consciousness, starting with self-consciousness and ending with Cosmic Consciousness. The Sacred Chalice and Sacred Grail diagrams contain symbolic and potent “keys” that explain the unfolding inner process of purification, illumination and enlightenment. These exercises are to be developed on your own with the aid of your intuition. What follows is a general idea of the inner spiritual process that has worked for me and brought me face-to-face with my ideal model so as to integrate my conscious self into its Divine Mold, but please allow your intuition to customize them for you. They are one way of unfolding this incredible process within you, one that I hope will help you as much as it has helped me. Please read this entire chapter and begin only when you are sure that you understand all the steps. If you wish, you can tape them. Each of the phases of this work will unfold your inner process and energize seed ideas for your awakening and enlightenment, hence when performed in the right frame of mind, they will develop in your psyche in a natural way. The symbols you will be working with are universal “keys” opening to powerful subtle energies within your being. The exercises are: 1 - Breathing meditation. 2 - Rainbow cocoon. 3 - Cave Meditation 4 - Creating your Sacred Cell. 5 - Manifesting your Inner Guide. file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (57 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

6 - Attuning to your Soul. 7 - The Temple of Light. 8 - The Flame and the Divine Mold. 9 - Creating your Divine Mold. 10 - Your Divine Perfect Model. If pauses occur naturally between the phases, accept them for they represent assimilation time. Also, keep a journal of your inner journey, as this will be helpful later.

Before starting any mystical work: 1. Make sure that you will not be disturbed. 2. Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor with your back erect, or lie down. Make yourself comfortable. 3. Close your eyes and relax as deeply as possible. 4. Always begin with the breathing exercise, inhaling the pure atmosphere that you have created around you and exhaling all the stale air and stresses that you carry within you. Later you will learn how to visualize and create a consecrated atmosphere in and around you HERMETIC - ESOTERIC - MYSTICAL PHILOSOPHIES

Special Exercise : 3 Cave Meditation Remember that these exercises are to be developed on your own with the aid of your intuition. What follows is a general idea of the inner spiritual process that has worked for me and brought me face-to-face with my ideal model so as to integrate my conscious self into its Divine Mold, but please allow your intuition to customize them for you. They are one way of unfolding this incredible process within you, one that I hope will help you as much as it has helped me. Please read this entire chapter and begin only when you are sure that you understand all the steps. If you wish, you can tape them. Each of the phases of this work will unfold your inner process and energize seed ideas for your awakening and enlightenment, hence when performed in the right frame of mind, they will develop in your psyche in a natural way. The symbols you will be working with are universal “keys” opening to powerful subtle energies within your being. Exercise 3: Cave Meditation Precede any inner work with exercises 1 and 2 as they will purify you from the negativity and stresses that have been accumulated during your daily activities and help you enter a higher spiritual plane. When you are ready, invite your intuition to accompany you on your inner journey. If you wish, you can ask your intuition to take a special symbolic “form” for you, allowing your intuition to choose how it wants to appear for you. Always accept the first impression that comes. 1 - Together, see yourselves enter a dark cave. Make the cave as real as you can, and, like a hermit, put yourself in this atmosphere for a while. In this dark and humid place, reflect on your life, on who you think you are, and what you have done with your life. 2 - Look at the events in your life and relive the most important. Watch them play out as if you were viewing yourself in a movie, observing from your impersonal center of being, the ego patterns that you have created. At all times during your introspection, remember to remain in touch with the center of pure consciousness and from that neutral point, reflect on the qualities that you have developed and come to know well. Rekindle your goals and aspirations. Let your guide be the witness of your reflections and if you feel that you need its assistance, ask for it. You will find this period of self-discovery rewarding because it will bring up forgotten memories that need to be consciously discarded. 3 - Try to spend time in your cave everyday, in the morning and at night before going to sleep. Do not file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (58 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

attempt to fantasize or imagine things happening around you. Try to remain calm and meditative even in your visualization. You create the atmosphere within yourself to invite the impulses coming from your soul to assist you in this inner process. This inner space allows you to let go of everything you no longer need. You are learning to get in touch with the energy of the archetypal Hermit, which means that you are letting go of all the illusions of the world and entering a place within you where your inner desire for purification will unfold. Hence your intent has to be real and powerful. This is personal work and you will need to create this astral place by yourself with your thoughts and emotions. In this way, you will also create the astral body of the Hermit, which your consciousness will inhabit whenever you are in your cave. By doing this kind of inner work, you are assisting your soul in pouring into your psyche the qualities and power needed to unfold higher levels of consciousness. You are also helping yourself to understand better the mystery of who you really are. • 4- Try exercise 3 for at least a week, and when you feel ready, move on to exercise THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS

