It’s Self-Fulfillment, Not Self-Denial

 

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“The sacrifice which men of genius—mystics, artists, inventors—make of their whole lives to this one object, this one vision of truth, is not self-denial, but rather self-fulfillment. They gather themselves up from the unreal, in order to concentrate on the real. The whole personality then absorbs or enters into communion with certain rhythms or harmonies existent in the universe, which the receiving apparatus of other selves cannot take up. … ‘The numbers came!’ says the poet. He knows not how, certainly not by deliberate intellection.
“So it is with the mystic. Madam Guyon states in her autobiography, that when she was composing her works she would experience a sudden and irresistible inclination to take up her pen. … Similar statements are made of St. Teresa, who declared that in writing her books she was powerless to set down anything but that which her master put into her mind. … The subliminal mind of the great mystic, however, is not disorderly.” ~Evelyn Underhill

 

When people read of mystics and adepts giving up certain things like popular foods and sporting events they think of this as self-denial and see it as a lifestyle they are not interested in. But as Ms. Underhill points out, that is not the correct way to interpret it. What the mystic is giving up is something of very little value in exchange for which he gains something of much greater value. It is really not much different than the athlete who skips going to a movie with his friends so that he can go practice is swimming or jumping or whatever activity is involved in his sport. Generally speaking, people don’t see that athlete as being in self-denial, but they often think that way when they see the spiritual person or the mystic giving up some of the fun materialistic activities that so many find enjoyable.

 

< Read the complete blog post at Solar Wind. >

Visit and bookmark Harold Boulette’s blog Solar Wind at:  http://spiritsun.net/

contributed by Harold Boulette

 

 




Lamp, Mantle, and Staff for Spiritual Growth

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“The initiate is he who possesses the lamp of Trismegistus, the mantle of Apollonius, and the staff of the patriarchs. The lamp of Trismegistus is reason illuminated by science; the mantle of Apollonius is full and complete self-possession, which isolates the sage from blind tendencies; and the staff of the patriarchs is the help of the secret and everlasting forces of nature. The lamp of Trismegistus enlightens present, past and future, lays bare the conscience of men and manifests the inmost recesses of the female heart. The lamp burns with a triple flame, the mantle is thrice-folded and the staff is divided into three parts.” ~Eliphas Levi

 

I think it is safe to say that when Levi refers to the lamp of Trismegistus (Hermes) as representing “reason illuminated by science,” the science he is referring to is not chemistry or biology, but the spiritual sciences that awaken the spirit and soul and reveal spiritual truth (Gnosis) to us. Materialists, of course, laugh at the idea that anything spiritual could be considered a science, but those same materialistic scientists also tend to refute quantum physics as pseudo-science while the high-tech corporations continue to use it to make the technological wonders we all love to play with.

Levi aids us with understanding what is meant by the “mantle of Apollonius” which is “full and complete self-possession,” when he adds that it isolates the sage from blind tendencies.

 

< Read the complete blog post at Solar Wind. >

Visit and bookmark Harold Boulette’s blog Solar Wind at:  http://spiritsun.net/

contributed by Harold Boulette

 

 

 




Sun Salutations

 

Has any of us ever experienced a suspension, or cessation, of breath while performing solar eye techniques?

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The above diagram is the basic sequence of postures known as Surya namaskara, or Sun salutation.         

Traditionally, this was practiced by vedic seers just before greeting the morning sun. It is also a component of nadi shodhan pranayama,  which is a yoga centered around alternate nostril breathing and  holding one’s breath.

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Practicing nadi shodhan pranayama can produce kundalinic effects and propagate prana, or chi, distribution, yet the crown jewel of this breathing yoga is kevala kumbhaka. Kevala kumbhaka is breath suspension that is separate from inhalation,  exhalation,  or intentional pauses;  it is an unforced removal and cessation of breathing that occurs without discomfort. Once attained, it can crop up naturally and normally now and then. It seems interesting that the Sun salutation postures are integrated in a pranayama practice that can produce natural breath cessation.

