“How often have you seen your brother in a state of ecstasy, which he cannot describe? It is a state beginning in quiet bliss, flowing outward in bright radiance from an inner light, which can even illuminate the material darkness about him. He hears the music of the sacred spheres and sees the throbbing pulsations of life heaving about him, like waves upon the great sea. He becomes aware of an inflowing of unspoken knowledge from a surrounding power. It does not come from any one point, but appears to flow out of all things and to penetrate all things. … The spirit becomes lost in adoration and wonder in the beauty revealed in everything. The soul is aware of something glorious within all this and knows it from the spirit outflowing from its source.” ~The Kolbrin Bible (SOF:2:25)

Indescribable Ecstasy

“This state of ecstasy or enlightenment has been described by many, but not accurately. First, the person experiencing this state will color it to some degree with his own experiences and beliefs. That is why spiritual teachers tell us we must rid ourselves of all preconceptions in order to achieve true and complete enlightenment. Second, no worldly language is capable of describing this state accurately. Our languages do a good job of describing the world of matter, but they do not have words to properly describe the spiritual.”

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on NOVEMBER 25, 2017

“But the life in the Cosmos, the life which carries the leading principle of the universe, still needs elucidation; does it operate without calculation, without searching into what ought to be done?
“Yes: for what must be stands shaped before the Cosmos, and is ordered without any setting in order; the ordering things are merely the things that come to be; and the principle that brings them into being is Order itself. …
“The leading principle of the universe is a unity—and one that is sovereign without break, not sometimes dominant and sometimes dominated. … And this governing unity must always desire the one thing; [unity].” ~Plotinus

Cosmos and Universe

“It is not clear when Plotinus speaks of the universe and the cosmos if he means them as two different things, or as two words that mean the same thing. A hint is found, however, in the fact that he writes Cosmos with a capital ‘C,’ and universe with a lower-case ‘u’. This indicates to me that he thinks of them as different, and the Cosmos is the more important of the two. I will assume, therefore, that when he says ‘Cosmos,’ he means the spiritual realms, and when he says ‘universe,’ he means the dimensions of matter. Still, some of what he says about the Cosmos applies more to the universe, and vice-versa.”

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on NOVEMBER 28, 2017

“The descent into materialism was necessary in order that the fifth epoch might fulfill its mission It was essential that astral and spiritual clairvoyance should grow dim in order that the intellect might develop by  precise, minute and mathematical observation of the physical world. Physical science must be supplemented by spiritual science.
“Our fifth epoch will be followed by another, the sixth. This sixth epoch will see the development of brotherhood among men, clairvoyance and creative power. … To the priest in the mysteries before Christ, there was harmony between science and faith. Science and faith were one and the same. …
“Now that the attention of men is wholly directed to the physical world, faith has need of a refuge, of religion. … In the sixth epoch, the two streams will again unite. Mechanical science will become spiritually creative. This will be Gnosis-spiritual consciousness.” ~Rudolf Steiner

Fifth Epoch

“I’m not sure Mr. Steiner is correct in saying that the descent into materialism was necessary. We cannot deny, however, that it has happened.

“It is certainly true that there are forces in the material world which act upon us in different ways. Without getting into the details that are reserved for spiritual students, some forces act to lift us and make us grow, while other pull us down deeper into matter and materialism. You might think of these forces as being the two wolves in the old Native American story. The wolf that is fed is the one that grows strong. In the last several centuries, the wolf we have fed is clearly the forces that pull us deeper into matter. We have reached a point where the materialistic scientists have become like priests to some. And to many, the existence of anything other than matter is laughed at. Fortunately, the fantasies of materialism do not change the reality.”

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on NOVEMBER 29, 2017

“A traditional Kabbalistic view is that although the creation is in a damaged and imperfect state the Kabbalist, by virtue of his or her state of consciousness, can bring about a real healing. … When Moses first received the written law he also received certain laws orally. These were not written down but only ever transmitted down through the generation by word of mouth, and then only to the initiated. The oral law is sometimes referred to as Kabbalah. Incidentally, there are several different spellings of this word, because some letters in Hebrew have more than one representation in English and they have different magical vibrations with greater or lesser impact.