Special Exercise : 4 Creating Your Sacred Cell Always precede exercise 4 by exercises 1 and 2. When you feel ready, visualize that the room around you is dissolving completely in an ocean of high spiritual vibrations. Let the waves of energy of your imagination transport you far away, say, to the top of a sacred mountain. Within yourself, unfold the energetic qualities of the Hermit, a seeker of solitude and rest from the turmoil of the world. Look around you and sense that you are a lone traveler, seeking to find refuge. Try to get in touch with the feeling of being a traveler who needs to create a sacred space. Your intuition will guide your search, and find the perfect spot for you. As always, accept the first impression that you receive. The place your intuition finds for you will be rooted in your ethereal and mystical heart and will be your axial pole, the pillar of consciousness and your point of contact, which will harmonize all the magnetic energies among your subtle bodies. This place will be a consecrated and most holy inner space, where the energies of the earth and sky will meet, where the temporal and transient part of your life will blend and transmute into the infinity of Pure Being. Let your intuition guide you in the construction of your holy place, the place you will come to pray, meditate, contemplate, reflect and receive intuitive impulses from the higher realms. It will be the place where you will make contact and commune with your soul and higher intelligences. After finding the right place to construct your Sacred Cell, in your mind’s eye, make your holy place as simple as possible, putting in only what you really need, such as a bed, a chair, a table, a candle, a few books and a small window. The atmosphere that you create within your cell is vital, as its atmosphere will resonate in your mystical heart and consciousness. It will also prepare you for the process that will put you in touch with your spiritual DNA. Visualize light creating your Sacred Cell. It takes form as you watch, and as you begin to experience the creation of your cell within your being, feel its vibrations blending softly with the light in your aura, energizing your whole being with its blazing light. Once you have successfully created your Sacred Cell, you can project yourself in this holy place whenever you feel like it. It is a special space within you where you will receive and exchange sacred knowledge and commune with the Masters of Wisdom, each of whom represents a sacred mold, a characteristic type of spiritual DNA. By visiting often this sacred place, you will become a consecrated being, and come to realize that a silent presence resides behind your ego presence — your Perfect Model, the mold that you will, in time, penetrate. The Perfect Mold is also called robe of glory and the body of light. After you have constructed your Sacred Cell and you feel in harmony in it, move on to exercise 5. THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (59 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Special Exercise : 5 Manifesting Your Inner Guide Precede exercise 5 by exercises 1 and 2. Enter your Sacred Cell in your usual way and light one or more candles that are on your table. Sit on your chair and close your eyes. Repeat the breathing exercise so as to relax you even more, and then ask your inner self or guide to manifest in front of you and appear in your cell. Your inner guide can take any shape—the ways it can manifest for you are explained in this book. Remember that whatever shape it takes, it will be a projection and an extension of your soul, and this will depend on the level of your attunement with it on the inner planes. Always accept and trust the first impression that you receive. Every time you visit your Sacred Cell, you may call upon your inner guide, and sometimes, it may have a different appearance, aspect or quality representing your soul. Pay attention to this because your inner guide is the invisible presence of your Pure Being, veiled behind the symbolic expression that you see in your cell. Come to know your inner guide well, and have intimate conversations and confessions. It is important to develop a closer relationship with your inner guide because, with time, it will help you unfold a mysterious inner process that will open for you the path of your awakening to higher dimensions of yourself. This inner process will give you insights into sacred primordial knowledge and wisdom that are engraved in your soul. Take notes in your diary of your experiences and impressions, and record the intuitions, feelings and thoughts that you receive from the inner planes. · When you feel ready, go on to exercise 6. THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 6 Attuning to Your Soul or Pure Being (Harmonizing Your Psychic Centers) Precede this exercise by exercises 1 and 2. Within your Sacred Cell, stand erect, arms at your sides, eyes closed. Relax and breathe gently, deeply and slowly. Imagine that a glowing sphere of the purest white light hovers above your head (crown chakra). The distance between you and the sphere may vary, but accept the distance that feels right for you. For a few minutes, feel the sphere’s warmth and dazzling rays surrounding the top of your head, until you really feel immersed by its rays. Now see the sphere of light moving down to the region of your third eye center, between your eyebrows. Imagine the sphere moving into it. Take a few deep breaths, keeping your attention on the sphere and feel its energy expanding more and more around your head. Now see the sphere moving down to your throat chakra. Again, see it gradually expanding, as the purest light emanates from your throat. Breathe slowly in and out a few times, keeping your attention on this light. See its rays illuminating the whole area around it. When you are ready, visualize the dazzling sphere moving down to your heart chakra. Take a few deep breaths, and keep your attention on it as you feel its energy expanding more and more in your chest. Next, bring your attention to your solar plexus, and visualize the sphere moving down to the area of your abdomen. Once more, take a few deep breaths and focus on the light glowing from that place. Feel the energy expanding gently from that area, healing, discarding, purifying, ever-expanding, bringing vitality and goodness all around it. Visualize now the sphere moving to your pelvic area, and take a few deep breaths, focusing on the power of the sphere in this area. Feel the energy expanding gently from your pelvic region, discarding, healing, purifying and expanding vitality and life force. Finally, visualize the pure light moving down to your feet. See the brilliant glowing light around your feet. Take a few deep breaths into that region. As you inhale, imagine that this is your grounding place, your soul’s point of contact with the earth. Having stimulated all the spiritual energies within your subtle bodies, feel that all the projected lights of file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (60 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

your soul are resonating in harmony with each other. Take some time to experience the ethereal qualities that are pouring into your being. Let them be activated and energized in all your etheric and astral bodies. Let them vibrate in unison and harmony. When this happens, it means that you, as a being of light, are attuned and resonating with the vibrations of your soul’s sacred number. Your whole body is glowing and resonating with the intent and goal of your soul. Inhale deeply, holding the image of your mystical attunement with your soul and, as you exhale, imagine the energy of your soul flowing in and around you. Now focus your attention on the rays of light radiating and penetrating your entire body, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet Breathe deeply a few more times, imagining that the pure light energy of your soul is flowing all around your aura. Make it circulate and flow clockwise, forming a sphere around you. Let the pure energy flowing in the sphere penetrate through the pores of your skin, let the ethereal energy of your soul immerse you from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. Remain, empty, calm and relaxed. If you can lie down, try to take a nap and be open to receive visions and lucid dreams. It would be better, however, if you could journal this exercise before going to sleep, as it will unfold a higher aspect of consciousness during sleep. THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS

Special Exercise : 5 Manifesting Your Inner Guide Precede exercise 5 by exercises 1 and 2. Enter your Sacred Cell in your usual way and light one or more candles that are on your table. Sit on your chair and close your eyes. Repeat the breathing exercise so as to relax you even more, and then ask your inner self or guide to manifest in front of you and appear in your cell. Your inner guide can take any shape—the ways it can manifest for you are explained in this book. Remember that whatever shape it takes, it will be a projection and an extension of your soul, and this will depend on the level of your attunement with it on the inner planes. Always accept and trust the first impression that you receive. Every time you visit your Sacred Cell, you may call upon your inner guide, and sometimes, it may have a different appearance, aspect or quality representing your soul. Pay attention to this because your inner guide is the invisible presence of your Pure Being, veiled behind the symbolic expression that you see in your cell. Come to know your inner guide well, and have intimate conversations and confessions. It is important to develop a closer relationship with your inner guide because, with time, it will help you unfold a mysterious inner process that will open for you the path of your awakening to higher dimensions of yourself. This inner process will give you insights into sacred primordial knowledge and wisdom that are engraved in your soul. Take notes in your diary of your experiences and impressions, and record the intuitions, feelings and thoughts that you receive from the inner planes. · When you feel ready, go on to exercise 6. THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS

Special Exercise : 5 Manifesting Your Inner Guide Precede exercise 5 by exercises 1 and 2. Enter your Sacred Cell in your usual way and light one or more candles that are on your table. Sit on your chair and close your eyes. Repeat the breathing exercise so as to relax you even more, and then ask your inner self or guide to manifest in front of you and appear in your cell. Your inner guide can take any shape—the ways it can manifest for you are explained in this book. Remember that whatever shape it takes, it will be a projection and an extension of your soul, and this will depend on the level of your attunement with it on the inner planes. Always accept and trust the first impression that you receive. Every time you visit your Sacred Cell, you may call upon your inner guide, and sometimes, it may have a file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (61 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

different appearance, aspect or quality representing your soul. Pay attention to this because your inner guide is the invisible presence of your Pure Being, veiled behind the symbolic expression that you see in your cell. Come to know your inner guide well, and have intimate conversations and confessions. It is important to develop a closer relationship with your inner guide because, with time, it will help you unfold a mysterious inner process that will open for you the path of your awakening to higher dimensions of yourself. This inner process will give you insights into sacred primordial knowledge and wisdom that are engraved in your soul. Take notes in your diary of your experiences and impressions, and record the intuitions, feelings and thoughts that you receive from the inner planes. · When you feel ready, go on to exercise 6. THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 9 The Flame and The Divine Mold Precede this exercise by exercises 1 and 2. The following exercise should be done in the Temple of Light. Enter your Sacred Cell in the Temple of Light. Imagine a burning flame, dancing, drawing ever-changing designs in the air. Look into it as it moves, and try to experience its fiery quality. As you visualize this flame, think about fire and its manifestations in the psyche: personal warmth and radiance, flaming love or joy, fiery enthusiasm, ardor. With the flame in front of your inner eye, slowly imagine that the fire is animating you and purifying your aura. Then become that flame and let yourself transform the fire into a pure dazzling light within you. You are embodied by light; the light of your soul has become that light. Feel it transforming your whole being. You have entered into your Divine Mold. Rest in it for a while and enjoy the experience. Journal your experiences and impressions, amplifying on the impressions and intuitions received, and your feelings, insights, thoughts and dreams, for they are the result of your contact with the inner planes. Do this exercise two to three times a week, remembering that while you do it, you are also attuning to the spiritual dimension of your being.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Your Divine Perfect Model Explanations

If you have followed the instructions and have done all the previous meditations with the right intentions and a pure heart, you will then be magnetically attracted to your Divine Perfect Model that is now resonating in you. This will happen because you have entered its Perfect Mold and have energized its sacred number. This part of your mystical work will rest on synchronistic happenings in your life, and you will be given, from within the inner planes and the physical plane, an image and a semblance of your Perfect Model. What is imprinted in your Perfect Mold will appear in your life and together, you will vibrate and unfold within yourself the inner qualities that belong to it. And as a Server of Light, you will, like many others, be one of the expressions manifesting your Perfect Model. And like them, you will also have a duty to serve and awaken other self-conscious beings, helping them to activate their own Perfect Mold and Perfect Model. This part of the work is personal and silent. By now, will have been given ample personal proof of what happens during your spiritual awakening process. This inner work will have also taught you that you are never alone, that you are really guided by the invisible hand of your soul, your permanent witness For more details on the Permanent Witness and the Spiritual Witness, see the articles in the “Mystery of Man” series.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (62 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