As a side note: Clinical studies (see links below) suggest that alternate nostril pranayama promotes:  greater cognitive ability, sustained attention, and a balancing effect on hemispheric brain functioning:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1938166

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23721252

 

by Michael McIntyre

 




“A Hermetic View of Death”

 

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“Hermes bowed his head in thankfulness to the Great Dragon who had taught him so much, and begged to hear more concerning the ultimate of the human soul. So Poimandres resumed: ‘At death the material body of man is returned to the elements from which it came, and the invisible divine man ascends to the source from whence he came, namely the Eighth Sphere. The evil passes to the dwelling place of the demon, and the senses, feelings, desires, and body passions return to their source, namely the Seven Governors, whose natures in the lower man destroy but in the invisible spirit man give life. After the lower nature has returned to the brutishness, the higher struggles again to regain its spiritual estate.” ~Manly P. Hall

 

“It may seem like it, but this is not an excerpt from a fantasy novel. The dragon, spheres, and governors in this tale are allegory, not fantasy. It is unusual to see a dragon as a good guy, but in this case, he clearly is. In fact, it seems to me from the description of the dragon found in the quoted text and elsewhere, that the Great Dragon, or Great Teacher, is Christ. And if you reply that Christ hadn’t been born yet, you are confusing Jesus with Christ. Jesus was a man in whom the Christ spirit resided for a time, but the Christ spirit is immortal and always existed. But if you wish to think it is a different spiritual teacher, that is your choice.

“Hermes wants to know what happens to us after we die, and the Dragon replies in ways that are mostly allegorical, but occasionally literal (one has to learn to tell the difference).”

 

< Read the complete blog post at Solar Wind. >

 

Visit and bookmark Harold Boulette’s blog Solar Wind at:  http://spiritsun.net/

 

contributed by Harold Boulette

 




“The Awakened Self”

 

Meditation illustration

 

“The truth, then, so far as we know it at present, seems to be that those powers which are in contact with the Transcendental Order, and which constitute at the lowest estimate half the self, are dormant in ordinary men; whose time and interest are wholly occupied in responding to the stimuli of the world of sense. With those latent powers sleeps the landscape which they alone can apprehend. In mystics none of the self is always dormant. They have roused the dweller in the Innermost from its slumbers, and round it have unified their life. Heart, Reason, Will are there in full action, drawing their incentive not from the shadow-show of sense, but from the deeps of true Being; where a lamp is lit and a consciousness awakened, of which the sleepy crowd remains oblivious.” ~Evelyn Underhill

 

“Sailors long ago learned that it is folly to ignore the largest part of the iceberg that is hidden underwater. Today, however, many people think is just fine to ignore that greater part of what they truly are simply because it remains dormant. And like the foolish sailor who ignore the fact that the iceberg is bigger underwater than it is above, or that there may be other dangers hidden below the surface of calm waters, those people may be in for a rude awakening.

“I know that the attitude of many seems to be to deal only with the material world while trapped on this level of existence, and they will worry about the spiritual when and if they ever get their. That is like waiting to learn how to swim after your boat sinks: almost certainly too late. But it is also a foolish position to take because awakening additional senses, additional faculties cannot harm you at all in this world, but certainly can be of benefit. Materialists tend to find that hard to believe, but there is ample evidence. People who awaken their spiritual self, people like St. Francis, Jacob Boehme, Gandhi and Martin Luthor King Jr, just to name a few, have seen their simplistic material lives be greatly improved by this awakening. Yet many continue to resist.”

 

< Read the complete blog post at Solar Wind. >

 

Visit and bookmark Harold Boulette’s blog Solar Wind at:  http://spiritsun.net/

 

contributed by Harold Boulette

 




“The Initiate Must be Fearless”

 

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“The would-be initiate must bring with him a certain measure of courage and fearlessness. He must positively go out of his way to find opportunities for developing these virtues. His training should provide for their systematic cultivation. In this respect, life itself is a good school, possibly the best school. The student must learn to look danger calmly in the face and try to overcome difficulties unswervingly. For instance, when in the presence of some peril, he must swiftly come to the conviction that fear is of no possible use; I must not feel afraid; I must only think of what is to be done. And he must improve to the extent of feeling, upon occasions which formerly inspired him with fear, that to be frightened, to be disheartened, are things that are out of the question as far as his own inmost self is concerned.” ~Rudolf Steiner

We live in a strange time when many people feed their fears as much as they possibly can, and often do so without being aware that they are doing it. To some degree, we can blame the media for this, especially advertising, but ultimately we are all responsible for our own behavior.