“Much of the magical language that we use today has come down to us from the Kabbalah. It was recognized that there were certain ideas that the ordinary layman was capable of understanding and others which only the initiated were capable of assimilating. … If anything was written down it was recorded in such a way that only those with the required knowledge would be able to decipher the true meaning. The writings were therefore in code.” ~Bernard Simon

Kabbalistic View

“The Kabbalistic view is not unique. It is the same as that taught in the mystery schools of Egypt, Babylonia, Greece, and other places. The words used, the parables and allegorical tales may be different, but the meaning is the same. In other words, different codes were used in different places and times, but the actual meaning is the same. And it remains true today that discerning that meaning is nearly impossible except to the initiated.”

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on DECEMBER 2, 2017

“Now when those experiences [of vivid dreams] during deep sleep first come to the notice of the student his next task must be to sense them as clearly and vividly as possible. At first this presents great difficulty the perception of these experiences being exceedingly slight. The student knows very well, on waking, that he has had an experience, but is completely in the dark regarding its nature. The most important thing during the initial stage is to remain quiet and composed, and not for a moment lapse into any unrest or impatience. The later is under all circumstances detrimental; it can never accelerate development, but only delay it. The student must cultivate a quiet and yielding receptivity for the gift that is presented to him.” ~Rudolf Steiner

Remembering Dreams and Visions

“Dreams, flashes, and visions can come to us is various circumstances. They usually happen during sleep, but can happen at any time. They almost always happen only when we are very relaxed and receptive.

“In the classic Science Fiction Movie Forbidden Planet, Walter Pidgeon as Dr. Mobius states, ‘What man can remember his own dreams.’ He doesn’t ask it as a question, but states it as if saying ‘no man can remember his own dreams.’ In actual fact, it is a question. The answer to the question is ‘Spiritual adepts, among others.’ The spiritually trained student tends to remember his dreams more than the average person. And anyone can increase their chances of remembering their dreams by simply telling themselves before they doze off, “I will remember the dreams I have tonight.”

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on DECEMBER 5, 2017

“Far sighted were the initiates of antiquity. They realized that nations come and go, that empires rise and fall, and that golden ages of art, science, and idealism are succeeded by the dark ages of superstition.

“With the needs of posterity foremost in mind, the sages of old went to inconceivable extremes to make certain that their knowledge should be preserved. They engraved it upon the face of mountains and concealed it within the measurements of colossal images, each of which was a geometric marvel. Their knowledge of chemistry and mathematics they hid within mythologies. … They wrote in characters that neither the vandalism of men not the ruthlessness of the elements could completely efface.” ~Manly P. Hall

Ever Changing World

“In the constantly changing world of matter, the ancient wise men understood that things happen in cycles. Periods of wisdom followed by periods of stupidity. Periods of rising up followed by periods descent into materialism and the great lie. In addition, they knew that it is the nature of governments, once formed, to act like a living creature concerned with protecting its own existence above everything else. Such governments will oppose anything which they consider to be a threat to their authority. That usually means that they see spiritual schools and spiritual movements as threatening to them.

“Actually, the spiritual schools were not trying to destroy anything except ignorance. In fact, the spiritual schools saw the need for governments to keep those who remain unenlightened under some limited control. Many  ignore a spiritual leader telling them they endanger their immortal soul by their actions. Yet they will listen to a government that threatens to jail them or put them to death for it.”

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on DECEMBER 11, 2017

It is tradition in the Far East to view the first sunrise of the year. It is for good fortune and happiness in the new year. In recent years past, my wife and I would view the first sunrise together from atop our apartment building. We were usually there alone and enjoyed it together in prayer. We have since moved from that apartment and had an addition to the family, so we decided to do it a bit differently coming into 2018.

We found a place about 2 km away that was a mountainside near a college. There would be no school that day so we thought it would be perfect. The morning of, as we drove in that direction, it was clear that others thought that location was perfect as well. There was traffic leading to the one road up the mountain. It got so bad at one point I thought we may miss the crowning of the Sun over the horizon. We finally got halfway up and decided not to risk driving higher and parked at the next available spot. The view would be just as good since there was nothing blocking our view. When we got out of the car the blistering cold hit hard against any bare skin that was uncovered. It did not stop us or the hundred or so of others who found that same location. We rushed to a good viewing spot and I noticed a few buses pulling in that had brought in loads of other people as well.