Special Exercise : 10.A Practical Work With The Sacred Chalice

This section offers a powerful symbol that you can use in your inner work, in addition to the image of the Perfect Model of your choice (What appeared to me from within was the Image of the Cosmic Christ). First try to attune with the sacred Image, meditating on it as often as you wish. You can also combine this sacred work with the ten specially prepared exercises. Attunement with the Cosmic Christ, or any other Perfect Expression of Primordial Wisdom will cause its magnetic energy to pour into your being, impregnating and purifying your aura. It will also resonate and transfer its subtle soul qualities in your consciousness, until your Perfect Model’s Divine Face and yours unite and become your Angelic Face. Symbology of the Sacred Chalice The Sacred Chalice offers four important “keys” to work with: the trident, the word psi, the chalice itself and the grail. However, the circle, the triangle, the central axis and the colors are also important keys. The trident is the symbol of the god Neptune/Poseidon, and denotes his command of the waters, which symbolically represent the emotions and the astral planes of being. Hence the trident is the instrument that “raises” and “stills” the emotions. It is therefore closely linked to the astral body and the way we act and react on all the planes of existence. In itself, the trident is a solar emblem and, with its prongs, it mingles and transforms the “waters” of the astral plane within our being. The prongs are the fiery and purifying tools that pierce, penetrate and transform all our mental and emotional patterns. In India, the trishula or trident is the emblem of the god Shiva, the transformer and destroyer of energies. In Buddhism, the trident is a symbol of the triratna or triple jewel. It may also be regarded as the triple current of energy in Tantrism - the Sushuma in the center and the ida and pingala on either side. The trident-shaped Greek letter psi Ψ usually represents soul, but in this book, it represents the psyche, which is linked to the lower mental and astral bodies. It is the psychic part in humans that receives both the impulses and reactions coming from the ego or self-consciousness, and also the impulses and inspirations coming from the soul. Hence the psyche is the “meeting place” where the limited and unlimited aspects of all our experiences mingle. It is, therefore, also related to memory, which is why it must be purified so that the connection between the ego and soul functions properly. file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (63 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

In this website, the Chalice represents the Perfect Mold into which the seeker of truth plunges, letting himself be totally immersed in its purifying divine influences, leading to purification by Divine Grace. It is the place where the seeker receives the Holy Spirit and undergoes the Baptism of Fire, which is why the Chalice represents the consecrated vessel for transformation and rebirth into the Christ or Cosmic Consciousness. The Chalice can be seen as the font in which flows the divine grace to nourish, nurture and finally adorn us with the “garment” of our divine nature. The Chalice represents many different things to many mystics. For example, it is the vessel in which the Blood of Christ and soma, or the nectar and beverage of ancient Gods, were kept. It is the sacred place “within,” in which all spiritual transformations take place and, through self-consciousness, the seeker of truth enters into the realm of Cosmic Consciousness. The Circle the circle and the dot share certain symbolic properties, namely perfection, completeness. While the primeval dot symbolizes immanent perfection, the circle may also symbolize the results of creation. It is the development and manifestation of the Spiritual DNA or Divine Seed. The Grail in these essays represents the complete transformation of human nature into its Divine counterpart. Hence the Grail represents Christ substance and Consciousness. We could say that the Grail is the Perfect Model and the Chalice is the Perfect Mold in which all inner processes occur. I recommend drawing and coloring the diagram yourself (using thick paper) so that it manifests and unfolds its potency and quality in your psyche. Use a brilliant and dazzling gold color for the chalice, the four triangles and the tridents, and a paler gold for the inside of the circle. Use the diagram as a mandala and meditate on it, as it contains the whole process of unfolding Cosmic Consciousness. I recommend also that you sit comfortably in a meditative position and place the diagram in front of you. Concentrate on the diagram for a while. Then close your eyes and visualize it coming alive in your mind’s eye. Make it vibrate with life and energy. Gradually, make it become larger and larger and see yourself plunge into the pool of energies. Stay in that state for a few moments and when you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, come out of your meditation knowing that the blueprint of this sacred diagram is still working within you. You can do this exercise as many times as you wish. For more details of the Sacred Chalice, see “The Importance of Dreams in the Mystical Process,” and the “Mystery of Man” on this website (part: 1,2,3,4).

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS Special Exercise : 10.B Your Divine Perfect Model

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (64 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

This is part two of the transformation of the Chalice into a Grail cup. The symbols include: A Grail cup A Cross with four equal branched Four equilateral triangles Color brilliant gold This diagram, which also serves as a mandala, is offered to be meditated upon. We see here the Chalice transformed into a Grail Cup, which remains the same purified vessel made of the purest gold. However the four tridents of our previous mandala have transformed into four equidistant and equilateral branches forming a cross. This new symbol represents the achieved wholeness in a seeker, and portrays what happens after the four elements (fire, water, air and earth) within a seeker’s subtle and physical bodies have been purified and transmuted from within the perfect Mold and transformed into the Perfect Model. Hence, this diagram depicts the integration and manifestation of the Perfect Model in the seeker’s everyday awareness. However, because the seeker’s physical senses can never handle or see this holy and sacred Grail, it will always remain an ethereal, evanescent and immaterial substance within the seeker’s Pure Being or soul entity. Nonetheless, this blessed substance will always remain anchored in his/her Perfect Model and therefore will transmit to the seeker’s abstract mind (or intelligence of the heart) all the divine and holy emanations and impulsion that it needs. An equilateral cross, the major channel of communication, represents the Son of Man, the sign of the seeker’s awakened Perfect Model. It is not a Christian symbol. The four branches or arms of the cross meet at the center of the Grail, bringing and achieving the necessary balance and equilibrium between all the planes and subtle bodies within a seeker. The central point is an invisible one that remains unmanifested on the axial pole of the world axis. Hence it prevails as the non-material center of the Grail. It also represents the non-material core of Pure Being, or the Absolute Consciousness or Divine Void within each one of us. This center is where the Invisible Presence of the Divine Face abides unmanifested unchanged and immovable forever, and yet its divine semblance and reflection are activated and energized within each Perfect Model. The central vertical branch represents the world axis harmoniously blended within the ascending world axis in the seeker. It shows also that the earth element, the Malkuth (the tenth Sephiroth in Qabalistic symbology), arises and soars towards the Unknown God or Absolute Being through the vertical arm of the file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (65 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