 

< Read the complete blog post at Solar Wind. >

 

Visit and bookmark Harold Boulette’s blog Solar Wind at:  http://spiritsun.net/

 

contributed by Harold Boulette




“Real Success”

 

Businessman running in a hamster wheel

 

“A wealthy man of good family, who lacks inward discipline and all virtue in his way of life, is regarded by those with spiritual understanding as under an evil influence; likewise, a man who happens to be poor or a slave, but is graced with discipline of soul and with virtue in his life, is regarded as blessed. And just as strangers traveling in a foreign country lose their way, so those who do not cultivate the life of virtue are led astray by their desires and get completely lost. …
“A man should strive to practice the life of virtue in a genuine way; when this is achieved it is easier to acquire knowledge about God. When a man reveres God with all his heart and with faith, he receives through God’s providence the power to control, anger and desire; for it is anger and desire which are the cause of all evils.” ~The Philokalia

 

“It is curious and timely that I should read this section of the Philokalia at a time when we are seeing so much of the opposite point of view in the media. We see a person with great wealth, who not only admits, but brags about the fact that he obtained much of that wealth by tricking people and using the sleaziest of tactics to get good deals when he bought their properties and he is being considered a great success! Simply having a big pile of money to sit on is not success, especially when that money was obtained by trickery and thievery, is not success in any logical or sensible interpretation of the word. By that definition, some despot who robs a country of all its wealth and makes it his own is a great success, which is ridiculous.”

 

< Read the complete blog post at Solar Wind. >

 

Visit and bookmark Harold Boulette’s blog Solar Wind at:  http://spiritsun.net/

 

contributed by Harold Boulette

 

 




Dream, Vision, and Paranormal Experience Forum: September 2015

 

This is your forum to share higher-level experiences in Cosolargy through the images of your dreams and visions. All postings are anonymous. Send in verbal descriptions and, if you have them, drawings or paintings.

The primary value in these postings is simply to allow others to see that people do have relevant or meaningful dreams and visions. Another value is to see if others find that the dreams and visions we post are similar or identical to their own. This is why we ask for your comments.

Dreams are communications from the unconscious mind and sometimes the higher self. Some are simply compensation for attention directed elsewhere during the day; some are indications of bodily processes, and some help us work through conflicts. Occasionally, they communicate information from higher realms and thus have more than individual value.

As Cosolargists, we are learning to navigate higher realms. Dreams are part of these higher realms. The Worlds of Light, the realm of spirit, sometimes breaks through to the psyche and gives us information. What breaks through deserves our attention and analysis. In this section of the Community Communique, we offer Community members a forum for sharing their dreams and visions for the edification of the Community and themselves.

 

Vision No. 4:
STOCK-SPM-Intercessionss-logoI have had quite a few experiences while solar gazing. I have also used the phosphene eyelid technique; however, I’m not sure what it’s called, but it has to do with the solar cross image within my eyes. I don’t know how many are aware of this experience, and I am not using the correct terminology regarding this, nor do I have access to the Academy series that describes this event. I have always been very reluctant to discuss this event, as I have discovered that it is not all that common, so I am at a loss for words.

I have never before tried to explain my solar experiences to anyone. I have called the a disk, but my preceptor referred to it as an orb. I could not find the text of The Cosolargy Papers that explains this event, but in the back of my closet I found a book titled GLOSSARY: Lectures on Metaphysics, Philosophy, and Mystic Theology; with an Exposition on the Spiritual Orders of Antiquity, volume 1 (Lectures 1–12). Scanning through it I read of the geometric figures, and in a paragraph on transmutation there was a reference to the solar orb, which “assumes varied geometric forms that communicate to the observer, this being a subjective experience that conveys knowledge….”

In a very bare-bones explanation (without relating my emotional or spiritual experience), I will tell you that two years after joining the Community, I was told in a dream to view the noontime sun through the leaves of a tree for several minutes for the next two or three days. On the second day I felt this burst of energy in front of my open eyes and perceived a very brilliant light that assumed the form of the sun orbiting in front of my eyes.