I began taking pictures and trying to ensure that my wife and newborn son were as warm as they could be. The weather was below freezing. Finally the big moment was soon to arrive, and everyone stared and waited. As soon as a spark of sunlight glanced above the horizon the crowd let out an “aaahhh” as did I. Just then, a short older Korean man rushed past me, barely halting before possibly tumbling down the edge of the section of the mountain we stood on, and he clapped his hands together and began to pray. I held my wife a son and said a prayer as well.

It was amazing to watch a sunrise with so many others there. If only they knew the true beauty and benefit of doing this all the time, the world would be a different place.

by Frank Gadson

“And now it may very exactly be understood by the essences and properties of the Soul, that in this House of Flesh (where it is as it were generated) it is not at home; and its horrible Fall may be also understood thereby. For it has no Light in itself of its own. It must borrow its Light from the Sun; which indeed springs up along with it in its Birth. … And if then the Divine Light be not again generated in the Center, then the soul remains in eternal darkness, … where nothing is to be found in the kindled fire but a horrible flash of fire in which source, also the Devils dwell. …. But if the Soul be regenerated in the Holy Ghost, … then it sees with two Lights, and lives in two Principles.” ~Jacob Boehme

Soul in a House of Flesh

“The ‘House of Flesh’ Boehme is talking about is the physical body. It is where the Soul dwells on Earth, but it is not the true home of the Soul. Its true home is in Heaven, in the spiritual worlds. The Soul is pure spirit and it belongs in a body of spirit living in a world of spirit. Because of the Great Fall, however, it is trapped in a world of matter while our physical bodies live. For this reason, the spirit and Soul are dormant when we come into the physical world and effort must be put into awakening them and nourishing them.”

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on DECEMBER 14, 2017

“How the might of Nature sways
All the world in ordered ways,
How resistless laws control
Each least portion of the whole –
Fain would I in sounding verse
On my pliant strings rehearse. …

And the woodland songster, pent
in forlorn imprisonment,
Through a mistress’ lavish care
Store of honeyed sweets prepare;
Yet, if in his narrow cage,
As he hops from bar to bar,
He should spy the woods afar,
Cool with sheltering foliage,
All these dainties he will spurn,
To the woods his heart will turn;
Only for the woods he longs,
Pipes the woods in all his songs. …

Thus are all things seen to yearn
In due time for due return;
And no order fixed may stay,
Save which in th’ appointed way
Joins the end to the beginning
In a steady cycle spinning.

“Ye, too, creatures of earth, have some glimmering of your origin, however faint and through it a vision dim and clouded, yet in some wise, not withstanding, ye discern the true end of happiness, and so the aim of nature leads you thither—to that true good—while error in many forms leads you astray therefrom.” ~Boethius

Return to Nature

“In the selected verses from one of his songs, Boethius tells us that no matter how wonderful is the captivity in which they find themselves, the birds and lions in cages yearn to be free and return to nature. We may think the bird is happy in his cage, but if let lose it will almost always fly off and not return. Living free in the natural world is more important than being spoiled and cared for, yet captive.

“Boethius is telling us that, in a sense, we are all like that bird. We don’t realize that we are captives in a cage, but that is exactly what the world of matter is. It is an empty world, a world of death and disease, a world of change, and a world doomed to end one day. Deep down, we all yearn to return to our nature, which is spirit, not matter. We know deep down that we have a spiritual nature and we want to return to it.”

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on DECEMBER 14, 2017

“The initiates of old warned their disciples that an image is not a reality but merely the objectification of a subjective idea. The images of the gods were not not designed to be objects of worship but were to be regarded merely as emblems or reminders of invisible powers and principles. Similarly, the body of man must not be considered as the individual but only as the house of the individual, in the same manner that the temple was the House of God. In a state of grossness and perversion man’s body is the tomb or prison of a divine principle; in a state of unfoldment and regeneration it is the House or Sanctuary of the Deity by whose creative powers it was fashioned. ‘Personality is suspended upon a thread from the nature of Being,’ declares the secret work. … The immortal is the reality; the mortal is the unreality.” ~Manly P Hall

Images and Symbols

In an age when many people never visit parks or other countries in person, but instead view videos online, or read the Facebook posts of those who do, it is not surprising that they can’t tell the difference between what is real and what is merely symbols or images of reality. In a sense, of course, an image is a kind of reality. But the reality of a photo of a rose is not the reality of an actual rose. Even if you could make the photo three dimensional and add the scent of a rose, it would still be just an image.

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Original article posted by HAROLD BOULETTE on OCTOBER 31, 2017