cross, which is also the middle Pillar of Consciousness. That is why this vertical arm of the cross becomes also the base on which the Grail stands firmly on the ground. This base is formed by a triangle with its apex facing upwards and represents two things: • The seeker’s consciousness has been transformed and spiritualized, so that the selfconsciousness of the ego ascends gradually from its physical and material world surroundings into to the realm of Cosmic Consciousness. The vertical arm of the cross shows us that consciousness of the self can open up and become one with Cosmic or Christ Consciousness, since they both belong to the same axis. • The Chalice and the Grail both stand firm on a same triangle representing not just matter but redeemed matter. Therefore both holy vessels are well-grounded within the axis of consciousness, which allows this sacred work to begin in earnest. Thus, we could intuitively say that when the hindrances and limitations of the ego disappear, the vertical axis opens its horizontal arms to form a divine cross.

The horizontal arms of this cross represent consciousness stretching itself outwardly in ordinary consciousness to encompass the whole world of creation. And, when both vertical and horizontal arms of the cross meet in the center of the Grail, their meeting point enlightens and illuminates Cosmic or Christ Consciousness in ordinary self-consciousness. The Presence of our Soul Entity or pure Being resides in the hidden center of the cross and this same Presence of pure Being resides in the mystical heart of a seeker, whose heart is continuously nourished and filled with the elixir and nectar contained in the holy Grail. In spiritual alchemy, this inner work is called “the Work of the Sun.” In Kabbalah, the Grail is the center of Tiphereth on the Tree of Life, which is why it is made of the purest gold. The triangle that forms the base of the Grail Cup is an equilateral triangle representing the element of fire, the fire of Kundalini rising, purifying and transforming the heart and psyche in a seeker. From there, it rises up towards the crown chakra. The cross, too, is made of the element of “fire,” the fire that purifies and unifies the different aspects within a seeker. This ”fiery” cross has been created and manifested with the essence and substance of the Grail itself. However, this “fiery” cross appears only after the purifications and initiations are first completed in the sacred Chalice and its fiery “tridents” have done their mystical work (see first Chalice diagram). The “fiery” cross on this diagram is made of the purest gold, which represents symbolically perfected matter and the fiery substance of the cross, transformed into the purest Light of Being. The above offers just a few hints to help you in your mystical work. Please remain open to any other intuitive revelations that come.

The Process •

Meditate on the sacred Grail Cup.

After having done all the exercises and the work with the previous Chalice, meditate and reflect on the Grail in this section. I recommend drawing and coloring the diagram yourself (using thick paper) so that it manifests and unfolds its potency and quality in your psyche. Use a brilliant and dazzling gold color for the chalice, the four triangles and the cross. Use the diagram as a mandala and meditate on it, as it contains the whole process of unfolding Cosmic Consciousness. I recommend also that you sit comfortably in a meditative position and place the diagram in front of you. Concentrate on the diagram for a while. Then close your eyes and visualize it coming alive in your mind’s eye. Make it vibrate with life and energy. Gradually, make it become larger and larger and see yourself plunge into the pool of energies. Stay in that state for a few moments and when you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, come out of your meditation knowing that the blueprint of this sacred diagram is still working within you. You can do this exercise as many times as you file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (66 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

wish. •

Make notes of your reflections and contemplations.

Draw this mandala and color it so that its energy blends with yours and becomes part of you, created and activated within your subtle bodies and place the diagram in front of you. Concentrate on the diagram for a while. Then close your eyes and visualize it coming alive in your mind’s eye. Make it vibrate with life and energy. Gradually, make it become larger and larger and see yourself plunge into the pool of energies. Stay in that state for a few moments and when you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, come out of your meditation knowing that the blueprint of this sacred diagram is still working within you. You can do this exercise as many times as you wish.