Over the next four months the orb/disk began to settle down into a manageable image in front of my open eyes. I asked what symbol it was that I was seeing. On Christmas night while sitting in a darkened room, I realized the spinning disk had slowed. So I concentrated on it, and it stopped in front of me. And I realized it was the image of the Cross of Cosolargy. It then began spinning until it became the solar disk that I had referred to earlier, which I still see today but in different figures. In September 2008 many brilliant symbols appeared before my open eyes, and since that time it appears that the cross has become somewhat different. Another event that occurred in August 2008 happened when I walked out the front door and glanced at the setting sun. I turned away, and a bright light flashed. When I turned back to the sun, it was a brilliant, flaming red ball, and I heard myself pray in a foreign language. I blinked and the brilliance was gone. There are also other events that I am coming to recognize as significant visions in my life.

I have also experienced the images of the phosphene techniques (pressing on the eye lids), and I have seen within my closed eyes for the first time the image of a bright sun in both eyes, then later the image of a bright sun in the right eye and a dark, star-sprinkled sky in the left eye. I assumed, since I had seen this later, that I was seeing in the right and left side of my brain simultaneously.

I have been reluctant to speak about this event, because in September 1984 I had attended a Convocation in Reno and mentioned this sun disk after having observed Sunrise Services, and no one said one thing to me in response so I did not mention it again, but I also have to relate that I felt intuitively not to speak of it until now.

In regard to what I am now beginning to comprehend was my grand experience in the sun, I am overwhelmed by this “vision,” as I refer to it.

During the years since I first noticed the spinning disk, I had not reflected upon it. All I saw at that time was the Community Cross; however, since 2008 other geometric designs have appeared to me—all at one time in a darkened room. And over time they began to rotate and seemed to meld in my head.

In the past few weeks, I have been seeing the solar orb and cross surrounded by a large white ring with symbols, which itself is surrounded by a dark reddish ring with rays coming from it. It appears quite suddenly and crosses my vision at the same time the solar cross is spinning. I do not understand this. I can’t understand at this time what it all means, but it seems to be evolving. (Since then, as these events have appeared, I have found again in my dresser the set of archetypal symbol cards, each with a different symbol of the sun.) When I can catch a better look at it I will share this.

 

M.J. May

 




“The Wormhole of Evolution”

 

Illustration of a wormhole ripping its way through outer space

Illustration of a wormhole ripping its way through outer space

 

“On the outgoing arc of evolution Initiation is performed by contact with the life of a swarm on the returning arc. Thus Initiation enables the Initiate to cut across the arc of evolution, and to obtain the reactionary capacities by sympathetic induction, instead of the lengthy process of experience.
“The function of Initiates on the outgoing arc is to enable their swarms to adapt themselves more speedily to the conditions of a newly achieved plane, because they have acquired some concept of the nature of these conditions.” ~Dion Fortune

 

“I had not thought of spiritual development in quite this way, but it is an interesting approach. In Science Fiction and Fantasy novels, we hear of worm holes often and scientists are taking the idea more seriously these days. Ms. Fortune is saying that the spiritual Initiate, the mystic or adept, is creating a kind of wormhole on a spiritual level. This wormhole allows one to move from the downward path to the upward one, to reverse direction on the path of spirituality and consciousness.

“In Fortune’s theory, there are, in a sense, two kinds of “evolution” happening simultaneously. She explains it in details over several chapters, but for our purposes we can simplify it to one downward path, more appropriately called “devolution” and an upward path of true evolution.”

 

< Read the complete blog post at Solar Wind. >

 

Visit and bookmark Harold Boulette’s blog Solar Wind at:  http://spiritsun.net/

 

contributed by Harold Boulette

 




“The Most Wondrous Light”

 

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Oh Light of all Lights,
May Your Divine Word speak to our hearts.
Oh Splendor of all Splendors,
Open wide the gates of Your Life upon
This corpuscent world, and heal your children.
Bring us back to thee, Oh Mighty Breath of Life.

May Thy Light and Love strengthen us
As we shine forth upon this Earth,
This we pray as we find fulfillment in Thy infinite Fountain
Of Divine Grace and Light. Through Your Word,
Most Bountiful Illuminator, and the intercession of
All those most wondrous bearers of your Christ Light.
We give you our Eternal Thanks.

 

Mary J. May
2006