THE PERFECT MODEL AND CONSCIOUSNESS END OF THE SACRED EXERCISES 1 – MEDITATE EVERY MORNING AND NIGHT for about 10 minutes to be in harmony with pure consciousness. 2 – During your daily occupation and at work become the OBSERVER of what you do and say. Remain positive – and if you have to make a negative remark to yourself or others, try to find a positive way of doing it. Remember that your present thoughts have arisen dependent upon past thoughts and desires. Your future thoughts will arise dependent upon your present thoughts and desires. It is no good for you to worry and think about the past or try to envisage the future. That is the way to more suffering and unrest. You must learn to control your thoughts now. You must bring your mind to peace tranquility now – and you will be sowing the seeds for like thoughts in the future. 3 – This preparation is a long process - do not be impatient. By following closely these suggestions you will come closer to your Perfect Model, Your Spiritual "other half" - unfolding your sacred "blueprint" or "Spiritual DNA" A REFLECTION ON THE BUDDHA AND THE COSMIC CHRIST And To Conclude on the Perfect Model Our thoughts and mind cannot become a Buddha or a Cosmic Christ Our feelings and emotions cannot be come a Buddha or a Cosmic Christ Our body and physical senses cannot become a Buddha or a Cosmic Christ Only what cannot become a Buddha or a Cosmic Christ can become the Buddha and t he Cosmic Christ which means that : The Essence of the Buddha and of the Cosmic Christ can only be found in BEING and manifest through your Perfect Model! It is through personal experiences that the Essence of Being-ness unfolds its mystery! It is hoped that these exercises and essays will help you concentrate and unfold the awesome mystery of your own being! END

What is Christ Consciousness? In the context of hermetic and metaphysical philosophy, what do we mean by the words Cosmic Christ? In addition to this and mystically, what does the essence of Christ represent? We have to understand that the essence and nature of the Cosmic Christ is universal and beyond the scope of any kind of investigation because in itself it is not and never will be a personality, something that can be objectively proven due to the fact that it has never been an individualized Energy. How could it be? The Essence of

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (67 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

the Cosmic Christ is simply the REGENERATIVE and RECONCILING aspect of the force of pure Being and the Soul Essence within each one of us. Hence in itself, it represents the unfolding energy of wholeness in human nature. In other words, Christ Energy is a divine Energy that brings and blends together the essence of Soul and Spirit within each one of us (to use a symbolic image, we could say that Christ Energy brings together and "marries" the Permanent and Spiritual Witnesses within each individual – for more details on these two aspects, please refer to the essays on "The Mystery of Man" parts:1,2,3,4 on this website). However, as seekers of Truth, we should make a distinction between the Cosmic Christ and the manifestation of the force that descends and unfolds through the channel of consciousness in an enlightened being. In other words, we should differentiate between an individualized expression of the Cosmic Christ and the Essence of the Cosmic Christ itself. To facilitate our task, we could begin by asking this question. What do we mean by an individualized expression of the Cosmic Christ? The answer is simply that it represents an enlightened and self-realized expression of pure Being. However, such a level of enlightenment can only manifest in a purified and well prepared vehicle, in which consciousness is awakened fully. By purified vehicle, we mean the purified physical, psychic and spiritual bodies in which the energy and characteristics of the Force of the Cosmic Christ become apparent. This Christic Force is an active and universal power house that functions through "human vehicles" forever. Hence, nothing gets lost, and the vehicle and characteristics of Master Jesus still continue functioning through all enlightened and realized human beings. The same principle is applied to all enlightened beings. Why is this so? Simply because, purified vehicles are all molded from one specific Perfect Mold that is at the source of all traditions, Eastern and Western alike. It is the power source that is inherent in Primordial Wisdom and in Nature. Thus, it is also inherent in human nature too. However, it needs to be awakened and activated by consciousness . For Buddhism, all seekers and disciples of Buddha are known as having Buddha nature inherent within their nature. In the same manner, for the hermetic and esoteric Mysteries of the Western tradition, the essence of the Cosmic Christ is innate to all sentient beings and part of his spiritual blueprint, or the Perfect Mold, in the West and in the East. However, JESUS THE CHRIST represents a perfected vehicle that has existed, and still continues to exist eternally, since it represents one of the perfected Expressions of Primordial Wisdom. That is why, to a Western approach, Jesus or Jeshua represents a process of manifesting Primordial Wisdom to a Western approach. Since, the Perfect Model and Mold are themselves expressions of the Primordial Wisdom. Hence, Jesus or Jeshua represent a channel and a vehicle in which a high level of initiation takes place. He represents one of the Perfect Mold in which the process of awakening and of enlightenment takes place. The Perfect Mold of a Cosmic Christ or of a Buddha exists everywhere…and remains the same, for everyone, since they are made of the same pure essence of Primordial Wisdom and therefore, all Perfect Molds and Models are ALIVE and ACTIVE expressions of the same unique source, which are inherent to Pure Being. The meaning of the Perfect Mold and Perfect Model should be understood intuitively by the genuine seeker because these two symbolic expressions should clarify the understanding that it is not the ego personality and the intellect as such that choose a Perfect Model and discovers its corresponding Perfect Mold. The Perfect Model within each one of us is hidden within consciousness. When consciousness "awakens" in a seeker, then the Presence of the Perfect Model appears. It is through the purification of the psyche and the unfoldment of the inner process that the expression of the Perfect Model becomes clearer and is revealed. However, we should also realize that the world of the psyche belongs to the world of duality, since the mirror of the psyche transfers and projects, images, ideals, intuitions, which are reflections of the Perfect Model. The Perfect Model unfolds the process of awakening and its vehicle, the Perfect Mold is the "ground" on which the awakening process takes place. It is the purified psyche - the mirror of the Soul in which ideal "images" of Heroes and Heroines can still be projected like in the time of childhood. However, for seekers of truth, these faints projected ideal models of heroes and heroines, of gods and goddesses file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (68 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

are replaced by a direct impulse coming from the Presence of pure Being. To begin with, this new impulse appears like a divine and complementary counterpart and gradually reveals the Presence of the Perfect Model. Until such time that consciousness reveals that the psyche does not really exist...it was a perfect mirror reflecting purified impulses that disappear leaving a silent space within... a level of consciousness in which the world of duality is non-existent and in its place appears the Presence the uncreated and immortal Essence of Being, the "I AM" Presence and the sudden realization that : "I AM ... WHAT I AM" PART II MEANING OF THE NAME JESUS CHRIST THE NAZARENE The word "Jesus" represents an individualized level of enlightenment and experience. Christ, on the other hand represents an epithet, an explanation of the quality of enlightenment reached by "Jesus". For this reason, and in the context of Western Mysteries, "Jesus" represents the Perfect Mold, the inner workings of the purified "Substance" and the vehicle in which the path of AWAKENING the level of Christ Consciousness takes place... The word "Consciousness" (in Syriac means Messiah and in Greek Christos means the Anointed One). As for the word "The Nazarene", the meaning is: "He who reveals what is hidden". As for the word "Messiah", it has two meanings, "Christ or the Anointed One" and "The Measured One" "Jesus" in Hebrew means "The Redemption" and the word "Nazara" means "The Truth". Thus, "The Nazarene" means "Truth". Jesus had attained "Nazirutha", perfect spiritual enlightenment, and that he also taught that path to others. Hence, Jesus and his disciples were Nazarenes or Nazoraeans: meaning, followers of the mystic path to God, or Pure Being. The apostles before us used to employ the terms: 'Jesus the Nazoraean Messiah', which means 'Jesus, the Nazoraean, the Christ "The Anointed One". Remember: The last name is "Christ", the first name is "Jesus", the middle name is "The Nazarene". Hence the Name "Jesus Christ the Nazarene" means; The Anointed One, the Giver of Truth - The Bringer and Source of Redemption - The Revealer of what is hidden - The Enlightened One who has the gift to Awaken others... .

In the Gospel of Thomas - 108 Whosoever drinks from my mouth Shall become as I am. I too shall become like him. For him, the hidden will be revealed. If the Teachings are truly understood and put into practice, we will become as Jesus. The Christ within will become fully manifest, just as It did with the Master. We will have uncovered and Realized that Perfection, that Pure Spirit, which has been the True "us" all along. You have been given many hints and clues to unravel the unfathomable Mystery of your own spiritual Substance and Essence...!

WHY USE THE PERFECT MODEL AS A TOOL? How can we link the archetype of the Perfect Model with the idea of an Absolute Being? The answer to this question is that even the most abstract idea of what is Absolute Being remains a human concept. So, why do we have to create a Perfect Model if it is a concept that we create in our minds? Each person be it a philosopher, a mystic or an atheist has a certain perception of what the origin of creation of man is and he will try to explain it according to his conditioning and understanding. Since it is consciousness that creates and recognizes the world in which we live in, it is therefore natural to say that anything that man

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (69 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

imagines and creates is rooted and based on a concept. Thus even the most profound truth can only be delivered to others through ideas and words and these are only human ideas that originate in the ego of man. Consequently, even when a mystic receives an insight or truth based on intuition, his understanding and explanation of it will have to be expressed through a concept and then be explained to others. Accordingly, intellectual understanding of a concept is an important first step, as it helps unfold a resonance in the psyche of the listener. Moreover, even enlightened masters must use concepts to explain away their experiences and wisdom to others. Since the center of an enlightened person and that of Absolute Being coincide and are the same, Divine Knowledge and Wisdom pour in him as divine impulses. These impulses, however, are the living Presence of Being and cannot manifest in the world of duality. To do so they should first be reflected in the thought process of a sage before being transformed into words and communicated to others. That's why an enlightened person’s thoughts come directly from the source of Absolute Being before being interpreted and developed into concepts which he simplifies to the level of understanding of his audience. We live in a world of duality, meaning a world in which the ego plays the game of “this is me – and this is not me”. Therefore whatever one receives from the depth of one’s being has to be projected into the world of duality in order to take substance and be formed as ideas and concepts. Therefore, no one can really prove anything to anyone else in a belief of an Absolute Being because this has been created as a concept. The same goes for believing in reincarnation, or in a Perfect Model. So why insist on explaining away the concept of a Perfect Model? For an unenlightened being, an enlightened person will look like an ordinary man, someone just like him. Why and how can that be? The answer is because between the two of them there is no resonance. On the other hand, for someone who resonates with an enlightened person, even without knowing it, an enlightened person will be a catalyst and a living model. The spiritual charisma and magnetic attraction between the two cannot be explained, because it is not a physical attraction, but more a spiritual one that is based on resonance. This is the way that intuition and divine Knowledge unfold in a disciple. The psyche of such a disciple becomes a clear mirror in which the wisdom of his physical master is projected and transmitted. Why is such a divine transmission perceived only through the mirror of the psyche? The answer is that whatever is perceived by a disciple has first to pass from his own psyche so as to be experienced by him alone and make it his own. In the same manner a Perfect Model, is an abstract archetypal model, a catalyst that awakens Absolute Consciousness in a disciple. This Perfect Model is slumbering in our subconscious and our innermost center of Being and when the right moment comes it manifests itself to us so that we can become conscious and resonate with it in the world of duality. The Perfect Model is a powerful symbol that is a key unfolding the Perfect Nature of Absolute Being in our consciousness. However, it is important to understand the process of its unfolding, because it is not the ego that chooses its Perfect Model, but the guise that Absolute Being takes to appear in our psyche and this guise becomes a reality that transforms us when we start resonating with it. Thus, it is clear that we cannot choose the features of our individual Perfect Model. However, by resonating with the Presence of Absolute Being within, the Presence gradually unfolds its perfect Image in our mind and psyche. Therefore, we can say that it is the Presence of Absolute Being within each one of us that activates the characteristics and features of our Perfect Model and these are recognized and manifested according to our conditioning and culture. Hence at the source of Absolute Being, the Perfect Model remains unchanged, unique and whole as an uncreated Essence which manifests in the psyche of a disciple in different ways and guises so as to blend and become a reality in him.

A similar question arises when determining whether it is the master who chooses his disciple or if it is the disciple who chooses the master? The answer is simply that it is neither but the resonance between the two of them that attracts them to each other and creates for one the role of master and for the other the role of disciple… one mirrors Absolute Being and beams its Light through the mirror of one’s impersonal level of Consciousness in the clear mirror of the disciple. Thus the Light of the physical Master adds itself file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (70 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

to the Light of the Perfect Model, both are catalysts that awaken him to his true Self. One resonates from within the inner plane of one’s Being and the other from the physical plane. Crisscrossing within his heart the disciple identifies his true nature and recognizes himself in both Perfect Models that is to say the immaterial and ethereal Presence of Absolute Being within and without.

Breathing Exercises 1 & 2

Exercise 1: Breathing Meditation Begin by breathing deeply and fully, taking several deep breaths, connecting the inhale to the exhale. On every out-breath, feel your body relax, allowing tension to leave you. As you breathe, become aware of the areas of your body where you feel tense and breathe into those parts, imagining that the in-breath is loosening the tension and the out-breath is carrying away stress and tension, creating space inside you to relax more and more with each cycle of your breathing. Be aware of your body, of sensations and feelings, of the mood you are in as you breathe, relax, and let go. Notice your thoughts as they come and go. Simply observe, being aware, letting thoughts and feelings flow, and as they flow, let go with every breath, relaxing and releasing tension … relaxing … allowing the tensions to melt … to dissolve and disappear with the slow, steady rhythm of your breath … becoming relaxed and aware … calm.

Exercise 2: The Rainbow Cocoon Exercise 2: The Rainbow Cocoon This exercise helps you create harmony between the various levels of your being. Begin with the breathing exercise or another that you prefer. When you are fully relaxed, imagine that your aura is being surrounded by a soft blanket of pure energy. Visualize it taking the shape of a spherical cocoon. Let the space within your cocoon become magnetic and let your intuition choose one of the pure colors of the rainbow. Accept the first color that comes. Visualize the color filling the cocoon. Let yourself bathe in its pristine clear light. Let your whole being be immersed in it. Imagine that, like a sponge, your whole being is absorbing light through the pores of your skin, penetrating, cleansing and healing your etheric and astral bodies. You are now completely purified and sealed in your cocoon of pure light. Remain in it for a few minutes, breathing its purity. Do exercises 1 and 2 daily for at least a whole week. Then add exercise 3 for the following week, but always precede it with exercises 1 and 2.

An Exercise on Self Enquiry - Who is the "Doer"? by Ramesh Balsekar At the end of the day sit alone, quietly, for about 20 to 30 minutes, and think of one or more actions during the day which you were convinced were "your" actions. Find out if you decided, out of the blue, to do that action; or, was it some thought or event which started that action over which you had absolutely no control? Then, investigate the course or process of that action and find out how much real control you had over it. If your investigation has been thorough and honest, you will come to the conclusion in every case that every action which you thought was "your" action turns out to depend on several factors over which you had truly no control. In other words, you come to the conclusion that no action was truly your action. Of course, it is needless to say that you are doing this investigation - and observe how honest and thorough it is – even this investigation itself depends upon God's will! Once this investigation begins - and proceeds, day after day - you may find that it has become an obsession which could be termed "the dark night of the soul"! But this need not necessarily be so. How file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (71 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13

Pictures of the Convento de Cristo (Convent of Christ)

smooth or difficult the process of this investigation becomes, would itself be the will of God. The important point is that when the ego is finally convinced that he cannot truly call any action "his" action, the ego is faced with the significant question: if no action is my action, and actions actually happen without any necessity of a "me", then who is this "me" I am so concerned about? Is there a "me" at all?! The question becomes an unbearable pain, arising from the gut, from the Source, and the answer finally comes from the Source: "My dear child, there never was a 'me' to suffer the pain of life and all there has ever been is “I”, the Source from which the manifestation has emerged, and it is “I” alone who has been functioning through the billions of human beings." An action happens because that is the will of God; the results or consequences, whatever they are, are also the will of God. The human object cannot know the results or consequences of any action - the same action need not produce the same consequences every time. And what is more, the consequences of any action will not be restricted to only the individual organism through which it happens - it could affect many others who had nothing to do with the original action. Thus, for instance, a decision made by the head of a large business enterprise could affect, for better or worse, not only the one who made that decision but many others: the many other businesses connected with the large enterprise and the many employees of the business concerned.

file:///C|/HERMETIC%204.htm (72 of 72)24/01/2009 18:17:13